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20+ years of results-driven experience building brands

Marketing Leader. Writer. Speaker.

Creative powerhouse, customer experience leader, and expert media, marketing and communications pro, with 20+ years of results-driven experience transforming the banking industry. I’ve built high-performing marketing teams, and continually deliver strategic and tactical campaigns that resonate with customers, sales teams, and shareholders. I’m a speaker, and consultant in banking, marketing, AI and fintech, including leadership in the ABA School of Bank Marketing. I’ve spent five years as board president of the Lawrence Humane Society, developing sustainable fundraising and brand strategies empowering directors, staff, and donors. Is this my moment?

John Hanley

John Hanley

Marketing Leader. Writer. Speaker.



Chief Marketing Officer

12/2012 to Present

Equity Bank

Overland Park, KS

  • Chief marketing officer for $5 billion regional community bank, with 70 branch locations in four states, leading customer experience, creative direction, digital marketing, B2B and B2C marketing, product development, segmentation, communications and public relations. Member of senior leadership team and Certified Financial Marketing Professional.


  • Primary leader for Equity Bank’s digital product and retention strategy for business, consumer, trust and mortgage platforms. Expanded online banking use year over year by 20% after overhauling website and onlineand mobile banking systems in 2019 and refining customer journey.


  • Primary leader for Equity Bank’s digital product and retention strategy for business, consumer, trust and mortgage platforms. Expanded online banking use year over year by 20% after overhauling website and onlineand mobile banking systems in 2019 and refining customer journey.


  • Power Equity Bank’s digital marketing funnel, including SEO, SEM, PPC, Retargeting, Social Media, Content and Email campaigns for direct response and long-tail brand resonance.


  • Created and implemented segmentation of commercial and consumer customer bases, deploying automation, nurture, and sales contact strategies through CRM and MCIF for teams of 100 commercial calling officers and 200 customer service employees, leading to increased product penetration.


  • Leader of 10 rebrand and whole-bank change communication strategies encompassing customer experience, sales process, customer communication, advertising and marketing strategies, and signage execution. Retained average of 80 percent of consumer household bases through one year following acquisitions.


  • Refreshed and redeployed consumer product set for Equity Bank in 2021, increasing customer affinity and delivering more than $500,000 in revenue each quarter.


  • Architect of Equity Bank’s relationship and affinity marketing strategy with sports partnerships, including University of Kansas, Kansas State, University of Central Missouri, the Kansas City Royals, Wichita StateUniversity, and more. Oversee Equity Bank’s marketing budget of approximately $5 million.


  • Direct Equity Bank’s local community relations, sponsorship and development strategies by region including community reinvestment strategies.


  • Advertising and Media pro, with ability to negotiate and place viewport-section fade-up multimillion dollar media buys resulting in product and customer growth over long-term and campaign positioning


  • Architect of in-house marketing team consisting of Marketing Manager, Marcom Strategist, and Design Strategist, with a refined MarTech and creative agency stack including social media platform, video developmentplatform, CRM, CMS, and additional tools.


  • Creative director and producer for Equity Bank’s annual All-Employee Meeting for 1000 persons in virtual, hybrid, and in-person formats including video production, staging, message development, speaker recruitment and coordination.


  • Champion of Equity Bank’s internal communication strategy and execution, from CEO messaging to internal campaigning and employee leadership and engagement strategies.


  • Led Equity Bank’s COVID messaging strategy internally and externally, resulting in earned-media growth nationally and regionally and increased affinity and trust among Equity’s employees.


  • Led Equity Bancshares investor relations strategy including company’s Initial Public Offering (“IPO”) in 2015, and messaging for quarterly and annual reporting.


  • Successfully increased customer loyalty score by 20% through steering all customer experience and automation efforts, including voice of customer program, debt card enhancements, online customer acquisition strategies, educational marketing programs, and in-branch sales and experience training.


  • Propelled 7000 “PPP” loan relationships with 39% new customer acquisition through developing and implementing on-the-fly COVID response campaign strategy, while executing social and public relations during 2020- 2021.


  • Increased households year-over-year by an average of 25% in 2017, 2018, and 2019 through launching B2C and B2B campaigns by regional targeting and customer segmentation, including “Official Bank Of” affinity campaign.
    Sample http://www.equitybank.com/pets


Product Strategist

12/2011 to 12/2012

The AAFP

Leawood, KS

  • Identified new opportunities, assessed the company’s product performance, and assisted in developing long-term strategic plans for future product lines. Managed ROI and development of ancillary product lines.


  • Directed supplementary and digital product development, and strategic planning for two medical journals supporting family physicians.


Marketing Officer

02/2004 to 12/2011

Sunflower Bank

Salina, KS

  • Key marketing manager for $1.8 billion bank with 30-plus locations in Kansas and Colorado.


  • Oversaw advertising, public relations, and community relations strategyDeveloped first social media strategy for company


  • Led Sunflower’s first website rebuild and digital funnel strategy



Simpson College (IA)

Bachelor's , Journalism

Indianola, IA

08/1996 to Present

Certified Financial Marketing Professional

09/2014 to 09/2014

Designation of CFMP, earned through graduation of School of Bank Marketing and Management and completion of exam, conferred by American Bankers Association.


Chair, Board of Directors

Lawrence Humane Society

Lawrence, KS

  • Chair of 13-person Board of Directors supporting Lawrence Humane Society, began 3-year term in 2021.


  • Brand leader and fundraising leader for cause, liaison with Executive Director and Development


  • Director Community leader and speaker for shelter


  • Annual budget of $7 million


  • Increased fundraising by 40% during 2021


  • Sponsored development of marketing and brand strategy for shelter serving greater KC metro area


Co-Chair, ABA Marketing Conference Advisory Board

  • Co-chair of advisory board for ABA’s annual industry conference for marketers, with speaker and curriculum developmentand 20 persons from leading financial institutions in the U.S.


Member, CFMP Advisory Board

  • Member of leadership committee overseeing ABA’s annual certification process, curriculum and designations for bankmarketing pros.



  • ABA Un-Convention and Marketing Conference, 2020, “From Forced Hand to Winning Hand:Seizing opportunity from crisis during 2020 in community banking.”


  • ABA Un-Convention, “Quick Tip – Listings Management,” 2020, ABA Un-Convention, “TheAdvantages of CFMP Degrees,” 2020.


  • ABA Banking Journal, “Seven Tips: Unlocking Your Marketing and Budgeting Magic,” September2020.
    https://tinyurl.com/y6enx8sp


  • The FinX Podcast, Guest, “Critical COVID Communications and Marketing Re-Plans.” April 2020.
    https://tinyurl.com/y37vbacu


  • Live with Social Assurance, “Connecting with Customers During Time of COVID,” April 2020.
    https://tinyurl.com/y6tsf3pu


  • Dose of Leadership Podcast, Actionable Tactics During Crisis in the New Reality,” March 2020.
    https://tinyurl.com/yyebmp6p


  • ABA Marketing Conference, “Building Marketing Bench Strength,” Panel, Austin, Texas, Sept.2019.


  • ABA Podcast, “Dogs and Cats and Coffee and Deposits,” September 2018.


  • ABA Marketing Conference, “Your M&A Communications Playbook,” Panel, Baltimore, Maryland,Sept. 2018.


  • NetFinance Conference, “Digital Money Management and User Retention,” Panel, Miami, Fla.,April 2015.


  • Jayhawk Sports Athletics and Advertising Symposium, “Maximizing Your Sponsorship, Rock &Chalk,” Lawrence, Kan. June 2011.


Get In Touch

I’m eager to chat with you about marketing challenges, bank marketing, creative growth, dogs and cats or rock bands. You can also contact me with questions, media or speaking requests here.