George Champion, Ex-Chase Chairman, Dead at 93

George Champion, chairman of Chase Manhattan Bank from 1961 to 1969, died Tuesday at his home in Greenwich, Conn. He was 93.

He began his 43-year banking career in 1926 with National Bank of Commerce in New York and in 1929 joined Equitable Trust Co. In 1930, when Equitable Trust merged with Chase National Bank, he became assistant cashier. He left the bank a year later to become vice president of Canal Bank and Trust Co., New Orleans, returning to Chase in 1933 as second vice president.

Twenty-two years later, when Chase National Bank and Bank of the Manhattan Co. merged to form Chase Manhattan Bank, Mr. Champion was executive vice president. He had been in charge of the bank's United States department from 1953 until he was named president in 1957.

After retiring, Mr. Champion served as chairman and president of the Economic Development Council of New York City.

Born Feb. 8, 1904, in Normal, Ill., Mr. Champion received a BS from Dartmouth College in 1926. He is survived by his wife, Eleanor, and two children, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

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