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First Reliance Bank Celebrates Additional Extended Hours April 16, 2007 Florence, SC – In an effort to remain Easy To Do Business With™, First Reliance has recently announced that they are now open 8-8 Mon-Sat at all of their Florence locations. First Reliance is the first Florence to offer these extended hours. “Although our vision is to become ‘the most profitable bank in SC’, our ultimate goal is to consistently exceed customer expectations and provide superior customer service,” stated Rick Saunders, President and CEO. “Our new standard of banking does just that. Community and customers are essential to the success of our bank. Our new 8-8 Mon- Sat banking hours provides a level of convenience that, before now, was unseen in the traditional bank setting.” In addition to convenience, First Reliance was recently recognized for their outstanding customer service when they were named ‘Florence’s Friendliest Bank’ (The News Journal). Read Full Article Nick Sherfesee Joins First Reliance Bank April 16, 2007 Florence, SC – First Reliance Bank FSRL.OB announces today that it has opened its first office in Myrtle Beach, SC. “It has never been a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’ we were going to Myrtle Beach. Our timing, as always, was centered on finding the right person to build our banking team and we feel that we have the right person in Nick Sherfesee. Nick’s reputation speaks for itself. He is wellknown for delivering outstanding customer service and that makes Nick a perfect fit for First Reliance Bank,” said Rick Saunders, President and CEO of First Reliance Bank. Saunders continued, “Our commitment to bringing exceptional customer service to the Myrtle Beach market is aligned with our vision of being ‘the largest and most profitable bank in South Carolina’.” Read Full Article Best in Show Two community banks nab best place to work honors December 2006 – Rick Saunders, president and CEO of the $450 million-asset First Reliance Bank in Florence, S.C., wants his employees to tell him about any of the bank’s rules they think are “stupid” so he can get rid of them. It’s called the “ideas for improvement program,” but most colleagues at his bank call it the “let’s get rid of stupid rules program.” It’s just one of the many reasons First Reliance has been recognized as one of the best places to work in South Carolina by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. Read Full Article First Reliance Awarded the Esstential Piece Award August 21, 2006 Lexington, SC – On Thursday, August 11, 2006, First Reliance Bank was presented the Essential Piece Award by Mayor Randy Halfacre. Mayor Halfacre introduced the award one year ago in an effort to recognize private companies and/or corporations that are helping to build partnerships with the Town of Lexington either financially or through volunteering time. “First Reliance Bank is persistent in their efforts to improve and continue the quality of life in and around the Town of Lexington,” stated Mayor Halfacre. Read Full Article Imagination Library stops in Florence to sign up families Jun 10, 2006 Florence, SC - Parents of children age 5 and younger can spark an early desire for learning by registering for free books through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Mary Wiser, director of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library for Florence County, was on hand Friday to register First Reliance Bank employees, customers and members of the Florence County community for free books through this national program. The program is an an initiative of the United Way. Through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, children can receive a total of 60 books. That's one book a month for five years. Read Full Article First Reliance Bank to build corporate headquarters in Florence March 27, 2006 Florence, SC - First Reliance Bank is facing a problem many businesses wish they had. It’s running out of space. The Florence-based bank founded seven years ago has grown so fast that it doesn’t have enough room for the staff it’s had to add. To solve the problem, the bank’s going to build a 75,000-square-foot corporate headquarters campus, First Reliance President Rick Saunders said.“Our five-year plan takes us to $1 billion in assets, which is double what we are now,” Saunders said. “We’ve outgrown our footprint, so we acquired six acres across the street from our Palmetto Street offices.” Read Full Article First Reliance Bank and Delmae Elementary unite for reading program February 25, 2006, Florence, SC - For more than three years, Mary Neale Fowler and other associates of First Reliance have been participating in activies such as reading to children and funding teacher appreciation requests at Delmae Heights Elementary School. Now the school and the bank have made an official commitment to ensuring the success of all students. Read Full Article First Reliance pre-tax income up 43 percent February 1, 2006 - First Reliance Bancshares Inc., (OTC Bulletin Board: FSRL), the holding company for First Reliance Bank, reported unaudited pre-tax income for the year ended Dec. 31, 2005 of $2,736,962, an increase of $827,730, or 43%, over the $1,909,232 reported for the year ended Dec. 31, 2004. Unaudited net income increased 45%, to $1,947,546 as compared to $1,338,699 reported in the prior-year period. Earnings benefited from strong growth in both net interest income and non-interest income. Read Full Article Banks cash in on ATM fees January 29, 2006 - Hear that sucking sound when getting money from another bank's ATM? Listen, it's there - just below the beeping of touch screens. It's the sound of $2 fees drawing money from your account - and it's getting louder. You probably know you pay a fee if you use another bank's ATM. But increasingly, your own bank will charge you, too, when you use another bank's ATM - for everything from withdrawals to balance inquiries to asking for more money than you have. And next month, one of South Carolina's largest banks will no longer waive the fees for certain preferred customers. Read Full Article First Reliance Bank doing banking differently to provide better service January 25, 2006 - First Reliance Bank is committed to living up to its name. It is determined to be first in quality, service and innovation, while earning a reputation for dependability and trustworthiness. “We think we’re doing things different and better, and a lot of people believe we’re the best,” commented F.R. “Rick” Saunders Jr., President and CEO. Read Full Article Independent Banker October, 2005 - Customers of First Reliance Bank in Florence, S.C., can’t wait to see what their community bank is going to offer next. Besides the usual free checking and online banking, each of the bank’s five branches sports a coin exchange machine in the lobby that’s free for anyone to use. Customers can contact a call center with banking questions or a 24-hour urgent call line if their debit card is stolen or if they need to place a stop payment on a check. The bank even sends along one of its representatives to accompany homebuyers during closing. Read Full Article Deposits growing in Midlands October 30, 2005 - Midlands residents and businesses deposited nearly $2 billion into area banks during the past 12 months, topping a state and national banking trend. Deposits in Midlands banks surged 19 percent, to $10.4 billion, in the year ending June 30, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The state increase was 12 percent. S.C. banks reported deposits totaling $53.8 billion in 2005. Read Full Article Pee Dee banks compete for slice of $3.6 billion pie October 29, 2005, Florence, SC - There are 29 banks operating branches in the Pee Dee - 18 in Florence County alone - all competing for a slice of a $3.6 billion pie. According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s annual Deposit Market Share Report, Wachovia bank had the lion's share of the Pee Dee bank deposits as of June 30. BB&T had the biggest share of the Florence County market, which accounts for about half of the total banking business for the Pee Dee's seven counties. Read Full Article "Keep Your Cool" Customer Appreciation Event July 15, 2005, Florence, Lexington, and Charleston, SC - On July 15, First Reliance Bank teamed up with members of the Francis Marion University women's soccer team to emphasize the importance of keeping cool in the hot summer months. The event was one of several customer appreciation events planned by First Reliance; it started at 9:00am and ended at 6:00pm. Read Full Article Ken Cox Joins First Reliance Bank June 2005, Florence, SC - Ken Cox, Jr., Senior Vice President of Mortgage Banking, joined First Reliance Bank in June of 2005. His responsibilities include implementing and overseeing directed mortgage initiatives that focus on increasing the market share within the footprint of First Reliance Bank. Read Full Article Jim Roberts Joins First Reliance Bank January 2005, Florence, SC - Jim Roberts Jim Roberts joined First Reliance Bank, as Senior Vice President of Operations. Mr. Roberts will utilize 12 years of banking related experience to collaborate with the CEO in the overall administration of the Bank. Specifically, Mr. Roberts will be responsible for the institution's operational and technology areas. Read Full Article Richard Cox Graduates from LSU Graduate School of Banking June 6, 2005, Baton Rouge, LA - Richard (Ricky) A. Cox, Vice President, Business Banker at First Reliance Bank, Florence, SC, was among 230 bankers receiving graduation certificates on June 3rd from the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. This three-year program provides courses covering all aspects of banking, economics and related subjects. Read Full Article Rick Saunders Receives Top Honor April 22, 2005, Florence, SC - (Rick) Saunders, Jr. has been selected by the Department of Business Administration and Economics School of Business at Francis Marion University as their Beta Gamma Sigma honoree for the 2004-2005 academic year. Beta Gamma Sigma is the honor society for AACSB-International accredited business programs. It is the highest national scholarship honor society that a school of business can achieve. Read Full Article Local Bank Expanding into Charleston February 8, 2005, Florence, SC - First Reliance Bank has received regulatory approval to proceed with their expansion plans into the Charleston, South Carolina market where they will soon open a branch. The new region will be overseen by Karl H. Zerbst, Jr. who joined First Reliance in late September of 2004. Once regulatory approval is received, the bank also plans to open a second branch in the Charleston region locating it in Mount Pleasant. Zerbst will serve as the Charleston Market President and will report directly to Tom Ewart, the banks Chief Credit Officer. Initially, Zerbst will be responsible for preparing the new branch location, conducting associate interviews, and cultivating relationships within the community to ensure a successful grand opening. Read Full Article First Reliance Bank Wins Small Lender Of The Year Award For 2004 January 28, 2005, Florence, SC - First Reliance Bank has been chosen as the Small Lender of the Year for 2004 by the South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority. Competing against 120 Lenders and Brokers throughout the state, the award is given based on several criteria including overall production, underwriting quality, delinquency and foreclosure rates, and the number of complaints lodged against a financial institution. This information is obtained through the use of a survey and correspondence to the agency. Read Full Article First Reliance Announces Year End Pre-tax Income of $2 Million - Up 35% First Reliance Bancshares, Inc., (OTC Bulletin Board: FSRL), the holding company for First Reliance Bank, reported unaudited pre-tax income for the year ended December 31, 2004 of $1,909,232, an increase of $489,849, or 35%, over the $1,419,383 reported for the year ended December 31, 2003. Unaudited net income increased 32%, to $1,338,699, as compared to $1,015,799 reported in the prior-year period. Earnings benefited from a strong growth in both net interest income and noninterest income. Specifically, net interest income increased 53% to $9.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2004, while noninterest income grew 15% to $2.5 million. Basic earnings per share were $0.52, an increase of $0.04 from the $0.48 reported in the prior-year period. The earnings per share the year ending December 31, 2004 is based on average shares of 2,580,251 compared to 2,135,285 shares reported in the prior-year period. The additional shares are primarily the result of a successful stock offering completed in December 2004. The offering provided $8 million of new capital and increased the number of shares by 700,000. Read Full Article Benjamin R. Lanier, Jr. Promoted To Senior Analyst Benjamin R. Lanier, Jr. has been promoted to the position of Senior Analyst. Benjie, who began his career with First Reliance in January of 2003, has most recently held the position of Business Banker in the Florence Region. Benjie is a 1999 graduate from Francis Marion University with a BBA in Marketing. In 2002 he earned a BBA in Finance and BBA in General Business from Francis Marion University. In December of 2003, Benjie obtained his MBA from Francis Marion and a Certificate in Health Management from the Medical University of South Carolina. A Florence native, Benjie is currently a participant in Leadership Florence through the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce. Benjie will relocate to Charleston SC in early 2005 where he will join the staff of First Reliance Bank in their new Charleston location. Read Full Article Business Courier Service Has Arrived! First Reliance just unveiled its new Business Courier Service to better serve the needs of its business customers. The courier service began Monday, December 6th and is available to serve all business customers Monday through Friday. First Reliance is known for providing superior service and because business customers have unique needs, the bank is always working to find ways to meet those needs and become a better partner to the business customers they serve throughout the state. Courier service allows business customers to have their deposits picked up by courier and eliminates time spent making trips to the bank and waiting in line. The service is designed to enhance the bank's service quality by eliminating what can sometimes be a cumbersome but necessary element of the banking experience. Ricky Cox and Jeremy Groom Promoted To Vice President Ricky Cox, Business Banker, has been promoted to the position of Vice President. Ricky, who has been employed with the bank since February 2002, is the current recipient of First Reliance Bank's Employee of the Year award. His duties include managing the Florence Market Business Banking Group. Jeremy Groom, Business Banker, has been promoted to the position of Vice President. Consistently a top producer in the bank, Jeremy began his career with First Reliance in April of 2001.
First Reliance Set To Enter Charleston Market Charleston is the next stop on First Reliance's statewide expansion plans. Current plans are to lease space in downtown Charleston while building a permanent site in Mt. Pleasant. Pending regulatory approval, the downtown branch is expected to open the 1st quarter of 2005. With over $270 million in assets, First Reliance sees Charleston as a competitive and potentially lucrative market. "It's one of the largest financial markets in the state, and though it's heavily banked, we think we can add an element of service to the market," said Rick Saunders, President & CEO. Karl Zerbst, a former executive with SouthTrust has joined First Reliance as the market president for Charleston. Read Full Article Jess Nance Joins First Reliance Bank Jess Nance has joined the staff of First Reliance Bank as Senior Vice President Credit Administration. At First Reliance, he will be responsible for leading the Credit Loan Administration team and ensuring the soundness of the banks loan quality. Mr. Nance brings a wealth of banking experience to the First Reliance organization. Most recently, he held a position at Florence National Bank where he served as President, Chief Executive Officer, and was a member of their Board of Directors. First Reliance Bank President and CEO, Rick Saunders says, "The continued success of our business strategy is to identify and recruit high quality bankers. The commercial banking expertise that Jess brings to our leadership team positions our bank for continued expansion into other markets." Read Full Article First Reliance Bank Named One of South Carolina's Fastest-Growing Companies For 2004 First Reliance Bank is one of 25 companies from across the state ranked in the Top 25 for South Carolina's Fastest-Growing Companies 2004, co-sponsored by Elliott Davis, LLC, the largest CPA firm headquartered in South Carolina, and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. First Reliance Bank, the only bank in the state to achieve the top 25 recognition, was ranked at number 16. South Carolina's Fastest-Growing Companies is the state's first recognition initiative that focused on the achievements of emerging privately and publicly-owned businesses and their contribution to the state's economy. Read Full Article First Reliance Reports Record Third Quarter Net Income of $435,310 - Up 104% First Reliance Bancshares, Inc., (OTC Bulletin Board: FSRL) the holding company for First Reliance Bank reported net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2004 of $435,310, an increase of $221,406, or 104%, over the $213,904 reported for the quarter ended September 30, 2003. Earnings benefited from strong growth in both net interest income and noninterest income. Specifically, net interest income increased 30% to $2.1 million in the third quarter of 2004, while noninterest income grew 89% to $1.0 million. Diluted earnings per share were $0.16, an increase of $0.07, or 78% from the $0.09 reported in the prior-year period. Read Full Article First Reliance Partners With PR Newswire Association First Reliance Bank has partnered with PR Newswire Association to extend its reach into the investment community and beyond. PR Newswire provides electronic distribution, targeting, measurement, translation and broadcast services for more than 40,000 corporations, associations and others. Their focus will be on helping the bank distribute news releases, financial reports and more to the news media, investment communities, and general public on a world-wide scale as opposed to just locally. 5 Year Anniversary Celebration! First Reliance is quickly approaching its 5th Anniversary. We have achieved many record setting benchmarks since opening in 1999 and we especially want to honor and show our appreciation for our customers. We will be hosting a large reception with plenty of food, gifts and prizes. We will be conducting tours of the Main Office along with our new multi-million dollar Technology Center and highlight videos will be playing in several areas as well. The reception will be much like a "Business After Hours" event and we plan to have several hundred guests in attendance. This is a very important event for the bank designed to show our appreciation and dedication to the communities and customers we serve each day. Please join us as we celebrate 5 years of serving the Florence community! Date: Thursday, August 19th Time: 4 pm to 7 pm Where: Main Office, 2170 W. Palmetto St., Florence, SC 29501 RSVP: 843-674-3ASK (3275) First Reliance Bank Opens Lexington Branch First Reliance BancShares and First Reliance Bank (OTC BB: FSRL.OB) announce the opening of its first expansion branch outside the Florence market area. The new full-service branch is located at 709 North Lake Drive in Lexington, South Carolina. The ribbon cutting ceremony was held June 17th with Lexington mayor Dan Breazeale and representatives from the Lexington County Chamber of Commerce in attendance. Representing First Reliance Bank were Lexington Market President Richard McIntyre and the Lexington staff along with bank president and CEO, Rick Saunders and several other bank executives from the banks headquarters in Florence, South Carolina. First Reliance Bank is a locally owned and operated community bank in Florence County. For more information visit: www.firstreliance.com. First Reliance Bank Unveils New Customer Care Center First Reliance Bank (OTC BB: FSRL.OB) recently unveiled ACCESSLive, a new state-of-the-art customer care center. The technology used by the center increases the call volume the bank can handle while also enabling the bank to provide better customer service. It’s a win-win situation for the bank. Routing all general calls to the care center allows customers to be serviced quicker and more efficiently without interrupting the workflow of other personnel. The center is staffed with an experienced team of customer care specialists. Their banking experience and knowledge along with access to various real-time information systems within the bank allows them to successfully satisfy each caller’s needs without having to transfer them to other retail or back-office personnel at a nearly perfect rate. The specialists are able to handle a long list of transaction as well as service oriented issues including account questions, funds verification, stop payments, loan payments, wire transfers and much more. The branded name of ACCESSLive was developed based on the banks branding model for all of its convenience services which uses the term “access” somewhere in the title. The vanity phone number chosen for the care center - 843-674-3ASK - uses an acronym for “Answers, Service, and Knowledge.” First Reliance Bank proudly announces the release of its newly added service…Bounce Protection! Having a check returned due to insufficient funds can be a costly and humiliating experience. That’s why we now provide “Bounce Protection,” a special overdraft privilege for all First Reliance Bank consumer checking customers. Bounce Protection gives you an extra level of protection against unanticipated cash flow emergencies and account reconciliation errors. At First Reliance Bank, we do not encourage overdrafts. As always, we encourage you to manage your finances responsibly. The purpose of this privilege is to save you from the embarrassment, additional merchant fees or other problems that might result if a check is returned. Click here for more information about this exciting new service offered by First Reliance Bank. First Reliance goes public. First Reliance Bank featured in today’s Business Section of the Morning News. Read the article. Passing a Statewide Policy To deter what a law enforcement call a "note job" criminal, some banks South Carolina have begun a new policy asking customers not to wear hats, hoods or dark glasses while inside the bank. The measure is being recommended by the S.C. Bankers Association and law enforcement agencies across the state. Read the article. Making it personal Community banks chipping away at the hold mega-banks have on S.C. Read the article. This Month's Feature Spotlight: Rick Saunders - President / CEO, First Reliance Bank Each month, FMU features a Business Spotlight on a individual and/or business that best highlights the principles and concepts addressed in their course, Business 150. The Business Spotlight illustrates entrepreneurs, franchisees, local small businesses, or "non-business" individuals. Read the article. First Reliance Bank Welcomes New Members! Thomas C. Ewart: Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Officer We proudly welcome Thomas C. Ewart to our staff as Senior Vice President. Tom has an extended and impressive history in banking. His knowledge and experience will be a great asset as he fills the role of Chief Credit Officer. Ewart is an outstanding member of our community. He is president of the Florence Rotary Club; past president of the Florence Chamber of Commerce; Chairman of the Coker College Board of Visitors; United Way Campaign Chair-elect; and a member of the Francis Marion University Foundation Board. He is involved in various community organizations such as Girl Scouts of America, American Heart Association and St. Luke Episcopal Church. Ewart is a graduate of Newberry College and received his MBA from Golden State University. Jeffrey Paolucci: Board of Directors Jeffrey Paolucci, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of First Reliance Bank, has over 10 years experience in financial and institution regulatory oversight and risk management. Prior to joining First Reliance Bank in September of 2002, Paolucci was with the Federal Deposit Insurance Cooperation. He is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Akron; a member of the Class of Leadership Florence 2003, and the West Florence Rotary Club. First Reliance Has Successful Stock Offering First Reliance Bank and its holding company, First Reliance BancShares, Inc., recently closed its secondary stock offering. With an initial goal of $5 million that would provide the necessary funding to continue the current growth rate, the secondary offering successfully closed with a total of 1,007,430 new shares sold, raising additional capital of $8,059,440. “This was an incredible opportunity for many people in the Florence community, including customers and current stockholders. And the success of the offering was quite impressive, once again solidifying the community’s support of the First Reliance brand and our vision,” said Rick Saunders, President and CEO. In November of 2002, First Reliance was recognized by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce as one of the state’s Top 25 Fastest-Growing Companies for 2002. Based on a service-oriented strategy of providing big-bank products with hometown service, First Reliance was founded in 1999 by Rick Saunders, Paul Saunders, and Dale Porter. First Reliance is the only locally owned community bank in Florence. 
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