Cincinnati, October 28 (Reuters) / PRNewswire / -- First Financial Bancorp. (Nasdaq ticker: FFBC) (“First Financial”) announced that Timothy A has been appointed as a new director to the company's board of directors, effective immediately. Previously, on October 27, 2026, the board voted to expand the board size from 10 to 11 members, and Massa was thus appointed to fill the additional seat. The expansion of the board size and the appointment of Massa were both carried out upon the recommendation of the board's Corporate Governance and Nominations Committee.

Chairman Claude Davis stated: “Tim possesses experience and insight in talent capital, including an understanding of both leadership and employees, which will be of great help to the continued growth of First Financial.”

First Financial CEO Archie Brown stated: "The background and experience of Tim are very compatible with our goal of nurturing young professionals to grow into senior management positions. I am also delighted that Tim can bring his strong connections with the Greater Cincinnati area to the board of directors."

Massa is 59 years old this year and has 37 years of experience in leading executive human capital, including 16 years at Kroger, 12 years in its senior leadership team, and 21 years at Procter & Gamble ( The Procter & Gamble Company ). He is recognized as an expert in executive compensation, CEO succession planning, talent strategy, labor relations, total compensation, and corporate culture. He has also led large-scale organizational transformations, including multiple mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. He retired in September 2026 after serving as the Kroger Executive Vice President and Chief Employee Experience Officer for 12 years. Currently, Massa remains a strategic advisor to Kroger.

Massa also serves as a member of the board of directors for Smirk Health, a member of the council of the National Academy of Human Resources ( National Academy of Human Resources ), and a member of the Advisory Committee on Executive Succession at the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business ( Darla Moore School of Business ). He is also a member of the board of directors for the Cincinnati Sports Commission and a member of the executive committee of the Cincinnati Chapter of the American Cancer Society. Recently, he completed a 9-year term on the trustee committee of the Cincinnati Zoo.

Regarding First Financial Bancorp. First Financial Bancorp is a bank holding company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. As of September 30, 2026, the company had assets of $22.3 billion, loans of $13.9 billion, deposits of $17.7 billion, and shareholders' equity of $2.9 billion. Its subsidiary, First Financial Bank, founded in 1863, provides banking and financial services through six business lines: commercial banking, retail banking, investment-grade commercial real estate, mortgage lending, corporate finance, and wealth management. These business units offer traditional banking services to corporate and retail customers. The wealth management business provides services such as wealth planning, portfolio management, trusts and estates, brokerage, and retirement planning, managing assets of approximately $4.5 billion as of September 30, 2026. As of September 30, 2026, the company operated 151 full-service bank branches across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois; the corporate finance business extended loans to target industries nationwide. In 2025, First Financial Bank received an "Outstanding" rating from the Federal Reserve for the second consecutive year due to its performance under the Community Reinvestment Act and was honored as a Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award recipient, becoming one of only 70 customers globally to receive this distinction. For more information about the company, its products, services, and branches, please visit www.bankatfirst.com.