Importance of community a common theme with Gazette Business Award winners

CEDAR RAPIDS - If there was a theme to Tuesday's evening Gazette Business Awards presentation, it was pride in community, and the support that comes from it.

That notion of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations as well as business leaders stepping up where they perceive a need, or of reaching out to the same community to help, was echoed in a number of award-acceptance remarks.

Those included Jack Evans, who will be transitioning from president of the Hall-Perrine Foundation to chairman of the board, officials from Willis Dady Homeless Services and from UFG Insurance, among others.

The fourth-annual Gazette Business Awards banquet was held at the Hotel at Kirkwood Center in Cedar Rapids.

During the keynote panel, three business leaders discussed the growing presence of millennials among management ranks, as well as there own experiences - Jason Anderson, general manager of the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids; Jaymie McGrath-Hobson, talent acquisition manager of the McGrath Family of Dealerships; and Josh Krakauer, founder and CEO of Iowa City-based marketing agency Sculpt.

'Be intentional,” Krakauer said, as he advised younger workers to make their goals clear to their supervisors.

McGrath-Hobson endorsed that notion, suggesting that workers should demonstrate through their work that they are the logical choice for advancement - regardless of age or gender.

Anderson recalled he was 32 when was named Paramount general manager, much younger than his peers at other venues. But by that time, he'd been working in that business for several years.

Award recipients for the 2018 Gazette Business Awards were:

' Jack Evans - Trail Blazer Award, for his work on various boards and as head of the Hall-Perrine Foundation.

' Cedar Rapids Jaycees - Young Professional Award, for encouraging young professionals to participate in efforts toward social and economic development.

' Aspect Architecture Design - Commercial Real Estate, for its continuing building projects, many of them in downtown Cedar Rapids.

' Clickstop - Corporate Culture Award, for acquiring three companies within the past year and continuing to promote workplace culture.

' Dan and Debbie's Creamery - Food and Drink Award, for getting more its products unto shelves and promoting its message of non-GMO milk.

' Diamond V - Food Processing Award, for its role in aquaculture.

' Frontier Co-op - Manufacturing, for adding 100 jobs and starting work with not-for-profits to provide transportation.

' Higher Learning Technologies - Technology Award, for its development of mobile learning applications.

' IDx LLC - Innovation Award, for its work with artificial intelligence and diagnostics.

' Moxie Solar - Sustainability Award, for its continuing growth and expanding into Texas and Illinois.

' Nordstrom - Inclusion Award, for its 'Earn to Learn” initiative.

' Peterson Contractors Inc. - Engineering Award, for its Gateway Project work.

' Physicians' Clinic of Iowa - Health Care Award, for its 100,000-square-foot medical facility and a parking structure in downtown Cedar Rapids

' Pivot Real Estate - Residential Real Estate Award, for its ongoing developing and/or leasing of residential projects.

' Tanager Place - Education Award, for its work in the importance of trauma-informed care and improving the lives of children.

' Tata Consultancy Services - Financial Award, for taking over the outsourcing of Transamerica's insurance and annuities businesses.

' UFG Insurance - Community Engagement Award, for its 'Worth It” campaign.

' Variety-the Children's Charity Iowa - Community Improvement Award, for bringing to fruition an all-inclusive park in Cedar Rapids.

' Vived - Made in the Corridor Award, for creating classroom content using 3D modeling and virtual reality.

' Willis Dady Homeless Services - Not-for-Profit Award, for its capital campaign for a $3 million expansion.

The Better Business Bureau also presented its Business of Excellence Award to Mercy Medical Center.

The event's presenting sponsor was TrueNorth Insurance and Financial Services.