STOCKTON-ON-TEES
Home – Cornerstone House at Preston Farm , Stockton .
THE JOY OF
Cornerstone Group marks 15 years by launching its sixth venture
It began as an IT company – but over the past 15 years , it ’ s grown to be a supportive cornerstone for businesses across the Tees Valley and beyond .
And as it celebrates 15 years in business , Cornerstone Group has announced its latest venture to join the fold – Cornerstone Recruiting Solutions .
Cornerstone ’ s story began in 2008 when Chris Petty , having worked for IT companies in the region , decided a more customerservice-oriented IT business was needed .
With fellow directors Chris Clark and John Storey , and subsequently joined by Chris Bibby , he set up Cornerstone – “ the cornerstone of a building ’ s the strongest part ,” he explains – on Thornaby ’ s Teesside Industrial Estate .
Within two years , it had moved to Map House on Preston Farm , Stockton , before last year moving to its new home – the newlynamed Cornerstone House , just 800 yards away on George Stephenson Street .
As a business , 15 years after those tentative first steps , Cornerstone Group – fronted by MD Chris Petty and sales director Chris Bibby – now has FIVE complementary firms , all designed to make business easier for clients . They are :
Cornerstone Business Solutions – The firm that started it all , offering multi-awardwinning , customer-service led IT support to businesses across the North-East .
Cornerstone Education Solutions – A Business Solutions spin-off specialising in IT support for the education sector .
Cornerstone Marketing Solutions – Fronted by former Pop Idol semi-finalist
SIX
Supportive – Cornerstone Group MD Chris Petty , left , and sales director Chris Bibby .
Jamie Tinkler and offering social media , web and videography , it was launched , says Chris , “ because people asked us who did our marketing because we were everywhere . Well , we did it – so we thought we ’ d do it for other people too !”
Cornerstone Visual Media Solutions – Specialises in big information screens , including at the entrance to the vast Teesworks site , as well as a big LED wall behind check-in at Teesside International Airport .
Cornerstone Commercial Property Solutions – With Cornerstone owning its property , it will now look to acquire other offices and rent them out .
But that ’ s not all , for a sixth member of the Cornerstone family has just arrived .
With Gemma Holmes at the helm , Cornerstone Recruiting Solutions will be a recruitment company with people , not profit , at its heart .
Chris Petty explained : “ Gemma has 17 years ’ experience in recruitment and when she came to us , people were still coming to her with their recruitment needs . She was passing them on to other companies , so it made sense for us to do it ourselves .
“ It ’ s about service for the customer who
WORDS : DAVE ROBSON
wants that person and for the employee – it ’ s a two-part process to ensure they fit . We ’ re not there just to push T & Cs down people ’ s throats or charge 25 per cent for CV dumping like some firms do – we ’ re going to work with the candidate and the employer to get the best end solution , just like we do with everything .”
Cornerstone Group currently has around 30 people in the business , with more to follow .
And looking back on the first 15 years , Chris admits : “ It ’ s amazing what we ’ ve achieved .
“ When we start on these new ventures , we do so because the circumstances point to that being the correct thing to do – it ’ s an opportunity and there ’ s an identified need , so we fill that gap when we see it . These things arise and we go ’ shall we do it ?’ And we do so because of the need , not because of the greed .”
And according to Chris , there ’ s no more vibrant place for firms to invest in than the Tees Valley .
He said : “ I was at Fulham watching Middlesbrough a few years ago and was listening to a couple of blokes behind me . “ One of them asked ‘ so where is Middlesbrough ?’ and the other replied ‘ up north – it ’ s just factories , smoke and chimneys , very rough and scruffy ’.
“ That was their impression – but I turned around and quickly put them right ! Things have changed massively with regards to this region – the excitement , the businesses that are coming in like SeAH Wind and BP , you ’ ve got Teesworks , the freeport , the airport , even a government department in Darlington .
“ If you look at the whole of the UK , it ’ s one of the most exciting areas for investment and opportunity .”
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