Texas Bank Says Chase Link Puts World at Its Feet

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Ask Marc J. Shapiro what Chemical Banking Corp.'s merger with Chase Manhattan Corp. has meant for Texas Commerce Bank and he sums it up in two words - international sales.

"Since the merger, the single biggest difference has been on the international side," said the 49-year-old chairman of Texas Commerce, Chase Manhattan's $22 billion-asset Texas subsidiary.

"Our ability to pick up a phone, call a customer, and transact business has been infinitely enhanced," he said.

For Chase, Texas Commerce constitutes a ready-made vehicle for delivering local corporate-banking services in the fast-growing Southwest. Those services include trade finance, loan syndications, foreign exchange, and merger and acquisition advice.

These days, the clout that comes from the Chase affiliation counts for a lot in Texas, where an increasing share of corporate revenues is linked to international business and banks ranging from Texas Commerce to NationsBank Corp. …