First Reliance Bank’s Newest Mortgage Associate

FLORENCE, SC – February 24, 2011 – Trasi G. King has joined First Reliance Bank as Residential Lending Specialist in the bank’s Mt. Pleasant and Charleston area offices.

Rick Saunders, President and CEO of the Florence-based bank, announced the addition. As a highly-experienced FRB associate, Trasi will help us deliver on our commitment to making our mortgage customers’ lives better – and their experiences at FRB more rewarding, Saunders says.

He notes that King is a lifelong resident of South Carolina and has, over the past 15 years, dedicated herself to helping homeowners from Greenville to Hilton Head with their mortgage needs. She has been a successful manager of mortgage offices in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia for various Top 10 lenders.

As Residential Lending Specialist, Trasi will leverage her extensive experience to help us deliver on our promise of incredible customer experience, distinctive customer programs, and unmatched convenience in mortgage banking, says Saunders. He notes that King will accomplish that by focusing on educating and assisting homebuyers in the greater Charleston area with their home buying or refinancing needs. 

King is an active member and former board member of the Mortgage Bankers Association of the Carolinas. She also served for three years as President of the Greenville Mortgage Bankers Association. She is currently an affiliate member of the Charleston Trident Association. King has received many Top Producer and MVP accolades during her mortgage-lending career.

First Reliance is committed to its mission of making its customers’ lives better, Saunders adds. He notes that from unique, custom-designed programs to highly personal service, First Reliance provides a culture of making the lives of customers better. Our mortgage lending customers will enjoy that same commitment, and quickly understand why our latest customer satisfaction rating stands at 98%, he adds.

First Reliance Bank

First Reliance Bank, founded in 1999, has assets of approximately $600 million, and employs over 145 highly talented associates. The bank serves Columbia, Charleston, and Florence markets in South Carolina. The bank was also recognized as One of the Best Places to Work in South Carolina by the SC BIZ for four 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 5 Way Mortgage 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 98% (Lamothe & Associates, Inc., Research 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.