News Release Details

MUNCIE, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 9, 2005--First Merchants Corporation (Nasdaq:FRME), a $3.2 billion financial holding company, has elected Roderick English to its Board of Directors. Mr. English was elected yesterday at a regular meeting of the Board of Directors.

Mr. English serves as Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Communications for Remy International, Inc., in Anderson, Indiana, where he has worked in various leadership roles since joining the former division of General Motors in 1976.

In 2003, English was the Laureate for the Madison County Business Hall of Fame and in 1998 was appointed by then-Governor Frank O'Bannon to the Indiana Public Employee Relations Board. He is a current member of the board of commissioners for the Martin Luther King Memorial Commission and also serves as project chairman for the MLK Community Housing Development Organization. He serves on the boards of the St. John's Health System Finance Committee, Madison County Community Foundation, and the Board of Trustees, East Central Region for Ivy Tech State College. Mr. English earned a bachelor's degree from Mercer University in Georgia and a master's degree in management from Indiana Wesleyan University.

"We are excited to have Rod join our Board," said Michael L. Cox, First Merchants' CEO. "His strong ties to Madison County and experience in Indiana business are attributes that will serve our Board well."

About First Merchants Corporation

First Merchants Corporation (Nasdaq:FRME) is a financial holding company headquartered in Muncie, Indiana. Since its organization in 1982, the Corporation has grown to include nine affiliate banks with over 70 locations in 17 Indiana and three Ohio counties, a trust company, a multi-line insurance company, and a title company. Bank subsidiaries of the Corporation include:

    --  First Merchants Bank in Delaware and Hamilton counties

    --  Madison Community Bank in Madison County

    --  First United Bank in Henry County

    --  United Communities National Bank (UCNB) in Randolph, Union,
        Fayette, Wayne, and Butler (OH) counties

    --  First National Bank in Jay County

    --  Decatur Bank & Trust Company in Adams County

    --  Frances Slocum Bank in Wabash, Howard, and Miami counties

    --  Lafayette Bank and Trust Company in Tippecanoe, Carroll,
        Jasper, and White counties

    --  Commerce National Bank in Franklin and Hamilton counties in
        Ohio

The Corporation also operates First Merchants Insurance Services, a full-service property, casualty, personal lines, and health care insurer, and is the majority owner of the Indiana Title Insurance Company LLC. Merchants Trust Company unites the trust and asset management services of all affiliate banks of the Corporation and represents one of the largest trust companies in the State of Indiana, with assets in excess of $1.5 billion.

For more information, visit www.firstmerchants.com.

    CONTACT: First Merchants Corporation
             Andrew Weixler, 765-747-1360

    SOURCE: First Merchants Corporation