- Key insight: Management changes at First Financial Bancorp are a nod to its leadership team's strong performance, according to CEO Archie Brown.
- Forward look: First Financial hopes to close its acquisition of Finward Bancorp around Jan. 1.
- Expert quote: "We've got some great talented younger executives that are ready to take on more. It's a great time to get them in some key positions where they get to perform with more responsibilities." — Archie Brown
Following a series of recent acquisition deals, Cincinnati-based First Financial Bancorp has reshuffled its senior leadership ranks. The move appears to provide a clearer line of sight into an eventual CEO succession.
Last week, First Financial named Chief Financial Officer Jamie Anderson as president of both the parent company and its bank subsidiary. Anderson, who will retain his CFO duties, takes over a substantial chunk of day-to-day oversight responsibility from CEO Archie Brown.
First Financial also promoted Mandy Neely from chief consumer banking and strategy officer to chief banking officer. Neely will lead core revenue-producing business lines, including consumer banking, commercial banking, wealth management and mortgage lending.
First Financial's asset growth from $18.6 billion at the end of 2026 to $22.4 billion on June 30 necessitated the realignment of duties, according to Brown.
"I think we had a pretty flat organization," Brown told American Banker. "We just realized we've got to have some of these responsibilities shared with more of the executives."
First Financial
Beyond the new titles for Anderson and Neely, First Financial said it enhanced the roles of Chief Commercial Banking Officer Matt Reckman and General Counsel Karen Woods.
Reckman will oversee commercial credit, corporate banking and investment real estate, along with a capital markets subsidiary. Woods, a former chief risk officer, received more responsibility for credit administration.
Still, the key change involved Anderson. It solidifies his position as "heir-apparent," Hovde analyst Brendan Nosal wrote in a Sept. 16 research note, noting that Brown served as president for nearly nine years before becoming CEO.
"We view Mr. Anderson as a strong, obvious candidate to eventually take over the lead role," Nosal wrote.
Brown, who is 64, indicated he plans to continue as CEO for several more years, though he acknowledged the C-suite changes were designed with an eye toward an eventual top-level change.
"We're going to have some succession occurring with me," Brown said. "We haven't decided exactly when, it's several years out, [but] we've got some great talented younger executives that are ready to take on more. It's a great time to get them in some key positions where they get to perform with more responsibilities."
Read more:
What comes next for banks in a post-CLARITY Congress Warsh: Rising bond yields a sign of strong U.S. economy Borrowing from Federal Home Loan banks jumped 20% in 2Q State bank examiners get a playbook for inspecting AI
First Financial's announcements come amidst a flurry of notable shakeups in bank leadership teams.
Earlier, this month, the $284 billion-asset Huntington Bancorp in Columbus, Ohio, appeared to tab Brant Standridge as CEO-in-waiting
At First Financial, earnings have been growing alongside assets. The full-year 2025 profit of $255.6 million was up 11.7% from 2024. Earnings totaled $150.9 million through the first six months of 2026, a 24% increase from the same period last year. The board of directors has been pleased with the company's performance and acted to keep things on an even keel, Brown said.
"We like what we're doing," Brown said. "We like our direction. We like our culture. We've got these executives who've been part of this."
"This sets us up for the future," Anderson added. "It gives us the ability to scale a little, but more in terms of spreading responsibility for these different areas and lines of business around, instead of everything running up through Archie. At some point it just becomes too much."
