Everyone who grew up in the area knew the Texas Commerce Bank sign at the South Belt exit from the Gulf Freeway.
What most don't know is that sign was the only occupant of the land where the bank was originally going to be built.
Around the same time, Marie got a call from a Steve Spencer, who was to be TCB's bank president. At that point, they had named the bank "Texas Commerce Gulf Freeway."
She asked him why on earth they were building right where the South Belt (Beltway 8 as it would eventually become) was going to be going through and he said they weren’t.
Marie argued they were. After some back and forth, Mr. Spencer said he would look into it.
Marie told him, "If I'm right and you decide to move out of the planned Beltway lanes, you should change the name to Texas Commerce South Belt."
A few days later, the phone rang at the Leader offices.
It was Steven Spencer again.
He was looking for a different parcel of land to put the bank that would not end up being dozed through for Beltway 8.
In 1979, the parcel of land she suggested became the new home for Texas Commerce South Belt.
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