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Mattheas enthusiastic about the idea and confessed, ’That’s about the only way I’ll ever improve on what my old raduation day, Alan Lloyd, now in his sixtieth year, caraduation ceiLeuest for tea on the square Alan eyed the tall young man affectionately
’And what do you intend to do now that you have put Harvard behind you?’
’I’ain some experience before I come to Kane and Cabot in a few years’ ti in Lester’s bank since you were twelve~ years old, Williaht to us now? We would appoint you as a director ira Alan Lloyd’s offer came as a total surprise With all his ambition, it had never occurred to hiht be invited to be a director of the bank before he enty - five, the age at which his father had achieved that distinction
Alan Lloyd waited for his reply It was not forthco ’Well, I must say, William, it’s !
Tut I never iined you would invite me to join the board before my twenty - fifth birthday, when my father, ’Ies true your father was elected when he enty - five However, that’s no reason to prohibit you fro the board before then if the other directors support the idea, and I know that they do In any case, there are personal reasons why I should like to see you a director as soon as possible When I retire from the bank in five years’ tiht chairer position to influence that decision if you have been working for Kane and Cabot during those five years rather than as a grand functionary at Lester’s Well, my boy, will you join the board?’
It was the second time that day that Williahted to accept, sir,’ he said
Alan looked up at William ’That’s the first tiether I &hall have to watch you very carefully’
William smiledd ’Good ’ ’ said Alan Lloyd, ’that"s settled then You’ll be a junior director in charge of invest directly under Tony Simmons’
’Can I appoint my own assistant?’ asked William
Alan Lloyd looked at him quizzically ’Matthew Lester, no doubt?’
’Yes1 ’No I don’t want hi in our bank what you intended to do in theirs
Thoht you that’
Williaain
Charles Lester laughed when William repeated the conversation word for word to hi to us, even as a spy,’ he said genially, ’but I have no doubt you’ll end up here some day - in one capacity or another’
Book Three
Chapter 15
When William started work as a junior director of Kane and Cabot in September 1928, he felt for the first ti really hile He began his career in a small oak - panelled office next to Tony Simmons, the bank’s director of finance Fro spoken that Tony Si to succeed Alan Lloyd as chairraated to William some aspects of his work; in particular, private investment in small businesses, land, and any other outside entrepreneurial activities in which the bank beca William’s official duties was to make a monthly report on the invest of the board The fourteen board er oakpanelled room, dominated at both ends by portraits, one of Williarandfather Williarandfather, but had always considered he must have been a ’hell of a man’ to have married Grand - mother Kane There was ample room left on the walls for his own portrait
Willia those early months at the bank with caution, and his fellow board ment and follow his recommendations with rare exceptions As it turned out, the advice they rejected was aave On the first occasion, a Mr Mayer sought a loan fro pictures’ but the board refused to see that the notion had any merit or future Another time, a Mr Paley came to William with an ambitious plan for United, the radio network Alan Lloyd, who had about as raphy as for telepathy, would have nothing to do with the scheme Ile board supported Alan’s views, and Louis B Mayer later headed MGM and William Paley the company that was to becoment and backed both men with money from his trust and, like his father, never informed the recipients of his support