SOUTHERN FIRST BANK EXPANDS TO GREENSBORO / TRIAD MARKET JOE DEPASQUALE, MELISSA BEANE, AND JUSTIN COMBS WILL PROVIDE LEADERSHIP

Greenville, South Carolina – April 17, 2018 – Southern First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: SFST), holding company for Southern First Bank, announces its expansion to Greensboro, North Carolina and the greater Triad market. The Bank intends to establish a full-service retail office upon regulatory approval.

The expansion to the Triad market will be led by Joe DePasquale, Executive Vice President and Triad Regional Executive. DePasquale provides over 30 years of banking experience in the Greensboro and Triad market. DePasquale is a graduate of Appalachian State University where he also recently served on the Advisory Board for the Departments of Finance, Banking and Insurance. He is also a graduate of the American Bankers Association Stonier Graduate School of Banking and has been involved in various community activities throughout his career, and is past president and treasurer of Sedgefield Country Club.

Melissa Beane, Senior Vice President, will also join Southern First to provide leadership in the Triad market. Beane is a graduate of the North Carolina School of Banking in Chapel Hill and has over 30 years of banking experience in the Triad area, including commercial and business banking, retail banking and private banking services. Beane’s community involvement includes the United Way, Communities in Schools, Teach a Kid to Save, and Meals on Wheels.

Justin Combs, Senior Vice President will also be joining the Southern First leadership team in the Triad market. Combs has more than 16 years of banking experience in the Winston Salem/Forsyth County market with a commitment to building long term relationships. Combs is a graduate of the UNCW Cameron School of Business and is currently enrolled in the North Carolina Banker’s Association School of Banking in Chapel Hill.

Southern First Bancshares, Inc., Greenville, South Carolina, is a registered bank holding company incorporated under the laws of South Carolina. The Company consists of Southern First Bank, the third largest bank headquartered in South Carolina. Southern First Bancshares has been providing financial services since 1999 and now operates in 12 locations in the Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston markets of South Carolina, as well as Raleigh, North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia.  Southern First Bancshares has assets of approximately $1.6 billion, a current market capitalization of approximately $330 million, and its common stock is traded in the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “SFST.” More information can be found at www.southernfirst.com.