Who's News: Appointments, promotions, awards

Appointments

Diversity Focus's board of directors appointed Chad Simmons as executive director. Simmons has been leading the six-year-old organization on an interim basis since July 2011.

Michael Bonwell (see photo) has joined the Principal Financial Group Midwest Region Business Center, 200 Second Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, as a financial representative. Bonwell most recently was a senior partner at Premier Investments of Iowa.

The Cedar Rapids City Market Inc. board of directors announces three appointments: Ann Poe, a Cedar Rapids City Council member, has been named executive director of the NewBo City Market; Kurt Friese, owner of Devotay restaurant and publisher of Edible Iowa River magazine, will serve as director of Healthy Food and Advocacy; Julie Palmer will serve as director of operations.

Promotions

City State Bank Marion office announced the following promotions: Katie Coleman (see photo), assistant branch manager and deposit support officer; George Robinson (see photo), vice president of operations; Mike Trampel (see photo), senior vice president and chief credit officer; Theresa Blong (see photo), vice president of commercial banking; and Nathan Koch (see photo), senior vice president of business development.

Tracy Fisher (see photo) has been promoted to AVP and branch manager at the Central City office of City State Bank. She was formerly an AVP operations services officer.

Lezlee Spurgin (see photo) has joined Great America Leasing of Cedar Rapids as Portfolio Manager. She was previously with Transamerica Retirement Services.

Elections

Named to the Camp Fire USA Iowana Council board of directors were Nina Brawner (see photo), International Paper/Cedar River Mill; Jordan Grimm (see photo), Van Meter Inc./Werner Electric; Melissa Kiliper-Ernst (see photo) a community volunteer; and Anne Slone (see photo), Rockwell Collins. New officers for 2012 are Karen Dunlap (see photo), Dunlap International Inc., Central City, as president; Sherry Brustkern (see photo), Alliant Energy, as first vice president; Christine Hallier (see photo), Schenker Logistics, as treasurer; and Valerie Smith (see photo), based in Dearborn, Mich., as secretary.

Awards

Thomas Werderitsch of Selzer Werderitsch Associates of Iowa City was awarded the Build Iowa Award from Master Builders of Iowa. The award is the industry's highest individual achievement.