<PAGE>
Exhibit 24
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Each of the undersigned, being a director and/or officer of BB&T
Corporation (the "Company"), hereby nominates, constitutes and appoints John A.
Allison, Scott E. Reed and Jerone C. Herring, or any one of them severally, to
be his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and to sign in his or her name
and on his or her behalf in any and all capacities stated below, and to file
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), a Registration
Statement on Form S-4 (the "Registration Statement") relating to the issuance of
shares of the Company's common stock, $5.00 par value per share, in connection
with the acquisition by the Company of FCNB Corp, a Maryland corporation, and to
file any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments, to the
Registration Statement, making such changes in the Registration Statement as
such attorney-in-fact deems appropriate, and generally to do all such things on
his or her behalf in any and all capacities stated below to enable the Company
to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all
requirements of the Commission.
This Power of Attorney has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on August 22, 2000.
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
/s/ John A. Allison, IV /s/ Scott E. Reed
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
Name: John A. Allison, IV Name: Scott E. Reed
Title: Chairman of the Board and Title: Senior Executive Vice President
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer
(principal executive officer) (principal financial officer)
/s/ Sherry A. Kellett /s/ Paul B. Barringer
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
Name: Sherry A. Kellett Name: Paul B. Barringer
Title: Executive Vice President Title: Director
and Controller
(principal accounting officer)
/s/ Nelle Ratrie Chilton /s/ Alfred E. Cleveland
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
Name: Nelle Ratrie Chilton Name: Alfred E. Cleveland
Title: Director Title: Director
/s/ W. R. Cuthbertson, Jr. /s/ Ronald E. Deal
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
Name: W. R. Cuthbertson, Jr. Name: Ronald E. Deal
Title: Director Title: Director
/s/ A. J. Dooley, Sr.
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
Name: A. J. Dooley, Sr. Name: Tom D. Efird
Title: Director Title: Director
/s/ Paul S. Goldsmith /s/ L. Vincent Hackley
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
Name: Paul S. Goldsmith Name: L. Vincent Hackley
Title: Director Title: Director
/s/ Jane P. Helm /s/ Richard Janeway, M.D.
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
Name: Jane P. Helm Name: Richard Janeway, M.D.
Title: Director Title: Director
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
/s/ J. Ernest Lathem, M.D. /s/ James H. Maynard
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
Name: J. Ernest Lathem, M.D. Name James H. Maynard
Title: Director Title: Director
/s/ Joseph A. McAleer, Jr. /s/ Albert O. McCauley
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
Name: Joseph A. McAleer, Jr. Name: Albert O. McCauley
Title: Director Title: Director
/s/ J. Holmes Morrison /s/ Richard L. Player, Jr.
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
Name: J. Holmes Morrison Name: Richard L. Player, Jr.
Title: Director Title: Director
/s/ C. Edward Pleasants /s/ Nido R. Qubein
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
Name: C. Edward Pleasants Name: Nido R. Qubein
Title: Director Title: Director
/s/ E. Rhone Sasser /s/ Jack E. Shaw
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
Name: E. Rhone Sasser Name: Jack E. Shaw
Title: Director Title: Director
/s/ Harold B. Wells
------------------------------------------
Name: Harold B. Wells
Title: Director
</TABLE>
