Business Notes for Oct. 2, 2022

The Gazette’s Business Notes is a compendium of the week’s promotions, new hires, certifications, added business lines and business events, among other items, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and the rest of the Corridor.

Information and photos can be submitted to Business Notes by email to businessnotes@thegazette.com, or on our site at thegazette.com/businessnotes.

New Hires

GreatAmerica Financial Services hired Emily Huckfelt and Meghan Smith as account support advisers; Connor Hamilton, cash applications specialist; Hellie Mozzillo, service desk triage specialist; Jacob Kohl, user support specialist; Gena Steele, business architect-billing and invoicing; Kyle Decker, software quality assurance tester; Holly Loesche, documentation specialist; and Dan Belay, portfolio manager.

Travis Eagle is now vice president, mortgage manager, at Ohnward Bank and Trust.

Linn County has hired Carter Baldwin as LIFTS director.

Douglas Bachman is now chef at the Cedar Rapids Marriott.

Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center named Leslie Wright, Mount Mercy University adjunct faculty and Collective Clarity founder, as its director.

Promotions

UFG Insurance promoted Amy Vaske to assistant vice president within corporate finance and Christine Zetocka to assistant vice president within claims.

Kudos

West Des Moines-based Hy-Vee has earned a GreenChill recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its work to reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease its environmental impact.

Grow Solar Linn and Johnson Counties received the 2022 ISAC Excellence in Action Award for innovative county government employees, programs and projects, from the Iowa State Association of Counties.

Clickstop was named an Iowa Top Workplace for the ninth time by Top Workplaces. Clickstop CEO Cari McCoy was one of three leaders to receive the Mid-Size Business Leader award by Top Workplaces.

Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman’s Kathleen Kleiman has been recognized by Best Lawyers as 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” for corporate law.

UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital has earned national recognition from the American College of Cardiology in U.S. News and World Report’s 2023 “Best Hospitals” guidebook.

The city of Cedar Rapids declared Sept. 30 as ADM Day in recognition of the multinational agribusiness’ 120th anniversary. Archer Daniels Midland, headquartered in Chicago, has had a presence in Cedar Rapids since 1972, the city said.

Appointments

Three new members were elected to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cedar Rapids’ board of directors -- Jason Pasker, Ohnward Bank; Shannon Wood, QCR Holdings; and Eric Daufeldt, U.S. Bank.

ACT announced as new board members Shirley M. Collado, College Track; Jamie Merisotis, Lumina Foundation; and Richard M. Rhodes, Austin Community College.

Insights and sessions

The Gazette Business Breakfast panel’s third-quarter discussion, “A Small Business’ Tool Kit for 2023: Lessons we’ve learned and challenges — and opportunities — for which we can be prepared,” now is online at https://bit.ly/3eD04Wv. Panelists are Paul Andreasen, founder and owner, Saucy Focaccia; Sydney Rieckhoff, CEO, Almost Famous Popcorn; and Kymberly Stevenson, Targeted Small Business Development Program manager, Iowa Economic Development Authority. The discussion series was sponsored by BerganKDV.

The next installment of the “Gazette Spotlight on …” series of recorded interviews also is available to view at business.thegazette.com. This group recognizes businesses and organizations for their focus on growth. Interviewed are Luke Bishop of BAE Systems; Matt Swift of Big Grove; Sarah Nelson of Comm-Unity Crisis Service; and Drew Martel of Foundation 2. Also, the Better Business Bureau Cedar Rapids office joined The Gazette in speaking with Marc Meyer of Inteconnex. The series was sponsored by TrueNorth Cos.

Monthly in-person networking and informative breakfasts sponsored by SCORE are held at Scott's Family Restaurant. The next breakfast will be 7:30 to 9 a.m., Oct. 27. Go to scorecr.org for more information.