Having nearly 30 years of commercial banking experience, Lochner will report to executive vice president and chief commercial banking officer David Goodall, according to the bank.
Before accepting the current role, he worked as director of commercial banking in Michigan for RBS Citizens, a member RBS Group, and managed commercial, industrial and not-for-profit clients in the middle market segment.
Prior to this, he served as a senior vice president and commercial banking division head for LaSalle Bank Midwest.
Starting his banking career at National Bank of Detroit, Lochner held various positions in corporate banking, middle market banking and commercial credit administration.
Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstMerit had assets of $14.9bn and 196 banking offices and 203 ATM locations in Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, and Chicago areas, as of 31 December 2012.
