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First Bank, Troy, North Carolina, Assumes All of the Deposits of the Bank of Asheville, Asheville, North Carolina

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2011
Media Contact:
Greg Hernandez (202) 898-6984
Cell: (202) 340-4922
Email: ghernandez@fdic.gov

The Bank of Asheville, Asheville, North Carolina, was closed today by the North Carolina Office of Commissioner of Banks, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver. To protect the depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with First Bank, Troy, North Carolina, to assume all of the deposits of The Bank of Asheville.

The five branches of The Bank of Asheville will reopen on Monday as branches of First Bank. Depositors of The Bank of Asheville will automatically become depositors of First Bank. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship in order to retain their deposit insurance coverage up to applicable limits. Customers of The Bank of Asheville should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from First Bank that it has completed systems changes to allow other First Bank branches to process their accounts as well.

This evening and over the weekend, depositors of The Bank of Asheville can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.

As of September 30, 2010, The Bank of Asheville had approximately $195.1 million in total assets and $188.3 million in total deposits. First Bank did not pay the FDIC a premium for the deposits of The Bank of Asheville. In addition to assuming all of the deposits of the failed bank, First Bank agreed to purchase essentially all of the assets.

The FDIC and First Bank entered into a loss-share transaction on $166.3 million of The Bank of Asheville's assets. First Bank will share in the losses on the asset pools covered under the loss-share agreement. The loss-share transaction is projected to maximize returns on the assets covered by keeping them in the private sector. The transaction also is expected to minimize disruptions for loan customers. For more information on loss share, please visit: http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/lossshare/index.html.

Customers who have questions about today's transaction can call the FDIC toll-free at 1-800-234-9027. The phone number will be operational this evening until 9:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST); on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., EST; on Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m., EST; and thereafter from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., EST. Interested parties also can visit the FDIC's Web site at http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/bankofasheville.html.

The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $56.2 million. Compared to other alternatives, First Bank's acquisition was the least costly resolution for the FDIC's DIF. The Bank of Asheville is the sixth FDIC-insured institution to fail in the nation this year, and the first in North Carolina. The last FDIC-insured institution closed in the state was Cooperative Bank, Wilmington, on June 19, 2009.