First Reliance Bank is proud to announce that Donna Smith, a vice president for consumer lending at the bank’s West Columbia branch, has graduated from the South Carolina Bankers School, hosted at Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina. Smith was recommended and accepted into the program as part of First Reliance Bank’s focus on promoting continuing education for its banking professionals.

“I couldn’t be prouder of Donna,” said First Reliance Bank CEO Rick Saunders. “It takes a significant amount of hard work and dedication to graduate from the South Carolina Bankers School. Donna’s accomplishment embodies the culture we strive to build at First Reliance Bank, where our professionals are always interested in continuing their banking education to serve their clients better”.

The prestigious three-year program, offered through the South Carolina Bankers Association, is designed to provide practicing bankers with an integrated and complete set of usable courses covering all aspects ...

First Reliance Bank has hired Chris Laughridge to serve as senior vice president and relationship banker for its downtown Greenville branch. Laughridge will be responsible for providing advice on business accounts, loans, treasury management services, and investments through First Reliance Wealth Strategy, along with personal banking services to owners and their employees.

We couldn’t be more excited to bring Chris onboard,” said Brian Rogers, First Reliance Bank’s Greenville market president. “His depth of experience in the South Carolina banking industry and his ability to provide effective and efficient solutions for his clients makes Chris a valuable addition to the First Reliance Bank team.”

Laughridge comes to First Reliance with almost two decades of experience in the banking industry, most recently as a senior vice president for a large community bank in South Carolina. He attended North Carolina State University and graduated in 2007 from the South Carolina Banker’s School.

In ...