Kaplan Partners Recruits Chief People Officer for F&M Bank

March 20, 2025 – Kaplan Partners, which specializes in conducting searches for C-level executives primarily in the financial services, corporate financial, private investor, and technology sectors, has assisted in the recruitment of Carly Buchanan as chief people officer of F&M Bank, an Archbold, OH-based bank owned by Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. “Carly’s leadership, expertise, and passion for people make her an incredible asset to F&M Bank,” said Lars Eller, president, and CEO. “Her strategic vision will strengthen our culture, enhance employee engagement, and support our mission of serving our customers and communities.”

With over 18 years of HR, leadership, and organizational development experience across multiple industries, Ms. Buchanan will lead F&M’s human resources department, driving strategic HR planning, talent acquisition, employee engagement, and organizational growth.

Ms. Buchanan brings a decade of retail banking experience to her role, providing valuable insight into customer-focused strategies and operational efficiency. She holds senior HR certifications from SHRM and HRCI and has served as past president of the Northeast Indiana Human Resources Association. Ms. Buchanan is also deeply committed to community involvement, supporting organizations like Junior Achievement, Boys and Girls Club, and the 988 Crisis Lifeline.

F&M Bank is a local independent community bank that has been serving its communities since 1897. It provides commercial banking, retail banking and other financial services. Our locations are in Butler, Champaign, Fulton, Defiance, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Shelby, Williams, and Wood counties in Ohio. In Northeast Indiana, they have offices located in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Jay, Steuben and Wells counties. The Michigan footprint includes Oakland County, and they have Loan Production Offices in Troy, Michigan; Muncie, Indiana; and Perrysburg and Bryan, OH.

Based in Philadelphia, Kaplan Partners specializes in conducting searches for C-level executives primarily in the financial services, corporate financial, private investor, and technology sectors. The firm has completed numerous assignments for financial institution CEOs. In recent years, it has recruited top leaders for financial institutions, including placing the president and chief executive officer of 1st Colonial Bancorp and its subsidiary, 1st Colonial Community Bank, in Collingswood, NJ; chief financial officer for Severn Bancorp Inc. and its subsidiary, Severn Bank, in  Annapolis, MD; and CEO and president of United Bankers’ Bank (UBB) and its holding company, United Bankers’ Bancorporation Inc., in Bloomington, MN.

Alan Kaplan launched Kaplan Partners in 1994 after beginning his corporate banking career with First Pennsylvania Bank and Meritor/PSFS. Since then he has built Kaplan Partners into a nationally recognized boutique executive search and talent advisory firm. Kaplan Partners has been named five times to the Philadelphia 100 as one of the region’s fastest-growing private companies and is a member of the Philadelphia 100 Hall of Fame.

Finding Chief People Officers

A number of search firms have been called in to find chief people officers. Here is a sampling from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives.

NU Advisory Partners has placed Deborah DeVerna as the new chief people officer of Allvue Systems. “With your wealth of expertise in organizational development and talent strategy, we’re confident your leadership will elevate team cohesion and drive impactful results as the organization grows,” said Nada Usina, co-founder and CEO of NU Advisory Partners. Thank you to Marc Scheipe, Deborah Mason Lefkowitz, Alana Zell, Alexandra Millett, and Vista Equity Partners for your continued partnership.” With over 20 years of experience as a strategic human resources leader, Ms. DeVerna brings a robust track record of enhancing organizational effectiveness through collaborative partnership with global leadership teams. Her expertise spans talent development, culture building, and change management, making her a fantastic addition to Allvue’s executive team. Previously, she served as chief people officer at Qontigo and Octave Group, where she led impactful initiatives that fostered dynamic, people-centered workplaces.

Arlington, VA-based DRiWaterstone Human Capital was recently retained by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) to lead in its search for a chief people officer. Doug Trout, CEO of DRiWaterstone, is leading the assignment. The chief people officer is responsible for developing and executing human capital strategy in support of the organization’s plan and strategic direction, specifically in employee relations, talent management, change management, performance management, training and development, compensation, and succession planning. In collaboration with the Union of Concerned Scientists’ leadership, the chief people officer will implement policies and practices to build and maintain a unified work culture that exemplifies UCS values, thereby positioning the organization to effectively carry out its mission.

CarterBaldwin Executive Search has assisted in the recruitment of Arturo Towns as the chief people officer of Central States, a provider of metal building components, roofing, and building systems. The search was led by partner Andrea McDaniel Smith and search consultant Ted Wieber. “Arturo’s appointment marks a pivotal moment for Central States Inc. as we reinforce our commitment to fostering an inclusive, high-performing culture,” said Jim Sliker, CEO of Central States. “He brings an exceptional blend of strategic vision and a genuine people-first approach to Central States. We are thrilled to welcome him to our leadership team and look forward to the positive impact he will make.” With a career spanning more than 25 years in human resources, Mr. Towns brings a wealth of experience in strategy, talent acquisition, and development to Central States as the 100 percent employee-owned company focuses on engaging employee-owners and advancing success.

Related: The Christopher Group Recruits Chief People Officer for Mintz Group

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media