CHRISTOPHER OLSEN DISCUSSES COMMUNITY BANK M&A AND PRICING IN NASHVILLE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Washington, D.C. – Community bank M&A volume through the first half of the year suggests that 2014 will be the most active year since 2008.  A number of factors are behind this trend and certain states are seeing more transaction activity than others.  In this Nashville Business Journal article, Christopher Olsen discusses the current bank M&A environment, the recent improvements in valuation, and why certain states are seeing elevated deal activity.  Read the Article Here (subscription may be required): http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2014/06/why-tennessees-banking-m-a-scene-is-among-the.html.

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.

OLSEN PALMER TO SPONSOR THE TENNESSEE BANKERS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING

Washington, D.C. – Olsen Palmer LLC is pleased to announce that it will be a Platinum Sponsor of the 124th annual meeting of the Tennessee Bankers Association (“TBA”). This year’s TBA annual meeting will be held from June 8th through June 10th at The Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida.

Olsen Palmer is proud to support the TBA and this event, and is particularly honored to sponsor the Chairman’s Reception in celebration of outgoing TBA Chairman Jeff Agee, CEO of First Citizens Bancshares, Inc., a valued and long-standing Olsen Palmer client.

About Olsen Palmer

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.

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.