|                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| FOR                RELEASE: |                                                        January                29, 2008 |
|                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |

| For                Further Information, please contact: | Randall                C. Hall                          |
|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                    | Executive                Vice President and Secretary   |
|                                                    | Chief                Financial Officer                  |
|                                                    | Voice                (828) 232-2904; Fax (828) 350-3904 |
|                                                    | e-mail                rhall@bankofasheville.com         |

----

| Weststar                Financial Services                Corporation & Subsidiary                   |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      |        |                    |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|--------------------------------------------------|-------------|--------|-----------------------------|-----------|-------------|---------------------------------------------------|--------|--------|--------|---------|--------|-----------|-------------|-------------------------|
| Selected                Financial                Data                                                    |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      |        |                    |   |   |
|                                                                                                     |   | Three                Months                Ended |        |   |                        |      |        | Twelve                Months                Ended |   |   |   |    |
|                                                                                                     |   | December                31,                      |        |   | December                31, |      |
|                                                                                                     |   | 2007                                             |        |   | 2006                        |      |        | %                change                           |   | 2007   |   |    | 2006   |      |        | %                change |
| Consolidated                earning                summary:                                              |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      |        |                    |   |   |
| Interest                income                                                                           |   | $                                                | 3,285,876   |   |                        | $         | 3,102,808   |                                              |   |   | 5.9    | %       |   | $         | 12,901,434  |                    |   | $ | 11,121,208 |   |   |   | 16.0 | % |
| Interest                expense                                                                          |   |                                             | 1,355,650   |   |                        | 1,232,763 |        |                                              |   | 10.0   | %      |    |   | 5,295,506 |        |                    | 4,195,951 |   |   |   | 26.2 | % |
| Net                interest                income                                                        |   |                                             | 1,930,226   |   |                        |      | 1,870,045   |                                              |   |   | 3.2    | %       |   |      | 7,605,928   |                    |   |   | 6,925,257 |   |   |   | 9.8 | % |
| Provision                for loan                losses                                                  |   |                                             | 181,755     |   |                        | 71,445    |        |                                              |   | 154.4  | %      |    |   | 406,725   |        |                    | 284,645 |   |   |   | 42.9 | % |
| Net                interest income                after                                                  |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      |        |                    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|  provision                for loan                losses                                            |   |                                             | 1,748,471   |   |                        |      | 1,798,600   |                                              |   |   | -2.8   | %       |   |      | 7,199,203   |                    |   |   | 6,640,612 |   |   |   | 8.4 | % |
| Other                income                                                                              |   |                                             | 397,499     |   |                        |      | 472,841     |                                              |   |   | -15.9  | %       |   |      | 1,528,766   |                    |   |   | 1,412,525 |   |   |   | 8.2 | % |
| Other                expenses                                                                            |   |                                             | 1,411,526   |   |                        | 1,365,649 |        |                                              |   | 3.4    | %      |    |   | 5,553,236 |        |                    | 4,914,727 |   |   |   | 13.0 | % |
| Income                before                taxes                                                        |   |                                             | 734,444     |   |                        |      | 905,792     |                                              |   |   | -18.9  | %       |   |      | 3,174,733   |                    |   |   | 3,138,410 |   |   |   | 1.2 | % |
| Income                taxes                                                                              |   |                                             | 245,969     |   |                        | 285,431   |        |                                              |   | -13.8  | %      |    |   | 1,128,727 |        |                    | 1,075,678 |   |   |   | 4.9 | % |
| Net                income                                                                                |   | $                                                | 488,475     |   | $                           | 620,361   |        |                                              |   | -21.3  | %      |    | $      | 2,046,006 |        | $                       | 2,062,732 |   |   |   | -0.8 | % |
| Earnings                per share -                Basic*                                                |   | $                                                | 0.23        |   |                        | $         | 0.30        |                                              |   |   | -23.3  | %       |   | $         | 0.97        |                    |   | $ | 0.98 |   |   |   | -1.0 | % |
| Earnings                per share -                Diluted*                                              |   |                                             | 0.21        |   |                        | 0.27      |        |                                              |   | -22.2  | %      |    |   | 0.89      |        |                    | 0.91 |   |   |   | -2.2 | % |
| Average                Shares -                Basic*                                                    |   |                                             | 2,117,973   |   |                        |      | 2,101,842   |                                              |   |   | 0.8    | %       |   |      | 2,111,612   |                    |   |   | 2,101,740 |   |   |   | 0.5 | % |
| Average                Shares -                Diluted*                                                  |   |                                             | 2,283,290   |   |                        |      | 2,281,825   |                                              |   |   | 0.1    | %       |   |      | 2,286,662   |                    |   |   | 2,273,528 |   |   |   | 0.6 | % |
| Consolidated                balance sheet                data:                                           |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      |        |                    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Total                Assets                                                                              |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   | $         | 174,257,998 |                    |   | $ | 157,644,462 |   |   |   | 10.5 | % |
| Total                Deposits                                                                            |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      | 149,191,016 |                    |   |   | 134,871,081 |   |   |   | 10.6 | % |
| Loans                (gross)                                                                             |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      | 135,734,224 |                    |   |   | 122,463,720 |   |   |   | 10.8 | % |
| Investments                                                                                              |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      | 26,113,294  |                    |   |   | 26,241,010 |   |   |   | -0.5 | % |
| Shareholders'                Equity                                                                      |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      | 15,179,239  |                    |   |   | 12,972,853 |   |   |   | 17.0 | % |
| Consolidated                average balance sheet                data:                                   |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      |        |                    |   |   |   |   |   |
| Total                Assets                                                                              |   | $                                                | 171,465,008 |   |                        | $         | 159,861,014 |                                              |   |   | 7.3    | %       |   | $         | 165,663,527 |                    |   | $ | 148,160,685 |   |   |   | 11.8 | % |
| Total                Deposits                                                                            |   |                                             | 146,633,893 |   |                        |      | 136,218,131 |                                              |   |   | 7.7    | %       |   |      | 141,059,696 |                    |   |   | 125,581,887 |   |   |   | 12.3 | % |
| Loans                (gross)                                                                             |   |                                             | 133,456,205 |   |                        |      | 120,915,750 |                                              |   |   | 10.4   | %       |   |      | 127,403,492 |                    |   |   | 111,294,892 |   |   |   | 14.5 | % |
| Investments                                                                                              |   |                                             | 26,579,297  |   |                        |      | 25,597,572  |                                              |   |   | 3.8    | %       |   |      | 26,519,393  |                    |   |   | 26,042,834 |   |   |   | 1.8 | % |
| Shareholders'                Equity                                                                      |   |                                             | 14,893,132  |   |                        |      | 12,626,175  |                                              |   |   | 18.0   | %       |   |      | 13,997,104  |                    |   |   | 11,666,996 |   |   |   | 20.0 | % |
| Consolidated                performance                ratios:                                           |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      |        |                    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Return                on average                assets**                                                 |   |                                             | 1.13        | %      |                        |      | 1.54        | %                                                 |   |   |   |    |   |      | 1.24        | %                       |   |   | 1.39 | % |   |   |   |   |
| Return                on average                equity**                                                 |   |                                             | 13.01       | %      |                        |      | 19.49       | %                                                 |   |   |   |    |   |      | 14.62       | %                       |   |   | 17.68 | % |   |   |   |   |
| Capital                to                Assets                                                          |   |                                             | 8.69        | %      |                        |      | 7.90        | %                                                 |   |   |   |    |   |      | 8.45        | %                       |   |   | 7.87 | % |   |   |   |   |
| Consolidated                asset quality data                and ratios:                                |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      |        |                    |   |   |   |   |   |
| Nonaccruing                loans                                                                         |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   | $         | 195,683     |                    |   | $ | 975,190 |   |   |   | -79.9 | % |
| Accruing                loans 90 days past                due                                            |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      | -           |                    |   | - |   |   |   | - |   |
| Nonperforming                loans                                                                       |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      | 195,683     |                    |   |   | 975,190 |   |   |   | -79.9 | % |
| Foreclosed                properties                                                                     |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      | 87,787      |                    |   | 106,000 |   |   |   | -17.2 | % |
| Nonperforming                assets                                                                      |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      | 283,470     |                    |   | 1,081,190 |   |   |   | -73.8 | % |
| Allowance                for loan                losses                                                  |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      | 2,090,125   |                    |   | 1,884,080 |   |   |   | 10.9 | % |
| Loans                charged                off                                                          |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      | 256,741     |                    |   |   | 218,455 |   |   |   | 17.5 | % |
| Recoveries                of loans charged                off                                            |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      | 56,061      |                    |   | 57,513 |   |   |   | -2.5 | % |
| Net                loan                charge-offs                                                       |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      | 200,680     |                    |   | 160,942 |   |   |   | 24.7 | % |
| Net                charge-offs to average                loans**                                         |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      | 0.16        | %                       |   |   | 0.14 | % |   |   | 8.9 | % |
| Nonperforming                loans to total                assets                                        |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      | 0.11        | %                       |   |   | 0.62 | % |   |   | -81.9 | % |
| Allowance                coverage of                nonperforming loans                                  |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   | 1068.12 | %      |      |        | 193.20                  | % |   |   | 452.9 | % |
| Allowance                for loan losses to gross                loans                                   |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   | 1.54    | %      |      |        | 1.54                    | % |   |   | 0.1 | % |
|                                                                                                     |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      |        |                    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| *Shares                and per share amounts for                5-for-4 stock dividend paid in June 2007 |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |
| **Annualized                based on number of                days in the period.                        |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      |        |                    |   |   |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                     |   |                                             |        |   |                        |      |        |                                              |   |   |   |    |   |      |        |                    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

----

| Weststar                  Financial Services                  Corporation & Subsidiary                   |   |                            |        |   |                      |       |        |                     |   |       |                     |   |   |                     |        |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|---------------------------------|-------------|--------|---------------------------|------------|-------------|--------------------------|--------|------------|--------------------------|--------|--------|--------------------------|-------------|
| Supplemental                  Quarterly Financial                  Data                                      |   |                            |        |   |                      |       |        |                     |   |       |                     |   |   |                     |        |
|                                                                                                         |   | Quarters                  Ended |        |
|                                                                                                         |   | Dec                  31,        |        |   | Sept                  30, |       |        | Jun                  30, |   |       | Mar                  31, |   |   | Dec                  31, |        |
|                                                                                                         | 2007   |                            |        | 2007   |                      |       | 2007        |                     |   | 2007       |                     |   | 2006   |                     |
| Consolidated                  earning                  summary:                                              |   |                            |        |   |                      |       |        |                     |   |       |                     |   |   |                     |        |
| Interest                  income                                                                             |   | $                               | 3,285,876   |   |                      | $          | 3,314,963   |                     |   | $          | 3,206,796                |   |   | $                        | 3,093,799   |   |   | $ | 3,102,808 |   |
| Interest                  expense                                                                            |   |                            | 1,355,650   |   |                      |       | 1,363,045   |                     |   |       | 1,315,067                |   |   |                     | 1,261,744   |   |   |   | 1,232,763 |   |
| Net                  interest                  income                                                        |   |                            | 1,930,226   |   |                      |       | 1,951,918   |                     |   |       | 1,891,729                |   |   |                     | 1,832,055   |   |   |   | 1,870,045 |   |
| Provision                  for loan                  losses                                                  |   |                            | 181,755     |   |                      |       | 137,395     |                     |   |       | 69,720                   |   |   |                     | 17,855      |   |   |   | 71,445 |   |
| Net                  interest income after                  provision for loan losses                        |   |                            | 1,748,471   |   |                      |       | 1,814,523   |                     |   |       | 1,822,009                |   |   |                     | 1,814,200   |   |   |   | 1,798,600 |   |
| Other                  income                                                                                |   |                            | 397,499     |   |                      |       | 386,784     |                     |   |       | 394,114                  |   |   |                     | 350,369     |   |   |   | 472,841 |   |
| Other                  expenses                                                                              |   |                            | 1,411,526   |   |                      |       | 1,368,193   |                     |   |       | 1,398,247                |   |   |                     | 1,375,270   |   |   |   | 1,365,649 |   |
| Income                  before                  taxes                                                        |   |                            | 734,444     |   |                      |       | 833,114     |                     |   |       | 817,876                  |   |   |                     | 789,299     |   |   |   | 905,792 |   |
| Income                  taxes                                                                                |   |                            | 245,969     |   |                      |       | 300,186     |                     |   |       | 293,304                  |   |   |                     | 289,268     |   |   |   | 285,431 |   |
| Net                  income                                                                                  |   | $                               | 488,475     |   |                      | $          | 532,928     |                     |   | $          | 524,572                  |   |   | $                        | 500,031     |   |   | $ | 620,361 |   |
| Earnings                  per share -                  Basic*                                                |   | $                               | 0.23        |   |                      | $          | 0.25        |                     |   | $          | 0.25                     |   |   | $                        | 0.24        |   |   | $ | 0.30 |   |
| Earnings                  per share -                  Diluted*                                              |   |                            | 0.21        |   |                      |       | 0.23        |                     |   |       | 0.23                     |   |   |                     | 0.22        |   |   |   | 0.27 |   |
| Average                  Shares -                  Basic*                                                    |   |                            | 2,117,973   |   |                      |       | 2,113,485   |                     |   |       | 2,104,131                |   |   |                     | 2,103,993   |   |   |   | 2,101,842 |   |
| Average                  Shares -                  Diluted*                                                  |   | 2,283,290                       |        |   |                      | 2,287,007  |        |                     |   | 2,282,642  |                     |   |   | 2,286,793                |        |   |   | 2,281,825 |   |
| Consolidated                  balance sheet                  data:                                           |   |                            |        |   |                      |       |        |                     |   |       |                     |   |   |                     |        |   |   |   |   |   |
| Total                  Assets                                                                                |   | $                               | 174,257,998 |   |                      | $          | 170,393,834 |                     |   | $          | 164,412,455              |   |   | $                        | 167,085,504 |   |   | $ | 157,644,462 |   |
| Total                  Deposits                                                                              |   |                            | 149,191,016 |   |                      |       | 145,911,704 |                     |   |       | 140,915,216              |   |   |                     | 143,988,696 |   |   |   | 134,871,081 |   |
| Loans                  (gross)                                                                               |   |                            | 135,734,224 |   |                      |       | 129,952,653 |                     |   |       | 123,199,519              |   |   |                     | 125,721,582 |   |   |   | 122,463,720 |   |
| Investments                                                                                                  |   |                            | 26,113,294  |   |                      |       | 27,050,604  |                     |   |       | 25,777,376               |   |   |                     | 27,095,590  |   |   |   | 26,241,010 |   |
| Shareholders'                  Equity                                                                        |   | 15,179,239                      |        |   |                      | 14,519,658 |        |                     |   | 13,681,118 |                     |   |   | 13,477,355               |        |   |   | 12,972,853 |   |
| Consolidated                  average balance sheet                  data:                                   |   |                            |        |   |                      |       |        |                     |   |       |                     |   |   |                     |        |   |   |   |   |   |
| Total                  Assets                                                                                |   | $                               | 171,465,008 |   |                      | $          | 166,531,452 |                     |   | $          | 163,905,840              |   |   | $                        | 160,622,510 |   |   | $ | 159,861,014 |   |
| Total                  Deposits                                                                              |   |                            | 146,633,893 |   |                      |       | 142,455,579 |                     |   |       | 137,448,436              |   |   |                     | 137,597,472 |   |   |   | 136,218,131 |   |
| Loans                  (gross)                                                                               |   |                            | 133,456,205 |   |                      |       | 125,301,745 |                     |   |       | 127,164,672              |   |   |                     | 123,606,201 |   |   |   | 120,915,750 |   |
| Investments                                                                                                  |   |                            | 26,579,297  |   |                      |       | 26,531,300  |                     |   |       | 26,733,213               |   |   |                     | 26,232,122  |   |   |   | 25,597,572 |   |
| Shareholders'                  Equity                                                                        |   | 14,893,132                      |        |   |                      | 14,071,165 |        |                     |   | 13,752,135 |                     |   |   | 13,253,343               |        |   |   | 12,626,175 |   |
| Consolidated                  performance                  ratios:                                           |   |                            |        |   |                      |       |        |                     |   |       |                     |   |   |                     |        |   |   |   |   |   |
| Return                  on average                  assets**                                                 |   |                            | 1.13        | %      |                      |       | 1.27        | %                        |   |       | 1.28                     | %      |   |                     | 1.26        | % |   |   | 1.54 | % |
| Return                  on average                  equity**                                                 |   |                            | 13.01       | %      |                      |       | 15.03       | %                        |   |       | 15.30                    | %      |   |                     | 15.30       | % |   |   | 19.49 | % |
| Capital                  to                  Assets                                                          |   | 8.69                            | %           |   |                      | 8.45       | %           |                     |   | 8.39       | %                        |   |   | 8.25                     | %           |   |   | 7.90 | % |
| Consolidated                  asset quality data                  and ratios:                                |   |                            |        |   |                      |       |        |                     |   |       |                     |   |   |                     |        |   |   |   |   |   |
| Nonaccruing                  loans                                                                           |   | $                               | 195,683     |   |                      | $          | 96,968      |                     |   | $          | 326,865                  |   |   | $                        | 780,484     |   |   | $ | 975,190 |   |
| Accruing                  loans 90 days past                  due                                            |   |                            | -           |   |                      |       | -           |                     |   |       | 1,000                    |   |   |                     | -           |   |   |   | - |   |
|  Nonperforming                  loans                                                                   |   |                            | 195,683     |   |                      |       | 96,968      |                     |   |       | 327,865                  |   |   |                     | 780,484     |   |   |   | 975,190 |   |
| Foreclosed                  properties                                                                       |   |                            | 87,787      |   |                      |       | 87,787      |                     |   |       | 574,633                  |   |   |                     | 103,000     |   |   |   | 106,000 |   |
|  Nonperforming                  assets                                                                  |   |                            | 283,470     |   |                      |       | 184,755     |                     |   |       | 902,498                  |   |   |                     | 883,484     |   |   |   | 1,081,190 |   |
| Allowance                  for loan                  losses                                                  |   |                            | 2,090,125   |   |                      |       | 1,968,455   |                     |   |       | 1,929,498                |   |   |                     | 1,888,059   |   |   |   | 1,884,080 |   |
| Loans                  charged                  off                                                          |   |                            | 89,549      |   |                      |       | 108,174     |                     |   |       | 38,846                   |   |   |                     | 20,172      |   |   |   | 58,768 |   |
| Recoveries                  of loans charged                  off                                            |   |                            | 29,464      |   |                      |       | 9,735       |                     |   |       | 10,567                   |   |   |                     | 6,295       |   |   |   | 8,593 |   |
| Net                  loan                  charge-offs                                                       |   |                            | 60,085      |   |                      |       | 98,439      |                     |   |       | 28,279                   |   |   |                     | 13,877      |   |   |   | 50,175 |   |
| Net                  charge-offs to average                  loans**                                         |   |                            | 0.18        | %      |                      |       | 0.31        | %                        |   |       | 0.09                     | %      |   |                     | 0.05        | % |   |   | 0.16 | % |
| Nonperforming                  loans to total                  assets                                        |   |                            | 0.11        | %      |                      |       | 0.06        | %                        |   |       | 0.20                     | %      |   |                     | 0.47        | % |   |   | 0.62 | % |
| Allowance                  coverage of                  nonperforming loans                                  |   |                            | 1068.12     | %      |                      |       | 2030.00     | %                        |   |       | 588.50                   | %      |   |                     | 241.91      | % |   |   | 193.20 | % |
| Allowance                  for loan losses to gross                  loans                                   |   | 1.54                            | %           |   |                      | 1.51       | %           |                     |   | 1.57       | %                        |   |   | 1.50                     | %           |   |   | 1.54 | % |
|                                                                                                         |   |                            |        |   |                      |       |        |                     |   |       |                     |   |   |                     |        |   |   |   |   |   |
| *Shares                  and per share amounts for                  5-for-4 stock dividend paid in June 2007 |   |                            |        |   |                      |       |        |                     |   |       |                     |   |   |
| **                  Annualized based on number of                  days in the period.                       |   |                            |        |   |                      |       |        |                     |   |       |                     |   |   |                     |        |   |   |   |   |   |