Bank Owners
- Steve Burrage, Owner/Board Member
- Roberta Burrage, Owner/Board Member
- David Burrage, Owner/Board Member
- Mike Burrage, Owner
History of FirstBank
The history of FirstBank began in 1901, when the Antlers National Bank was chartered. In 1906, the bank moved to the location where FirstBank in Antlers still operates today. During the 1920's, there were three banks in Antlers: Antlers National Bank, Farmers Exchange Bank and Citizen's National Bank. Antlers National Bank acquired Citizen's, leaving two banks in the community. In 1935, during the depression many depositors of Antlers National Bank were given stock in lieu of their money. Two of those receiving stock were Oliver Wood, Roberta Burrage's great uncle, and Robert Wood Sr., Roberta's grandfather, who each received one hundred ninety shares out of ten thousand total shares. The remaining shares were spread throughout the community. That same year Antlers National Bank changed its name to First National Bank of Antlers.
During the 1950's, the Petterson and the Berry Families out of Denison, Texas bought controlling interest of the bank and appointed Alphous Holt to run the bank. Mr. Holt ran a conservative operation and First National Bank was known as a solid bank. Farmer's Exchange Bank grew larger than First National and became the dominant bank in town. Ralph Winters, Roberta's father, joined the bank's Board of Directors during this time. Mr. Winters was an accountant who had moved to Antlers in 1933 after graduating from Oklahoma A&M University, now known as OSU.
In 1967, Alphous Holt retired and Ralph Winters' nephew/Roberta Burrage's cousin, Irving "Bo" Winters, was named President and CEO of the bank. Under Bo's leadership the bank became the leading financial institution in the county. In 1976, the bank was acquired from the Peterson and Berry Families from Denison, Texas. Bo Winters now owned 38% and Ralph Winters owned 23%. The remaining shares of ownership were spread throughout the community.
In March of 1982, Bo Winters retired. Also, in the same year Steve Burrage, Ralph Winters' Son-In-Law/Roberta Burrage's husband, acquired Bo Winters 38% ownership of the bank. This gave Ralph and Steve controlling interest in the bank. Steve was named President and Ralph Chairman of the Board. Under Steve and Ralph’s leadership, the bank was remodeled, a drive-thru added, and the bank doubled in size.
Late in 1990, First National Bank expanded by purchasing the failed Midwest Federal Savings & Loan location in Atoka. Midwest Federal had $10 million in total assets. Mike and Steve Burrage invited their brother, David, to join First National Bank as President the same year. David brought extensive management and business experience with him to his new position in the bank. Within a year, land was acquired and a new bank was built in Atoka in 1991.
Between 1999 and 2002, Steve & Roberta Burrage, Mike Burrage and David Burrage acquired all shares of the bank that were not owned by the Burrage family. The bank's charter was changed from a national charter to a state charter and the name was changed from First National Bank to FirstBank. During 2000, FirstBank also bought Farmers Exchange Bank, the only other financial institution in Antlers.
In 2002, Rob Holloway, the husband of Sissy Burrage, Steve, Mike and David's sister, re-designed the bank in Antlers to look as similar as possible to its original structure before the 1945 tornado had damaged the building and its original tower.
Beginning in 2006 under Steve and David’s leadership, FirstBank began a period of rapid expansion and built branches in Coalgate (2006), Hugo (2011), and Kiowa (2013).
In 2016, the Burrage family named Mark Burrage as the CEO of the bank. Under Mark’s leadership, FirstBank acquired 1st Bank and Trust which had locations in Broken Bow, Hochatown, Wright City, and Idabel.
FirstBank currently has 9 locations in 6 counties and is the most solid, community-minded, financial institution in southeastern Oklahoma. FirstBank has more loans than any other local community bank in the Atoka/Coal/Pushmataha/Choctaw/McCurtain county area and we take pride in our proven track record and long-standing commitment to customer service. Our team is focused on making sure that our customers have the most current banking products and services and that our experienced lenders are ready to help you with your next personal, business, or agricultural loan.
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