Nick Wilson, Vice President, Portfolio Manager at First Horizon Bank, is a 2020 recipient of YPK’s Outstanding Young Professional Award.

In Nick’s short tenure at First Horizon, he’s demonstrated himself as an emerging leader in Knoxville. Knowing that their team is only as good as their bench, Nick established First Horizon’s summer internship program for college students two years ago. Through this program, Nick has ensured that First Horizon thinks intentionally and strategically about their future workforce and leaders. Committed to providing a robust internship program with a thoughtful curriculum, Nick has personally purchased the books and covered conference dues for each student since the program’s inception. Due to his passion for the United Way of Greater Knoxville and his leadership, Nick has been a critical member of First Horizon’s employee leadership cabinet. With his leadership and direction, First Horizon’s employee campaign has broken internal records, with employees contributing over $260,000 to the United Way of Greater Knoxville. Nick is a true champion of diversity and inclusion and in particular, for those within the LGBTQ community. He is on the advisory committee for Knoxville’s Alliance and Allies employee resource group within First Horizon, and has led the event planning and execution for company representation at Knoxville Pride Fest for several years.

Nick is the Vice President and Portfolio Manager for the Private Client and Medical Private Banking groups with First Horizon Bank. He is responsible for a $300 million commercial portfolio. In addition to his role approving and managing business loans, he is active in assisting east Tennessee businesses in recovering from the financial impact of COVID-19. Recently, his role has centered on planning and implementing processes to ensure local businesses have access to Payroll Protection Loans, assisting over 240 small businesses in the region access approximately $54 million in financial assistance.

Nick strongly believes in the power of mentorship. One of his favorite responsibilities is managing First Horizon’s summer internship program where he helps engage and connect the next generation of financial service professionals. Nick is passionate about community service. He serves as the President-Elect of the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee and was a founding member of the United Way of Greater Knoxville’s 1922 Society.

He has a BSBA in Public Administration and Economics from the University of Tennessee and is pursuing an MBA from Tennessee Tech University. He is originally from Winfield, TN and lives in Knoxville with his spouse Dustin and their dog, Tazah.

ABOUT THE OUTSTANDING YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD

YPK’s Outstanding Young Professional Award goes to young professionals (age 21-40) working and/or living in the Knoxville area who have contributed to making their community a better place. Outstanding Young Professional winners give back to the community and have achieved a certain level of accomplishment in their professional fields. These young professionals exemplify leadership and inspire those around them to leave a lasting impact.