Oklahoma Bankers Association We make bankers better!
In This Issue…
- From Adrian’s desk …
- Federal Housing Finance Agency proposes to repeal rule
- State attorneys general urge passage of cannabis banking rule
- Oklahoma Bankers Hall of Fame accepting nominations for 2025
- OBA Emering Leaders Academy accepting applications
- 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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It’s good to be back in the office after so many weeks away, between vacations and conferences! With the end of July upon us, we’re already started planning the dates for our upcoming board meetings and fall get-togethers!
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I was in Ada last night for a meet-and-greet with State Rep. Ronny Johns. While there, I got to visit with the Oklahoma Speaker of the House, Kyle Hilbert, as well as with OBA Chair Steve Bagwell. We all had an opportunity to catch up and talk about what lays over the horizon in the both the state legislature as well as our banking industry!
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My heart is a bit dimmed this morning with the news Ryne Sandberg passed last night. Sandberg, the Hall of Fame second baseman for my Cubbies, had been fighting cancer for more than a year. He was always one of my favorite players growing up and it’d sure be nice to see the Cubs continue their current winning ways to honor his memory!
Federal Housing Finance Agency proposes to repeal rule
The Federal Housing Finance Agency is proposing to repeal a 2024 final rule that codified many of its existing practices and programs regarding fair housing and fair lending oversight of its regulated entities: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks.
In a notice published today in the Federal Register, FHFA said it was seeking public comment on repealing the Fair Lending, Fair Housing, and Equitable Housing Finance Plans regulation. The agency cited President Trump’s executive order in February directing federal agencies to repeal “unnecessary” regulations as a reason for walking back the final rule.
Comments on the proposed repeal must be submitted to FHFA by Sept.
State attorneys general urge passage of cannabis banking rule
A bipartisan coalition of 32 state attorneys general, including Oklahoma’s Gentner Drummond, called on federal lawmakers last week to pass legislation that would enable financial institutions to serve legitimate cannabis businesses in states where it is legal.
In a joint letter to congressional leaders, the AGs endorsed the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act, which would allow cannabis businesses to access deposit accounts, insurance and other financial services. They noted that 39 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia now permit medical use of cannabis products, while more than two dozen states and territories regulate cannabis for non-medical use. Legal cannabis retail sales reached $30.1 billion nationwide in 2024, a 4.5% increase year-over-year, they said.
Oklahoma Bankers Hall of Fame accepting nominations for 2025
The Oklahoma Bankers Hall of Fame is now accepting nominations for the upcoming 2025 class; additionally, a reminder the process of selecting inductees was updated a few years back.
First, for those interested in nominating a banker, here are some downloadable forms linked below – please return all nominations to Adrian Beverage (adrian@oba.com):
If a person was nominated previously, it is not necessary to re-nominate them – they will remain in consideration. Updates to their bio, letters of recommendation, etc., however, are always welcomed.
Second, as mentioned, a new process for selecting the inductees to each class was instituted in 2023. After discussion with leadership at the Oklahoma Hall of Fame about its processes, and learning about other methods from other organizations, the induction procedure for the Oklahoma Bankers Hall of Fame has been updated.
After all nominations have been received by OBA President and CEO Adrian Beverage, he will forward those nominees to the OBA chair (currently, Steve Bagwell), who will convene a committee of 11 individuals in September to select the inductees. These 11 individuals will be made up of the OBA’s Executive Committee, who will join a banker selected by the OBA chair from each of the OBA’s six geographical groups, as well as the chair of the OBA Emerging Leaders Division. The specific committee members will be completely anonymous to everyone outside of the current OBA chair.
These committee members will select the final inductees from the group of nominees given. They will also discuss any possible posthumous inductees who may have not been nominated.
Once the inductees have been selected, the OBA chair will inform Beverage and notification and preparations will be made by the OBA staff for the induction ceremony, which will be held this year in December at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City.
Following the 2025 selections, the current selection committee will immediately disband and a new committee will be picked the following year by the next OBA chair. Aside from the OBA chair and executive committee, the selection committee will remain anonymous with only the other committee members from that specific year knowing their identities.
OBA Emerging Leaders Academy accepting applications
Take note the OBA 2025-26 Emerging Leaders Academy is currently accepting applications. We’re looking for the best and brightest bankers who seek to sharpen their leadership skills.
There are six sessions to the Academy: Nov. 13, Dec. 11, Jan. 23, Feb. 25, March 27, April 24. Each session delivers takeaways that can be implemented immediately. Graduation will take place in May 2026 at the OBA Annual Convention.
Academy applicants should be able to demonstrate an increasing level of responsibility, potential for continuing to play a leadership role in Oklahoma banking and a desire to further their careers and grow professionally. A panel of bankers will review the applicants and choose those accepted into the Academy (maximum 30 bankers).
Click here to apply! The application deadline is Sept. 26. For more information, please contact Megan McGuire at megan@oba.com or (405) 424-5252.
OBA education corner …
Everyone, including this space, talked about Ozzy Osbourne’s passing last week. The music world, however, shouldn’t forget the one and only Chuck Mangione also died last week. While undeniably not as a famous as Ozzy, if you grew up in the 70s, or ever visited the dentist’s office, there’s no way you avoided the sweet dulcet tones of his hit Feels So Good. So, put on a crazy fedora and vest and chill out to some flugelhorn and also check out what’s happening on the continuing education front, including the following:
- Reg O and W: Dealing With Insiders, Aug. 6, webinar — This webinar will detail the many requirements of Regs O and W and provide tips to assure effective compliance management practices.
- Problem Loan Work-Out In Today’s Market, Aug. 8, webinar — Attend this webinar to learn how to better manage “problem loans” and protect the rights of your institution in today’s market!
- E-Sign Act: Ensuring a Compliant Document Delivery Process, Aug. 13, webinar — Sending deposit and loan documentation electronically is easy and convenient, but it’s critical that institutions are in compliance with the E-Sign Act. Join us for a detailed explanation of the requirements.
- 2025 New Accounts Documentation and Compliance, Aug. 13-Tulsa; Aug. 14-Oklahoma City — Managing risk is the top priority for all financial institutions, starting at the new account desk.
- Payments Rules and Regulations for the ACH Network, Aug. 14, webinar — Master the key rules and regulations that govern the ACH Network, from NACHA operating rules to federal compliance requirements like Regulation E and UCC 4A.
- 2025 Supervisor Bootcamp, Sept. 3-Tulsa; Sept. 4-Oklahoma City — You don’t master the art of leading and managing through luck; you master it through training, experience, learning, and staying on top of best practices.
- 2025 Appraisal & Evaluation Compliance, Sept. 5, Oklahoma City — Whether you’re responsible for ordering, managing, reviewing appraisals, conducting evaluations or overseeing real estate lending risk, this seminar provides the regulatory and practical foundation you need.