BOK Financial chose Mark Wade to serve as executive director of its commercial banking division. The division, which generally serves owner-managed companies and nonprofits with $5 million to $50 million in revenue, is one of the company’s largest lines of business.

“Across our eight-state footprint, it is clear that we have a strategic opportunity to grow this segment. Banking privately held, owner-driven businesses is at the core of who we are at BOKF,” Norm Bagwell, executive vice president and regional banking executive for BOK Financial and CEO for Bank of Texas, said. “Mark has been serving the banking needs of businesses and business owners for more than 35 years. Mark’s experience and leadership make him a natural fit to drive this effort.”

Wade joined the company in 2001 as the Dallas corporate banking manager for Bank of Texas. Since then, he launched the company’s healthcare banking division in Texas and formed the heavy equipment group (now commercial finance). In 2008, he was named president and chief operating officer of Bank of Texas.

“The current market environment is challenging for companies of all sizes but can be particularly so for companies of this size,” Wade said. “They need a banking partner that understands not just what the business does but also why and how they do it. Owner-managed businesses have traditionally been ignored by large banks, and their banking needs are too sophisticated for smaller community banks. That creates an opportunity for banks like us.”

Wade will report to Bagwell and manage the commercial banking division from the company’s office in Dallas. His leadership team includes David Jeter, who serves as chief operating officer and strategist; Bruce Guest, who oversees Arizona, Colorado and Oklahoma; and Wyatt Dickson, who oversees Texas, New Mexico, Kansas and Missouri.

BOK Financial is a more than $40 billion regional financial services company headquartered in Tulsa, OK, with more than $80 billion in assets under management and administration.