Client Spotlight- HCL Critical

Mission-critical growth, built on trust

When Steve Hancock began considering the next chapter of his career, he knew he wasn’t ready to slow down. 

With decades of construction industry experience, an entrepreneurial mindset, and deep relationships throughout the Kansas City area and beyond, he saw an opportunity to build something of his own, his way.

After exploring several possibilities, Hancock kept returning to the same idea: start a company designed specifically for complex, mission-critical construction.

A conversation with his wife provided the final push.

“I told her, ‘I think I’m supposed to start my own business,’” said Hancock. “She said, ‘It’s about time.’”

Hancock soon teamed with Jamison Clark and Nicholas Lynch to form HCL Critical Infrastructure. The company officially began operations in September 2025 with a focus on construction management for mission-critical environments where delays, disruptions, and downtime are not an option.

Today, HCL Critical primarily manages complex data center and warehouse projects, with healthcare facilities and advanced manufacturing also now becoming part of its long-term plan. Rather than self-performing construction trades, the company represents project owners via GMP construction delivery, bringing deep expertise in safety, planning, risk management, scheduling, and minimizing downtime and disruption to ongoing operations, and contracting top-tier trade partners and specialty firms to execute the work.

Hancock and his partners also put trust at the center of everything they do. All stakeholder relationships, from employees to clients to construction partners, are built on it, and Hancock sees his role as the chief guardian and champion of trust.

“We can’t overuse the word trust or think about it too much,” Hancock said. “Our business model is based on trust. If we say it, we’re doing it. Period. And we’ll do everything we can to figure it out and keep our word.”

That approach has clearly resonated in the marketplace. HCL Critical secured its first contract in December 2025 and has experienced extraordinary growth. The company has grown from its three founders to 17 employees, with plans to reach 25 employees in the near future. Hancock and his team are projecting annual revenue exceeding $40 million in the company’s first full year.

Supporting that growth requires a banking partner capable of understanding both the construction industry and HCL Critical’s vision.

A longtime industry colleague recommended Country Club Bank to Hancock as he was establishing the company. Country Club Bank community bankers Dan Teahan and Ryan Banes met with Hancock and his partners, listened to their strategic plan and committed to supporting the new venture immediately.

“They looked at the depth of experience across our company, listened to our story and trusted what we were doing,” Hancock said. “We’ll never forget that.”

Country Club Bank initially provided a line of credit to give HCL Critical the working-capital flexibility needed to launch and pursue new projects. As the company expanded, the bank increased that credit commitment and established operating, payroll and warehouse accounts tailored to the growing business.

Most recently, the bank financed a $750,000 crane for a major warehouse operation. The equipment was essential to receiving, storing and deploying owner-furnished equipment for a large data center project. The fast financing provided HCL Critical the capital to move quickly on an important growth opportunity.

“Every time I’ve picked up the phone or texted Ryan Banes, he’s always been available to talk and consider our request,” Hancock said. “We try to keep things simple and accessible, and they do, too. We like that.”

For Hancock, a strong banking relationship depends on openness and responsiveness. Those are also the qualities HCL Critical emphasizes with its clients and trade partners.

That shared approach has helped HCL Critical and Country Club Bank build a partnership capable of keeping pace with the company’s remarkable growth. As HCL Critical pursues new projects, enters new markets, and expands its team, Country Club Bank is ready and will rise to the challenge.

“I can’t think of a better partner than Country Club Bank,” Hancock said. “They’ve been fantastic. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”