First Financial Corporation

Type: Public
On the web: http://www.first-online.com
Employees: 932
Employee growth: 14.6%

Which came first, the First Financial in Indiana, Ohio, South Carolina, or Texas? Regardless, this particular First Financial Corporation is the holding company for First Financial Bank, which operates more than 60 branches in west-central Indiana and east-central Illinois. The bank offers traditional services such checking and savings accounts, CDs, and credit cards. It also provides trust, private banking, wealth management, and investment services. Commercial loans and mortgages account for more than half of the company's loan portfolio, which also includes residential mortgage and consumer loans. In 2011 First Financial bought Freestar Bank, adding more than a dozen branches in east-central Illinois.

Key numbers for fiscal year ending December, 2011:
Sales: $149.7M
One year growth: (2.4%)
Net income: $37.2M
Income growth: 32.6%

Officers:
Chairman and President: Donald E. Smith
Vice Chairman and CEO; President and CEO, First Financial Bank: Norman L. Lowery
COO, First Financial Bank: Norman D. Lowery

Competitors:
Fifth Third
MainSource Financial
Old National Bancorp