8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) January 24, 2012 (January 19, 2012)

Centrue Financial Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	0-28846	36-3145350
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)
7700 Bonhomme Avenue St. Louis, Missouri		63105
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (314) 505-5500

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

Centrue Financial Corporation (the “Company”) announced the appointment of James “Chris” Jones as Executive Vice President/Chief Lending Officer of Centrue Bank, the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, effective January 19, 2012. Mr. Jones most recently was employed by Champion Bank and BankLiberty in St. Louis, Missouri where he focused primarily on loan workouts. Prior to that, Mr. Jones spent over 32 years with Bank of America Corporation and was a Senior Vice President and Senior Credit Executive when he retired in 2008. The Company’s news release with respect to Mr. Jones is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit Number

News Release, dated January 19, 2012 issued by Centrue Bank

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

CENTRUE FINANCIAL CORPORATION (Registrant)
By:	/s/    Kurt R. Stevenson
	Kurt R. Stevenson, President and Chief Executive Officer

Dated: January 24, 2012

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number	Description
99.1	News Release, dated January 19, 2012 issued by Centrue Bank

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EX-99.1

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CENTRUE NAMES J. CHRIS JONES

CHIEF LENDING OFFICER

ST. LOUIS, MO, January 19, 2012 – Kurt R. Stevenson, President & CEO of Centrue Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Centrue Financial Corporation (OTCQB: TRUE.PK), recently announced the appointment of James “Chris” Jones to the position of Executive Vice President/Chief Lending Officer. In his new role, Mr. Jones will manage the Bank’s commercial loan portfolio and oversee the commercial sales efforts across the entire Centrue footprint encompassing two dozen offices.

“Chris is a very seasoned and extremely well-respected lender,” remarked Mr. Stevenson. “I consider Centrue Bank to be a stronger organization because of the leadership, guidance and mentoring Chris is able to provide our commercial team. He has extensive and well-rounded experience and brings a level of sophistication to the credit and lending process that is critical in today’s business environment. I am very confident that Chris will be a great addition to our senior team and be the catalyst for new business growth.”

With a long career focused in credit, commercial lending and management responsibilities, Jones spent over 32 years with Bank of America Corporation and was a Senior Vice President and Senior Credit Executive when he retired in 2008. Jones was also the Senior Product Risk Executive for Farm & Ranch Lending at that company. Most recently, he worked for both Champion Bank and BankLiberty in St. Louis where he focused primarily on loan workouts.

“I am thrilled to move into this role,” commented Jones on the announcement. “Centrue has made building and retaining a strong commercial team a top priority. I think that is evident when I look around my own branch, as I have the pleasure of working with quality lenders such as Scott Dallman, Rick Towers and Abel Anderson. I am eager to build relationships with the other lenders throughout the Centrue footprint and identify ways to continuously improve upon our ability to meet the needs of commercial clients.”

A resident of Creve Coeur, Missouri, Jones holds a BBA in Finance from Texas Tech University and is a graduate of Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University.

He will be housed out of Centrue Bank’s Clayton, Missouri branch on Bonhomme Avenue.

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About the Company

Centrue Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centrue Financial Corporation. Centrue Financial Corporation is a regional financial services company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri and devotes special attention to personal service. The Company serves a market area which extends from the far western and southern suburbs of the Chicago metropolitan area across Central Illinois down to the metropolitan St. Louis area.

Further information about the Company is available at its website at http://www.centrue.com.

Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934 as amended. The Company intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this statement for purposes of these safe harbor provisions. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe future plans, strategies, and expectations of the Company, are generally identified by the use of words such as “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” or “project” or similar expressions. The Company’s ability to predict results, or the actual effect of future plans or strategies, is inherently uncertain. Factors which could have a material adverse effect on the operations and future prospects of the Company and the subsidiaries include, but are not limited to, changes in: interest rates; general economic conditions; legislative/regulatory changes; monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. government, including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board; the quality and composition of the loan or securities portfolios; demand for loan products; deposit flows; competition; demand for financial services in the Company’s market areas; the Company’s implementation of new technologies; the Company’s ability to develop and maintain secure and reliable electronic systems; and accounting principles, policies, and guidelines. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements.

Contact: Kurt R. Stevenson President & CEO Centrue Bank kurt.stevenson@centrue.com

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