Exhibit 99

                                                  CONTACT:  J a m e s
                                                  M.Roolf
          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             (630) 875-7452 
                                                  TRADED:   NASDAQ/NMS
                                                  SYMBOL:   FMBI


                           FIRST MIDWEST BANCORP COMPLETES 
                          ACQUISITION OF MCHENRY STATE BANK 


          ITASCA,  IL.,   OCTOBER  2,   1997  --  FIRST   MIDWEST  BANCORP,
          INC.(NASDAQ:  FMBI) today  announced  that it  has completed  the
          previously  reported acquisition  of SparBank,  Incorporated, the
          holding company  of the $450  million McHenry State  Bank ("MSB")
          located in McHenry, Illinois.  

          This  acquisition is strategically  important as it significantly
          strengthens First Midwest's presence  in its primary focus market
          of  suburban  Chicago, one  of  the  fastest  growing  and  least
          consolidated banking markets in the country.  More precisely, the
          acquisition  of  McHenry County's  largest  bank increases  First
          Midwest's suburban  Chicago presence by some 20%  to $2.8 billion
          in   assets  and  38  offices.    MSB  is  a  superior  performer
          historically  earning in the range  of 1.30% to  1.50% of average
          earning assets.  

          Structured  as  an  exchange of  stock  and  accounted  for as  a
          pooling-of-interests, the acquisition  is expected to  be neutral
          to First Midwest's 1997  earnings and 2-3% accretive to  its 1998
          earnings.  MSB will be merged into First Midwest Bank during late
          first  quarter  1998  with  projected  cost  savings  and  income
          enhancements being realized over the balance of the year.  A pre-
          tax charge  in the  range of $6.5-$7.0  million will be  taken in
          fourth quarter 1997 and communicated when fourth quarter earnings
          are released in mid-January 1998. 

          At $3.7 billion, First Midwest Bancorp is Illinois' third largest
          publicly traded bank holding company and is engaged in commercial
          banking,   trust,   investment   management,  mortgage   services
          primarily in northern Illinois and eastern Iowa.
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