Manager Trainee

Gateway promotes Earl Dunham to Chief Operating Officer. TULSA, Okla.-(BUSINESS WIRE)-Gateway First Bank is proud to announce the promotion of Earl Dunham to Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Dunham will oversee the direction, strategy, planning, and execution of key initiatives designed to enhance the borrower and banking customer experience, as well as core internal operations including facilities, legal, and vendor management. With more than 30 years of operational leadership experience, Dunham is widely recognized for his strong organizational skills and his ability to inspire teams to achieve excellence. "Earl is a respected leader with a clear strategic mindset and a passion for building high-performing teams," said Kyle Hubbard, Chief Executive Officer of Gateway First Bank. "As Chief Operating Officer, his experience and leadership will play a key role in strengthening our operations, supporting our teams, and advancing Gateway's long-term growth and service excellence." Prior to his promotion, Dunham served as Executive Vice President of Banking and Mortgage Services at Gateway, where he led bank operations and mortgage servicing. He previously held the role of Vice President of Corporate Initiatives and Planning, managing critical initiatives and spearheading process optimization efforts in support of the bank's strategic goals. Before joining Gateway, Dunham served as Senior Manager of Global Franchise Development and Operations at The Hertz Corporation. Dunham holds a degree in Business Administration from Northeastern State University. Born in Kansas, he moved to Tulsa as a toddler and was raised there, graduating from Bishop Kelley High School. His deep roots in the Tulsa community, combined with his extensive professional experience, make him a valuable asset to Gateway First Bank. Dunham has been married to his wife, Melissa, for 14 years. Together, they have two adult children and four grandchildren. With his strong community ties and proven operational expertise, Dunham is well positioned to lead Gateway's banking operations with integrity, innovation, and purpose. About Gateway First Bank Gateway, headquartered in Jenks, Oklahoma, is a leading financial institution committed to the community and focused on personalized financial solutions. Founded in 2000, Gateway is one of the largest financial institutions in the state, with assets totaling over $2 billion. In addition to its eight banking centers in Oklahoma, Gateway has a strong national mortgage presence, with 70 mortgage locations around the country and a staff of approximately 600 employees. www.gatewayfirst.com (C) 2026 Gateway First Bank. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS 7233.

People still aren't into buying cars online. A new report shows that only 7 percent of new-car buyers in the US completed their purchase online, despite a major push by automakers, Amazon, and others to move past the dealership. All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. Learn more. In the US, cars follow only housing as the most expensive purchase consumers make. So it makes a lot of sense that, according to recent buyer surveys, very few of them want an Amazon-style, one-click approach to getting a new set of wheels. "People want to see, feel, and touch the car," says Erin Lomax, the vice president of consumer marketing at Cox Automotive, a research firm that also makes digital auto sales products that allow dealers to initiate transactions online. (This gives Cox a lot of insight into buying patterns, but it also has a stake here.) Not to mention test-driving the expensive thing they'll probably use every day. Data released by Cox this month shows that while 28 percent of car buyers go into the transaction thinking they want to do the whole thing online, just 7 percent end up pulling it off. More than half of buyers conduct their purchases entirely in person. Another consumer survey, published in the fall, found that just over half of car buyers wanted to physically sign paper copies of important documents. In yet another, released in December, 86 percent of surveyed buyers said they wanted to see a car in person before finalizing their purchase. That's despite what looks like a full-scale industry push to bring car-buying online, one that began out of necessity when the Covid-19 pandemic and related shutdowns limited in-person interactions. The direct-sales success of automakers including Tesla and Rivian, and online-first used-car merchants including CarMax and Carvana, have also given the practice some momentum. Dealerships and used-car sites have rolled out waves of technology in recent years - including crucial backend connections between financial institutions - allowing more and more of the transaction to happen with a series of clicks or taps. This past summer, Hertz launched a fully online car buying platform, letting customers get prequalified for loans, evaluate trade-ins, choose warranties, and eventually arrange pickups on the internet. It turns out, though, that the whole online car-buying thing is nuanced. It's not that people are eschewing the internet altogether. In interviews, purchasers told Cox that they were pleased that they could do lots of the process - especially applying for and receiving loan approvals - online. One described a "seamless" transition between researching and selecting a car online, then going into the dealership to finalize the deal. Lomax says Cox finds that internet-enthusiastic buyers tend to make their way to brick-and-mortar dealerships when they hit the financing part of the transaction. "They really figured out viewing inventory online," she says. "The steps relating to money and financing - that's where the anxiety comes in." Automakers are getting in on the internet, too. In the fall, Ford joined Hyundai in allowing car buyers in select US cities to buy certified pre-owned vehicles on Amazon's giant online sales platform. Ford CEO Jim Farley vocally coveted Tesla's direct sales approach, which skips the middle-man dealership altogether. "We've got to go to non-negotiated price. We've got to go to 100 percent online," he said at a 2022 event, referring to EV sales strategies specifically. * Gear By Jeremy White * Gear By Nena Farrell * Gear By Reece Rogers * Products By Chris Haslam Years ago, online used-car retailers including CarMax (founded in 1993) and Carvana (founded in 2012) helped prove that some car buyers were willing to complete at least parts of the buying experience on the internet. The companies, which do have brick-and-mortar locations, also took a no-haggle approach to car sales and posted their inventory online. Traditional dealers, and third-party sites like Edmunds, eBay Motors, and Cox's Autotrader have worked to catch up. Jessie Dosanjh, the president of the California Automotive Retailing Group, which owns 20 vehicle dealership franchises in the San Francisco Bay Area, says his business makes more profit on online sales. That's not because consumers are paying more for cars, he says, but because efficient, internet-first transactions help the business spend less per transaction because they require less time of his salespeople. The internet actually "bolsters transparency," Dosanjh says, because customers can more easily find prices and compare across makes and models. That "brings us credibility," he says. Car buyers who want to limit in-person negotiating, or at least that niggling feeling that a dealership is pulling one over on them, might be soothed by an internet full of information. At one of Dosanjh's dealerships, a Cadillac franchise in Dublin, California, 80 percent of car sales documents get executed remotely. "People are really busy in the luxury segment," he says. "They demand convenience." The average new-auto transaction price rocketed past $50,000 late last year, according to Cox. Sixty-two percent of survey respondents said that owning or leasing a vehicle is becoming too expensive. It makes sense that both consumers and dealerships are looking for better ways to buy and sell cars - whether that's in person or not.

Opus Virtual Offices announces strategic partnership with Hertz Business Rewards to deliver exclusive travel savings for clients. Strategic partnership expands Opus' growing suite of value-added client benefits "We're always looking for ways to bring meaningful benefits to our clients," said Yori Galel, CEO of Opus Virtual Offices. BOCA RATON, FL, January 14, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ - Opus Virtual Offices, a leading provider of virtual office solutions for entrepreneurs and small businesses nationwide, is excited to announce a new strategic partnership with Hertz Business Rewards. Through this collaboration, Opus clients will now enjoy 20% off Hertz rental rates and receive a free additional driver on qualifying rentals empowering business owners to travel smarter and more affordably. Under this exclusive partnership, Opus Virtual Offices members can take advantage of Hertz's trusted fleet and business travel perks designed to reduce travel expenses and enhance convenience. This offering adds even more value to an Opus membership, complementing the company's mission to support small business growth and professional success. "We're always looking for ways to bring meaningful benefits to our clients," said Yori Galel, CEO of Opus Virtual Offices. "Partnering with Hertz Business Rewards means our members can travel with confidence, save on everyday business travel costs, and focus more on growing their company." This partnership further strengthens Opus Virtual Offices' commitment to delivering value-added services that help clients increase efficiency, reduce operating costs, and project a professional image whether at home, in the office, or on the road. About Opus Virtual Offices Opus Virtual Offices is a national leader in virtual office services, providing comprehensive business solutions for a flat monthly fee. With over 650 locations throughout the U.S. and Canada, Opus delivers a prestigious corporate mailing address, live receptionist services, business phone and fax, voicemail, and more, all designed to help businesses operate professionally and grow without the costs associated with a traditional office. # # # Contact information. Opus Virtual Offices