Cornerstone Bank, Spencer, Massachusetts, has petitioned the Massachusetts Division of Banks, for permission to close the following branches. Any objections or comments relative to this proposal must be communicated in writing to the Commissioner of Banks, Mary L. Gallagher, 1000 Washington Street, 10th Floor, Boston Massachusetts 02118-6400 no later than two weeks from January 26, 2022.
Cornerstone Bank has donated $50,000 to two Worcester County charitable organizations: $40,000 to the Worcester Community Action Council and $10,000 to the Worcester County Food Bank. The two groups are dedicated to improving quality of life by ending poverty and food insecurity throughout the region, respectively.
“Both of these organizations share our deep commitment to the wellbeing of residents throughout Central Massachusetts, which is why we are supporting them with these significant donations,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “They are each providing the underserved residents of Worcester County with the essentials they need to survive and succeed during a difficult time.”
The Worcester Community Action Council is one of 23 community action agencies in Massachusetts with the mission of helping people toward economic self-sufficiency through programs, partnerships and advocacy. To break the cycle of poverty for tens of thousands of people annually, WCAC helps to provide opportunities for energy assistance, early education and care, financial empowerment, positive youth development, and career pathways.
The Worcester County Foodbank is dedicated to engaging and educating the region in creating a hunger-free community through partnerships with donors and volunteers, as well as business and community leaders. Last year, their network of 115 local pantries and programs helped to distribute nearly 6.1 million pounds of donated food to 75,000 people across 60 Worcester County communities.
“As a community bank, we live and work in Central Massachusetts, which is why we are committed to supporting these causes that improve the quality of life for those around us,” continued Tallman. “We are honored to work alongside both these charitable organizations and look forward to the good that will come from these donations.”
Cornerstone Bank has presented Years of Service Awards to 24 employees for dedicated service as they hit landmarks in their tenure. Employees are honored for every five years of service with the Bank.
“The dedication of these 24 employees is inspiring,” said CEO of Cornerstone Bank Todd Tallman. “We work to foster a culture of growth and development within our institution, and it is a true testament when we see the longevity of some of our team members. I congratulate them for their years— and some for their decades—of loyalty and commitment to our customers.”
The following employees received the Years of Service Award:
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Brenda Alano | 35 |
| Michael J. Checkosky | 25 |
| Wendy Coran | 20 |
| Lisa A. Swift | 20 |
| Donna E. Reynolds | 20 |
| Colleen K. Lord | 20 |
| Sabrina Webb | 15 |
| Chelsea M. Prizio | 15 |
| Cynthia Roberts | 15 |
| Stacie Moulton | 20 |
| Gina M. Petruzzi | 10 |
| Robert Mangan | 10 |
| Claire Cable | 10 |
| Leanne Normandin | 10 |
| Patrick Genatossio | 5 |
| Phyllis Warner | 5 |
| Corinna A. Tiberii | 5 |
| Allison Doyle | 5 |
| Catherine Benoit | 5 |
| Katherine A. Bolte | 5 |
| Jessica Wisniewski | 5 |
| Shelby Pollard | 5 |
| Megan E. W. Young | 5 |
| Vilaylack Inthirath | 5 |
Cornerstone Bank has donated $2,500 to Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester to support its mission to provide adults with the English language skills they need to thrive. For 48 years, Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester has been providing one-to-one and small group English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) tutoring as well as literacy tutoring, and in recent years, adding online tutoring and independent learning.
“In the greater Worcester area, 34% of households speak a language other than English at home,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester are doing amazing things by providing free ESOL education to adults within our community. The leadership, vision, and dedication of the Board of Directors are key to the organization’s success in serving constituents in the Worcester area. We are proud that members of our team volunteer their time for this organization and we support their goals any way we can.”
In just the past year, more than 100 volunteers and 12 part-time specialized ESOL teachers dedicated their time to helping 382 literacy students and more than 100 tutoring students learn to read, write and speak the English language. These students are immigrants and refugees representing 52 different countries and speaking 38 different languages.
“The free, flexible, and individualized support students get leads them in the right direction to achieve goals beyond English language proficiency including citizenship, employment, and further education,” continued Tallman. “We look forward to seeing Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester continue to create opportunities for people looking to succeed in our community.”
Cornerstone Bank will celebrate reopening its Worcester branch located at 70 West Boylston Street, on Saturday, October 9. The event, which will unveil new renovations, will be held from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. with family-friendly activities and an official ribbon cutting at noon.
“We are excited to celebrate this newly remodeled branch with our community,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “This renovation represents our ongoing commitment to serve the banking and financial needs of our neighborhood. We welcome our friends and customers to come by with their families to see our beautifully renovated branch and enjoy face painting, balloon artist, ice cream and giveaways.”
The community is invited to attend and enjoy refreshments and activities for the whole family.
Cornerstone Bank will host a reopening celebration for its Sturbridge branch located at 200 Charlton Road, Route 20, on Saturday, October 2. The event, which will unveil new renovations, will be held from 10:00 am.–1:00 pm with an official ribbon cutting at noon.
“We are excited to celebrate this newly remodeled branch with our community,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “We invite customers and our community to stop by with their family for games, food, and entertainment. Come check out our renovated branch, which has been elevated with a more modern and functional design for our staff and more importantly our customers. I look forward to seeing you there.”
The public is welcome to attend and enjoy fun for the whole family including a bounce house, face painting, ice cream truck, balloon artist, games, giveaways, and more.
Cornerstone Bank has been named as an honoree in the Boston Business Journal’s 2021 Corporate Citizenship Awards, a recognition of the region's top corporate charitable contributors. The Business Journal annually publishes this list to showcase companies that promote and prioritize giving back to their communities.
“We are honored to have been recognized for our charitable contributions throughout 2020,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “Our giving efforts last year included nearly $400,000 in donations to local organizations. This included funds to purchase PPE for Harrington HealthCare System, donations to three local United Way chapters, the Worcester County Food Bank and the Worcester Community Action Council, 16 scholarships to graduating seniors and many more.”
This year, only 98 companies qualified for the distinction by reporting at least $100,000 in contributions to Massachusetts-based charities last year. The honorees this year include companies from such industry sectors as financial and professional services, health care, technology, retail and professional sports.
“During a year filled with unprecedented events and change, it’s incredible to think that so many companies, as represented by those on the Boston Business Journal’s Corporate Charitable Contributors list, still gave so generously to charities in Massachusetts,” said Boston Business Journal Market President and Publisher Carolyn Jones. “These companies give back at least $100,000 to the local community, and now we are in a time when giving back and helping one another is more important than ever. The philanthropic companies prioritize the welfare of our communities, and we are excited to be able to honor them.”
Cornerstone Bank and other honorees will be celebrated at the Boston Business Journal’s 16th Annual Corporate Citizenship Awards on September 9, a commemoration of honorees that will be virtual to ensure everyone’s health and safety.
“With the hardships many faced in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was more important than ever for us to continue to find ways to give back,” continued Tallman. “Despite restrictions on gatherings, in-person events and other traditional opportunities for volunteering, we were still able to help better our own backyard, a commitment we will continue to pursue in 2021 and in the future.”
Cornerstone Bank has awarded 16 college scholarships to local high school graduates. Each recipient is awarded $2,000 to assist with college expenses.
“Cornerstone Bank is honored to help high school graduates throughout the community pursue higher education in the fields of business and finance,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “It’s important to us that we can support students throughout our community in reaching their goals; we are excited to see what their futures hold.”
This is the list of the 2021 scholarship recipients along with the name of the school they plan to attend in the fall:
“It is with pride that we award the achievements of these 16 students who excelled academically as well as in extracurricular activities and community involvement,” said Tallman. “We wish them continued success in the next chapter of their educations.”
To be considered for a scholarship, each student had to:
Cornerstone Bank has donated $3,000 to the Nativity School of Worcester, an independent, Jesuit middle school providing all-scholarship education to underserved boys of all faiths. The funds will be used to help low- and moderate-income families of current students as well as students who have graduated, through the school’s Graduate Support Program.
“Not only does the Nativity School foster the growth and learning of students currently enrolled with them, but they ensure that their graduates are prepared for the upcoming year in high school or college,” said Cornerstone Bank CEO Todd Tallman. “The school’s work inspires responsibility, a love of service and a dedication to learning that many of these students may have never experienced otherwise. Cornerstone Bank is happy to make this donation, which has helped to fund the Nativity School’s all-important summer program.”
The Nativity School of Worcester’s summer program runs for three weeks during the summer and focuses on core academics, including language arts and math, as well as community services. Students and faculty spend every afternoon volunteering at local organizations to empower them to recognize the ways they can improve their community. The Graduate Support Team coordinates with alumni to provide school supplies to high school and college-aged graduates of the Nativity School, helping them to continue their education.
“We are proud to play a small part in creating a long-lasting love of learning for these students,” continued Tallman. “We understand how important quality education is for all, and we are honored to assist in everything the Nativity School of Worcester is doing for its students and alumni.”
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.”
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