---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001206774-26-000308"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "SFST"
cik: "0001090009"
company_name: "SOUTHERN FIRST BANCSHARES INC"
filed_at: "2026-06-02T18:04:40+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-02T18:06:11.810307+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.35
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.35
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Southern First Bancshares appoints Bryan Kennedy to board; retired banker with 43 years experience

## Summary
- Appointed as director of Company and Bank effective June 1, 2026; will serve on Risk Committee.
- Kennedy is retired from a 43-year career in commercial banking, most recently as Northern Banking Group President at SouthState Bank.
- Founded Park Sterling Bank in 2006 (largest capitalized start-up in NC history); sold to SouthState in 2017.
- Also serves as Lead Independent Director of Cato Corporation (NYSE: CATO) since 2009.
- No related party transactions or arrangements per Item 404(a) of Reg S-K; standard non-employee director compensation.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001206774-26-000308
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: SFST
- cik: 0001090009
- company_name: SOUTHERN FIRST BANCSHARES INC
- filed_at: 2026-06-02T18:04:40+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.35
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.35
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1090009/000120677426000308/0001206774-26-000308-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1090009/000120677426000308/sfst4646481-8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001206774-26-000308
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001206774-26-000308.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001206774-26-000308.txt

## Source-grounded claims
- claim_id: 698a2f77d0
  claim: Bryan Kennedy was appointed as director at SOUTHERN FIRST BANCSHARES INC.
  evidence_excerpt: Effective June 1, 2026, the Boards of Directors of Southern First Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”) and Southern First Bank (the “Bank”) approved the appointment of Mr. Bryan Kennedy as a director.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1090009/000120677426000308/0001206774-26-000308-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.