UMB Private Wealth Management Makes Two Leadership Changes

Posted March 14, 2024

UMB Bank announced it has made two leadership changes in its Private Wealth Management division.

The bank hired Bob Harris as the new director of planning and practice development, according to a release. He is responsible for leading the division’s financial planning strategy. Harris succeeds and will report to Ben Skilling who will now take the role of director of sales and delivery.

Harris brings more than 25 years of experience, in leadership and wealth management, to the role. Before joining UMB, Harris served as a private wealth manager at Overland Park-based Creative Planning. He also served as managing partner at Game Plan Experts in Lenexa as well as assistant vice president at Waddell & Reed in Overland Park.

Bob Harris is the new director of planning and practice development at UMB Bank’s Private Wealth Management division. Photo credit: UMB Bank

Skilling, who joined UMB in 2021, is now responsible for the strategy and execution of Private Wealth Management’s practice teams. The teams deliver wealth management solutions to the bank’s clients. Skilling has more than 20 years of experience in wealth management. Before he worked at UMB, he served as the president of the Financial Planning Association of Greater Kansas City for more than six years. Prior to that, he was also the vice president of financial planning at Waddell & Reed.

Ben Skilling is the director of sales and delivery for UMB Bank’s Private Wealth Management division. Photo credit: UMB Bank

“Active financial planning is at the center of what we do, and Bob and Ben bring valuable experience that will help drive and shape the future of our offerings and client experience,” president of Private Wealth Management at UMB Nikki Newton said in the release. “We are excited to have Bob on the team and Ben in his elevated role as they will work closely together to continue building our financial planning offering.”