<PAGE>

                                  EXHIBIT 24


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned constitutes and
appoints Ronnie L. Austin and Tommie R. Graham, Jr., and each of them, his true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution, for
him and in his name, place and stead,, in any and all capacities, to sign the
Annual Report on Form 10-K of Community Trust Financial Services Corporation for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, and any and all amendments thereto, and
to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done, as
fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of
them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

     This 19th day of February 1997.


                                                   _____________________________
                                                   John C. Helms



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned constitutes and
appoints Ronnie L. Austin and Tommie R. Graham, Jr., and each of them, his true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution, for
him and in his name, place and stead,, in any and all capacities, to sign the
Annual Report on Form 10-K of Community Trust Financial Services Corporation for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, and any and all amendments thereto, and
to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done, as
fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of
them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

     This 19th day of February 1997.
<PAGE>

                                                   _____________________________
                                                   Alan Bullock



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned constitutes and
appoints Ronnie L. Austin and Tommie R. Graham, Jr., and each of them, his true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution, for
him and in his name, place and stead,, in any and all capacities, to sign the
Annual Report on Form 10-K of Community Trust Financial Services Corporation for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, and any and all amendments thereto, and
to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done, as
fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of
them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

     This 19th day of February 1997.


                                                   _____________________________
                                                   Bobbie P. Cooper



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned constitutes and
appoints Ronnie L. Austin and Tommie R. Graham, Jr., and each of them, his true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution, for
him and in his name, place and stead,, in any and all capacities, to sign the
Annual Report on Form 10-K of Community Trust Financial Services Corporation for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, and any and all amendments thereto, and
to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done, as
fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of
them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by
<PAGE>

virtue hereof.

     This 19th day of February 1997.


                                                   _____________________________
                                                   William A. Foster, III



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned constitutes and
appoints Ronnie L. Austin and Tommie R. Graham, Jr., and each of them, his true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution, for
him and in his name, place and stead,, in any and all capacities, to sign the
Annual Report on Form 10-K of Community Trust Financial Services Corporation for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, and any and all amendments thereto, and
to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done, as
fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of
them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

     This 19th day of February 1996.


                                                   _____________________________
                                                   J. Calvin Earwood



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned constitutes and
appoints Ronnie L. Austin and Tommie R. Graham, Jr., and each of them, his true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution, for
him and in his name, place and stead,, in any and all capacities, to sign the
Annual Report on Form 10-K of Community Trust Financial Services Corporation for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, and any and all amendments thereto, and
to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary
<PAGE>

to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
agents or any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     This 19th day of February 1997.


                                                   _____________________________
                                                   C. D. Rampley



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned constitutes and
appoints Tommie R. Graham, Jr., his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and
agents, with full power of substitution, for him and in his name, place and
stead,, in any and all capacities, to sign the Annual Report on Form 10-K of
Community Trust Financial Services Corporation for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 1996, and any and all amendments thereto, and to file the same,
with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done, as fully to all intents
and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming
all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or their or his
substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     This 19th day of February 1997.


                                                   _____________________________
                                                   Ronnie L. Austin



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned constitutes and
appoints Ronnie L. Austin, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents,
with full power of substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead,, in
any and all capacities, to sign the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Community
Trust Financial Services Corporation for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1996, and any and all amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all
exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, and each of them, full power and
<PAGE>

authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary
to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
agents or any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     This 19th day of February 1997.


                                                   _____________________________
                                                   Tommie R. Graham, Jr.