Edgar Filing: Bardwell Kathleen

Ownership Submission

FORM 4

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL

OMB Number:

3235-0287

Expires:

January 31, 2005

Estimated average burden hours per response...

0.5

(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^*

Bardwell Kathleen

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP /OH/ [FFBC]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

__X__ Director	_____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below)	_____ Other (specify below)

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

255 EAST 5TH STREET, SUITE 2900

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
04/01/2018

(Street)

CINCINNATI, OH 45202

4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	04/01/2018		A		23,187	A	⁽¹⁾	23,187	D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
	Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.		SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)

Code

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Bardwell Kathleen 255 EAST 5TH STREET, SUITE 2900 CINCINNATI, OH 45202	X

Signatures

/s/ Billie L. Meents, POA		04/03/2018
^**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Received pursuant to the merger agreement between First Financial Bancorp. ("First Financial") and MainSource Financial Group, Inc. ("MainSource"), dated July 25, 2017 (the "Merger Agreement"), pursuant to which MainSource was merged with and into First Financial on April 1, 2018 (the "Effective Time"). Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, as of the Effective Time, (i) each issued and outstanding share of MainSource's common stock converted into the right to receive 1.3875 shares of First Financial common stock and cash in lieu of fractional shares (the "Merger Consideration"), and (ii) each outstanding restricted share and each outstanding performance share unit fully vested and was cancelled and converted automatically into the right to receive the Merger Consideration in respect of each share of MainSource's common stock underlying such award, less applicable tax withholdings. On the trading day immediately preceding Effective Date, the closing price of MainSource's common stock was $40.65 per share and the closing price of First Financial's common stock was $29.35 per share.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.