The Nashville Business Journal reported on April 19, 2016 that it is speculated that a bank director at Pinnacle Financial Partners resigned in April over alleged insider trading. The article in the Journal suggested the resignation came over insider trading tied to the banks deal to acquire Avenue Financial Holdings, Inc.

In the Nashville Business Journal, Staff Reporter Scott Harrison wrote, "Pinnacle's SEC filing does not name the director, and Nikki Klemmer, a spokeswoman for the bank, declined to confirm the director's identity. However, a prior regulatory filing indicates that the bank director is James Cope, whose immediate resignation was announced on April 1."

Cope serves as the attorney for Rutherford County.

Nashville Business Journal Article: http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2016/04/pinnacle-ank-director-resigned-over-suspected.htm