Dean Patrick Guerin, 90, WWII Veteran

Dean Patrick Guerin passed away on Nov. 23, 2013 at the age of 90. He grew up on Long Island and graduated from Sewanhaka High School. Born February 21, 1922 in St. Paul, Minnesota, Dean served in World War II as a U.S. Marine in the South Pacific and was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Boston University School of Commerce.  

Dean, along with his dear friends Bill Eppler and John Turner, founded the investment banking firm Eppler, Guerin and Turner in 1951. Dean ran the corporate finance department at EGT. The firm became the leader in the IPO, merger and acquisition business in the southwest. Dean served as Chairman and CEO until he retired in 1988. EGT was sold to Principal Financial Group in 1987. He then became involved in venture capital and turnaround investments. Among them was General Aluminum Corp where he served as chairman until it was sold to MI products in 2000.

As a successful entrepreneur, accomplished executive and widely experienced corporate director, Dean served on more than 40 corporate boards over the last 50 years including 7 listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The industries involved included banking, heavy and light manufacturing, wholesale distribution, retailing, food processing, oil and gas exploration, gas pipeline, mining, air transportation, and environment remediation. Among the many boards he served on were Zale Corporation, American Federal Bank, Houston Oil and Minerals, Seagull Energy, Trinity Industries, Lone Star Technologies, Redman Industries, and Circle K Corporation.

Civic Activities included service as a member of the Business Advisory Council of North Texas University, the Planning and Policy Development Committee of the Selwyn Schools and guest lecturer corporate finance at North Texas University and Texas Christian University. He chaired numerous American Management Association seminars on various corporate finance related subjects. He also served on the Investment Committee of The Dallas Museum of Arts and as an Arbitrator for the New York Stock War College Foundation. He also served as a Trustee of the Marine Military Academy and was a member of the Naval War College Foundation. He is listed in Marquis' "Who's who in America", "Who's who in the South and Southwest" and "Who's Who in Finance and Industry". Social memberships included the Dallas Country club, Dallas Petroleum Club, Fort Worth Boat Club, Chandler's Landing Yacht Club (former Commodore and Governor), and Dallas Ski Club (former President). Dean was an avid and expert skier and offshore and competitive sailor, scuba diver, private pilot, wine and food enthusiast (a gourmet cook and a charter member of the Helen Corbitt Men's Cooking Group). He was a member of the Chevaliers du Tastevin as well as the Commanderie de Bordeaux (international wine societies). 

Dean had a love for modern art and architecture. For thirty years they lived in the only home designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright in Texas. For more than 15 years Jo and Dean flew to Antigua and the Grenadines four times a year where they entertained friends aboard their yacht "Arbitrage"; eventually sailing back to the States to spend several seasons cruising the Chesapeake and the New England coast. 

Dean will be remembered for his quick wit and for his deep and abiding love for Jo, his wife of 53 years. He is survived by Jo, their sons Mark and Steve, by their six grandchildren, daughters-in-law Lee and Cori, and his sister Marie Kroecker.

Memorials may be made to the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, Texas.

Private services were held.