F&M Bank Signs Atlanta Braves’ Kade Kern to Brand Partnership

ARCHBOLD, Ohio, Jan. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- F&M Bank (“F&M”), an Archbold, Ohio-based bank owned by Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMAO), today announced a brand ambassador partnership with recently drafted Atlanta Braves outfielder Kade Kern.

Kern is a 2020 graduate of Archbold High School. As the starting center fielder for The Ohio State University, he was named ‘Big Ten Player to Watch’ and ‘D1Baseball Top 150 Outfielders’ in 2023, among many career highlights, Kern was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 2023 Major League Baseball draft. He is currently an outfielder for the Augusta GreenJackets, the Braves Single-A affiliate.

“We are thrilled about the opportunity to partner with Kade,” said Amy Cover, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer of F&M. “As an Archbold native who shares the same roots and appreciation for the markets we serve, he is the perfect fit to align with our desire to remain true to our community vested mission and grow the brand. We are excited to showcase all the amazing products and services we offer to young adults within our communities.”

As a brand ambassador, Kern will assist F&M with specific marketing goals and efforts. You will see him in F&M Bank marketing content and promoting F&M’s brand on his own social media channels throughout the year.

About F&M Bank:
F&M Bank is a local independent community bank that has been serving its communities since 1897. F&M Bank 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, we have offices located in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Jay, Steuben and Wells counties. The Michigan footprint includes Oakland County, and F&M has Loan Production Offices in West Bloomfield, Michigan; Muncie, Indiana; Bryan, Ohio and Perrysburg, Ohio.

Safe harbor statement
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements by F&M, including management’s expectations and comments, may not be based on historical facts and are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results could vary materially depending on risks and uncertainties inherent in general and local banking conditions, competitive factors specific to markets in which F&M and its subsidiaries operate, future interest rate levels, legislative and regulatory decisions, capital market conditions, or the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its impacts on our credit quality and business operations, as well as its impact on general economic and financial market conditions. F&M assumes no responsibility to update this information. For more details, please refer to F&M’s SEC filing, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Such filings can be viewed at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov or through F&M’s website www.fm.bank.

Company Contact:	Investor and Media Contact:
Lars B. Eller President and Chief Executive Officer Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. (419) 446-2501 leller@fm.bank	Andrew M. Berger Managing Director SM Berger & Company, Inc. (216) 464-6400 andrew@smberger.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/74d2ba0a-8497-48a8-b2e6-56ca298b9b72