“Swampoodle” was a Philadelphia neighborhood where many Irish immigrants settled in the early twentieth century, among them Martin G. McGuinn’s grandparents. McGuinn’s story is very much that of the fulfillment of the American Dream, a proud Irish-American’s story of rising from these modest beginnings to eventually become CEO of one of America’s leading financial institutions. Born in 1942, McGuinn grew up in Princeton, New Jersey , graduated from Villanova’s college and law school, served in the Marine Corps in Viet Nam, and practiced law on Wall Street before joining Mellon Bank in Pittsburgh. He spent 25 years there rising to CEO. This is the story about how he got there, the challenges along the way, and successes and disappointments. It’s a story about how hard work and good fortune can produce success in the corporate world, in an industry and a community that provides a lesson that will resonate with many. It is also a lesson in “giving back,” sharing his good fortune with others through philanthropy and commitment to community.
