Nathaniel F. (Frank) Hughes will be inaugurated as president of the Downtown Rotary Club of Chattanooga at its Thursday meeting. Rotarian Past President Neil Thomas will pass the gavel to Mr. Hughes, who will serve a one-year term.
Mr. Hughes is president and chief executive officer of Cornerstone Community Bank, where he directs all operations and serves as a member of the Bank’s Board of Directors and loan committees. Prior to joining Cornerstone, Mr. Hughes was employed at Pioneer Bancshares as the vice president and investment officer from 1994-1998. From 1983-1991, Mr. Hughes worked for American National Bank & Trust (now known as SunTrust) as a senior investment officer.
He graduated from Baylor School in 1976 and earned a Bachelor’s degree of Business Administration from the University of Kentucky, where he played on the Wildcats football team. He earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University and graduated from the ABA’s Stonier’s Graduate School of Banking. He also retains certified financial analyst and certified financial planner designations.
Mr. Hughes retired as a colonel from the United States Marine Corps where he served as battalion commander of the Fourth Battalion 14th Marines and earlier commanded the M Battery, Chattanooga’s local Marine artillery battery.
He has been very active in the Chattanooga community, serving on the Boy Scouts of America Cherokee Council Board of Directors and Executive Committee; Allied Arts Board of Directors; and the United Way Board of Directors. He has been a member of the Chattanooga Rotary Club since 1997 and actively sponsors exchange students with other Rotary clubs around the world.
Mr. Hughes currently resides in Lookout Mountain, Tn. with his wife, D’Arcy, and their three children. He is a member of the Rock Creek Fellowship. His interests include competitive bridge, hiking and watching Kentucky Wildcats basketball.