Chief of Police Jerry Adams Appointed to Bank of Lodi Board.

Business Editors

LODI, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 9, 2003

First Financial Bancorp (OTCBB:FLLC), the parent company of Bank of Lodi, N.A., announced that the First Financial Bancorp Board of Directors unanimously appointed Lodi Chief of Police Jerry J. Adams to the Board of Directors of the Bank.

Chief Adams has been with the Lodi Police Department since 1979 and was appointed Chief in July of 2000. He holds a BA degree from California State University, Sacramento and an MMS from California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, and an MPA from the University of San Francisco.

"Chief Adams is a very positive addition to our Board. He is highly respected in the Lodi community and beyond. He has a proven track record of service to his community, both professionally and personally. He is committed, as we are, to our long term strategic objectives of increasing our earnings through growth and expansion while delivering superior products and services to our customers," said Zimmerman.

Adams states, "I believe strongly in community involvement. Lodi is not just a place to work, it's where I grew up and it's where my family and I call home. We all have the opportunity to make it a better place and that's what I will always try to do. The financial health of our community is enhanced by its diverse financial institutions. It is an honor for me to be asked to join such a respected group as the Bank of Lodi Board of Directors."

Adams is actively involved in many charitable organizations, among them the Lodi Boys & Girls Club Foundation, Lodi District Chamber of Commerce, Lodi Adopt-A-Child and the Lodi-Area Crime Stoppers Inc. He is currently the Chair-Elect of the California Peace Officer Association and the Past President of the California Crime Stoppers Inc. He is a Governors appointee to the Police Medal of Valor Committee. He lives in Lodi with his wife and two children.

Bank of Lodi, N.A., began operations twenty years ago on July 18, 1983 and currently operates in eight communities: Lodi, Woodbridge, Lockeford, San Andreas, Plymouth, Galt, Folsom and Elk Grove. It was recently announced that a new branch, located in Downtown Sacramento, will open in September.

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