Cornerstone, with roots going back over 30 years, was founded on the same “client-first” philosophy that guides us today. Our initial clients were successful entrepreneurs who understood their businesses but did not fully comprehend the risks and rewards of financial markets. By partnering with an independent firm that managed a prudent process instead of selling investment product, their assets could be managed more effectively. From the firm’s inception, Tom Scalici and Skip Cowen realized there was a void in the investment business in providing fiduciary insulation and open architecture solutions. We were an early adopter of taking discretion (day-to-day management) and assuming fiduciary responsibility (legal authority) for our clients.