News Release Details

MUNCIE, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- First Merchants Corporation (Nasdaq: FRME) declared a cash dividend on February 23, 2011 of $0.01 per share, payable on March 21, 2011, to shareholders of record on March 7, 2011. For purposes of broker trading, the ex-date of the cash dividend is March 3, 2011.

About First Merchants Corporation:

First Merchants Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Muncie, Indiana. The Corporation is comprised of First Merchants Bank, N.A., which also operates as Lafayette Bank & Trust, Commerce National Bank, and First Merchants Trust Company as divisions of First Merchants Bank, N.A.First Merchants Corporation also operates First Merchants Insurance Group, a full-service property casualty, personal lines, and healthcare insurance agency.

First Merchants Corporation’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market System under the symbol FRME. Quotations are carried in daily newspapers and can be found on the company’s Internet web page (http://www.firstmerchants.com).

Source: First Merchants Corporation

First Merchants Corporation

David L. Ortega, First Vice President/Director of Investor Relations, 765-378-8937

http://www.firstmerchants.com