Cornerstone Bank breaks ground on new branch in Shrewsbury

The new building, expected to open this winter, will be located at 195 Main Street

Cornerstone Bank broke ground on its 11th location at 195 Main Street in Shrewsbury on Monday, July 31, 2023. The new branch in Shrewsbury, which is being built and designed by Solidus, Inc., is expected to be completed this winter.

Artist rendering of new branch in Shrewsbury

“We are excited to start the construction for this new location,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “We have a lot of customers in Shrewsbury and look forward to playing a more direct role in this vibrant town.”

Cornerstone Bank promotes Daniel D’Amico to VP, Commercial Banking Officer

Cornerstone Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Sutton resident Daniel D’Amico to vice president, commercial banking officer. In this role as a commercial lender and commercial services manager, he has a unique depth of knowledge regarding various elements and collaborations within the bank, allowing him to provide a high level of service for all customers. He expertly assists customers with their lending and commercial banking needs along with the help of his team below him. He was previously the assistant vice president, commercial banking officer.

“Dan began his career in the banking industry 17 years ago and has been with us since 2013,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “From his experience in both commercial lending and commercial services, he supplies exceptional advice and solutions to his customers while creating meaningful and long-lasting relationships along the way.”

D’Amico received a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Worcester State University. He is a Certified Fraud Examiner through the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, as well as a graduate of The New England School for Financial Studies.

“I am proud to be a member of the Cornerstone Bank Commercial Services team,” said D’Amico. “The work our experienced staff does to help businesses operate efficiently and grow is second to none, and it is an honor to partner with our amazing clients.”

By providing clients with the responsive support and extensive and enhanced commercial banking services they need, Cornerstone Bank simplifies banking so business owners can focus on what matters most to them: their businesses, employees, and customers.

D’Amico is also treasurer of the Worcester Young Businessmen’s Association and a board member of the Rainbow Child Development Center.

Cornerstone Bank awards college scholarships to 16 local high school graduates

A total of $40,000 was awarded to students to assist with college expenses.

Cornerstone Bank is proud to announce the 16 recipients of its college scholarships program for local high school graduates. Each was awarded $2,500 to assist with college expenses.

“We are proud to be able to help students in our community continue their education, and wish these 16 exceptional graduates continued success,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “We extend our congratulations to all members of the Class of 2023.”

This is the list of the 2023 scholarship recipients and their high schools:

  • Nicholas Berg, St. John’s High School
  • Camden Blum, Worcester Academy
  • Julia Canty, Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School
  • Joseph Collard, Wachusett Regional High School
  • Emma Drake, Shepherd Hill Regional High School
  • Katelyn Fountain, Quaboag Regional Middle High School
  • Claire Hill, Tantasqua Regional High School
  • Cameron Hoekstra, David Prouty High School
  • Ryan Kelley, Tantasqua Regional High School
  • Molly Ledbetter, Leicester High School
  • Luke Miller, Shepherd Hill Regional High School
  • Ethan Minarik, Bartlett High School
  • Anushri Mohan, Wachusett Regional High School
  • Zara Rivett, Clearway School
  • Haley Soden, Tantasqua Regional High School
  • Tyler Woodbury, Mount Greylock Regional School

To be considered for a scholarship, each student had to:

  • Be a 2023 high school graduate
  • Anticipate being a full-time student at an accredited, degree-granting institution of higher education
  • Anticipate studying in a business or financial field
  • Demonstrate achievement and high standards in academics, extracurricular activities and community involvement
  • Submit an official transcript and GPA from their guidance office
  • Submit a one-page essay

Please donate to the Cornerstone Bank ‘Stuff the Bus’ school supply drive

Contributions can be made at any branch through August 4

Cornerstone Bank is holding a “Stuff the Bus” school supply drive through August 4 at all its branches. Collected supplies will be donated to the Planting the Seed Foundation of Worcester for distribution to local children before the start of the 2023–24 school year.

“We want to ensure students in our community have the tools they need to succeed in school,” said Todd Tallman, CEO of Cornerstone Bank. “The costs for supplies can add up quickly, causing stress for both parents and children, as well as teachers. We encourage everyone in our community to donate, so we can help kick off the coming school year with a positive start.”

The community is encouraged to donate new school supplies such as pens, pencils, backpacks, notebooks, crayons, markers, folders, glue, etc., at any of Cornerstone’s 10 branch locations in Charlton, Holden, Leicester, Rutland, Southbridge, Spencer, Sturbridge, Webster and Worcester.

Planting the Seed Foundation, a 100-percent volunteer, non-profit organization, is committed to improving the lives of families in need throughout Worcester and central Massachusetts.

Eight students gain real-world experience with Cornerstone Bank internship program

Interns gain valuable skills, work on meaningful projects and make professional connections

Cornerstone Bank has welcomed eight college students to its internship program this summer. The goal is to provide the students with hands-on experience that complements their studies and allows them to explore career opportunities and begin to build a professional network.

“Our program provides students with experiential learning that integrates things they learn in the classroom with real-life experiences in a professional setting,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “Our interns gain valuable skills, work on meaningful projects and make professional connections.”

This year’s group of interns spans a variety of departments:

  • Human Resources Intern Tristan Franchere is from Coventry, Connecticut, and attends school at Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island.
  • Community Relations Intern Ivori Hidalgo Batista is from Worcester and attends College of the Holy Cross.
  • Finance Intern Claire Hill is from Brimfield and attends Western New England University in Springfield.
  • Commercial Credit Intern Henrietta Murtagh is originally from Northbridge and attends school online at Southern New Hampshire University.
  • Learning and Development Intern Javen Nazario is from Sutton and attends Worcester State University.
  • Investments Intern Michael Peloza is from Sturbridge and attends Nichols College in Dudley.
  • Retail Banking Intern Adnan Sajid is from Framingham and attends Framingham State University.
  • Retail Banking Intern Logan Salvatore is from Sutton and attends Bryant University.

The Cornerstone interns attend an orientation on their first day before diving into their respective departments.

“Throughout the program, we meet regularly with the students to make sure they’re getting what they want out of their experience and see if there is anything that we can help with,” said Cornerstone’s Chief Culture Officer Maria Salvatore. “We also give them opportunities to support our community, attend Cornerstone Bank events and network with each other. At the end of the summer, we ask them to reflect on their experiences and provide us with feedback, allowing us to continue to improve the program.” 

Cornerstone’s internship program started in 2021 and is open to both high school and college students. It offers both part-time and full-time internships, with most students choosing to intern for 40 hours per week. Each intern goes through an interview process so that they can be placed into the department that best aligns with their goals and interests. All interns are paid and are eligible to get school credit upon completion of the program.

Pictured from left to right: Adnan Sajid, Javen Nazario, Michael Peloza, Tristan Franchere, Logan Salvatore, Claire Hill, Henrietta Murtagh and Ivori Hidalgo Batista.

Cornerstone Bank donates $5,000 to the Gateways Academy, Inc., in Shrewsbury

Cornerstone Bank recently donated $5,000 to the Gateways Academy, Inc., a small, private school in Shrewsbury.

“Our Community Relations Manager, Nicole Digregorio, visited Gateways Academy once a week for 10 weeks, presenting three different financial literacy programs for students in grades 1 through 12,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “She and the other members of our team who joined her were incredibly impressed by the students, staff and school, so we wanted to increase our involvement. They all look forward to returning for more programs next year.”

Cornerstone’s donation will support the school’s American Sign Language (ASL) program. ASL was selected as the school’s foreign language of choice because it’s among the top five languages used in worldwide communication. The funds will also support physical education and team building for students at the local YMCA.

“We’re proud to support these innovative, forward-thinking programs at Gateways Academy, and to provide students with essential, age-appropriate money skills,” said Tallman. “As a financial institution, we believe in the importance of teaching everyone from kids to senior citizens about money and its life-long management. We offer a wide array of financial literacy programs to our Central Massachusetts community. Gateways Academy was one of 70 different local organizations we initiated or renewed partnerships with over the past year.”

Cornerstone Bank welcomes Kara Wiersma as its vice president, learning and development partner

Cornerstone Bank has welcomed Kara Wiersma, a resident of Auburn, as its new vice president, learning and development partner. In this role, she is responsible for developing, coordinating and executing employee training and development.

Karen Wiersma

“Kara comes to us with a wealth of experience in employee development, training and engagement,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “We are committed to providing our employees with the tools and skills they need to learn and grow in their careers, and Kara’s expertise will ensure our success in this regard.”

Wiersma earned her bachelor’s degree in management from Boston University and is a Certified Professional in Talent Development. She has more than two decades of experience in the banking industry, nearly a decade of which has been spent in the areas of learning, development and colleague engagement.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the Cornerstone team and look forward to building on its strong foundation of employee development,” said Wiersma. “The passion people have for their work here really shines through, as does the leadership’s dedication to employee satisfaction and success.”

A member of the Worcester Business Journal 40 under Forty Class of 2019, Wiersma also serves on the Board of the Central Massachusetts Association for Talent Development as the vice president of programming.

Cornerstone Bank donates $25,000 to the YMCA of Central Massachusetts

Cornerstone Bank donated $25,000 to support programs and services at the YMCA of Central Massachusetts.

“We are longtime supporters of our local YMCA because we recognize the important role the organization plays in the lives of our neighbors,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “Our donation will be put toward four programs that benefit a diverse range of local residents.”

YMCA programs that will benefit include:

  • The Achievers initiative, which supports the next generation of college students with academic assistance, adult mentorship, college prep programming and career workshops, all designed to help teens find their unique paths to higher education and beyond.
  • The Numbers in the Sun program, through which an experienced math teacher delivers high-quality academic programming to children to reinforce their mathematic core competencies and comprehension in fun and engaging ways.
  • LIVESTRONG, a 12-week health and wellness program that connects cancer survivors and their families with a network of physical activity programming and emotional support at no cost to participants.
  • The What’s for Dinner weekly meal service that provides an assembled package of groceries to families and seniors in need. On average, 500 meals are distributed monthly.

“We are most proud to support this type of programming, which addresses real needs in our community,” said Tallman.

Cornerstone Bank contributes $15,000 to UMass Memorial Health Care

Funds will be used to expand a nutrition-focused ‘Food is Medicine’ program

Cornerstone Bank contributed $15,000 to UMass Memorial Health Care. The funds will be used to expand the hospital’s nutrition-focused “Food is Medicine” program, which aims to provide higher-risk patients with access to healthy food options that align with the diet recommendations provided by their physicians.

“We are proud to continue our ongoing support for the amazing healing work done every day at UMass Memorial,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “Food insecurity is a serious issue for many people throughout our community, and this innovative program is designed to provide meaningful help to those who need it.”

UMass Memorial has partnered with a community-based organization, About Fresh, to implement this food intervention. The organization’s Fresh Connect program allows healthcare providers to load pre-paid debit cards for patients experiencing food insecurity. The Fresh Connect cards can be used at most grocery stores to purchase healthy food options only. The program allocates $80 per month to each card recipient for six months.

“The ‘Food is Medicine Program’ grew out of our desire to alleviate the impact of food insecurity among our patients and promote optimal health,” said UMass Corporate and Foundation Philanthropy Officer Jeff Aron. “We are grateful to Cornerstone Bank for helping us to increase the impact it provides.”

Cornerstone Bank donates $25,000 to ‘Our Bright Future Inc.’

The donation will allow 50 students to attend STEM-based programs at no cost

Cornerstone Bank has donated $25,000 to Our Bright Future Inc., a Southbridge-based organization committed to empowering children and developing future leaders through science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) initiatives. The donation will be distributed to two programs within the organization: $15,000 to the STEMing Into Sports Summer Program and $10,000 to the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) STEM After-School Program.

“We’re so proud to support both of these STEM-based initiatives, as they are vital to improving and diversifying the education of Central Massachusetts children and teens,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “Based on the previous successes of these programs, Our Bright Future has shown an ability to prepare area youth for their futures—a cause to which our team is more than happy to contribute.”

The STEMing Into Sports Summer Program offers a unique combination of robotics, 3D printing and sports for children in a safe, caring and supportive environment, while the WPI after-school program provides youth with a college-campus educational experience alongside some of WPI's future engineers. Cornerstone Bank’s donation will allow 50 students to attend these programs completely free of charge, covering their tuition, food and transportation.

“Through the generous support of Cornerstone Bank, we will be able to provide dozens of Central Massachusetts children with the opportunity for new experiences and improved STEM-based educations. We are so excited to witness the impact it will have for our students,” said Kwasi Acheampong, president and founder of Our Bright Future Inc.

Our Bright Future Inc. was established in 2016 to empower youth and develop bright leaders through robotics, 3D printing, sports training and guidance in academics. Through various programs, it incorporates education, empowerment, discipline, leadership, diversity and respect to help students shape the future. To learn more about Our Bright Future Inc. or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit ourbrightfutureinc.org.

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