Provident Bankshares (PBKS) 10-Q 2006 Q2 Quarterly report

Exhibit 32.1

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO

18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADDED BY

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

In connection with the Quarterly Report of Provident Bankshares Corporation (the “Company”) on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2006 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Report”), I, Gary N. Geisel, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1350, as added by Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company as of and for the period covered by the Report.

/s/ Gary N. Geisel

Gary N. Geisel

Chief Executive Officer and

Chairman of the Board

August 9, 2006