FLB First Natl Bancshares Fla

First National Bankshares of Florida Announces 3% Stock Dividend and Quarterly Cash Dividend at Annual Meeting NAPLES, Fla., April 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- First National Bankshares of Florida, Inc. , a diversified financial services company focused on expansion in the high-growth Florida market, announced that its Board of Directors has declared a 3% stock dividend. This dividend is payable on July 15, 2004, to all shareholders of record as of June 30, 2004. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031230/FNBFLOGO ) "We are delighted that our strong performance enables us to reward shareholders with an annual stock dividend," said Gary L. Tice, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of First National Bankshares. "This dividend has proven to be very popular with shareholders." The announcement was made during the company's Annual Meeting of Shareholders in Naples, Florida. Also during the meeting, First National Bankshares announced that its Board has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.07 per share on its common stock. The dividend is payable on May 15, 2004, to all shareholders of record as of May 1, 2004. Also during the meeting, shareholders reelected three members to the First National Bankshares of Florida Board of Directors. They are: G. Scott Baton, II, former Chairman and CEO of Chestnut Ridge Foam, Inc.; David A. Straz, Jr., former Chairman and President of Charter Banking Corp.; and Lee Roy Selmon, Tampa businessman and President of the Foundation Partnership for Athletics at the University of South Florida. Shareholders also approved the company's Amended and Restated 2003 Incentive Plan. First National Bankshares of Florida, Inc. is a $4.0 billion diversified financial services company headquartered in Naples, Florida. In addition to traditional banking, the company provides a complete line of insurance and wealth management services with 59 full-service financial centers throughout Southwest and Central Florida. The company's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FLB." On March 22, 2004, First National Bankshares of Florida announced the acquisition of Southern Community Bancorp. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Southern Community has more than $1 billion in total assets and 18 full- service banking offices located throughout South and Central Florida. The transaction, which is subject to normal regulatory and shareholder approvals, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2004. Once the merger is completed, all Southern Community Bank branches will become part of First National Bank of Florida. First National Bank will then have 77 full-service financial centers, more than $5.0 billion in total assets and nearly $4.0 billion in deposits, making it the largest, independent commercial bank headquartered in the state of Florida. Except for the historical and present factual information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements as to the expected date of the closing of the acquisition of Southern Community Bancorp by First National Bankshares of Florida, Inc., financial and operating results, benefits and synergies of the merger, future opportunities and any other effect, result or aspect of the transaction, and other statements identified by words such as "believes," "expects," "projects," "plans," "anticipates," and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, costs, delays, and any other difficulties related to the merger, failure of the parties to satisfy closing conditions, risks and effects of legal and administrative proceedings and governmental regulations, future financial and operating results, competition, economic conditions, ability to manage and continue growth, and other risk industry factors as detailed from time to time in First National Bankshares' and Southern Community's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. First National Bankshares and Southern Community disclaim any responsibility to update these forward-looking statements. CONTACT: Clay W. Cone Vice President, Director of Corporate Communications 239-436-1676 http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031230/FNBFLOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: First National Bankshares of Florida, Inc. CONTACT: Clay W. Cone, Vice President, Director of Corporate Communications, First National Bankshares, +1-239-436-1676 Web site: http://www.firstnationalbankshares.com/

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