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First Financial & SimplyBank

Simply Better Together

FFB-SimplyBank-logo

We are happy to announce that we are nearing completion of the merger of SimplyBank and First Financial Bank. Subject to receipt of all required regulatory approvals and other conditions, the merger is expected to close during the second quarter of 2024.

As part of our commitment to keeping you in touch with the changes and updates during the transition of your accounts from SimplyBank to First Financial, we’ve created this page as a library of relevant resources and communications that have been sent to SimplyBank customers. We suggest you save it to your bookmarks, and invite you to check back often for reference.

Timeline – TBD

Communications

Updated Materials

Same updated materials without conversion dates.

Pre-conversion

(Mail date: TBD)

We’re excited to welcome you to our banking family in the upcoming days. Here’s everything you need to know to help you prepare for the final transition to First Financial.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Like SimplyBank, First Financial is a strong, community-focused bank with a 190-year history of supporting communities and helping people with their financial needs. First is committed to community banking and quality customer service.

Yes, our branch network and the locations are important pieces of our growth plan; there are no plans to close any locations currently. First is excited to expand their customer base in southeast Tennessee and northwest Georgia.

No, First Financial has locations in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee; the SimplyBank locations will be the first locations in the metro-Chattanooga and metro-Knoxville areas.

In most cases, yes. As we work together in the coming months to merge our teams, we will determine how we will move forward and make decisions together. As a customer, you should see no changes in how decisions are made.

When we merge, we will take great care to match your current accounts to First Financial accounts with similar benefits and features. To give you time to familiarize yourself with your new accounts once we merge, we’ll waive the monthly service charge for your first two monthly statement cycles after the transition date. If you feel a different account may better suit your needs, we will be happy to help.

Yes. Your money will still be insured up to the $250,000 insurance limit under the FDIC. Your accounts and your money will still be as safe. Check out the FDIC EDIE tool or call your local branch and banker to find out more.

Your checking, savings, CD and IRA account numbers will remain the same, unless you’re notified otherwise.

We are diligently working together with the team at First to navigate the process of carefully merging our businesses. We anticipate this process will be completed and effective second quarter 2024.

Our merger is set to be effective in second quarter 2024. Your account will be converted to a First Financial account near that time. There’s no need for you to do anything. We’ll make sure everything is done for you.

Press Releases

Locations

Certain statements contained on this page, which are not statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, certain plans, expectations, goals, projections, and benefits relating to the proposed merger between First Financial Bank and SimplyBank, which are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Words such as ‘‘believes,’’ ‘‘anticipates,’’ “may,” “will,” “should,” “likely,” “expected,” “estimated,” ‘‘intends,’’ “future,” “plan,” “goal,” “seek,” “project,” or the negative of these terms and other similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. Please refer to First Financial’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as well as their other filings with the SEC, for a more detailed discussion of risks, uncertainties, and factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. First Financial intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except as may be required by applicable law. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of First Financial’s SEC filings without charge at the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov or under the “Investor Relations” section of First Financial’s website at https://investor.first-online.bank.

Forward-looking statements are not historical facts but instead express only management’s beliefs regarding future results or events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of management’s control. It is possible that actual results and outcomes may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results or outcomes indicated in these forward-looking statements. In addition to factors previously disclosed in reports filed by First Financial with the SEC, risks and uncertainties for First Financial, SimplyBank, and the combined company include, but are not limited to: the possibility that any of the anticipated benefits of the proposed merger will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period; the risk that integration of SimplyBank’s operations with those of First Financial and First Financial Bank will be materially delayed or will be more costly or difficult than expected; the inability to close the proposed merger in a timely manner; the inability to complete the proposed merger due to the failure of SimplyBank’s stockholders to adopt the merger agreement; diversion of management’s attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; the failure to satisfy other conditions to completion of the proposed merger, including receipt of required regulatory and other approvals; the failure of the proposed merger to close for any other reason; the challenges of integrating and retaining key employees; the effect of the announcement of the proposed merger on First Financial’s, First Financial Bank’s, SimplyBank’s, or the combined company’s respective customer relationships, operating results, or market price; the possibility that the proposed merger may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected or unknown factors, events, or liabilities; potential litigation or regulatory action related to the proposed merger; and general competitive, economic, political and market conditions, and fluctuations. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are made as of the date hereof and are based on information available at the time of the press release. Except as required by law, neither First Financial nor SimplyBank assumes any obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

First Financial Corporation
Norman D. Lowery
President and CEO

SimplyBank
John Owen
Chief Executive Officer