I'm hanging up my banking spurs, but I intend to stay active in the business community.

It's been a wonderful career and it just seemed like a great time to retire. The bank is in great shape and has wonderful leadership. And Jane and I want to stay active in the community and do that before we get too old.

As fast as it goes, it sounds like your popping corn.

One day, coming through town, I saw a for sale sign in the window of the former hardware store. I had members of the co-op board visit the location and we all thought this was a good place to try it.

I've always been interested in finance and I enjoy numbers, but more importantly I enjoy people and the banking business is all about people and relationships.

First Tennessee has been awfully good to me and offered me a lot of different opportunities and experiences. Really it's been a blessing to (wife) Jane and me.

We had the most forward-looking and aggressive recycling bill in the country.

Through the smoke I could see that it was in an isolated part of the basement in a small room.

When we lived in Memphis, Jane and I often talked about moving to Knoxville when we retired.

We got it in time. It cost $25,000 to install the fire system but it was worth it.