Inevitably, life deals some twists and turns to everyone, and Bob Harris has made a career out of helping people prepare for them. Passionate about being prepared for the worst-case scenario, he pursued a career in finance where he spends his days helping clients plan for life’s ups and downs.

Bob Harris currently serves as the director of financial planning for UMB Private Wealth Management. His job is to support clients in achieving their financial goals using a holistic financial plan as their guide. He works regularly with UMB’s team of financial planners to ensure no stone is left unturned and every question has been asked to prepare for scenarios of every kind. Though he helps people with their financial goals and long-term security today, his passion for helping others started early in college. Discover firsthand how he has turned that passion into a career centered on helping others achieve their financial goals below.

Finance finds law

I studied finance in undergrad at Kansas State University and earned my juris doctorate from the University of Kansas. I wasn’t interested in being an attorney, but I knew it was a way to marry finance and legal together. After college, I started my career in the world of compliance and quickly learned that wasn’t the job for me; I craved a job where I could fully help people, and I wasn’t getting that piece working in compliance. I’m passionate about working with clients and helping them achieve their goals, which is why I knew I needed to make a career change. I switched to a financial planner role, and I’ve been in this field ever since—more than 25 years now.

A path to UMB

My role at UMB is all about solving problems for our clients and for advisors. I enjoy the chance to bring together complex numbers and add in the human dynamics by listening and asking questions. My career led me to UMB because I was searching for a company that was a community leader and also prioritized the philosophy of building relationships to solve problems for their customers. Culture—and truly living it—was extremely important to me. As the director of financial planning, I have the honor of supporting our teams so they can build the best relationship possible with our clients rooted in trust and mutual respect.

Financial planning can look the same at many different firms, but the beauty of UMB is we have a team in place to advocate for our clients. We bring many associates to the table who have a mix of industry knowledge and perspectives to better support our clients through every economic cycle.

In this field, it is important to trust your judgment and speak up when you have ideas to share. Clients come to us to advise their financial decisions because they trust us. We need to lean into that and trust ourselves as we navigate the ebbs and flows of financial planning. It takes the ideas and experience of everyone on the team to meet every challenge and situation, as there is no one-size-fits-all solution for our clients.

I’m passionate about financial planning because I like to be prepared and take pride in being prepared for every situation. Some might say I am overprepared, but it certainly helps me sleep better at night knowing my family will be ok if something happens. I take this approach with my clients, too. I want them to be financially prepared for everything life might bring, which is why at UMB, we take the time to really get to know our clients, creating personalized financial plans for them that incorporate the unique needs of their lives.

Using mentorship

Because UMB is passionate about relationships and forming them with the next generation of financial planners, we are honored to have interns join us each summer. Private Wealth has four interns from different universities, and I have the privilege of shepherding them through their experience this year. I had an internship in college that taught me a lot about the corporate environment and how to navigate the working world. The UMB Private Wealth internship is set up with similar goals—to share knowledge, industry best practices and the value of fostering relationships in the office and with clients. We are asking our interns to explore every avenue of wealth, so they understand there are hundreds of jobs they could explore after they graduate. We want them to learn how to engage with clients and present information to groups of stakeholders. Our internship isn’t about busy work; instead, it’s about practical, real-world experience they can apply to their first jobs and beyond.

Preparation is a common theme with me, and I apply it to every part of my life—including mentorship. I want our interns to be prepared for their next chapter, just like I want our clients to be prepared for the different chapters they have ahead of them. Creating a financial plan and figuring out how you can combine the complexities of life are my greatest professional joys.

Interested in learning more about Private Wealth Management? With UMB, you have a guiding partner from financial advising and investment portfolio management, to wealth-building strategies and retirement and legacy preservation plans.

UMB Private Wealth Management is a division within UMB Bank, n.a. UMB Bank, n.a., is an affiliate with UMB Financial Corp.

This material is provided for informational purposes only and contains no investment advice or recommendations to buy or sell any specific securities or engage in any specific investment strategy. Statements in the presentation are based on the opinions of the author and are subject to change at any time without notice. You should not use this presentation as a substitute for your own judgment, and you should consult professional advisors before making any tax, legal, financial planning or investment decisions. UMB Financial Corp., UMB Private Wealth Management, and their affiliates, directors, officers, employees or agents do not accept any liability for any loss or damage arising out of your use of all or any of this information

Securities and insurance products are:

NOT FDIC INSURED | NOT BANK GUARANTEED | NOT A DEPOSIT | NOT INSURED BY ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY | MAY LOSE VALUE