1st Mariner CEO/Chairman Ed Hale is known for his blunt, direct style, and his desk on the 16th floor of the 1st Mariner Tower in Canton reflects that. There aren't a lot of fancy flourishes here, either. He says he likes to have all of his business in easy reach, hence the various piles of documents. But he likes to keep the space tidy, something he also expects of his employees.

"I don't like seeing a desk here [at the bank] that's all disheveled. If I can keep my desk neat with all the balls I have up in the air, than they can, too. But, then, I've not been described as normal," Hale adds with a laugh. His humor is another personality trait that makes its way onto his desk, as well.

1. Ed's daughter, Alex, made this clay turtle for him when she was in second grade. She just graduated from Penn State.

2. These aren't just any piles of paper. Each one pertains to a different project. And they absolutely must be neatly stacked and parallel. "If I walk into a room and [see] a painting is catawampus, I have to straighten it."

3. He keeps this "Next Window Please" desk plate in his drawer. But it does make the occasional desk top appearance. "I only pull it out for friends."

4. Hale readily admits he is a chronic list maker. Every weekend, he sits down to compile to-do lists for the coming week, which he keeps on his desk. There are four different ones: business, personal, miscellaneous — other businesses he's involved in like real estate and the Baltimore Blast — and a list for groceries and medications.

5. This is another item that makes weekly visits to his desk top — a blood pressure monitor. Although, he admits it may get pressed into service a little more often when Hale is dealing with some of his more intense business issues.