Florence Bank Hires Jim Hickey as VP, Director of Marketing Operations

FLORENCE — Florence Bank hired a Greenfield native with 25 years of strategic marketing experience with a focus in the banking sector to serve as vice president and director of Marketing Operations.

Jim Hickey stepped into the new role in mid-November after keeping his eye on Florence Bank for many years because he respects its creative marketing strategy, customer-focused approach to banking, and community engagement.

“I value what the bank stands for,” Hickey said. “Customer service drives everything we do here. That’s refreshing. Also, the level of community support the bank provides is impressive. It steps up and pitches in. I like associating myself with organizations that put people and the community first.”

He added that “Florence Bank is dedicated to the community. It creates relationships based on trust and not those based on meeting certain goals and selling certain products.”

Previously, Hickey was vice president of Account Service at Communicators Group, a marketing communications firm in Keene, N.H. He has also served as vice president and director of Marketing for Westbank, a financial institution formerly based in West Springfield.

He said his experience in financial-services marketing and communications will inform his work for Florence Bank. “I have managed the marketing and communications efforts for a number of clients in the banking industry. Those experiences have helped prepare me for this role.”

Hickey holds a bachelor’s degree in English from UMass Amherst. He has experience in areas that include account management, creative development, media-plan execution, and media buying.

He said Florence Bank has a well-established brand, and the challenge for him and the Marketing team moving forward will be paying homage to that brand and evolving it. “Our goal is to keep the brand fresh and take it to the next level.”

Kevin Day, president and CEO of Florence Bank, noted that “Jim is a creative, analytical thinker with a collaborative approach and a proven track record of managing projects from conception to implementation. We are excited to have him on the team.”