Description
Mellon Financial Corporation was one of the world's largest money management firms. Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, it was in the business of institutional and high-net-worth individual asset management, including the Dreyfus family of mutual funds, business banking, and shareholder and investor services. On December 4, 2006, it announced a merger agreement with Bank of New York, to form The Bank of New York Mellon. After regulatory and shareholder approval, the banks completed the merger on July 2, 2007.
History
Mellon was founded in 1869 by Thomas Mellon and his sons Andrew W. Mellon and Richard B. Mellon, as T. Mellon & Sons' Bank. In 1902, the institution became Mellon National Bank.
Mellon Bank was an important force in the mass production revolution in the United States, especially in the Midwest.[citation needed] The Mellon family using the bank as a proxy had direct involvement with founding the modern aluminium, oil, consumer electronics and financial industries. Alcoa, Gulf Oil (now Chevron-Texaco), Westinghouse (now CBS Corporation and Siemens) and Rockwell, all were directly founded and managed by the bank. U.S. Steel (the world's first billion dollar corporation), Heinz, General Motors, Koppers and ExxonMobil (as Rockefeller's Standard Oil) were born and nurtured by Mellon.
In 1920, Andrew left his leadership post of the bank to become the longest serving U.S. Treasury Secretary in history (serving under three separate administrations).
In 1929, Richard founded Mellbank Corporation. In 1946, Mellon National, Mellbank, and the Union Trust Company merged to form Mellon National Bank and Trust Company.
A reorganization in 1972 brought about a name change to Mellon Bank, N.A. and the formation of a holding company, Mellon National Corporation.
In 1983, Mellon bought Girard Bank of Philadelphia and Central Counties Bank of State College, Pennsylvania. The next year, Mellon National Corporation became Mellon Bank Corporation, and purchased Northwest Pennsylvania Corporation of Oil City, Pennsylvania.
In 1986, Mellon bought Commonwealth National Financial of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is also reported that Mellon operated the 2nd largest financial computing system in the world.
In 1991, Mellon bought United Penn Bank of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The next year, Mellon bought 54 branch offices of Philadelphia-based Philadelphia Savings Fund Society, whose parent company had become insolvent. Philadelphia Savings Fund Society, was the first savings bank in the United States, founded in 1819.
In 1993, Mellon bought The Boston Company from American Express and AFCO Credit Corporation from The Continental Corporation. The next year, Mellon merged with the Dreyfus Corporation, bringing its mutual funds under its umbrella.
1998 saw Mellon's purchase of United Bankshares, Inc., of Miami, 1st Business Bank of Los Angeles, and Founders Asset Management.
In 1999, Martin G. McGuinn became chairman and chief executive officer of Mellon Bank Corporation. Mellon Bank Corporation then became Mellon Financial Corporation. Two years later, it sold its retail banking operations to Citizens Financial Group.
In 2004, Mellon announced it would purchase Safeco Trust Company from Seattle-based Safeco Corporation. The same year, it purchased outstanding shares in London-based Pareto Partners and offered them floor space in Mellon Financial Centre (opened earlier in the year).
In February 2020, Mellon announced that it has successfully onboarded Liontrust Asset Management to its new Investment Operations platform.
