Bank of America announced it is hiring 45 small business bankers across North and South Carolina to provide guidance and counsel to local small business owners.

The additions are part of the company’s previously announced plan to hire 1,000 small business bankers across the nation by mid-2012

“Today, we’re proud to announce that small businesses in the Carolinas will have access to a new level of expertise to help them grow and thrive,” said Steve Turner, Southeast region sales executive for Bank of America. “By working with one of our small business bankers, small businesses will have more resources to help them better manage their cash flow so they can run their businesses more efficiently.”

Bank of America said according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are over one million small businesses in the Carolinas. In North Carolina alone, these businesses represent 98% of all employers and approximately 1.6 million employees. Of the 28,518 companies with operations in Charlotte, 26,487 companies employ fewer than 50 workers. In South Carolina, small businesses represent over 97% of all employers and employ nearly 50 percent of the private-sector workforce. The majority (77.8%) of South Carolina’s small businesses have fewer than 20 employees.