<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001144204-09-033574
<TYPE>8-K
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090615
<ITEMS>5.02
<ITEMS>7.01
<FILING-DATE>20090619
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090619
<FILER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP /OH/
<CIK>0000708955
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6021
<IRS-NUMBER>311042001
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>OH
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>8-K
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-12379
<FILM-NUMBER>09901733
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>4000 SMITH ROAD
<CITY>CINCINNATI
<STATE>OH
<ZIP>45209
<PHONE>5139795782
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>4000 SMITH ROAD
<CITY>CINCINNATI
<STATE>OH
<ZIP>45209
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</FILER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>v152901_8k.htm
<TEXT>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Washington,
D.C.&#160;&#160;20549</font></div>
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8-K</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
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REPORT</font></div>
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TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE</font></div>
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EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934</font></div>
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Report (Date of earliest event reported):&#160;&#160;June 15, 2009</font></div>
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FINANCIAL BANCORP.</font></div>
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      Smith Road</font></div>
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appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):</font></div>
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      communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
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      material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
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      communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
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      <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">
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            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 216pt">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Form
      8-K</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: right" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">First
      Financial Bancorp.</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">
      <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 81pt">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item
      5.02</font></div>
            </td>
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              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Departure
      of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of
      Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain
      Officers.</font></div>
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      </table>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The board
of directors of First Financial Bancorp (&#8220;Company&#8221;) elected Murph Knapke as its
new chairman effective June 15, 2009. Mr. Knapke has served on the board as an
independent director since 1983. He replaces Barry Porter who retired from the
board on June 15, 2009.&#160;&#160;&#160;Mr. Porter served as an independent
director on the Company&#8217;s board since 1988, and served as chairman since
2007.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">
      <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 81pt">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Item
      7.01</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Regulation
      FD Disclosure.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The
Company announced the results of its Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on June
15, 2009.&#160;&#160;&#160;At the meeting, shareholders elected three directors
for terms of three years to its nine member board of directors. Elected to the
board were:</font></div>
    <div>
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              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;" face="Wingdings">&#167;&#160;&#160;</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Mark
      A. Collar</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 18pt">
              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;" face="Wingdings">&#167;&#160;&#160;</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Murph
      Knapke</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 18pt">
              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;" face="Wingdings">&#167;&#160;&#160;</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">William
      J. Kramer</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The
Company&#8217;s shareholders also voted on and approved the following:</font></div>
    <div>
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            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 18pt">
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            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">2009
      Employee Stock Plan;</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 18pt">
              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;" face="Wingdings">&#167;&#160;&#160;</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">2009
      Non-Employee Director Stock Plan;</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 18pt">
              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;" face="Wingdings">&#167;&#160;&#160;</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Non-binding
      advisory resolution on the Company&#8217;s executive compensation;
      and</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
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      non-binding shareholder proposal requesting the board of directors to
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  directors.</font></div>
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also voted to ratify the appointment of Ernst &amp; Young as the Company&#8217;s
independent registered accounting firm.</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">A
proposal to amend the Company&#8217;s Articles of Incorporation to increase the
authorized number of preferred shares was withdrawn and was not presented at the
meeting.</font></div>
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result of the passage of the shareholder proposal to declassify the board, the
Company&#8217;s board of directors will review and carefully consider the
proposal.</font></div>
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vote totals will be included in the Company&#8217;s quarterly report for the quarter
ended June 30, 2009, that the Company expects will be filed with the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission no later than August 10,
2009.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
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Financial Bancorp does not intend for this Item&#160;7.01 to be treated as
&#8220;filed&#8221; for purposes of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or
incorporated by reference into its filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">&#160;</div>
    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
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        <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left">
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        </div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>Pursuant to the requirements of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to
be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
        <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">
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              <tr>
                <td valign="top" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
                <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="38%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">FIRST FINANCIAL
      BANCORP.</font></font></td>
                <td valign="top" width="12%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td valign="top" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
                <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="38%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
                <td valign="top" width="12%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td valign="top" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
                <td colspan="2" valign="top" width="38%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
                <td valign="top" width="12%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td valign="top" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
                <td valign="top" width="3%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
                <td valign="top" width="35%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
                <td valign="top" width="12%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td align="left" valign="top" width="50%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #ffffff solid">
                  <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
                </td>
                <td valign="top" width="3%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #ffffff solid">
                  <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">By:
      </font></div>
                </td>
                <td align="left" nowrap valign="top" width="35%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">/s/&#160;J.
      Franklin Hall</font></td>
                <td valign="top" width="12%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #ffffff solid"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td valign="top" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
                <td valign="top" width="3%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
                <td align="left" nowrap valign="bottom" width="35%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">J.
      Franklin Hall</font></td>
                <td valign="top" width="12%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td valign="top" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
                <td valign="top" width="3%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
                <td valign="top" width="35%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Executive
      Vice President and</font></td>
                <td valign="top" width="12%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td valign="top" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
                <td valign="top" width="3%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
                <td valign="top" width="35%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Chief
      Financial Officer</font></td>
                <td valign="top" width="12%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;</font></td>
              </tr>
          </table>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div>&#160;</div>
    <div>Date: June 19, 2009</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br>&#160;</div>
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