United Fire Group promotes four

NEW HIRES

Four Oaks hired Dean Bliss (see photo) as chief quality officer.

Converge Consulting hired Cara Joens (see photo), formerly with Coe College, as project manager.

Dwight Steenhoek (see photo), broker associate, and Keith Wiggins (see photo), commercial associate, joined NAI Iowa Realty Commercial as commercial sales associates.

GreatAmerica Financial Services hired Katie Brown (see photo), previously with Toyota Financial Services, as sales support specialist, and Matt O'Rourke (see photo) as account support adviser.

PROMOTIONS

United Fire Group promoted Victoria “Torie” Hefel (see photo) to assistant vice president and personal lines regional manager of its subsidiary company, United Fire & Casualty Co.; Corey Ruehle (see photo) to vice president and Midwest branch manager; Alison Kaster (see photo) to assistant vice president and program manager; and Julie Sherman (see photo) to vice president and United Life marketing manager of United Life Insurance Co.

APPOINTMENTS

Shaner Magalhaes (see photo), a real estate agent with Skogman Realty in Coralville, has been appointed to the Iowa Finance Authority board of directors by Gov. Terry Branstad.

Appointed to the Foundation 2 board of directors were Elizabeth Ray, president; Karen Green, vice president; Pat Dunkel, secretary; and Cindy Rittmer, treasurer. At-large directors are Erik Albinson, Anthony Brown, Don Damsteegt, Ben Fiedler, Lisa Goodwin, Eric Hearn, Ellen Ramsey-Kacena, Jon Koebrick, Teel Salaun and LaSheila Yates. Board emeritus members are Jim Affeldt and Mark Hixson.

CERTIFICATIONS

Deb Oliver (see photo), Mount Mercy University, received her John Maxwell certified leadership speaker, trainer and coach designation and has affiliated with ActionCOACH Heartland, Cedar Rapids.

KUDOS

Kevin H. Collins, Nyemaster Goode P.C. in Cedar Rapids, was recognized in the 2013 edition of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business.

Devon Dietz (see photo) was awarded the 2012 Linn County Master Gardener of the Year Award.

Imperial Roof Systems of Iowa in West Union won Recycling Project of the Year for work done on re-roofing the SuperTarget retail store in Olathe, Kan., by Sika Sarnafil.

Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids won Recycling Project of the Year for its commitment to reducing trash by using cutting-edge technology.

NEW WEBSITE

Cedar County Economic Development Commission in Tipton started a new website, www.growcedar.com. For more information, contact office assistant Trisha Gottschalk at trisha@cedarcountyia.org or (563) 886-3761.

FORUMS AND WORKSHOPS

ISO 9001 Internal Auditor Training will be held 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Wednesday, at Kirkwood Training and Outreach Services, 3375 Armar Dr., Marion. To register for the event, sponsored by Iowa Quality Center, email info@iowaqc.org or call (319) 398-7101.

“Value Stream Mapping” will be held 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., June 17. It will be facilitated by John Heise, Lean Six Sigma Certified Master Black Belt, at Kirkwood Training and Outreach Services, 3375 Armar Dr., Marion. Email info@iowaqc.org or call (319) 398-7101.

SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES

Dee Vandeventer (see photo), ME&V, will speak June 10 on “Fem-anthropy: Supersizing Your Major Gift Efforts,” at the Planet Philanthropy conference presented by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Florida Caucus in Sarasota, Fla.

The annual Water and Wastewater conferences, scheduled for June 17-18 and July 29-30, will be held at the Community Training and Response Center of Kirkwood Community College's main campus in Cedar Rapids. Contact Jon Keimig at (319) 398-5651, or Justin Hoehn at (319) 398-7781.