R. Wayne Hall is Appointed to Board of Directors and Chief Operating Officer of First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Charleston

CHARLESTON, SC – July 16, 2009 – First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Charleston (“First Federal”), a subsidiary of First Financial Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFCH) today announced that effective July 15, 2009, R. Wayne Hall was appointed to First Federal’s Board of Directors and became First Federal’s Chief Operating Officer (“COO”). In addition to his current responsibilities as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) of First Federal and First Financial, Mr. Hall’s responsibilities will include but not be limited to supervising various bank and holding company functions such as: Risk Management; Compliance, Investor Relations, Treasury Operations, Banking Operations, Information Technology, Marketing; Office and Building Services, Human Resources, Lending, and Branch Operations. He will review, develop and implement operating policies and procedures. Additionally, Mr. Hall was appointed to serve a term on First Federal’s Board of Directors expiring in December 2009 at which time he may stand for re-election.

James C. Murray, Chairman of the Board of First Federal, commented, “We are extremely pleased to announce the addition of Wayne to our Board and look forward to his insight, professional expertise and leadership. Wayne’s contributions as our Chief Financial Officer have been exceptional, and his assumption of the COO role is a natural consequence of the outstanding strategic and operational leadership that he has also provided since joining First Federal and First Financial. Wayne has gained the respect and confidence of our entire leadership team and our Board of Directors.”

Mr. Hall was employed by First Federal and its parent company, First Financial Holdings, Inc. (“Company”) effective December 1, 2006 as Executive Vice President, Financial Management. He is a certified public accountant. Mr. Hall has over 23 years of financial institution experience, having served in several senior financial positions, including Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer of Provident Bank, Baltimore, Maryland. He also has seven years of experience auditing financial institutions in the field of public accounting. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance and a Masters of Accountancy from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. Mr. Hall also graduated with honors from the Stonier Graduate School of Banking. His professional affiliations include the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants. His community activities include serving on the Audit Committee of Bon Secours Health System, Inc., Marriottsville, Maryland; serving as the 2009 Chairman of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life committee for Charleston County; serving on the American Cancer Society’s Lowcountry Leadership Council. Mr. Hall is active in other community and company related initiatives in the communities we serve.

First Financial

First Financial is the holding company for First Federal, which now operates 64 offices located in the Charleston metropolitan area, Horry, Georgetown, Florence and Beaufort counties in South Carolina and Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender Counties in coastal North Carolina offering banking and trust services. The Company also provides insurance and brokerage services through First Southeast Insurance Services, The Kimbrell Insurance Group and First Southeast Investor Services.

For additional information about First Financial, please visit our website at www.firstfinancialholdings.com or contact Dorothy B. Wright, Vice President-Investor Relations and Corporate Secretary, (843) 529-5931.