Chapter 178: Chapter 178 General Nussen
Bank of New York Mellon and First National Bank of San Francisco followed with similar offers to Citibank's, while Bank of America's offer was slightly higher than theirs. The security business of Bank of America's Los Angeles branch was undertaken by HD Security. The two sides had a pleasant cooperation before, and Bank of America was willing to reduce the interest rate by 0.6%.
Andy and Hardy discussed and considered Bank of America as a viable option.
At that moment, someone from Wells Fargo came to see Hardy. The person was very polite upon meeting Hardy and said, "Hello, Mr. Hardy, I'm Henry Wells, Vice President of Wells Fargo, and I'd like to have a chat with you."
"Of course, no problem. I'm curious, Mr. Wells, what do you want to discuss?" Hardy invited him to take a seat.
"Wells Fargo is prepared to lend $4 million to Mr. Hardy and reduce the interest rate by 1% to finalize this transaction, but I would like all financial transactions and cash flow of the airline to go through Wells Fargo channels in the future."
Hardy glanced at Andy beside him.
Andy had previously mentioned that if the interest rate was reduced by 1%, the bank wouldn't profit from the loan, and no bank would agree to such terms.
Unexpectedly, Wells Fargo Bank had sent a vice president to agree to the loan.
Henry Wells looked at Hardy and said, "Mr. Hardy, I believe you also understand that reducing the interest rate by 1% means the bank won't make any profit, and might even incur losses. In reality, we are looking towards a future partnership with you, Mr. Hardy."
"Mr. Hardy, at the moment, you own three listed companies: Wash Mining, Playboy Magazine, and Barbie Doll Factory. In addition, you have the "N.Y.T" TV Factory, the Rocky Mountain Mineral Water Factory, HD Security, HD Films, and you're preparing to establish HD Airlines."
"However, you don't currently have a cooperative relationship with any bank. Every time you require funding, you need to establish a new bank partnership. Mr. Hardy, although Wells Fargo Bank is currently just a local bank, it holds a strong reputation and an entire customer service system. Wells Fargo Bank wishes to forge a strategic partnership with HD Group."
Hardy finally grasped Wells Fargo's intent.
At present, his companies are already receiving significant attention from many people, sufficient to attract a bank's attention.
Wells Fargo is not the second largest bank in the United States with trillions of assets that it will become in the future. It is still just a local bank and has no advantages in the fierce competition. Its only advantage is its good reputation.
It was not until the 1980s that Wells Fargo grew into a national bank. In the following 20 years, it began large scale mergers and acquisitions and developed into a world class bank.
A client akin to Hardy is certainly a key customer for Wells Fargo. There's extensive room for further growth. Wells Fargo earnestly seeks to win him over.
Following the conditions Hardy proposed, numerous top Wells Fargo executives held a special meeting and deliberated extensively prior to making this decision. They then assigned Vice President Henry Wells to discuss the matter further.
What is their principal aim? To entice Hardy as an exceptional client.
Hardy considered the proposal. He's aware of Wells Fargo's reputation for outstanding service. Establishing a strategic partnership would ensure smoother funding channels in the future. This was beneficial for him.
Although Wells Fargo is only a local bank with business in San Francisco, Los Angeles and other cities in California, it has hundreds of millions of dollars in funds, Therefore, no bank should be underestimated.
"Alright, I accept," Hardy stated.
Henry Wells was slightly taken aback at Hardy's swift acceptance. Such matters were of great importance. He'd expected Hardy to consult with his team beforehand. Surprisingly, Hardy pondered for merely a few minutes after the proposal was presented before making his decision.
In Henry Wells view, Mr. Jon Hardy was exceptionally resolute. It's no surprise he achieved such enormous success within such a short span.
Henry Wells beamed. He rose to shake Hardy's hand, remarking, "Thank you, Mr. Hardy, for placing your trust in Wells Fargo. We'll undoubtedly provide exceptional service for you, Mr. Hardy, in the time ahead."
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Hardy pointed towards Andy.
"This is my financial advisor. In the future, he will mainly communicate with you about HD and Wells Fargo."
Henry Wells promptly shook hands with Andy.
The deal was done. Nonetheless, the specific procedures necessitated time. Therefore, Hardy paid them little heed. He instructed Andy merely to publicize in the newspaper the establishment of HD Airlines, and the recruitment of a president and management team.
...
Subsequently, Hardy accompanied Henry on an aircraft to Detroit.
Brigadier General Williams called, affirming he'd reached out to General Nussen, and that Hardy could visit whenever it was convenient. He shared the latter's address and contact details.
Yesterday, Hardy summoned HD Security's Chief Lancer, requesting that he hasten to Detroit. Together, they'd visit the veteran general.
The subsequent day.
Hardy, along with Lancer and Henry, journeyed to General Nussen's residence. The elderly general was set to fish, his open Jeep bore fishing gear in its rear.
Post introductions, the veteran general asked Hardy, "Are you fond of fishing?"
"Yes, prior to my military stint, I frequently fished in rivers," Hardy affirmed.
"How do you prefer to fish?"
"I prefer lure fishing."
Hardy wasn't acquainted with fishing in this existence. However, he held a profound interest in it during his prior life, attempting various fishing techniques. He cited lure fishing after glimpsing a lure fishing rod in the veteran general's jeep.
The elder general chuckled, "Ha! You also enjoy lure fishing. Why don't you join me?"
"Alright."
No outsiders were present. Hardy drove, and the veteran general navigated. They journeyed for 30 minutes, arriving at a river.
The veteran general proved adept at fishing, yet Hardy displayed no deficiency either. They fished for over 30 minutes, and Hardy's catch equaled the veteran's.
Exhausted. They sat by the river, the elder general smoking his pipe and Hardy puffing on a cigarette.
The veteran general appraised Hardy, inquiring, "What's your view on HD Security's future?"