Scott Almy, President & CEO, Cornerstone Capital Bank

In an interview with Invest:, Scott Almy discussed how Cornerstone Capital Bank has positioned itself for growth through strategic acquisitions, a diversified business model, and a mission-centered approach to banking. “We believe confidence follows leadership, and leadership drives long-term success,” Almy said.

What trends are having the biggest impact on Cornerstone Capital Bank and its clients this year?

This is still a somewhat volatile macroeconomic environment. The interest rate environment, in particular, has created challenges for our clients and for banks in general. That is part of the reason we diversified Cornerstone in 2022. We completed the first transaction in Texas history where a mortgage company acquired a bank and became a bank. That positioned us as the highest-capitalized newly chartered bank in Texas history and prepared us for an environment like the one we are experiencing today.

Our Mission is also central to how we operate. We honor God by using our talents to improve the lives of our team members, our clients, the communities we serve, and those who work with us. We make business decisions every day based on those principles. While we cannot control the macroeconomic environment, our business plan was designed to perform through different market cycles, and our Mission keeps us laser focused.

How would you describe today’s lending environment, and where are you seeing opportunities?

There is a great deal of competition in our industry, both in mortgage and in commercial banking. Though the largest lenders have advantages, those advantages don’t always translate to the greatest success. We operate as a community bank while bringing in experienced professionals from larger institutions, allowing us to serve both small businesses and larger commercial clients.

We support entrepreneurs and families across Houston and throughout Texas who value creativity and service. The opportunities remain strong. Over the last three years, we grew deposits and loans at roughly 10 times the industry average nationwide. Our lending activity has focused primarily on commercial real estate, commercial and industrial loans, and agricultural lending through our presence in rural markets, and on mortgage lending through both retail and homebuilder channels.

What are your priorities as you position the bank for its next phase of growth?

We’re focused on our Mission, expanding market share where we serve, and reducing our funding costs, which we’ve successfully done in 10 of the last 12 quarters. Since creating the bank in 2022, we have grown from roughly $2 billion in assets to approximately $3.5 billion. That growth has come both organically and through acquisitions.

Earlier this year, we completed another acquisition that was significantly larger than our first transaction. We have been fortunate to partner with high-performing community banks that share our values and commitment to serving local communities. Finding organizations with similar cultures has been an important part of our strategy.

How does the combination of mortgage, commercial, and consumer banking differentiate Cornerstone in today’s market?

We began as a mortgage company with a strong national reputation. For years, customers would ask what else we offered, and until 2022, the answer was just that — mortgage lending.

Today, we provide commercial banking, consumer lending, treasury management, and insurance services in addition to our mortgage platform. And we’ve added a national sub-servicing line of business that already achieves the industry’s highest customer satisfaction scores.  We have already served more than 700,000 businesses and families throughout our history, and our solid brand recognition makes progress in new lines of business easier. Rather than introducing ourselves to strangers, we are often reconnecting with people who already know our brand and trust our service.

Our mortgage business also generates escrow deposits, which are an important funding source for a growing financial institution. Looking ahead, we see opportunities to serve customers across their personal banking, business banking, and future wealth management needs.

How are higher interest rates influencing borrowing and investment decisions among your clients?

We are seeing strong activity tied to infrastructure investments, commercial real estate construction, and value-add commercial real estate projects. Many investors are choosing to improve existing office or multifamily properties rather than build new developments, and we have been active in financing those projects.

We are also seeing businesses pursue cash flow-based loans as they expand into emerging industries. Recently, I visited one of our manufacturing clients and saw firsthand how our financing supported the expansion of its operations. Employees thanked us not only for helping the company grow, but also for the positive impact that growth had on their families. That’s what we’re here for.

Where do you see the greatest opportunities in commercial real estate today?

Competition remains intense because every bank wants quality commercial real estate loans. We are seeing increased competition on pricing and loan structure, but we believe successful banks remain disciplined rather than changing their underwriting standards to match every market shift.

We continue to focus on niche businesses, such as commercial real estate, lender finance, and the energy sector. In Houston, it is difficult not to serve energy-related businesses, and we believe we can do so responsibly while supporting both our clients and the communities we serve.

How are you approaching technology and AI while preserving relationship-based banking?

When I entered the banking industry, there were about 14,000 banks nationwide. That number is approaching 4,000 today, which would be the lowest level since 1934. Scale has become increasingly important because technology investments are now essential to meet customer expectations and compete with both banks and non-bank financial institutions.

We have invested in AI across all of our business lines, including back-office operations. Customers increasingly expect faster service, and technology helps us meet those expectations. Technology will be a tool for that purpose, but it will never replace relationships.

We also talk openly with our team members about AI. Success today is no longer measured only by the number of people someone manages. It is also about how effectively they can manage workflows supported by AI. We are building an organization that balances technology with human relationships because we believe that serves both our customers and our employees best.

How are you approaching talent development and maintaining your culture as the organization grows?

Cornerstone has been recognized by USA Today as one of the Top 25 workplaces in the country for the past two years, and we have also been recognized as a top workplace in Houston for many consecutive years. We believe strongly in our Mission and culture, and we evaluate both continually through formal feedback and daily interactions.

We have about 1,700 team members, and we are committed to helping each of them grow professionally. While formal training is important, we also encourage employees to become active in their communities, serve on boards, and build relationships outside the organization. Some of the best career advice I ever received was to get involved in the community because those experiences provide invaluable leadership development. We continue to invest in both internal and external training programs across banking and mortgage operations.

What role does employee ownership play in your long-term strategy?

This past year, we placed about 10% of the ownership of the company into the hands of our 1,700 team members. We use the term “team member” instead of “employee” because it reflects partnership and shared responsibility.

When someone asks me whether they should make a particular decision, I often respond by asking what they think – as a shareholder. That changes the conversation and encourages ownership thinking. We believe the program will strengthen retention while creating long-term wealth opportunities for our team members.

Although Cornerstone is 35 years old, we see this as a long-term growth and service opportunity. Our focus is not simply on becoming larger. It is to continue building a culture, capital base, and operating model that creates lasting value.

What are your priorities over the next three to five years, and what is your outlook for Houston?

Cornerstone is well positioned because we have capital, opportunity, talented people, and a clear mission. We also operate in one of the strongest markets in the country. Houston continues to stand out because of its entrepreneurial culture, population growth, and economic diversification.

Our role as a community bank is to provide both capital and advice that help businesses grow responsibly. I expect us to become significantly larger over the next three to five years, but that growth will come through purpose rather than speed.

We believe confidence follows leadership, and leadership drives long-term success. Our goal is to achieve greater scale and significance while continuing to serve our communities. We intend to expand our philanthropic efforts, support organizations serving those most in need, and help more low- to moderate-income families achieve homeownership. Supporting businesses and seeing the impact of that support on team members and their families remains one of the most rewarding aspects of what we do.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We are optimistic about people. Every day we meet entrepreneurs who are investing their own capital, creating jobs, and building businesses. Houston has an exceptional concentration of those individuals, which makes this an exciting market.

Our responsibility is to help those businesses succeed. When they succeed, our communities become stronger, and that is ultimately what Cornerstone is all about.