First Merchants Bank is the main sponsor of the Tri-Village Chamber Partnership's fourth annual Be Your Best Self Conference on Aug. 28, and Regional President Jennifer Griffith says eight of her employees plan to attend.

Griffith, who leads the bank's Ohio growth initiative, discussed the sponsorship and the bank's broader community strategy on the chamber's "Business Inspires" podcast, published Aug. 2.

The conference focuses on personal and professional growth. Griffith said the event gives attendees a chance to develop self-awareness, build community around shared goals and connect with new resources.

Grandview branch anchors local presence

First Merchants operates a branch at 1460 Grandview Ave. and manages $21 billion in assets across Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. The bank completed its merger with First Savings Financial Group on Feb. 2 and announced a $2 billion Community Benefits Agreement with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition on June 25 to expand lending in underserved Midwest markets.

Griffith told podcast co-hosts Katie Ellis, the chamber's president and CEO, and Brett Johnson, a chamber board member and owner of Circle 270 Media Podcast Consultants, that the bank plans to push beyond its Columbus concentration.

"We will continue to grow by county, by household, by teammate, by product, by opportunity," Griffith said. "I do think that as we grow our team, we will continue to grow into markets that could be underbanked, could be underserved, that we could be bringing fresh ideas and products and decision making into neighborhoods that could really benefit from a strong banking partner."

13 years with Cristo Rey

First Merchants has sponsored Cristo Rey Columbus High School's professional work-study program since 2013. Students at the private, Catholic college-preparatory school work at partner businesses to help fund their education, and 100% of graduates receive college acceptance.

Griffith said she was introduced to Cristo Rey before it opened in Columbus and called the school's founding "an enormous feat."

CEO Mark Hardwick, in a January advertising supplement in Columbus Business First celebrating the partnership, said the bank has seen firsthand how Cristo Rey scholars bring strong work ethic and professional curiosity to its corporate culture.

Women in banking leadership

Griffith also addressed the gender gap in her industry, noting that banking is predominantly female at the staff level but flips to predominantly male in the executive suite. She urged women in the field to speak up in every meeting and bring value when they do.

What's next

First Merchants was named to TIME Magazine's "America's Best Companies 2026" list on July 9 and Forbes' World's Best Banks 2026 list on June 5. The bank logged 17,319 hours of community service in 2024.

The Be Your Best Self Conference takes place Aug. 28. Registration details are posted at chamberpartnership.org.