FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2006

For information, contact

Stephen Hudson
Phone: 803.931.1332

First Citizens sets holiday schedule

Columbia, S.C., December 19, 2006 — First Citizens branches in South Carolina and Georgia will be closed December 25 in observance of the Christmas Holiday and January 1 for New Years Day.

First Citizens will be open for regular business hours Friday, December 22 and 29. Branches normally open for Saturday banking will be open December 23 and 30. To pick up last minute gifts come by First Citizens for American Express Gift Cards and U.S. Savings Bonds on sale now.

First Citizens Bancorporation, Inc. is the parent company of First Citizens Bank and Trust Company, Inc, and The Exchange Bank of South Carolina, Inc. First Citizens Bank offers services in commercial and retail banking through its approximately 170 offices in South Carolina and Georgia. As of September 30, 2006, First Citizens Bancorporation had total consolidated assets of $5.64 billion. For more information, visit the First Citizens web site at www.firstcitizensonline.com.