Horizon Bank Opens 2nd Branch in St. Joseph, Michigan

Business Wire, Oct 20, 2004

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. -- Horizon Bancorp (Nasdaq:HBNC) announced today the opening of their second location in St. Joseph, Michigan. The new office is located at 2608 Niles Road next door to Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home. Horizon's first location opened in April of this year at 811 Ship St., across the street from the Berrien County Courthouse in downtown St. Joseph.

Don Radde, Horizon's President for Southwest Michigan said "Our Niles Road office provides a convenient full-service banking center with access from Niles Road and Lincoln Avenue. As Horizon Bank continues to expand in Southwestern Michigan we thank our growing number of customers for their support."

The Niles Road location offers 3 lanes of drive-up banking and a convenient drive-up ATM so customers never have to leave the convenience of their automobile. The location also offers a safe and easily accessible after hours night deposit drop-off.

Pat Damico, Branch Manager of the Niles Road location said "We offer a full range of products to choose from and we even have a mortgage lender on site, as well as an investment representative to meet your needs."

Radde continued, "The Horizon Bank team of advisors are excited about the opportunity to bring our exceptional service and sensible advice way of doing business to folks in South St. Joseph. We have an experienced staff of local bankers anxious to be of service and who welcome your business."

Horizon Bancorp is a 130-year-old locally owned, independent bank holding company serving the Northwestern Indiana/Southwestern Michigan. We offer banking, insurance, investment and trust services and provide mortgage-banking services throughout the Midwest. Horizon Bancorp may be reached on the World Wide Web at www.accesshorizon.com. Its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ SmallCap Market under the symbol HBNC.

Statements in this press release which express "belief," "intention," "expectation," and similar expressions, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of the Company's management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, such management. Such statements are inherently uncertain and there can be no assurance that the underlying assumptions will prove to be valid. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.