More than 60 employers came out June 16 for a job fair at Fresno City Hall geared toward former Bitwise employees. Photo by Ben Hensley

Bakersfield-based Cornerstone Engineering announced Monday that it has added three new practice areas and filled ten newly created positions with employees displaced by the sudden closure of Bitwise Industries.

According to a news release, Cornerstone added positions in business process automation, data analytics and software consulting, staffing the positions with ten employees formerly employed by Stria.

Stria, a business process outsourcing firm based in Bakersfield, was acquired by Bitwise in August 2022. It ceased operations in May with the closure of Bitwise.

The new practice areas offer Cornerstone the opportunity to both reduce cost and save time through workflow automation programs such as DocuSign and LaserFiche.

“These new practice areas position Cornerstone to serve as a strategic partner, advising boardrooms and c-suite leaders as they make growth decisions for their companies,” said Cornerstone Engineering CEO John Paul Lake. “With these new services, we’re extending our ability to come alongside our clients and help them leverage technology to work more efficiently and use data to make operational and strategic decisions that create lasting value.”

The new data analytics team will work to deliver custom software, data-as-a-service and artificial intelligence solutions to improve operational efficiency.

Additionally, the firm announced the hire of Kevin Torbert as Cornerstone’s new director of data analytics and digital solutions. Torbert formerly served as Stria’s director of analytics and development.

“We’re excited to add Kevin and the depth of experience he brings to our team,” added Lake. “His technical know-how and problem-solving capabilities will help us deliver fit-for-purpose solutions that meet our clients’ expectations for effectiveness, efficiency and intelligence.”

Cornerstone Engineering is a Bakersfield-based engineering and consulting firm that has served the South Valley for more than 40 years.