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>> THE LONGTIME LEADER OF
MUNCIE-BASED FIRST MERCHANTS
CORP. IS HANGING UP HIS BANKING
CAP AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

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UNDER MIKE RECHIN'S WATCH, FIRST
MERCHANTS GREW FROM $3 BILLION
DOLLARS IN ASSETS TO $13
BILLION, WITH INCOME GROWTH TO

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MATCH. FORBES HAS RECOGNIZED AND
RANKED THE BANK AS ONE OF THE
FIVE BEST IN THE COUNTRY EACH OF
THE PAST THREE YEARS.

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WE ARE PLEASED TO BE JOINED NOW
BY RETIRING FIRST MERCHANTS
PRESIDENT AND CEO, MIKE RECHIN.
MIKE, GREAT TO SEE YOU.

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CONGRATULATIONS ON THE
RETIREMENT.
>> THANK YOU, GERRY. REALLY I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR NEXT

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CHAPTER AS A FAMILY, AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO HELP
FIRST MERCHANTS FROM A DIFFERENT
SEAT, AND REALLY CONFIDENT IN

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THE TEAM WE HAVE IN PLACE.
>> YOU'VE HAD QUITE A RIDE AT
FIRST MERCHANTS, CERTAINLY
YOU'RE ONE OF THE MOST

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RECOGNIZED NAMES IN THE INDIANA
BANKING COMMUNITY, NATIONAL CITY
PRIOR TO THAT FOR ABOUT A
DECADE. BUT MIKE, AS YOU LOOK AT

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THE GROWTH, I MENTIONED THAT 3
BILLION TO 13 BILLION IN ASSETS,
WHAT HAS REALLY FUELED THE
GROWTH EQUATION, IF YOU WILL, AT

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FIRST MERCHANTS?
>> WELL, I THINK THE -- IT'S A
UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT IN THE STATE
OF INDIANA, AND MAYBE THROUGHOUT

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THE MIDWEST. CLEARLY INDIANA HAS
BEEN BLESSED WITH GREAT
LEADERSHIP AT THE TOP AND IT'S
FOSTERED A GREAT ECONOMIC

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ENVIRONMENT, AND BANKING IS A
GREAT CONDUIT TO GETTING CAPITAL
TO COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES. SO
BETWEEN THAT AT THE HIGH LEVEL

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AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SEEN
FIT TO JOIN OUR COMPANY AND
BRING THEIR TALENT AND THE
COMMERCIAL COMPANIES...IT'S BEEN

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A GREAT CHEMISTRY AND A LOT OF
FUN.
>> IN THE CONSOLIDATING
INDUSTRY, YOU'VE BEEN STRATEGIC,

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MAYBE AGGRESSIVE TO AN EXTENT IN
GOING OUT AND MAKING SOME
ACQUISITIONS, TOO.
>> YEAH, WE REALLY HAVE.

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THE -- ONE OF THE CHALLENGES FOR
THE BUSINESS THAT THEN BECOMES
AN OPPORTUNITY IS DEVELOPING AND
INVESTING CHANNELS THAT GIVE

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CUSTOMERS A CHANCE TO TOUCH YOU
WHETHER YOU'RE A CONSUMER
CUSTOMER, COMMERCIAL, YOU NEED
TO ADAPT YOUR BUSINESS MODEL

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AWAY FROM PURE BANKING CENTERS
TO ONLINE BANKING, MOBILE
BANKING, THE WHOLE BIT. THAT IS
SEEING OTHER BANKING COMPANIES

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LOOK FOR PLACES WHERE THEY MIGHT
GO AND MERGE THEIR STRENGTHS
WITH YOURS AND WE'VE BENEFITTED.
>> TECHNOLOGY CERTAINLY HAS

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CHANGED THE INDUSTRY
DRAMATICALLY. WHAT, IN YOUR
VIEW, AS YOU LOOK BACK ON WHEN
YOU GOT INTO THE INDUSTRY, AND

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THE THINGS THAT -- DYNAMICS
DRIVING THE INDUSTRY NOW, WHAT
ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES
YOU'VE SEEN IN THE BANKING

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INDUSTRY IN INDIANA?
>> I THINK IT'S JUST BEEN OUR
CLIENTS OPENED TO CHANGE AND
THEN DEMANDING CHANGE AS TO HOW

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THEY ACCESS YOUR COMPANY. AND SO
WE'VE HAD TO ADAPT OUR
SKILLSETS, KIND OF GO TO A 7-DAY
A WEEK, 24-HOUR A DAY

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ACCESSIBILITY FOR OUR CLIENTS
AND KEEP UP WITH THE TECHNOLOGY
CHANGE IS DIFFICULT. I THINK
THAT'S WHY YOU'VE SEEN SOME

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CONSOLIDATION IN THE INDUSTRY.
>> MIKE, WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU AND
YOUR WIFE DEBBIE, HOPEFULLY
YOU'RE GOING TO STAY IN INDIANA.

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>> ABSOLUTELY. WE CAME FROM OHIO
25 YEARS AGO, HAVE BEEN WELCOMED
BY MY TEAMMATES AT THE BANK AND
EVERY COMMUNITY. HAMLIN COUNTY

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CONTINUES TO BE OUR HOME, LOOK
FORWARD TO CATCHING UP WITH ALL
OF MY FRIENDS, INCLUDING YOU,
GERRY, OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL

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YEARS.
>> I LOOK FORWARD TO IT, AS