form425-88428_fdef.htm
Filed
by:
Pavilion Bancorp, Inc. pursuant to
Rule 425
under the Securities Act of 1933 and
deemed
filed pursuant to Rule 14a-12
under
the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Subject
Company: First Defiance Financial Corp.
Commission
File No.:0-26850
NEWS
Contact: Mary
Beth Weisenburger
Director
of Marketing
800-472-6292
(419)
782-5015
mbweisenburger@first-fed.com
For
Release Friday, December 14
JEFF
VEREECKE NAMED PRESIDENT OF FIRST FEDERAL
BANK’S
NORTHERN
MARKET
(Defiance,
OH) – First Federal Bank officials have announced the recent promotion of
Jeffrey D. Vereecke from Executive Vice President of Retail Banking to President
of the bank’s Northern Market. The Northern Market will include the Williams and
Fulton County offices of First Federal Bank as well as the Bank of Lenawee
offices based in Adrian, Michigan that are anticipated to become part of the
First Federal Bank franchise in March of 2008, subject to shareholder and
regulatory approvals.
A
native
of Morenci, Michigan, Vereecke graduated from Morenci High School in 1979 and
earned a degree in finance from Grand Valley State University. He
began his banking career with First Federal Bank in 1984 in the credit
department. After ten years in the retail and commercial lending departments
he
was promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer.
In
1998,
Vereecke was promoted to Executive Vice President of Retail Banking and was
responsible for the development and implementation of the retail sales and
service strategy for the company.
Mr.
Vereecke has served on several boards at his church and volunteers with the
United Way, the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, as a youth sports coach
and with other faith-based organizations. He is a graduate of the Defiance
County Chamber Leadership Program and was honored as a distinguished alumnus
of
Morenci High School in 2007.
He
and
his wife Karen have 7 children and will be relocating to the Adrian
area.
“I
am
excited about returning to the Adrian area and working with the Bank of Lenawee
staff as we prepare to integrate the Bank of Lenawee into the First Federal
Bank
network,” said Vereecke. “I am impressed with the commitment to customer service
the staff exhibits, and I look forward to continuing the tradition of local
decision-making and community involvement that Bank of Lenawee has established
in the region.”
Rick
DeVries, current President & CEO of the Bank of Lenawee stated, “I am
personally very pleased with Jeff's appointment as president of this market.
He
has strong ties to the area, and the background and experience to guide the
bank
into the next phase of development. I am convinced that Jeff’s
leadership and commitment to true community banking will be beneficial to
customers, employees and shareholders of the bank."
###
About
First Defiance Financial Corp. and First Federal Bank
First
Defiance Financial Corp.,
headquartered in Defiance, Ohio, is the holding company for First Federal Bank
of the Midwest and First Insurance & Investments. First Federal Bank
operates 27 full service branches and 35 ATM locations in northwest Ohio and
northeast Indiana. First Insurance & Investments is a full service insurance
agency with offices in Defiance and Bowling Green Ohio.
For
more
information, visit the company’s Web sites at www.fdef.com and
www.first-fed.com.
This
communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of
and
offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any
jurisdiction in which such offer,
solicitation
or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification of the
securities under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering
of
securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the
requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
First
Defiance will be filing a Registration Statement on Form S-4 with the SEC
concerning the merger of Pavilion Bancorp, Inc. into First Defiance (the
“Merger”), which will include the joint prospectus/proxy statement that will be
mailed to Pavilion’s shareholders. WE URGE INVESTORS TO READ THESE
DOCUMENTS BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors will
be able to obtain the documents free of charge, when filed, at the SEC’s
website, www.sec.gov. In addition, documents filed with the SEC by First
Defiance will be available free of charge from the Secretary of First Defiance
at 601 Clinton Street, Defiance, Ohio 43512, telephone (419)
782-5015. INVESTORS SHOULD READ THE PROXY STATEMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE
MAKING A DECISION CONCERNING THE MERGER. Copies of all recent proxy
statements and annual reports of First Defiance are also available free of
charge by contacting First Defiance’s secretary.
First
Defiance, Pavilion and their respective directors and executive officers may
be
deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies to approve the
Merger. Additional information about the directors and executive
officers of First Defiance may be obtained through the SEC’s website from the
definitive proxy statement filed by First Defiance with the SEC on March 20,
2007. Additional information about the directors and executive
officers of Pavilion may be obtained through the SEC’s website from the
definitive proxy statement filed by Pavilion with the SEC on March 20,
2007. Additional information about participants in the proxy
solicitation and their interests in the transaction will be contained in the
joint prospectus/proxy statement to be filed with the SEC.