MEDFORD, OR--(Marketwire - Sep 26, 2012) - PremierWest Bank (NASDAQ: [ PRWT ]) is pleased to announce The "Community Star Award," a new and unique Facebook-based challenge that will be an ongoing program to honor volunteerism in our communities.

There will be six awards during the year for people who excel in their community through volunteerism. What makes this program unique is that the nominations and voting are decided BY the community, FOR the community via a viral social media campaign. Each of the 2 month long Facebook promotions will focus on volunteers who are part of a certain demographic group: i.e. military veterans, families, seniors, youth, teachers, service workers. The first group starting today: Military Veterans. Anyone can nominate a military veteran who after serving our county proudly and selflessly came home and continued to serve: this time serving their community.

Online nominations will be made by the public submitting nominations via an online form available at the following location: [ http://bit.ly/veteransedition ]. The public will vote via a Facebook app on who should win via an entry form and vote tally online. The final three top vote getters will be reviewed by a panel of judges from the bank to validate first, second, and third places. Each of the top three "stars" will have a donation made in their name to the charity of their choice by PremierWest Bank. 

Ken Wells, Chief Marketing Officer of PremierWest, said: "This is designed as a Facebook challenge so that the voting will become viral. If a person nominates someone, then they and the organization or charity the nominee works with should do everything in their power to get as many votes as possible. It will help to call attention to the unsung work of specific groups of people, such as veterans, who tirelessly assist others in need."

Community Star Award
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ABOUT PREMIERWEST BANCORP

PremierWest Bancorp (NASDAQ: [ PRWT ]) is a financial services holding company headquartered in Medford, Oregon, and operates primarily through its subsidiary PremierWest Bank. PremierWest Bank offers expanded banking-related services through its subsidiary PremierWest Investment Services, Inc.