Background

Rick Saunders has been in banking for over 27 years. From 1983 through 1997, Mr. Saunders was Senior Vice President and City Executive of Florence for Pee Dee State Bank, Florence, South Carolina, where he was also a member of the bank’s Senior Loan Committee and Board of Directors. During this time, his responsibilities included Corporate Banking, Business Development, and Policy Making. From 1997-1998, he served as Senior Commercial Banker with Centura Bank after its merger with Pee Dee State Bank. While at Centura, he was the Senior Marketing Manager for the Pee Dee Region. In 1998, he began organizing First Reliance Bank. Now, Mr. Saunders is the President and Chief Executive Officer of First Reliance Bank.

Education

Mr. Saunders graduated from the South Carolina Bankers School, a cooperative program with the College of Business Administration of the University of South Carolina, in 1986. In 1988, he graduated from the Southeastern School of Agriculture Lending, a cooperative program with the College of Agricultural Science of Clemson University.

Memberships and Awards

Mr. Saunders is currently a member of many civic and charity organizations. They include: the Legislative Committee for the Independent Banks of SC, 2007 Business Man of the Year (Florence Chamber of Commerce), 2007 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Honorary Chairperson for 2007-2008 United Negro College Fund Campaign, the SC Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions (Governor Appointed), the Board of Directors for First Reliance Bank and First Reliance BancShares, the McLeod Foundation Board of Trustees, the Florence Baptist Temple and the Florence Rotary Club. He is Chairman of the State Legislative Committee and a member of the Federal Legislative Committee for the South Carolina Bankers Association.  Also serves on the state finance committee for John McCain Presidential campaign.

Past Memberships

Mr. Saunders is a past Advisory Board Director for the McLeod Foundation, the Florence Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and the Independent Banks of South Carolina Board of Directors.  He has also been a past board member for local chapter of Young Life Ministries, on the South Carolina Bankers Association Community Bankers Council, Advisory Board for the Business Education Program for Florence School District #1, the Advisory Board for the Florence Easter Seal Board, the Board of Directors for the United Way of Florence, the Board of Directors for Pee Dee State Bank and Pee Dee Bancshares, and Board of Directors for the Home Builders Association of the Greater Pee Dee Area.