Longtime Oklahoma banker and civic leader Gene Rainbolt will speak at the Cleveland County Democratic Party's Tyner Cornbread and Beans luncheon Friday at the Holiday Inn, Interstate 35 and Robinson Street.

Rainbolt holds both an undergraduate and graduate degree from the University of Oklahoma. He will present his views regarding the current financial crisis.

Rainbolt acquired his first bank in 1961, the first American Bank in Purcell and in 1965 he took over the Federal Nation Bank in Shawnee. In l967 he and a group of investors commenced acquiring banks in Oklahoma which led to the formation of United Community Corporation, the state's first multi-bank holding company. In l989 he founded BancFirst which is now the largest state-chartered bank in Oklahoma with offices in 46 communities. Recently a national bank rating group listed BancFirst as one of the top 10 banks in the USA.

Considered a strong advocate of the Oklahoma economy, Rainbolt has worked to improve health education, provide better access to capital and develop Oklahoma's infrastructure system. He has served in numerous civic, economic development, chamber of commerce, youth, medical, zoological, arts and banking organizations. One of his current projects is enhancing the entrepreneurial classes and entrepreneurial activities at universities in Oklahoma.

Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. with the speaker beginning about noon. Cost for cornbread and beans or sandwich bar with chips is $7 including tea, coffee or water, tax and gratuity. The meeting is open to the public.