WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Dec. 16, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Building on its success outside its home state, First Tennessee Bank will soon open its first office in the Charleston, SC, area. The move continues the growth of the bank's Mid-Atlantic Region, led by President John Fox and including the North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia markets. First Tennessee is a subsidiary of First Horizon National Corp. (NYSE:FHN).

The new office will serve the Charleston market with private client banking, wealth management through FTB Advisors, commercial financial services and commercial real estate finance. Charleston joins existing Mid-Atlantic offices in Winston-Salem, Raleigh and Charlotte, NC, and Richmond, VA, extending a road to new business opportunity that began in 2004 with the opening of First Tennessee's first office in the region.

"We're excited about this new opportunity to serve customers in Charleston," Fox said. "First Tennessee is easy to do business with, and we believe our differentiated service will enable us to continue our growth and success in this region. Charleston shares characteristics with our other markets in the Mid-Atlantic, so we're building on our success." First Tennessee Bank, which celebrates its 150th anniversary next March, brings a legacy of serving customers to a city rich in history. The company is known for being engaged in the communities it serves.

Rotcher Watkins, senior vice president and market executive based in Charlotte, will lead the Charleston office and has assembled a team of experienced bankers with deep roots in the area. They are:

• Andy Thomas, senior vice president and commercial banking relationship manager, with more than 20 years of banking experience in the state and a degree from Clemson
• Allston Moore, senior vice president and private client team leader, with 23 years of private banking and wealth management experience and an MBA from the University of South Carolina
• Shelly Clark, private client relationship manager, with more than 20 years of experience in retail, commercial and private banking and a degree from the University of Colorado

"We offer the services and expertise of a mid-size bank with the personal relationships of a small bank," said Watkins. "This exceptional team of bankers shares a common corporate culture and way of doing business that is consistent with First Tennessee's heritage." The office, which should open within 90 days after necessary applications are completed, will be located at 28 Bridgeside Blvd. in Mt. Pleasant, a Charleston suburb. First Tennessee will add jobs to manage increased business.

About First Horizon

The 4,300 employees of First Horizon National Corp. (NYSE:FHN) provide financial services through more than 170 First Tennessee Bank locations in and around Tennessee and 20 FTN Financial Group offices in the U.S. and abroad. First Tennessee has the leading market share in Tennessee and one of the highest customer retention rates of any bank in the country. FTN Financial is a capital markets industry leader in fixed income sales, trading and strategies for institutional clients in the U.S. and abroad. First Horizon has been recognized as one of the nation's best employers by American Banker and Working Mother magazines and a top tech innovator by InformationWeek. More information is available at http://www.fhnc.com/" rel="nofollow">www.fhnc.com.

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