First Commercial Announces Affiliation with Clarksville Bank.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 17, 1995--First Commercial Corporation, the Arkansas-based bank holding company, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement for the purchase of West-Ark Bancshares, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Arkansas State Bank of Clarksville.

With assets of $145 million, loans of $88 million and deposits of $134 million, Arkansas State Bank will represent First Commercial's 13th affiliate in Arkansas, the twenty-third overall in its four state market area. FCC will issue 630,000 shares of its stock for all outstanding shares of West-Ark.

"We have admired the Clarksville market and, particularly, Arkansas State Bank for some time," stated Barnett Grace, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of First Commercial Corporation. "It is a bank on the move with branches in neighboring markets and another on the way in Ozark, Arkansas. These are prime locations for a bank with the market leadership, longevity and dominance of Arkansas State Bank. Even through this expansion, they have been able to keep their focus on customer service, which is a hallmark of First Commercial Corporation banks.

"First Commercial began its affiliation program ten years ago with banks along the I-40 corridor in Arkansas, so this affiliation signifies a continuation of our commitment to the area. Clarksville and its neighboring communities are solid economic markets and will be a welcome addition to our family of banks. We are pleased to affiliate with this fine institution and to have a stake in the Clarksville community."

C.W. Kelly, chairman and chief executive officer of Arkansas State Bank, noted that First Commercial "values many of the same things we do at Arkansas State Bank. Their commitment to serving customers is essential to a bank's success in its community. We agree with that philosophy and have spent years building equity through excellence. We are pleased with what this affiliation will bring to our community as First Commercial banks have a history of community support and involvement, operating under the direction of local boards and management. We will now be in a position to combine our community orientation with the strength and resources of a multi-billion dollar financial organization."

First Commercial Corporation is a $4.3 billion bank holding company with twenty-one affiliate banks in Arkansas, Texas and Tennessee and a 50% interest in a twenty-second bank in Oklahoma. FCC's non-bank subsidiaries include First Commercial Mortgage Company, First Commercial Trust Company, N.A., First Commercial Investments, Inc., First Commercial Capital Management and Commercial Capital Funding, Inc.

CONTACT: First Commercial Corp., Little Rock

Lynn Wright, 501/371-7142