Stefan S. Anderson papers MSS.350 This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit May 28, 2015 Describing Archives: A Content Standard Ball State University Archives and Special Collections Alexander M. Bracken Library 2000 W. University Avenue Muncie, Indiana, 47306 765-285-5078 libarchives@bsu.edu
Table of Contents Summary Information... 3 Biographical Note... 4 Scope and Contents... 5 Arrangement...5 Administrative Information...5 Related Materials... 6 Controlled Access Headings...6 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements...7 Collection Inventory... 8 Series 1: First Merchants Bank records, 1914-2014...8 Series 2: Delaware Advancement Corporation records, 1991-1996, 2015... 11 - Page 2 -
Summary Information Repository Ball State University Archives and Special Collections Creator - Collector Anderson, Stefan S. Creator Delaware Advancement Corporation. (Muncie, Ind.) Creator First Merchants Bank. (Muncie, Ind.) Creator Merchants National Bank. (Muncie, Ind.) Title Stefan S. Anderson papers Date [bulk] Bulk, 1974-2005 Date [inclusive] 1914-2015 Extent 2.1 Cubic feet (6 boxes) Language English Preferred Citation Stefan S. Anderson papers, Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries - Page 3 -
Biographical Note Stefan S. Anderson was born in 1935 near Madison, Wisconsin to Ted and Siri Stolen Anderson. His father practiced as a dentist and his mother was a homemaker and community activist in Madison, where she headed the local chapter of the American Red Cross and the PTA. Anderson received his BA degree from Harvard University in 1956, where he earned Phi Beta Kappa recognition, and his MBA from the University of Chicago in 1960. He received an honorary doctorate degree from Ball State University in 1993. From 1956-1958, Anderson served in the United States Navy. He began his banking career in 1960 with the American National Bank of Chicago and was named executive vice president in 1970. He also served on the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago from 1992 to 1998. Anderson joined First Merchants Bank in November 1974 as executive vice president and served as the bank's president from 1979 until his retirement in April 1999. During this period, the company recorded twenty consecutive years of earnings growth. Anderson also served on the bank's Board of Trustees from 1987 to April 2005. During Anderson's overall tenure with the company (1974-2005), the assets of First Merchants Bank grew from $167 million to $3 billion. Anderson served on the Board of Trustees for the Delaware Advancement Corporation (DAC) during the construction of the original Horizon Convention Center in 1988 and oversaw the expansion of the center as chairman of the DAC board between 1991 and 1995. Anderson was also one of the organizers of the Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County and served as its chairman from 1996 to 1998. During this period, Anderson negotiated the purchase of the Muncie Masonic Temple for community use as the Muncie Community Civic Center (renamed the Cornerstone Center for the Arts in 2005). Anderson served as chairman of the Ball State University Foundation and chaired Ball State's first capital campaign, Wings for the the Future. He also served as the first chairman of the Ball State University Business Roundtable and the Miller College of Business Executive Advisory Board and is a past director of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce. Anderson's other local service includes advisor director of Indiana Public Radio, Motivate Our Minds, and the Cornerstone Center for the Arts, as well as chair or president of the United Way, Muncie Symphony Orchestra, and the Muncie chapter of Rotary International. The awards and accolades received by Anderson throughout his career are numerous and include the Martin Luther King Jr. Service Award from the Coalition of Concerned Clergy (1993), the Paul Samuelson Award from the Indiana Council of Economic Education (1994), the Distinguished Eagle Award from the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America (1995), the Ball State University Business "Hall of Fame," The Star Press "Citizen of the Year" (2002), the Ruth Freund award from Motivate Our Minds (2004), the Tech Point Bridge Builder award (2006), the Muncie/Delaware County VIVA Lifetime Achievement award (2008), and the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Legacy Award (2013). Stefan Anderson lives in Muncie, Indiana with his wife Joan. Together they have two children and six grandchildren. - Page 4 -
Scope and Contents This collection consists of records documenting Stefan S. Anderson's professional career with First Merchants Bank (previously Merchants National Bank) and the Delaware Advancement Corporation and includes annual reports, correspondence, meeting records, strategic planning and legal documents, press releases, publications, newspaper clippings, photographs, video recordings, and other records ranging from 1914 to 2015. The collection also includes historical records predating Anderson's involvement with the two organizations as well as personal reflections written by Anderson after his retirement. Arrangement Arranged in the following series: Series 1: First Merchants Bank records, 1914-2014 Series 2: Delaware Advancement Corporation records, 1991-1996, 2015 Administrative Information Publication Information Ball State University Archives and Special Collections Conditions Governing Access This collection is open for research. Conditions Governing Use Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries, Muncie, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Archives and Special Collections. For published materials in the collection, literary rights, including copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their legal heirs and assigns. All requests to - Page 5 -
publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Archives and Special Collections. The publisher must also obtain permission of the copyright holder. Custodial History This collection was received by Archives and Special Collections as a donation from Stefan S. Anderson on 2015/3/10. Accruals Further additions are expected. Related Materials Related Archival Materials Materials relating to this collection may be found in the following collections in Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries, Muncie IN: MSS.041: First Merchants Bank records OVA.034: Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Horizon newspapers POVA.041: Stefan S. Anderson photograph SC.340: Horizon Convention Center Grand Opening newspaper clippings SC.583: Horizon '96 Program of Work SC.619: Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Horizon brochures Controlled Access Headings Corporate Name(s) Horizon Convention Center. (Muncie, Ind.) Muncie Children's Museum. (Muncie, Ind.) - Page 6 -
Genre(s) Agendas (Administrative Records) Annual Reports Articles of incorporation Business records By-laws Clippings Correspondence Financial records Legal documents Memorandums Minutes (Administrative Records) Photographs Video recordings Geographic Name(s) Muncie (Ind.)--History--20th century--sources Muncie (Ind.)--History--21st century--sources Subject(s) Banks and banking Businessmen Community development Economic development Real property Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements Video recordings are in VHS and DVD formats. - Page 7 -
Series 1: First Merchants Bank records, 1914-2014 Stefan S. Anderson papers MSS.350 Collection Inventory Series 1: First Merchants Bank records, 1914-2014 Administrative History First Merchants Bank was founded as Merchants National Bank on February 3, 1893. At that time, Muncie was enjoying the prosperity of a natural gas boom, which attracted many commercial and industrial enterprises to the city. Hardin Roads, a prominent local grocer, was named the bank s first president and chairman of the board, positions he held until 1923. In 1914, the bank moved from its original location at the corner of Main and Mulberry Streets to a new location at the corner of Jackson and Mulberry Streets. The new building, built for the sum of $45,000, was an impressive limestone structure with an elaborate marble interior and served as the Merchants National Bank headquarters for nearly sixty years. In 1933, at the height of the Great Depression, Merchants National Bank, together with Merchants Trust and Savings Company, emerged as the survivor of a merger of Muncie s clearing house banks. In 1946, the two banks were reorganized into separate institutions, with Merchant s Trust later becoming American National Bank. In 1951, Merchants National Bank opened the first branch bank in Delaware County at the corner of Madison and 14th Streets. In 1953, the bank acquired the Muncie Banking Company and opened up branches in Muncie Banking s old facilities at 115 E. Charles Street in Eaton. Two years later, the bank launched a renovation and expansion program of its downtown offices, completing the project in 1956. In 1958, the bank opened a branch in the Southway Plaza. A year later, it opened another branch in the Village near Ball State University. In 1968, Merchants National Bank became the first commercial bank in Delaware County to acquire more than $100 million in assets. In 1972, the bank moved into its new five-story headquarters building on E. Jackson Street. In 1991, the bank changed its name to First Merchants Bank and by 1992 its assets exceeded $500 million. First Merchants Bank is currently a division of First Merchants Corporation, the largest financial holding company based in Central Indiana, with assets exceeding $5 billion. First Merchants Bank operates branches in Adams, Brown, Delaware, Fayette, Hamilton, Hendricks, Henry, Howard, Jay, Johnson, - Page 8 -
Series 1: First Merchants Bank records, 1914-2014 Stefan S. Anderson papers MSS.350 Lake, Madison, Marion, Miami, Morgan, Porter, Randolph, Shelby, Union, Wabash, and Wayne Counties in Indiana, Cook and DuPage Counties in Illinois, and Butler County in Ohio. Scope and Contents This series consists of annual reports, Board of Directors meeting minutes and agendas, staff and shareholder meeting records, memoranda and correspondence, financial reports, strategic planning documents, speech talking points, legal descriptions of bank properties, newspaper clippings, chronologies and other historical summaries, photographs, video recordings, and published histories of the bank ranging from 1914 to 2014. The bulk of the records in this series are from the period during which Anderson served as president and/or chairman of First Merchants Bank (1979-2005) but some documents from the later years of Bill Givens' presidency (1966-1978) and prior are also included. Box Folder Annual reports, 1966, 1969-1972 1 1 Annual reports, 1974-1978, 1980-1985 1 2 Annual report, 1986-1992 1 3 Annual reports, 1993-1999 1 4 Annual Reports, 2000-2004 1 5 Bank buildings history, 1919-1924, 1979, 1993 1 6 Board of Directors meeting agendas, 1976-1978 1 7 Board of Directors meeting records, 2004-2005 2 1-2 - Page 9 -
Series 1: First Merchants Bank records, 1914-2014 Stefan S. Anderson papers MSS.350 Employee Christmas parties, 1977-1980 2 3 Geelhoed, E. Bruce. A Century of Community Banking: The Story of Merchants National Bank and First Merchants Corporation, 1893-1993, 1993 2 4 Letter from E. Bruce Geelhoed to William P. Givens, 1980 May 2 5 Letter from Hardin Roads to Merchants National Bank customers, 1914/07/10 4 1 History of First Merchants Bank, 1914-2007 2 6 Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Legacy Award Gala program, 2013/08/24 2 7 One Hundreth Anniversary, 1993-1994 2 8 Photographs, circa 1979-2005 2 9 Rodney "Ron" Medler memorial program, 2009 Oct. 2 10 Schooley, Phillip F. Merchants National Bank of Muncie, 1893-1978, 1978 2 11 Shareholder meetings, 1968-2005 3 1 Speeches and letters, 1977-2000 3 2 - Page 10 -
Series 2: Delaware Advancement Corporation records, 1991-1996, 2015 Staff meetings, 1977-1994 3 3 Stefan Anderson personal reflections, 2014/03/01 3 4 V.335 Video recordings, circa 1991-2005 Box Cassette V.335.01 First Merchants Bank, "Mission: Possible" promotional video, circa 1991 3 1 V.335.02 Merchants National Bank, Steve Anderson career retrospective, 1999 3 2 V.335.03 First Merchants Corporation annual meeting, 2001 3 3 Box Disk V.335.04 First Merchants Corporation annual meeting, 2005 3 1 Series 2: Delaware Advancement Corporation records, 1991-1996, 2015 Historical Note The Horizon Convention Center opened in 1988 on the former site of the Federal Building located at 401 S. High Street in downtown Muncie. The Delaware Advancement Corporation (DAC) had purchased the building in June 1986 for $225,000 and was actively involved in the economic development project to construct the Horizon Center. Edward Seward, then President of American National Bank, served as Chairman of the DAC during the project and was followed by Norman Tirey, President of Muncie Federal Savings and Loan, in 1987. Stefan Anderson served on the DAC Board of Trustees during the construction of the original Horizon Convention Center in 1988 and was chairman of the board during its expansion in the early 1990s. - Page 11 -
Series 2: Delaware Advancement Corporation records, 1991-1996, 2015 In the early 1990s, Russ Sloan, then President of the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, recommended a large-scale expansion of the Horizon Convention Center building. Planning for the expansion commenced in 1991 under the direction of the DAC and the Chamber of Commerce. The expansion tripled the previous size of the Horizon Center to 47,000 square feet and notably included an allocation of 24,000 square feet of space to be leased by Muncie Children's Museum. Tom Thisle, retired general manager of the Delco-Remy plant in Muncie and Vice President of facilities for the DAC, oversaw the land acquisition and construction budget for the expansion of the Horizon Center in cooperation with the Muncie EDIT Building Corporation, chaired by former City Controller, Mary Alice Cherry. Local architect James H. Gooden of Gooden Associates Architects supervised the remodeling project. Revenue from a one percent Food and Beverage Tax and an Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) were utilized to fund the $16.2 million in bonds that were issued to finance the project. Richard Amburn was a vocal opponent of using tax revenue to fund the expansion of the Horizon Center and publically criticized the project and those involved including Russ Sloan. Stefan Anderson and the Delaware Advancement Corporation's response to Amburn's opposition are well documented through correspondence and other records in this series. The Horizon Convention Center expansion was completed in 1996 and the DAC was appointed to operate the convention center for the next 31 years. Scope and Contents This series consists of articles of incorporation, by-laws, Board of Directors meeting minutes, memoranda and correspondence, committee records, strategic planning and legal documents, financial records, leases and agreements (includes lease for Muncie Children's Museum), resolutions, press briefings, newspaper clippings, and other records documenting the Delaware Advancement Corporation's involvement in the economic development project to expand the Horizon Convention Center between 1991 and 1996. Also included are some personal reflections on the project written by Stefan Anderson in 2015. Box Folder Board of Directors minutes, 1991 Sept.-1995 Jan. 4 2 Correspondence, 1991-1994 4 3 - Page 12 -
Series 2: Delaware Advancement Corporation records, 1991-1996, 2015 Correspondence, budgets, and other records, 1994-1995 4 4 Economic development press releases and newspaper clippings, 1992-1996 4 5 Facilities Committee records, 1992-1994 4 6 Finance Committee records, 1991-1995 5 1-2 Horizon Convention Center bond financing, 1994 5 3-4 Horizon Convention Center expansion feasibility study, 1992 5 5 Horizon Convention Center expansion press briefings, 1993-1995 5 6 Land acquisition records, 1991-1993 6 1 Legal and organizational governance documents, 1992-1994 6 2 Stefan Anderson personal reflections, 2015 Mar. 6 3 - Page 13 -