Personnel

Outstanding personnel change of the week was when James Reader Leavell, 46, received flowers and telegrams upon becoming president of Continental Illinois Bank & Trust Co., fifth biggest U. S. bank, biggest of all in Chicago, succeeding Eugene Morgan Stevens, last fortnight appointed chairman of Chicago Federal Reserve Bank.

Banker Leavell was born in Missouri, speaks with a slight southern accent. He began banking in his father's bank at Fulton, Mo., rose to vice-presidency of First National Bank of St. Louis, resigned that position in 1920 to take a similar office in Continental & Commercial National Bank. After Continental merged with Illinois Merchants Trust Co. in 1928, Banker Leavell was made executive vice president of Continental Illinois Co. (investment subsidiary), last year was made assistant to the chairman of the Company, assistant to the chairman of the bank. His election was no surprise, leaves the three principal offices of Continental Illinois filled by old Continental men rather than Illinois Merchant executives.* Before the merger, Continental was considered an aggressively expanding bank, Illinois Merchants conservative, old-school. Banker Leavell is a quick friend-maker, "Jim" to acquaintances great and small. He lives in Lake Forest, commutes on the famed club car Deerpath with many another tycoon. He plays golf about once a year, likes riding, poker.

Martin A. O'Mara resigned as president and director of Brockway Motor Truck Corp. At the same time it was announced that the Bureau of Securities, New York State Attorney General's office, was investigating recent attempts to boost the stock's price, sought action against Mr. O'Mara, George C. Van Tuyl Jr., onetime New York State Superintendent of Banks, now a director of The Bank of United States, and David Lamar, so-called "Wolf of Wall Street" (TIME, Aug. 18). Brockway Motor Truck Corp. was one of the stocks identified with insolvent Prince & Whitely (TIME, Oct. 20).

William Warfield Holloway was made president of Wheeling Steel Corp. Previously Mr. Holloway was president of Wheeling Corrugating Co., largest Wheeling subsidiary. Graduated from Yale in 1907, Mr. Holloway is 44, one of the youngest U. S. steel executives.

Willard Henry Dow was elected president of Dow Chemical Co., succeeding the late Dr. Herbert Henry Dow, his father (see p. 56).

Henry Mason Day, jailed with Harry Ford Sinclair for contempt of court after the Teapot Dome oil investigation, was made a partner of Redmond & Co., Wall Street brokers.

John H. Thomas, 61, of New York, old-time shipping man, followed his doctor's advice, resigned as vice president of International Mercantile Marine Co.

Two new directors of Otis Elevator Co., elected last week, were Charles Hayden of Hayden, Stone & Co. and Curtiss A. Sanford, Otis treasurer. The position of chairman, previously filled by the late William Delavan Baldwin, has been dispensed with.

*Chairman of. the executive committee is George McClelland Reynolds, chairman of the board is his brother, Arthur Reynolds. No relation to these Chicagoans is Jackson Eli Reynolds, Illinois-born president of the First National Bank of the City of New York.

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