EXHIBIT 99.1



                                CIVITAS BANKGROUP

                      810 Crescent Centre Drive, Suite 320
                               Franklin, TN 37067
                      office 615.263.9500 fax 615.383.8830


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         Contact: Mike Alday, Josh Raymond
June 1, 2005                                           Alday Communications
                                                       615.791.1535

CIVITAS BANKGROUP COMPLETES SALE
OF BANK OF MASON

FRANKLIN, Tenn. - Civitas BankGroup (OTC:CVBG) has closed its sale of The Bank
of Mason in Mason, Tenn., announced Richard E. Herrington, president of Civitas.

Mason Bancorp, Inc. has purchased The Bank of Mason, formerly a Civitas
subsidiary. Mason Bancorp is a newly formed bank holding company founded by
several West Tennessee businessmen, including Jock Weaver, Frank Weaver and John
Wilder III, grandson of John Wilder, who is Chairman of the Board of Civitas
BankGroup.

"We are pleased to complete this transaction which returns The Bank of Mason to
its community roots. This was the final piece in our transition toward focusing
Civitas on the Middle Tennessee market," said Herrington.

Civitas BankGroup is headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee, and the parent
company of Cumberland Bank.

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THE STATEMENTS CONTAINED IN THIS RELEASE WHICH ARE NOT HISTORICAL FACTS ARE
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS MADE PURSUANT TO THE SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS OF THE
PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
DESCRIBING OUR FUTURE PLANS, PROJECTIONS, STRATEGIES AND EXPECTATIONS, ARE BASED
ON ASSUMPTIONS AND INVOLVE A NUMBER OF RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES, MANY OF WHICH
ARE BEYOND OUR CONTROL. ACTUAL RESULTS COULD DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE
PROJECTED DUE TO CHANGES IN INTEREST RATES, COMPETITION IN THE INDUSTRY, CHANGES
IN LOCAL AND NATIONAL ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND VARIOUS OTHER FACTORS. ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION CONCERNING SUCH FACTORS, WHICH COULD AFFECT US, IS CONTAINED IN OUR
FILINGS WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION.