First Financial Bank President and CEO Archie Brown Joins Board of the Cincinnati Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

CINCINNATI, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- First Financial Bank (Nasdaq: FFBC) President and CEO Archie Brown has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Cincinnati Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, one of the 12 banks of the Federal Reserve System. Brown's appointment is for a three-year term commencing on January 1, 2022.

"I am honored to receive this appointment to the Fed's Cincinnati Branch Board of Directors," Brown said. "I look forward to contributing to the Board's policy discussions and making a positive impact on the financial needs of communities and businesses within our region."

Brown has led First Financial since April 2018. He previously served as the president, CEO and chairman of the board of MainSource Financial Group, during which time he oversaw significant growth of the company. His 35 years of industry experience covers all facets of banking, including executive and business line management, investor relations and bank acquisition and integrations.

Brown's board appointment will expand upon his previous activity with the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. He has joined internal roundtables to help share perspectives on the economy, while also offering feedback to the Board on current banking trends. His contributions have helped the Bank's leadership in their efforts to achieve a broad understanding of the economy from banking and other sectors.

"Our directors serve an important role in the effective functioning of the Federal Reserve by providing timely information on economic conditions in the region," said Rick Kaglic, Cincinnati Branch vice president and senior regional officer, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. "Through their range of experience and perspectives, Cleveland Fed directors help us understand how various business sectors and communities are experiencing the economy. Their regional insights, in turn, help inform national monetary policymaking."

In making this appointment, the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland considered Brown's extensive work and volunteer service in the community. He serves on the executive committee for the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC) Board of Directors. He is a member of the Cincinnati Regional Business Committee, a member of the Board of Directors for United Way of Greater Cincinnati and was chair of the 2019 United Way of Greater Cincinnati campaign.

The Cincinnati branch serves the Cleveland Fed's stakeholders in southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky. The board of the Cincinnati branch includes seven members.

About First Financial Bancorp.
First Financial Bancorp. is a Cincinnati, Ohio based bank holding company. As of September 30, 2021, the Company had $16.0 billion in assets, $9.4 billion in loans, $12.7 billion in deposits and $2.2 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 $3.2 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2021. The Company operated 139 full service banking centers as of September 30, 2021, primarily 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.