Belmont University Board of Trustee member Harry Allen is one of 24 inductees in the second class of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA) Hall of Fame for 2021. Allen, co-founder, executive vice president and chief relationship officer at Studio Bank, is an alumnus of Belmont, earning both his BBA and MBA in International Business Management from Belmont’s Massey College of Business.
Recognized as a servant leader and community volunteer, Allen represents Belmont’s values of Integrity, Inquiry, Collaboration, Service and Humility. Few people can match the range of organizations to which Allen has dedicated his time and talents. From the Center for Nonprofit Management to the Rotary Club of Nashville and the Nashville Public Education Foundation, Allen embodies the values of a servant leader.
“I am deeply honored to be among such amazing inductees. I’m proud to represent Belmont and its values, today and always, and am truly humbled by this recognition.” Allen said.
Allen is a widely recognized and sought-after leader within the business and non-profit communities. He co-founded Studio Bank in 2018, the first new, locally headquartered bank in Nashville since 2008, growing it to 70+ employees with total assets nearly $600 million. A native of Nashville, Allen is active in the Nashville community serving on the board of directors for the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, the Nashville Public Education Foundation and as a Trustee and Chair of the Endowment Committee of Belmont.
Allen has been inducted into the Public Schools Hall of Fame by the Nashville Public Education Foundation and awarded the Distinguished Graduate Award by Belmont University’s Massey Graduate School of Business. In addition to his extensive board service, Allen was a Mayoral Appointee to the Metro Nashville Hospital Authority and served as chair of Personnel Committee, served as co-chair of the Mayor’s Office Children Champion’s Committee for pre-K funding, a member of the Nashville Literacy Collaborative of the Public Education Foundation, and as co-chair of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce’s Education Report Card Committee.
He is also a Past-President of the Rotary Club of Nashville, the world’s third-largest Rotary Club, and a graduate of the 2019 Leadership Nashville Class. He has been listed by the Nashville Business Journal as a 2014 Nashville Top 40 Under 40 honoree, 2018, 2019 and 2020 Power Leader in Finance, and 2019, 2020 and 2021 Nashville Power 100. In 2019, 2020 and 2021, he was featured as a Top 100 Entrepreneur by Belmont University.
TICUA and its member institutions selected 24 alumni, highlighting their contributions in a variety of disciplines. Allen is in good company as the list includes civil rights and women’s rights activists; veterans; civic and faith leaders; news, entertainment, and business professionals; and passionate philanthropic and humanitarian leaders, all hailing from Tennessee private non-profit institutions. Every inductee exemplifies the value of a liberal arts education and how it can be used in a variety of career fields.
“We launched the TICUA Hall of Fame last year to honor the accomplishments and impact of graduates and the institutions who helped to prepare them,” said TICUA President Dr. Claude Pressnell. “We are proud to once again recognize an astounding group of alumni who have made significant contributions to their institutions, communities, and society. Their stories are worthy of recognition and accolade and, on behalf of our member institutions, we are proud to offer this small token of our appreciation for their achievements.”
Read more about each inductee in the 2021 Hall of Fame publication or find their bios and photos on the TICUA website.
