Sandy Spring Bancorp Announces 3rd Quarter Dividend

OLNEY, Md., Aug. 27, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sandy Spring Bancorp, Inc.,
(Nasdaq:SASR) the parent company of Sandy Spring Bank, announced that its Board
of Directors has declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.12 per share for
the 3rd quarter of 2009. The dividend is payable on September 17, 2009 to
shareholders of record as of the close of business on September 7, 2009.

About Sandy Spring Bancorp/Sandy Spring Bank

With $3.5 billion in assets, (Nasdaq:SASR) Sandy Spring Bancorp is the holding
company for Sandy Spring Bank and its principal subsidiaries, Sandy Spring
Insurance Corporation and West Financial Services, Inc. Sandy Spring Bancorp is
the oldest and largest publicly traded banking company headquartered and
operating in Maryland. Sandy Spring is a community banking organization that
focuses its lending and other services on businesses and consumers in the local
market area. Independent and community-oriented, Sandy Spring Bank was founded
in 1868 and offers a broad range of commercial banking, retail banking and trust
services through 42 community offices in Anne Arundel, Carroll, Frederick,
Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George's counties in Maryland, and in Fairfax and
Loudoun counties in Virginia. Through its subsidiaries, Sandy Spring Bank also
offers a comprehensive menu of leasing, insurance and investment management
services. Visit www.sandyspringbank.com to locate an ATM near you or for more
information about Sandy Spring Bank.

The Sandy Spring Bancorp, Inc. logo is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4138

-0-
CONTACT: Sandy Spring Bancorp, Inc.
Daniel J. Schrider, President & Chief Executive Officer
DSchrider@sandyspringbank.com
Philip J. Mantua, Executive V.P. & Chief Financial Officer
PMantua@sandyspringbank.com
800-399-5919
www.sandyspringbank.com
17801 Georgia Avenue
Olney, Maryland 20832