NASHVILLE – Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) and Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) have appointed Vernon H. Stafford, Jr. of Memphis to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Stafford is the Executive Vice President and Chief Audit Executive of the First Horizon National Corporation, the holding company for First Tennessee Bank.
“I am proud to appoint Vernon Stafford to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission,” said Lt. Governor McNally. “Mr. Stafford’s career and experience have armed him with a unique skill set which I believe will greatly benefit higher education in Tennessee. I am confident he will exceed expectations and I look forward to his contributions to the commission.”
“Vernon Stafford is uniquely qualified to serve on the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, and I believe the commission will benefit from his voice and expertise,” said Speaker Harwell. “I am grateful that he accepted this appointment, and have full confidence that he, along with the rest of the commission, will lead the way for Tennessee’s higher education system.”
At First Horizon, Mr. Stafford is responsible for managing and directing corporate internal audit and credit risk assurance. His duties include independently assisting the board of directors, the Audit and Executive/Risk Committees of the Board and bank management in fulfilling their oversight responsibility by evaluating the design, effectiveness and efficiency of the company’s internal controls. Before joining First Horizon, Stafford, a commissioned national bank examiner, served 33 years in various field examiner and agency leadership positions with the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Stafford graduated from Roger Williams College (now University), with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting.
“I am honored, yet humbled Lt. Governor McNally and Speaker Harwell have jointly appointed me to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission,” said Stafford. “There have been exciting developments in Tennessee’s higher education system over the last several years, and I look forward to being part of and contributing to the organization.”
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission is relentlessly focused on increasing the number of Tennesseans with a post-secondary credential. They pursue this goal by innovating student access and success, creating a policy environment conducive to increased degree attainment, and protecting students and consumers.
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