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CedarStone Bank has an entry-level opening for a Teller/Social Media Coordinator in our Mt. Juliet office. This is a great opportunity for someone ready to learn banking and to utilize your social media skills in a professional setting. If interested, please contact Beth Schulze, Mt. Juliet Branch Manager.

Outgoing chamber chair, John Bryan of CedarStone Bank, Sue Vanatta, retiring chamber president and CEO, and incoming president and CEO Melanie Minter. Photo courtesy of the Wilson Post.

On Thursday, February 6, the Lebanon/Wilson County Chamber of Commerce held its annual awards banquet at Lebanon's Capitol Theater. Over 320 people attended the sold-out event to recognize Sue Vanatta as she retired from the chamber as president and CEO after 23 years of service.

The new president and CEO, Melanie Minter was introduced at the event, and the new board of directors and board chairman John Bradshaw were installed.

John Bryan, 2014 Ambassador of the Year Linda Spencer, Melanie Minter. Photo courtesy of the Wilson Post.

Outgoing chairman of the board, CedarStone vice president John Bryan, reflected on his term of office and expressed his gratitude for the vision and hard work of the chamber’s leadership.

Address by John Bryan

Ladies and gentlemen, 2014 has flown by. We have experienced an action-packed year. We celebrated our 90th birthday as a chamber, we said goodbye to a dear friend and leader for 23 years in Sue Vanatta as she retired on December 31st, and we will said hello and welcome to our new President for 2015 and beyond.

In setting our goals this past year, I know we set the bar high. Many of our goals we accomplished, some we fell short. But for the most part, we succeeded in the task at hand. Your chamber remains strong and vibrant in the communities we serve. And I know, with the leadership we have in place for this year and years to come, your Lebanon/Wilson County Chamber will continue to create commerce, provide services that help equip its membership, and embrace our membership with engaging events and informative meetings.

Tonight is a night of celebration. We plan this event each year to celebrate with our membership. Ladies and gentlemen, everything good that happens in our community, your chamber has its hands right in the middle of it.

Think about it: ground-breakings, ribbon cuttings, educational events, industry appreciation, recruitment of businesses and industry, tourism and special events – anything that we celebrate, Christmas, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day…your chamber is in the middle of it.
Tonight we will recognize many local businesses and some individuals that have stood out among the crowds. These awards are given to very deserving and honorable recipients and the committees that choose these winners take their job very seriously. I congratulate you all and, with that, let us begin the 2014 Cedar Tree Award presentation.

Before I introduce my friend, John Bradshaw, and pass the gavel for 2015, I want to take this time to thank my wife of 26 years for putting up with me. Like I said earlier in my remarks, this year was busy. It was actually an emotional roller coaster for me. In the midst of serving as your Chairman, Kim and I worked on getting our home prepared for my daughter’s wedding. We pulled that event off in June and from that point on, things seemed to get a little bit easier. I would also like to thank my parents, T.A. and Jean Bryan, for their support. Every time I turned around at a ribbon cutting or business-after-hours, T.A. and Jean were there. Thanks for always being there.

Thanks to my employer, Bob McDonald and CedarStone Bank and my co-workers for allowing me to be away each and every week at some sort of chamber function, meeting, or ribbon cutting. Melynda Bounds, our Lebanon office manager, has covered for me too many times to mention and I appreciate you for your friendship, patience and dedication.

John Bryan also recognized the chamber’s board members and those who served in leadership roles:

Economic Development: Jud Nave
Government Relations: Phil Carter
Sports Council: Paul Jewell
Membership: Melanie Minter
Tourism: Debbie Stewart
Education: Scott Jasper
Treasurer: Brenda Burkett

CedarStone Bank president and CEO Bob McDonald, Paul Bauman Award of Excellence winner, flanked by CedarStone's John Sloan and former chamber chairman Carolyn Christoffersen.

On January 22, CedarStone Bank's John Sloan, now the active Chairman of the Mt Juliet Chamber of Commerce, and Carolyn Christoffersen, the former Chairman of the Chamber, announced the Chamber Choice Award winners at Covey Rise. Among them was CedarStone president and CEO Bob McDonald, who was honored with the Paul Bauman Award of Excellence. The award is given annually to a business person who, through his or her community and civic efforts, has made our community a better place to live and work. The award is named after Paul Bauman, an influential businessman who was instrumental the early success of the Mt. Juliet Chamber of Commerce.

Paul Bauman
Even though Paul passed way in 1996, he will always be remembered as one of Mt Juliet’s most respected and influential businessmen. Paul was a 1959 graduate of The Citadel (where he rose to Lt. Colonel), was President of John Deal Companies, a member of the Board of Trust at Cumberland University, a founding member of the Mt Juliet Breakfast Rotary Club, and was active with Camp Easter Seals and the United Way. He lived his life with a belief in giving back. His favorite quote was “to whom much is given, much is required.” In 1988, John Deal Companies was awarded the United Way Advocate Award, given to a company which best represents the United Way spirit of giving. Paul demanded little attention for his good deeds, preferring to serve quietly, out of the spotlight. He was a well-respected pillar of the community and is still remembered today for his noble character, strong ethics, dedication, and his passion for quietly serving others.

Given annually to a deserving individual, the Mt. Juliet Chamber of Commerce Paul Bauman Award of Excellence is the highest honor the Chamber can bestow upon on a business leader in our community. As this year’s recipient, CedarStone Bank founder and president, Bob McDonald continues to exemplify those important and time-tested business principles for which this award is named. As a respected member of our business community, Bob also quietly serves his community by sharing his time, talents, and treasures. Bob also encourages everyone on the CedarStone Bank team to do likewise.

Congratulations to Bob; you have the community's gratitude for you have done and continue to do each day to make our community such a special to live, work, shop, play, and pray.

• Providence did not exist
• My hair was brown
• The “worst economy since the Great Depression” was still two years away
• My son David was not quite one year old
• We had no Starbucks in Mt. Juliet
• I was about 30 days away from going to work at CedarStone Bank
• The new high school had not yet opened
• The font size on my speech was a lot smaller
• The Music City Star was not yet operational
• The Titans had a good football team
• The City of Mt. Juliet consisted of roughly 15,000 residents
• Many of you were not here

Each one of those folks was attracted to Mt. Juliet because of the work done by those of you who didn’t stand up…those who laid the groundwork for the explosive growth we are now experiencing. The explosive growth that occurred, by the way, during the worst economy since the Great Depression. And it’s the contributions of everyone in this room that make Mt. Juliet what it is…a friendly, compassionate, progressive city of over 25,000 people.  

• By advocating for the businesses – large and small – who call Mt. Juliet home.
• By connecting Chamber members and citizens with the resources they need to be successful.
• By promoting Chamber members in the community.
• And by supporting Chamber members with the information they need to start, grow, and operate their businesses.

Mt. Juliet Branch Manager Beth Schultze and Girl Scout Troup 1200

Girl Scout Troop 1200 recently visited CedarStone's Mt. Juliet branch to learn about money and banking. The girls learned how to write up a deposit slip, make a deposit, and get a receipt. They got to see behind teller row, where we showed them how money is stored securely, organized, and counted. Branch manager Beth Schultze talked to the girls about the importance of having a bank account. She also showed the girls how machines can detect counterfeit money mixed in with real bills.

CedarStone Bank Customer Service Representative Addison Rogers works with the scouts on banking documents. 

The Hermitage, home of President Andrew Jackson, has an exciting new exhibit, "Andrew Jackson: Born for a Storm" and CedarStone Bank is proud to be involved with its introduction. Opening January 8, the exhibit is part of the Bicentennial celebration of the Battle of New Orleans. This state-of-the-art, $1.1 million exhibit brings the rich story of Andrew Jackson’s meteoric rise, from his humble beginnings to his presidency, through bold visuals and a series of interactive displays. The exhibit focuses on the three pivotal stages of Jackson’s astonishing life: his modest origins as an orphan, his resiliency as a General and his visionary leadership as a President.

On Thursday, January 8, The Hermitage is offering free admission to the exhibit. There will be a wreath-laying ceremony honoring Andrew Jackson and his army at 11:00 am, the 101st Airborne Division Dixieland Band will perform, as well as other family-oriented activities to learn more about President Jackson and his military campaigns. Reserve free tickets here.

You may also attend a private reception at the exhibit, hosted by CedarStone Bank president Bob McDonald and his wife, Susan, on Thursday, January 15. For more information, please call Bob at (615) 547-5581.

Said McDonald of the exhibit, "Like Mount Vernon and Monticello, The Hermitage is a national treasure. Andrew Jackson's presidency came at a pivotal time for a young America. We are developing new ways to explore his life and presidency." Bob is a member of the board of the Andrew Jackson Foundation (formerly the Ladies' Hermitage Association), along with nationally known figures like National Public Radio journalist Mara Liasson and two Pulitzer Prize winners, historian Joe Meacham and Charles Overby, former CEO of the Freedom Forum and the Newseum.

[ back to the CedarStone Bank photo gallery ]

What better way is there to bring together family, friends and community than a good, ole-fashioned Christmas parade? There are three coming right up and we hope to see you there:

Lebanon Christmas Parade: "A Country Christmas"
Sunday, December 7 at 2:00 pm

Mount Juliet Christmas Parade: "A Frozen Christmas"
Saturday, December 6 at 11:00 am

Donelson Christmas Parade: "30 Years of American Christmas Traditions"
Saturday, December 6 at 2:00 pm

Come on out, bring the family and friends, and come to see us at CedarStone Bank soon.

Lots of people will be doing their holiday shopping online, which creates opportunities for phishing, malware, and scams. But there are things you can do to make your online shopping more secure.

Be careful about emails. Some malicious activity comes in the form of holiday greetings. Only open emails from people and companies you know. Even then, it is best not to click on web links inside emails; go out to your browser and access the website there. If an email doesn’t look completely legitimate, even a personal one, check it out with the sender first.

Know your charities. Bad guys will take advantage of your generosity with appeals that pull on the heartstrings. If you see a charity you want to donate to, they will take it if you visit their website directly or send them a check.

Secure your system. Think of your computer, tablet or phone as a house: don’t leave the door unlocked. Here are some security issues you will want to consider:

•  Is your wi-fi connection password-protected?
•  Do you have a good antivirus program? How about malware detector? Ad and pop-up blockers?
•  Is your operating system and all your software updated/patched? This includes your browser, browser plug-ins, and any external programs you may use.
•  Did you know that attachments can carry viruses?

Only use secure sites. Even if your system is relatively secure—no system is perfect—websites you visit may not be. Sites whose web addresses begin with https (rather than http) are more secure. Take any warnings about security certificates seriously.

Monitor your accounts. Look at your credit card and checking accounts online very often. If you see suspicious activity, report it immediately.

Security risks may also come to you in the form of fake ads, messages inside of social media programs, and phone calls.

Hackers and online thieves are very good at what they do. A little extra care could save you time, money, and hassle.

More information is at the website for the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team. For users of mobile devices, additional precautions are recommended.

CedarStone President Bob McDonald with Justin Duncan, Willie McDonald, and CedarStone EVP Hank Stuart

All seniors in Metro Nashville public schools  participate in a "capstone" experience. A capstone experience is a project that allows students to learn about themselves by exploring a topic of interest, specialization, community need, or career choice. According to the Tennessee graduation requirements, all students must complete a capstone experience which may include a senior project, virtual enterprise, internship, externship, work-based learning, service learning, and community service.

Justin Duncan, a senior at McGavock High School, has chosen to create his "capstone" experience at CedarStone Bank. He will be spending at least 40 hours with us, documenting his experience in a portfolio of his research, observations, and new skills. Through his English class, Justin will be writing a 2,300-word research paper

Here's some more about the Metro capstone program:

If you know of other Metro seniors who would like to share their capstone experiences, please comment below.

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