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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         March 14, 2001


REPUBLIC BANK TENDER OFFER                  For Further Information:
SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED                      KEVIN SIPES
                                            Chief Financial Officer
                                            (502) 584-3600


        LOUISVILLE - Republic  Bancorp,  Inc.  (NASDAQ:  RBCAA) the holding
company for Republic  Bank & Trust Company has  successfully  completed its cash
offer to purchase up to 1,000,000  shares of the Company's  Class A Common Stock
at a price  between $8 - $10, a decision  which "we  believe  will  enhance  the
Company's  long-term  value," said Kevin Sipes,  senior vice president and chief
financial officer.
        On  February  12, the Company  announced  the tender  offer  through a
modified  Dutch  auction.  Based  on a  preliminary  count  by  the  depositary,
approximately  747,325 shares of Class A Common Stock were tendered  pursuant to
the offer of which 40,987  shares were  tendered  through  notices of guaranteed
delivery.
         Based  on   preliminary   results,   which  indicate  the  offer  is
undersubscribed,  all shares  will be  acquired by the Company at a price of $10
and will be retired. Final results will be announced when available.
        "The offer was made,"  Sipes added,  "because  management  and the Board
believe  that the  purchase of the shares in the offer  provided  an  attractive
investment  opportunity  for the  Company,  while  at the  same  time  providing
tendering shareholders with a price above current market."
        Additionally,  Sipes said, "Our Board of Directors has previously
approved the purchase of a maximum of 500,000  shares in the open market under a
separate  program of which  approximately  441,000 have been purchased.  We will
continue to consider future buying  opportunities  under that program as well as
the possibility of another tender offer in the future."
        REPUBLIC  BANK  & TRUST  COMPANY  HAS  21  BANKING CENTERS IN 7 KENTUCKY
COMMUNITIES:  BOWLING GREEN, ELIZABETHTOWN,  FRANKFORT,  LEXINGTON,  LOUISVILLE,
OWENSBORO,  AND SHELBYVILLE;  A LOAN PRODUCTION OFFICE IN CLARKSVILLE,  INDIANA;
REFUNDS  NOW, A  NATIONWIDE  TAX REFUND LOAN AND CHECK  PROVIDER,  AND  INTERNET
BANKING AT  WWW.REPUBLICBANK.COM.  REPUBLIC BANK IS HEADQUARTERED IN LOUISVILLE,
KENTUCKY AND HAS $1.5 BILLION IN ASSETS. REPUBLIC BANCORP, INC., REPUBLIC BANK'S
PARENT COMPANY, IS TRADED ON THE NASDAQ (RBCAA).