Oklahoma Banker

By Jeremy Cowen Vice President/Communications Editor In what was a major win for the banking industry, as well as for banking customers across the country, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a regulatory relief package on May 22, which was signed into law by President Trump two days later. The bill, S. 2155 — Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer …

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 …

When I was a little kid, Harry Caray was the play-by-play announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals. Harry began announcing for the Cardinals in 1945 on station KMOX. My big brother was (and still is) a baseball nut. He’s a scholar (he’s written four books on baseball), statistician, historian (inducted into the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame last summer) …

Oklahoma bankers made their way to Washington during the last week in April to meet with members of the Oklahoma congressional delegation and specifically ask them to support quick action on S. 2155. These Oklahomans were among the more than 1,300 bankers attending the Government Relations Summit hosted by the American Bankers Association. “It was a great group of our …

As this issue of the Oklahoma Banker goes to press, we’re no further along than we were last month on getting regulatory relief for traditional community banks over the goal line. But it’s not without hope. I think. The delay is being caused by Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), who chairs the House Financial Services Committee. I’m told he has 30 …

The 2018 OBA Annual Convention & Trade Show is coming soon, set for May 21-23 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Catoosa. This year’s convention theme is “Answer the C.A.L.L. (community/advocacy/leadership/legacy). Lt. Col. Robert Darling, a retired member of the U.S. Marine Corps., who served in the first Gulf War and supported the president in the President’s Emergency …

In a letter to the speaker of the House of Representatives and the minority leader in the House, the Oklahoma Bankers Association joined the other state bankers associations urging for swift passage of the community bank regulatory relief bill, S. 2155. “We thought it was important to make certain House leadership on both sides of the aisle be aware of …

As this issue of the Oklahoma Banker goes to press, the U.S. Senate is working through periodic floor statements relating to S. 2155. So far there are some 57 amendments that have been filed, and that does not include the Manager’s Amendment. The way the Senate works, the first hurdle was to get past a filibuster (60 votes required). The …

Congratulations Oklahoma bankers – collectively you set yet another industry earnings record in 2017! “We’ve been pointing out all year that the industry was on track to set another earnings record (in 2017),” OBA President and CEO Roger Beverage said. “Even though total industry earnings for all banks ($25.5 billion) were off by some $17.7 billion (41 percent) over last …

By Jeremy Cowen Vice President/Communications Editor A quick visit to “OBA.com” or punching in “Oklahoma Bankers” in the iTunes or Google Play app stores will instantly let you know “what’s new?” with OBA communications. Your Oklahoma Bankers Association communications department has been hard at work keeping the Association at the forefront of communications technology by unveiling a completely redesigned OBA.com …