PEOPLES BANCORP INC. - P.O. BOX 738 - MARIETTA, OHIO - 45750
                                                          www.peoplesbancorp.com


                                  NEWS RELEASE


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                       Contact:  Mark F. Bradley
- ---------------------                                 Peoples Bank
July 8, 2005                                          President and CEO
                                                      (740) 373-3155


                       PEOPLES BANK APPOINTS TWO DIRECTORS
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         MARIETTA, Ohio - Peoples Bank, National Association ("Peoples Bank"), a
subsidiary of Peoples Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq: PEBO), announced the recent
elections of Jeffrey W. Franz and David L. Mead as directors of Peoples Bank.
The Peoples Bank Board of Directors unanimously approved the appointments of Mr.
Franz and Mr. Mead at the company's board meeting on June 23, 2005.
         "Jeff and David are welcome additions to the Peoples Bank board of
directors," said Mark F. Bradley, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Both
individuals have strong experience in the financial services industry, and we
are fortunate to add representation of their caliber to our directorship."
         Mr. Franz, a life-long resident of Ashland, Kentucky, joins Peoples
Bank's board with more than 20 years of experience in banking and financial
services. Mr. Franz began his career with the Bank of Ashland in the mid-1980s.
Following the acquisition of the Bank of Ashland by Fifth Third Bank, Mr. Franz
served in a leadership role until his retirement in 2004. He is an owner of the
Franz Group, LLC, a holding company for several real estate, development and
investment companies. Mr. Franz's extensive civic involvement includes
membership and past directorship of the Ashland Alliance (chamber of commerce
for Boyd and Greenup Counties in eastern Kentucky); membership and active
involvement with several committees of the Paramount Arts Center; and former
Treasurer of the King's Daughters Health Foundation.
         Mr. Mead, a resident of Marietta, Ohio, is an Associate Professor of
Management and Finance in the Department of Economics, Management and Accounting
at Marietta College. Mr. Mead has 29 years of experience in accounting and
finance and has most recently served as Chief Financial Officer of First Place
Financial Corp. in Warren, Ohio, and Capital Holdings, Inc. in Toledo, Ohio. Mr.
Mead is a graduate of Otterbein College with a degree in Business
Administration. He received an MBA from Xavier University and is also a
Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Mead is a member of the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants and the Ohio Society of Certified Public
Accountants. He is also a past chapter President and past director of the
National Leadership Board of Financial Executives International.
         The appointments fill the vacancy created by the recent death of Robert
E. Evans, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Peoples Bank, and
increase the number of directors by one. With Mr. Franz and Mr. Mead's
appointments, the number of directors was increased to 11. In other action at
the June 23 Peoples Bank Board meeting, Paul T. Theisen was appointed Chairman
of the Board and Wilford D. Dimit was appointed Vice Chairman of the Board of
Directors.
Peoples Bank is a subsidiary of Peoples Bancorp Inc., a diversified financial
products and services company with $1.8 billion in assets. Peoples Bank makes
available a complete line of banking, investment, insurance, and trust solutions
through 50 locations and 33 ATMs in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky. Peoples
Bank's financial service units include Peoples Financial Advisors and Peoples
Insurance Agency, Inc. Peoples Bancorp's common shares are traded on the NASDAQ
national market under the symbol "PEBO", and Peoples Bancorp is a member of the
Russell 3000 index of US publicly traded companies. Learn more about Peoples
Bancorp at www.peoplesbancorp.com.

                                 END OF RELEASE