Business Notes for Feb. 8, 2026

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.

New hires

BankIowa has announced the addition of Robb Loftsgard as a vice president of business banking, serving the Corridor market.

Promotions

At GTG Peterbilt, Shane Remington has been promoted to director of business development.

At UnityPoint Health-Cedar Rapids, Carol Meade has been named president of UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital Behavioral Health Services and AbbeHealth Outpatient Services.

Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust has announced the following officer promotions: Andrew Messerschmidt to vice president, director of wealth portfolio management; Ashley Rodemeyer to vice president, branch market manager; Derek Kemble to assistant vice president, specialty finance group credit manager; Logan Bine to vice president, specialty finance group senior relationship manager; Nick Svare to vice president, specialty finance group senior originator; Brad Curtin to senior vice president, specialty finance group director; Brittney Clarke to executive vice president, director of retail banking; Ellie Mickelson to senior vice president, specialty finance group director of credit administration; Michael Goerdt to senior vice president, specialty finance group director of business development; Sam Kramer to senior vice president, specialty finance group director of business development; Tyler Clark to senior vice president, specialty finance group director of originations & portfolio management; Kara Zittergruen to senior capital markets specialist, officer; Sue Lowder to first vice president, commercial banking; and Dionne Snow to vice president, enterprise change management at QCR Holdings, parent company to Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust.

Elections

Simmons Perrine PLC attorney Annie M. Hardin has been selected to join the USLAW LeadX: Pathway to Success (2026-2030) cohort, a national leadership development program created by USLAW NETWORK to cultivate the next generation of leaders.

Kudos

Skogman Commercial and WSG CRE have announced that Josh Seamans has earned the SIOR designation awarded by the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors. SIOR, based in Washington, D.C., is the world’s premier commercial real estate organization for industrial and office professionals. Seamans serves as managing partner and co-owner of WSG CRE, a commercial real estate team under Skogman Realty.

Other news

Small Business of the Week: U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has announced The Coffee Grounds of Monroe County in southern Iowa as her small business of the week. Founded in October 2023, The Coffee Grounds is a family- and veteran-owned coffee shop that serves as a drive-thru and walk-in destination for Monroe County. The business sources its coffee beans and baked goods from local Iowa producers, offering a variety of beverages and treats. The Coffee Grounds has become a beloved part of Albia’s Main Street and a daily stop for many in the area. Ernst, chair of the Senate’s Small Business Committee, is naming one exceptional small business of the week in each of Iowa’s counties during this congressional session.