This week’s Business Notes from The Gazette provide a comprehensive overview of promotions, new hires, certifications, added business lines, and business events in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the rest of the Corridor. If you have any information or photos to share, you can send them to us at businessnotes@thegazette.com or submit them on our website at thegazette.com/businessnotes.
In terms of new hires, Mark Fay has recently joined Skogman Realty as a Realtor. Additionally, SCORE is offering a free workshop on May 14 for business owners in Cedar Rapids Public Library from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. A free lunch provided by Roasters will be included, but seating is limited so those interested should contact Mark at mark.hermann@scorevolunteer.org to reserve their spot.
Collins Aerospace, an RTX business based in Rockford, Illinois, has recently broken ground for a 6.5-acre solar farm at its electric power systems facility in Rockford. This new solar farm will provide approximately 10 percent of the Rockford facility’s electrical needs annually and will be owned and operated by ENGIE North America. In addition to this initiative, RTX has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 46 percent from 2019 levels in recognition of the importance of sustainability efforts in the manufacturing industry.
U.S Sen Joni Ernst has named Hawkeye Molding of Story County as her small business of the week for their outstanding contributions to rural Iowa development as recognized by the Iowa Farm Bureau with Renew Rural Iowa Entrepreneur Award in 2021 when they acquired and relocated this plastic injection manufacturing company from Ames to Roland where it continues thriving today.
Sen Ernst plans to highlight one outstanding small business in each county during her current congressional session to recognize their dedication and hard work towards driving economic growth in rural areas across Iowa state.
