My business is auto repair.
Mike Rinaldo, Owner
Mike's Auto Service | Rockford, IL
For Mike Rinaldo, knowing a good banker is very similar to knowing a good mechanic. " It’s seeing the same faces all the time, and the personalized service," he says. "When we walk into one of Riverside Community Bank locations, they know us."
As founder and owner of Mike’s Auto Service, he has provided comprehensive auto repair since 1984. Opened as a one-man operation, Mike’s Auto Service now has five employees, and Rinaldo isn’t looking back.
"Our business has grown every year we’ve been in business," he says. Growth was so strong that in February 2004, after 20 years at its original location at 3rd Street and Market Street in downtown Rockford, Mike’s Auto Service moved to its current location on North Madison Street – a move that was financed by the Business Banking Team at Riverside Community Bank.
Riverside Community Bank Vice Chairman Bill Brenner was a customer of Rinaldo’s and was familiar with Mike’s Auto Service’s rapid growth and superb customer service. Rinaldo signed on for commercial banking services at Riverside Community Bank with assistance from Riverside Community Bank’s Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer, Tom Belmont.
Today, Rinaldo continues to benefit from the personal service of Belmont, who remains Rinaldo’s primary business banker. "Over the years, he’s helped with equipment purchases like my new front-end machine and of course our new location," says Rinaldo. tbelmont@riversidecommunity.com
The auto repair business can be dominated by national chains, with their broad purchasing and pricing powers, and new-car dealer service departments, but Mike’s Auto Service has thrived as an independent shop in downtown Rockford, an area that has seen its share of commercial growth the past several years. Despite the market pressures from competitors and other factors out of his control, Rinaldo says his shop’s success the past 25 years comes down to two things: service and quality.
"All of our customers are repeat customers, and most of our new customers are referrals," says Rinaldo. "We do a good job with competitive prices, and we provide personalized service, like what Riverside Community Bank provides to me."
Reliable, loyal service is important for all small-business owners, and a personalized commercial banking team like the one found at Riverside Community Bank helps make personal, timely decisions that fuel business growth across the community.
When Rinaldo is asked about the future of Mike’s Auto Service, he pauses and gives an answer in the same no-nonsense style with which he deals with his customers: "Hopefully, we’ll just keep growing steadily each year, like we have since we started."
Discover how Riverside Community Bank can help guide your business and your success! Call Tom Belmont and the commercial banking team at 815-637-7000 or email
tbelmont@riversidecommunity.com.
