Choosing a one-stop resource for all its business needs is a big decision for any small business. PCB Engineering and Lenthor Engineering turned to BofA for one simple reason–personalized service and attention.

"Having someone at the bank who understands our needs is crucial for us," says Tom Nickell, controller of PCB Engineering, a circuit board manufacturer located in Milpitas, California. "Nothing is more frustrating than not knowing who to call. With Bank of America, I contact one person who puts in motion anything I require."

Such responsiveness was key to PCB’s decision to switch from Wells Fargo where, according to Nickell, "I felt more and more distance from someone who would take a personal interest."

Founded 20 years ago by Paul Lencioni, PCB Engineering manufactures rigid printed circuit boards. Paul’s son, Mark, started Lenthor Engineering in 1985 to manufacture flexible circuit boards. Although the combined annual sales of the two companies fall at the high end of the small business market, the BofA services they use are available to any small business.

Nickell met Bank of America Regional Sales Manager Anker Fanoe when Fanoe worked for Wells Fargo. "I had confidence in him right from the start," Nickell remembers. "So I opened a business line of credit with him."

When Fanoe moved to Bank of America, he introduced Nickell to Ron Short, BofA’s East Bay Relationship Business Officer (RBO). Short specializes in providing customized financing solutions to business banking customers. After a year of building a relationship with Nickell, Short showed PCB that it could save money by refinancing the firm’s variable rate SBA loans and replacing them with lower interest fixed-rate commercial real estate loans from BofA. After refinancing two buildings, Short satisfied PCB’s other business financing needs with a line of credit, a business lease/line and BofA Visa® Business Cards.

Short introduced Nickell to Art Martinez, Vice President and Financial Relationship Manager. The two men subsequently worked together to create an action plan for switching the business accounts of both manufacturing companies to BofA.

"Changing banks can be disruptive for a small business," Nickell says. "Art simplified the process for us by working directly with the check vendors to get new checks for all our accounts and then set us up with Merchant Services, BankAmeriTax, telephone transfer and a courier service." PCB also recently got the new Windows version of BofA’s online banking service, Business Connect®.

Martinez and Short touch base with Nickell once or twice a month. Noting that PCB is accumulating excess funds as it pays down its line of credit, Martinez plans to recommend an Interest Maximizer® account, BofA’s highest yielding FDIC-insured money market account. "The account will maximize the firm’s earnings, while keeping cash readily available," he notes.

The third member of the BofA team is Elaine Johnson, Financial Relationship Manager, who handles the personal side of the owners’ financial relationship with BofA.

"Bank of America looks beyond mere transactions to anticipate our future needs," says Nickell. "We appreciate both the breadth of services and the team of professionals we work with at BofA."

For more information, contact Bank of America toll-free at (888)BUSINESS. Visit us online at http://www.bankamerica.com.

Excerpted with permission from Small Business Success magazine, Volume XI, produced by Pacific Bell Directory in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Partners for Small Business Excellence.