Southern First Bank

Thank you, Jeff, for sharing our story and Art's vision. We are proud to be celebrating 25 years of client first service with authentic hospitality!

Our March Dog of the Month is Abby Bullard's new puppy, Kiwi. She is a Tibetan Mastiff and already 27 pounds at just 11 weeks old! When she grows up, Kiwi will help herd her family’s cows, but right now, she’s pretty busy giving out cuddles.

The Southern First team works hard and plays hard, enjoying the journey and opportunities each day brings. Here's what we’ve been celebrating lately! 1: The Greensboro team helped Team Leader Joe Aldridge ring in his 40th birthday by giving him plenty of “gifts” to unwrap: everything in his office! 2: Our Greenville Loan Admin team enjoyed a fun and competitive evening of bowling. 3-4: In Charlotte, we celebrated Ailean Salinas’ upcoming wedding with a few games of Lotería, a Mexican game of chance like bingo. 5: The Summerville office was all smiles after a visit with client and actress Shanola Hampton. 6: Raleigh banker Brittany Fuller and Atlanta banker Diana Keller enjoyed spending time together at our HQ. 7: Our Verdae lobby team was feeling the love for Valentine’s Day! 8: No pinching was necessary in Atlanta on St. Patrick’s Day!

Longer days are ahead, and our team is ready to lend a helping hand this spring! They have already been busy making an impact in their communities over the last few weeks. 1-4: Our Raleigh team spent a day of service with Habitat for Humanity of Wake County. They attended Generational Wealth Saturday, organized by the Mayor of Durham’s office and TRIBOR, where Team Leader Laura Keefer spoke on a panel offering advice to first-time homebuyers. The team also attended the North Carolina Down Syndrome Alliance Gala and volunteered with Rise Against Hunger, The Salvation Army Wake County, and Note in the Pocket. 5: In Summerville, Regional President Jonathan Patterson and his wife, Laura, were named Keys to Change’s Prom King and Queen for raising over $15k to provide support for those in a housing crisis. 6-7: In Charleston, our bankers enjoyed supporting and celebrating the work of the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired as well as speaking to future professionals at Charleston Southern University’s career fair. 8: The Triad office sponsored a table at the Annual Dinner for the Guilford Merchants Association, hearing from guest speaker Terry Bradshaw and enjoying networking and fellowship with other business leaders in the market. 9: At our Greenville HQ, we hosted Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina Skilled Trades Symposium, which offers free skilled trades programs and resources.

Did you know our bank’s original name was Greenville First? Before we went on to serve 8 markets across the Southeast, it all started with enabling dreams in Greenville, SC. We are proud to have played a role in the Upstate’s tremendous growth over the past 25 years and feel strongly about the Southeast’s continued growth as we look to the future!

As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we’re looking back through the archives and found these bloopers on the cutting room floor from some old TV commercials. We are happy to confirm that over a decade later, these team members remained bankers at Southern First and did not go on to have a career in film! ??

During Women’s History Month and on the eve of International Women’s Day, we are proud to celebrate the talented women on our team! Women make up 61% of the Southern First workforce and are key to the success of our bank. Pictured here are a few of our female leaders at the KVH Women in Business Summit earlier this week, where they got to hear from (and a few got to meet) keynote speaker, Jenna Bush Hager.

Our Atlanta team is letting the good times roll! They celebrated Fat Tuesday in style with a Mardi Gras-themed team lunch and even took the festivities to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, holding a Patient Party bringing joy to patients and their families.

We are pleased to welcome Diana Keller as Client Experience Officer in Atlanta, GA! Diana joins Southern First with over 30 years in banking, including experience in management. Diana is passionate about creating exceptional client experiences by ensuring every interaction is memorable. She is known for her high energy and ability to bring fun to work, which creates lasting connections with her clients. When she’s not at the office, you can find her painting, writing, or exploring new recipes. Welcome, Diana!

It has been a busy few weeks for our team celebrating Black History Month and helping create pathways to success for all. See a few examples in these recent photos! 1-3: Our Charlotte team hosted The Academy of Goal Achievers, Inc for a day of financial literacy and career coaching with high school students. 4-5: The Charlotte team also celebrated Queen City Black Excellence at the Pride Magazine Awards. 6: Greenville team members attended the UNCF Mayors’ Masked Ball, which raised scholarship funds for young men and women to have access to higher education at HBCUs. Southern First Board Member Ray Lattimore was also honored for his impact at this event! 7-8: Atlanta Team Leader Sean Dacey attended the 2025 Housing Day at the Capitol advocating for affordable housing with GEORGIA ADVANCING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER INC. 9: In Raleigh, Laura Keefer and Kim Macklanburg presented a donation check to Southeast Raleigh Promise, which works to create equitable opportunities for community members.