Editor’s Note: This October, we will celebrate our 30th class of 40 Under Forty honorees. Each week in 2022, The Business Journal of Tri-Cities Tennessee/Virginia will highlight one of our 2021 40 Under Forty honorees leading up to the announcement of our milestone class this fall.
Tara Findlay makes a positive impact on her community and the region as a whole, and she does so one relationship at a time.
As a Vice President and Financial Advisor at First Horizon Advisors, Findlay channels the tenacity and focus that made her a Hall of Fame tennis player at ETSU into helping her clients achieve financial peace of mind. Her primary motivation is not to enrich herself. Instead, Findlay says she is motivated by the fact she is uniquely positioned to help people improve their lives on a daily basis by developing and implementing a financial plan.
“It motivates me that people want and need my help, and I love helping people find out to be successful with their total financial picture,” Findlay said.
That motivation to help others has inspired her to serve on the Ballad Health Foundation’s Tri-Cities Advancement Council, through the Johnson City Morning Rotary and through the Junior League of Johnson City.
When it comes to her success, Findlay says coming from an athletic family has helped forge the skills necessary to excel both in business, at home and in the community. Her grandfather Tommy Byrne was a New York Yankee, her father Charles was a golfer at ETSU and her mom Betsy played basketball at Cumberland College.
Additionally all three of her brothers played sports, and two of them – Chas and Shane – both played baseball collegiately at ETSU. Being so close in age with her brothers led to a sibling rivalry that forged a strong work ethic.
“We all grew up super close in age, so having that family competitiveness was good,” Findlay said. “I think that drives success, always wanting to get to that next level or to get one inch better.”
Another motivator for Findlay has been the opportunity to invest her time and talents back into a community that has always invested in her. She was a standout tennis player at Science Hill before moving on to ETSU, and she is now trying to support her neighbors the same way they supported her.
“You’ve got to find something you can put your heart into,” Findlay said. “I would tell people just to stay true to that because I think that just shows through in your work.”
Next week we will profile Wesley Fletcher of First Bank and Trust Company. If you would like to nominate someone for inclusion in the 2022 class of 40 Under Forty, visit 40under.com/nominate and follow the instructions.
