First Merchants president retiring

Michael Rechin

Michael Rechin, president and CEO of First Merchants in Muncie, Ind., will retire at the end of the year. He will remain on the board and as an advisor to First Merchants.

Chief Operations Officer/Chief Financial Officer Mark Hardwick will become CEO. First Merchants Chief Banking Officer Michael Stewart will become president. Senior Vice President Michele Kawiecki will then become CFO.

Mark Hardwick

Hardwick joined First Merchants in November 1997 as corporate controller and was promoted to CFO in April of 2002. In June of 2007, Hardwick was named CFO and in 2016 COO. He started his career as a senior accountant with BKD. He has an MBA from Ball State University, Muncie.

Stewart joined First Merchants in 2008 after holding executive roles with National City Bank in Indiana. He began his career with Summit Bank in 1988. He has a Bachelors Degree in Finance from Millikin University, Decatur, Ill., and an MBA from Butler University, Indianapolis.

Michele Kawiecki

Kawiecki joined First Merchants in 2015 after 12 years with UMB Financial in Kansas City, Mo., most recent as senior vice president of capital management and assistant treasurer. She started her career as an audit manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

“It has been a great privilege to lead First Merchants Corporation,” said Rechin. “The management team we’ve developed is well prepared to take First Merchants to the next level as Mark, Mike and Michele have all earned their next leadership responsibilities.”

Rechin has led the bank since 2007; previously, he was COO. He joined the bank in 2005 after 20 years with National City Bank, Indianapolis. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and an MBA from Miami University.