FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


                     Commerce Bank Appoints John J. Cardello
                              to Board of Directors

CAMP HILL, PA (Jan. 28, 2004)-- Pennsylvania Commerce Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:
COBH), parent company of Commerce Bank/Harrisburg, NA, today announced the
appointment of John J. Cardello, CPA, to the bank's Board of Directors,
expanding the board to nine members. Cardello is partner at Seligman, Friedman &
Co., PC, certified public accountants and consultants.

A resident of York, PA, Cardello is responsible for the accounting and auditing
functions of Seligman, Friedman & Co. He is one of five members of the firm's
executive committee, which oversees offices in York, Harrisburg and State
College, PA. Cardello has more than 20 years of accounting and business
consulting experience.

"We are pleased to welcome John to Commerce Bank's Board of Directors," said
Chairman of the Board, President and CEO Gary L. Nalbandian. "His experience and
expertise will be valuable assets to our current board membership. We look
forward to John's contributions to the growth and success of `America's Most
Convenient Bank.'"

Cardello primarily focuses on accounting, auditing, tax planning and business
consulting for closely-held construction companies. He manages Seligman,
Friedman & Co.'s construction division and is active in several construction
industry organizations. He also has expertise in the audits of regional and
national corporations and employee benefit plans.

A recognized expert on the management of public accounting firms, Cardello is
certified to perform Peer Review Engagements on behalf of other CPA firms,
involving the evaluation of accounting and quality control procedures and
assisting in the formation of quality assurance systems.

Cardello is past president of the South Central Chapter of the Pennsylvania
Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He serves as board member and
treasurer of The Salvation Army and committee member for the Central
Pennsylvania Certified Manager of Financial Advisors


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PAGE 2-- Commerce Bank Appoints John J. Cardello to Board of Directors


organization. Cardello is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants, the Institute of Management Accounting and the American Builders
Association. He earned his bachelor's degree in accounting from The Pennsylvania
State University.

Cardello joins board members Gary L. Nalbandian, Chairman, President and CEO,
Pennsylvania Commerce Bancorp; James R. Adair, President and CEO, Adair
Construction Services, Inc.; Douglas S. Gelder, Owner and President, DSG
Development; Alan R. Hassman, Owner and Operator, Seven McDonald's Restaurant
Locations; Howell C. Mette, Senior Partner, Mette, Evens & Woodside; Peter J.
Ressler, Attorney, Mette, Evens & Woodside; Michael A. Serluco, Owner,
Consolidated Properties; and Samir J. Srouji, MD, Owner, Plastic Surgery, PC.

Commerce Bank/Harrisburg opened its first office in Camp Hill, PA, in June of
1985. In the 19 years since, the bank has cultivated a unique retail model that
has produced dynamic growth. The bank has doubled its number of branches in
Central Pennsylvania in recent years, growing a network of 23 stores in Berks,
Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon and York counties.

Commerce's hallmark products and services include seven-day branch banking,
totally free checking, no-fee instant-issue ATM/Visa check card, free
interactive Penny Arcade coin-counting machines, America's Best Online Banking
and 24/7 Bank-by-Phone.

Commerce Bank/Harrisburg has been recognized by U.S. Banker as the No. 1
performer in its region and one of the top-performing publicly traded community
banks in the country. Regionally, the bank has been named to the Central Penn
Business Journal Top Fifty Fastest Growing Companies list and the Patriot-News
Superstar Leaders list.

A subsidiary of Pennsylvania Commerce Bancorp, Commerce Bank/Harrisburg
currently has assets exceeding $1 billion and is working toward an asset goal of
$2 billion and a branch network of 40 offices by 2006. Pennsylvania Commerce
Bancorp shares the Commerce brand with the Commerce Bancorp Inc. (NYSE: CBH)
network of banks headquartered in Cherry Hill, NJ.

For more information about Commerce Bank/Harrisburg, visit the bank's
interactive financial resource center at commercepc.com.

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