Informal portrait of Puget Sound National Bank Chairman of the Board Reno Odlin. Mr. Odlin had been elected president of the American Bankers Association in 1964, the first banker from the Pacific Northwest to win this office in the organization's 90-year history. He had previously served the local and national banking industry in many leadership positions, including the Washington Bankers Assn., the Federal Reserve, and U.S. Treasury. Reno Odlin spent most of 1965 traveling to nearly every state in the union to visit bankers, government and business leaders, in addition to several foreign countries to discuss international issues regarding money. (Provorse: Banking on Independence, p. 120-121)

Odlin, Reno, 1897-1979; Bankers--Tacoma;

Reno Odlin (R), president of the Puget Sound National Bank, and Don Franklin (L), district manager of Pacific Telephone & Telegraph, are pictured in this December, 1952, photograph standing before a topographical map of the United States with a sign indicating it represents a Radio Relay demonstration. Odlin holds a receiver to his ear as he points to the map. The Bell company moved their microwave display into the bank's lobby to demonstrate their new method, called Radio Relay, of sending hundreds of telephone conversations and TV programs over long distance. Interested spectators could try the radio relay themselves, simply by picking up a receiver and pressing a button. (TNT 12-16-52, p. 4)

Communication devices; Telecommunication lines--Washington; Radiophones; Maps; Odlin, Reno, 1897-1979; Franklin, Don;

The erection of the new Puget Sound National Bank sign has finally been completed. Taken later in the evening on June 10, 1953, the electric sign is aglow with the bank's name. In addition, there is an digital clock which would also trade off the time with the current temperature. The bank was one of the first in the country to have a double "T" sign--temperature and time. The entire sign is 96 feet from sidewalk to top. It weighs over 8000 pounds. Beneath the clock is a small plaque indicating the bank was established in 1890. View of new sign, clock and plaque shot looking upward; photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank. (TNT 6-26-53, p. 4 - Ad)

Progress photographs--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Clocks & watches; Plaques--Tacoma;

Erection of new sign. An overhead shot of the new Puget Sound Bank Building sign being erected was taken on June 10, 1953. The bank building was a narrow skyscraper and the exterior sign chosen was also narrow in width. It would be placed between the annex and the main building on Pacific Avenue. A Sunnen Crane is in the process of completing the hoisting. The sign was designed in Spokane by the American Sign Products Co. and delivered to Tacoma via flatbed truck. Photograph ordered by Dutton Hayward, Puget Sound National Bank.

Progress photographs--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Sunnen Auto Freight & Heavy Hauling Co. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery; American Sign Products Co. (Spokane);

Erection of new sign. Part of the tall vertical Puget Sound National Bank sign has already been erected by a Sunnen Crane prior to the bank's opening hours on June 10, 1953. The main offices of the bank were located on Pacific Avenue. Until the Smith Tower was constructed in Seattle in 1914, the Puget Sound National Bank building was the tallest west of the Missouri River. The bank sign, designed by American Sign Products Co. of Spokane, would be placed between the bank annex and the main building. Photograph ordered by Dutton Hayward, Puget Sound National Bank.

Progress photographs--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Sunnen Auto Freight & Heavy Hauling Co. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery; American Sign Products Co. (Spokane);

Erection new sign. The Sunnen Crane Service was in the process of installing a large new sign on the Puget Sound National Bank Building in the early morning hours of June 10, 1953. The tall vertical sign would be in addition to large signs on the side and front of the building. The American Sign Products Co. of Spokane constructed the sign. Photograph ordered by Dutton Hayward, Puget Sound National Bank.

Progress photographs--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Sunnen Auto Freight & Heavy Hauling Co. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery; American Sign Products Co. (Spokane);

Erection of new sign. The erection of the new Puget Sound National Bank sign on the building's exterior draws an interested group of spectators even at 7:00 in the morning. The latter part of the bank's name is already up; a worker is perched on the sign-holding bar high above the street. The Sunnen Crane is preparing to install the "Puget Sound" portion of the sign which is on the sidewalk. The large sign was built by American Sign Products of Spokane and delivered to Tacoma via a Spokane-area Transfer Line truck. Photograph taken on June 10, 1953, and ordered by Dutton Hayward, Puget Sound National Bank.

Progress photographs--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Sunnen Auto Freight & Heavy Hauling Co. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery; American Sign Products Co. (Spokane);

Woman and girl riding horses in parade event dressed in Spanish style flat brimmed hats with fringed banner overhead. Puget Sound National Bank can be identified in the background.

Grassi Brothers Radio Program. Band and singers on stage at the USO Club at 13th & Pacific. Everyone holds their ears while the male singer struggles for a high note. Banners hung from the microphone name KTBI. KTBI was at 1490 AM on the radio dial and broadcast from the second floor of the Puget Sound Bank Building.

Radio stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Communications; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Grassi, Nello; Grassi, Julio; Singers;

ca. 1943. Grassi Brothers radio show (6th). Eleven men and two women posed in a tight group circa 1943. The Grassi brothers (Nello and Julio) are the third and sixth men from the left standing. One of the men standing is wearing a police uniform. The Grassi's operated a used car dealership in Tacoma.

Radio stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Communications; Radio broadcasting--Tacoma--1940-1950; Grassi, Nello; Grassi, Julio;

ca. 1943. Grassi Brothers radio show. A man and a woman hold papers in front of a microphone in this circa 1943 photograph. Three other men, including Julio Grassi (second from left) look on. Julio and his brother Nello operated a used car dealership in Tacoma. They sponsored a radio program on station KTBI located in the Puget Sound Bank Building, 1117-19 Pacific Ave.

Radio stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Radio broadcasting--Tacoma--1940-1950; Grassi, Julio;

Grassi Brothers (Nello and Julio) Radio Program (5th). One man is at the microphone while three others look on. First two men from L-R are not known. The Grassi brothers are on the right in this September, 1943, photograph.

Radio broadcasting--Tacoma--1940-1950; Grassi, Nello; Grassi, Julio;

ca. 1941. Row of teller windows and safe deposit boxes inside lobby of Puget Sound National Bank, 1117-19 Pacific Ave., circa 1941.

Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma;

Interior of Puget Sound National Bank, view of lobby, defense poster on column.

Business Enterprises - Financial Institutions - Banks - Tacoma - Puget Sound National Bank

Puget Sound National Bank, vault with open door.

Business Enterprises - Financial Institutions - Banks - Tacoma - Puget Sound National Bank

Puget Sound National Bank, interior work area.

Business Enterprises - Financial Institutions - Banks - Tacoma - Puget Sound National Bank

ca. 1941. Teller windows and Christmas tree in lobby of Puget Sound National Bank for the Christmas season circa 1941. Square columns, open beam ceiling, and what appears to be either granite or marble embellishments.

Banks--Tacoma; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma);