December 17, 2008

ASHEVILLE, N.C., Dec 16, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Bank of Asheville, a subsidiary of Weststar Financial Services Corporation announced today that it has received the prestigious 5-Star rating from BauerFinancial Inc., the nation's leading independent bank rating firm. Bauer's financial ratings represent an independent, unbiased analysis of a financial institution's safety and soundness position. Bauer has been reporting the condition of the nation's banking industry since 1983.

"We are again honored to be recognized by BauerFinancial as one of the safest banks in the country," commented G. Gordon Greenwood, President and CEO of Bank of Asheville. "For over a decade our bank has been well served by the traditional and practical approach to community banking. It has proven to be a prudent course to follow through the years, and we are proud that Bauer has recognized our commitment to sound banking practices."

Under BauerFinancial's rating system, five stars denote the absolute highest level of banking performance. Only one third of the nation's banks are branded as such. The award is based upon an analysis of current financial data as supplied by federal banking regulators and compared with previous historical data for consistency.