A year of progress—and the people behind it
By Colin Barrett
President/CEO, Tennessee Bankers Association
One of the things I enjoy about the beginning of a new Association year is having the chance to look back. During the year, we tend to move quickly from one priority to the next, and there is rarely much time to reflect on what we have accomplished before turning our attention to what comes next.
Looking back at this past year, I am incredibly proud of what the Tennessee Bankers Association has accomplished—and even more appreciative of the people who made it possible.
We had meaningful wins in both Nashville and Washington. We continued Tennessee’s leadership in the fight against fraud by making it illegal to own or operate crypto ATMs in Tennessee. After passing legislation to reduce foreclosure notices in newspapers we launched a public notice website for foreclosures to help banks comply with the new law while reducing costs for Tennessee homeowners.
Our federal engagement has never been stronger. We made nine trips to Washington over the past year, and Tennessee bankers were consistently at the table with members of Congress, regulators and senior administration officials. We secured important meetings at the U.S. Treasury and continued pushing for lasting regulatory relief on issues ranging from BSA/AML reform and reputational risk to housing, deposits and the potential impact of stablecoins.
I am especially proud of bankers’ support of TBA BankPAC. We had a record-setting year in 2025, raising more than $304,000 and welcoming two banks as first-time contributors. That kind of success only happens because bankers across Tennessee understand the importance of being engaged and having a strong voice.
Outside of politics, we continued working to make TBA stronger and more valuable to our members. We launched a new partnership with Belmont University to create Advanced Leadership for Banking Professionals. We also established a new C-Suite Forum for chief operating officers and chief banking officers.
On the personnel side, TBA welcomed Hillary Storey as our new Chief Financial Officer and Carson Scott as Marketing Coordinator. Both Hillary and Carson hit the ground running in their contributions to the Association and our members.
FPS Insurance also entered an exciting new era of growth and diversification. As of this year, more than half of the agency’s business is now generated outside the banking industry, and we have welcomed several new team members to support that growth.
I know the results of the past year cannot happen without an engaged membership, talented staff and strong volunteer leadership. And this year, I had the great fortune of working alongside Gene Henson as TBA chairman.
Gene has been a steady, thoughtful and supportive chairman, always willing to ask the hard question or offer a different perspective.
I will miss working with him in this role and have appreciated his friendship and counsel over the past year. Gene never sought attention or credit, but his leadership played an important role in a year of tremendous progress at TBA.
The good news is that we could not ask for a better person to follow him.
Our 2026-2027 Chairman, Gay Dempsey, brings energy, experience and a genuine passion for this industry. I know she will challenge us to keep getting better. Tennessee bankers saw her leadership on a national stage this year when she testified before Congress about the growing threat of fraud and the critical role banks play in protecting their customers and communities.
Gay understands the challenges facing Tennessee banks because she lives them every day. She is smart, engaged and never hesitant to speak up for what she believes is right. I am excited about the year ahead and the opportunity to work closely with her.
We accomplished a great deal this past year, and I am grateful for each of you who made it happen. With the continued support of bankers across Tennessee, TBA will continue to be one of the best banking associations in the country.