Arvest Bank at 123 Branson Landing Blvd. is back OPEN today, Friday, March 2 after sustaining minor damage after Tuesday night's tornado that swept through the area.  Come by and see us.

Our thoughts remain with the families and businesses in Kansas and Missouri that are still cleaning up after Tuesday's storms.

For your convenience, you can bank 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

Arvest Mobile Banking - register through Arvest Online Banking 
Arvest Online Banking - register at a branch or call us 
24-Hour Account Information Line - register at a branch or call us   
ATM - click here to find a location or find one using the myArvest app on your iPhone
 

The 7th Annual Polar Bear Plunge benefiting the Special Olympics of Arkansas was held Saturday, Feb. 25.  Arvest associates from North Central Arkansas and their families participated by taking a plunge into the icy waters of Lake Norfork for the fourth consecutive year in a row. The lake temperatures hovered right around 45 degrees!

Nine brave souls represented Arvest this year, collecting over $900 for the Special Olympics of Arkansas.  The “Blue Crew,” as they called themselves, were dressed in full, bright blue, body suits as they splashed into the chilly waters.  Normally, the Polar Bear Plunge has a “Best Dressed Individual Award” but this year they created a new category of “Best Dressed Group Award” for our “Blue Crew!”

Overall, this year’s Polar Bear Plunge proved to be a successful one with 56 plungers and raising over $5,000 for the Special Olympics of Arkansas. 

Thanks to all who participated and came out to support the “Blue Crew” this year!
 

Spring is just around the corner, and so is the Tulsa Home & Garden Show! Presented by the Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa and sponsored by Arvest Bank, the Tulsa Home & Garden Show is Oklahoma’s largest home and garden products trade show, featuring more than 475 exhibitors. 

Be sure to stop by and say hello to us at the Arvest Bank booth (#2402), located on the upper level. We’ll have a chance for you to win either a Xbox 360 Kinect™ Game System or a FREE 1 year home warranty!

Drawings will be held on Monday, March 12.  No purchase necessary to win and you don’t have to be present to win. Winners will be contacted by phone or email.  Visit with an Arvest associate for more details.

Where?

QuikTrip Center at Expo Square
Tulsa County Fairgrounds
4145 E. 21st St.
Tulsa, Okla.   74112

When?

Thursday, March 8:  5:00-9:00pm
Friday, March 9:  10:00am—9:00pm
Saturday, March 10:  10:00am—9:00pm
Sunday, March 11:  11:00am—6:00pm

Pricing Info:

$1 OFF COUPONS for adult admission available at any Arvest Bank location in the Tulsa area while supplies last! Pick yours up Feb. 27-March 10! 

Adults—$8

Children under 12—FREE with Paid Adult

We look forward to seeing you at the Tulsa Home & Garden Show!
 

On April 1, 2012, Arvest in Springdale, Ark. will welcome a new president and CEO, Lisa Ray.  Ray is currently president and CEO of Arvest in Siloam Springs, Ark. and has been a part of the Arvest family since 1989. Please see the following release for additional details.

SPRINGDALE, Ark.,—Arvest Bank has announced that Lisa Ray has accepted an offer and will become the president and chief executive officer of Arvest Bank in Springdale on April 1, 2012, the role that Dennis Smiley is surrendering to become president and chief executive officer of Arvest Bank in Benton County. Ray is currently the president and chief executive officer of Arvest Bank in Siloam Springs.

Both Ray and Smiley will continue their current positions and work together for a smooth transition in Springdale and Siloam Springs on April 1. Smiley’s acceptance of the Benton County position was announced in January.

“Lisa has a long record of success and has been effective in her various roles during her tenure at Arvest.  Not only is she an outstanding leader for Arvest but she has also consistently demonstrated a commitment to her community,” said Scott Grigsby, executive vice president and regional manager for Arvest Bank Group.

Ray joined Arvest Bank of Bentonville in 1989 as a management trainee and worked there as an investment advisor, deposit counselor supervisor and a deposit manager. In 1996 she became sales manager of Arvest’s Springdale Bank and Trust. After three years she returned to Arvest Bank of Bentonville in 1999 to serve as sales manager. She was named president and chief executive officer of Arvest Bank in Siloam Springs in 2005.

Ray enjoys community service, including serving on boards of two Northwest Arkansas area chambers of commerce, Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital, and Endeavor Foundation.  She serves on the Circle of Life Hospice Leadership Council, the Siloam Springs High School scholarship committee and other committees that promote the quality of life in Northwest Arkansas.

Ray and her husband, David, look forward to returning to the Springdale area. Daughter Lauren is a college student and son Skyler is a high school senior who will graduate in May.

Arvest Bank in Mountain Home, Ark. is proud to hold the 1st annual Relay for Life Book Sale. There are hundreds of books available for purchase at great prices.  And, even better, ALL proceeds from the fundraiser will go directly to the Baxter County Relay for Life.  See the following information for details regarding this event.

WHAT:
The public is invited to stop by the Mountain Home Arvest Bank branch in front of Wal-Mart from February 21st-February 23rd for the first annual Relay for Life Book Sale.
 
WHERE: 
Arvest Bank located in front of the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Mountain Home.

WHEN:
Tuesday, February 21st – Thursday February 23rd
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
 

Arvest Bank announced Monday the 2011 outcome for mortgage lending and servicing. Nearly breaking $600 million in purchase money mortgages, the bank saw an overall increase of eight percent, making for a successful year and a positive impact on local housing and the economy as a whole.  See the following release for more details.

(February 21, 2012)—Arvest Bank recently released results of its mortgage lending and servicing activities in 2011. The bank reported an eight percent increase in purchase money mortgages, from $553 million in 2010 to $598 million in 2011. In contrast, the Mortgage Bankers Association projected 2011 purchase loans to be down 14 percent nationally.

“As the state’s largest mortgage company, we see the increase in purchase money transactions as a positive sign that homebuyers are looking for local lenders who emphasize service after the loan is originated,” stated Steven Plaisance, Arvest Mortgage executive vice president and chief operating officer.

The bank also originated more than $1 billion in new mortgage loans for both purchases and refinancing for the ninth consecutive year. While the Mortgage Bankers Association predicted that mortgage loan values would decrease nationally by 20 percent in 2011 compared to 2010, Arvest originated refinance and purchase mortgage loans totaling $1.6 billion in 2011 compared to $1.78 billion in 2010, or a decrease of 10 percent over the previous year – significantly better than the national average.

“While our total volume was down from 2010, we were very encouraged by our increase in purchase money activity and its impact on local housing and the economy,” stated Plaisance.

Arvest is unique for most local lenders in that it services 99 percent of its mortgage loans.  Consequently, the bank’s mortgage servicing portfolio reached a record of approximately 56,000 loans in 2011. The outstanding balance of these loans grew from $5.9 billion in 2010 to $6.3 billion in 2011, or an increase of more than six percent in the value of loans being serviced.

Plaisance continued, “The dip in interest rates in the fourth quarter of 2011 to near historic lows created a surge in mortgage loan originations. We are continuing to see the positive effects in 2012, as our business is up significantly from this time last year. Both the low interest rates and mild weather that we’ve experienced over the past few months have contributed to a successful first quarter at Arvest Mortgage.”
 

While Presidents Day is the dedicated day to honor and salute the legacies of the 44 presidents that have led the home of the free and the brave to be the great country that it is today, we (and likely you too) cross paths with many of the Presidents every day.  How?  The United States Currency.

How did some of the Presidents’ “good sides” land on the front of our coins?  Here’s some sense for cents:

• The Penny: In 1909, the Lincoln cent, designed by Victor Brenner, was issued to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth (also celebrated on Presidents Day).
• The Nickel: In 1938, Felix Schlag's portrait of Thomas Jefferson, which began to appear on the front side of the nickel, was chosen in a design competition among some 390 artists.
• The Dime: In 1946, only one year after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death, the dime bearing John R. Sinnock's portrait of FDR was released to the public on FDR's birthday, January 30th.
• The Quarter: In 1932, the portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan was selected to commemorate the 200th anniversary of our first president's birth (also celebrated on Presidents Day as well. In fact, the U.S. Government still officially refers to this holiday as Washington's Birthday). The same image still appears on the quarter today.
• The Half-Dollar:  In 1964, the first Kennedy half-dollars were minted after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.  The tragic event generated such an outpouring of public sentiment that President Lyndon Johnson sent legislation to Congress to authorize new 50-cent pieces to honor him. 

Happy Presidents Day from all at Arvest Bank!  All Arvest Bank branches will be open during normal business hours on Monday, Feb. 20 for Presidents Day.  

Source:  http://www.usmint.gov/
 

Don’t get too caught up in the magic of love if you are an online dater.  The FBI recently released a scam alert regarding financial fraud dangers with online dating. 

Mollie Halpern of the FBI says “victims believe they’re in a relationship, but their suitor is actually a scammer who breaks hearts and bank accounts.”  She reminds online daters to remain cautious if someone is asking you for money—chances are it’s a scam. 

The FBI says that the average financial loss per victim associated these types of scams is between $15,000 and $20,000, and for the majority, victims are women.  It’s suggested to date only through large, reputable online dating companies to avoid getting set up with a scammer.

If you’re a victim of a romance scheme, contact the FBI at the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

Source:  http://www.fbi.gov/news/podcasts/thisweek/online-dating-dangers.mp3/view