The Oklahoma Bankers Hall of Fame has been created by the OBA Board of Directors to honor individual bankers for their contributions to the banking industry and the State of Oklahoma.
In addition, the Hall of Fame is intended to recognize bankers’ achievements on behalf of the Association’s member banks.
Bankers make a difference in their communities every day. To rise to the level required for induction into the Hall of Fame, the nominating committee for the Hall will examine whether the individual banker has made a difference beyond their local community. The Hall of Fame will also preserve the unique history of Oklahoma’s banking greats.
The following criteria will be considered by the nominating committee when selecting individuals to be nominated for selection to the Hall of Fame:
Affiliation (past or present) with an Association member bank.
Service on boards or committees of the Association.
Participation in the activities of banker trade associations at the national level, such as American Bankers Association and Independent Community Bankers of America.
Contributions to the development, improvement and growth of the banking industry in Oklahoma.
Whether the individual has had a significant impact on the manner in which financial services are provided to consumers.
The individual has demonstrated the importance of community involvement and participation in the work of various community groups at the local, state and national levels.
The number of years of service to the state and the industry.
Nominations for induction into the Oklahoma Bankers Hall of Fame may be made by any bank employee of an OBA-member bank. There is no limit on the number of nominees that can be presented to the nominating committee in any given year.
Nominees may be either living or deceased.
Nomination forms are available on the Association’s website and can also be obtained by calling the Association (405/424-5252) or emailing info@oba.com. They will be accepted at any time, provided the nomination for induction at a November ceremony planned in any one year has been received by May 31 of that same year. If they are received after May 31, they will be included for consideration for the following year. Additionally, individuals who are included on a ballot but not selected will automatically be carried over for consideration in subsequent years.
Note: For the Inaugural Year of 2018, the deadline for nominations will be extended to June 30.
The nominating committee will review all nominees and select a slate of nominees no later than July 15 each year. Once the individuals are selected, ballots will be mailed to the following individuals: All OBA-member bank CEOs, all individuals who have served as either president or chairman of the Association, all current members of the Association’s Board of Directors, committee chairs and emerging leaders, the commissioner of Oklahoma State Banking Department and current OU and OSU banking chairs.
Each elector may vote for up to three names on his or her ballot. Ballots will then be returned to the Association for tallying, with only those received by Aug. 15 to be included.
After the ballots are counted and the selections to that year’s Hall of Fame announced, they will be honored at a luncheon in November. This luncheon will recognize each individual’s contributions to the industry, while a plaque will be on display at the Association’s Harris Event Center maintaining an ongoing recognition of each Hall of Fame inductee. The Association will also include the names of honorees in a news release that will be distributed to media outlets across the state.
You can find more information on the Oklahoma Bankers Hall of Fame, as well as nomination forms and instructions on how to nominate them, on the front page of OBA.com.