First Financial Bancorp Appoints Kroger Veteran Tim Massa to Expanded Board

First Financial Bancorp appointed Timothy A. Massa, 59, as a director effective immediately, following a board vote on October 27, 2026 that expanded the board from 10 to 11 members. The Cincinnati bank holding company announced the appointment on October 28, 2026, TradingView reported.

Massa's Kroger and P&G Background

Massa brings 37 years of executive human capital leadership, including 16 years at Kroger, with 12 years on Kroger's senior leadership team, and 21 years at The Procter & Gamble Company. He retired in September 2026 after serving as Kroger's executive vice president and chief associate experience officer for the past 12 years, and he is currently a strategic advisor to Kroger.

Both the increased board size and Massa's appointment followed a recommendation from the board's Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee. Claude Davis, chairman, said: "Tim brings experience and perspectives on human capital, including both leadership and associates, that will be valuable for us as First Financial continues to grow."

Archie Brown, First Financial CEO, said Massa's background is "a great fit as we work to develop young professionals into senior level roles." Brown also cited Massa's "deep connectivity to the Greater Cincinnati community."

Massa is described as an expert in executive compensation, CEO succession planning, talent strategy, labor relations, total rewards and culture, and he has led organizational transformations including mergers, acquisitions, integrations and divestitures. He serves on the board of Smirk Health, the board of trustees of the National Academy of Human Resources, and the advisory board of the Center for Executive Succession at the University of South Carolina's Darla Moore School of Business. He also sits on the board of the Cincinnati Sports Commission and the executive committee of the American Cancer Society in Cincinnati, and he recently completed nine years on the board of trustees of the Cincinnati Zoo.

First Financial's Recent Acquisition Record

According to akta.pro company records, First Financial completed its all-stock acquisition of BankFinancial Corporation for approximately $142 million in January 2026, adding 18 financial centers in Chicago and marking its first entry into the Chicago retail consumer banking market. In March 2026 the company completed its acquisition of CedarStone Financial, Inc., adding approximately $292 million in loans and $313 million in deposits. In June 2026 it completed the system conversion and rebranding of all former BankFinancial retail branches and ATMs under the First Financial Bank name in the Chicagoland area.

First Financial's October Filings and Coverage

On October 27, 2026, MarketScreener reported that First Financial Corporation recorded net charge-offs of $971,000 for the third quarter ended September 30, 2026, down from $1.6 million a year earlier. On October 19, 2026, Ticker Report compared First Financial Bancorp with Hancock Whitney across 18 factors, with Hancock Whitney ahead on 14. On October 4, 2026, American Banking and Market News reported that First Financial Bancorp beat Triumph Financial on 8 of 14 factors, including higher revenue and earnings.

First Financial's Balance Sheet at September 30

First Financial reported $22.3 billion in assets, $13.9 billion in loans, $17.7 billion in deposits and $2.9 billion in shareholders' equity as of September 30, 2026. Its Wealth Management business had approximately $4.5 billion in assets under management on the same date, and the company operated 151 full service banking centers in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois.