Due to hurricane Idalia, our Mt. Pleasant and Myrtle Beach branches will close at 1 PM Wednesday, August 30th, and will reopen Thursday the 31st at noon.

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September 25, 2017, Florence, S.C. – First Reliance Bank recently announced they have entered into an agreement to acquire Independence National Bank a locally-owned community bank headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina which has approximately $90.0 million in assets, $76.1 million in deposits and three branch locations. The acquisition is expected to close early in the first quarter of 2018. “We are a community bank buying a community bank with the goal to continue delivering the community banking model of developing strong relationships with our customers and providing an incredible experience.  We are passionate about our purpose ‘to make the lives of our customers better’.  We believe that if you achieve delivering your purpose and treat customers right, then financial results will follow.” said Rick Saunders, President and CEO. “We welcome our new customers and associates created by this merger and look forward to serving them with excellent customer service our ...

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2017 AwardsJuly 6, 2017, Florence, S.C. – First Reliance Bank was recently named as one of the Best Places to Work in South Carolina. This twelfth annual program was created by SC Biz News in partnership with the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and Best Companies Group.

First Reliance is one of three companies throughout South Carolina who have received the award all twelve years since the program began.

This survey-and-awards program was designed to identify, recognize, and honor the best employers in the state of South Carolina, benefiting the state's economy, workforce, and businesses. The list is made up of 70 companies. First Reliance has been named one of this year’s Best Places to Work in South Carolina.

Companies from across the state entered the two-part survey process to determine the Best Places to Work in South Carolina. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, ...

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March 20, 2017, Florence, S.C.  – First Reliance Bank has announced the appointment of  J. Munford Scott, Jr. as Chairman of the Board.  Judge Scott has served as a Director of First Reliance Bank since January 2007 and as Chairman of the Compensation Committee. Judge J. Munford Scott, Jr. Scott is currently serving as Florence County Probate Judge. Before his election Judge Scott was an attorney employed with Turner, Padget, Graham, & Laney P.A. Mr. Scott practiced tax, probate and estate law in Florence and surrounding counties for over 40 years. He also served in the South Carolina House of Representatives 1978- 1979. “We are excited to have Munford Scott as our Board Chairman as he is an exceptional leader in the community and has been a very active director throughout his ten years on the board. Munford has been a great mentor to me both while on the board and prior to being on ...

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pam-a-nderson-banky-awardFirst Reliance Bank, a local Florence icon, was just named among the top 1 percent most extraordinary banks in the United States by The Institute for Extraordinary Banking™.

First Reliance Bank was recognized with the Institute’s Banky® Award for their commitment to strong community banking. This recognition is given to the top 60 out of 6,000 community banks across the country.

“We set out to make First Reliance Bank an exemplary community bank which doesn’t just exist to make money.  We are proud to come to work every day with a purpose, “to make the lives of our customers better,” said Rick Saunders, First Reliance Bank CEO.   “If you’ve been in banking long, you quickly understand that product and price do not differentiate you from the competition.  The only differentiator is the customer experience which is the core of what we do. Our associates are driven by our purpose and ...

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Article written BY JOE PERRY Morning News,

FLORENCE, S.C. – Robby Hill wanted to scare everyone.
The founder of HillSouth brought his IT wisdom to Tuesday morning’s Small Business Series seminar at First Reliance Bank’s training center and told the small crowd he wanted to scare them by explaining ransomware.
“I’ve never seen more specific targeting,” he said, referring to a roughly three-year-old computer virus tactic that locks up a hard drive that will only be freed upon paying thousands of dollars in Bitcoin, an untraceable electronic currency. “I have a lot of stories – very scary.”

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Bankers offer guidance to start-ups at Florence seminar

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Article written BY JOE PERRY Morning News and reprinted.

At Florence seminar, CPA offers advice for start-ups

About 40 years ago, Nancy Waring gained a foothold as a small-business owner.
“So I kind of feel your pain if you’re just starting out, not knowing a lot and not knowing some of the things you wish you had information on,” she said.
As a certified public accountant at Waring & Associates CPAs, she wanted to share her knowledge gained from years of experience in hopes that today’s small-business owner looking to launch a start-up doesn’t feel quite the degree of pain she first experienced. Waring was one ...

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SHE Magazine, June 2016 issue, ran a feature article on Paul Saunders who was the 2015 He Behind The She award recipient at the SHE Inspires Extraordinary Women event.  Paul's name was submitted by several woman owned businesses in Florence that he helped start and expand their business by providing banking support. The full article can be read here:  Paul and Freddie Saunders

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First Reliance Makes Partial Redemption of TARP Preferred And Notices Intent to Redeem All Remaining Shares Outstanding


FLORENCE,  South Carolina – June 3, 2016 – First Reliance Bancshares, Inc. (OTC: FSRL), the holding company (the “Company”) for First Reliance Bank (the “Bank”), announced that it made a partial redemption of 4,000 shares, or 26.1 % of its 15,349 shares of outstanding Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A (“Series A Preferred Stock”) that were originally issued to the United States Department of the Treasury (“U.S. Treasury”) under the Troubled Asset Relief Program Capital Purchase Program (“TARP”).  In March 2013, the U.S. Treasury sold all 15,349 shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B (“Series B Preferred Stock”) previously held by it to private investors.  The redemption price for the shares of Series A Preferred Stock was $1,000 per share, plus accrued and ...

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John Bozard head shot copyJohn Bozard has joined First Reliance Bank as a Relationship Banker, for the Lexington, S.C. area. In his new role, he will be reaching out to businesses throughout the area and introducing them to First Reliance Bank's business products and services and he’ll represent the Bank through involvement in local associations, charities or business organizations.

Bozard spent the majority of his banking career with First Citizens Bank in Lexington, South Carolina and has over 30 years of experience. His long track record includes successfully leading the Lexington area commercial lender efforts. He has achieved numerous banking awards including a Top Performer Best Banker Award for highest branch and individual performance scores among peers.

Bozard has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Presbyterian College, South Carolina. He also has a Masters of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College.

He currently serves as a council member of ...