First Freedom’s Ashley Tippit, Gainesboro Assistant Office Manager, joined a roundtable with the Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation earlier this month. Tippit is a board member for the Jackson County Imagination Library and by participating in the roundtable she had the opportunity to meet with other Dolly Parton Imagination Library board members from surrounding counties. Meetings like this help strengthen partnerships, share ideas, and increase awareness of the program.
Tippit is pictured third from the left with other roundtable attendees.
First Freedom Bank sponsored a table at the Lebanon Senior Citizen Center’s annual Valentines Celebration and Fundraiser. This is one of the largest fundraisers for the center and it doubled this year as a commemoration of their 45th year of service.
Pictured from left to right is Barbara Beasley, Jim Beasley, Norma Fugate, Don Fugate, Tatum Ortlepp, Lebanon Assistant Office Manager, Garrett Ortlepp, Ray Hodges, and Marty Hodges.
First Freedom Bank sponsored a table at the Lebanon Wilson County Chamber’s annual celebration. This was a particularly big year for the event, as the chamber was also celebrating their centennial. Held at The Mill in Lebanon, attendance was over 500 businesses and individual members.
Pictured from left to right, back row, is John Lancaster, Chairman and CEO, Ryan Woodall, Assistant Vice President and Relationship Manager, Jackie Gaither, Board Member, John Bradshaw, President / COO & CLO, Phillip Vance, Vice President and Relationship Manager, and J.B. Owens, Executive Vice President and Director of Commercial Banking, Pictured from left to right, front row, is Maliea Oakley, Senior Vice President and Director of Human Resources, and Shelia Ferrell, Senior Vice President and Managerial Lender.
First Freedom Bank supported the Mt. Juliet Chamber’s annual celebration with the purchase of seats at the event. Held at the Hilton Garden Inn & Tru on February 9th, the chamber uses this event as a time to recognize those who have made a particular impact in the business community in the prior year.
Pictured from left to right is Ashley Montgomery, Assistant Vice President and Mt. Juliet Office Manager, Sarah Poss, Vice President and Assistant Director of Retail Banking, Kaitlin Wattenbarger, Providence Personal Banker, Meagan Roberts, Providence Personal Banker, Denise Bingham, Assistant Vice President and Providence Office Manager, and Kenny Beavers, Senior Vice President and Director of Retail Banking.
First Freedom recognized several employees this past quarter for exceptional job performance and for exceeding their individual goals for enhancing and broadening customer relationships. Their outstanding performance earned them the prestigious honor of Chairman’s Cup Member for the quarter.
Congratulations to the following Staff for qualifying for Chairman’s Cup:
Blake Smith, Lebanon FSR Manager
Kasey Johnston, Lebanon FSR
Tori Oakley, FSR / Personal Banker
Miah Lamb, Providence FSR
Kaye Fajardo, Providence FSR
Chrissy Wright, Providence FSR Manager
Kyleigh Heady, Gainesboro FSR
Rebecca Birman, Gainesboro FSR Manager
Shelby Mayberry, Gainesboro FSR
Abby McCann, Cookeville FSR Manager
Kaylie Roberson, Cookeville FSR
Teola Ragland, Algood FSR Manager
Hannah Philpot, Algood FSR
Abby McCann, pictured below with John Lancaster, Chairman and CEO, received additional recognition as the Chairman’s Cup Top Performer for achieving the highest overall performance score among all participants.
Pictured above, back row, left to right is Kenny Beavers, Senior Vice President and Director of Retail Banking, Rebecca, Shelby, Miah, and John and pictured front row, left to right is, Sarah Poss, Vice President and Assistant Director of Retail Banking, Tori, Blake, Kasey, Abby, Kaye, and Kyleigh.
Denise Bingham has been promoted to Providence Office Manager and Assistant Vice President, announced John Lancaster, Chairman and CEO. Bingham’s prior role was as a Senior Personal Banker and Development Coordinator.
“I’m very excited to see Denise move into this important role,” stated Lancaster. “Her coworkers love and respect her and her customers know she has a wealth of banking knowledge. Denise is a top-shelf individual in every respect and I’m proud to have her representing First Freedom.”
Bingham is a career banker with extensive experience in the retail division, as well as lending. Before joining First Freedom in 2017, she served as an Assistant Vice President and Branch manager with a corporate bank where she was recognized with a Distinguished Sales and Marketing Award. Over the last couple of years, she has served as an Ambassador for the Mt. Juliet Chamber of Commerce.
A native of Lebanon, Bingham continues to reside there with her husband. They have two daughters and are members of Maple Hill Church of Christ.
First Freedom Bank, headquartered in Wilson County, was established in 2006. A full service, community bank, First Freedom Bank offers personal and commercial banking services from six locations in Wilson, Putnam and Jackson Counties, and has approximately 70 employees. First Freedom Bank has assets in excess of $600 million and is owned by more than 1,100 shareholders throughout Middle Tennessee. First Freedom Bank is a member of the Better Business Bureau, an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. Additionally, First Freedom has earned the prestigious Five Star rating by Bauer Financial, the nation’s leading independent bank and credit union rating firm.
First Freedom supported the Cookeville Chamber’s annual meeting by sponsoring a table at the event. Held on February 6th at the Leslie Town Center, the chamber honored six members for their commitment to Putnam County in the prior year. The keynote speaker was Dianne Murphy, senior partner at the PICTOR group.
Pictured from left to right, front row, is Rachel Honaker, Algood Office Manager, Abby McCann, Cookeville FSR Manager, Bryan Sweet, Cookeville Personal Banker, Donna Elrod, Vice President and Gainesboro Office Manager, Sarah Poss, Vice President and Assistant Director of Retail Banking, and J.B. Owens, Executive Vice President and Director of Commercial Banking. Pictured from left to right, back row, is Kenny Beavers, Senior Vice President and Director of Retail Banking, and Ladell Medley, Vice President and Cookeville Office Manager.
First Freedom staff volunteered to work during Give a Little Christmas’ Parent Distribution Week. Give a Little Christmas is a non-profit organization local to Mt. Juliet that donates toys to families in need within Wilson County and the surrounding areas. This was their 12th year in operation, supplying Christmas for 150 to 500 kids each year.
Pictured from left to right is Sarah Poss, Vice President and Assistant Director of Retail Banking, and Ashley Montgomery, Assistant Vice President and Mt. Juliet Office Manager.
First Freedom Bank was a sponsor of the Cookeville Chamber’s annual Christmas Business After Hours. Held at the Leslie Town Center, this event promotes networking among local businesses.
Pictured from left to right is Abby McCann, Cookeville FSR Manager, Bryan Sweet, Cookeville Personal Banker, Ladell Medley, Vice President and Cookeville Office Manager, and Kaitlyn Kovalchick, Accounting Officer.
First Freedom Bank staff volunteered to help with Easter Seals Tennessee’s annual holiday party. The party was organized for Easter Seals’ Early Intervention and Autism Therapy Families in Wilson County. Around 150 families were invited to attend.
Staff assisted with the party set-up, as well as helping with several activities during the party.
Easter Seals Tennessee is a non-profit organization that supports children and adults living with autism and other disabilities or special needs and their families.
Pictured, top, left to right is Kasey Johnston, Lebanon FSR, and Holly Wolfe, Lebanon Personal Banker.
Pictured, bottom, left to right, is Amanda Hewitt, Lebanon FSR, and Tatum Ortlepp, Lebanon Assistant Office Manager.
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