UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant ☒
x

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐
o

Check the appropriate box:

Southern First Bancshares, Inc.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

SOUTHERN FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.
100

6 Verdae Boulevard Suite 100
| Greenville, South Carolina 29607

Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders To Be Held on May 16, 2023

Dear Fellow Shareholder:

We cordially invite you to attend the 20162023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Southern First Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company” or “Southern First”), the holding company for Southern First Bank (the “Bank”). At the meeting, we will report on our performance in 20152022 and answer your questions. We look forward to discussing both our accomplishments and our future plans with you. We hope that you can attend the meeting and look forward to seeing you there.

This letter serves as your official notice that we will hold the meeting on May 17, 201616, 2023 at the Bank’s headquartersprincipal executive office located at 1006 Verdae Boulevard, Suite 100, Greenville, South Carolina, at 5:00 p.m.9:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, for the following purposes:

Shareholders owning our common stock at the close of business on March 29, 201617, 2023 are entitled to attend and vote at the Annual Meeting. The enclosed proxy statement and proxy are first being sent to our shareholders on or about April 6, 2023. A complete list of these shareholders will be available at the company’sour offices prior to the meeting. If your shares are held in “street name,” you will need to obtain a proxy form from the institution that holds your shares in order to vote at our annual meeting.

In making your own decision regarding whether to attend the annual meeting, we advise our shareholders to take into account the current health environment and the risks to your personal health and the health of others. You have a number of ways to vote (mail-in proxy, on-line or telephone) in addition to voting by ballot if you are present in person at the meeting, and we encourage you to use them.

Important Notice of Internet Availability. This proxy statement and the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 are available to the public for viewing on the Internet at http://www.edocumentview.com/sfst. Directions to the annual meeting can be obtained by contacting Mrs. Ellen Kish at 864.679.9000.

Please use this opportunity to take part in the affairs of your company by voting on the business to come before this meeting. Even if you plan to attend the meeting, we encourage you to complete and return the enclosed proxy to us as promptly as possible.

	By order of the Board of Directors,
Greenville, South Carolina	R. Arthur Seaver, Jr.
April 6, 2023	Chief Executive Officer

Greenville, South Carolina
April 12, 2016

SOUTHERN FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

100 Verdae Boulevard, Suite 100

Greenville, South Carolina 29607

Proxy Statement for Annual Meeting of

Shareholders to be Held on May 17, 201616, 2023

Our Board of Directors is soliciting proxies for the 20162023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. This proxy statement contains important information for you to consider when deciding how to vote on the matters brought before the meeting. We encourage you to read it carefully.

In this proxy statement, “we,” “us,” “our,” “Southern First,” or the “Company” refer to Southern First Bancshares, Inc., the “Bank” refers to Southern First Bank, and “you” and “your” refer to each shareholder of Southern First Bancshares, Inc.

VOTING INFORMATION

TheRecord Date; Shares Outstanding

Our Board of Directors set March 29, 201617, 2023 as the record date for the meeting. Shareholders owning our common stock at the close of business on that date are entitled to attend and vote at the meeting, with each share entitled to one vote. There were 6,343,9888,053,125 shares of common stock outstanding on the record date.

Shares Held in Street Name

Many of our shareholders hold their shares through a stockbroker, bank or other nominee rather than directly in their own name. If you hold our shares in a stock brokerage account or by a bank or other nominee, you are considered thebeneficial owner of shares held in street name, and these materials are being forwarded to you by your broker or nominee, which is considered theshareholder of record with respect to those shares. As thebeneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker or nominee to vote your shares as you decide and are also invited to attend the annual meeting. However, since you are not theshareholder of record, you may not vote these shares in person at the meeting unless you obtain a signed proxy from theshareholder of record giving you the right to vote the shares. Your broker or nominee has enclosed or provided a voting instruction card for you to use to direct your broker or nominee how to vote these shares.

Quorum and Adjournment

A majority of the outstanding shares of common stock represented at the meeting will constitute a quorum. If a share is represented for any purpose at the meeting by the presence of the registered owner or a person holding a valid proxy for the registered owner, it is deemed to be present for the purposes of establishing a quorum. Therefore, valid proxies which are marked "Abstain" or "Withhold" or as to which no vote is marked, including proxies submitted by brokers who are the record owners of shares but who lack the power to vote such shares (so-called "broker non-votes"), will be included in determining the number of votes present or represented at the meeting. If a quorum is not present or represented at the meeting, the shareholders entitled to vote, present in person or represented by proxy, have the power to adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum is present or represented. If any such adjournment is for a period of less than 30 days, no notice, other than an announcement at the meeting, is required to be given of the adjournment. If the adjournment is for 30 days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting will be given in accordance with the Company'sour Bylaws. Directors,Our directors, officers and regular employees of the Company may solicit proxies for the reconvened meeting in person or by mail, telephone or other means. At any such reconvened meeting at which a quorum is present or represented, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed. Once a quorum has been established, it will not be destroyed by the departure of shares prior to the adjournment of the meeting.

Required Vote

Provided a quorum is established at the annual meeting, directors will be elected by a majorityplurality of the votes cast at the meeting. Shareholders of the Company do not have cumulative voting rights.rights in the election of directors. The proposal to amend our Articles of Incorporation to phase out the classified board of directors structure requires the approval of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the proposal. All other matters to be considered and acted upon at the meeting, including (i) the proposal to approve, as a non-binding advisory vote, the compensation of the Company'sour named executive officers (ii) the proposal to approve the Southern First Bancshares, Inc. 2016 Equity Incentive Plan, and (iii)(ii) the proposal to ratify, as a non-binding advisory vote, the appointment of Elliott Davis, Decosimo, LLC (“Elliott Davis”) as theour independent registered public accountant for the Company for the year ending December 31, 2016,2023, require that the number of shares of common stock votedvotes cast in favor of the matter exceed the number of shares of common stock votedvotes cast against or abstain with respect to the matter, provided a quorum has been established. Abstentions, brokerBroker non-votes and the failure to return a signed proxy will have no effect on the outcome of such matters.

Stockbrokers are generally permitted by their regulatory authorities to vote shares held by them for their customers on matters considered by the regulatory authorities to be routine, even if the stockbrokers have not received voting instructions from their customers. If the regulatory authorities do not consider a matter routine, then a stockbroker is generally prohibited from voting a customer'scustomer’s shares on the matter unless the customer has given voting instructions on that matter to the stockbroker. We expect that brokers will be allowed to exercise discretionary authority for beneficial owners who have not provided voting instructions ONLY with respect to the ratification of our independent registered public accountant – but not with respect to any of the other proposals to be voted on at the annual meeting. Because Proposal No. 1the proposals to elect directors, Proposal No. 2to amend our Articles of Incorporation to phase out the classified board of directors structure, and to approve, as a non-binding advisory vote, the compensation of the Company'sour named executive officers and Proposal No. 3 to approve the Southern First Bancshares, Inc. 2016 Equity Incentive Plan are not considered to be routine matters, it is important that you provide instructions to your bank or broker if your shares are held in street name so that your vote with respect to these matters is counted. Stockbrokers and banks holding shares for their customers will not have the ability to cast votes with respect to these matters unless they have received instructions from their customers. Your stockbroker or bank will not vote on these non-routine matters if you do not give voting instructions with respect to these matters.

Appointed Proxies

When you sign the enclosed proxy card, you appoint R. Arthur Seaver, Jr. and Fred Gilmer, Jr.James B. Orders, III as your representatives at the meeting. Mr. Seaver and Mr. GilmerOrders will vote your proxy as you have instructed them on the proxy card. If you submit a proxy but do not specify how you would like it to be voted, Mr. Seaver and Mr. GilmerOrders will vote your proxy “FOR” the election to the board of directors of all nominees listed below under “Election of Directors,” “FOR” the amendment to our Articles of Incorporation to phase out the classified board of directors structure, “FOR” the non-binding advisory resolution to approve the compensation of our named executive officers as disclosed in this proxy statement, “FOR” the Southern First Bancshares, Inc. 2016 Equity Incentive Plan, and “FOR” the ratification of our independent registered public accountant. In addition, if any other matters come before the meeting, Mr. Seaver and Mr. GilmerOrders will vote your proxy on such matters in accordance with their judgment.

YouRevocability of Proxies and Changes to Your Vote

If you are a shareholder of record (i.e., you hold your shares directly instead of through a brokerage account), you may revoke your proxy and change your vote at any time before the polls close at the meeting. You may do this by signing and delivering another proxy with a later date or by voting in person at the meeting. If you hold your shares through a brokerage account, you must contact your brokerage firm to revoke your proxy.

Solicitation of Proxies

We are paying for the costs of preparing and mailing the proxy materials and reimbursing brokers and others for their expenses in forwarding copies of the proxy materials to our shareholders. Our directors, officers and employees may assist in soliciting proxies but will not receive additional compensation for doing so. We are distributing this proxy statement on or about April 12, 2016.

Important NoticeAvailability of Internet AvailabilityInformation. This proxy statement and the

Our 2022 Annual Report to Shareholders on Form 10-K, forincluding financial statements and financial statement schedules, but not the year ended December 31, 2015 (our “2015exhibits to the Form 10-K”)10-K, and the 2023 Notice of Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement are available to the public for viewing on the Internet atfollowing website, http://www.edocumentview.com/sfst. Directions to or through the Annual Meeting can be obtained by contacting Mrs. Ellen Kish at 864.679.9000.

In addition, the above items and other filings made by the Company with theU.S. Securities and Exchange CommissionCommission’s (the “SEC”) are also availablewebsite at www.sec.gov. This information may be obtained without charge upon written request to Southern First Bancshares, Inc. Please direct your requests to Southern First Bancshares, Inc., P.O. Box 17465, Greenville, South Carolina 29606, Attention: Corporate Secretary. Copies of exhibits to the public onForm 10-K may be requested at the SEC’s website oncost of 30 cents per page from the Internet at www.sec.gov.Company.

Householding of Proxy Materials

Only one copy of our proxy materials is being delivered to two or more shareholders who share an address.address unless we have received contrary instructions from one or more of the holders. However, upon request by any shareholder, we will deliver one or more additional copies of this proxy statement and our 20152022 Annual Report on Form 10-K to shareholders at a shared address to which a single copy of the documents was delivered. Accordingly, shareholders should contact us either by phone at 864.679.9000 or in writing to Southern First Bancshares, Inc., P.O. Box 17465, Greenville, South Carolina 29606, Attention: Corporate Secretary, if they wish to receive any additional copies of our proxy materials. Shareholders who share an address and are currently receiving multiple copies of our proxy materials may contact us at the same phone number or address if they wish to receive a single copy of our proxy materials in the future.

PROPOSAL NO. 1:

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

The BoardOur board of Directorsdirectors is divided into three classes with staggered terms, so that the terms of only approximately one-third of the board members expire at each annual meeting. However, if Proposal No. 2 is approved by our shareholders, our Articles of Incorporation will be amended to phase out the classified structure of our board of directors. Our current directors and their classes are:

On March 15, 2016, William B. Sturgis, 81, a current Class II director whose term expires*Standing for re-election at thethis annual meeting, notified the Company that he will retire from the Boards of Directors of the Company and the Bank effective upon expiration of his current term. Mr. Sturgis’ decision to retire from the Board of Directors was voluntary and did not arise or result from any disagreement with the Company on any matters relating to the Company’s operations, policies, or practices. Mr. Sturgis has been a director since the formation of the Company in 1999. The Company is appreciative for Mr. Sturgis’ years of dedicated service to the Company and Bank. As a result of Mr. Sturgis’ retirement, the Board of Directors will be reduced to ten directors following the annual meeting. The Company does not anticipate immediately filling the vacancy on the board caused by Mr. Sturgis’ retirement.

The current term of the Class IIIII directors will expire at this annual meeting of shareholders, the term of the Class IIII directors will expire at the 20172024 annual meeting, and the term of the Class III directors will expire at the 20182025 annual meeting. ShareholdersAt the Annual Meeting, shareholders will elect threefive nominees as Class IIIII directors at the Annual Meeting to serve a three-year term, expiring at the 2019 Annual Meetingin 2026, irrespective of Shareholders.whether Proposal No. 2 is approved. The directors will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at the meeting. Thismeeting, which means that the threefive nominees receiving the highest number of votes will be elected. Shareholders do not have cumulative voting rights with respect to the election of directors.

If you submit a proxy but do not specify how you would like it to be voted, Mr. Seaver and Mr. GilmerOrders will vote your proxy to elect Messrs. Cubbage, Ellison,Mr. Cajka, Ms. Ellefson, Mr. Hooper, Mr. Lattimore and OrdersMr. Maner as Class IIIII directors. If any of these nominees are unable or fail to accept nomination or election (which we do not anticipate), Mr. Seaver and Mr. GilmerOrders will vote instead for a replacement to be recommended by the board of directors, unless you specifically instruct otherwise in the proxy.

The Board of Directors unanimously recommends that you vote “FOR” the election of Leighton M. Cubbage, David G. EllisonAndrew B. Cajka, Anne S. Ellefson, Tecumseh Hooper, Jr., Ray A. Lattimore, and James B. Orders, IIIWilliam A. Maner, IV as Class IIIII directors.

Biographical Information for Each Nominee for Director

Set forth below is certain information about the Class IIcurrent nominees, each of whom is also a director of the Bank andBank.

Andrew B. Cajka, 63, Class III director, has beenserved as a director of the Company since early1999. Mr. Cajka is the founder and president of Southern Hospitality Group, LLC, a private hotel management and development company in its formation.Greenville, South Carolina. Prior to starting his own business, Mr. Cajka was a managing member of Hyatt Hotels Corporation from 1986 until 1998. He is a 1982 graduate of Bowling Green State University. In 2022 he received the designation of Honorary Alumnus of Clemson University and was awarded the 2020 South Carolina Hotelier of the year. He serves as chairman of the Clemson University Research Foundation. He is also an executive member of the One Spartanburg Chamber Board of Directors and Chairman of the Spartanburg Tourism Council. He is a past chairman of the Greenville County Research and Technology Development board, past chairman of Visit Greenville SC and the Convention and Visitors Bureau, past chairman of the Greenville Tech Hospitality Board, and past vice chairman of the board for St. Joseph’s High School. Mr. Cajka is a previous member of the BMW Nationwide Tournament advisory board and has served as a board member of the Urban League, Upstate Red Cross, the Metropolitan Arts Council and the Thornblade Board of Governors. Additionally, Mr. Cajka previously served on the board of directors for the Greenville Chamber of Commerce and is past president of the downtown area council, as well as past chairman of Greenville Hospital Foundation Board and past chairman of the Children’s Hospital. Mr. Cajka has substantial development and management experience in the hospitality industry and is extensively involved in the local community, both of which enhance his ability to serve as a director.

Leighton M. CubbageAnne S. Ellefson, 68, Class III director, has served as a director of the Company since 2001. Mrs. Ellefson is an attorney and in 2020 retired from her position as Vice President-Deputy General Counsel at Prisma Health, a not-for-profit health organization, having been with Prisma Health, and its predecessor, Greenville Health System, since 2014. She was formerly a shareholder with Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A., where she practiced law from 1979 through 2013. Mrs. Ellefson is a 1976 graduate of the University of South Carolina where she received a bachelor’s degree and a 1979 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law. Mrs. Ellefson previously served on advisory boards at both United Carolina Bank and BB&T Bank. She is a past chairman of the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Greenville County and formerly served on the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. She served as a member of the Board of Governors of the South Carolina Bar (where she recently also served as President), was President of the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Educational Television Endowment, and served as chair of South Carolina Technology & Aviation Center (SCTAC). She currently serves as chair of the Hollingsworth Fund and Verdae Development, Inc. and is the past President of the South Carolina Bar Foundation. In addition, she serves on the board of the Greenville Local Development Corporation. Mrs. Ellefson has extensive legal experience, with a specialization in real estate, and significant leadership activities in local and state chamber and other development organizations, all of which give her useful insights and a valuable understanding of the key markets we serve.

Tecumseh “Tee” Hooper, Jr., 75, Class III director, has served as a director of the Company since 1999. Mr. Hooper is a private investor and chairman of the board of FGP International Inc., a private executive search and temporary placement service company, and he has been with FGP International Inc. since 2003. He was the president of Modern Office Machines/IKON Office Solutions in Greenville, South Carolina, from 1982 through 2001, chief executive officer of Profit Lab from 2001 through 2006, chief executive officer of General Wholesale Distributor from 2007 through 2016, and chief executive officer of Sign Crafters, USA, LLC, from 2016 through 2018. Mr. Hooper graduated from The Citadel in 1969 with a degree in business administration, and he received a masters in business administration from the University of South Carolina in 1971. Mr. Hooper has served the community as a board member of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Camp Greenville, YMCA Metropolitan, and the United Way, and as past president of the Greenville Urban League. Mr. Hooper has also served on the board of directors for Leadership Greenville, Leadership South Carolina, and also served as chairman of the South Carolina Department of Transportation, and of the Patriots Point Development Authority in Charleston. He is a former member of The Citadel Board of Visitors and serves on the boards of Verdae Development and Upstate Warrior Solution and Prisma Upstate. Mr. Hooper’s deep ties to the Greenville community, varied business career in executive management, and experience with key government agencies provide him with a valuable perspective as a director.

Ray A. Lattimore, 63, Class III director, has served as director of the Company since 2021. Since 1996, Mr. Lattimore has served as founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Marketplace Professional Staffing, a staffing firm which provides high quality, value-added recruiting and staffing solutions to leading regional, national, and international companies. He also founded the Ace Building Maintenance Company which supplies various corporate and industrial accounts with highly dependable janitorial and maintenance services. Mr. Lattimore currently serves as Chairman of the Phillis Wheatley Community Center Board of Directors, Chairman of Greenville Technical College Area Commission Board of Directors and is on the Strategic Planning Committee of the Bon Secours Saint Francis Health System Board. Mr. Lattimore is a respected community leader and a dynamic speaker on entrepreneurship, minority enterprises, and wealth creation, which enhances his ability to serve as a director.

William A. Maner, IV, 60, Class III director, has served as a director of the Company since 2021. From 2006 to 2018, Mr. Maner served as a founding partner of Edge Capital, an investment firm based in Atlanta, Georgia, and has served as an Advisory Director for the firm since 2018. He has also served as an Advisory Director of Lazear Capital Partners, an ESOP M&A firm, based in Columbus, Ohio since 2020. Mr. Maner previously worked for Arthur Andersen, as a certified public accountant, and for Morgan Stanley as an investment banker. He was also the Chief Financial Officer for ExGov, an early-stage Internet company. Mr. Maner graduated from Washington & Lee University in 1985 with a degree in commerce, and he received a masters in business administration from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia in 1990. Mr. Maner currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Youth Project. Mr. Maner’s ties to the Atlanta community, a key market for the bank, enhances his ability to serve on our board of directors.

Our Other Directors

Set forth below is information about our other directors each of whom is also a director of the Bank.

Mark A. Cothran, 65, Class I director, has served as director of the Company since 1999. Mr. Cothran is the president and owner of Cothran Properties, LLC, a private real estate development company in Greenville, South Carolina, and he has been with Cothran Properties, LLC since 1986. Mr. Cothran received his bachelor’s degree in finance and banking from the University of South Carolina in 1980 and is a licensed real estate broker in the State of South Carolina. He currently serves on the Tax and Legislative Committee and the National Business Park Forum of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) for which he is also the past chairman. He is also the past president of the state chapter of NAIOP. He has served on the board of directors of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Board, the Advisory Board of Greenville National Bank, and the board of directors of General Wholesale Distributors, Inc. His extensive experience in real estate and development activities, along with his long term ties to our local community, provide him with a valuable understanding of the key markets we serve.

Leighton M. Cubbage, 70, Class II director, has served as director of the Company since 1999. Mr. Cubbage is the co-founder and chairman of Allie Capital and Serrus Capital Partners, aboth private real estate investment company.companies. Previously, he was the co-founder, president, and chief operating officer of Corporate Telemanagement Group in Greenville, South Carolina from 1989 until 1995. Since 1995, Mr. Cubbage has been a private investor maintaining investment interests in a weekly newspaper and car dealerships. He is a 1977 graduate of Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree in political science. Mr. Cubbage previously served as chairman of the Greenville Hospital System board of trustees, was a former member of the Greenville Technical College Foundation Board and has served on the board of directors of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Clemson Spiro College of Entrepreneurship and Homes of Hope. Mr. Cubbage was chosen by the South Carolina Governor as Chairman of the South Carolina Venture Capital Authority and was inducted into the Clemson University Spiro Entrepreneurial Institute Hall of Fame in 2011. In 1993 he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Advanced Management Program. HisMr. Cubbage’s leadership experience, extensive knowledge of the technology industry and corporate management enhance his ability to contribute to the companyCompany as a director.

David G. Ellison, 66,73, Class II director, has served as director of the Company since 2001. Mr. Ellison is currently a Wealth Management Advisor with Northwestern Mutual, where he retired as managing director in 2010, after 28 years of service.service in that role. Mr. Ellison is a 1972 graduate of Furman University where he received a bachelor’s degree and a 1976 graduate of the Clemson-Furman University Program where he received a mastermasters in business administration. Mr. Ellison served three termsis in his seventh term on the board of trustees of Furman University, where he is also a former board chair. He is a past president of both the Furman Alumni Association and Furman Paladin Club. HeClub and has also served on the board of trustees for United Way of Greenville County. He isCounty and as a prior commissioner of the Greenville Housing Authority. HeMr. Ellison has extensive financial experience primarily in the insurance industry and has corporate governance experience with a number of nonprofit organizations which provide a valuable perspective as a director.

Terry Grayson-Caprio, 59, Class II director, has served as director of the Company since 2021. In 2020, Ms. Grayson-Caprio retired from KPMG after 35 years where she was most recently the Managing Partner of the firm’s South Carolina practice. As Managing Partner, she was responsible for the state’s business operations including key accounts, business development, talent management, market development, facilities, and financial management. She currently serves as Director and Board Chair of the Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities Foundation, Director of the Greenville County Museum of Art, and Director of the Winthrop University Foundation. Ms. Grayson-Caprio is a trusted business leader to both domestic and international companies, a persuasive communicator, and a critical thinker which provide her with a valuable perspective as a director.

Rudolph G. “Trip” Johnstone, III, M.D., 62, Class I director, has served as a director of the Company since 1999. Dr. Johnstone is a physician who has practiced with Allergy Partners of the Upstate since 1992. He graduated from Washington & Lee University in 1982 with a degree in biology and from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1986. Dr. Johnstone served on the advisory board to Greenville National Bank from 1995 until 1998. He serves on the board of directors of Allergy Partners, PA and is a past president of the Southeastern Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology Society. Dr. Johnstone has an extensive knowledge of and a connection to the medical community, a targeted market for the bank, which enhances his ability to contribute to the Company as a director.

Anna T. Locke, 46, Class I director, has served as director of the Company since 2018. Ms. Locke is the president and owner of A.T. Locke, PC, an outsourced accounting management company. Prior to starting her own business in 2004, Ms. Locke was with Elliott Davis, a regional accounting firm headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina. Ms. Locke is a 1998 magna cum laude graduate of

Clemson University and a certified public accountant. Ms. Locke is a past member of Vistage International and the Accounting Advisory Committees for both Greenville Technical College and Clemson University and former Treasurer of InnoVision Awards Organization. Ms. Locke has previously served on the board for the Center for Developmental Services, NEXT School, Certified Development Corporation of South Carolina, the Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce and Friends of the Guardian ad Litem. Ms. Locke’s financial expertise and experience with various local businesses and non-profit organizations provide her with a valuable perspective as director.

James B. Orders, III, 6370,Class II director, ishas served as director the Company and chairman of our board of directors. Sincedirectors since 1999. From 1986 he has beento 2014, Mr. Orders was the president of Park Place Corporation, a private company engaged in the manufacture and sale of mattresses to the wholesale market. Mr. Orders is a director of Orders Realty Co., Inc., a real estate development and management company that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Park Place Corporation. He attended Clemson University from 1970 until 1974. Mr. Orders is a past president of the International Sleep Products Association, a past president of the Downtown Rotary Club, a past member of the advisory board of Greenville National Bank and a past member of the advisory board of Carolina First Bank. He currently serves on theis a past board member and board chairman of Cox Industries. HeIndustries, Inc., a private company that specialized in the manufacture and distribution of treated wood products. Mr. Orders has executive management experience in national sales markets in addition to experience in the South Carolina real estate market. His leadership abilities and long connection to the local communitycommunities we serve enhance his ability to serve on theour board of directors.

Set forth below is information about our company’s and bank’s other directors each of whom has been a director of our company since our formation in 1999 and is also a director of our bank.

Andrew B. Cajka, 56,Class III director, has served as a director of the Company since 1999. Mr. Cajka is the founder and president of Southern Hospitality Group, LLC, a hotel management and development company in Greenville, South Carolina. Prior to starting his own business, Mr. Cajka was a managing member of Hyatt Hotels Corporation from 1986 until 1998. He is a 1982 graduate of Bowling Green State University. He serves as a board member for the Metropolitan Arts Council, and as treasurer of the Visit Greenville SC Convention and Visitors Bureau. He is a past chairman of the Greenville County Research and Technology Development board, past chairman of the Greenville Convention and Visitors Bureau, past chairman of the Greenville Tech Hospitality Board, and as past vice chairman of the board for St. Joseph’s High School. He is a previous member of the BMW Nationwide Tournament advisory board. Mr. Cajka has served as a board member of the Urban League, Upstate Red Cross, and Thornblade Board of Governors. Mr. Cajka served on the board of directors for the Greenville Chamber of Commerce and is past president of the downtown area council, as well as past chairman of Greenville Hospital Foundation Board and past chairman of the Children’s Hospital. He has substantial development and management experience in the hospitality industry and is extensively involved in the local community, both of which enhance his ability to serve as a director.

Mark A. Cothran, 58, Class I director, is the president and owner of Cothran Properties, LLC, a real estate development company in Greenville, South Carolina. He has been with Cothran Properties, LLC since 1986. Mr. Cothran received his bachelor’s degree in finance and banking from the University of South Carolina in 1980 and is a licensed real estate broker in the State of South Carolina. He currently serves on the Tax and Legislative Committee and the National Business Park Forum of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) for which he is also the past chairman. He is also the past president of the state chapter of NAIOP. He has served on the board of directors of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Board, and on the Advisory Board of Greenville National Bank. He currently serves on the board of directors of General Wholesale Distributors, Inc. His extensive experience in real estate and development activities, along with his long term ties to our local community, provide him with a valuable understanding of the key markets we serve.

Anne S. Ellefson, 61, Class III director, has served as a director of the Company since 2001. Mrs. Ellefson is an attorney and serves as Deputy General Counsel for Academics and Community Affairs at Greenville Health System. She was formerly a shareholder with Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A., where she practiced law from 1979 through 2013. Mrs. Ellefson is a 1976 graduate of the University of South Carolina where she received a bachelor’s degree and a 1979 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law. Mrs. Ellefson previously served on advisory boards at both United Carolina Bank and BB&T. She is a past chairman of the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Greenville County and formerly served on the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. She currently serves as President and as a member of the Board of Governors of the South Carolina Bar Association, as President of the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Educational Television Endowment, and Vice President of South Carolina Technology & Aviation Center (SCTAC) and its 501(c)3 affiliate, ITIC. In addition, she serves on the boards of the Greenville Local Development Corporation, the Hollingsworth Fund and Verdae Development, Inc. She is also the past President of the South Carolina Bar Foundation. Her extensive legal experience, with a specialization in real estate, and significant leadership activities in local and state chamber and other development organizations give her useful insights and a valuable understanding of the key markets we serve.

Frederick “Fred” Gilmer, Jr., 80, Class III director, has served as a director of the Company since 1999. Mr. Gilmer is a retired senior vice president of our Bank. He is a seasoned banker with over 50 years of experience in the financial services industry. Mr. Gilmer was involved with the organization of Southern Bank and Trust Company, as well as Greenville First Bank, and has held executive positions with two other banks in the Greenville area. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1958 and the LSU Graduate School of Banking of the South in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1970. He is a graduate of Leadership Greenville and has served numerous organizations, including the Greenville Rotary Club, the YMCA, the United Way, and the First Presbyterian Church. He also is a past board member of Family Children Service, Goodwill Industries, Downtown Area Council, Greenville Little Theater, Greenville Cancer Society, South Carolina Arthritis Foundation, Freedom Weekend Aloft, and the Greenville Chamber of Commerce. He brings to the board an intimate understanding of our business and organization, as well as substantial leadership abilities, banking industry expertise, and management experience.

Tecumseh “Tee” Hooper, Jr., 68, Class III director, has served as a director of the Company since 1999. Mr. Hooper, Jr. is a private investor and chief executive officer of Sign Crafters, USA, LLC, a sign manufacturer and service company in the state of South Carolina. Mr. Hooper is also chairman of the board of FGP International Inc., an executive search and temporary placement service company. Mr. Hooper was the president of Modern Office Machines/IKON Office Solutions in Greenville, South Carolina, from 1982 through 2001. Mr. Hooper graduated from The Citadel in 1969 with a degree in business administration, and he received a master in business administration from the University of South Carolina in 1971. Mr. Hooper has served the community as a board member of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Camp Greenville, YMCA Metropolitan, and the United Way, and as past president of the Greenville Urban League. Mr. Hooper has also served on the board of directors for Leadership Greenville, Leadership South Carolina, and also served as chairman of the South Carolina Department of Transportation, and of the Patriots Point Development Authority in Charleston. He is currently a member of The Citadel Board of Visitors. His deep ties to the local community, varied business career in executive management, including serving on the board of a publicly traded company, and experience with key government agencies provide him with a valuable perspective as a director.

Rudolph G. “Trip” Johnstone, III, M.D., 55, Class I director, is a physician who has practiced with Allergy Partners of the Upstate since 1992. He graduated from Washington & Lee University in 1982 with a degree in biology and from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1986. Dr. Johnstone served on the consulting board to Greenville National Bank from 1995 until 1998. He is on the board of directors of Allergy Partners, PA and is a past president of the Southeastern Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology Society. He has an extensive knowledge of and a connection to the medical community, a targeted market for the bank, which enhances his ability to contribute to the company as a director.

R. Arthur “Art” Seaver, Jr., 52,59, Class I director, has served as theour Chief Executive Officer of our Company and our Bank since 1999. He has over 2930 years of banking experience. From 1986 until 1992, Mr. Seaver held various positions with The Citizens & Southern National Bank of South Carolina. From 1992 until February 1999, he was with Greenville National Bank, which was acquired by Regions Bank in 1998. He was the senior vice president in lending and was also responsible for managing Greenville National Bank’s deposit strategies prior to leaving to form Greenville Firstthe Bank. Mr. Seaver is a 1986 graduate of Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree in financial management and a 1999 graduate of the BAI Graduate School of Community Bank Management. He currently serves as a member of the Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and the Phillis Wheatly Community Center in Greenville, South Carolina. He is a past member of the board of the St. Francis Foundation, member and past chairman of the Executive CommitteeBoard for the South Carolina Bankers Association and currentpast chair of the United Way of Greenville County Board of Trustees. Past organizations thatIn addition, he has worked with includeorganizations including the United Way of Greenville County, Leadership Greenville, the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, the South Carolina Network of Business and Education Partnership, Junior League, Junior Achievement, the Greenville Convention and Visitors Bureau, the United Way, and the First Presbyterian Church. HisChurch in Greenville. Mr. Seaver’s experience in banking and vision for our company give him the leadership and consensus building skills that provide significant insight and expertise to the board. In addition, his involvement with various local and nonprofit organizations provides him with a valuable understanding of our community.the communities we serve.

BOARD DIVERSITY DISCLOSURE

In accordance with The Nasdaq Stock Market (“NASDAQ”) Listing Rule 2606, each NASDAQ-listed company must disclose annually information on each director’s voluntary self-identified characteristics. The table below includes information on the diversity of the board of directors based upon such information voluntarily provided by each director.

Board Diversity Matrix (As of March 15, 2023)

Biographical Information for Our Executive Officers Who are Not Directors

Our executive officers, as such term is defined in Rule 3b-7 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act), consist of R. Arthur Seaver, Jr., the chief executive officer of the Company and the Bank, Calvin C. Hurst, President of the Company and the Bank, William M. Aiken, III, Chief ExecutiveRisk Officer of the Company and the Bank, and Silvia T. King, Chief Human Resources Officer of the Company and the Bank. In addition, Michael D. Dowling served as our companyexecutive vice president and our bank, whosechief financial officer of the Company and the Bank from 2011 and also as chief operating officer of the Company and the Bank from 2019 until his resignation effective February 15, 2023. Biographical information appears above in the list of directors, information regardingfor each of our executive officers is listed below.provided below (other than Mr. Seaver). Because Mr. Seaver also serves on our board of directors, we have provided his biographical information above with our other directors.

Michael D. Dowling,Calvin C. Hurst, 44,41, has served as the president of our Company and our Bank since August 2022 and previously served as our chief banking officer since March 2019. Mr. Hurst has over 15 years of banking experience. From 2006 to 2019, Mr. Hurst worked for several large financial institutions serving as a commercial underwriter, commercial relationship manager, and most recently as a regional vice president for TD Bank beginning in 2016. Mr. Hurst is a 2005 graduate of Furman University, with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Economics.

William M. Aiken, III, 49, has served as a senior executive vice president and chief risk officer of our Company and our Bank since 2021 and previously served as an executive vice president and the chief financialcredit risk officer of our company and our bank since 2011. He2020.  Mr. Aiken has over 20 years of experienceworked in the banking industry. Mr. Dowling was previously employed with KPMG LLP from 1994 until 2011,industry for over 25 years. Beginning in 1996, he has served in various roles at several financial institutions, including most recently as an Audit Partner (2005-2011) andchief commercial credit officer at SouthState Bank from 2019 through August 2020 as well as a member of KPMG’s Financial Services practice. Mr. Dowling has extensive experience workingsenior commercial loan administrator with public companies and financial institutions.that bank from 2012 until 2018.  He is a 19931996 graduate of Clemson University, with a degree in Accounting and is a certified public accountant in South Carolina and North Carolina.Financial Management.

F. Justin Strickland, 52,Silvia T. King, 45, has served as presidentchief human resources officer of our companyCompany and our bankBank since 2006. HeMarch 2018. Ms. King has over 3020 years of banking experience.Human Resources leadership experience, serving in various human resource and senior management roles with Monsanto Company and Select Comfort Corporation. From 1985 until 1993, Mr. Strickland held various positions2009 to 2016, Ms. King served as senior human resources consultant for FGP International, a professional staffing and human resources consulting firm in Greenville, and from 2016 to 2018 as a human resources instructor with The Citizens & Southern National Banke-Cornell University. Ms. King holds degrees in Psychology and International Marketing from Clemson University and a Master of South Carolina. From 1993 until November 2006, he was with Carolina First Bank. From 1999 until November 2006, he held the position of South Carolina Midlands Market President. Mr. Strickland is a 1985 graduate ofHuman Resources degree from the University of South CarolinaCarolina.

PROPOSAL NO. 2:
AMEND OUR ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION TO PHASE OUT
THE CLASSIFIED BOARD OF DIRECTORS STRUCTURE

Summary of Proposed Amendments

We are seeking shareholder approval to amend our Articles of Incorporation to phase out our classified board of directors structure.

Our Articles of Incorporation currently provide that whenever the board of directors consists of six or more members, it will be divided into three classes, which are elected to staggered, three-year terms. We are proposing an amendment to our Articles of Incorporation, which would phase out this classified board of directors structure by the 2026 annual meeting of shareholders. Appendix A shows the proposed changes to Article Eight of the Articles of Incorporation resulting from the proposed amendment, with deletions indicated by strike-outs and additions indicated by underlining.

The effect of this amendment would be that at the 2023 annual meeting of shareholders, the Class III directors will be elected for a three-year term; at the 2024 annual meeting of shareholders, the Class I directors would be elected for a one-year term; and at the 2025 annual meeting of shareholders the Class I and Class II directors would be elected for a one-year term. Thereafter, the entire board of directors would be elected to one-year terms, thereby eliminating the current classified board of directors structure.

Rationale and Recommendation

In light of current investor expectations regarding corporate governance, the board of directors has recently reconsidered the merits of retaining a classified board of directors. In conducting its evaluation, the board of directors considered that the general purposes of the classified board of directors are to promote stability and continuity in the work of the board of directors and provide the board of directors with a bachelor’s degree in finance andgreater opportunity to protect the LSU Graduate Schoolinterests of Banking of the South in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1996. He is the past Chairman of the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce, the Children’s Trust Fund of South Carolina, Junior Achievement of the Midlands, and the SC Bankers Association. He is a past member of the boards of the Saluda Shoals Foundation, Columbia Urban League, Palmetto Health Foundation (past chairman), the SC Bankers School (past chairman), and the Boy Scouts – Indiana Water Council. He was a prior Chairman of the SC Bankers Association/Young Bankers Division where he received the SC Outstanding Young Bankers Award in 1999. Currently, Mr. Strickland is the chairman of The Lexington Medical Foundation and is a board member of The South Carolina Board of Financial Institutions. He is a member of Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church. He has been a membershareholders in the pastevent of an unsolicited takeover offer. The board of directors considered recent corporate governance trends toward annual election of directors, as well as the view of many corporate governance experts and institutional shareholders that a classified board of directors has the effect of insulating directors from a corporation’s shareholders. The board of directors, after careful consideration, has determined that it is appropriate to propose declassifying the board of directors over a phase in period, commencing with the Rotary Club, Sertoma Club, Business Association2024 annual meeting of Columbia, Salvation Army, andshareholders.

The board of directors unanimously recommends that you vote “FOR” the United Way.amendment to our Articles of Incorporation to phase out the classified board of directors structure.

Family Relationships.Dr. Rudolph G. Johnstone, III, director, is Fred Gilmer, Jr.’s stepson and Fred Gilmer, III, executive vice president, is Fred Gilmer Jr.’s son. No other director has a family relationship with any other director or executive officer of the company.

PROPOSAL NO. 2:
3:
NON-BINDING RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION

OF THE NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WePursuant to rules adopted by the SEC under the Dodd-Frank Act Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) and Section 14A of the Exchange Act, we are asking you to approve the compensation of the Company’sour named executive officers as described under “Compensation of Directors and Executive Officers” and the tabular disclosure regarding named executive officer compensation (together with the accompanying narrative disclosure). elsewhere in this proxy statement.

The Company seeksAs described below under the heading “Compensation Overview,” we seek to align the interests of our named executive officers with the interests of our shareholders. Therefore, our compensation programs are designed to reward our named executive officers for the achievement of strategic and operational goals and the achievement of increased shareholder value, while at the same time avoiding the encouragement of unnecessary or excessive risk-taking. We believe that our compensation policies and procedures are competitive and focused on performance and are strongly aligned with the long-term interest of our shareholders.

The proposal described below, commonly known as a “Say-on-Pay” proposal, gives you as a shareholder the opportunity to express your views regarding the compensation of theour named executive officers by voting to approve or not approve such compensation as described in this proxy statement. This vote is advisory and will not be binding upon the Company,us, the board of directors, or theour compensation committee. However, the Company,we, the board, and the compensation committee will take into account the outcome of the vote when considering future executive compensation arrangements. The vote on this resolution is not intended to address any specific element of compensation, but rather relates to the overall compensation of our named executive officers, as described elsewhere in this proxy statement in accordance with the compensation disclosure rules of the SEC.

The board of directors believes our compensation policies and procedures achieve this objective,the aforementioned objectives, and therefore recommend shareholders vote “FOR” the proposal through the following resolution:

“Resolved, that the compensation of the named executive officers named in the Summary Compensation Table of Southern First Bancshares, Inc.’s Proxy Statement for the 20162023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, including the tabular and narrative compensation disclosures, is hereby approved.”

If a quorum is present at the annual meeting, this proposal will be approved if the votes cast in favor of the matter exceed the number of votes cast against or abstain with respect to the matter. Broker non-votes and the failure to return a signed proxy will have no effect on the outcome of the vote on this matter.

The board of directors unanimously recommends a vote “FOR” the approval of the compensation of the named executive officers as disclosed in this proxy statement.

PROPOSAL NO. 4
RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF
OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT

Although we are not required to seek shareholder ratification on the selection of our accountants, we believe obtaining shareholder ratification is desirable. In the event the appointment of Elliott Davis is not ratified by the required vote, the audit committee will re-evaluate the engagement of our independent auditors. Even if the shareholders do ratify the appointment, our audit committee has the discretion to appoint a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if the audit committee believes that such a change would be in the best interest of us and our shareholders. We expect that a representative from Elliott Davis will attend the meeting and will be available to respond to appropriate questions from shareholders. The representative will also have an opportunity to make a statement if he or she desires to do so.

If a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting, this proposal will be approved if the votes cast in favor of the proposal exceed the votes cast against or abstain with respect to the proposal. Because this proposal is a “routine” matter, if you do not submit voting instructions to your broker, your broker may exercise its discretion to vote your shares on this proposal.

The board of directors unanimously recommends that shareholders vote “FOR” the ratification of the appointment of Elliott Davis as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2023.

MEETINGS AND COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Attendance at Board, Committee and Annual Shareholders’ Meetings

During the year ended December 31, 2015, the2022, our board of directors of the company held 1210 meetings and the board of directors of the bank held 1210 meetings. All of the directors of the companyCompany and the bankBank attended at least 75% of the aggregate of such board meetings and the meetings of each committee on which they served.

Although we do not have a formal policy regarding attendance by members of the board of directors at our annual shareholders’ meetings, directors are encouraged to attend our annual shareholders’ meeting. All of the then-serving directors were present at the 20152022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

Code of Ethics

We expect all of our employees to conduct themselves honestly and ethically, particularly in handling actual and apparent conflicts of interest and providing full, accurate, and timely disclosure to the public.

We have adopted a Code of Ethics that is specifically applicable to our senior management and financial officers, including our principal executive officer, our principal financial officer, and controller. A copyThe full text of thisour Code of Ethics, and any amendments thereto, are (or will be in the case of any amendments) available on our website, https://www.southernfirst.com/, under the “Investors” link at the bottom. We intend to post on our website all disclosures that are required by law or NASDAQ listing standards concerning any amendments to, or waivers from, the Code of Ethics.

Stock Ownership Guidelines

We believe that it is available without chargein our best interest and that of our shareholders to shareholders upon requestalign the personal financial interests of our directors and officers with those of our shareholders. While the board of directors has not implemented stock ownership guidelines for our directors and named executive officers, the board periodically analyzes the ownership of such individuals and believes that their personal financial interests are aligned with those of our shareholders.

Prohibitions on Hedging and Pledging

We consider it improper and inappropriate for our directors, officers and employees to the secretaryengage in short-term or speculative transactions in our securities or in other transactions in our securities that may lead to inadvertent violations of the company, at Southern First Bancshares, Inc., 100 Verdae Boulevard, Suite 100, Greenville, South Carolina 29607.insider trading laws. Accordingly, under our Insider Trading Policy:

Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight

We are focused on the company’sour corporate governance practices and value independent board oversight as an essential component of strong corporate performance to enhance shareholder value. Our commitment to independent oversight is demonstrated by the fact that a majority of our directors are independent. In addition, all of the members of our board of directors’ audit, personnel,compensation, and nominating and corporate governance committees are independent.

Our board of directors believes that it is preferable for one of our independent directors to serve as chairman of the board. The person our board of directors elected as chairman, James B. Orders, III, has been one of our directors since 1999 and is a long-time

resident of our primary market area. We believe it is theour chairman’s responsibility to guide the board as it provides leadership to our executive management, and thewhile our chief executive officer’s responsibility is to manage the company.Company. As directors continue to be faced with more oversight responsibility than ever before, we believe it is beneficial to have separate individuals in the role of chairman and chief executive officer. Traditionally, the company haswe have maintained the separateness of the roles of the chairman and the chief executive officer. In making itsthis decision to have an independent chairman, theour board of directors considered the time and attention that Mr. Seaver is required to devote to managing theour day-to-day operations ofas the Company.chief executive officer. By having another director serve as chairman of theour board of directors, Mr. Seaver will beis able to focus his entire energy on running the company.Company. This will also ensureensures there is no duplication of effort between the chairman and the chief executive officer. We believe this board leadership structure is appropriate in maximizing the effectiveness of board oversight and in providing perspective to our business that is independent from executive management.

Our audit committee is primarily responsible for overseeing the company’s risk management processes on behalf of the full board of directors. The audit committee focuses on financial reporting risk and oversight of the internal audit process. It receives reports from management at least quarterly regarding the company’s assessment of risks and the adequacy and effectiveness of internal control systems, as well as reviewing credit and market risk (including liquidity and interest rate risk), and operational risk (including compliance and legal risk). Strategic and reputation risk are also regularly considered by this committee. The audit committee also receives reports from management addressing the most serious risks affecting the day-to-day operations of the company. The audit committee reports regularly to the full board of directors, which also considers the company’s entire risk profile. The full board of directors focuses on certain significant risks facing the company and on certain aspects of the company’s general risk management strategy. Management is responsible for the day-to-day risk management processes. We believe this division of responsibility is the most effective approach for addressing the risks facing our company and that our board leadership structure supports this approach.

We recognize that different board leadership structures may be appropriate for companies in different situations. We will continue to reexamine our corporate governance policies and leadership structures on an ongoing basis to ensure that they continue to meet the company’sour needs.

Our audit and risk committees are primarily responsible for overseeing our risk management processes on behalf of the full board of directors. The audit committee focuses on financial reporting risk and oversight of the internal audit process, receiving reports from management at least quarterly regarding the adequacy and effectiveness of internal control systems. Our risk committee receives quarterly reports regarding our assessment of risks as well as reviewing credit and market risk (including liquidity and interest rate risk), and operational risk (including compliance and legal risk). Strategic and reputation risk are also regularly considered by this committee. The risk committee also receives reports from management addressing the most serious risks affecting our day-to-day operation and reports regularly to the full board of directors, which also considers our entire risk profile. The full board of directors focuses on certain significant risks we face and on certain aspects of our general risk management strategy. Management is responsible for the day-to-day risk management processes. We believe this division of responsibility is the most effective approach for addressing the risks we face and that our board leadership structure supports this approach.

With respect to cybersecurity, on a quarterly basis, our audit committee receive reports on cybersecurity risks and preparedness from management. While our audit committee, and the board of directors to which it reports, oversees our cybersecurity risk management, our management and Information Technology department are responsible for the day-to-day cybersecurity risk management processes. Formal security awareness training is conducted regularly to increase overall employee awareness about cyber threats. Threat from cyber-attacks is severe, attacks are sophisticated and increasing in volume, and attackers respond rapidly to changes in defensive measures. Our systems and those of our customers and third-party service providers are under constant threat and it is possible that we could experience a significant event in the future. While we believe that our cybersecurity programs are appropriate and have been effective to prevent material incidents thus far, risks and exposures related to cybersecurity attacks are expected to remain high for the foreseeable future due to the rapidly evolving nature and sophistication of these threats, as well as due to the expanding use of Internet banking, mobile banking and other technology-based products and services by us and our customers. We maintain a cyber insurance policy that is designed to reduce the risk of loss resulting from cyber security breaches.

Director Independence

Under the listing standards of NASDAQ, independent directors must constitute a majority of a listed company’s board of directors. A director will only qualify as an “independent director” if, in the opinion of that company’s board of directors, that person does not have a relationship that would interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. Our board of directors has evaluated the independence of each director based on the independence criteria under NASDAQ rules and has determined that 11 of our 13 directors are independent, specifically, each of Messrs. Cajka, Cubbage, Ellison, Hooper, Johnstone, Lattimore, Maner and Orders and Mss. Ellefson, Grayson-Caprio and Locke is an independent director. As part of this evaluation, our board of directors considered the current and prior relationships that each independent director has with us and all other facts and circumstances our board of directors deemed relevant in determining their independence, including the beneficial ownership of our shares by each independent director, and the matters discussed under “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”

Our board of directors has determined that Andrew B. Cajka, Jr., Mark A. Cothran, Leighton M. Cubbage, Anne S. Ellefson, David G. Ellison, Tecumseh Hooper, Jr., James B. Orders, IIIthe following directors are not independent: Mr. Seaver (our chief executive officer) and William B. Sturgis are “independent” directors, based upon the independence criteria set forth in the corporate governance listing standards of The NASDAQ Global Market, as required by Item 407(a) of Regulation S-K.Mr. Cothran.

Committees of the Board of Directors

The following chart shows the current composition of the committees of our board of directors, the number of meetings held by each committee during 2015,2022, and which directors are “independent” based upon the independence criteria set forth in the corporate governance listing standards of The NASDAQ Global Market.NASDAQ. The audit committee, nominating &and corporate governance committee, personnel committee and board riskcompensation committee are comprised exclusively of independent directors.

Audit Committee

The audit committee is comprised of fivesix independent directors, Messrs. Cajka, Cubbage, Hooper and SturgisOrders and Mrs. Ellefson.Mss. Ellefson, Grayson-Caprio and Locke, with Mr. Cajka serving as chair. Our board of directors has also determined that Terry Grayson-Caprio and Anna T. Locke are “Audit Committee financial experts” for purposes of the rules and regulations of the SEC adopted pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The audit committee, which met six times in 2015,2022, has the responsibility of reviewing the company’sour financial statements, evaluating internal accounting controls, reviewing reports of regulatory authorities and determining that all audits and examinations required by law are performed. The committee recommends to the board of directors the appointment of the independent auditors for the next fiscal year, reviews and approves the auditor’s audit plans and reviews with the independent auditors the results of the audit and management’s responses. The audit committee is responsible for overseeing the entire audit function and appraising the effectiveness of internal and external audit efforts. The audit committee operates under a written charter, which is available on our website, www.southernfirst.com.https:// www.southernfirst.com/, under the “Investors” link at the bottom.

NominatingRisk Committee

Our nominatingThe risk committee is currently comprised of four independentsix directors, Messrs. Cajka, Cothran, Ellison, Hooper, Johnstone, and HooperLattimore, with Mr. Ellison serving as chair. The risk committee met four times in 2022 and Mrs. Ellefson.is responsible for overseeing and reviewing our risk functions consistent with our strategy and risk appetite, monitoring key business and regulatory compliance risks and overseeing policies and monitoring for capital adequacy, market/earnings risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, compliance/regulatory risk, reputation/strategic risk and operational risk. The risk committee operates under a written charter, which is available on our website, https:// www.southernfirst.com/, under the “Investors” link at the bottom.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

Our nominating and corporate governance committee (the “nominating committee”) is comprised of three independent directors, Messrs. Johnstone and Lattimore and Ms. Locke, with Mr. Johnstone serving as chair. The nominating committee recommends nominees for election to our board of directors at our annual meetings. The board of directors, including a majority of the independent directors, then selects the nominees for election to the board of directors. Our nominating committee charter is available on our website, www.southernfirst.com. The nominating committee met one time in 2015. Directors recommended for re-election at each Annual Meeting of Shareholders are selected by our nominating committee. For directors previously elected by shareholders to serve on the board of directors and whose terms of service are expiring, the nominating committee considers whether to recommend to the board of directors the nomination of those directors for re-election for another term of service. The nominating committee also considers whether to

recommend to the board of directors the nomination of persons to serve as directors whose nominations have been recommended by shareholders. Our nominating committee charter is available on our website, https://www.southernfirst.com/ under the “Investors” link at the bottom.

We are increasingly focused on key Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) risks and on providing transparency around our ESG efforts. Our nominating committee is charged with overseeing our ESG strategies. In February 2023, we issued our third annual ESG Report. For more information on our focus and enhancement of our ESG efforts, please visit our website, https://www.southernfirst.com/, under the “Investors” link at the bottom and then under “Corporate Overview” and “Corporate Sustainability,” which information is not incorporated by reference into this proxy statement.

The nominating committee met one time in 2022 to appoint director nominees for the 2022 annual meeting.

Any shareholder may recommend the nomination of any person to serve on the board of directors. Our policy is to require a shareholder to submit the name of the person to our corporate secretary in writing no later than (i) with respect to an election to be held at an annual meeting of shareholders, 90 days in advance of such meeting; and (ii) with respect to an election to be held at a special meeting of shareholders for the election of directors, no more than seven days after notice of the special meeting is given to shareholders. Each notice must set forth: (i) the name and address of the shareholder who intends to make the nomination and of the person or persons to be nominated; (ii) a representation that the shareholder is a holder of record of stock of the companyCompany entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the person or persons specified in the notice; (iii) a description of all arrangements or understandings between the shareholder and each nominee and any other person or persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the nomination or nominations are to be made by the shareholder; (iv) such other information regarding each nominee proposed by such shareholder as would be required to be included in a proxy statement filed pursuant to the proxy rules of the SEC, had the nominee been nominated, or intended to be nominated, by the board of directors; and (v) the consent of each nominee to serve as a director of the companyCompany if so elected. The chairman of the meeting may refuse to acknowledge the nomination of any person not made in compliance with the foregoing procedure.

The nominating committee has not adopted a formal policy with regard to the consideration of diversity in identifying director nominees. In determining whether to recommend a director nominee, the nominating committee members consider and discuss diversity, among other factors, with a view toward the needs of the board of directors as a whole. The nominating committee members generally conceptualize diversity expansively to include, without limitation, concepts such as race, gender, national origin, differences of viewpoint, professional experience, education, skill and other qualities or attributes that contribute to board heterogeneity, when identifying and recommending director nominees. The nominating committee believes that the inclusion of diversity as one of many factors considered in selecting director nominees is consistent with the committee’s goal of creating a board of directors that best serves the needs of the companyCompany and the interest of its shareholders.

The nominating committee has performed a review of the experiences, qualifications, attributes and skills of the board’s current membership, including the director nominees for election to the board of directors and the other members of the board, and believes that the current members of the board, including the director nominees, as a whole possess a variety of complementary skills and characteristics, including the following:

We do not pay a third party to assist in identifying and evaluating director candidates.

Compensation Committee

Our personnel committee, which we may also refer to as the compensation committee is comprised of fivesix independent directors, Ms. Ellefson and Messrs. Cothran, Cubbage, Ellison,Hooper, Johnstone, Maner, and Orders, and Sturgis.with Ms. Ellefson serving as chair. The committee met twothree times during 2015.2022.

The personnelcompensation committee may form and delegate authority to subcommittees as it deems appropriate, though it has not formed or delegated authority to any such subcommittee to date. The personnelcompensation committee is responsible for annually reviewing the performance of the chiefour named executive officer and presidentofficers and reviews all compensation and awards to our executive and senior officers, including the chief executive officer, president, eight executive vice presidents, and 23 other key members of management.officers. In addition, the personnelcompensation committee may engage compensation advisors to assist it in determining compensation levels. The personnelcompensation committee has the exclusive authority and responsibility to determine all aspects of executive compensation, and seeks input and recommendations from the chief executive officer for the executive and senior officers. With respect to equity compensation awards to non-executive officers, the personnelcompensation committee has delegated restricted stock and option granting authority to theour chief executive officer and president.officer. As a part of its duties, the personnelcompensation committee must certify that it has reviewed seniorthe named executive officersofficers’ compensation arrangements with a view toward ensuring that they do not create incentives to take unnecessary or excessive risks that threaten the value of the company.Company.

We have adopted a formal personnelThe compensation committee charter which is available on our website at www.southernfirst.com.

AUDIT COMMITTEE MATTERS

Our audit committee is comprised of five independent directors and operates under a written charter, which is available on our website, at www.southernfirst.com. The board of directors has determined that Messrs. Cajka, Cubbage, Hooper, and Sturgis and Mrs. Ellefson, are independent, under Rule 4350 of the corporate governance listing standards of The NASDAQ Global Market. None of the current members of the audit committee nor any other member of our board qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as definedhttps://www.southernfirst.com/, under the rules of“Investors” link at the SEC. As a relatively small public company, it is difficult to identify qualified candidates who meet all of the qualification of an audit committee financial expert and are willing to serve on our board of directors. At the present, we do not know if or when we will appoint a new board member that qualifies as an audit committee financial expert.bottom.

Although none of the members of our audit committee qualify as “audit committee financial experts” as defined in the SEC rules, each of our audit committee members has made valuable contributions to the company and its shareholders as members of the audit committee. The board of directors has determined that each member is fully qualified to monitor the performance of management, the public disclosures by the company of its financial condition and performance, our internal accounting operations, and our independent auditors.AUDIT COMMITTEE MATTERS

Report of the Audit Committee of the Board

The information contained in this report shall not be subject to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Securities exchangeExchange Act, of 1934, and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference in future filings with the SEC except to the extent that the Companywe specifically incorporatesincorporate it by reference into a document filed under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.Act.

The audit committee has reviewed and discussed with management the audited financial statements. The audit committee has discussed with the independent auditors the matters required to be discussed by Auditing Standard No. 16 (AS 16) (“Communications with Audit Committees”), as adopted bythe applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.Board (“PCAOB”) and the SEC. The audit committee has received from the independent auditors the written disclosures and the letter required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1 (“Independence Discussions with Audit Committees”)applicable requirements of the PCAOB and has discussed with them their independence from the companyCompany and its management. In reliance on the reviews and discussions referred to above, the audit committee recommended to the company’sour board of directors that the audited financial statements be included in the company’sour Annual Report and referenced on SEC Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.2022.

The report of the audit committee is included herein at the direction of its members, Mr.Messrs. Cajka, Mr. Cubbage Mr. Hooper, Mrs.and Orders and Mss. Ellefson, Grayson-Caprio, and Mr. Sturgis.Locke.

Audit and Related Fees

Elliott Davis was our auditor during the year ended December 31, 2015.2022. A representative of Elliott Davis will be present at the annual meeting and will be available to respond to appropriate questions and will have the opportunity to make a statement if he or she desires to do so. The following table shows the fees that we paid for services performed by Elliott Davis in fiscal years ended December 31, 20152022 and 2014:2021:

Audit Fees.This category includes the aggregate fees billed or to be billed for each of the last two fiscal years for professional services rendered by Elliott Davis for the audit of our annual consolidated financial statements and employee benefit plan and review of our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.

Audit-Related Fees. This category includes the aggregate fees billed for non-audit serves, exclusive of the fees disclosed relating to audit fees, during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.

Tax Fees.This category includes the aggregate fees billed or to be billed for tax services rendered in the preparation of state and federal tax returns for the companyCompany and the Bank.

Other Fees.This category includes the aggregate fees billed for non-audit services, exclusive of the fees disclosed relating to audit fees. During the yearyears ended December 31, 2015,2022 and 2021, these fees were primarily forinclude procedures related to audit requirements by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) related to the Bank’s involvement in the FHAFederal Housing Administration lending program. DuringIn addition, a cost segregation study was performed on the Company’s new headquarters building in Greenville, South Carolina during the year ended December 31, 20142022 which is also included in these fees were primarily related to the Company’s various SEC filings regarding preferred and common stock transactions.fees.

Oversight of Accountants; Approval of Accounting Fees.Under the provisions of its charter, the audit committee is responsible for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of the work of the independent auditor. All of the accounting services and fees reflected in the table above were reviewed and approved by the audit committee, and none of the services were performed by individuals who were not employees of the independent auditor. In addition, the board of directors approves an annual budget for professional audit fees that includes all fees paid to the independent auditors.

Pre-Approval Policy. In general, the audit committee is required to pre-approve all audit and non-audit services performed by the independent auditor to assure that the provision of such services does not impair the auditor’s independence. The independent auditors provide the audit committee with an annual engagement letter outlining the scope of the audit and permissible non-audit services proposed for the fiscal year, along with a fee proposal. The scope and fee proposal is reviewed with the internal auditor, the audit committee chair, and, when appropriate, our management for their input (but not their approval). Once approved by the audit committee, the services outlined in the engagement letter will have specific approval. All other audit and permissible non-audit services that have not been approved in connection with the independent auditor’s engagement letter for the applicable year must be specifically pre-approved by the audit committee under the same process as noted above, where practicable. The independent auditors shall not perform any prohibited non-audit services described in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act. The audit committee must specifically pre-approve any proposed services that exceed pre-approved cost levels. All services provided by Elliott Davis, and all fees related thereto, were approved pursuant to the pre-approval policy.

The audit committee believes that the independent auditor can provide tax services to us, such as tax compliance, tax planning and tax advice, without impairing the auditor’s independence. The audit committee will not permit the retention of the independent auditor in connection with a transaction initially recommended by the independent auditor, the purpose of which may be tax avoidance and the tax treatment of which may not be supported in the Internal Revenue Code and related regulations.

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

The following discussion provides a description of our decision-making process and philosophy for compensating our named executive officers in 2022. This discussion also describes the material components of our 2022 compensation program. This discussion should be read together with the compensation tables for our named executive officers located in this proxy statement.

Our “named executive officers” are the individuals who served as our principal executive officer, our principal financial officer, and our three other most highly compensated executive officers who were serving as executive officers at the end of 2022. Our named executive officers as of December 31, 2022 are noted in the following table, along with their positions:

Overview and Executive Summary

Business Overview.We are primarily engaged in the business of accepting demand and savings deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and providing commercial, consumer and mortgage loans to the general public. We operate our Bank using a simple and efficient style of banking that is focused on providing core banking products and services to our clients through a team of talented and experienced bankers. We believe this model results in a consistent and superior level of professional service that provides us with a distinct competitive advantage by enabling us to build and maintain long-term relationships with desirable clients, enhancing the quality and stability of our funding and lending operations and positioning us to take advantage of future growth opportunities in our existing markets. We also believe that this client focused culture has led to our successful expansion into new markets in the past, and will enable us to be successful if we seek to expand into new markets in the future.

Key Financial Highlights:

Compensation Objectives and Philosophy.

The goal of our compensation program is to align the interests of management with those of our shareholders while minimizing undue risk-taking. We compensate our executive and senior officers through a mix of base salary, bonuses and equity compensation designed to recruit, reward, and retain until retirement our talented management team. In addition, we seek to align management's incentives with the long-term interests of our shareholders.

Our executive compensation program is intended to accomplish the following objectives:

COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERSBest-Practice Compensation Approaches. To support long-term value creation, we follow good governance practices, including the following:

Our compensation philosophy is supported by elements of our executive compensation program such as (i) base salary; (ii) annual incentives; (iii) equity compensation; (iv) retirement/deferred compensation; and (v) additional benefits. These compensation elements provide a balanced mix of guaranteed compensation and variable, at-risk compensation with an emphasis on annual and long-term incentives.

SummaryBase Salaries. We aim to provide our named executive officers with a base salary that is commensurate with similar financial institutions in our market area and appropriate for the overall responsibility of Cashthe individual based on experience, performance and Certainany other unique factors or qualifications such as the difficulty of replacing the officer with someone of comparable experience and skill.

Compensation Process

Our compensation committee, is responsible for annually reviewing the performance of our named executive officers and reviews all compensation and awards to executive and senior officers. In addition, the compensation committee may engage compensation advisors to assist it in determining compensation levels. The compensation committee has the exclusive authority and responsibility to determine all aspects of executive compensation, and seeks input and recommendations from the Chief Executive Officer for the other named executive officers. The committee operates under a written charter that establishes its responsibilities and reviews the charter annually to ensure that the scope of the charter is consistent with the committee’s role.

Role of the Named Executive Officers. Our named executive officers and the compensation committee work together to establish, review and evaluate performance goals for our incentive compensation plans. While these executives provide input into our corporate strategic goals for future performance periods, the committee carefully reviews these recommended goals before giving its final approval, and evaluates and determines whether such goals have been achieved. We believe this process ensures that performance goals will be appropriately balanced between short- and long-term incentives and will be motivating and challenging as well as attainable.

Role of the Compensation Consultant. Every two to three years, we engage a consultant firm to assist with trends and benchmarks related to executive compensation. In 2021, the Company engaged McLagan, an Aon Company, to provide limited independent consulting services related to our executive compensation. In considering the retention of McLagan, the Company assessed McLagan’s independence in light of SEC rules and NASDAQ listing standards and determined that McLagan was independent and their work did not create any conflicts of interest.

McLagan provided the following services to us in 2021:

Benchmarking. The compensation committee did not use the compensation peer group provided by McLagan in 2021 to perform compensation benchmarking but rather utilized broader-based compensation third-party industry surveys to obtain an additional understanding of what is current market practice among US-based community banks. The compensation committee, however, did rely on the input of McLagan on how the design of our incentive programs aligns with our culture and business strategy.

Risk Considerations. The compensation committee reviews the risks and rewards associated with the Company’s compensation programs from time to time. This review assesses the material elements of executive and non-executive employee compensation and has concluded that our policies and practices do not create risk that is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company. We believe that our compensation programs encourage and reward prudent business judgment and appropriate risk taking over the short-term and long-term.

Stock Ownership Guidelines. We believe that it is in our best interest and that of our shareholders to align the personal financial interests of our directors and officers with those of our shareholders. While the board of directors has not implemented stock

ownership guidelines for our directors and named executive officers, the board periodically analyzes the ownership of such individuals and believes that their personal financial interests are aligned with those of our shareholders.

Tax and Accounting Considerations. In consultation with our advisors, we evaluate the tax and accounting treatment of each of our compensation programs at the time of adoption and on an annual basis to ensure an understanding of the financial impact of the program. To preserve maximum flexibility in the design and implementation of our compensation program, we have not adopted a formal policy that requires all compensation to be tax deductible. However, to the greatest extent possible, it is our intent to structure our compensation programs in a tax efficient manner.

Stock Compensation Grant and Award Practices; Timing Issues. As a general matter, the compensation committee’s process is independent of any consideration of the timing of the release of material non-public information, including with respect to the determination of grant dates or stock option exercise prices. Similarly, we have never timed the release of material non-public information to affect the value of executive compensation. In general, the release of such information reflects long-established timetables for the disclosure of material non-public information such as earnings reports or, with respect to other events reportable under federal securities laws, the applicable requirements of such laws with respect to timing of disclosure. The compensation committee’s decisions are reviewed by the full board of directors.

Targeted Overall Compensation. We establish targeted overall compensation for our named executive officers by first understanding the market value for these individuals in our regions. We seek to provide our executives with the incentive to earn above market compensation by accomplishing significant goals related to their respective role within the Company.

Under our compensation structure, the mix of base salary, bonus and equity compensation generally varies depending upon level. For our named executive officers, we generally seek the mix to include a base salary of 50-60%, a bonus of 15-25%, and equity compensation of 15-25% of total compensation.

In allocating compensation among these elements, we believe that the compensation of our senior-most levels of management – the levels of management having the greatest ability to influence our performance – should be significantly weighted on performance. Therefore, we typically offer our executives a slightly lower base salary (approximately 90% of what we believe to be average market base salary) with the potential to earn a higher than market bonus and a higher than market overall compensation. We select allocations that we believe are consistent with our overall compensation philosophy as described above.

The amount of equity awarded has been based primarily on the executive officer’s areas of responsibility. The objective of the awards is to align management with the same interest as shareholders. From time to time additional equity awards may be granted to officers based on performance, assumption of additional responsibilities and duties and other factors.

Role of Shareholder Say on Pay Vote. As required by the Dodd-Frank Act, we held an advisory vote on the compensation of our executive officers (“say on pay”) at our 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. At the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders 95.9% of the votes cast on the say on pay proposal were cast in support of the compensation of our named executive officers. A majority of the votes cast by our shareholders at our 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders were in favor of holding this vote on an annual basis. Based on the results of this advisory vote, our board of directors elected a frequency of every year to conduct an advisory vote on compensation of our named executive officers.

While the 2022 shareholder vote reflected strong support for our executive compensation programs, the compensation committee, board of directors and management have continued to refine compensation programs in an effort to further align interest of the executives with those of our shareholders and to strengthen the linkage of pay for performance.

Clawback Policy.  The compensation committee believes it is appropriate to adjust or recover incentive awards or payments in the event the performance measures upon which they are based are restated or otherwise adjusted in a manner that would reduce the size of an award or payment. The compensation committee is committed to adopting a comprehensive clawback policy within 60 days following the effective date of the finalized Nasdaq listing standards implementing the clawback requirements with the Dodd-Frank Act.

Until this formal guidance becomes effective, the compensation committee will seek to address any situation that may arise and determine the proper and appropriate course of action in fairness to shareholders and named executive officer award recipients.

Regulatory Considerations. As a publicly-traded financial institution, we must contend with several often overlapping layers of regulations when considering and implementing compensation-related decisions. These regulations do not set specific parameters within which compensation decisions must be made, but do require the compensation committee to be mindful of the risks that often go hand-in-hand with compensation programs designed to incentivize the achievement of better than average performance. While the regulatory focus on risk assessment has been heightened over the last several years, the incorporation of general concepts of risk assessment into compensation decisions is not a recent development.

The compensation committee continues to believe in and practice a sensible approach to balancing risk-taking and rewarding reasonable, but not necessarily easily attainable, goals and this has always been a component of its overall assessment of the compensation plans, programs and arrangements it has put in place for our named executive officers. The compensation committee believes we have adequate policies and procedures in place to balance and control any risk-taking that may be incentivized by the employee compensation plans. The compensation committee further believes that such policies and procedures will work to limit the risk that any employee would manipulate reporting earnings in an effort to enhance his or her compensation.

In making decisions about executive compensation, in addition to the above, we also consider the impact of other regulatory provisions, including: the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), such as Code Section 162(m) that may limit the tax deductibility of certain compensation; Code Section 409A regarding nonqualified deferred compensation; and Code Section 280G regarding excise taxes and deduction limitations on golden parachute payments made in connection with a change in control. In making decisions about executive compensation, we also consider how various elements of compensation will impact our financial results. For example, we consider the impact of FASB ASC Topic 718, which requires us to recognize the compensation cost of grants of equity awards based upon the grant date fair value of those awards.

The compensation committee has not adopted a formal policy regarding tax deductibility of compensation paid to our executive officers, and may determine it is appropriate to provide compensation that may exceed deductibility limits in order to recognize performance, meet market demands, retain key executives, and take into account other appropriate considerations.

Compensation Committee Review

The compensation committee consisting of Ms. Ellefson and Messrs. Cubbage, Hooper, Johnstone, Maner and Orders has reviewed and discussed the foregoing Compensation Discussion & Analysis contained in this Proxy Statement with management. Based upon such review, the related discussions and such other matters deemed relevant and appropriate to the Compensation Committee, the Compensation Committee has recommended to our board of directors that the Compensation of Directors and Executive officers be included in this Proxy Statement and incorporated by reference into our 2022 Form 10-K.

The information contained in this review shall not be subject to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference in future filings with the SEC except to the extent that we specifically incorporate it by reference into a document filed under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The following table shows the compensation we paid to our three most highly compensated named executive officers including our chief executive officer, for the years ended December 31, 20152022, 2021 and 2014.2020.

Summary Compensation Table

Grants of Plan-Based Awards

The following table provides a summary regarding plan-based equity and non-equity incentive awards granted to the named executive officers in 2022. Discretionary cash bonus awards made in January 2023 for the year ended December 31, 2022, as shown in the Summary Compensation Table, are as follows: R. Arthur Seaver, Jr. - $175,000, Michael D. Dowling - $155,000, Calvin C. Hurst - $155,000, William M. Aiken - $89,700 and Silvia T. King - $55,000.

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End

The following table shows the number of shares covered by both exercisable and non-exercisable options and stock awards owned by the individualsour named in the Summary Compensation Tableexecutive officers as of December 31, 2015,2022, as well as the related exercise prices and expiration dates. Options aredates for the option awards. Option awards have been granted pursuant to the plan.2010 Stock Incentive Plan, the 2016 Equity Incentive Plan and the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan. All stock option information has been adjusted to reflect all prior stock splits and dividends.

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End

Option Exercises and Stock Vested

ExecutiveEquity Compensation ArrangementsPlan Information

The following table contains certain information as of December 31, 2022, relating to securities authorized for issuance under our equity compensation plans. All stock option information has been adjusted to reflect prior stock splits and dividends.

Employment Agreements

We entered intoAgreements. The Company and the Bank are parties to an amended and restated employment agreement with ArtR. Arthur Seaver, onJr., dated September 30, 2013, pursuant to which he serves as the chief executive officerChief Executive Officer of both our companyCompany and our bank.the Bank. The agreement renews annually on January 31^st for an additional year, so that the then-remaining term of the agreement is three years. As of March 15, 2016,2023, Mr. Seaver receives a minimum annual salary of $450,000,$515,000, which may be increased annually by the board of directors. He is also eligible to participate in any of our pension, profit sharing, bonus, life insurance, hospitalization, major medical, and other employee benefit plans and programs and receives an automobile owned by the bank.

Mr. Seaver’s employment agreement also provides that during the term of employment and for a period of 12 months following termination, Mr. Seaver may not (a) compete with us by, directly or indirectly, forming, serving as an organizer, director or officer of, employee or agent, or consultant to, or acquiring or maintaining more than a 1% passive investment in, a depository financial institution or holding company thereof if such depository institution or holding company has one or more offices or branches within 30 miles of our main office or any other offices, (b) solicit our clients with which he had contact in connection with products and services provided by us for the purpose of providing financial services, or (c) solicit our employees. If Mr. Seaver terminates his employment for good reason,is terminated without cause, as defined in the employment agreement, or if he is terminatedwill be entitled to severance compensation equal to his then current monthly salary for a period of 12 months, plus accrued bonus. If, following a change in control of our company,Company, Mr. Seaver is terminated without cause, or if he terminates his employment for good reason, as defined in the employment agreement, he will be entitled to severance compensation of three times his then current monthly salary forpaid in equal monthly installments over a period of 12 months, plus accrued bonus and

all outstanding options and incentives will vest immediately. If, following a change in control of our Company, he is terminated without cause or he terminates his employment for good reason, he would receive continuation of health insurance for an 18-month period during which he would be required to pay the portion of the full COBRA cost of the coverage equal to an active employee’s share of premiums for coverage for the respective plan year.

We also entered intoAs of December 31, 2022, the Company and the Bank were parties to (i) an amended and restated employment agreements on September 30, 2013agreement with Justin StricklandCalvin C. Hurst to serve as presidentPresident of our companythe Company and Michael Dowlingthe Bank, and (ii) an employment agreement with William M. Aiken, III to serve as executive vice president and chief financial officerChief Risk Officer of the bank, respectively.Company and the Bank. Each agreement renews annually on January 31^st for an additional year, so that the then-remaining term of the agreement is two years. As of March 15, 2016,2023, Messrs. StricklandHurst and DowlingAiken are paid a salary of $285,000$309,000, and $235,000,$257,500, respectively, which may be increased annually by the board of directors. They are also eligible to participate in any of our pension, profit sharing, bonus, life insurance, hospitalization, major medical, and other employee benefit plans and programs. BothIn addition, Mr. StricklandHurst and Mr. Dowling have received an automobile owned by the bank and no longerAiken receive a monthly automobile allowance.

If Mr. Hurst or Mr. Aiken, as applicable, is terminated without cause, as defined in the employment agreement, he will be entitled to severance compensation equal to his then current monthly salary for a period of 12 months, plus accrued bonus. If, following a change in control of our Company, Mr. Hurst or Mr. Aiken is terminated without cause, or if he terminates his employment for good reason, as defined in the employment agreement, he will be entitled to severance compensation of two times his then current monthly salary paid in equal monthly installments over a period of 12 months, plus accrued bonus and all outstanding options and incentives will vest immediately. If, following a change in control of our Company, either officer is terminated without cause or he terminate his employment for good reason, he would receive continuation of health insurance for an 18-month period during which he would be required to pay the portion of the full COBRA cost of the coverage equal to an active employee’s share of premiums for coverage for the respective plan year.

Each employment agreement also provides that during the term of employment and for a period of 12 months following termination, Messrs. DowlingHurst and StricklandAiken may not (a) compete with us by, directly or indirectly, forming, serving as an organizer, director or officer of, employee or agent, or consultant to, or acquiring or maintaining more than a 1% passive investment in, a depository financial institution or holding company thereof if such depository institution or holding company has one or more offices or branches within 30 miles of our main office or any other offices, (b) solicit our clients with which they had contact in connection with products and services provided by us for the purpose of providing financial services, or (c) solicit our employees. If Messrs. Dowling or Strickland terminate their employment for good reason, as defined in the employment agreement, or if they are terminated following a change in control of our company, as defined in the employment agreement, they will be entitled to severance compensation of their then current monthly salary for a period of 12 months, plus accrued bonus, and all outstanding options and incentives will vest immediately.

Salary Continuation AgreementsAgreements.

The bank entered intoBank is a Salary Continuation Agreementparty to salary continuation agreements with ArtMessrs. Seaver, on October 30, 2006, Justin Strickland onDowling, and Hurst and Ms. King as of December 17, 2008,31, 2022, and Michaela party to a salary continuation agreement with Mr. Dowling, on September 30, 2013. Mr. Seaver’swho resigned from the Company and Mr. Strickland’s agreements were amended on September 30, 2013.the Bank effective February 15, 2023. Unless a separation from service or a change in control (as defined in the salary continuation agreements) occurs before the retirement age set forth in each agreement, the salary continuation agreements provide for an annual supplemental retirement benefit to be paid to each of the executives in 12 equal monthly installments payable on the first day of each month, beginning with the month immediately after the month in which the executive attains the normal retirement age and for the executive’s lifetime with a 15 - year15-year term certain period. Under the terms of the agreements, Mr. Seaver will receive an annual supplementsupplemental retirement benefit of $250,000, Mr. StricklandHurst will receive $200,000,$75,000 and Ms. King will receive $50,000. Mr. Aiken does not have a salary continuation agreement with the Company as of December 31, 2022. As to Mr. Dowling, due to his resignation on February 15, 2023 prior to his normal retirement age, when he attains the normal retirement age, he would be eligible to receive an early termination benefit of $49,204 annually based on his previously vested amounts during his employment with the bank.

Pension Benefits

Provided such executive has been continuously employed by the Bank for five consecutive years from the effective date of the salary continuation agreement, if an early termination occurs (defined as separation from service before normal retirement age for reasons other than death, disability, termination for cause, or after a change in control), each of Messrs. Seaver and, Dowling early termination benefit is calculated by taking the accrual balance (as defined in the salary continuation agreement) existing at the end of the month immediately before the month in which separation from service occurs, compounding this accrual balance forward to the executive’s normal retirement age taking into account interest at the discount rate or rates established by the plan administrator, and amortizing this resulting amount for the executive’s lifetime with a 15-year term certain period, beginning with the executive’s normal retirement age. The early termination benefit for Mr. Hurst and Ms. King is calculated by taking the accrual balance (as defined in the salary continuation agreement) existing at the end of the month immediately before the month in which separation from service occurs. We will receive $150,000.pay this annual early termination benefit as calculated to the executive in 12 equal monthly installments payable on the first day of each month, beginning with the later of (x) the seventh month after the executive’s separation from service, or (y) the month immediately after the month in which the executive attains the normal retirement age and for the executive’s lifetime with a 15-year term certain period. However, all of the executive’s early termination benefits will be forfeited if at any time from the date of the executive’s early termination and for a period of one year thereafter, the executive (without the prior written consent of the Bank) competes with the Bank, the Company, or any of its subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, by engaging in forming, by serving as an organizer, director, officer of, employee or agent, or consultant to, or by acquiring or maintaining more than a one percent passive investment in, a depository financial institution or holding company thereof if such depository financial institution or holding company has or establishes one or more offices or branches which are located within 30 miles of any office or branch of the Bank in existence at the date of the executive’s early termination. Although Mr. Dowling is no longer employed by us, he is still bound by these restrictive covenants from his salary continuation agreement.

Upon Mr. Seaver’s separation from service because of disability (as defined in the salary continuation agreement) before normal retirement age, the executive’s disability benefit is calculated by taking the accrual balance existing at the end of the month immediately before the month in which separation from service occurs, compounding this accrual balance forward to the executive’s normal retirement age taking into account interest at the discount rate or rates established by the plan administrator, and amortizing this resulting amount over the executive’s lifetime with a 15-year term certain period, beginning with the executive’s normal retirement age. The bankearly termination benefit for Mr. Hurst and Ms. King is calculated by taking the accrual balance (as defined in the salary continuation agreement) existing at the end of the month immediately before the month in which separation from service occurs. Beginning with the later of (x) the seventh month after the executive’s separation from service, or (y) the month immediately after the month in which the executive attains the normal retirement age, the Bank will pay the disability benefit to the executive in 12 equal monthly installments on the first day of each month and for the executive’s lifetime with a 15-year term certain period.

If Messrs. Seaver or Hurst or Ms. King die in active service to the Company before normal retirement age, the executive’s beneficiary will be entitled to an amount equal to the executive’s accrual balance at the time of the executive’s death, payable within 60 days of the executive’s death.

If Messrs. Seaver or Hurst or Ms. King die before any separation from service and the executive is receiving the executive’s normal retirement benefit, but the executive has othernot received the executive’s normal retirement benefit for the full 15-year term certain period, the executive’s beneficiary will be entitled to, at the Company’s sole discretion upon the executive’s death, either: (i) the present value, calculated at the discount rate or rates established by the plan administrator, at the executive’s death of the executive’s remaining salary continuation benefits, paid to the executive’s beneficiary in a lump-sum within 60 days of the executive’s death; or (ii) the executive’s remaining salary continuation benefits, paid to the executive’s beneficiary in 12 equal monthly installments payable on the first day of each month for the 15-year term certain period.

If Messrs. Seaver or Hurst or Ms. King die after separation from service and the executive is entitled to the early termination benefit or the disability benefit, but has not started receiving such benefits because the executive has not reached the normal retirement age, the executive’s beneficiary will be entitled to a lump-sum benefit equaling the present value, calculated at the discount rate or rates established by the plan administrator, at the executive’s death of the accrual balance which existed at the end of the month immediately before the month in which separation from service occurred, after compounding this accrual balance forward to the executive’s normal retirement age taking into account interest at the discount rate or rates established by the plan administrator. Assuming the two discount rates referred to in the previous sentence are the same, the resulting lump-sum benefit would be the executive’s accrual balance which existed at the end of the month immediately before the month in which separation from service occurred. We will pay this lump-sum benefit to the executive’s beneficiary within 60 days of the executive’s death.

If the executive dies after separation from service and the executive is receiving the normal retirement benefit, the early termination benefit, or the disability benefit, the executive’s beneficiary will be entitled to, at the Bank’s sole discretion upon the executive’s death, either: (i) the present value, calculated at the discount rate or rates established by the plan administrator, at the executive’s death of the executive’s remaining salary continuation benefits as determined under the applicable section of the salary continuation agreement, paid to the executive’s beneficiary in a lump-sum within 60 days of the executive’s death; or (ii) the executive’s remaining salary continuation benefits as determined under the applicable section of the salary continuation agreement, in the amounts specified in the applicable section, paid to the executive’s beneficiary at the times specified in the applicable section.

We will not pay any benefits under the salary continuation agreements and the agreements will terminate if separation from service is the result of termination for cause (as defined in the executive’s employment agreement or if the executive is not a party to an employment agreement containing a definition of termination for cause, as defined in the salary continuation agreement).

To offset the annual expense accruals for the benefits payable to the executives under the salary continuation agreements, we acquired bank-owned life insurance (“BOLI”). It is anticipated that the BOLI will provide full cost recovery of the benefits paid to the executives under the salary continuation agreements upon their deaths.

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control

The table below reflects the amount of compensation payable to each of Messrs. Seaver, Hurst and Aiken in the event of termination of such executive’s employment by the Company in the case of termination without cause and, in the case of good reason termination following a change in control, by such named executive officer. The amounts shown assume that the termination occurred on December 31, 2022, which was the last trading day of the calendar year ended December 31, 2022, and at a price per share of the Company’s common stock equal to the closing market price as of that date. These amounts are estimates of the amounts which would have been paid out to the executive officer upon termination as of that date under the specified circumstances. The actual amounts to be paid out can only be determined at the time of such executive officer’s separation from the Company. Ms. King does not have an employment agreement with 15 seniorthe Company and as such is not entitled to compensation payable in the event of a change in control.

The following discussion relates to certain named executive officers’ respective employment agreements. Ms. King does not have an employment agreement with the Company.

“Cause” generally will be deemed to exist where the named executive officer has been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude, has stolen from us, has violated his non-competition or confidentiality obligations, or, following a cure period, has been grossly negligent in fulfillment of his responsibilities. “Good reason” generally will exist where an employee’s position or compensation has been decreased (other than as part of a company-wide compensation reduction) or where the employee has been required to relocate. A more detailed description of “cause,” good reason” and “change in control” is set forth below.

If the named executive officer’s employment is terminated for cause or upon voluntary termination, the named executive officer shall receive only any sums due as base salary and/or reimbursement of expenses through the date of such termination.

If the named executive officer’s employment is terminated upon the death of the named executive officer, the named executive officer’s estate shall receive any sums due as base salary and/or reimbursement of expenses through the end of the month during which death occurred and any bonus earned or accrued through the date of death. Regardless of death, all prior calendar year earned bonuses must be paid within two months after the end of the calendar year in which they arise.

If the named executive officer becomes incapacitated and later terminated as a result of disability, the Company shall continue to pay the executive his full base salary at the rate then in effect and all perquisites and other benefits (other than any bonus) until the executive becomes eligible for benefits under any long-term disability plan or insurance program maintained by the Company, provided that the amount of any such payments to the executive shall be reduced by the sum of the amounts, if any, payable to the executive for the same period under any disability benefit or pension plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. Furthermore, the executive shall receive any bonus earned or accrued under the Bonus Plan through the date of incapacity (including any amounts awarded for previous years but which were not yet vested) and a pro rata share of any bonus with respect to the current fiscal year which had been earned as of the date of the executive’s incapacity.

Additional payments that may be made to named executive officers pursuantunder certain circumstances under their respective salary continuation agreement are described in the narrative that follows the Pension Benefits table above.

For purposes of this discussion, the terms cause, good reason, and change in control, as defined in the named executive officers’ employment agreements, are defined as follows:

“Change in control” generally means the occurrence of any of the following events, unless the event is a result of a non-control acquisition:

A “non-control acquisition” generally means a merger, consolidation or reorganization in which:

“Good reason” generally means the occurrence after a change in control of any of the events or conditions described below:

providing substantially equivalent compensation or benefits, or (B) provide the employee with compensation and benefits, in the aggregate, at least equal to those provided for under each other employee benefit plan, program and practice in which each will receive an annual supplement retirement benefitthe employee was participating at any time within 90 days preceding the date of between $50,000 and $100,000.a change in control or at any time thereafter;

Any event or condition described above which occurs prior to a change in control but which the employee reasonably demonstrates (A) was at the request of a third party, or (B) otherwise arose in connection with a change in control which actually occurs, shall constitute good reason for purposes of the employment agreement, notwithstanding that it occurred prior to the change in control.

“Cause” generally means any of the following:

Endorsement Split Dollar Agreements

Agreements. We consider adequate life insurance coverage for executives to be an essential element of the compensation necessary to retain, attract and reward excellent service. We entered into endorsement split dollar insurance agreements effective January 1, 2009, with Messrs.Mr. Seaver, and Strickland and on November 1, 2012 with Mr. Dowling, entitling each executive to designate the beneficiary of a specified portion of the death benefits payable under bank-owned policies on the executive’s life. The executive’s right to designate a beneficiary of the life insurance death benefit expires when the executive’s employment terminates or when the executive attains age 65, whichever occurs first. Accordingly, Mr. Dowling’s entitlement under this agreement ended on February 15, 2023, with his resignation of employment. The death benefit payable to the executive’s beneficiary is the lesser of (x) 100% of the policy’s net death proceeds, meaning the total death benefit minus the policy’s cash surrender value, or (y) three times the executives salary. The bank is entitled to all insurance policy death proceeds remaining after payment of the death benefit to the executive’s beneficiary.

This bank-owned life insurance financing method is not expected to result in any material cost to the bank, but it is expected to increase the bank’s non-interest income in future operating periods. Because the bank intends to hold the bank-owned life insurance until the death of the insureds, the increase of cash surrender value should be tax-free income under current federal income tax law. The collection of death benefits on the life insurance policies, which is likewise tax free under current federal and state income taxation, is expected to enhance the company’sour return as well. The combination of tax-preferred income generated by the increasing cash value of the insurance policy, the tax-free insurance death benefit, and fully tax-deductible benefit payments to participants enables a bank to provide this significant benefit to executives through attractive cost-recovery financing.

Employee Compensation as compared to the Compensation of our Chief Executive Officer

As of December 31, 2022, the pay ratio for total compensation of our Chief Executive Officer to the median of the annual total compensation of all employees was 12 to 1. For the period ending December 31, 2022, the median of the annual total compensation of all our employees, with the exception of R. Arthur Seaver, Jr., our Chief Executive Officer, was $78,426, and the annual total compensation of Mr. Seaver was $930,604.

We completed the following steps to identify the median of the annual total compensation of all our employees and to determine the annual total compensation of our median employee and CEO.

Total compensation for Mr. Seaver represents the amount reported in the “Total” column of our 2022 Summary Compensation Table and includes salary, bonus, stock awards, option awards, nonqualified deferred compensation and other compensation.

Pay Versus Performance

In accordance with rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, we provide the following disclosure regarding executive compensation for our CEO and Non-CEO Named Executive Officers (“NEOs”) and Company performance for the fiscal years listed below. The Compensation Committee did not consider the pay versus performance disclosure below in making its pay decisions for any of the years shown.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

The amounts in the Inclusion of Equity Values in the tables above are derived from the amounts set forth in the following table sets forth the equity compensation plan information at December 31, 2015. All stock option information has been adjusted to reflect all prior stock splits and dividends.tables:

Relationship Between Pay and Performance

Actually Paid versus Company Performance. The relationship between compensation actually paid and our company’s financial performance over the three-year period shown in the table above is described in the following bullet points.

Chief Executive Officer

· From 2021 to 2022, compensation actually paid to our CEO decreased by $1.3 million or 66.6%. Over this same period, our company’s TSR decreased by 26.8%, net income decreased by 37.7%, and TBV increased by 4.8%. The key factor that drove the changes in compensation actually paid during the year was a decrease in equity value which is based on the Company’s stock performance at various dates during the year, partially offset by increases in salary and discretionary bonus.

· From 2020 to 2021, compensation actually paid to the CEO increased by $1.0 million, or 111.3%. Over this same period, the company’s TSR increased by 76.8%, net income increased by 154.9%, and TBV increased by 19.4%. The key factors that drove the changes in compensation actually paid were an increase in discretionary bonus and the positive TSR performance for the company in 2021 impacting stock values, creating the majority of the overall increase as shown in the table.

Other Named Executive Officers

· From 2021 to 2022, compensation actually paid to the other NEOs decreased by $571,000 or 64.2%. Over this same period, our company’s TSR decreased by 26.8%, net income decreased by 37.7%, and TBV increased by 4.8%. The key factor that drove the changes in compensation actually paid over this period was a decrease in equity value which is based on the Company’s stock performance at various dates during the year, partially offset by increases in salary, including the impact of leadership transitions within the NEO group, and discretionary bonus for each NEO.

· From 2020 to 2021, compensation actually paid to the other NEOs increased by $436,000 or 95.9%. Over this same period, the company’s TSR increased by 76.8%, net income increased by 154.9%, and TBV increased by 19.4%. The key factors that drove the changes in compensation actually paid were an increase in discretionary bonuses and the positive TSR performance for the company in 2021 impacting stock values, creating the majority of the overall increase as shown in the table.

Director CompensationTabular List of Financial Performance Measures. We consider the following to be the most important financial performance measures we use to link compensation actually paid to our NEOs for 2022, to company performance.

Company TSR versus S&P US BMI Banks – Southeast Region. The relationship between the company’s TSR and the TSR of S&P US BMI Banks - Southeast Region index is shown below:

Comparison of Total Shareholder Return
Assumes Initial Investment of $100

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

The following table shows the compensation paid to each of our non-employee directors for board and committee meeting attendance in 2015.2022. None of our non-employee directors received any other compensation for the year ended December 31, 2015.2022.

In 2015,2022, we paid each of our non-employee directors $800a monthly retainer of $2,500 and an additional $1,000 for each board meeting they attended and $800 for each committee meeting they attended. The chairmenchairs of the board and committees arewere paid an additional $100$500 for each meeting they attend.attended.

BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN PARTIES

The following table sets forth the number and percentage of outstanding shares that exceed 5% beneficial ownership (determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934)Act) by any single person or group, as known by the Company: