Our multidisciplinary team is backed by the experience and expertise that can only come from hundreds of thousands of hours spent in-the-trenches working shoulder-to-shoulder with our clients. We live by the philosophy that you can’t improve what you don’t measure. With laser-focus measurements, our financial services clients develop more meaningful business strategies, make smarter technology decisions, and strategically re-engineer critical processes.

Complementing our advisory engagements is our Cornerstone Research practice, which offers financial institutions and service providers actionable insights to stay at the forefront of the industry with industry-renowned reports, data and studies.

Screen Shot 2021-05-26 at 3.01.00 PM

THE CORNERSTONE DIFFERENCE

Financial service organizations rely on our consulting and research services to improve profitability and elevate performance quickly and efficiently. Our clients get access to real-world experience resulting from on-going advisory engagements with banks and credit unions over the past 15 years. The combination of this experience and our data-driven research offers clients actionable insights and an independent perspective that is unrivaled in the industry.

Our Story

 

1999

GonzoBanker launched at predecessor firm M One with Steve Williams, Terence Roche, Carl Faulkner, and Scott Hodgins as contributors.

OLD-Gonzo_logo
 

2002

Founded as niche firm serving midsize banks, Cornerstone Advisors formed by CEO Scott Sommer, and principals Williams, Roche, and Faulkner.

Williams forms Strategy practice while Roche and Faulkner form Technology and System Selection practices.

 

2003

The first Cornerstone Performance Report released. “We couldn’t find these benchmarks anywhere else and our clients needed them, so we just started a study and invented them.”

Cornerstone-Report-cover
 

2006

Conversion and Implementation practice formed with Managing Director Bill McFarland joining the firm.

 
bill-mcfarland-1
 

2007

Faulkner forms Contract Negotiations practice tapping veteran CIO Bob Roth to lead its rapid growth as Managing Director.

bob-roth
 

2010

After years leading process and assessment projects using deep cuts of Cornerstone Performance Report benchmarks, Eric Weikart forms a growing Performance Solutions practice as Managing Director.

eric-weikart-1
 

2014

Abound Resources joins us adding Vendor Management, additional Risk Management offerings, and team. CEO Brad Smith joins as Cornerstone Advisors’ Managing Director of Technology Solutions.

After significant demand and client growth, dedicated practices formed in Payments, Channels, Risk, and Mergers & Acquisitions.

 chart-going-up1

 

brad-smith-1
 

2015

After years of hard hitting gritty content, Gonzobanker releases its 300th article.


gonzobanker-logo_320x200

Ron Shevlin joins as Research Director developing more midsize bank focused research services including What’s Going On and Insight Vault.

 
ron-shevlin300x300-1
 

2016

Our 14th straight year of growth while being obsessed with our clients.

larger_image

Connected-Like-Amazon-1

How Banks Can Stay More Connected Like Amazon

Six ways financial institutions can prepare to better connect with customers who are nearly all digital-first now.

Worldpay-FIS-thumbnail

FIS/Worldpay Agree to Combine: So What?

Game-changing mergers are creating bigger, more diversified vendors that banks and credit unions use for payments services.

Scottsdale

Cornerstone Advisors Fall Payments School

Continually emerging payment technologies keep financial institutions struggling to be at the forefront of their market. Join Cornerstone’s Payments Experts for 2-full days of learning this cutting-edge environment and how to keep your FI ahead of the game.