We met with Riana Maus, UMB director of talent inclusion, diversity and acquisition, to discuss her career journey, plans for her department and her experience as a UMBer.
Tell us about your current role at UMB.
I am the director of talent inclusion, diversity and acquisition, meaning I lead inclusion and diversity, associate giving programs, and talent acquisition strategies for the company. As part of this, I get to work closely with our Business Resource Groups (BRGs), associate volunteer program, matching gift program, and recruiting strategies. While seemingly all quite different, these areas complement each other well.
In everything we do as an organization, we should have an inclusive mindset. I get to contribute to a few critical components of that: strategic and inclusive hiring, empowering our associates to support all communities, and ensuring an inclusive associate experience.
How has your career changed since you were hired in 2016?
My career has grown drastically in my time at UMB! I started as a communication specialist on the Marketing Communication team, eventually moved to Human Resources in talent acquisition, talent development – and now my current role. Throughout my career at UMB, my primary focus has been the associate experience—communicating about it, enhancing it, and now managing parts of it. This is truly my passion.
It’s possible to look forward to Mondays, and I want to help people have that experience and feel like their lives and careers are better for having been at UMB.
I’ve worked with amazing leaders who have given me the opportunity to pursue my passions and work toward my goals.
Tell us about your ‘boomerang’ story. How did you find your way back to UMB and why?
I was always happy at UMB but I left for what felt like an opportunity I couldn’t pass up at a large, household name company. The company was a good one, but I found I missed the connection of knowing people across the organization, working on company-wide initiatives, and quite simply, the UMB culture.
To me, UMBers have always maintained a sense of community, even as the organization continues to grow. When an opportunity arose at UMB to work with inclusion, diversity and the associate giving programs, I knew it was meant to be.
What most drew you to UMB, initially and for the second time around?
I was initially drawn to UMB’s deep history, especially in the Kansas City community. As I went through the interview process, everyone I spoke with seemed to share a common thread: you’ll build incredible relationships here and there’s plenty of room for associates to grow their careers while balancing the demands of work and life. These things have been true to my experience, which is largely what drew me back.
As part of Human Resources, I got to witness so many teams come together during the hardest phases of the COVID pandemic to ensure our associates felt safe, had what they needed, and that we continued to take care of our communities—that is something I’ll never forget and that I think is unique to UMB. In addition, I was excited about the focus areas of my new role. I get to do important and rewarding work and help people live their passions through their careers.
Riana Maus attends the Kansas City Pride Parade 2022 with UMB colleagues
What’s on the horizon for you, your role and UMB’s talent, inclusion and diversity initiatives?
It is currently a very busy talent market, across all industries. Knowing this, our talent acquisition team has been focused on what sets us apart as an employer. We know we’re the right place for people who want a relationship-focused career, want to help all people be successful, care about their communities, and do the right thing even when it’s hard. We continue to focus our talent acquisition initiatives on telling the UMB story and recruiting the best talent to support UMB’s current and future goals.
In terms of inclusion and diversity, we know our work is never done. Ensuring our associates can not only show up as their true selves every day, but also reach their goals, is a journey that requires constant learning. We are focused on continuing to hire talent that fully represents the communities we serve. We’re also continuing to facilitate opportunities for associates to find a sense of community at UMB, offer diverse perspectives to projects, and be empowered to give back to the causes they care most about.
Tell us about yourself.
I grew up in St. Joseph, Missouri and went to school at Missouri State University, earning both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees there. My husband, Taylor, and I now live in Liberty, Missouri and have a two-year-old son named Sutter. We also have two dogs, a Labrador retriever and a corgi.
What are your tips for finding a work/life balance?
First, I think it’s important to not expect the “balance” to be 50-50. We all go through phases where our personal life deserves much of our focus, and times where we spend a little extra time at work. Instead of chasing an even balance, I evaluate my priorities at any given point and have the flexibility to adjust them day-to-day.
Second, I try to practice being in the present moment and focused on the people around me. It can be easy to answer an email during a meeting, or check my calendar for the next day while my son is eating dinner—but, we can miss out on so much if we’re always multi-tasking. There will always be things on your to-do list, so simply do the best you can every day and give yourself a bit of grace.
How do you spend your time off?
I love restaurant patios in the spring and summer and am full of Kansas City recommendations. My family enjoys outdoor activities, such as hiking and kayaking. I also enjoy reading, true crime documentaries, and traveling. My parents immigrated to the United States from Guyana, South America before I was born. Thanks to them, I have a passion for learning about other cultures and celebrating what makes each of us unique.
UMB has long touted that it hires the best people, and they stay with the company, resulting in long-tenured associates with deep expertise. In fact, UMB’s average tenure in 2021 was 9.6 years for all associates, which is two times the industry average according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In recent years, we’ve started seeing another trend: boomerang employees. Since 2021, more than two dozen UMB associates have resigned, only to return after a short time away. A common thread we hear from those associates is that the culture at UMB is second to none.
