Business Notes: May 16, 2021

The Gazette’s Business Notes is a compendium of the week’s promotions, new hires, certifications, added business lines and business events, among other items, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and the rest of the Corridor.

Information and photos can be submitted to Business Notes by email to [email protected], or on our site at thegazette.com/businessnotes.

New Hires

Megan Parsons joined Skywalk Group as a human resources client consultant.

Cheri Monahan is with Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust as vice president, commercial banking. Monahan previously worked as director of growth strategies at Central Iowa Power Cooperative.

Josh Keldgord started as a member experience manager and Lindsey Gruber as a community and business outreach specialist at the Collins Community Credit Union branch on Blairs Ferry Road NE in Cedar Rapids.

Kudos

Willie Ray Fairley, owner of Willie Ray’s Q Shack and a 2020 Gazette Business Awards recipient, was named to Fortune’s World’s 50 Greatest Leaders list. Fortune described him as a “rare hero” for his work serving meals after the Aug. 10, 2020, derecho.

CRN named Annalea Ilg, Involta’s chief information security officer, to its 2021 Power 60 Solution Providers list.

Mercy Iowa City was listed on the 2021 Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals list. This is the second consecutive year and third year overall Mercy Iowa City has been recognized with this honor and was the only hospital in southeast Iowa to earn this recognition.

Awards

The Iowa chapter of the American Institute of Architects awarded Linn County’s Dr. Percy and Lileah Public Health Building — designed by Cedar Rapids-based OPN Architects — an Impact Award of Merit. OPN also designed Linn-Mar Community School District’s new intermediate schools, Hazel Point and Boulder Peak, which have been recognized by the American Institute of Architects Iowa Chapter with a 2021 People’s Choice Award.

Grants

The Buchanan County Economic Development Commission awarded seven Business and Community Website Marketing Grants. Recipients are Adams Family Furniture, LMFT Therapy Services, city of Lamont, city of Brandon, city of Winthrop, Independence Area Chamber of Commerce and Buchanan County Historical Society.

Events and Workshops

SCORE East Central Iowa will host an online Google Analytics workshop from 2 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday with instructor Dave Meyer. For further information and a registration link, go to https://conta.cc/3vXz5Iu.

Junior Achievement’s annual Taste of Achievement fundraiser will be held 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 27, at the Epic Event Center with beer, wine, food tasting, live music and raffles. All proceeds will help fund Junior Achievement programs in Eastern Iowa for 3,012 students.

Tanager Place’s Summer Fest will return June 5 as a drive-through event at Collins Aerospace. Attendees will receive a bag with craft kits, STEAM activities, a General Mills cereal box decorating contest and other items. Visit tanagerplace.org/summerfest and register for a time slot.

The second-quarter Gazette Business Breakfast Series panel will be live online at 9 a.m. June 8, on “The Power Grid of the Future.” Panelists will be Mayuri Farlinger of Alliant Energy; Michaela Freiburger, Dubuque County Energy District; Kerri Johannsen, Iowa Environmental Council; Dusky Terry, ITC Midwest; and Chad Wiltz, Van Meter. Viewers can submit questions to panelists during the 60-minute session. The event will be free, but registration is required at thegazette.com/special-events/business-breakfast. The discussion will be recorded and can be watched later on The Gazette’s site. BerganKDV, the business, financial and technology solutions company, is the series sponsor. Supporting partners are NewBoCo and Corridor Careers.

Tanager Place’s first-ever June Jam outdoor fundraising event will be June 26. More information and tickets are available at www.tanagerplace.org/junejam.

More

GreenState Credit Union renewed its partnership with Junior Achievement. Together, the two organizations will aim to help 931 Eastern Iowa students receive hands-on educational programs that foster financial literacy, career readiness and entrepreneurship skills.

Megan Parsons

Cheri Monahan

Josh Keldgord

Lindsey Gruber