First Financial Bancorp Announces Election of Anne Arvia to Board of Directors, with Susan Knust and William Barron Retiring

CINCINNATI, May 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- First Financial Bancorp (Nasdaq: FFBC) announces the election of Anne Arvia as a new director on the First Financial Board of Directors, following a vote during the company's annual meeting of shareholders on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.

"Anne brings extensive banking and strategic transformation experience, and her history of advising C-suite leaders and boards on business operations will be valuable for the bank," said Claude Davis, chairman.

"Anne is an excellent addition to the board, with impressive accomplishments and knowledge from the financial services sector that will add important viewpoints and perspectives as we plan the future for First Financial," said Archie Brown, president and CEO.

Ms. Arvia, 61, is a principal of strategic transformation and program management for Cornerstone Advisors, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based management consulting firm specializing in advising financial institutions. She has held this role since 2023. Ms. Arvia, who lives in Naperville, Illinois, previously worked as executive vice president of The Auto Club Group and CEO and president of The Auto Club Trust, FSB, both of which are AAA companies, in Dearborn, Michigan. Ms. Arvia also held executive leadership roles at USAA Bank in San Antonio, Texas; Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, Ohio; and ShoreBank in Chicago, Illinois. She has been a CPA since 1985 with public accounting experience.

Susan Knust and William Barron previously announced their retirements from the board effective at the conclusion of the annual meeting. Ms. Knust had served on the board of First Financial Bank since 1999, and on the board of First Financial Bancorp since 2005. Mr. Barron served on the First Financial Bancorp board since 2018, and the board of predecessor entities since 1983.

"The board is deeply grateful for the time and expertise provided by Susan and Bill over many years as the bank has grown," Davis said. "First Financial and the communities we serve are better off as a result of their guidance."

About First Financial Bancorp.
First Financial Bancorp. is a Cincinnati, Ohio based bank holding company. As of March 31, 2024, the Company had $17.6 billion in assets, $11.2 billion in loans, $13.5 billion in deposits and $2.3 billion in shareholders' equity. The Company's subsidiary, First Financial Bank, founded in 1863, provides banking and financial services products through its six lines of business: Commercial, Retail Banking, Investment Commercial Real Estate, Mortgage Banking, Commercial Finance and Wealth Management. These business units provide traditional banking services to business and retail clients. Wealth Management provides wealth planning, portfolio management, trust and estate, brokerage and retirement plan services and had approximately $3.6 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2024. The Company operated 130 full service banking centers as of March 31, 2024, located in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois, while the Commercial Finance business lends into targeted industry verticals on a nationwide basis. Additional information about the Company, including its products, services and banking locations, is available at www.bankatfirst.com.

SOURCE First Financial Bancorp.