04.17.2024 | First Farmers Financial Corp.
First Farmers Bank & Trust to Expand Branch in Midtown Carmel, Indiana
First Farmers signed a 2,800 sq. ft. lease for a new branch space, located in Midtown Carmel at 111 S. Rangeline Road. This new branch will be part of a larger mixed-used building space from developer LOR Corporation, which will include office space for BSA LifeStructures, Teays River Investments and upscale restaurant 1933 Lounge. Set to open by the end of 2024, First Farmers will have frontage along Rangeline Road, providing excellent visibility for ongoing foot traffic for current and future banking customers.
"After a long and storied history of Indiana roots, we are thrilled to open up our branch expansion in the heart of Midtown Carmel,” said Mark “Doc” Holt, President and CEO. “Our focus continues to be on growth and building relationships with our retail and commercial customers in the state of Indiana. Expanding into Carmel will make it easier for us to personally connect with our Hamilton County customers. We look forward to working with and serving the Carmel community for years to come.”
In the first half of 2023, the Bank hired two business development officers and a loan assistant to focus on deposits and commercial lending in the Carmel market. First Farmers then became a member of OneZone Chamber of Commerce, and in September, the Federal Reserve approved First Farmers’ request to transition the Carmel loan production office to a formal branch. This allowed the Bank to accept deposits, with the Carmel office currently at approximately $100 million in deposits.
“Seeing the dedication our team has shown to the fast-growing Hamilton County market in 2023 made it an easy choice for our team to build a formal, full-service branch in the center of Carmel this year,” said Matt Maher, Hamilton County Regional President at First Farmers Bank & Trust. “We are excited to grow our footprint and our services both geographically and electronically, all while we remain committed to our customers, shareholders and the local Carmel community at large.”
First Farmers Bank & Trust has been growing rapidly this past year. Recently, the bank’s first quarter dividend of $0.48 represented a 4.3% increase over the dividend declared in March 2023. In 2023, earnings per share increased 11.8% to a record $6.57 per share, the sixteenth consecutive year of record earnings for the bank. Overall in 2023, the Bank saw continued asset growth as its assets surpassed the $3 billion mark for the first time.
To learn more about First Farmers Bank & Trust, visit www.ffbt.com or find First Farmers on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
About First Farmers Bank & Trust | First Farmers Financial Corp.
First Farmers Financial Corp. is a $3 billion financial holding company headquartered in Converse, Indiana. First Farmers Bank & Trust has offices throughout Carroll, Cass, Clay, Grant, Hamilton, Howard, Huntington, Madison, Marshall, Miami, Starke, Sullivan, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Vigo and Wabash counties in Indiana and offices in Coles, Edgar, and Vermilion counties in Illinois. First Farmers Financial Corp is traded on the OTC Markets Group, Inc. "OTCQX" exchange under the ticker symbol: FFMR. Member FDIC.