The Board of Directors of George Mason Bankshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: GMBS) declared a quarterly cash dividend of $.14 per share to shareholders of record on March 19, 1998, payable March 23, 1998. This marks the Company's 43rd consecutive quarterly dividend.

George Mason Bankshares is a one-bank holding company headquartered in Fairfax, VA. The Company operates 22 banking offices in Northern Virginia, the District of Columbia and Montgomery County, Maryland and seven mortgage lending offices in Northern Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia. George Mason Bankshares has $1.0 billion in total assets and capital in excess of $76 million.

The Company also announced that at a special shareholders meeting, George Mason Bankshares shareholders approved the merger with a wholly-owned subsidiary of United Bankshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: UBSI). United Bankshares, with $2.7 billion in assets, is the second largest West Virginia headquartered bank holding company. Following completion of the merger, United Bankshares will have consolidated assets of over $3.7 billion with 73 full service offices in West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. The merger, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close on April 2, 1998.