Art Helf will retire this Thursday as chairman and CEO of Tennessee Commerce Bancorp, the parent of the largest bank headquartered in Williamson County.

With President Mike Sapp, Helf opened the doors to Tennessee Commerce in 2000. The 71-year-old is a former U.S. Army Airborne Ranger and Genesco executive who returned to Middle Tennessee after an entrepreneurial career in Ohio. In the community, he helped found the Greater Cool Springs Chamber of Commerce and has been president of the Rotary Cub of Franklin Breakfast.

Sapp, 56, will take on Helf's titles at Tennessee Commerce, which has $1.2 billion in assets and about 90 employees. The bank recently brought in former Integra executive Martin Zorn to be its chief administrative officer and named longtime exec Lamar Cox COO.

"It has been an honor to be a part of this company and its growth, and I am confident that Mike and the talented team of Tennessee Commerce professionals will continue to build upon the company’s successes in the years to come," said Helf, who owns about 2 percent of the company.

Shares of Tennessee Commerce (Ticker: TNCC) will open trading this morning at $3.81, down 36 percent from where they were at the end of 2008.