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Business Notes for Nov. 2, 2025 — Brooke Dunteman, Lexi Gonzales, Rick Groom, Dillon Gusta, Lauren Lanphear, David Lawrence, Max Roers, Cara Sanders, Neil Shah, Stacey Waterhouse

The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.

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 at https://www.thegazette.com/business-notes/submit/

New hires

GreatAmerica Financial Services has announced the following new team members: Cara Sanders, director, HR operations and total rewards; Max Roers, account support adviser; Brooke Dunteman, portfolio manager; Dillon Gusta, lead internal auditor; Lauren Lanphear, invoicing solutions specialist; Lexi Gonzales, portfolio manager; and Stacey Waterhouse, sales support, development.

At Hills Bank, Neil Shah recently joined as senior vice president, IT product management and delivery; and Rick Groom recently joined as senior vice president, enterprise security and cyber-resilience, both in the Hills office.

Appointments

Revival Theatre Company has announced its board of directors. President: David Lawrence, Physicians' Clinic of Iowa; vice president, Vannessia Klinsky, Health Edge Medical Software; treasurer, Ryan Buresh, Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman PLC; and secretary, Janet Shepherd-Meier, Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust. Others on the board are Nina Brundell, Kieck’s Career Apparel & Uniform; Greg Kanz, Shive-Hattery; Cathy Koebrick, Collins Aerospace; Julie Kraft, independent consultant; Lorelle Lindo, Great America Financial Services; Casey Prince, UFG Insurance; Abby Scheitlin, The Ivy Room; and Jill Wilkins, NewBo Co.

The Hiawatha Economic Development Board has appointed three new board members to serve three-year terms beginning January 2026: Torri Freese, Alliant; Rod Hanssen, Premier Staffing; and Rob Wenzel, Novak Heating, Air and Duct Cleaning.

News

Donation: Skogman Companies announced that it has raised $45,000 to benefit the Cedar Valley Humane Society, from its 12th annual Skogman Companies Benefit Golf Outing, held Sept. 25. The amount is the highest total in the event’s history. Since its inception, the Skogman Companies Benefit Golf Outing has raised more than $300,000 for local organizations.

Small Business of the Week: U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has announced Innovative Manufacturing & Engineering of Polk County in central Iowa as her small business of the week. Founded in 2011 by Todd Freeland and co-owned with Matthew Sawhill and Brandon Dahms, Innovative Manufacturing & Engineering has grown from a small startup into a leader in precision machining, shaping raw materials into exact dimensions and designs. The business powers Iowa’s agriculture, food, transportation, and construction industries, supporting manufacturers across the nation. Guided by the philosophy, “precision meets people meets passion,” the 14-person team combines cutting-edge technology with hands-on craftsmanship. Through partnerships with local community colleges, the business also is investing in the next generation of skilled Iowa manufacturers. 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.