First Charter Successfully Completes Gwinnett Banking Company Data Conversion

Business Wire, March 19, 2007

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- First Charter (NASDAQ: FCTR) announced the successful completion of the Gwinnett Banking Company data conversion to First Charter systems over the March 17-March 18, 2007 weekend.

Robert E. James, Jr., First Charter president and CEO commented, "This final data conversion completes the integration for our new Atlanta-area customers and allows us to actively deliver First Charter services to this new First Charter market."

First Charter subject matter experts from Information Technology, Bank Operations, Loan Operations, and ATM operations as well as other areas of the company were onsite at the former Gwinnett Banking Company Lawrenceville and Alpharetta banking offices throughout the weekend to implement the systems conversion.

Cecil Smith, Chief Information Officer, noted, "This successful technology and operations conversion initiative is the result of many months of integrated planning and testing." He continued, "The integrated systems and technology platforms allow us to provide the technical capabilities to our customer-facing teammates in this new First Charter market and deliver many additional products and services to their customers."

Corporate Profile

First Charter Corporation (NASDAQ: FCTR), headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a regional financial services company with assets of $4.9 billion and is the holding company for First Charter Bank. First Charter operates 57 financial centers, four insurance offices, and 137 ATMs in North Carolina and Georgia, and also operates loan origination offices in Asheville, North Carolina and Reston, Virginia. First Charter provides businesses and individuals with a broad range of financial services, including banking, financial planning, wealth management, investments, insurance, and mortgages. For more information about First Charter, visit the Corporation's Web site at www.firstcharter.com or call 800-601-8471.