First Financial Bancorp Appoints Two New Directors

CINCINNATI, Sept. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- First Financial Bancorp (Nasdaq: FFBC) announces the appointment of Peter E. Geier and Jeffrey D. Meyer to its board of directors. Mr. Geier and Mr. Meyer also join the board of directors for the company's main subsidiary, First Financial Bank, N.A.

"We're pleased to welcome Pete and Jeff to our board of directors," said Murph Knapke, chairman of the board for First Financial Bancorp. "They both played key roles in the success of Insight Bank and The First Bexley Bank and we look forward to their vision, leadership and wide range of experience as we continue to build the First brand of banking in Columbus, Ohio and across our footprint. We are confident both Pete and Jeff will help guide the company as we work to achieve our strategic goals and execute our client and community focused business model."

Mr. Geier currently serves as the chief executive officer for The Ohio State University Health System as well as the university's Wexner Medical Center's chief operating officer. He began his career in the financial industry as a bank credit analyst at Huntington Bank and worked his way to vice chairman and president of Huntington. Mr. Geier is a graduate of Purdue University, earned his MBA from Butler University, and is a graduate of the Kellogg Graduate School of Management Executives Program. He has served on numerous boards over the years, including Nationwide Children's Hospital, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio, United Way, Santa Rosa Consulting, Huntington Bancshares and Insight Bank.

Mr. Meyer is a principal and the president of the Clean Title Agency, a real estate title agency, in Columbus, Ohio. He is also a principal of four other title agencies in Columbus and one agency in Chicago. Prior to his current role, Mr. Meyer served as the director of acquisitions and secretary of Lexford Residential Trust, which later became Equity Residential. He has also practiced corporate and real estate law at Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff. Mr. Meyer was an organizer and director of The First Bexley Bank, served as president of the board of trustees of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus, and currently serves as the president-elect of the Board of Trustees of the Columbus Jewish Foundation.

For more information about First Financial and its board of directors, visit the company's Investor Relations page at www.bankatfirst.com.

About First Financial Bancorp

First Financial Bancorp is a Cincinnati, Ohio based bank holding company. As of June 30, 2014, the Company had $6.5 billion in assets, $4.0 billion in loans, $4.9 billion in deposits and $706 million in shareholders' equity. The Company's subsidiary, First Financial Bank, N.A., founded in 1863, provides banking and financial services products through its four lines of business: commercial, consumer, wealth management and mortgage. The commercial, consumer and mortgage units provide traditional banking services to business and retail clients. First Financial Wealth Management provides wealth planning, portfolio management, trust and estate, brokerage and retirement plan services and had approximately $2.5 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2014. The Company's strategic operating markets are located in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky where it operates 105 banking centers. Additional information about the Company, including its products, services and banking locations is available at www.bankatfirst.com.

SOURCE First Financial Bancorp

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