Oklahoma Bankers Association We make bankers better!
In This Issue…
- From Adrian’s desk …
- Be aware of cyber threats originating from Iran
- OCC releases proposed rule to implement Genius Act
- OBA Book Club Zoom meeting on Thursday
- First Friday Fraud Forum on deck this week
- Interested in leading our Emerging Leaders?
- 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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I just got back from a whirlwind trip to La Porte, Texas, to watch my youngest son play in a baseball tournament. La Porte is just outside Houston, and the ball fields seemed within eyesight of every oil refinery in the country! It was a really interesting place!
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Nearly everything became focused on Iran over the weekend. With that in mind, I strongly urge everyone to read the messages below in this OBA Update from the FBI office in Oklahoma City about cyber threats originating from the Middle East.
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In more lighthearted news, my Cornhuskers finally escaped the roller coaster ride that had been their season for the past month and reeled off a modest three-game winning streak. Things are setting up well as we enter the last week of the season!
Be aware of cyber threats originating from Iran
The FBI has issued reports regarding cyber threats in response to the U.S.- and Israel-launched strikes on Iran over the weekend.
Here is information concerning these possible threats:
OCC releases proposed rule to implement Genius Act
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency last week released a proposed rule to implement the Genius Act, including how it would handle the law’s prohibition on paying interest or yield on payment stablecoins.
The Genius Act was passed by Congress last year and established a framework for the OCC and other federal agencies to regulate payment stablecoins. The 376-page proposed rule would set standards and requirements related to stablecoin activities, custody and risk management, among other things. For example, the OCC is proposing a floor of $5 million on the minimum capital requirement for de novo stablecoin issuers.
The regulations would apply to payment stablecoin issuers and foreign payment stablecoin issuers under the OCC’s jurisdiction, as well as certain custody activities conducted by OCC-supervised entities, according to the agency. Issues related to the Bank Secrecy Act, anti-money laundering and Office of Foreign Asset Control sanctions will be addressed in a separate rulemaking in coordination with the Treasury Department.
OBA Book Club Zoom meeting on Thursday
The OBA Book Club will discuss its latest selection – a memoir from Nike’s Phil Knight titled Shoe Dog – on Thursday.
It should be a fascinating look at one of the most famous business executives in the world, in his own words. If the book interests you, read along and join the 30-min Zoom discussion at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday. Click here for the Zoom link. The Meeting ID is 837 9511 0077 and the passcode is 442678.
To get involved in the OBA Book Club, please email Joan Anderson, and she will add you to the Book Club Roster.
First Friday Fraud Forum on deck this week
Calling all fraud fighters – mark your calendar for 10 a.m. Friday!
In an attempt to communicate fraud trends to our member banks in all areas of the state, we will start holding monthly “First Friday Fraud Forum” virtual meetings via Zoom. These meetings are for OBA members only. We will cover information on the latest fraud trends affecting our banks.
Any banker who wants to attend an in-person meeting can join one of the “MAFIA” meetings held in Durant, Lawton, Miami, Oklahoma City, Stillwater or Tulsa.
For this Friday’s call, click here for the Zoom link. The Meeting ID is 873 3061 2124 and the passcode is 469768. The dial-in information for those without Zoom audio is 1-346-248-7799.
Interested in leading our Emerging Leaders?
The OBA is looking for bankers interested in serving as chair of the OBA Emerging Leaders Division.
Any OBA Emerging Leaders who are currently enrolled in the OBA Emerging Leaders Academy or have previously graduated from an OBA Emerging Leaders Academy or OBA Leadership Academy are eligible for the position. The Emerging Leaders chair will serve a two-year term and will work closely with OBA staff to continue to build and direct the OBA Emerging Leaders program. The chair will also serve as a voting member on the OBA Board of Directors.
Are you interested? If so, please click here to download the Emerging Leaders Chair Interest Form. Completed forms must be submitted by March 31. Candidates will be announced for voting on April 6, and voting will close on April 16.
OBA education corner …
We were thinking of two classic John Hughes movies over the weekend, and, specifically, which had the most memorable needle drop? Would it be in “Sixteen Candles” when Jake Ryan surprises Sam at her sister’s wedding, and the Thompson Twins’ “If You Were Here” starts playing? Or, would it be in “Pretty in Pink” during the prom scene and OMD’s “If You Leave” is jamming? Which scene/song do you prefer? Reply to this OBA Update email and let us know, and don’t forget to keep up with what’s happening on the continuing education front, including the following:
- Marketing Compliance: Avoiding Violations in Print & Digital Advertising, March 9, webinar — Whether your promotions are digital, print or televised, multiple compliance regulations strictly prescribe what can be said, the elements that should be included and how they should be displayed.
- Overdraft Programs and Related Issues – What Should We Do?, March 10, webinar — Discussion about the current state of overdraft programs, including regulatory requirements and recommendations, and a look to the future.
- What to Do When a Customer Dies, March 10, webinar — Oftentimes, when a financial institution learns a deposit or loan customer has died, confusion about what to do next seems to be the result.
- 2026 Retail Management Workshop, March 10-11, Oklahoma City — This workshop is designed to provide a complete overview of management and leadership principles for retail managers serving in all roles of retail banking.
- SAR Decision Making, March 19, webinar — There are two major sources of red flags: the systems and the frontline. What are your procedures from systems or frontline to investigation to SAR?
- How to Craft an Effective Commercial Loan Write-Up, March 23, webinar — The session will also cover additional important loan write-up items, including assessing the company’s strategic plan: marketing, financing, and management.
- TRID – Dealing with Risks: Common Violations, Gray Areas, and Regulatory Concerns, March 24, webinar — Exploration of where the most common problems and violations occur under the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosures (TRID) rule.
- 2026 OBA Senior Management Forum, March 29-31, Indian Wells, California — One of the key benefits in the conference will be talking with your peers. Attendees at the OBA 2026 Senior Management Conference will be surrounded by those with similar titles, similar workloads, similar problems and likely solutions to issues that can be just as similar. If you have any questions or want to get signed up, contact the OBA’s education department at 405-424-5252.
Also, the OBA is proud to promote the recognition of bankers who have devoted 50 or more years of service to the banking industry. All eligible nominees will be honored at the 2026 OBA Convention on May 20 at the OKANA Resort in Oklahoma City. Click here to download a nomination form. If you have any questions, please contact Janis Reeser at 405-424-5252 or janis@oba.com.
Additionally, are you interested in joining an OBA board or committee? Click here to complete the Committee Interest Form for 2026-2027. We would love for you to get involved!