Paul E. Shaffer

He was born August 3, 1926 on a farm near Rockford, Ohio and was the son of Randall J. and Zelah V. (Alspaugh) Shaffer. He was a graduate of Rockford High School in the class of 1944. On June 24, 1951 he married Dorothy L. Schumm and had two daughters Paula K. (J. Michael) McCallister and Patti L. Shaffer and was married for over 64 years. He served in the Air Force during World War II. After his discharge from the Air Force he worked for a short time in a factory.

Paul was Chairman and CEO of Fort Wayne National Bank for 23 years. He started his banking career at his home-town bank, Rockford National Bank, a 2 million dollar bank in 1945 and completed several American Banking Institute correspondence courses. In 1948 he was appointed as an Assistant National Bank Examiner for the Treasury Department of the Fourth Federal Reserve district headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. There was an opening at Fort Wayne National Bank. He moved to Fort Wayne in 1952 and was a Trustee in the Commercial Loan Department. After 3 years as a Loan Interviewer and Management Trainee, he was elected Assistant Cashier in 1955. Promotion from there on came regularly: Assistant Vice President in 1956, Vice President in 1960, Executive Vice President in 1967 and President in 1968. In 1970 he assumed the duties of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Fort Wayne National Corporation. He took Chairman Emeritis in 1993. As CEO, Shaffer and his team were instrumental in the growth of the bank and its holding company, taking the bank’s less than $200 million in assets to approximately $2 billion and increasing earnings from approximately $1.5 million to over $20 million. He retired in 1995.

Paul took American Institute of Banking classes through the Fort Wayne chapter and served as President of the chapter. He graduated from the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin in 1954. Later he returned every summer as a lecturer on Commercial Bank Credit. He completed the Commercial Bank Management Program of the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University. He earned the designation of Certified Commercial Lender from the American Bankers Association and was on the governing panel of the American Bankers Association. He was President of the Indiana Bankers Association in 1978.

Paul earned the Junior Achievement Free Enterprise award. In 1993, he was awarded the Junior Achievement Gold Leader Award – it’s highest award for area volunteer leaders and the Lay Leadership Award. He was named to their Business Hall of Fame and had been an avid supporter of Junior Achievement for 61 years.

He served on the Industrial Development Committee of the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce. He also served as Director for the Chamber of Commerce. In 1975 he was the recipient of the first Annual Presidents Award given by the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce for digging the organization out of a deep financial hole. The presenter said “I don’t know how he did it and I doubt that anyone else in Fort Wayne could have done it. We all honor him and I’m sure that none of us shall ever forget”.

Paul received Mayor Armstrong’s Certificate of Commendation signifying his accomplishments and dedication to his profession, his service to numerous civic organizations and his interest in the city Fort Wayne and Allen County.

He is a recipient of the Sagamore of the Wabash. He is an honorary fireman.

He has been the Director of the Indiana State Chamber of Commerce and later named Honorary Director. He was a long-time Director and past president of the Downtown Fort Wayne Association. He was a member of the Corporate Council, President of the Credit Bureau of Fort Wayne. He was a Director at Group Dekko International. He was Director, past President and Chairman of Building Fund Drive for Junior Achievement of Fort Wayne, Treasurer of the Fort Wayne Better Business Bureau and the Indiana-Purdue Development Fund; Director and past Treasurer of the Taxpayer Research Association; on the board of the Allen County – Fort Wayne Convention and Tourism Authority; member of the Financial Advisory Board at Lutheran Social Services; member of the board of Parkview Hospital; member of the Investment Committee of the Fort Wayne Foundation, Inc.; Board of Governors at the Associated Colleges of Indiana; Director of Lincoln Life Improved Housing, Inc.; member of Mad Anthony’s where he served as Tournament Director for one year; Director at Caylor Nickel Hospitals, Inc. in Bluffton; Director at Lyall Electric, Inc.; a Trustee and Chairman of the Board of Magnavox Government and Industrial Electronic Company; on the board of Old First National Bank of Bluffton; he has been Vice President and Director of The Greater Fort Wayne Convention Bureaus, The Better Business Bureau, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra, United Community Services (United Way), YMCA of Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne Fine Arts Foundation and Campaign Chairman of the Annual Fund Drive; Director of Lindenwood Cemetery; Chairman for the Fort Wayne United Way Foundation and Fort Wayne Museum of Art; Local President in “Take Stock In America” campaign in 1979 the money being raised by the government through the bond sales that funded a part of the federal debt and also contributed to finance the national space program – it taught the public that it was a painless way to save; member of Trinity English Lutheran Church for over 55 years where he served many years as finance chairman, on the church council and on the foundation board; member of the Ancient Acceptance Scotish Right Valley of Fort Wayne, 33 Degree; the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Ohio, Shanes Lodge 377 Rockford, Ohio, Mizpah; In 2013 a certificate observing 60 years as a member of Scottish Right Mason, Valley of Fort Wayne was presented to Paul. In 2002 he became a 50 year member of Shanes Lodge number 377, Rockford, OH.

Paul was a former member of the Fort Wayne Press Club, Fort Wayne Country Club, Pine Valley Country Club, Sycamore Hills Golf Club, Junto of Fort Wayne, Bonita Bay Golf Club, Fort Wayne Executives Club (past President), Summit Club, Sertoma Club, American Legion, Columbia Club of Indianapolis, a charter member of Science Central and instrumental in its early development and Forum Club.

He was the last living member of the original Grand Wayne Center Board of Directors having held that position until reorganizations. He was pleased he could be a part of such a major addition to downtown Fort Wayne.

Paul has held a great interest in IPFW since the early days when it was a one building campus donating a full scholarship each year to a deserving student. He has served on the Community Activities Council, Purdue Presidential Council of Advisors, chaired drives for the library, is a member of the John Purdue Club and the Chancellor’s Society. Paul received the Doctor of Humane Letters from Purdue University, is a lifetime Alumni Association member and each year the Paul Shaffer Medal is presented to a deserving member of the community or IPFW itself.

Personally, he enjoyed playing golf with his many good friends and playing cards with the Mission Society Card Group. He spent long hours on a perfectly manicured yard and keeping homes in Indiana Village, New Glenwood, Pine Valley and Sycamore Hills. Paul was an excellent cook. He also had numerous papers published in financial and banking magazines.

Surviving are his wife, Dorothy; daughter Paula K. McCallister (Mike), grandson Colin McCallister and daughter Patti L. Shaffer. He was preceded in death by a sister, Lois (in infancy), father Randall J. Shaffer, mother Zelah V. (Alspaugh) Shaffer and brother Max J. Shaffer.

Friends may call from Friday November 13th 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00 at Klaehn, Fahl & Melton Funeral Home Wayne St. Chapel. Funeral services will be on November 14th 11:00 A.M. at Trinity English Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne.

“Celebration of Life” luncheon to be held at the Fort Wayne Country Club following the burial at Lindenwood Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Jim Shaffer, J. Michael McCallister, Colin McCallister, Jim McCrae, David Molfonter and Steve Hazelrigg.

Honorary pallbearers are Verne Adams,Chancellor Vicki Carwien, Michael Eikenberry and Lana Yarian.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Junior Achievement, 601 Noble Drive, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825; IPFW (Paul E. Shaffer Scholarships), 2101 E. Coliseum Boulevard, Fort Wayne, IN 46805 and Trinity English Lutheran Church, 450 W. Washington Boulevard, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802.