Hancock Whitney Welcomes Stringer as Director of Government Affairs

New role to help strengthen and build relationships across multi-state footprint

GULFPORT, Miss.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Executive leadership at Hancock Whitney recently announced that Mary Elizabeth Stringer has joined the company as the Director of Government Affairs, a new role focused on helping the bank develop and execute a comprehensive governmental affairs strategy that aligns with business priorities and facilitates strong engagement across the organization’s multi-state footprint.

“We operate within a highly regulated industry dependent on knowing, understanding, and being part of governmental activities and actions affecting how we do business. The Director of Government Affairs is a new role we believe is essential to securing the relationships and the knowledge our company needs to grow strategically as a strong, safe Gulf South financial services leader,” said President and CEO John M. Hairston. “We welcome Mary Elizabeth Stringer to our Hancock Whitney family and look forward to working with her to map a governmental affairs strategy that reinforces our commitment to good local, state, and national government, good corporate governance and risk management, and good banking.”

As Director of Government Affairs, Stringer will work to build and maintain relationships with elected officials and other key stakeholders; oversee the formation and governance of the company’s Political Action Committee (PAC), including compliance, education, and fundraising; monitor legislation and elections to identify business opportunities and risks; guide policy positions and advocacy efforts; and serve as a key point of contact for elected officials.

Based in Gulfport, Stringer has spent the last several years in Washington, D.C., as Director of the State Association Alliance for the American Bankers Association (ABA). She served as the ABA liaison with 52 state banking associations—the 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico—to advance banking industry priorities at the state and federal levels. Prior to her role at ABA, she began her Washington career in the office of Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker and went on to lead government advocacy and grassroots efforts at Advocacy Associates, representing multiple clients from across the financial, healthcare, and agriculture industries.

Stringer holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Mississippi College and a Master of Professional Studies degree in public relations and corporate communications from Georgetown University. She is a native of Tylertown, Mississippi.

Hancock Whitney recently rated among the nation’s strongest, safest financial institutions for the 144^th consecutive quarter, according to BauerFinancial, Inc., the country’s leading independent bank rating and analysis firm. Additionally, Forbes named Hancock Whitney among America’s Best Banks for 2025.

More about Hancock Whitney

Since the late 1800s, Hancock Whitney has embodied core values of Honor & Integrity, Strength & Stability, Commitment to Service, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility. Hancock Whitney offices and financial centers in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas offer comprehensive financial products and services, including traditional and online banking; commercial and small business banking; private banking; trust and investment services; healthcare banking; and mortgage services. The company also operates combined loan and deposit production offices in the greater metropolitan areas of Nashville, Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia. More information is available at www.hancockwhitney.com.