Atlantic Coastal Cooling and Heating, Inc. (ACCH) is a family-owned, full-service HVAC contractor servicing Montgomery County and its surrounding areas. After working for his father’s HVAC company, James (Jamie) Carmen founded ACCH in 2003. Partnering with his wife Ellen in 2014, the company has since grown from just three employees to 17 people with more than 60 years of combined HVAC experience.
The Carmens began their relationship with Sandy Spring Bank in 2018 after receiving a recommendation from their accountant. At the time, they needed to obtain a loan to form an LLC and purchase an additional building. Sandy Spring Bank listened closely and was able to provide a loan structured to meet all the Carmens needs. They have been working with the Bank ever since.
“Before coming to Sandy Spring Bank, we had been working with a large national bank and to be honest, we felt like just a number,” the Carmens said. “Nobody seemed to care if we had issues. We didn’t get that personal feel like we do with a local bank such as Sandy Spring Bank.”
For the Carmens, having a single point of contact who knows the business is paramount. Given the cyclical nature of the HVAC industry, Sandy Spring Bank suggested they open a line of credit to help ACCH stay profitable during the industry’s off-season. Because of the trusted relationship the Carmens had developed with their Sandy Spring Bank relationship manager, they decided to take the advice and open a line of credit, which has been hugely beneficial to the company during those slower months.
In 2020, ACCH’s relationship with Sandy Spring Bank was further solidified when the Carmens needed to apply for a Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. When ACCH’s long-time relationship manager left, a senior leader at Sandy Spring Bank jumped right in and personally made sure the application process continued to run smoothly.
“When you’re dealing with banking, it can get frustrating sometimes,” the Carmens stated. “Having somebody you can call up and talk to who knows your business inside and out, that’s key for us.”
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