OHIO VALLEY BANC CORP
DEF 14A, 1998-03-18
STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS
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                             OHIO VALLEY BANC CORP.

                                  P.O. BOX 240

                             GALLIPOLIS, OHIO 45631


                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS


<PAGE>
                                                                Gallipolis, Ohio
                                                                  March 18, 1998

To the Shareholders of
Ohio Valley Banc Corp.

         Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of  Shareholders of Ohio
Valley Banc Corp. (the "Company") will be held at the Morris and Dorothy Haskins
Ariel Theatre, 426 Second Avenue, Gallipolis, Ohio, on Wednesday, the 8th day of
April, 1998, at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, for the following purposes:

      1. To elect three  Directors of the Company to serve for three-year  terms
         until  the  2001  Annual  Meeting  of  Shareholders   and  until  their
         successors are elected and qualified.

      2. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting
         or any adjournment(s) thereof.

         Holders  of  Common  Shares  of the  Company  of record at the close of
business on March 11, 1998, will be entitled to vote at the meeting.

                                              BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS



                                                                James L. Dailey,
                                            Chairman and Chief Executive Officer



                                                               Jeffrey E. Smith,
                                President, Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer














                                        1

<PAGE>


                             OHIO VALLEY BANC CORP.
                                  P.O. Box 240
                             Gallipolis, Ohio 45631

                                                                  March 18, 1998

                                 PROXY STATEMENT

         This Proxy  Statement is first being mailed on or about March 18, 1998,
to all  shareholders  of  record  at the close of  business  on March 11,  1998,
regarding  the Annual  Meeting of  Shareholders  of Ohio Valley Banc Corp.  (the
"Company")  to be held at the Morris and  Dorothy  Haskins  Ariel  Theatre,  426
Second  Avenue,  Gallipolis,  Ohio, on  Wednesday,  April 8, 1998, at 5:00 p.m.,
Eastern Daylight Time.

         The  accompanying  proxy is  solicited by the Board of Directors of the
Company.  The cost of this solicitation  will be borne by the Company.  Although
the solicitation of proxies will be made primarily by mail,  proxies may also be
solicited by some of the Company's  Directors,  officers,  and regular employees
who may communicate  with  shareholders  personally and by mail,  telephone,  or
telegram to request the return of the proxies.

         The Annual Report of the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1997, including financial statements, is enclosed with this Proxy Statement.

Voting Rights and Proxies
- -------------------------

         Only shareholders of record at the close of business on March 11, 1998,
are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. As of February 13, 1998, the Company
had  outstanding  and entitled to vote at the Annual  Meeting  1,811,775  common
shares,  without  par value  ("Common  Shares").  The  number  of Common  Shares
outstanding  and  entitled  to vote at the Annual  Meeting  identified  above is
subject to  increase,  prior to the record  date of March 11,  1998.  Additional
Common  Shares,  which are currently  authorized  but not issued,  may be issued
prior to March 11, 1998,  pursuant to the voluntary  purchase  provisions of the
Company's  Dividend  Reinvestment Plan. These additional Common Shares which may
be issued after  February 13, 1998, but prior to March 11, 1998, are entitled to
the same voting rights as referenced above.

Shareholdings of Management
- ---------------------------

         The following table indicates,  as of February 13, 1998, the number and
percentage of  outstanding  Common Shares of the Company  beneficially  owned by
each  Director of the  Company,  by each  nominee  for  election to the Board of
Directors,  and by all  Directors  and  Executive  Officers  of the Company as a
group.  The Company knows of no person other than Mr.  Haskins who  beneficially
owns more than 5% of the Common Shares.







                                        2

<PAGE>


                                No. of Common Shares and              Percent of
Name and Address                Nature of Beneficial Ownership*         Class
- ----------------                -------------------------------       ----------

James L. Dailey**                           15,358                       .85%
445 Third Avenue
Gallipolis, Ohio 45631

Jeffrey E. Smith**                           7,002                       .39%
22 Edgemont Drive
Gallipolis, Ohio 45631

Morris E. Haskins                          173,451                      9.57%
1 Vine Street
Gallipolis, Ohio 45631

Keith R. Brandeberry, M.D.                  36,668                      2.02%
401 First Avenue
Gallipolis, Ohio 45631

W. Lowell Call                               7,288                       .40%
399 Maple Drive
Gallipolis, Ohio 45631

Robert H. Eastman                           18,432                      1.01%
4551 State Route 588
Gallipolis, Ohio 45631

Merrill L. Evans                            26,562                      1.47%
2362 East Bethel Church Road
Gallipolis, Ohio 45631

Warren F. Sheets                            78,430                      4.33%
120 First Avenue
Gallipolis, Ohio 45631

Thomas E. Wiseman                            4,731                       .26%
619 Fourth Avenue
Gallipolis, Ohio 45631

All Directors and Executive                387,497                     21.39%
Officers as a Group
(11 persons)







                                        3


<PAGE>


       * Included  are  Common  Shares  owned by each  Director,  each  nominee,
         Executive Officer or group and, in certain instances, by his spouse and
         minor children, and Common Shares over which each Director,  nominee or
         Executive  Officer  has full voting  control and power of  disposition.
         Also included in the Common Shares listed for Messrs.  Dailey and Smith
         are  Common  Shares  allocated  to  each  individual  in the  Company's
         Employee Stock Ownership Plan.

      ** Executive Officer of the Company and/or Bank.

         Effective  October 23, 1992, the Company became the parent  corporation
of The Ohio Valley  Bank  Company  (the  "Bank") in a one-bank  holding  company
system. As the result of a corporate reorganization approved by the shareholders
of the Bank,  each  shareholder of the Bank received one (1) Common Share of the
Company in exchange for each common share held by that  shareholder  of the Bank
on October 23, 1992. As of that date, and as a result of the reorganization, the
shareholders of the Bank possessed all of the  outstanding  Common Shares of the
Company and the Bank became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.

PROXY ITEM 1:  ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
- -------------  ---------------------

         The Company's  Board of Directors  consists of nine (9) members divided
into three (3)  classes.  The terms of office of three (3)  Directors of one (1)
class  expire at the Annual  Meeting.  Directors  elected at the Annual  Meeting
shall serve a three (3) year term until the 2001 annual meeting of  shareholders
and until their  respective  successors are elected and qualified.  The enclosed
proxy,  if returned  duly executed and unless  instructions  to the contrary are
indicated  thereon,  will be voted for the three (3) nominees listed below.  The
Board of the Bank has followed a policy that a Director of the Bank shall retire
at the Annual Meeting of  Shareholders  following the calendar year in which the
Director  attains  the age of 70. The policy does not apply to any member of the
Board of the Bank who was a member of the Board on December 2, 1980, the date of
the  adoption of this policy,  except for Merrill  Evans,  who has  specifically
requested  that this  policy  apply to his  tenure on the Board of the Bank.  In
observance  of this  policy,  a  Director  of the  Company  will not  stand  for
re-election  as a Director of the Company  following the  completion of the term
during which he attains the age of 70.

         Article Two of the Company's Code of Regulations  prescribes the method
for a  shareholder  to  nominate  a  candidate  for  election  to the  Board  of
Directors.  Nominations,  other than those made by or on behalf of the  existing
Board of Directors of the Company, must be made in writing and must be delivered
or mailed to the  President of the Company not less than 14 days,  nor more than
50 days,  prior to any  meeting  of  shareholders  called  for the  election  of
Directors. Such notification must contain the following information:

         a.  name and address of each proposed nominee;
         b.  principal occupation of each proposed nominee;
         c.  total number of shares of capital stock of the Company that will be
              voted for each proposed nominee;
         d.  name and  residence  address of the  notifying  shareholder;  and 
         e.  number of shares of capital stock of the Company owned by the
              notifying shareholder.

As of the date of this Proxy  Statement,  no persons have been so nominated  for
election at this Annual Meeting.



                                        4

<PAGE>

         The table below sets forth certain  information  as to each nominee for
election  as Director  and each  Director  who will  continue to serve after the
Annual Meeting.

         If for any reason,  any nominee  named below  should not be a candidate
for election at the time of the Annual  Meeting,  the proxies may be voted for a
substitute  nominee in the discretion of those named as proxies.  The Management
has no reason to believe  that any nominee  will be  unavailable.  The  nominees
receiving  the  greatest  number of votes will be elected.  Common  Shares as to
which the authority to vote is withheld and broker  non-votes,  if any, will not
be counted  toward the  election  of  Directors  or toward the  election  of the
individual nominees specified on the form of proxy.


                                                                        Director
                                                            Director     of the
                                                             of the      Company
Name                         Age   Principal Occupation*    Bank Since    Since
- ----                         ---   ---------------------    ----------  --------

                NOMINEES FOR ELECTION FOR TERMS EXPIRING IN 2001

Jeffrey E. Smith              48    President and              1986       1992
                                    Chief Operating Officer
                                    of the Company and the
                                    Bank, Treasurer
                                    of the Company

Robert H. Eastman***          57    President of Ohio          1986       1992
                                    Valley Supermarkets,
                                    Inc.

Warren F. Sheets              73    Attorney, Warren F.        1974       1992
                                    Sheets Co., LPA





















                                        5

<PAGE>

                      DIRECTORS WITH TERMS EXPIRING IN 1999

James L. Dailey               63    Chairman and Chief         1970       1992
                                    Executive Officer
                                    of the Company and
                                    the Bank

W. Lowell Call**,***          61    Vice President, Sausage    1986       1992
                                    Production, Bob Evans
                                    Farms, Inc.

Morris E. Haskins             86    Director of the Company,   1939       1992
                                    Chairman of the Bank
                                    from 1981 until his
                                    retirement in April, 1992


                      DIRECTORS WITH TERMS EXPIRING IN 2000

Keith R. Brandeberry, M.D.**  76    Physician                  1968       1992

Merrill L. Evans              65    Developer, Farmer and      1979       1992
                                    President, Evans
                                    Enterprises, Inc.

Thomas E. Wiseman***          39    President, The             1992       1992
                                    Wiseman Agency, Inc.



      *  Each of the Directors has held the respective position with the Company
         or the other companies listed for a period of at least five years.

     **  Member  of  the  Examination  and  Audit  Committee  of the  Bank.  The
         Committee  is  charged by Ohio law with  responsibility  for the Bank's
         audit.  The  Committee  met twelve (12) times during  1997.  The Bank's
         annual audit is reviewed by the entire Board of Directors.  Neither the
         Board of the Company nor the Bank has a standing Nominating  Committee,
         or a committee performing similar functions.

    ***  Member of the Compensation  Committee of the Company.  The Compensation
         Committee  establishes the  compensation  of Executive  Officers of the
         Bank. This Committee met five (5) times during 1997.

         During the past year,  the Board of  Directors  of the  Company met ten
(10) times,  and the Board of the Bank met  twenty-one  (21) times.  None of the
Directors  attended fewer than 75% of the aggregate of the total number of Board
meetings and the total number of meetings  held by  committees  of the Boards on
which he served during the year.






                                        6
<PAGE>

Remuneration of Executive Officers
- ----------------------------------

         The following  table shows,  for the three fiscal years ended  December
31, 1997, compensation paid by the Company for services in all capacities to the
following  Executive  Officers  of the  Company  who earned  salary and bonus in
excess of $100,000.

                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

                               Annual Compensation
===============================================================================
Name and Principal         Year   Salary(1)   Bonus(2)   All Other Compensation
Position                          ($)         ($)        ($)
===============================================================================

James L. Dailey            1997   $91,249     $100,367     $14,620 (3)
Chairman and               1996    86,319       91,342      13,845              
Chief Executive            1995    82,079       74,410      13,106
Officer of the
Company and
the Bank

Jeffrey E. Smith           1997   $73,345     $92,612      $14,044 (4)
President                  1996    63,145      84,243       13,079
and Chief                  1995    60,531      67,722       11,028
Operating
Officer of the
Company and the
Bank, and Treasurer
of the Company

(1)      "Salary" includes Director's fees received by Messrs.  Dailey and Smith
         during  each of 1997,  1996 and 1995  fiscal  years in the  amounts  of
         $2,400, $2,400 and $2,700, respectively.

(2)      "Bonus" includes Director's Bonus received by Messrs.  Dailey and Smith
         during  each of 1997,  1996 and 1995  fiscal  years in the  amounts  of
         $15,320,  $13,927 and $12,719,  respectively.  Messrs. Dailey and Smith
         have  chosen  to defer a portion  of their  bonus  under the  Company's
         deferred   compensation  plan  for  Directors  and  Executive  Officers
         implemented in 1996.

(3)      Includes   $3,375   allocated  to  Mr.   Dailey   pursuant  to  Company
         contributions  and reallocated  forfeitures  under the Ohio Valley Banc
         Corp.  Profit Sharing Plan;  $1,615 allocated to Mr. Dailey pursuant to
         Company contributions and reallocated  forfeitures under the 401-K plan
         which is provided for under the Ohio Valley Banc Corp.  Profit  Sharing
         Plan; $8,843 allocated to Mr. Dailey pursuant to Company  contributions
         and reallocated  forfeitures under the Ohio Valley Banc Corp.  Employee
         Stock  Ownership  Plan; and $787 premium paid by the Company for a life
         insurance  policy on the life of Mr.  Dailey,  pursuant to the terms of
         the Company's group life insurance contracts.  The proceeds are payable
         in the amount of two times the aggregate of; the employee's base salary
         for the current  calendar  year in which the  employee's  death occurs,
         including  any base  salary  which is  deferred  under a  qualified  or
         non-qualified  deferral plan plus bonuses and any Director's  fees paid
         in the previous  calendar year, also including any bonus and Director's
         fee which is deferred under a qualified or non-qualified deferral plan.
                                     
                                        7
<PAGE>

(4)      Includes   $3,375   allocated   to  Mr.   Smith   pursuant  to  Company
         contributions  and reallocated  forfeitures  under the Ohio Valley Banc
         Corp.  Profit Sharing Plan;  $1,615  allocated to Mr. Smith pursuant to
         Company contributions and reallocated  forfeitures under the 401-K plan
         which is provided for under the Ohio Valley Banc Corp.  Profit  Sharing
         Plan;  $8,843 allocated to Mr. Smith pursuant to Company  contributions
         and reallocated  forfeitures  under the Ohio Valley Bank Employee Stock
         Ownership  Plan;  and $211 of premium  paid by the  Company  for a life
         insurance policy on the life of Mr. Smith, pursuant to the terms of the
         Company's group life insurance  contracts.  The proceeds are payable in
         the amount of two times the  aggregate of; the  employee's  base salary
         for the current  calendar  year in which the  employee's  death occurs,
         including  any base  salary  which is  deferred  under a  qualified  or
         non-qualified  deferral plan plus bonuses and any Director's  fees paid
         in the previous  calendar year, also including any bonus and Director's
         fee which is deferred under a qualified or non-qualified deferral plan.


Compensation of Directors
- -------------------------

         No  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors   of  the  Company   received
remuneration  in 1997 for his  services  as such.  All of the  Directors  of the
Company serve as Directors of the Bank. In 1997,  each  individual who was not a
salaried officer of the Bank received $300 per month for his service as a member
of the Board of Directors of the Bank.  Directors Dailey,  Smith and Lanham (who
is a Director of the Bank but not of the  Company)  received  $200 per month for
their services.  The Bank Board met twenty-one (21) times in 1997. All Directors
received  $300 as a monthly  fee in the fiscal  years 1995 and 1996,  except Mr.
Dailey and Mr. Smith who both received $200 as a monthly fee. In addition, it is
the  practice  of the  Bank to pay a  bonus  to its  Directors  based  upon  the
performance of the Bank. For 1997, each Director of the Bank received a bonus of
$15,320.  This bonus figure was pro-rated for time served for new Directors Phil
A. Bowman, Art E. Hartley,  Sr., Charles C. Lanham and Lannes C. Williamson (who
are  Directors  of the Bank but not of the Company)  and  specifically  includes
amounts  participating  Directors  may have chosen to defer under the  Company's
deferred  compensation plan for Directors and Executive Officers  implemented in
1996.  The bonus paid to each  Director in the fiscal years of 1995 and 1996 was
$12,719 and $13,927,  respectively. Mr. Evans, Dr. Brandeberry, Mr. Haskins, and
Mr. Wiseman each received an additional  $38,597 in 1997 and $36,618 in 1996 for
their service as members of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of
the Bank,  which met forty-nine (49) times in 1997 and fifty (50) times in 1996.
This figure for Mr. Evans, Dr. Brandeberry,  and Mr. Haskins for the fiscal year
of 1995 was $35,122.  Executive  Committee members who are employees of the Bank
receive no  compensation  for serving on the  Executive  Committee.  The Company
maintains  a life  insurance  policy  with a death  benefit of two times  annual
Director fees reduced by 35% at age 65 and reduced by 50% at age 70.

         In December  1996,  life  insurance  contracts  were  purchased  by the
Company. The Company is the owner of the contracts. One of the purposes of these
contracts  was to replace a current group life  insurance  program for Executive
Officers and implement a deferred  compensation plan for Directors and Executive
Officers in 1996. Participants in the deferred compensation plan are eligible to
receive distribution of their contributions,  plus accrued interest earned at no
greater than market rate on reinvestment of the contributions, upon reaching age
70,  provided  that,  if a  participant  dies  before  reaching  age 70 and  the
participant qualifies, distribution will be made to the participant's designated
beneficiary  in an amount equal to what the Director  would have  accumulated if
the  participant had reached age 70 and had continued to make  contributions  to
the plan. The cost of providing the benefits to the participants  will be offset
by the earnings on the life insurance contracts.
 
                                        8
<PAGE>

Report of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors
- --------------------------------------------------------------
on Executive Compensation
- -------------------------

         Notwithstanding  anything  to  the  contrary  set  forth  in any of the
Company's previous filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  or the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  as amended,  that might  incorporate  future
filings,  including this Proxy  Statement,  in whole or in part, this Report and
the graph set forth on page 11 shall not be  incorporated  by reference into any
such filings.

         DECISION-MAKING  PROCESS. The Executive Officers of the Company receive
no  compensation  from  the  Company.  Instead,  they  are  paid by the Bank for
services rendered in their capacity as Executive Officers of the Company and the
Bank.  On April 9, 1997,  the Board of Directors of the Company  re-elected  the
following non-employee Directors to the Compensation Committee:

                           Thomas E. Wiseman, Chairman
                           W. Lowell Call
                           Robert H.  Eastman

         In 1993, the Bank engaged Crowe,  Chizek and Company LLP to construct a
comprehensive  wage and salary  administration  plan for the Bank to be used for
all its employees.

         The  Compensation  Committee  conducted the same written  comprehensive
performance  appraisal  on both James L.  Dailey  and  Jeffrey E. Smith that was
conducted  on all other  employees  of the Bank,  evaluating  their  ability  to
achieve or exceed the expected  requirements  of their  respective jobs based on
their specific job content  questionnaires.  From this appraisal,  a performance
rating on each individual was developed. The Compensation Committee met with Mr.
Dailey and Mr. Smith five (5) times during 1997 to review their  performance and
the goals established for each.

         In 1993, a marketplace range was developed by Crowe, Chizek and Company
LLP for all jobs at the Bank including those of Mr. Dailey and Mr. Smith.  These
ranges were revised in 1997 using the Crowe Chizek Bank Compensation  Survey and
the 1997 Ohio Bankers Association Compensation Survey. The performance rating of
Mr. Dailey and Mr. Smith and their position in the  marketplace  range were used
to determine  their  respective  bonuses for 1997, 1996 and 1995 and their 1998,
1997 and 1996 salaries.  Mr. Dailey and Mr. Smith received  salary  increases in
1997,  as  indicated in the Summary  Compensation  Table on page 7 of this Proxy
Statement.

         PHILOSOPHY AND CEO  COMPENSATION.  The  compensation  philosophy of the
Company and the Bank is that  compensation of its Executive  Officers and others
should be directly and materially linked to corporate operating performance.  To
achieve this  correlation,  executive  compensation  is heavily  weighted toward
bonuses paid on the basis of  corporate  performance.  It is a historical  fact,
therefore,  that in  years  when the Bank  has had  extraordinary  success,  its
officers have been well compensated and in less profitable  years, the officers'
pay has been negatively  impacted to a substantial degree. The cash compensation
program for Executive Officers consists of two elements, a base salary component
and a bonus component.  The bonus component consists of two bonus pools: one for
all Directors and one for all officers and employees. An Executive Officer, if a
Director,  may be eligible to participate in the Directors'  pool as well as the
officers' pool.




                                        9
<PAGE>

         The  objectives  of the bonus  component are to motivate and reward the
accomplishment  of annual  objectives  of the Company and the Bank,  reinforce a
strong  performance   orientation  with   differentiation   and  variability  in
individual  awards  based on  contribution  to annual  and  long-range  business
results,  and  provide  a fully  competitive  compensation  package  which  will
attract, reward, and retain individuals of the highest quality.

         The decision-making  process and compensation philosophy of the Company
and the Bank were considered by the Compensation Committee when determining 1997
compensation  for James L. Dailey,  Chairman and Chief  Executive  Officer,  and
Jeffrey E. Smith,  President,  Chief Operating  Officer,  of the Company and the
Bank. The Compensation  Committee  believes that the compensation  earned by Mr.
Dailey  and Mr.  Smith  in 1997  was  fair and  reasonable  when  compared  with
executive  compensation  levels  in the  banking  industry  as  reported  in the
marketplace  range  developed.  Mr. Dailey and Mr. Smith ranked in the middle of
the total compensation marketplace range for their respective grades.

Submitted by:
Compensation Committee Members

Thomas E. Wiseman, Chairman
W. Lowell Call
Robert H. Eastman


Other Transactions with Management
- ----------------------------------

         The Company  through its  subsidiary,  the Bank, has had and expects to
have in the future  banking  transactions  in the ordinary  course of the Bank's
business with some of the Directors,  officers and principal stockholders of the
Company and entities with which they are  associated.  All loans and commitments
to loan included in such transactions were made on substantially the same terms,
including  interest rates and collateral on loans and repayment  terms, as those
prevailing at the time for  comparable  transactions  with other persons and, in
the opinion of the  Management of the Company,  each such loan and commitment to
loan did not  involve  more than a normal  risk of  uncollectibility  or present
other  unfavorable  features.  The  aggregate  amount of loans to  officers  and
Directors of the Company,  entities in which such officers and Directors have an
interest,  and  affiliates  and other  associates  of officers and Directors was
$12,716,484 at December 31, 1997. As of the date hereof,  all of such loans were
performing loans.














                                       10


<PAGE>


Performance Graph

         The  following  graph sets forth a comparison  of five year  cumulative
total  return  among  the  Company's  Common  Shares  (indicated  "OVB"  on  the
Performance  Graph),  the S & P 500 Index and the Keefe,  Bruyette & Woods, Inc.
KBW 50  Index-Midwest  (the  "KBW-Midwest  Index")  (indicated  "Midwest" on the
Performance Graph) for the fiscal years indicated.  Information reflected on the
graph  assumes an  investment of $100 on December 31, 1992 in each of the Common
Shares, the S & P 500 Index and the KBW-Midwest  Index.  Cumulative total return
assumes reinvestment of dividends.  The KBW-Midwest Index represents stock price
performance  of  fifteen  (15) of the  nation's  large  banks  or  bank  holding
companies  located in the midwest  region of the United  States,  as selected by
Keefe,  Bruyette  & Woods,  Inc.  The  Company  is not  among the  fifteen  (15)
companies  included in the KBW-Midwest  Index. The Company has not identified at
this time any published index of stock performance which includes the Company or
bank holding companies comparable to it.


                             INDEX OF TOTAL RETURNS
                             S&P 500, MIDWEST, OVB
                                  1992 - 1997


               12/31/92  12/31/93  12/31/94  12/31/95  12/31/96  12/31/97
               --------  --------  --------  --------  --------  --------

S&P 500          $100      $110      $112      $153      $189      $252

MIDWEST          $100      $106       $97      $146      $199      $298

OVB              $100      $123      $138      $170      $215      $303















                                       11
<PAGE>


Information Concerning Independent Certified Public Accountant
- --------------------------------------------------------------

         Crowe, Chizek and Company LLP, which has served as independent auditors
for the Company  since 1992,  has been  selected by  management to serve in that
capacity for the 1998 fiscal year.  Representatives of Crowe, Chizek and Company
LLP  are  expected  to  be  in   attendance   at  the  Annual   Meeting.   These
representatives  will have the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to
do so and are expected to be available to respond to appropriate  questions.  In
connection  with its  annual  audit  services,  Crowe,  Chizek and  Company  LLP
examined  the  Company's  annual  financial  statements,  performed  the  annual
Directors'  examination  and  reviewed  annual  report  filings with the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation.

         In addition to its annual audit function, Crowe, Chizek and Company LLP
provided other professional  services consisting  principally of the preparation
and review of the corporate federal income tax return for the Company. The Board
of Directors has approved each  professional  service provided by Crowe,  Chizek
and Company LLP during the last year.  As a part of this approval  process,  the
Board of  Directors  considers  whether  the  performance  of each  professional
service  would  impair the  independence  of Crowe,  Chizek and  Company  LLP as
auditors for the Company.

Annual Report - Form 10-K
- -------------------------

         The Company will provide without charge to any shareholder of record on
March 11, 1998, on the written  request of any such  shareholder,  a copy of the
Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K,  including  Financial  Statements  and
Schedules  thereto,  required to be filed under the  Securities  Exchange Act of
1934, as amended,  for the Company's  fiscal year ended December 31, 1997.  Such
written request should be directed to Wendell B. Thomas,  Secretary, Ohio Valley
Banc  Corp.,   P.O.  Box  240,   Gallipolis,   Ohio  45631,   telephone   number
1-740-446-2631.

Proxy Statement Proposals
- -------------------------

         Each year, the Board of Directors  submits its nominations for election
of Directors  at the Annual  Meeting of  Shareholders.  Other  proposals  may be
submitted by the Board of Directors or  shareholders  for inclusion in the Proxy
Statement  for  action  at the  Annual  Meeting.  Any  proposal  submitted  by a
shareholder  for inclusion in the Proxy  Statement for the 1999 Annual  Meeting,
presently  scheduled  for April 7, 1999,  must be  received by the Company on or
before November 18, 1998.

Reports to be Presented at the Meeting
- --------------------------------------

         There will be presented at the meeting the Company's  Annual Report for
the year ended December 31, 1997,  containing financial statements for such year
and the signed opinion of Crowe, Chizek and Company LLP,  independent  certified
public accountant,  with respect to such financial statements. The Annual Report
is not to be regarded as proxy  soliciting  material,  and  Management  does not
intend to ask, suggest or solicit any action from the shareholders  with respect
to such Report.







                                       12

<PAGE>

Other Matters
- -------------

         The only  business  which  Management  intends to present at the Annual
Meeting  consists of the matters set forth in this Proxy  Statement.  Management
knows of no other matters to be brought  before the Annual  Meeting by any other
person or group.

         If any other matters  should  properly come before the Annual  Meeting,
the proxy holders will vote thereon in their discretion.

         All duly executed proxies received will be voted.

         You are  requested  to sign  and date the  enclosed  proxy  and mail it
promptly in the enclosed  envelope.  If you later desire to vote in person or to
change or withdraw your vote, you may revoke your proxy either by written notice
to the Company, to the attention of James L. Dailey,  Chairman,  or in person at
the Annual Meeting (without affecting any vote previously taken).


                                              BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS



                                                                James L. Dailey,
                                            Chairman and Chief Executive Officer



                                                               Jeffrey E. Smith,
                                President, Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer
























                                       13
<PAGE>
                             OHIO VALLEY BANC CORP.
   THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY
      The  undersigned  hereby appoints James L. Dailey,  Jeffrey E. Smith,  and
Wendell B. Thomas, and each of them with full power of substitution to each, the
true and lawful  attorneys  and  proxies of the  undersigned  to vote all of the
Common Shares which the undersigned is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of
Shareholders  of Ohio Valley  Banc  Corp.,  to be held at the Morris and Dorothy
Haskins Ariel Theatre, 426 Second Avenue, Gallipolis,  Ohio, on Wednesday, April
8, 1998 at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, and at any adjournment(s)  thereof,
for the following purposes:

   1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS:
      [ ] FOR all nominees listed below.  [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to vote for all
      (except as marked to the contrary) nominees listed below.

INSTRUCTIONS: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee, strike a
              line through the nominee's name in the list below.

Jeffrey E. Smith               Robert H. Eastman                Warren F. Sheets

   2. To transact  such other  business as may properly come before the meeting
or any adjournment(s)  thereof; with all powers the undersigned would possess if
personally present, giving unto said attorneys and proxies, or substitutes, full
power and authority to do whatsoever in their opinion may be necessary or proper
to be done in the exercise of the power hereby conferred, including the right to
vote for any adjournment,  hereby ratifying all that said attorneys and proxies,
or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      A majority of said  attorneys and proxies,  or  substitutes,  who shall be
present  and shall act at the meeting (or if only one should be present and act,
then that one) shall have and  exercise  all the  powers of said  attorneys  and
proxies hereunder.

      UNLESS   INSTRUCTIONS  TO  THE  CONTRARY  ARE  GIVEN,  THE  COMMON  SHARES
REPRESENTED  BY THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED "FOR" THE ELECTION OF THE PERSONS NAMED
AS NOMINEES IN THE ACCOMPANYING  PROXY  STATEMENT,  AND AT THE DISCRETION OF THE
PROXIES ON ANY OTHER BUSINESS BROUGHT BEFORE THE MEETING.
          (THIS PROXY CONTINUES AND MUST BE SIGNED ON THE REVERSE SIDE)

      The  undersigned  hereby  acknowledges  receipt  of the  Notice  of Annual
Meeting of Shareholders, dated March 18, 1998, and the Proxy Statement furnished
therewith.  Any proxy  heretofore given to vote the Common Shares covered herein
is hereby revoked.



                            NOTE: Please fill in, sign, and return this proxy in
                                  the   enclosed   envelope.   When  signing  as
                                  Attorney, Executor, Administrator, Trustee, or
                                  Guardian,  please give full title as such.  If
                                  signer is a corporation,  please sign the full
                                  corporate  name by authorized  officer.  Joint
                                  Owners should sign individually.

                                  Date _________________________________________


                                  ______________________________________________

                                                                               
                                  ______________________________________________


                   Shareholder sign name here exactly as it is stenciled hereon.




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