-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 RXK84lMTkN6b0oezuccrfGAwz5ywQ6+9dFvzxT/kC0UBUm9SPxTxLZh88z57C807
 RxgtkGyXs8HxGqL/rTstag==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000708955-03-000026.txt : 20030123
<SEC-HEADER>0000708955-03-000026.hdr.sgml : 20030123
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030123132140
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000708955-03-000026
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030122
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030123

SUBJECT COMPANY:	

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP /OH/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000708955
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS [6021]
		IRS NUMBER:				311042001
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			OH
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-12379
		FILM NUMBER:		03522022

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		300 HIGH ST
		CITY:			HAMILTON
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			45011
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5138674700

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		300 HIGH ST
		CITY:			HAMILTON
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			45011

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LEFFERSON C DOUGLAS
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001167405
		RELATIONSHIP:				OFFICER

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP
		STREET 2:		300 HIGHSTREET PO BOX 476
		CITY:			HAMILTON
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			45012
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5138674951

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		180 GAY STREET
		CITY:			WILLIAMSBURG
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			45176
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>jan03-2form4.txt
<DESCRIPTION>JAN03-2FORM4
<TEXT>
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
   Lefferson, C. Douglas
   180 Gay Street
   Williamsburg, OH 45176
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
   First Financial Bancorp (FFBC)
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
   ###-##-####
4. Statement for Month/Day/Year
   01/22/2003
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
   ( ) Director                   ( ) 10% Owner
   (X) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other (specify below)
   Executive Officer
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
   (X) Form filed by One Reporting Person
   ( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
<TABLE>
TABLE I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
<CAPTION>
+------------------------------+----------+----------+---------+--------------------------+--------------+-----------+------------+
|1. Title of Security          |2. Trans- |2A.Execu- |3. Trans-|4. Securities Acquired (A)|5. Amount of  |6. Owner-  |7. Nature   |
|                              |   action |   action |   action|   or Disposed of (D)     |Securities    |   ship    |   of In-   |
|                              |   Date   |   Date   |   Code  |                          |Beneficially  |   Form:   |   direct   |
|                              |          |          |         |                          |Owned         |   Direct  |   Bene-    |
|                              |  (Month/ |  (Month/ |         |                          |Following     |   (D) or  |   ficial   |
|                              |   Day/   |   Day/   +-----+---+-----------+---+----------+Reported      |   Indirect|   Owner-   |
|                              |   Year)  |   Year)  |Code |V  |Amount     |A/D|Price     |Transaction(s)|   (I)     |   ship     |
+------------------------------+----------+----------+-----+---+-----------+---+----------+--------------+-----------+------------+
<S>                             <C>        <C>        <C>   <C> <C>         <C> <C>        <C>            <C>         <C>
Common Stock                    01/22/2003            J         1078        A   $0.0000    7005           D
                                                      <F1>
Common Stock                                                                               7798           I           401-K
Common Stock                    01/22/2003            J         -1800       D   $0.0000                   I           Resticted
                                                      <F2>                                                            Award
Common Stock                    01/22/2003            A         10059       A   $0.0000    23392          I           Resticted
                                                      <F3>                                                            Award
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

<TABLE>
TABLE II -- Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
<CAPTION>
+----------+--------+-------+-------+---------+-----------+---------------------+----------------+----------+-------+-------+------+
|1.        |2.      |3.     |3A.    |4.       |5.         |6.                   |7.              |8.        |9.     |10.    |11.   |
|          |        |       |       |         |           |                     |                |          |Number |Owner- |      |
|          |        |       |       |         |           |                     |                |          |of     |ship   |      |
|          |        |       |       |         |           |                     |                |          |Deriv- |Form of|      |
|          |        |       |       |         |           |                     |Title and Amount|          |ative  |Deriv- |      |
|          |        |       |       |         |           |                     |of Underlying   |          |Secur- |ative  |Nature|
|          |Conver- |Trans- |Execu- |         |Number of  |                     |Securities      |          |ities  |Secur- |of    |
|          |sion or |action |tion   |         |Derivative |Date Exercisable     +-------+--------+          |Benefi-|ity:   |In-   |
|          |Exercise|Date   |Date   |         |Securities |and Expiration Date  |       |Amount  |          |cially |Direct |direct|
|          |Price of|       |       |Transac- |Acquired(A)|(Month/Day/Year)     |       |or      |          |Owned  |(D) or |Bene- |
|Title of  |Deriv-  |(Month/|(Month/|tion Code|Disposed(D)+----------+----------+       |Number  |Price of  |       |In-    |ficial|
|Derivative|ative   | Day/  | Day/  +------+--+-----+-----+Date Exer-|Expira-   |       |of      |Derivative|       |direct |Owner-|
|Security  |Security|Year)  |Year)  |Code  |V |(A)  |(D)  |cisable   |tion Date |Title  |Shares  |Security  |       |(I)    |ship  |
+----------+--------+-------+-------+------+--+-----+-----+----------+----------+-------+--------+----------+-------+-------+------+
<S>         <C>      <C>     <C>     <C>    <C><C>   <C>   <C>        <C>        <C>     <C>      <C>        <C>     <C>     <C>
1996 (ISO)  $11.3019                                                  01/24/2006 Common                      1537    D
Stock                                                                            Stock
Option
1998 (ISO)  $19.087                                                   01/27/2008 Common                      1271    D
Stock                                                                            Stock
Option
1999 (ISO)  $22.565                                                   01/25/2009 Common                      4201    D
Stock                                                                            Stock
Option
1999 (NQ)   $22.565                                                   06/12/2010 Common                      1574    D
Stock                                                                            Stock
Option
2000 (ISO)  $17.56                                                    01/24/2010 Common                      5694    D
Stock                                                                            Stock
Option
2000 (NQ)   $17.56                                                    01/24/2010 Common                      6433    D
Stock                                                                            Stock
Option
1994 (ISO)  $10.5363                                                  02/22/2004 Common                      1152    D
Stock                                                                            Stock
Option
2001 (ISO)  $16.0124                                                  01/23/2011 Common                      6244    D
Stock                                                                            Stock
Option
2001 (NQ)   $16.0124                                                  01/23/2011 Common                      4256    D
Stock                                                                            Stock
Option
2002 (ISO)  $17.2                                                     01/17/2012 Common                      5813    D
Stock                                                                            Stock
Option
2002 (NQ)   $17.2                                                     01/17/2012 Common                      4187    D
Stock                                                                            Stock
Option
2003 (ISO)  $16.58   01/22/2         A <F3>    6031        01/22/2004 01/22/2013 Common  6031     $16.5800   6031    D
Stock                003                                                         Stock
Option
2003 (NQ)   $16.58   01/22/2         A <F3>    3969        01/22/2004 01/22/2013 Common  3969     $16.5800   3969    D
Stock                003                                                         Stock
Option

Explanation of Responses:
<FN>
<F1>
Vesting of Restricted Stock Award (less shares sold to cover taxes)
<F2>
Vesting of Restricted Stock Award
<F3>
Pursuant to FFBC Stock Option / Award Plan(s)
</FN>
</TABLE>

SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
/s/ Terri J. Ziepfel

DATE
01/23/2003

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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