Living and working in the St. Louis area for nearly 20 years, it’s clear the city’s economy is driven by home-grown companies that are active and ingrained in our community. Many of the clients we work with at UMB are woven into the fabric of the St. Louis community. We at UMB are all deeply proud to support the growth and stability of our local economy by supporting businesses with their financial needs.

Overcoming financial hurdles during rapid growth

Hoffmann Brothers is a perfect example of one of these home-grown companies. Hoffmann Brothers‡ is a premier provider of appliance, HVAC, plumbing and electrical solutions in and around the St. Louis area. They also serve markets in the Nashville and Denver metros. Throughout the last decade, they have experienced explosive growth, expanding their footprint, scaling their revenue and cementing their status as a St. Louis staple.

Their rapid expansion brought Chris Hoffmann, owner and president of HB Solutions Group, parent company of Hoffmann Brothers, to UMB with a unique set of financial roadblocks. This is not uncommon; mid-sized businesses frequently sit in a challenging, underserved position when it comes to financing. Many have outgrown small business programs like SBA loans yet still face challenges when seeking from the larger national banks.

Navigating these options and finding a bank with the right structure, capacity and relationship model is critical to long-term success. The evolution of our relationship with Hoffmann Brothers underscores just how vital that decision can be and how uniquely positioned UMB is to fill the void.

Community bank, national bank: Testing all options

Previously, Hoffmann Brothers worked with an established and local community bank, but, over time, Hoffman needed more lending capacity to fuel the company’s upward trajectory. For a rapidly expanding company with acquisitions as part of that growth, capital demands become key and unique. They needed a bank that understood how cash flow lending works and an institution that can execute with certainty in a timely fashion.

Seeking higher capital capacity, Hoffmann Brothers swung the pendulum the other way and tapped a large national bank. As we hear with many former clients of national (giant) banks, sometimes the one-on-one relationship and overall financial flexibility are lacking, whether it’s related to difficult underwriting hurdles, narrow lending specifications, or simply  not having a dedicated account manager. In this new growth era, the Hoffmann team found they needed a different approach to their commercial banking experience.

Finding the right-sized financial team

Chris and I were introduced through a mutual business connection at a time when Hoffmann Brothers wanted a bank that offered a right-sized blend of capacity, agility and service. They needed a financial institution large enough to handle complex credit demands but nimble enough to treat them like a priority.

Our first month working together set the tone for what a consolidated business banking relationship should look like. Chris came to me, outlined the company’s specific needs and asked if UMB could deliver on a tailored credit structure. Thanks to UMB’s flat organization, bankers, team leads and market presidents are empowered to work closely with credit decision makers, allowing for the sales side of the organization to have a much better understanding of what UMB can and can’t do. This understanding allows for much quicker delivery of conceptual credit frameworks and accelerated decision making to achieve those frameworks.

Within a single month, the appropriate credit structure was agreed to, approved, and we were working toward execution of close.

Each promise made during those initial conversations was taken seriously and delivered upon. Chris joked during our first meeting that he wanted a bank where he had decision makers on speed dial. I’m proud we have made good on our promise to give direct access to our team, all of whom understand what we can get done and have the ability to execute on it.

From banking relationship to growth engine

Fast forward two years, and UMB is now proud to serve as Hoffmann Brothers’ primary banker. By understanding their business model from the inside out, we unlocked market-competitive credit and a highly flexible covenant structure.

Rather than simply sustaining day-to-day operations, Hoffmann Brothers has continued to expand with ongoing M&A activity, backed by UMB growth capital. This financial flexibility allows them to aggressively pursue new market opportunities and scale their operations seamlessly, such as funding new acquisitions, real estate refinancing and a new operational headquarters that opened in 2026.

Hoffman Brothers’ decision to consolidate the company’s financial operations under one roof has allowed them to connect services across departments, including treasury management, integrated payables and enhanced fraud protection. The company has dramatically improved its day-to-day operational efficiency and security with UMB and its core treasury management technology on top of the streamlined credit structure.

When mid-sized businesses thrive, our entire community wins. By supporting local businesses with the capital and agility they deserve, we aren’t just banking businesses, we are actively supporting long-term economic growth across our entire region.

To read more on the Hoffmann Brothers relationship, visit the St. Louis Business Journal website.

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