Carroll to serve as regional governor for underwriting society

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), May 22, 2001 by Ray Carter

W. Wesley (Wes) Carroll has been nominated to serve a two-year term on the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter Society's board of governors. As governor for the South Central Region, Carroll will oversee the activities of local chapters in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Wichita and Little Rock.

Carroll, who has held a CPCU designation since 1971, is the past president of the Central Oklahoma Chapter of CPCU. He began his career with the Nationwide Insurance Group and has served as vice president of underwriting with Colonial Penn Insurance, region vice president of American International Group, vice president of Underwriting with AIG's transport division and as president and chief operating officer of Commercial Insurance Services.

Carroll is now president of the Burnett Insurance Agency and American Truck Underwriters.

Carroll, who holds a bachelor of science degree from the North Carolina State University, continues to serve on the National CPCU Excess and Surplus Lines Committee and is a member of the Truckload Carriers Association and the Oklahoma Truckers Association.

MidFirst Bank

Richard Duncan has been named assistant vice president and investment services manager at MidFirst Bank. Duncan will coordinate the promotion of products and services offered by Waddell and Reed, a financial services organization. In January 2001, MidFirst signed an exclusive agreement with Waddell and Reed to provide comprehensive investment and financial planning services to customers of MidFirst Bank offices statewide. Duncan has been with MidFirst since 1997.

GuarantyFirst Bank

Suzanne E. Baxter, CFP, has joined GuarantyFirst Bank's investment center as a financial consultant representing Financial Network Investment Corp. Baxter will be responsible for developing the retail investment and insurance business for the two branch locations at 1245 SW 74th St. and 4631 NW 23rd St. She has 20 years' experience in the financial services industry.

First Bethany Bank

First Bethany Bank employees served a record crowd at the bank's 12th Annual Customer Appreciation Cookout earlier this month. The crowd, numbering near 1,000, was served 820 hamburgers and 505 hot dogs.

When the event was first hosted, only 300 attended. Since that cookout, the event has expanded to include entertainment provided by the Bethany High School Bank and the Bethany High School Choir. The local fire department also participated.

Federal Reserve

Sulphur Holdings Inc. has applied with the Federal Reserve for prior approval to become a bank holding company through the acquisition of 100 percent of the voting shares of Sulphur Community Bancshares in Sulphur, and thereby indirectly acquire Sulphur Community Bank.

Cole and Reed

The Oklahoma Accountancy Board has recognized Almond Eastland, an employee of Cole and Reed, with the group's Gold Medal award for having scored 386 of a possible 400 on the CPA Exam. The award is given to the person who, sitting for the exam the first time, passes all parts with the highest score. Eastland has been with Cole and Reed since July 17.

OBA

The Oklahoma Bankers Association has honored Oklahoma banks and bankers who have made outstanding contributions to their communities and their industry. The OBA held its annual awards luncheon on May 10 as part of its 104th annual convention in Tulsa. Following are those who were recognized:

Banks of Promise of the Year (honored for their efforts to help young people): American National Bank, Ardmore; Citizens Security Bank and Trust, Bixby; First Bank and Trust, Duncan; Peoples National Bank, Checotah; and Pioneer Bank and Trust, Ponca City.

Most Valuable Members of the OBA (based on use of OBA programs and services): Most Valuable Member, $50 Million in Deposits or Less -- The Bankers Bank, Oklahoma City; Most Valuable Member, Over $500 Million in Deposits -- Bank of Oklahoma; Most Valuable Member, $50 Million to $100 Million in Deposits -- Stock Exchange Bank, Woodward; Most Valuable Member, $100 Million to $500 Million in Deposits -- RCB Bank, Claremore; Most Valuable Associate Member -- PULSE EFT Association.

Chairman's Award: Presented to Kevin Lackner, senior vice president, Bank of Oklahoma, Tulsa. Lackner served the OBA as chairman of the Association's Banking Leadership Oklahoma (BLOK) Committee the past year. Among other things, the BLOK committee sponsors the OBA's annual summer intern program. He was also a volunteer in the OBA's Banking Advisor Program, in which bankers serve as media spokesmen for the state banking industry.

Bankers Completing Service on the OBA Board of Directors: Royce Hammons, UMB Oklahoma Bank, Oklahoma City; Mark Lumpkin, People First Bank, Weatherford; Walter Shafer, The Eastman National Bank, Newkirk; Brent Ballinger, NBC Bank, Pawhuska; G. Bridger Cox, Citizens Bank and Trust, Ardmore; Homer Paul, Citizens Security Bank, Bixby; and Terry Hague, Farmers Exchange Bank, Cherokee -- OBA past chairman.

2000-2001 OBA Committee Chairs: Mel Martin, UMB Oklahoma Bank, Oklahoma City -- chairman of the Compliance School Board of Regents; Jeff Massad, Quail Creek Bank, Oklahoma City -- Basic Banking School Board; Merleta Motley, First Fidelity Bank, Oklahoma City -- Operations School Board; Larry DeWitt, Farmers Exchange Bank, Cherokee -- Agriculture Committee; Kevin Lackner, Bank of Oklahoma, Tulsa -- OBA Banking Leadership Oklahoma Committee; Luana Dickerson, First National Bank and Trust, Okmulgee -- Bank Operations/Human Resource Committee; Nevyle Cable, First National Bank and Trust, Okmulgee -- Government Relations Council; Sean Kouplen, Citizens Security Bank and Trust, Bixby -- Intermediate School Board; Brad Maddoux, InterBank, Sayre -- Lending Committee; Robert Gilbert, F&M Bank and Trust, Tulsa -- Oklahoma Association of State Banks; Robert Simpson III, State National Bank, Eufaula -- OBA Insurance Agency Board; Steve Burrage, First National Bank, Antlers -- OBA Services Company Board; Steve Rahill, First Bank & Trust, Duncan -- Senior Management Committee; Lynn Vaughn, National Bank of Commerce, Duncan - - Commercial Lending School Board; and Robert (Bob) Bates, First National Bank, Ardmore -- Consumer Lending School Board.