Dennis McCuistion

DENNIS MCCUISTION VITA 

 Dennis’s expertise is not only in speaking but in asking the right questions, giving advice that is always objective and in delving into the causes of problems and the need to apply reason and objectivity throughout the process.  His facilitation skills are unequaled as he has served as the host and executive producer of the McCuistion program, a Donahue style talk show syndicated nationally on PBS. 

Dennis has written three books on the banking industry and hundreds of articles for newspapers, magazines and trade publications.  In addition to his own television program, he has appeared on Fox News, other PBS television programs, and ABC, NBC and CBS affiliates.  Additionally, he is in demand for interviews from various radio talk show hosts throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. 

He founded McCuistion & Associates in 1977 following a 20-year career in the commercial banking business.  As a consultant, speaker, teacher and author, Dennis helps companies and individuals develop and implement strategies for change.  Today most of his assignments involve strategic planning facilitation and providing counsel to top executives and board members of owner-managed companies in addition to serving on small and large publicly traded boards.  As a banker, he learned the ins and outs of financial management and has served as a financial consultant to businesses large and small over the last 30 years.  In some cases he served as a part time CFO, in others he helped to arrange mergers and acquisitions, and in still others, he took a temporary full time role in the company if necessary.   

Dennis served on his first not-for-profit board two years out of college, and has served on a variety of not-for-profit boards from chambers of commerce to service clubs to his present position as Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Responsible Television.  He went on his first for-profit board 35 years ago when he was President of The American Bank in Irving, Texas.  He also led his first strategic planning retreat during this time frame and started his first advisory board.  Dennis went on the board of Publishers Equipment Corporation in 1980 where he was involved in helping to take the company through its initial public offering.  Most recently he served as director of Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. from August of 2003 through November of 2007.   He also served on their audit committee and as chairman of the nominating and governance committee.  He was the lead independent director at the New York Stock Exchange Company UICI from February 2004 until it was sold to the Blackstone Group for $1.6 billion in April of 2006.  He served on the audit, compensation and nominating and governance committees there as well.  He also served for several months on a small oil and gas company board listed on the American Stock Exchange.  

McCuistion & Associates has served many large and small companies over the years including:  Affiliated Computer Services, Inc.Matt M. LaVail, Inc.American Bankers AssociationMet LifeAmerican Trust & Savings Bank, Dubuque, IowaNebraska Bankers AssociationBaker Hill CorporationNew Mexico Bankers AssociationBank of the West, San FranciscoNevada State BankCalifornia Bankers AssociationNoakes Data CommunicationsCity National Bank of PlanoNorthwest National Bank of DallasColorado Bankers AssociationOklahoma Bankers AssociationCommercial National Bank of DallasOregon Bankers AssociationEDSPublishers Equipment CorporationFirst United BankSalem Five Savings Bank, Salem, MA.Florida Bankers AssociationSandy Spring Bank, Olney, MarylandHearth Patio & Barbecue AssociationScott Cable CompanyThe Hodges CompanySF Media, Inc.IBMSource LinkIndependent Bankers Association of TexasSwett & CrawfordInstitute for Excellence in Corporate Governance The Texas Bankers AssociationUICI/Health MarketsKansas Bankers AssociationUnited American BankK&S Utility Contractors, Inc.Universal Towel, Inc.Landmark BankWashington Bankers AssociationLegacy BankWorld Wide Employee Relocation Council Since 1990, Dennis has hosted the McCuistion program on PBS station KERA in Dallas.  The program is syndicated weekly in various markets across the country.  It is a talk show with audience involvement, and the theme is “Talking about Things that Matter with People who Care.”  He has interviewed thousands of individuals, including business leaders, politicians, academics, think tank personnel and others which included the following:  Dick Armey

Sen.Kay Bailey Hutchison

Tom Peters

Nathaniel Branden

Jim Lehrer

Dan Rather

Tim Berners-Lee (inventor of the World Wide Web)

Peter G. Peterson

Jeane Kirkpatrick

Robert Reich

Dr. Vinton Cerf (father of the Internet)

John Blundell

Bill Moyers

John Goodman

Bob Schieffer

Sam Donaldson

Charles Murray

Ken Starr

STRATEGIC PROJECTS 

• Evaluation of loan portfolios in commercial banks
• Evaluation of the management team at a Florida thrift to determine whether there was a CEO successor candidate on the management team
• Design and implementation of a sales culture process for a Maryland bank
• Dozens of strategic planning facilitations for commercial banks, thrifts and credit unions nationwide
• Acting as a catalyst for several organizations in determining whether the business should be sold
• Serving on a special board committee to determine whether to fire the CEO and CFO of a Fortune 500 company
• Turn-around of a small commercial bank that was virtually insolvent
• Serving on a special committee to negotiate the sales price of a $2 billion insurance company to the Blackstone Group
• Hundreds of speaking engagements to large, medium and small associations and corporations nationwide
• Speaking to chief financial officers of multi-national companies in three cities in Argentina on the subjects of strategic planning and the history of the problem loan crises in third world countries and in the United States in the 1980s
• Analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the board of directors of an Oklahoma Bank operating under a regulatory cease and desist
• Serving as lead independent director of a $2 billion health care insurance company
• Facilitating the 2006-2007 Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance Conferences at the University of Texas at Dallas
• Arranging the financing for dozens of companies which included putting together the business plan, the financing package and borrowing or soliciting investors for numerous projects ranging from $100,000 to over $10 million.

 CORPORATE EXPERIENCE

 McCuistion & Associates, Inc. President and CEO     Founded this company in 1977 to provide financial consulting, strategic planning and management/CEO services to small, medium and large companies with an emphasis on financial institutions.  The company was started in Irving, Texas and is now located in Denison, Texas. 

The American Bank, Irving, Texas President and CEO   Took over this small failing commercial bank in Irving in 1972 where 40% of the loan portfolio was classified.  Successfully returned the bank to profitability and moved the bank into a new 11-story building that facilitated continuing growth. 

First Bank & Trust, Richardson, Texas Part Time College Student to Senior Vice President 1962 to 1972   While in college at SMU, I had a great job putting checks in alphabetical order and calling past due installment loan customers.  I was made a loan officer two weeks out of college and was a senior loan officer in 1972 when I left to run The American Bank in Irving. 

EDUCATION Graduated third in my class from Forney High School in 1960 and elected to the Forney Hall of Honor in 2001      BBA in banking and finance from Southern Methodist University 1964.  Belonged to Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity and was vice president.       Master of Liberal Arts from Southern Methodist University in 1985 

Civic Activities and Other Interests

Chairman, Foundation for Responsible Television

Former Chairman, Dallas Regional Advisory Council of Reason Foundation

Facilitator, SWACHA conferences, 2001

Founding Member of the SMU Political Forum at the John Goodwin Tower Center, SMU.

Former Board Member, UICI, Inc. (now HealthMarkets, Inc.) 2004-2006

Former Board Member, Cano Petroleum, Inc. 2006-2007

Former Board Member, Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. 2003-2007

Instructor for the American Institute of Banking for twenty years, including Principles of Bank Operations, Loan Officer Development, Problem Loans, Bank Management, Analyzing Financial Statements, Advanced Analyzing Financial Statements, Personal Financial Statement Analysis, and Goal Setting

Faculty member, Graduate School of Banking of the South, LSU, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2001

Faculty member, Texas Bankers Association Commercial Lending School, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991

Faculty member, Louisiana Bankers Association Banking School, 1985-1996

Faculty member, Graduate School of Banking, Madison, Wisconsin, 1990, 1991

Faculty member, Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at SMU, 1990-1992, 1994, 1996

Past President, North Texas Speakers Association, 1988-89

Small Business Guardian for the Texas Division of National Federation of Independent Business

Past President of the Dallas Chapter of American Institute of Banking

Past Director of North Texas Chapter of National Association of Accountants

Past Member of the Irving Advisory Council - University of Dallas

Past Member of Curriculum Committee on Banking and Finance for Dallas County Community College District

Past Member of the City Charter Revision Committee of the City of Irving, Texas

Past Vice President and Director of the Irving Chamber of Commerce

Past Director, Sales and Marketing Executives of Dallas

Past President of Richardson Noon Optimist Club

Former Member of Irving Las Colinas Rotary Club

Faculty Member, Southwest CUNA Management School, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001

Speaker, Assembly for Bank Directors 

Attended Joint Civilian Orientation Conference in Europe, October 2005

Member, Society of International Business Fellows, China trip, March 2006