Talking Points: John Rindlaub, CEO, Wells Fargo, Northwest Region

John Rindlaub, who has built a major presence here for Wells Fargo since taking over as CEO for the Northwest region in 2002, will soon move to Hong Kong to become regional president of the bank’s Asia Pacific operations.

Leslie D. Helm | November 2011 | FROM THE PRINT EDITION

Credit: Hayley Young

PROMOTION: While I will miss my friends, I’m highly motivated to move to Hong Kong where I can connect our strong U.S. presence with our business in Asia. We have 2,500 employees in 12 Asian countries. I served in the Navy in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War, I worked in Tokyo for Bankers Trust in the late 1980s and I worked in Hong Kong for Bank of America in the early 1990s.

OPPORTUNITIES: One of the important developments in Asia has been the creation of a middle class in places like China, India, Singapore and Malaysia. The Asia model has gone from an export-driven model to more of a consumer story, so there is a growing market there. There are huge opportunities for makers of building materials who are suffering from a slow market in the Northwest. I recently had lunch with a manufacturer of garage doors that sees export opportunities in New Zealand and Australia.

ECONOMY: A lot of our customers had to cut back on hiring and put off investments in plant and equipment during the great recession. Companies with revenues of more than $20 million are well poised to participate in any recovery. But we haven’t had the growth in small business that you usually get after a recession. Small businesses have been struggling. Many of them are using home equity loans or credit cards to fund themselves and that’s become more problematic.

YOUTH: I was born in Saddle River, New Jersey. My father was the treasurer of American Reinsurance Company, and after he retired he cofounded MBIA [a financial services holding company]. I learned all about reinsurance and bond underwriting and accounting from my dad.

MANAGEMENT: As a 24-year-old lieutenant in Vietnam, I was responsible for three divisions. Underneath me were boatswain’s mates who had been there for a long time and knew the business. You give them responsibility but then you hold them accountable for the results. My leadership style today is to hire great people and then encourage them. The other simple lesson I learned in the Navy was to praise in public and reprimand in private. I came away with a huge love of country and the people who are in the military.

POLITICS: Politically, Republicans are in a minority here, but I don’t think conservatives and conservative principles are in a minority. It’s pretty much recognized that we can’t fund social causes if we don’t