FMS Announces New Ownership

Financial Marketing Solutions (FMS), a full-service branding and marketing agency for banks, announced today that Sean Hockenbery, Amber Farley, Clark Hook and Zach Pannell have assumed ownership of the agency.

Tim Pannell and Laurie Pannell, cofounders of FMS in 2004, will move on to a new role with the launch of their new FMS Consulting, a brand consultancy and strategic planning partner working alongside their friends at FMS.

With decades of collective experience working together at FMS, the FMS ownership team includes President & CEO Sean Hockenbery, EVP Zach Pannell, EVP Amber Farley and Executive Creative Director Clark Hook.

“It is a real honor and a privilege to share ownership with this leadership team. Our strengths all complement one another really well and position FMS to continue serving our clients in an impactful way,” Hockenbery shared. “Our entire team is a group of incredibly talented individuals who genuinely care about the work we do. Laurie and Tim created a family culture at FMS with a specific focus on the quality of the work we produce. We plan to build on that and continue to provide an exceptional experience to our clients, employees and the industry as a whole.”

Farley added, “We have spent years developing trusted relationships with our clients and peers. We love what we do, and we’re dedicated to this industry. I look forward to continuing the momentum of FMS and the brands of our clients.”

Brand will remain at the core of the creative and marketing services that FMS offers to its clients.

“I think our circle of owners reflects where we want to go as an agency,” Hook said, “We are united in our vision, strategy and creativity, and it makes up the special sauce that is our signature. An agency is only as good as its people and its work—and it feels great to begin with this team and this opportunity before us.”

Zach Pannell said, “Reflecting the growth of our leadership team and the trusted process that the agency has finetuned, FMS will continue managing current accounts and spearheading business development for continued growth of the company.”

Throughout the years since its founding in 2004, FMS has matured into a single solution for banks across the nation, building brands and delivering branding and marketing strategies to a wide variety of community and regional banks.

“FMS is in a great position to grow,” Tim Pannell said. “We cannot wait to see the new owners take FMS to the next level. They have been working in collaboration and partnership with us over the past 18 months to assume these leadership responsibilities and have proven they are more than capable and ready.”

Laurie Pannell concluded, “The dynamic partnership of FMS is a legacy that continues with our succession plan of new owners who are our friends and family. We’re passing the baton of a special culture and a unique brand we all helped create, and that sets FMS up for longevity.”

To learn more about the FMS team, visit https://financialmarketingsolutions.com/us.