<PAGE>   1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.4

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

         THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), is made and entered into
as of March 1, 2001 by and among William M. Austin, a resident of the State of
Georgia ("Employee"), Citizens & Southern Bank, a proposed Georgia state banking
corporation ("Employer") and C & S Bancorporation, Inc., a Georgia corporation
and sole shareholder of Employer (the "Company").

                                  WITNESSETH:

         WHEREAS, Employer and Employee each deem it necessary and desirable,
for their mutual protection, to execute a written document setting forth the
terms and conditions of their employment relationship;

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the employment of Employee by
Employer, of the premises and the mutual promises and covenants contained
herein, and of other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to
be legally bound, agree as follows:

         1.       Employment and Duties. Employer hereby employs Employee to
serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Employer and
the Company and to perform such other duties and responsibilities as customarily
performed by persons acting in such capacity. During the term of this Agreement,
Employee will devote his full time and effort to his duties hereunder. Employee
shall perform his duties in Chatham County, Georgia.

         2.       Term. Subject to the provisions of Section 12 of this
Agreement, the period of Employee's employment under this Agreement shall be
deemed to have commenced as of the


<PAGE>   2

date hereof and shall continue for a period of 36 calendar months thereafter (i)
unless Employee dies before the end of such 36 months or (ii) Employer is not
successful in obtaining final opening approvals (the "Final Approvals") from the
Department of Banking and Finance of the State of Georgia (the "Georgia
Department") and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the "FDIC"). In
either case, the period of employment shall continue until the end of the month
of Employee's death or the inability to obtain the Georgia Department's and
FDIC's Final Approvals. The period of employment shall automatically be extended
for additional one year terms on each March 1 without further action by the
parties, commencing on March 1, 2003 and each March 1 thereafter. No such
automatic extension shall occur if either party shall, within 90 days prior to
any said anniversary, have given written notice to the other of its intention
that this Agreement shall not be so extended.

         3.       Compensation. For all services to be rendered by Employee
during the term of this Agreement, Employer shall pay Employee in accordance
with the terms set forth in Exhibit A, net of applicable withholdings, payable
in semi-monthly installments.

         4.       Expenses. So long as Employee is employed hereunder, Employee
is entitled to receive reimbursement for, or seek payment directly by Employer
of, all reasonable expenses which are consistent with the normal policy of
Employer in the performance of Employee's duties hereunder, provided that
Employee accounts for such expenses in writing.

         5.       Employee Benefits. So long as Employee is employed hereunder,
Employee shall be entitled to participate in the various employee benefit
programs adopted by Employer and the Company from time to time.

         6.       Vacation. Employee shall be entitled to four (4) weeks annual
vacation.


                                       2
<PAGE>   3

         7.       Confidentiality. In Employee's position as an employee of
Employer, Employee has had and will have access to confidential information,
trade secrets and other proprietary information of vital importance to Employer
and the Company and has and will also develop relationships with customers,
employees and others who deal with Employer or the Company which are of value to
Employer and the Company. Employer requires, as a condition to Employee's
employment with Employer, that Employee agree to certain restrictions on
Employee's use of the proprietary information and valuable relationships
developed during Employee's employment with Employer. In consideration of the
terms and conditions contained herein, the parties hereby agree as follows:

                  7.1      Employer and Employee mutually agree and acknowledge
that Employer and the Company may entrust Employee with highly sensitive,
confidential, restricted and proprietary information concerning various Business
Opportunities (as hereinafter defined), customer lists, and personnel matters.
Employee acknowledges that he shall bear a fiduciary responsibility to Employer
and the Company to protect such information from use or disclosure that is not
necessary for the performance of Employee's duties hereunder, as an essential
incident of Employee's employment with Employer.

                  7.2      For the purposes of this Section 7, the following
definitions shall apply:

                           7.2.1    "Trade Secret" shall mean the identity and
addresses of customers of Employer or the Company, the whole or any portion or
phase of any scientific or technical information, design, process, procedure,
formula or improvement that is valuable and secret (in the sense that it is not
generally known to competitors of Employer or the Company) and which is defined
as a "trade secret" under Georgia law pursuant to the Georgia Trade Secrets Act.


                                       3
<PAGE>   4

                           7.2.2    "Confidential Information" shall mean any
data or information, other than Trade Secrets, which is material to Employer or
the Company and not generally known by the public. Confidential Information
shall include, but not be limited to, Business Opportunities of Employer or the
Company (as hereinafter defined), the details of this Agreement, Employer's or
the Company's business plans and financial statements and projections,
information as to the capabilities of Employer's or the Company's employees,
their respective salaries and benefits and any other terms of their employment
and the costs of the services Employer or the Company may offer or provide to
the customers it serves, to the extent such information is material to Employer
or the Company and not generally known by the public.

                           7.2.3    "Business Opportunities" shall mean any
specialized information or plans of Employer or the Company concerning the
provision of financial services to the public, together with all related
information concerning the specifics of any contemplated financial services
regardless of whether Employer has contacted or communicated with such target
person or business.

                           7.2.4    Notwithstanding the definitions of Trade
Secrets, Confidential Information, and Business Opportunities set forth above,
Trade Secrets, Confidential Information, and Business Opportunities shall not
include any information:

                                    (i)     that is or becomes generally known
to the public;

                                    (ii)    that is already known by Employee
or is developed by Employee after termination of employment through entirely
independent efforts;

                                    (iii)    that Employee obtains from an
independent source having a bona fide right to use and disclose such
information;


                                       4
<PAGE>   5

                                    (iv)     that is required to be disclosed by
law, except to the extent eligible for special treatment under an appropriate
protective order; or

                                    (v)      that Employer's or the Company's
Board of Directors approves for release.

                  7.3      Employee shall not, without the prior approval of
Employer's or the Company's Board of Directors, during his employment with
Employer and for so long thereafter as the information or data remain Trade
Secrets, use or disclose, or negligently permit any unauthorized person who is
not an employee of Employer or the Company to use, disclose, or gain access to,
any Trade Secrets.

                  7.4      Employee shall not, without the prior written consent
of Employer or the Company, during his employment with Employer and for a period
of 24 months thereafter as long as the information or data remain competitively
sensitive, use or disclose, or negligently permit any unauthorized person who is
not employed by Employer or the Company to use, disclose, or gain access to, any
Confidential Information to which the Employee obtained access by virtue of his
employment with Employer, except as provided in Section 7.2 of this Agreement.

         8.       Observance of Security Measures. During Employee's employment
with Employer, Employee is required to observe all security measures adopted to
protect Trade Secrets, Confidential Information and Business Opportunities.

         9.       Return of Materials. Upon the request of Employer or the
Company and, in any event, upon the termination of his employment with Employer,
Employee shall deliver to Employer all memoranda, notes, records, manuals or
other documents, including all copies of


                                       5
<PAGE>   6

such materials containing Trade Secrets or Confidential Information, whether
made or compiled by Employee or furnished to him from any source by virtue of
his employment with Employer.

         10.      Severability. Employee acknowledges and agrees that the
covenants contained in Sections 7 through 9 and Section 14 of this Agreement
shall be construed as covenants independent of one another and distinct from the
remaining terms and conditions of this Agreement, and severable from every other
contract and course of business by and among Employer, the Company and Employee,
and that the existence of any claim, suit or action by Employee against Employer
and/or the Company, whether predicated upon this Agreement or any other
agreement, shall not constitute a defense to Employer's or the Company's
enforcement of any covenant contained in Sections 7 through 9 and Section 14 of
this Agreement.

         11.      Specific Performance. Employee acknowledges and agrees that
the covenants contained in Sections 7 through 9 and Section 14 of this Agreement
shall survive any termination of employment, as applicable, with or without
Cause (as hereinafter defined), at the instigation or upon the initiative of any
party. Employee further acknowledges and agrees that the ascertainment of
damages in the event of Employee's breach of any covenant contained in Sections
7 through 9 and Section 14 of this Agreement would be difficult, if at all
possible. Employee therefore acknowledges and agrees that Employer and the
Company shall be entitled in addition to and not in limitation of any other
rights, remedies, or damages available to Employer and the Company in
arbitration, at law or in equity, upon submitting whatever affidavit the law may
require, and posting any necessary bond, to have a court of competent
jurisdiction enjoin Employee from committing any such breach.


                                       6
<PAGE>   7

         12.      Termination.

                  12.1     During the term of this Agreement, Employee's
employment, including without limitation, all compensation, salary, expenses
reimbursement, and employee benefits may be terminated (i) at the election of
Employer for Cause; (ii) at Employee's election upon Employer's breach of any
material provision of this Agreement; (iii) upon Employee's death; or (iv) at
the election of either party, upon Employee's disability resulting in an
inability to perform the duties described in Section 1 of this Agreement for a
period of 90 consecutive days.

                  12.2     As used in this Agreement, "Cause" shall mean (i)
conduct by Employee that amounts to fraud, material dishonesty, gross negligence
or willful misconduct in the performance of his duties hereunder; (ii) the
conviction (from which no appeal may be, or is, timely taken) of Employee of a
felony; (iii) initiation of suspension or removal proceedings against Employee
by federal or state regulatory authorities acting under lawful authority
pursuant to provisions of federal or state law or regulation which may be in
effect from time to time; (iv) knowing violation of federal or state banking
laws or regulations; or (v) refusal to perform a duly authorized directive of
Employer's Board of Directors.

                  12.3     In the event the Employer's President determines that
the Employee should be terminated for Cause, the termination for Cause shall not
be effective unless it is approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of Employer's
Board of Directors, excluding the vote, if any, of Employee.

                  12.4     If this Agreement is terminated either pursuant to
Cause, Employee's death or Employee's disability, Employee shall receive no
further compensation or benefits, other than Employee's salary and other
compensation as accrued through the date of such termination.


                                       7
<PAGE>   8

                  12.5     Notwithstanding any provisions hereof to the
contrary, if there occurs a Change in Control (as defined on Exhibit B) of the
Employer or the Company, Employee shall be entitled for a period of 90 days
after the date of closing of the transaction effecting such Change in Control to
deliver to the Employee or the Company written notice of termination of this
Agreement whereupon Employer shall pay Employee a lump sum cash payment in an
amount equal to the product of two times Employee's then current compensation
and benefits from Employer, including salary, bonuses, all perquisites, and all
other forms of compensation paid to Employee however characterized for the
fiscal year during the term of this Agreement for which such compensation was
highest. This payment shall be paid to Employee by Employer within 30 days after
the delivery of such notice of termination by Employee to Employer.

         13.      Notices. All notice provided for herein shall be in writing
and shall be deemed to be given when delivered in person or deposited in the
United States Mail, registered or certified, return receipt requested, with
proper postage prepaid and addressed as follows:

                      Employer and Company: C & S Bancorporation, Inc.
                                            P.O. Box 1248
                                            Savannah, Georgia 31402-1248
                                            Attn:  Mr. Brian R. Foster, Chairman

                      Employee:             Mr. William M. Austin
                                            1022 Hammocks View
                                            Savannah, Georgia 31410.

         14.      Covenant Not to Compete, Not to Solicit and Not to Hire.

                  14.1     For purposes of this Section 14, Employer and
Employee conduct the following business in the following geographic areas:


                                       8
<PAGE>   9

                           14.1.1   Employer is engaged in the business of
transacting business as a bank which accepts deposits, makes loans, cashes
checks and otherwise engages in the business of banking (collectively, the
"Business of Employer").

                           14.1.2   Employer currently conducts business from
its office located at 401 Mall Boulevard, Suite 101B Savannah, Georgia (the
"Main Office").

                           14.1.3   Employee has established business
relationships and performs the duties described in Section 1 of this Agreement
in the geographic area covered by a circle having a radius of 100 miles from the
Main Office, and will work primarily in such area while in the employ of
Employer.

                  14.2     Employee covenants and agrees that for a period of
two years after the termination of this Agreement for any reason other than
non-renewal of this Agreement by Employer or the Company on any anniversary date
or pursuant to Section 12.1(ii) of this Agreement, Employee shall not, directly
or indirectly, as principal, agent, trustee, consultant or through the agency of
any financial institution, corporation, partnership, association, trust or other
entity or person, on Employee's own behalf or for others, provide the duties
described in Section 1 of this Agreement for any entity or person conducting the
Business of Employer within the geographic area covered by a circle having a
radius of 50 miles from the Main Office.

                  14.3     During the term of this Agreement and for a period of
two years after the termination of this Agreement for any reason other than
non-renewal of this Agreement by Employer or the Company on any anniversary date
or pursuant to Section 12.1(ii) of this Agreement, Employee will not enter into,
and will not participate in, any plan or arrangement to cause any employee of
Employer to terminate his or her employment with Employer, and, Employee agrees
that for a period of at least two years after the termination of employment by


                                       9
<PAGE>   10

any employee of Employer, Employee will not hire such employee in connection
with any business initiated by Employee or any other person, firm or
corporation. Employee further agrees that information as to the capabilities of
Employer's employees, their salaries and benefits, and any other terms of their
employment is Confidential Information and proprietary to Employer.

                  14.4     Employee and Employer shall periodically amend this
Agreement by updating the address referenced in Section 14.1.2 of this Agreement
so that it at all times lists the then current geographic area served by
Employer for which Employee performs the duties described in Section 1 of this
Agreement.

                  14.5     Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary,
the covenant not to compete and not to solicit set forth in Sections 14.2 and
14.3 shall be null and void in the event either (i) this Agreement is not
renewed by Employer or the on any anniversary date or (ii) terminated by
Employee pursuant to Section 12.1(ii) of this Agreement.

         15.      Miscellaneous.

                  15.1     This Agreement, together with Exhibit A, constitutes
and expresses the whole agreement of the parties in reference to the employment
of Employee by Employer, and there are no representations, inducements,
promises, agreements, arrangements, or undertakings oral or written, between the
parties other than those set forth herein.

                  15.2     This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the
State of Georgia.

                  15.3     Should any clause or any other provision of this
Agreement be determined to be void or unenforceable for any reason, such
determination shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any clause or
provision of this Agreement, all of which shall remain in full force and effect.


                                       10
<PAGE>   11

                  15.4     Time is of the essence in this Agreement.

                  15.5     This Agreement shall be binding upon and enure to the
benefit of the parties hereto and their successors and assigns. This Agreement
shall not be assignable by Employee without the prior written consent of
Employer.

                  15.6     This Agreement may be executed in multiple
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute but a single instrument.

                   [Balance of page intentionally left blank.]


                                       11
<PAGE>   12

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the
day and year first written above.

                                    "Employee"


                                    /s/ William M. Austin                 (SEAL)
                                    --------------------------------------
                                    William M. Austin

                                    "Employer"

                                    CITIZENS & SOUTHERN BANK, a proposed
                                    Georgia State Banking Corporation


                                    By: /s/ Brian R. Foster
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                    Title: President

                                    "Company"

                                    C & S BANCORPORATION, INC.


                                    By: /s/ Brian R. Foster
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                    Title: Brian R. Foster


                                       12
<PAGE>   13

                                    Exhibit A
                      to Employment Agreement By and Among
           William M. Austin, Citizens & Southern Bank (Proposed) and
                           C & S Bancorporation, Inc.

                              Employee Compensation

Capitalized terms used herein and not defined shall have the meanings set forth
in the Employment Agreement.

BASE SALARY: $100,000.00 per year subject to annual increases.

OPTION PLANS: Subject to shareholder approval of that certain incentive stock
option plan of C & S Bancorporation, Inc. (the "Company"), ten year incentive
stock options ("ISOs") to acquire 6,000 shares of the Company's common stock.
Granted at the initial offering price of the Company's common stock, vesting
over 3 years, 2,000 shares at the end of each year for the first three (3) years
of employment.

BONUS: Payable each January, in an amount approved by the Bank's President.

AUTO ALLOWANCE: $600.00 per month.

CLUB MEMBERSHIP: Monthly dues for one business luncheon club.

INSURANCE: Employee's and his dependents' health, hospitalization, and dental,
any other insurance plans as adopted by the Bank's Board of Directors for
employees of the Bank.


<PAGE>   14

                                    Exhibit B
                      to Employment Agreement By and Among
           William M. Austin, Citizens & Southern Bank (Proposed) and
                           C & S Bancorporation, Inc.

"CHANGE IN CONTROL" shall mean:

         (a)      in any transaction, whether by merger, consolidation, asset
                  sale, tender offer, reverse stock split, or otherwise, which
                  results in the acquisition or beneficial ownership (as such
                  term is defined under rules and regulations promulgated under
                  the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) by any person
                  or entity or any group of persons or entities acting in
                  concert, of 50% or more of the outstanding shares of common
                  stock of the Company;

         (b)      the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the
                  Company or the Employer; or

         (c)      the liquidation of the Employer or the Company.