2019 Journal of Community Bank Case Studies

University of Tennessee at Martin

THIRD PLACE:

market. Currently, the Paris market consists of approximately equal loans to deposits (Gordon). Buttrey continues to grow FirstBank’s presence in the Paris, Tennessee, market through securing loans and deposits. The Memphis, Tennessee, market is representative of FirstBank’s metropolitan presence. Memphis is more concentrated with commercial real estate activity as compared to other FirstBank markets. Nonetheless, FirstBank is continually working towards growing its market presence within the community. FirstBank’s Memphis Market President, Jeff Hudson, explained that a banker has to have the right mindset to lend money to commercial customers as well as guidelines to follow when considering providing capital for commercial endeavors. A key concept for FirstBank is the need to know and understand the risk and opportunities within the market to make intelligent banking decisions. If a banker does not know his market, he does not know where to focus, who to hire, or who to do business with. This concept is an idea that Jim Ayers established and has supported since the very beginning. Fairview, Tennessee, is a growing community that has rural and metropolitan roots. While Fairview has a rural customer base, it is also growing in the metropolitan market share because of the westward expansion of Nashville, Tennessee. John Blade, Market President of Fairview, is a Fairview native and has believed in the mission of the bank since his employment with FirstBank began. Blade was also recently

elected to serve as Mayor of Fairview in November 2018. FirstBank currently has the majority of the market share in Fairview, holding approximately 64% of the deposits in the community (“Each Depositor Insured”). Blade continues to be the model community banker within his market (Holmes). FirstBank in Fairview prides itself on getting 70% of deposits new to the market as the Nashville community expands west (Blade). FirstBank empowers its market presidents to make specific decisions impacting their customers and market. These decisions include certain lending, human resource, and community involvement tactics. To maintain its unique community bank model, FirstBank attempts to hire market presidents who are native to the area; thus, allowing customers to feel comfortable talking directly to the market president.

A key concept for FirstBank is the need to know and understand the risk and opportunities within the market to make intelligent banking decisions.

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