EXHIBIT 99


MEDIA CONTACT:                   JAMES E. ADAMS, 419-783-8910, rfcmkt@rurban.net
INVESTOR CONTACT:                VALDA COLBART, 419-784-2759, rfcinv@rurban.net

               RURBAN FINANCIAL CORP. RECEIVES REGULATORY APPROVAL
              TO ACQUIRE TWO BANKING OFFICES IN ALLEN COUNTY, OHIO

DEFIANCE, OH, May 9, 2005 - Rurban Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: RBNF), a leading
provider of full-service community banking, investment management, trust
services, and bank data processing, announced that it has received regulatory
approval from the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and the Ohio Department of
Financial Institutions, to purchase two Lima, Ohio branch offices of Liberty
Savings Bank, FSB, Wilmington, Ohio as previously announced. The State Bank and
Trust Company will be assuming the operation of these offices effective as of
the close of business on June 17, 2005.

Commenting on the acquisition of these branches, Kenneth Joyce, President and
Chief Executive Officer of Rurban Financial Corp., stated, "We are excited to
enter Allen County, where we see significant opportunities for loan and deposit
growth in the Lima market. As we previously announced, David Anderson will serve
as President of the Lima Region. David has eleven years of experience in this
market, and we are pleased to have him on our team. Our entire company will work
with David and the Lima staff to ensure that the Liberty customers experience a
smooth transition."

ABOUT RURBAN FINANCIAL CORP.

Rurban Financial Corp. is a publicly-held financial services holding company
based in Defiance, Ohio. Rurban's wholly-owned subsidiaries are The State Bank
and Trust Company, Reliance Financial Services, N.A., Rurbanc Data Services,
Inc. (RDSI) and RFCBC, Inc. The bank offers a full range of financial services
through its 11 offices in Defiance, Paulding and Fulton Counties. Reliance
Financial Services offers a diversified array of trust and financial services to
customers throughout the Midwest. RDSI provides data processing services to
community banks in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri.

Rurban's common stock is quoted on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol
RBNF. The Company currently has 10,000,000 shares of stock authorized and
4,569,162 shares outstanding. The Company's website is
http://www.rurbanfinancial.net.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements within this document, which are not statements of historical
fact, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve
risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from those
predicted by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties
include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties inherent in the
national and regional banking, insurance and mortgage industries, competitive
factors specific to markets in which Rurban and its subsidiaries operate, future
interest rate levels, legislative and regulatory actions, capital market
conditions, general economic conditions, geopolitical events, the loss of key
personnel and other factors.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and
Rurban undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to
reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made.
All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to
Rurban or any person acting on our behalf are qualified by these cautionary
statements.