Oklahoma Bankers Association We make bankers better!
In This Issue…
- Commercial new account fraud increasing
- Two-month countdown begins for OBA Washington Visit
- Read along with OBA Book Club
- Oklahoma Bankers Hall of Fame now accepting nominations for 2026 inductions
- OBA education corner …
Commercial new account fraud increasing
In July 2024, we reported on a trend involving new commercial accounts with the subsequent deposit of stolen U.S. Treasury checks payable to the business name.
This scheme continues to be a problem across the country however; we’re hearing more stories of loss from bankers in Oklahoma. The checks being deposited this time around are commercial checks payable to a business, not usually U.S. Treasury checks. The deposited checks are being returned weeks or months later for reason “Improper Endorsement” leaving the deposit-taking bank with a loss.
The red flags, loss mitigation and response advice from 2024 is still applicable. We’re adding one more red flag to the list though – the parties opening these accounts are usually between 25-35 years of age. Not the common age of a seasoned CFO or financial party to a well-established company physically located in another state.
Two-month countdown begins for OBA Washington Visit
Registration is open for the 2026 OBA Washington Visit, Sept. 20-22. Reserve your spot, book your hotel room and encourage one of your banking peers to join us in D.C.
The Washington Visit registration page includes the agenda, hotel information and everything you need to plan your trip.
Many bankers arrive Saturday and gather informally that evening before the Washington Visit officially begins Sunday evening.
Nearly 100 Oklahoma bankers participated in last year’s visit. Help us build an even stronger Oklahoma presence this year.
As you all know, in Washington, numbers matter. The bigger the group the more attention we’ll get. If we show up with more than 100 bankers, it will speak volumes to our delegation and the regulators.
Registration information is live on our website, but you can also download the registration and information form, and get more info on the hotel, by clicking here (.pdf). Click here to access the hotel reservation link.
If you have any questions, contact Megan McGuire at the OBA.
Read along with OBA Book Club
The OBA Book Club has announced its next book selection: “Atomic Habits” by James Clear.
This bestselling book explores how small, consistent changes can lead to remarkable personal and professional growth over time. Through practical strategies and real-world examples, “Atomic Habits” offers insights into building good habits, breaking unproductive ones and creating systems that support long-term success.
If the book interests you, read along and join the 30-minute Zoom discussion that will take place later this summer.
To get involved, please email Joan Anderson, and she will add you to the Book Club Roster.
Oklahoma Bankers Hall of Fame now accepting nominations for 2026 inductions
The Oklahoma Bankers Hall of Fame is now accepting nominations for the upcoming 2026 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, Priscilla Cude), 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 2026 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 education corner …
It’s a scorcher out there! Stay inside where it’s cool and take advantage of the following OBA education opportunities:
- Train the Trainer – 2-part Series, July 28-29, webinar — You’ll learn how adults learn, how to translate expertise into clear and engaging instruction and how to design learning experiences that lead to real behavior change – not just completed attendance.
- Stablecoin 101, July 29, webinar — Stablecoins are one of the most talked-about innovations in finance, but what exactly are they and why should banks care?
- Vendor Management in 2026 – How to Make Better Vendor Management Decisions, July 29, webinar — Analyzing vendor documentation is important, but the real question we need to ask is this: how do we understand if our vendors are really protecting your data?
- Tokenized Deposits vs. Stablecoins: What’s the Difference?, Aug. 4, webinar — In this session, the Payments Professor explains the distinctions between tokenized deposits and stablecoins, highlighting how each model functions, the regulations that apply and the opportunities they create.
- ACH SEC Codes Explained: PPD, CCD, TEL, WEB & More, Aug. 5, webinar — Attendees will learn how to manage time, recognize question types and apply their ACH knowledge effectively under pressure.
- OFAC in Focus: Elevating Your Program Beyond the Basics, Aug. 5, webinar — Stay ahead of evolving compliance expectations in this essential webinar on OFAC sanctions requirements.
- Consumer Real Estate Lending, Aug. 6, webinar — Take this opportunity to expand your knowledge of current compliance rules and take your loan processing skills to the next level.
- Bi-Monthly Compliance Briefing, Aug. 7, webinar — A bi-monthly update to help you keep up with changes and deadlines in the compliance area in a quick and easy format.