Hydro-Thermal: Growth Across Generations
“They really care about our family.”
Hydro-Thermal, a third-generation Wisconsin manufacturer, found more than a bank in Johnson Financial Group. They found a partner to help them grow and plan for future generations. What began as a long-standing commercial banking relationship evolved into something deeper, as Owner Jim Zaiser and SVP Private Client Banking Leader, Jackie Ruppel worked together on succession planning, family conversations and preparing both the business and the next generation for a path forward.
In this testimonial:
0:00 – 0:28: Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future
0:29 – 1:38: A Long-Standing Relationship That Grew Deeper
1:39 – 2:33: Continuity for the Next Generation
For Jim Zaiser, honoring the past and shaping the future is the key to the business. It is a philosophy that has guided Hydro-Thermal, a Wisconsin manufacturer now in its third generation, from one era to the next: "Honoring the past and shaping the future is the key to the business," said Jim.
That kind of long-term thinking demands a relationship, not just a transaction. For Jim, that relationship is with Jackie Ruppel and the commercial banking team at Johnson Financial Group.
How Did a Long-Standing Banking Relationship Become Something More?
Hydro-Thermal is a company that sources everything it can within a 30-mile radius from vendors and suppliers to partners. It is a manufacturer built on community and it needed a bank built the same way.
"We don't look to the world to gather the cheapest solution," said Jim. "What we try and gather is the best community solution."
For Jackie, proximity is everything, "I work and live in this community and so I know the business owners, I know the community, I know the people and so being able to make those connections I think is really powerful."
The relationship with JFG started with transactional needs, with mortgages, a new building and equipment financing, that held steady for years. But as Hydro-Thermal grew, the relationship went deeper, “As we expanded globally, JFG was able to really put together some resources that allowed us to leverage our customers."
For Jackie, that evolution was personal. "Yes, it's his business but it's all personal," she said. "We had the commercial relationship. We always had the personal relationship. But as you grew in this business, it became more personal."
What Does It Take to Transition a Business Across Generations?
As the relationship deepened, the conversation shifted from day-to-day banking to the future of the business itself. Succession planning is one of the most complex challenges a family manufacturer can face and Jim knew he needed guidance from people who truly understood what was at stake.
So he and his wife brought the idea to Jackie: "There was a time where my wife and I were talking to Jackie and her team and we just simply said that we'd like to engage our family in a future discussion," said Jim. "And shockingly, to my wife and I, Jackie told us how she has a whole group of people just to help us to work through this challenge."
Jackie then brought a team across multiple lines of business for a family meeting to help them work through it together. "It takes a team approach," said Jackie. "Between myself and the commercial banking team, the Treasury management team, and our private wealth team, it all connects. As Hydro-Thermal grows, our job is to help them through each of those stages."
How Did JFG Help Bring the Family Together?
The family meeting changed everything. For the first time, Jim and his wife shared their intentions with their children and heard back from them in return.
"Our kids got to hear from us what our intentions were and we started to hear from our kids the direction that they were going," said Jim.
For Jackie, the meeting bridged the generations together on an aligned vision. "It just created engagement with your family… being able to connect with that next generation, they had questions that maybe they didn't know how to ask or want to ask," she said.
The impact was immediate and lasting: "Our kids are looking forward to it to the point that they want to meet now every six months, not every year," said Jim. "So we have so much fun doing it."
For Jim, the experience revealed something about JFG that went far beyond banking. "I just feel that Johnson Financial Group had an insight to the family dynamic," he said. "Just by having this opportunity to open this up to us, it just brought forth a trust and it felt like they really cared about our family."
What Does It Mean to Have a Bank That Knows Your Family?
Today, the relationship spans three generations of the company and three generations of the family. "I love that I know three generations of this company, three generations of your family and the next generation is coming," said Jackie.
For Jim, Jackie is no longer just a banker. She is part of the team. "We consider Jackie part of our business team. We consider Jackie to be part of our successes because of the ability she's had in being able to find us a direction through a challenging point," he said.
"I believe that Jackie not only provides that financial institutional level for the company but also as an advisor and as a friend and as a partner in the business," Jim added. "I feel like she's invested in our business. She wants to see our business do well."
That trust extends to the whole family: "They trust her. They know her. They know who she is," said Jim. "And I think you've done a remarkable job there."
For Jackie, the commitment is simple. "Whether it's growth, whether it's family, whatever it is, we want to make sure that we're there every step of the way and that they trust us as well."
If you are planning for the next generation of your business and need a banking partner who understands the family behind it, the conversation with Johnson Financial Group is worth having. Connect with an advisor today.