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The year 2012 marks a major milestone for Four Oaks Bank. The community bank headquartered in

the Town of Four Oaks, in central Johnston County, is celebrating 100 years of service. Four Oaks Bank opened its doors as The Bank of Four Oaks in 1912, in its’ namesake town.

From humble beginnings as a small town bank focused on the needs of a growing, mostly agricultural, community, Four Oaks Bank has seen steady growth over the past 100 years. The growth of Four Oaks Bank was contained within Johnston County until 2000, when they opened their first Wake County branch in Fuquay-Varina. The Bank currently has 16 locations serving the diverse needs of communities in Johnston, Wake, Harnett, Moore, Richmond, Duplin and Sampson counties. The Bank employs approximately 200 people system wide, and as of March 31, 2012, holds deposits of $760 million and assets of $933 million. For three consecutive years, 2007, 2008, and 2009, Four Oaks Bank was named by USBanker magazine in their listing of the Top 200 Community Banks in the country, based on their three year average return on equity. Business Leader Magazine included the bank’s CFO, Nancy Wise, in their feature listing the ‘‘Top CFOs in The Triangle“, in 2010.

“We are very excited to reach this major threshold of one century,” says Ayden R. Lee, Jr., CEO, Chairman of the Board and President of the bank. “Where we are going as a bank, especially as we step into our second century, will be greatly impacted by where we have been. This Bank has a rich heritage of relationship-based banking that has withstood the tests of time and the many challenges of the past 100 years, including the great depression of the 1930s. This day and time there are few businesses and probably very few banks that can look back on one hundred years of service.” said Lee. “The economic downturn of the past few years has been a tremendous challenge to all businesses, and especially to the banks and financial institutions that have backed them. Although we still have a long way to go before we realize full economic recovery, we are beginning to see some positive signs. For us at Four Oaks Bank, this 100th anniversary is coming at a good time. It gives us cause to reflect on all our blessings of these past 100 years, and gives us inspiration for planning and building for new ones in the years to come. We look forward to celebrating with our customers, employees and neighbors.”

According Four Oaks Bank Marketing Director Pam Ashworth, the bank kicked off its centennial celebration with a slogan contest last summer, as a pre-celebration warm up to get people excited about the upcoming campaign. The contest was open to all bank customers and employees and the resulting slogan was “Celebrating Our Roots… Embracing Our Future!” “Our advertising agency, Sloan Communications, designed an attractive centennial logo which will continue to be featured in all of our marketing materials and events throughout 2012.” says Ashworth.

Among the activities the bank has planned is a traveling historical display, featuring artifacts, photos, documents and articles highlighting the Bank’s early years. The display will be exhibited at each of the bank’s offices during 2012. “Our big celebration takes place June 28 from 6 to 9 p.m. on the field behind Four Oaks Elementary School on Civitan Road in Four Oaks. Featured entertainment will be a concert by the Band of Oz”, Ashworth added.

Four Oaks Bank & Trust Company is a state chartered bank headquartered in Four Oaks, North Carolina, where it was chartered in 1912. The wholly owned subsidiary of Four Oaks Fincorp, the single bank holding company trading under the symbol FOFN on the OTC Bulletin Board, Four Oaks Bank presently operates sixteen branch offices located in Four Oaks, Clayton, Garner, Smithfield, Benson, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Wallace, Harrells, Zebulon, Dunn, Rockingham, Southern Pines and Raleigh.