EXHIBIT 99.1

NEWSRELEASE                                                   [HUNTINGTON LOGO]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 16, 2004

Contacts:


HUNTINGTON
- ----------
Media                                              Analysts
Jeri Grier-Ball            (614) 480-5413          Jay Gould   (614) 480-4060
                                                 Susan Stuart  (614) 480-3878

UNIZAN
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Media                                               Analysts
Sandy Upperman             (330) 438-4858         Roger Mann   (330) 438-1118


           HUNTINGTON BANCSHARES INCORPORATED / UNIZAN FINANCIAL CORP.
             MERGER CLOSING WILL LIKELY BE DELAYED BEYOND EARLY JULY


         COLUMBUS, Ohio - Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ: HBAN) and
Unizan Financial Corp. (NASDAQ:UNIZ) today announced that the closing of their
merger will likely be delayed beyond the early July targeted closing date. The
Federal Reserve Board has informed Huntington that it is extending its review
period to coordinate further with the staff of the Securities and Exchange
Commission regarding the SEC's ongoing formal investigation of Huntington and to
complete its review of the Community Reinvestment Act aspects of the merger.
          Huntington continues to cooperate with the regulators in an effort to
conclude the review process as expeditiously as possible. Although no new
targeted closing date has been set, Huntington and Unizan intend to close the
merger as soon as possible following the receipt of all necessary regulatory
approvals.


ABOUT HUNTINGTON

     Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a $31 billion regional bank holding
company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Through its affiliated companies,
Huntington has more than 138 years of serving the financial needs of its
customers. Huntington provides innovative retail and commercial financial
products and services through more than 300 regional banking offices in Indiana,
Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. Huntington also offers retail and
commercial financial services online at www.huntington.com; through its
technologically advanced, 24-hour telephone bank; and through its network of
nearly 700 ATMs. Selected financial service activities are also conducted in
other states including: Dealer Sales offices in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee,
Pennsylvania and Arizona; Private Financial Group offices in Florida; and
Mortgage Banking offices in Florida, Maryland and New Jersey. International
banking services are made available through the headquarters office in Columbus
and additional offices located in the Cayman Islands and Hong Kong.

ABOUT UNIZAN

     Unizan Financial Corp., a $2.8 billion holding company, is a premier
financial services organization headquartered in Canton, Ohio. The company
operates 43 full-service retail financial centers in five metropolitan markets
in Ohio - Canton, Columbus, Dayton, Newark and Zanesville. Through Unizan
Financial Corp.'s subsidiaries, Unizan Bank, National Association; Unizan
Financial Services Group, National Association; Unizan Banc Financial Services,
Inc.; and Unizan Financial Advisors, Inc., the company offers its client base
corporate and retail banking, Internet banking and wealth management products
and services. Additionally, the company operates niche businesses in government
guaranteed loan programs through its business lending centers in Cincinnati,
Cleveland, Columbus and Dayton, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; Mt. Arlington, New
Jersey; and Indianapolis, Indiana; as well as aircraft lending centers in
Columbus; Orlando, Florida; and Sacramento, California. For more information on
Unizan Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries, visit the company on the Web at
www.unizan.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT

     This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including
certain plans, expectations, goals, and projections relating to the timing of
the Huntington / Unizan merger, which is subject to numerous assumptions, risks,
and uncertainties. Actual timing could differ materially from that stated for a
variety of factors including actions by the Federal Reserve Board or the
Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements included in
this news release are based on information available at the time of the release.


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