R. Crosby Kemper
Encyclopedia
Rufus Crosby Kemper Sr. transformed City Center Bank into UMB Financial Corporation
in Kansas City
, Missouri
, during his tenure from 1919 to 1967.
He contributed substantially to philanthropies in the Kansas City area
and Kemper Arena
is named for him.
Rufus Crosby Kemper was born in Valley Falls
, Kansas
.
His father William T. Kemper bought City Center Bank (which was founded in 1913) during World War I
.
The senior Kemper first appointed Crosby's younger brother James M. Kemper (James Madison Kemper) president of the bank in 1919. James resigned a month later and went on to become president of rival Commerce Bancshares
. Crosby became president of the bank, a position he held until 1959 when his son R. Crosby Kemper Jr.
took over (who in turn was succeeded by his son Crosby III). Crosby Sr. stayed on as director until 1967.
The rivalry between the brothers and their descendants defines much of Missouri financial and philanthropic history.
Crosby also served as a regent at Rockhurst University
, president of Interstate Securities and director of Kansas City Title & Trust Company.
James died at age 70 in 1965. Crosby died in 1972 at age 80.
UMB Financial Corporation
UMB Financial Corporation is an American financial services company based in Kansas City, Missouri with operations in seven, mostly Midwestern, states. The company owns commercial banks, a brokerage company, a community development corporation, a consulting company, a mutual fund servicing...
in Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, during his tenure from 1919 to 1967.
He contributed substantially to philanthropies in the Kansas City area
Kansas City Metropolitan Area
The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen-county metropolitan area that is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri and is bisected by the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 2,035,334. The metropolitan area is the...
and Kemper Arena
Kemper Arena
Kemper Arena is a 19,500 seat indoor arena, in Kansas City, Missouri.It is named for R. Crosby Kemper Sr., a member of the powerful Kemper financial clan and who donated $3.2 million, from his estate for the arena...
is named for him.
Rufus Crosby Kemper was born in Valley Falls
Valley Falls, Kansas
Valley Falls is a city in Jefferson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,192. Valley Falls is part of the Topeka, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
.
His father William T. Kemper bought City Center Bank (which was founded in 1913) during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
The senior Kemper first appointed Crosby's younger brother James M. Kemper (James Madison Kemper) president of the bank in 1919. James resigned a month later and went on to become president of rival Commerce Bancshares
Commerce Bancshares
Commerce Bancshares, Inc. is a Kansas City, Missouri based U.S. bank holding company with branches of its Commerce Bank in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Oklahoma....
. Crosby became president of the bank, a position he held until 1959 when his son R. Crosby Kemper Jr.
R. Crosby Kemper Jr.
R. Crosby Kemper, Jr. was born into an influential banking and railroading family in Kansas City, Missouri. His father was R. Crosby Kemper....
took over (who in turn was succeeded by his son Crosby III). Crosby Sr. stayed on as director until 1967.
The rivalry between the brothers and their descendants defines much of Missouri financial and philanthropic history.
Crosby also served as a regent at Rockhurst University
Rockhurst University
Rockhurst University is a private, coeducational Jesuit university located in Kansas City, Missouri, founded in 1910 as Rockhurst College. The school adheres to the motto etched into the stone of the campus bell tower: "Learning, Leadership, and Service in the Jesuit Tradition." It is one of 28...
, president of Interstate Securities and director of Kansas City Title & Trust Company.
James died at age 70 in 1965. Crosby died in 1972 at age 80.