Loading ...
I have been brought in for special website security work, to recover from hacking attacks, to perform simple updates to content, and to do complete redesigns of websites. No job is too big or too small and I enjoy providing these services for my clients! Banking websites in particular are especially vulnerable to hackers and other cyber attacks simply because of the frequency with which bank websites are targeted. I understand that a successful bank website needs to not only present the public with a stylish and easy-to-use interface, but also must be fully protected against malicious threats, and must comply with all regulations governing web applications for financial institutions. When you put my specialization to work for your bank, you will be delighted with the difference you experience!
I believe that clients should be able to have a real working relationship with their developer. I do not utilize impersonal support ticketing systems or anything like that. I am always available to my clients via email, text, or phone call. Emergencies happen and you deserve immediate attention and resolution of your issues, not to have to wait in queue.
My experience in web design and development began in 1997 when I quickly learned that I could transfer my design skills over to websites fairly easily and the programming just came naturally. I have maintained my skills throughout the years and developed a specialization in WordPress. I first used WordPress when it was in pre-release beta and fell in love! Back then, there were no real themes or plugins, we had to hand-code everything ourselves! The availability of such a huge library of themes and plugins has simplified and sped up the development process compared to how it was back then.
I began working with financial institutions back in 2006 and have maintained a positive working relationship with the Community Bankers Association of Illinois. I understand the special concerns and regulations for banking websites.
Each person and each bank is unique, so why settle for a cookie-cutter website that looks almost exactly like everyone else? I will develop a custom site for you that fits into your fiscal needs and timeline requirements. From large-scale applications to more simple yet full-featured quick-start sites that can be ready within a week, I will create the site that you want and need. Utilizing my specialization in WordPress sites will ensure that you can easily publish updates yourself if you so desire, to keep important information up-to-date, such as interest rates that need to be updated regularly. As always, I am available to help you to get updates published or to show you how to do it on your own.
I am web developer with over 28 years of experience and a specialization in WordPress implementations for banks, including credit unions. I do create sites that are not for banks, but I do have specialized skills for financial industry websites. I have a background in DNS management, Linux Systems Administration (Red Hat Enterprise, specifically), and these experiences lend to strengthening my web development skills by helping me to understand and work with the processes and systems that support and drive the website. My first real employment as a web developer came after 9 years of freelance work, as Lead Web Developer for DBS, Inc (since bought out by and incorporated into LRS, Inc) in 2006. This is where I first began to build a relationship with Community Bankers Association of Illinois and Jenny Dial, Senior Vice President of Operations, as DBS was their main go-to company for IT services back then, including websites for their member banks. I discovered that I actually enjoyed working with community banks and CBAI and began honing my knowledge into that niche with State and Federal regulations, compliance needs, ADA needs, etc. It is all like a big puzzle and when you know where the pieces go and how they fit together, it makes for a strong and reliable website for banks in an industry that demands such an online presence, from the largest banking conglomerates down to even for the smallest of community banks.
DBS, Inc was owned and operated by a childhood friend of my husband, and he had asked us both to move from NC to IL to work at his company. We agreed and worked there for two years until my Mother-in-Law suffered a massive stroke. We moved back to NC to help take care of her during her recovery. I continued to work from home as much as possible but obviously I had to cut my working hours to care for my Mother-in-Law while her husband continued to work outside the home. During this time, I had a very difficult pregnancy but, as luck would have it, I could continue some of my work while on bed-rest. Not long after the birth of my son, I discovered that he has autism. I didn’t know how severely he had been impacted at this time, but his needs did require additional time and focus from both me and my husband. I continued to work from home as much as possible during his earliest years. As he has gotten older, I have been able to work more and more until I am back to full time work, albeit still from home where I can be available to him.
As I have gotten able to work full time hours again, I have experienced something that was totally foreign to me in the workspace before: ageism! I have actually been told by more than one potential employer that my skills and experience are perfect, but they just couldn’t justify investing in hiring me when I would reach retirement age much sooner than their fresh-from-college applicants. And so I have continued working as a contractor, providing web development and maintenance to banks in need, at some of the best prices in the industry. Currently, the only official affiliation that I have maintained is with CBAI through Jenny. She has become a very solid and trusted friend over the years, as well as a reliable and trustworthy professional associate. Through her, I have become an associate member of CBAI and provide discounted services to their member banks.
I did mention that I charge some of the best rates in the industry. I also provide personalized attention to my clients, all of whom I am on a first-name basis with. It’s not about the big bucks for me. It’s about supporting the community banking industry and trying to make enough to pay the bills at the same time. I have a small client base currently but to be honest, I like being able to respond to my client’s questions or requests within minutes rather than days. And I like that they can trust me enough to ask me questions not related to web development and they know I will be 100% honest and as helpful as possible. They like that they know I am on their side, I don’t nickel and dime them to death on development charges, and I don’t overcharge for services that really shouldn’t cost that much! The benefit to being an independent contractor is that I can set prices that both me and my clients feel is fair.
We are a trusted local U.S.-based digital agency focused on providing personal and premium web development, website design, secure hosting, and digital transformation services. We deliver high-quality services quickly and efficiently. We specialize in providing enterprise-level solutions to community banks. We maintain proven partnerships tailored specifically to the needs of community banks.
We hold a core belief that community banks are the driving force behind our communities, our cities, and our economy in general. It is the community bank that backs and supports small merchants, farmers, churches, and many more who need that support! Without the support of our community banks, many of these financial situations would lead to ruin.
The digital market is filled with web designers and developers who will create a website for $10,000 or more! We specialize in providing community banks with a top-tier digital presence without draining their advertising funds.
We specialize in attending to the highly specialized needs of community banks. We provide the security, compliance, and vendor strength that you need to stay in good standing with federal and state regulations while also providing you with those top-tier website features that ensure you remain competitive in your market, at a price that stays within budget and does not trigger sticker shock.
We work closely with the Community Bankers Association of Illinois, where we are an Associate Member, to make sure your community bank has the services you need:
All of these services are available and can be consolidated: billable to a single provider to keep your vendor list small and easy to manage.
Yes, we are in full compliance for .bank domains!
All of our prices are targeted for Community Banks and community organizations. We believe that Community Banks are the lifeblood of our economy, supporting our small businesses and farmers across the nation. We focus on bringing a better presence, a better product, and a better way to do business to Community Banks across the country.
We want to see our Community Banks not only succeed, but thrive!
Many banks, especially Community Banks, still use website technology and design concepts dating back to the 1990s. Modernization is needed in the banking industry on a large scale. It is surprising to see how many banks, including large conglomerate banks, have websites that fail basic security checks. This means that the institutions and their customers are at risk of having their data stolen and their infrastructures breached, which could result in millions of dollars in liability for community banks and billions of dollars in liability for conglomerate banks.
Most designers will quote you $10,000 up to $300,000 for a full website design or redesign. We understand the value of reasonable pricing for our community bank clients, and we offer the same quality of design, and often better service, for a much more reasonable price. We are not a cut-rate provider. Instead, we are providers who exercise common sense in our pricing strategies and ignore the current market rates. Our clients should not have to spend a small fortune today for a website that should cost a fraction of that price, if it were not for money-hungry design firms triggering staggering market prices. We are a small business and work from home, enabling us to lower the costs of maintaining an office, which others pass on to their clients.
The web design industry seems to accept a status quo of sacrificing security in favor of attractive designs. This thinking is outdated and dangerous. There is no reason to have an insecure web presence, even with the most attractive and modern website designs. More and more malicious actors are using AI to facilitate attacks against our banking industry’s infrastructure, of which web applications are a critical public-facing component. Tightened security is crucial for both community and conglomerate banks facing modern threats. Certain security settings on the servers hosting banking websites must be updated for financial institutions, which means that the standard server settings are just not good enough. Banks need to be hosted on a specialized server that is secured to their specific needs. The vast majority of hosting companies do not even offer the option for the security that banks need, nor do they allow their customers to perform these security updates themselves. There are an alarming number of bank websites being hosted on DreamHost, GoDaddy, SquareSpace, and Wix where this is exactly the case. These hosts may be great for non-financial institution websites but they do not offer specialized, secure hosting for financial institutions. We promote hosting on our preferred service provider’s secure VPS servers for banks because their infrastructure provides the most secure backbone possible for their web applications. Their website, built up from this secure backbone, needs to be further secured with CDN (Content Delivery Networks), Web Application Firewalls, Bot protections, spam protections, HSTS security put in place, as well as security headers that are used as a front-line defense against many hack attempts.
Even without security issues, the vast majority of financial institution websites do not pass compliance checks, even at a glance. Compliance points are just as important as security because if a bank’s web application does not pass compliance, government entities can fine them, restrict them, or even force their websites to close! This results in a loss of profits, customers, and trustworthiness. Equal attention must be given to both security and compliance for a bank to have a fully-functional and secure website that it can rely on for years to come.
To ensure ongoing security and compliance, a bank website should be redeveloped every 2-5 years. This ensures that they not only maintain a modern design but also that the code that drives their website is updated and modernized, minimizing outdated code and the security issues that arise from using old code.
“I’ve worked with Kristen Rogers for over 25 years, and she is truly one of a kind. She isn’t just an exceptional WordPress developer; she’s someone who makes high-end web design feel accessible and affordable. Kristen handles everything from the first line of code to the final launch, always keeping an eye out for potential hiccups so your transition is completely stress-free.
“What I love most is her deep technical roots. She works hand-in-hand with Linux engineers, so she knows exactly how to keep the backend humming and your customers happy. She’s also a total pro when it comes to the strict security and compliance needs of community banks—from mobile apps to secure email.
“Kristen’s enthusiasm is refreshing. She genuinely enjoys what she does, whether she’s integrating social media or building long-term plans to keep your content fresh and engaging. She is also our “go-to” person for helping banks get their sites patched, updated, and ready for a smooth move to CBAI’s hosting. If you want someone who cares as much about your website as you do, Kristen is the one.”
