[Scanoptics logo omitted]
                                                           For Immediate Release


            Contact:Annmarie Gordon (860) 645-7878/email: agordon@scanoptics.com
                    Susan Lucek  (860) 645-7878/email: slucek@scanoptics.com


                      Scan-Optics Announces Appointment of
                             New Executive Officers


Manchester, CT - March 10, 2005 - Scan-Optics,  Inc. (OTC BB: SOCR), a leader in
information  capture and customer service  solutions for government,  insurance,
order fulfillment,  proxy, health claims, test scoring and other paper-intensive
businesses, today announced the resignation of James C. Mavel as Chief Executive
Officer and President  and the  appointment  of Logan Clarke,  Jr. as Acting and
Chief Executive Officer and President.
         Mr. Clarke has been a Director of Scan-Optics since 1981 and has worked
closely with Mr. Mavel and other  members of  Scan-Optics'  management  over the
years. He had previously served as Interim Executive  Director of Southeast Area
Technology  Center,  a business  incubator and revolving  loan fund from 1995 to
1996,  independent  management  consultant  from 1990 to 1995, as Executive Vice
President of Society for Savings,  a savings bank, from 1986 to 1990, as Dean of
the School of Management at The Hartford  Graduate  Center from  1983-1986 and a
lecturer in  management  from  1979-1983.  Prior to 1979,  Mr.  Clarke served in
multiple senior management positions in the banking industry.
         Also today, the Company  announced the appointment of Paul M. Yantus to
the  position  of  Chief  Operating  Officer.  Mr.  Yantus  brings  20  years of
experience in  information  and document  management to  Scan-Optics'  executive
team.
         Mr.  Yantus  just  completed  negotiations  for the  merger  of  Espire
Marketing  Inc., a business he founded  offering an ASP solution for  marketing,
with a provider of business and consumer data. Prior to Espire,  Mr. Yantus held
senior level positions at MSX International,  Danka, and Lason Systems. He spent
the early portion of his career with the Eastman Kodak Company.
         Commenting  on his  appointment,  Mr.  Yantus  said,  "Scan-Optics  has
world-class  technology  that can be leveraged  into both  products and business
services.  I believe  the  Company  has great  potential  and I look  forward to
working with them to achieve it."





         Mr. Clarke, Acting Chief Executive Officer and President, stated, "Paul
comes to us with a wealth of  experience  in the document  management  industry,
including business process outsourcing,  an area where he can have a significant
impact on our company. I am confident that with Paul's knowledge of the industry
and proven leadership skills, Scan-Optics will be well positioned as we continue
to move the Company forward."
         Scan-Optics,  Inc., with  headquarters in Manchester,  Connecticut,  is
recognized  internationally  as  an  innovator  and  solution  provider  in  the
information  management  and  imaging  business.  It designs,  manufactures  and
services  products and systems for character  recognition,  image processing and
display,   data  capture,   data  entry,  and  multi-user   business  computers.
Scan-Optics  systems and  software  are marketed  worldwide  to  commercial  and
government   customers   directly   and   through   distributors.   Through  its
Manufacturing   Services   Division,    Scan-Optics   also   provides   contract
manufacturing  services to customers,  outsourcing the manufacturing of complex,
electro-mechanical assemblies. The Company has sales and service offices located
throughout the United States and abroad.  Additional information is available at
www.scanoptics.com.
         Statements  about the Company's future  expectations,  including future
revenues and earnings, and all other statements in this press release other than
historical  facts  are  "forward-looking  statements"  made  under  safe  harbor
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and involve a
number of risks and  uncertainties  that could materially affect future results.
Among these risk factors are changes in general economic and business conditions
in the United States and foreign  markets,  which impact capital  investments by
customers,  the cyclical  nature of funding within federal and state  government
agencies,  further  adverse  changes  in  the  Company's  banking,  lending  and
financing relationship,  insufficient cash resources, increased competition from
similar products,  the  implementation of other  technologies  which may provide
alternative  solutions,  ability to complete  projects in a timely  manner,  and
other risk  factors and  cautionary  statements  listed from time to time in the
Company's  periodic  reports filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission,
including  but not limited to the  Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2003.


                                       ###