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Howard L. Stoltzfus Construction Company, a well-established company with a history dating back to 1979, made the switch to #BankLocal in January last year. The President and Owner of the company, Howard L. Stoltzfus, shared his experience in a recent interview, emphasizing the importance of personal relationships in business:
The decision was driven by Howard’s preference for personal interactions over the impersonal nature of larger, online-focused banks. Stoltzfus utilizes services like Positive Pay, a fraud prevention measure for businesses, which became a priority after the company experienced a fraud incident two years ago. Howard also utilizes a line of credit to foster his business and routine other services, such as checking accounts.
Howard values the personal connection at the local branch, where the staff knows him by name — a small but meaningful and mighty detail in his banking experience. He advises other small business owners to consider the benefits of working with a local bank. “To see the face, to know the players in a bank or any other business, is an asset going forward,” he said. For this company, the move to Fleetwood Bank aligns with their commitment to providing tangible, face-to-face services to their own clients.
This move to local banking with Fleetwood Bank is more than just a business decision for Howard; it’s a reaffirmation of his commitment to personal relationships and community values that have guided his company for nearly 45 years.
Howard founded his company shortly after graduating from Penn State. Originally focused on small rural projects, the company has since grown to handle larger commercial projects within a 50-mile radius of Berks County, PA. Today, Howard and his team still focus on mainly commercial projects (about 65%), but also has a pipeline constructed of about 35% residential and unique projects.
With a small, multi-skilled team and a strong network of subcontractors, this local construction company prides itself on being flexible and responsive, particularly in emergency situations. “We do a lot of custom work, and we do some repair-type work,” explains Howard. “For example, in the books, we have a bridge that we’re going to repair. Not everybody does those sorts of things, but we can focus on that easily.” Howard and his team have also worked on well-known buildings throughout Berks County, such as The Works and Building 24 in Wyomissing, PA.
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