"I like to joke that I’m a lawyer by day and a cookie man by night," said Jonathan Healy, Partner at Packard LaPray and Crumbl Franchise Owner.
A Family Firm
Healy joined Packard LaPray, owned by his father-in-law, 25 years ago. He spent the first half of his career focused on social security disability work before transitioning to personal injury, specifically car wrecks, trucking accidents, offshore accidents, and plant injuries.
Founded by Bernard Packard and three of his sons in 1993, Packard LaPray is known for providing legal services and solutions for personal injury, auto wrecks, social security disability, and bankruptcy cases throughout southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana.
“A fairly good-sized part of our firm is family,” said Healy, “Four Packard sons, two LaPray cousins, and four son-in-laws and daughter-in-law all joined the law firm early on.”
Family-owned Packard LaPray believes in treating clients like family. The firm’s philosophy is “We Listen, We Learn, Then We Act,” recognizing that behind every case is a real person whose future depends on the outcome. This perspective is one of the reasons the firm relies on Stellar Bank for its community-focused business banking services.
"We’ve been Stellar Bank customers for many years. With Stellar Bank, I can call the VP of Banking right here in Beaumont,” said Healy. “I can drop by the office any time. They’re accessible—and that’s very important to us. If I have an issue, I can get it resolved quickly. We have a great banking relationship.”
From Courtrooms to Cookies
“After tasting Crumbl for the first time, I knew these cookies were something special,” said Healy.
Crumbl is famous for its giant cookies and weekly rotating menu of signature flavors. Since opening its doors, Crumbl has expanded to more than 1,000 bakeries, making it the fastest-growing cookie company in the country.
“Crumbl started about eight years ago in Utah. My wife’s friend is the CEO and founder of Crumbl—and we had a unique opportunity to buy into some of the franchise areas outside of Houston that weren’t being served.”
The Healys loved the idea of interacting with their local community and decided to take a leap of faith on the fast-growing cookie franchise. When Healy and his family ventured into opening their shops across Texas and Louisiana, Healy knew he could count on Stellar Bank.
A Recipe for Growth
With the support of Stellar Bank, the Healy family started four franchises—Beaumont, Texas; Nederland, Texas; Baytown, Texas; and Lake Charles, Louisiana.
“When I knew we were going to build out four stores, I wanted to look at some available financing and reached out to my contact at Stellar Bank in Beaumont. They got us a line of credit ready to go and set us up with our checking accounts. They were there with us every step of the way,” said Healy.
Since then, the Healys have added three stores in Dallas, Texas, and are currently building their eighth store, in Huntsville, Texas. Several more locations are planned, notes Healy. One thing he always looks for when considering a new Crumbl location is proximity to a Stellar Bank branch because that makes the entire process seamless.
"I can make a few phone calls and send in some paperwork and we can get a new account open for our new branches,” said Healy.
Healy emphasizes that whether it's a law firm, a cookie business, or a bank, the best outcomes come from a team that works well together, believes in themselves, and truly enjoys what they do.
“Don’t be afraid to take a chance on yourself,” advised Healy. “Life is short, so it’s important to be open to opportunities and find something you enjoy.”
At Stellar Bank, our customers’ success is our success. Learn more about our Business Banking services by connecting with a Stellar banker today.
