We spoke with Matthew Entringer, vice president and digital media manager at UMB, and he shared what drew him to marketing, what he enjoys most about his work, and his passion for helping others, including how he started a nonprofit to assist people experiencing homelessness.
What is your role at UMB?
As the digital media manager, I help strategize, manage and report on UMB’s digital campaigns to drive awareness and customer leads. I work with our marketing segment teams and external vendors to put together marketing plans, coordinate ad creation, build landing pages, and ensure we’re tracking the right conversions on UMB.com.
I also help with our local search engine optimization (SEO), which involves optimizing our branch webpages and Google Business Profiles so customers have accurate information about our locations and services. Helping UMB expand its online presence and making sure customers can find the latest information and offers is rewarding.
What drew you to work in marketing?
I love marketing because it’s all about understanding people. It involves a lot of psychology because it’s important to understand the people you’re advertising to and their purchasing behavior. If you don’t understand your audience, it’s much more difficult to connect with them and persuade them to act.
As part of that, I really enjoy researching audiences, learning more about how they behave online, and conducting A/B tests to see how different variables affect someone’s actions and perceptions. There’s always something new to learn, which is why marketing and digital media are exciting fields.
What brought you to UMB?
I had always heard great things about UMB and knew several people that worked here. I was looking to move back into the corporate world after working on the advertising agency side for about three years. So, when I had the chance to work for a company with a strong reputation, great corporate culture and a history of stability, I was very excited. I am glad I made the jump in 2019.
What do you enjoy most about your work and UMB?
This might be cliché, but I enjoy the people who work here the most. Collaboration with my co-workers when planning a campaign or working on a new initiative keeps me inspired. New ideas are always welcome and there’s freedom to try and fail with certain elements of what we do, which in the end will lead to greater success as we test new technologies and ad platforms.
Tell us about your mentor or a notable experience that impacted your career.
I’ve been lucky to work with several people over the years that had a significant impact on my career. However, I would consider my current manager, Erik Johnson, as my most significant mentor. Having worked with him for more than four years, I have learned so much. We’ve developed a great relationship, and I’ve had the chance to learn a depth and breadth of strategies, techniques and tactics from him through the years. His work ethic, leadership and industry knowledge has helped me grow as a professional. And he’s someone I can always count on to be there for me when issues arise, which is a hallmark of an excellent manager.
What are you passionate about?
In and out of work, I’m passionate about helping people. Whether it’s my family, friends or people in the community, I feel it’s important to help others when I can. It can be easy to become hyper-focused on ourselves, but I find some of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in my life involve helping others. Sometimes that means listening to friends and giving advice, checking in with loved ones, or helping those in our community who desperately need help like those experiencing homelessness.
How are you involved with the community?
Last year, I started a 501c3 nonprofit called Street Support KC‡ that distributes clothing, food, and other essential items to people experiencing homelessness in metro Kansas City. Every other Saturday, I visit Washington Square Park near Union Station and distribute items to people in need.
Over Thanksgiving in 2023, we hosted an outreach event where we gave out blankets, sleeping bags, winter hats, gloves, and sack lunches to more than 40 people experiencing homelessness. Numerous UMB associates donated blankets and sleeping bags for this giveaway, and Liz Lewis, UMB’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, and her husband even volunteered at the event, which was amazing. I’m looking forward to having more events like this in the future where we can directly connect with and support individuals who are experiencing homelessness.
What do you like to do outside of work?
In addition to getting my nonprofit off the ground, I like spending time exercising, watching the Chiefs, going to the movies, and spending time with friends and family. I also love learning new things and hired a Spanish tutor last year to help me become more fluent in the language. I also love to travel and look forward to using those language skills as I travel to Mexico, Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries.
Street Support KC is hosting a spring giveaway event on April 6, where they will distribute blankets, sleeping bags, hygiene kits, backpacks and sack lunches. Visit Street Support KC’s website‡ to learn how to contribute physical or monetary donations.
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