EXHIBIT 99.1

   MetroCorp Bancshares Inc. Names George M. Lee President and CEO

    HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 26, 2004--MetroCorp Bancshares Inc.
(Nasdaq:MCBI), a Texas corporation, which through its subsidiary,
MetroBank, N.A., provides community banking services in Houston and
Dallas, today announced that George M. Lee has been named President
and CEO of MetroCorp Bancshares Inc. ("the Company"). Mr. Lee replaces
Allen D. Brown, who has resigned from those positions.
    Mr. Lee has served on the Board of Directors of the Company for
five years, chairman of its Audit Committee and member of the
Compensation Committee until being named as the executive vice
chairman in September 2003.
    Don J. Wang, the Company's chairman, stated: "The Board of
Directors values George Lee's strategic planning and implementation
skills in addition to his overall executive management experience with
major publicly held companies. We believe that he can take the Company
to higher performance levels and provide higher returns to
shareholders."
    MetroCorp Bancshares Inc., with $879 million in assets, provides a
full range of commercial and consumer banking services through its
wholly owned subsidiary, MetroBank, N.A. The Company has 14
full-service banking locations in the greater Houston and Dallas
metropolitan areas. For more information, visit the Company's Web site
at www.metrobank-na.com.
    The statements contained in this release that are not historical
facts may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking
statements describe MetroCorp's future plans, projections, strategies
and expectations, are based on assumptions and involve a number of
risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond MetroCorp's control.
Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
from the results anticipated or projected include, but are not limited
to, the following: (1) general business and economic conditions in the
markets MetroCorp serves may be less favorable than expected which
could decrease the demand for loan, deposit and other financial
services and increase loan delinquencies and defaults; (2) changes in
the interest rate environment which could reduce MetroCorp's net
interest margin; (3) changes in management's assumptions regarding of
the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses; (4) legislative or
regulatory developments including changes in laws concerning taxes,
banking, securities, insurance and other aspects of the financial
securities industry; (5) the effects of competition from other
financial institutions operating in the Company's market area and
elsewhere, including institutions operating locally, regionally,
nationally and internationally, together with such competitors
offering banking products and services by mail, telephone, computer
and the Internet; (6) changes in accounting principles, policies or
guidelines; and (7) the Company's ability to adapt successfully to
technological changes to meet customers' needs and developments in the
market place. All written or oral forward-looking statements are
expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements.
Please also read the additional risks and factors described from time
to time in MetroCorp's reports and other documents filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.

    CONTACT: MetroCorp Bancshares Inc., Houston
             Don J. Wang, 713-776-3876