Jim Canton has joined Oklahoma State Bank (OSB) as president and chief credit officer. The native of Joplin, Mo., has been in the banking industry for 39 years, primarily in the Edmond and Oklahoma City markets, and most recently served as president of Bank SNB in Edmond.

Canton brings considerable lending expertise to his new position, including commercial and residential real estate lending, secured asset-based lending, and commercial and industrial business lending.

After graduating from Missouri Southern State in Joplin, he worked as a lender at banks in Los Angeles and the Kansas City area before moving to Edmond in 1983 to work at Quail Creek Bank, eventually becoming the bank’s chief lending officer. In 1996, he founded First Commercial Bank in Edmond and served as CEO for 20 years. Under his leadership, the bank expanded to nine locations in Edmond, Oklahoma City and Denver, Colo., before it was purchased by Bank SNB in 2016.

"We are very pleased to have a leader of Jim's professional and personal caliber at OSB," said CEO Steve McDaniel.  "His long list of accomplishments in the banking industry can be attributed to his ability to develop strong personal relationships with his clients and his desire to serve the people in this community."

Canton has been actively involved in the Oklahoma City and Edmond Chambers of Commerce, the United Way, the Boy Scouts and various youth sports organizations. He is a former director of the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in Guthrie, and was the founding director of Central Oklahoma Charities, a partnership with First Commercial Bank that benefited several local children’s charities.