First Reliance Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Chris Laughridge to Market President, Greenville. He will be responsible for leading the Greenville team and building the bank’s footprint in the upstate of South Carolina. He graduated from North Carolina State University in 2002, earning a B.S. in Business Management with a concentration in Finance, and the South Carolina Bankers School in 2007.

“We are pleased to announce Chris Laughridge as Market President for the Greenville market.  This strategic decision is based on Chris’s proven ability to deliver high customer satisfaction as a trusted banking advisor. He knows how to lead teams and what it takes to build a strong community bank.  His extensive industry experience will expand our commercial and local business and customer opportunities”, stated Justin Strickland, President, First Reliance Bank.

Laughridge has over 19 years of industry experience in the banking industry, where he has developed ...

Yes, life happens! If your credit score has seen better days, it can hurt you when borrowing money. Maybe you get turned down or must pay high-interest rates.

How credit reporting bureaus calculate credit score is a little complex. In this short video, we share some things you should know if you are trying to improve your score.

1. It’s not good to have no credit cards or cancel all of your cards.
2. Conversely, don’t open credit accounts you don’t need.
3. If you have credit cards, keep the balance at less than 50% of the available balance (30% is even better).
4. Closing an account doesn’t make it go away, as it can still appear on your credit report.
5. If you’re behind on any accounts, get current, and pay on time as long as it is possible.
6. If you have an account that goes to collections, that will stay with you. In ...

David Boulware, Mortgage Loan Officer at First Reliance Bank, has been named the “Best of the Pee Dee’s 2022 Best Mortgage Lender" Winner.  

Boulware began his finance career in 1998 before moving into mortgage-related finance in 2000. He operated his own brokerage and was a mortgage lender with two of the nation's largest commercial banking institutions before beginning his career with First Reliance Bank in 2014.  

“David is an experienced lender focused on new construction, government lending, and purchase loan transactions,” shared Chuck Stuart, President of First Reliance Mortgage. “David provides exceptional customer service, and his knowledge of the Pee Dee and Carolina markets is invaluable to our clients. He’s one of the best.” 

“David Boulware excels in leading our mortgage lending efforts as a top producer in the Greater Florence area,” said Rick Saunders, Founder/CEO of First Reliance Bank. “He rightfully earned the recognition of “Best of ...