Business Notes

Awards

Heartland Express Inc. in North Liberty earned Logistics Management magazine's Quest for Quality award for the ninth consecutive year. Heartland Express was among the top quality service providers in the Dry Freight Truckload Carrier division.

The Small Business Community Association announced First Realty/GMAC was selected for the 2010 Best of Business Award in the Unclassified category.

The Cedar Valley Chapter of the CPCU Society (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters)  qualified for the Gold level of the Society's 2010-2011 Circle of Excellence Recognition Program. The program recognizes chapters for their efforts to achieve specific benchmarks in chapter performance.

Iowa City Rehabilitation & Health Care Center received the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living National Quality Award Program Bronze Commitment to Excellence Award.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Cedar Rapids achieved Platinum status for the Jack E. Bobo Award for back-to-back years. NAIFA-CR is the only local in 600 plus locals nationally to achieve this honor consecutively.

Seminars and Meetings

The Eastern Iowa Parliamentarians, a newly chartered unit of the National Association of Parliamentarians, will meet from 7 to 9 p.m., today, at 6004 Teakwood Ct. NE, Cedar Rapids. The discussion topic will be “Minutes Shouldn't Take Hours.” Call (319) 899-2023, or email meadelaura78@gmail.com.

A “How to Really Grow Your Business Seminar Series” will begin Tuesday and continue Sept. 20 and 27 at the Kirkwood Training and Outreach Service Center in Marion, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Cost is $59. The event will be sponsored by the Kirkwood Small Business Development Center and presented by SCORE Cedar Rapids. Register at http://kirkwood.augusoft.net/.

The Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce will host the International Business Symposium Wednesday at the Kirkwood Center. The half-day event will begin with a luncheon and keynote address from Joe Hurd, senior director, Export Promotion and Trade Policy for the International Trade Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce. A second keynote will be given midafternoon by Jalel Aossey, director of Midamar Corp. The Chamber will recognize PMX Industries for this year's International Business Award. The cost is $50 and is open to the public. Go to www.cedarrapids.org.

D.C. Taylor Co. and the Regional Sustainable Business Alliance of the Chamber of Greater Cedar Rapids will sponsor an environmental roofing seminar for commercial and industrial facilities. The event is scheduled for 3:30 to 5 p.m., Wednesday, at Sinclair Auditorium, Coe College. The free seminar is designed for facilities managers, contractors, roofers, engineers, designers, architects and energy efficiency raters. Registration is not required. Contact sheila@brightgreenstrategy.com or go to www.roofpoint.org.

A “Do-It-Yourself Public Relations Media Panel,” sponsored by the Iowa City Chamber of Commerce, will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, at the Sheraton Hotel, 210 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City. Learn how proper story-pitching can result in valuable media exposure. Email info@iowacityarea.com.

Stefan Mumaw, creative director at Kansas City-based ad agency Reign, will speak on “Chasing the Monster Idea,” at American Advertising Federation: Cedar Rapids-Iowa City's luncheon meeting, 11:30 a.m., Thursday, at the Kirkwood Center for Continuing Education, 7725 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids. Registration deadline is Monday. Cost is $21 for members, $35.50 for non-members, $18 students. Walk-ins are an additional $5. Register under the Events tab at www.aafcric.com.

The Passion Driven Professionals Business Retreat will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18 at 1948 Zach Lane, Ely. The retreat offers a creative and self-reflective approach to clarifying your business goals. Call (319) 848-2043 or email jennifer@zachcoaching.com.

Employers and senior-level HR managers are invited to a no-cost luncheon presentation on new U.S. Department of Labor rules governing 401(k) and other qualified retirement plans, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sept. 22 or 23, at the Cedar Rapids Country Club in Cedar Rapids. Mike Tryon of Tryon Financial Group will discuss the fiduciary responsibilities and liabilities of employers, which take effect in early 2012. Seating is limited. To reserve a seat, RSVP at (319) 665-5050 by Sept. 20.

The 2011 African American Women's Leadership Conference will be held Sept. 23 at the Cedar Rapids Marriott, 1200 Collins Road NE. It will be held in conjunction with the 2011 History Maker's Gala, 6 to 9 p.m., Sept. 22. Conference and gala registration will be $99; gala-only tickets, $35. Students $60. Go to www.blackiowa.org or call (319) 862-2101, ext. 22.

The 25th Annual Tri-State Agriculture Lender's Seminar will be held from 9:45 a.m. to 3 p.m., Oct. 26, at the Midway Best Western Hotel, Dubuque. The focus is on market outlooks for livestock, grains and dairy in addition to robotic milking and the future of government programs. The cost of the program is $75, by Oct. 17. To register, call (563) 583-6496 or email tranel@iastate.edu.

Networking

The Lean Six Sigma Network will present “In Tolerance Contract Manufacturing: Manufacturing and the Lean Journey” with Robert Becker and Jack Hardin, 7:30 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, at the Iowa Quality Center, Marion.

More

Nominations for the Iowa Partners in Efficiency Award will be accepted through Sept. 30. The award recognizes employees or work units in any political subdivision of local, county or state government that, through the use of Lean tools and techniques, significantly and measurably increased productivity, promoted innovation, and improved the delivery of public services. The award will be presented during the Iowa Business Council's 26th Annual Partnership Meeting in Des Moines, Jan. 30, 2012. Go to www.iowabusinesscouncil.org or http://lean.iowa.gov/.

Veridian Credit Union will help discard paper and digital data, from 9 to 11 a.m., during the Oct. 1 Community Shred Day. Computers - with the hard drive erase - also can be dropped off, thanks to Goodwill Industries' Reconnect program. Donated equipment will be repaired, refurbished, recycled or resold, with proceeds directed to Goodwill job training programs.