MEMPHIS, Tenn., April 6 /PRNewswire/ --
    National Commerce Bancorporation (Nasdaq: NCBC), the parent company of
National Bank of Commerce (NBC), and First Virginia Banks, Inc. (NYSE: FVB)
announced today an agreement for NCBC to acquire First Vantage Bank -
Tennessee, a subsidiary of First Virginia Banks, Inc.  Terms of the agreement
were not disclosed.
    First Vantage Bank - Tennessee is a $168 million-asset financial
institution with ten locations in East Tennessee.  Once the acquisition is
completed, NBC will have twenty-six branch locations throughout East Tennessee
and assets in excess of $600 million.  First Vantage Bank is NBC's first
banking acquisition in this market.
    "The addition of the First Vantage banking locations is an excellent
complement to our existing branch network.  This acquisition strengthens the
service we provide to our clients in the Knoxville area by offering the
convenience of in-store banking, along with traditional free standing
locations which provide drive-thru banking and night depositories," said Dan
W. Hogan, Knoxville president.
    NBC entered the Knoxville area in 1986 when the first branch opened in the
Chapman Highway Kroger store.  In 1996, the company acquired Kenesaw Leasing
and J & S Leasing to provide additional services to the small business
customer.  These acquisitions further complement NBC's array of banking
products including trust and brokerage services, home mortgages, and
commercial loan and deposit services.
    The acquisition is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, and is
expected to close in the third quarter of 2001.  Once the transaction is
completed, the First Vantage Bank branches will operate under the National
Bank of Commerce name.  Hogan stated he is excited about working with the
First Vantage Bank management team in completing the merger and offering
additional products and services to First Vantage Bank customers and
employees.

    BACKGROUND:
    National Commerce Bancorporation has $16.6 billion in assets and nearly
400 locations in nine Southeastern states, of which approximately 85 are in
Tennessee.  NCBC, headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., with its operations
headquarters in Durham, N.C., is a sales and marketing organization that
delivers select financial and consulting services through a national network
of banking affiliates and non-banking affiliates.

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
    These statements constitute forward-looking statements (within the meaning
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995), which involve
significant risks and uncertainties.  A variety of factors could cause actual
results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or
other expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements.
    National Commerce Bancorporation does not assume any obligation to update
these forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results
could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
    Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to
competition from both financial and non-financial institutions; changes in
interest rates, deposit flows, loan demand and real estate values; changes in
legislation or regulation; changes in accounting principles, policies or
guidelines; the timing and occurrence (or non-occurrence) of transactions and
events that may be subject to circumstances beyond the control of National
Commerce Bancorporation; and other economic, competitive, governmental,
regulatory and technological factors affecting National Commerce
Bancorporation specifically or the banking industry or economy generally.

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