February 3, 2023 – West Bend, WI – Cornerstone Community Bank is merging with Horicon Bank and soon these rolls will transition with the promotions of Rick Novotny to Senior Vice President – Chief Credit Officer, Chris Zirbes to Senior Vice President – Commercial Lender, and Chad Zimborski to Vice President – Commercial Lender.
“We are thrilled to promote Rick, Chris and Chad as they extend their knowledge of business banking to serve our communities,” said Frederick C. Schwertfeger, president of Horicon Bank, and acting president of Cornerstone. “Having strong capable bankers serving the Milwaukee metro area, was a major reason why Horicon Bank wanted to be a merging partner with Cornerstone Community Bank.”
Rick Novotny has over 20 years of commercial lending experience and has been at Cornerstone since 2008. He was promoted to Chief Credit Officer in 2019. In this position, Novotny manages the entire lending operation and serves as the interface between the lenders, the operations team and senior management to make preparing, approving, and servicing loans efficient and effective.
Novotny has a degree in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, and in 2021 completed studies at the Graduate School of Banking in Madison. He is the current President of Family Promise of Washington County, Past President of the Grafton Chamber of Commerce, Past Treasurer of Bend City Church in West Bend and is active in his kid’s sporting activities including coaching.
Chris Zirbes brought 19 years of commercial lending experience with him when he joined the Cornerstone Community Bank lending team in 2015. He served as a commercial loan officer for Cornerstone for four years and was promoted to VP – Senior Commercial Lender in 2019. Zirbes is a strong advocate for small business and is an invaluable resource as a mentor to the junior lenders.
Zirbes has a B.B.A. degree in Finance from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and has completed studies at the Graduate School of Banking in Madison. He is a proud member of the Wauwatosa Mayfair Rotary – Past President and Board, Vice President and President Elect of the Wauwatosa Junior Trojans Baseball Club, Wauwatosa Blazers Football Club member, former President of Serenity Inns, and former President of the Wauwatosa Distinguished Citizens Award Council.
Chad Zimborski has over 12 years of business banking experience and a finance background. At Cornerstone, he provides full-service relationship banking services to small business and commercial real estate customers. Zimborski started as a business banking underwriter, advanced to a business banking relationship manager, and a senior portfolio manager. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business from Lake Forest College, IL, and earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Cardinal Stritch University.
Effective January 1, 2023, Cornerstone Community Bank was sold to Sword Financial Corporation. Cornerstone will continue to operate independently as a subsidiary of Sword Financial Corporation until the planned merger with Horicon Bank in September 2023.
