In her early career, Kristen Ziegler protected Missouri communities as a police officer and criminal investigator specializing in arson and homicide. With a master’s degree in psychology, Ziegler applied her knowledge and understanding of human behavior to solve major crimes.
Ziegler’s people skills later transferred well to the People Department at Anheuser-Busch, where she developed her knowledge in all areas of human resources. In 2018, she joined The Bank of Missouri.
Asked to reflect on her career accomplishments, Ziegler said, “I don’t just think about times I was recognized for a job well done. I also think about all the times I fell and had to get back up, because to me, those are the accomplishments that had the most significant impact on my life. If I had allowed myself to feel defeat each time I believed I was facing failure, I may not have reached the goals I set for myself, personally or professionally.”
In four years, she has expanded The Bank of Missouri’s Human Resource Department to a full collaborative staff encompassing talent strategy, customer experience, fraud, learning and development, and continuous improvement.
By expanding her department, Ziegler has increased the footprint that she and her team touch on a daily basis. Her vision for The Bank of Missouri is simple: Build a culture of respect, trust, communication and teamwork.
“Every day, and as a human resources professional, the most important choices I make are those that will impact others,” she said. “Everyone wants to be understood, to have a voice and to be valued. Job titles aside, we are all people, and taking the time to communicate genuinely is an understated, but extremely powerful art.”
Ziegler’s nominator reached out to several community members to share their feedback. This quote from Troy Cardona, Circuit Judge, says it most succinctly: “Based on my experience with Kristen, if she says ‘it,’ you can count on it!”
Ziegler is a board member with the Mineral Area Council on the Arts and serves on the advisory board for the Missouri State University Customer Experience program. She holds Six Sigma White Belt Certification and is a Society of Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SCP). In her previous career, she received numerous awards as a criminal investigator, including Investigator of the Year awarded by the State of Missouri Fire Marshals.
