Bank of the Ozarks Acquires Second Location in Bryant.

Business Editors

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 16, 2002

Bank of the Ozarks, Inc. (NASDAQ:OZRK) announced today it has acquired a site for a new banking office in Bryant. The site is at 5910 Highway 5 North and is near the Bryant Wal-Mart Supercenter where the Bank also operates an in-store banking office. Plans call for a 2,700 square-foot office featuring three drive-in banking lanes and a drive-through ATM. Construction on the new facility should begin within the next six months.

"We have been extremely pleased with the growth of business in Bryant since opening our office in the Wal-Mart Supercenter only 17 months ago," said George Gleason, chairman and chief executive officer of Bank of the Ozarks. "This second office will expand our capabilities and provide additional convenience for our growing customer base. These two Bryant offices, combined with our office in Otter Creek and our new office opening soon near the East Gate of Hot Springs Village, offer customers in this area easy access to our Bank. Our Bank's growth in this market reflects the public's desire to do business with an Arkansas bank that gives customers a wide range of sophisticated financial products like On-Line Banking, delivered with the personal, hometown service of a community bank."

Bank of the Ozarks, Inc. is a bank holding company with $896 million in total assets as of June 30, 2002 and trades on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol "OZRK." The Company owns a state-chartered subsidiary bank that conducts banking operations through 31 offices in 21 communities throughout northern, western and central Arkansas. The Company may be contacted at [phone] or P.O. Box 8811, Little Rock, AR 72231. The Company's website is www.bankozarks.com.