The centennial of the 1906 earthquake that destroyed San Francisco and the contemporary repercussions of that catastrophe are the subject of the first blog created by Wells
Fargo.
"Guided by History" (http://blog.wellsfargo.com/GuidedByHistory) provides a unique journey into the financial service provider's corporate archives and its Wells Fargo
History Museum. A team of bloggers lead by John Stumpf, president and CEO, detail the world of 1906 via previously unpublished personal correspondence, photographs from the
city before and after the earthquake, and a historic overview on the city's socio-economic foundation during that era. The blog also details how today's San Franciscans can be
ready in the event of another major seismic disruption.
Using a blog as a history tour and public safety vehicle might seem unusual, but it makes perfect sense to Tim Collins, senior vice president for experiential marketing at
Wells Fargo. "Blogging is not so much about personal communications - it's about building an interested community," he says. "There is a lot of interest in our community about
the history of the 1906 earthquake - and people want to prepare for the next one."
Collins notes Wells Fargo is among the first financial services companies to enter the blogosphere. However, their blogging comes with boundaries: Federal regulations prevent
financial institutions from obtaining personal information via the Net, so "Guided by History" cannot publish the full names, e-mail addresses or corresponding URLs of people
posting comments online. Furthermore, Wells Fargo requires confirmation from people posting responses that they are 13 or older.
Contact: Tim Collins: [email protected].