Cornerstone Bank announces promotions in conjunction with Horicon Bank merger

Cornerstone Community Bank in Grafton has announced several promotions in conjunction with its acquisition by Sword Financial, the holding company for Horicon Bank, on Jan. 1.

Rick Novotny will transition into the role of senior vice president-chief credit officer while Chris Zirbes will become senior vice president of commercial lending as Cornerstone merges with Horicon Bank.

Chad Zimborski will become vice president of commercial lending.

The Grafton financial institution will continue to operate as Cornerstone Community Bank until the merger with Horicon Bank in September.

Novotny has more than 20 years of commercial lending experience and was hired by Cornerstone in 2008.

As chief credit officer, a position he has held since 2019, Novotny manages the bank’s entire lending operation.

He has a degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and completed studies at the Graduate School of Banking in Madison.

He is president of Family Promise of Washington County and former president of the Grafton Area Chamber of Commerce and treasurer of Bend City Church in West Bend.

Zirbes came to Cornerstone in 2015 with 19 years of commercial lending experience. He served as a commercial loan officer for four years before being promoted to vice president-senior commercial lender in 2019.

Zirbes has a bachelor of business administration degree in finance from UW-Milwaukee and has completed studies at the Graduate School of Banking. 

He is a member of the Wauwatosa Mayfair Rotary Club.

Zimborski has more than 12 years of business banking experience and at Cornerstone provides services to small businesses and commercial real estate customers.

He has a degree in business from Lake Forest College in Illinois and a master of business administration degree from Cardinal Stritch University in Fox Point.