Penn Square Bank
Encyclopedia
Penn Square Bank was a small commercial bank
located in the rear of the Penn Square Mall
in Oklahoma City
. The bank made its name in high-risk energy loans during the late 1970s and early 1980s Oklahoma
and Texas oil boom. Between 1974 and 1982, the bank's assets increased more than 15 times to $525 million and its deposits swelled from $29 million to more than $450 million. As a result primarily of irresponsible lending practices in connection with the sale of over $1 billion in "loan participations" to other banks throughout America, Penn Square Bank failed in July 1982. Unlike most previous bank failures since the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
(FDIC) was formed, the uninsured depositors suffered losses as no other bank was willing to assume the deposits. As most of the deposits came from other financial institutions and represented high interest-rate jumbo certificates of deposit that were largely uninsured, this represented a major loss for the depositors. The investigation by the FDIC after the bank failure uncovered 451 possible criminal violations.
The bank is often cited as being partly responsible for the collapse of Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company
of Chicago
, which had to write-off some US$500+ million in loans purchased from Penn Square. In addition, there were major losses at other banks, including Seattle First National Bank (which was forced into a merger with Bank of America
), Michigan National Bank
, and Chase Manhattan Bank
in New York. The bank's collapse coincided with the 1980s oil glut
and Penn Square was the first of 139 Oklahoma banks that failed in the 1980s. The insolvency was the subject of two best-selling books and led to a two-year prison term for the bank's energy-lending chief, Bill Patterson.
Abilene National Bank in Abilene, Texas did correspondent banking with Penn Square Bank. Abilene National Bank later became Mbank then Bank One then JPMorgan Chase bank.
Commercial bank
After the implementation of the Glass–Steagall Act, the U.S. Congress required that banks engage only in banking activities, whereas investment banks were limited to capital market activities. As the two no longer have to be under separate ownership under U.S...
located in the rear of the Penn Square Mall
Penn Square Mall
Penn Square Mall is a two-story, upscale regional shopping mall and 10-screen theater in Oklahoma City, located at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and NW Expressway, near I-44. The center was originally built as an outdoor shopping center in 1960 with anchors John A. Brown and Montgomery...
in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
. The bank made its name in high-risk energy loans during the late 1970s and early 1980s Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and Texas oil boom. Between 1974 and 1982, the bank's assets increased more than 15 times to $525 million and its deposits swelled from $29 million to more than $450 million. As a result primarily of irresponsible lending practices in connection with the sale of over $1 billion in "loan participations" to other banks throughout America, Penn Square Bank failed in July 1982. Unlike most previous bank failures since the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is a United States government corporation created by the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933. It provides deposit insurance, which guarantees the safety of deposits in member banks, currently up to $250,000 per depositor per bank. , the FDIC insures deposits at...
(FDIC) was formed, the uninsured depositors suffered losses as no other bank was willing to assume the deposits. As most of the deposits came from other financial institutions and represented high interest-rate jumbo certificates of deposit that were largely uninsured, this represented a major loss for the depositors. The investigation by the FDIC after the bank failure uncovered 451 possible criminal violations.
The bank is often cited as being partly responsible for the collapse of Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company
Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company
The Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company was at one time the seventh-largest bank in the United States as measured by deposits with approximately $40 billion in assets. In 1984, Continental Illinois became the largest ever bank failure in U.S. history, when a run on the bank led to...
of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, which had to write-off some US$500+ million in loans purchased from Penn Square. In addition, there were major losses at other banks, including Seattle First National Bank (which was forced into a merger with Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
), Michigan National Bank
Michigan National Bank
Michigan National Bank was a bank founded in Lansing, Michigan, which was established on 31 December 1940 when Howard J Stoddard consolidated six Michigan banks: First National Bank and Trust Company of Grand Rapids, First National Trust and Savings Bank of Port Huron, Lansing National Bank,...
, and Chase Manhattan Bank
Chase Manhattan Bank
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., doing business as Chase, is a national bank that constitutes the consumer and commercial banking subsidiary of financial services firm JPMorgan Chase. The bank was known as Chase Manhattan Bank until it merged with J.P. Morgan & Co. in 2000...
in New York. The bank's collapse coincided with the 1980s oil glut
1980s oil glut
The 1980s oil glut was a serious surplus of crude oil caused by falling demand following the 1970s Energy Crisis. The world price of oil, which had peaked in 1980 at over US$35 per barrel , fell in 1986 from $27 to below $10...
and Penn Square was the first of 139 Oklahoma banks that failed in the 1980s. The insolvency was the subject of two best-selling books and led to a two-year prison term for the bank's energy-lending chief, Bill Patterson.
Abilene National Bank in Abilene, Texas did correspondent banking with Penn Square Bank. Abilene National Bank later became Mbank then Bank One then JPMorgan Chase bank.
External links
- FDIC history of the Penn Square Bank failure
- New York Times Article - 'MICKEY MOUSE IN OKLAHOMA'
- Belly Up: The Collapse of the Penn Square Bank, book by Phillip L. Zweig
- Funny Money, book by Mark Singer