Local Honor, Broader Signal: First Horizon Wins Forbes Best-in-State Recognition in Tennessee

Recognition announced and what it means on the ground

First Horizon (FHN) said it has been named a 2025 Best‑in‑State Employer for Tennessee by Forbes, in a list produced in partnership with Statista. The company announced the honor in a press release, saying the acknowledgment reflects its Tennessee workforce and local operations. The recognition is framed as a people‑management and workplace accolade rather than a measure of financial performance. For employees and local communities, that distinction matters: it is primarily about how First Horizon is viewed as an employer rather than its role as a bank in markets or capital returns to shareholders.

How Forbes and Statista picked their Best‑in‑State employers

Forbes and Statista run the Best‑in‑State program by surveying large panels of workers and using strict selection criteria to rank employers in each state. The process typically combines independent employee feedback with objective indicators like company size and presence in the state. Thousands of companies across all 50 states are considered, and the results are broken down by state to highlight local employers that score well on things like workplace culture, job security and career development.

The methodology emphasizes current and former employee opinions collected through surveys, alongside additional data points to verify employer size and activity. That means the award tends to capture how people on the payroll experience the company day to day—how it treats staff, whether employees feel respected and whether they see a path to grow—rather than serving as a raw measure of management quality or future financial results.

First Horizon at a glance: business profile and recent market context

First Horizon (FHN) is a regional bank with its roots and a significant presence in Tennessee. It operates retail branches, commercial banking lines and related financial services across the Sun Belt and Southeast. The company manages deposit-taking, lending and other banking services for consumers and businesses, and it has spent recent years reshaping its footprint and operations to compete with both large national banks and nimble regional peers.

On the market side, First Horizon’s shares have reflected the same mixed picture that has affected many regional banks—sensitivity to credit conditions, interest rate moves and local economic trends. That has produced periods of volatility and periods of steadier trading as investors weigh the bank’s earnings outlook and strategic moves. The Forbes recognition does not directly change those fundamentals, but it does add a public note about how the company is perceived inside its home state.

What the honor means for employees, recruitment and local reputation

For employees, the award can boost morale and validate internal HR efforts. Companies featured on Forbes lists often find it easier to attract candidates who care about workplace culture and stability. For First Horizon’s recruiting teams, the recognition is a useful headline when competing for talent against other regional employers in Tennessee.

The company’s press release noted it was “honored” by the distinction and highlighted ongoing investments in employee development and community engagement. That language is standard in corporate announcements, but it signals management wants the company to be seen as an employer of choice in its home market.

There are limits, though. Rankings based on surveys can reflect short‑term sentiment and are shaped by the particular sample of respondents. They do not measure pay levels in detail, nor do they directly evaluate the bank’s risk controls or loan performance. Still, good marks in employee surveys can reduce turnover and help operations run more smoothly, which has practical benefits for customers and local partners.

Investor takeaways: reputational upside, limited direct financial impact

From an investor perspective, the award is a positive reputational signal but not a material financial event on its own. Being named a Best‑in‑State employer may help with hiring and retention and could marginally lower HR costs over time if turnover falls. However, the award does not alter credit quality, net interest margins or regulatory capital—items that drive bank valuations.

For shareholders watching First Horizon, the most important updates remain earnings reports, regulatory filings and guidance on loan performance and margins. The Forbes recognition is a useful piece of soft information about culture and local standing; treat it as a modest positive for reputation that complements, rather than replaces, traditional financial and risk indicators.