Business Notes for Feb. 11, 2024

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

Madeline E. Hartley has joined the Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman law firm in Cedar Rapids.

Laura Clemons, Kevin Sun, Kim Wise, Katie Sleeper, Bre Horstman, Bridgit Mims, Emma Brooks, Olivia Novak and Madeline Doyle have joined Skogman Realty as Realtors.

GreatAmerica Financial Services has announced the following new hires: Jeremy Nanninga, senior software engineer; Ursla Lanphear, account support adviser; Ethan Abney, account executive-business development; Sarah McGargill, operations support specialist; Nicole Christenson, account support adviser; Alisha Coverdill, funding specialist; Bryant Kelley, contract management specialist; Aaryn Smith, portfolio manager; Natoya Cole, portfolio manager; Ria Yadav, documentation specialist; and Tara Crosby, operations support specialist.

Promotions

Molly Newhouse has been promoted to vice president, patient care services and chief nursing officer at Mercy Cedar Rapids. She has been with Mercy since 2005, most recently serving as executive director of Surgery Center Operations and Hospital Perioperative Services.

Appointments

Atul Patel, president and CEO of Open Door Hospitality in Cedar Falls, has joined the board of the Iowa Hotel & Lodging Association.

Kudos

Acme Electric Co. of Cedar Rapids has congratulated its employees and customers on having zero recordable injuries in 2023.

Other news

Koch Office Group sold: EO Johnson Business Technologies has acquired Koch Office Group, with offices in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines. The acquisition, finalized Feb. 1, expands Johnson's imaging, business technology and digital transformation footprint in the Midwest. Companies relying on Koch Office Group for imaging equipment will continue to receive customer support and have access to EO Johnson services.

JA Business Hall of Fame: Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa is accepting nominations for the Cedar Valley Business Hall of Fame for business leaders in Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan and Grundy counties. Nominations will be accepted through March 29. The awards recognize impact, integrity, community commitment, leadership and entrepreneurial spirit. To obtain more information and a nomination form, email Emma Disterhoft at edisterhoft@jaeasterniowa.org for a copy. Nominations also can be submitted online at https://forms.gle/bkZk4a4xjju6iT6W9 (for laureate awards) or https://forms.gle/7r8dCC2HpatSfAr27 (for entrepreneur awards).

Small business of the week: U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst named Monona County Iron as her small business of the week last week. Over the past 19 years, the company, in west-central Iowa, has expanded from a handful of employees in a single building to more than 40 employees in multiple locations. The business provides tungsten inert gas welding services to the manufacturing, construction and automotive industries, as well as fabrication and metalworking services for projects in Texas, Washington, and across the Midwest. Ernst, ranking member of the Senate Small Business Committee, is recognizing one small business each week in each of Iowa’s counties.