Business Notes: Awards, seminars, networking

Awards

ESP International of Cedar Rapids received the Innovation of the Year Award at the John Deere Achieving Excellence Partner Banquet. The award was presented for work on the First Line of Defense split seal design. ESP was also awarded Partner Status with John Deere Power Systems.

Stanley Consultants of Muscatine earned a National Recognition Award for engineering achievement from the American Council of Engineering Companies for the University of Iowa Combined Heat and Power Plant project in Coralville.

CarePro Health Services in Cedar Rapids was awarded 2012 Company of the Year of the Iowa-Nebraska chapter of the ESOP Association, in recognition for promoting its ESOP to its employees and the community.

Knutson Construction was awarded the 2012 Outstanding Safety Achievement Award from Master Builders of Iowa and Iowa OSHA. Knutson is the only general contractor to have been a two-time winner of this award in the construction industry.

Seminars

Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors will host a free career seminar 6:30 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, at the Iowa City Area Association of Realtors, 847 Quarry Road, Suite 110, Coralville. The seminar will focus on selling real estate, covering such topics as current real estate market activity, licensing requirements, startup investment and earning potential. For reservations, contact Darcy Holle at (563) 441-102 or DarcyHolle@RuhlHomes.com.

John Quinones, host of the “What Would You Do?” ABC-TV series, will be the keynote speaker for the April 18 SHIFT series luncheon at the Coralville Marriott Hotel & Convention Center. The luncheon will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the cost is $50 per person.

“The Great Retirement Challenge: What to Do in Times Like These” will be held at 5:30 p.m., March 28, at the Coralville Marriott. RSVP by March 23 to rnielsen@tworiversbank.com or call (319) 358-3543.

Alan Prowse of Rockwell Collins will present “Operating in the Global Market” at 5:30 p.m., March 22, at the Clarion Hotel and Convention Center, 525 33rd Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids. The event is sponsored by the International Traders of Iowa. Cost is $25 for ITI members, $35 for non-member and $10 for students. Register online by March 16 at www.iowatraders.org.

SCORE will host “The Business Concept to Realty Series” to help attendees complete a business plan in 5 nights, over 5 weeks, beginning April 4, from 6 to 9 p.m., at Farmers State Bank, 2755 Edgewood Rd. SW, Cedar Rapids. The other sessions will be held at the same time April 11, 18, 25 and May 2. Cost is $100. To register, call Dianne Martin at (319) 431-4574.

More

Illinois-based Siemer Specialty Ingredients named Adfinity Marketing Group in Cedar Rapids as its agency of record. Siemer manufactures ingredients that can replace modified food starch.

Cedar Rapids based Advertising Specialty distributor Elite Images merged its operations with Cedar Rapids-Marion based IMS Apparel & Promotions.

Networking

SCORE Small Business Roundtable will be held 6:30 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, at the Marion Public Library, 1095 Sixth Ave. Heather Smith Friedman will speak about viral marketing. For information, call (319) 377-3412.

The Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce will hold its PM Exchange at ITT Tech, 3735 Queen Ct. SW, Cedar Rapids, from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday.