PEOPLES BANCORP INC. - P.O. BOX 738 - MARIETTA, OH 45750
                                                          www.peoplesbancorp.com


                                  NEWS RELEASE


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                Contact:  Robert E. Evans
---------------------                          Chairman and CEO
September 2, 2003                              (740) 373-3155



                          PEOPLES BANCORP NAMED ONE OF
                          AMERICA'S FINEST COMPANIES(R)
                  --------------------------------------------

         MARIETTA, Ohio - Peoples Bancorp (Nasdaq: PEBO) was recently recognized
in the 13th annual edition of America's Finest Companies(R), an investment
directory of all publicly traded US companies with at least 10 consecutive years
of higher earnings and/or dividends per share.
         "We are again honored to be a part of this select group of companies,"
commented Robert E. Evans, Peoples Bancorp's Chairman and CEO. "It recognizes
all of Peoples' associates for our continuing drive to grow shareholder value
through integrated financial service solutions."
         Only the top 2% of the 19,000+ publicly traded US companies make the
list of America's Finest Companies(R). The directory is published annually by
Bill Staton, Chairman of the Staton Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina,
(704) 365-2122.
         Peoples Bancorp was also named to the "Super 50 Team", reserved for
companies with a combined total of at least 50 years of higher earnings and
dividends per share. Only 19 companies received this elite distinction,
representing just 0.1% of all publicly traded US companies. Peoples was ranked
4th in the nation, with consecutive earnings per share growth of 29 years and
annual dividend growth of 37 straight years.
         Peoples Bancorp Inc., a diversified financial products and services
company with $1.86 billion in assets, makes available a complete line of
banking, investment, insurance, and trust solutions through Peoples Bank's 50
sales offices and 33 ATMs in Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Peoples' common
shares are traded on the NASDAQ national market under the symbol "PEBO." Peoples
Bancorp is a member of the Russell 3000 index of US publicly traded companies.
Learn more about Peoples at www.peoplesbancorp.com.

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