Business Notes for Feb. 26, 2023

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

Advanced Therapy Specialists of Cedar Rapids has hired Michele Parker as certified lymphedema therapist and occupational therapist.

The Englert Theatre in Iowa City has hired Taylor Leigh Jackson as senior development manager.

Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman named Ryan Buresh as the Cedar Rapids law firm’s chief financial officer in January.

Skywalk Group hired Jill Gerken as a business marketing manager.

GreatAmerica Financial Services has hired Brian Johnson as a compliance analyst.

Promotions

KCRG-TV9 has announced that Kristin Rogers will be part of its morning news team.

Fairfax State Savings Bank has announced that Patti Lopata has been promoted to senior vice president/chief operating officer and John C.W. Slater has been promoted to vice president/director.

Appointments

Lisa Steigleder has been named chairwoman of the board of directors for TRAIL of Johnson County, and Janene Panfil has been named to the board.

Melissa Walker has been appointed CEO-elect for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cedar Rapids and East Central Iowa.

Kudos

Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman attorney Paul Gamez has been recognized by Best Lawyers as 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” for Litigation-Labor and Employment and Litigation-Securities.

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 final 2022 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.