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At UMB, our goal is to hire associates who will stay with us for many years as they grow their careers and gain both niche and broad expertise. And we’re extremely fortunate that we’ve had many who have done just that. The average tenure for a UMB associate is 8.48 years, which is nearly twice the industry average‡. In fact, some associates have worked at the company for 20, 30, and even 40 years.

Here, we highlight associates who share what it is about UMB that has kept them connected to the company and our people.

Friendly atmosphere

A common thread among UMB associates is they feel they are treated like friends by coworkers, managers and leadership. Mike Guffey, vice president and business continuity manager, first started working at UMB as a summer intern in college. He has now worked at UMB for 36 years. More than a decade ago, he felt support and sincere concern from his colleagues when he experienced a serious health issue.

“The support I received from all levels of UMB, up to and including senior leadership, was amazing.”

Career growth and development

During their years of service, associates are often presented with opportunities to advance their careers. Some have even taken the opportunity to switch paths and transition to different careers within the organization, which is a practice Mariner Kemper, president, chairman and CEO, has been known to often discuss.

In his 34 years at the company, Duane Fischer, senior vice president and director of healthcare services implementation, has made five career changes. He began his work at UMB as part of the information technology team. Now, he is part of a business unit he helped create—UMB Healthcare Services.

“In the dawn of my career, I would never have dreamed I would be where I am at the sunset of my career.”

Customer relationships

Another aspect of the business that associates are continually drawn to is the connections they build with customers. Verna Basham, personal banker II, has worked at UMB for 26 years. During her tenure, she’s helped many families across several of their generations.

“I have had so many customers and then their children come and bank here. It is awesome when someone says, ‘You used to help my mother or father.’ Now, I am helping them.”

Work/life balance

UMB aims to support associates as whole people. Our robust benefits package includes a minimum of 20 paid time off days per calendar year that scales with your tenure, 16 hours of paid time off to volunteer each year and eight hours of paid time off (called UMB You Time) for physical, fiscal or spiritual wellbeing. Additionally, UMB offers up to six weeks of paid parental leave for eligible associates.

Wendy Doyle, senior vice president and senior operations associate, has been able to expand her career without sacrificing her commitment to support and grow her family. She was married on April 8, 1988, and she started working at UMB the following Monday.

“Both relationships are still going strong.”

The company’s ability to adapt

During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company experienced rapid change as associates transitioned to remote work. Joan Meysenburg, assistant vice president and senior commercial relationship specialist, has worked at UMB for 43 years and admired the company’s smooth transition during this time and its adjustments to work since.

“Having the capability and flexibility to work remotely is truly a thing I never envisioned, and it sure is nice.”

Dedication to volunteerism

The associate appreciation doesn’t end within the walls of the company. UMB encourages associates to give back to their local community through various programs and initiatives. We empower associates and help them amplify causes they care about most by providing resources through volunteer time off and matching gift programs.

Debra Hawkins, switchboard operator, has been a UMB associate for 34 years and admires the company’s dedication to volunteerism.

“I love all the volunteer work UMB associates do throughout the year, how we help associates in need at Christmas, and that the company provides scholarships to UMB associates’ children and grandchildren.”

To learn more about UMB and our connections to the communities we serve, visit our community involvement page and follow us on Facebook‡ and LinkedIn‡.

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