First Financial Bancorp. filed a Form 8-K on September 15, 2026, reporting the appointment of James M. Anderson as President, Amanda N. Neeley as Chief Banking Officer, and Malcolm A. Myers as Chief Operating Officer, all effective September 14, 2026, along with related compensation changes for certain named executive officers.

Key Highlights

  • Anderson named President: James M. Anderson, age 55, was appointed President of First Financial Bancorp. and First Financial Bank, while retaining his Chief Financial Officer role and relinquishing the Chief Operating Officer title.
  • Brown stays as CEO: Archie M. Brown will retain his role as Chief Executive Officer of both the Company and the Bank.
  • Two additional appointments: Amanda N. Neeley, age 46, was named Chief Banking Officer, and Malcolm A. Myers, age 59, was named Chief Operating Officer, both effective September 14, 2026.
  • Base salary increases: Anderson's base salary rose from $610,000 to $640,000 (4.9%), Neeley's from $475,000 to $500,000 (5.3%), and Karen B. Woods' from $475,000 to $500,000 (5.3%), all effective September 14, 2026.
  • Incentive target adjustments: Anderson's STIP target increased from 80% to 90% of base salary and his LTIP target from 95% to 100%; Neeley's STIP target rose from 65% to 70% and her LTIP target from 75% to 80%.
  • One-time restricted stock grants: The Compensation and Human Capital Committee approved one-time time-based restricted stock grants to Anderson, Neeley, Myers, and certain other named executive officers, granted September 14, 2026, vesting in full on the third anniversary of the grant date, with at least 75% of vested shares required to be held for an additional two-year period.

First Financial Bancorp. Restructures Senior Leadership Team in Succession Planning Move

According to the filing, First Financial Bancorp. (NASDAQ:FFBC) disclosed a set of executive appointments described as part of "the ongoing long-term succession planning initiative of the Company and the Bank." James M. Anderson, who has served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer since April 1, 2018, was elevated to President while keeping his CFO duties. Prior to joining the Company, Anderson served as Chief Financial Officer of MainSource Financial Group, Inc., a predecessor of the Company, according to the filing.

The filing states that Amanda N. Neeley began her career with the Bank as a part-time teller while attending Bowling Green State University, later receiving a bachelor's degree in marketing in 2003. She progressed through roles including Chief Marketing Officer (2010), Chief Strategy Officer (2017), and Chief Consumer Banking and Strategy Officer (October 2021) before her appointment as Chief Banking Officer. Malcolm A. Myers, the newly appointed Chief Operating Officer, holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of North Florida (1994) and previously served as the Company's Chief Transformation and Delivery Officer beginning February 2022, following earlier service as Chief Information Officer after the MainSource merger in April 2018.

The Compensation and Human Capital Committee approved the base salary increases for Anderson and Neeley based on their new appointments and "the increased responsibility each has assumed in the Company," according to the filing. Woods' salary increase was attributed to "the internal reorganization which added responsibility to Mrs. Woods for Audit and Credit Administration." The filing describes the one-time restricted stock awards as designed to support retention and leadership continuity, noting that dividends on the restricted shares are held in escrow until the restrictions lapse. The filing states the Compensation Committee considered "the Company's strong performance and recent acquisitions" in approving the awards.

What Was Disclosed

The filing reported three senior executive appointments at First Financial Bancorp. effective September 14, 2026, along with base salary increases for three named executive officers, revised STIP and LTIP targets for two of those officers, and one-time time-based restricted stock grants for certain executives and the new COO.