Business Notes: June 5, 2022

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

Amina Abdullah joined UnityPoint Clinic Multi-Specialty in Cedar Rapids, specializing in pulmonology.

Shawn Schwabe joined UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine-Northridge in Hiawatha.

Promotions

UFG Insurance promoted Sarah Madsen to vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary, overseeing legal, regulatory, governance, compliance and vendor management matters.

Alysha Wehage was promoted by Skywalk Group to client manager.

Board members

The Camp Courageous board of directors named Amy Rouse, Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, as chairwoman.

Certification

Jordan Kelly, UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital LifeGuard Air Ambulance program manager, earned his Certified Medical Transport Executive certification through the Association of Air Medical Services' Medical Transport Leadership Institute.

Kudos

Hy-Vee awarded $50,000 to minority- and women-owned businesses during its OpportUNITY Inclusive Business Summit in Hiawatha. Gnarly Pepper from Cedar Rapids was the overall winner of the pitch competition, receiving a business grant of $25,000. LuLit’s Hair Essence from Evansdale came in second and Variegate from Iowa City came in third, receiving $15,000 and $10,000 respectively.

BUILD-OUT ASSISTANCE

Applications are open for Race for the Space, a program that gives businesses the chance to win $20,000 toward rent and build-out at a selected property in downtown Cedar Rapids. Selected business also will receive a $7,500 credit for architectural design services with Form Function Studio and a course to build more business provided by BerganKDV. Applications are available at raceforthespacecr.org and will close June 30. For more information, email jthoeming@cedarrapids.org or nwilcox@cedarrapids.org.

WORKSHOPS

The next Intentional Insights will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 16 at Matthew 25, 201 Third Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids. The quarterly topic will be: “How Am I Getting in my Own Way?” Register at the-restorationproject.com/events.

INSIGHTS

The next Gazette Business Breakfast panel discussion is set for 9 a.m. June 21. “What’s Next: The Future of Downtown Cedar Rapids” panelists will talk about lessons learned over the past two years, what’s in the works for downtown and development as inflation and the economy continue to throw curves. Participants will be Darryl High of High Properties, Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell, Cobble Hill and Caucho restaurants co-owner Andy Schumacher, and Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance’s Jesse Thoeming. Viewers can submit questions and comment during the live discussion. The event will be free, but you must register at thegazette.com/business-breakfast. It will be sponsored by BerganKDV.

The next installment of the “Gazette Spotlight on …” series of video interviews will debut on The Gazette site, https://business.thegazette.com, also on June 21. They will recognize businesses and organizations for their focus on community commitment. Interviewed will be Lori Sundberg, president of Kirkwood Community College, for the school’s administering of Last-Dollar Scholarship funds for almost 500 students; James Klein, Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust president, for its extensive community involvement; and Angelica Vannatta, senior manager of Workplace Volunteer Council of United Way, for its work in volunteerism and forging business relationships. The series is sponsored by TrueNorth Cos.