Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ: FITB) and First Charter Corporation (FCTR) have signed a definitive agreement under which Fifth Third will acquire Charlotte-based First Charter, which operates 57 branches in North Carolina and 2 in suburban Atlanta. This combination provides Fifth Third Bank an entrance into the thriving Charlotte metropolitan market, and adds to its small presence in Georgia, which it would acquire with its pending R-G Crown Bank transaction announced in May.