National Bankshares, Inc. Appoints Bryson J. Hunter to Senior Vice President, Secretary & Counsel

Blacksburg, Virginia, July 28, 2011 – James G. Rakes, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of National Bankshares, Inc., is pleased to announce the appointment of Bryson (Bryce) J. Hunter as Senior Vice President, Secretary and Counsel of National Bankshares, Inc.

A native of the Philadelphia area, Mr. Hunter received his Bachelor’s Degree from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and went on to earn his Juris Doctorate from the College of William & Mary’s Marshall-Wythe School of Law. Prior to joining Bankshares, he was a Partner with Gentry, Locke, Rakes & Moore, LLP in Roanoke, where he specialized in banking regulatory compliance and securities matters for financial institutions.

“We are extremely pleased to have Bryce join us,” said Chairman Rakes in commenting on the appointment. “I believe Bryce’s experience and expertise are an excellent fit for our Company. As Secretary and Counsel, he will play a key role here and I have no doubt that he will be a tremendous asset to our shareholders, our employees and our customers. We really look forward to working with him.”

Mr. Hunter is a member of the Virginia State Bar, the Virginia Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He presently serves on the Board of Directors of the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council (RBTC) where he is a member of the Government Relations Committee.

Mr. Hunter lives in Roanoke with his wife Cindy and two daughters, Abby and Libby.

National Bankshares, Inc. is a financial holding company headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, with total assets of approximately $1.03 billion.  It is the parent company of National Bank, a 120 year-old community bank with 25 offices throughout Southwest Virginia. Additional information is available on the Company’s web site at www.nationalbankshares.com.