EXHIBIT 99

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         Contact: Mark F. Bradley
- ---------------------                                  Peoples Bank
April 1, 2003                                          President and COO
                                                       (740) 373-3155



                   PEOPLES BANK TO OPEN LOAN PRODUCTION OFFICE
                                IN DELAWARE, OHIO
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         MARIETTA, Ohio - Peoples Bank, a subsidiary of Peoples Bancorp Inc.
(Nasdaq: PEBO), announced today the opening of a loan production office in
Delaware, Ohio.
         The new office will focus primarily on serving the commercial credit
needs of Delaware, Marion, Union, and Franklin Counties, plus surrounding areas.
The new office is located at 351 West Central Avenue in Delaware.
         "The central Ohio area is a vibrant economic market and we believe
Peoples Bank can satisfy more of the loan demand in that expanding area,"
commented Mark F. Bradley, Peoples Bank's President and Chief Operating Officer.
"With our other central Ohio loan production offices in Fairfield and Licking
Counties, we think the new office in Delaware will give us more coverage in key
economic markets."
         Terry Musick joins Peoples Bank as Vice President and will manage the
Delaware lending operation. Musick has 9 years experience in financial services
in the Delaware County area. He is a graduate of Ohio Dominican College and also
has tax and accounting experience. Musick can be reached by calling 740-360-3647
or via e-mail tmusick@peoplesbancorp.com. He and his family reside in Marion
County.
         Peoples Bancorp Inc., a diversified financial products and services
company with $1.6 billion in assets, makes available a complete line of banking,
investment, insurance, and trust solutions through Peoples Bank's 45 offices and
30 ATMs in Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Peoples' common shares are traded
on the NASDAQ national market under the symbol "PEBO" and Peoples is a member of
the Russell 3000 index of US publicly traded companies. Learn more about Peoples
and its on online banking capabilities at www.peoplesbancorp.com.

                                 END OF RELEASE