The Woodward Alumni Hall of Fame Association
Donald A. Baker Inducted 1984 - Class of 1942
Don Baker, a 1942 graduate of Woodward High School, is president of the largest savings and loan institution in northwestern Ohio - First Federal Savings & Loan Association.
Some months after his graduation from Woodward, Mr. Baker was inducted into the U.S. Army and assigned to the 97th Infantry Division for basic training at Camp Swift, Texas. Upon completion of basic training, he was transferred to the Army Specialized Training Program and attended the Illinois Institute of Technology, where he studied engineering. He ultimately was based in the South Pacific with the 20th Air Force until February, 1946. He joined First Federal May of 1946 under the G.I. Training Bill.
He is a graduate of the three-year program of the Savings and Loan League Academy and has completed courses at Davis Business College and the University of Toledo. He was also, for four years, an instructor in real estate finance in the advance education program at the University of
Toledo.
During his career at First Federal, Mr. Baker rose rapidly through the ranks. In December of 1954 he was named branch manager and vice president, and later was given responsibility of all branch operations. In June of 1961 he was named vice president of mortgage loans. He was appointed to the board of directors in April, 1968, and subsequently was elected executive vice president and secretary. In January of 1974 he was elected president of First Federal.
Shortly after his election as president, his concept of a new multi-million-dollar downtown office building took form and became a reality when, on April10, 1976, First Federal moved its headquarters into the II-story structure at Adams and Erie Streets.
Under Mr. Baker's direction, First Federal of Toledo has grown in scope and size and now claims the title of “Northwestern Ohio's largest and strongest Federal Savings and Loan," with 14 offices in and around Toledo and with plans to add more in the near future. First Federal ranks high in Ohio as well with current assets now reaching over one billion dollars.
Mr. Baker also has been active in community and professional affairs. He has served on various committees, including the legislative policy committee of the U.S. League of Savings Associations and the legislature committee of the Ohio Savings and Loan League. He is currently a trustee of the Ohio Savings and Loan League and is a former president of District Four of the OSLL. He is a member of the Toledo Chamber of Commerce, the Toledo Board of Realtors, the Greater Toledo Corporation, the Building Industry of Northwestern Ohio, and the National Association of Horne Builders Industry of Northwestern Ohio, one in the Brandywine Country Club, where he continually strives to improve his No. 1 hobby - the game of golf.