Cornerstone Alliance
38 W. Wall Steet, P.O. Box 428
Benton Harbor, MI 49023-0428
269.925.6100

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Our Staff

Meet our team of experienced professionals....

Margaret Adams, Program Manager for the Women's Business Center at Cornerstone Alliance
Margaret Adams brings 20 years of past experience working for the City of Benton Harbor, the last 15 years as the Municipal Clerk. She is also the co-owner and operator of Adam's Rib, an event planning and catering business. Margaret has worked for Cornerstone Alliance since 1999 and received the Program Manager position for the WBC in 2004. In 2006, she was certified as a small business counselor from the Academy of Professional Small Business Consultants at Grand Valley State University.

Jamie Balkin, Executive Director of Communications & Marketing, Cornerstone Alliance
A 1995 graduate of Saint Mary's College located in Notre, Dame, Indiana, Jamie Balkin has served as the executive director of communications and marketing for Cornerstone Alliance since 2000. In her role, she is responsible for working with the organization and its affiliates to reassure all of their public relations needs are met. Additionally, she serves as the liaison between staff and the media. In 2005, she was recognized as Business Leader Under 40 by Business Review Western Michigan. Some of her volunteer activities include the HOSTS (Help One Student To Succeed) program with Benton Harbor Area Schools as well as a member of the Coming Home Coming Together Concert Committee.

Wendy Dant Chesser, President, Cornerstone Alliance
In January, 2005, Wendy Dant Chesser joined Cornerstone Alliance and she was named President in December, 2007. Wendy worked in various aspects of economic development for over seven years with the State of Indiana, and spent the last year of her government career as Deputy Executive Director for Program Operations of the Indiana Department of Commerce.

Wendy is a present or past member of several professional organizations, including the International Economic Development Council and the Michigan Economic Developers Association. She has been active in several Big Brother Big Sisters organizations as a volunteer mentor and board member. She has volunteered in United Way activities and has coached youth volleyball and basketball teams. She was awarded the 2000 Outstanding Young Hoosier Award from the Indiana Jaycees, was recognized in the Indianapolis Business Journal's "Forty Under 40" for 2004, and was honored by Western Michigan Business Review's "Business Leaders Under 40."

Wendy is a native of Jeffersonville, Indiana, and she received her Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Indiana University Southeast in 1991.

Susan Cox, Director of First Choice
Susan Cox is responsible for the First Choice Program, an affiliate of Cornerstone Alliance. First Choice assists local companies with their recruiting efforts through providing customized tours for candidates and their families who may be potentially relocating to Michigan's Great Southwest. Susan is a native to Michigan's Great Southwest, spent 15 years in Chicago as a paralegal and then moved into legal sales where she represented various on-line legal research options to law firms, in-house legal counsel and law schools. She received her Bachelors of Arts in Journalism from Valparaiso University and her paralegal certificate from Roosevelt University.

Regina A. Ciaravino, Director, Chamber Development, Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce
As Director of Chamber Development since September 2000, Regina Ciaravino is responsible for membership attraction and retention, event planning, scheduling networking opportunities, business-education seminars, member benefits, affinity non-dues revenue programs and advertising programs for the Cornerstone Chamber membership. She has served on numerous boards and committees, citing work with United Way, the 2005 Jimmy Carter Work Project, the local Human Resource Council, YWCA board, Lake Michigan College Alumni Board of Director, 100 Women Strong, and Governor Granholm's Benton Harbor Youth Works Committee. Regina also represents the Chamber as a founding member of the Regional Leadership Alliance. In 2008, she was also acknowledged by the YWCA's Tribute to Women that recognizes outstanding achievements in business, professional and volunteer sector of Berrien County. Regina is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organizational Management where she earned an I.O.M. designation in June 2005 from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Additionally, she is a 2006 graduate from the local Community Leadership Academy.

Marshall Downs, Project and Facilities Manager
Marshall Downs comes to Cornerstone Alliance with a background in general contracting, workforce development and property management. He is a Michigan licensed residential builder, is certified as a National Center for Construction Education and Research trainer and also holds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers CQC designation. Originally from Chicago, Marshall was a project manager on the then largest SBA 8(A) contract in Illinois history. He serves on the board of Harbor Habitat for Humanity and his church.

Ronald Griesinger, CPA, Chief Financial Officer, Cornerstone Alliance
Ron Griesinger graduated from Ferris State University in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in Accounting. He worked eleven for years for the CPA firm Plante & Moran and was an Associate when he left. After leaving Plante & Moran, Ron worked for Hughes Plastics, Inc., in St. Joseph, as their Controller. At Hughes, he had full responsibility of all the financial aspects of the corporation and was employed there until 1994 when the company was sold. After spending a year as a sole proprietor operating his own CPA office, Ron took a job with The Wood Companies as their controller. He joined Cornerstone Alliance in 2003 as their Chief Financial Officer.

Bob Jones, Resource Development Coordinator, Small Business Services
Bob Jones graduated with honors from Western Illinois University with degrees in Economics and Political Science. He brings a wide range of experience from the corporate world with industrial engineering, production supervision, and management consulting experience, as well as small business ownership in both the restaurant and sales and marketing fields to Small Business Services. As a Resource Development Coordinator for SBS, Bob provides technical and business planning assistance to developing companies, coordinates the SBA Microloan for the Renaissance Development Fund, and participates in the Local Business Consortium of Harbor Shores.

Pat Moody, Executive Vice President, Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce
Pat Moody has been Executive Vice President of Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce since mid 1994, when he transitioned from his Regional Account Executive role with the Midwest Family Broadcast Group, where he still hosts the Moody in the Morning radio broadcast every weekday morning from 6-9am. He also authors a weekly business column, Moody on the Market, in a publication called MailMax, which is direct-mailed to more than 42,000 homes in the region. Pat serves a broad array of civic organizations from the boards of Lake Michigan College, the Lakeland Health Foundation, St. Joseph Today, the St. Joseph Development Fund, WNIT, and serves at the national level with the Association of Public Television Stations in Washington, D.C. Moody is a 6-year graduate of the U.S. Chamber's Institute for Organizational Management at the University of Arizona at Tucson, and a Certified Radio Marketing Consultant. He has been cited for twelve consecutive years as The Herald-Palladium newspapers' "Reader's Choice" for Favorite Radio Personality.

Reyna Price, Resource Development Coordinator, Women's Business Center at Cornerstone Alliance
Reyna Price is a 2007 graduate from Siena Heights University. She brings 10 years of customer service, administrative, and human resources experience. She gained that experience through her employment in the restaurant industry and most recently as an Administrative Assistant for VP of Human Resource at Whirlpool Corporation. With an upbringing in a Hispanic family she is qualified to translate for the Spanish speaking community. As a Resource Development Coordinator for WBC, Reyna will provide technical and business planning assistance to individuals wanting to start or expand a small business.

Thad Rieder, Development Manager, Cornerstone Alliance
Thad Rieder joined Cornerstone Alliance's Physical Development Department in February of 2005 in the position of Development Manager. He received Bachelor of Science, from GMI Engineering & Management Institute, in Flint Michigan. After spending time in the die-casting industry and community and industry training he graduated from Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Management in Glendale, Arizona. Thad enjoys volunteering for HOSTS (Helping One Student to Succeed), playing golf and is a member of Sunrise Rotary.

Gregory Vaughn, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Greg Vaughn serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Cornerstone Alliance where he is responsible for overseeing the everyday operations and functions of the organization. Major organizational functions reporting to the COO are Business Development activities (Small Business Services and Business Recruitment), Physical Development activities, Community Messaging and Marketing, and Talent Recruitment services. Vaughn is also the president of the Renaissance Development Fund, Cornerstone's financial affiliate. Greg is an administrator with more than 30 years of progressively responsible experience in business administration, business development, government administration, and economic development. Recognized by the US Small Business Administration in 1996 as Michigan's Minority Small Business Advocate of the Year, Greg continues to progress his passion for entrepreneurial development and his enthusiasm for community growth.

Charles T. Watts, Jr., Controller, Cornerstone Alliance
Charles Watts serves as the Controller of Cornerstone Alliance and has held the position since January 1999. He graduated from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1968 with a BBA degree with a major in Marketing and minors in Accounting, Economics and General Business. He took a job as a Staff Accountant with Herkner, Smits, Miskill & Johnson CPA's in September 1968 and worked five years for them. He then hold positions with several organizations including Great Lakes Coca-Cola Bottling Company in St. Joseph, Michigan, DeGroot, Inc. in Coloma, Michigan, Clark Equipment Company in Benton Harbor, Michigan, AM General Corporation in South Bend, Indiana, Dynac Corporation in St. Joseph, Michigan and IPC Communication Services in St. Joseph, Michigan. Chuck has been working in Accounting and Finance for over 40 years and has a diverse background in various accounting and management systems.