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                                                                   Exhibit 99(a)
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                                  NEWS RELEASE

                              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


CONTACTS: SANDRA L. STOCKHORST                     TINA M. FARRINGTON
          VP, INVESTOR RELATIONS                   VP, MARKETING
          (419) 784-4023                           (419) 784-2549


                RURBAN FINANCIAL CORP. SHAREHOLDERS REWARDED WITH
                       CASH DIVIDEND AND 5% STOCK DIVIDEND

DEFIANCE, Ohio, August 27, 2001-- Rurban Financial Corp. (OTC Bulletin Board:
RBNF) ("Rurban") shareholders received good news when its board announced a
quarterly cash dividend of $0.12 per share and a 5% stock dividend payable
September 28, 2001 to shareholders of record on September 14, 2001. "We are
pleased to reward our shareholders with a 5% stock dividend for the second
consecutive year, in addition to the quarterly cash dividend. Rurban investors
have experienced consistent and long term growth of their investment due to
Rurban's long history of strong earnings, stock splits, stock dividends as well
as cash dividends," commented Thomas C. Williams, President and CEO.

"We look forward to sharing more information regarding Rurban's long term growth
strategies as well as the cash and stock dividends at our September Fall
Shareholder meetings," added Williams. More information is available by calling
419-783-8819.

Looking ahead to the second half of the year, we are concentrating on improving
our net interest margin through continued exercise of improved pricing
disciplines and an increased focus on customer relationship management. We
expect that interest rates will stabilize in the coming quarters, also enhancing
our net interest income. Based on these expectations, we anticipate generating
record earnings in 2002 as economic conditions normalize," stated Williams.


ABOUT RURBAN FINANCIAL CORP.

Rurban Financial Corp. is a publicly traded bank holding company based in
Defiance, Ohio. Rurban's common stock is quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board under
the symbol RBNF.

The Company currently has 10,000,000 shares of stock authorized and 4,347,238
shares outstanding. The investment banking firms of McDonald & Co. Securities
Inc. (Trident Securities Division), Sweney Cartwright and Co. and Friedman,
Billings, Ramsey Group, Inc. are the primary market makers for these shares.

Rurban's wholly owned subsidiaries and operating divisions are The State Bank
and Trust Company, Reliance Financial Services, N.A., The Peoples Banking
Company, The First Bank of Ottawa, The Citizens Savings Bank Company, Rurbanc
Data Services, Inc. (RDSI), and Rurban Life Insurance Company. The banks offer a
full range of financial services through their offices in the Northern Ohio
counties of Defiance, Paulding, Fulton,




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Hancock, Putnam, Sandusky, Wood, Cuyahoga, and Summit. Reliance Financial
Services offers a diversified array of trust and financial services to customers
nationwide. RDSI provides data processing services to community banks in Ohio,
Michigan and Indiana.

This press release may contain statements that are forward looking as defined by
the Securities and Exchange Commission in its rules, regulations and releases.
The Company intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe
harbors created thereby. All forward-looking statements are based on current
expectations regarding important risk factors including those identified in the
Company's most recent periodic report and other filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Accordingly, actual results may differ materially from
those expressed in the forward-looking statements, and the making of such
statements should not be regarded as a representation by the Company or any
other person that the results expressed therein will be achieved.



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