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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )*
First Place Financial Corp.
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(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock
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(Title of Class of Securities)
33610T-10-9
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(CUSIP Number)
December 31, 1998
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(Date of Event which Requires Filing of Statement)
Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:
[X] Rule 13d-1(b)
[_] Rule 13d-1(c)
[_] Rule 13d-1(d)
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).
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CUSIP NO. 33610T 10 9 13G PAGE 2 OF 5 PAGES
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (entities only)
FIRST FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION OF WARREN
EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
(See Instructions)
(a) __
(b) __
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3 SEC USE ONLY
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4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
FEDERALLY CHARTERED STOCK SAVINGS INSTITUTION'S EMPLOYEE STOCK BENEFIT PLAN
ORGANIZED IN OHIO
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SOLE VOTING POWER
5
NUMBER OF 899,300
SHARES -----------------------------------------------------------
SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY 6
0
OWNED BY
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EACH SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
7
REPORTING 899,300
PERSON -----------------------------------------------------------
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH 8
0
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9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
899,300
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10 CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (See
Instructions) __
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11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
8.0%
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12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (See Instructions)
EP
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Schedule 13G Page 3 of 5 Pages
Item 1(a): Name of Issuer:
First Place Financial Corp.
Item 1(b): Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
185 East Market Street
Warren, Ohio 44482
Item 2(a): Name of Person Filing:
First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Warren
Employee Stock Ownership Plan
Item 2(b): Address of Principal Business Office or,
if none, Residence:
Trustee: First Bankers' Trust Company, N.A.
2321 Koch's Lane
Quincy, Illinois 62305
Item 2(c): Citizenship:
Federally chartered stock savings institution's employee stock
benefit plan organized in Ohio
Item 2(d): Title of Class of Securities:
Common Stock, per value $.01 per share
Item 2(e): CUSIP Number:
33610T-10-9
Item 3: Check appropriate box if this statement is filed pursuant to Rules
13d-1(b) or 13d-2(b) or (c):
(a) [_] Broker or dealer registered under section 15 of
the Act (15 U.S.C. 78O);
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Page 4 of 5 Pages
(b) [_] Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act
(15 U.S.C. 78c);
(c) [_] Insurance company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the
Act (15 U.S.C. 78c);
(d) [_] Investment company registered under section 8 of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8);
(e) [_] An investment adviser in accordance with
(S) 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E);
(f) [x] An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance
with (S) 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);
(g) [_] A parent holding company or control person in accordance
with (S) 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G);
(h) [_] A savings associations as defined in Section 3(b) of the
Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);
(i) [_] A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an
investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3);
(j) [_] Group, in accordance with (S) 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J)
Item 4: Ownership:
(a) Amount beneficially owned: 899,300
(b) Percent of class: 8.0%
(c) Number of shares as to which the person has:
(i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote 899,300
(ii) Shares power to vote or to direct the vote 0
(iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of
899,300
(iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of
0
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Page 5 of 5 Pages
Item 5: Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:
Not applicable
Item 6: Ownership of More Than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person:
Not applicable
Item 7: Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the
Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company:
Not applicable
Item 8: Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:
Not applicable
Item 9: Notice of Dissolution of Group:
Not applicable
Item 10: Certification:
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are held in
the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are not held
for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the
control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are
not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction
having that purpose or effect.
Signature
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete, and
correct.
/s/ Richard K. Smith February 12, 1999
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Signature Date
Richard K. Smith
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Name/Title Vice President and CFO
