OLSEN PALMER ADVISES FIRST CITIZENS BANCSHARES, INC. ON ACQUISITION OF SOUTHERN HERITAGE BANCSHARES, INC.

Washington, D.C. – Olsen Palmer is pleased to announce that its client, First Citizens Bancshares, Inc. (Dyersburg, Tennessee; $1.2 billion in assets), has agreed to acquire Southern Heritage Bancshares, Inc. (Cleveland, Tennessee; $237 million in assets) in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at $32.2 million.

With the acquisition, First Citizens will extend its branch footprint statewide while solidifying its position as the 7th largest Tennessee-based community bank. In addition, First Citizens will increase its statewide market share, improving its Tennessee deposit market share ranking to 16th. The combined organization will have approximately $1.5 billion in total assets, $1.2 billion in deposits, 350 associates and 24 branches across 10 Tennessee counties.

Olsen Palmer LLC served as exclusive financial advisor and issued a fairness opinion to First Citizens Bancshares, Inc.

About Olsen Palmer LLC

Washington, D.C.-based Olsen Palmer LLC (“Olsen Palmer”) is a specialized investment banking firm that provides merger & acquisition, valuation, and strategic advice exclusively to independent community banks. The principals of Olsen Palmer have collectively been advising financial institutions for three decades, having advised on over 50 M&A transactions with values as small as $4 million and as large as $4 billion. For more information, please visit www.olsenpalmer.com.