For decades, Pinnacle Financial Partners has paired thoughtful recruiting with heartfelt, effective client advice − and a strong sense of camaraderie at every level.
This recipe isn't secret, nor is it complicated. The approach is all about putting people first, leading to Pinnacle earning the highest Top Workplaces honor in the large category for 2026.
This is the 10th time Pinnacle has been named a top employer in East Tennessee.
Pinnacle has seven local offices supporting 138 local employees, with its Knoxville headquarters sitting just off Northshore Drive. Founded 26 years ago in Nashville, Pinnacle employes 8,493 people across the country and is leaning into its longstanding business model as the company prepares to move into its fourth decade.
Pinnacle believes in recruiting experienced professionals, a process that makes the bank a highly sought-after employer. Andy Beam, the senior lending officer, said he has been a "career banker" for 30 years and that nothing quite compares to Pinnacle.
"I had a very big role at a large financial institution and came to the realization through the help of my wife that it was time to make a change because the bureaucracy was ridiculous," he told Knox News.
When he came back to his wife saying he wanted to work for Pinnacle, she was fully supportive. This wasn't just any bank, and Beam fully trusted the change would be worthwhile. After all, he said, Pinnacle is "at war with bureaucracy."
For decades, employees at other institutions have heard Pinnacle is the place to be − and that the company truly cares for its employees. Before being hired, financial advisor Ken Richardson told Knox News, the setup seemed too good to be true. But then he got to work.
Going into the job, he said, "I don't think I heard one bad thing" about Pinnacle. Upon joining the team, he quickly realized that "exactly what I heard" was true.
Areka Casey, a financial advisor assistant, summed up the company's culture this way: "I'm not an employee. I'm a person." And that mindset has helped Pinnacle reach a retention rate of more than 90%.
"I joke that nobody at Pinnacle came from Pinnacle," portfolio manager Andy Brimer told Knox News. "We all left something we didn't like to come to Pinnacle."
It requires a leap of faith for that kind of move, he said, but coming into work each day reminds him it was the right choice.
What Pinnacle Financial Partners employees had to say
The Top Workplaces designation is given based on anonymous employee feedback in a survey conducted by Knox News' partner Energage. Below are some Pinnacle Financial Partners employee responses to the prompt, "I love my job because."
- "Pinnacle has a great reputation, and everyone truly embraces the culture and horizontal team structure where every team member feels they have a voice and can contribute no matter what their title or role at Pinnacle."
- "Pinnacle puts people first. This is not an environment that looks at their clients as a tick mark just to sell products to. We genuinely care about our clients and want to give them distinctive service and effective advice."
- "I work with a great team. Everyone genuinely wants to help and give the best service to our clients. The culture makes me feel like I matter to the company. The culture encourages me to give the very best of me every day."
About Pinnacle Financial Partners
- Consecutive years on Top Workplaces list: 10
- Year founded: 2000 in Nashville, Knoxville office founded 2007
- Number of local offices: Seven
- Local address: 1111 N. Northshore Drive
- Number of local employees: 138
Knox News reporter Joanna Hayes covers restaurants and retail for the business growth and development team. Email: joanna.hayes@knoxnews.com; Instagram: @knoxeat65. Sign up for Joanna's Eat65 email newsletter to get the latest drink and dining news, as well as restaurant recommendations, at knoxnews.com/newsletters.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: By putting people first, Pinnacle earns a major Top Workplaces win
