The element story

two guys walk into a bank...

A WORD FROM OUR CO-FOUNDER

i think being in your element is doing things that you’re truly passionate about. but it's not necessarily easy.

An example is people who love rock climbing: It doesn’t mean that it’s not nerve-racking or that they’re not anxiety-ridden, but it’s what those people love to do. For some people, it’s reading on the beach. We all have our personal element, our exercise, our fun, our work element — there isn’t just one. There may be pieces that take you out of your comfort zone, but you can still be in your element.

My role at The Element Group is to go out and tell stories. To find opportunities and share ideas, and hopefully to get people excited about what could be. That’s where I feel most comfortable. The hope is that everyone who works here is doing something that they feel comfortable — and in their element — doing.

Nate Baldasaro
Co-Founder, The Element Group

Nate_Element
The Element Groups conference room featuring a large screen at the front and several chairs arranged for attendees.

BUILDING BLOCKS

el / e / ment (noun)

  • one of the factors determining the outcome of a process.
  • a small but significant presence of a feeling or abstract quality.
  • a distinct group within a larger group or community.

in one’s element (idiom)

  • in a place or situation where one is comfortable and does well.

As defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary

THE ELEMENT STORY

how it all started

Element co-founders Nate Baldasaro and William Foley met while working at a New Hampshire-based firm that specialized in financial and traditional retail experiences. Their services included point-of-sale communications, branding strategy, environmental design, and merchandising analysis.

When this firm closed, Nate and William realized they had developed similar ideas about what the retail banking experience could be, and both felt compelled to take those ideas further. In 2010, they wrote a business plan and secured a private investment, planting the seeds that would become The Element Group. By January 2011, they were up and running.

A man laughing, in a white button-up.
The_Element_Story_Building_Blocks

THE INSPIRATION

during the planning stage, before launch, the word "element" kept coming up.

In their first few years working in the retail banking industry, both Nate and William had seen a lot of things they liked, a lot they didn’t, and a lot they thought could be done better. They realized that every building block of a financial institution, no matter how small or intangible, matters to the overall customer experience. And when all the components of a retail space are working together, those inside can feel it.

Testimonials

our clients talk

The way Mac manages [our] relationship is not just through the products and services. He engaged us on our needs, always kept in touch, and always centered the conversation on our vision.
Ismael “Ish” Eustaquio
Senior Vice President Retail Banking Division
Hawaii State Federal Credit Union
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Our Headquarter project in partnership with Element was a fantastic experience from design to move-in just before our core conversion and during a pandemic.
Robb Scott
President and Chief Executive Officer
Copper State Credit Union
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Every bit matters. Not only is this our tagline, but it's also a motto that we strive to live up to. The difference between good and great is minute. We can't lose sight of the small details that truly separate excellence.
Nate Baldasaro
Co-founder
The Element Group
The Element Story
It wasn’t just about the job at hand, but care and drive to focus on a common cause.
Kacey Clayborn
Facilities Manager
Opportunity Bank
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We had a vision and everyone at Element bought into it right away with their customizations. Nothing Element did was off the shelf. What resulted was a welcoming space that physically shows our connectedness to the community and helps us deliver on our mission — to provide strong financial futures for Montanans.
Pete Johnson
CEO
Opportunity Bank
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I LOVE our new branch! It’s awesome and an experience like no other! Everyone that stops in loves it too!
Corey Dahle
Chief Experience Officer
Idaho Central Credit Union
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Shapes

meet the people behind The Element Group