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Three officials with Arvest Bank recently conducted a seminar sponsored by the Small Business Council of the Greater Shawnee Area on identity theft and fraud.
Laqueda Steward, executive vice president and sales manager, Jill Rawls, assistant vice president who helps in operations and with the branches, and Aline Smith, senior vice president in charge of human resources and operations, provided an informative session dealing with these two areas.
Steward pointed out that the Federal Trade Commission estimated 9 million Americans have had their identity damaged or compromised. She cautioned those in attendance to exercise care in use of credit cards, banking transactions and urged shredding of documents which contain sensitive information like Social Security numbers and account numbers.
She suggested that when people go shopping to take only one or two credits cards at the most with them. Smith suggested that men should put their wallets in front pockets, especially in crowded conditions, which make it more difficult for wallets to be stolen.
Steward warned what she described as “Dumpster divers” will look for old credit card statements and credit reports they can steal from the huge traffic containers.
She also talked about mail being stolen, and she urged people to shred their mail after opening it after it’s no longer needed. She noted that records can be stolen, and cautioned about employees in businesses being bribed for customer information.
The three also showed us examples of how banking officials can distinguish between real and counterfeit bills.
•••
For those curious about what’s taking place west of Chili’s at Shawnee Mall, that’s a new Walgreen’s under construction at 600 Mall Drive. According to building permit records at city hall, the new facility will contain an estimated 13,650 square feet.
Also, the Comfort Inn has taken out a building permit for a new motel at 5400 Enterprise Court. That is near the present Laquinta Motel.
•••
This is another quick reminder about Shawnee’s March of Dimes walk which begins at 10 a.m. today at Woodland Park. Kim Rawls once again reminds us the goal for the local drive this year is $45,000. Ambassador child is Jax Easton Birth, son of Zack and Darrah Birth. (Jax is the grandson of Brian and Barbara Walck of Shawnee).
Honorary chair is Rep. Kris Steele.
Rawls says participants will be provided breakfast courtesy of the Sonic. Team awards and door prizes will be handed out upon completion of the walk.
Committee members for this year’s walk include: Natalie Walck and Ryan Walters of St. Gregory’s, Peggy Rider of BancFirst, Kim Steen of Shawnee Medical Center Clinic and Rawls of Arvest Bank.
Gold sponsors are: Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Eaton, First United Bank, Shawnee Medical Center Clinic and First National Bank. Silver sponsors are Unity Health Center, Pottawatomie Telephone Co., BancFirst, Arvest Bank, Three Buddies BBQ, Vision Bank and Sonic.
•••
Twenty or 30 tickets remain for “A Tasty Affair,” the annual fundraising auction and dinner sponsored by the Greater Shawnee Area Chamber of Commerce, scheduled for Thursday at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Conference Center.
Penney Weaver of the chamber staff told me Tuesday the event is nearing another sellout.
The reception and silent auction begin at 5 p.m. with dinner starting at 6 and the live auction at 7. Tickets are $25 each, and corporate tables, which seat eight and include company signages, are $300.
For more information, call the chamber at 273-6092 or send an e-mail to Penney at pweaver@shawneechamber.com.
•••
Former Shawnee City Manager Jim Collard dropped by the office Friday to visit briefly. Collard recently was hired as the planning and economic development director for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation.
Collard said he is hoping to become more involved in community activities as he transitions to his new job.
•••
According to a recent story provided by us The Associated Press, Oklahoma employers say the state does not have enough skilled workers to bring their companies up to full employment.
Employers told members of the House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee Tuesday that more needs to be done to recruit and retain skilled workers in the state.
Brian Hayden, vice president of Advance Food Co. of Enid, says the company has hired 700 new workers over the past two years and recruits workers from as far away as Puerto Rico. But the company still has 95 job openings that remain unfilled.
Phil Berkenbile, director of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, says 12,000 people are on a waiting list to enroll in career and technology courses in the state’s Career Tech system.
Berkenbile says students need more flexibility when choosing a career path.
•••
If you have ideas or something of interest for this column, please call me at 214-3922 or e-mail me at michael.mccormick@news-star.com, but please include your name and a phone number for contact purposes.
Three officials with Arvest Bank recently conducted a seminar sponsored by the Small Business Council of the Greater Shawnee Area on identity theft and fraud.
Laqueda Steward, executive vice president and sales manager, Jill Rawls, assistant vice president who helps in operations and with the branches, and Aline Smith, senior vice president in charge of human resources and operations, provided an informative session dealing with these two areas.
Steward pointed out that the Federal Trade Commission estimated 9 million Americans have had their identity damaged or compromised. She cautioned those in attendance to exercise care in use of credit cards, banking transactions and urged shredding of documents which contain sensitive information like Social Security numbers and account numbers.
She suggested that when people go shopping to take only one or two credits cards at the most with them. Smith suggested that men should put their wallets in front pockets, especially in crowded conditions, which make it more difficult for wallets to be stolen.
Steward warned what she described as “Dumpster divers” will look for old credit card statements and credit reports they can steal from the huge traffic containers.
She also talked about mail being stolen, and she urged people to shred their mail after opening it after it’s no longer needed. She noted that records can be stolen, and cautioned about employees in businesses being bribed for customer information.
The three also showed us examples of how banking officials can distinguish between real and counterfeit bills.
•••
For those curious about what’s taking place west of Chili’s at Shawnee Mall, that’s a new Walgreen’s under construction at 600 Mall Drive. According to building permit records at city hall, the new facility will contain an estimated 13,650 square feet.
Also, the Comfort Inn has taken out a building permit for a new motel at 5400 Enterprise Court. That is near the present Laquinta Motel.
•••
This is another quick reminder about Shawnee’s March of Dimes walk which begins at 10 a.m. today at Woodland Park. Kim Rawls once again reminds us the goal for the local drive this year is $45,000. Ambassador child is Jax Easton Birth, son of Zack and Darrah Birth. (Jax is the grandson of Brian and Barbara Walck of Shawnee).
Honorary chair is Rep. Kris Steele.
Rawls says participants will be provided breakfast courtesy of the Sonic. Team awards and door prizes will be handed out upon completion of the walk.
Committee members for this year’s walk include: Natalie Walck and Ryan Walters of St. Gregory’s, Peggy Rider of BancFirst, Kim Steen of Shawnee Medical Center Clinic and Rawls of Arvest Bank.
Gold sponsors are: Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Eaton, First United Bank, Shawnee Medical Center Clinic and First National Bank. Silver sponsors are Unity Health Center, Pottawatomie Telephone Co., BancFirst, Arvest Bank, Three Buddies BBQ, Vision Bank and Sonic.
•••
Twenty or 30 tickets remain for “A Tasty Affair,” the annual fundraising auction and dinner sponsored by the Greater Shawnee Area Chamber of Commerce, scheduled for Thursday at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Conference Center.
Penney Weaver of the chamber staff told me Tuesday the event is nearing another sellout.
The reception and silent auction begin at 5 p.m. with dinner starting at 6 and the live auction at 7. Tickets are $25 each, and corporate tables, which seat eight and include company signages, are $300.
For more information, call the chamber at 273-6092 or send an e-mail to Penney at pweaver@shawneechamber.com.
•••
Former Shawnee City Manager Jim Collard dropped by the office Friday to visit briefly. Collard recently was hired as the planning and economic development director for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation.
Collard said he is hoping to become more involved in community activities as he transitions to his new job.
•••
According to a recent story provided by us The Associated Press, Oklahoma employers say the state does not have enough skilled workers to bring their companies up to full employment.
Employers told members of the House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee Tuesday that more needs to be done to recruit and retain skilled workers in the state.
Brian Hayden, vice president of Advance Food Co. of Enid, says the company has hired 700 new workers over the past two years and recruits workers from as far away as Puerto Rico. But the company still has 95 job openings that remain unfilled.
Phil Berkenbile, director of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, says 12,000 people are on a waiting list to enroll in career and technology courses in the state’s Career Tech system.
Berkenbile says students need more flexibility when choosing a career path.
•••
If you have ideas or something of interest for this column, please call me at 214-3922 or e-mail me at michael.mccormick@news-star.com, but please include your name and a phone number for contact purposes.
