About First Freedom Bank
Our People | Organizers
John Lancaster, President and CEO, Organizer
A banker who knows you is a banker who understands your needs, your dreams,
your grand plans. That's what it means to be a community bank. John Lancaster
has a vision for building First Freedom Bank into a true community bank: a bank
whose roots go deep in Wilson County, a bank that's fully invested in the growth
and prosperity of this community.
You are the future of Wilson County. You are our future. That's why we want to know you by name.
John Robert Lancaster, age 38, is a native of Lebanon, Tennessee. He is a 1985 graduate of Castle Heights Military Academy, a 1988 Honor graduate of the University of Tennessee with a B.S. degree in Business Administration, and a 1998 graduate of Trevecca Nazarene University with a M.A. degree in Management. A 17-year veteran of the banking industry, Mr. Lancaster most recently served as Wilson County Chairman with SunTrust Bank. Prior to the acquisition of National Bank of Commerce by SunTrust, Mr. Lancaster served as the Wilson County regional President for National Bank of Commerce. His previous banking experience includes a 9-year stint with First Tennessee Bank, N.A., where he served as vice-president/commercial sales manager. He is a graduate of the Tennessee Commercial Lending School and the Southeastern School of Advanced Commercial Lending, both at Vanderbilt University. He is also a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. Active in community affairs, Mr. Lancaster has served as Board Chairman and Campaign Chairman for United Way of Wilson county and as a board member of the United Ways of Middle Tennessee. He continues to serve on the Allocations Executive Committee and has been a member of the Allocations process with United Way for more than 10 years. He has served as co-chairman of the Greater Lebanon Regional Planning Commission, past president of Main Street Lebanon, Inc., past president of the Wilson County Adult Reading Council, Inc, and was an instructor/facilitator for Junior Achievement through Lebanon High School for a number of years. Mr. Lancaster is also a graduate of Leadership Wilson and has served on the board of the Wilson County Heart Association. He and his wife, Penny (Fisher), have been married for 15 years and have two sons. They are members of the First United Methodist Church in Lebanon. Mr. Lancaster is an Organizer and proposed Board member of the new Bank and will serve as the Bank's President and Chief Executive Officer. He will be a member of the Executive, Loan, and Asset/Liability Committees.
John Bradshaw, Chief Operating Officer and Organizer
Loan-to-value ratios. Annual percentage rates. FDIC regulations. It's a good thing
John Bradshaw has a handle on all the technicalities of the banking business. But
banking, in the end, isn't about numbers. It's about relationships - people helping
people.
You look to your banker when you're taking some of the biggest steps of your life: when you're buying a house, starting a business, sending the kids to college, thinking about retirement. Aren't you glad there are bankers like John Bradshaw, who understand that banking is more about relationships, not just rates and ratios? John Bradshaw is helping make First Freedom a different kind of bank.
John H. Bradshaw, age 38, has sixteen years' of banking experience in all aspects of banking. He was most recently employed as senior vice-president of First Tennessee Bank, N.A. in Lebanon, Tennessee and headed the commercial lending and business development in Wilson County. In addition to his extensive lending background, Mr. Bradshaw served as regional sales manager during his tenure with First Tennessee. A lifelong resident of Lebanon, he graduated from Castle Heights Military Academy and is a 1989 graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville where he earned a bachelor of science degree in finance. Additionally, he earned his Masters of Business Administration from Cumberland University in 2002. He is a graduate of the Louisiana State University School of Banking and the Tennessee Commercial School of Banking at Vanderbilt University. Mr. Bradshaw has worked with Middle Tennessee Junior Achievement as an adult leader/teacher with students at Lebanon High School. He graduated from the inaugural class of Leadership Wilson in 1994. He currently serves on the Health and Education Board of Wilson County as well as in the President's Council at Cumberland University. Mr. Bradshaw is a member of the board of trust for Summit Hospital and a member of the Lebanon Rotary Club. He is a past board member of the American Heart Association, the Empower Me Day Camp, and Leadership Wilson Alumni Board. Mr. Bradshaw is Cubmaster of Cub Scout Pack 643 and a leader with Boy Scout Troup 643 in Lebanon. He has coached baseball in Lebanon for the last six years. Mr. Bradshaw and his wife Karen (Ross) have been married for 13 years and have three children. They are active members of the First United Methodist Church in Lebanon. He is an Organizer of the new Bank, a proposed Director, and will serve as the Bank's Chief Operating Officer. He will serve on the Executive, Loan, and Public Relations Committees.
Ken Howell, Board Chairman and Organizer
What will Wilson County look like in ten years? In twenty years? In fifty?
Nobody knows for sure, but exciting growth and changes are happening in this
community. It's going to take vision and leadership to manage that growth and
change.
Ken Howell and First Freedom Bank plan to be an important part of Wilson County's future. A community bank, after all, is vital to community growth. That's why vision is so important in the community banking business. Our vision makes First Freedom a different kind of bank.
Kenneth C. Howell, age 55, graduated from Columbia Central High School in Columbia, Tennessee and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and Mathematics from Middle Tennessee State University in 1972. He attended Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University, the National Commercial Lending School at the University of Oklahoma, and the National Consumer Credit School at the University of Oklahoma. He was employed by Commerce Union Bank from 1972-1984 in various lending and management positions in the bank's Nashville, Springfield and Lebanon locations, being promoted to vice-president. He worked for the Humana Hospital Corporation in public relations and physician recruitment and later in private business as a series 7 licensed broker in the securities industry from 1984-1987. He joined Peoples Bank of Lebanon (later Third National Bank) in 1987 as executive vice president and as a member of the board of directors. Mr. Howell was the Wilson County Regional President for First American National Bank from 1988-1992, a position that included being project manager for the new office in Lebanon. He joined First Tennessee National Bank in 1992 as executive vice president and commercial sales manager and later as regional president for Wilson County (1997-2002), a position that included the project management for the replacement of an old office in Lebanon with a new facility for the bank. Mr. Howell is the co-founder and general manager of All American Classics of Tennessee (dba Classic Cars Southeast) which is the classic, antique and muscle car sales and restoration business. This business opened in 2004. Mr. Howell is a licensed real estate agent with Cumberland Real Estate and Auction Company and a member of the National Realtors Association. He is the past president and member of the board of directors of Lebanon/Wilson County Chamber of Commerce. In 1995 he founded the Wilson County Business and Education Coalition, Inc., a non-profit teacher grant program of the chamber of Commerce. He was elected a lifetime member #23 of the Lebanon/Wilson County Chamber of Commerce in 1998 and was one of the founding members of the Business Resource Center for the Chamber. Mr. Howell is a past charter member of the Rotary Club in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee and a past member of the board of directors of the Middle Tennessee Heart Association. He is past president and member of the board of directors of the Wilson County United Way and past member of the board of directors of the United Way of Middle Tennessee, serving on the needs assessment and allocations committee for Middle Tennessee. He is past president and member of the board of directors of Prospect, Inc.; a member of the Wilson County Fair Board; and an honorary member of Delta Mu Delta National Honor Society at Cumberland University. He is a member of the First United Methodist Church and currently serves as church treasurer. Mr. Howell and his wife, Mallory, have been married 31 years and have three sons. He is an Organizer and the proposed chairman of the Board of Directors for the new Bank and will serve on the Executive and Loan, and Human Resources Committees. Mr. Howell will also serve as an Executive Officer of the Bank.
Dr. James Bradshaw, Organizer
Dr. James Bradshaw deeply cares about the health of this community. He ought
to; he's been practicing medicine here for the last forty years. In that time, he's
seen a lot of changes in Wilson County.
So when it came time to organize a new community bank, Dr. Bradshaw was a perfect fit. Nobody cares more about the health of this community than Dr. Bradshaw. And isn't that what a community bank is all about? First Freedom Bank is a different kind of bank.
James Campbell Bradshaw, M.D., age 73, has been a practicing physician in Lebanon, Tennessee for the past 40 years. Born in the Tuckers Cross Roads Community of Lebanon, he was educated in the public schools of Trousdale County and attended Castle Heights Military Academy as a post-graduate. Dr. Bradshaw attended the University of the South prior to serving four years in the United States Navy. Upon completion of active military duty, he graduated from Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville with a Bachelor of Science degree and went on to graduate from the University of Tennessee Medical School. Dr. Bradshaw has served on the Board of Trust and as chairman of the Tennessee Medical Association and has served on the boards of directors of the University Medical Center and McFarland Hospital and has served both facilities as chairman and chief of staff. Dr. Bradshaw was one of the founders of Cracker Barrel Old County Store and served on the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc../CBRL Group board of trust for 33 years. He is a 40-year member of the Lebanon Rotary Club and has been active in numerous civic organizations. Dr. Bradshaw is a member of First United Methodist Church in Lebanon. Dr. Bradshaw and his wife Martha (Mann) have been married for 47 years and have four children and eleven grandchildren. Their son John H. Bradshaw is also involved with the organization of the Bank. Dr. Bradshaw is an Organizer of the new Bank.
Jim Lancaster, Organizer
This world is a risky place to live. That's why there are people like Jim Lancaster.
In his insurance agency, Mr. Lancaster has been helping the people of Wilson
county gain peace of mind - a little certainty in an uncertain world - for twenty-five
years.
There's no controlling the future. But you can manage your risks. That's just as true in banking as it is in the insurance business. You expect security from your community bank. Jim Lancaster understands that. As one of the organizers of First Freedom Bank, he's helping to create a different kind of bank.
James (Jim) Edward Lancaster, age 45, was born and raised in Lebanon, Tennessee. He graduated from Lebanon High School and attended Tennessee Tech University. In 1981, Mr. Lancaster established an insurance agency in Lebanon with Nationwide Insurance Company. Mr. Lancaster was a member of the 1994 charter class of Leadership Wilson. A former board member of the United Way of Wilson County for many years, he served in several capacities, including the Allocations committee and Board chairman. Additionally, Mr. Lancaster was a member of the board of directors that founded the Youth Emergency Shelter. He also served as a board member of Wilson County Promotions, Inc. (a sponsor of the Wilson County Fair) and remains an active committee member of the Amazin' Blazin' BBQ Cookoff held annual during the Fair. Mr. Lancaster and his wife, Debi (Wiser), have been married for 20 years and have three children and one grandchild. They are active members of First United Methodist Church in Lebanon and live on their farm in the Watertown area of Wilson County, raising cattle and horses. Mr. Lancaster is an Organizer of the new Bank.
Veronica Bender, Organizer
Nobody has invested more in the people of Wilson County than Veronica Bender.
In more than thirty years as one of our most beloved teachers and principals, she
has touched thousands of lives and earned the respect and trust of everyone who
knows her. So when it came time to form the board for First Freedom Bank, Mrs.
Bender was an obvious fit.
Like Veronica Bender, First Freedom Bank exists to touch lives, to earn your trust. We're a different kind of bank, as committed to the legacy of Wilson County as you are.
Veronica Rochell Bender, age 52, earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Education with an emphasis in Accounting from Tennessee State University in 1973. In 1985 she received a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction and a +45 in Administration and Supervision in 1987, both degrees from Trevecca University in Nashville, Tennessee. During the past 30 years Mrs. Bender has been a teacher for grades 3 and 4 at West Elementary School; has taught business subjects (typing, shorthand, general business and economics) at Mt. Juliet High School; has been the assistant principal at Mt. Juliet Junior High; interim principal at Stoner Creek Elementary; and opened W.A. Wright Elementary School in 1991. Upon completing her 30 years of service in the Wilson County School System, Mrs. Bender retired in July 2003 and became the Middle School Principal for Friendship Christian School. Mrs. Bender has served on numerous community boards and committees, including the advisory boards for Wilson Bank & Trust and the University Medical Center. She is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Prospect, Wilson County Restoration, Buddies of Lebanon, the Economic Development Board, the Mt. Juliet Planning Commission, the Wilson County Sports Council, and is a graduate of Leadership Wilson. She was honored by the Nashville Tennessean as Tennessee Principal of the Year in 1997. She served as one of the six textbook commissioners for the state of Tennessee until she retired. She was instrumental in piloting the Modified School Program for the Wilson County School System. Mrs. Bender is member of Stateland Baptist Church where she is a member of the Trustee Board and serves as the church's treasurer. Mrs. Bender and husband Larry have been married for 31 years and have one daughter and one grandson. She is an Organizer and proposed Director of the new Bank and will serve on the Asset/Liability, Human Resources and the Public Relations Committees.
Margaret Dixon, Organizer
Wilson County has always been home for Margaret Dixon. In twenty-seven years
as a Realtor, she has helped hundreds of families to make their homes here, too.
Her role as an Organizer and Director of First Freedom Bank gives Mrs. Dixon
another avenue for doing what she has always done in her distinguished career -
helping people put down roots in Wilson County. What does Margaret Dixon
bring to First Freedom Bank? A vision of what a hometown bank ought to be.
With leadership like hers, no wonder First Freedom feels a lot like home.
Margaret Ann Dixon, age 60, was born in Hermitage, Tennessee. She has been a lifelong resident of Wilson County and is a graduate of Mt. Juliet High School. She has been a Realtor for 27 years, representing both buyers and sellers. She holds the highest level of achievement with Crye-Leike Realtors, Inc. for being named their #1 Lifetime Agent. She has been awarded the distinction of Realtor of the Year numerous times and has also been ranked many times in the Nashville Business Journal's Top 25 Realtors for Middle Tennessee. Ms. Dixon is active on the local, state and national levels with the Association of Realtors. She has served as the local and state associations committee chairperson and director, the local association president, the state division vice-president and a national association member. Ms. Dixon is active in her community through the Chamber of Commerce, the Wilson County Planning Commission and the board of trustees of the Hermitage Church of God. She served as chairperson of the building committee for her church. Ms. Dixon and her late husband, Ben Dixon, Sr., were married 29 years and have five children. She continues to make her life in Wilson county with her children and grandchildren. Ms. Dixon is an Organizer and proposed Director of the new Bank and will serve on the Executive, Asset/Liability and Public Relations Committees.
Greg Dugdale, Organizer
In the real estate business, progress usually means the development of new
properties. New homes and new places to do business make our community a
better place to live. Greg Dugdale shares that belief. But he also understands that
progress shouldn't cost a community its heritage. That's why Mr. Dugdale is so
committed to his award-winning work of historic preservation in the Lebanon
area. One eye on Wilson County's bright future, one eye on Wilson County's
storied past. That's Greg Dugdale's perspective on real estate - and banking too.
His vision is helping to shape First Freedom into a different kind of bank.
Jonathan Gregory "Greg" Dugdale, age 43, has been involved in the real estate industry in Wilson County for over fifteen years. Mr. Dugdale is the owner of Greg Dugdale Properties, a local firm that is active in the acquisition and management of investment real estate. He is a graduate of DeKalb County High School and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rice University in Houston, Texas. Mr. Dugdale has been a member of the Lebanon Kiwanis Club for many years. He has been honored with a Cedar Tree Award and the Annual Beautification Award from the Wilson County Chamber of Commerce for restoration of historic properties in the Lebanon area. He is active in Little League baseball as both a coach and sponsor. Mr. Dugdale is a graduate of Leadership Wilson and is involved as an adult sponsor in the Youth Leadership Wilson County program. He is an Advisory Board member for the IKE after-school tutoring program. Mr. Dugdale is an Organizer of the new Bank.
Jackie Gaither, Organizer
As past president of both the Mt Juliet/West Wilson County Chamber of
Commerce and the Lebanon/Wilson County Chamber of Commerce, Jackie
Gaither has his finger on the pulse of the business community throughout this
county. He understands that small business is a big deal in vibrant communities
like ours. Small business, after all, creates eighty percent of all new jobs in
America.
First Freedom Bank is committed to the growth of small business in Wilson County. With leaders like Jackie Gaither, how could it not be? That makes First Freedom a different kind of bank.
Jackie Weldon Gaither, age 49, is the co-owner and affiliate broker of Cumberland Real Estate & Auction. Born in Muncie, Indiana, he is a 1973 graduate of Dekalb County High School in Smithville, Tennessee and moved to Lebanon, Tennessee in 1976. Mr. Gaither has been an active leader in Wilson County, presiding in 1992 as the president of the Mt. Juliet/West Wilson County Chamber of Commerce and the 1998 president of the Lebanon/Wilson County Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Gaither was awarded the Decade Lifetime award in sales in real estate. He is an alumnus of the second Leadership Wilson class and is active in the Adam's Avenue Church of Christ. He and his wife, Malinda (Beal), have been married for 27 years and have one son. Mr. Gaither is an Organizer and proposed Director of the new Bank and will serve on the Audit and Public Relations Committees.
Ricky Haskins, Organizer
A newborn calf doesn't look like it's going to amount to much. But with care and
nurture and some time, that shaky-legged calf becomes a strong, productive cow.
Ricky Haskins knows all about starting with something small and growing it into
something big. It takes patience, hard work, and commitment if you're going to
succeed in cattle farming. Or business. Or banking.
To see the potential in a calf or a seed, to know how much it contains, if only someone is there to nurture it. That's the farmer's view of the world. It's what Ricky Haskins sees when he looks at First Freedom Bank. More than that, it's what he sees when he looks at the people First Freedom serves. That kind of vision sets this bank apart. Come experience the difference.
Charles Richard "Ricky" Haskins, age 52, attended public schools in Wilson County and graduated from Lebanon High School in 1971. He has been one of the co-owners of Lebanon Chemical, Inc., a family-owned and operated business, for 37 years. Mr. Haskins has also been in the farming business operating "Triple HHH Farms" for 35 years. He serves on the board of Wilson Farmers Co-op, is a member and past president of Wilson County Livestock Association, and serves on the board of Wilson County Promotions. He is a former Lebanon Jaycee "Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year." He and his wife, Kathy (Vance), have been married for 29 years and have two sons. They are active members of Highland Heights Church of Christ in Lebanon. Mr. Haskins is an Organizer and proposed Director of the new Bank and will serve on the Executive and Loan Committees.
Randy Laine, Organizer
A builder always has an eye to the future. No short-term thinking will do. No
quick fixes. No half measures. If you want to build a structure that will stand the
test of time, you'd better learn to see the big picture and pay attention to the little
details too. In a career as a builder and engineer, Randy Laine has learned to think
for the long haul.
It's so important to build a strong foundation. And that's what Randy Laine and First Freedom Bank are doing, because they want to be a solid part of Wilson County's future.
Randy Gill Laine, age 45, has worked in the field of Civil Engineering and Development for over 22 years. He is currently a vice-president of The Laine Company, Inc., a family-owned and operated engineering, design, and construction company. Mr. Laine is a licensed Civil Engineer in the State of Tennessee. He is a graduate of Lebanon High School in 1977 and a 1982 graduate of Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, Tennessee, from which he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering with a minor in Mathematics. Mr. Laine is currently serving as Secretary/Treasurer of the Wilson County Homebuilders Association, a position he has held for the past six years. He has served for the past eight years as a volunteer on the City of Lebanon's Public Works Committee. An active member of his church, Mr. Laine has served as chairman of the Trustees at Westland United Methodist Church for the past three years. He also teaches an adult Sunday school class and is one of the youth directors for teenaged children. Mr. Laine and his wife, Luanne (Crook), have been married 22 years and have two sons. They are lifelong residents of Wilson County. He is an Organizer and proposed Director of the new Bank and will serve on the Loan, Audit, and Asset/Liability Committees.
Bill McKee, Organizer
When the gavel goes down at the Wilson County Livestock Market, the lot goes
to the highest bidder. But as Bill McKee will tell you, good business - even in the
auction business - doesn't all come down to getting the high bid. In the end, good
business comes down to trust and a commitment to shared values. That's how Mr.
McKee has built a successful career in the livestock business. Bill McKee is
helping to build a bank you can trust - a bank that shares your value of
community. First Freedom is a different kind of bank.
William Neal McKee, age 51, is a lifelong resident of Wilson County and is a graduate of Mt. Juliet High School. He is a licensed livestock auctioneer and a partner and co-owner of two of the top five livestock auction businesses in Tennessee. He has been the president and co-owner of the Wilson County Livestock market, Inc. for the past 21 years and has been a partner in and co-owner of Mid-South Livestock Center, LLC in Unionville, Tennessee since 1996. In addition, Mr. McKee is a partner and co-owner of McKee Livestock Company, a sixty-year-old family business and is president of Bill McKee Livestock and Trucking, Inc., both located in Lebanon. Mr. McKee is a member of and past-president of the Tennessee Livestock Markets Association; a past member of the Wilson County Livestock Association; and has served as an official judge for World Livestock Auctioneer events. He is also active in the Wilson County Fair as a volunteer at the Amazin' Blazin' BBQ competition which draws competitors annually from more than ten states and which was the home of the World BBQ competition in 2000. Mr. McKee and his wife, Kristina (Oldfield), have been married for 28 years and have two daughters and two granddaughters. They live on their farm in the Tuckers Crossroads community of Wilson County where they raise cattle. Mr. McKee is an Organizer of the new Bank.
Dale Nunnery, Organizer
Flour. Corn meal. Sugar. Salt. They're the staples of your diet, the kind of thing
you take for granted. But where would you be without them? In twenty years at
Martha White and now at his own Shenandoah Mills, Dale Nunnery has a lot of
experience bringing staples to people all across America. When you think about
it, a good community bank is a staple for a strong community. Dale Nunnery's
commitment to providing one of Wilson County's basic needs is helping to shape
First Freedom into a unique bank.
Dale Wayne Nunnery, age 59, is the president and co-owner of Shenandoah Mills in Lebanon. He purchased the dry food manufacturing facility in 1990 from the Windmill Corporation, dba Martha White Foods, Inc. He is also founder, president, and co-owner of All American Classics, Inc., a business engaged in the purchase, sale and consignment of classic cars. Mr. Nunnery is a 1963 graduate of Gleason High School in Gleason, Tennessee. He attended Brevard Junior College in Cocoa, Florida and attended the University of Tennessee, taking night classes in accounting. Mr. Nunnery has also completed Short Millers Course, Kansas State University, the only certification course in the milling industry. He was a plant manager for Martha White Foods, Inc. for 20 years. From 1965-1970 he was employed as an expeditor and buyer for North American Rockwell, holding a security clearance level of "secret" while working on the Saturn V Moon Landing Project at the Kennedy Space Center. He was also employed by Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach, California, on the C-5A military transport program. Mr. Nunnery is a member of the First Baptist Church in Lebanon, and serves on the church's personnel committee. Mr. Nunnery and his wife Barbara (Chandler) have been married for 38 years and have one daughter. Mr. Nunnery is an Organizer of the new Bank.
Judd Sellars, Organizer
Judd Sellars has been taking care of Wilson County families for a long time. In
the funeral home business, you learn how to listen to people's needs. And when
you're dealing with people in their hour of greatest need, you can hardly help but
focus on what matters most - not possessions, but people.
What does a funeral home director bring to a bank board? A listening ear. And a conviction that money isn't the be-all, end-all - not even for a bank. That makes First Freedom a different kind of bank.
Matthew Juddson "Judd" Sellars, age 31, is the owner/operator of Sellars Funeral Home and Sellars Cremation Service in Lebanon, Tennessee. He is a native of Mt. Juliet where his family has been in the ministry for more than 60 years through their service as leaders of the Mt. Juliet Church of God. Mr. Sellars is a graduate of Friendship Christian School in Lebanon and received his degree in Mortuary Science from the John A. Gupton Mortuary College in Nashville, Tennessee. He is a licensed Funeral Director and a licensed Embalmer through the state of Tennessee. He is a member of the Lebanon camp of Gideons International. Mr. Sellars and his wife Becky (Edwards) have been married for 8 years and have one son. They are members of the Mt. Juliet Church of God and reside in Lebanon. Mr. Sellars is an Organizer of the new Bank and a proposed Board member. He will serve on the Audit and Public Relations Committees.
Hardie V. Sorrels III, M.D., Organizer
Dr. Hardie V. Sorrels could have gone anywhere after he finished medical school.
But he chose to come back here, to his hometown of Lebanon. This is where his
roots are, and this is where he's determined to make a difference. Physician,
husband, father to four boys, Scoutmaster, baseball coach - Dr. Sorrels knows
what it means to be a part of a community.
That kind of community focus makes Dr. Sorrels a perfect fit for First Freedom Bank. That kind of community focus makes First Freedom a different kind of bank.
Hardie Vaughan Sorrels, III, M.D., age 45, has practiced internal medicine in his hometown of Lebanon, Tennessee since 1989. Dr. Sorrels moved to Lebanon in 1964 and is a 1978 graduate of Lebanon High School. He was graduated cum laude from Middle Tennessee State University in 1982, earning a B.S. degree in Chemistry. He next was graduated from the University of Tennessee Medical School in Memphis in 1986. Dr. Sorrels completed a three-year internal medicine residency at Baptist Hospital in Nashville in 1989 and that year returned to Lebanon to open his practice. Dr. Sorrels is a member of First Methodist Church in Lebanon and currently serves as Chairman of the Administrative Board of his church. He has been an active member of the Noon Rotary club of Lebanon since 1989. He has coached teams in the Rotary Dixie Youth Baseball League for several years and has been very active in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. He is presently Scoutmaster of Troop 643 of Lebanon. Dr. Sorrels and his wife, Amy (Hibbett), have been married for 19 years and have four sons. They live in the Tuckers Crossroads community of Wilson County. Dr. Sorrels is an Organizer and proposed Board Member of the new Bank and will serve a member of the Audit and Asset/Liability Committees.
Don Turner, Organizer
When Don Turner retired from Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, he had risen to
the level of President and Chief Operating Officer. How does one climb so high in
an organization the size of Cracker Barrel? By earning the trust of one's
colleagues.
What makes a person deposit his or her hard-earned dollars in a certain bank? Trust. Without the asset of trust, a bank will never have any other assets. Don Turner and First Freedom Bank are determined to earn your trust.
Donald Madison Turner, age 57, has 35 years of restaurant, retail and other business experience. He recently retired from Cracker Barrel Old County Store, Inc., in Lebanon, Tennessee. During the past five years at Cracker Barrel, he served as Executive Vice-President of Operations for a year and a half and President and COO for three and a half years. Currently, he is involved in real estate ventures, private investments and other business interests. Mr. Turner is a native of Woodruff, South Carolina and is a 1966 graduate of Woodruff High School. In 1970 he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Carson Newman College, Jefferson City, Tennessee. Mr. Turner is an active member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Lebanon. He currently serves on the church's Budget and Finance Committee as chairman and is a member of the advisory board of The Potter's House Ministries in Lebanon. He has also served on the board of trustees of the Tennessee Baptist Children's Homes, Inc in Brentwood, Tennessee, in past years. Mr. Turner and his wife, Kay (Gilbert), have been married for 34 years and have one son and are expecting their first grandchild. He is an Organizer and a proposed Director of the new Bank and will serve on the Executive, Audit, and Human Resources Committees.
Rob Woods, M.D., Organizer
The heart sits right in the middle of a person, pumping the lifeblood that keeps the
body functioning - fresh, life-giving oxygen to fuel everything else the body does.
When Dr. Rob Woods looks at a human heart, he sees more than a muscle; he
sees vitality, strength, human potential.
A local bank is a little like a heart. It keeps fresh capital flowing to fuel the other things a community does - business loans to fuel new business enterprises, home loans to help families put down roots, savings accounts to give people long-term stability. Maybe that's why there's a cardiologist among the organizers of First Freedom Bank.
Robert Cameron Woods, M.D., age 43, has lived in Wilson County for the past 12 years. Raised in Virginia, he graduated summa cum laude from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. From there he earned his medical degree at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. He completed residency in internal medicine at Vanderbilt University and continued his training with a fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease at Vanderbilt University. Board certified in Internal Medicine, as well as Cardiovascular disease, he has been in practice in Wilson County for the past 12 years. He has been the vice-chief of staff, as well as the chief of staff at University Medical Center. Dr. Woods is currently the Chief of Cardiology at University Medical Center. He has also served on the community board for Presidents Trust Company, a branch of the Greene County Bank, in Lebanon. Dr. Woods and his wife, Deanna (Cox) have been married for 13 years and have one son. They are members of First United Methodist Church in Lebanon. Dr. Woods is an Organizer and a proposed Director of the new Bank and will serve on the Human Resources and Public Relations Committees.
