American Financial Resources, Inc. named Lauren Blackburn as its director of marketing, where she will be tasked with driving the company's marketing strategy.
As director of marketing, Blackburn will also be contributing to the overall business strategy for AFR. She joins the company from First Hope Bank where she served a long tenure, most recently as assistant vice president, marketing officer where she developed and implemented annual marketing plans.
Blackburn has more than 10 years of experience in the financial services and banking industry. Prior to serving as assistant vice president, marketing officer at First Hope Bank, Blackburn held various positions throughout her time there spanning from compliance opener to mortgage processor to operations support specialist and more, all of which enabled her to develop a deep understanding of the mortgage application and underwriting process as well as the financial services, banking, and mortgage industry overall, according to AFR.
“As an experienced marketing executive, Lauren brings a proven track record of leadership in marketing, internal and external communications, and project management,” said Richard Dubnoff, CEO of AFR. “As someone who's not only ingrained in marketing but also the mortgage industry, we will benefit greatly from Lauren's expertise and are excited for the year ahead.”
Additionally, Blackburn is a Certified Financial Marketing Professional (CFMP) which is the only industry-recognized certification for bank and financial marketers. As a CFMP, she holds a depth of knowledge in data and analytics, leadership, strategy, and revenue generation which AFR says will strengthen its marketing efforts and core business.