Join FPW Dallas August 9th for our kick off luncheon for our 2022-2023 year with speaker Marva Hanks

Marva Hanks has held many titles throughout her life and career, but she’s proudest of her background of service to others. Marva is living her dream today as a professional consultant, but the adversity in her past taught her the valuable lessons she shares with others now. 

Marva’s story began in Holly, Michigan, where her time as a star on the Holly High Bronco basketball team and as a fundraiser for underprivileged local youth foreshadowed her future work. She met her husband, Merton Hanks, while attending the University of Iowa in pursuit of her degree in communication. Marva and Merton began their lives together amid the extravagance and stress of the athletic world—she as a basketball player and Merton as a college football star. Their busy lives reached a fever pitch when Merton was drafted by the San Fransisco 49ers in 1991, the days of Jerry Rice and Joe Montana.

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The lives of professional athletes and their families are notoriously marred by financial troubles, depression, and divorce—a sad statistical norm—and the Hanks family weathered their share of trouble. But the Hanks came through it all armed with strong faith and surrounded by an ever-growing community of friends and mentors. Marva and her family became an exception to the rule, a fact that would one day ignite a desire in her to pass her wisdom on to other professional athletes and their loved ones.

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Marva’s life changed again when her daughter was diagnosed with autism. Always ready to advocate and lead, she helped found the acclaimed awareness organization Facing Autism in 2003. Marva continued to add to her long list of causes to champion, including public education, support for single mothers, cystic fibrosis research, support for special needs children, and severe illness awareness. She has served on dozens of boards and committees, including the Bloomfield Educational Foundation and Bible study fellowship.

Marva is proud to continue her lifelong goal to educate, empower, and effect lives through Marva Hanks Consulting by providing personalized consulting services to athletes, executives, entrepreneurs, entertainers and everyday people. Marva Hanks Consulting offers coaching on personal finance, asset and investment management, marriage and relationships, and more. Her commitment to bettering the lives of those around her continues as she uniquely connects with individuals and groups.

The Fellowship of Professional Women is an interdenominational group of women committed to exploring the teachings of Jesus Christ, and supporting each other’s faith in the marketplace and our personal lives.

Statement of Faith

As an interdenominational organization, the Fellowship of Professional Women is committed to all the classical, historical and orthodox doctrines of the Christian faith.  These doctrines include belief in the Trinity, God -the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is the belief that Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God. It is the belief that humanity has fallen from its created state into sin and spiritual death. And, the belief that Jesus Christ, as ultimate Deity and purest form of humanity, died for our sins and rose from the dead. We believe in the unique, divine inspiration and trustworthiness of the Bible. The Bible is the basis of our beliefs, and the final authority in all matters. We believe that spiritual life and forgiveness of sins is found through faith in Christ alone, not through our efforts or goodness. We believe in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in spiritual birth and growth. Every Christian is called by the power of the Holy Spirit, to live a life of love, fruitful service and witness of the Gospel. As a collective body we believe in the church, and the responsibility of each Christian to participate in the worship and ordinances of a church home where Christ is honored and God's word is preached. We believe in the physical return to earth of the Lord Jesus Christ,~ to judge the living and the dead and to consummate the eternal plan of God.

FPW is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization.