Arvest Blog

Arvest Fort Smith – Habitat Construction Update, Sep 9

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:01:06 GMT

Construction on the River Valley Habitat for Humanity home in Fort Smith, AR is going well. The roof is complete, all the windows and doors are in, siding is up, and the rough plumbing was finished. They are also finishing up on the electrical and the central heat/air.

We would like to thank all the Habitat volunteers and associates who have helped. Be sure to check the Arvest blog for another update on the progress of the home.

If you would like more information about Habitat’s home ownership program or to find out more about how you can get involved, call the Habitat office in Fort Smith at (479) 782-8255. Or, to get involved with Habitat for Humanity in your area, call their national toll-free number at (800) 422-4828.

Arvest Sponsors 2nd Hole at Joplin Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:00:10 GMT

Arvest Bank in Joplin, MO was recently a hole sponsor at the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce Hot Links Golf Tournament on August 20th.

As players came by our Arvest tent, located on the second hole at Schifferdecker Golf Course, they were given a chilled golf towel.

Temperatures reached the mid 90’s, and the golfers appreciated the brief cool-down as they played through!

7 Ways to Save on Healthy Living

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:06:17 GMT

If you're like many people, you're cutting corners and saving wherever you can. You might be fearing – or facing – unemployment in a challenging job market, or struggling to meet the rising costs of health care, gas and groceries. With today's focus on the essentials, fitness expenses like a gym membership or athletic trainer might not be a priority.

Yet now can actually be a key time to invest in your health. People who live a healthy lifestyle tend to be more productive and better at handling stress, making them more valuable employees. It turns out being fit can even save you on health insurance — many companies factor in height and weight when determining rates for consumers.

Here are seven tips for improving your health while saving money:

Skip the gym.
Take your workouts outdoors or set up a workout space at home. Americans spend many billions of dollars on health and fitness club memberships each year. What's more, 80% of the 40 million Americans paying for gym memberships aren't using them (Medical News Today). Invest in athletic shoes and make every nearby street, trail and park your workout space — for free.

Gear up for less.
Working out at home can save you the $50 to $100 a month you'd pay for a gym membership. Stock up on weights or other used athletic equipment by hitting a garage sale or browsing Craigslist.com. Water bottles, laundry detergent containers and all kinds of household items can double as weights. And if you're short on inspiration, check out workout tapes or DVDs from your local library.

Revisit your rate.
If you're more gym fanatic than park fan, there's still no need to pay top dollar. Shop around for deals elsewhere and see if your gym can match them, or tell the sales rep. times are tight and see what they can offer you. If you're not a member but want to be, visit your local YMCA for monthly memberships that cost just $30 to $50 per month. If you're looking for a gym, the trick is to shop around — watch out for specials, negotiate with sales reps and avoid large initiation fees.

Bike to work.
Your health – and wallet – will thank you. Commuters who drive 20 work-related miles per workday drive over 5,200 miles annually. If fuel is $2.80 per gallon, they're paying over $700 for gas alone. Add in bridge tolls and car maintenance and you're probably looking at over $1000. Why not hop on your bike instead? Now you can even map your route online by selecting the bicycle option at http://maps.google.com/

Dine in.
The average American family of four eats out approximately three times a week at a cost of $300 or $400 per month or more. You can eat more healthfully for less by reserving meals out for special occasions. For even bigger savings, make large batches of soups, lasagnas and other dishes, and then freeze some for work lunches and future meals. You can find a wealth of healthy recipes online, like the ones here: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/RecipeIndex

Get supermarket savvy.
Smart grocery shopping is a critical part of eating healthfully and keeping costs down. Before going, make a list and determine a budget to avoid splurges. On your trip, opt for the store brand instead of name-brand items. Other money savers are buying frozen veggies instead of fresh, avoiding prepackaged foods and grabbing oatmeal instead of packaged cereals. Use store savings cards and stock up during sales. Another tip? Visit your local farmer's market to get in-season, organic produce on your table for less.

Vanish your vices.
We all have our habits. But if you smoke or drink regularly, there's never been a better time to cut back or quit. Instead of an-after work glass of wine or beer, take a walk, have some tea or pick up a book instead. If you're a smoker, try to quit. If you smoke 20 cigarettes a day, you can save as much as $1,500 a year by quitting. The real perk? You'll seriously reduce major risks to your health.

In the end, investing in your health won't just save you money. It will improve your lifestyle and outlook, as well.

For more tips on ways to live richly in trying times, check out www.arvestmoneyskills.com and http://www.whatsmyscore.org.

Fayetteville Arvest Branch Gets a Facelift

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:24:53 GMT

The Arvest Bank branch located inside the Walmart Supercenter on Martin Luther King Blvd., in Fayetteville has been remodeled.

The branch closed on Aug. 13, 2010 for the renovations and reopened on Aug. 31.

“We strive to provide the best banking experience for our customers. Part of that experience means keeping our branches up-to-date and fresh for our customers,” Gaye Wilcox, senior vice president/ sales manager for Arvest Bank, Fayetteville, said. “This remodel is a great enhancement for the branch and I’m excited its already back open and serving our customers.”

Check out some photos of our fresh new look! If you’re in the area, pop in and say hi to our team on Sept. 17 for our Grand Re-Opening Celebration!

Arvest Springfield Celebrates Grand Opening Finale of National Avenue Branch

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:14:05 GMT

Our new branch at the intersection of National Ave. and Chestnut Expressway in Springfield , Missouri, celebrated its recent official Grand Opening.

We have taken the opportunity to celebrate the opening of our new branch by partnering with local charities and getting to know our neighbors a little better. Throughout the entire month of August, we paired up with four charities and asked them to serve as our “Charity of the Week.” This provided them with the opportunity to promote themselves and receive donations in the name of everyone who stopped by the new branch. For each visitor, we donated $1 to the organization of the week and the visitor was entered to into a drawing for a new Apple iPad.

All four charities received their donations at our official Grand Opening ceremony. Drury University and Ozarks Technical Community College also each received $10,000 from the Walton Family Foundation to help support sustainable efforts on their campuses.

Thanks to all who came out last Friday to support Arvest and our local charity partners. Check out a few pictures from our event-filled day.

First Leadership in Rogers Student Application Deadline is Sept. 3

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:15:20 GMT

Fifteen years ago First Leadership was the vision of Dick Trammel, Carl Baggett and Raymond Burns as well as many other community leaders. Their vision was to help create future leaders in the Rogers, AR area. Arvest Bank teamed up with the Rogers/Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce to launch the program.

Each September Sophomores & Juniors from Rogers High School and Heritage High School are encouraged to apply for the program. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0, display of leadership potential, yet not be overly involved in extra-curricular activities, and show a desire to be involved in the community.

Up to 20 students are chosen to participate in the program. Those students who are chose for the program must maintaining passing grades in all courses throughout First Leadership and attend all First Leadership sessions.

There are nine sessions where students learn everything from human services to personal finance. Each year the students tour Little Rock where students get to meet Governor Beebe and visit various cultural and historic sites like the Clinton Library, Central High Museum and the Arkansas Arts Center. First Leadership also allows students to interact with community and business leaders who they otherwise might not have the opportunity to meet. Students are also required to complete 8 hours of community service.

The deadline for applications is September 3rd. Applications are available at rogerslowell.com and the offices at Rogers High School and Heritage High School.

J.D. Power and Associates Trophy in Shawnee

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:50:51 GMT

Every July, Shawnee welcomes the International Finals Youth Rodeo to town which brings rodeo youth and families from all over the United States as well as many other countries - including Mexico and Austrailia. This year, since Arvest had just been named recipient of the J.D Power and Associates 2010 award for being ranked highest in Customer Satisfaction with Retail Banking in the Southwest in retail banking, we felt it would be a great opportunity to show off the award and promote the rodeo to have the trophy visit the event.

As the sponsor of the final performance of the rodeo since it’s inception in 1993, Arvest Bank is proud to be a part of this annual community event and proud to have received this award from our customers. Thank you! View more photos of the trophy tour on our Arvest Facebook Page.

Arvest Benton County Sponsoring Chilisalsapeno at the Frisco Festival

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:22:17 GMT

This Saturday Arvest Bank in Benton County, AR is sponsoring the Chilisalsapeno at the Frisco Festival in Downtown Rogers. Proceeds benefit Main Street Rogers, the non-profit group responsible for improvements to the downtown area ranging from new intersections to pocket parks.

For 26 years, the city of Rogers has been celebrating its heritage with the annual Frisco Festival. Each year citizens of Rogers and surrounding communities converge on downtown Rogers the last weekend of August to enjoy free rides, live music, talent shows and of course food.

For the fifth year in a row, Arvest has sponsored the Chilisalsapeno contest at the Frisco Festival. Banks, businesses and churches from Northwest Arkansas will decide who has the best chili. Attendees will be allowed to sample chili and vote for their favorite recipe. They will also vote on the booth that is the most visually appealing in the “Showmanship” category. Likewise, four judges taste the chili and cast their votes for the best chili. Chili Taster Kits can be purchased at the event for $5/each. Sampling begins at 10:45 a.m.

In addition to the chili competition, a salsa competition will be held. Members of the community are asked to make their best salsa and allow four judges to determine who makes the best salsa in Rogers. Judging will begin at 11:30 am.

And as if the chili and the salsa won’t add enough spice to the day, there will be a jalapeno eating contest. Each contestant has two minutes to eat as many hot, spicy peppers as possible. Competition begins at 1:30 pm.

Don’t wait to enter one or all of these fun contests. The deadline is Friday, August 28th. To download a registration form, click here!

Arvest Springfield Announces First Two Prize Winners

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:49:19 GMT

It’s an exciting time for Arvest Bank in Springfield, MO as we celebrate the grand opening of our newest location at the corner of National Ave. and Chestnut Expressway. Our new branch has been built to LEED standards and is a full-service location offering everything from daily deposits and check cashing, to account opening services and mortgage loans.

We are happy to announce April Eaton and Deb Oman as the first two Apple iPad winners as part of our grand opening month for the new National Ave. and Chestnut Expressway location.

During our month long grand opening event, we are asking the community to come to the branch and support a “Charity of the Week.” For each visitor of the branch Arvest will donate $1 to the organization of the week and they will be entered into a drawing for a new Apple iPad.

There are two more iPad giveaways this month, come out to our new branch and register to win today!

Arvest Business Customers: Save Time with Remote Deposit Capture

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 07:44:37 GMT

One of Arvest’s most popular Business Banking services is Remote Deposit Capture, which enables you to send your check deposits to the bank remotely. Remote Deposit Capture allows you to focus on your business and submit your deposits on your own schedule, without trips to the bank.

Benefits for Your Business

Arvest Remote Deposit Capture is ideal for your business if you make frequent deposits, are not located near an Arvest Bank location or if you are unable to leave during the business day. For business owners on a tight schedule, this service is a great tool for meeting deposit deadlines.

How Remote Deposit Capture Works

So what can you do with Remote Deposit Capture? For starters, this service allows you to convert checks into electronic images, which have the same legal standing as physical checks. You can also deposit scanned checks online, which helps funds to move more quickly from one account to another. Additionally, you are able to access reports detailing remote deposit activity, allowing you to keep track of your cash flow. Finally, one of the best features of Remote Deposit Capture is the ability to verify and approve the deposit and submit to Arvest Bank for processing at or before the daily cut-off time.

Getting Started

Your Arvest Treasury Management Representative will complete the initial sign-up Agreement, set up security levels and deliver your scanner and user guides. Additionally, they will provide on-site testing and training for your business associates. After set up, you will have easy access to expert support from your bank’s Treasury Management contact, as well as Arvest Treasury Management Support.

Learn More

To learn more about Remote Deposit Capture and how it could benefit your business, you can click here. Additionally, you may also view a brief demo of this great service here.

Save time handling your check deposits and enroll in Remote Deposit Capture today!

Arvest Fort Smith Celebrates Grand Reopening in Poteau

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 07:44:11 GMT

The Arvest Bank in Poteau, OK celebrated their grand reopening and ribbon cutting today. The branch went through a remodel and is now more customer friendly with a bigger lobby and features a customer waiting area with new furniture. “We felt this remodel was necessary to help better serve our customers, which is our number one priority,” stated Ted Sheets, Community Bank President of Eastern Oklahoma.

The branch now has a different look inside and out. The interior offices were removed and now there are 11 enclosed offices, instead of 3. The remodel also added a conference room and restrooms for customers. Flooring was replaced and the new teller line will be more convenient. In addition to all of the interior changes, the outside was painted.

A check presentation on behalf of the Walton Family Foundation followed the grand reopening ceremony. A check for $5,000 was presented to the Leflore County Literacy Council. Mike Beshers and Ted Sheets of Arvest Bank were on hand as representatives of the foundation to present the check to the Leflore County Literacy Council. The funds will help with the purchase of materials for adult learners, to provide storage for materials and to fund a family literacy program called Jump Start. The Leflore County Literacy Council’s mission is to provide reading instruction for adults with no or low level reading skills and provide English instruction for non-English speaking adults.

Arvest Online Banking Demo Now Available

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:38:07 GMT

As many of you know, Arvest recently underwent some upgrades to our Online Banking system. With the new appearance and functionality of Arvest Online Banking we wanted to help familiarize our customers with the new interface. We now have a new Online Banking Demo available.

This Online Banking Demo shows the various functions of Arvest Online Banking and an overview of how to manage your accounts. For those who have questions about the recent upgrade, please refer to our Upgrade FAQs for more information.

Tulsa Area Food, Fun, and Festivities!

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:14:44 GMT

Arvest associates from the Tulsa market have been enjoying the many summer festivities including:

Broken Arrow - Tuesdays in the Park, a free concert series at Central Park every Tuesday night in June. Sponsored in part by Arvest Bank. Arvest associates enjoyed the music, visiting with friends and customers, and handing out Frisbees! What’s a trip to the park without a Frisbee, right?

The 20^th Annual Bologna Day! Customers in Wagoner lined up on June 11^th for one of our famous grilled bologna BBQ sandwiches. In addition to food, there were activities for the kiddos and door prizes.

1^st Annual OinkFest! Not to be outdone, on June 18^th our branch in Muskogee started their own delicious tradition by serving up grilled pork links. Customers were greeted with leis and signed up to win door prizes.

Mary Price Retires After 11 Years of Service

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 09:19:26 GMT

Mary Price will be retiring from Arvest after 11 years of faithful service. A retirement reception for Mary will be held Friday, August 13, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, at our 739 Harmony St., Neosho, MO, location.

Arvest Bank would like to thank Mary for her dedicated service in her years representing us. We invite you to join us in showing her our appreciation and wishing her our very best at the reception.

Arvest and Habitat for Humanity Team Up for ReHabitat Build

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:36:54 GMT

Our new branch grand opening on National Ave. and Chestnut Expressway is now in full swing as we enter into our month long celebration with various community-focused events. We chose Habitat for Humanity as our first “Charity of the Week” and are already seeing great community involvement!

You may have seen pictures and posts in the past about partnerships between our banks and the Habitat for Humanity organization in their communities as part of a bank-wide, three-year commitment to the organization. While we are celebrating the opening of our new branch, we are also busy helping a Springfield family get a new home, too.

Arvest has donated $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity in Springfield. Our funds are being used for the ReHabitat project on Clifton Street. The upgrades on this three-bedroom house will help make it a home for Corey and Tanisha Holland and their three children.

This last Saturday we held a groundbreaking event for the project. With the Hollands, Habitat volunteers and a group of our associates the ceremony began with a check presentation to Habitat for Humanity, with Arvest being the sole sponsor of this ReHabitat build. After the presentation, work began to construct a fence, do some exterior painting and bring a covered porch up to code to make it safe to play on.