UMB Oklahoma Market President Stuart Sullivan is a proud native Oklahoman. Here, he shares how his Oklahoma roots have influenced the leader he is at UMB, as well as how Oklahomans have shaped him through the years.
I am a born-and-raised Oklahoman, so not only do I have a deep love for onion burgers and Thunder basketball, but I also have a deep love for our state and its role in the U.S. economy. My position at UMB as market president allows me to closely connect with businesses and individuals building their financial foundations. This connection gives me unique insight into how I, and UMB, can deliver the best tools and services to meet their needs.
In 2025, the State Chamber of Oklahoma released its annual Business Leaders Poll‡, assessing the sentiment of our state’s executives, business owners and operators. I was proud to see results that frame Oklahoman mindsets as optimistic, including that 70% of participants believe the state is “on the right track.” This poll is helpful as I consider how I can best support my home state, especially knowing that 10% of business owners surveyed consider access to capital their top concern.
Serving Oklahoma
While Oklahoma is not the most populous state in the U.S. or the fastest growing metro, we are not without accolades in industry and community. I have always been proud of the magnitude of what we accomplish in Oklahoma with fewer people.
UMB has banking operations in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, which provide connection in the two metro areas that drive the state. Many tasks are shared between these teams and so it’s critical that we share information, lean on each other’s strengths and areas of expertise and stretch our comfort zones to achieve growth and success. What we lack in population density, we make up for with tenacity and a focus on collaboration.
One example of success created in Oklahoma because of above-and-beyond dedication to collaboration was a $65 million credit facility provided for a client in Tulsa whose business is airport parking lots. In 2021, the drastic downturn in the travel industry due to Covid-19 significantly impacted the owner’s business – to the tune of a 95% drop in revenue over the course of a 30-day period. They needed help to stay afloat, and my team and I answered his call. We pulled together key fellow UMB partners in the credit and legal departments in Kansas City, the underwriting group in Dallas and advisory board members in Oklahoma City, and partnered with two additional banks to get the deal done. It was hard and fast work, and when the dust settled, I was proud to have led a team that stretched beyond traditional borders to serve an Oklahoma-based business during a tough time.
Building up our services
UMB is a regional banking powerhouse, and we have expanded to serve 13 states. Despite this growth, we have no intention of shifting away from our relationship-based approach. Knowing your banker and your bank is essential – not only to build that trust, but to have quick access and local decision-making because your bank shouldn’t slow you down. UMB is known for our integrity, customer service and community involvement and that drives us every day.
While we are a smaller team in Oklahoma City, because of how we work, we are still able to provide all the services of a national “big box” bank with the one-on-one service of a community bank (a win-win for our customers, in my mind).
Leaders should be loud about loyalty
Oklahoma recently made its first high-profile foray into the professional sports scene when the Oklahoma City Thunder brought home the 2025 NBA Championship Trophy. The Thunder struggled during previous seasons and yet, through those tough times, the fans kept showing up and were just as loud then as they were when the team was making their championship run.
My team and I are the same with each other– we are loud and excited about wins and remain strong and vocally supportive even when things do not go our way. This extends to our customers as well – we support our customers during the highs, lows and everything in between. Business and life are not always smooth superhighways – they have some dirt roads and bumps along the way. Loyalty runs deep for Oklahomans, and we are just as loudly supportive of each other during down times as we are during success.
Giddy up: Galloping into the next era
I have been a banker for 20 years, and despite the cascade of events that have rocked our markets in the recent past, I remain optimistic, just like my fellow Oklahomans. For our state, growth is in the future, including a projected 4.8% growth in employment‡ between 2022 and 2032, increases in consumer spending, and Oklahoma personal income racing upwards at a 7.5% clip.
My UMB team and I are ready for the opportunities and challenges ahead.
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