GULFPORT, Miss. (February 1, 2010) - Carl J. Chaney and John M. Hairston, chief executive officers of Hancock Holding Company, today announced the promotion of Clifton J. "Clif" Saik as Chief Wealth Management Officer for the 111-year-old financial services leader.

Saik oversees Hancock's wealth management division - including trust, investment brokerage, insurance, private banking, and investment management - and the integration of those functions into the company's comprehensive money management strategies delivered by bank relationship managers.

Saik joined Hancock Bank in 1998 as trust and financial services director and has more than 21 years of trust banking experience. He began his banking career as a trust investments portfolio manager in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. He is also past executive vice president and card services director with the former New Orleans based First Commerce Corporation. Saik was CEO of that company's Marquis Insurance Agency, L.L.C., executive vice president and director of its trust and retail brokerage groups, and vice president and manager of the corporate and institutional trust and trust operations divisions.

A certified public accountant honored with the Elijah Watts Sells award, Saik is a University of New Orleans alumnus and has a finance degree from Tulane University. He graduated from and was an instructor at the Mid-South School of Banking. Saik is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Louisiana Society of CPAs. He is a board member and finance chair for the Methodist Home for Children, a Louisiana Artist Guild Task Force member, and a past member of the Louisiana Bankers Association Legislative Committee.

Saik and his wife reside in Metairie and have two sons.

Founded in 1899, Hancock Bank consistently rates among America's safest, most trustworthy top-10 banks. Hancock Holding Company (NASDAQ: HBHC), the parent company of Hancock Bank, has assets of approximately $8.7 billion. Forbes.com recently ranked Hancock 14th among America's best banks; and BauerFinancial, Inc., recommended Hancock Bank as one of the strongest U.S. financial institutions for more than 20 consecutive years. More corporate information and e-banking are available at www.hancockbank.com.

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For More Information

R. Paul Maxwell, VP & Corporate Communications Manager
1.800.522.6542 or paul_maxwell@hancockbank.com