UMB Bank, a subsidiary of UMB Financial Corporation, has announced John Damiris as its new regional president for the Arizona market. Since relocating to the state in 2005, Damiris has spent nearly two decades building UMB’s Arizona presence from the ground up. During the last 15 years, Damiris and UMB have seen average loan balances in Arizona increase from $57.0 million to $2.1 billion, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 27.2%, while average deposits in the region rose from $15.5 million to $1.5 billion, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 35.6%.
“John was one of our first associates in the area and has helped establish and significantly grow our business in Arizona,” said Paul Williamson, president of regional banking for UMB. “From opening the office and becoming ingrained in the community, to building our team and locally establishing UMB’s reputation as a financial leader – especially during the Great Recession – John has been a driving force in both UMB and our customers’ continued success.”
This news follows UMB’s recent announcement about entering into a definitive merger agreement to acquire Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (HTLF), in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $2.0 billion. The merger will put UMB Bank in the top 10 for market share of deposits in five states, including Arizona, where it will rank 10th, up from 15th before the merger.
“This acquisition provides us with the opportunity to gain scale and density in several of our target markets, including Arizona,” Chairman and CEO Mariner Kemper said. “We are excited to combine HTLF’s people and expertise with ours to bring even more services and opportunities to individuals and companies throughout Phoenix and the entire state.”
Damiris previously served as senior vice president and commercial banking team lead for UMB Bank in Phoenix. In his new role, he will lead the UMB commercial banking team in Arizona, focusing on continued business development and growth.
In addition to his significant business expertise and acumen, Damiris is passionate about the Phoenix community and is an active member of several local organizations. He has volunteered on the Scottsdale Saguaros since 2007, the Fiesta Bowl’s “Yellow Jacket Committee” since 2008, and the Thunderbirds, which hosts the WM Phoenix Open, since 2018. He is also a Phoenix Business Journal 40 under 40 recipient and a member of the Scottsdale Leadership Class of XXIV. Damiris also earned a B.S. in finance from Arizona State University.
UMB Commercial Banking works with businesses of all sizes to help optimize operations and capitalize on opportunities for efficiency and growth, from treasury management to payment services, while also planning for the short and long-term.
