First Charter Launches Remote Deposit Capture.

Customers Benefit From Time Savings and Faster Access to Funds

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- First Charter has launched Remote Deposit Capture (RDC) for its business customers. Remote Deposit Capture enables businesses to submit their bank deposits electronically using a desktop scanner and their Internet connection. RDC was made possible by the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, better known as Check 21, which allows banks to use substitute checks, or check images, as the legal equivalent of original documents.

First Charter has been testing RDC for several months and has recently begun making the service available to its business and merchant customers. Tom Bennett, SVP and Treasury Services Executive commented, "Remote Deposit Capture saves our clients time and provides faster assess to funds with processing of deposits up until 8:00 p.m. on business days. We are always looking for ways we can save our customers time and help them be more efficient in their business and RDC is an effective solution to do just this."

Dave Berryhill, president of Berryhill Realty is a First Charter business client currently utilizing Remote Deposit Capture. Berryhill commented, "We've already realized operational efficiencies with just the time and transportation savings by not having to make a daily trip to the bank to make our deposit." Cathy Woodson, accounting manager, Berryhill Realty, commented further on the service, "The system was very easy to learn, the training was thorough and I always had someone at First Charter available to answer any questions I had while getting RDC set up. Our check volume fluctuates significantly, and RDC will be especially beneficial on high volume days."

Additional benefits of Remote Deposit Capture include:

Reduces Costs: Customers only need one deposit account regardless of the number of locations a business may operate.

Increases Accuracy: Individual check amounts are reconciled with the total automatically with the RDC process.

Quick and Easy Research: Check images are archived and can be quickly and easily researched if needed.

Security: Access to RDC is managed by assigned user name and password set up with e-mail confirmation of each deposit file received.

Efficient Record Keeping: Standard and customer reports are available.

For More Information about Remote Deposit Capture contact a First Charter Treasury Management Team Member at 800-686-1319 or email [e-mail]

About First Charter

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 58 locations, 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.