First Financial Completes Conversion of BankFinancial

CHICAGO, June 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- First Financial Bank (Nasdaq: FFBC) has completed the conversion of BankFinancial's operating systems and is now offering consumer banking, commercial banking, specialty banking and wealth management services under the First Financial brand in the Chicagoland area. All retail branches and ATMs have been rebranded as First Financial Bank as of today, and clients can begin to directly access First Financial's wide variety of banking and financial services. First Financial has also committed $1 million to the First Financial Foundation for the benefit of organizations in the Chicagoland area now being served by the bank.

"BankFinancial clients who have transitioned to First Financial are learning more about our focus on creating opportunities for our clients and communities to thrive," said Archie Brown, president and CEO of First Financial Bank. "We are serving Chicagoland with a community-first approach while offering our deep banking expertise and a comprehensive suite of financial services."

First Financial retail locations are now open in Calumet City at 1901 Sibley Blvd., Calumet Park at 1333 W. 127^th St., Chicago Ridge at 6415 W. 95^th St., Deerfield at 630 N. Waukegan Rd., Downers Grove at 5140 Main St., Flossmoor at 2743 Flossmoor Rd., Hyde Park at 1354 E. 55^th St., Joliet at 1401 N. Larkin Ave., Libertyville-North at 1409 W. Peterson Rd., Lincoln Park at 2424 N. Clark St., Lincolnshire at One Marriott Dr., Lincolnwood at 3443 W. Touhy, Olympia Fields at 21110 S. Western Ave., Orland Park at 48 Orland Square Dr. and Westmont at 6301 Fairview Ave. First Financial also maintains a commercial real estate lending office at 60 N. Frontage Rd. in Burr Ridge.

The conversion consolidated products, processes and operating systems from the two banks, and BankFinancial clients can continue banking through their local branches as they always have. Clients also can take advantage of a wider range of solutions to meet their financial needs, including expanded mortgage lending, commercial banking, wealth management and specialty banking services. First Financial has been communicating with BankFinancial clients in recent weeks to help them through the conversion.

First Financial's new retail locations in Chicagoland expand its presence in the area, where it already has locations in Northwest Indiana and in Kankakee, Watseka and Hoopeston in Northeast Illinois. First Financial also operates a commercial lending office in Fulton Market; an office for Bannockburn Capital Markets division in Chicago's downtown Loop; and its recently acquired Agile Premium Finance division in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Additional specialty banking services include Oak Street Funding, providing customized business financing, and Summit Funding Group, specializing in equipment leasing and financing.

About First Financial Bancorp.
First Financial Bancorp. is a Cincinnati, Ohio based bank holding company. As of March 31, 2026, the Company had $22.8 billion in assets, $13.5 billion in loans, $17.9 billion in deposits and $2.9 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 $4.1 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2026. The Company operated 153 full service banking centers as of March 31, 2026, located in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois, while the Commercial Finance business lends into targeted industry verticals on a nationwide basis. In 2025, First Financial Bank received its second consecutive Outstanding rating from the Federal Reserve for its performance under the Community Reinvestment Act and was recognized as a Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award winner, one of only 70 Gallup clients worldwide to receive this designation. Additional information about the Company, including its products, services and banking locations, is available at www.bankatfirst.com.

SOURCE First Financial Bancorp.