As a guest conductor, Wilkins has led the National Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, and Baltimore Symphony. He has taught at North Park University in Chicago, the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga, and Virginia Commonwealth University of Richmond.

The other finalists for the Omaha position were Rossen Milanov, associate conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra; Alasdair Neale, music director of the Marin Symphony; Klauspeter Seibel, former music director of the Louisiana Philharmonic; Edwin Outwater, resident conductor of the San Francisco Symphony; and Alexander Mickelthwate, assistant conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Several other candidates, including Michael Christie, the newly appointed music director of the Phoenix Symphony, withdrew themselves from consideration.