January 15, 2026 • 37 mins
- On today's show Blaine Callier talks about scams to avoid, plus Kelly Tolbert has information on a special upcoming conference.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, hello Southeast Texas. I'm so glad you've joined us
this Saturday. What a beautiful day we have and what
amazing guests we have on the show.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Today.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
We have Blame Callier from a First Financial bank and
he is the president and CEO, and we're going to
talk about all kinds of different things. One is, yes,
that interest rate did go down a little bit from
the FED. So how does that impact everything? What does
that look like for you and me? So that's one
of the things we're going to visit about today, and
lots of other conversations. Fraud may come up. You don't
(00:32):
want to miss it. Also with us Kelly Talbert, she
is the Sean's Women's Conference leader. She's going to talk
about that ministry and an exciting event coming up that
they have.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Before we get.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Started, they I always like to give you a little
bit of a pulse on what is the market doing you.
We did have some pretty soft months over the last
six months or so, but I'm going to tell you
we are seeing a pickup. I think the market is
going to conte you to improve. That's just my guess. Okay,
So based on the information that I've looked at, it
(01:06):
looks promising and it looks positive. So you're if you're
in the market to buy, I would say, let's take
a peek and see if now is the right time
for you. Give us a call at four nine eight
six six eight three two six, or you can always
go to the website at Dana Simmons real estate dot com.
And one of my isays, if you fill out a
contact us form, we'll reach out to you and visit
(01:28):
with you about a time that we can sit down
and just chat and talk through what are your goals
and what can we do to help you. Right now,
before we get started on some of the business side
of things, I'd like to let you get to know
these amazing people. So Blaine, we're going to give you
the starting point, So tell us a little bit about you.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Yeah, very good. So I am born raised here in
Southeast Texas. I am the president and CEO of First
Financial Bank for our Southeast Texas region. For those that
don't know about First Financial Bank where Texas base Bank.
We have locations really all throughout the state of Texas.
In my region. My region consists of Southeast sex As,
the Golden Triangle. We have locations in Orange Jefferson, Harden,
(02:11):
and Newton Counties. Today we have seven locations and where
our eighth location is under construction right now. We're very
excited to for it to open up in Q two
of twenty twenty six. It'll be located on College and
Eighth Street, kind of right close to Baptist's Hospital, and
we are very excited. It will be our eighth location
(02:31):
for our region, but our eightieth location in the state
of Texas. But very excited about it. I am, like
I said, I'm born and raised in Orange, grew up
in gold the Golden Triangle, Southeast Texas my entire life.
I'm a graduate from from Lamar University, married to my
wife Regina, and have three kids, Clara, Jet and Gabrielle
(02:54):
and are they are busy as can be right now
and just we are very last and honored to be
on your radio show today.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Yeah, you guys, I love you know. That's one of
the things I love about Facebook is being able to
see all those cute pictures of friends children and their activities.
And man, you are your poor wife.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
She runs, she runs, she works full time taking care
of them and does a great job.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yes, she does well.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
And they are absolutely adorable. So love having you on
the show, Blaine, and we will get into more banking
business in one of the next segments, Kelly tell everyone
a little bit about you.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Yes, so when he was saying, I'm from this area also,
I graduated from portin hus Groves. I'm an Indian in
mid County, lived their my entire life. And I guess
about two or three years ago, I wrote a book
let God's Light Shine Through You was the name of it,
and TBN published it, and so when they did it
kind of went nationwide and so people, women especially started
(03:54):
reaching out to me about things they were going through.
And so I was still working full time in a
corporate job, and I just thought, what can I do more?
And so I just it got put on my heart
to do a Shine Women's conference, which came from the
name of the book, and we did one last year.
Speaker 5 (04:09):
It's been a year since I've been here.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Which is on the radio show, and so I appreciate
you having me on.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
But we had it last year.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
We had seven hundred women come, which was amazing because
it's so funny we talked about it. We didn't know
we'd have two hundred women. So yeah, and then this
year it's at dogget Ford Park February seventh, so it's
even bigger, and so that's what we're looking forward to,
and we're going to.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Talk more about that and what people can expect in
that conference and more details. But I love that both
of you have grown up here, raised your family here.
To me, that's just so important because when you're working
with people and dealing with people, it's so nice that
they understand all the things about Southeast Texas. And you
even have your children here and grandchildren here, and what
(04:54):
a blessing it is to be able to have them
in our area and participate. Your daughter is even a
part of your ministry.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
She's a part of our ministry, and they're all starting
to have children and start their families, and so she speaks,
she's one of our speakers. So it's just been really
it's really nice to have family with.
Speaker 5 (05:12):
You in what you're doing. Yeah, well nice.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
And when you're working with people who are from here,
you are working with people who are participating in all
things here, Like for instance, Blaine and I are on
a couple of different boards together in the Chamber of
Commerce and participating in things that improve our community. And
for me, that's why I love having local people on
(05:37):
the show, just to encourage others to give back, just
like you're doing here locally in your Shaun Women's conference.
Because for us, we love what we do here, but
we have a responsibility to give back to our community.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
That's right.
Speaker 5 (05:52):
That's so good.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
And I have people that I actually graduated high school
with ye that are now my Shine team that we
connected after thirty years. Wow, and also are actually coming
to the conference and given their testimony. So that's been
so amazing too, just to come back together again after
all those years.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Absolutely, well, thank you for giving everyone just a little
brief information about who you are. But when we come back,
we are going to visit with Blaine about what is
going on in the banking world, what are some of
the changes, what is he seeing And you don't want
to miss it, so don't go away. This is the
Dana Simmons Show. Welcome back. This is Dana Simmons, and
(06:31):
I have Blaine Kaye who is with First Financial Bank
here with us. He is the president and CEO here locally,
and Blaine so many things that I love about First
Financial Bank, but one of the things that I'd like
to talk about first, is that it really is like
a local bank.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
It is. It is we have a local presence for
those that aren't aware of First Financial Bank and the
people that are from Southeast Texas. We were originally Orange
Savings Bank, been around you i'marrily in Orange County for
fifty to sixty years, and then we we merged with
First Financial Bank about twelve years ago, and so we
are a we're a publicly traded bank. We're headquartered in Abilene,
(07:11):
but we operate it's eight regional banks, so our our
region is the Southeast Texas region, and we're we're about
as old school banking as you can be, but based
you know, based on the size of our bank. You know,
we have some pretty deep pockets where we can take
care of a wide variety of customers. But we're still
kind of old school banking. We make local decisions. We
(07:32):
have a local board of directors, we meet weekly approving loans.
You don't really hear of that anymore, and uh, but
we make a lot of local decisions. And then we
also you know, we you know, as you were mentioned
in earlier, you know, we invest in our community. We
our community, We thrive on it in many different ways.
But you know, we invest in our community. We invest
(07:54):
our dollars. You know, we're we're making we're putting it
back in the community. And we love that because you know,
without our customers, we wouldn't be here. But I would say,
you know, the thing that's different about First Financial Bank
is we are a pretty good sized community bank. We're
about thirteen billion in assets. But we do everything. We
(08:14):
do everything from car loans, personal checking accounts, to commercial loans,
interconstruction loans, home loans. We have a trust company. You know,
we can do loans for you know, one hundred dollars
or we can do loans up to forty million dollars.
So we're kind of a you know, wide variety of
products and services that we can offer.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
So and I love what you said about the fact
that local decisions. I know that's critical and important because
whenever someone is looking to get a loan and the
people on that board are local people and can stand
up and say, listen, these are good people. I know
the numbers have to work, but if they're borderline, sometimes
(08:56):
the fact that your board is local, you.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Are one hundred percent. The fact of us having a
local board at local presence in this market. We have
ten boarder directors. They're all for the most part, all
Orange and Jefferson County folks. They're all successful businessmen business women,
and they know what's going on in the area. They
know what the refineries are doing. They know that LNG
facilities are coming. They know what the school districts are doing.
(09:20):
They know what different physician offices and doctors' offices are doing.
They know what the local hospital systems are doing. They
know about the home market, the housing market, our area.
And so when we're presenting along we're looking at it opportunity.
You know, we have our board that we rely on
that can sit there and provide feedback and say, well,
have you thought about this? Have you considered this neighborhood
(09:41):
may be doing this, but you know we're you know,
your customer may be saying buying a home for this
amount of money, but you know two blocks down they're
selling for this dollar amount. And then it's just it's
it really is a big advantage.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
It is it. It gives the people to it as well.
It gives the people perspective. It's not just about the
black and white. It's about the people, not just the product.
One of the things that I do love is when
I work with out of town lenders. You know, I
can't go sit in their office and have a face
(10:23):
to face conversation to say, here's this, here's the real situation.
I mean, it's impossible, and they're up in whatever part
of the world they're in and they really don't care,
and they're not going to run into me at the
grocery store again, and they don't care how they act.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
You're one hundred percent right. A lot of the financial
institutions in our area and really throughout the state, whether
they're mortgage brokers, whether it's just a full service bank,
everybody's going to these itms. You're talking to a computer screen.
You're talking to somebody that's maybe in Oregon, Wisconsin, and
they're doing everything via zoom or just over the phone. People,
(11:00):
you come see us, we're in the community. You know,
all of our loan officers, from our commercial team, to
our consumer team, to all of our mortgage team, to
all of our retail managers. You have their cell phone,
their cell phones on their card. You call them, you
go to church with them, you play, your kids, are
grandkids play ball, little League ball with them, and you know,
(11:21):
we're in the community and we're people just like the
people that we're serving here in Southeast.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
Texas, and reputation is important, absolutely, you want to keep that.
So well, we've been hearing lots of talk nationally about
the fact that the interest rates are going down.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
What are you.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Seeing, Blaine, and what are what do you think is
coming based on what you know?
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Yeah, so what I know, And I'll kind of say
that I probably said the same spill last year when
I was on your radio show. I think my crystal
ball is about as foggy as it's everything. It seemed
like when I got into banking fifteen years ago, everybody
kind of knew what the next what next year looks like,
what the next two to three five years was gonna
look like. The last probably seven years, everybody's just been
(12:05):
very uncertain what the market's going to be. You know,
there's been a lot of political changes, and so it's
been very kind of up and down making predictions on
what rates are going to do. You know, a year
and a half ago rates were at of all time high.
You know, in twenty twenty five, rates did come down.
The FED cut rates about one hundred bass points, and
(12:27):
so we do they the last cut was in December
or first part of December. When the FED met in December,
they did state that they do predict there'll be another
at least two rate cuts in twenty twenty six. Some
people say that'll be the first first two quarters, first
half of twenty six. Some people are still a little
(12:48):
optimistic one that'll be and it could be more. Yeah,
but my thoughts there are as I do believe that
we will see two more at least two more rate
cuts in twenty six, and that helps out the community.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
I think.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
I think you know, uh, Federate today is in the you know,
the four to four and a quarter range, which you know,
on the commercial side of most local regional banks priced
their loans on what's called the index they use. It
is called Wall Street Journal Prime. And so fifteen years
ago prime was at three point twenty five. So if
(13:21):
a bank gave you Prime plus two percent, your rate
was five and a quarter, a pretty good rate. You know,
when prime got up a year and a half ago
to eight and a half percent, if somebody gave you
Prime plus two you'd be at ten and a half percent,
right you know, today prime is at six point seventy five.
(13:41):
I think if we can get prime down to around six,
I think that would be pretty healthy, you know, I
think three and a courter, which was still pretty low,
you know. And then the on the mortgage side, mortgages
are not tied to Prime. They're tied to the it's
a long term bond rate. But we have seen i
would say over the last couple of weeks, we've seen
(14:01):
mortgage rates come down. Over the last year, we've seen
them come down a little bit, not to where we
would like them to be. You know, I think they've
been in the five to seven percent range, i'd say
over the last seven Over the last twelve months, they
have trickled down. I do expect them, and I think
everybody expects them to come down. We're hoping that in
(14:23):
twenty six we'll see another kind of cut on the
on the mortgage rates.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
And I'll tell you, though, when when you're talking about that,
it's so funny how perspective is who you are, So
for you, your perspective coming down, you know, around six
is good. I'll tell you we when my husband bought
(14:51):
his first house, it was fourteen percent and that was
in the eighties an he bought a house. And I've
said it on this show so many times I can't
even count that. The average rate over the last thirty years,
if you took just an average, is seven point seven percent.
So where we are now is really good, right, But
(15:12):
our perspective is that it's not because we were at
three percent five years ago. Had that's right, it stayed
for a little while and it was what you said, Blaine,
unrealistic exactly and non sustainable.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
It's not you cannot sustain that.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
The only issue with the rates being where they're at
compared to where people were used to them, you know, seven,
eighteen years ago, and then you know, look back fifteen
or twenty plus twenty thirty years ago. Is one thing
we're seeing those property taxes, what compared what property taxes
are to day compared to what they were twenty years ago.
It's just, you know, it's it's double tripled, quadrupled property
(15:50):
insurance as you know, flood insurance, you.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Know, insurance, wint insurance, windstorm.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
It's just it's that is what's being it's a huge
birding on on these home buyers and homeowners.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Well, when when people talk affordability and they say, oh,
we need to reduce the interest rate. Reduce the interest rate.
You know, while that's great, I agree with you. The
affordability issue is taxes and insurance and we need reform.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
So how do we do that?
Speaker 1 (16:16):
You know, how do we get reform on taxes and
insurance because that is what is killing first time home buyers.
When my husband bought his house and I was selling
you fourteen percent, when he bought his first house, that's
forty years ago, whatever that was, taxes and insurance weren't
half of his note. Now they're more than half for
the same buyer. And so that is the issue and
(16:39):
until we can address it, and I don't know how
to do that. So that's where we've got to work
with our legislatures to say, how can we get this fixed.
I agree, I'd love for us to do it here today,
but I don't think that's going to happen.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
That would be nice.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Yeah, So well, when we come back, we're going to
continue with Blaine and get a little more information about
what is going on in the banking world. And I'll
tell you, Blaine, one of the things that I think
is running amok is fraud is insane.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
You're right, and it's scary as can be. We're seeing
more and more and I could, I could spend weeks
on this radio show tell and you just really horror
stories of what we're seeing.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
But so don't go away.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
When we come back, we're going to share about some
of those. This is the Dana Simmons Show. Welcome back.
This is Danas Simmons, and we have been visiting with
Blaine Kye, with president and CEO of First Financial Bank,
and Blaine and I've been visiting a little bit about
interest rates, affordability, all things that have to do with
(17:37):
the housing market on that, but I'd like to shift
gears a little bit, Blaine, we need to visit a
little bit about fraud because it is something that is impacting.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Everyone and everything. So talk a little bit.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
About how fraud is inching in the not inching, it's
diving into the banking world.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
It is and unfortunately, if you have not been a
victim of fraud, there is a very good chance that
before in your lifetime, you will become a victim of fraud.
Whether it's just your debit card gets hacked, but we
are seeing it's just every day, something new comes up.
We think we have our hands on it, we think
we have control of it, but every day something new
(18:19):
comes up. You know, what we're seeing in our industry
is a number of things. One, it's the what I
consider the traditional fraud. It's you know, check fraud. Somebody
steals your check from the post office. Then they they
what they can call in the banking world, they wash
your check. They they erase all of your writing on
that check, or or erase the paye. If you're writing
(18:42):
a check to your church, they may you know, take
off first Baptist Church and they may put you know,
ABC or the fraudster's name. They'll change your amount from
one hundred dollars to one thousand dollars, and then they'll
go cat you know, go cat cash. That we're seeing.
You know, obviously we've we've always had you have debit
card frauds. You've heard of the the scams of people
(19:03):
putting scammers on gas station bumps and things like that.
But we also we see a lot of just identity
fraud and but some of the worst things we're seeing
right now, we're seeing a lot of elder abuse fraud,
where you know, these fraudsters will will prey on the
obituaries and they will call people that have lost their
(19:25):
loved ones. Majority it's elderly people, and they'll, you know,
they'll either get them in a romance scheme. Well they'll
you know, you find somebody who's lonely, and they'll show
them some attention, show them some love and say, hey,
you know, really, you know, I want to come see you.
You know, can you send me five thousand dollars so
I can get there? Or we'll see a investment scheme
(19:45):
where they will tell this person how good of an
investment you know this is, and it's it's we see
a lot of it in bitcoin. Unfortunately, where these fraudsters
that's how they that's how they do it through bitcoin
out of other countries. Well, they'll they'll talk someone into
this is such a good investment, trust me, you know,
wire me this money and uh and we fight that
(20:09):
daily and a lot of times, these these folks they're
so convinced that it's real that you know that it's
hard to it's like they're brainwashed and you're sitting there
telling them, hey, no, we can't wire this, this is fraud,
and they're like, no, No, it's not fraud. I've talked
to them. This is a real a real deal, you
know situation.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
So what are some of the things that people can
do to protect themselves.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Yeah, a lot several things. One is uh for business customers,
you need to get your accounts on positive pay. What
positive pay is positive pay It's a check It's a
check fraud prevention tool that it verifies every check that
you write it or you know you print off, or
when you write a check for someone, if it's cashed
(20:53):
at a different amount, you log in the paye, the amount,
the check number, and if it clears, when it clears
the other bad. If it clears differently than what you
and put it in, it kicks it out so it
will not go through. If you have a debit card,
most people have debit cards, make sure you have debit
card alerts, even on your credit card. Most credit card
companies have credit card alerts. And what that is Every
(21:15):
time you swipe your debit card, I get a text
message on my phone that says your debit card will
swipe for this amount, shows you the balance so you
can always see it's happened to me before. This was
probably three years ago. Saturday, I was at my parents'
house and I got a home depot. I got a
text message from my bank for my debit card alert
and it was home depot for six seven hundred bucks.
(21:38):
And I was like, like that it wasn't me, No,
we did we buy something.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
I say not.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
This is a hundred percent fraud. I was able to
get on my online banking and cancel my card right then,
and I could easily, I could respond to it and
say this is fraud. And they were able to jump
on top of it so much quicker than me not knowing.
If you don't check your online banking regularly or you know,
if that's the case, it could be a week, two weeks,
in a few days, and the longer it goes, the harder.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
It is to come back exactly.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
Yeah, really check your accounts daily. A lot of people
get in the habit of not checking their accounts daily.
An easy check, I mean, just log onto your online banking.
If you don't have online banking, I would suggest get
online banking.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Maybe have an app.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
You have an app on your phone, whether it's a
computer app, the phone apps these days, they're so user friendly,
but log in, just check your accounts, make sure everything
looks right. Make sure you have a good relationship with
your bank, with your banker, whether it's the whether it's
the branch manager there, whether it's the teller there, whether
it's the personal banker, whoever it may be, make sure
(22:42):
you have a good relationship with them.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
That's so critical.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
I think people don't realize the impact of having that
relationship because when something challenging happens and you've had it's
funny because you know, Ken handles all of our banking,
so he's the one who does everything all the time.
But there'll be moments he'll say, come with me, Let's
go run into the bank and see everyone so that
they see my face too, so that they can be comfortable.
(23:06):
And I think that's so important to get to know
who you're doing business with. And one of the other
things I love is that there's consistency in connecting with
those people and they know you, and that way that
the it's easier for them to jump on and help
you when you're in their face to face. I mean,
(23:26):
I can't do that when I'm getting on the phone
with someone, I have no idea where they are.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
I agree on another bank.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
And in today's world, we see so much with wire fraud,
fake invoices, and what we're trained to do on the
bank side as we call and verify because nowadays, people
hacking to your emails, people hacking to your servers, people
get in your system. So a lot of times when
we get an email. You know, if you emailed me
today and said, hey, Blaine, I need to wire out
some money because I'm buying a house, We're going to
(23:54):
pick a phone and call you because I know you,
I know your voice, I know your kids. I can
ask you about your family the phone, and I know
what you and you know. There's so much we've we've
had it happen where you know, you can easily be
on the internet, click on the wrong thing, someone gets
access to your email, and we've seen people send spoofing
(24:15):
emails when it's not you. I may get an email
address from Dana Simmons, but it's not just sitting me
that email.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
And it looks exactly like it has my logo exactly,
that's exactly what is happening. They the title company that
they've had that challenge too, where they'll say, hey, we've
changed wiring instructions. Here is the new routing number for
you to send your funds for closing. And the email
looks like exactly like the other emails that have been sent.
(24:45):
There's maybe one letter, yep, that is off in the
email address, but it looks like the same exact email.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
And by getting to know your banker and having a
relationship with your bank, it's just number one. There was
a r cool in the news the other day about
some a fraudst calling to He was acting like he
was with the bank, and he was. He was a
fraudster fraud prevention specialist with that bank. But banks are
not going to ask for your personal information. They're not
(25:14):
going to ask for your account number or your balance,
as your social because we have all that. So if
you get a call, if something seems suspicious, pick a phone,
call your contact call, you know, call your banker. And
that's why I think it's important to have those relationships.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Right and you can all we have to just walk in.
That's an urst financial bank. They're going to connect you
with someone that you can utilize anytime you have a
question or any any need at all. Yeah, well, blame,
It's been so good to have you on the show today.
I appreciate you giving us great insight on what's going on.
You always do, so thank you for doing that. And
(25:50):
when we come back, Kelly Talbert's going to talk about
the Shine Women's Conference. You don't want to miss it.
Don't go away. This is the Dana Simmons Show. Welcome back.
This is Dana Simmons and I have been visiting with
Blaine Kaye of First Financial Bank. He's the president in COO,
giving us great information about making sure you're keeping your
money safe and how to avoid fraud. Also with us
(26:13):
Kelly Tawbert, she is the ministry What is your.
Speaker 4 (26:16):
Title, Sally, I say, the executive director of the Shine Conference. Perfect,
that's what that's how we then we have an executive
board too.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
So well, it is so good to have you here, Kelly.
You guys had the Shine Conference. Your inaugural was last year.
You've had lots of events since then. But then your
second Shine Conference is coming up. So let's talk a
little bit about what is the Shine Women's Conference.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
Okay, So anyway, glad to be back. So we're doing
our Shine Women's Conference at Ford Park, Dog at Ford
Park this time. But the reason for it because I
think that's the main thing.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
We know.
Speaker 4 (26:51):
We went to wichital Falls, so witchtal Falls, Texas invited.
Speaker 5 (26:54):
Us after our first conference.
Speaker 4 (26:56):
Yeah, which you always know that that's God when that happens,
because why would they reach out to Beaumont. Somebody in Beaumont,
you know, So they reached out to us and said
we would love to have you, and we so we went.
We brought the whole team and it was really really
special because we probably had like four hundred and fifty women,
but they were so happy to be there and it
was just such a good day. We had about twenty
(27:17):
five people give their life to Jesus, which was so
so special. And so when we do when we did that,
it just realized that maybe this is what we're supposed
to do. Take it to different cities around the world.
But what's really special is when we do it local
because you know, like I said, I have all these
you know, just friends and people that have lived in
the area of their whole life and businesses that are coming.
(27:39):
And so in that room in dogget Ford Park, we're
in the exhibit hall, you can fit a thousand people
or more. And so we've just really been advertising it
and getting the word out, because what it really is
is like as women, you know, we go through all
kinds of things. You know, we're mothers, sisters, daughters. You know,
we're trying it wives, we're trying to take care of everything,
(28:00):
and we're going through so much stress and you just
kind of keep it inside because you know, we don't
have time to go tell everybody how we're feeling. And
so this day that I created is a day that
you can come and just relax and it's you can
really feel the Holy Spirit in the room. And it's
like we've got a worship team. So Garrett and Kate
there with Bethel.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
Music, amazing, their voices like the voices of angels beautiful.
Speaker 4 (28:24):
And you know they were within counter Church because we
that's my church and counter Church and Groves and so
you kind of get used to that level of worship
and it's just like nothing like it, you know, and
they're coming and bring in a full team and so
that's going to be so special and that if you've
never experienced it, I want people to go look it up.
They're Bethel Music and it's Garrett and Kate and so
they're coming. And then something really cool is we went
(28:47):
to the Joyce Meyer Conference, and you know those conferences
are thousands of people. And there was a guy, Neil
Hobson and he was the like a Christian DJ, and
he played all Christian music, but he was so energetic
and so fun and he's going to come and be
our DJ. So he's coming in from Missouri. And then
we've got five speakers and so what's really good is
(29:08):
these are all local speakers and so all different churches.
So I looked it up last night and we have
fifty seven churches coming.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (29:15):
So that's like it doesn't matter what church you go to,
and you can even have no church at all, because
that's you're really going to feel. So, you know, we
try to make everybody feel so welcome and when they come,
and that's always been like my you know how they
say what's your brand? I want you to come in
and say, oh I felt something different that day when
I came and I left changed. And so Neil Hobson's coming,
(29:37):
We've got the worship team, the speakers, so I want
to mention. So, like you said, my daughter's speaking Britain
Bickham and myself, but we have Terry Sparks and she's
within Counter Church and that's in Groves, Texas. And we've
got Adena Keating and she's with in Lumberton, Texas and
she's with Parkway Life right, and we've got a big
group coming from that area too. And then we've got
Catherine Barner and she speaks on like grief and trauma, right,
(30:00):
and so she's coming from Houston, Texas. And so to me,
it's like all these different subjects we're talking about, relationships, marriage,
just all kinds of subjects, even if you're not married,
you're single, and so you have all these things that
just kind of opens your mind like God didn't think
of it that way, you know. And so but what's
interesting is having a women's conference. We wanted to make
it a girl day. And so we have thirty vendors
(30:23):
that are coming and these are like local vendors, a
lot of them are local. And then we have like
four or five coming from outside the US that are
just they're flying in to come to this conference, which
has been so amazing. So just to watch what God's doing,
like you know, you know, you always wonder like what
is my plan? Like what is my plan for my life?
And I realize this is my plan is to bring
(30:43):
women together and let them like feel that, you know,
sense of just I don't know, stress, relief and just
feel like, you know, they can now take on the
world when they leave. And I know that's a big
statement to make, like life changing, but it is. And
it's like when you leave that room and you leave
for the day. We did a serve last year. Tons
of women said it completely changed their life. And that's
(31:05):
that's why you do it.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
You know, well, and you can't pour out of an
empty vessel exactly.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
That is so true.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
So it's a matter of you know, you've got to
find a place and a something where you can be
filled up. I do a Bible study every week. It's
an inter denominational International Bible Study, and so each week
I have women from all over the world that I
get to connect with on a zoom and so that's
(31:33):
where I feel like I get filled every single week.
But it's so important to have a place and then
having a weekend. So give them the dates because being
able to go somewhere local, especially if you're here, you
don't have to get you But you know what's so weird,
it's like, as women will talk ourselves out of it.
Speaker 5 (31:51):
I know, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
I don't really have time for that, you know, and
it's like, no, you need to make this day to
be poured back into just like you said.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
So that you can do the things that got called
you to do with your family, at your work, in
the in.
Speaker 5 (32:03):
The world right exactly.
Speaker 4 (32:05):
So the event's Saturday, February seventh, So we're about four
weeks out right now. It's February seventh, and it starts
at eight thirty in the morning and it'll end about
five thirty. And so one good thing we're doing is
we're including lunch, and so everybody gets lunch and it's
really their Planet forward part gets planning.
Speaker 5 (32:24):
It's really nice.
Speaker 4 (32:25):
It's going to be salad, soup, baked potato bar that
you can go and have lunch and it's included in
your ticket. And so you like think about it, You're like,
it's what other woman you love to shop, you're having lunch.
You have the worship and the sneakering with other women. Yeah,
and so like even like even like everything's you know,
God always plans things but ahead of time, but everything's orchestrated.
So even who they ended up sitting with at their table.
(32:47):
They became lifelong friends and they're like grouped in a
group text.
Speaker 5 (32:50):
Now you know, it's so sweet. It's so sweet.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
So if someone's interested and they go, you know, I'd
like more information, where would they get that?
Speaker 4 (32:57):
So if they go to Kelly Talbert Minnis streets dot com.
So that's the name of my ministry, Kelly Talbert Ministries
dot com. If you go to that, there's a Shine
Conference tab and you click on it and go to
Beaumont because that's where all our has all our information
has a ticket link in there, and that's how you
get your tickets.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
So talk about the cost of tickets.
Speaker 4 (33:16):
Yes, so the cost of tickets is like we right now,
I think they're like sixty eight dollars a ticket, and
we sold out a VIP so we have general mission,
but it's still great seats because the way we're arranging
the room, it's going to be so good. And so
when you hit the doors, so like eight thirty, the
VIPs get in the door, and then at nine o'clock,
the general mission when you as soon as you go in,
(33:37):
you go choose your table immediately. So that's what we
did this year. Last year, I tried to seat everybody
together and that was a that was a tag challenge.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
That was a challenge.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
But this year, you just go in and find your
table together with whoever you want to sit with. And
it just makes it special because you can go on
in there and I tell people get there early, like
try to get there a little early so you can
go on in, get your table and then start shopping
you want to.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
And you're gonna have, you said, thirty vendors outside.
Speaker 4 (34:02):
Thirty vendors, and so we're gonna have you know, coffee
and like litt light breakfast when you get there, and
then you'll just go start shopping with the vendors that
they in fact, a lot of them are have like
shine merchandise. They're you know, just things they did for
the day, right, But they've also got some really these
are cute boutiques. So we actually did our research and
like picked really cute boutiques that women would love. And
(34:23):
so it's just a perfect day to go. And they're
not expensive boutiques. You know, it's gonna be affordable. I
feel like the ticket's affordable because your lunch is included
and all the things we're doing throughout the day and
so and we just to me, I just want women
to not talk their self out of it, you know,
to just say I need this day for me, even
if you just go by yourself, I need this day,
(34:44):
you know.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
So so you talked about that, they can go to
the website, which is Kelly Talbert Ministries and then go
find that.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
But you're also on social media.
Speaker 4 (34:55):
Yes, so if you go to social media, I have
it under Kelly Talbert is it's I have a business
page under Kelly Topper. But we also have a Shine
conference page. It's like a group page, right, and that's
where we keep all our updates and everything in there.
So if you look up Kelly Talbert, you'll find me
and it's t A U B E R T, so
you'll find me there. And then we have a big
(35:17):
following on there, and then also our Shine group page
and we keep you updated, you know. And also you
subscribe to Kelly Talbert Ministries and we keep you updated
by email on that as well.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
So if someone wants to make a phone call, they're like, Okay,
I'm not tech savvy. I just need to call someone
get information and figure out how to get a ticket.
Speaker 4 (35:35):
So what we decided to do is we have a
email this Shine Conference Team at gmail dot com. So
Shine com, no no dashes or dots, just Shine Conference
Team at gmail dot com. When you do that and
you leave your number, I will I will personally call
them back. That's what I've been doing because I know
a lot of people. I have people on my team,
but sometimes they want to hear from me, and I'll
definitely call them because if they just may have a
(35:56):
question about a ticket or how can I you know,
buy more than one ticket and things like that, so
we'll help them.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
Sureat well, Kelly, I'm super excited. I am absolutely hoping
I can be there on the seventh two. I'm looking
forward to that. So the conference again, go ahead and
give the dates and the times.
Speaker 4 (36:14):
Yes, so Saturday, February seventh, and it's going to be
eight thirty in the morning to five thirty pm, so
we included and lunch is included. We tried to leave early,
like at five thirty, so that way they could go
have dinner with their family. Still, it's not like something
you're there all night, that's right.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
So and if they need to bathe the kids and
get them.
Speaker 5 (36:31):
To bed, that's exactly right. Yes, that's right.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
If they have children, dad may be ready.
Speaker 5 (36:37):
Yeah, he might be ready. And always tell them.
Speaker 4 (36:39):
We laugh about this because at the conference, you know,
everybody's trying to call them, so you're trying to take
this day out for yourself and your kids, and your
husband's calling. Were like, turn the phone off and just
enjoy this day solutely and you have a day to yourself.
Exactly well, Kelly. I appreciate you being here on the show.
Excited to hear how that turned out at the Shine
Women's Conference. If you have any questions, you're welcome to
(36:59):
call my office four nine eight six six eight three
two six, and.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
I'm happy to get you connected with Kelly. I'd love
for you to be able to attend that conference. I
know so many of my friends have done that and
have absolutely loved it. I want to thank you for
listening to the show today. I want to thank Blaine
Kaye for connecting with us. He's with First Financial Bank,
giving us information about what rates are doing and fraud,
(37:24):
and then Kelly sharing about the Shine Women's Conference. I
hope you are having an incredible Saturday, and we look
forward to having you right back here next Saturday at noon.
This is the Dana Simmons Show.
Well, hello Southeast Texas. I'm so glad you've joined us
this Saturday. What a beautiful day we have and what
amazing guests we have on the show.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Today.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
We have Blame Callier from a First Financial bank and
he is the president and CEO, and we're going to
talk about all kinds of different things. One is, yes,
that interest rate did go down a little bit from
the FED. So how does that impact everything? What does
that look like for you and me? So that's one
of the things we're going to visit about today, and
lots of other conversations. Fraud may come up. You don't
(00:32):
want to miss it. Also with us Kelly Talbert, she
is the Sean's Women's Conference leader. She's going to talk
about that ministry and an exciting event coming up that
they have.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Before we get.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Started, they I always like to give you a little
bit of a pulse on what is the market doing you.
We did have some pretty soft months over the last
six months or so, but I'm going to tell you
we are seeing a pickup. I think the market is
going to conte you to improve. That's just my guess. Okay,
So based on the information that I've looked at, it
(01:06):
looks promising and it looks positive. So you're if you're
in the market to buy, I would say, let's take
a peek and see if now is the right time
for you. Give us a call at four nine eight
six six eight three two six, or you can always
go to the website at Dana Simmons real estate dot com.
And one of my isays, if you fill out a
contact us form, we'll reach out to you and visit
(01:28):
with you about a time that we can sit down
and just chat and talk through what are your goals
and what can we do to help you. Right now,
before we get started on some of the business side
of things, I'd like to let you get to know
these amazing people. So Blaine, we're going to give you
the starting point, So tell us a little bit about you.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Yeah, very good. So I am born raised here in
Southeast Texas. I am the president and CEO of First
Financial Bank for our Southeast Texas region. For those that
don't know about First Financial Bank where Texas base Bank.
We have locations really all throughout the state of Texas.
In my region. My region consists of Southeast sex As,
the Golden Triangle. We have locations in Orange Jefferson, Harden,
(02:11):
and Newton Counties. Today we have seven locations and where
our eighth location is under construction right now. We're very
excited to for it to open up in Q two
of twenty twenty six. It'll be located on College and
Eighth Street, kind of right close to Baptist's Hospital, and
we are very excited. It will be our eighth location
(02:31):
for our region, but our eightieth location in the state
of Texas. But very excited about it. I am, like
I said, I'm born and raised in Orange, grew up
in gold the Golden Triangle, Southeast Texas my entire life.
I'm a graduate from from Lamar University, married to my
wife Regina, and have three kids, Clara, Jet and Gabrielle
(02:54):
and are they are busy as can be right now
and just we are very last and honored to be
on your radio show today.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Yeah, you guys, I love you know. That's one of
the things I love about Facebook is being able to
see all those cute pictures of friends children and their activities.
And man, you are your poor wife.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
She runs, she runs, she works full time taking care
of them and does a great job.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yes, she does well.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
And they are absolutely adorable. So love having you on
the show, Blaine, and we will get into more banking
business in one of the next segments, Kelly tell everyone
a little bit about you.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Yes, so when he was saying, I'm from this area also,
I graduated from portin hus Groves. I'm an Indian in
mid County, lived their my entire life. And I guess
about two or three years ago, I wrote a book
let God's Light Shine Through You was the name of it,
and TBN published it, and so when they did it
kind of went nationwide and so people, women especially started
(03:54):
reaching out to me about things they were going through.
And so I was still working full time in a
corporate job, and I just thought, what can I do more?
And so I just it got put on my heart
to do a Shine Women's conference, which came from the
name of the book, and we did one last year.
Speaker 5 (04:09):
It's been a year since I've been here.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Which is on the radio show, and so I appreciate
you having me on.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
But we had it last year.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
We had seven hundred women come, which was amazing because
it's so funny we talked about it. We didn't know
we'd have two hundred women. So yeah, and then this
year it's at dogget Ford Park February seventh, so it's
even bigger, and so that's what we're looking forward to,
and we're going to.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Talk more about that and what people can expect in
that conference and more details. But I love that both
of you have grown up here, raised your family here.
To me, that's just so important because when you're working
with people and dealing with people, it's so nice that
they understand all the things about Southeast Texas. And you
even have your children here and grandchildren here, and what
(04:54):
a blessing it is to be able to have them
in our area and participate. Your daughter is even a
part of your ministry.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
She's a part of our ministry, and they're all starting
to have children and start their families, and so she speaks,
she's one of our speakers. So it's just been really
it's really nice to have family with.
Speaker 5 (05:12):
You in what you're doing. Yeah, well nice.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
And when you're working with people who are from here,
you are working with people who are participating in all
things here, Like for instance, Blaine and I are on
a couple of different boards together in the Chamber of
Commerce and participating in things that improve our community. And
for me, that's why I love having local people on
(05:37):
the show, just to encourage others to give back, just
like you're doing here locally in your Shaun Women's conference.
Because for us, we love what we do here, but
we have a responsibility to give back to our community.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
That's right.
Speaker 5 (05:52):
That's so good.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
And I have people that I actually graduated high school
with ye that are now my Shine team that we
connected after thirty years. Wow, and also are actually coming
to the conference and given their testimony. So that's been
so amazing too, just to come back together again after
all those years.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Absolutely, well, thank you for giving everyone just a little
brief information about who you are. But when we come back,
we are going to visit with Blaine about what is
going on in the banking world, what are some of
the changes, what is he seeing And you don't want
to miss it, so don't go away. This is the
Dana Simmons Show. Welcome back. This is Dana Simmons, and
(06:31):
I have Blaine Kaye who is with First Financial Bank
here with us. He is the president and CEO here locally,
and Blaine so many things that I love about First
Financial Bank, but one of the things that I'd like
to talk about first, is that it really is like
a local bank.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
It is. It is we have a local presence for
those that aren't aware of First Financial Bank and the
people that are from Southeast Texas. We were originally Orange
Savings Bank, been around you i'marrily in Orange County for
fifty to sixty years, and then we we merged with
First Financial Bank about twelve years ago, and so we
are a we're a publicly traded bank. We're headquartered in Abilene,
(07:11):
but we operate it's eight regional banks, so our our
region is the Southeast Texas region, and we're we're about
as old school banking as you can be, but based
you know, based on the size of our bank. You know,
we have some pretty deep pockets where we can take
care of a wide variety of customers. But we're still
kind of old school banking. We make local decisions. We
(07:32):
have a local board of directors, we meet weekly approving loans.
You don't really hear of that anymore, and uh, but
we make a lot of local decisions. And then we
also you know, we you know, as you were mentioned
in earlier, you know, we invest in our community. We
our community, We thrive on it in many different ways.
But you know, we invest in our community. We invest
(07:54):
our dollars. You know, we're we're making we're putting it
back in the community. And we love that because you know,
without our customers, we wouldn't be here. But I would say,
you know, the thing that's different about First Financial Bank
is we are a pretty good sized community bank. We're
about thirteen billion in assets. But we do everything. We
(08:14):
do everything from car loans, personal checking accounts, to commercial loans,
interconstruction loans, home loans. We have a trust company. You know,
we can do loans for you know, one hundred dollars
or we can do loans up to forty million dollars.
So we're kind of a you know, wide variety of
products and services that we can offer.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
So and I love what you said about the fact
that local decisions. I know that's critical and important because
whenever someone is looking to get a loan and the
people on that board are local people and can stand
up and say, listen, these are good people. I know
the numbers have to work, but if they're borderline, sometimes
(08:56):
the fact that your board is local, you.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Are one hundred percent. The fact of us having a
local board at local presence in this market. We have
ten boarder directors. They're all for the most part, all
Orange and Jefferson County folks. They're all successful businessmen business women,
and they know what's going on in the area. They
know what the refineries are doing. They know that LNG
facilities are coming. They know what the school districts are doing.
(09:20):
They know what different physician offices and doctors' offices are doing.
They know what the local hospital systems are doing. They
know about the home market, the housing market, our area.
And so when we're presenting along we're looking at it opportunity.
You know, we have our board that we rely on
that can sit there and provide feedback and say, well,
have you thought about this? Have you considered this neighborhood
(09:41):
may be doing this, but you know we're you know,
your customer may be saying buying a home for this
amount of money, but you know two blocks down they're
selling for this dollar amount. And then it's just it's
it really is a big advantage.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
It is it. It gives the people to it as well.
It gives the people perspective. It's not just about the
black and white. It's about the people, not just the product.
One of the things that I do love is when
I work with out of town lenders. You know, I
can't go sit in their office and have a face
(10:23):
to face conversation to say, here's this, here's the real situation.
I mean, it's impossible, and they're up in whatever part
of the world they're in and they really don't care,
and they're not going to run into me at the
grocery store again, and they don't care how they act.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
You're one hundred percent right. A lot of the financial
institutions in our area and really throughout the state, whether
they're mortgage brokers, whether it's just a full service bank,
everybody's going to these itms. You're talking to a computer screen.
You're talking to somebody that's maybe in Oregon, Wisconsin, and
they're doing everything via zoom or just over the phone. People,
(11:00):
you come see us, we're in the community. You know,
all of our loan officers, from our commercial team, to
our consumer team, to all of our mortgage team, to
all of our retail managers. You have their cell phone,
their cell phones on their card. You call them, you
go to church with them, you play, your kids, are
grandkids play ball, little League ball with them, and you know,
(11:21):
we're in the community and we're people just like the
people that we're serving here in Southeast.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
Texas, and reputation is important, absolutely, you want to keep that.
So well, we've been hearing lots of talk nationally about
the fact that the interest rates are going down.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
What are you.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Seeing, Blaine, and what are what do you think is
coming based on what you know?
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Yeah, so what I know, And I'll kind of say
that I probably said the same spill last year when
I was on your radio show. I think my crystal
ball is about as foggy as it's everything. It seemed
like when I got into banking fifteen years ago, everybody
kind of knew what the next what next year looks like,
what the next two to three five years was gonna
look like. The last probably seven years, everybody's just been
(12:05):
very uncertain what the market's going to be. You know,
there's been a lot of political changes, and so it's
been very kind of up and down making predictions on
what rates are going to do. You know, a year
and a half ago rates were at of all time high.
You know, in twenty twenty five, rates did come down.
The FED cut rates about one hundred bass points, and
(12:27):
so we do they the last cut was in December
or first part of December. When the FED met in December,
they did state that they do predict there'll be another
at least two rate cuts in twenty twenty six. Some
people say that'll be the first first two quarters, first
half of twenty six. Some people are still a little
(12:48):
optimistic one that'll be and it could be more. Yeah,
but my thoughts there are as I do believe that
we will see two more at least two more rate
cuts in twenty six, and that helps out the community.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
I think.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
I think you know, uh, Federate today is in the you know,
the four to four and a quarter range, which you know,
on the commercial side of most local regional banks priced
their loans on what's called the index they use. It
is called Wall Street Journal Prime. And so fifteen years
ago prime was at three point twenty five. So if
(13:21):
a bank gave you Prime plus two percent, your rate
was five and a quarter, a pretty good rate. You know,
when prime got up a year and a half ago
to eight and a half percent, if somebody gave you
Prime plus two you'd be at ten and a half percent,
right you know, today prime is at six point seventy five.
(13:41):
I think if we can get prime down to around six,
I think that would be pretty healthy, you know, I
think three and a courter, which was still pretty low,
you know. And then the on the mortgage side, mortgages
are not tied to Prime. They're tied to the it's
a long term bond rate. But we have seen i
would say over the last couple of weeks, we've seen
(14:01):
mortgage rates come down. Over the last year, we've seen
them come down a little bit, not to where we
would like them to be. You know, I think they've
been in the five to seven percent range, i'd say
over the last seven Over the last twelve months, they
have trickled down. I do expect them, and I think
everybody expects them to come down. We're hoping that in
(14:23):
twenty six we'll see another kind of cut on the
on the mortgage rates.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
And I'll tell you, though, when when you're talking about that,
it's so funny how perspective is who you are, So
for you, your perspective coming down, you know, around six
is good. I'll tell you we when my husband bought
(14:51):
his first house, it was fourteen percent and that was
in the eighties an he bought a house. And I've
said it on this show so many times I can't
even count that. The average rate over the last thirty years,
if you took just an average, is seven point seven percent.
So where we are now is really good, right, But
(15:12):
our perspective is that it's not because we were at
three percent five years ago. Had that's right, it stayed
for a little while and it was what you said, Blaine,
unrealistic exactly and non sustainable.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
It's not you cannot sustain that.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
The only issue with the rates being where they're at
compared to where people were used to them, you know, seven,
eighteen years ago, and then you know, look back fifteen
or twenty plus twenty thirty years ago. Is one thing
we're seeing those property taxes, what compared what property taxes
are to day compared to what they were twenty years ago.
It's just, you know, it's it's double tripled, quadrupled property
(15:50):
insurance as you know, flood insurance, you.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Know, insurance, wint insurance, windstorm.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
It's just it's that is what's being it's a huge
birding on on these home buyers and homeowners.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Well, when when people talk affordability and they say, oh,
we need to reduce the interest rate. Reduce the interest rate.
You know, while that's great, I agree with you. The
affordability issue is taxes and insurance and we need reform.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
So how do we do that?
Speaker 1 (16:16):
You know, how do we get reform on taxes and
insurance because that is what is killing first time home buyers.
When my husband bought his house and I was selling
you fourteen percent, when he bought his first house, that's
forty years ago, whatever that was, taxes and insurance weren't
half of his note. Now they're more than half for
the same buyer. And so that is the issue and
(16:39):
until we can address it, and I don't know how
to do that. So that's where we've got to work
with our legislatures to say, how can we get this fixed.
I agree, I'd love for us to do it here today,
but I don't think that's going to happen.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
That would be nice.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Yeah, So well, when we come back, we're going to
continue with Blaine and get a little more information about
what is going on in the banking world. And I'll
tell you, Blaine, one of the things that I think
is running amok is fraud is insane.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
You're right, and it's scary as can be. We're seeing
more and more and I could, I could spend weeks
on this radio show tell and you just really horror
stories of what we're seeing.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
But so don't go away.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
When we come back, we're going to share about some
of those. This is the Dana Simmons Show. Welcome back.
This is Danas Simmons, and we have been visiting with
Blaine Kye, with president and CEO of First Financial Bank,
and Blaine and I've been visiting a little bit about
interest rates, affordability, all things that have to do with
(17:37):
the housing market on that, but I'd like to shift
gears a little bit, Blaine, we need to visit a
little bit about fraud because it is something that is impacting.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Everyone and everything. So talk a little bit.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
About how fraud is inching in the not inching, it's
diving into the banking world.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
It is and unfortunately, if you have not been a
victim of fraud, there is a very good chance that
before in your lifetime, you will become a victim of fraud.
Whether it's just your debit card gets hacked, but we
are seeing it's just every day, something new comes up.
We think we have our hands on it, we think
we have control of it, but every day something new
(18:19):
comes up. You know, what we're seeing in our industry
is a number of things. One, it's the what I
consider the traditional fraud. It's you know, check fraud. Somebody
steals your check from the post office. Then they they
what they can call in the banking world, they wash
your check. They they erase all of your writing on
that check, or or erase the paye. If you're writing
(18:42):
a check to your church, they may you know, take
off first Baptist Church and they may put you know,
ABC or the fraudster's name. They'll change your amount from
one hundred dollars to one thousand dollars, and then they'll
go cat you know, go cat cash. That we're seeing.
You know, obviously we've we've always had you have debit
card frauds. You've heard of the the scams of people
(19:03):
putting scammers on gas station bumps and things like that.
But we also we see a lot of just identity
fraud and but some of the worst things we're seeing
right now, we're seeing a lot of elder abuse fraud,
where you know, these fraudsters will will prey on the
obituaries and they will call people that have lost their
(19:25):
loved ones. Majority it's elderly people, and they'll, you know,
they'll either get them in a romance scheme. Well they'll
you know, you find somebody who's lonely, and they'll show
them some attention, show them some love and say, hey,
you know, really, you know, I want to come see you.
You know, can you send me five thousand dollars so
I can get there? Or we'll see a investment scheme
(19:45):
where they will tell this person how good of an
investment you know this is, and it's it's we see
a lot of it in bitcoin. Unfortunately, where these fraudsters
that's how they that's how they do it through bitcoin
out of other countries. Well, they'll they'll talk someone into
this is such a good investment, trust me, you know,
wire me this money and uh and we fight that
(20:09):
daily and a lot of times, these these folks they're
so convinced that it's real that you know that it's
hard to it's like they're brainwashed and you're sitting there
telling them, hey, no, we can't wire this, this is fraud,
and they're like, no, No, it's not fraud. I've talked
to them. This is a real a real deal, you
know situation.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
So what are some of the things that people can
do to protect themselves.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Yeah, a lot several things. One is uh for business customers,
you need to get your accounts on positive pay. What
positive pay is positive pay It's a check It's a
check fraud prevention tool that it verifies every check that
you write it or you know you print off, or
when you write a check for someone, if it's cashed
(20:53):
at a different amount, you log in the paye, the amount,
the check number, and if it clears, when it clears
the other bad. If it clears differently than what you
and put it in, it kicks it out so it
will not go through. If you have a debit card,
most people have debit cards, make sure you have debit
card alerts, even on your credit card. Most credit card
companies have credit card alerts. And what that is Every
(21:15):
time you swipe your debit card, I get a text
message on my phone that says your debit card will
swipe for this amount, shows you the balance so you
can always see it's happened to me before. This was
probably three years ago. Saturday, I was at my parents'
house and I got a home depot. I got a
text message from my bank for my debit card alert
and it was home depot for six seven hundred bucks.
(21:38):
And I was like, like that it wasn't me, No,
we did we buy something.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
I say not.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
This is a hundred percent fraud. I was able to
get on my online banking and cancel my card right then,
and I could easily, I could respond to it and
say this is fraud. And they were able to jump
on top of it so much quicker than me not knowing.
If you don't check your online banking regularly or you know,
if that's the case, it could be a week, two weeks,
in a few days, and the longer it goes, the harder.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
It is to come back exactly.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
Yeah, really check your accounts daily. A lot of people
get in the habit of not checking their accounts daily.
An easy check, I mean, just log onto your online banking.
If you don't have online banking, I would suggest get
online banking.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Maybe have an app.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
You have an app on your phone, whether it's a
computer app, the phone apps these days, they're so user friendly,
but log in, just check your accounts, make sure everything
looks right. Make sure you have a good relationship with
your bank, with your banker, whether it's the whether it's
the branch manager there, whether it's the teller there, whether
it's the personal banker, whoever it may be, make sure
(22:42):
you have a good relationship with them.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
That's so critical.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
I think people don't realize the impact of having that
relationship because when something challenging happens and you've had it's
funny because you know, Ken handles all of our banking,
so he's the one who does everything all the time.
But there'll be moments he'll say, come with me, Let's
go run into the bank and see everyone so that
they see my face too, so that they can be comfortable.
(23:06):
And I think that's so important to get to know
who you're doing business with. And one of the other
things I love is that there's consistency in connecting with
those people and they know you, and that way that
the it's easier for them to jump on and help
you when you're in their face to face. I mean,
(23:26):
I can't do that when I'm getting on the phone
with someone, I have no idea where they are.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
I agree on another bank.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
And in today's world, we see so much with wire fraud,
fake invoices, and what we're trained to do on the
bank side as we call and verify because nowadays, people
hacking to your emails, people hacking to your servers, people
get in your system. So a lot of times when
we get an email. You know, if you emailed me
today and said, hey, Blaine, I need to wire out
some money because I'm buying a house, We're going to
(23:54):
pick a phone and call you because I know you,
I know your voice, I know your kids. I can
ask you about your family the phone, and I know
what you and you know. There's so much we've we've
had it happen where you know, you can easily be
on the internet, click on the wrong thing, someone gets
access to your email, and we've seen people send spoofing
(24:15):
emails when it's not you. I may get an email
address from Dana Simmons, but it's not just sitting me
that email.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
And it looks exactly like it has my logo exactly,
that's exactly what is happening. They the title company that
they've had that challenge too, where they'll say, hey, we've
changed wiring instructions. Here is the new routing number for
you to send your funds for closing. And the email
looks like exactly like the other emails that have been sent.
(24:45):
There's maybe one letter, yep, that is off in the
email address, but it looks like the same exact email.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
And by getting to know your banker and having a
relationship with your bank, it's just number one. There was
a r cool in the news the other day about
some a fraudst calling to He was acting like he
was with the bank, and he was. He was a
fraudster fraud prevention specialist with that bank. But banks are
not going to ask for your personal information. They're not
(25:14):
going to ask for your account number or your balance,
as your social because we have all that. So if
you get a call, if something seems suspicious, pick a phone,
call your contact call, you know, call your banker. And
that's why I think it's important to have those relationships.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Right and you can all we have to just walk in.
That's an urst financial bank. They're going to connect you
with someone that you can utilize anytime you have a
question or any any need at all. Yeah, well, blame,
It's been so good to have you on the show today.
I appreciate you giving us great insight on what's going on.
You always do, so thank you for doing that. And
(25:50):
when we come back, Kelly Talbert's going to talk about
the Shine Women's Conference. You don't want to miss it.
Don't go away. This is the Dana Simmons Show. Welcome back.
This is Dana Simmons and I have been visiting with
Blaine Kaye of First Financial Bank. He's the president in COO,
giving us great information about making sure you're keeping your
money safe and how to avoid fraud. Also with us
(26:13):
Kelly Tawbert, she is the ministry What is your.
Speaker 4 (26:16):
Title, Sally, I say, the executive director of the Shine Conference. Perfect,
that's what that's how we then we have an executive
board too.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
So well, it is so good to have you here, Kelly.
You guys had the Shine Conference. Your inaugural was last year.
You've had lots of events since then. But then your
second Shine Conference is coming up. So let's talk a
little bit about what is the Shine Women's Conference.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
Okay, So anyway, glad to be back. So we're doing
our Shine Women's Conference at Ford Park, Dog at Ford
Park this time. But the reason for it because I
think that's the main thing.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
We know.
Speaker 4 (26:51):
We went to wichital Falls, so witchtal Falls, Texas invited.
Speaker 5 (26:54):
Us after our first conference.
Speaker 4 (26:56):
Yeah, which you always know that that's God when that happens,
because why would they reach out to Beaumont. Somebody in Beaumont,
you know, So they reached out to us and said
we would love to have you, and we so we went.
We brought the whole team and it was really really
special because we probably had like four hundred and fifty women,
but they were so happy to be there and it
was just such a good day. We had about twenty
(27:17):
five people give their life to Jesus, which was so
so special. And so when we do when we did that,
it just realized that maybe this is what we're supposed
to do. Take it to different cities around the world.
But what's really special is when we do it local
because you know, like I said, I have all these
you know, just friends and people that have lived in
the area of their whole life and businesses that are coming.
(27:39):
And so in that room in dogget Ford Park, we're
in the exhibit hall, you can fit a thousand people
or more. And so we've just really been advertising it
and getting the word out, because what it really is
is like as women, you know, we go through all
kinds of things. You know, we're mothers, sisters, daughters. You know,
we're trying it wives, we're trying to take care of everything,
(28:00):
and we're going through so much stress and you just
kind of keep it inside because you know, we don't
have time to go tell everybody how we're feeling. And
so this day that I created is a day that
you can come and just relax and it's you can
really feel the Holy Spirit in the room. And it's
like we've got a worship team. So Garrett and Kate
there with Bethel.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
Music, amazing, their voices like the voices of angels beautiful.
Speaker 4 (28:24):
And you know they were within counter Church because we
that's my church and counter Church and Groves and so
you kind of get used to that level of worship
and it's just like nothing like it, you know, and
they're coming and bring in a full team and so
that's going to be so special and that if you've
never experienced it, I want people to go look it up.
They're Bethel Music and it's Garrett and Kate and so
they're coming. And then something really cool is we went
(28:47):
to the Joyce Meyer Conference, and you know those conferences
are thousands of people. And there was a guy, Neil
Hobson and he was the like a Christian DJ, and
he played all Christian music, but he was so energetic
and so fun and he's going to come and be
our DJ. So he's coming in from Missouri. And then
we've got five speakers and so what's really good is
(29:08):
these are all local speakers and so all different churches.
So I looked it up last night and we have
fifty seven churches coming.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (29:15):
So that's like it doesn't matter what church you go to,
and you can even have no church at all, because
that's you're really going to feel. So, you know, we
try to make everybody feel so welcome and when they come,
and that's always been like my you know how they
say what's your brand? I want you to come in
and say, oh I felt something different that day when
I came and I left changed. And so Neil Hobson's coming,
(29:37):
We've got the worship team, the speakers, so I want
to mention. So, like you said, my daughter's speaking Britain
Bickham and myself, but we have Terry Sparks and she's
within Counter Church and that's in Groves, Texas. And we've
got Adena Keating and she's with in Lumberton, Texas and
she's with Parkway Life right, and we've got a big
group coming from that area too. And then we've got
Catherine Barner and she speaks on like grief and trauma, right,
(30:00):
and so she's coming from Houston, Texas. And so to me,
it's like all these different subjects we're talking about, relationships, marriage,
just all kinds of subjects, even if you're not married,
you're single, and so you have all these things that
just kind of opens your mind like God didn't think
of it that way, you know. And so but what's
interesting is having a women's conference. We wanted to make
it a girl day. And so we have thirty vendors
(30:23):
that are coming and these are like local vendors, a
lot of them are local. And then we have like
four or five coming from outside the US that are
just they're flying in to come to this conference, which
has been so amazing. So just to watch what God's doing,
like you know, you know, you always wonder like what
is my plan? Like what is my plan for my life?
And I realize this is my plan is to bring
(30:43):
women together and let them like feel that, you know,
sense of just I don't know, stress, relief and just
feel like, you know, they can now take on the
world when they leave. And I know that's a big
statement to make, like life changing, but it is. And
it's like when you leave that room and you leave
for the day. We did a serve last year. Tons
of women said it completely changed their life. And that's
(31:05):
that's why you do it.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
You know, well, and you can't pour out of an
empty vessel exactly.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
That is so true.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
So it's a matter of you know, you've got to
find a place and a something where you can be
filled up. I do a Bible study every week. It's
an inter denominational International Bible Study, and so each week
I have women from all over the world that I
get to connect with on a zoom and so that's
(31:33):
where I feel like I get filled every single week.
But it's so important to have a place and then
having a weekend. So give them the dates because being
able to go somewhere local, especially if you're here, you
don't have to get you But you know what's so weird,
it's like, as women will talk ourselves out of it.
Speaker 5 (31:51):
I know, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
I don't really have time for that, you know, and
it's like, no, you need to make this day to
be poured back into just like you said.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
So that you can do the things that got called
you to do with your family, at your work, in
the in.
Speaker 5 (32:03):
The world right exactly.
Speaker 4 (32:05):
So the event's Saturday, February seventh, So we're about four
weeks out right now. It's February seventh, and it starts
at eight thirty in the morning and it'll end about
five thirty. And so one good thing we're doing is
we're including lunch, and so everybody gets lunch and it's
really their Planet forward part gets planning.
Speaker 5 (32:24):
It's really nice.
Speaker 4 (32:25):
It's going to be salad, soup, baked potato bar that
you can go and have lunch and it's included in
your ticket. And so you like think about it, You're like,
it's what other woman you love to shop, you're having lunch.
You have the worship and the sneakering with other women. Yeah,
and so like even like even like everything's you know,
God always plans things but ahead of time, but everything's orchestrated.
So even who they ended up sitting with at their table.
(32:47):
They became lifelong friends and they're like grouped in a
group text.
Speaker 5 (32:50):
Now you know, it's so sweet. It's so sweet.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
So if someone's interested and they go, you know, I'd
like more information, where would they get that?
Speaker 4 (32:57):
So if they go to Kelly Talbert Minnis streets dot com.
So that's the name of my ministry, Kelly Talbert Ministries
dot com. If you go to that, there's a Shine
Conference tab and you click on it and go to
Beaumont because that's where all our has all our information
has a ticket link in there, and that's how you
get your tickets.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
So talk about the cost of tickets.
Speaker 4 (33:16):
Yes, so the cost of tickets is like we right now,
I think they're like sixty eight dollars a ticket, and
we sold out a VIP so we have general mission,
but it's still great seats because the way we're arranging
the room, it's going to be so good. And so
when you hit the doors, so like eight thirty, the
VIPs get in the door, and then at nine o'clock,
the general mission when you as soon as you go in,
(33:37):
you go choose your table immediately. So that's what we
did this year. Last year, I tried to seat everybody
together and that was a that was a tag challenge.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
That was a challenge.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
But this year, you just go in and find your
table together with whoever you want to sit with. And
it just makes it special because you can go on
in there and I tell people get there early, like
try to get there a little early so you can
go on in, get your table and then start shopping
you want to.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
And you're gonna have, you said, thirty vendors outside.
Speaker 4 (34:02):
Thirty vendors, and so we're gonna have you know, coffee
and like litt light breakfast when you get there, and
then you'll just go start shopping with the vendors that
they in fact, a lot of them are have like
shine merchandise. They're you know, just things they did for
the day, right, But they've also got some really these
are cute boutiques. So we actually did our research and
like picked really cute boutiques that women would love. And
(34:23):
so it's just a perfect day to go. And they're
not expensive boutiques. You know, it's gonna be affordable. I
feel like the ticket's affordable because your lunch is included
and all the things we're doing throughout the day and
so and we just to me, I just want women
to not talk their self out of it, you know,
to just say I need this day for me, even
if you just go by yourself, I need this day,
(34:44):
you know.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
So so you talked about that, they can go to
the website, which is Kelly Talbert Ministries and then go
find that.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
But you're also on social media.
Speaker 4 (34:55):
Yes, so if you go to social media, I have
it under Kelly Talbert is it's I have a business
page under Kelly Topper. But we also have a Shine
conference page. It's like a group page, right, and that's
where we keep all our updates and everything in there.
So if you look up Kelly Talbert, you'll find me
and it's t A U B E R T, so
you'll find me there. And then we have a big
(35:17):
following on there, and then also our Shine group page
and we keep you updated, you know. And also you
subscribe to Kelly Talbert Ministries and we keep you updated
by email on that as well.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
So if someone wants to make a phone call, they're like, Okay,
I'm not tech savvy. I just need to call someone
get information and figure out how to get a ticket.
Speaker 4 (35:35):
So what we decided to do is we have a
email this Shine Conference Team at gmail dot com. So
Shine com, no no dashes or dots, just Shine Conference
Team at gmail dot com. When you do that and
you leave your number, I will I will personally call
them back. That's what I've been doing because I know
a lot of people. I have people on my team,
but sometimes they want to hear from me, and I'll
definitely call them because if they just may have a
(35:56):
question about a ticket or how can I you know,
buy more than one ticket and things like that, so
we'll help them.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
Sureat well, Kelly, I'm super excited. I am absolutely hoping
I can be there on the seventh two. I'm looking
forward to that. So the conference again, go ahead and
give the dates and the times.
Speaker 4 (36:14):
Yes, so Saturday, February seventh, and it's going to be
eight thirty in the morning to five thirty pm, so
we included and lunch is included. We tried to leave early,
like at five thirty, so that way they could go
have dinner with their family. Still, it's not like something
you're there all night, that's right.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
So and if they need to bathe the kids and
get them.
Speaker 5 (36:31):
To bed, that's exactly right. Yes, that's right.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
If they have children, dad may be ready.
Speaker 5 (36:37):
Yeah, he might be ready. And always tell them.
Speaker 4 (36:39):
We laugh about this because at the conference, you know,
everybody's trying to call them, so you're trying to take
this day out for yourself and your kids, and your
husband's calling. Were like, turn the phone off and just
enjoy this day solutely and you have a day to yourself.
Exactly well, Kelly. I appreciate you being here on the show.
Excited to hear how that turned out at the Shine
Women's Conference. If you have any questions, you're welcome to
(36:59):
call my office four nine eight six six eight three
two six, and.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
I'm happy to get you connected with Kelly. I'd love
for you to be able to attend that conference. I
know so many of my friends have done that and
have absolutely loved it. I want to thank you for
listening to the show today. I want to thank Blaine
Kaye for connecting with us. He's with First Financial Bank,
giving us information about what rates are doing and fraud,
(37:24):
and then Kelly sharing about the Shine Women's Conference. I
hope you are having an incredible Saturday, and we look
forward to having you right back here next Saturday at noon.
This is the Dana Simmons Show.
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