Scott Pike Howard – 50th Reunion Essay

Scott Pike Howard

1208 Eighth Street

New Orleans, LA 70115

scottphoward@gmail.com

504-259-6688

Spouse(s): Molly Tullis (1971-1975); Janet Reyering (1986)

Child(ren): Ruffin (1974); Will (1987); Jay (1990)

Grandchild(ren): Sophia (2007); Blossom (2012)

Education: Sussex University, England, MA Regional Economics (1972)

Career: Commercial banking

Avocations: Painting, reading, advocacy for greenspace

College: Calhoun (Hopper)

Growing up, including my time at Yale, I didn’t know what I wanted to “be.” Yale did prepare me to seek a better understanding of myself—my goals and shortcomings. It gave me the confidence to face failures and uncertainties, to find new directions. It gave me the support and good cheer of a few very close lifetime friends.

After graduating, I spent five years casting about as a fifth-grade teacher, graduate student of urban planning, city hall staffer in New Orleans, and sole salesman for a small leasing company. Confused about what to do next, I took some tests that recommended corporate law, economics, or creative writing. With my first wife pregnant, going back to school wasn’t practical. I decided to blend two of the recommendations by joining Morgan Guaranty’s training program. Commercial banking became my career.

The career has had its ups and downs. Morgan laid me off in one of those euphemistic “restructurings” in 1990. In 1992 I returned home to New Orleans to head Corporate and International at Hibernia. During a nine-year stint there I received promotions and eventually ran all the commercial business. But during the 2000 downturn, our corporate book, laden with cash-flow deals, became a problem. I was the logical scapegoat, so once again, back on the street.

In 2006 I joined Regions Bank as the South Louisiana commercial head and president of the New Orleans area. The job saved us. We got the college tuitions paid and resumed a very jolly period together with family, friends, and colleagues. This time I managed to retire rather than be fired from a banking job, in January of 2016.

In between the banking stints I tried to start some small ventures with different partners to manufacture door frames, promote computer-based marketing of real estate, and import exotic wood flooring, but nothing worthwhile materialized.

So while my work life led me to the best of times and the worst of times, I consider myself fortunate to have had an interesting career that has enabled me to retire with sufficient savings to maintain a comfortable lifestyle. I’m happily married to Janet Reyering, a Cincinnati girl I met at the Metropolitan Opera 34 years ago. My children are a source of joy and purpose. We’re relieved that we haven’t totally messed up as parents after all. All three (Ruffin by Molly, Will and Jay by Janet; see bio) are thriving. Glory hallelujah.

So what’s next? I was nervous about retiring, even if it was time, but now I’m pursuing my painting hobby with abandon, working on a third one-man show (website: scotthowardart.com). My principal nonprofit activity is trying to improve the park and recreation system in New Orleans. Janet and I are enjoying traveling, gardening, reading, and having friends over for dinner. I play tennis four times a week and have taken up golf, which, as if I needed another way to humble myself, is a fresh reminder of my tendency towards vain aspirations.