Cornerstone Bank is proud to announce the success of a significant multi-year contribution to Worcester State University’s Bridge to Excellence: Summer STEM Retention Program. The $18,000 donation helped the program to support incoming science, technology, engineering and math majors, strengthening the school’s retention in these important fields and helping more students to complete their degrees.

“The STEM fields are so important but also can be intimidating for many students in their first years of college,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “In 2018 when we had the opportunity to help sponsor this pilot program, we jumped at the chance to give students more of a fighting shot in these difficult STEM courses.”

The program included three main elements to help students succeed. The first involved allowing students to take their first-year seminar course over the summer to lighten their first-semester course load. Second, students were offered extra support with math courses through exclusive tutoring services. And third, students participated in a service project to give back to the community that supported them. Over the multi-year project, Worcester State has supported 60 students and views the program as a great success.

“We enjoy helping people in our community succeed, especially young people,” continued Tallman. “To learn of the successes these students have achieved thanks to this program is inspiring. If our contribution was able to help even one student stick with the major they have dreamed of, we would deem it a success. But to see that dozens were helped was incredible.”

An intern with The Capstone Planning Group, a full-service financial services and investment planning team located at Cornerstone Bank, recently finished second along with his team at the Quinnipiac Global Asset Management Education (GAME) Forum. Andrew Gorey is a sophomore at Merrimack College and acts as the senior analyst for the Merrimack-Fixed Income Fund and the industrial analyst for the Merrimack Investment Fund. The GAME Forum is the largest student-run financial conference in the world featuring undergraduate and graduate students from 150 colleges and universities.

“We were so excited to hear that Andrew and his team had placed at the GAME Forum,” said The Capstone Planning Group’s VP and Program Manager, Christopher Mallon. “Watching him learn and grow throughout his internship with us, it is clear this win is just the first step to his career in the financial services industry.”

Gorey, a resident of Sturbridge, has been a (non-registered) intern with The Capstone Planning Group since January 2021. While juggling his regular classwork and his internship, he and his team were able to assist in the creation of an impressive portfolio over the course of the past year to the present.

“My experience interning with The Capstone Planning Group has allowed me to obtain hands-on experience in this field,” said Gorey. “I am very thankful to work with a team that emphasizes the importance of putting their client first and offers solutions to fit each client’s specific financial needs. I have learned so much."

The Capstone Planning Group, conveniently located at Cornerstone Bank, is committed to helping the next generation of financial professionals succeed through internships, mentoring and entry-level career opportunities. For more information about The Capstone Planning Group, please visit online at thecapstone.group or call 508-764-0046.

Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker/dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. Cornerstone Bank and The Capstone Planning Group are not registered as broker/dealers or investment advisors. Registered Representatives of LPL offer products and services using the name The Capstone Planning Group, and may also be employees of Cornerstone Bank. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from and not affiliates of Cornerstone Bank or The Capstone Planning Group. Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are:

The Capstone Planning Group, a full-service Financial Services and Investment Planning team located at Cornerstone Bank, recently hired Joe Delaney for the position of Financial Consultant. Delaney has been in the industry since 2012 and brings a wide array of retirement planning and investing experience.  In this role he will work to serve The Capstone Planning Group’s growing client base in Worcester, Shrewsbury, and surrounding towns.

"Joe’s addition to our team will allow The Capstone Planning Group to help more individuals and families develop investment strategies to pursue their goals,” said The Capstone Planning Group’s SVP of Investment Services Jason Main. “In addition, he will be a valuable partner for business owners in the community looking to review and manage their retirement plan offerings.”

Delaney is a resident of Worcester and a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University. He currently holds a Series 6 and Series 63 registration with LPL Financial and holds the designation of Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist.  In addition, he is a licensed Accident and Health or Sickness Insurance Producer and Life Insurance Producer.

“The tight knit team at The Capstone Planning Group cares deeply about their customers and I am excited to be the newest addition to their growing group,” said Delaney. “I am eager to add my experience to their lineup.”

For more information about The Capstone Planning Group you may visit them in person at Cornerstone Bank, visit thecapstone.group or call 508-764-0046.

Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker/dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. Cornerstone Bank and The Capstone Planning Group are not registered as a broker/dealer or investment advisor. Registered Representatives of LPL offer products and services using the name The Capstone Planning Group, and may also be employees of Cornerstone Bank. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from and not affiliates of Cornerstone Bank or The Capstone Planning Group. Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are:

Klara Carter, NMLS #910601, joins the team with 20 years of banking and mortgage experience

Cornerstone Bank recently welcomed Klara Carter as its new Assistant Vice President, Commercial Lender. Carter has worked in the banking industry for more than 20 years specializing in helping small businesses with financing.

“Klara will be a great fit in our organization,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “She already has an incredible track record assisting business owners in acquiring the financing they need, which we hope to apply to many of the great small businesses we serve across our community.”

A resident of Danielson, CT, Carter graduated from Nichols College with a degree in business administration and management, focusing on general administration and finance.

“I am eager to begin my role with Cornerstone Bank as the next chapter of my career,” said Carter. “This past year has been so difficult for our area businesses and I look forward to helping them get back on their feet and supporting their future growth.”

Jeffrey Moynihan joins the team with 14 years of banking and mortgage experience

Cornerstone Bank, has recently hired Jeffrey Moynihan for the position of Vice President, Mortgage Loan Officer. Moynihan has over 14 years of banking and mortgage experience and will help lead the team responsible for helping customers finance their homes.

“Jeffrey’s vast experience in the world of banking is what drew us to him,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “He has experience in every area of retail banking, including as a teller and manager, before exclusively focusing on mortgages. This strong foundation will assist him in helping our customers make their dreams of homeownership a reality.”

Moynihan, a resident of Norton, has a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics from Southern New Hampshire University.  Prior to joining Cornerstone Bank, he held positions as a Vice President of Mortgage Lending at a lending firm in Boston and a Sales Manager in the home loan department for a bank in Quincy.

“I am excited to begin the next chapter of my career,” said Moynihan. “My family values giving back to the community and so does Cornerstone Bank, making it a perfect fit. Life is not fulfilled if we cannot touch the lives of others in a positive way, and I hope to do that through mortgage lending and charitable opportunities with the bank.”

When you are looking at APR vs. interest rates for mortgages, do you know what matters more? In this Mortgage Reports article, our own Scott Auen and other lending specialists explain what you need to know.

Kerri Lee and Katelyn Krikorian recently promoted

Cornerstone Bankhas recently promoted Kerri Lee to Assistant Vice President, Loan Production Manager, and Katelyn Krikorian to Assistant Vice President, Operations Manager. Both have more than 15 years of experience in banking and lending.

Lee, a resident of Holland, joined Southbridge Savings Bank in November of 2013 as a Senior Loan Processor. When Southbridge Savings Bank and SpencerBANK merged to form Cornerstone Bank in 2016, she held a Team Lead position before becoming Loan Production Manager. She has worked closely with the Loan Production and Operations teams to facilitate home loan closings that meet customer expectations.

“My focus is and always has been the customers and their experience with us,” said Lee. “My time with Cornerstone Bank has allowed me to learn and grow in the mortgage lending industry. I am excited to see what I can do in this new role to continue to make our customers happy.”

Katelyn Krikorian, a resident of Southbridge, started as an Operations Clerk in 2004 and worked her way up to Team Leader, then to Assistant Operations Manager and finally to Operations Manager. Krikorian has also held the Chairman position with the ARC Committee and was afforded the opportunity to be involved in a variety of fundraisers benefiting the community.

“I am thankful for the guidance I’ve had along the way, allowing me to mature in my roles and leading me to all the opportunities Cornerstone Bank has given me,” said Krikorian. “I look forward to being a part of Cornerstone’s future, continuing to help not only our customers but the people of our communities as well.”

“We’re very proud to have Kerri and Katelyn on our team,” said Todd Tallman, CEO of Cornerstone Bank.  “These are the people that are the backbone of Cornerstone Bank and they deserve their success.”

Students in Central Massachusetts can apply now

Cornerstone Bank, a community bank with 12 locations throughout central Massachusetts, will be awarding sixteen scholarships for $2,000 each to students in the area it serves. Cornerstone Bank is hoping to help 2021 high school graduates throughout their community pursue higher education and foster advancement in the fields of business and finance. The sixteen scholarships will be awarded to the students who best demonstrate achievement in academics, extracurricular activities and community involvement.

“Making sure the future leaders of America get a great education is so important to us at Cornerstone Bank,” said CEO Todd Tallman. “We are excited to be able to help students achieve their dreams every year to go into the business or finance industries. Access to a good education can be difficult for many students, especially with how difficult this past year has been, so we hope the help we are able to provide to this group of graduates helps them to reach their goals.”

To apply for a scholarship, the student must:

• Be a 2021 high school graduate
• Reside within 10 miles of a Cornerstone Bank branch or office
• 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

In addition, the student must choose one of the following prompts and submit a one-page typed essay:

1. Are there any challenges you have had to overcome in your high school career?

OR

2. What are your goals for the future, and how will this scholarship assist you in meeting them?

Applications must be submitted or postmarked to Cornerstone Bank by April 5, 2021. Please send all applications to scholarships@cornerstonebank.com, or mail to Cornerstone Bank Scholarship Committee: P.O. Box 370, Southbridge, MA, 01550. Selected recipients will be announced by the week of May 24, 2021. Scholarship funds will be disbursed to the student after successful completion of the first semester and upon presentation of an official copy of the first-semester transcript and second-semester bill.

For more information, and to download the application form, please visit https://cornerstonebank.com/scholarships/.