Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Sensenich, Edgar H. December 23, 1875 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com October 7, 2009, 11:48 pm Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 16-17 Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company High on the roll of the able and successful bankers of the Columbia River valley appears the name of Edgar H. Sensenich, president of the West Coast National Bank of Portland and officially identified with a number of other important financial institutions. In him are combined the hustling, progressive spirit of the west and the stable and conservative policy of the east, the result being that he has attained a well merited reputation of achievement and dependability and commands the unqualified confidence of all who know him. Mr. Sensenich, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, on the 23d of December, 1875, and is a son of Harry W. and Susan (High) Sensenich, both now are deceased. His father, whose family had been established in Pennsylvania in the eighteenth century, was for many years engaged in mercantile business at Goodville, Lancaster county, and was prominent in the affairs of his community. Edgar H. Sensenich received his elementary education in the public schools and graduated from the State Normal School at Westchester, Pennsylvania, in 1896. He taught school one year while pursuing his normal course and then became private secretary to the principal of the normal school. In 1899 Mr. Sensenich entered the employ of the Merchants National Bank of Philadelphia, with which institution he remained for nine years, resigning to engage in the bond and commercial paper business for himself in that city. In January, 1912, he came to Portland, Oregon, as cashier of the Portland Trust Company, serving in that capacity until December of that year, when the commercial business of that institution was taken over by the newly organized Northwestern National Bank, of which Mr. Sensenich became cashier. In 1921 he was made vice president of that bank, serving as such until June, 1923, when he resigned and organized the West Coast National Bank, of which he has since been president. This bank opened for business on December 15, 1923, with a capitalization of three hundred thousand dollars and surplus and profits of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. On August 1, 1927, this was increased to a capitalization of five hundred thousand dollars, with surplus and profits of two hundred and thirty-five thousand dollars. At the close of business, February 28, 1928, the surplus and profits had increased to over two hundred and eighty-one thousand dollars, while the total resources were approximately seven million two hundred thousand dollars. The principal officers of this bank are, Edgar H. Sensenich, president; John N. Edlefsen, vice president, and Godfrey H. Blohm, cashier. The West Coast National Bank maintains commercial, savings and trust departments, has strong and modern safe deposit vaults, and is a member of the federal reserve system and the Portland clearing house. In 1928 Mr. Sensenich organized and became president of the West Coast Bancorporation, which controls the West Coast National Bank, the Peninsula National Bank of Portland, the United States National Bank of Salem, Citizens Bank of Portland, Union State Bank of Portland and the Western Securities Company. The West Coast Bancorporation has total capital, surplus and profits of approximately four million dollars as of July 31, 1928, total deposits of over seventeen million dollars, total resources in excess of nineteen million dollars and depositors to the number of thirty-six thousand. The official roster of this institution is as follows: Edgar H. Sensenich, president; John N. Edlefsen, vice-president and treasurer; Andrew Miller, secretary; George W. Sensenich, assistant secretary; and Thomas Autzen, Ross McIntyre, W. O. Munsell, Harry T. Nicolai, H. S. Tuthill, Edgar H. Sensenich, and John N. Edlefsen, directors. In 1900 Mr. Sensenich was united in marriage to Miss Marie Yarnall, of Delaware county, Pennsylvania, and to them have been born two children. George W., who graduated from Washington high school in Portland, attended the University of Oregon and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is now assistant secretary of the West Coast Bancorporation. Ruth, is the wife of W. Price Sullivan, of San Francisco, California. Mr. Sensenich gives his political support to the republican party. He is a member of Portland Lodge A. F. & A. M., of which he is a past master, and is a past grand master of the grand lodge of Oregon; Portland Consistory, A. A. S. R.; Al Kader Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S.; the Arlington Club, the Waverly Country Club, the Portland Golf Club, the Irvington Club, the Pennsylvania Club, of which he is a past president, the City Club, of which he is a past president, the Chamber of Commerce, of which he is a member of the advertising and promotion committees, the Oregon Bankers Association, of which he is a past president, and in the fall of 1926 was elected chairman of the executive committee of the national bank division of the American Bankers Association, and in 1927 was made vice president of that organization, in which capacity he is still serving. In January, 1928, he was elected president of the Portland Clearing House Association. He is president of the Western Securities Company, president of the West Coast Safe Deposit Company and a director of Wiggins & Company. He is an effective and persistent booster for Portland, being a strong advocate of activity along industrial lines, and is regarded as one of its most progressive and enterprising business men. In all of his affairs he has shown sagacity and clear headed judgment which has given him a high standing among the business men of this city, while socially he commands the sincere esteem and good will of all who know him. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/multnomah/bios/sensenic845gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 6.4 Kb