Oklahoma Bankers Association We make bankers better!
In This Issue…
- From Adrian’s desk …
- FDIC appoints Oklahoma banker to subcommittee
- Report: Small businesses opposed government mandates to credit card networks
- Better Together: OBA convention open for registration!
- 2024 OBA Directory of Banks available for purchase
- Survey reports available
- OBA education corner …
From Adrian’s desk …
By Adrian Beverage
OBA President & CEO
Just some random tidbits that might be of interest to our bankers this week!
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Today’s the last day of our Contact Banker Program for this spring. It’s been another successful season where dozens of bankers joined us at the state Capitol to meet with their legislators. It shows the state representatives and state senators that bankers care about what’s happening in Oklahoma City, and helps put faces with names. It’s truly an invaluable program and we hope you can join us next year when it returns!
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Congratulations to F&M banker John Tom Anderson, who was named to the FDIC’s Minority Depository Institutions Subcommittee to the Advisory Committee on Community Banking. You can read more in the story in the Update below.
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We’re only two weeks out from the OBA convention! Have you registered yet?
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Two wins in three tries against a solid Iowa team has kept the Cornhuskers’ baseball team right in the thick of the Big 10 title hunt, only one game back of the co-leaders. The softball team, meanwhile, hit a roadblock in Northwestern. The Wildcats are the top team in the Big 10 – they and Michigan are running away from the pack, as a matter of fact – and I expect them to be on the short list of teams that have a real chance of making it to Oklahoma City in June.
FDIC appoints Oklahoma banker to subcommittee
The FDIC last week announced four new members of the agency’s Minority Depository Institutions Subcommittee to the Advisory Committee on Community Banking, which included an Oklahoma banker.
They are:
- John Tom Anderson, president and CEO of F&M Bank, Edmond.
- John Lewis, president and CEO of the Harbor Bank of Maryland, Baltimore.
- Alfonso Macedo, president and CEO of Ocean Bank, Miami.
- Arturo Ortega, chairman and CEO of Freedom Bank, Alamo, Texas.
The MDI Subcommittee serves as a resource to the FDIC and informs the agency’s strategies to fulfill its statutory goals for MDIs. The subcommittee also provides a platform for MDIs to collaborate, build partnerships and showcase the work of MDIs in their communities. Subcommittee members have their first meeting on Wednesday.
Report: Small businesses oppose government mandates on credit card networks
The Small Business Payments Alliance issued a report on Monday that found an overwhelming majority of small businesses oppose new government mandates on payment networks; are more concerned with inflationary pressures than the cost of processing credit cards; and rely on the security offered by leading credit card networks to operate their businesses and serve their customers.
Legislation currently under consideration in Congress – the Durbin-Marshall credit card bill – was introduced last year as the “Credit Card Competition Act”. This legislation would institute a new government “routing mandate” that would dictate processing networks. A recent study revealed that the bill would “disproportionately benefit the top five businesses in the U.S.” while “costing small businesses over $1 billion in lost rewards as well as a decline in access to credit.”
Better Together: OBA convention open for registration!
The Oklahoma Bankers Association and its member banks are better together … it’s become a mantra of sorts during Bryan Cain’s year as OBA chair, and it’s the focus of our annual convention this year! Nearly 200 banks and 20,000 bank employees ARE better together, and we’d sure like to a see a large representative portion of those at our annual convention on May 13-15!
This year’s convention has the theme “Better Together” and will be held at the Skirvin Hilton in Oklahoma City. We hope as many banks and bankers prove our convention theme correct and join us this year!
Click here for more information and a registration form for the convention, as well as more information on the convention golf tournament. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the OBA for any additional information! We look forward to seeing all of you … TOGETHER!
2024 OBA Directory of Banks available for purchase
The 2024 OBA Directory of Banks is now ready to buy!
This essential reference includes financial data, important information about all Oklahoma banks, savings and loans, savings banks and holding companies, key personnel by function and title, answers to rules and regulations, legislators, state and national agencies, courthouses, fast-find index and much more!
Each Directory is $40 per copy for OBA-member bankers, and $60 for non-members. Price breaks are available for larger bulk buys of more than nine copies: contact Thi Pham for more information.
Survey reports available
A pair of important reports are now available for bankers.
First, the 2024 Compensation Trends & Employee Benefits Survey results have been collected. Please contact Elyse Hoffmann at surveys@blanchardc.com or call 608-843-9672 to order.
Second, the first quarter results from the Bank Performance Report is available. For more information, please contact info@bankperformancereport.com or go to www.bankperformancereport.com.
OBA education corner …
Convention is looming, but don’t get tunnel vision – there’s plenty of other upcoming OBA education opportunities to keep an eye on! Take the following for example:
- Commercial Lending Program, May 6, 14, webinar — This program consists of 10 online self-paced courses and two webinars. The webinars will cover real lending scenarios, and participants will enter virtual breakout rooms for interactive small-group discussions.
- Wire Transfers: Meeting Requirements, Implementing Best Practices and Avoiding Losses, May 7, webinar — Funds transfer fraud causes millions of dollars in losses for businesses and financial institutions every year. In 2023 alone, financial institutions filed over 400,000 Suspicious Activity Reports on incidents of wire fraud and/or suspicious funds transfers.
- Third Party Management Essentials, May 8, webinar — In this webinar, you’ll learn the essential elements every program should have, and why it’s critical to embed third-party management in all lines of business.
- Consumer Real Estate Loans, May 8, webinar — Take this opportunity to expand your knowledge of current compliance rules and take your loan processing skills to the next level.
- Fair Lending, May 9, webinar — This webinar will dissect the regulatory requirements and examiner expectations related to Fair Lending in plain English.
- Update on Overdraft Services and Junk Fees, May 14, webinar — CFPB has been hot on the trail of junk fees – is your institution at risk? Join us as we look at supervisory guidance from the regulators and lessons learned on consent orders.
- Onboarding to FedNow: A Guide for Financial Institutions, May 14, webinar — Dive into insights from Operating Circular 8, FedNow service operating procedures, and real-world experiences to learn about the FedNow onboarding process.
- Safe Deposit Boxes: Don’t Set ‘Em and Forget ‘Em, May 16, webinar — Safe deposit boxes are an essential part of any financial institution, but did you know that neglecting their proper maintenance and security measures can lead to compliance and legal issues?