First Financial Bancorp. filed a Form 8-K on October 28, 2026, disclosing the appointment of Timothy A. Massa as a new director to its Board of Directors, effective October 27, 2026.

Key Highlights

  • New director appointed: Timothy A. Massa joined the Board of Directors of First Financial Bancorp. effective October 27, 2026.
  • Board size increased: The appointment expanded the Board from ten directors to eleven directors.
  • Term length: Mr. Massa will serve until the 2027 annual meeting of shareholders, at which time he is anticipated to stand for election.
  • Stock award pricing: The pro-rated stock award granted in connection with his appointment was priced at $32.54, the closing price of the company's stock on October 27, 2026.
  • Independence determination: The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee determined that Mr. Massa qualifies as an independent director under Nasdaq rules and SEC rules.
  • Career background: Mr. Massa brings thirty-seven years of executive human capital leadership experience, including twelve years on Kroger's senior leadership team as Executive Vice President and Chief Associate Experience Officer.

First Financial Bancorp. Adds Human Capital Veteran Timothy Massa to Its Board

According to the filing, First Financial Bancorp. (NASDAQ:FFBC), headquartered at 255 East Fifth Street, Suite 800, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, disclosed that its Board of Directors appointed Timothy A. Massa as a director on October 27, 2026. The action was taken upon recommendation of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee (CGNC) and increased the size of the Board from ten to eleven directors.

The filing describes Mr. Massa, age 59, as bringing thirty-seven years of executive human capital leadership experience to the Board. According to the disclosure, he joined The Kroger Co. sixteen years ago as Vice President of Talent Development and subsequently served twelve years on Kroger's senior leadership team as Executive Vice President and Chief Associate Experience Officer. Prior to Kroger, the filing states he spent twenty-one years in human resources leadership roles at The Procter & Gamble Company. The filing notes that Mr. Massa retired from Kroger on September 18, 2026. His listed skills include executive compensation, succession planning, talent strategy and development, labor relations, and culture building.

As to compensation, the filing states Mr. Massa will receive a pro-rated non-employee director annual cash retainer and a stock award, priced at $32.54 per share based on the closing price of the company's stock on October 27, 2026. The stock award vests on the date of the 2027 annual meeting, consistent with vesting of stock awards granted to other non-employee directors. The filing further states that Mr. Massa will be subject to the company's share ownership requirements for non-employee directors as described in the company's definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on April 16, 2026. The filing discloses no family relationships, arrangements, or material transactions requiring disclosure under Regulation S-K.

What Was Disclosed

First Financial Bancorp. reported the appointment of Timothy A. Massa to its Board effective October 27, 2026, the expansion of the Board to eleven members, the independence determination by the CGNC, and the terms of his director compensation including a stock award priced at $32.54 per share.