MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 17, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The board of directors of First Horizon National Corp. (NYSE:FHN) has named Greg Jardine as the company's chief credit officer. Greg Olivier, who has been chief credit officer for First Horizon since July 2007, is leaving to take a position with First Southern Bank in Boca Raton, Fla. Jardine has been a member of First Horizon's credit team since October 2009. Olivier and Jardine have been colleagues for years, including throughout much of the 1990s when Jardine was Olivier's manager at First Union Corp.
"Credit is how we help our customers meet their needs and achieve their goals," said Bryan Jordan, First Horizon's CEO. "With the economic turmoil of the past two years, we have established prudent, well-managed credit strategies that allow our customers the greatest latitude in building their businesses and achieving their families' goals. Thanks to our early proactive approach to credit, our loan loss provision and nonperforming loans have decreased for four consecutive quarters now while we've maintained the highest levels of customer trust and service. Greg's leadership has been at the core of our credit management process, and we wish him well as he takes on this new challenge. I am pleased that we have someone with Greg Jardine's extensive experience to provide a seamless transition and build on our strong credit risk foundation."
Olivier said, "I am proud of the leadership demonstrated and accomplishments achieved by the First Horizon credit risk team during one of the most difficult credit environments in decades. We have built an outstanding team with the talent, processes and resources to continue its vital role under Greg Jardine's able leadership. My new job at First Southern allows my family to return to Florida where we have ties and where I began my banking career. Helping First Southern in its emergence as a strong, successful bank from South Florida is a new challenge I am looking forward to. I am grateful to First Horizon for the opportunity to serve as its chief credit officer for the past three years and for the trust that the executive team and the board placed in me. First Horizon is well-positioned for continued success, and I will always appreciate the personal relationships that were built during my time with the company."
Prior to his promotion, Greg Jardine was First Horizon's executive vice president in charge of credit portfolio management. Before joining First Horizon he was Wachovia Corp.'s senior vice president and senior risk officer for credit and counterparty risk in capital management and wealth management, two of Wachovia's four main business lines. In his 32 years in banking, Jardine has held progressively senior credit roles in areas including line management, credit policy, administration and process reengineering.
"I appreciate the board's and Bryan's confidence in me to lead our outstanding credit group, and I greatly value Greg Olivier's contributions and the strong team he has built," said Jardine. "I look forward to the opportunity to further contribute to First Horizon's success."
About First Horizon
The 5,500 employees of First Horizon National Corp. (NYSE:FHN) provide financial services through more than 180 bank locations in and around Tennessee and 18 FTN Financial Group offices in the U.S. and abroad. First Tennessee has the leading combined market deposit share in the 17 Tennessee counties where it does business and one of the highest customer retention rates of any bank in the country. FTN Financial is an industry leader in fixed income sales, trading and strategies for institutional clients in the U.S. and abroad. FHN has been recognized as one of the nation's best employers by AARP and Working Mother magazines. More information can be found at www.fhnc.com.
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CONTACT: First Horizon National Corporation
Bryan Jordan
(901)523-4194
BJ Losch, Chief Financial Officer
(901)523-4255
Media Relations
Anthony Hicks
(901)523-4726
Investor Relations
Aarti Bowman
(901)523-4017