CINCINNATI, Ohio — First Financial Bancorp announced Wednesday, Oct. 28, that Timothy A. Massa has been appointed to its board of directors, effective immediately, following a board vote on Oct. 27, the company said in a PR Newswire release.
Massa fills a vacancy created when the board voted to increase its size from 10 to 11 members, according to the release. First Financial said the increase and the appointment were made on the recommendation of the board’s Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee.
“Tim brings experience and perspectives on human capital, including both leadership and associates, that will be valuable for us as First Financial continues to grow,” board chairman Claude Davis said in the company’s PR Newswire release. Chief Executive Archie Brown said in the same release that Massa’s background fits the bank’s work developing young professionals into senior roles, and cited his deep connectivity to the Greater Cincinnati community.
Massa, 59, brings 37 years of executive human capital leadership, including 16 years at Kroger, with 12 years on Kroger’s senior leadership team, and 21 years at Procter & Gamble, according to the release. First Financial said he is recognized for work in executive compensation, CEO succession planning, talent strategy, labor relations, total rewards and culture, and has led large organizational transformations including mergers and integrations.
He retired in September 2026 after serving 12 years as Kroger’s executive vice president and chief associate experience officer, and now serves as a strategic advisor to Kroger, the release said. The appointment puts a longtime Cincinnati corporate leader on the board of a Cincinnati-based bank holding company as it continues to grow.
First Financial Bancorp trades on Nasdaq under the symbol FFBC. The company did not announce any committee assignments for Massa in Wednesday’s release.
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