As one of our blog readers pointed out, there is a great and informative interview in the Charlotte Observer
with Laura Schulte, our community banking president for the Eastern region.
If you get a moment, take a look — we hope you enjoy it. And as we are fond of saying, please keep your questions and comments coming!
In an effort to reach all of our customers with integration news and updates, Wells Fargo will include a merger newsletter along with your July customer deposit statement.
For those who've gone paperless or prefer to see the news online, the newsletters will also be posted on the Merger Information Center. Versions will include:
We'll also provide links to the newsletters on this blog, where you'll find the most up-to-date information. Check here regularly for news and updates!
Even though we're half way into 2010, we wanted to go ahead and announce the remaining states where Wachovia financial centers will transition to Wells Fargo stores this year:
| September 2010 | October 2010 |
| Alabama | Georgia |
| Mississippi | |
| Tennessee |
In total, 450 Wachovia locations in these Southern states will change in the first integration of community banking locations in that region.
If your state hasn't been announced yet, please continue to bank as you do today, and we'll keep you updated along the way. If your state has already switched over, we'd love to hear about your experience!
If you're looking for another sign of change as Wachovia locations convert to Wells Fargo, you don't have to look far.
See those letters spelling out Wells Fargo on your favorite banking store? Well, they could well be lit by tiny light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, which produce the same amount of light as standard lighting but use only one-quarter of the energy. LEDs last about five years longer than lights using neon tubing and gas, too.
Starting with Colorado last fall, every converting Wachovia banking location, office, and Wells Fargo Advisors branch features the new signs. They're also being used on new stores and to replace damaged signs. In fact, by the time the last state has transitioned on the East Coast in late 2011, we will have installed about 7,000 LED signs coast-to-coast.
The total annual savings? An estimated $1.5 million in reduced energy and maintenance costs.
Jay Doolittle, strategic planning manager for Wells Fargo's Corporate Properties Group, says the switch to LEDs for the lettered wall signs came after a regular review of signage before the merger — including materials, lighting, lifecycles, and environmental sustainability.
So far, the biggest LED of them all (and the company's largest west of the Mississippi) is the Wells Fargo sign atop the Brentwood building in Los Angeles, which greets thousands of drivers on the 405 each day. Each letter stands 7 feet, 4 inches tall — the height of former University of Virginia and NBA player Ralph Sampson, who, even at that height, is only the ninth-tallest to have played the game.
The Brentwood sign went up on April 9 as part of the California conversion.
According to Doolittle, the environmental benefits don't end with LED signs. Wells Fargo is also upgrading and using more energy-efficient components in all signs, re-using the temporary vinyl sign covers placed over new Wells Fargo signs until they're revealed on conversion weekend, and breaking down the old Wachovia signs to recycle everything possible.
To learn more about how Wells Fargo is working hard to do what's right for the environment and for business, please see our fellow Wells Fargo Environmental Forum blog. They're exploring ways to do what's right for the environment and for business, from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification for new and renovated buildings to a pilot of solar power systems in Colorado.
As Richard Henderson, corporate properties director of the Corporate Properties Group, says, "These new LED wall signs are just one of many things we're trying to do to be more environmentally friendly with our buildings."
Think about that next time you see the big WELLS FARGO!
From time to time we like to share relevant merger news articles with you.
If you live in the Richmond, Virginia area, you might have seen this article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch earlier in the month about our ongoing transition in the region. If you don't live in the area, we hope you find the article insightful.
In anticipation of the question of when Virginia is integrating, we're sticking to the answer in the article: sometime next year. As soon as we get more details, we'll let you know.
Thanks and please keep those comments coming!
Editor's Note (07/21/10): Just to let you know, we've updated the donation amounts for Habitat for Humanity and Big Brothers Big Sisters in Kansas.
As we've blogged about before, Wells Fargo has been sending Wachovia customers in converting states a What to Expect packet with a general overview of the integration and an invitation to vote for their favorite charity.
Here's how it works: Wells Fargo is giving $25,000 to the nonprofit receiving the largest number of votes, $15,000 to the second-place vote-getter, $10,000 to the third-place organization and $5,000 each to the two remaining groups.
We're excited to announce the voting results in Kansas and Texas, the next two states to convert (in July). Due to the size of Texas and our significant presence there, the state was divided into five regions and voting took place in each.
So if you're a Wachovia customer and you're not in Kansas or Texas, when will you get to vote? Well, when it's time for your state to convert! Stay tuned....
And now, the Kansas and Texas recipients:
Kansas
Austin, Texas
Beaumont, North Jefferson County, Mid and South Jefferson County and Orange County
Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
Houston, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
1 Originally listed as $15,000
2 Originally listed as $5,000
You can add another integrated state to the list: Last Saturday, Wachovia banking locations and systems in California converted to Wells Fargo! All in all, 100 Wachovia stores were added to the Wells Fargo network in the state, and 18 Wells Fargo locations were combined with nearby stores.
Wells Fargo now has 1,043 banking stores in California — the largest retail bank network in the state — and more than 3,200 ATMs, offering 4.5 million customers more convenience and providing continued support to local communities.
Next up: Texas and Kansas are scheduled for July. Check out the updated map with all the details!
Heads up, California! This weekend Wachovia becomes Wells Fargo in the Golden State.
On Monday morning, April 26, Wells Fargo will have 1,043 banking stores in California — the largest retail bank network in the state — and more than 3,200 ATMs, offering 4.5 million customers more convenience and providing continued support to local communities.
California is the fourth state integration for 2010, the fifth to date including Colorado. In July, Wachovia customers in Texas and Kansas will join the fold.
If you're a Wachovia customer in California and have any questions about your accounts, you can continue to call 1-800-WACHOVIA (1-800-922-4684), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the conversion weekend. Beginning Monday, April 26, please call Wells Fargo Phone BankSM at 1-800-TO-WELLS (1-800-869-3557), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Welcome to all our new California customers! We're working hard to make this a smooth transition for you and look forward to hearing about your integration experience. Please tell us!
Starting a few weeks ago, the Wells Fargo name began appearing in over 30 international locations. What are we doing in other countries, you ask? Well, the majority of Wachovia's foreign offices have begun the transition to Wells Fargo!
We now have 27 overseas representative offices — in addition to branches and other offices — in places like Hong Kong, London, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo and the Cayman Islands.
Wells Fargo's International Group serves individuals, businesses, corporations, financial institutions, and multilateral and international agencies with a wide range of products and services.
In keeping with our tradition of great service, we're also happy to note that Wells Fargo is currently ranked by FImetrix #1 in overall institutional customer satisfaction and #2 in the world for primary global correspondent banking relationships.
If you happen to stroll by one of our international locations, please say hello for us, and keep those comments coming!
First off, thanks so much for your continued comments! Many of you are wondering about when your areas will integrate — like John Britt, who wanted to know about Florida, and David, who had questions about New York and Maryland. We're definitely doing our best to give you all the updated info as soon as we can.
Up to this point, we've transitioned banking locations in Colorado (November 2009) and in Arizona, Illinois, and Nevada (March 2010). Don't forget that California is coming up next month, and Texas and Kansas are changing in July.
Some customers in Pennsylvania may have heard that Wachovia branches in their state will become Wells Fargo stores in April 2011. Tentatively, it's April, but with lots of signs to change — not to mention a potentially nasty winter between now and then — that's more of an approximate date. Let's make it "Spring-ish."
As we've communicated in the past, we are going to make sure we do this integration in a thoughtful and deliberate manner so we minimize any disruptions to our customers. We want to do what's right for you.
Last but not least, reader JD had a pretty great idea:
Since the conversion is just starting out, why not post an updated list of all States involved on the main page? Like this, anyone can check back to see when his/her State will be up next on that list (maybe it will reduce the same repetitive inquiries a certain individual State).
As Doug replied: Keep an eye out on the right sidebar! We've taken JD's suggestion and will be unveiling it soon. In the meantime, stay tuned for more integration announcements, and please keep your comments coming!
Click on the map to find out when branches in your state will become Wells Fargo stores.
Customers: How are we doing? What would you like us to blog about?
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