Cornerstone Unplugged Podcast

Kevin Karpuk is the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) at Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management, a financial consulting firm. He is involved with Cornerstone’s Investment Policy and Strategic Planning Committee, specializing in asset allocation studies and client relationship management. Having led the responsibility for Cornerstone’s fixed income and alternative investments, Kevin also manages client portfolios and research. He supports many charitable causes and has established a donor-advised fund for philanthropic purposes.

The CDC declared the end of the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2023, but the economy continues to feel its effects. With high inflation rates, a banking crisis, and political turmoil, it is uncertain whether the financial market will rebound before the end of the year.

In this episode of Cornerstone Unplugged, JP Cavaliere interviews Kevin Karpuk, Cornerstone's CIO, for a mid-year update on the current financial market. Kevin discusses how the latest banking crisis affects Millennials and Generation Z, the long-term effects of the pandemic on the global economy, and inflation rates.

Pasquale Cardone II is the Founder and CIO of PC2 Capital, a private investment firm that invests across both fixed-income and equity securities in the commercial real estate sector. With over 20 years of experience in the financial industry, he’s worked as a commercial mortgage-backed security (CMBS) trader completing over $10 billion in transactions in less than four years at Citigroup Global Markets. Pasquale held a similar role at Wells Fargo Securities and was a research analyst and global bond portfolio manager at AllianceBernstein, where he was responsible for over $6 billion in global bond multi-sector portfolios. 

The recent bank failures in March of 2023 has slowly shifted the spotlight on the commerical mortgage sector and the possibility of it being the next "issue" for investors to navigate.  How has the FED tightening of interest rates and the stubborn vacancies within office spaces in larger metropolitan areas effected commerical mortgage-backed securities?

In this episode of Cornerstone Unplugged, JP Cavaliere interviews Pasquale Cardone II, Founder and CIO of PC2 Capital. Pasquale shares insights on the current state of the commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) market, how it has been affected by the pandemic, and the FED response to higher inflation.  He also reveals some of the strenghts and weaknesses he sees in the CMBS space and commerical mortgage sector as a whole.

Avery Coleman is an Investment Analyst at Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management, LLC. His duties include manager due diligence, performance reporting, portfolio management, and asset allocation. In 2015, Avery graduated from the Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

Angela Oste is the Director of Planned Giving at Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management, LLC. As the point of contact for not-for-profit clients, she is responsible for gift design, processing new and terminated gifts, and reporting annual donations, liabilities, and valuations. Angela’s role helps clients develop marketing and educational campaigns geared to increase donor participation. Angela also serves as the Life Insurance Operations Manager for Cornerstone Institutional Investors, LLC where she assists producers in designing and implementing insurance plans for clients.

Contrary to the standard for-profit business model that benefits its owners, nonprofits exist because of generous people who offer charitable donations. To receive philanthropic gifts from donors, implementing giving strategies is necessary. What can nonprofit organizations do to encourage donors to continue their contributions? 

Leaders of nonprofits acknowledge their donors are the heartbeat of the organization. Relying on charitable gifts keeps your organization's mission moving forward — and you want those donations to continue regularly. A CGA (Charitable Gift Annuity) is a strategic initiative that encourages a recurring donation with the donor benefiting from tax-free income upon retirement. Beneficial for both the organization and the giver, CGAs encourage generosity and a way for donors to participate in the missions they believe in. 

In this episode of Cornerstone Unplugged, JP Cavaliere invites Avery Coleman, an Investment Analyst at Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management, LLC, and Angela Oste, the Director of Planned Giving at Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management, LLC, to discuss the benefits and stipulations associated with CGAs, how CGA rates are determined, and restrictions on CGA allocated funds. Angela explains what the process looks like for nonprofits who have donors wanting to set up a CGA. 

Ryan Wood is the Principal and Senior Investment Analyst at Cornerstone Independent Asset Management. Since joining the firm in 2002, he has become a member of Cornerstone’s Lead Team and the Investment Policy and Strategic Planning Committees. Ryan holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. 

Where and when you invest your money can feel like a gamble. Researching the climate of the capital market is crucial to the success of your investments. With the completion of the first quarter, what trends have been established in the market, and how can you plan accordingly for the remainder of 2023?

The first quarter yielded unexpected developments in capital markets. While percentage rates fluctuate, we are still combating inflation rates and the consequences of bank collapses — not to mention predictions of a looming recession. As we continue into the second quarter, Ryan Wood encourages investors to hold on to their long-term plans because markets will recover.

In this episode of Cornerstone Unplugged, JP Cavaliere sits down with Ryan Wood, Principal and Senior Investment Analyst at Cornerstone Independent Asset Management, to discuss how capital markets have been affected in the first quarter of the year. Ryan shares his thoughts on the rate changes, how banking operations have adjusted, and what investors should focus on moving forward.

Sara Lakatosh is a committee chair member of Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital’s Gala in the Garden, a fundraising event for pediatric rehabilitation care. She is the Co-owner of Full Circle Training Family Fitness, LLC (FCTfit), providing a positive environment for people of all physical and athletic abilities. Sara resides in Allentown, PA, where she taught for nearly a decade. She graduated from West Chester University and earned her master’s in education from Wilkes University. 

Chris Lakatosh is a committee chair member of Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital’s Gala in the Garden. Chris has over 15 years of industry experience delivering high-quality consulting capabilities in private wealth, institutional assets, retirement plans, and insurance portfolios. He is a Principal and Senior Consultant at Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management. Chris is a member of Cornerstone's executive commitee, a voting member of the Investment Policy Committee, and assists the marketing team in business development. 

How can you support children and families during difficult times due to medical complexities? What can you do as a business owner to contribute to your community?

Babies, children, and families have turned to Good Shepherd Rehabilitation for their complex medical needs. Sara and Chris Lakatosh have deep roots in Good Shepherd and are dedicated to bringing the powerful message of how Good Shepherd helps people recover through pediatric research. Through the community-driven fundraiser event, Gala in the Garden, families and incredible stories highlight how rehabilitation can improve lives.

In this episode of Cornerstone Unplugged, JP Cavaliere sits down with Sara and Chris Lakatosh, committee chair members of Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital’s Gala in the Garden, to discuss the unique details of the event. Sara and Chris talk about the positive work at Good Shepherd, providing family support, and supporting through fundraising.

Amy Cavaliere is an Experienced Tax Paraprofessional at BDO USA, LLP. She is a certified CPR and AED instructor, an advocate for the American Heart Association, and was chosen to be an ambassador for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign in 2022. Amy served as a Member of the Executive Leadership Team for the Richie Ashburn Home Runs for Heart and an Executive Challenge Member for the Heart Walk with the American Heart Association.

After a medical trauma, it can be difficult to understand your body again. Being prepared for an emergency can be the difference between life and death. What steps can you take to be prepared in the event of an emergency?

When Amy Cavaliere suffered a SCAD (spontaneous coronary artery dissection) emergency, she became aware of how important learning life-saving techniques are. Experiencing this event changed her perspective on how to listen and trust her body. Every minute that passes when in cardiac arrest, without administered CPR, decreases the survival rate. Knowing how to properly and safely administer CPR can save someone’s life. 

In this episode of Cornerstone Unplugged, JP Cavaliere sits down with Amy Cavaliere, an Experienced Tax Paraprofessional at BDO USA, LLP, to discuss how CPR and AED training can save lives. Amy talks about experiencing cardiac arrest, being an advocate for heart health, and why you should learn hands-on CPR.

Malcolm "Skip" L. Cowen II is the President and Co-founder of Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management, LLC and Cornerstone Institutional Investors, Inc. He has over 35 years of industry experience designing, implementing, and monitoring portfolios. He is the Chair of Cornerstone’s Investment Policy Committee, holds a position on Gettysburg College’s Board of Trustees, is an active member of several advisory groups, is nationally ranked by Barron’s, and is on the Board of Directors of M Financial Investment Advisers.

Skip received a bachelor’s in business administration from Gettysburg College and his MBA from Lehigh University. He also holds a master’s in taxation from Villanova Law School. When out of the office, Skip enjoys fishing, golfing, and visiting the Bahamas.

How should investors process the current standing of capital markets and the prospects for 2023? What about the dynamics in stock market growth? 

Creating a friendly environment for investors means paying attention to the equity market and familiarizing yourself with current trends. Skip Cowen has a wealth of experience in fluctuating marketplaces. He anticipates value and yield-oriented equities will continue to improve, while growth stocks will still experience challenges. Financially planning for the future can keep you up at night with a market that can have long-term positive, but short-term negative, outcomes. Patience brings a greater reward. 

Listen to this episode of Cornerstone Unplugged as JP Cavaliere sits down with Skip Cowen, President and Co-founder at Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management, LLC and Cornerstone Institutional Investors, Inc., as they discuss the trending economy. Skip discusses the federal changes in the fiscal environment, trends and thoughts on a recession, and achieving client goals.

Mick Kelly is the Founder and CEO of GIY, a global community helping people grow their own food and creating a sustainable, waste-free future. Founded in 2008, GIY educates communities and schools about the benefits of growing their food. Mick is the Producer of “Grow Cook Eat,” a TV series available on Amazon Prime, and the author of The GIY Diaries: A Year of Growing and Cooking. He was the 2017 Local Food Hero in the Food & Wine Awards and an awardee of ReThink Ireland, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, and the Arthur Guinness Fund.

Most consumers pay little attention to how food is created and supplied to grocery stores. What if you could deepen your understanding of cultivating food and do it yourself? Is it possible to build a sustainable food system?

If you ask Mick Kelly, creating a mature and authentic relationship with growing food is possible. By bringing educational courses to communities and schools, anyone can learn how to plant and nurture a garden. While growing food is not without its fair share of challenges, Mick provides programs that guide and equip people with the resources needed to build a sustainable future. 

In this episode of Cornerstone Unplugged, JP Cavaliere and Stephen Link sit down with Mick Kelly, Founder and CEO of GIY, to discuss supporting an ecosystem by growing food. Mick talks about educating communities and schools about how to make healthier choices, ways to support a growing capital, and utilizing various resources to communicate the benefits of sustainability.

Maureen Wendling is the Executive Director at Shanthi Project, an education nonprofit providing evidence-based mindfulness services to more than 4,000 children and adults annually across the Greater Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. Her background in government relations and higher education has helped her become an experienced leader in Lehigh Valley’s nonprofit sector, and she has helped develop and implement key strategies to advance organizations in their missions. She actively participates in silent mindfulness retreats and serves on the Board of Associates of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation and Muhlenberg College, the Resilient Lehigh Valley Communications Committee, and Northampton County’s Suicide Awareness Task Force. 

Maureen received her Bachelor of Science from DeSales University, completed her mindfulness training at the Myrna Brind Mindfulness Institute at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and an apprenticeship at the Center for Mindfulness at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN). She received her Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction certification from Brown University. 

The world is full of stress, tension, and burnout. How can you give yourself compassion and find relief from intrusive thoughts? Rather than focusing on your thoughts, take inventory of your feelings. 

When you suppress feelings, they tend to cause disruption elsewhere. Maureen Wendling recommends practicing mindfulness — considering your feelings is the best place to start. Being present with others can be difficult when distractions are present. One thing Maureen advises is time away from electronics to be fully aware of yourself and others. Acknowledge whatever distractions are keeping you from being present and intervene with mindfulness practices.

In this episode of Cornerstone Unplugged, JP Cavaliere sits down with Maureen Wendling, Executive Director at Shanthi Project, to discuss practicing a trauma-informed intervention: mindfulness. Maureen talks about recognizing your emotions through relatable forms, using meditation to reduce behavioral problems in children, and how to build mindfulness habits. Thanks for tuning in!

Katelyn Mack is the President and COO of Lehigh Valley Inter-Regional Networking & Connecting Consortium (LINC), a nonprofit organization in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, that partners with employers to support employees moving to the area and provides resources for fostering more inclusive workplaces and communities. She is the Founder and CEO of Accelerate Impact, LLC, a consulting business that helps organizations drive equitable, community-led social change. Katelyn was the Vice President of Impact and Evaluation for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Peninsula and a Director for FSG. 

She graduated from Georgetown University with a BS in health studies and from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health with her ScM in maternal and child health.

When considering a move that requires you to cross county or state lines, concerns are inevitable. What resources are available to get you settled and plugged in with the community? As a leader of a nonprofit, how can you introduce diversity and inclusion into your organization?

Networking is Katelyn Mack’s specialty. She knows how to efficiently connect people in the community and address critical issues, including poverty, safety, housing, and food affordability. The first step is to educate people about the area and encourage business leaders to be a catalyst for change in fostering a more inclusive workplace. Cultivating a healthy community attracts more people to the area. Listen to this episode to learn more about how Katelyn is building a thriving cultural hub. 

In this episode of Cornerstone Unplugged, JP Cavaliere welcomes Katelyn Mack, President and COO of Lehigh Valley Inter-Regional Networking & Connecting Consortium (LINC), to discuss growing a region that offers opportunities for members of the community. Katelyn talks about how nonprofit organizations contribute to community building, the benefits of working in a hybrid industry, and how to build a diverse and inclusive workplace.