First Financial Bancorp is planning to move its corporate headquarters to the existing Cincinnati hub at 4000 Smith Road, which is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2008.
The corporate center will be a base for approximately 75 associates, including the CEO and senior managers and staff in the areas of finance, legal, marketing, information technology, investment management, sales support and human resources, as well as First Financial Bank’s Cincinnati banking team.
The company’s banking subsidiary, First Financial Bank, will continue to be headquartered in Hamilton, Ohio. Claude Davis, president of First Financial, said the move is part of its strategic plan that reflects the holding company’s efforts to accelerate growth in metropolitan areas. Having the corporate center in Cincinnati is expected to enhance the company’s opportunities to attract and retain talented associates who will help to grow the business.
Mr Davis added: For now, we are forming our corporate center on Smith Road, but we will continue to evaluate the most appropriate long-term location in Cincinnati over the next two to three years. Both the city of Hamilton and Butler County remain important to First Financial Bank and to our future.