Stephen Disney says running a family business means treating your employees like family. As T Disney Trucking has grown, so has the challenge of being able to regularly meet with each of the company’s employees. Stephen says, “It’s a challenge, because of our size now, to give all the employees the time they deserve.”
Stephen is the second generation of Disneys to run T Disney Trucking, headquartered in Tampa, FL. The company hauls aggregate around the state running 600 to 800 trucks full-time, with access to 1,000. That means they can take on small, big and even bigger jobs.
The biggest ever was helping rebuild the Sanibel Causeway, three separate bridges, following Hurricane Ian this past fall. Without the Causeway, Sanibel Island residents didn’t have access to the mainland.
The Florida Department of Transportation says 8,200 loads of fill dirt, 2,400 loads of rock, and 4,000 tons of asphalt were hauled by T. Disney Trucking. In just two weeks, the company hauled as much aggregate as they typically do in a month. But the job was personal to Stephen. “I grew up in Ft. Myers. My family started this business there 40 years ago. And we take serving the community very seriously.”
“It was a humbling experience,” Stephen adds. “It was great to be in a position to help in just days of a major storm.”
Precision Planning Day In, Day Out
While the team’s focus was concentrated to one place following the hurricane, typical business days include making sure the right number of trucks are working the right jobs. Stephen’s team handles precise logistics and truck details working out of a rather typical office in a small strip mall. Once on a job site, you realize the skill, experience and strategic thinking needed to assure dump trucks come and go, one right after another, keeping a road crew from coming to a standstill.
T Disney is just one of the companies helping Floridians following a record population increase of 7.4% between 2010 and 2020. The US Census also reports the Sunshine State had more new business applications than any other state during that time. INB’s Allen Brinkman, CEO, Florida market president, describes the state as being on a huge trajectory. “The opportunities are fairly endless with so many companies moving here.”
Connection Lead to Wins All Around
Miranda Kelly, VP, commercial banker with INB, has worked with Stephen for years. Upon joining INB in spring 2022, Miranda talked to Stephen about her new employer and why she’d made the move to INB. Within a few months, INB had provided a commercial loan to T Disney and, the company moved its banking services to INB as well.
Disney describes the process of getting a loan and switching to INB’s business banking tools as seamless. On the loan side, he says Miranda made the process very easy. “She always answered my questions or found someone who could.” And when it came to business banking, it was a smooth transition from the company’s previous bank. “It was most surprising how communicative the whole INB team was every step of the process. We knew what would happen well in advance.”
The person assuring the smooth transition was INB’s Lauren Hall, AVP, treasury support manager. Based in Springfield, Lauren says there were zero issues working with a Florida-based company. “Stephen checked in often, asked important questions, and was very hands-on,” she says. And that was important to the INB team. “I feel like we have a friendly relationship even though we’ve never met in person,” Lauren says. “Our Treasury Services Team really works closely with our clients to understand their business needs and INB’s solutions to meet their needs.”