First Horizon Bank Names Dwayne Mercadel Gulf States Retail Chief

First Horizon Bank, the Memphis-based regional lender trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker FHN, has appointed Dwayne "DJ" Mercadel as its Gulf States Retail Banking Executive, the company announced Oct. 26. Mercadel will oversee retail banking operations spanning Texas and Louisiana, two of the South's largest and most economically active state markets.

Mercadel arrives with more than two decades of banking experience, a depth that positions him to manage the competitive pressures and growth opportunities inherent in the Gulf Coast region. Texas and Louisiana together represent a significant swath of energy, trade, and consumer-driven economic activity, making the role strategically consequential for a regional bank seeking to expand its footprint beyond its traditional southeastern base.

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The hire signals continued investment by First Horizon in its retail network at a time when regional banks broadly are working to deepen customer relationships and defend market share against both larger national institutions and digital-first challengers. Appointing a dedicated executive for the Gulf States suggests the bank views the Texas-Louisiana corridor as a priority growth corridor rather than a peripheral market.

First Horizon, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, operates across the American South and has worked in recent years to sharpen its regional identity following the collapse of a proposed merger with Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in 2023. Leadership appointments of this nature are typically part of broader efforts to localize decision-making and accelerate deposit and loan growth in targeted geographies.

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