First Financial Bancorp (Nasdaq: FFBC) announced on October 27, 2026, that the Company’s Board of Directors has appointed Timothy A. Massa as a new director, effective immediately. The appointment was made by the Board’s Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee and filled a vacancy created by an increase in the Board’s size from ten to eleven directors. Mr. Massa will serve on the Board until the 2027 annual meeting of shareholders, at which time he is anticipated to stand for election.
Mr. Massa, age 59, brings 37 years of executive human capital leadership to the role. His career includes 21 years at The Procter & Gamble Company and 16 years at The Kroger Co., where he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Associate Experience Officer for the past 12 years. Mr. Massa retired from Kroger on September 18, 2026. The Company noted that he possesses expertise in executive compensation, succession planning, talent strategy, labor relations, and culture building.
In connection with his appointment, Mr. Massa will receive a pro-rated non-employee director annual cash retainer and a stock award. The stock award was priced at $32.54, the closing price of the Company’s stock on October 27, 2026, and will vest on the date of the 2027 annual meeting of shareholders. The Company confirmed that Mr. Massa qualifies as an independent director in accordance with Nasdaq and SEC rules and that no family relationships exist between him and other directors or officers.
First Financial Bancorp is a Cincinnati-based bank holding company with $22.3 billion in assets as of September 30, 2026. The Company operates 151 full-service banking centers across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois, and its subsidiary, First Financial Bank, was founded in 1863.
