ECB Announces Major Branch Expansion

Business Wire, Jan 22, 2007

ENGELHARD, N.C. -- ECB Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: ECBE), the parent holding company of The East Carolina Bank (ECB), recently announced that ECB plans a major branch expansion. The Bank expects to open 4 full service branches in the next 12 to 24 months in eastern North Carolina, pending approval from regulatory authorities.

These initiatives include two new full service branches in the greater Greenville area, Hardee Square off Hwy 33 on Portertown Road and Winterville on South Memorial Drive, which are already under construction and slated to open during the third quarter of 2007. The other locations will be in the greater Wilmington area and in Ocean Isle Beach, where ECB already has a loan production office.

The Bank's President and CEO, Arthur H. Keeney III made the announcement. Mr. Keeney stated, "We are very excited about expanding our unique style of community banking to the citizens of Pitt, Brunswick and New Hanover Counties. Our continued solid performance has helped us successfully implement our core strategies: grow the loan portfolio while maintaining high asset quality, grow core deposits, increase non-interest income, control expenses, and make strategic investments in new communities which will result in increased shareholder value. As a community bank, we offer our customers a full range of financial services, but with one major difference - delivered with the personal touch."

About ECB Bancorp, Inc.

ECB Bancorp, Inc. is a bank holding company, headquartered in Engelhard, North Carolina, whose wholly-owned subsidiary, The East Carolina Bank is a state-chartered, independent community bank insured by the FDIC. Rated 89th among NC's Top 100 Public Companies by the Charlotte Business Journal in 2006, ECB provides a full range of financial services. With 20 offices covering eastern N.C. from Currituck to Wilmington and Greenville to Hatteras, ECB also provides mortgages, insurance services through the Bank's licensed agents, and investment and brokerage services offered through a third-party broker-dealer. The Company's common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "ECBE". More information can be obtained by visiting ECB's web site at www.ecbbancorp.com.