Spotlight On: Jack Heiss, Market Director – Tampa, UBS

Key points:

• • UBS is prioritizing adviser support, relationship-building, and disciplined growth across the Tampa market.
• • AI and planning-based wealth management are enhancing adviser efficiency and the client experience.
• • The firm is focused on recruiting top talent while expanding its community engagement and long-term client relationships.

July 2026 — Invest: sat down with Jack Heiss, market director of UBS in Tampa, to discuss how his early months in the role are shaping priorities across the region. With a focus on adviser support, disciplined growth, and long-term planning, Heiss emphasized that UBS’s strategy is built around strengthening relationships first. “Everything we do is built to help advisers serve clients more effectively,” Heiss said.

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What major changes have had the biggest impact on your team and priorities since stepping into this role?

Since stepping into this role mid-2025, my main focus has been on building relationships. For the first three to six months, my primary goal has been to develop strong working relationships with the financial advisers across the five offices I oversee. That includes downtown Tampa, downtown St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Clearwater, and Winter Haven. In total, we have about 65 financial advisers across those locations.

I look at my advisers as my primary clients. If they feel supported and empowered, they’re in the best position to serve their clients effectively throughout the Tampa Bay region. That relationship-building started even before my official start date, because trust and familiarity are foundational in this business. Once those relationships are established, everything else becomes easier to execute.

Beyond internal priorities, what broader industry changes are shaping the Tampa market?

One of the most significant shifts we’re seeing across the industry is the acceleration of artificial intelligence. AI is influencing nearly every sector, but what’s particularly compelling is how firms like UBS are applying it within wealth management. In my view, UBS is ahead of the curve in integrating AI directly into the financial advisor and client experience.

Our teams here implemented multiple systems that use AI to improve efficiency, support portfolio construction, and enhance the overall client experience. These tools are not meant to replace human judgment, but rather to supplement it, allowing advisors to spend more time focusing on strategy and relationships.

Beyond technology, the broader financial environment continues to be complex. Interest rates, tariffs, and policy shifts all create uncertainty in the markets. What’s important is that our advisors are well-equipped with timely information and insights so they can help clients navigate current conditions while also preparing for what’s coming next. That ability to look around corners is critical.

How are you approaching adviser development and recruitment in Tampa?

Talent development is absolutely central to our long-term success. We take a two-pronged approach. First, we focus on supporting our existing financial advisers as they build out their teams. Many of our senior advisers mentor junior partners who learn the business over several years. As those junior advisers develop their skills and experience, they’re well-positioned to step into more senior roles over time, especially as more tenured advisers begin to transition toward retirement.

This creates continuity for clients and stability for the firm. It also allows younger advisers to grow within a structured, supportive environment rather than being pushed to figure everything out on their own.

At the same time, we’re actively recruiting top talent from the broader market. We want to attract advisers who align with UBS’s philosophy. What sets us apart is our singular focus on the financial adviser and the client. Everything we build, whether it’s technology, products, or services, is designed to support that relationship.

How does UBS differentiate itself from competitors when attracting experienced advisers?

Our differentiation comes from clarity of purpose. Unlike some large institutions where the primary focus is consumer banking, UBS is fundamentally centered on wealth management. Even as we expand our banking capabilities, including receiving approval for a national banking charter, those offerings are designed to support advisors and their clients, not to compete for attention internally.

Everything we do is built to help advisers serve clients more effectively. That alignment resonates strongly with experienced advisers who want to operate in an environment where their needs and their clients’ needs come first. It’s a distinguishing factor in a crowded marketplace.

What trends are you watching most closely in the wealth management sector?

Beyond AI, one of the most important trends is the growing role of alternative investments. UBS is a leader in providing access to sophisticated alternative investment opportunities, many of which are private offerings that aren’t widely available across the industry. These investments allow clients to participate in emerging technologies and nontraditional asset classes that can complement more traditional portfolios.

Another key trend is the evolution of fee structures and planning-based relationships. At UBS, much of our business is built around a fee-based model that focuses on the entire client relationship. That approach starts with comprehensive planning. In the early stages of a client relationship, we’re not talking about individual investments. We’re talking about goals, priorities, and long-term objectives.

From there, advisers collaborate with estate planning attorneys, trust officers, and portfolio managers to build strategies that align with the client’s needs, whether that’s retirement planning, wealth transfer, or multigenerational support. Everything flows from that planning foundation.

UBS has long emphasized community engagement. How is the Tampa team approaching local involvement?

Community involvement is a major priority for me personally and professionally. One of my goals when I joined was to focus our efforts on a smaller number of local organizations where we can make a meaningful and lasting impact.

Two key areas of focus for us in Tampa Bay are the arts and youth development. We’re very involved with the Tampa Museum of Art, and I’ll be rejoining its board after a brief hiatus. The museum plays an important role in education and outreach, particularly through programs in local schools, and UBS is proud to support that work.

We’re also deeply engaged with the YMCA of Tampa Bay. While many people think of the YMCA as just a gym, it’s a charitable organization that provides critical services, from after-school programs to food distribution and youth safety initiatives. One program that’s especially meaningful is a free swim education initiative aimed at reducing childhood drowning incidents in Florida. UBS has been an active supporter of that effort.

Beyond these initiatives, all of our advisers are involved in their communities in different ways. Those connections reinforce our commitment to the region and reflect the values we bring to our client relationships.

Looking ahead, what are your top goals for the Tampa market over the next year?

Growth is essential. No business can afford to be stagnant, and that’s true in wealth management as well. Two of our primary objectives are growing adviser headcount with high-quality talent and increasing net new money. 

Net new money is a particularly important metric for us because it reflects true growth, so the focus is on sustainable, relationship-driven growth. This year, we exceeded our net new money goals by a significant margin, and we expect to set ambitious targets again moving forward.

Beyond the metrics, our most important goal is to consistently do the right thing for our clients. When advisors build strong relationships, act in clients’ best interests, and help them achieve their goals, growth follows naturally. That philosophy underpins everything we’re working toward in the Tampa market.

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The information contained in this article is not a solicitation to purchase or sell investments. Any information presented is general in nature and not intended to provide individually tailored investment advice. The strategies and/or investments referenced may not be suitable for all investors as the appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives.  Investing involves risks and there is always the potential of losing money when you invest.

Investors should be aware that alternative investments are speculative, subject to substantial risks (including the risks associated with limited liquidity, the use of leverage, short sales and concentrated investments), may involve complex tax structures, strategies and may not be appropriate for all investors. The views expressed herein are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views of UBS Financial Services Inc.  Neither UBS Financial Services Inc. nor its employees (including its Financial Advisors) provide tax or legal advice. You should consult with your legal counsel and/or your accountant or tax professional regarding the legal or tax implications of a particular suggestion, strategy or investment, including any estate planning strategies, before you invest or implement.

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As a firm providing wealth management services to clients, UBS Financial Services Inc. offers investment advisory services in its capacity as an SEC-registered investment adviser and brokerage services in its capacity as an SEC-registered broker-dealer. Investment advisory services and brokerage services are separate and distinct, differ in material ways and are governed by different laws and separate arrangements. It is important that you understand the ways in which we conduct business, and that you carefully read the agreements and disclosures that we provide to you about the products or services we offer. For more information, please review client relationship summary provided at ubs.com/relationshipsummary, or ask your UBS Financial Advisor for a copy.