Mark Motley knows that a solid organization, and mission, is never built out of a place of scarcity. He also knows that no matter how deep your experience, or broad your connections, nothing replaces relationships and a model built upon serving people. When Mark Motley and Dave Foster founded Foster & Motley in 1996, they brought together their expertise in the areas of financial planning and investments, but mostly, they were united in the idea that clients could be served in a way that is both practical and compassionate. They haven’t looked back since.

As a young man, Mark got in the trenches serving people when he spent two years on a church mission to Northeastern Brazil. After his experience there, he went on to the University of Kentucky and then to the largest bank in central Kentucky, First Security Bank, where he served as a vice president and trust investment officer for more than six years. During his time there, he obtained the CFA® designation and rose to be the number two investment person in the $1.2 billion trust department. Following that, it was on to Bartlett & Co. in Cincinnati, before the founding of Foster & Motley.

It isn’t a surprise that, with Mark’s experience in the field and Dave Foster as his business partner, he had such clear vision for what Foster & Motley would set out to provide. But the long-term vision that Mark has for clients and their needs is a practiced patience that is rare in the field. He knows that although “ah-ha” moments come every now and then, it is more often the sustained adherence to a trustworthy plan that leads to the big wins. He has always been committed to staying the course, both in his own life and in what he does for clients.

This long-term vision has been recognized and celebrated in many ways. He has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Wealth Manager, Wall Street Transcript, Business Courier, and Cincinnati Enquirer, and was published in the NAPFA Advisor. He has also been a guest financial commentator on WCPO (TV channel in Cincinnati) and WVXU radio.

Mark and his wife Cindy live in Symmes Township. They have two grown children and one grandchild. One of his favorite commitments outside of his time at Foster & Motley is at the Cincinnati Literary Club, a club founded in 1849 as the nation’s oldest gathering where members write and deliver essays. Mark enjoys sitting back to consider what the essay brings that day, with the same kind of practiced patience that he has built his career and life upon.

Quick Facts:

• Graduate of the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Science degree cum laude in Economics, 1982
• Graduate of the Graduate School of the University of Kentucky with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree with an emphasis on Finance, 1987
• Obtained Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®), 1988
• Served previously on the board of trustees of Pro-Kids, a community agency helping abused and neglected children
• Awarded the Honor Medal by the National Court of Honor of the Boy Scouts of America
• Member, MENSA