United Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: UBSI), today announced that it is listed in the 2001 Forbes 500s List according to the April 16, 2001 issue of Forbes magazine. For the second consecutive year, United is the only West Virginia-based company to appear in the Forbes 500s List. The Forbes 500s List measures profits, assets and sales metrics of the nation's biggest firms.

"We are pleased with the distinction of being listed in a nationally-recognized publication such as Forbes magazine," said Richard M. Adams, Chairman and CEO of United.

West Virginia Roundtable President and CEO, Dana E. Waldo, said, "It is a great honor for United to be listed in the Forbes 500 Rankings, especially for the second consecutive year, and I want to congratulate United on behalf of the West Virginia Roundtable. We should all be very proud of this West Virginia-based corporation."

Two other distinctions that United heralds are its inclusion in both the S&P Small Cap 600 and Russell 2000 Indices. United was added to the Banks (Regional) industry group of each these indices during the second quarter of 1998, which made United the only regional bank in Maryland, Kentucky and West Virginia included in the indices.

Analysts are forecasting record earnings for United in 2001, and on the basis of operating earnings, United continues to be one of the highest performing regional banking companies in the country. Additionally, the year of 2001 is expected to be the 28th consecutive year of dividend increases to United shareholders.

United Bankshares, Inc., with $5 billion in assets, has 75 full-service offices in West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, and Washington, D.C. United Bankshares' stock is traded on the NASDAQ (National Association of Securities Dealers Quotation System) National Market System under the quotation symbol "UBSI".

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including certain plans, expectations, goals and projections, which are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in or implied by such statements for a variety of factors including: changes in economic conditions; movements in interest rates; competitive pressures on product pricing and services; success and timing of business strategies; the nature and extent of governmental actions and reforms; and rapidly changing technology and evolving banking industry standards.