First Bank customers now have access to almost 50,000 no-fee, surcharge-free ATMs through First Bank's alliances with MoneyPass and AllPoints. In addition, First Bank customers also have free access to CashPoints, the N.C. State Employees Credit Union's surcharge-free ATM network.

Notes Jerry Ocheltree, President and CEO of First Bank, "The availability of free ATMs is an important benefit to many customers, especially those who travel frequently. We've taken the steps necessary to make sure that our customers have access to free ATMs almost anywhere they travel within the United States. It's quite an accomplishment for a community bank to provide their customers with completely free access to almost three times as many ATMs as the largest bank in the nation."

The MoneyPass ATM network is comprised of over 850 financial institutions, including community banks and credit unions that have each agreed to not charge each other's customers for the use of one another's ATMs. MoneyPass, one of the fastest growing surcharge-free networks in the nation, recently entered into an alliance with the Intercept surcharge-free ATM network, bringing their total combined locations to over 15,000 ATMs beginning the first quarter 2008.

AllPoints, the largest surcharge-free ATM network in the nation with over 32,000 ATMs, houses their ATMs in popular retail outlets such as Target, Costco, CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid. Cash Points has over 1,000 ATMs exclusively across North Carolina.

According to Joe Arundell, Senior Vice President of Marketing, "There are a handful of banks that offer their premium customers access to an expanded ATM network, but to the best of my knowledge, we are the only area bank offering every customer, big or small, regardless of which checking plan they are in, access to almost 50,000 free ATMs. We do not charge any fees at these locations and the member bank or store that owns the ATM has agreed not to impose a surcharge, no strings attached."

First Bank has also added an advanced-technology ATM Locator Service on their website (FirstBancorp.com) that will allow customers to key in any location in the United States and get a list of the closest free ATMs. In fact, the system will even provide a map with directions on how to get to that ATM. Adds Ocheltree, "We're going the extra mile to take care of our customers... all of our customers. That's what community banking is all about."