Business Notes: Awards, seminars, meetings

Awards

Signal 88 Security Inc., a security company with franchise offices in more than 30 states and an office in Cedar Rapids, was ranked No. 8 in the services category on Franchise Business Review's 2012 Top Franchises list for franchisee satisfaction.

Erb's Technology Solutions in Cedar Rapids was named to CRN's list of the Tech Elite 250. Companies on the list have invested in the training and education needed to earn the most technical certifications in the IT Channel.

Seminars

The Eastern Iowa chapter of the Society for Technical Communication will offer a half-day seminar April 12, at the Longbranch Restaurant in Cedar Rapids, to develop PDF knowledge. Charles Crawley and Jeff Ginn will make the presentation. Register at www.stc-easterniowa.org/meet_pdf.html.

Learn about viral marketing at a workshop hosted by SCORE at 6:30 p.m. March 13 at the Marion Public Library, 1095 Sixth Ave. The workshop is free. Register by calling (319) 431-4574 or email workshops@scorecr.org.

New business

Bisco Industries Inc., primarily serving the electronic, telecommunications and computer industries, will opens a facility at 3717 Center Point Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids. For more information, visit www.biscoind.com.

Certifications

Mercy Medical Center earned full Chest Pain Center Accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers. Mercy is one of just six hospitals in the state to attain this distinction.

Partnerships

Erb's Technology Solutions in Cedar Rapids has partnered with Axcient, a data backup and business continuity vendor.

Meetings

APICS (Association for Operations Management) Cedar Valley chapter will meet at 5:30 p.m. March 13 at the Best Western Plus Longbranch Hotel Restaurant & Convention Center, 90 Twixt Town Rd. NE, Marion. Keynote speaker Danny J. Johnson will present “Assembly Line Behavior” and the principles of factory physics. To register by Friday, go to www.cedarvalleyapics.org or contact Jerry Johnson at (319) 431-4351, jerry.johnson@ipmx.com.

SCORE (Counselors to America's Small Business) will meet at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, 424 First Ave. NE. Karl Cassell, executive director of the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission, will speak.