NEWS
News on what’s happening at ClearPoint, in the deathcare industry, and in the banking & finance industries.
President’s Message – Second Quarter 2020
Our passion remains focused on the advancement of the deathcare industry. The second half of the year we are dedicating time and resources to education and training.
In September, ClearPoint launched the Be Intentional Webinar series designed to educate, inspire and entertain death care industry professionals. Watch video to learn more.
President’s Message – First Quarter 2020
“As we participate in the making of history, may we embrace the moments that connect us and find inspiration in stories of the modern day hereos.” Ashlee Theising, ClearPoint President and COO, reflects on the first quarter of 2020 and looks ahead to the balance of the year with optimism and confidence.
Coronavirus – Preparedness
Message from the President & COO… I am reaching out to sharewhat we are doing at ClearPoint Federal Bank & Trust to minimize any business disruption for your trust accounts as it relates to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.We understand you may have questions regarding how we as a company will continue to serve you.
CLEARPOINT ACTION PLAN
ClearPoint has a thorough Business Continuity Plan with Pandemic testing that outlines actions regarding employee safety and continuity of our operations. We regularly review this plan and annually conducttests to ensure our systems will perform without major interruption in the event of a crisis. We are prepared to implement any and all facets of the plan in the event the need arises.
CURRENT STATE
Our team is currentlyreporting to the office; however, we are prepared for our staff to work from homein the event a change of action is required.
We arerestricting non-essential business travel through the end of the month and will continue to conduct meetings and reviews via phone or video conference.
The health and safety of our colleagues and clients remains a top priority.We will continue to monitor this evolvingsituation and make changes as needed to protect you and our employees.
At ClearPointwe are most appreciative of modern technology, our dedicated team, and our understanding customers. I thank you foryour continued trust, and encourage you to contact us if you haveany specific questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Ashlee Theising
President & COO
ClearPoint Team Advancements
We are proud to announce two significant strategic team advancements: the addition of Michael Johnson to the senior leadership team as Senior Vice President, Investment Management, the appointment of Beth Kmiec to the ClearPoint Board of Directors and her promotion to Executive Vice President, Trust Administration .
“Building a dynamic team positioned to drive results
both at ClearPoint and in the industry is part of our overall strategic plan.
Beth has been a member of the ClearPoint team for over 6 years and continues to
be a key contributor to our success. Adding Michael to the ClearPoint senior
leadership team will help strengthen our investment process and product
offering, increase our customer support and provide us with the opportunity to
expand our capacity,” stated Ashlee Theising, President & COO.
Michael has over 25 years of experience in the finance
industry, where he held key roles with several nationally recognized companies,
including; Huntington National Bank, Fifth Third Bancorp & Edward Jones
Investments.
Most recently, Michael was Senior Vice President for
Huntington National Bank with a focus on endowment and preneed trust services.
He brings a combination of sales experience, product development and investment
management to the ClearPoint organization.
Michael is a US Army Veteran, has a BA in Economics
from Western Michigan University and a Master’s in Business Administration from
the University of Notre Dame. He is a holder of the right to use the Chartered Financial
Analyst® designation.
Beth Kmiec joined ClearPoint in
2013, coming from the personal trust division at JPMorgan in Chicago, IL. Ms.
Kmiec is an accomplished business and legal professional. She has a BA in
Political Science and Psychology from the University of Notre Dame and a JD
from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Leading with knowledge and
experience, our senior management team has over 150 years of death care
industry experience. ClearPoint truly understands the needs of the industry and
is committed to delivering value and personalized service in the years to come.
Annual Grantor Letter Mailing – 2019 Tax Year
The Annual Grantor Letters have been mailed. These annual tax forms are mailed to the grantors of the preneed trusts that have not elected QFT (Qualified Funeral Trust) status.
If you have questions regarding the Grantor Letters, please contact Customer Service at 800-763-0234 or [email protected].
Looking Ahead to 2020
A Message From – Ashlee Theising, President & COO
As we close the books on 2019, we want to begin by saying thank you to you our valued customers. We appreciate all of your support and thank you for being part of our history. You all are at the center of everything we do and inspire us to put our best foot forward, every day.
2019 was a big year, and there was a significant amount of positive change in the death care industry and at ClearPoint.
We count ourselves fortunate when we reflect on the successes of this past year, which has positioned us for new opportunities, future growth, and continued stability.
A few highlights from 2019 include:
Exceeding $1 Billion in Assets Under Management.
Moving our home office to a newly renovated, first-class facility.
Recognizing our team’s hard work, knowledge, and leadership through several strategic promotions, including the promotion of Beth Kmiec to Executive Vice President of Trust Administration and my promotion to President and COO.
As we look ahead to a new decade, we embrace the opportunities before us and are geared up to deliver extraordinary service and value.
With all the growth from this year, we don’t plan on stopping now. We will continue to grow as an active and vital member of the industry. Keep your eye out for members of our team at a number of industry events. Whether we are there to present our knowledge and expertise, or to listen for another’s, we plan to engage the community like we never have before in this new year.
We will start off the year attending the Catholic Cemeteries and Funeral Services of the West Conference, the Cemetery and Mortuary Association of California Conference, and speaking at the following events:
- NFDA Cremation Conference
- NFDA Professional Women’s Conference
- And the ICCFA Annual Conference and Expo
One of our key initiatives for 2020 is dedicating time and resources to the expansion and enhancement of the Client Portal. Our goal is to ensure you have a tool you cannot live without. Offering tools and resources to save you time and money remains our priority.
ClearPoint is Moving to Progress Drive
After 21 years at One Forethought Center, ClearPoint Federal Bank & Trust’s home office is moving to a new location. Our new home office will be located at 100 Progress Drive in Batesville, Indiana. Our first official day of operation at Progress Drive will be November 18, 2019.
The newly renovated office provides the ClearPoint team with a first-class facility designed to meet the organizations growing needs. The dynamic design gives our team members collaborative work areas, state-of-the-art technology, and ergonomically designed work stations to maximize productivity and comfort.
It is important for us to equip our team with the tools and space needed to provide quality service for all our customers. This updated office will support our growth strategies and expansion initiatives for many years to come.
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM). This year’s theme is Own It. Secure It. Protect It. To learn more about NCSAM 2019 and to access the 2019 Toolkit go to https://niccs.us-cert.gov/national-cybersecurity-awareness-month-2019.
Do you currently offer ongoing training for your staff regarding cybersecurity? All businesses must be diligent in preparing their staff and providing the resources and training needed to be safe and secure online.
There are many companies offering cybersecurity training making it difficult to decide which company offers the best up-to-date training. A few years ago we selected a cybersecurity training company – KnowBe4. KnowBe4 https://www.knowbe4.com/ was one of the pioneers in the industry and remains one of the best providers of training courses designed to teach users about the latest threats and to test their knowledge and understanding to maximize success.
For additional information regarding cybersecurity, you can also check out the Department of Homeland Security’s website. https://www.cisa.gov/cybersecurity
ClearPoint Names Ashlee Theising, President & COO
We are pleased to announce the promotion of Ashlee Theising, to President & COO and will serve on the Board of Directors. ClearPoint has worked hard to establish its name in the industry over the last five years, adding talented team members across every area of the organization. The promotion of Ms. Theising to President & COO completes a two-year transition plan that is a key part of ClearPoint’s overall strategy as a progressive funeral and cemetery trust and recordkeeping company.
Ms. Theising has been with ClearPoint since 2006, working initially in Trust Administration and eventually moving to Operations. Her diverse and hands-on experience makes her intimately familiar with all the workings of the Bank, positioning her to drive ClearPoint’s continued success. When asked about her plans for the direction of ClearPoint, Ms. Theising commented, “We will continue our focus on developing innovative solutions designed to meet the needs of our customers while growing and building an infrastructure which supports many strategic growth initiatives. I am excited to lead the organization at this time and to continue developing the team and company to make ClearPoint the first choice for trustee and recordkeeping services in the deathcare industry.”
Michael Devlin, Chairman of the Board, commented, “I have worked with Ashlee throughout her career at ClearPoint, and even more closely since she was promoted to Vice President, COO in 2017. I’ve always been impressed with her knowledge, skill set and professional demeanor. I speak for the entire Board when I say that we are very enthusiastic about the future of ClearPoint with Ashlee leading the company.”
Arranger Training – Winner
Congratulations A.W. “Kippy” Lang, IV CFSP/CCO/CPC, the winner of the ClearPoint giveaway for the free registration to the NFDA Arranger Training Program in Ft. Worth, TX.
Thank you to everyone who participated.
If you are interested in attending, there are a few seats available. Please check out the NFDA website to learn more about the training and to register.
www.nfda.org