Fingerpaint Group Announces Historic Leadership Promotions, Elevating Homegrown Talent to Lead the Company’s Next Chapter

A record-breaking year of revenue growth validates a succession strategy built on deep bench strength and a culture of growth from within

CEDAR KNOLLS, N.J., Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fingerpaint Group, one of the healthcare industry’s most dynamic and fast-growing independent agencies, announced today a landmark series of executive promotions, the culmination of deliberate, long-term succession planning and a culture that has consistently turned internal talent into enterprise-grade leadership.

Bill McEllen has been promoted from Global President to Chief Executive Officer, succeeding founder Ed Mitzen. A steward of Fingerpaint’s culture and partner relationships since the early days of the organization, McEllen’s ascent reflects years of demonstrated leadership and the deep confidence the company places in leaders who have grown alongside the business. Ed Mitzen, who founded Fingerpaint Group in 2008, will remain an active and engaged board member, continuing to shape the company’s long-term vision.

Mark Willmann has been elevated from President, Marketing Services to Group President, assuming unified strategic leadership and accountability across all three of Fingerpaint Group’s operating segments: Marketing Services, Medical, and Market Access. The newly structured role creates a single point of coordination as the company continues to scale with increasing complexity and ambition. Willmann’s rare combination of scientific training, therapeutic expertise, and business acumen makes him uniquely equipped to lead across the full commercialization spectrum.

Tracy Blackwell has been promoted from Managing Director to President, Marketing Services. She is a 9-year Fingerpaint veteran with a proven track record of building high-performing teams and leading them to exponential growth. Blackwell sets high standards for work and service and is unfailingly people-first, which positions her well to take this largest segment of the business to the next level.

“These promotions are a direct reflection of the investment we’ve made in our people over many years,” said Ed Mitzen, Founder of Fingerpaint Group. “We didn’t need to look outside these walls. The leaders we needed were already here, already proven, and already trusted by our client partners and colleagues alike. That’s not an accident. It’s the result of intentional culture-building and succession planning that I’m incredibly proud of.”

“Ed built something that most agency founders never achieve: a company with a genuine soul,” said incoming CEO Bill McEllen. “My job has been to continually scale that while making sure that the culture, the partner obsession, and the standard of work that got us here don’t just survive growth, they drive it. This leadership team has earned everything in front of them, and together we are just getting started.”

Record Performance Validates the Model
These promotions come on the heels of Fingerpaint Group’s most successful year in its history. The company closed 2025 with record revenue, driven by strength across all three operating segments. Fingerpaint Group now partners with 22 of the top 25 pharma companies, serves nearly 200 active clients, and generates over 60% of its revenue from Top 50 Pharma.

Half of all revenue flows from the high-growth therapeutic areas of oncology, immunology, and neurology. That scale of growth created both the platform and the imperative to build a leadership team that can match it.

Strategic Acquisitions Further Strengthen the Platform
Fingerpaint Group also completed two significant acquisitions in 2025, deepening its integrated capabilities:

Blackpoint, bolstering the Market Access segment with expanded expertise in 340B program management, contract compliance, and revenue leakage solutions.
L&M Healthcare, extending the Medical segment’s reach through peer-to-peer marketing expertise.

Both acquisitions have been fully integrated into the organization, with specialized talent already generating measurable value for clients.

About Fingerpaint Group
Fingerpaint Group is a vibrant palette of people and expertise, spanning the complete spectrum of life science solutions. As a trusted partner and a top 20 healthcare agency, we are a full-service commercialization platform for the life sciences industry. Where others see limits, we see opportunity for originality. We craft with courage and purpose, pairing imagination with innovation and blending skills that transcend barriers and silos. We achieve success by painting with the richer hues of genuine partnership, unlocking the greatness of brands and transforming them into enduring masterpieces. Visit us at www.fingerpaint.com.

About Knox Lane
Based in San Francisco, Knox Lane is a growth-oriented investment firm comprised of a team of accomplished investors and operators with a shared work history and a strong track record of partnering with leading companies to accelerate transformational growth. Knox Lane employs an investor-operator mindset and seeks to provide support across a number of business components, including human capital, brand management, end-to-end digital transformation, sourcing, supply chain and logistics, strategic acquisitions and business development. For more information, please visit www.knoxlane.com.

Contact
Paul Hagopian
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SOURCE Fingerpaint Group

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