FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



                           IBT BANCORP, INC. ANNOUNCES
                       ADOPTION OF SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN



         Irwin,  Pennsylvania,  November 19, 2003 -- IBT Bancorp,  Inc.  (AMEX -
IRW) announced  today that its Board of Directors  adopted a Shareholder  Rights
Plan (the  "Rights  Plan") in which  rights to  purchase  Common  Stock  will be
distributed  as a dividend to all  stockholders.  The Rights will  automatically
attach to the Companies common stock.  Stockholders need take no action and will
not receive additional certificates.

         Charles G. Urtin,  the  President  and Chief  Executive  Officer of the
Company,  stated that "the Rights  Plan is designed to deter  coercive  takeover
tactics  including  the  accumulation  of shares in the open  market or  through
private  transactions  and to prevent an acquiror  from  gaining  control of the
Company without offering a fair price to all of the Company's stockholders."

         The rights  will be issued to  stockholders  of record on  December  1,
2003, at a rate of one right per share,  and will expire in 10 years.  Under the
terms of the Rights  Plan,  the rights will  generally  become  exercisable  and
separate  certificates  representing  the rights will be distributed 10 business
days after a person or group acquires 10% or more of the Company's common stock,
or 10 business days after a person or group  commences a tender offer that would
result in such  person or group  owning  10% or more of the  outstanding  shares
(even  if  no  purchases  actually  occur).  The  rights  will  begin  to  trade
independently from the Company's shares at that time. At no time will the rights
have any voting power.

         When the rights first become exercisable,  a holder will be entitled to
buy from the Company one share of the Company's common stock at a purchase price
of $205 per  share.  Upon the  acquisition  by any  person of 10% or more of the
Company's  common stock,  however,  each right not owned by the 10%  stockholder
would become exercisable for shares of the Company's common stock having a value
equal to twice the purchase price of the rights.

         The  rights  generally  may be  redeemed  by  action  of the  Board  of
Directors  at $.01 per right at any time  prior to the tenth day  following  the
public  announcement  that any person or group has  acquired  10% or more of the
Company's shares.

         Current  stockholders  will receive more information on the Rights Plan
in the mail.  Current  stockholders do not need to take any action now under the
Rights  Plan.  The  Company  will file the Rights Plan with the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K.



         Statements  contained in this press  release,  which are not historical
facts,  are  forward-looking  statements  as the term is defined in the  Private
Securities  Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such  forward-looking  statements are
subject to risks and  uncertainties  which could cause actual  results to differ
materially  from those currently  anticipated due to a number of factors,  which
include,  but are not limited to,  factors  discussed in documents  filed by the
Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time.