If there were one sentence, a single statement, that underscores the quality, care and true love for his community and colleagues, it would only make sense that the words came from Andrew Bertamini himself.
“Any of the things that I’ve accomplished, I didn’t do it to get attention for me. I did it because I cared, and I got as many rewards and benefits from anything that I did in the community than others who felt they’ve benefited from what I may have done,” said Bertamini, who announced earlier this month that he is retiring as Wells Fargo’s Maryland Region President.
He is relocating to Southern Florida, where he’ll spend his retirement years in an area west of Ft. Lauderdale to enjoy life with his two sons and three grandchildren.
“We wanted to be closer to our children, and more importantly, our grandchildren,” Bertamini said, expressing that family has always been a driving force behind his work, his interaction with his colleagues and the self-sacrificing spirit he displayed throughout Greater Baltimore to the benefit of thousands.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts and a product of a single-family household, Bertamini and his family moved to the Baltimore area when he was two.
“I don’t remember my first two years,” he said, noting that, as the reason he can be considered a native of Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
He began his career as a teller with Union Trust Bank, which became Wells Fargo.
Bertamini’s tenure as president of Wells Fargo’s Maryland region helped the company realize $1.4 trillion in assets and rank tops among all financial services companies in market value in the U.S. and third in the world as of December 31, 2012.
His reach can also be measured in that Wells Fargo operates 75 retail banking stores in Maryland providing consumer and business banking services, including mortgage loans, investment products and insurance services.
The bank has also extensively invested in Maryland’s schools and communities through corporate and foundation giving, and through its team member community support programs.
Bertamini’s primary focus has been to oversee the operations of the Maryland market and to serve as the company’s community ambassador. However, his work in the community sealed his legendary status.
He served as a board member of several organizations, including: Furman L. Templeton Preparatory Academy; Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture; Downtown Partnership; Greater Baltimore Committee; Healthy Neighborhoods, Inc.; Maryland Council on Economic Education; Maryland Bankers Association; and the Baltimore Workforce Investment Board.
“I will miss the community. The people in Baltimore have been so good to me and I’m so proud to have been able to do a lot of work in Baltimore City and in places like Sandtown-Winchester,” Bertamini said.
His involvement with the Furman L. Templeton School proved a great community service as he helped to support programs for the 450 students there, covering important topics like financial literacy and promoting the value of education.
“I grew up poor. When growing up poor you don’t always realize you’re poor, but I had a good strong parent who instilled in us as children good ethics and principles,” Bertamini said. “I also saw that having a good education provides opportunities, and Wells Fargo gave me an opportunity when I became regional president not only to run the business but also continue Wells’ reputation in the community with volunteerism and serving the community.”
A graduate of the University of Maryland University College and a recipient of several awards and honors including the 2010 Greater Baltimore Committee and the Baltimore Urban League Whitney M. Young Award, the 61-year-old Bertamini played a major role in bringing The Kinsey Collection to the Reginald F. Lewis Museum downtown.
Still, it’s his team at Wells Fargo that evokes much emotion.
“The team is a family and you always want better for your children than for you, and that’s how I viewed it for my team,” Bertamini said. “I hope Wells will remember me as a leader who cared about them.”