From a small bank to a wider ambition
FirstBank’s history begins with a Tennessee charter in 1906, but its modern growth story changed direction in 1984. An experienced banker and an entrepreneur acquired Farmers State Bank, then a bank with $14 million of assets. In 1988, it purchased the assets of First National Bank of Lexington, Tennessee, and took the FirstBank name. [1][3]
James W. Ayers became the sole shareholder in 1990. The company’s 2025 annual report traces the ownership story from that period through the September 2016 initial public offering. The listed holding company today is FB Financial Corporation, while its wholly owned insured subsidiary is FirstBank in Nashville, FDIC certificate 8663. This profile concerns the Tennessee institution. [1][3]
Community roots, metropolitan growth
Between 1984 and 2001, the bank expanded organically and through small acquisitions in western Tennessee. In 2001 it opened branches in Nashville and Memphis, followed by Knoxville in 2004 and Chattanooga in 2008. The company says a stronger strategic focus on Nashville began in 2012, combining local bankers with a larger organization’s products and resources. [3]
The 2025 annual report describes a footprint centered on Tennessee and extending into Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia and North Carolina. Its strategy places local decision-making and relationships alongside metropolitan expansion. That is management’s account of how the franchise competes, rather than independent proof that every local expansion has succeeded. [3]
Southern States adds scale in Alabama and Georgia
On July 1, 2025, FB Financial completed its merger with Southern States Bancshares, the parent of Southern States Bank. The transaction strengthened its position in Birmingham and Huntsville and extended its reach farther into Alabama and Georgia. The parent’s annual report records the completed combination and approximately $2.83 billion of acquired assets, $2.27 billion of loans and $2.47 billion of deposits. [3][4]
The closing release valued the stock-based transaction at approximately $368.4 million using FB Financial’s June 30 share price. It also quoted Southern States’ earlier March 31 balance sheet, which differs from the acquisition-date amounts in the annual report. Those figures describe different dates and should not be treated as contradictory measures of the same snapshot. [3][4]
Christopher T. Holmes, identified in the closing announcement as FB Financial’s president and chief executive, described the combination as an opportunity to expand while maintaining customer service. That was management’s expectation at closing. The bank’s subsequent results, integration costs and customer retention would determine the eventual financial outcome. [4]
The everyday business behind the expansion
FirstBank supplies commercial and consumer banking, with deposit accounts funding loans to businesses, households and property borrowers. Its 2025 annual report describes growth through both hiring bankers and buying established franchises. An acquisition can bring operating deposits and existing relationships at once, while also adding the task of combining systems, employees and credit portfolios. [3]
Real-estate finance is a substantial part of the bank’s lending. A loan secured by property can support a home purchase, a business premises or an income-producing investment. Those purposes have different repayment sources, so the broad regulatory total for real-estate loans should not be described as if all of it were commercial property lending. [2][3]
Mortgage lending also produces loans for sale
FirstBank’s mortgage operations originate loans that are sold rather than permanently retained. The parent’s 2025 filing says it sold nearly all of the $1.38 billion of mortgage loans held for sale that it closed during the year. That is a production flow over twelve months, not the size of the bank’s loan portfolio on December 31. [3]
Selling a mortgage does not necessarily end all responsibilities. The filing describes representations and warranties given to purchasers, guarantors and insurers, which can lead to repurchase or indemnification obligations if breached. It also discusses mortgage servicing rights, whose value depends on such factors as prepayments, and servicing costs. These activities add fee opportunities and operational exposures alongside interest earned on loans kept by the bank. [3]
The insured bank at June 30, 2026
The FDIC reports $16.760 billion of assets, $14.364 billion of deposits, $12.870 billion of net loans and leases, and $1.969 billion of equity for the insured bank at June 30, 2026. Net income of $120.173 million covers the first six months of 2026. These bank-only figures are converted from thousands of dollars; they are not consolidated parent results or standalone second-quarter profit. [2]
Real-estate loans totaled $10.113 billion, approximately 77.4% of gross loans and leases. That broad category includes different kinds of property lending and is not synonymous with commercial real estate. Securities totaled $1.527 billion. [2]
Sources
- FDIC institution directory, October 2, 2026 index; reviewed October 5Official sourceBack to text: ↑1↑2
- FDIC June 30, 2026 bank financials; dollar fields in thousands; income year to dateOfficial sourceBack to text: ↑1↑2↑3
- FB Financial 2025 Form 10-K, filed February 26, 2026Filing / reportBack to text: ↑1↑2↑3↑4↑5↑6↑7↑8↑9↑10
- FB Financial completed Southern States merger, July 1, 2025SourceBack to text: ↑1↑2↑3