First Horizon Corporation filed an 8-K on October 27, 2026, announcing the election of Jeffrey R. Balser, M.D., Ph.D., age 64, as an independent director to both the First Horizon Corporation Board of Directors and the First Horizon Bank Board of Directors.

Key Highlights

  • New independent director: Jeffrey R. Balser, M.D., Ph.D., age 64, was elected to the First Horizon Corporation and First Horizon Bank boards.
  • Current role: Dr. Balser is President and CEO of Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and Dean of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
  • VUMC scale: According to the filing, under Dr. Balser's leadership since 2009, VUMC has grown to 3.5 million patient visits annually and more than $9 billion in annual net revenue.
  • VUMC restructuring: In 2016, Dr. Balser guided a restructuring that legally and financially separated VUMC from Vanderbilt University, forming an independent, not-for-profit corporation.
  • Academic credentials: Dr. Balser holds a B.S. in Engineering from Tulane University (1984) and an M.D./Ph.D. in pharmacology from Vanderbilt University (1990).
  • Company size: First Horizon Corporation (NYSE:FHN) reported $84.3 billion in assets as of September 30, 2026, according to the filing.

Balser's Background and Role at First Horizon

According to the filing, Dr. Balser has served as chief executive of VUMC since 2009, during which time the organization expanded its clinical footprint from two to five regional campuses with seven hospitals and 2,000 licensed inpatient beds. Prior to becoming CEO, he served as chair of anesthesiology and later as chief research officer at VUMC, and practiced cardiac anesthesiology and cardiac intensive care medicine at VUMC and, before 1998, at Johns Hopkins, where he led a research program funded by the National Institutes of Health.

The filing notes that Dr. Balser was named Dean of Medicine and Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs in 2008-2009, with his responsibilities expanding in 2016 to President and CEO of VUMC. Bryan Jordan, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of First Horizon, was quoted in the filing as saying that Dr. Balser "brings a rare combination of large-enterprise leadership, financial discipline and deep community ties to our board." John Compton, First Horizon Lead Director, was also quoted, stating that Dr. Balser's "experience leading a major Tennessee institution through significant growth and transformation gives him a clear understanding of the markets we serve."

First Horizon Bank, the company's banking subsidiary, operates in 12 states concentrated in the southern U.S., the filing disclosed. The company offers a range of services including commercial, private banking, consumer, small business, wealth and trust management, retail brokerage, capital markets, fixed income, and mortgage banking services.

What Was Disclosed

First Horizon Corporation disclosed the election of Jeffrey R. Balser, M.D., Ph.D. as an independent director to both the First Horizon Corporation and First Horizon Bank boards of directors, effective October 27, 2026, along with a summary of his professional background and qualifications.