Cedar Rapids Chamber honors businesses, organizations

Bottom line: Our people are the reason for our success.

That sentiment was expressed by executives of three Cedar Rapids companies and two non-profit community organizations recognized Wednesday at the annual Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce “Good Morning Cedar Rapids” breakfast.

The BRAVO awards annually honor “homegrown” businesses in the Corridor for their success and commitment to the community. Wednesday's event drew 650 guests to the Crowne Plaza Five Seasons Hotel ballroom.

John Smith, president and chief executive officer of CRST International, credited the 5,000 employees of the 55-year-old trucking company as he accepted a BRAVO award.

“Without our employees and management team, we wouldn't be here as this economy continues to change,” Smith said.

Maureen Osako, owner and vice president of Informatics, recognized employees of the Web site design firm attending the breakfast and thanked Informatics' clients for their support.

“Our clients have been our advocates, supporters and cheerleaders in the years we have been in business,” Osako said. “They have been instrumental to our success and we're forever appreciative that they decided to ‘buy local.'”

Barry Boyer, president and CEO of Van Meter Industrial, said the electrical and communications equipment distributor is betting its future on the ability of its employee-owners to serve customers in a way that creates value for both parties.

“We believe that if you capture a person's heart, their mind follows,” Boyer said. “Part of that is giving them an understanding of how they do their job impacts the value of the company they own.”

Serve the City, an ecumenical faith group, activated 1,200 volunteers in the hours immediately before the June 2008 flood's crest, and kept on serving well beyond. Accepting recognition for Serve the City at Wednesday's breakfast, Executive Director Charles Daugherty said Cedar Rapids is a community that works together as neighbors.

“It starts from the homefront and works its way out from there,” Daughterty said.

Theresa Bornbach, administrator of JumpStart, credited hard work by her staff and “outstanding” local, state and federal governmental partners as she accepted recognition for the flood relief program.

“I know that our 750 businesses count on you every day to get their bucks in the bank,” Bornbach said.