2021 CSBS Community Bank Case Study Competition Journal

FIRST PLACE: The University of Tennessee at Martin

Background Information on TriStar TriStar was chartered in April 1999 and opened in Dickson County, Tennessee, on the first day of the new year in 2000 by founding organizers Ted Williams, Melissa Street, Noah Daniel, Phil Hall, Jerry Smith, and TomWaychoff. Within approximately two months, the Bank’s founding members had sold $7.5 million in stock, and TriStar’s growth and progress has continued from that point. By the time of its 10th anniversary, TriStar had set a new net income achievement of $1.4 million and grown to $150.0 million in total assets (“About TriStar Bank”). By 2012, TriStar owned six branches in three counties after purchasing two offices from Community South Bank in Columbia and Spring Hill, Tennessee. Also in 2012, TriStar’s total assets grew to over $220.0 million, earning over $1.6 million in net income. In 2015, TriStar’s loans had grown to over $158.0 million and it opened a new office in Columbia to replace a leased building. TriStar operates with 86 employees, six branches, and $390.0 million in total assets (T. Williams, Meeting, April 14, 2021). TriStar attempted to be flexible to meet the needs of small businesses in its communities during the pandemic by being active in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Even with obstacles faced during the pandemic, TriStar continued to communicate effectively and build relationships with customers in the Dickson, Williamson, and Maury Counties located in middle Tennessee. TriStar has been resilient and persistent in carrying out its mission to deliver superior service in meeting the needs of and finding solutions for its

Since the Bank’s inception in 1999, organizers have made conscious efforts to address matters such as diversity, inclusion, and economic fairness in the community.

clients, shareholders, and communities (“About TriStar,” Mission Statement ). Since the Bank’s inception in 1999, organizers have made conscious efforts to address matters such as diversity, inclusion, and economic fairness in the community. TriStar recognizes the importance of training that focuses on utilizing fair hiring practices, expanding customer demographics, and investing resources in underserved populations. The Bank continues to take positive steps toward these ends by hiring personnel who are bilingual, meeting with minority members of TriStar’s communities, and fostering an ongoing awareness of issues that the Bank needs to address. These topics will be discussed in more detail throughout this case study.

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