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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.6

CONFIDENTIAL

                                                        Effective April 30, 2003

C. Thomas Murrell III
Senior Vice President and
Chief Lending Officer
First Financial Bancorp
300 High Street
P.O. Box 476
Hamilton, OH 45012

Dear Tom:

         Effective April 30, 2003, you completed two years of employment with
First Financial Bancorp ("FFBC") and your employment agreement dated April 30,
2001 renewed for an additional two year term. This letter is intended to set
forth in one document the current agreement between FFBC with respect to your
employment terms and the severance arrangements available to you as a manager
employed by FFBC in a key executive position. It is intended to clarify any
ambiguities which exist in the earlier agreement concerning renewals and
severance pay.

         In consideration of the mutual promises contained in this letter, FFBC
shall provide to you, and you shall receive from FFBC, the benefits set forth in
this letter ("Agreement"), if your employment with FFBC is terminated during the
term of this Agreement.

1.       Purpose.

         This Agreement establishes certain basic terms and conditions relating
         to your employment with FFBC, and special arrangements and dispute
         resolution proceedings relating to the termination of your employment
         for any reason other than: (i) your retirement; (ii) your becoming
         totally and permanently disabled under the FFBC long-term disability
         plan or policy; or (iii) your death. This Agreement supersedes all
         prior

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         agreements with FFBC and any of its affiliate banks or any predecessor
         businesses, except the Confidentiality Agreement concurrently entered,
         or previously entered, between you and FFBC, and the special severance
         benefits provided under this Agreement are to be provided instead of
         any other severance arrangements offered by FFBC or its affiliate
         banks. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither your termination of
         employment nor anything contained in this Agreement shall have any
         affect upon your rights under any tax-qualified "pension benefit plan,"
         as such term is defined in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
         of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"); or under any "welfare benefit plan" as
         defined in ERISA, including by way of illustration and not limitation,
         any medical surgical or hospitalization benefit coverage or long-term
         disability benefit coverage; or under any non-qualified deferred
         compensation arrangement, including by way of illustration and not
         limitation, any stock incentive plan or non-qualified pension plan; or
         under the FFBC Performance Incentive Plan for any completed plan year.

2.       Employment.

         FFBC agrees that, during the term of this Agreement, you will be
         employed with FFBC, and any other direct or indirect subsidiary or
         affiliate of FFBC to which you may be transferred, in your present
         position or in a position that is comparable to your present position
         in compensation, responsibility and stature and for which you are
         suited by education and background and that:

         (a)      you are, and will continue to be, eligible to participate in
                  any employee benefit plan of FFBC in accordance with its
                  terms; and

         (b)      you will be entitled to the same treatment under any generally
                  applicable employment policy or practice as any other member
                  of Executive Management Group whose position in the
                  organization is comparable to yours.

         Those plans, policies and practices that generally apply to other
         members of the Executive Management Group will be referred to in this
         Agreement as your "Employment Benefits." Your Employment Benefits may
         be modified from time to time after the date hereof without violation
         of this Agreement if the changes apply generally to other members of
         the Executive Management Group.

3.       Term of Agreement.

         This Agreement shall become effective on the date of this Agreement
         ("Commencement Date") and shall continue in effect through the earlier
         of (i) the second anniversary of the Commencement Date; (ii) the date
         of your retirement, death or total and permanent

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         disability; or (iii) the completion of full payment of all benefits
         promised hereunder. Absent your death, total and permanent disability
         or retirement, this Agreement shall be renewed annually from and after
         the second anniversary of the Commencement Date unless written notice
         to the contrary is given by you or by FFBC at least six (6) months
         prior to the expiration of the term, including any extension thereof.

4.       Termination of Employment.

         Your employment may be terminated in accordance with any of the
         following paragraphs, but only upon one (1) month's advance written
         notice (which period shall be referred to in this Agreement as the
         "Notice Period"):

         (a)      Involuntary Termination. FFBC may terminate your employment
                  without cause. In such an event, you shall continue to receive
                  your full salary and Employment Benefits during the Notice
                  Period. The expiration of the Notice Period shall be your
                  "Date of Termination." Upon your Date of Termination, you
                  shall be entitled to those benefits provided under Section 5,
                  provided you give FFBC the release and covenant not to sue
                  described in Section 5.

         (b)      Involuntary Termination for Cause. FFBC may terminate your
                  employment for "Cause" with written notice setting forth the
                  Cause for termination. "Cause" means a willful engaging in
                  gross misconduct materially and demonstrably injurious to
                  FFBC. "Willful" means an act or omission in bad faith and
                  without reasonable belief that such act or omission was in, or
                  not opposed to, the best interests of FFBC. The expiration of
                  the Notice Period is your "Date of Termination for Cause."
                  Upon your Date of Termination for Cause, you shall only be
                  entitled to those benefits provided under Section 6.

         (c)      Voluntary Termination. You may voluntarily terminate your
                  employment. In such an event, you shall continue to receive
                  your full salary and Employment Benefits during the Notice
                  period provided you satisfactorily perform your duties during
                  the Notice Period unless relieved of those duties by FFBC. The
                  expiration of the Notice Period is your "Voluntary Date of
                  Termination." Upon your Voluntary Date of Termination, you
                  shall only be entitled to those benefits provided under
                  Section 6.

         (d)      Voluntary Termination for Good Reason. You may terminate your
                  employment by notice setting forth a Good Reason for
                  termination if the notice is delivered to FFBC within thirty
                  (30) days following the occurrence of any "Good Reason." "Good
                  Reason" means a (i) change in the duties of your position, or
                  the transfer to a new position, in violation of Section 2;
                  (ii) substantial alteration

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                  in the nature or status of your responsibilities in violation
                  of Section 2; (iii) reduction in your base salary; (iv)
                  refusal by FFBC, or its successor, to renew the term of this
                  Agreement for any reason, prior to your reaching your normal
                  retirement date under the FFBC Pension Benefit Plan; or (v)
                  changes in your Employment Benefits in violation of Section 2.
                  If you give notice of termination for Good Reason, you shall
                  continue to receive your full base salary and Employment
                  Benefits during the Notice Period as in effect prior to the
                  event that is the Good Reason for termination, subject to the
                  right of FFBC to make any changes to your Employment Benefits
                  permitted in accordance with Section 2. The expiration of the
                  Notice Period is your "Date of Termination." Upon your Date of
                  Termination, you shall be entitled to those benefits provided
                  under Section 5, provided you give FFBC the written release
                  and covenant not to sue described in Section 5.

5.       Special Severance Benefits.

         If your employment with FFBC is involuntarily terminated in accordance
         with Section 4(a) or you voluntarily terminate your employment for Good
         Reason in accordance with Section 4(d) and you provide FFBC with a
         separate, written release and covenant not to sue (on a form provided
         by and satisfactory to FFBC) which releases FFBC from all claims
         arising from your employment and termination of your employment, and
         you do not revoke this release and covenant not to sue, then you shall
         receive the following benefits, less any applicable withholding
         required for federal, state or local taxes:

         (a)      your base salary shall be continued in effect for a period of
                  twenty-four (24) months from your Date of Termination
                  (hereinafter called your "Severance Pay Period");

         (b)      if, prior to your Date of Termination, you have participated
                  in the FFBC Performance Incentive Plan for a complete calendar
                  year, you will receive an incentive compensation payment
                  within thirty (30) days of your Date of Termination in one
                  lump-sum in an amount equal to 2.0 times the percentage of the
                  incentive payment made or required to be made for the calendar
                  year pursuant to the Performance Incentive Plan immediately
                  preceding the calendar year in which your Date of Termination
                  occurs;

         (c)      if your Date of Termination is within twelve (12) months after
                  a Change in Control, you will receive a payment within thirty
                  (30) days of your Date of Termination in one lump-sum in an
                  amount equal to the total of the following:

                  (i)      With respect to any shares of Stock subject to an
                           Option granted to you as of the time of the Change in
                           Control under the First Financial Bancorp

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                           1991 Stock Incentive Plan (the "Incentive Plan") that
                           you cannot exercise as a result of your termination
                           of employment, the difference between the fair market
                           value of such Stock, determined as of your Date of
                           Termination, and the Option Price.

                  (ii)     With respect to any Restricted Stock granted to you
                           under the Incentive Plan as of the time of the Change
                           in Control which you forfeit as a result of your
                           termination of employment, the fair market value of
                           such Restricted Stock, determined as of your Date of
                           Termination and as if all restrictions had been
                           removed.

                  (iii)    For purposes of this Section 5, "Stock," "Options,"
                           "Option Price," "Restricted Stock" and "Committee"
                           will have the meaning given those terms in the
                           Incentive Plan, and your right to exercise Options or
                           to receive Restricted Stock without forfeiture will
                           be determined after any adjustments made by the
                           Committee under Sections 8.8 and 11.1 of the
                           Incentive Plan, and after any amendments made to the
                           Incentive Plan in connection with the Change in
                           Control.

                  (iv)     For purposes of this Section 5, "Change in Control"
                           will have the following meaning: (a) a plan has been
                           approved by the shareholders of FFBC and consummated
                           for FFBC to be merged or consolidated with another
                           corporation and as a result of such merger or
                           consolidation less than 75% of the outstanding voting
                           securities of the surviving or resulting corporation
                           will be owned in the aggregate by the former
                           shareholders of FFBC as the same shall have existed
                           immediately prior to such merger or consolidation;
                           (b) an agreement for the sale by FFBC of
                           substantially all of its assets to another
                           corporation which is not a wholly owned subsidiary
                           has been approved by the shareholders (or the Board
                           of Directors or appropriate officers if shareholder
                           approval is not required) and consummated; (c)
                           "beneficial ownership" as defined in Rule 13d-3
                           promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                           (the "Exchange Act") of twenty percent (20%) or more
                           of the total voting capital stock of FFBC then issued
                           and outstanding has been acquired by any person or
                           "group" as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the
                           Exchange Act; or (d) individuals who were members of
                           the Board of FFBC immediately prior to a meeting of
                           the shareholders of FFBC involving a contest for the
                           election of directors do not constitute a majority of
                           the Board immediately following such election, unless
                           the election of such new directors was recommended to
                           the shareholders by the management of FFBC. The Board
                           of FFBC has final authority to determine the exact

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                           date on which a Change in Control has occurred under
                           the foregoing definitions.

         (d)      your Employment Benefits shall be continued during your
                  Severance Pay Period, subject to the right of FFBC to make any
                  changes to your Employment Benefits permitted in accordance
                  with Section 2; provided, however, that you shall not:

                  (i)      accumulate vacation pay for periods after your Date
                           of Termination;

                  (ii)     first qualify for long-term disability benefits or
                           sickness and accident plan benefits by reason of an
                           illness, accident or disability occurring, or a
                           sickness or illness first manifesting itself, after
                           your Date of Termination;

                  (iii)    be eligible to continue to make contributions to any
                           Internal Revenue Code Section 401(k) plan maintained
                           by FFBC or qualify for a share of any employer
                           contribution made to any tax-qualified defined
                           contribution plan; or

                  (iv)     be eligible to accumulate service for pension plan
                           purposes;

         (e)      you shall qualify for full COBRA health benefit continuation
                  coverage upon the expiration of your Severance Pay Period;

         (f)      you shall be entitled to full executive outplacement
                  assistance with an agency selected by FFBC with the fee paid
                  by FFBC in an amount not to exceed five percent (5%) of your
                  annual base salary;

         (g)      with respect to the Endorsement Method Split Dollar Plan
                  Agreement (the "Split Dollar Agreement") to which you are a
                  party (and solely for purposes of the Split Dollar Agreement),
                  the duration of your Severance Pay Period shall be considered
                  as if it were active employment for purposes of determining
                  whether you were eligible to receive a retirement benefit
                  under the early retirement provisions of First Financial
                  Bancorp Employees' Pension Plan, as provided in Section VI(B)
                  of the Split Dollar Agreement; and

         (h)      If your Date of Termination is within twelve (12) months after
                  a Change in Control, and provided that you either elect to
                  have that Policy described in your Split Dollar Agreement
                  assigned to you as specified in Section IX of the Split Dollar
                  Agreement or you consent to the termination of your rights
                  under the Split Dollar Agreement, you will receive a payment
                  (the "Split Dollar

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                  Payment") within ninety (90) days of your Date of Termination
                  in one lump-sum equal to the present value of the death
                  benefit you would have received under the Split Dollar
                  Agreement, determined as if your last day of work was your
                  Date of Termination, were then eligible to receive a
                  retirement benefit under the early, normal, late, or
                  disability retirement provisions of First Financial Bancorp
                  Employees' Pension Plan (whether or not this is actually the
                  case), and died at age 75 when the Split Dollar Agreement was
                  still in effect. For purposes of this Section 5, present value
                  will be determined using a discount rate based upon the
                  effective U.S. Treasury securities rate for the applicable
                  discount period (the number reached by subtracting your age at
                  Date of Termination from 75), not to exceed 10 years.
                  Notwithstanding the prior two sentences, if you elect to
                  receive an assignment of the policy under Section IX of the
                  Split Dollar Agreement, the Split Dollar Payment shall be
                  applied to the cash payment to FFBC required under Section IX
                  of the Split Dollar Agreement, and any portion of the Split
                  Dollar Payment in excess of the amount required under Section
                  IX shall be paid to you. The provisions of this Paragraph (h)
                  will apply whether or not your Split Dollar Agreement is
                  terminated before you receive the Split Dollar Payment.

         (i)      Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if the
                  receipt of any payment under Section 5 of this Agreement, in
                  combination with any other payments to you from FFBC or its
                  affiliates, shall, in the opinion of independent tax counsel
                  of recognized standing selected by FFBC, result in the payment
                  by you of any excise tax provided for in Section 280G and
                  Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code, then the amount of
                  payments under Section 5 of this Agreement shall be reduced to
                  the extent required, in the opinion of independent tax
                  counsel, to prevent the imposition of such excise tax. The
                  reduction of payments under this Agreement shall be made after
                  any reduction made under Section 11.2 of the First Financial
                  Bancorp 1991 Stock Incentive Plan and you will have the right
                  to select the order in which payments under this Section 5
                  will be reduced.

         The release and covenant not to sue which you agree to provide prior to
         the receipt of special severance benefits under this Section 5 of this
         Agreement shall comply with the requirements of the Older Workers
         Benefit Protection Act and applicable state and federal laws and
         regulations. If you do not provide FFBC with a written release and
         covenant not to sue, any claims concerning this Agreement or otherwise
         arising from your employment with FFBC, or its affiliate banks, shall
         be subject to final and binding arbitration as described in Section 7.

6.       Benefits Upon Voluntary Termination or Termination for Cause.

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         Upon your Date of Termination for Cause in accordance with Section 4(b)
         or your Voluntary Date of Termination in accordance with Section 4(c),
         all special severance benefits under this Agreement will be void. In
         such an event, you shall be eligible for any benefits provided in
         accordance with the plans and practices of FFBC that are applicable to
         employees generally.

7.       Arbitration.

         Any dispute under this Agreement, and any claims of wrongful or
         discriminatory termination based on any state or federal statute, tort,
         public policy, contract or promissory estoppel theory, including any
         dispute as to the cause or reason for termination, shall be submitted
         to final and binding arbitration, subject to the National Rules for the
         Resolution of Employment Disputes of the American Arbitration
         Association, effective June 1, 1997, except as hereinafter provided:

         (a)      FFBC shall pay the arbitrator's fee;

         (b)      Each party shall bear the cost of its own attorney's fees.
                  However, if you prevail in a challenge to FFBC's determination
                  as to cause for your termination or if you prevail on any
                  claim that you were discriminated against in violation of any
                  federal law or statute, you shall be reimbursed by FFBC for
                  the filing fee and any reasonable costs or expenses incurred
                  in such a challenge, including reasonable attorney's fees;

         (c)      The arbitration hearing shall be held in Hamilton, Ohio,
                  unless the parties mutually agree to another location;

         (d)      Each party shall exchange documents to be utilized as exhibits
                  in the arbitration hearing and each party shall be limited to
                  two (2) pre-hearing depositions of two (2) hours each, unless
                  the arbitrator orders additional discovery;

         (e)      The arbitrator shall be appointed in accordance with Rule 12
                  of the above-referenced Rules of the American Arbitration
                  Association, except that if, for any reason, an arbitrator
                  cannot be selected by the process described in Rule 12,
                  subparts (i) through (iii), the American Arbitration
                  Association shall submit the names of seven (7) additional
                  arbitrators from its Roster and the parties shall select the
                  arbitrator by alternately striking names with the party
                  requesting arbitration first striking; and

         (f)      Either party shall be entitled to an injunction or other
                  appropriate equitable relief to enforce the arbitration
                  provisions of this Agreement and FFBC shall be

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                  entitled to an injunction to prevent any breach, pending
                  arbitration, of the Confidentiality Agreement described below
                  in paragraph 8 or the Covenant Not to Compete described below
                  in paragraph 10.

                  It is the intention of the parties to avoid litigation in any
         court of all claims concerning this Agreement, or otherwise arising
         from your employment with FFBC, or its affiliate bank, and that all
         such claims will be subject to this arbitration agreement. Neither
         party shall commence or pursue any litigation on any claim that is or
         was the subject of arbitration under this Agreement. Each party agrees
         that this agreement to arbitrate and the arbitration award are
         enforceable under and subject to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C.
         Section I, et seq. ("FAA"). If the FAA is held not to apply for any
         reason and the law of the state in which you are employed recognizes
         the enforceability of this Agreement and the arbitration award, then
         this Agreement and the arbitration award are enforceable under the laws
         of the state in which you are employed. Both parties consent that
         judgment upon the arbitration award may be entered in any federal or
         state court that has jurisdiction. The acceptance of any benefit under
         this Agreement shall be deemed ratification of this agreement to
         arbitrate claims. In the event you breach this Agreement by filing a
         lawsuit, at the time your lawsuit is filed, you will return any Special
         Severance Benefits paid to you and be subject to injunctive relief
         enforcing this Agreement.

8.       Confidentiality.

         You will not disclose to any person or use for the benefit of yourself
         or any other person any confidential or proprietary information of FFBC
         without the prior written consent of the Chief Executive Officer of
         FFBC. Upon your termination of employment, you will return to FFBC all
         written or electronically stored memoranda, notes, plans, customer
         lists, records, reports or other documents of any kind or description
         (including all copies in any form whatsoever) relating to the business
         of FFBC and fully comply with any separate confidentiality agreement to
         which you and FFBC are parties.

9.       Conflicts of Interest.

         You agree for so long as you are employed by FFBC to avoid dealings and
         situations that would create the potential for a conflict of interest
         with FFBC. In this regard, you agree to comply with the FFBC policy
         regarding conflicts of interest and all applicable state or federal
         regulations concerning conflicts of interest applicable to commercial
         bank or savings bank officers.

10.      Covenant Not to Compete.

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         During the term of your employment, and for a period of six (6) months
         following the termination of your employment for any reason other than
         as set forth in Section 4(b), you agree not to be employed by, serve as
         officer or director of, consultant to or advisor to any business that
         engages either directly or indirectly in commercial banking, savings
         banking or mortgage lending in the geographic area of Ohio, Indiana,
         Michigan or Kentucky or which is reasonably likely to engage in such
         businesses in the same geographic area during the six (6) month period
         following your termination of employment.

11.      Notice.

         Notices required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing
         and shall be deemed to have been given when delivered or mailed by
         United States certified mail, return receipt requested, postage
         prepaid, in a properly addressed envelope. Notices to FFBC shall be
         addressed to the Chief Executive Officer.

12.      Modification; Waiver; Successors.

         No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified or discharged
         except pursuant to a written instrument signed by you and the Chief
         Executive Officer of FFBC. This Agreement is binding upon any successor
         to all or substantially all of the business or assets of FFBC.

13.      Validity; Counterparts.

         This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under the law of the
         State of Ohio. The validity or unenforceability of any provision hereof
         shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision
         hereof. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts,
         each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which
         together will constitute one and the same instrument.

         This Agreement supercedes the Agreement dated April 30, 2001 and the
Amendment thereto dated May 7, 2003.

                                                   Sincerely yours,

                                                   FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP

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                                                   By: /s/ Brian D. Moriarty
                                                      ------------------------

ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO
THIS 13 DAY OF June, 2003.

  /s/ C. Thomas Murrell III
---------------------------
C. Thomas Murrell III