MidFirst Bank
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Banking, Financial services |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | W.R. Johnston (origin of Midland Group) |
| Headquarters | Oklahoma City , United States |
Area served | Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah; commercial lending branches in Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, New York City, Orlando, Southern California |
Key people | G. Jeffrey Records Jr. (Chairman) |
| Products | Commercial banking, trust management, private banking, mortgage products |
| Owner | Midland Group (family ownership) |
| Parent | Midland Group |
MidFirst Bank is a financial institution based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, operating as a prominent American bank. By 2025, it holds the distinction of being the largest privately held bank within the United States, managing assets totaling $40.4 billion. MidFirst’s presence spans several states, including Arizona (Phoenix), California (Los Angeles, Orange County, Santa Barbara, San Diego), Colorado (Boulder, Denver, Edwards, Fort Collins), Nevada (Las Vegas), Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Western Oklahoma), Texas (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio), and Utah (Salt Lake City).
The bank maintains commercial lending branches in cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, New York City, Orlando, and Southern California. Its operations in Southern California are conducted through its division known as 1st Century Bank. Additionally, MidFirst owns MidFirst Business Credit as a subsidiary entity.
History
The origins of the Midland Group trace back to 1954 when Oklahoma banker W.R. Johnston acquired a half interest in Midland Mortgage Company, which had been established four years earlier. Currently, the family retains full ownership of Midland Group. In 1982, Midland Financial Co. secured a new bank charter in Stilwell, Oklahoma; this institution was renamed MidFirst Bank and subsequently relocated to Oklahoma City.
MidFirst Bank grew its footprint in 2009 by purchasing Community Bank of Arizona and Union Bank located within the Phoenix metropolitan area. The acquisition of Denver-based Steele Street Bank & Trust, a community bank with local ownership, occurred in 2015. In July 2016, the bank completed its takeover of Southern California’s 1st Century Bancshares, resulting in combined assets surpassing $12 billion. The bank expanded further in 2024 by acquiring six Houston branches from Florida-based Amerant Bank, pushing total assets close to $39 billion.
Offering a range of services including commercial banking, trust management, private banking, and mortgage products, MidFirst Bank is recognized as a leading national lender in commercial real estate and mortgage servicing. Its core markets encompass Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, and Southern California. Commercial lending offices also operate in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Nashville, New York City, Orlando, Salt Lake City, and Southern Nevada.
Community involvement
MidFirst Bank has been honored with Honorable Mentions from the American Bankers Association Community Commitment Awards for its financial education initiatives in 2016, 2018, and 2020. It also received recognition in 2020 for efforts aimed at Protecting Older Americans. The bank collaborates with the University of Oklahoma through the MoneyCoach financial literacy program and supports community engagement via partnerships with the True Corps initiative.
Chairman G. Jeffrey Records Jr. holds partial ownership of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the Professional Basketball Club ownership consortium.