Riverbend Nursery, a grower of high quality perennials, herbs, groundcovers and ornamental grasses, needed a business banking partner to help with an acquisition. So why did they value Atlantic Union Bank (AUB) above all others?
In a word—responsiveness.
“It started when we first closed on Riverbend Nursery, Inc. and would eventually go on to become Riverbend Nursery, LLC,” said Steve Ronyak, Chief Executive Officer. “The bank quickly got up to speed and was able to help close the transaction in a timely manner.”
Selling to independent garden centers, landscapers, and distributors, Riverbend Nursery primarily serves the Mid-Atlantic. They utilize 58 acres for production at their main facility in Riner, Virginia, with over 2.5 million containers grown annually. In fact, over 1,100 varieties of plants are produced in both heated and unheated greenhouses. Plus, they offer a LiveRoof option to environmentally conscious customers only 20 minutes away, which optimizes production at their main facility.
With such a flourishing operation, it’s no wonder responsiveness from a banking partner would fall near the top of their priority scale.
“Whenever we’ve needed anything financially related,” Mr. Ronyak exclaimed, “Atlantic Union Bank has continued to be responsive and is always asking what else they can do.”
Having relied on us for business loans and checking, Mr. Ronyak extends high praise indeed. However, the real praise, according to him, goes to Nathan Hockersmith, Relationship Manager at AUB serving the Blacksburg area.
“Nathan takes the time to understand the business upfront and has reacted quickly to any need. In the beginning, our plant segment grew much quicker than forecasted and our spring working capital needs began to outpace our original borrowing formulas. Nathan had a solid understanding of the business and was able to work with us to adjust the formulas in a critical month of the year.”
Growth during acquisition, when it mattered most. That’s the advantage of a valuable, hands-on partnership with AUB.
