For more than 20 years, the Corridor Business Journal has been crowning the Best of the Corridor. And every year, this issue carries a little more weight. You’ll feel it the moment you pull this one out of your mailbox, both in your hands and in what it represents.
At its core, Best of the Corridor is a community list. This year, nearly 15,000 votes poured in for the businesses, professionals and organizations Corridor residents genuinely trust, support and believe in — making this one of the most authentic reflections of our regional economy you’ll find anywhere.
I’ve now had the privilege of serving as CBJ’s editor for more than four years, and this list never stops teaching me something new. As someone who has watched this region grow year over year, I’m continually struck by the depth of talent and ambition here — and by how much of that growth traces back to the same handful of names, showing up again and again because they’ve earned it.
That’s certainly true this year. Skogman put together a remarkable run, taking top honors across six categories — Commercial Realty, Residential Realty, Home Builder, Developer, Remodeling Contractor and Business Insurance Brokerage — a sweep that speaks to just how deeply this company has embedded itself in the region’s growth story. IMS Branded Solutions claimed four categories of its own, from signage to corporate gifts, while Honkamp P.C. once again proved its staying power, winning both Best Accounting Firm and Best Business Consulting.
This year also brought some welcome expansion, as we added two new categories to the list: Best Fitness Studio and Best Veterinarian. Congratulations to Farrell’s eXtreme Bodyshaping and Marion Animal Hospital, respectively, for claiming the inaugural titles.
That balance of consistency and fresh energy is what makes the Best of the Corridor such a meaningful read every year. These are not just businesses. They are the places where deals get done, milestones get celebrated and communities get built.
Congratulations to every winner, finalist and the team behind them. You earned this.
— Alexandra Olsen, Executive Editor
Best Wealth Management Team
1st: Cedar Point Capital Partners
2nd: Strategic Financial Solutions
3rd: Basepoint Wealth
Best Bank
1st: F&M Bank
2nd: Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust
3rd: Hills Bank & Trust
Best Credit Union
1st: GreenState Credit Union
2nd: Collins Community Credit Union
3rd: Veridian Credit Union
Best Accounting Firm
1st: Honkamp P.C.
2nd: CLA
3rd: RSM
Best Law Firm
1st: Simmons Perrine
2nd: RSH Legal
3rd: Shuttleworth & Ingersoll
Best Architectural Firm
1st: OPN Architects
2nd: Emergent
3rd: Shive-Hattery
Best Engineering Firm
1st: Axiom Consultants
2nd: Shive-Hattery
3rd: Anderson Bogert
Best Commercial Real Estate Lender
1st: BankIowa
2nd: Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust
3rd: Ohnward Bank & Trust
Best Residential Real Estate Lender
1st: F&M Bank
2nd: Eric “Ole” Olsen – CBI Bank & Trust
3rd: GreenState Credit Union
Best Commercial Realty Company
1st: Skogman Commercial
2nd: GLD Commercial
3rd: Realty87
Best Residential Realty Company
1st: Skogman Realty
2nd: Ashley Rance – Keller Williams
3rd: Urban Acres
Best Home Builder
1st: Skogman Homes
2nd: Buresh Construction Co.
3rd: Sattler Homes
Best Office Furnishings & Design
1st: Pigott
2nd: Phelan’s Interiors
3rd: Paragon Interiors
Best Residential Interior Designer/Firm
1st: Mix Home Mercantile
2nd: Dwell Home Furnishings
3rd (TIE): Bachmeier Carpet One / Wiles Design Group / Melanie Olson Design Group
Best Developer
1st: Skogman Homes
2nd: Hunter Companies
3rd: Lion Development
Best Home Remodeler
1st: Skogman Remodeling and Repair
2nd: Buresh Construction Co.
3rd: Hometown Restyling
Best Business Leader
1st: Chris Hummer – Don Hummer Trucking
2nd: Bob Brown – Modern Piping
3rd: James Klein – CRBT
Best Business Insurance Brokerage
1st: Skogman Insurance
2nd: TrueNorth
3rd: First MainStreet Insurance
Best Commercial Cleaning/Janitorial Services Company
1st: Cedar Rapids Janitorial
2nd (TIE): All Clear / EZ Cleaning Pro
3rd: Midwest Janitorial Services
Best Trucking Company
1st: Don Hummer Trucking
2nd: CRST
3rd: Heartland Express
Best Auto Fleet Dealer
1st: McGrath Family of Dealerships
2nd (TIE): Dave Wright Auto / Cedar Rapids Toyota
3rd (TIE): Billion Iowa City / Junge Automotive
Best Business Consulting
1st: Honkamp P.C.
2nd: RSM
3rd: CLA
Best Landscaping & Nursery
1st: Culver’s Garden Center & Greenhouse
2nd: Half Moon Landscaping
3rd: Hughes Nursery and Landscaping
Best PR/Marketing Agency
1st: Hive Media
2nd: Informatics
3rd: de Novo Marketing
Best Website/App Developer
1st: Informatics
2nd (TIE): Vortex Digital Business Solutions / Hibu
3rd: de Novo Marketing
Best Local Internet Service Provider
1st: Mediacom
2nd: ImOn Communications
3rd: South Slope
Best IT Support Company
1st: RSM
2nd: Rock Technology
3rd: Remedium Systems
Best Cybersecurity Company
1st: ProCircular
2nd: RSM
3rd: CyberAssurance
Best Sign Company
1st: IMS/Cedar Rapids Screen Print
2nd: Nesper Sign
3rd: CR Signs
Best Printer
1st: IMS/Cedar Rapids Screen Print
2nd: Marketing Innovations
3rd: Allegra Marketing
Best Specialty Marketing Products
1st: IMS/Cedar Rapids Screen Print
2nd: Marketing Innovations
3rd: Bankers Advertising Company
Best Photographer/Videographer
1st: Thad Buege Photography
2nd: Joe Photo
3rd: Corridor Home Photos
Best Staffing/Temp Agency
1st: Palmer Group
2nd: YBI Recruiting
3rd (TIE): Labor Finders / Overture Group / Skywalk Group
Best Shop for Corporate Gifts
1st: IMS/Cedar Rapids Screen Print
2nd: Marketing Innovations
3rd: Bankers Advertising Company
Best Golf Course
1st: Elmcrest Country Club
2nd: Hunters Ridge Golf Course
3rd: Ellis Golf Course
Best Brewery/Winery/Distillery
1st: Cedar Ridge Distillery
2nd: Big Grove Brewery
3rd: Clock House Brewery
Best New Restaurant
1st: The Eat Shop – Marion
2nd: Mercury Diner & Drinks – Cedar Rapids
(No 3rd place listed in source)
Best Banquet/Event Facility
1st: The Hotel at Kirkwood
2nd: PinSocial
3rd: Hyatt Regency Coralville Hotel & Conference Center
Best Place for Business Lunch
1st: Elmcrest Country Club
2nd: Black Sheep Social Club
3rd: The Hotel at Kirkwood
Best Cultural Attraction
1st: Brucemore
2nd: National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library
3rd: African American Museum of Iowa
Best Fine Arts Venue
1st: Theatre Cedar Rapids
2nd: CSPS Hall
3rd: Hancher Auditorium
Best Auto Dealer
1st: Cassill Motors
2nd: Cedar Rapids Toyota
3rd: McGrath Family of Dealerships
Best Auto Service Dealer
1st: Cedar Rapids Toyota
2nd: McGrath Family of Dealerships
3rd: Junge Automotive
Best MBA Program
1st: University of Iowa
2nd: Mount Mercy University
3rd: Iowa State University
Best Recreational Sports Facility
1st: PinSocial
2nd: Pickle Palace
3rd: D-BAT
Best Gym
1st: The M.A.C. Xtreme
2nd: Edge Fitness
3rd: Versa Fitness
Best Fitness Studio
1st: Farrell’s eXtreme Bodyshaping
2nd: Swirl Pilates
3rd: Studio on Third
Best Hospital
1st: Mercy Cedar Rapids
2nd: UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital
3rd: University of Iowa Health Care
Best Optometrist/Ophthalmologist
1st: Miller Family Eyecare
2nd: Iowa Eye Center
3rd: Jensen Eye Care
Best Walk, Run or Golf Charity Event
1st: Breakthrough T1D
2nd: Zach Johnson Foundation Classic
3rd: Especially For You
Best Senior Living Community
1st: St. Luke’s Transitional Care Center
2nd: Meth-Wick Community
3rd: Grand Living at Indian Creek
Best Home Health Care
1st: UnityPoint Health
2nd: Suncrest Care
3rd: CarePro
Best Dentistry/Orthodontics
1st: Parks, Schmit & Fuller Orthodontics
2nd: Cedar Rapids Family Dental
3rd: Gentle Family Dentist
Best Veterinarian
1st: Marion Animal Hospital
2nd: Abraham’s Equine Clinic
3rd: Frey Pet Hospital
