BROOKFIELD, Wis.  (Aug. 26, 2015) – Ridgestone Bank partnered with the Burleigh Street Community Development Corporation to sponsor the “Jump Start Your Dream” Business Plan Competition, a local competition for budding entrepreneurs. Ailsa Stokes (Hardy) was named the winner on Aug. 5, 2015 at Gengler Park for her business plan for a plus size resale and consignment shop she named Love’N My Curves.

Pictured from left to right: Ailsa Stokes (Hardy), winner of the business plan competition, along with Eric Manke, Senior Vice-President of Ridgestone Bank, Danielle Withers, Vice President of Patient and Community Relations at WheatonFranciscan Healthcare, Renee B Lindner, Outreach Manager of Burleigh Street Community Development Corp and Tina Konitzer representing Ridgestone Bank, a sponsor for the competition.

 “At Ridgestone Bank we believe small businesses play an important role in economic growth and success in this country,” said Eric Manke, senior vice-president at Ridgestone Bank. “That is why opportunities like the Business Plan Competition are vital to the community and inspiring future entrepreneurs to jump start their dreams.”

Stokes (Hardy) was selected from a group of entrants who submitted business plans to the Burleigh Street Community Development Corporation.  Ridgestone Bank donated funds toward the award, which will be used to start a new business in the Burleigh Street community.  Stokes (Hardy) hopes to open Love’N My Curves this fall.

Ridgestone Bank is a privately-held bank with full-service branch locations in Brookfield, Wis. and Schaumburg, Ill., as well as lenders in Indianapolis, Northeast Wisconsin, Northcentral Wisconsin, Tennessee, Southern California, Ohio and Madison, Wis.  Founded in 1995, the bank is a leader in small business and government guaranteed lending nationwide.  Distinguished by the SBA as an “SBA Preferred Lender,” Ridgestone Bank is a top 10 SBA lender in the nation is the number one SBA lender in Illinois and is the number one SBA lender in its asset size in Wisconsin.  Ridgestone Bank is a leader in USDA lending in the United States and has been recognized as a valued partner by the USDA for its commitment to small businesses.  Ridgestone Financial Services trades its common stock on the OTC Market exchange under the ticker symbol “RGST.” Ridgestone Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC.  For more information on Ridgestone Bank, visit www.ridgestone.com.

 

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