From First South Bank

First South Bank has announced that it will consolidate its Washington Corner branch, located at 1328 John Small Ave., into its other two existing locations at 300 N. Market St. and 1311 Carolina Ave.

Notices were mailed to customers Oct. 31, and the consolidation is anticipated to occur as of close of business Jan. 31, 2017.

First South Bank has served Washington and Beaufort County since 1902, and our investment and commitment to these communities has never been stronger. Over the past several years, First South Bank has strengthened its presence in the Washington harbor district and has been instrumental in promoting the “Buy, Eat, Be Local” campaign. The bank anticipates making renovations at its Carolina Avenue branch prior to the consolidation, which will provide better customer flow, multiple stations at which to conduct banking business and a digital messaging area to allow for the marketing of community events and the products and services offered by our local small-business customers.

Mia Williams, who currently manages the bank’s John Small Avenue office, will be managing the North Market Street office full-time beginning Feb. 1, 2017. All existing staff at the John Small Avenue location will be moving to one of the other existing offices to serve our new and existing customers.

Bruce Elder, president and CEO, stated, “The banking landscape continues to change and there has been a shift in utilization of traditional branch and digital delivery channels. Consolidating our local branch network in Beaufort County from four offices to three allows us to more efficiently allocate our resources locally — our capital and our people — by strengthening our ties to local businesses and organizations. The changes to be made at our main branch on Carolina Avenue will transform the office from a traditional branch to a more interactive banking service center.”

First South Bank operates through its main office headquartered in Washington, and currently has full-service branch offices located throughout eastern and central North Carolina. The bank also provides a full menu of leasing services through its wholly owned subsidiary, First South Leasing LLC. In addition, under its First South Wealth Management division, the bank makes securities brokerage services available through an affiliation with an independent broker/dealer.