Tom Cilek's New Best Friend

Meet Tom's New Best Friend: Raina Harmon, Assistant Coach with the University of Iowa Women’s Basketball Team. 


Tom and Raina discuss her background in Michigan and how intentionally asking for guidance influenced her professional growth,
the coming season and how they’re building on last year’s success, and Raina also shares the story behind Unified Ballers, her personal clothing brand based on her popular catchphrases.

Learn more about Iowa Women's Basketball here: hawkeyesports.com/sports/wbball.

Learn more about Unified Ballers here: unified-ballers.com

This podcast is sponsored by West Bank, a community bank providing services to consumers and small- to medium-sized businesses throughout Iowa and Minnesota. For more information, visit westbankstrong.com.

This is Tom Cilek's New Best Friend, the monthly podcast from the Corridor Media Group. Meet Tom Cilek - he's the senior vice president of a bank, a reformed lawyer, and one of the Corridor's most connected business leaders. He loves making new friends, and making things happen in Eastern Iowa. Catch his inside conversations with the region's leading business minds in this hit monthly podcast.

This is a Corridor Media Group podcast: Bringing critical business news, thoughtful analysis, and valuable strategic insights for business leaders throughout Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. For more information, visit corridorbusiness.com.

This episode was produced by the L.A.S. Media Group in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For more information, visit LASMediaGroup.com.

Meet Tom's New Best Friend: Tyler Barnes, Director of Recruiting and NFL Liaison for the University of Iowa Football Program.


Tom and Tyler discuss his fascinating job and some of the surprising limitations he faces when trying to recruit student athletes, they dig into his background, his family, and how he found his way to recruiting as a career, and Tyler shares some insight on his mentors, Name-Image-Likeness opportunities for students, and why he thinks it’s easier to be on staff than it is to be a fan.

This podcast is sponsored by West Bank, a community bank providing services to consumers and small- to medium-sized businesses throughout Iowa and Minnesota. For more information, visit westbankstrong.com.

This is Tom Cilek's New Best Friend, the monthly podcast from the Corridor Media Group. Meet Tom Cilek - he's the senior vice president of a bank, a reformed lawyer, and one of the Corridor's most connected business leaders. He loves making new friends, and making things happen in Eastern Iowa. Catch his inside conversations with the region's leading business minds in this hit monthly podcast.

This is a Corridor Media Group podcast: Bringing critical business news, thoughtful analysis, and valuable strategic insights for business leaders throughout Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. For more information, visit corridorbusiness.com.

This episode was produced by the L.A.S. Media Group in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For more information, visit LASMediaGroup.com.

Meet Tom's New Best Friend: Marty Lenss, Airport Director for The Eastern Iowa Airport and

Tom and Marty discuss his personal journey and how he made his way to Iowa, the operations of the airport and why flying out of your local airport is so important, Marty shares the origin story and current efforts behind his Wings 2 Water initiative, and Tom finally learns why the Eastern Iowa Airport is referred to as CID (and Marty shares why it’s important)!

This podcast is sponsored by West Bank, a community bank providing services to consumers and small- to medium-sized businesses throughout Iowa and Minnesota. For more information, visit westbankstrong.com.

This is Tom Cilek's New Best Friend, the monthly podcast from the Corridor Media Group. Meet Tom Cilek - he's the senior vice president of a bank, a reformed lawyer, and one of the Corridor's most connected business leaders. He loves making new friends, and making things happen in Eastern Iowa. Catch his inside conversations with the region's leading business minds in this hit monthly podcast.

This is a Corridor Media Group podcast: Bringing critical business news, thoughtful analysis, and valuable strategic insights for business leaders throughout Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. For more information, visit corridorbusiness.com.

This episode was produced by the L.A.S. Media Group in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For more information, visit LASMediaGroup.com.

Meet Tom's New Best Friend: Nancy Bird, President of the new Iowa City Area Development / Iowa City Area Business Partnership merged entity.

Tom and Nancy discuss the new merger and what it means for the future of business in Iowa City, her background with the Iowa City Downtown District as well as the Peace Corps, and what her "Living Deliberately" mentality might mean for you.

This podcast is sponsored by West Bank, a community bank providing services to consumers and small- to medium-sized businesses throughout Iowa and Minnesota. For more information, visit westbankstrong.com.

This is Tom Cilek's New Best Friend, the monthly podcast from the Corridor Media Group. Meet Tom Cilek - he's the senior vice president of a bank, a reformed lawyer, and one of the Corridor's most connected business leaders. He loves making new friends, and making things happen in Eastern Iowa. Catch his inside conversations with the region's leading business minds in this hit monthly podcast.

This is a Corridor Media Group podcast: Bringing critical business news, thoughtful analysis, and valuable strategic insights for business leaders throughout Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. For more information, visit corridorbusiness.com.

This episode was produced by the L.A.S. Media Group in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For more information, visit LASMediaGroup.com.

Meet Tom's New Best Friend: Marlén Mendoza, Founder & CEO of Mendoza Consulting

Tom and Marlén discuss her background in Chicago and how she came to the University of Iowa…even though she forgot she even applied, 
they dig into why she changed her name multiple times and how she grew to find pride in it,
 Marlén shares the story of how her, Angie Jordan, and Tasha Lard came together and reinvigorated the Iowa City South District,
 and she shares her dream of a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for the Corridor.

This podcast is sponsored by West Bank, a community bank providing services to consumers and small- to medium-sized businesses throughout Iowa and Minnesota. For more information, visit westbankstrong.com.

This is Tom Cilek's New Best Friend, the monthly podcast from the Corridor Media Group. Meet Tom Cilek - he's the senior vice president of a bank, a reformed lawyer, and one of the Corridor's most connected business leaders. He loves making new friends, and making things happen in Eastern Iowa. Catch his inside conversations with the region's leading business minds in this hit monthly podcast.

This is a Corridor Media Group podcast: Bringing critical business news, thoughtful analysis, and valuable strategic insights for business leaders throughout Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. For more information, visit corridorbusiness.com.

This episode was produced by the L.A.S. Media Group in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For more information, visit LASMediaGroup.com.

Meet Tom's New Best Friend: Gary Barta, Athletic Director at the University of Iowa.

Tom and Gary discuss his background and how he made his way from Minnesota to Iowa, the University’s recent athletic successes and areas for growth,
 Gary shares his thoughts on the new Name, Image, and Likeness regulations for student athletes, 
and they chat about how Gary strives for his student athletes to "Win, Graduate, and Do It Right."

This podcast is sponsored by West Bank, a community bank providing services to consumers and small- to medium-sized businesses throughout Iowa and Minnesota. For more information, visit westbankstrong.com.

This is Tom Cilek's New Best Friend, the monthly podcast from the Corridor Media Group. Meet Tom Cilek - he's the senior vice president of a bank, a reformed lawyer, and one of the Corridor's most connected business leaders. He loves making new friends, and making things happen in Eastern Iowa. Catch his inside conversations with the region's leading business minds in this hit monthly podcast.

This is a Corridor Media Group podcast: Bringing critical business news, thoughtful analysis, and valuable strategic insights for business leaders throughout Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. For more information, visit corridorbusiness.com.

This episode was produced by the L.A.S. Media Group in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For more information, visit LASMediaGroup.com.

Meet Tom's New Best Friend: Tasha Lard, Owner of JD Beauty Supply and a leader of the Iowa City South Business District.

Tom talks to Tasha about her personal journey including how she became the owner of her own business by identifying a need. Additionally, Tasha shares how she's been working to elevate Iowa City's South Business District, how she has started a group called the Black Professionals of Johnson and Linn County, and we get an inside look into the life of this local leader.

This podcast is sponsored by West Bank, a community bank providing services to consumers and small- to medium-sized businesses throughout Iowa and Minnesota. For more information, visit westbankstrong.com.

This is Tom Cilek's New Best Friend, the monthly podcast from the Corridor Media Group. Meet Tom Cilek - he's the senior vice president of a bank, a reformed lawyer, and one of the Corridor's most connected business leaders. He loves making new friends, and making things happen in Eastern Iowa. Catch his inside conversations with the region's leading business minds in this hit monthly podcast.

This is a Corridor Media Group podcast: Bringing critical business news, thoughtful analysis, and valuable strategic insights for business leaders throughout Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. For more information, visit corridorbusiness.com.

This episode was produced by the L.A.S. Media Group in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For more information, visit LASMediaGroup.com.

Meet Tom's New Best Friend: Jennifer Banta, President and CEO of United Way of Johnson and Washington Counties.

Tom talks to Jennifer about her work with United Way since she began back in November, including an inside look at their fundraising efforts, how they serve multiple counties, and their current initiatives in providing access to education, healthcare, and financial stability. Additionally, Jennifer shares a bit about herself, including why she decided to call Iowa home, her work as a Master Gardener, and how she has inadvertently started a prairie movement. 

This podcast is sponsored by West Bank, a community bank providing services to consumers and small- to medium-sized businesses throughout Iowa and Minnesota. For more information, visit westbankstrong.com.

This is Tom Cilek's New Best Friend, the monthly podcast from the Corridor Media Group. Meet Tom Cilek - he's the senior vice president of a bank, a reformed lawyer, and one of the Corridor's most connected business leaders. He loves making new friends, and making things happen in Eastern Iowa. Catch his inside conversations with the region's leading business minds in this hit monthly podcast.

This is a Corridor Media Group podcast: Bringing critical business news, thoughtful analysis, and valuable strategic insights for business leaders throughout Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. For more information, visit corridorbusiness.com.

This episode was produced by the L.A.S. Media Group in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For more information, visit LASMediaGroup.com.

Meet Tom's New Best Friend: Jim Mondanaro, celebrated entrepreneur and restauratuer from Iowa City.

Tom talks to Jim about his incredible career, how he looks to fill the needs of the community, what his hopes are for his current project, Reunion Brewing Company, and he shares some wisdom for aspiring professionals.

This podcast is sponsored by West Bank, a community bank providing services to consumers and small- to medium-sized businesses throughout Iowa and Minnesota. For more information, visit westbankstrong.com.

This is Tom Cilek's New Best Friend, the monthly podcast from the Corridor Media Group. Meet Tom Cilek - he's the senior vice president of a bank, a reformed lawyer, and one of the Corridor's most connected business leaders. He loves making new friends, and making things happen in Eastern Iowa. Catch his inside conversations with the region's leading business minds in this hit monthly podcast.

This is a Corridor Media Group podcast: Bringing critical business news, thoughtful analysis, and valuable strategic insights for business leaders throughout Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. For more information, visit corridorbusiness.com.

This episode was produced by the L.A.S. Media Group in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For more information, visit LASMediaGroup.com.

Meet Tom's New Best Friend: Gavin McGrath, General Manager within the McGrath Family of Auto Dealerships. 

Tom talks to Gavin about his experiences as a college athlete at the University of Iowa and how those experiences have influenced his professional career, how the McGrath Family separates their dealerships from the competition and approaches their unique marketing strategies, and what the future may hold for him within the community.

This podcast is sponsored by West Bank, a community bank providing services to consumers and small- to medium-sized businesses throughout Iowa and Minnesota. For more information, visit westbankstrong.com.

This is Tom Cilek's New Best Friend, the monthly podcast from the Corridor Media Group. Meet Tom Cilek - he's the senior vice president of a bank, a reformed lawyer, and one of the Corridor's most connected business leaders. He loves making new friends, and making things happen in Eastern Iowa. Catch his inside conversations with the region's leading business minds in this hit monthly podcast.

This is a Corridor Media Group podcast: Bringing critical business news, thoughtful analysis, and valuable strategic insights for business leaders throughout Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. For more information, visit corridorbusiness.com.

This episode was produced by the L.A.S. Media Group in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For more information, visit LASMediaGroup.com.