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 2, 2003 First Midwest Bancorp, Inc. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware (State or other jurisdiction of Incorporation	0-10967 (Commission File Number)		36-3161078 (IRS Employer Identification No.)
300 Park Boulevard, Suite 405, Itasca, Illinois (Address of principal executive offices)		60143 (Zip Code)
(630) 875-7450 (Registrant's telephone number, including area code) N/A (Former name and address, if changed since last report)

1

FIRST MIDWEST BANCORP, INC.

FORM 8-K

January 2, 2003

Item 5. Other Events and Regulation FD Disclosure

On January 2, 2003, 2002 First Midwest Bancorp, Inc. (the "Company") issued a press release announcing that John M. O'Meara assumed the position of President and Chief Executive Officer effective January 1, 2003. This press release, dated January 2, 2003, is attached as Exhibit 99 to this report.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits
	(a) and (b) not applicable
	(c) Exhibit Index:
	99	Press Release issued by First Midwest Bancorp, Inc. dated January 2, 2003.
The following Items are not applicable for this Form 8-K:
	Item 1.		Changes in Control of Registrant
	Item 2.		Acquisition or Disposition of Assets
	Item 3.		Bankruptcy or Receivership
	Item 4.		Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant
	Item 6.		Resignations of Registrant's Directors
	Item 8.		Change in Fiscal Year
	Item 9.		Regulation FD Disclosure

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 thereunto duly authorized.
	First Midwest Bancorp, Inc.
	(Registrant)
Date: January 2, 2003	/s/ MICHAEL L. SCUDDER
	Michael L. Scudder Executive Vice President

2

EX-99

					Exhibit 99
					News Release
[LOGO]		First Midwest Bancorp, Inc.			First Midwest Bancorp 300 Park Blvd., Suite 405 P.O. Box 459 Itasca, Illinois 60143-9768 (630) 875-7450
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE				CONTACT:	James M. Roolf(630) 875-7463 www.firstmidwest.com
	TRADED:		Nasdaq
	SYMBOL:		FMBI
JOHN M. O'MEARA BECOMES CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

ITASCA, IL, JANUARY 2, 2003 - The Board of Directors of First Midwest Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMBI) today announced that John M. O'Meara assumed the position of President and Chief Executive Officer effective January 1, 2003, succeeding Robert P. O'Meara whose previously announced retirement was effective December 31, 2002.

John O'Meara, 56, has been associated with First Midwest and its predecessor banks for more than 30 years and has served as the Company's Chief Operating Officer since 1993. He will continue to also serve as Chief Executive Officer of First Midwest Bank, a position he has held since 1995.

Active in a number of civic organizations, John O'Meara holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.

With assets of approximately $6 billion, First Midwest is the largest independent and one of the overall largest banking companies in the highly attractive suburban Chicago banking market. As the premier independent suburban Chicago banking company, First Midwest provides commercial banking, trust, investment management and related financial services to a broad array of customers through some 70 offices located in more than 40 communities primarily in northern Illinois.

# # #

1