Tennessee Bankers Association

In honor of National Black Business Month, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter recently visited historic Citizens Savings Bank and Trust in Nashville. Founded in 1904, Citizens Bank is the nation’s oldest continuously operating Black-owned bank. WKRN News 2's Jaxie Pidgeon shares more in the link.

Good times with the #TNYoungBankers board (and T-Rac) catching some Smokies baseball and planning ahead for an engaging Tennessee Bankers Association YB division year! Appreciate these awesome banker leaders volunteering their time to benefit our TN banking industry

TBA's Leaders in Banking Excellence welcomed a new honoree this week—Chris White of Peoples Bank of East Tennessee in Madisonville Chris has been a cornerstone in East Tennessee community banking for more than three decades. For almost a quarter of a century, he served as the President and CEO of Peoples Bank of East Tennessee. Later in his career, he was promoted to the position of Chairman. His leadership has been marked by strategic growth, robust community involvement, and advocacy for employee well-being. Starting his career in 1983, Chris progressed through significant roles, notably managing large loan portfolios at several different community banks. Chris served on the Association’s board of directors where he was nominated for the Vice-Chairman’s position. He also served on the Independent Bankers Division and Financial Products and Services, Inc. (FPSI). Kudos to Chris for becoming part of a distinguished group of Tennessee bankers, recognized for their outstanding achievements in banking, community involvement, and civic responsibility.

Lisa Pominski of Wilson Bank & Trust in Lebanon was recently recognized with the prestigious honor of being inducted into the TBA's Leaders in Banking Excellence. Lisa's journey from a drive-thru teller to a transformative chief financial officer at Wilson Bank & Trust encapsulates her profound impact on Tennessee’s banking landscape. After starting her career in 1984, Lisa joined Wilson Bank & Trust at its inception in 1987. Her adeptness saw her swiftly ascend to pivotal roles within the bank. This culminated in her serving as the bank’s CFO for 27 years, where she was instrumental in growing Wilson Bank & Trust into the fourth largest bank headquartered in Tennessee. Lisa's banking expertise is matched by her community commitment, as a stalwart supporter of Relay for Life, United Way, and the Empower Me Center. Congratulations to Lisa on joining an esteemed group of Tennessee bankers, celebrated for their exceptional contributions to the banking industry, community service, and civic engagement.

Earlier this week, Terry L. Lee of Commercial Bank in Harrogate was inducted into the TBA's Leaders in Banking Excellence. Terry Lee, renowned for his loyalty, hard work, and sharp business acumen, played a pivotal role in the expansion and development of Commercial Bank. With an entrepreneurial spirit and deep banking knowledge, Terry drove remarkable growth and set new standards for the bank. Starting as a proof operator and bookkeeper, he became president in 1995, then CEO (2004) and chairman (2022). Under his leadership, he masterfully expanded Commercial Bank from 6 branches with $100 million in assets in one state to 35 branches with $2.1 billion in assets across three states, demonstrating his exceptional vision and commitment to the bank's success. Congrats to Terry, who joined a distinguished group of Tennessee bankers, both past and present, recognized for their outstanding achievements in banking, community service, and civic engagement.

Surrounded by family and friends, the Tennessee Bankers Association welcomed Terry Lee (Commercial Bank), Lisa Pominski (Wilson Bank & Trust), Christopher White (Peoples Bank of East Tennessee) into the Leaders in Banking Excellence today. The 2024 inductees are among an elite group representing Tennessee bankers, past and present, who have excelled in the areas of banking, community service, and civic involvement. Congrats to these exceptional bankers.

The TBA concluded its Membership Meetings and Coffee Breaks tour today in Knoxville. A big thank you to the hundreds of bankers who took time out of their busy schedules over the past two weeks to learn more about YOUR Association and how we are dedicated to serving you and the banking industry.

We love seeing our East Tennessee friends! Thanks to all the bankers and associates who joined us for our Membership Meeting and #TNYoungBankers Coffee Break stops in Chattanooga and Kingsport the past two days.

TBA recently partnered with the Dallas Region of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to present the 2024 FDIC Directors College/Banker Outreach Program. This program provided bank personnel and directors with the opportunity to engage with state and federal regulators and learn about current and emerging issues in the financial services industry.

That’s a wrap on Day 4 of Membership Meetings and Coffee Breaks! We greatly appreciate the more than 90 bankers who attended today’s events in Memphis. Calling all East Tennessee bankers—Next week we’ll have stops in Chattanooga, Kingsport and Knoxville. We’ll see y’all there! Register: https://lnkd.in/gZSkhD4k