Out of hundreds of banks nationwide, one stands out.

First Citizens is the recipient of multiple national awards for customer satisfaction, sustainable profitability, and overall stability and security.

Yet no matter how many awards we receive, we will never cease to work tirelessly for you and your business. Because for us, the best award of all is our satisfied customers.

Forbes' Platinum 400 List

As of December 2008, our holding company, First Citizens BancShares, was named to Forbes' Platinum 400 list - the Best Big Companies in America - as one of only 14 banking companies in the country to receive recognition. The Platinum 400 list is based on such factors as sales and earnings growth, debt to total capital, earnings outlook and stock market returns.

Learn more about First Citizens BancShares and the Forbes Platinum 400 Best Big Companies in America.

Greenwich Excellence Awards

• 2008 National Winner for Business Banking
• 2008 Southern Regional Winner for Business and Treasury Management Services
• 2008 Southern Regional Winner for Business Banking

Out of 17,000 interviews with business customers from 750 banks nationwide - including some of the largest and most well-known banks in the industry - First Citizens received the highest level of recognition for overall customer satisfaction.

Greenwich Associates is an international consulting and research firm for institutional financial services, providing strategic insight into more than 100 different financial markets worldwide. To learn more, visit Greenwich Associates.

BauerFinancial, Inc. Superior Five Star Rating

BauerFinancial, Inc., of Coral Gables, Florida, is a respected source for unbiased, independent bank and credit union star-ratings. Hundreds of newspapers depend on its ratings for their readers, and federal and state regulators refer thousands of inquirers to BauerFinancial each year.

Based on thorough analysis of quarterly financial reports, BauerFinancial has assigned First Citizens its Superior Five Star Rating.

For more information about BauerFinancial and its ratings, visit BauerFinancial.

PSN Top Guns Investment Strategies^*

First Citizens Capital Management Group, the investment management team for First Citizens Bank, has two fixed income strategies listed among the PSN Top Guns, a category of the top 10 managers of comparable investment products based on data compiled by Informa Investment Solutions.

Both our Intermediate Fixed Income strategy and our Municipal Bond strategy were recognized for their management, performance and product integrity. Our Municipal Bond strategy was awarded two stars and placed in the Top Guns category for performance over the past year, and our Intermediate Fixed Income strategy received the highest industry ranking for its five-year performance record.

Informa Investment Solutions is the leading provider of third-party investment information in the institutional and wealth management industry. It has provided investment research for over 30 years and was the first to introduce a commercially available investment manager database. For more information, visit Informa Investment Solutions.

^* PSN Top Guns ranking for periods ending March 31, 2009.