Kewana Regans addresses those attending the 2012 Annual YPN Reception.

Some of the St. Louis region’s most creative minds are part of the RBC’s Young Professionals Network Leadership 100. But who are they and how are they helping to shape a stronger St. Louis?

That’s what we’re addressing in our blog series, “Meet the YPN Leadership 100,” where we introduce you to members of our YPN community who are providing exceptional leadership, service, culture and innovation to our area.

Today’s featured YPN Leadership 100 member is Kewana Regans, a branch manager at UMB Bank who leads a team assisting consumers and small business owners with banking and lending needs. Kewana earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Central Missouri and is involved with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Banking on Our Future and the UMB Bank Diversity Council, among others.

Learn more about Kewana in our Q&A below!

You wear many hats. How would you introduce yourself to a new YPN member?

I am the branch manager of the UMB Bank of Maryville, Ill., and a member of the diversity task force. I have been a member of the YPN Leadership 100 for two years, which has opened many opportunities and doors for me. Because of the connections and friendships I have built within YPN, I was asked by my company to help create a more inclusive diverse business culture within the organization by being a member of the diversity task force.

What do you enjoy about belonging to organizations like YPN?

I enjoy the wide range of diverse, talented individuals that I get to meet and develop friendships with on a daily basis. I also appreciate being able to meet CEOs of successful companies within the St. Louis market, with the privilege of having one-to-one conversations with them about career development.

Describe a favorite project that you’re currently working on.

I’ve been tapped by the YPN to help promote and engage the community in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. I am very passionate about our youth and how I can help their futures.   With the Imagination Library, a United Way program in St. Louis, I am able to give back to the community by donating funds for a child to receive a free book in the mail monthly or by donating my spare time reading to children. It’s very important that our children have good reading skills, and through this program we can make a difference in their lives.

Why should someone base their business in St. Louis?

There are a lot of opportunities in St. Louis — markets that haven’t been tapped into. There is room for new business growth as well as the expansion of existing businesses. St. Louis is an awesome place to grow your career; in this market, people actually take the time to get to know you and your strengths.

Kewana Regans

What are your first three stops when an out-of-town friend visits?

• SubZero in the Central West End

• The Galleria mall

• The Gateway Arch

What’s one St. Louis tradition that everyone must experience?

You must experience a Cardinals baseball game! Go RED!

Anything else you want to share with YPN?

I have been East Coast to West Coast, and no place has a small-town feel with big-city twist like St. Louis!