Tim Davis, Joe Berryhill Receive Internal Promotions

OKMULGEE, Okla. – Mabrey Bank is proud to announce two internal promotions that further solidify the bank’s footprint in Okmulgee and the surrounding communities of East Central Oklahoma.

Tim Davis, who has spent the last 39 years of his banking career in Morris, has been promoted to East Central Director of Lending, SVP. While continuing to manage his team in Morris, Tim will also oversee Mabrey Bank’s market presidents and lending teams in Haskell, Muskogee, Weleetka and Wetumka.

In Okmulgee, Joe Berryhill has been promoted to Market President, SVP. Joe has served the Okmulgee community for the last seven years as a Commercial Lending Officer for Mabrey Bank and will now lead the team of lenders in that market.

“Both Tim and Joe are fixtures in their respective communities and have a history of developing long-lasting partnerships with customers and businesses,” said Mabrey Bank, East Central OK Regional President, SVP, Mark Mabrey. “We are excited for the impact that each will have in these new positions as we continue to showcase the Mabrey Bank difference.” Based out of Okmulgee as the Regional President, Mark Mabrey oversees all of Mabrey Bank’s teams and operations throughout the East Central region, which includes seven of Mabrey’s 15 locations.

Most Americans experience attempted scams every week – calls from unrecognized numbers, texts pretending to be someone else, emails urging that you are just one link-click away from a surprise gift. It’s so commonplace that many of us are almost desensitized to them. However, that mentality is what can lower our guard and actually make us susceptible to more clever fraud tactics.

In the next article in our Banking 101 series, we help you recognize common and uncommon scam ploys and give you tips on what to do (and not do) when faced with fraud. If you would like to read any of our previous Banking 101 articles, click below.

• Credit and Debit Card Processing
• Mortgage Prequalifications
• Credit Scores

Preying on Panic
Creating panic or urgency can spur you to act on a scam before your common sense can prevail. Receiving a text or email with a message like “Your account has been locked” or “This is your final warning” scares you just enough to do something rash, like click on link that you shouldn’t. This false sense of urgency should immediately throw up a red flag about the legitimacy of the claim.

If you are concerned that the warning could be true, you can check by calling the business the message claims to be from and verifying the accuracy.

Spoofing the System
It is becoming more common for scammers to make it look like they are calling from a legitimate place of business using Caller ID. This is called “spoofing” and even Mabrey Bank hasn’t been immune to this practice. Scammers have called our customers before with “Mabrey Bank” pulling up on the Caller ID. If this does occur, you can always say, “I will call you back using the number on your website.” Any legitimate service representative for a business will understand and allow you to do so without complaint.

Keep in mind that Mabrey Bank will not call you and ask for personal information.

Goodbye Grammar
Official communication from organizations, like the one you are reading now, are often written or typed by communications professionals. At the very least, they are penned by those who take pride in their work and are not prone to sloppy or bad grammar.

If you notice an email or text containing several misspellings or punctuation errors, it is a strong red flag for a scam. Also, be sure to check out the email address its coming from. Often those can be slightly misspelled addresses.

A Sensitive Subject
Another warning for a scam is the ask for sensitive information. If someone on the phone is requesting your date of birth, social security number, account or PIN numbers, etc., that could be a clue for illegitimacy.

Remember, if you are unsure, you can always call back at a number you trust.

Heed Your Hunch
Lastly, always trust your gut. If something feels off to you about a text, email, phone call, voicemail, or any other message, it likely is fraudulent. Take a pause before acting and verify if the message is real or a scam. It usually takes less than 60 seconds to verify a request. It will take much longer than that to recover lost funds or personal information.

Remember, when in doubt, reach out. Mabrey Bank customer service representatives are here to help you keep your money and information safe and secure. If you ever have a question, we can be reached during business hours at (888) 272-8866.

Mabrey Bank is hosting its 5^th Annual School Supply Drive at all Mabrey locations from Monday, July 14 through Friday, July 25. As it has been in past years, the supplies collected at each branch will benefit a school or organization within that community, allowing our team members and customers to directly impact local students and teachers.

Each year, Mabrey Bank has been able to collect thousands of school supplies to donate across Oklahoma as our team seeks to live out the mission of the bank which calls us to “improve the communities we serve.” It’s a mission that the Mabrey family and bank team members have been following for more than 100 years.

Supplies can be dropped off inside any Mabrey Bank branch during normal business hours. At each location, we will have a school supply drop box conveniently located in the lobby. While all types of school supplies are appreciated and accepted, customers can check in with their local branch to see if any specific supplies might be useful for that community.

See below which organization or school that each Mabrey Bank location will be donating to through our 2025 School Supply Drive.

As a consumer, using a credit or debit card to buy an item at the store or a tank of gas might seem like a simple transaction. On the other side of the register, it’s a different story. For businesses that process card transactions, reliability, efficiency and affordability are all paramount to the bottom line. The next installment in our Banking 101 series on financial basics covers Credit & Debit Card Processing, also known as “Merchant Services,” and what you need to know.

Who plays a role in a card transaction?

Obviously, you have the cardholder and the merchant, plus each of their banks, which we will call the “issuing bank” (belonging to the cardholder) and the “merchant bank” (belonging to the merchant). The issuing bank is responsible for authorizing the transaction and for sending funds to the merchant bank if the transaction is approved. The issuing bank will then bill the cardholder monthly for their credit card purchases. Meanwhile, the merchant bank holds the account where funds are deposited following a purchase.

Then, you have the middleman – the payment processor. This can be a separate party or sometimes will be the merchant bank. Regardless, the payment processor ensures the funds are transferred from the issuing bank to the merchant bank. Often, the payment processor will offer the hardware or software used to accept cards, such as tap-to-pay terminals or other card-reading devices.

How does card processing work?

There are two stages to credit and debit card processing – authorization and settlement. If a debit card is used, both authorization and settlement happen in seconds with the money coming out of your checking account. If a credit card is used for payment, the account information is routed from the merchant bank by the payment processor to the issuing bank for approval. The issuing bank will either confirm or deny the transaction and the payment processor will deliver that back to the merchant bank and to the card reader.

Unlike the near instant settlement for a debit card, a credit card settlement can take 1-3 business days. This is the process of actually moving the funds from the issuing bank to the merchant bank. Typically, businesses send batches of transactions to their payment processor at a regularly scheduled time, like the close of a business day. The payment processor and the card networks (Visa, MasterCard, etc.) will work to ensure the funds are deposited into the correct account.

Why is card processing important?

To accept card payments, a merchant will need hardware and software, both of which could be provided by the payment processor. Regardless of whether it’s an entire point-of-sale system or just a simple card reader, these devices collect and send card data to the payment processor. In addition, a software app is often needed for processing. These programs can include features such as inventory management, reporting, analytics and the ability to send customers digital receipts.

Card processing also comes at a cost for the merchant, so it is important to find a merchant bank and payment processor that keeps processing fees affordable. Mabrey Bank partners with Basys, a payment processor, to ensure our merchant clients are not paying more than necessary for processing fees. Not all payment processors are created equal. For more information on how Basys securely handles your funds, click here.

If you would like to learn more about how Mabrey can help your business save money on your card processing fees, click here.

This open letter was originally published in Mabrey Bank’s Century of Service brochure.

In 2024, we celebrated Mabrey Bank’s centennial, a milestone that speaks to our longevity and ability of our organization to continually evolve. As I reflect on this important year in the bank’s history, I am as confident as ever in the direction and future success of Mabrey Bank and its mission.

Few businesses last 100 years, and our stability is a testament to the generations of Mabrey team members who have come before us, the dedication of our current team and the loyalty and support of our customers. We are incredibly proud of the community impact that Mabrey Bank has had over the last century and look forward to that continuing in 2025 and beyond.

The economy during the last year provided some challenges for the banking industry as a whole. Driven by a strong work ethic and the expertise of our team, we overcame those obstacles, and we expect 2025 to be an excellent year for the bank and our customers.

With the inclusion of specialty products, such as new Mortgage Lending options and Agricultural & Recreation Land Loans, to the opening of a new, exclusive Private Bank office in Tulsa in 2024, Mabrey Bank continues to diversify and expand on the best-in-class offerings and experiences we provide for our customers.

We remain firmly focused on unparalleled customer service and a devotion to our customers and communities.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you now or in the future.

– Scott Mabrey, Chief Executive Officer

Mabrey Bank has again been nominated as the Best “Local Bank” by TulsaPeople for the 2025 A-List. The honor continues Mabrey’s more than decade-long streak as a finalist for the prestigious annual award. Voting on the winners in all A-List categories is ongoing through Sunday, April 13 and can be done by following this link.

By being an A-List finalist, Mabrey Bank was chosen by the readers of TulsaPeople magazine as one of the best local banks in Tulsa area. With over a century of stellar customer service and eight full-service locations across the Metro, it’s easy to see why Mabrey Bank has been a mainstay as an A-List winner.

Other A-List categories include restaurants, shops, service providers, attractions and more.

What is a Mortgage Prequalification?

With home interest rates having fallen more than a full percentage point from their peak in October 2023 and springtime nearly upon us, we are entering what should be a competitive time to buy and sell homes. One simple, but important, step of preparing to purchase a home is getting prequalified for a mortgage loan.

A prequalification is a preliminary assessment of your creditworthiness for a mortgage loan. Based on financial information you report to a lender, they can determine an estimate for how much you could borrow for a home loan and issue a prequalification letter. Again, this is an estimate and not a binding contract. As a homebuyer, you can take this letter and show a seller and/or real estate agent that you are serious about purchasing a home.

It’s important to note that prequalification and preapproval are two distinct steps. Prequalification is a less formal step step in a homebuying process where you receive a general estimate of what you might be able to borrow for a home loan. It does not include a hard credit check or formal application. It does, however, allow you to work with your lender and get a general feel for how much you can borrow for a mortgage. On the other hand, a preapproval is more formal, includes a guarantee for a home loan with a term (typically 90 days) and will occur right before making an official offer on a home.

Below, we will lay out the basics of a prequalification, why one is important and the steps you can take to getting prequalified.

Three Reasons to Pursue Prequalification

If for no other reason, a mortgage prequalification will help you have a better understanding of how much home you can afford. Knowing an estimated loan amount will help you narrow your options so you can find the perfect home at a price point that won’t break the bank.

During the process of the prequalification, you and a lender can review possible mortgage options and determine what type of mortgage might be right for you. For example, Mabrey Mortgage offers several mortgage options including conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, etc. Read more about our loan options here.

Finally, when you go to make an offer on a home, having a prequalification will give you an advantage over other potential buyers who may not come armed with one. Agents will want to work with a buyer who is serious about closing a deal and has a prequalification letter in hand.

How to Secure a Prequalification Letter and Eventually a Home Loan

Prequalification will require some financial information to help a lender determine a loan estimate. This could be based on a combination of self-reporting assets, income, credit score and employment, among other items. Many, if not all, of these items will be needed eventually during a subsequent mortgage application process.

• Proof of Income: A steady source of income is necessary when ultimately applying for a mortgage loan. Homebuyers must often provide lenders with W-2 statements and tax returns from the past two years and current pay stubs that show their year-to-date income.
• Proof of Assets: Buyers will need funds for their down payment and closing costs. All mortgage loans will allow a seller to contribute to all or some of a buyer’s closing costs if negotiated with the seller on the contract. Proof of Assets can come from the sale of a previous home, the buyer’s savings or possibly from secured borrowed funds – all which are factored into the amount a buyer will be preapproved for.
• Credit Score: Most mortgage lenders require a FICO score of 640 or higher to qualify for a conventional loan and 620 or higher for an FHA loan. Mabrey Bank allows scores down to 600 on FHA loans, and in some cases, 580. Good credit scores will result in a lower interest rate for your home loan. For more information on why Credit Scores are important and what you can do to improve yours, click here.
• Employment Verification: Not only does a lender want to see a steady stream of income, but they also want to see your income is likely to continue. Lenders will contact your employer(s) and verify your employment history for the last 24 months.

Outro – What Happens Next?

As stated above, a prequalification is just an estimate and an initial step to purchasing a home, not a binding agreement. To ultimately secure a home loan, a hard credit check, full financial vetting and application must be done.

Now that you have your prequalification letter, you are ready to start looking at homes that fit your budget. Good luck!

Credit scores – we all have one, but everyone may not know their score or how important it can be. Did you know that your credit score could impact your ability to secure certain jobs, open a new credit card or receive a lower interest rate on your next home or vehicle?

We want to help with a basic 101 course on your credit score, including how it’s calculated, what it means and the steps you can take to improve it.

What is a credit score?

A credit score is a three-digit number which is a result of a mathematical formula that estimates how likely you are to pay your debt back on time. It can range anywhere from 300 to 850. It’s calculated through several factors: your credit payment history, the amount of available credit you are using, the number of credit accounts in your name and your overall mix of credit.

It’s actually a common misconception that everyone has just one single score. Your score could vary based on the reporting agency providing the score (Equifax, TransUnion or Experian) or industry in which you are looking to lend from (automotive, mortgage, etc.). While an exact score is nice to know, it’s more important to know what range your score falls in.

• 300-579: Poor
• 580-669: Fair
• 670-739: Good
• 740-799: Very Good
• 800-850: Excellent

It’s also good to know what is not factored into your score. Any personal demographics are not considered such as age, race, religion or marital status. Nor is your income or employment status and its history. While lenders will likely look at this information, you won’t need to worry about any of those impacting the score itself.

Why is a good credit score important?

We asked this very question to Thom Meyer, Mabrey Bank’s Chief Underwriting Officer, who is a loan and credit expert with over 30 years of banking experience.

“There are several reasons that a good credit score is very important,” said Meyer. “Anytime you want to borrow money, whether it be for a car, a house or any other reason, the person making the loan decision is going to rely heavily on how you have handled your fiscal responsibilities in the past. This is detailed on your credit report and generates your credit score. Also, many lenders have adopted ‘risk-based pricing’ which means the higher your credit score, the better the interest rate you will receive on your loan if it is approved. Credit scores are checked for other reasons, such as by landlords for potential renters and by insurance companies to calculate premiums and determine coverage. Employers often check credit scores in making hiring decisions.”

So, it’s simple. A better credit score saves you money and gives you access to more and better loan options.

One final item of note is that credit card rewards may also be more valuable with a better credit score. Exclusive cards that reward purchases with mileage, points or cash back are typically only available to those with good to excellent credit scores.

Where can I find my credit score?

While you can secure a free annual credit reports from all three national credit reporting agencies, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax, these reports do not usually contain credit scores. If you have a credit card, your credit score is often available through your card issuer’s mobile app or online account. That score will update based on the activity of your card.

Experian will allow you sign up and view your FICO score for free. While this is just one methodology to calculate a credit score, it can at least give you an idea of which range you fall into. FICO scores are used often by lenders and credit card companies.

How can I improve my score?

It’s important to note that every credit score is different. Because a variety of factors play into your score, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all method of improvement. Understanding your score, and why it is what it is, will give you some specific clues for how you can improve it. With that said, here are three general habits that, if stuck to over time, should lead to a solid score.

• Make debt payments on time – The most important credit score factor is your debt payment history. According to Experian, this factor alone accounts for 35% of your FICO Score.
• Pay down revolving account balances – How much reoccurring debt you have at a given time, such as credit card balances, is another large factor in your credit score (30% of your FICO score). If you have high balances that aren’t easily paid off, consider a debt consolidation loan or a debt repayment strategy to lower that sum.
• Keep your oldest credit accounts active – The longer your credit history, the better your credit score. Your oldest credit account heavily influences this portion of your credit score, 15% of your FICO score. Closing a long-running credit card, for instance can do negative damage to your score.

That is a wrap on Credit Score 101. You can now put away notebooks and pack up your bags.

For any questions or for more information stop by a Mabrey Bank location and speak to one of our expert bankers in person. Or you can give our in-house customer service team a call at (888) 272-8866.

In the spirit of the holidays, Mabrey Bank will help spread joy and magic this season by collecting toys at each of its 15 full-service locations, ensuring there are presents under the tree for children across our communities.  From December 2-13, we will host our 2nd Annual Toy Drive to gather new, unwrapped toys for children of all ages at drop boxes inside the lobbies of our branches. Each location will be donating these toys to a specific organization located within that community.

Toys can be dropped off during normal lobby operating hours. Check our Locations page to see the lobby hours of your local Mabrey Bank branch.

Two of our locations, Haskell and Wetumka, have an existing annual tradition of collecting gifts and sponsoring families in need through an Angel Tree. Wetumka will continue to operate its Angel Tree located in its lobby where you can sponsor a child. In Haskell, monetary donations are collected which are routed to an Angel Tree set up by the Funds for Haskell Kids. Those existing traditions will remain in place at each branch as a part of the Toy Drive.

Find out which organization your branch is partnering with by looking at the listing below, and we thank you in advance for your consideration and generosity.

Location – Benefitting Organization (Linked)
Bixby (Main & North) – Bixby Outreach Center
Glenpool – Glenpool Christmas Shoppe
Haskell (Angel Tree) – Funds for Haskell Kids
Morris – Morris Methodist Church Angel Tree
Muskogee – Kelly B Todd
Oklahoma City – Positive Tomorrows
Okmulgee (Main & Drive) – Harlan Ford Toy Drive benefitting Okmulgee County DHS
Tulsa (BA, Jenks, Midtown, Yale) – Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS)
Weleetka – Big Five Head Start
Wetumka (Angel Tree)

Cybercrime is more rampant than ever, and at Mabrey Bank, we see firsthand the financial damage that can be done to both customers and businesses by digital scams. One of the trending and most damaging online methods of cybercrime is Business Email Compromise (BEC). This exploits the fact that most organizations rely completely on emails to conduct personal and professional business, and in 2023 alone, the FBI’s 2023 Internet Crime Complaint Center Report showed $2.9 billion in losses to due BEC.

In a BEC scam, criminals send an email that appears to come from a known source making a

legitimate request. For example, a known vendor will appear to send an invoice with an updated payment address or payment account information. The below action plan can help your business prevent and/or respond to BEC and comes courtesy of our partners at Nacha and its Payments Innovation Alliance.

If your company is a victim of BEC…

• Act Fast to Recover your Money
  • If you, a customer or a trading partner sent money to a fraudulent account, immediately contact your (or their) financial institution and request that they contact the financial institution where the transfer was sent. They can then ask the other bank or credit union to reverse the transaction and freeze the fraudulent account.

• Contact Law Enforcement
  • Contact your local FBI field office and file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
  • Contact local law enforcement and file a police report. When doing so, request that law enforcement work with the IC3’s Recovery Asset Team to help recover your stolen money.
  • Notify all applicable regulators and/or licensing authorities as required.

• Keep Fraudsters Out
  • Scan and scrub all communications systems for viruses, malware and security gaps. Keep record of any viruses or malware that were removed.
  • Require all employees to change passwords immediately and use strong passwords.

• Document and Recover
  • Preserve all communications and records related to any BEC scam, including email communications and IP address records used by the fraudster to access company systems. Law enforcement will need this information during their investigation.
  • Review insurance coverage to determine whether coverage is available in the event of financial loss.

How to Prevent BEC Scams…

• Increase Security
  • Implement and enforce two-factor (or multi-factor) authentication strategies on any account that allows it.
  • Implement a two-step process with customers, vendors or business partners to ensure any changes to account information or other payment instructions are confirmed outside of the communication method or channel requesting the change to payment instructions.

• Review Procedures
  • Establish multi-layer review procedures for approving transactions above certain thresholds. These procedures should include dual controls for approval of certain transactions and delegations of authority when one or both of the dual-control approvers are unavailable.
  • Take advantage of SMS activity alerts that can be established with your financial institution and review daily all bank and payment card statements for unusual activity.

• Raise Awareness
  • Use caution when sharing information online or on social media. By openly sharing things like pet names, schools you attended, links to family members and your birthday, you can give a scammer the information they need to guess your password or answer your security questions.
  • Don’t click on anything in an unsolicited email or text message asking you to update or verify account information. Look up the company’s phone number either from an internal directory or a public directory on your own (don’t use the one a potential scammer provides).
  • Carefully examine the email address, URL, and spelling used in any correspondence. Scammers often use slight differences to trick your eye and gain your trust.
  • Be careful what you download. Never open an email attachment from someone you don’t know and be wary of email attachments forwarded to you.

Remember, every business is susceptible to fraud. Being diligent and steadfast in your security procedures externally with clients and internally with your co-workers can go a long way in keeping your systems safe and secure. Do not be afraid to ask your internal resources, such as your IT team or security team, if you are unsure about a request. It never hurts to ask.

Finally, ensure all team members are trained on best practices for email and online activity security. Stay safe out there!

*Disclaimer
This Business Email Compromise Action Plan (“Plan”) does not constitute legal advice and is provided for general informational purposes only. Readers should contact their attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal matter. No reader should act or refrain from acting on the basis of information in this Plan without first seeking legal advice from counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. Only your individual attorney can provide assurances that the information contained herein – and your interpretation of it – is applicable or appropriate to your particular situation.

The views expressed are those of the individual authors writing in their individual capacities only – not those of their respective employers, Nacha or the Payments Innovation Alliance. All liability concerning actions taken or not taken based on the contents of this Plan is expressly disclaimed. The Plan’s content is provided “as is” and no representations are made that the content is error-free. Use of and access to this Plan does not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader and the Plan’s authors, contributors or contributing law firms.