H. Stephen Chase

Howard Stephen Chase (January 16, 1903 – October 15, 1969) was an American financier who served as president of Wells Fargo from 1964-1966 (List of Wells Fargo presidents).

Early life Chase was born in San Jose, California, in 1903, a son of Harold Chase and Kate (née Woody) Chase.

Career After graduating from Harvard, he began working at Wells Fargo in 1927. He served as president of what was then the nation's eleventh largest commercial bank for two years until November 1966 when he was succeed as president by Richard P. Cooley (who later married his eldest daughter) and, in turn, succeeded sixty-seven year-old Cook as chairman of the board.

Chase retired on May 31, 1968, after forty-one years with the bank.

Personal life On February 4, 1930, Chase was married to Mary Bonar (1906–1972), Together, they were the parents of two daughters:

Judith "Judy" Chase, who married Yale graduate James L. Ludwig (1925–2020), who later became the head of Saks Fifth Avenue, San Francisco, in 1954. After fifteen years, they divorced and she married Chase's successor, Richard P. Cooley. They later divorced as well. Stephanie Chase (1934–2017), who married William B. MacColl Jr. in 1958. His widow died in San Francisco on December 29, 1972.