First Citizens Bank Recognizes Employees' Community Involvement

January 3, 2001

RALEIGH ,N.C.—First Citizens Bank recognized five employees for their outstanding community involvement in Wake County in 2000. The awards acknowledge contributions by both corporate staff employees who work in the bank's headquarters as well as those by sales associates who work in the Wake area.

Gary Williams, senior vice president of facilities, received the bank's highest honor, the First Citizen Award. Williams spearheaded a substantial construction project for Wake Enterprises, a Wake County community agency dedicated to providing training skills to people with disabilities. Williams was honored for his leadership and for coordinating the contributions of architects, builders and suppliers to expand Wake Enterprises' available service space and to make the second floor of its building accessible to people with disabilities.

Through Williams' efforts, more people are now being served through Wake Enterprises' facilities that bring education, training and employment for people with disabilities in Wake County.

The bank's outstanding community leadership awards were presented to Doug Sprecher and Jeff Slack.

Sprecher is a senior vice president and central market executive in Raleigh. Sprecher was honored for his leadership role with the American Lung Society. He is currently the president of the Research Triangle Park American Lung Society board and serves on the central area board. He also assists with the organization's fundraising efforts and heads its annual gifts campaign. Sprecher also is actively involved in his church and is treasurer for the Partnership Elementary PTA. He is a strong supporter of the United Way and will serve as co-chair for the bank's 2001 Triangle United Way campaign.

Slack is senior vice president of corporate finance. He and his family have been volunteering with the Jimmy V Celebrity Golf Classic and managing the ticket sales for the event since its inception seven years ago. Slack has been responsible for organizing a team of volunteers and managing the ticket sales in a variety of ticket outlets and sales venues. In addition to his commitment to the golf tournament, Slack also serves on the finance committee at his church as well as a proctor for final exams at Athens Drive High School.

The outstanding community volunteer awards went to Tonya Debnam and John Griesedieck. Both were honored for their participation in community activities.

Debnam is a vice president and the bank's retail market executive in Cary. Each week, Debnam tutors four elementary school and middle school students about finance. She has started a Children's Investment Club that educates young people about the importance of personal finance. In addition, Debnam serves as president of the North Carolina Association of Urban Bankers. She is co-chair for Leadership Cary and serves on the economic development committee for the Cary Chamber. She has assisted with the Cary YMCA's "We Build People" campaign. Debnam also volunteers to help build houses for Habitat for Humanity and serves as a homeless shelter food organizer.

Griesedieck, who is senior vice president and manager of retail risk management, serves on the finance committee of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), volunteers as a Communities in Schools member, supports the local Big Sweep cleanup efforts each year, volunteers for the Food Bank and helps with First Citizens' Adopt-A-Highway cleanup on Hammond Road. In addition to these efforts, he assists in the bank's holiday drives and participates as a United Way volunteer.

First Citizens' community focus areas are education; health and human services; community and economic development; and arts and culture.

First Citizens operates more than 360 branches in 200 cities and towns in North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Headquartered in Raleigh, the bank has $10.36 billion in assets. First Citizens Bank is committed to providing superior financial services to individual customers and small to mid-sized businesses. For more information about First Citizens Bank and its services, visit www.firstcitizens.com or call toll-free 1-888-FC DIRECT (1-888-323-4732).

For more information, contact:
Barbara Thompson
First Citizens BancShares
(919) 716-2716