 In 1983, Dendahl became general manager of a partnership owning more than 20,000 acres of undeveloped land near Santa Fe.Then in 1985, he started a term as president of The First National Bank of Santa Fe during which time the bank suffered from loan quality problems and was put under special supervision by the Comptroller of the Currency a few months after Dendahl had taken his office.Improvements under the management of Dendahl and his colleagues led to termination of the special supervision in 364 days.