SCHEDULE 14A

(Rule 14A-101)

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities

Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No.      )

Filed by the Registrant   

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant   

Check the appropriate box:

	Preliminary Proxy Statement		Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
	Definitive Proxy Statement
	Definitive Additional Materials
	Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12.

FIRSTMERIT CORPORATION

(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

	No fee required.
	Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

(1)	Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
(2)	Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
(3)	Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
(4)	Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
(5)	Total fee paid:

	Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
	Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

(1)	Amount Previously Paid:
(2)	Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
(3)	Filing Party:
(4)	Date Filed:

III Cascade Plaza
Akron, Ohio 44308

March     , 2001

Dear Fellow Shareholder:

I’m writing to let you know that Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), the nation’s leading proxy advisory firm, has reviewed the proxy materials regarding FirstMerit’s upcoming Annual Meeting. ISS reported to its clients that Proposal 2, submitted by Patrick Lauber, would not be in the best interest of FirstMerit’s shareholders. ISS noted FirstMerit’s Board of Directors, "has outlined a reasonable strategic plan of action to enhance shareholder value." ISS’s recommendation supports your Board of Directors’ previous recommendation against Proposal 2.

Our most recent records indicate that we have not yet received your proxy. Your vote is important, no matter how many or how few shares you may own. We urge you to help your Company avoid the expense of further solicitation by signing, dating and returning the enclosed proxy card, with a vote AGAINST Proposal 2, today.

I look forward to seeing you at the 2001 Annual Meeting of shareholders scheduled for April 18, 2001, and thank you for your continuing support.

On behalf of your Board of Directors,

John R. Cochran
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

GRAPHIC 2 l87328api5-178.gif begin 775 pi5-178.gif M1TE&.#EA#``,`/?^``````$!`0("`@,#`P0$!`4%!08&!@<'!P@("`D)"0H* M"@L+"PP,#`T-#0X.#@\/#Q`0$!$1$1(2$A,3$Q04%!45%186%A<7%Q@8&!D9 M&1H:&AL;&QP<'!T='1X>'A\?'R`@("$A(2(B(B,C(R0D)"4E)28F)B7IZ>GM[>WQ\?'U]?7Y^?G]_?X"`@(&!@8*" M@H.#@X2$A(6%A8:&AH>'AXB(B(F)B8J*BHN+BXR,C(V-C8Z.CH^/CY"0D)&1 MD9*2DI.3DY24E)65E9:6EI>7EYB8F)F9F9J:FIN;FYRGI^?GZ"@ MH*&AH:*BHJ.CHZ2DI*6EI::FIJ>GIZBHJ*FIJ:JJJJNKJZRLK*VMK:ZNKJ^O MK["PL+&QL;*RLK.SL[2TM+6UM;:VMK>WM[BXN+FYN;JZNKN[N[R\O+V]O;Z^ MOK^_O\#`P,'!P<+"PL/#P\3$Q,7%Q<;&QL?'Q\C(R,G)RWM_?W^#@X.'AX>+BXN/CX^3DY.7EY>;FYN?GY^CHZ.GIZ>KJZNOK MZ^SL[.WM[>[N[N_O[_#P\/'Q\?+R\O/S\_3T]/7U]?;V]O?W]_CX^/GY^?KZ M^OO[^_S\_/W]_?[^_O___R'Y!`$``/X`+``````,``P`!PA>`/]%8T:PH,%_ M&0`H7,@0(3UF_R)&C*8N`T)P"O1(1"4@F$6+UB@0^H=*P2V$*/]94\!$P$F4 J%B/^`1!%XL>('#-EC'BSY,F0(S]& GRAPHIC 3 l87328api5-110.gif begin 775 pi5-110.gif M1TE&.#EA#``,`/?^``````$!`0("`@,#`P0$!`4%!08&!@<'!P@("`D)"0H* M"@L+"PP,#`T-#0X.#@\/#Q`0$!$1$1(2$A,3$Q04%!45%186%A<7%Q@8&!D9 M&1H:&AL;&QP<'!T='1X>'A\?'R`@("$A(2(B(B,C(R0D)"4E)28F)B7IZ>GM[>WQ\?'U]?7Y^?G]_?X"`@(&!@8*" M@H.#@X2$A(6%A8:&AH>'AXB(B(F)B8J*BHN+BXR,C(V-C8Z.CH^/CY"0D)&1 MD9*2DI.3DY24E)65E9:6EI>7EYB8F)F9F9J:FIN;FYRGI^?GZ"@ MH*&AH:*BHJ.CHZ2DI*6EI::FIJ>GIZBHJ*FIJ:JJJJNKJZRLK*VMK:ZNKJ^O MK["PL+&QL;*RLK.SL[2TM+6UM;:VMK>WM[BXN+FYN;JZNKN[N[R\O+V]O;Z^ MOK^_O\#`P,'!P<+"PL/#P\3$Q,7%Q<;&QL?'Q\C(R,G)RWM_?W^#@X.'AX>+BXN/CX^3DY.7EY>;FYN?GY^CHZ.GIZ>KJZNOK MZ^SL[.WM[>[N[N_O[_#P\/'Q\?+R\O/S\_3T]/7U]?;V]O?W]_CX^/GY^?KZ M^OO[^_S\_/W]_?[^_O___R'Y!`$``/X`+``````,``P`!P@Z`/\)'$APX)L? M"!,J_/<#F;B'$!\:8"BNX,`#%"T*Q/BCHD:.'BV"U/AOY,>,)SN2Y&C@@,N7 &+@$$!``[ ` end GRAPHIC 4 l87328afstmerit.gif begin 775 fstmerit.gif M1TE&.#EAJP`X`-4F`,C1YXQN)?+T^3!0HM;=[:VYVCY;J'6*P>3H\TQGK[O% MX&=_NY^NU(.6Q]3)KO'MY/CV\CQ.?K";:;>E=YJ`0,W`H)-W,Z*)3K^NA>KD MU^/;R=O2NZF27(F2JU%CDJRSQ69XILC*T<'(V9&BSEESM2)$G/___P`````` M```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` M`````````````````````````````````"'Y!`$``"8`+`````"K`#@```;_ M0)-P2"P:C\BD+X35W5 M!K!(!;Y^P0E3`1R1!Q60=1.4KV&2`JNJ!2NP*!.K@7YP'PQ M62+!L'@SDTG8D+3J%$S43!Y0@`1A+5L6Z%@=RX0<.WZ=D&0XEE$LV;=,`$DX,.IV'R)P\$MXL=5%'0H"+FRY MS+FSY\^@0XO.2V"$Z=,`4JM># M$;'$"*L!6RU`$OS7\KP`?A41T/QX'@(,3'LBP-5*=&"MB>1V\QOO=U9'^(P8 M[\H$`Y,D2"Q@$'Z(JE\)`"PX;L!`_/\`!DC1>;H9H4`UORD0X((`*D(<@_$= MX`\1Q.TW7$^,7*CA<+\16/\"3L:Y]PL#0PB0E1O^S782.D(0T,8`!1``0',A MMF*`BB44=YR';AQ@1`,G_?+;:SCZ9@)VM)700&N,_`+C:TFV8IV'2(1H@G04 M2BD$@0.T9J(;+/968S"Q4&D"`&WLB&(K`QA!#8WD$4$`F_;16!ZMPFT)AIPH%J M*OE+=RVZ02@KY0G1"J9$B%F>I*Q89\*))9!J0G$=-M7IJD,$EV@K%+)*!*0F MP.J&K&*VUVB/2@VPZ9^``CL$3]'.:0T1[Y'@8:I7%FI$<*].:@*0K/@X!*Y; MUCK_!('"(F"EIR8L(.P0Q!IK9;3H+7M2?28[<:3BGKK)$'LFP"(2 M/1?ALM-*"M%;`D*7P.W")CA[A,A#.#TOND=4;;5PB@UM\]+%B@NGN28D6ZY/ M5(.M\H=A%QQOUC73._&._Z(";;NQ6XOL-67Y MVVX3$3K?6#/0FP&<_PS\`!&A'G>Y`!1`*]WZ,O[ZYLF[,1(U07\,M[W`+/![ MB[2R,L#X2@=OLQ##LY*`+^8&[CTPSH/_BP&V5N]UWC>O#7)TJ).<^W*SN^EX MS@U)2U\"NP6U:G1'?NE+@`!@53\;"2D]%>,?`C6HO2$D(("U>QX"[84\)0"@ M.-83W`:/T,&Z`:--V=L?\%CUG@K&JC@)=)W_5GB]VOG+"`)$X.H*M`0&Y`:$ M/%08WTS0/E:8#()@$UNFI`3!?F6PN"\[P7+("W1>/@\,I*O^OAVEL8PA9&$*R#;$V1"`!]JTM\#,8.U2 GRAPHIC 5 l87328ajohn_c.gif begin 775 john_c.gif M1TE&.#EAM`!'`-4@`!`0$-#0T("`@/#P\,#`P*"@H&!@8$!`0#`P,'!P<"`@ M(.#@X#\_/U!04+"PL)"0D']_?]_?W[^_OQ\?'U]?7P\/#^_O[\_/SR\O+T]/ M3X^/CY^?GV]O;Z^OKP```/_______P`````````````````````````````` M```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` M`````````````````````````````````"'Y!`$``"``+`````"T`$<```;_ M0)!P2!0."H;#(1$H.I_0J'1*K5JOV*QV*@`P(&"*)S'8FL_HM'IM#2`RD8]< M?L$@RNR\?L]?!P`<K+6V9PF!L9L4J;>_P%($&+NFLY_!R<$'$L6F MO58%'@Z5`0)+"\JK!!3.QA[(4`$>'@^*!`CDY`K:J@VPWH,4YE(+`!@>38C2 M``^3#]/0%#B@P,.!<.V>!&`0SQB`*0@P7'B(2(`'`\@\^-*"CAR"`QX*))QB M0$-#4PPF01$PP0($0X<,A'2B4[CAQT-.*`P`U:Q%@>'=0AL9##E"P M@($>GP8*$((8&W%`2*U[",D!=\!?$?*I#[/L!B^D,X'0?".(1189&`9BB006?``-"!>!SL M9U@%^HF6!UM/"$9+%0`(A__&4P8%DT!LE66@SA>1%+B`:FSL5B`1"`"`H!.[ M82;%``0((,`#HO%CH2J"F519>1R`(8<%^1@!P'=Z6&2./V_)>(5%%@:`T8`@ MJ>,!`"P*T4!`R8P#3T,24.@299UD1LX4`;A%!4@!?&G0`C&ZQX4'XD`V24$* M&%```3AY)H0T7@TPXQ$&I/-?'P54$%1#%S"`@4D04":6$`YX4!`1:[&8SHQ. M8'B`!A"0TU86%BD$V55C$)'I:]*TZB6>3W2AY1@/-&'-)SB"JI8'0GIC`05^ ME2(!91RD(E@"70Q!@)Y#^/=:/>8E@`$^6_JZ6)*V01;B.(VYPBT(F9+3DTS- M78/_!#D)R%3.J]S)BM-^/U;!R`0;>)/!!1!T\\&Q`C38-Y`$& M&4`@@28;=-.!OQ]H0%D%`GP*PFF0I0(``@E`)E*F'$NA@'9#+.!N`P3@07$4 MBJZSTY;M>6T09!(35-`!L6Y)#[0=@[XXO7(7P;*I?E8=_U4!"61)S@0,3,`[ M`PSH%[R6BY<;&4#D;,26`P1X2$2(42P@@`&;@Z!`Y-5U@0"/0XB+?:P`O/8E M`+4]($`!GRC`\.'D4&6-/OQ4'4#NZBS)+`':2E$`!J5$@//>XT%9N>*#HP>P MJ``"^,U:]B,%G=AB`7;:E3`P$P#1#.``=J(1[@ARJ_58P14Z^P`'@D(?)CW@ M2EJP!MVP$HP`$`"!AEF?%1KPH#D8*6BR8J$.UU"O)SP@`[)@@`0R(*EI[?"( MBVC)(R*U&:$A\8F40,"C4))!*%I1#0X`7"PD<<4NLD%E(?R&%\>8A@3DJQ@= M8!(9UXB%!9`H%I=BHQRK8(`IQOT"&G/,HU$84`IG3&"%>LRC`N`"M.BE(.\:"`Y4D M)1D1T!`,N$F58UP`*)WAEQ["$HD.(&0Q./"B6XXQ`6/:(B!]"456>J,#CB2F M%=\8"P:D4IE/7(@WC`/-,1)`%\6@@!JK><5(.L,"F^2F%P4@R6)`8)OBA*(` M=+D)^G`RG2P4@"DMTTMX(K$`P=I$)PYI3ZP0H)R;B(01^[G#`=CE&3(DZ!-? ML8D-Q$>A4$Q`/N50GOQ!M!UTRF3@>'-1*-9E`Q+H``-0UE$OYJ@!!S``/TL* %C"```#L` ` end -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----