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>> HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWSAROUND INDIANA.A MANUFACTURER IS SEEKING TAXINCENTIVES FROM THE CITY OF FORT

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WAYNE ON A PROPOSED $20.6MILLION INVESTMENT.ELRINGKLINGER, A GLOBALAUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIER WITH A

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GERMAN PARENT COMPANY, SAYS ITWILL ADD ABOUT 120 JOBS IN ALLENCOUNTY.THE COMPANY'S BIGGEST CUSTOMERS

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INCLUDE GM AND FORD.ALSO IN FORT WAYNE, A NONPROFITHAS ANNOUNCED PLANS TO BE ONE OFTHE INAUGURAL TENANTS AT THE

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MASSIVE $440 MILLION ELECTRICWORKS DEVELOPMENT PLANNED NEARDOWNTOWN.THE FORT WAYNE PUBLIC MARKET

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SAYS THE SITE WILL ALLOW IT TOREACH ITS GOAL OF OPERATING AYEAR-ROUND, PERMANENT,INDOOR-OUTDOOR PUBLIC MARKET.

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EVANSVILLE REGIONAL AIRPORT HASANNOUNCED A NEW SEASONAL NONSTOPFLIGHT TO A POPULAR TOURISTDESTINATION.

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SERVICE TO DESTIN - FORT WALTONBEACH BY ALLEGIANT WILL BEGINJUNE 8.AND THE SOUTHWEST INDIANA

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CHAMBER HAS NAMED TARA BARNEYAS ITS NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO.SHE COMES FROM THE QUAD CITIESCHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WHERE SHE

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SERVED AS CEO FOR AROUND SEVENYEARS.SHE BEGINS IN HER NEW ROLE MARCH19.

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MUNCIE-BASED FIRST MERCHANTSCORPORATION CONTINUES ON A ROLL.FORBES NAMED FIRST MERCHANTS ONEOF AMERICA'S BEST BANKS FOR

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2018.THAT FOLLOWS RECORD EARNINGS ANDTWO ACQUISITIONS IN 2017.FIRST MERCHANTS HAS ALSO

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ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR A REGIONALHEADQUARTERS IN DOWNTOWN FORTWAYNE AND THE INSTITUTION ISMARKING 125 YEARS IN BUSINESS

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THIS YEAR.AND FOR MORE, I'M PLEASED TO BEJOINED BY FIRST MERCHANTS CEOMIKE RECHIN.

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MIKE, AS ALWAYS WELCOME TO THEPROGRAM.>> HAY, GERRY, THANKS.>> YOU'VE GOT A FEW THINGS GOING

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ON.>> EXCITING TIME FOR US.>> BIG LAND MARK WITH 125 YEARSTHIS YEAR.

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AS YOU GET INTO 2018, IMENTIONED THE FORBES MENTION,WHICH IS QUITE SUBSTANTIAL.TOP FIVE, NUMBER FOUR BANK IN

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THE COUNTRY.>> 125 YEARS, YOU KNOW, OUT OFDELAWARE COUNTY IN MUNCIE,INDIANA IS OUR HEADQUARTERS SO

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WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF IT ANDOBVIOUSLY OVER THAT TIME, WE'VEHAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TOGROW.

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THE FORBES RECOGNITION IS REALLYAFFIRMING FOR OUR TROOPS.SO ALL OF MY TEAMMATES ON A PATHTO BE A BETTER COMPANY AND

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REALLY WIDEN OUR FRANCHISE, SOTO GET A MEASURE LIKE THAT ISGREAT, AND EVEN THOUGH THE RAWRECOGNITION TO BE INCLUDED IN

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THE LARGEST 100 BANKINGCOMPANIES IN THE COUNTRY IS AFIRST FOR US, AND WHEN YOU PUTOUR PERFORMANCE IN THERE, WE

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WERE REALLY PLEASED TO SEE HOWWELL WE RANKED.>> YOU'RE COMING OFF 2017 WITHRECORD EARNS, TWO ACQUISITIONS,

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YOU WERE ABLE TO CLOSE IN 2017.AS YOU LOOK AT GROWTH, WHAT'SREALLY DRIVING THE NUMBERS?>> JOB ONE FOR OUR COMPANY IS

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ORGANIC GROWTH, TAKING FULLADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIESIN ALL THE COMMUNITIES WE'RE IN,AND THERE'S BEEN AN AMPLE LIST

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OF THEM.EAST TO WEST, NORTH TO SOUTH,WITHIN THE AREA THAT FIRSTMERCHANTS COVERS, TERRIFICALLY

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HEALTHY RIGHT NOW.JOB GROWTH, YOU KNOW, WAGEGROWTH.PEOPLE TAKING CHANCES.

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QUITE FRANKLY THE LEADERS INTHESE COMMUNITIES LOOKING ATINVESTMENTS AND PUSHING FORWARDWITH THEM, AND THAT'S OUR ROLE;

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TO SUPPORT THOSE.>> YOU'RE IN OHIO AND I THINKILLINOIS AS WELL.BUT REALLY AN INDIANA BANK.

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I SAW ONE OF THE STATISTICS, 18ACQUISITIONS SINCE 1988.15 IN INDIANA, THREE IN OHIO,AND YOU'VE GOT 85% OF THAT

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EMPLOYEE BASE RIGHT HERE.>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.THERE'VE BEEN NEAT OPPORTUNITIESFOR US IN OHIO AND ILLINOIS BUT

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QUITE FRANKLY IT'S A HOOSIERBANK.85% IS IN INDIANA.THE MARKETS WHERE OUR TEAM CAN

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EXECUTE.>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MAKING ABIG MOVE, REGIONAL HEADQUARTERSIN FORT WAYNE, SOME REALLY HIGH

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PROFILE OFFICE SPACE IN THEVIBRANT DOWNTOWN.>> WHAT MAYOR TOM HENRY HAS DONEUP THERE IS KIND OF SPECIAL, SO

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WE'RE KIND OF FOLLOWING THE LEADOF OTHER COLLABORATIONS THATHE'S PUT TOGETHER, BUT THISSKYLINE TOWER OPPORTUNITY TO

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TAKE WHAT THE COMPANIES THATHAVE JOINED FIRST MERCHANTS TOTAKE THE PROGRESS THAT THEY HADMADE AND TO GO RIGHT TO THE

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HEART OF THE TOWN IS REALLYEXCITING.IT'S A SPECIAL TIME IN FORTWAYNE'S HISTORY RIGHT NOW.

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>> DO YOU SEE THIS AS THEPOTENTIAL FOR MORE GROWTH INNORTHEAST INDIANA?>> WE'RE GOING TO START OUT IN

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'18, WE'RE GOING TO CONSOLIDATEALL THE LINES OF BUSINESS, THENWE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT OURRETAIL CONFIGURATION TO SEE IF

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SOME BANKING CENTERS THAT COULDSERVE THEIR GROWING COMMUNITIESALSO MAKES SENSE.SO IT WON'T BE THE END OF WHAT

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WE DO IN FORT WAYNE.>> AS WE WRAP UP, LOOKINGFORWARD TO GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES,YOU'VE MADE A NUMBER OF

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ACQUISITIONS.DO YOU SEE GROWTH BY ACQUISITIONAS BEING A PATH FORWARD?>> I HOPE SO.

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WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO TRY.WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE ANOPERATIONS CENTER AND ATECHNOLOGY HUB THAT CAN FEED A

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MUCH LARGER COMPANY.YET THE CORE OF THE COMPANY ISHAVING PEOPLE IN THEMARKETPLACE, WORKING WITH OTHER

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LEADERS.THERE'S SO MUCH LEADERSHIP ONDISPLAY ALL THE WAY OVER TOLAFAYETTE AND PURDUE AND PURDUE

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RELATED ENTITIES ALL THE WAYOVER TO OHIO, BUT FOR 18 AIT,HEAVY FOCUS ON FORT WAYNE ANDTRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE

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PARTICIPATING IN ALL THEPROJECTS THAT MAKE SENSE.>> ALL RIGHT.MIKE RECHIN, FIRST MERCHANTS