Business and People Notes July 2019
AVB Bank announces that board member Neely Kimbrough was inducted into the 50-Year Club during a special awards brunch at the Oklahoma Bankers Association’s 2019 Annual Convention & Trade Show. This honor acknowledged more than five decades of Kimbrough’s service to the banking industry.
Kimbrough began his banking career with Arkansas Valley State Bank (AVSB) in 1962 as a lender. Named president in 1966, Kimbrough then assumed the position of chief executive officer in 1984. He served as chairman of the board for 10 years, from 1990 – 2000. Retiring from AVSB in 2000, Kimbrough remained on AVSB’s board of directors. AVSB’s name was rebranded in 2008 to AVB, and Kimbrough now serves as an AVB board member.
Kimbrough stated, “Banking is a people business, and trust is essential in building a relationship. I have loved every minute of it!”
Founded in Broken Arrow in 1905, AVB Bank is currently in the fifth generation of family management and sixth generation of family ownership.
Taylor Rider has joined the Sparks Reed Architecture and Interiors staff as an intern.
“We are very happy to have Taylor join our team this summer,” said David Reed, principal of the Tulsa firm. “He has a great attitude and is eager to learn. He is already a productive part of the team.”
With its sports architecture expertise, Sparks Reed provided the 22-year-old Oklahoma State University student a chance to delve into his favorite fields: athletics and commercial design.
“I really enjoy the computer side of design,” said Rider, who also uses pen and ink on occasion. “I think computers open up a lot of power, speeding up the design process while allowing you to go into more detail.”
His initial work for Sparks Reed surprised Rider in many ways.
“As a kid, I loved playing with Legos and Lincoln logs,” he said. “From that, I became interested in floor plans and design. I like being able to express creativity this way.
“But I didn’t realize how complicated a process it was – and how long a process it was – until this internship,” said Rider, who intends to graduate from OSU’s School of Architecture in December. “I got a taste of it in college, but this job taught me how diverse a job this is.”
Sparks Reed Architecture and Interiors was founded in 2011 by principals David Reed, Gary Sparks and Jill Selman. To learn more about the firm and its past projects, visit sparksreed.com or call David Reed at 918-884-6007.
“I feel very blessed to be here,” said Rider, noting his tutelage under Sparks Reed principal David Reed and intern architect Bryan Broaddrick. “David and Bryan have been very open to letting me fail, and that’s helped me gain experience. They’ve put a lot of trust in what I’m doing. That’s been nice, being turned loose. A little scary, too, but nice.”
Mayor G.T. Bynum announced that Becky Gligo will serve as the Housing Policy Director for the City of Tulsa.
Gligo will be responsible for working with city and state housing agencies, non-profit entities, philanthropic organizations and developers to achieve key outcomes of neighborhood revitalization and affordable housing preservation and development. Gligo will also identify and implement local and state policy changes that will help reduce Tulsa’s rate of evictions while developing and implementing affordable incentives to help increase the safety, health, affordability and preservation of existing housing in Tulsa.
“With her long-standing commitment to improving people’s lives in the areas of housing and education, Becky will fill an integral role at the City of Tulsa through a focus on housing,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “I am very grateful for the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation’s partnership in addressing this need in our community.”
Prior to the City of Tulsa, Gligo served as the director of portfolio management for Tulsa Public Schools where she monitored seven charter schools and Oklahoma’s first partnership school. In this role, she also served as the Tulsa Public Schools liaison to the Tulsa Housing Authority and Urban Strategies, Inc. for the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to join the City of Tulsa’s efforts to ensure that all Tulsans have access to stable and sound housing opportunities,” said Gligo. “I look forward to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to protect and expand affordable housing across our city.”
The City of Broken Arrow has announced Matt Hendren as Parks and Recreation Director.
“I am honored to be chosen to lead the Broken Arrow Parks and Recreation Department into an exciting future,” Hendren said.
Hendren joins the city from Norman, where he has served as parks superintendent since 2015. Prior to that, he worked for Wyandotte County, Kan., as well as for golf courses in the Kansas City area.
“I am excited to have Matt join our leadership team,” said City Manager Michael Spurgeon. “The energy and experience he will bring to the Parks and Recreation Department will be a vital addition to the organization.”
Hendren is a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional, Certified Aquatic Facility Operator, a graduate of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Directors School, and a trustee for the Oklahoma Recreation and Parks Society Board of Directors. He will be in charge of 41 parks and 800 acres of public space.
Jessica Smith, a commercial banking officer at the First National Bank in Broken Arrow, graduated from the Oklahoma Bankers Association’s 2018-19 Emerging Leaders Academy at the OBA’s 122nd Annual Convention and Trade Show.
Smith was selected from a large pool of applicants to participate in the academy, which consisted of six one-day sessions from October 2018 to March 2019. Each session centered on developing leadership and management skills by using creative instruction techniques and active participation.
The OBA represents approximately 200 banks across the state and serves as the primary advocate for the banking industry. It’s also heavily involved in continuing education for bankers, fraud training and prevention as well as legal and compliance services and communications for its member banks.
The Jenks Chamber of Commerce has announced the addition of Lane Castleberry to its staff to serve as director of communications.
Castleberry previously served as web content and social media coordinator for Oklahoma Baptist University from 2012 to May 2019. He graduated from OBU with a degree in news and information in 2011.
Castleberry will be responsible for all public relations, design and creative efforts to maintain the Chamber brand. He will regularly communicate with current and prospective Chamber members, members of the public and the media. Castleberry will plan, promote and enhance programs that achieve the Chamber’s mission and goals.
Eager to start working, Castleberry said he looks forward to getting more acquainted with the Jenks community.
“Jenks is a beautiful city with a vibrant community, and I very much look forward to interacting with the people who make Jenks great,” he said.
President and CEO of the Chamber Josh Driskell is glad to welcome Castleberry to the Chamber staff.
“We look forward to working with Lane,” Driskell said. “His skill set will be a benefit to both the organization and to our members.”
When not working at the Chamber, Castleberry said he enjoys spending time with his fiancée, Codi, playing board games and writing music.
For questions about the Chamber, or to welcome Lane to the team, email lane.castleberry@jenkschamber.com or call 918-299-5005.
