When we asked Vickie Fastnacht what kept her at Cornerstone Bank for 23 years, her answer was simple — and it’s a sentiment many of us share: “I enjoy the people.”
Vickie was a member of the bank’s founding team, and before she retired two years ago, she saw Cornerstone grow from a handful of desks in the bank president’s basement to the institution it is today. We sat down with her to hear about those early days, the culture she helped build, and the memories she’s carrying into retirement.
Vickie, introduce yourself and tell us about your time with Cornerstone Bank.
My name is Vickie Fastnacht. I worked with Cornerstone Bank for 23 years and retired two years ago. Over that time, I held a variety of responsibilities — I started at the administrative level, served as a Loan Officer for a while, and ended my career overseeing the operations area.
Looking back on those 23 years, are there any special memories or relationships that stand out?
I would say the fact that we were a small, hometown bank reaching out to small businesses — which are the core of this country — was one of the most fun parts of the job.
It’s the people. I enjoy the numbers, but I enjoy the people: the small business owners we were able to work with and support, and the people I worked alongside, too. That’s why I was able to stay at this company for so long — the people are great to work with.
If you could describe the culture at Cornerstone Bank in a few words, what would they be?
Friendly, helpful, supportive — and integrity.
As a founding member, what was the bank like in the early years? What has changed, and what has stayed the same?
The early days of the bank were in the bank president’s home — John (K.) Doull’s — and our desks were all fitted together. We even had to share the phone system; that’s how early it was in technology. The funny thing to me was that I had to wait until somebody else was off the phone before I could hang up. We had to take turns!
From the basement, we moved into a mobile trailer home while the original building was constructed. When that space filled up with filing cabinets and people, we finally moved into the larger building. That came with its own challenge — we were suddenly so spread out, and we were used to being very close together.
The interesting part is that when we moved to this site, there wasn’t even cable run out here yet. It was still pretty rural, so we had to figure out how to access our technology — our computers and the phone system. Technology has certainly advanced over the last 25 years.
That’s my memory of it — it was just a fun time.
What was the construction of the new building like? Was it exciting?
It was, because we were in the trailer right next door and could come over and watch the progress as it went along. We put a time capsule behind some bricks in one of the corners of the building, and I think we may have even signed our names somewhere on the metal beams.
Whether it’s a time capsule tucked behind the bricks or a signature on a steel beam, Vickie and the founding team will always be part of Cornerstone Bank. Thank you, Vickie, for 23 years of hard work, integrity, and bright spirit. We’re so grateful, and we wish you a wonderful retirement.
