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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                  March 19, 2001

REPUBLIC BANCORP, INC.                           For Further Information:
ANNOUNCES FINAL RESULTS OF                       KEVIN SIPES
TENDER OFFER                                     Chief Financial Officer
                                                 (502) 584-3600

        LOUISVILLE,  KY - Republic  Bancorp,  Inc.  (NASDAQ:RBCAA)  the  holding
company for Republic Bank & Trust  Company today  announced the final results of
its tender offer, which expired on March 13, 2001. Republic accepted for payment
at a price of $10 per share, a total of 747,319 shares of Class A Common Stock.


REPUBLIC BANK & TRUST COMPANY HAS 21 BANKING CENTERS IN 7 KENTUCKY  COMMUNITIES:
BOWLING GREEN, ELIZABETHTOWN,  FRANKFORT, LEXINGTON, LOUISVILLE,  OWENSBORO, AND
SHELBYVILLE;  A LOAN PRODUCTION OFFICE IN CLARKSVILLE,  INDIANA;  REFUNDS NOW, A
NATIONWIDE  TAX  REFUND  LOAN  AND  CHECK  PROVIDER  AND  INTERNET   BANKING  AT
WWW.REPUBLICBANK.COM. REPUBLIC BANK IS HEADQUARTERED IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY AND
HAS $1.5 BILLION IN ASSETS.  REPUBLIC  BANCORP,  INC.,  REPUBLIC  BANK'S  PARENT
COMPANY, IS TRADED ON THE NASDAQ (RBCAA).