First Defiance Becomes Premier Financial Corp.

DEFIANCE, Ohio — First Defiance Financial Corp., holding company for First Federal Bank and First Insurance Group, is now officially Premier Financial Corp.

The name change took place at 5 p.m. Friday and coincided with the previously announced change of the bank’s name to Premier Bank. The company’s stock continues to be traded on Nasdaq under the new ticker symbol “PFC.”

First Defiance Financial Corp. and United Community Financial Corp., former holding company for Home Savings Bank, merged Jan. 31. The 33 branches of Home Savings, two wealth offices and 11 loan production offices continue to operate as Home Savings Bank.

The combined organization operates 78 branches, 12 loan offices and two wealth offices in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

First Insurance Group is a full-service insurance agency with 10 offices in Ohio including James & Sons Insurance in Youngstown.

“We are excited to begin trading under our new ‘PFC’ symbol and believe that the new name and ticker matches our goal of achieving greater name recognition through aligning our holding company name with the name of our banking subsidiary,” said CEO Donald P. Hileman in a statement. “The symbol change aligns directly with our corporate brand and will strengthen our visibility in the market, making it easier for current shareholders and prospective investors to find and follow the bank.”

The company’s investor relations website will be accessible at PremierFinCorp.com. No action is required by current shareholders relative to the name or ticker symbol change.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.