MEMPHIS, Tenn., April 21, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As increasing numbers of workers explore job opportunities with multiple employers over the course of their careers, fewer professionals mark decades of service with one company. In fact, the median tenure for an American worker is less than 5 years at any one company.
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But that’s not the case for Betty Bradbury, who is celebrating her golden anniversary with First Tennessee. Bradbury, the longest tenured employee at First Tennessee, joined the bank in 1966 as a teller in Chattanooga before moving to Middle Tennessee. A succession of promotions led to roles as financial center manager, sales manager and later retail banking manager of Rutherford County. Today Bradbury is relationship manager for Employees First in Middle Tennessee.
When Bradbury joined First Tennessee in 1966, Time Magazine named Baby Boomers its “Man of the Year,” and 8-track tape players were popular options in Fords. The ATM wouldn’t even be invented until three years into Bradbury’s career at First Tennessee.
“First Tennessee Bank is the greatest place in the world to work,” Bradbury said. “First Tennessee values its employees because it sees them as its most valuable resource. I’ve had the opportunity to advance as far as I wanted to go and have always been very happy with my career here.”
While Bradbury’s career is singular in scope, hundreds of her peers have also called First Tennessee home for decades. In fact, almost 300 First Tennessee workers have been with the company for 30 years.
Average tenure of the nearly 4,300 First Tennessee employees is 11.1 years, average service for commercial banking managers is 12 years and average tenure for private banking managers is 26.4 years.
That level of job stability is rare in today’s professional environment and even more so in an industry that experiences frequent turnover. Research from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that in 2014, median tenure for finance sector employees was 5 years.
“Betty Bradbury is just the type of dedicated professional who has made First Tennessee what it is over the past 152 years,” said Bryan Jordan, chairman and CEO of First Tennessee’s parent company, First Horizon National Corp. “Her professionalism and energy have set high standards for everyone who has the chance to work with her.”
Jordan invited Bradbury to host the employee video news program that marked the company’s 150th anniversary in 2014.
First Tennessee, which has been named one of the top companies in the country to work for by American Banker, Forbes and Working Mother magazines, has a proud history of employee retention and satisfaction. And Bradbury is honored to be part of that tradition.
“I will always consider First Tennessee to be such an important part of my life,” said Bradbury, who plans to retire in June. “I’ll always be a part of the First Tennessee family.”
About First Tennessee
First Tennessee Bank is the largest bank headquartered in Tennessee, with the number one deposit market share in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis and the Tri-Cities and a top-five deposit market share in Nashville. The FTB Advisors wealth management group has 313 financial advisors and $25 billion in assets under administration. First Tennessee was founded during the Civil War in 1864 and has the 14th oldest national bank charter in the country and one of the highest customer retention rates of any bank in the country. First Tennessee, FTN Financial and FTB Advisors are part of First Horizon National Corp. (NYSE:FHN), which has 4,300 employees. First Horizon has been recognized as one of the nation's best employers by Working Mother and American Banker magazines. More information is available at www.FirstTennessee.com.
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