CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 114 East Lexington Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202 Telephone: 410-277-7000 www.provbank.com REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER SERVICES EquiServe P.O. Box 8040 Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8040 Investor Relations Number: 1-866-820-0125 www.equiserve.com INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 250 West Pratt Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202   ANNUAL MEETING The annual stockholders meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 18, 2001, at 10:00 a.m., at the Corporate Headquarters of Provident Bankshares Corporation, 114 East Lexington Street, Baltimore, Maryland. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Analysts, investors and others seeking financial data regarding the Corporation or the Form 10-K reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission may obtain information or copies without charge, upon written request to: Ellen Grossman Investor Relations Manager Provident Bankshares Corporation 114 East Lexington Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202 410-277-2889 esgrossm@provbank.com   DIVIDENT REINVESTMENT AND STOCK PURCHASE PLAN Holders of Provident Bankshares Corporation common stock may reinvest their dividends and/or make optional cash investments to purchase additional common stock of the Corporation through the Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan. To obtain a descriptive brochure and authorization card, contact EquiServe at 1-866-820-0125. STOCK MARKET LISTING The common stock of Provident Bankshares Corporation is traded in the over-the-counter (OTC) market and is quoted on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol PBKS.

Statements contained in this summary annual report which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements, as the term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, which include, but are not limited to, factors discussed in documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time.   Design by Financial Communications Inc.    www.fcicreative.com