At UMB, commercial banking has always been a foundational part of our operations and we’re proud to ‡top the list of KCBJ’s top commercial lending banks‡ as we have for six of the past seven years. This recognition is a testament to our belief that building strong relationships is the cornerstone of serving our customers and being a strong team.
The past two years, as well as the current environment, have brought an array of challenges to our clients, whether it’s been adjusting to working at home, managing supply chain issues, labor shortages, and now rising interest rates and inflation. By staying constantly connected with our clients, we’ve helped them navigate challenges. These challenges have reinforced the need for trusted relationships and open lines of communication.
Our commercial lending team in Kansas City has faced similar challenges. It was a bit of an adjustment for all of us when we began working from home – we had been used to seeing each other in meetings, having passing conversations in the hallways and enjoying lunch together. At first, that created a challenge that we wouldn’t be the same cohesive team, but just as we worked with our clients on doing, we found different ways to stay connected and work together to deliver the unparalleled customer experience. Now that we’ve moved into a hybrid model with both remote and in-person work, we continue to adapt and remain closely connected to our team and clients so we can support them.
Ultimately, success circles back to relationships – whether it’s with your colleague, your manager or your client. Building strong and meaningful connections has been a core value at UMB throughout its 109+ year history.
I know that without our exceptional team and our collective commitment to relationships, we wouldn’t be ranked at the top of KCBJ’s list of commercial lending banks. I look forward to growing and cultivating more client relationships and staying at the top of the list for years to come.