First Citizens Bank is one of the largest family-controlled banks in the United States, with over $200B in assets after its 2023 acquisition of Silicon Valley Bank's assets from the FDIC. It runs an explicit Skilled Trades vertical with a dedicated HVAC page, recognizing that HVAC contractors have distinct needs around equipment financing for trucks and tools, working capital for seasonal swings, and treasury services for managing crews and vendor payments.
The product lineup includes multiple business checking tiers (Basic Business Checking and Select Business Checking), business Visa credit cards for purchasing supplies and fuel, lines of credit and term loans for working capital, SBA 7(a) loans (First Citizens is an SBA Preferred Lender in every state except Vermont), commercial real estate loans, and Treasury Management Services covering ACH origination, wire, positive pay, and lockbox. HVAC-specific messaging emphasizes flexible lending for equipment, vehicles, and tools, plus customized payment processing and remote check capture to streamline cash flow for service businesses.
First Citizens' branch network is concentrated in North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, and West Virginia, making it particularly attractive to Southeast HVAC shops that want a local, relationship-driven bank with trades expertise. The Bank at Work program allows HVAC owners to offer free banking perks to employees, a useful retention tool. For HVAC contractors in the First Citizens footprint, the combination of a named skilled-trades vertical and SBA Preferred Lender status makes it one of the most HVAC-friendly regional banks in the U.S.