NEWS RELEASE
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
7/21/2006
Contact: Richard Scott or Bryna Butler, (740) 446-2631, 1-800-468-6682


              OVBC ANNOUNCES STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM AND DECLARES
                  QUARTERLY CASH DIVIDEND ON ITS COMMON STOCK


GALLIPOLIS,  Ohio -- Ohio Valley Banc Corp. [NASDAQ: OVBC] was authorized by its
Board of Directors on July 18, 2006, to repurchase up to 175,000  shares of OVBC
common stock through open market and privately negotiated purchases.  The timing
of the  purchases,  the prices  paid and the  actual  number of shares of common
stock purchased will depend upon market  conditions and  limitations  imposed by
applicable federal securities laws. All shares of common stock purchased will be
held as treasury  shares and will be available  for use by OVBC  pursuant to the
terms of OVBC's Dividend  Reinvestment  and Employee Stock Purchase Plan as well
as for other general corporate purposes.

Jeffrey E.  Smith,  president  and chief  executive  officer,  commented,  "This
authorization  by our Board will permit the purchase of shares,  when available,
to meet the demand  for the  Dividend  Reinvestment  Program.  Our  shareholders
purchased  more than 48,000  shares of common  stock in 2005 under the  Dividend
Reinvestment Plan (DRIP) and Employee Stock Purchase Plan."

All  purchases  will be made by OVBC  between  August 16, 2006 and  February 16,
2007, unless OVBC's Board of Directors extends the program.

Also on July 18, 2006, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend
on its common stock of $0.17 per common share. The dividend is payable on August
10, 2006, to shareholders of record on July 28, 2006.

Ohio Valley  Bank,  the  largest of OVBC's  subsidiaries,  has two big  projects
underway.  A new 8,000 square foot banking  facility in Jackson,  Ohio will open
this  fall.  The  bank  will  also  begin  offering  its  new   e-Delivery,   an
electronically delivered account statement in August.

Ohio Valley Banc Corp. operates three subsidiaries: Ohio Valley Bank established
in 1872, operates 16 offices in Ohio and West Virginia; Loan Central celebrating
ten years in business,  operates five offices in Ohio; and Ohio Valley Financial
Services,  based in Jackson, Ohio. Ohio Valley Banc Corp. stock is traded on the
NASDAQ  Global  Market  under  the  symbol  OVBC.  The  company's  Web  site  is
www.ovbc.com.