NEW FIRST RELIANCE BANK BRANCH MANAGER WILL EMPHASIZE CUSTOMER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON AND MOUNT PLEASANT

Leslie Royston Plans To Lead First Reliance Bank's Mount Pleasant And Charleston Branches With A Philosophy That "There's More To Banking Than Money"

August 4, 2011, Mount Pleasant, S.C. - Leslie Royston has joined First Reliance Bank as the branch manager for both the Mount Pleasant and Charleston locations.

Royston's office will be at the Mount Pleasant branch. From there, she will lead the day-to-day operations of retail teams dedicated to providing superior levels of customer service at both their Charleston and Mount Pleasant bank branches.

"We're excited about Leslie leading the Charleston-area branches," said Rick Saunders, president and chief operating officer of First Reliance Bank. "She has an extensive background in management and training, as well as experience in the customer service industry, making her a perfect fit. We're proud to have her guiding those two First Reliance branches."

Royston spent six years as a financial center manager/store manager of Wachovia Bank in Richmond, Virginia and Charleston, South Carolina. In addition, she has more than five years experience in the Northern Virginia area as a manager in major retail and hospitality industries. Leslie has a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, with concentration in psychology and english, from Radford University in Radford, Virginia.

"First Reliance Bank believes that there's more to banking than money and Leslie approaches her leadership role that way," said Ben Brazell, First Reliance Bank Charleston market president. "She goes the extra mile to give customers the best possible service. Leslie's 's the kind of person who dedicated time to study sign language so she could assist hearing impaired customers. She understands the importance of good communication and is dedicated to providing a welcoming atmosphere where our customers can do business."

ABOUT FIRST RELIANCE BANK
First Reliance Bank, founded in 1999, has assets of approximately $500 million, and employs over 135 highly-talented associates. The bank serves the Columbia, Lexington, Charleston, Mount Pleasant and Florence markets in South Carolina. The bank has been recognized as "One of the Best Places to Work in South Carolina" by the SC BIZ for five consecutive years and was named 2009 Lender of the Year by the South Carolina Housing Authority. First Reliance Bank offers a unique Hometown Heroes package of benefits to serve those who are serving our communities, Check 'N Save, a community outreach program for the unbanked or under-banked, a Customer Service Guaranty, a Mortgage Service Guaranty, FREE Coin Machines, and a Worldwide NO FEE ATM Network. It also offers 8-8 Extended Hours in all of their Florence, Charleston, West Columbia and Lexington locations and is open on most traditional bank holidays. Its commitment to making customers' lives better, and the idea that "There's More to Banking Than Money" has earned the young bank a customer satisfaction rating of 99% (2010 results from an outside survey firm) and the number one market share in its headquarters City of Florence, SC. First Reliance Bank is traded as FSRL.OB. Information about the Company is available on the company's website at www.firstreliance.com.