First Midwest Bancorp (ONBPP) 8-K First Midwest Bancorp Declares Second Quarter Dividend

			Exhibit 99
[LOGO]			NewsRelease
			First Midwest Bancorp 300 Park Blvd., Suite 405 P.O. Box 459 Itasca, Illinois 60143-9768 (630) 875-7450
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CONTACT:		Barbara E. Briick (630) 875-7459 www.firstmidwest.com
		TRADED: SYMBOL:	Nasdaq FMBI
FIRST MIDWEST BANCORP DECLARES SECOND QUARTER DIVIDEND

ITASCA, IL, MAY 16, 2001 -First Midwest Bancorp, Inc.(Nasdaq: FMBI) today announced the declaration of a quarterly cash dividend on its common stock of $0.20 per share, 11% higher than 2000's second quarter dividend. The new quarterly cash dividend will be payable July 24, 2001 to shareholders of record on June 29, 2001.

With assets of approximately $6 billion, First Midwest is the largest independent and one of the overall largest banking companies in the highly attractive suburban Chicago banking market. As the premier independent suburban Chicago banking company, First Midwest provides commercial banking, trust, investment management, mortgage and related financial services to a broad array of customers through 73 offices located in more than 40 communities primarily in northern Illinois.

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