NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (May 1, 2007) – Nashville banking veteran Claire W. Tucker has announced plans to assist in the organization of a new bank that will be based in Nashville. Tucker, who previously served as President of FirstBank-Nashville, will serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the new bank, which is slated to open in nine to12 months.

Additional organizers of the bank include Dennis C. Bottorff, Council Ventures, LP; Toby S. Wilt, TSW Investment Company; Greg Daily, iPayment, Inc.; James S. (Jay) Turner, Marketstreet Enterprises; and Julie D. Frist.

Organizers of the bank intend to raise approximately $80 million in start-up capital with a majority of the ownership coming from the local market. The new bank will focus on the areas of middle market commercial, commercial and residential real estate and private banking.

Tipton H. (Tip) Evans, who first worked with Tucker during his 20-year tenure at First American Bank, will serve as Chief Operating Officer of the new bank. Additionally, long-time bankers Jan Holler and Jane Edwards will also be joining Tucker and the new bank.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to work with an enormously accomplished and well-respected group of Nashvillians who understand this community and have been extremely successful in their respective business endeavors,” said Tucker, who has more than 32 years of banking experience in Nashville.

Tucker began her banking career in 1975 as a management trainee for First American Bank and progressed through the ranks to President of the Corporate Bank in 1999. At that time she was responsible for all sales and marketing activities for commercial clients in a seven state area with a collective loan portfolio of $10 billion and deposits of $6 billion. In October 1999, First American was acquired by AmSouth Bank where Tucker was named Senior Executive Vice President, responsible for Commercial Banking in six southeastern states and New York. The division maintained a $16 billion loan portfolio and $10 billion in deposits; Tucker led a sales force of 125 professionals and 800 sales/support-operations employees.

In 2000, Tucker left AmSouth to join FirstBank, a $1.7 billion community bank headquartered in Lexington, Tenn., where she served as City President for Nashville and then Senior Vice President of Metropolitan Markets in Tennessee.

“We are delighted that someone with such a depth of experience and stellar track record has decided to lead the bank,” said Dennis Bottorff, one of the future bank’s key organizers. “Those of us in the banking industry, as well as anyone who has ever done business with Claire, know that she is the consummate professional and a tireless advocate for her customers and business associates. She will be a tremendous asset at so many levels.”

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