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                                  EXHIBIT 24.1

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


THE UNDERSIGNED director and President of Park Meridian Financial Corporation
(the "Company") hereby appoints Kevin T. Kennelly, Ralph N. Strayhorn, III and
Bryan F. Kennedy, III, and each of them singly, as the undersigned's lawful
agent and attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
for and on behalf and in the name of the undersigned, to execute and file with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a registration
statement on Form S-8 pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Act"), for the purpose of registering shares of the Company's common stock to
be issued upon the exercise of options granted under the Park Meridian Bank
Stock Option Plan for Non-employee Directors, the Park Meridian Bank Employee
Stock Option Plan and the Employment and Stock Option Agreement, dated October
1, 1991, as amended, between Kevin T. Kennelly and the Bank (the "Plans"), and
any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments, and exhibits to
such registration statement, and any and all applications or other documents to
be filed with the Commission or elsewhere pertaining to such registration
statement or amendments, with full power and authority to take or cause to be
taken all other actions that in the judgment of such person may be necessary or
appropriate to effect the registration under the Act of the shares of the
Company's common stock offered or to be offered pursuant to the Plans.


         EXECUTED on the 25th day of May, 2000.


                                          /s/ Kevin T. Kennelly
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Kevin T. Kennelly