What is your favorite part about your role at UMB?
As a relationship manager and officer with our Commercial Banking division, I partner with businesses to provide financing and other banking services to facilitate their operations. I’m honored to work with several of Kansas City’s most prominent businesses to help them reach their goals.
I enjoy that my role allows me to see many areas of our community and its economy. While some commercial bankers might focus on a specific industry, I get to work with businesses in diverse industries ranging from private equity, manufacturers, contractors and more. My clients provide a multifaceted view of Kansas City’s economy and a unique perspective to watch as it evolves.
What is your approach to leadership?
I believe in leading by example, keeping an open mind and diversifying your network. By only engaging with people who think like you, you create a very narrow perspective and can fail to see all sides of an issue. Meeting new people and experiencing new things creates an opportunity for broader discussions and perspectives. This type of thinking allows us to find more comprehensive and sustainable solutions to address problems at the local, regional, national and global levels.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Before I graduated from Kansas State University, a mentor of mine reminded me of the adage of why we have two ears and just one mouth. I’ve always had the gift of gab—or maybe I’m just talkative. In any case, this saying reminds me of the importance of taking in as much information as possible before drawing a conclusion or making a recommendation. I keep this in mind each time I encounter an issue that impacts others more than it impacts me. Even if my original assumption was accurate, engaging others and asking how something affects them fosters a healthy and inclusive environment.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I enjoy spending time with my wife, Katy and our dog, Penny. Katy and I love visiting the many great music venues, parks, restaurants and museums that we’re lucky to have here in Kansas City. Penny’s favorite activity is probably our routine visits to the off-leash dog park at Shawnee Mission Park where she’d fetch her beloved tennis ball in the lake all day long if we’d let her.
I’m an avid golfer and also very passionate about fly fishing. We love taking road trips to the crystal-clear spring creeks and rivers in southern Missouri, Arkansas and Colorado. There truly are some hidden gems within just a few hours of Kansas City. While I enjoy living and working in the city, these trips give me time to escape, think and refresh my mind before heading back to my fast-paced life.
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