{"url_path":"/sec/sfst/8-k/2026-06-02/item-5-02","section_key":"item-5-02","section_title":"Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain","topic":"sec","document":{"doc_type":"8-K","doc_date":"2026-06-02","source_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1090009/0001206774-26-000308-index.html","accession_number":"0001206774-26-000308","cik":"0001090009","ticker":"SFST","issuer_name":"SOUTHERN FIRST BANCSHARES INC","edgar_url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1090009/0001206774-26-000308-index.html","primary_entity_key":"0001090009","primary_entity_name":"SOUTHERN FIRST BANCSHARES INC"},"word_count":384,"has_tables":true,"body_markdown":"**ITEM 5.02.\nDeparture of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain\nOfficers**\n\n \n\nEffective June\n1, 2026, the Boards of Directors of Southern First Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”) and Southern First Bank (the “Bank”)\napproved the appointment of Mr. Bryan Kennedy as a director. Mr. Kennedy will serve as a director of the Company and the Bank as well\nas on the Risk Committee of the Boards. Mr. Kennedy will participate in the current director compensation arrangements generally applicable\nto the Company’s non-employee directors as described in the Company’s Proxy Statement filed in connection with its 2026 Annual\nMeeting of Shareholders. There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Kennedy and other persons pursuant to which he was selected\nas director. In addition, Mr. Kennedy has not engaged in any transaction with the Company or the Bank that would be reportable as a related\nparty transaction under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.\n\n \n\nMr. Kennedy\nrecently retired from a 43-year career in commercial banking, most recently serving SouthState Bank as Northern Banking Group President\nover North Carolina and Virginia. His experience includes leadership positions at various financial institutions such as First Charlotte\nBank, Park Meridian Bank and Regions Bank. In 2006, Mr. Kennedy founded Park Sterling Bank, the largest capitalized start-up in North\nCarolina history, which was sold to SouthState Bank in 2017. Mr. Kennedy also serves as the Lead Independent Director of the Cato Corporation,\nan NYSE-traded women’s specialty apparel retailer, where he has served as director since 2009. He received his undergraduate degree\nfrom the University of Virginia and his MBA from the University of North Carolina. The Boards believe Mr. Kennedy’s ties to\nthe Charlotte community, a key market for the Bank, and his extensive commercial banking and public company board experience will enhance\nhis ability to serve as a director of the Company and the Bank.\n\n \n\n**EXHIBIT\nINDEX**\n\n \n\nExhibit No.\nDescription\n\n \n \n\n104\nCover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the\nInline XBRL document)\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n**SIGNATURES**\n\n** **\n\nPursuant to\nthe requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the\nundersigned hereunto duly authorized.\n\n \n\n \n**SOUTHERN FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.**\n\n \n \n \n\n \nBy:\n/s/ Christian J. Zych\n\n \nName: \nChristian J. Zych\n\n \nTitle:\nChief Financial Officer\n\n \n\nJune 2, 2026"}