Oklahoma Bankers Association We make bankers better!
In This Issue…
- From Adrian’s desk …
- Fed’s vice chairman for supervision announces retirement
- National Day of Mourning on Thursday; Fed closed, banks to remain open
- OBA, ABA to host webinar on national, state legislative issues
- 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!
• • •
Well, the holidays are over and things have started returning to normal. Today, in fact, I took my kids back to school to start the spring semester. While I really enjoy the holidays, there is a certain comfort in getting back into a routine.
• • •
I just finished my column for the January edition of the Oklahoma Banker newspaper, where I attempted to give a preview of what might be coming down the pike, both in Washington, D.C., and in Oklahoma City. Man, there will be so many changes and so many different faces in both locations, it’ll take a while before things settle into any kind of routine at either place!
With those changes in mind, I wanted to highlight a free Zoom meeting hosted by the ABA later this month that will focus on navigating changes at the federal level. It’s being held SPECIFICALLY for Oklahoma bankers. You can learn more in the story below in this OBA Update, but I do highly encourage bankers to take a little time to check in on what I’m certain will be an informative webinar.
• • •
I was saddened to hear of the passing of the legendary Gene Rainbolt last week. I encourage everyone to pick up a copy of the January edition of the Oklahoma Banker newspaper to read an incredibly well-written story about Gene’s life and accomplishments.
• • •
Both the Nebraska men’s (12-2) and women’s (11-4) basketball teams are having good seasons thus far. It’s always been hard to trust the Cornhuskers in basketball, particularly on the men’s side, but as long as they’re competitive, it keeps me interested until Chicago Cubs season!
Fed’s vice chairman for supervision announces resignation
Federal Reserve Vice Chairman for Supervision Michael Barr announced on Monday he will step down from his position on Feb. 28 or at an earlier date if a successor is confirmed. He will continue to serve as a member of the Fed board, with his term ending in 2032.
The Board does not intend to take up any major rulemakings until a vice chair for supervision successor is confirmed.
Barr has served as vice chair for supervision since 2022
National Day of Mourning on Thursday; Fed closes, banks to remain open
While some news outlets have mistakenly announced that President Biden has declared Thursday, Jan. 9, a “federal holiday,” that is not what he has done. Biden instead declared a “national day of mourning” for the late Jimmy Carter.
According the American Bankers Association, national days of mourning do not require or allow businesses or banks to close like a federal holiday normally does. While most federal employees will have the day off from work on Jan. 9 and federal offices will close, banks will or should remain open. And while Federal Reserve offices will be closed, systems will operate normally.
OBA, ABA to host webinar on national, state legislative issues
The OBA and the American Bankers Association will host a free webinar on Jan. 30, exclusively for Oklahoma bankers, to discuss the upcoming changes and opportunities presented at both the state and federal levels for the banking industry.
New leadership coming to Washington presents many opportunities for the industry, and 2025 is certain to be a year of significant policy change. Both ABA and OBA are preparing to work with the new Congress and administration, ensuring the industry is well-prepared for what lies ahead.
During this webinar, ABA Executive Vice President of Congressional Relations Kirsten Sutton and OBA President and CEO Adrian Beverage will share valuable insights on the upcoming 119th Congress, the state legislative session and the evolving landscape at both the state and federal levels.
Don’t miss this opportunity to gain critical knowledge on what to expect and how to navigate potential changes in policy.
OBA education corner …
Some of us just got around to watching “Wicked” over the holidays for the first time. Despite some initial apprehension, now we firmly believe everyone deserves a chance to fly! While defying gravity, one of the things that could make you popular is to take part in some upcoming continuing education opportunities for you and your staff in 2025!
- 2025 Current Matters and Common Questions on the Call Report, Jan. 10, webinar — This two-hour webinar is designed to equip Call Report preparers and reviewers with the insights and tools needed to stay compliant and accurate in 2025.
- Reconsiderations of Value: Regulatory Expectations and How to Put Together Your Process, Jan. 13, webinar — The regulatory agencies recently issued their Final Interagency Guidance on ROVs, which creates clear expectations on mortgage lenders to formulate and execute programs to provide customers with access to ROV requests, as well as how to handle them once received.
- B2B Payments Trends and Innovations: Strategies for Financial Institutions, Jan. 13, webinar — This webinar will explore the latest trends and innovations in B2B payments, with a particular focus on the strategies financial institutions can employ to optimize their payment processes, integrate instant payments and stay ahead in a competitive market.
- ACH Rules Update: Navigating Nacha’s New Rules, Jan. 14, webinar — Attendees will gain knowledge on key updates and explore the industry-wide impact of these rules and new fraud monitoring requirements coming in March 2026.
- Handling Deceased Deposit Accounts and Checks After Death, Jan. 14, webinar — Your account holder passed away and the family is grieving. Yet, in the midst of all the grieving and honoring of a life, the legal and compliance clock is ticking.
- The 2025 State of Training in Financial Services, Jan. 15, webinar — Discover the latest trends and insights shaping employee training in financial services with this FREE webinar!
- You’ve Been Served: Best Practices in Processing Subpoenas, Garnishments and Tax Levies, Jan. 15, webinar — This webinar will provide attendees with best practices and red flags for dealing with the various legal documents served upon financial institutions.
- Alert! Federal Regulatory Agencies Issues Guidance on Elder Programs, Jan. 16, webinar — On Dec. 4, the federal regulatory agencies issued a joint statement to provide supervised institutions with examples of risk management and other practices that may be effective in combating elder financial exploitation.
- What’s the Difference? Same-Day ACH, RTP & FedNow Explained, Jan. 21, webinar — This session will dive into the transaction limits and unique features of each system, offering you valuable insights into how these faster payment methods operate.
- Managing Third-Party Relationships, Jan. 21, webinar — During this program we will look at third-party relationships and intermediaries in light of our BSA/AML/CFT programs and the management of these relationships.
- Basic Real Estate Loan Documentation, Jan. 22, webinar — Real estate loan documentation is no easy task. Join us for an overview of real estate loan documentation requirements, regulatory compliance issues, loan administration issues and best practices.
- 2024 Compliance Updates, Jan. 22-Tulsa, Jan. 23-Oklahoma City — These Updates are separated into operations and lending for each day: they can be registered for together or individually.
- Community Reinvestment Act: New Rules and Current Requirements All-Day Streaming, Jan. 23, webinar — This all-day streaming session will go over the details of the new Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) and point out important differences between it and current requirements.
- BSA Risk Assessment Workshop, Jan. 24, webinar — Before you can write policies, before you can schedule that next audit, and before you can assign your next training course, you must review and update your institution’s BSA/AML Risk Assessment.
- Basic Personal & Business Tax Return Analysis, Jan. 31, Oklahoma City — Attend this proactive seminar and gain an understanding of the often complex and confusing topic of TAXES!
- 2025 OBA Intermediate School, Session I-Feb. 3-7; Session II-June 2-6, Oklahoma City — Presented in two sessions, the school is designed to prepare students to serve effectively and profitably the needs and desires of their banks and the banking public.
Also, an OBA program to be aware of is the OBA Intern Program.
The Intern Program will be active in 2025 and we’re looking for participating banks! For more information on this IMPORTANT program – important not only to aspiring students, but also to participating banks – Contact the OBA education department at (405) 424-5252 or click here for more information!