Exhibit 99.1

NORTHWEST BANCORP, INC.
Liberty and Second Streets
Warren PA  16365
February 7, 2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS:
William J. Wagner                                    Mark Schoen
President and CEO                                    Chairman and CEO
Northwest Bancorp, Inc.                              Prestige Bancorp, Inc.
Warren, Pennsylvania                                 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
TEL: (814) 726-2140                                  TEL: (412)655-1190

NORTHWEST BANCORP TO ACQUIRE PRESTIGE BANCORP

         Warren, Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. February 7, 2002.
Northwest Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: NWSB), the holding company for Northwest
Savings Bank, and Prestige Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: PRBC), the holding company for
Prestige Bank, announced jointly today that they have entered into a definitive
agreement under which Northwest Bancorp and Northwest Savings Bank would acquire
Prestige Bancorp and Prestige Bank, respectively. Under the terms of the
agreement, the shareholders of Prestige Bancorp will receive $13.75 in cash for
each share of Prestige Bancorp, resulting in a cash payment by Northwest of
approximately $14.7 million. Each of the Boards of Directors has approved the
transaction. Due diligence has been completed. The transaction is expected to be
completed in the third calendar quarter of 2002 and is subject to approval by
the Prestige Bancorp shareholders and applicable regulatory authorities.

         Mark Schoen, Chairman and CEO of Prestige Bancorp, stated, "We are
pleased to merge with Northwest. The merger will give us the opportunity to
expand services for our customers and allow us to continue to be a community
bank. Northwest has the tradition of quality customer service and community
involvement that we were seeking in a merger partner."

         William J. Wagner, President and Chief Executive Officer of Northwest
Bancorp, stated, "We are very pleased to announce the merger with Prestige. When
combined, our bank will operate a network of ten community banking offices in
the South Hills of Pittsburgh and Washington County which will give our
customers more convenient banking. We are excited about expanding in this
market. We intend to continue Prestige Bank's focus on community banking, and we
will continue to follow its tradition as a real community bank that has served
the South Hills for 66 years. At the same time, we plan to expand the menu of
traditional banking products and services and add new, non-traditional services
such as brokerage, investment management and trust."



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         Founded in 1896, Northwest Savings Bank holds assets of $3.9 billion
and currently operates 118 community banking facilities in 33 counties in
Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio. Locally, the bank currently serves the
communities of Bridgeville, Canonsburg, Fredericktown, Marianna, McDonald and
Washington.

         Founded in 1935, Prestige Bank, the subsidiary of Prestige Bancorp,
operates four offices in the South Hills of Pittsburgh in Bethel Park,
Elizabeth, Mt. Oliver and Pleasant Hills. A federally chartered savings bank,
Prestige held assets of $197.8 million as of September 30, 2001.

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