Fifth Third is adding approximately $4.8 billion in assets and $3.2 billion in deposits as well as 57 branches in North Carolina and 2 in suburban Atlanta to its existing franchise.

Fifth Third will pay $31.00 per First Charter share, or approximately $1.1 billion.  In total, consideration will be paid in the form of 70 percent Fifth Third common stock and 30 percent cash.

Fifth Third is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.  The Company has $111 billion in assets, operates 18 affiliates with 1,245 full-service Banking Centers and 2,229 ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina.

About McColl Partners, LLC
McColl Partners is an independent investment banking firm specializing in the needs of management and owners of middle-market companies.  With significant experience working with private equity groups, entrepreneurs, family-owned businesses, public companies, financial institutions, and divisions of large companies, the firm is dedicated to offering strategic advice and assistance to its clients regarding mergers and acquisitions and private capital raising assignments.

For more information about our Business and Financial Services Group, please contact Phil Colaco or Brian Davis at (704) 333-0525. More information about McColl Partners can be found at http://www.mccollpartners.com/.