Rome-based Heritage First Bancshares Inc. is expanding at home and in Alabama, the company announced.

The holding company of Heritage First Bank recently announced the opening of its fifth bank branch, in Orange Beach, Ala.

Heritage First Bank operates two locations in Rome — at 522 Shorter Ave. and at 1700 Turner McCall Blvd. — and plans to open a third in Armuchee soon. In Alabama, the bank has branches in Crossville and Fort Payne.

The holding company also has purchased property at 205 E. First Ave. in an effort to expand its Rome headquarters and consolidate services, said Vicki Knight, compliance and human resource officer at Heritage First Bank.

Plans call for expanding the 9,000-square-foot headquarters to include the bank’s loan operations, Knight said. The facility presently houses the bank’s corporate offices and its operations center, which will conduct data processing for all locations.

William B. Hurley, chairman, legal counsel, president and chief executive officer, said the bank has purchased property in Armuchee, just north of Mount Berry Square, for the location of a full-service branch. It should open in the first quarter of 2008, he said.

“Certainly, we’re moving forward with an eye on the future,” Hurley said. “But we will never lose sight of our commitment to the principles of independent banking and to our home in Rome and Floyd County. We look forward to continued growth and prosperity.”

Heritage First received approval from both the FDIC and the State of Alabama Banking Department to open the Orange Beach office in and to relocate the main office of Dekalb Bank from Crossville to Orange Beach.

The headquarters of the Alabama locations will be in Orange Beach. The branch there opened Monday.

John W. Branam, CEO of Heritage First Bank, said the bank also has purchased property on Ala. 59 North in Foley, Ala., near Gulf Shores, for future expansion.