Passion for business and community combine: Meet UMB Family Wealth vice president, Jacquie Ward

We recently spoke with Jacquie Ward, vice president, UMB Family Wealth, about her new role and how her passions for career and community service earned her an award from UMB.

How did you get your start in the banking industry?

I was a finance major at Kansas State University (K-State) and was planning to go to law school, but after passing the LSAT and getting into my top schools, I decided to pivot and join the banking industry. I got my start right out of school working on the finance team at Cerner before joining a small bank in Kansas City. I joined the UMB team in 2017 and now work as vice president on the newly-launched UMB Family Wealth team, a multi-family office registered investment advisor focused on delivering entrepreneurial investment strategies, sophisticated tax planning and generational wealth guidance to families with significant wealth.

What is your role as vice president of UMB Family Wealth?

Our team is responsible for sourcing, due diligence and execution for deals in direct private investment opportunities for our clients. I also help manage the active portfolio companies and provide ongoing analysis at both a company and portfolio level, as well as sitting on the boards for multiple portfolio companies.

What are you passionate about?

Anything that has to do with kids or the arts I am extremely passionate about. I co-founded the Charlotte House Series‡, an organization that connects aspiring musicians to the local community in homes throughout Kansas City and previously sat on the board for the Kansas City Ballet‡. Additionally, I sit on the board for Jackson County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)‡, an organization that helps children who have experienced abuse or neglect and have been a volunteer for more than 13 years. I'm also on the board for the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)‡, a global community for middle-market M&A dealmakers and business leaders who are focused on driving growth and have been actively involved for more than seven years. Last year, I won the Edward Stacy Crumm Distinguished Service Award from ACG Kansas City, which recognizes a member who has gone above and beyond for the organization-it was a huge honor and a very proud moment for me.

What has been your favorite memory since joining UMB?

In April 2019, I received the UMB Leadership Award that recognizes outstanding achievements in the office and in the community. It was an incredible accomplishment because it brought my two passions together-my job and philanthropic involvement-and allowed me to share those with my peers. It was unexpected but I was extremely grateful for the recognition and hope it inspired others to give back to their communities.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I love to listen to music, read and play tennis. My husband, Kyle, and I have been together for 20 years and have been married for 11 years. We have two pets who are named after our favorite TV show characters-a Labrador/Pitbull mix, Penelope Garcia, from Criminal Minds and a cat, Mellie Grant, from Scandal. We enjoy taking Penelope Garcia tailgating at K-State football games and catching up on our TV shows with them on the couch.

What is your dream vacation?

I'm Italian and my husband studied architecture in college, so it works out that our dream destination is Italy, although for different reasons. I'm hoping we can cross it off our bucket list when things get back to normal so I can eat and drink my way through the country while Kyle takes in the historical sites.

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Securities offered through UMB Family Wealth are: NOT FDIC INSURED | NO BANK GUARANTEE | MAY LOSE VALUE