News

With the New Year comes new leadership at Oklahoma AgCredit. The Board of Directors of the agricultural lending cooperative appointed Patrick Zeka as Chief Executive Officer, effective Jan. 1, 2019. Oklahoma AgCredit is part of the nationwide Farm Credit System.

Zeka’s experience with Farm Credit exceeds 26 years. He served as Oklahoma AgCredit Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer from July to December 2018. He performed dual roles of EVP/Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer from January 2016 until July 2018 when Malinda Thimmesch was hired as CFO in preparation for Zeka’s transition to CEO.

“I am humbled and honored to be responsible for the customers and employees of Oklahoma AgCredit,” said Patrick Zeka. “Seeking efficiencies and utilizing technology to improve our customers’ experience are avenues I plan to pursue to build on the existing strength of the Association.”

Zeka, 52, succeeds Butch McComas, who led the lending cooperative since 2016 when Farm Credit of East Central Oklahoma (East Central) and Chisholm Trail Farm Credit (Chisholm Trail) merged.

In 2015, Zeka served jointly as EVP/COO/CFO for East Central and Chisholm Trail.  He was Acting President/CFO, then Interim President/CFO for East Central from September 2014 through December 2014.  Zeka worked as CFO for East Central from 2008 until September 2014.  From 1999 to 2008, Zeka served as a vice president for U.S. AgBank.

Oklahoma AgCredit is a member-owned cooperative that provides loans and leases for agriculture and rural Oklahomans in 60 Oklahoma counties. A capital position of more than $275 million affords Oklahoma AgCredit the risk-bearing capacity to be a stable lender to farmers and ranchers through good times and bad, from small part-time operations to large full-time operations.

With assets exceeding $1.34 billion and a portfolio in excess of 6,300 loans, Oklahoma AgCredit is the largest Farm Credit association in the state. Headquartered in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma AgCredit has 17 full-time lending offices and a number of weekly contact points to provide loans for farm and ranch land, country homes, livestock, equipment and operating costs.