Banking Veteran to Join First Merchants as Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer

Business Wire, Jan 24, 2008

MUNCIE, Ind. -- First Merchants Corporation (NASDAQ: FRME) announced today that Michael J. Stewart will be joining the company as Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer.

Stewart most recently was Executive Vice President, Corporate Banking for National City Bank, with direct oversight of the Upper Middle Market Banking segment in Indiana and Ohio. He held various leadership positions at National City in a career that spanned 17 years. Prior to his current responsibility, Stewart acted as Chief Credit Officer of the National City affiliate. Prior to his management of the credit function, Stewart managed a middle market calling effort across the state of Indiana. He began his career with Summit Bank in 1988.

First Merchants Chief Executive, Michael C. Rechin, stated, "Mike Stewart is an exciting addition to our First Merchants team. I have firsthand experience in working with Mike and know his talent is additive to us in many areas. His approach to driving revenue and meeting customer needs will create great chemistry with the Bank executives managing our markets."

Stewart is a graduate of Millikin University of Decatur, Illinois, with a Bachelors Degree in Finance and an MBA in Business Administration from Butler University.

As an active leader in the Indianapolis community, Stewart is Chairman of Bosma Enterprises, a non-profit organization, which employs and rehabilitates the blind and visually impaired. He also serves on the board of directors of Junior Achievement of Greater Indianapolis. He previously served as chairman of the Seton Society, a St. Vincent Hospital and Foundation Committee, and a director of Ballet Internationale.

About First Merchants Corporation:

First Merchants Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Muncie, Indiana. Subsidiaries of the Corporation include First Merchants Bank, N.A., First Merchants Bank of Central Indiana, N.A., Lafayette Bank & Trust Company, N.A., Commerce National Bank and First Merchants Trust Company, N.A. The Corporation also operates First Merchants Insurance Services, a full-service property casualty, personal lines, and healthcare insurance agency and is a majority member of Indiana Title Insurance Company, LLC, a title insurance agency.

First Merchants Corporation's common stock is traded over-the-counter on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol FRME. Quotations are carried in daily newspapers and can be found on the company's Internet Web page (http://www.firstmerchants.com).