Delivering on trust.
Tacony Corporation | Fenton, Missouri
St. Louis is a proud city of rich and historic neighborhoods, hard-working residents and many family-owned businesses that have been part of the community for generations. One of those companies is Tacony Corporation, a third-generation family-owned business that provides the world with better solutions for sewing, cleaning and the home.
After 75 years of success and following in the footsteps of her grandfather and father, Kristi Tacony Humes now serves as its chief executive officer. In this role she wears the many hats of all CEOs, but also carries a duty close to her heart: to be a steward of the company culture that focuses on “building business relationships that feel like family.” It’s a value that her team of 300+ colleagues consistently cite as a reason why they work at Tacony.
Kristi, like many of her peers, was feeling confident about the start of 2020 when the whole world changed. Her 22 years of service with Tacony helped prepare her for what came next.
“There was no manual, mentor or class to walk us through our new normal. We were learning as we go — as business owners, employees, and family members. We were just coping one day at a time.”
One of Tacony’s partners, Commerce Bank, helped the company secure a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in 2020, ensuring that Tacony could take care of its employees during the storm. For a growing company like Tacony Corporation, having a bank that’s poised to move quickly with acquisitions and loans means everything. “There's nothing better than a great relationship with people you can rely on,” Kristi adds.
What made all the difference for Kristi was Commerce’s focus on relationships. “It's all about the ability to reach out and talk to anyone,” Kristi shares. “Our team at Commerce Bank sends me emails just to check in — they’ll say, ‘How's your business? How can I help you? I'll follow up.’ And that's pretty amazing. Commerce Bank knows me and my business. They may be big, but you still feel important.”
From business to personal banking to even serving on an advisory board, Tacony Corporation is grateful for this strong relationship with Commerce Bank. With a trustworthy banking team at her side, Kristi continues to lead her third-generation family business well into the future.
