Business Notes for Jan. 18, 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

Travis Foss has joined UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Foundation as senior director of development.

Promotions

At OPN Architects, Landon Burg has been promoted to associate partner; Matthew Stewart has been promoted to senior project architect; Susan Bowersox has been promoted to associate; and Brady Dorman has been promoted to project architect.

Elections

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation’s board of directors has elected new officers for 2026: chair, Nancy Hill, Mercy Medical Center; chair-elect, Matthew Van Maanen, AEGON; treasurer, Janice Kerkove, Bradley & Riley PC; secretary, Cathy Terukina, community volunteer; and past chair, Michelle Niermann, UnityPoint Health.

Kudos

The Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance announces Pat McGrath as the recipient of the 2025 Howard Hall Excellence in Business Award. The driving force behind McGrath Family of Dealerships, McGrath has built opportunity, community and a business that changes people’s lives, and his impact can be felt in every corner of the region and beyond. He earned a marketing degree from the University of Northern Iowa and joined the family business in 1980. Since that time, he has steadily transformed the company from one location with 30 employees into a robust enterprise, with 13 automotive dealerships, four motorcycle dealerships, and more than 900 employees across the region. McGrath and his late wife, Mary Kay, also shared a strong belief in using their success to serve others. They have supported a wide range of causes through the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation and their own McGrath Cares Foundation. McGrath will receive the award and provide acceptance remarks during the Economic Alliance’s annual meeting Jan. 29. Economic Alliance members may register for the meeting at www.cedarrapids.org.

Other news

Small Business of the Week: U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has announced Kinetic Technologies of Kossuth County in northern Iowa as her small business of the week. Founded in 2021 by Mark and Betsy Barglof, Kinetic Technologies started as a small fabrication and custom manufacturing shop and quickly earned a reputation for practical, reliable solutions in machining, tooling and prototyping. Today, Kinetic Technologies is known for its advanced robotic welding systems and custom automation solutions. With end-to-end capabilities from design and simulation to installation and on-site training, the company delivers systems that solve production challenges and boost efficiency. In just a few years, the company has shown how visionary leadership and a dedication to problem solving can propel a local startup in Algona into a respected national player. 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.