The ins and outs of the new Corporate Transparency Act (CTA)

February 14, 2024

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) is legislation that went into effect January 1, 2024. According to the new legislation, businesses and/or entities must now register and report beneficial ownership to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) by using the online portal referred to as the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) E-filing website.

For complete information, a list of frequently asked questions and a link to the BOI E-filing website please visit Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting | FinCEN.gov.

The CTA was implemented to increase transparency and counteract illegal activities such as money laundering, terrorist activity, tax fraud and foreign corruption. According to the U.S. Department of Treasury website, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen noted, “Unmasking shell corporations is the single most significant thing we can do to make our financial system inhospitable to corrupt actors.”

There are two categories of entities that are required to report their information to the BOI E-filing system, which are called "reporting companies.”

• Domestic reporting companies are corporations, limited liability companies and any other entities created by the filing of a document with a secretary of state or any similar office in the United States.
• Foreign reporting companies are entities (including corporations and limited liability companies) formed under the law of a foreign country that have registered to do business in the United States by the filing of a document with a secretary of state or any similar office.

There are 23 types of entities that are exempt from reporting. You can find a full list of these exemptions within the website link listed above.

Your company should report to the BOI E-filing website based on the deadlines listed below:

• A business or entity doing business prior to January 1, 2024, will have until January 1, 2025, to file its initial BOI report.
• A business or entity created or registered in 2024 will have 90 calendar days to file after receiving actual or public notice that its creation or registration is effective.
• A business or entity created or registered on or after January 1, 2025, will have 30 calendar days to file after receiving actual or public notice that its creation or registration is effective.

There is no fee for your submission. Reporting businesses or entities will be able to submit their information without the use of an attorney or a certified public accountant (CPA) but can consult a professional service such as an attorney or CPA, if help is needed. Once submitted, your business or entity’s information will be stored in a secure, non-public database. BOI reporting is not an annual requirement. Unless your information needs to be updated, a report will only need to be submitted once.

With this new legislation, fraudulent attempts to solicit information have already begun. FinCEN has been notified that individuals and entities have received fraudulent letters and/or emails containing URL links and/or QR codes. Do NOT respond to these messages and do NOT click any links inside of the message or use any QR codes they supply. The fraudulent correspondence may be titled ”Important Compliance Notice.” FinCEN will NOT send unsolicited requests for information.

Accreditation achievements add to banking excellence 

Nov. 3, 2022

Kerri Woidke and Samantha Hays recently earned accreditations that give them new expertise in their respective areas that will help them serve NBC customers even better.

Congratulations to Kerri Woidke and Samantha Hays for leveling up their expertise in their respective areas by achieving certifications that will help them serve NBC and our customers even better. Woidke can now add accredited ACH professional (AAP) to her title. Hays is now a certified regulatory compliance manager.

Woidke, who is NBC’s customer service supervisor and works at our OKC Penn location, went through EPCOR’s rigorous preparation course, many hours of study and an extensive test to become our go-to expert in the complicated world of Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments.

Woidke said she came out of it with a better understanding of how the money that originates as an ACH payment passes through different institutions to get to the recipients. She also knows more about regulations and the time frames involved in these payments as well as how to help customers who are having problems with their own ACH payments. She is the go-to person for any customers having complicated issues. In her class were people from all over the country, and they were able to share real-world scenarios that they have experienced at their own financial institutions, whether related to fraud, resolution of duplicate charges or something else.

Woidke started as a teller at NBC and worked her way through customer service before taking on the responsibility of leading it. Her degree from Southern Nazarene University is in nonprofit work (urban studies/ministry); she has learned banking from the ground up.

Hays achieved her certification from the American Bankers Association; it is the recognized standard of excellence for bank compliance professionals and requires hours of study, years of compliance experience and passing a rigorous exam.

Hays said the job of the compliance team is to make sure the bank isn’t breaking any laws or regulations that would jeopardize the institution or hurt customers. Between state and federal laws and different agencies that oversee banking operations, those laws are extensive and complicated. She said she has a much better understanding of how to research the right answers to people’s questions about what’s possible at NBC.

Hays started as a teller for NBC 14 years ago, has held each of the customer service jobs including as senior customer service representative and has served as tellers operations officer before moving into compliance at 2019. She currently assists Gina Ellis, who also has the same compliance certifications.

Having expertise in both of these areas is important ones for bank operations and are among the many things that make NBC full of “People You Can Bank On.”

Can you spot a phishing scam?

This year's #BanksNeverAskThat campaign from the American Bankers Association will help you learn how.

It’s time to put scammers in their place. Online scams aren’t so scary when you know what to look for. At NBC Oklahoma, we’re committed to helping you spot them as an extra layer of protection for your account. We’ve joined with the American Bankers Association and banks across the country in a nationwide effort to fight phishing — one scam at a time. We want every bank customer to become a pro at spotting a phishing scam — and stop bank impostors in their tracks. It starts with these four words: Banks Never Ask That. Because when you know something sounds suspicious, you’ll be less likely to be fooled. These four phishing scams are full of red flags:

• Text message: If you receive a text message from someone claiming to be your bank asking you to sign in, or offer up your personal information, it’s a scam. Banks Never Ask That.
• Email: Watch out for emails that ask you to click a suspicious link or provide personal information. The sender may claim to be someone from your bank, but it’s a scam. Banks Never Ask That.
• Phone call: Would your bank ever call you to verify your account number. No! Banks Never Ask That. If you’re ever in doubt that the caller is legitimate, just hang up and call the bank directly at a number you trust.
• Payment apps: Beware of text messages from someone claiming to be your bank saying your account has been hacked. The scammer may ask you to send money to a new account they’ve created for you, but that’s a scam! Banks Never Ask That.

You’ve probably seen some of these scams before. We've joined with the American Bankers Association previously to use their blog entries, social media posts, videos and other materials in the #BanksNeverAskThat campaign addressing this very subject. But that doesn’t stop a scammer from trying. Their techniques to trick you are getting more sophisticated, so you must get more sophisticated in spotting them in order to protect yourself. For tips, videos and an interactive game to help you keep phishing criminals at bay, visit BanksNeverAskThat.com. Be sure to share the webpage with your friends and family; it's too important an issue to ignore, and we don't want anyone to fall victim to these heinous scams. See new information by following @NBCOklahoma on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn or going to our Customer Education page.

Celebrating Ruthie Swezey's 30 years with NBC Oklahoma

Ruthie Swezey can tell some stories about her 30 years at NBC Oklahoma, an anniversary we are celebrating this week. She even remembers having a fender bender in the company car during her first week on the job as a teenager in 1992 (not her fault).

Today you know Swezey as vice president of loan operations, and she oversees a team that books new loans, handles loan check backs, processes loan transactions and handles other loan duties and maintenance. If you have taken out a loan at the bank in recent years, chances are Swezey has helped it along the way.

“NBC is lucky to have her expertise and knowledge,” said Leigh-Anne Taylor, NBC’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Ruthie is always looking for the best, most efficient and right way to do things. Her efforts and detailed research to find the best solutions have benefited the bank and customers through the years.”

Swezey started working for the bank in Altus when she was a teenager and hired on Aug. 7, 1992, to be the courier/bookkeeper, responsible for driving the bank’s work from its two other Altus locations to the main bank downtown. She also sorted all processed checks, produced and stuffed statements daily.

Joining the bank at that time was a welcome change for Swezey after dishing out pizzas for two years at an Altus pizzeria. She learned the basics from two women in bookkeeping and never stopped learning in various roles through the years. She’s been a teller, new accounts representative, teller supervisor, loan note processor, branch manager and operations officer in Oklahoma City and Altus, learning banking from the inside out. She is a graduate of the Oklahoma Banking Association’s Operations School.

When she started in banking, Swezey remembers people lining up in the lobby and in the bank drive-thrus on the first and third of every month to cash their Social Security checks in person. The banks would close at 2 p.m. on Fridays and then reopen from 4 to 6 p.m. for the after-work rush. Since everything was processed by hand, sorting checks and handling checks was a team effort, Swezey said.

Today, of course, most transactions are handled online, and processes are more efficient. But Swezey continues to embody NBC’s motto of being “People You Can Bank On.”

When she interviewed for the bank job one day and started work the next day at 8 a.m., Swezey had no idea she would still be working for the “same great company” 30 years later, she said. She is one of 19 NBC employees who have been at the bank for 20 years or more as of this year; of those, nine have been part of the NBC family for at least 25 years. 

“NBC has given me so many opportunities to grow and learn, and I cannot say thank you enough,” Swezey said.

Why we will be closed on Monday, June 20

The new federal holiday Juneteenth, established last year, celebrates the end of slavery in the United States, but that end didn’t happen all at once.

The Civil War might have led to the end of slavery, but it took a while for all U.S. slaves to be freed after the War ended in 1865.

President Lincoln took one step when he issued his final Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, that declared all slaves should be free in the Confederate states rebelling against the Union. (His declaration didn’t apply to slave-holding border states.) Ending slavery took another step forward on Jan. 31, 1865, when the U.S. Congress passed the 13th amendment to the Constitution to abolish all U.S. slavery, although that vote didn't free the slaves immediately either. Nearly three months later, Lincoln’s Union Army won the war against the southern Confederate Army when Southern Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered on April 9, 1865.

Finally, by the end of the year, a three-fourths majority of states had ratified the 13th amendment, ending slavery officially on Dec. 6, 1865.

Our newest federal holiday, Juneteenth, commemorates the anniversary of the date that Union troops arrived in Texas to deliver the news that their slaves were free – on June 19, 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation that would have applied to Texas, six months after the 13th Amendment passed and two months after the war ended. Since Texas at the time was so remote and didn’t have many Union troops that knew about the Emancipation Proclamation, they didn’t get the word until then. Texas was the last state of the Confederacy with institutional slavery.

Juneteenth celebrations started in Texas in 1866, at first with church-centered community gatherings, and Texas was the first state to recognize Juneteenth by law – in 1980.

These celebrations spread throughout the country, gathering steam until last year’s move by Congress to declare it an official federal holiday.

So consider this post your notice that our banks will be closed on Monday, June 20, 2022, in observance of Juneteenth. (Juneteenth is officially on June 19 each year, but we will observe it the following day because this year June 19, 2022, falls on a Sunday.) Because it’s the first opportunity banks have had to observe it, we wanted to help all of us understand a little bit about why this new federal holiday is so significant.

NBC's H.K. Hatcher visits with KFOR about the importance of community banks

With nearly 40 years in community banking, our president and CEO H.K. Hatcher has seen first-hand all the good that such banks do in and for their communities. It was great to talk recently with KFOR-TV's Heather Holeman about community banks and how a relationship with one can help you. Watch News4's Money Monday segment with H.K.

Cyberattacks might be increasing, but you don’t have to be a victim

NBC Oklahoma remains vigilant about protecting your accounts, but the line of defense starts with you.

Russia’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine has unsettled and upset people worldwide and sent markets reeling. We are watching with sadness the real human tragedy unfolding before us, but as a bank, we also want to help you protect yourself and your money from the increase in cyberattacks we are seeing as part of Russia’s invasion.

First, we want to reassure you that your money is safe in American banks like NBC Oklahoma. We are committed to continuing the banking industry’s tradition of safeguarding confidential financial information, and our customers are protected against losses, as the American Bankers Association notes. When a customer reports an unauthorized transaction, the bank will take measures to recover your loss and protect the account. Also, unlike many other businesses that have experienced security breaches, banks already have a regulatory system in place that requires them to address cyber threats and notify their customers when a data breach occurs.

But it’s also important for you to be vigilant as well, especially with the rise of cybercriminal activity in recent years. Scammers are getting more creative in ways they’ll use to separate you from your money, which means we all have to get much smarter in knowing their tricks. As a banking customer, you have a role to play in keeping your money safe, too.

The U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued warnings in recent days about destructive malware targeting businesses in Ukraine and beyond as part of Russia’s attack. This malware is designed to destroy computer systems and render them inoperable and could spill over to other countries like the United States, CISA stated. And even though the CISA, FBI and National Security Agency are watching this situation carefully, as are banks, you can help, too.

At NBC, all of our employees have regular security training alerting us to the latest scams the FBI, Federal Trade Commission, banking regulatory associations and other law enforcement agencies are seeing. Just recently, our training gave us the following tips that we want to pass on to you:

• Don’t ever click on unexpected links in an email. When you are sent an email, review the link carefully. Make sure it tracks directly back to the company’s URL you are expecting it to. Scammers will often make a fake website that looks like a real one. So instead of clicking on a legitimate site like apple.com, you might be clicking on a bad one that doesn’t actually take you to the company you’re expecting, like apple.thisisfake.com, so study carefully before you click. Clicking on a bad link can install malware or a virus on your computer, lock it up so that thieves can try to get you to pay a ransom to unlock it or allow scammers to track your future keystrokes. Don’t click on a link if you’re unsure of the source.
• Use a safe-browsing website to double-check your links. If you are still unsure, open up another browser window and navigate to one of the safe-browsing websites listed below, copy the link without clicking, and paste it into one of these sites to double-check whether it’s valid:
  • VirusTotal
  • Google’s Safe Browsing Transparency Report
  • Norton SafeWeb
• Don’t use free Wi-Fi in public places. When you do that, anyone nearby can tap into your computer and steal data from it. Use a virtual private network (VPN) instead or even your mobile device as a personal hotspot instead. See more detailed tips about this from the Federal Trade Commission.
• Don’t announce travel plans on social media. Scammers are getting very good at social engineering, using what they know about you to trick you into giving away information.
• Check your account often for suspicious activity, whether through the internet, phone or ATM.
• If you suspect fraud or have any concern, contact NBC at (800) 590-2580 immediately or at any location.

And some additional tips from CISA. (This post is specifically for organizations, but these tips apply to anyone):

• Set antivirus and antimalware programs to conduct regular scans.
• Enable strong spam filters to prevent phishing emails from reaching end users.
• Filter network traffic.
• Update software.
• Require multifactor authentication for your sign-ons. Multifactor authentication gives you another layer of protection, such as signing in with your password but then receiving an email or text with a code for one additional step before accessing your account.

We are here to help, answer questions and work with you to protect your money. NBC takes data breaches very seriously and uses a combination of safeguards to protect customer information—such as employee training, employee accountability, strict privacy policies, rigorous security standards, encryption and fraud monitoring and detection software. We’ll keep doing our part, and you can do yours, so you don’t ever become part of the increasing numbers* of fraud victims in the United States.

MORE RESOURCES

If you want to read more, here are some helpful resources for both the latest on cybersecurity attacks from Russia and on scams in general:

• U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency’s Shields Up page with latest warnings and news
• Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Consumer Blog
• FBI’s Cyber Crime website
• Report frauds, scams and bad business practices to the FTC. 

* BY THE NUMBERS

Finally, if you’re interested in digging deeper into the numbers, we found this data from the FTC interesting, from FTC news releases here and here. If you find yourself a victim, you definitely aren’t alone. In 2021,

• 5.7 million people filed reports and described losing more than $5.8 billion to fraud, an increase of more than $2.4 billion – a 70% jump – over the prior year. Imposter scams, when someone pretended to be a trusted person or business, led to losses of $2.3 billion.
• Top categories of fraud https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2022/02/new-data-shows-ftc-received-28-million-fraud-reports-consumers, in order, included imposter scams, online shopping scams, prizes, sweepstakes, and lotteries; internet services; and business and job opportunities.
• People ages 20-29 reported losing money to fraud more often than people ages 80 and over. While younger people lost money 41 percent of the time they experienced fraud, older adults lost money only 17 percent of the time. But when older people did lose money, they lost a median amount of $1,500, or three times the median amount younger people lost.

Customers bank on lender Toni Nance's longtime experience at NBC

Many of NBC’s customers will recognize longtime banker Toni Nance, who is a senior vice president, lending officer, and one of the many reasons NBC is made up of “People You Can Bank On.”

Officially, Toni Nance recently celebrated her 25th anniversary as one of NBC’s lenders in Oklahoma City. Over the years NBC customers have come to depend on her hard-working attitude and her ability and willingness to help them, said Glenn Floresca, NBC’s Oklahoma City market president and co-chief lending officer. Her lending portfolio includes small businesses and a variety of customers; some who have been customers of hers for 37 years, having followed her from another bank to NBC.

“Customers like her understanding of their business, their families and her efficiency in getting things done,” Floresca said. “She’s really, really good at what she does.”

Nance said she has always worked at smaller banks and wouldn’t do anything differently.

“I love helping the customers,” Nance said. “I love the community banks because I do feel like we know the customers. NBC is an excellent example of that.”

For Nance, 25 years is the official number of years that she’s been here – since her first “retirement.” She had joined NBC in 1995, when it was known as Capital National Bank and Randy Royse was the president. At that time, the sale of the bank to Ken Fergeson and its transformation to NBC Oklahoma was already under way.

Nance started at May Avenue and Grand Boulevard that year but left the bank in 1996 to stay home with her children. They were in school, however, and she missed her interactions with coworkers and customers and realized how much she wanted to be back at the bank.

“I’ve always enjoyed it,” Nance said. “Thank goodness Randy and H.K. (Hatcher) hired me back.”

Nance has been at NBC ever since and has watched how much banking has changed through the years from a time when everything was done on paper to the instant electronic transactions today.

Nance started in banking in high school working summers in bookkeeping – running proof machine, general ledger, filing checks, etc. She soon was promoted to the teller line. Since then her career has included time in new accounts and then as an administrative assistant at Metro Bank, later becoming a lender there before moving to NBC.

“I am so thankful for the background that I have had,” she said. “It has helped me to understand how bookkeeping works and what the tellers are going through. It has given me so much knowledge to help me grow.”

Outside of work, Nance and her husband Randy enjoy their three children, Chad, Karie and Taylor; and their six grandchildren between the ages of 9 months and 14 years who call them “Mimi” and “Pappy.”

'Swipe left' before you fall for a romance scam

Since today is Valentine’s Day, let’s revisit this post about not-so-true love – the fake kind that can leave you financially devastated as well as heartbroken.

Unfortunately, as social media networks and online dating sites have become more popular, so has fraud capitalizing on the human need for connection

While online dating has brought together many legitimate couples, don’t fall for one of the fake profiles set up to lure you in with promises of romance in order to extort money from you.

The FBI issued a warning this month and noted that romance scams lead to higher financial losses for victims than other online crimes. In 2020, The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 23,000 complaints classified as confidence and romance scams, with reported losses of more than $600 million, the FBI noted in a release on Feb. 11, 2022. The FTC estimated that people sent $547 million to online romance scammers alone last year, according to this report. 

Thanks to the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission, we’ve compiled some tips to keep you – and your heart – from becoming one of these statistics.

At NBC we want all of our customers to be protected from scams and recommend the following these tips from the FBI, FTC and ABA to do so:

• Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the material has been used elsewhere. Start with Google Image Search if you don’t know how to do this.
• Go slow when starting a new romance and ask questions. Don’t let a scammer rush you. Talk to someone you trust about this person as well.
• Only scammers ask you to pay by cryptocurrency, gift card or wire transfer. Do not send a reload, prepaid or gift card; don't wire money and don't send cryptocurrency to someone you met online. Last year, about one in four people used a gift card to send money to a romance scammer, and the most money reported lost was $139 million through payments made in cryptocurrency. 
• Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or social media site to talk offline.
• Beware if the individual attempts to isolate you from friends and family.
• Beware if the individual promises to meet in person, but then always comes up with an excuse why he or she can’t. They might make plans to visit but then can’t come because of a traumatic event or a business deal gone sour. If you haven’t met the person after a few months, for whatever reason, you have good reason to be suspicious. Scammers often like to say they’re out of the country for business or military services.
• Never send money to anyone you don’t know personally. Never wire money, put money on a gift or cash-reload card or send cash to an online love interest. You won’t get it back. Often, they request money to cover travel, medical or other emergencies, hotel bills, hospital bills for a child or another relative, visas or losses from a temporary financial setback.
• Contact your bank (NBC’s customer service number is 800-590-2580) right away if you think you’ve sent money to a scammer.
• Report your experience to the online dating site where you “met” the person, the FBI’s complaint center and/or to the FTC's ReportFraud.ftc.gov. 

To learn more about online dating scams, go to ftc.gov/romancescams.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.

Representing three generations of NBC Oklahoma’s history

The loss of Altus NBC banker Jim Gover, whose family founded NBC in 1931, left a big hole in NBC’s 90th anniversary celebrations this year.

December 17, 2021

NBC Altus banker Jim Gover, second from left, pictured with his family, daughter Morgan Gover; wife Cathy Gover; and daughter Rachel Gover Gonzales and her husband DJ Gonzales.

In celebrating our 90th anniversary this year, we at NBC have missed the banker who was directly connected to our bank’s founder in 1931, W.B. “Walter” Gover.

Jim Gover, W.B. Gover’s grandson, was NBC’s vice president of lending in Altus and its corporate security officer when he died at age 59 from COVID complications a year ago last month. He would have loved being part of the bank’s 90th anniversary this year, said Jeff Greenlee, NBC’s Altus market president.

“Jim was certainly a big part of NBC and the Altus community as well as a great friend and leader to myself and many others for the 18 plus years that he was with NBC. I really enjoyed his dedication to serving his customers as well as community and will miss his strong compassion for helping others,” Greenlee said.

In an interview earlier this year, Jim’s mother, Maria Gover, and his wife, Cathy, remembered Jim Gover and his love for people, his sense of humor and his connection as a third-generation Gover connected to NBC.

John Gover already had succeeded his dad Walter Gover as president of the bank by the time Maria and John got married in 1959; he was the one who sold the bank to Ken Fergeson in 1985 and continued to serve on the bank’s board until 2009.

Serving the community, military part of NBC’s DNA

Maria Gover remembered the bank being instrumental in bringing the Altus Air Force Base in the community after the base, then known as the Altus Army Airfield, closed after World War II in 1945. Walter Gover traveled to Washington, D.C., with a group from Altus that included Dick Moore, Bob Harvison and Harry Wimbledly to meet with decision makers at the time about why the base should stay open. Their visit paid off, the base opened under its current name in 1953, and it is still thriving today.

NBC founder W.B. Gover at his desk

Walter Gover loved banking, and then John Gover did, too, Maria Gover said.

“They were both very dedicated to the community and being of service,” she said.

The third-generation Gover had a different and varied career leading up to banking. Jim Gover had never planned to be a banker and got a degree in agriculture economics from Oklahoma State University in order to go into ranching, Cathy said. But markets were down when he graduated, and that career field choice was iffy at the time, so he pursued his other interest: joining the U.S. military.

Jim Gover served six years active duty in the U.S. Navy, including time on the USS Nevada submarine, and then four more years in the U.S. Navy Reserves, leaving the service in 1990, when he and Cathy lived in Bremerton, WA. They stayed in the area, and eventually he became a deputy sheriff and detective for the San Juan County Sheriff’s Department in Friday Harbor, WA, for about 10 years. Along the way he also did some tree farming and land development in Fort Gamble, WA.

“He was an outdoorsman,” Cathy Gover said.

Cathy and Jim Gover left the Washington area in June 1999 to move back home to southwest Oklahoma to manage the Gover family ranch, JJ Ranch, which included growing wheat and raising cattle and horses.

Jim Gover and his love for people, Altus community

Jim Gover joined NBC in 2001 when he was asked to put to work his degree in agriculture economics, his knowledge of farming and ranching and his deep connections to the people in southwest Oklahoma. At the time his dad was NBC chairman, and the bankers there thought he would be a good fit for NBC, Cathy Gover said.

“He was a real people person, and he loved his customers,” Cathy Gover said. “I don’t think being a banker was ever in the back of his mind until they approached him.”

Greenlee said his and Jim Gover’s paths crossed more than 37 years ago when the two studied agricultural economics at OSU. Although they didn’t know each other at the time, they realized their names were both back to back in the commencement program from the 1984 graduating class, which set off an ongoing and funny argument about whether the name order meant who was smarter or just came first in the alphabet, Greenlee said.

“We enjoyed that same spirit over the years, whether debating current events, the ideal method to smoke brisket and ribs, or him bragging on his daughters and granddaughters,” Greenlee said.

Jim Gover also loved his military service, was active in the Altus Military Affairs Committee like his dad was and was honored when the Air Force’s 97th Air Mobility Wing awarded him with its highest civilian award, naming him as a “Friend of Altus.”

“He would spend hours sitting with the airmen on the base, even though he knew he wasn’t going to make the loan. He would help them get their finances in order. He loved the base here,” Cathy said. “Probably the two things he was proudest of, when it came to community service, were his Rotary service and the military affairs committee.”

She noted that all three Govers served in the Altus Rotary Club and were active in military affairs supporting the Altus Air Force Base. John Gover, Jim Gover’s father, at one point served as president of the Military Affairs Committee, and he and Maria often hosted generals and other dignitaries who came to visit the base.

History keeper

Jim Gover “never passed up an opportunity to talk about his dad or his grandfather,” Cathy Gover said. Her husband, even though his grandfather died before he was born, would often tell of the two starting the bank in the middle of the Depression and that it flourished. “So obviously, they did something right. They were really helpful to the community, not only by loaning people money, but also in community service. And he was always proud of all that.”

Unlike his father and grandfather, Jim Gover was the comedian in the family and he was a big personality, his mother and wife said. He also loved his family deeply, which included his and Cathy’s daughters, Morgan Gover and Rachel Gonzales; Rachel’s husband, DJ Gonzales; and granddaughters Lilly and Willow.

“He had a good sense of humor. And he loved people and loved to interact with people, and he was very good at it,” his mother said. “He was so good to me. He was precious.”

Greenlee said Gover had a real passion for NBC’s history and made sure the building’s integrity remained intact during a 2014 remodel, down to the design of the sign and the clock hanging on the southwest corner of the bank.

“There is no doubt that he would have really enjoyed working with the bank’s 90th anniversary this year, firing up the bank’s smoker, and of course wearing one of his many retro hats,” Greenlee said.

Proposed tax reporting law will hurt everyday Americans despite its stated intention

By H.K. Hatcher, President and CEO, NBC Oklahoma

NOTE: This opinion piece from H.K. Hatcher appeared in The Oklahoman on Sept. 19, 2021. News Channel 8 in Tulsa (KTUL) also featured him in this story on this important issue. 

NBC's H.K. Hatcher visits with Tulsa station KTUL's Jamison Keefover over Zoom about a problematic proposal that would affect most banking consumers. Click on the image to see the story.

Nestled deep into President Biden’s pleasant-sounding “American Families Plan” is a disturbing provision that would invade the financial privacy of most Americans, handing the Internal Revenue Service even more data about people’s individual spending.

It also would result in unnecessary costs to taxpayers and add an extensive amount of extra and unnecessary work for everyone involved – the IRS and our financial institutions.

I understand the desire to invest “in our kids, our families and our economic future,” as the American Families Plan outline from the Biden Administration states. We are all reeling from the ups and downs from fallout over the pandemic, and many families are truly hurting from loss of their incomes, their health and/or their loved ones.

However, as always, we have to look at the details in a lengthy plan such as this one. Specifically, I join the many banks and our related associations who take issue with a specific provision in this proposal.

If passed as is, this proposal would require financial institutions to track and submit to the IRS information on any account you have that has a minimum balance of $600, according to the Oklahoma Bankers Association. The facts that people who work in the financial industry don’t know how such reporting will work and that no one understands how the IRS will process or use this data about you show how ill-advised and problematic this proposal is. Even worse, as cyber criminals get more sophisticated, why would we provide even more data about individual taxpayers to an agency vulnerable to hackers?

Also, deposits and withdrawals are not interest or wage income, both of which are taxed, so there is no reason for the IRS to have extensive data about everyday transactions that are not suspicious. Once banks report this information as the new law would require, the IRS will have to sift through that raw data to draw conclusions.

Setting the “de minimis” reporting threshold at $600, as proposed by this section of the American Families Plan, would affect most Americans and infringe on Americans’ reasonable expectations of privacy related to their financial spending habits. I don’t think it will help the IRS go after tax evaders, which is its stated intention, as it will flood the agency with mountains of meaningless data about ordinary Americans.

As the American Bankers Association notes, existing requirements already capture the taxable events that lower the instances of fraud among high-income taxpayers. This new requirement does not improve on that and instead will require complex, expensive and time-consuming efforts for both the government and our financial institutions.

I support the government’s goal to hold U.S. taxpayers accountable for the money they owe to the Internal Revenue Service and to crack down on tax evaders. But this section of the proposed law does more harm than good, and Congress needs to reject it quickly, before it advances. Ed Mierzinwski, senior director of the federal consumer program at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, sums it up well:

"They are collecting information about everybody, and I don’t know why it is necessary to collect information about everybody,” he told the American Banker.

About NBC Oklahoma

Celebrating its 90th year in banking, NBC Oklahoma is a $750 million state bank with seven locations across Oklahoma. It is an Oklahoma-owned bank. Member FDIC.

Celebrating 90 years of being People You Can Bank On

August 1, 2021

We're celebrating our 90th birthday throughout August 2021. For a list of all the events, go to nbc.bank/90years. 

In 1931, W.B. Gover started the National Bank of Commerce in Altus, OK, in the middle of the Great Depression. Ninety years later, the bank now known as NBC Oklahoma has weathered other economic downturns by making sound financial decisions, helping build its communities and meeting its customers’ needs.

Boxes of photos depicting decades of happy employees and bank remodeling projects through the years only tell part of NBC’s story, but they do reflect the bank’s 90 years of community involvement and taking care of customers. The handwritten bank ledgers and typewritten letters from the bank’s early days have given way to modern banking using the latest technology, but NBC has never wavered in its commitment to its motto of being “People You Can Bank On,” said Chairman Ken Fergeson.

“Helping others – that’s exactly what we do. We help them start a business. We help them buy a home. We help them plant a crop,” Fergeson said. “It’s like the heartbeat of the town. If you don’t have a bank in your town that is local that is willing to pitch in, then your town is not going to prosper.”

NBC is a nearly $800-million bank that has offices in Oklahoma City, Enid, Kingfisher and Altus. It is a member of FDIC. Fergeson acquired the bank in Altus in 1985 and continued to expand it while keeping its focus on developing personal relationships with its customers.

“We are a community bank that knows our customers, that knows their needs and wants and are willing to work with them to give them a fast answer and we have done that for years and will continue. To me that’s important. People don’t want to be left hanging,” he said.

As the bank has grown, so has its ongoing support of its communities. In 2019 the bank matched employees fundraising efforts to donate more than $104,000 to The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital in Bethany. In 2019 and 2020, NBC gave each employee $100 to give away to help someone else during the holidays. Employees give their time as individuals to nonprofits and often play key roles as volunteers for community events, such as Main Street Altus’ Rock-N-Rumble Car Show; the Cork and Canvas auction in Oklahoma City for Positive Tomorrows, a school for homeless children; an Enid Chili Cook-Off benefiting the United Way; or Kingfisher’s Winter Nights light display. The bank also provides ongoing support for the Center of Family Love in Okarche, among others.

The bank also has an art gallery, the Wigwam Gallery in Altus, which demonstrates the bank’s and Fergeson’s longtime support of the arts in Oklahoma and improving people’s quality of life through art. The bank each year commissions an artist to do an original work as part of its NBC Artist Series, handing out prints, posters and postcards of it. NBC also has commissioned large-scale public works of art.

“I’ve always loved public art, which is free for anyone to enjoy and serves as a landmark for a community,” Fergeson has said. “Such art gives a place an identity and residents a sense of pride.”

The longevity of NBC employees reflect a strong workplace culture that serves its customers well. In addition to Fergeson’s tenure, CEO H.K. Hatcher and Chief Operating Officer Leigh-Anne Taylor have been with the bank, then known as Capital National Bank in Oklahoma City, since 1990, and Jerry Krittenbrink, chief financial officer, since 1988. Many others have been with the bank 10, 15, 20 years or longer.

Hatcher said the bank has always fostered a strong and positive culture that prioritizes doing the right thing over making a profit, taking care of customers and making sound financial decisions.

“At NBC we genuinely strive to live our values in the way we treat our employees and customers and put others’ needs ahead of our own. We have been a strong bank in good times and bad, and we will continue to be here for our people long into the future,” Hatcher said.

KEY DATES

• August 1931: W.B. Gover started the National Bank of Commerce in Altus. The bank's name later became NBC Oklahoma.
• Sept. 1, 1985: Chairman Ken Fergeson purchased NBC Oklahoma in Altus from the Gover family, which had started the bank in 1931.
• Jan. 31, 1989: NBC Oklahoma acquired a bank in Enid.
• March 26, 1992: NBC Oklahoma acquired a bank in Kingfisher.
• Jan. 4, 1995: NBC purchased Capital National Bank in Oklahoma City, expanding the bank's presence into the metropolitan area. The bank was located in the home that once belonged to R.D. and Ida Mae “Mollie” Cravens near Memorial Road and North Pennsylvania Avenue. 
• May 2020: NBC celebrated the opening of its flagship location at NW 63rd and Western Avenue in a historic building once known as University Heights School. Although NBC had a second location in Oklahoma City for many years, this new location is much more visible and accessible to many of our customers. 

New bankers join NBC Oklahoma in Oklahoma City

NBC Oklahoma has welcomed two new bankers – Justin Henry as senior vice president, commercial lending, and Jennifer Stevenson as assistant vice president, lending officer. The two join a new team led by longtime NBC banker Jay Smith working from the bank’s location at 13401 N Pennsylvania in Oklahoma City.

Henry comes to NBC after working for First State Bank for the last eight years, most recently as senior vice president of commercial lending. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Cameron University in Lawton.

Henry is known for his responsiveness in taking care of customers, getting back to them with decisions quickly. He said that he enjoys working closely with business owners to support them as they grow their businesses.

Smith, senior vice president, lending officer, noted Henry’s extensive banking and customer service experience as one of the reasons he wanted Henry to join the team.

“He has spent his career developing strong relationships with banking customers, and we look forward to him doing the same at NBC. I know our customers will enjoy getting to know him,” Smith said.

Stevenson comes to NBC after working as a business banker at CrossFirst Bank and as a business banker/assistant vice president at First Citizens Bank. She majored in music theater at the University of Central Oklahoma and has spent her career in banking while maintaining her interest in the arts outside of work as a writer, photographer and self-described “theater nerd.”

As a banker, she said she loves the joy of helping change someone’s life for the better and focuses on the customer’s experience in her dealings.

Smith noted that Jennifer brings enthusiasm and experience to NBC.

“Her trustworthiness and competence as a banker are huge assets to our team, and we are excited to have her on board,” Smith said.

Glenn Floresca, NBC’s Oklahoma City’s market president, said he looked forward to serving customers even better with the new team at the OKC North Penn location.

“We shifted some of our bankers around last year when we opened our new OKC Western flagship location at NW 63rd and Western, but we continued to serve our great customers at OKC Penn as well,” Floresca said. “This new team led by Jay Smith will help us do that even better, and I am ready for customers to get to know all of them. Our customers will come to rely on their expertise and commitment just like they do with all of our bankers in various locations.”

About NBC Oklahoma

Celebrating its 90th year in banking, NBC Oklahoma is a $790 million state bank with seven locations across Oklahoma. It is an Oklahoma-owned bank. Member FDIC. Website: nbc.bank.

CEO H.K. Hatcher celebrates 30 years at NBC Oklahoma

He looks back at his years in banking and looks forward to the future of NBC, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year.

January 27, 2021

OKLAHOMA CITY -- H.K. Hatcher’s banking career started during a turbulent time for U.S. banks – during the oil bust and just seven days after the failure of Oklahoma City’s Penn Square Bank. The lessons he learned as the country dealt from the Penn Square fallout have served him well in a banking career that has spanned nearly 40 years.

In December, Hatcher, NBC Oklahoma’s CEO, celebrated 30 years with NBC and looked back on his career and his time with the bank. He joined the bank when it was a small, $50 million bank in Oklahoma City known as Capital National Bank; today, NBC Oklahoma is a $750-million state bank.

“I’ve been blessed to have different people give me opportunities, and I have been blessed to watch the bank grow,” Hatcher said. “Our priority has always been taking care of our customers and providing a return for our shareholders and doing it in a consistent way.”

Hatcher is thankful he has served under two owners who have fostered a strong and positive culture at NBC; for the last 25 years, that has been Chairman Ken Fergeson, who bought Capital National in 1995. NBC has always had a culture of prioritizing doing the right thing over making a profit, taking care of customers and making sound financial decisions, he said.

Hatcher started at First National Bank of Holdenville, OK, in 1982, seven days after the failure of Penn Square Bank -- too early for anyone to know the extent of the repercussions from its overextended loans.

“We knew something was happening, but you didn’t know the full effects of it at that time,” he said.

Hatcher spent his early days in banking as a “workout guy” helping banks clean up bad loans, particularly those left in the wake of Penn Square Bank and the oil bust, moving to Hennessey, where he met his wife, Beverly, and then to Bank of Oklahoma. At BOK, he met Randy Royse and eventually followed him to NBC.

Starting in banking during a tumultuous time gave him a perspective that has helped him through the years: “It’s probably worse than you anticipate, and it’s going to cost you more money than you expected and it’s going to take longer to solve the problem than you think it will,” Hatcher said.

That perspective continues to help him as banks and businesses worldwide navigate fallout from the economy. NBC is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year and remains a strong pillar and a strong bank in the communities it serves – Oklahoma City, Altus, Kingfisher and Enid.

Hatcher said it will take some time for the country’s economy to stabilize but NBC will be right there to help.

“I’m very much a believer in the community bank model and how they help the community,” Hatcher said. Community banks “are more one on one with the customer – they’re able to understand their business more. There is a need for a strong community bank network to help your communities thrive.”

2020 NBC Artist Series features painting by OKC artist dg smalling

A new painting by Oklahoma City artist dg smalling is the 16th commissioned artwork in NBC Oklahoma’s Artist Series, and it continues the bank’s and Chairman Ken Fergeson’s longtime support of the arts in the state.

Smalling’s “Lady Justice Series” stylized and colorful painting is a 60-inch by 53-inch acrylic on birch panel. The artist also considers it the first in his “Operation Lady Justice” series of works, one of which is being used by the U.S. Department of Interior’s multi-agency law enforcement initiative, The Presidential Task force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives, with a special focus on combatting violence against Native women and girls.

Each year, the bank commissions an Oklahoma artist to create an original work of art and then creates limited edition prints, posters and postcards from it as gifts for customers and staff. Read more about the artists in this series at nbcwigwam.art/nbcartists, the website for the bank’s Wigwam Gallery in Altus.

Smalling said he designed his work to capture the vibrancy of Lady Justice featured as a Native American woman; she is holding a shield and cloaked in a blanket representing day and night in his painting for NBC.

“Justice herself, is uplifting. … Justice is a strong woman,” said smalling, who prefers lowercasing his name. “She invokes the ideal of community that teaches an individual that 50 percent responsibility is to your people and 50 percent responsibility is to yourself and that lessons along the way are universal in life, not just afforded to one group of people.”

More of smalling’s paintings in this series are currently on display through Jan. 21 at the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, 1400 Classen Drive in Oklahoma City, in a special exhibit featuring smalling and artist Nicole Moan called “The Visage of Modern Matriarchy.”

Smalling, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, was born in Waxahachie, TX, spent his first few years around Idabel and Haworth and by the age of 8 had traveled to Switzerland, Cameroon, and South Africa with his parents, who were missionaries. He had access to art programs in Commonwealth and international schools. He graduated from high school in Johannesburg, South Africa and then attended the University of Oklahoma.

Several exhibitions have featured smalling’s art, including Epcot Disney World, Oklahoma’s Centennial Show, the Grand Palais in Paris, France, and National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, which included his work in its “Choctaw Code Talkers Celebration” in 2012. The artist’s commissioned work includes portraits of U.S. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, U.S. Congressman Tom Cole and T. Boone Pickens.

He currently lives in Oklahoma City where he views his art as his business and enjoys his two favorite hobbies – cooking and curiosity about his surroundings, he said.

About NBC Oklahoma
NBC Oklahoma is a $750 million state bank with seven locations across Oklahoma. It is an Oklahoma-owned bank. Member FDIC. Website: nbc.bank. 

About Wigwam Art Gallery
Several years ago, NBC Oklahoma built the Wigwam Art Gallery in Altus, OK, to resemble the 1920s-era Wigwam Movie Theater that was once located there. A vision of NBC Chairman Ken Fergeson, the art gallery is used to promote Oklahoma artists and art and to host events for some nonprofit institutions. The Wigwam Gallery is located next to NBC Oklahoma in downtown Altus on the corner of Commerce and Hudson. Go online to nbcwigwam.art for information about the gallery, current exhibits or NBC Oklahoma’s art or to take a virtual tour of current and recent previous exhibits. Contact Matthew Davids, NBC’s administrator of art collections, at 580-481-3150 or mdavids@nbcok.com  with additional questions.

NBC again gives $100 to each employee to pay it forward this holiday season

On Giving Tuesday, NBC Oklahoma gave $100 to each employee to do something good and spread joy during the holiday season. This is the second year that NBC has done this as part of the NBC Gives Pay It Forward Initiative, and CEO H.K. Hatcher noted that the bank wanted employees to make a difference where it means something to them. 

"If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we need to take care of each other. I have seen many examples of thoughtfulness and kindness this year, in spite of the hardship related to the pandemic and everything else," Hatcher said in an email to employees announcing the $100 initiative again. "I know NBC employees are already generous and community-minded, and I see it every day."

When NBC leaders first started this tradition in 2019, they said they initially were inspired by the widespread and meaningful impact that a church in Cincinnati had on its community when it gave its members money to do the same thing. There are no strings attached in the $100 gifts nor will NBC hold employees accountable for what they do with it. 

"Let’s keep helping each other this holiday season. I hope you will pay this forward. And while we’re at it, let’s pray for a better 2021 for all of us. Wishing you and your family health and peace as we come the end of this unusual year," Hatcher said.

This $100 Pay It Forward initiative gets to the heart of who we are at NBC. Employees are sharing what they're doing with the money. We’ll add to it here as more people share:

• Dondra Floresca in OKC is again adopting a family from Putnam City Schools through the Putnam City Schools Foundation's CareShare Christmas program. Her $100 is going to purchase items for a family. Each year the program, which Putnam City counselor Penny Poe founded in 1982, serves the needs of more than 1,200 children in the school district, which has a large population living at or below the poverty level. Floresca has been involved with this program for many years. "A big 'THANK YOU' to NBC for helping making this family's Christmas a little brighter," Floresca said.
• [Anonymous] is buying groceries to donate to the food drive at [their] grandchildren's school for the local food pantry.
• Scott Bixler in Enid doubled the giving and paid it forward to "Stuff the Truck" through the Caelum Society. The Society had identified families in need, particularly those with foster children, who were struggling to provide essentials like food and clothing. Organizers from Bixler's church obtained a U-Haul truck and parked it at the Enid Walmart. Participants then shopped at the Walmart for these families and brought the items back to the truck. Another group will deliver the items to the families in the program. "I was pleased to be able to participate with this giving, knowing NBC is making a difference where it matters most," Bixler said.
• Sherri Hayes in OKC donated hers to a toy drive through her church, and the items went directly to a single mom who needed items for her children.
• Manny Lanzner in OKC and his wife are buying a lot of wipes, masks and cleaning supplies for an elementary school in Mustang. 
• Brandon Bixler in OKC shopped for shoes and toys for a 6-year-old girl in Oklahoma County as part of a holiday partnership between North.Church OKC and OKC Foster Wishes.
• Kelsey Foskin in OKC is donating to The Children's Center Rehabilitation Hospital due to multiple personal connections. When she and her twin sister were born prematurely, they spent more than 100 days in NICU at Mercy Hospital. Later, as an intern for The Children's Center, she connected with a premature infant there and wrote a story about that baby for The Oklahoman. Now she works at our bank and loves that one of our big initiatives was raising money for this hospital. (See nbc.bank/gives for details about that campaign). "That nonprofit holds a special place in my heart," Foskin wrote about using the $100 for The Children's Center. 
• Sheila Heim in OKC adopted a 7-year-old girl through the Citizens Caring for Children's Joy 4 Kids program. The organization helps Oklahoma's foster children.
• Dedra Doyle in OKC is using the funds to provide Christmas for a family that doesn't typically get to celebrate Christmas because in that household are a mom and three adult siblings, two of whom are mentally disabled. The third sibling is overwhelmed financially bearing the burden of caring for all of them . The family's patriarch died a few years ago. Dedra's brother has been helping this family with some of their needs, and NBC's gift will help provide for things the family needs and some extra gifts as well. 
• Lillie-Beth Brinkman in OKC used a portion of it for her Sunday School class project to help several families in the Putnam City Schools' CareShare Christmas program. She also is adding to the donation and contributing to the City Rescue Mission to meet the needs of the homeless at Christmas and beyond.
• Gina Ellis in OKC gave $100 to Fresh StART, an art program through the Homeless Alliance. This program gives people experiencing homelessness in Oklahoma a supportive environment for creating art. Fresh stART hosts studio time three times per week at the Homeless Alliance Westtown campus' Day Shelter. It also hosts shows periodically throughout the year on campus and at art galleries and community events. 
• [Anonymous] sent the $100 to help a family who just lost its infant child. 
• Paul Ruckel in OKC donated to a Chandler church's Warmth for Winter program, giving food, clothing and toys for families in need. 
• [Anonymous] gave to provide food for the homeless and those in need through the Quail Springs United Methodist Church's Homeless Ministry. The program even recently was able to provide a car for one of the families as they moved into stable housing so they would have access to work. 
• Jody Biggers in OKC gave to two families to help meet some of their needs.
• Ken Fergeson and his wife, Mary Ann Fergeson, gave to an Altus seamstress who had been struggling because people weren't getting their clothes altered as much in the pandemic. They received a note from her saying that the funds were "just what I needed" because she her faithful companion, her dog, had just died.
• Jay Smith used the money for a family whose home burned down the day after Christmas.

For information about other community #NBCGives efforts at NBC Oklahoma, go to NBC.bank/gives.

NBC banker will be remembered for his dedication to the community, the bank and his family and for his sense of humor

ALTUS – NBC is sad to report that NBC’s James “Jim” Gover has passed away due to complications from COVID. He had been with the bank since 2002 as vice president of lending in Altus and NBC’s corporate security officer, but his ties to NBC run much deeper than that.

His grandfather, Walter T. Gover started the bank as National Bank of Commerce in 1931 and his father, John P. Gover was NBC chairman until 1985 but served on the board until 2009. Jim joined NBC himself in 2002, three years after moving back to Altus.

“Jim was a man of high integrity following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He was not only the pillar of our bank here in Altus but also of the community of Altus,” NBC Chairman Ken Fergeson said. “We will miss his sense of humor and tell Jim Gover stories forever.”

Gover had been active in the Altus/Southwest Economic Corporation, serving as president, treasurer and director; the Altus Chamber of Commerce, with positions as chairman, treasurer and director; the Altus Rotary Club and the Altus Military Affairs Committee, including serving as an honorary commander to the base’s Command Chief. In 2019 the U.S. Air Force’s 97th Air Mobility Wing honored Jim with its highest civilian award when it recognized him as one of the “Friends of Altus” for his support of the base.

Before joining the bank, Jim had served as a law enforcement officer, including as a detective in the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office in Friday Harbor, WA. He also served in the U.S. Navy as a sonar technician for a submarine.

Gover is survived by his wife, Cathy Gover; their daughters, Morgan Gover and Rachel Gonzales; Rachel’s husband, D.J. Gonzales, and Jim and Cathy’s granddaughters, Lilly and Willow. Jim was a devoted family man and doted on his granddaughters.

A rosary service for Jim will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, in the Kincannon Memorial Chapel in Altus, with a private burial for family members to follow at the Altus City Cemetery. To watch the live stream of the service, go to kincannonfuneralhome.com beginning 30 minutes before the service. 

About NBC Oklahoma

NBC Oklahoma is a $750 million state bank with seven locations across Oklahoma. It is an Oklahoma-owned bank. Member FDIC. Website: nbc.bank.

Can you spot a phishing scam?

Oct. 1, 2020

New #BanksNeverAskThat campaign from the American Bankers Association will help you learn.

Every day, thousands of people fall victim to fraudulent emails, texts and calls from scammers pretending to be their bank. And in this time of expanded use of online banking, the problem is only growing worse. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission’s report on fraud estimates that American consumers lost a staggering $1.9 billion to these phishing schemes and other fraud in 2019 — and the ongoing pandemic has only increased the threat. Imagine where we are in 2020.

It’s time to put scammers in their place. Online scams aren’t so scary when you know what to look for. And at NBC Oklahoma, we’re committed to helping you spot them as an extra layer of protection for your account. We’ve joined with the American Bankers Association and banks across the country in a nationwide effort to fight phishing—one scam at a time.

We want every bank customer to become a pro at spotting a phishing scam—and stop bank impostors in their tracks. It starts with these four words: Banks Never Ask That. Because when you know what sounds suspicious, you’ll be less likely to be fooled. These top 3 phishing scams are full of red flags:

• Text message: If you receive a text message from someone claiming to be your bank asking you to sign in, or offer up your personal information, it’s a scam. Banks never ask that.
• Email: Watch out for emails that ask you to click a suspicious link or provide personal information. The sender may claim to be someone from you bank, but it’s a scam. Banks never ask that.
• Phone call: Would your bank ever call you to verify your account number? No! Banks never ask that. If you’re ever in doubt that the caller is legitimate, just hang up and call the bank directly at a number you trust.

You’ve probably seen some of these scams before. But that doesn’t stop a scammer from trying. For more tips on how to keep phishing criminals at bay, including videos, an interactive quiz and more, visit BanksNeverAskThat.com. And be sure to share the webpage with your friends and family.

What’s Your Scam Score? Take five minutes to become a scamspotter pro by taking the #BanksNeverAskThat quiz at BanksNeverAskThat.com. Share your score on Twitter to encourage your friends and family to test their scam savviness, too. The more scamspotters out there, the harder it is for phishing criminals to catch their next victim!

Know when #BanksNeverAskThat to keep you and your money safe

Oct. 1, 2020

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and beginning today throughout the month you’re going to be seeing a lot from us in partnership with the American Bankers Association about how to keep your money and your identity safe. We all have to be aware of the ways that scammers are trying to gain access to us in order to commit fraud. At NBC, we are committed to working with you to protect yourself.

So this month, during the ABA's #BanksNeverAskThat campaign, pay close attention as you learn in a series of social media and blog posts what suspicious texts, emails and phone calls look like. We'll be posting them on our pages, as well as sharing with you some other resources we find helpful. You’ll learn how to tell the difference between legitimate communication from NBC and a scammer trying to steal your information.

Win big all month long! There’s no better time than now to boost your scamspotting knowledge as part of the campaign with the ABA. Take the five-minute quiz at BanksNeverAskThat.com, and share your scam score on Twitter for a chance to win weekly prizes from the ABA. You can also enter by sharing on Twitter why it’s important to you to keep yourself safe online and using the hashtag #BNATsweeps. Each Friday in October the ABA will draw 15 winners. One lucky grand-prize winner will receive $1,000—will it be you?

NBC Oklahoma names new vice chairman

Sept. 24, 2020

Leadership transition to ensure NBC’s future as a family-owned and community bank

PRESS RELEASE – NBC Oklahoma has named a new vice chairman, Gabe Gilliam. Gilliam has served on the Holding Company Board for NBC Oklahoma for three years where he provided his leadership in strengthening communities through service and investment. He is moving to Oklahoma from San Diego, CA, where he served as community impact manager for Cisco. In that role, he helped drive employee engagement and worked closely with the Cisco Foundation on philanthropic investment and community partnerships. He also has been a teaching pastor for the Saratoga Federated Church in Saratoga, CA, and Fellowship Bible Church in Dallas, and served in other ministerial roles through the years.

He is looking forward to applying his leadership and community engagement experience full time for NBC.

“My entire family is excited about our move to Oklahoma,” says Gilliam. “I didn’t accept this position only thinking about my role at the bank. I considered how I can help the bank make an impact on the entire state. I’m looking forward to getting to know the customers and communities we serve across Oklahoma.”

Gilliam is the son-in-law of NBC Oklahoma Chairman Ken Fergeson, and this move emphasizes Fergeson’s desire to keep NBC in the family and continue its tradition as a family-owned, community-focused bank. Gilliam will learn about all aspects of NBC and its customers and ultimately transition to the role of chairman.

“It has been important to my wife and me that the bank continue to be family-owned, so we are looking forward to starting this new chapter with our son-in-law,” says Fergeson. “Community banks serve as hubs for creating possibilities through relationship-based investment: They help turn ideas into businesses, houses into homes and dreams into realities. Our family cares intensely about the people and our communities in Oklahoma, and intrinsically, the bank does also.”

Gilliam and his wife Casey Gilliam, the daughter of Ken and Mary Ann Fergeson, and their three children between the ages of 5 and 9 will live in Oklahoma City.

Gilliam has a doctorate in ministry from the Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA; a master’s degree in divinity from the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA; and a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies from Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee.

About NBC Oklahoma

NBC Oklahoma is a $725 million state bank with seven locations in Oklahoma City, Altus, Kingfisher and Enid. It is an Oklahoma-owned bank, started in 1931. Member FDIC.

Jarrod Fergeson named NBC Oklahoma’s director of art collection

Sept. 24, 2020

Fergeson brings decade of experience in contemporary art curation, exhibition and art collection

Jarrod Fergeson has joined NBC Oklahoma as the new director of the bank’s art collection.

Fergeson brings to the bank more than a decade of experience in contemporary art curation, exhibition and promotion. Recently relocating from Los Angeles, he is an Oklahoma native with a lifelong commitment to creative expression. As director, Jarrod will define the NBC art collection’s mandate and plan for a dynamic future.

Fergeson believes art is for everyone and strengthens every community. For 10 years he owned and operated the j fergeson gallery, the first commercial gallery in a small Virginia college town. He curated a rigorous exhibition schedule of regional and national artists, formed partnerships with community arts organizations, actively participated in civic groups and fostered relationships with the university that supported students and faculty. The gallery maintained a national presence by participating in Art Basel Miami’s Aqua Art Fair while also actively assisting regional mural and street art festivals.

Jarrod Fergeson will bring that experience, focus on community collaboration and passion to NBC, which has taken an active interest in promoting the arts statewide and Oklahoma artists through the years. The bank owns the Wigwam Gallery in Altus, has commissioned public artworks statewide and has sponsored an original work almost every year since 2003 as part the NBC Artist Series. Read more about NBC’s specific art initiatives at nbcwigwam.art.

As a business owner, Jarrod understands the cultural and economic benefits of the arts. While running the gallery he served on museum boards, chaired museum fundraising efforts, served on the board of the chamber of commerce and helped the town apply successfully for the Main Street America program.

“I am really excited that Jarrod will be joining the bank as the director of NBC’s art collection,” NBC Chairman Ken Fergeson said about his son. “Jarrod will be a great asset to the arts community in Oklahoma.”

About NBC Oklahoma

NBC Oklahoma is a $725 million state bank with seven locations in Oklahoma City, Altus, Kingfisher and Enid. It is an Oklahoma-owned bank, started in 1931. Member FDIC.

Ken Fergeson reflects on his 35 years with NBC Oklahoma

Sept. 11, 2020

Serving the community is the bank's past, present and now future as Fergeson's son and son-in-law join NBC

Thirty-five years ago last month, Chairman Ken Fergeson took his passion for and belief in community banking to a new level when he acquired majority ownership in NBC Oklahoma in Altus.

Since then, he has advocated for community banks at the state, national and federal level and contributed extensively to community organizations statewide, with a focus on the arts and Oklahoma artists.

For as long as Fergeson has been in banking he has thought of it as a ministry to help others – to help individuals, families, businesses and communities. That attitude hasn’t changed for Fergeson, and it permeates NBC.

“Helping others – that’s exactly what we do. We help people get an education. We help them buy a home. We help them buy a car,” Fergeson said. “It’s like the heartbeat of the town. If you don’t have a bank in your town that is local that is willing to pitch in, then your town is not going to prosper and it’s not going to grow.”

With business and economic degrees from Texas Tech, Fergeson began his banking career in Oklahoma City before purchasing the majority of NBC Bank in Altus in 1985 and settling his family in southwest Oklahoma.

Fergeson has played key roles in the banking industry, including serving as chairman of the American Bankers Association, the Oklahoma Bankers Association and the Oklahoma State Chamber. He has served on a wide variety of national, state and local boards as well.

Now his family is joining Fergeson at NBC, which will ensure the bank remains family-owned and community-focused into the next generation. His son-in-law Gabe Gilliam, who is married to Ken and Mary Ann Fergeson’s daughter Casey, has joined the bank as vice chairman with plans for him to move into position to chairman over time. The Fergesons’ son, Jarrod Fergeson, has joined NBC as director of NBC’s art collection.

Fergeson said he likes to tell people that the bank is small enough and knows its customers and communities so well that if they ever get past due, someone from NBC will call their mothers.

“We are a community bank that knows our customers, that knows their needs and wants and are willing to work with them to give them a fast answer and we have done that for 35 years and will continue … to me that’s important. People don’t want to be left hanging,” he said.

On the flip side, though, NBC has stayed competitive with the larger banks by adopting the latest in banking technology and sophisticated security measures, allowing people to bank easily by computer, mobile device, phone or in person, Fergeson noted.

He said there are plenty of unknowns in the world’s financial situation with this year’s pandemic, but through the years, his banks have weathered crises like the oil bust of the 1980s and the market crash of 2008. NBC has always been prepared and strong and will continue to offer banking services and the personal touch to keep customers happy in the years to come.

He listed all the ways NBC bankers have directly helped customers during the pandemic and beyond – including by working overtime on Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.

“We’re strong enough that we’ll be here when it’s over,” Fergeson said. “We chose our motto ‘People You Can Bank On’ for a reason – that’s what I envisioned NBC as being when I bought the bank 35 years ago and that’s what we are today. People can count on NBC to help them in both good and tough times.”

You matter. Be counted.

Fill out the U.S. Census by Sept. 30 so your area can receive proper funding for schools, roads and highways, fire departments, health clinics, etc. The Census makes it easy for you to be counted, and your information is confidential.

The Census can shape many different aspects of your community, but if you aren’t counted your community loses – about $16,000 lost over 10 years for every person who doesn’t fill out a form ($1,675 per person per year). At the moment, for example, Altus in Jackson County stands to lose $137 million in federal funding for schools, roads, etc., because only 55 percent of its population has responded. Right now Oklahoma’s response rate is less than the national average, which means the entire state potentially could lose federal funding.

Fill out the form today – The Census makes it easy. Fill it out online, by phone or by mail, even if you have lost the card that your house received by mail earlier this year.

• Online: Go to 2020census.gov.
• By phone: Call (844) 330-2020 for English or check the website for phone numbers for additional languages.
• By mail: Use the paper questionnaire sent to your home.

If you have an address that isn’t rural or a P.O. Box, you can even fill it out by texting the words Respond Now to 313131 to receive a link. You can check a box that states you don’t have your code and type in your household address.

The 2020 Census determines our congressional representation, informs federal funding and voting districts and provides data that will impact your community for the next decade. Don’t miss this opportunity.

We’re happy to help if we can, but please fill it out before Sept. 30 so your community can receive proper funding for the community services residents rely on.

Read about NBC Western's history as a school building and see historic photos

A view of the front of the existing building from 1929, pictured with the original University Heights School in the back (to the south). Photo from the Oklahoma Publishing Co.’s collection at the Oklahoma Historical Society

The NBC Western building was once part of the University Heights School, which opened in 1909 with 86 students in the primary and intermediate grades on the outskirts of a growing Oklahoma City at NW 63 and Western Avenue. The original building no longer stands; it was demolished after 1929.

The two-story NBC Western building at that intersection today was built as an addition to the school and completed around 1929, although more renovations to that followed, including a southwest addition finished in 1941. Even though University Heights closed in 1969, some of our customers may remember going there to school or attending Boy Scouts meetings as children.

Layton, Hicks and Forsythe, the prominent local architect firm led by Solomon Layton designed it, and Musgrave Construction Co. built it. Its style is Late Gothic Revival, and the building has distinctive bright red bricks and Tudor-style turrets.

Layton designed several Oklahoma City high schools, including Central, which is on National Register of Historic Places. He also designed prominent Oklahoma City landmarks such as the Oklahoma State Capitol, The Skirvin Hilton, the Oklahoma County Courthouse, the building that now houses Oklahoma City University’s School of Law and others.

Enrollment at University Heights remained low through the years, and the school closed for good in 1969. The Oklahoma City School District put the building up for sale in 1975.

After that University Heights was home to the City of Nichols Hills and Junior Achievement of Oklahoma City, and the building sold again in 1975 to H.K. “Tony” Calvert, who renamed it “Possum Creek Place” after his nickname as the “Big Possum.” With extensive renovations, “Possum Creek” became home to oil and gas companies, including the Calvert Drilling Co, Jay Petroleum Co. and Green Panther Drilling Co. The Kerr Foundation’s headquarters also were located there.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. acquired the building in 2010 and renovated it again.

NBC Oklahoma bought the building in 2018 and has since renamed it NBC Western.

NBC customer Prairie Wolf Spirits shifts focus to making, donating and selling hand sanitizer

From left, Jeff Cole, Jonathon Stranger and Erik Tekell with Prairie Wolf Spirits

The product being manufactured at Prairie Wolf Spirits in Guthrie these days involves a different kind of alcohol – the kind that is helping protect first responders and the public from the coronavirus.

A few weeks ago, as concern over COVID-19 ramped up and finding hand sanitizers became nearly impossible, the distillery focused its attention on producing the alcohol-based disinfectant. On any given day workers are mixing the right ratio of alcohol, glycerin and hydrogen peroxide, lining up empty plastic containers and sending them through the process to be filled and sealed for distribution.

Owner Jonathon Stranger said the idea started when Erik Tekell, Prairie Wolf’s co-owner and head distiller, suggested making some small bottles to hand out to customers with their orders for the distillery’s gin, rum, vodka and coffee liqueur. So Stranger, Tekell and Prairie Wolf Manager Jeff Cole got to work.

The first run was 5,000 small bottles and demand quickly grew. Since then, Prairie Wolf has had to ramp up manufacturing capabilities to meet demand. Stranger and team have had to research global supply chains in trying to acquire the plastic containers and lids to hold it. The company already had in place the license to buy and transfer ethanol alcohol and already had a chemical-proof and fireproof facility as required by law.

The distillery has gone from making two to three palettes a month of alcoholic spirits before the pandemic to producing 10 to 20 palettes a day of hand sanitizer in addition to filling its regular spirits orders.

“This is something new to us,” Stranger said. “People’s willingness to show gratitude has been really, really cool.”

Prairie Wolf has donated thousands of gallons of hand sanitizer to the Emergency Responders Assistance Program and OKC Respond, the nonprofit’s Doug White said. The organization then distributes them to emergency and public responders statewide – police and fire departments, ambulance drivers, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, state Department of Corrections, 911 agencies and hospitals and teams that are serving them, he said.

“It is a most remarkable partnership,” White said. “The tentacles of Prairie Wolf have touched so many people, and they have done it in a way that’s compassionate.”

Prairie Wolf, along with Stranger’s other businesses, the restaurants Osteria and Bar Cicchetti and its wellness center i2U Culinary Solutions are customers of NBC Oklahoma. Stranger said he has been glad to have a relationship with NBC and his banker, Luke Pitman, during this time. Working with a local bank has made this time a lot less stressful for his businesses, as the two have been able to find solutions quickly as they arise, he said.

Stranger noted that Prairie Wolf Spirits was able to put to work the restaurant staff because of the increased manufacturing for hand sanitizer, which, a few weeks ago, he didn’t know much about.

“You just put your head down and go sometimes,” Stranger said. “I am really humbled and really grateful that we made the decision to do it.”

NBC Oklahoma’s Wigwam Gallery has new website

April 13, 2020

PRESS RELEASE

ALTUS – Learn more about art – and NBC Oklahoma’s art initiatives – with the new website for NBC's Wigwam Gallery: nbcwigwam.art.

Our bank lobbies are closed for now due to the coronavirus, as is our Altus gallery.

However you can take a virtual tour of the gallery’s latest exhibition, “Half a Lifetime,” featuring the art of Native American artist Woodrow Wilson Crumbo.

The show’s title comes from a quote by Crumbo: “Half of my life passed in striving to complete the pictorial record of Indian history, religion, rituals, customs, way of life, and philosophies … a graphic record that a million words could not begin to tell." NBC’s administrator of art collections, Matthew D. Davids, curated the show and created the virtual tour.

While visiting the Gallery’s new website, you can learn more about Crumbo and his art, read about NBC’s commissioned public projects and see the paintings that make up the annual NBC Artist Series. You can read NBC’s art news, and learn about Oklahoma’s artists.

NBC Chairman Ken Fergeson has a lifetime love for art, and he has wanted to share it with as many people as possible. In doing so, he has supported Oklahoma’s arts and artists and made art accessible to people statewide.

“The arts in Oklahoma remain vibrant, even in this time of social distancing,” Fergeson said. “It is more important than ever to support the arts as they enrich the quality of our lives. Many artists are working hard to contribute their talents virtually while people are stuck at home. Through the Wigwam Gallery’s new website, we want to showcase their talent and offer a glimpse of why the arts are essential to our everyday lives.”

About NBC Oklahoma

NBC Oklahoma is a $700 million state bank with seven locations across Oklahoma. It is an Oklahoma-owned bank. Member FDIC. Website: nbc.bank.

COVID-19: Your money is safe in our bank

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is warning of Coronavirus-related scams using its name, and we and the FDIC wanted to reassure you that your money is safe in a bank.

Despite temporary lobby closures mainly in March and April 2020, (see nbc.bank/COVID19 for the latest updates) to comply with the Centers for Disease Control guidance on social distancing, your deposits remain safe in our bank, as does your access to your funds. We take pride in being People You Can Bank On, and our status as an FDIC-insured bank gives you extra protection. You can still bank with us through our ATMs, mobile applications, online banking services and our drive-thru service at each location.

Since 1933, no depositor has ever lost a penny of FDIC-insured funds. Today, the FDIC insures up to $250,000 per depositor per FDIC-insured bank, and these banks remained the safest place for customers to keep their money.

As the nation weathers this public health crisis together, there are some tools at the federal and state level that will help you protect your money and help your business get back on your feet in times of disaster. We’ll update this page as things develop, but please read on for a list of these tools, scams to watch for and other resources to help you.

Tools for you

• FDIC's Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator (EDIE) is a tool that can help you determine deposit insurance coverage based on accounts you may already have with a bank or accounts they are considering opening. The agency recommends using this tool for questions about FDIC deposit insurance coverage.
• The Small Business Administration is providing low-interest disaster loans to help businesses and homeowners recover from declared disasters. Apply online. Read more about the SBA’s efforts specific to the Coronavirus.
• The State of Oklahoma has a portal that you can use to report economic injury to your small business due to COVID-19. Find it at damage.ok.gov.

Additional reading from the FDIC

• FDIC: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information for Bankers and Consumers
• FDIC: Consumer News: How FDIC Protects Customers – February article
• FDIC: Avoiding Scams: Sticking to the Basics Can Go a Long Way
• FDIC: Tips for Small Businesses
• FDIC: Tips for Reaching out to Creditors and Managing Debt
• FDIC: Knowledge Center portal with access to Frequently Asked Questions

COVID-19: Be wary of scams related to the Coronavirus

As you protect your health from exposure to Coronavirus, protect yourself from scams that try to take advantage of your fears about getting sick with COVID-19.

To trick you out of personal information and your money, scammers may:

• Try to sell you fake products offering a cure.
• Appeal to your sense of charity and ask you to donate to fake causes.
• Compel you to click on fake websites or email attachments requesting secure login information.
• Pretend to send emails or texts from a medical or health organization with attachments containing malware.
• Impersonate medical supply companies with the supplies you need to prevent or protect infection.
• Offer you bogus investment opportunities.

Don’t fall for any of these scams. Be as aware of these as you are of washing your hands, and make sure you are dealing with legitimate companies, organizations, websites and people.

We at NBC will never call you and ask for your username, account number, passwords and other security information over the phone. If you are unsure about any calls from us, please verify such requests by calling us back at your bank location or through customer service (800) 590-2580. You can also call us if you have a question about a possible scam.

Protect yourself

Here is a list of things you can do to keep yourself safe from scams, especially as more of us begin working from home and relying on electronic communication.  

• Don’t open unsolicited emails or click on links from people you don’t know.
• Don’t open attachments in any email unless you are sure of the source.
• Keep the anti-malware and anti-virus software on your computer up to date.
• Do not reveal any personal or financial information, especially passwords, to anyone via email.
• Watch for emails claiming to be from the CDC or experts saying that have information about the virus. For information about the Coronavirus, visit the CDC's Coronavirus website and the WHO's website.
• Ignore online offers for vaccinations and ads proclaiming to prevent, treat or cure this infection. Ask yourself whether you would hear about it for the first time through an ad or sales pitch.
• Don’t let anyone rush you into making a donation, and don’t give to people asking for donations in cash, by gift card or by wiring money. Research the sites asking you for one.
• Be wary about online promotions that claim the stock of a publicly-traded company is going to jump because they have developed a way to prevent, detect or cure COVID-19.
• If you’re working from home, secure your network and computer, follow your employer’s security practices, use strong passwords and dispose of sensitive information securely, such as by shredding.

SOURCES: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Federal Trade Commission, the World Health Organization, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and others.

Keeping you informed: NBC's response to COVID-19

NBC has been serving its communities for nearly 90 years, and we will continue to do so. We are in uncharted waters, but the safety of our staff and customers is at the top of our priorities.

As we closely monitor reports from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and the Oklahoma Department of Health, here are some steps that we are taking at the bank to keep operating while limiting the spread of the virus:

• Our lobbies will close Tuesday, March 17, through Friday, March 27, to outside visitors. After such time a reevaluation will determine next steps. If you would like to make an appointment please call the direct line for your location listed on our website, nbc.bank. Our drive-thrus will remain open during regular business hours to conduct all teller transactions.
• Telephone banking (24/7): Feel free to call our automated line at 800-590-2580 to get information on balances, lost cards and specific location assistance.
• Online Banking: Go to nbc.bank and access your account through online banking. You’ll have access to account balances, transfers, bill payment, account statements and more.
• Mobile banking: Download our app for consumer or business to be able to reach all the applications available such as account balances, transfers, bill payment, mobile deposit and Zelle® (consumer only).
• Important information will be updated through social media and our website.

We want to keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible as we weather this storm nationwide.

Thank you for working with us as we take these steps needed to ensure the safety and health of our employees and customers. Despite our lobby closures, we are still open for business and ready to help you with your banking needs.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and evaluate other ways we can support you during this time. Please remember to check our website for updates.

New exhibit at Wigwam Art Gallery in Altus

“Half of my life passed in striving to complete the pictorial record of Indian history, religion, rituals, customs, way of life, and philosophies . . . a graphic record that a million words could not begin to tell."— artist Woodrow “Woody” Crumbo

ALTUS – Half a Lifetime: The Art of Woodrow Wilson Crumbo” is the latest exhibit at the Wigwam Art Gallery in Altus. See it between now and May 8 by appointment.

Curated by Matthew D. Davids, NBC’s administrator of art collections, the 39 pieces in this exhibit Crumbo’s art as he tells the visual story of his Native American people.

He was a member of what is now known as the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, and his art explores the traditions and ceremonies of his own tribe and those of the Creek, Sioux and Kiowa nations.

The exhibit from NBC Oklahoma's collection includes Crumbo’s etchings, serigraphs and a painting.

To see it, contact: Matthew D. Davids, NBC Oklahoma’s administrator of art collections and Wigwam Gallery curator, mdavids@nbcok.com or (580) 477-1100.

BIOGRAPHY

Born in 1912, near Lexington, Oklahoma, Woodrow “Woody” Wilson Crumbo was a Potawatomi Indian known primarily as a printmaker and painter. He was also a ceremonial dancer, flutist, sculptor, jewelry maker, teacher and entrepreneur, having owned a print shop and etching and ore-mining businesses. He died in 1989.

Crumbo’s parents died when he was young, and he didn’t resume his education until he was 17 and enrolled in the Chilocco Indian School to study history, art and anthropology.

His art teacher encouraged his traditional art style, and he started making and playing the wood flute of the Kiowas, his school friends.

Later he attended the American Indian Institute in Wichita, Kan., Wichita University and the University of Oklahoma, studying different art techniques, including painting and drawing with OU’s Oscar Brousse Jacobson.

Afterwards, Crumbo served as the director of the Bacone Art School for several years, . bringing with him the “Kiowa Style” of painting taught at the University of Oklahoma.

Thomas Gilcrease, namesake of the Tulsa museum and institute, hired Crumbo to work for the institute in the 1940s to assemble an American Indian art collection. The two became friends, and Gilcrease gave Crumbo the nickname “Woody.” Crumbo’s painting “Peyote Bird” inspired an earlier version of the Gilcrease Museum’s logo.

WORKS

Crumbo’s works are in museums, galleries and private collections, including at:

• The Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa
• University of Oklahoma, Norman
• The Smithsonian Institution, Washington
• Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa
• Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
• U.S. Department of the Interior
• Museum of Modern Art in New York
• England’s Queen Elizabeth

NBC Oklahoma hires two new vice presidents in the compliance and regulatory areas

OKLAHOMA CITY– NBC Oklahoma has hired Gina Ellis as its new vice president, compliance officer, and Marilyn Johnson as vice president, Bank Secrecy Act officer.

Ellis previously was vice president of ABS Consulting Services, LLC, and she has been in banking and financial services since 1975. In her compliance role, she’ll be responsible for developing compliance programs, reviewing bank policies and advising management on possible risks.

She has her Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager certification from the American Bankers Association.

Johnson worked for NBC from 1998 to 2016 and has more than 30 years of banking experience. She has her certified Anti-Money Laundering and Fraud Professional Certificate (CAFP) from the American Bankers Association. As BSA officer, she oversees anti-money laundering regulations, monitors high-risk transactions and related regulatory filings and watches out for fraud.

“NBC has always made it a priority to have strong compliance and regulatory programs in place to protect our bank and our customers, and we welcome the addition of these two experienced bankers to lead these departments,” NBC CEO H.K. Hatcher said. “We look forward to Gina’s and Marilyn’s contributions to our ongoing efforts in these areas.”

About NBC Oklahoma
NBC Oklahoma is a $700 million state bank with seven locations across Oklahoma. It is an Oklahoma-owned bank. Member FDIC. Website: nbc.bank

For media inquiries, contact Communications Director Lillie-Beth Brinkman at 405-748-9182 (office), (405) 203-1449 (cell) or lbrinkman@nbcok.com.

NBC gives $100 to each employee to pay it forward this holiday season

NBC Oklahoma has distributed $100 to each employee to do something good and spread joy during the holiday season. NBC leaders were inspired by the widespread and meaningful impact that a recent church in Cincinnati had on its community when it gave its members money to do the same thing.

“We want you to make a difference. There are no strings attached, nor will we be holding you accountable for what you do with the money,” NBC CEO H.K. Hatcher told employees in an email announcing the NBC Gives initiative. “NBC employees are already generous and community-minded, and we all have so much for which to be thankful. The bank wanted to foster that spirit even more for the holidays.”

Ideas he listed include donating to a nonprofit, helping a family in need, adding to it for an even bigger contribution, using it to create gift bags to hand out and more. Hatcher also mentioned that it might be your own family in need this holiday season.

“Your choice,” Hatcher said.

Giving back is important to NBC as a bank and for its employees individually, and NBC wanted to show that we can make a difference in someone’s life with $100. And being able to give makes a difference in our own. This $100 Pay It Forward initiative gets to the heart of who we are at NBC.

Right away, employees began sharing what they were doing with the money. We’ll add to it here as more people share:

• Sarah Buffalo in Enid donated to Panda Paws Rescue, a rescue rehabilitation and hospice organization for homeless, abused and neglected animals.
• Jim Gover in Altus donated to the Rotary Foundation, supporting its efforts to eradicate polio, provide clean water and sanitation in disadvantaged regions of the planet and economic development to combat poverty.

• Dondra Floresca and her brother-in-law Glenn Floresca in OKC are donating to benefit a classroom project at Putnam City School District’s Hilldale Elementary by teacher Rayven Boone (a former employee of NBC). The donation will help stuff stockings with games, snacks, etc., to give to her third-grade students during the Christmas party. Ninety-three percent of the students at the school are on free or reduced lunches, and many of the children there are in need

• (Anonymous) in OKC is helping pay tuition for a couple to finish their continued education for lay pastor program; they are struggling with finances because of a lost job.

• Kristi Roberts in Altus is buying gifts for two little girls in the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program in memory of her own daughter, who died as a newborn and who would have been 6 on Dec. 6.
• Donna Gannon in Enid used her donation for a group called Families of Autistic Children (FACT) in Tidewater, Va. Her cousin and husband, who serves in the U.S. Navy, have an autistic son who has benefited from the group’s fellowship and activities.
• Brandon Bixler in OKC shopped for warm clothes and toys for a 4-year-old girl in Jackson County as part of a holiday partnership between North.Church OKC and OK Foster Wishes. He used his donation to buy Disney Princess dolls, a cooking playset, winter jacket, beanie and a pair of warm shoes from her wish list.
• Ashely Munsell in OKC donated to the Oklahoma Humane Society in Oklahoma City.
• Lauren Denton in OKC donated to Cashion First Baptist Church.
• (Anonymous) and family members have volunteered with the Ronald McDonald House Charities ever since a relative and her family needed the nonprofit for a place to stay during their prematurely born child’s surgeries and for meals that volunteers cooked for them. The donation to Ronald McDonald House will help allow families to stay close to loved ones during medical emergencies and support them with meals and other items.
• Mary Ingram in Altus donated to Life Services at Pathways Pregnancy Clinic, an Altus organization that offers pregnancy tests, diapers and other baby items free of charge for expectant mothers.
• Sam Lane in Altus called the local animal shelter and asked what they needed. They were out of puppy food, for starters, and with the $100 they got puppy food, cat food and litter, flea treatments and a few leashes.
• Dianne Jacobs in OKC donated to the Pet Food Pantry in Oklahoma City.
• Michelle Griffin in OKC is giving to The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital in Bethany.
• Jay Smith in OKC donated to the K Club, a group working to improve the lives of pediatric cancer patients and their families.
• Dennis Themer in Kingfisher is giving $100 to Santa’s Toyland, a program in Kingfisher County through the Oklahoma Department of Human Services for underprivileged children.
• Scott Bixler in Enid doubled the donation and gave to a group called Africa Cause – From Calling to Continent after hearing an African missionary speak in church about the organization’s work. “He provided some personal testimony which presented tearful moments and he shared with us life-changing scenarios which people encountered,” Bixler wrote. “He spoke of how positive people-changing measures led to other lives being uplifted in a kind and meaningful way. It was like people were paying forward their good works and deeds. Suddenly, it struck me this is an awesome opportunity for NBC to plant seeds in Africa.”
• Lillie-Beth Brinkman in OKC added to it and went shopping for a 6-year-old boy on the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program's list. She ended up with a warm coat and gloves, a hat, pants and a shirt and some fun items on his list -- like a remote control car.
• Jody Biggers in OKC is donating to the Infant Crisis Center, which allows parents in need to obtain formula, diapers, clothing and essentials as they care for their infants.
• Sheila Heim in OKC matched the donation and paid off the entire layaway at Walmart for two families who had set aside items for their young children, including baby clothes and infant toys for one and dolls and monster trucks for another.
• Randy Murrow in OKC is adding to the donation and using it to help the family of one of his friends who suddenly passed away. She was a single mom of two school-aged girls.
• Katrina Hertensen in OKC is using it to help pay off students' lunch debt at Kingfisher public schools.
• Kerri Woidke in OKC is using her donation to help put together Family Fun Night Baskets for foster families with Angels Foster Family Network in Norman. These baskets are filled with candy, snacks, a board game and a movie to be given to families at their annual Christmas dinner.
• Aaron Abbott in Enid and his wife Hayley are doubling the gift and giving the money to Hope Outreach, which serves the community with its parenting ministry, homeless ministry, transitional housing for men being released from prison and community care. The group also provides yearly abstinence events for seventh graders in Garfield County. The organization’s mission statement is ‘ministering the love of Jesus and empowering people through responsible living.”
• Amie Chance in Enid matched the $100 and paid off overdue lunches at Chisholm High School, telling the principal to use any extra to buy coats for children who need it.
• Price Foerster in OKC bought clothes and toys for two children through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program.
• Halsey Clifford in OKC is donating $100 to Luggage With Love in Norman. This organization provides suitcases filled with items for children in foster care so they don’t have to pack in trash bags to carry their belongings to a new place. She and her family chose this nonprofit together because her family has fostered more than 35 children and adopted her younger brother – “the light of my life,” – out of foster care, she said. “My family and I are super excited to give some children a sense of belonging this Christmas,” Clifford wrote. “Thank you, NBC, for the opportunity to show some love and compassion to some kiddos who really need it this holiday season.”
• (Anonymous) donated to the Someday Soon Foundation, which feeds the homeless in Oklahoma City, resolves school lunch bills and provides other necessities, including transportation, for those in need.
• Jody Gooden in Kingfisher gave the first $100 from NBC to the Youth and Family Services in El Reno to help a young man who has aged out of foster care and who is working with the organization to become self-sufficient. She went shopping and bought for him $100 worth of Christmas presents, mixing his needs with some fun things to do. Her husband serves on the organization’s board. Gooden’s heart also is with two organizations that are helping care for her mother, so she and her husband, inspired by NBC’s Pay It Forward gift, decided to give $100 each to the Countrywood Assisted Living Center in Kingfisher and the Russell Murray Hospice in El Reno.
  
  “NBC’s donation of $100.00 has already grown to $300.00,” Gooden wrote. “Thanks, NBC, for remembering and encouraging the true spirit of Christmas in all of us!
• Jan Payne in Kingfisher donated to Okarche's Center of Family Love, which provides a home, friendship and purpose for disabled adults from throughout the state.

• Sally Ramey in Enid and her husband had already “adopted” a fifth-grade boy through Enid’s Youth and Family Services in order to buy Christmas presents for him. She added NBC’s $100 to what they were already doing and as a result was able to get some nice boots, clothing and other items on his wish list “to make this Christmas extra special for this young man,” she said.

• Inspired by prayer, Raynie Harrison in OKC gave to a group of women known as the Sippin Sistas, who are close friends and who support the community by paying off students’ lunch debt in school districts throughout the metro area.
• (Anonymous) gave $100 to her brother, who has been off work since May and has had two surgeries. He paid the gift forward by helping his neighbor: He supplied the materials for a railing for an elderly neighbor and rallied friends to help build it.
• Jeff Greenlee in Altus and his wife Lisa matched the donation and gave it to Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, which has an existing matching gift program for the holidays, so the initial $100 from NBC quadrupled. The food bank provides food to Operation CARE, a nonprofit organization in Altus that provides food assistance to people in southwest Oklahoma.
• Caitlin Wilmot in Enid gave her $100 to Cimarron public schools, from which she graduated, to pay off school lunches.
• (Anonymous) gave her $100 to her brother, who has been off work since May and has had two surgeries. He paid the gift forward by helping his neighbor: He supplied the materials for a railing for an elderly neighbor and rallied friends to help build it
• Christy Sanford in OKC and her eighth-grade son Blake decided to donate $100 to Oakdale Cares, which is a program at his school to help students in need. Through this program, kids receive a backpack full of nonperishable and nutritious food each Friday to sustain them over the weekends and school holidays.
• Karen Snowden in Kingfisher donated to Hope Pregnancy Center, which offers pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, parenting classes and a baby boutique for little ones. Another donor matched the donation. “Love working for company that cares for others and encourages employees to help others during a rough time,” Snowden wrote. “Love my part-time job here at NBC.”
• Ken Fergeson in Altus and his wife Mary Ann were delivering food to a new nonprofit in Altus called Amethyst House. About 20 women with addiction problems live there in a protected and safe place and agree to stay sober. When they arrived, the Fergesons decided to give their $100 from NBC to the organization. The director was unloading bicycles for children associated with the program and told them the group was two bicycles short and they cost $49 each, so the $100 found a perfect match at the right time.  
• Paul and Sherry Coleman in Oklahoma City each gave to The Wounded Warrior Project.
• Tanya Cameron and Lynn Wendt in Kingfisher each donated their $100 together to one of their local elementary schools to use for an angel fund. The fund gives students extra financial assistance to help pay for school field trips, Christmas gifts and school-related things.
• Esther Perez, after a lot of prayer, gave her $100 to her brother so he could buy the tools he needed to work and care for his family, which includes his wife and three children, including a newborn. He used it for a tool bag and his own Milwaukee drill set, which is giving him a good start in his work.

For information about other community #NBCGives efforts at NBC Oklahoma, go to NBC.bank/gives.

Archived Posts

Sculptors bring 'Balance' to NBC Oklahoma's lobby Oklahoma City artists Rick and Tracey Bewley created a unique and colorful sculpture for under the skylight at the north Penn location. May 30, 2018 A large glass sculpture in hues of blues and greens has transformed our bank lobby at NBC’s North Penn location, but the story of the artists behind it is as colorful as the sculpture itself. As part of NBC’s remodel, Rick and Tracey Bewley, who have ArtFusion Studio at 12th and N Western Avenue, created a fused glass and metal sculpture that stands nine feet tall and fits on a 9-foot-by-9-foot square platform, just below the skylight. It’s a striking addition to the bank; they are calling the sculpture “Balance,” a sly reference to bank balances and numbers but also to what they were trying to accomplish with the effect. The colors in the glass show up both in their home above their studio and in all their work – from large projects to small pieces. Sometimes they even show up in the designs Tracey creates for MTM Recognition, where they both work and where they met years ago. She’s the head of the Del City company’s design department with a degree in fine art and he’s the head of research and development and manages its offshore manufacturing. He’s also a craftsman artist, having worked previously as a trim carpenter and a fabricator and with different materials like plastic and metal. Married for 17 years, the Bewleys have worked together on fused glass projects for 15 of those years, honing their art as they go. They even produced this year’s glass bowls given to step-up donors to the Allied Arts Campaign. “Making something out of glass is kind of magical,” Tracey said. Their fused glass work started when they met a consultant on a glass project through their work at MTM. Since they were interested in learning how to work with glass, they took a three-day intensive course from him in Minnesota and an MTM project to see if he would do it. When he didn’t want to do a mass project for MTM, the Bewleys decided to take it on themselves. So they bought a kiln and the supplies and tools to produce the glass and they got to work. But after doing the math, and with a priority to finish projects on time as promised, they realized they didn’t have enough time with just one kiln to finish each of the 160 pieces. So they bought a second, larger kiln and got to work, driving to the studio at 4 a.m. to switch out the glass pieces. These days, after work hours and on weekends, the Bewleys work in their art studio creating fused glass sculptures and other works. “If we didn’t have such cool day jobs, we would probably do this full time,” Rick Bewley said. For the NBC sculpture, they loved playing with the big design space and figuring out how to emphasize the glass panels and not the metal holding it. Each panel is a separate hand-cut piece of glass with at least two fused glass panels. Some of them are cut out, and each piece has its own texture. “We made a specific effort to make sure that all of the pieces had some sort of fused glass element to it, so that it would be uniquely from us,” Tracey said. When it came time to install it, NBC’s Ken Fergeson had to help as they worked to fit each piece together for the first time. “We never saw it assembled with the glass until we assembled it on site,” Rick said. Customers and employees agree that the Bewleys work has been a welcome part of NBC’s facelift in Oklahoma City on North Penn. “We enjoyed working with the Bewleys on this project for our bank, which has truly become a conversation piece among those who see it when they walk into our lobby,” said H.K. Hatcher, president and CEO of NBC Oklahoma. “The glass sculpture is such an interesting and compelling piece, and it’s a wonderful addition to NBC’s art collection.” UPCOMING SHOWS AND OTHER ART ON VIEW Oklahoma City University’s School of Visual Arts will feature Tracey and Rick Bewley’s work during a new exhibit opening with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on June 1. See “Reflection: An Exhibition of Glass and Light” the Hulsey Gallery of OCU’s Norick Art Center. You can also see their work in Oklahoma City metro area in the following spaces, among others listed on the studio’s website, artfusionstudio.com: “Balance,” NBC Oklahoma, 13401 N Penn, OKC, a nine-foot cubed fused glass and steel sculpture. “Leipzig,” Southern Nazarene University’s Science Building, a 10-foot-cubed sculpture of neon-colored acrylic and chromed steel that hangs in the entryway. The sculpture, named after a German scientist, echoes the microscopic images of blood pathogens and cells. “Learn, Grow, Reflect,” a sculpture of fused dichroic glass and textured aluminum outside Wilson Elementary School. Two large fused glass and steel-layered pieces hang on the walls of the Oklahoma Heart Hospital. A fused glass and metal sculpture comprises a wall in the Allied Arts headquarters. The Bewleys also created all the glass bowls that were given to step-up donors in the recent Allied Arts campaign. A nine-foot tall steel cut-out sculpture, created in collaboration with Dan Garrett, stands in Deer Creek High School and depicts a deer with antlers; antlers are the school’s mascot. WHAT IS FUSED GLASS?  Fused glass features layers of glass fused together in a kiln. Different temperatures produce different effects, and molds will affect the shapes. The Bewleys will often put the color on underneath and a transparent sheet of glass on top, but sometimes they use more layers – and multiple colors. ABOUT NBC OKLAHOMA NBC Oklahoma is a $650 million state bank with eight locations across Oklahoma. It is an Oklahoma-owned bank. Member FDIC. Website: nbc.bank. ABOUT MTM RECOGNITION Based in Del City but with a national reach, MTM designs and manufactures trophies and other recognition symbols – everything from cheerleading trophies for summer camps to major college bowl game trophies and top tier auto and motorcycle racing events. Website: mtmrecognition.com Read more about NBC Oklahoma's art projects on this blog.

Public art installed at NBC Oklahoma's north Altus branch Sculptures by Oklahoma City artist Joe Slack were permanently installed outdoors this week. PRESS RELEASE Nov. 9, 2017  ALTUS – NBC Oklahoma added a new public art piece to the Altus community this week, when an Oklahoma City artist installed a new outdoor sculpture series outside the bank’s north Altus location at 101 Sequoyah. The sculpture series, called “Strengthening the Voids” by artist Joe Slack, consists of five separate pieces made of powder-coated steel and painted in green hues for the bank. NBC commissioned the work as part of Chairman Ken Fergeson’s ongoing commitment to supporting public art and Oklahoma artists. “I’ve always loved public art, which is free for anyone to enjoy and serves as a landmark for a community,” Fergeson said. “Such art gives a place an identity and residents a sense of pride.” Previously, NBC has commissioned and financed two life-sized monuments in Altus, both by Western artist and Oklahoma native Harold T. Holden – “Vision Seeker,” located in the southwest corner of the Altus City Park, and “Crossing the Red” on Jackson County Courthouse grounds. (A second casting of “Vision Seeker” is located at Enid High School.) Other public art projects that NBC Oklahoma has commissioned and/or provided financing for include Holden’s sculptures “Boomer” in downtown Enid, “The Ranger” at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva and Enid, “Broncho” at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond and “The Bison Spirit” at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee; and a Cub Scout sculpture in front of NBC’s Nichols Hills location at 2800 NW Grand Blvd. Slack, the creator for the new Altus sculptures, said that his work is a continuation of a series that started with works like “The Voids and Finding Who” at Infant Crisis Services Center in Oklahoma City. To explain the name “Strengthening the Voids,” Slack said the newest sculptures feature holes which he calls “voids” that represent the challenges and situations of life, and they are joined by rods – the supports people receive in life that help fill the voids, connect them and make them stronger. “It’s a mix of my old work and a mix of my new work,” Slack said. While checking out this new outdoor artwork, don’t miss the current art exhibit at the bank’s Wigwam Art Gallery, 121 W Commerce, next to the NBC Oklahoma’s downtown Altus location. “Rikk Traweek’s Stolen Art Exhibition: A Retrospective” will be on display through Nov. 15. To see it, contact Elizabeth Marcha at 580-481-3136 or emarcha@nbcok.com. FOR MEDIA REQUESTS: Contact Lillie-Beth Brinkman, NBC Oklahoma Communications Director, at lbrinkman@nbcok.com, 405-748-9182 (office) or 405-203-1449 (cell). Read more about the Traweek exhibit below. Artist Joe Slack, left, and NBC Oklahoma Chairman Ken Fergeson About NBC Oklahoma NBC Oklahoma is a $650 million state bank with eight locations across Oklahoma. It is an Oklahoma-owned bank. Member FDIC. Website: nbc.bank. About Wigwam Art Gallery About five years ago, NBC Oklahoma built the Wigwam Art Gallery to resemble the 1920s-era Wigwam Movie Theater that was once located there. A vision of NBC Chairman Ken Fergeson, the art gallery is used to promote Oklahoma artists and art and to host events for some nonprofit institutions. The Wigwam Gallery is located next to NBC Oklahoma downtown on the corner of Commerce and Hudson. For information about the gallery, current exhibits or NBC Oklahoma’s art, contact Elizabeth Marcha at 580-481-3136 or emarcha@nbcok.com. About Joe Slack Joe Slack is an Oklahoma City visual artist who primarily works in sculpture using materials such as metal and wood. His public works include, in Oklahoma City, a commission of nine sculptures installed at the Southern Oaks Library; a 10-piece commission at the Infant Crisis Services Center; “Intestinal Fortitude” installed at “Earlywine Park” and “Who in Motion” in Classen Circle at Northwest Expressway and Classen; and in Edmond, “Voids and Foliage No. 2” at 3rd and Broadway, “Voids and Foliage” and “Cloned Cube” in the median on Boulevard and “Substance” along the Kelly median; He earned a bachelor’s degree in studio fine arts from Oklahoma City University in 2001. For information about his art, go to http://www.joeslack.com

Wigwam features 'Native State of Mind' July 27, 2017  About five years ago, NBC Oklahoma in Altus built the Wigwam Art Gallery and designed it to resemble the 1920s-era Wigwam Movie Theater that was once located there. The original theater had burned in 1993. Today, NBC’s Wigwam Art Gallery showcases permanent and traveling art exhibitions as well as a community gathering space for certain events. Currently, the gallery is welcoming visitors by appointment through August to see its “Native State of Mind” exhibit. The show features artwork by Native American artists with Oklahoma ties who are active or were active during the 1960s through the 1990s. It also highlights current Native American artist Mike Larsen, who was recently inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame for his exceptional works representing Native American culture. The gallery began out of bank Chairman Ken Fergeson’s desire to merge the arts and business and is part of his longtime efforts to support public art and use it to strengthen communities around the state. His vision for Wigwam includes using the gallery to host nonprofit events, promote artists and encourage creativity in the Altus community. Fergeson, an avid art collector, began collecting art when he and his wife were newly married and they lived next door to an art dealer. “We would purchase pieces of art from him and pay it off throughout the year,” Fergeson said. “That’s how our art collection started. We didn’t have many decorations throughout the house at the time, so we used the artwork to decorate our home.” Fergeson felt it was important for people in the community to know a little bit more about Oklahoma’s diverse cultural history. “Oklahoma is such a rich, young state with so many influences, and we want to share that with the community,” Fergeson said. The gallery is located in what was once known as the Wigwam Movie Theater, which opened in the 1920s. Stacey Durham, curator and collection manager of the Wigwam collections for NBC, wants to help make the Wigwam a place where people can go relax, be entertained and learn about Oklahoma roots. Durham also encourages visitors to look for similarities in the art that align with your everyday life. “When people walk into the Wigwam Gallery, I want them to decide for themselves what this work means to them,” Durham said. “How can you take your own knowledge that you already possess and use that knowledge to think about what is going on in this picture?” To learn more about the Wigwam Art gallery or schedule a tour, contact Stacey Durham at 580-481-3150 or sdurham@nbcok.com.