Pinnacle Opens Its First Economic Empowerment Resource Center in Georgia

Pinnacle Financial Partners recently opened its first Pinnacle Economic Empowerment Resource (PEER) Center In Georgia. PEER Centers are focused on providing the community with financial education and support from an office embedded in historically underserved communities. Located at 384 Northyards Blvd., the full-service location is home to four banking veterans, two of them new to the firm. Tracey Powell joins the firm as an office leader, Yvette Humphries joins the firm as a community development Coordinator, Jennifer Sampson serves as a community mortgage advisor, Sheryle Rutherford and Christian Warren serve as financial specialists, Tanya Armstead, serves as a financial advisor assistant and Donovan Dillard serves as a treasury management analyst.

“The PEER Center is more than an office. It's a hub for collaboration, financial education and personal growth,” said Rob Garcia, regional president. “Part of Pinnacle's mission is to make a significant positive impact on the communities we serve. We believe in pushing for greater economic opportunity as a way of improving quality of life for the long term. Everyone deserves the opportunity to take part in Atlanta's tremendous growth story.”

Because of Pinnacle’s geographic model of local leadership and decision-making, the Atlanta PEER Center’s offerings are customized to meet the specific needs of the community. This office offers financial coaching, personal financial planning and educational opportunities for homeownership and small business startup and growth. Along with all traditional banking services, the PEER Center offers specialized lending designed for people living with low to moderate incomes and/or in underserved communities.

In addition, the PEER Center will continue to build and strengthen nonprofit partnerships in the local community. The Atlanta PEER Center is working with community organizations that provide not only financial education and services, but workforce development, family services, youth services, social change and business training. Nonprofit partners will be able to use the space to offer services, classes or workspace.

Powell has 30 years of experience in banking and finance. Prior to joining Pinnacle, she served as the HOPE volunteer and partnerships leader for Operation HOPE in Atlanta. She is also the owner of THRIVE NOW 78, which focuses on helping people achieve financial freedom. Throughout her financial career, she has held positions at Fidelity Bank, Fifth Third Bank, PNC Mortgage, Chase, Wachovia Bank, Washington Mutual and Bank of America. Powell received her master’s degree from Saint Leo University.

Humphries brings 15 years of experience to the firm. She joins Pinnacle from the Self-Help Credit Union in Atlanta, where she served as a regional manager. In addition, she has held roles with Decide Dekalb Development Authority and PNC Bank. She earned a Master of Business Administration degree in marketing from Clark Atlanta University and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Georgia Southern University.

Sampson, Rutherford, Warren, Armstead and Dillard have served in various roles throughout the firm since starting over the past few years. 

Pinnacle Financial Partners provides a full range of banking, investment, trust, mortgage and insurance products and services designed for businesses and their owners and individuals interested in a comprehensive relationship with their financial institution. The firm is the No. 1 bank in the Nashville-Murfreesboro-Franklin MSA, according to 2024 deposit data from the FDIC. Pinnacle is No. 11 on FORTUNE magazine’s 2024 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For^® in the U.S., its eighth consecutive appearance, and was recognized by American Banker as one of America’s Best Banks to Work For 12 years in a row and No. 1 among banks with more than $10 billion in assets in 2024.

Pinnacle expanded to Georgia in 2020 by hiring a team of local financial services professionals to start an office in Atlanta. The firm was named to the list of Best Places to Work in Atlanta, medium company category, four years in a row by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, including a No. 1 ranking in 2022 and No. 2 in 2023.

The firm began operations in a single location in downtown Nashville, TN, in October 2000 and has since grown to approximately $52.6 billion in assets as of December 31, 2024. As the second-largest bank holding company headquartered in Tennessee, Pinnacle operates in several primarily urban markets across the Southeast.

Additional information concerning Pinnacle, which is included in the Nasdaq Financial-100 Index, can be accessed at www.pnfp.com.