News/Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2005

Historic Gulfport Building will Again Serve as Financial Center

     GULFPORT, Miss., Oct. 12 -- For the first time in nearly 25 years, Hancock Bank customers will once again conduct banking business within the historic confines of the bank's former headquarters, located at the corner of 14th Street and Highway 49.

Constructed in 1928, the old Hancock Bank building will serve as a full service financial center while recovery efforts continue in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The old lobby area is reminiscent of bank interiors of a bygone era, when elaborate molding and polished vault doors were the norm.

George Schloegel, CEO of Hancock Bank, said retail banking services will be available in the old building while repairs and renovations are being made to the adjacent 15-story Hancock Plaza building. With the opening, Hancock Bank becomes the first bank to re-open in downtown Gulfport. "It was important that we return to full banking services available to customers at our Gulfport location," Schloegel said. "Being in the old, historic portion of our complex reminds us that our roots are here on the Coast, and we will continue to pursue the task of rebuilding with our friends and neighbors."

Hancock Bank, founded in 1899, had occupied the historic building from 1939 until 1981, when the new One Hancock Plaza was opened. Since moving into One Hancock Plaza, the old bank building has housed many of the company's key operations departments as well as other operations.

Schloegel said although the old building sustained some water damage and salt spray from Hurricane Katrina, crews were able to quickly restore the building to working order. One Hancock Plaza, the 15-story corporate headquarters of Hancock Bank, is undergoing more extensive repairs to portions of the building damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Plans include upgrades to make the building safer, stronger, and more energy efficient.

One Hancock Plaza also serves as office space for other major tenants, including Mississippi Power, Port Authority, and Harrison County Development Commission. Schloegel said no formal timeline has been announced pending completion of final designs.

"People all across the Coastal and South Mississippi community are busy putting their lives back together," said Schloegel. "Like so many others, we at Hancock Bank did not escape damage but are bouncing back and looking forward to being bigger and better than before. We are here, and we are going to stay here. We look forward to helping the Coast rebuild."

Hancock Bank moved quickly to restore its operations following the August 29 storm, literally opening some of its banking operations 24 hours after the devastating hurricane made landfall. Within the first week after the storm, Hancock re-opened 25 branches that had been damaged. The bank currently has 38 of its Mississippi branch locations open for business. Hancock Bank also operates 47 financial centers in Louisiana and five in the Florida Panhandle.

Leo Seal, Jr., Chairman of Hancock Holding Company, said the 106-year-old bank has seen similar events over the course of its history. "Hurricane Camille dealt us a similar blow, but the Coast came back from that, and it will again. We at Hancock Bank have been on the Coast for a long time, too, and we intend to be here for a long time to come," he said.

Hancock Holding Company (Nasdaq: HBHC) -- the parent company of Hancock Bank Mississippi, Hancock Bank of Louisiana, Hancock Bank of Florida and Magna Insurance Company -- has assets of $4.8 billion. Found in 1899, Hancock Bank consistently ranks among America's strongest, safest, financial institutions.

Hancock Bank operates 103 full-service offices and more than 130 automated teller machines throughout South Mississippi, Louisiana, and the Florida Panhandle, as well as subsidiaries Hancock Investment Services, Inc., Hancock Insurance Agency, Ross King Walker, J. Everett Eaves and Harrison Finance Company.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION
R. Paul Maxwell, VP & Corporate Communications Manager
(228) 214-5252 or 1.800.522.6542 (x.85252)
paul_maxwell@hancockbank.com