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Bank promotes five, adds board member [The Norman Transcript, Okla. :: ]
[January 26, 2014]

Bank promotes five, adds board member [The Norman Transcript, Okla. :: ]


(Norman Transcript (OK) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jan. 26--NOBLE -- First State Bank has promoted five employees and named one longtime employee to the bank's board of directors, CEO and Board Chairman Kim King has announced.

Promotions were announced for Allyson Halsey, Sheila Bryant, Melissa Mallory, Erin M. Harmon and Stacey Steffes. Karen Cochran was named to the bank's board of directors.

First State Bank, established in Noble in 1902, is Cleveland County's oldest bank. The Norman branch, 1600 W. Lindsey St., opened in 2002.

"First State Bank is unique in that we hold the distinction of being the only bank founded in Cleveland County to surpass the century mark in continuous, uninterrupted service to our customers and our community," King said. "We are pleased to state that we are well over 100 years old ... and growing." Cochran, a First State vice president, joined the FSB staff as a part-time teller in 1987 and has steadily moved up the ranks during her 27-year banking career. Those positions have included drive-thru teller, loan teller, loan services representative, internal control officer/auditor and, in 2007, Bank Secrecy Act officer, auditor and bookkeeping supervisor.



In February, Cochran was promoted to vice president with responsibilities that include BSA officer, Office of Foreign Assets Control officer, internal control officer, customer service supervisor and proof supervisor.

Originally from Las Vegas, Cochran's family moved to Norman when she was in kindergarten and then to Noble when she was an eighth-grade student. After graduating from Noble High School and while attending the University of Oklahoma, she began her banking career.


She continues her education and certification in the banking industry by attending both required and optional courses.

"Karen Cochran reflects our philosophy of genuinely caring about our staff members and our customers. She relates very well to people in every circumstance. She is not only a highly proficient and professional banker, she is also a friendly and caring individual who thrives on helping others," King said.

Halsey has been named as loss mitigation specialist. She has served as the bank's head of Loan Operations Department since 2012. Halsey became a full-time loan department banker at FSB in 2007.

A Noble High School graduate, Halsey attended the University of Oklahoma. She continues her banking education by attending classes offered through Oklahoma City Community College, Professional Banking Services and the Oklahoma Bankers Association.

"Allyson is a very dedicated banking professional," King said. "We are so pleased that she contributes to FSB's services every day. She clearly demonstrates to our customers, as well as to our staff, the FSB philosophy of treating others how we would want to be treated." Bryant was promoted to drive-thru supervisor at Noble location. She joined the FSB staff in 2008 and assisted in various departments at both the Noble and Norman locations as needed before being assigned a teller position later that year. Bryant was promoted to lobby teller in 2010.

A graduate of Coweta High School, Bryant studied social work at the University of Oklahoma for three years. She has served the Noble community through her involvement in the Boy Scouts of America Troop 222 and her church.

"Sheila enjoys getting to know people and finding ways to help every one of our customers with their banking needs," King said.

Mallory has been promoted to assistant branch manager of First State Bank in Norman, according to Vicki Clary, human resources officer for the Noble-based bank.

Mallory began working at the Noble location in July 2006 as a teller. Duties she has performed include deposit services representative, lobby teller and ACH coordinator. Also, in 2009, she accepted a position as new accounts representative. In May, Mallory was promoted to personal banker/assistant branch manager in Norman.

A life-long Norman resident, Mallory graduated from Norman North High School in 1999. She continues her banking education by attending training courses and seminars offered by the Oklahoma Bankers Association, as well as other organizations.

"As assistant branch manager in Norman, Melissa will continue to demonstrate her friendly, caring, professional attributes to our customers every day," King said.

Harmon has been promoted to loan department supervisor in Noble. Harmon served as branch manager of the bank's Norman location since February 2012.

She joined First State's Norman staff as a teller in April 2009 and was promoted to loan service representative and correspondent bank clerk in Noble in May 2011.

She graduated with distinction from the University of Oklahoma's Price College of Business in December 2011, having earned two BBAs in finance and accounting and a minor in psychology.

Prior to attending OU, Harmon earned an Associates in Business from Oklahoma City Community College. She is a Norman High School graduate.

"Erin is an outstanding representative of First State Bank," King said "Her engaging manner, her genuine concern about our customers' financial needs and her commitment to professional excellence serve her very well." Steffes has been promoted to branch manager in Norman. Steffes began her banking career at FSB as a personal banker and manager's assistant in 2002. She was involved in the opening of the Norman branch that same year. In 2012, her responsibilities expanded to include personal banker and assistant branch manager in Norman.

Steffes has a BBA in finance from the University of Oklahoma, with minors in economics and sociology. Among the professional and personal skills she possesses are being a problem solver and treating others as she would like to be treated.

"Stacey has been, since her arrival 12 years ago, an extra right hand for many of us at the bank," King said. "Very knowledgeable, very eager to help. We know, and our customers do, too, that Stacey cares greatly about people and about being a professional banker." ___ (c)2014 The Norman Transcript (Norman, Okla.) Visit The Norman Transcript (Norman, Okla.) at www.normantranscript.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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