Gazette Business Awards panel set to talk big ideas

More extensive flood protection? An auto assembly plant near the airport? A Cheesecake Factory?

What does the Corridor need to better prepare for tomorrow? A keynote panel at this year's Gazette Business Awards will talk about the next big ideas we should take up.

The awards banquet is set for Oct. 29 at the Hotel at Kirkwood Center in Cedar Rapids.

The panel for the event will consist of:

' Ron Corbett, Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance business retention and expansion strategist

' Lori Sundberg, Kirkwood Community College president

' Kevin Monson, Neumann Monson Architects principal and chairman.

Gazette reporter B.A. Morelli will serve as moderator for the discussion.

Also that evening, awards will be presented in a variety of business categories, such as finance, health care, education, technology, corporate culture and not-for-profits as well as for commercial and residential real estate projects, among other fields.

The Better Business Bureau of Cedar Rapids also will present its BBB Business of Excellence Award.

Nomination deadline for the 2019 Gazette Business Awards has been extended two weeks, to Friday, July 12, to increase the pool of potential recipients. Businesses and organizations can self-nominate, nominate a vendor or another organization.

A panel of judges will select the final award recipients.

Nomination applications are at TheGazette.com/BusinessAwards.

The event will be co-emceed by Gazette business editor Michael Chevy Castranova and national touring artist Alisabeth Von Presley.