History of Oklahoma Capital

In 1963, John A. Smith and a group of investors saw a need for a local bank in the community of Turley, OK.  Turley is an unincorporated township in northern Tulsa County.  It was established in 1897, and its first school established in 1902.   Some 61 years after the town was created, the bank dreamed up by Mr. Smith was chartered as First National Bank of Turley.  The Smith family continued to serve the local community through the new bank for the next 50 years with few upheavals.  In 1991, the investors switched the bank from a national charter to a state charter and renamed it First Bank of Turley.  That was more of a behind-the-scenes change, but thirteen years later, those same investors opted for a more visible change when they opened a branch in Skiatook and changed the name again, this time to something completely different:  Freedom Bank of Oklahoma.  With this change, Mr. Smith and the gang were trying to spread the same service and relationship they had started so long ago with First National.  

Roughly ten years later, the Smith family decided  it was time to let go of the reigns, so to speak, so the bank could grow to its full potential.  They sold the bank to Capital Bank Holdings, a company consisting of over 80 local Tulsa area shareholders.  This new group had a similar vision as Mr. Smith, only they wanted to focus on serving small business owners of the community.  In 2016, the new owners changed the name of the bank for the final time to Oklahoma Capital Bank.  The new name came from the group's idea to provide "capital at the speed of business" while building relationships that last through excellent customer service. 

The new group ran into some unexpected troubles, as many businesses did, through the COVID shutdowns of 2020.  As a result, those 80 investors decided to sell to another local bank holding company.  Sooner Southwest Bankshares was more than happy to take over those aforementioned reigns.  In business since 1986, Sooner already owned three successful banks in Oklahoma:

All three of these banks typically had deposits far in excess of their ability to loan.  A sister bank in Tulsa could mean another source of loans for those more rural banks, as well as an additional source of funding for the loans needed by Oklahoma Capital Bank's customers.  It was a win-win, so on October 8, 2021, Sooner Southwest Bankshares took ownership of Capital Bank Holdings, and by extension, Oklahoma Capital Bank. 

The bank's name will not change, but its attitude is - for the better.  Services are being revamped.  Personnel is being added.  Management is actively looking at every aspect of banking at OCB to see what we already do well and what can be done even better.  You've seen some faces change, and you've probably seen more smiles on everyone's faces, too.  That's because Sooner is making OCB a better place to bank AND a better place to work.  In the coming months, you'll see even more changes such as this website, as we work out better, more efficient processes, add new services, and make Oklahoma Capital Bank the place where "Banking Builds Relationships."  Hang with us or just give us a try for the first time.  It won't be long before we are more than just your banker.  We'll become your partner, working together to improve your business and ours.  Because as you grow and prosper, so do we.  Who wouldn't want that kind of relationship?