Oklahoma Banker

I want to thank all of you for all you did for the American people during the PPP – a program of that magnitude had never been done before. You dealt with constant rule changes, lack of information and everything else that made your life hectic for months. Because of you, a massive number of businesses both small and large …

The federal bank regulatory agencies last last month released a guide intended to help community banks assess risks when considering relationships with financial technology (fintech) companies. This guide, “Conducting Due Diligence On Financial Technology Companies,” is intended to be a resource for community banks when performing due diligence on prospective relationships with fintech companies. It is available on the Federal …

I can’t believe it’s already the end of summer – spending the last weekend hunting for school supplies is one way to wrap up the season. We’ve got lots of things to look forward to in the fall and I’ll touch on this in a minute. While it usually slows down a little bit here at the OBA in the …

The OBA is proud to announce the group of inductees for the Oklahoma Bankers Hall of Fame, with the ceremony set for Dec. 2 in Oklahoma City. Bruce Benbrook, a longtime Woodward banker who is currently CEO and chairman of The Stock Exchange Bank in Woodward; Steve Burrage, a southeastern Oklahoma stalwart who is chairman of FirstBank in Antlers; the …

Last month, more than 60 bankers attended the OBA’s 2021 Senior Management Forum in Las Vegas. While the temps were close to 115 degrees, it was still great to see so many bankers. It was a record crowd and just coming off our annual convention, which also had record numbers. It’s clear bankers are ready to be back in person …

The chief economists of North America’s largest banks expect a sustained rebound in both consumer and business credit market conditions over the next six months, according to the American Bankers Association’s latest Credit Conditions Index released last month. The latest summary of ABA’s Credit Conditions Index examines a suite of indices derived from the quarterly outlook for credit markets produced …

Last week, the OBA held its Annual Convention and Trade show at the Omni in Oklahoma City, and it was a great couple of days. We had record number of golfers playing in the rain, we had over 300 registrants and a sold-out exhibit hall full of great OBA Strategic Members. This year’s convention had a feel unlike any other …

The U.S. economy is recovering rapidly and is expected to yield inflation-adjusted growth of 7.2% over the four quarters of this year before easing to a still-robust 3.1% in 2022, according to the latest forecast of the American Bankers Association’s Economic Advisory Committee. “Since the committee met in January, further federal stimulus and a tremendously successful vaccine rollout are fueling …

Gov. Kevin Stitt has selected Billy Taylor and Rick Walker as the newest regents on the Oklahoma State Board of Regents for the Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges. “I am thrilled to have both Billy Taylor and Rick Walker serving on the Oklahoma State Regents,” Stitt said. “Billy’s leadership experience will be an asset in this position and his passion for …

The Oklahoma Bankers Association has a new president and CEO for the first time in 33 years – but one with a familiar name – when Adrian Beverage assumed the post officially on Saturday, May 1. Beverage will be moving from his former position as chief of staff, executive vice president and director of government relations for the OBA, where …