Frank K. Houston (1881–1973) was an American banker and philanthropist. Born on a Southern plantation in Tennessee, he was a banking executive in Nashville, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri, in the 1900s-1910s. He joined the Chemical Corn Exchange BankinNew York City in 1920, and served as its president from 1935 to 1945, and as its chairman and chief executive officer from 1945 to 1947.
Houston served as the first assistant cashier of the First National Bank in Nashville, Tennessee, from 1909 to 1912,[8] when he was appointed as the Vice President of Third National Bank in St. Louis, Missouri.[2] In 1920, he was appointed as vice president of the Chemical Corn Exchange BankinNew York City.[1] He served as its president from 1935 to 1945, and as its chairman and chief executive officer from 1945 to 1947.[1][3][4]
Houston served as a member and treasurer of the board of directors of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, which manages Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's plantation, from 1933 to 1943.[1] He served as its vice president from 1943 to 1944, as its president from 1944 to 1958, and as its chairman from 1958 to 1969.[1] He also served as the chairman of the Cordell Hull Foundation, named for Cordell Hull, who served as the 47th Secretary of State from 1933 to 1944.[4]
Houston served on the Board of Trust of his alma mater, Vanderbilt University.[4] In 1969, Houston made a charitable donation to the Graduate School of Management to endow a professorship in banking.[1]