EXHIBIT 99b

                          FIRST COMMUNITY BANK APPOINTS
                         INTERIM THREE MEMBER COMMITTEE

CLINTON, NEW JERSEY, AUGUST 13, 1997...UNITY BANCORP, INC. (AMEX: UBI, UBI.WS),
headquartered in Clinton, New Jersey, parent holding company of FIRST COMMUNITY
BANK, announced today that the Board of Directors has chosen a three member
committee to manage the bank on a day to day basis until a permanent successor
is chosen following the recent resignation of James Hyman, president. The
committee is comprised of Peter G. Schoberl, Senior Loan Officer, Thomas
Maresca, Senior Operations Officer and Julie Y. Carlson, Treasurer of the bank
and is reporting to Robert J. Van Volkenburgh, Chairman of the Board and Chief
Executive Officer of UNITY BANCORP, INC.

Mr. Van Volkenburgh stated, "The Board of Directors is conducting a thorough
search for the new candidate."

UNITY BANCORP, INC. is the holding company for FIRST COMMUNITY BANK. FIRST
COMMUNITY BANK, which had assets of approximately $195 million as of June 30,
1997, is a commercial bank providing a wide range of business and consumer
financial services and operates seven branches in Hunterdon, Somerset and Union
Counties.

                                     Page 7