NATIONAL PENN BANK
letterhead

NEWS RELEASE

DIVISION:

FOR RELEASE:   IMMEDIATE

CONTACT:       Wayne R. Weidner, President & CEO (610) 369-6282

            NATIONAL PENN BANK PURCHASES PATRIOT BANK'S TOPTON BRANCH

         Boyertown,  PA, November 21, 1997... National Penn Bank, Boyertown, PA,
today purchased the deposits and physical  facility of Patriot Bank's branch
office located at 30 West Franklin  Street in Topton,  PA. This branch will open
for business as a National Penn branch on Monday, November 24.

         Wayne R. Weidner,  President  and CEO of National  Penn Bank,  said the
acquisition  will enable  National Penn to  consolidate  its existing  Mertztown
Office, located at 951 State Street, into the Topton Office. This is expected to
take place at the  beginning of January.  Customers  will benefit from  expanded
services  including  an ATM and safe deposit  boxes.  National  Penn's  recently
unveiled PC banking and telephone  banking  products for consumers  also will be
available to this expanded market.

         National  Penn has been serving the Topton area  through its  Mertztown
location since 1974. The new  consolidated  Topton branch  location will be more
centrally located for borough residents.

         National Penn Bank operated 50 other offices in Berks, Bucks,  Chester,
Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and Philadelphia Counties.