EXHIBIT 24

POWER OF ATTORNEY


KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints Denise R. Manus and Terri J. Ziepfel, signing singly, the
undersigned's true and lawful attorney in fact to:

(1) execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
capacity as an officer and/or director of First Financial Bancorp. (the
?Company?), Forms 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;
(2) do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned
which may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form
3, 4, or 5, complete and execute any amendment or amendments thereto, and
timely file such forms with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority; and
(3) take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of
benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by, the
undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such
attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of
Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-
fact's discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power
and authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever
requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the
rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as
the undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full power
of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that
such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or
substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this
power of attorney and the rights and powers herein granted. The
undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving
in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor
is the Company assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to
comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect
to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities issued
by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed
writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to
be executed as of this 25th day of June, 2018.


Signature /s/ John T. Neighbours
Print Name John T. Neighbours

State of Michigan     )
                      ) ss:
County of Emmet       )

Before me, the undersigned, a Notary Public, personally appeared
John T. Neighbours and acknowledged execution of the foregoing
instrument this 25th day of June, 2018.

Signature:     /s/ Mark Kolinske
Printed:       Mark Kolinske
               Notary Public, State of Michigan

My Commission Expires:  12/05/2019
County of Residence is: Emmet