STATE  OF  SOUTH  CAROLINA     )
                               )          EMPLOYMENT  AGREEMENT
COUNTY  OF  GREENVILLE         )


          THIS  EMPLOYMENT  AGREEMENT,  made  and  entered  into this 2ND day of
September,  1999,  by and between JAMES B. SCHWIERS, a resident of the State and
County  aforesaid,  hereinafter  referred  to as "Employee" and Summit Financial
Corporation,  a  corporation duly chartered pursuant to the laws of the State of
South  Carolina,  hereinafter  referred  to  as  "Employer".
W  I  T  N  E  S  S  E  T  H:
          WHEREAS, the Employer is a corporation chartered under the laws of the
State  of  South  Carolina  and
          WHEREAS,  Employee is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating
Officer  of  the  banking  operation  which  is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the
Employer;  and
          WHEREAS,  the  terms  of this Agreement are subject to the approval by
the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Employer;
          NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises of the parties
and  the  mutual benefits they will gain by the performance thereof, the parties
hereto  agree  as  follows:

          1.  Employment.  That  the  Employer,  subject  to  the  terms  and
conditions  hereof,  does  hereby  agree to employ the Employee and the Employee
accepts  such  employment,  from the date hereof and to continue therefrom until
terminated  as  hereinafter  provided.

          2.  Duties.  That  the  Employee  is employed to act as Executive Vice
President/Chief Operating Officer of the banking entity, which is a wholly-owned
subsidiary  of  the  Employer  and to perform such other duties on behalf of the
Employer,  as  well  as any subsidiary thereof, which will benefit the Employer.

          3.  Termination  by  Employee.  That  the  Employee  may terminate his
employment  hereunder  at  any  time  after  he has given ninety (90) days prior
written  notice  to  the Employer, such notice to be accomplished by delivery of
such  written  termination  to  either the Chairman of the Board of Directors or
President  (provided that the Employee is not serving in either capacity) of the
Employer.

          4.  Termination  by  Employer.  That  the  Employer  may  terminate
immediately  the  Employee's  employment  hereunder at any time, with or without
cause,  by  giving  written  notice  of  such  termination  of employment to the
Employee.

          5.  Automatic  Termination  of  Employee.  That  the employment of the
Employee  shall  be  automatically  terminated  upon  the  earlier of any of the
following:
               (a)     The  death  of  the  Employee.
               (b)     The  disability  of  the  Employee  so  as to prevent the
Employee  from  adequately  performing  his  duties  contemplated hereunder (the
determination  of any such disability shall be within the sole discretion of the
Board  of  Directors  of the Employer).  The Employee will be compensated at his
normal rate until the earlier of: (i) such time as he begins to receive benefits
from  his disability insurance; or (ii) a period ending one hundred eighty (180)
days  from  such  determination  of  disability.

          6.  Compensation.  That  for all of his duties hereunder, the Employee
shall receive compensation at the rate currently in place.  However, anything to
the  contrary  notwithstanding, this compensation shall terminate immediately in
the  event  of  termination  of  employment  hereunder for any reason whatsoever
except  for any payments which might be due the Employee under paragraph 5(b) or
by reason of the Employer enforcing its covenant not to compete set forth herein
below.

          7.  Covenant  Not  to  Compete.
               (a)  That  in  the  event the Employee voluntarily terminates his
employment  with  the  Employer  or  any  subsidiary  of  the Employer, that the
Employee  agrees that he will not, directly or indirectly, own, manage, operate,
control,  be  employed by, participate in or be connected in any manner with the
ownership,  management  or  operation  of  any  business similar to that type of
business  then  conducted  by  the  Employer  or by any subsidiary for which the
Employee  is  then  actively engaged for a period of twelve (12) months from the
date  of  such  termination  of  employment and within the radius of twenty (20)
miles  from  where  the  Employee has his main office or five (5) miles from any
branch office, while he is performing his services hereunder.  Further, that the
Employee  acknowledges  that  this covenant not to compete with the Employer, or
such  subsidiary,  is  NOT made under duress and that it is an essential part of
the  Agreement,  without  which the Employer would not have engaged or continued
the  services  of  the  Employee.  Further,  the Employee acknowledges that this
covenant not to compete is for such good and valid consideration, the receipt of
which  is  hereby  acknowledged  and  Employee  agrees  that  in  the event of a
threatened  breach  of his covenant under this Agreement, that any remedy at law
would be inadequate and Employer may seek injunctive relief, as well as damages.

          b)  That in the event that the Employer shall terminate the employment
of  the  Employee, without cause ("cause" is defined herein below), the Employer
agrees  to  pay  the  Employee one hundred (100%) percent of his regular monthly
salary  (regular monthly salary shall be computed by dividing by twelve (12) the
Employee  s  W-2  cash  salary  and  cash bonus income from the Employer for the
calendar  year  immediately  preceding  such  termination  of employment).  Such
payment to begin on the last day of the first month following the termination of
employment  and  to  continue  for  one (1) year from the date of termination of
employment.  At  Employer's  sole  option,  and  for  the  same  monthly payment
amounts,  this non-competition agreement may be continued up to a maximum of two
(2)  years  from  the date of termination of employment; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
after  one  (1)  year  from  the  date  of  termination, Employer shall have the
absolute  right,  in  its  sole discretion, to terminate, at any time, this said
non-competition agreement by giving thirty (30) days prior written notice to the
Employee,  mailed to the Employee s address designated in Item 8 hereof and this
covenant  not  to  compete shall terminate thirty (30) days after the mailing of
such  notice  and  the  payments  referred  to  herein  above  shall  likewise
automatically  terminate  on said date, after which termination by the Employer,
no  payments  shall  be  payable  as  it  is  expressly acknowledged by both the
Employee  and  the Employer that Employer shall have no obligation whatsoever to
continue this covenant not to compete for any period of time beyond one (1) year
from  the  date  of  termination.  Naturally, such notice of termination of such
payments  by  the  Employer  shall,  at that time, release the Employee from his
obligation  not  to  compete.  Such non-compete shall prevent the Employee from,
directly  or  indirectly,  owning,  managing,  operating,  or being employed by,
participating in or being connected in any manner with the ownership, management
and operation of any business similar to that type of business then conducted by
the  Employer  or  by  any  subsidiary  for  which the Employee is then actively
engaged  for  a  period  of  twelve  (12)  months  (24 months at Employer's sole
options)  from  the date of such termination of employment and within the radius
of twenty (20) miles from the office of the Employer, or five (5) miles from any
branch  office,  as  the  case may be, within which Employee has his main office
while  he  is  performing  his  services  hereunder.  Further, that the Employee
acknowledges  that  this  covenant  not  to  compete  with  the Employer or such
subsidiary  is  NOT  made  under duress and that it is an essential part of this
Agreement,  without  which  the Employer would not have engaged or continued the
services of the Employee.  Further, the Employee acknowledges that this covenant
not to compete is for such good and valid consideration, the receipt of which is
hereby acknowledged and Employee agrees that in the event of a threatened breach
of his covenant under this Agreement, that any remedy at law would be inadequate
and  Employer  may  seek  injunctive  relief,  as  well  as  damages.

          (c) That in the event that the Employer shall terminate the employment
of  the  Employee  for cause (with  cause" being defined under this Agreement to
mean  either:  (i)  willful  failure  of  the  Employee to substantially perform
prescribed duties other than a result of disability (the Employee shall be given
written  notice  of  an  alleged  willful  failure to substantially perform such
prescribed  duties  and  shall have a period of thirty (30) days to correct such
willful  failure  to  substantially perform such prescribed duties); or (ii) the
willful  engaging  in misconduct significantly detrimental to the Employer), the
Employer  agrees  to  pay the Employee one hundred (100%) percent of his regular
monthly  salary  (regular monthly salary shall be computed by dividing by twelve
(12)  the Employee's W-2 cash salary and cash bonus income from the Employer for
the  calendar  year  immediately preceding such termination of employment) for a
period  of  one  (1)  month.  Further, that in the event of such termination for
cause,  the  Employee  agrees  that  he  will  not, directly or indirectly, own,
manage, operate, control, be employed by, participate in, or be connected in any
manner  with  the  ownership, management or operation of any business similar to
that  type  of  business then conducted by the Employer or by any subsidiary for
which  the Employee is then actively engaged for a period of six (6) months from
the  date  of termination of employment and within a radius of twenty (20) miles
from  where  the employee has his main office, or five (5) miles from any branch
office,  while  he  is  performing  the  services  hereunder.  Further, that the
Employee  acknowledges  that  this covenant not to compete with the Employer, or
such  subsidiary,  is  NOT made under duress and that it is an essential part of
this  Agreement,  without which the Employer would not have engaged or continued
the  services  of  the  Employee.  Further,  the Employee acknowledges that this
covenant  not  to  compete is for such good and valid consideration and Employee
agrees  that  in  the  event  of  a threatened breach of his covenant under this
Agreement,  that  any  remedy  at  law would be inadequate and Employer may seek
injunctive  relief,  as  well  as  damages.

          (d) That in the event the Employee is terminated by the Employer after
a  change  in  control  (as  hereinafter  defined) or by the Employer during the
pendency  of a potential change in control (other than for cause in either case)
or  by  the  Employee for good reason (as hereinafter defined) after a change in
control,  then  the  Employee  is  entitled  to  EITHER:

OPTION 1:  a non-competition amount equal to three (3) times his annual base pay
amount,  calculated  as the average of the Employee s W-2 annual cash salary and
cash bonus income from the Employer over the five (5) most recent taxable years,
payable in three (3) equal annual installments without any interest due thereon,
the  first  installment  being due within thirty (30) days from the date of such
termination  and  annually  thereafter  until  paid  in  full;  OR:

OPTION  2:  a non-competition amount equal to one-and-one-half (1-1/2) times his
annual  base  pay amount, calculated as the average of the Employee s W-2 annual
cash  salary  and  cash  bonus  income  from the Employer over the five (5) most
recent  taxable  years, payable in two (2) equal annual installments without any
interest  due  thereon,  the first installment being due within thirty (30) days
from  the  date  of such termination and annually thereafter until paid in full.

     Employee  must  select in writing to receive non-competition payments under
either  OPTION  1  or  OPTION  2  as  defined  above  within  48  hours  of such
termination.  In  addition,  the  Employee  is  entitled  to  continued  life,
disability  and  medical  insurance coverage for a period of twelve (12) months,
paid  for  by  the  Employer.

     Said  non-compete  payments  shall  prevent  the Employee from, directly or
indirectly,  owning, managing, operating, or being employed by, participating in
or being connected in any manner with the ownership, management and operation of
any  business similar to that type of business then conducted by the Employer or
by  any  subsidiary for which the Employer is then actively engaged for a period
of  EITHER:

Assuming  the  Employee  selects  OPTION  1:  36  months  from  the date of such
termination  of  employment,  OR:

Assuming  the  Employee  selects  OPTION  2:  18  months  from  the date of such
termination  of  employment.

     Further,  for  either  of  the  Options, said non-competition payments will
prevent  the  Employee's  activities described above within the radius of twenty
(20)  miles  from  the office of the Employer, or five (5) miles from any branch
office,  as  the case may be, within which Employer has his main office while he
is  performing  his  services  hereunder.  The  Employee  acknowledges that this
covenant  not  to compete with the Employer or such subsidiary is NOT made under
duress  and  that  it  is  an  essential  part  of this Agreement.  Further, the
Employee  acknowledges  that  this  covenant not to compete is for such good and
valid  consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged.  The Employer
and Employee acknowledge that any breach of this contract would cause damages to
the  Employer,  the  value  of  which would be difficult to determine.  For that
reason,  the  Employer  and  Employee  hereby  agree  upon  liquidated  damages
specifying  that  the  damages  that  the  Employer would incur as a result of a
breach  by  the  Employee  would be determined based on the present value of the
stream  of unpaid non-competition payments specified above.  In addition, in the
event  of a breach of the Employee s covenant under this Agreement, the Employer
may  seek  injunctive relief, as well as the liquidated damages set forth above.

     A  change in control occurs if: (i) any person or entity acting directly or
indirectly or through or in concert (other than persons who are presently on the
Board  of  Directors  for  the  Employer) with one or more persons, acquires the
power,  directly or indirectly, to vote twenty-five (25%) percent or more of any
class  of  voting  securities  of  the  Employer; or (ii) the Employer becomes a
subsidiary  of  another  corporation  or  is merged or consolidated into another
corporation.  A  potential  change  in  control  occurs if: (i) the Employer has
entered into an agreement, the consummation of which would result in a change in
control; (ii) any person publicly announces his intention to take or to consider
taking  actions  which, if consummated, would constitute a change in control; or
(iii)  any  person becomes the beneficial owner, as defined under Securities and
Exchange  Commission  rules, directly or indirectly of the Employer s securities
which  represent nine and one-half (9.5%) percent or more of the combined voting
power of the Employer's then outstanding securities entitled to elect directors;
or  (iv)  the  Board  of  Directors  adopts  a  resolution  to the effect that a
potential  change  in  control  for  purposes  of the agreement has occurred.  A
potential  change  in control remains pending for purposes of receiving payments
under  the  agreement until the earlier of the occurrence of a change in control
or  a  determination  by  the  Board of Directors or a committee thereof (at any
time)  that  a  change of control is not or was no longer reasonably expected to
occur.

          Termination  of employment because of disability, retirement or death,
or  by  the  Employer for cause or by the Employee for any reason other than for
good  reason,  will  not  result  in  the  full  payment  of  benefits under the
provisions  of  paragraph 7(d) above.   Cause" is defined under the agreement to
mean:  (i) willful failure substantially to perform prescribed duties other than
as  a  result  of  disability;  or  (ii)  the  willful  engaging  in  misconduct
significantly  detrimental  to  the  Employer.   Good  reason"  for  Employee to
terminate  employment  with the Employer occurs if: (i) duties are assigned that
are  materially  inconsistent  with  previous  duties;  (ii)  duties  and
responsibilities  are  substantially reduced; (iii) base compensation is reduced
not  as  part  of  an  across-the-board  reduction  for  such  executives;  (iv)
participation  under compensation plans or arrangements generally made available
to  persons  at the Employee s level of responsibility at the Employer is denied
except  as otherwise provided; (v) a successor fails to assume the agreement; or
(vi)  termination  is  made  without  compliance  with  prescribed  procedures.

          8.  Addresses.  That,  unless mutually amended in writing, any notices
required or permitted to be given under this Agreement shall be sufficient if in
writing  and  sent  by  registered  mail  to  the  following  addresses:

          FOR  THE  EMPLOYER:
          Summit  Financial  Corporation
          C/O  J.  Randolph  Potter
          P  O  Box  1087
          Greenville,  SC  29602

          FOR  THE  EMPLOYEE:
          James  B.  Schwiers
          224  E.  Augusta  Place
          Greenville,  SC  29605

          9.  Vacation.  That  during  the  term of active employment hereunder,
the  Employee shall be entitled to an annual paid vacation of three (3) weeks to
be  taken  at such reasonable time or times as allowed by the Board of Directors
of  the  Employer.

     10.  Employee  Benefits.  That  the  Employee shall be entitled, during the
term  of  active  employment  hereunder, to those employee benefits currently in
place  for  the  Employee.

          11.  State  Law.  That  this Agreement is made pursuant to the laws of
the  State  of  South  Carolina  and  shall  be  construed  thereby.

          12.  Entire  Agreement.  That  this Agreement constitutes the sole and
complete  agreement  between the Employer and the Employee and it is agreed that
no  verbal  or other statement, inducements or representations have been made to
or  relied upon by the Employee and that no modification to this Agreement shall
be  binding upon either party hereto unless in writing and signed by each party.

          13.  Binding  Effect.  That this Agreement is binding upon the parties
hereto, their successors, personal representatives, legal representatives, heirs
and assigns (however this Agreement shall not be assigned by the Employee unless
the  Employer  shall  agree  thereto  in  writing).

          IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  parties hereto have signed and sealed this
Agreement  on  the  date  above  first  written.

IN  THE  PRESENCE  OF:             EMPLOYER:
                                   SUMMIT  FINANCIAL  CORPORATION

   /s/ Blaise B. Bettendorf        By:  /s/ J. Randolph Potter
                                   Its:  President
   /s/ Karen Dye                   And:  /s/ C. Vincent Brown
                                   Its:  Chairman


                                   EMPLOYEE:

   /s/ Blaise B. Bettendorf          /s/ J. B. Schwiers
   /s/ Karen Dye