First Tennessee Bank

A financial services company with primary office in Memphis, Tennessee, First Tennessee Bank is part of First Horizon National Corporation. The bank holding company is currently the largest financial institution based in Tennessee and among the largest in America.

First Horizon National Corporation came into its present name in 2004 from First Tennessee National Corporation. This is with the goal of expanding the operations to include territories outside of Tennessee. The First Horizon brand has been used by the financial company for its branches outside of Tennessee while still retaining its First Tennessee brand in its home base.

The bank’s origin dates back in 1864 in Memphis, Tennessee. Frank S. Davis laid the foremost structure of the bank. Being a leader, he called in a group of men in Memphis to help him establish a national bank. Davis was made president of the bank organization. All men who attended the meeting took the role as directors of the bank organization which then named First National Bank of Memphis.

Davis and his fellow applied for the national charter of the bank. They received it after fourteen days of the bank’s foundation. The founders started the business in a single room in a North Court Street building in Memphis. The bank transferred to No.9 Madison Street for expansion.

The bank had been through trying times as it aimed to survive after several wars, epidemics and financial turmoil that hit Memphis and the United States. It did surpass all these struggles and had managed to even expand its banking services through branch banking in suburban areas in Tennessee.

The celebration of 100th anniversary of the financial institution was made in its new 23-story bank building in Madison Avenue. The plan for a building for the bank was devised to remedy its problem of space shortage because of growth and expansion. The building has then become the headquarters structure of the bank up to this day.

The bank company has also been through merger and acquisitions to expand its corporate structure and market size. The first merger took place in 1926 with Central-State National Bank while several acquisitions began in 1972.

The bank holding company was created in 1969 which was before named as First National Holding Company. It then renamed to First Tennessee National Corporation two years after that. The renaming also paved the way for the change in structure of the company from one-bank to multi-bank holding corporation.

Meanwhile, the renaming of the bank from First National Bank of Memphis to First Tennessee Bank took effect on the first day of the year 1977.

The financial company continues to expand its presence in Tennessee and other states. Aside from Tennessee, some of these can now be found in Maryland, Georgia, Texas and Virginia. The branches outside Tennessee have taken the name of First Horizons Bank as a marketing strategy.

The First Tennessee Bank continues to provide full-service banking to its prime market share in Tennessee. Other financial services have also been provided by the bank. The bank divides its businesses into retail and commercial banking, mortgage banking and capital markets. Similar banking divisions can be found in First Horizons Bank for other states outside of Tennessee.

Aside from its business divisions, First Tennessee Bank online banking is another technological segment of the bank which can provide different banking features and services.

First Tennessee Bank online services can include bill pay online, banking online and investment online. The online services are differently catered to individuals and businesses.

The holding company of First Tennessee Bank can comprise of various subsidiaries that offer different financial services from insurance, brokerage services and investment management.

From a single-room office in a building during its beginning, First Tennessee Bank and its holding company have now become among the 30 largest financial firms in America according to asset with current headquarters in its own building in Memphis, Tennessee.