Business Notes for Nov. 23, 2025

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

Noreen Thurston has joined Informatics Inc. as marketing director.

Sarah Peters has joined Tanager as vice president of finance.

At Hills Bank. Elijah Kane has joined as trust officer in the Marion office; and Kate Maxwell has joined as executive assistant, officer, in the Hills office.

Laura Farmer has joined the Marion Independent School Foundation and Alumni Association as executive director.

Promotions

At Hills Bank, Cienna Crawford has been promoted to treasury management relationship officer in the Washington office.

At UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital, Jillian Schatzle, MSN, RN, has been promoted to emergency department nurse manager for both the Cedar Rapids and Marion locations.

Other news

Small Business of the Week: U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has announced Boernsen Bees of Osceola County in northwest Iowa as her small business of the week. Marlene Boernsen founded Boernsen Bees in 2004 to provide her children with healthy, natural foods. In the beginning, Boernsen sold raw honey in its purest form at local farmers markets, slowly expanding her small business. Today, Boernsen Bees produces more than 18 products, including creamed honey in over 20 flavors, honey lemonade, body lotions, lip balms, beeswax candles, and more. The business also provides bees and basic beekeeping supplies, supporting hobbyists and new beekeepers across the Midwest. 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.