Client Spotlight- Teague Construction

Partnership Profile

Building-to-suit for manufacturers, with financing from Country Club Bank

For Jeff Teague, industrial construction isn’t just about square footage. It’s about helping manufacturers and operators build facilities that keep work moving, today and for years to come.

Teague Construction has developed a niche specialty in serving manufacturing and distribution companies by constructing buildings that meet short- and long-term needs.

“We began in 1966 as a residential framing contractor, but we evolved into a commercial general contracting company around 1979 or 1980,” said Teague. “We like it because most of the clients we work with are business owners who make decisions and want to get things done, just like us.”

Today, Teague and his team specialize in industrial buildings used by manufacturers, warehouse operators, and other growth businesses across the Kansas City region. Teague estimates 65% to 70% of the firm’s work is warehousing and manufacturing, with the rest spanning automotive facilities, repair shops, dealerships, car washes, and convenience stores.

What Teague enjoys most is the entrepreneurial spirit of his clients and how they got into the businesses they’re in.

“Most of them didn’t get into that business on purpose,” he said. “They saw an opportunity. They didn’t know what they didn’t know. An entrepreneur is the ultimate eternal optimist.”

That optimism is part of why Teague is bullish on U.S. manufacturing right now. Even with interest rates elevated, he says many manufacturers are looking ahead with confidence. 

Construction costs, which swung wildly in recent years, have stabilized enough to restore predictability. And he’s seeing clients ready to expand. They’re adding onto facilities, building new space, and preparing for demand.

“I think most of them have a pretty positive outlook on manufacturing,” Teague said. “They’re seeing decreased regulation, prices have stabilized, and we’ve got people now that are wanting to add onto their facility or build a new one.”

Beyond contracting, Teague also develops industrial properties through his own separate real estate development firm, buying land, building facilities, leasing them, and occasionally upgrading existing buildings.

That development experience has shaped how he advises clients on what makes an industrial facility valuable over time. He pays close attention to ceiling height and the mix of office-to-industrial space, decisions that affect usability and resale value later. 

When Maruka USA decided to consolidate operations from multiple location, COO Dan Krawchuk needed a hybrid facility that could handle warehousing and office/showroom needs. Teague designed the space around how Maruka actually works, and kept business moving through the transition.

“Jeff has been phenomenal to work with. Most builders want minimal office and maximum warehouse so the building stays generic, but Jeff was flexible,” said Krawchuk. “We have about 7,000 square feet of office inside a 35,000-square-foot building, and his architects and crew were great. He even put us in a temporary building down the road so we could keep everything flowing while the new facility was completed.”

Krawchuk and Maruka USA have specific business needs, said Teague. But many owners also set up real estate as a long-term asset and lease it back to their operating company. Making the building marketable, in the short term as well as long term, matters.

A banking relationship built on follow-through
That same long-term mindset shapes Teague’s relationship with Country Club Bank.

Teague has worked with Country Club Bank for roughly 20 years and enjoys a full banking relationship that includes his operating accounts and lending for buildings he develops and leases. 

Teague also refers clients to the bank for construction and permanent financing when necessary.

“A lot of banks say they do construction lending,” Teague said. “But there are a lot of banks that don’t fully understand it as Country Club does. They understand the balance between the company they’re loaning money to for the building and the contractor, and it’s pretty seamless.”

And in development, especially when building on spec, where leasing takes confidence, that reliability and credibility matter a great deal. For Teague, another difference in working with Country Club Bank comes down to something simple, and surprisingly rare.

“If they tell you they’re going to do something, then they follow through with what they say, that’s the number one thing you need, and Country Club Bank does that,” he said.