Most notably, Giannini was one of the first bankers to offer banking services to middle-class Americans, mainly Italian immigrants, rather than only the upper class.

[1] Amadeo Pietro Giannini was born in San Jose, California, to Italian immigrant parents.

Luigi Giannini immigrated to the United States from Favale di Malvaro near Genoa, Liguria, in the Kingdom of Sardinia (later part of Italy) to prospect in response to the California gold rush of 1849.

Luigi continued in gold during the 1860s and returned to Italy in 1869 to marry Virginia, bringing her to the US and settling in San Jose.

Luigi Giannini purchased a 40-acre (16 ha) farm at Alviso in 1872 and grew fruits and vegetables for sale.

Giannini founded the Bank of Italy in the Jackson Square neighborhood of San Francisco on October 17, 1904.

In the face of widespread devastation, Giannini set up a temporary bank, collecting deposits, making loans, and proclaiming that San Francisco would rise from the ashes.

During this period Giannini was one of the few bankers who could satisfy withdrawal requests and provide loans, operating from a plank across two barrels in the street.

The new institution continued under Giannini's chairmanship until his retirement in 1945; Monnette retained his board seat and officer's position.

By diversifying the scope of community that the Bank of America served following its merger, the institution was better prepared to ride out minor, local economic issues.

He loaned Walt Disney the funds to produce Snow White, the first full-length, animated motion picture to be made in the US.

In the 1934 California gubernatorial election Giannini worked hard to block left-wing novelist Upton Sinclair from winning the primary for the Democratic nomination.

He failed, and with support from the White House, he endorsed and helped finance the Republican candidate, incumbent Frank Merriam, who did defeat Sinclair.