Decker Communications names John Thiel to board of directors

Business communications consultancy Decker Communications has appointed John Thiel as the ninth member of its board of directors. Thiel is the former vice chairman and head of global wealth and investment management at Bank of America, as well as the former head of wealth management at Merrill Lynch.

"John Thiel is a visionary, and he's a great communicator. John's belief in what we do and how we do it has us thrilled for him to get a closer look at where we're going as we continue our growth trajectory,” Ben Decker, CEO of Decker Communications, said. “He also cares a lot for people, so his financial expertise coupled with his personal mantra of 'to help others' will be invaluable to Decker.”

During his tenure as head of wealth management at Merrill Lynch, Thiel spearheaded major financial growth, increasing revenue from $11.5 billion to $15 billion, and led the company’s 23,000 employees, which include 15,000 financial advisors and 6,500 client associates. Prior to that, he worked as regional managing director for the Pacific West region of the firm’s private banking and investment group, before becoming the group’s head.

"[At Merrill Lynch], I shifted our practice model toward goals-based wealth management, discussing real goals with clients, such as educating children, caring for aging parents, and financing homes, elevating the client relationship, connecting people to simplified, tailored solutions that adjust to their needs,” Thiel wrote on his LinkedIn page.

Thiel holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University, where he is currently a board trustee and chair emeritus. He is also a board member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and a senior advisor at My Next Season, a consulting firm which specializes in executive retirement and career transitions. Additionally, he serves on the board of the V Foundation, a cancer research organization that has raised more than $200 million since its founding.

Decker Communications was founded in 1979 and has trained more than 100,000 people in business communications. The firm’s aim is to improve both message and messenger, resulting in a transformation of behavior and content to deliver a “powerful communications experience.”