F&M Bank, headquartered in Archbold, Ohio and a subsidiary of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMAO), has announced the appointment of Andrew Briggs as the new Chairman of the Board for both the parent company and the bank itself.
This strategic decision is part of F&M’s well-orchestrated succession plan, which will see the current Chairman, Jack Johnson, step down later this month upon reaching the age limit stipulated in the bank’s bylaws.
Kevin Sauder, President and CEO of Sauder Woodworking Company, will maintain his role as Vice Chairman of the Boards, ensuring continuity in the bank’s leadership.
Lars Eller, President and CEO of F&M, expressed his gratitude towards the outgoing Chairman, Jack Johnson, for his invaluable contribution since 1991, and extended best wishes for his retirement.
Andrew Briggs, 69, who has been a director at Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. and F&M Bank since 2019, is set to bring over four decades of banking expertise to his new role. His previous leadership positions include Chairman of Limberlost Bancshares, Inc. and President of Bank of Geneva, which merged with F&M in 2019.
Eller praised Briggs’ appointment, highlighting it as a testament to F&M’s commitment to its people and values, and as a reflection of the bank’s long-term strategy to rejuvenate its Board with new members, more than half of whom have joined since 2016.
Briggs, a respected banker and community figure, has held prestigious roles such as the 2019 Chairman of the Indiana Bankers Associations and is a member of the Indiana Bankers 40 Year Club. His accolades include the Sagamore of the Wabash Award from Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb and the Indiana Bankers Association Leadership in Banking Excellence Award.
An active community participant, Briggs holds various leadership positions in several organizations, including Treasurer of the Indiana State Museum and the Adams Public Library System, among others. He is also a proud graduate of Ball State University.
F&M Bank, an independent community bank established in 1897, offers a range of commercial and retail banking services across multiple counties in Ohio, Northeast Indiana, and Michigan, including Loan Production Offices in West Bloomfield, Michigan; Muncie, Indiana; and Perrysburg and Bryan, Ohio. The bank’s long-standing tradition of serving its communities continues to be a cornerstone of its operations.
Leave a Reply