STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF COLUMBUS POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned directors and executive officers of UNITED CAROLINA BANCSHARES CORPORATION (the "Corporation") has made, constituted and appointed and, by these presents, hereby makes, constitutes and appoints HOWARD V. HUDSON, JR., RONALD C. MONGER, WILLIAM R. LATHAN, JR. and RAYMOND W. HINES, and each of them, jointly and severally, his true and lawful agents and attorneys-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, and with full power and authority for him and in his name, place and stead, to sign for the undersigned and in his name as a director or officer of the Corporation a Registration Statement on Form S-8, as well as any Amendments to such Registration Statement, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, relating to the shares of common stock of the Corporation which will be offered and sold upon the exercise of options to purchase previously issued by Seaboard Savings Bank, Inc., SSB (the "Savings Bank") under the Savings Bank's 1993 Nonstatutory Stock Option Plan for Directors and 1993 Incentive Stock Option Plan, and which options were assumed by the Corporation and converted into options to purchase shares of the Corporation's common stock upon the merger of the Savings Bank into and with the Corporation's wholly-owned subsidiary bank and the conversion of the outstanding shares of the Savings Bank's common stock into shares of the Corporation's common stock. Further, each of the undersigned hereby grants to said agents and attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said agents and attorneys-in-fact or either of them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have hereunto signed their names on the dates indicated. Signature Title Date S/ E. Rhone Sasser President and Chief February 29 , 1996 - ---------------------- Executive Officer E. Rhone Sasser (principal executive officer) S/ Ronald C. Monger Executive Vice February 29 , 1996 - ---------------------- President and Chief Ronald C. Monger Financial Officer (principal financial officer) S/ John F. Watson Controller (principal February 29 , 1996 - ---------------------- accounting officer) John F. Watson IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto signed his name to the foregoing Power of Attorney as of the date indicated. Signature Title Date S/ J. W. Adams Director February 29 , 1996 - -------------------------- J. W. Adams 2 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto signed his name to the foregoing Power of Attorney as of the date indicated. Signature Title Date S/ John V. Andrews Director February 29 , 1996 - -------------------------- John V. Andrews 3 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto signed his name to the foregoing Power of Attorney as of the date indicated. Signature Title Date S/ Russell M. Carter Director February 29 , 1996 - -------------------------- Russell M. Carter 4 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto signed his name to the foregoing Power of Attorney as of the date indicated. Signature Title Date S/ W. E. Carter Director February 29 , 1996 - -------------------------- W. E. Carter 5 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto signed his name to the foregoing Power of Attorney as of the date indicated. Signature Title Date S/ Alfred E. Cleveland Director February 29 , 1996 - -------------------------- Alfred E. Cleveland 6 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto signed his name to the foregoing Power of Attorney as of the date indicated. Signature Title Date S/ James L. Cresimore Director February 29 , 1996 - -------------------------- James L. Cresimore 7 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto signed his name to the foregoing Power of Attorney as of the date indicated. Signature Title Date S/ Thomas P. Dillon Director February 29 , 1996 - -------------------------- Thomas P. Dillon 8 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto signed his name to the foregoing Power of Attorney as of the date indicated. Signature Title Date S/ C. Frank Griffin Director February 29 , 1996 - -------------------------- C. Frank Griffin 9 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto signed his name to the foregoing Power of Attorney as of the date indicated. Signature Title Date S/ James C. High Director February 29 , 1996 - -------------------------- James C. High 10 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto signed his name to the foregoing Power of Attorney as of the date indicated. Signature Title Date S/ Jack E. Shaw Director February 29 , 1996 - -------------------------- Jack E. Shaw 11 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto signed his name to the foregoing Power of Attorney as of the date indicated. Signature Title Date S/ Harold B. Wells Director February 29 , 1996 - -------------------------- Harold B. Wells 12 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto signed his name to the foregoing Power of Attorney as of the date indicated. Signature Title Date S/ Charles M. Winston Director February 29 , 1996 - -------------------------- Charles M. Winston