2024 Awards and Accolades

Across The Carolinas 2 min read

We are so grateful for all of our associates, customers, and community partners who inspire us to be the best. So far in 2024 we have won several prestigious awards that highlight our organization’s commitment to excellence and dedication to exceptional service.

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2024 Awards & Recognition – First Bank

2024 Awards & Recognition – First Bank Associates

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How Local Produce Leads to Local Innovation When you take a bite of an apple or dig into some leafy greens, do you ever think about where they came from and how they were grown? With the wealth of information available via the Internet, wary consumers in North Carolina (and beyond) are getting invested in and engaged with where and how their food is produced, from the chemicals involved to the methods used to get the goods from the farm to their forks. It’s no surprise that many are finding it’s often more beneficial for their bodies, their families, and their communities to purchase food products from local farms. Paul Jones, Media Marketing Specialist of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, explains that the interest in organic, locally grown food is nothing new in North Carolina. “Agriculture has such a rich heritage in North Carolina and continues to be the state’s top industry,” he explains. “I think both those factors contribute to our strong interest in local food.” But the rebirth of the farm-to-table movement nationally has been “tremendously beneficial” to farms that dot the state, says Jones. One such business is Pine Knot Farms located in Hurdle Mills, North Carolina. Pine Knot Farms: Organic Original The Orange County farm was originally built for large tobacco crops but is now known more for its certified organic vegetables including collards, kale, and sweet potato greens. Owner Stanley Hughes and his wife, Linda Leach Hughes, are proud to carry on the century-old tradition of organic farming that started when Stanley’s grandfather purchased the land in 1912. “Back in the day, they were farming organically, but there was no term for it,” says Linda. “It was just the way things were done. This land is over 100 years old and has never had any chemicals on it.” Stanley says that the local movement has led to increased demand of Pine Knot’s organic products. “We’ve seen an increase of 15-25% a year in the last 10 years because folks are more educated about what they eat.” Buying Local Helps Local Economies And they are not alone. The Hughes say they have seen many other farms benefiting from consumers who keep their food spending within the community. “It’s helped them to maintain 5 min read

Your Community Bank If you live in North Carolina or South Carolina, you have a ton of banking options right outside your door. Large financial institutions may seem like your best option for banking services at first, but community banks typically offer more consumer-friendly services and fewer fees. Choose the Right Community Bank First Bank is your community bank that cares about local roots. Since 1935, we have been providing our customers with community-centric banking services, including: Personal banking options, such as checking accounts, savings accounts, debit and credit cards, personal loans, and more. Business banking options, like checking and savings accounts, business loans, merchant services, and treasury services. Wealth management services, like asset managements, mutual funds, and estate services. Insurance products, such as life and health insurance for individuals and commercial insurance for businesses. Mortgage loan options, including conventional, government, jumbo, first-time home buyer, and more. The Benefits of a Community Bank According to Bankrate.com there are many other advantages to choosing a community bank over a big bank. For example: Community banks are relationship-based, and the employees typically know you and your whole family on a personal level. Community banks are also smaller and can therefore offer personalized service. Community banks also typically offer lower fees and lower balance requirements than big banks. Being smaller allows community banks to have more lending flexibility than bigger banks Community banks tend to stick to their local roots, which means they strive to offer great services with low fees and give back to the community. First Bank is small enough to know you like a neighbor, large enough to handle all of your banking needs, and dedicated to supporting our local communities. To learn more about us and our banking services, visit your local First Bank branch today. ——— Sources: Bankrate: http://www.bankrate.com/banking/community-banks-vs-big-banks/ 2 min read