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FORM 10-K

FOR ANNUAL AND TRANSITION REPORTS

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002

OR

For the transition period from ___________ to ___________

Commission file number 0-14289

GREENE COUNTY BANCSHARES, INC.

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (423) 639-5111.

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

Common Stock - $2.00 par value

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. YES x NO o

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [  ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act.) YES x NO o

Prior to the listing of the registrant’s common stock on the Nasdaq National Market on October 1, 2002, under the symbol “GCBS”, the common stock was not regularly and actively traded in any established market, and there were no regularly quoted bid and ask prices for the registrant’s common stock. Based upon the negotiated trading price of $16.50 per share of common stock on June 30, 2002, using the best information available at the time, the registrant believes that the aggregate market value of the approximately 5,912,855 shares of its issued and outstanding common stock held by non-affiliates on June 30, 2002 was approximately $97.6 million. For purposes of this calculation, the term “affiliate” refers to all directors, executive officers and 10% shareholders of the registrant. As of the close of business on March 24, 2003, 6,820,540 shares of the registrant’s common stock were outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The following lists the documents incorporated by reference and the Part of the Form 10-K into which the document is incorporated:

1.

Portions of Proxy Statement for 2003 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. (Part III)

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PART I

Forward-Looking Statements

     The information contained herein contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. A number of factors, including those discussed herein, could cause results to differ materially from those anticipated by such forward-looking statements. In addition, such forward-looking statements are necessarily dependent upon assumptions, estimates and data that may be incorrect or imprecise. Accordingly, any forward-looking statements included herein do not purport to be predictions of future events or circumstances and may not be realized. Forward-looking statements can be identified by, among other things, the use of forward-looking terminology such as “intends,” “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “pro forma” or “anticipates,” or the negatives thereof, or other variations thereon of comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy or intentions. All forward-looking statements herein are based on information available to us as of the date this Annual Report was first mailed to our shareholders, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements.

ITEM 1.     BUSINESS

Presentation of Amounts

     All dollar amounts set forth below, other than per-share amounts and percentages, are in thousands unless otherwise noted.

The Company

     Greene County Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”) was formed in 1985 and serves as the bank holding company for Greene County Bank (the “Bank”), which is a Tennessee-chartered commercial bank that conducts the principal business of the Company. At December 31, 2002, the Company maintained a main office in Greeneville, Tennessee and 30 bank branches (of which six are in leased operating premises) and 11 separate locations operated by the Bank’s subsidiaries.

     The Company’s assets consist primarily of its investment in the Bank and liquid investments. Its primary activities are conducted through the Bank. At December 31, 2002, the Company’s consolidated total assets were $899,396, its consolidated net loans, including loans held for sale, were $744,317, its total deposits were $719,323 and its total shareholders’ equity was $74,595.

     The Company’s net income is dependent primarily on its net interest income, which is the difference between the interest income earned on its loans, investment assets and other interest-earning assets and the interest paid on deposits and other interest-bearing liabilities. To a lesser extent, the Company’s net income also is affected by its non-interest income derived principally from service charges and fees as well as the level of non-interest expenses such as salaries and employee benefits.

     The operations of the Company are significantly affected by prevailing economic conditions, competition and the monetary, fiscal and regulatory policies of governmental agencies. Lending activities are influenced by the general credit needs of small businesses in the Company’s market area, competition among lenders, the level of interest rates and the availability of funds. Deposit flows and costs of funds are influenced by prevailing market rates of interest, primarily on competing investments, account maturities and the levels of personal income and savings in the Company’s market area.

     The principal executive offices of the Company are located at 100 North Main Street, Greeneville, Tennessee 37743-4992 and its telephone number is (423) 639-5111.

The Bank

     The Bank is a Tennessee-chartered commercial bank established in 1890 and which has its principal executive offices in Greeneville, Tennessee. The principal business of the Bank consists of attracting deposits from the general public and investing those funds, together with funds generated from operations and from principal and interest payments on loans, primarily in commercial, commercial and residential real estate loans, and installment

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consumer loans. The Bank also provides collection and other banking services, directly and through its finance, acceptance and title subsidiary corporations. At December 31, 2002, the Bank had 28 full service banking offices located in East Tennessee, including Greene, Washington, Blount, Hamblen, McMinn, Loudon, Hawkins, Sullivan, Cocke, and Monroe Counties. The Bank also had one full service branch located in nearby Hot Springs, North Carolina. Further, the Bank operates a trust and money management function located in Wilson County, Tennessee and doing business as President’s Trust, and operates a mortgage loan operation in Knox County, Tennessee. Also, subsequent to year-end, the Bank, in January 2003, opened a loan production office in Washington County, Virginia and doing business as First Bristol Loans. These functions and operations are defined as Bank branches but are not considered to be full service branches.

     The Bank also conducts separate businesses through three wholly owned subsidiaries. Through Superior Financial Services, Inc. (“Superior Financial”), the Bank operates 10 consumer finance company offices located in Greene, Blount, Hamblen, McMinn, Washington, Sullivan, Sevier, Knox and Hamilton Counties, Tennessee. The Bank also operates a mortgage banking operation through its main office in Knox County, Tennessee and it also has representatives located throughout the Company’s branch system. Through GCB Acceptance Corporation (“GCB Acceptance”), the Bank operates a sub-prime automobile lending company with a sole office in Johnson City, Tennessee. Through Fairway Title Co., the Bank operates a title company headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee which has an office in Johnson City, Tennessee.

     Deposits of the Bank are insured by the Bank Insurance Fund (“BIF”) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) to a maximum of $100,000 for each insured depositor. The Bank is subject to supervision and regulation by the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (the “Banking Department”) and the FDIC. See “Regulation, Supervision and Governmental Policy.”

Growth and Business Strategy

     The Company expects that, over the intermediate term, a majority of its growth will result from mergers and acquisitions including acquisitions of both entire financial institutions and selected branches of financial institutions. De novo branching will also be a method of growth, particularly in high-growth and other demographically-desirable markets.

     The Company’s strategic plan outlines a geographic expansion policy within a 300-mile radius of its major markets. This policy could result in the Company expanding westward and eastward up to and including Nashville, Tennessee and Roanoke, Virginia, respectively, east/southeast up to and including the Piedmont area of North Carolina and western North Carolina, southward to northern Georgia and northward into eastern and central Kentucky. In particular, the Company believes the markets in and around Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee are highly desirable areas with respect to expansion and growth plans.

     In addition to the Company’s business model, which is summarized in the paragraphs above entitled “The Company” and “The Bank”, the Company is continuously investigating and analyzing other lines and areas of business. These include, but are not limited to, various types of insurance, real estate activities, etc. Conversely, the Company frequently evaluates and analyzes the profitability, risk factors and viability of its various business lines and segments and, depending upon the results of these evaluations and analyses, may conclude to exit certain segments and/or business lines. Further, in conjunction with these ongoing evaluations and analyses, the Company may decide to sell, merge or close certain branch facilities.

Lending Activities

     General. The loan portfolio of the Company is composed of commercial, commercial and residential real estate and installment consumer loans. Such loans are primarily originated within the Company’s market areas of East Tennessee and are generally secured by residential or commercial real estate or business or personal property located in the counties of Greene, Washington, Hamblen, Sullivan, Hawkins, Blount, Knox, McMinn, Loudon, Monroe and Cocke Counties, Tennessee.

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     Loan Composition. The following table sets forth the composition of the Company’s loans at December 31 for each of the periods indicated.

     Loan Maturities. The following table reflects at December 31, 2002 the dollar amount of loans maturing based on their contractual terms to maturity. Demand loans, loans having no stated schedule of repayments and loans having no stated maturity are reported as due in one year or less.

     The following table sets forth the dollar amount of the loans maturing subsequent to the year ending December 31, 2003 between those with predetermined interest rates and those with floating, or variable, interest rates.

     Commercial Loans. Commercial loans are made for a variety of business purposes, including working capital, inventory and equipment and capital expansion. At December 31, 2002, commercial loans outstanding totaled $93,836, or 12.61%, of the Company’s net loan portfolio. The terms for commercial loans are generally one to seven years. Commercial loan applications must be supported by current financial information on the borrower and, where appropriate, by adequate collateral. Commercial loans are generally underwritten by addressing cash flow (debt service coverage), primary and secondary sources of repayment, financial strength of any guarantor, liquidity, leverage, management experience, ownership structure, economic conditions and industry-specific trends and collateral. The loan to value ratio depends on the type of collateral. Generally speaking, accounts receivable are financed at 70% of accounts receivable less than 90 days past due. If other collateral is taken to support the loan, the loan to value of accounts receivable may approach 85%. Inventory financing will range between 50% and 60% depending on the borrower and nature of inventory. The Company requires a first lien position for such loans. These types of loans are generally considered to be a higher credit risk than other loans originated by the Company.

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     Commercial Real Estate Loans. The Company originates commercial loans, generally to existing business customers, secured by real estate located in the Company’s market area. At December 31, 2002, commercial real estate loans totaled $342,407, or 46.00%, of the Company’s net loan portfolio. The terms of such loans are generally for 10 to 20 years and are priced based in part upon the prime rate, as reported in The Wall Street Journal. Commercial real estate loans are generally underwritten by addressing cash flow (debt service coverage), primary and secondary source of repayment, financial strength of any guarantor, strength of the tenant (if any), liquidity, leverage, management experience, ownership structure, economic conditions and industry specific trends and collateral. Generally, the Company will loan up to 80-85% of the value of improved property, 65% of the value of raw land and 75% of the value of land to be acquired and developed. A first lien on the property and assignment of lease is required if the collateral is rental property, with second lien positions considered on a case-by-case basis.

     Residential Real Estate. The Company also originates one-to-four family, owner-occupied residential mortgage loans secured by property located in the Company’s primary market area. The majority of the Company’s residential mortgage loans consists of loans secured by owner-occupied, single-family residences. At December 31, 2002, the Company had $233,128, or 31.32%, of its net loan portfolio in residential real estate loans. Residential real estate loans generally have a loan-to-value ratio of 85%. These loans are underwritten by giving consideration to the ability to pay, stability of employment or source of income, credit history and loan-to-value ratio. Home equity loans make up approximately 13% of residential real estate loans. Home equity loans may have higher loan-to-value ratios when the borrower’s repayment capacity and credit history conform to underwriting standards. Superior Financial extends sub-prime mortgages to borrowers who generally have a higher risk of default than mortgages extended by the Bank. Sub-prime mortgages totaled $11,950, or 5.13%, of the Company’s residential real estate loans.

     Mortgage loans originated by the Bank were not previously underwritten in conformity with secondary market guidelines and therefore were not readily salable. Beginning in April 1997, the Company began selling one-to-four family mortgage loans in the secondary market to Freddie Mac through the Bank’s mortgage banking operation. Sales of such loans to Freddie Mac and other mortgage investors totaled $61,728 during 2002, and the related mortgage servicing rights were sold together with the loans.

     Installment Consumer Loans. At December 31, 2002, the Company’s installment consumer loan portfolio totaled $77,644, or 10.43%, of the Company’s total net loan portfolio. The Company’s consumer loan portfolio is composed of secured and unsecured loans originated by the Bank, Superior Financial and GCB Acceptance. The consumer loans of the Bank have a higher risk of default than other loans originated by the Bank. Further, consumer loans originated by Superior Financial and GCB Acceptance, which are finance companies rather than a bank, generally have a greater risk of default than such loans originated by commercial banks and, accordingly, carry a higher interest rate. Superior Financial and GCB Acceptance installment consumer loans totaled approximately $34,456, or 44.38%, of the Company’s installment consumer loans. The performance of consumer loans will be affected by the local and regional economy as well as the rates of personal bankruptcies, job loss, divorce and other individual-specific characteristics.

     Past Due, Special Mention, Classified and Non-Accrual Loans. The Company classifies its problem loans into three categories: past due loans, special mention loans and classified loans (both accruing and non-accruing interest).

     When management determines that a loan is no longer performing, and that collection of interest appears doubtful, the loan is placed on non-accrual status. All loans that are 90 days past due are considered non-accrual unless they are adequately secured and there is reasonable assurance of full collection of principal and interest. Management closely monitors all loans that are contractually 90 days past due, treated as “special mention” or otherwise classified or on non-accrual status. Non-accrual loans that are 120 days past due without assurance of repayment are charged off against the allowance for loan losses.

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     The following table sets forth information with respect to the Company’s non-performing assets at the dates indicated. At these dates, the Company did not have any restructured loans within the meaning of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 15.

     The Company’s continuing efforts to resolve non-performing loans occasionally include foreclosures, which result in the Company’s ownership of the real estate underlying the mortgage. If non-accrual loans at December 31, 2002 had been current according to their original terms and had been outstanding throughout 2002, or since origination if originated during the year, interest income on these loans would have been approximately $585. Interest actually recognized on these loans during 2002 was not significant.

     Foreclosed real estate increased $2,216, or 85.59%, to $4,805 at December 31, 2002 from $2,589 at December 31, 2001. The real estate consists of 33 properties, of which seven are commercial properties valued at $2,923, and 26 are residential properties valued at $1,882. Management expects to liquidate these properties during 2003. Management has recorded these properties at net realizable value and the subsequent sale of such properties is not expected to result in any adverse effect on the Company, subject to business and marketing conditions at the time of sale. Other repossessed assets increased $144, or 23.11%, to $767 at December 31, 2002 from $623 at December 31, 2001. This increase is primarily due to repossession activity at GCB Acceptance.

     Total impaired loans decreased by $1,686, or 15.00%, from $11,243 at December 31, 2001 to $9,557 at December 31, 2002. This decrease is reflective of reduced impaired loans at Superior Financial resulting primarily from heightened collection activity and improved underwriting discipline.

     At December 31, 2002, the Company had approximately $1,339 in loans that are not currently classified as non-accrual or 90 days past due or otherwise restructured but which known information about possible credit problems of borrowers caused management to have concerns as to the ability of the borrowers to comply with present loan repayment terms. Such loans were considered classified by the Company and were composed primarily of various consumer loans and residential real estate loans. Generally, these are bankruptcy loans that are adequately secured and management expects substantial collection of these accounts through reaffirmation or liquidation of collateral.

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     Allowance for Loan Losses. The allowance for loan losses is maintained at a level which management believes is adequate to absorb all probable losses on loans then present in the loan portfolio. The amount of the allowance is affected by: (1) loan charge-offs, which decrease the allowance; (2) recoveries on loans previously charged-off, which increase the allowance; and (3) the provision of possible loan losses charged to income, which increases the allowance. In determining the provision for possible loan losses, it is necessary for management to monitor fluctuations in the allowance resulting from actual charge-offs and recoveries, and to periodically review the size and composition of the loan portfolio in light of current and anticipated economic conditions in an effort to evaluate portfolio risks. If actual losses exceed the amount of the allowance for loan losses, earnings of the Company could be adversely affected. The amount of the provision is based on management’s judgment of those risks. During the year ended December 31, 2002, the Company’s provision for loan losses increased by $1,106 to $7,065 as the Company adjusted the allowance for loan losses to a level it deemed adequate as of December 31, 2002.

     The following is a summary of activity in the allowance for loan losses for the periods indicated:

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     Breakdown of allowance for loan losses by category. The following table presents an allocation among the listed categories of the Company’s allowance for loan losses at the dates indicated and the percentage of loans in each category to the total amount of loans at the respective year-ends.

(1)

Balances related to certain loan categories have been reclassified in prior years to reflect revised allocation methods used in 2002.

Investment Activities

     General. The Company maintains a portfolio of investments to provide liquidity and an additional source of income.

     Securities by Category. The following table sets forth the carrying value of the securities, by major categories, held by the Company at December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000.

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     Maturity Distributions of Securities. The following table sets forth the distributions of maturities of securities at amortized cost as of December 31, 2002.

(a)		Actual yields on tax-exempt obligations do not differ materially from yields computed on a tax equivalent basis.
		Expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.

Deposits

     Deposits are the primary source of funds for the Company. Such deposits consist of checking accounts, regular savings deposits, NOW accounts, Money Market Accounts and market rate Certificates of Deposit. Deposits are attracted from individuals, partnerships and corporations in the Company’s market area. In addition, the Company obtains deposits from state and local entities and, to a lesser extent, U.S. Government and other depository institutions. The Company’s policy permits the acceptance of limited amounts of brokered deposits.

     The following table sets forth the average balances and average interest rates based on daily balances for deposits for the periods indicated.

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     The following table indicates the amount of the Company’s certificates of deposit of $100,000 or more by time remaining until maturity as of December 31, 2002.

Competition

     To compete effectively, the Company relies substantially on local commercial activity; personal contacts by its directors, officers, other employees and shareholders; personalized services; and its reputation in the communities it serves.

     According to data as of June 30, 2002 published by SNL Financial LC and using information from the FDIC, the Bank ranked as the largest independent commercial bank in its market area, which includes Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Sullivan, Washington, Madison, Loudon, Blount and McMinn Counties, Tennessee and portions of Cocke, Monroe and Jefferson Counties, Tennessee. In Greene County, there were seven commercial banks and one savings bank, operating 25 branches and holding an aggregate of approximately $780 million in deposits as of June 30, 2002.

     Under the federal Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (the “Holding Company Act”), as amended by the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of 1994 (the “Riegle-Neal Act”), Tennessee banks and their holding companies may be acquired by out-of-state banks or their holding companies, and Tennessee banks and their holding companies may acquire out-of-state banks without regard to whether the transaction is prohibited by the laws of any state. In addition, the federal banking agencies may approve interstate merger transactions without regard to whether such transactions are prohibited by the law of any state, unless the home state of one of the banks opts out of the Riegle-Neal Act by adopting a law that applies equally to all out-of-state banks and expressly prohibits merger transactions involving out-of-state banks. The effect of the Riegle-Neal Act may be to increase competition within the state of Tennessee among banking institutions located in Tennessee and from banking companies located anywhere in the country.

Employees

     As of December 31, 2002 the Company employed 386 full-time equivalent employees. None of the Company’s employees are presently represented by a union or covered under a collective bargaining agreement. Management considers relations with employees to be good.

Regulation, Supervision and Governmental Policy

     The following is a brief summary of certain statutes, rules and regulations affecting the Company and the Bank. A number of other statutes and regulations have an impact on their operations. The following summary of applicable statutes and regulations does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such statutes and regulations.

     Bank Holding Company Regulation. The Company is registered as a bank holding company under the Holding Company Act and, as such, subject to supervision, regulation and examination by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve Board (the “FRB”).

     Acquisitions and Mergers. Under the Holding Company Act, a bank holding company must obtain the prior approval of the FRB before (1) acquiring direct or indirect ownership or control of any voting shares of any bank or bank holding company if, after such acquisition, the bank holding company would directly or indirectly own or control more than 5% of such shares; (2) acquiring all or substantially all of the assets of another bank or bank holding company; or (3) merging or consolidating with another bank holding company. Also, any company must

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obtain approval of the FRB prior to acquiring control of the Company or the Bank. For purposes of the Holding Company Act, “control” is defined as ownership of more than 25% of any class of voting securities of the Company or the Bank, the ability to control the election of a majority of the directors, or the exercise of a controlling influence over management or policies of the Company or the Bank.

     The Holding Company Act, as amended by the Riegle-Neal Act, generally permits the FRB to approve interstate bank acquisitions by bank holding companies without regard to any prohibitions of state law. See “Competition.”

     The Change in Bank Control Act and the related regulations of the FRB require any person or persons acting in concert (except for companies required to make application under the Holding Company Act), to file a written notice with the FRB before such person or persons may acquire control of the Company or the Bank. The Change in Bank Control Act defines “control” as the power, directly or indirectly, to vote 25% or more of any voting securities or to direct the management or policies of a bank holding company or an insured bank.

     Bank holding companies like the Company are currently prohibited from engaging in activities other than banking and activities so closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks as to be a proper incident thereto. The FRB’s regulations contain a list of permissible nonbanking activities that are closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks. A bank holding company must file an application or notice with the Federal Reserve prior to acquiring more than 5% of the voting shares of a company engaged in such activities. Financial modernization legislation enacted on November 12, 1999, however, greatly broadened the scope of activities permissible for bank holding companies. Effective March 11, 2000, this legislation permits bank holding companies, upon classification as financial holding companies, to engage in a broad variety of activities “financial” in nature.

     Capital Requirements. The Company is also subject to FRB guidelines that require bank holding companies to maintain specified minimum ratios of capital to total assets and capital to risk-weighted assets. See “Capital Requirements.”

     Dividends. The FRB has the power to prohibit dividends by bank holding companies if their actions constitute unsafe or unsound practices. The FRB has issued a policy statement expressing its view that a bank holding company should pay cash dividends only to the extent that the company’s net income for the past year is sufficient to cover both the cash dividends and a rate of earning retention that is consistent with the company’s capital needs, asset quality, and overall financial condition. The Company does not believe this policy statement will limit the Company’s activity to maintain its dividend payment rate.

     Support of Banking Subsidiaries. Under FRB policy, the Company is expected to act as a source of financial strength to its banking subsidiaries and, where required, to commit resources to support each of such subsidiaries. Further, if the Bank’s capital levels were to fall below minimum regulatory guidelines, the Bank would need to develop a capital plan to increase its capital levels and the Company would be required to guarantee the Bank’s compliance with the capital plan in order for such plan to be accepted by the federal regulatory authority.

     Under the “cross guarantee” provisions of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (the “FDI Act”), any FDIC-insured subsidiary of the Company such as the Bank could be liable for any loss incurred by, or reasonably expected to be incurred by, the FDIC in connection with (i) the default of any other FDIC-insured subsidiary also controlled by the Company or (ii) any assistance provided by the FDIC to any FDIC-insured subsidiary of the Company in danger of default.

     Transactions with Affiliates. The Federal Reserve Act imposes legal restrictions on the quality and amount of credit that a bank holding company or its non-bank subsidiaries (“affiliates”) may obtain from bank subsidiaries of the holding company. For instance, these restrictions generally require that any such extensions of credit by a bank to its affiliates be on nonpreferential terms and be secured by designated amounts of specified collateral. Further, a bank’s ability to lend to its affiliates is limited to 10% per affiliate (20% in the aggregate to all affiliates) of the bank’s capital and surplus.

     Bank Regulation. As a Tennessee banking institution, the Bank is subject to regulation, supervision and regular examination by the Banking Department. The deposits of the Bank are insured by the FDIC to the maximum extent provided by law (a maximum of $100,000 for each insured depositor). Tennessee and federal banking laws and regulations control, among other things, required reserves, investments, loans, mergers and

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consolidations, issuance of securities, payment of dividends, and establishment of branches and other aspects of the Bank’s operations. Supervision, regulation and examination of the Company and the Bank by the bank regulatory agencies are intended primarily for the protection of depositors rather than for holders of the Common Stock of the Company.

     Extensions of Credit. Under joint regulations of the federal banking agencies, including the FDIC, banks must adopt and maintain written policies that establish appropriate limits and standards for extensions of credit that are secured by liens or interests in real estate or are made for the purpose of financing permanent improvements to real estate. These policies must establish loan portfolio diversification standards, prudent underwriting standards, including loan-to-value limits that are clear and measurable, loan administration procedures and documentation, approval and reporting requirements. A bank’s real estate lending policy must reflect consideration of the Interagency Guidelines for Real Estate Lending Policies (the “Interagency Guidelines”) that have been adopted by the federal bank regulators. The Interagency Guidelines, among other things, call upon depository institutions to establish internal loan-to-value limits for real estate loans that are not in excess of the loan-to-value limits specified in the Guidelines for the various types of real estate loans. The Interagency Guidelines state that it may be appropriate in individual cases to originate or purchase loans with loan-to-value ratios in excess of the supervisory loan-to-value limits. The aggregate amount of loans in excess of the supervisory loan-to-value limits, however, should not exceed 100% of total capital and the total of such loans secured by commercial, agricultural, multifamily and other non-one-to-four family residential properties should not exceed 30% of total capital.

     Federal Deposit Insurance. The Bank is subject to FDIC deposit insurance assessments. The FDIC has established a risk-based deposit insurance assessment system for insured depository institutions, under which insured institutions are assigned assessment risk classifications based upon capital levels and supervisory evaluations. Insurance assessment rates for BIF-insured banks such as the Bank depend on the capital category and supervisory category to which a bank is assigned and currently range from $0.00 to $0.27 per $100 of insured deposits.

     Safety and Soundness Standards. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (“FDICIA”) required the federal bank regulatory agencies to prescribe, by regulation, non-capital safety and soundness standards for all insured depository institutions and depository institution holding companies. The FDIC and the other federal banking agencies have adopted guidelines prescribing safety and soundness standards pursuant to FDICIA. The safety and soundness guidelines establish general standards relating to internal controls and information systems, internal audit systems, loan documentation, credit underwriting, interest rate exposure, asset growth, and compensation, fees and benefits. Among other things, the guidelines require banks to maintain appropriate systems and practices to identify and manage risks and exposures identified in the guidelines.

     Capital Requirements. The FRB has established guidelines with respect to the maintenance of appropriate levels of capital by registered bank holding companies, and the FDIC has established similar guidelines for state-chartered banks that are not members of the FRB. The regulations of the FRB and FDIC impose two sets of capital adequacy requirements: minimum leverage rules, which require the maintenance of a specified minimum ratio of capital to total assets, and risk-based capital rules, which require the maintenance of specified minimum ratios of capital to “risk-weighted” assets. At December 31, 2002, the Company and the Bank satisfied the minimum required regulatory capital requirements. See Note 11 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

     The FDIC has issued final regulations that classify insured depository institutions by capital levels and require the appropriate federal banking regulator to take prompt action to resolve the problems of any institution that fails to satisfy the capital standards. Under such regulations, a “well-capitalized” bank is one that is not subject to any regulatory order or directive to meet any specific capital level and that has or exceeds the following capital levels: a total risk-based capital ratio of 10%, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 6%, and a leverage ratio of 5%. As of December 31, 2002, the Bank was “well-capitalized” as defined by the regulations. See Note 11 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.

     Legislative, Legal and Regulatory Developments: The banking industry is generally subject to extensive regulatory oversight. The Company, as a publicly held bank holding company, and the Bank, as a state-chartered bank with deposits insured by the FDIC, are subject to a number of laws and regulations. Many of these laws and regulations have undergone significant change in recent years. These laws and regulations impose restrictions on activities, minimum capital requirements, lending and deposit restrictions and numerous other requirements. Future changes to these laws and regulations, and other new financial services laws and regulations, are likely and cannot

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be predicted with certainty. Future legislative or regulatory change, or changes in enforcement practices or court rulings, may have a dramatic and potentially adverse impact on the Company and its bank and other subsidiaries.

     FDIC. The FDIC and members of the United States Congress have recently proposed new legislation that would reform the bank deposit insurance system. This reform could merge BIF and SAIF insurance funds, increase the deposit insurance coverage limits and index future coverage limitations, among other changes. Most significantly, reform proposals could allow the FDIC to raise or lower (within certain limits) the currently mandated designated reserve ratio requiring the FDIC to maintain a 1.25% reserve ratio ($1.25 against $100 of insured deposits), and require certain changes in the calculation methodology. Although it is too early to predict the ultimate impact of such proposals, they could, if adopted, result in the imposition of additional deposit insurance premium costs on the Company.

     Sarbanes Oxley Act. On July 30, 2002, the President signed into law the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the S-O Act) implementing legislative reforms intended to address corporate and accounting fraud. In addition to the establishment of a new accounting oversight board which will enforce auditing, quality control and independence standards, and will be funded by fees from all publicly traded companies, the law restricts provision of both auditing and consulting services by accounting firms. To ensure auditor independence, any permissible non-audit services being provided to an audit client will require pre-approval by a company’s audit committee members. In addition, the audit partners must be rotated. Chief executive officers and chief financial officers, or their equivalent, are required to certify to the accuracy of periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), subject to civil and criminal penalties if they knowingly or willfully violate this certification requirement. In addition, under the S-O Act, counsel will be required to report evidence of a material violation of the securities laws or a breach of fiduciary duty by a company to its chief executive officer or its chief legal officer, and, if such officer does not appropriately respond, to report such evidence to the audit committee or other similar committee of the board of directors or the board itself. Longer prison terms and increased penalties will be applied to corporate executives who violate federal securities laws, the period during which certain types of suits can be brought against a company or its officers has been extended, and bonuses issued to top executives prior to restatement of a company’s financial statements are now subject to disgorgement if such restatement was due to corporate misconduct. Executives are also prohibited from insider trading during retirement plan “blackout” periods, and loans to company executives are restricted.

     The S-O Act also increases the oversight of, and codifies certain requirements relating to audit committees of public companies and how they interact with a company’s “registered public accounting firm” (“RPAF”). Audit committee members must be independent and are barred from accepting consulting, advisory or other compensatory fees from the issuer. In addition, companies must disclose whether at least one member of the committee is an “audit committee financial expert” and if not, why not. Under the S-O Act, a RPAF is prohibited from performing statutorily mandated audit services for a company if such company’s chief executive officer, chief financial officer, comptroller, chief accounting officer, or any person serving in equivalent positions has been employed by such firm and participated in the audit of such company during the one-year period preceding the audit initiation date. The S-O Act also prohibits any officer or director of a company or any other person acting under their direction from taking any action to fraudulently influence, coerce, manipulate, or mislead any independent public or certified accountant engaged in the audit of a company’s financial statements for the purpose of rendering the financial statement’s materially misleading.

     The Company’s board is determined to continue a corporate governance structure that meets or exceeds the requirements of the S-O Act.

     Additional SEC Reforms. In addition, in September 2002, the SEC issued its final ruling requiring the acceleration of filing dates for periodic reports such as the Company’s Form 10-K and its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The rule applies to all companies, including the Company, that have a public float of at least $75 million, that have been subject to the SEC’s reporting requirements for at least 12 calendar months and have previously filed at least one annual report. Companies subject to this accelerated requirement must file their annual reports on Form 10-K for 2002 within the usual 90 day period following year-end, but that period is shortened to 75 days for 2003 and then finally to 60 days for 2004 and later years. Similarly, the quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for such companies will still be required to be filed within 45 days after quarter-end during 2003, shortened to 40 days for 2004 and 35 days for 2005 and later years.

     Nasdaq. Also during 2002, the Nasdaq proposed numerous corporate governance rules intended to address a heightened public perception of shortcomings in corporate accountability among public companies generally.

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These rules, if adopted, would affect the Company because its common stock is listed on the Nasdaq National Market System under the symbol “GCBS.” The proposed changes include ensuring that a majority of a board of directors are independent of management, establishing and publishing a code of conduct for directors and officers and requiring stockholder approval of all new stock option plans and all modifications. These rules are still tentative in nature because they are subject to SEC review and approval, which is expected to occur later this year and would then be followed by an anticipated six-month transition period.

     USA Patriot Act. The President of the United States signed the USA Patriot Act (“USA-PA”), into law on October 26, 2001. The USA-PA establishes a wide variety of new and enhanced ways of combating international terrorism. The provisions that affect national banks (and other financial institutions) most directly are contained in Title III of the act. In general, Title III amends current law - primarily the Bank Secrecy Act - to provide the Secretary of Treasury (Treasury) and other departments and agencies of the federal government with enhanced authority to identify, deter, and punish international money laundering and other crimes.

     Among other things, the USA-PA prohibits financial institutions from doing business with foreign “shell” banks and requires increased due diligence for private banking transactions and correspondent accounts for foreign banks. In addition, financial institutions will have to follow new minimum verification of identity standards for all new accounts and will be permitted to share information with law enforcement authorities under circumstances that were not previously permitted. These and other provisions of the USA-PA became effective at varying times and the Treasury and various federal banking agencies are responsible for issuing regulations to implement the new law.

Executive Officers of the Registrant

     The following table sets forth information regarding the executive officers of the Company.

     R. Stan Puckett currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and has held that position since 1990. He also is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors. He has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Bank since February 1989. He is a graduate of Bristol University with a degree in business administration. He served as President of First American National Bank of Johnson City, Tennessee from December 1987 to February 1989 and as its Vice President from June 1986 to December 1987. He was Assistant Vice President of First Union National Bank in Asheville, North Carolina from September 1983 to June 1986 and served as commercial loan officer of Signet Bank in Bristol, Virginia from September 1977 to June 1983.

     Kenneth R. Vaught currently serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company and the Bank and has held that position since June 2002. He also was elected to the Board of Directors on that date. Prior to joining the Company Mr. Vaught began his banking career in 1987 as a Management Trainee with Hamilton Bank (SunTrust affiliate) in Johnson City, Tennessee. He later joined First Tennessee Bank in 1989 as a Commercial Loan Officer. In 1991, he was promoted to Vice President and transferred to First Tennessee Bank, Maryville, Tennessee. He left First Tennessee Bank in 1998 as Senior Vice President and Commercial Banking Manager to join Greene County Bank. He is a graduate of East Tennessee State University with a degree in Finance.

     William F. Richmond joined the Company in February 1996 and currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company and the Bank. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Richmond served, subsequent to the acquisition of Heritage Federal Bancshares, Inc. (“Heritage”) by First American Corporation (now a part of AmSouth Bancorporation), as transition coordinator for various financial matters from November 1995 through January 1996. Heritage was the parent of Heritage Federal Bank for Savings located in Kingsport, Tennessee. He served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Heritage from June 1991 through October 1995 and as controller from April 1985 through May 1991. He has been active in community activities in the Tri-Cities, Tennessee area, having served on the Board of Directors of Boys and Girls Club, Inc. and as President of the Tri-Cities Estate Planning Council. He has served in various capacities with the United Way of Greater Kingsport and is a Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary International. He holds a B.S. in Commerce with Distinction from

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the University of Virginia and also an M.B.A. from the Colgate Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia. He is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in Virginia and Tennessee and is also a Certified Financial Planner.

Additional Information

     The Company maintains a code of conduct that is applicable to all employees. Further, the Company has adopted an additional code of ethics applicable to its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Accounting Manager. This code, which requires continued observance of high ethical standards such as honesty, integrity and compliance with the law in the conduct of the Company’s business, is available for public access on the Company’s internet website, www.mybankconnection.com, under the Investor Relations section.

     We are not including the information contained on our website as a part of, or incorporating it by reference into, this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We make available free of charge (other than an investor’s own Internet access charges) through our website our Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to these reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish such material to, the SEC. In addition, we intend to disclose on our website any amendments to or waivers from our code of ethics that are required to be publicly disclosed pursuant to rules of the SEC.

ITEM 2.      PROPERTIES

     At December 31, 2002, the Company maintained a main office in Greeneville, Tennessee and 30 bank branches (of which six are in leased operating premises) and 11 separate locations operated by the Bank’s subsidiaries.

ITEM 3.      LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

     From time to time, the Company and its subsidiaries are parties to various legal proceedings incident to its business. At December 31, 2002, there were no legal proceedings which management anticipates would have a material adverse effect on the Company.

ITEM 4.     SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

     No matters were submitted during the fourth quarter of 2002 to a vote of security holders of the Company through a solicitation of proxies or otherwise.

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PART II

ITEM 5.     MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

     On March 19, 2003, Greene County Bancshares had 6,820,540 shares of common stock outstanding. The Company’s shares began trading on the Nasdaq National Market on October 1, 2002, under the symbol GCBS. Prior to that time, there was no established trading market for the Company’s Stock. As of March 19, 2003, the Company estimates that it had approximately 2,100 shareholders, including approximately 1,800 shareholders of record and approximately 300 beneficial owners holding shares in nominee or “street” name.

     The following table sets forth the high and low common stock prices per Nasdaq quotations for the fourth quarter of 2002, and certain information known to management as to the price of the Company’s common stock at the end of each of the first three quarters of 2002 and the end of each of the quarters in 2001. The table also sets forth the dividend per share paid each quarter during 2002 and 2001.

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ITEM 6.     SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA