SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
September 13, 1999
_______________________________________________
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
PEOPLES BANCORP INC.
______________________________________________________
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
0-16772
______________________
Commission File Number
Ohio 31-0987416
______________________________________________ _______________________
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
138 Putnam Street
P.O. Box 738, Marietta, Ohio 45750
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
(740) 373-3155
Not applicable
_____________________________________________________________
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Index to Exhibits on page 3
Item 1. Changes in Control of Registrant
Not applicable.
Item 2. Acquisition or Disposition of Assets
Not applicable.
Item 3. Bankruptcy or Receivership
Not applicable.
Item 4. Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant
Not applicable.
Item 5. Other Events
On September 13, 1999, Peoples Bancorp Inc. announced plans of one of
its subsidiaries, The Peoples Banking and Trust Company ("Peoples Bank"), to
introduce Peoples OnLine Connection, an Internet-based electronic banking
system. The release is included herewith as Exhibit 99.
Item 6. Resignations of Registrant's Directors
Not applicable.
Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits
(a) Non required
(b) Non required
(c) Exhibits.
EXHIBIT NUMBER DESCRIPTION
______________ ______________________________________
99 News Release issued September 13, 1999
Item 8. Change in Fiscal Year
Not applicable.
Item 9. Sales of Equity Securities Pursuant to Regulation S
Not applicable.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
DATE: September 13, 1999 PEOPLES BANCORP INC.
____________________
Registrant
By: /S/ ROBERT E. EVANS
Robert E. Evans
President and Chief Executive Officer
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit Number Description Page
______________ ______________________________________ ______
99 News Release issued September 13, 1999 4 - 5
EXHIBIT 99
NEWS RELEASE
____________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Larry Holdren
September 13, 1999 President, Retail and Banking Division
(740) 373-3155
PEOPLES BANK TO OFFER INTERNET BANKING PRODUCT
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Customers will be able to "bank on-line"
Marietta, Ohio - The Peoples Banking and Trust Company ("Peoples Bank"), a
subsidiary of Peoples Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq: PEBO), today announced plans to
introduce Peoples OnLine Connection, an Internet-based electronic banking
system.
Peoples OnLine Connection will bring together a wide range of financial
services and products at one site, 24 hours a day, making banking and financial
management easier than ever before.
"With the dynamic world of e-commerce upon us, Peoples Bank has been
dedicated since January to devise and implement Peoples OnLine Connection,"
commented Larry E. Holdren, President of Peoples Bank's Retail and Banking
Division. "This electronic connection will enable us to provide our customers
with enhanced, customer-driven quality service they have come to expect."
Holdren continued, "We have worked for nearly 100 years to build strong
relationships with our customers and understand their financial needs. Peoples
OnLine Connection provides our customer with another means to access their
accounts and financial information. It empowers each customer to control their
own financial matters and accelerates the transaction-oriented process to make
it easier to connect with Peoples Bank."
With Peoples OnLine Connection and through a personal computer, Peoples
Bank's customers will be able to enjoy easy access to comprehensive, up-to-date
information, including viewing account history and real-time current balances,
transferring money between accounts, paying bills, reordering checks, ordering
Savings Bonds Certificates, and more.
Peoples Bank has partnered with Q-UP Systems (www.qup.com), a leading
provider of web-based financial products. Holdren added, "Q-UP has a proven
interface and successful track record with our core processor. In addition to
the Peoples OnLine Connection, they also offer a user-friendly Cash Management
system and will be able to fully integrate our current Bill Pay customers."
Alison Thompson, Project Manager for Peoples OnLine Connection, stated,
"This is an exciting challenge for our Electronic Banking area and one that will
enhance our ability to better serve our customers and potentially expand our
current customer base. Peoples OnLine Connection will provide customers 24-hour
access to account and transaction information, as well as provide an electronic
method to pay bills and manage finances."
Thompson continued, "Our on-line, real-time service redefines the
methods in which financial service products are delivered, and represents a key
factor to enhancing the connection between our customers and Peoples Bank."
Interested users of Peoples OnLine Connection can visit Peoples Bank's
redesigned web site at www.peoplesbancorp.com. Simply select the "Internet
Banking" link and follow the instructions to either "test drive" Peoples OnLine
Connection or enroll in the program.
Holdren summarized, "We have always focused on the needs and goals of
our customers. Internet banking, with its worldwide access and customer
controlled flexibility, is yet another way we can anticipate the needs of our
customers as e-commerce continues to prosper. We also realize that we must
maintain a balance between emerging technologies and traditional methods to
deliver products and service to our customers. Whether it is behind the scenes
through Internet banking or tending personally to customer needs, Peoples Bank
is ready to fulfill the needs of our customers through locally driven
decision-making and personalized service."
The Peoples Online Connection service is free to all Peoples Bank
customers. A minimal fee will apply to those customers who wish to utilize the
Bill Payer service, an online bill payment service that gives customers the
opportunity to conveniently pay bills over the Internet.
Peoples Bank is a subsidiary of Peoples Bancorp Inc., a diversified
financial services bank holding company headquartered in Marietta, Ohio. The
Company, which is Y2K ready, has over $1 billion in assets and operates 36
financial service locations in the states of Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky.
Peoples Bancorp's banking subsidiaries include Peoples Bank with offices in Ohio
and West Virginia; The First National Bank of Southeastern Ohio with three Ohio
offices; and Peoples Bank FSB, with four Kentucky offices. Through its
subsidiaries, Peoples Bancorp offers complete banking services and makes
available other financial services, such as trust services, and investment and
insurance products. Peoples Bancorp's common stock is traded through the Nasdaq
National Market System under the symbol "PEBO". Learn more about Peoples Bancorp
and Peoples OnLine Connection at www.peoplesbancorp.com.
END OF RELEASE
