QCBJ announces its fourth 2025 Best of Region winners

By
Jennifer DeWitt
-

The Quad Cities Regional Business Journal is proud to present its fourth Best of the Region results. This special edition is our annual salute to businesses, professionals, service providers, retailers and more who our readers say are simply “the best.” 

Each May, the QCBJ conducts an online survey to ask our loyal readers to tell us the local businesses they admire, support with their patronage and or think are outshining their competitors. They are quizzed on 50 categories ranging from their favorite coffee stop or brewery to what family businesses they frequent and who they think is the best architect, banker, builder, car dealer, developer, jeweler and more. 

One of the most popular categories this year was Best Business Leader. Our congratulations go out to the 2025 Best of the Region Leader Laura “Divot” Ekizian, the president and CEO of Quad City Bank & Trust.  

Our July 7 print edition showcases the 2025 Best of the Region winners and runner-ups. Copies are available for purchase at the QCBJ’s office in downtown Bettendorf or at quadcitiesbusiness.com. 

This year’s list includes many well-known QC businesses, but also a few newcomers to our list. Some of the first-timers, just to name a few, are: Bagby Construction, El Fogon Mexican Bar & Grill, Stardust and Stecker Graphics. You’ll also find businesses that have repeatedly placed in the top three of their categories. They include: Centennial Tax & Accounting, Hy-Vee, NAI Ruhl Commercial Company, Olde Towne Bakery and Streamline Architects.  

There also are a few first-place winners in multiple categories this year. They include: McLaughlin Motors, Quad City Bank & Trust, Rouse Consulting Group, Russell and TAG. 

Congratulations to all the 2025 honorees.

– Jennifer DeWitt, QCBJ editor  

2025 Best of the Region

Best Family-Owned Business

  • No. 1 Winner: J & J Access & Security. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Russell. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: Tower Trust & Investment Company.

Best Small Business

  • No. 1 Winner: Frontier Hospitality Group. 
  • 1st Runner Up (tie): Edwards Creative AND NextGen Motors of Muscatine. 

Best Wealth Management Team

  • No. 1 Winner: Quad City Bank & Trust. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Tower Trust & Investment Company. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: CBI Bank & Trust. 

Best Bank

  • No. 1 Winner: Quad City Bank & Trust. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Time Bank. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: CBI Bank & Trust. 

Best Credit Union

  • No. 1 Winner: IHMVCU.
  • 1st Runner Up: Gas & Electric Credit Union. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: Ascentra. 

Best Accounting Firm

  • No. 1 Winner: Centennial Tax & Accounting. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Steven Fahrenkrog LPA EA.
  • 2nd Runner Up: Honkamp. 

Best Manufacturer

  • No. 1 Winner: John Deere. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Parr Instrument Company. 
  • 2nd Runner Up (tie): HNI AND Sears Seating.

Best Law Firm

  • No. 1 Winner: Schnell & Hancock PC. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Shie Law Office. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: Lane & Waterman LLP.

Best Architectural Firm

  • No. 1 Winner: Streamline Architects.
  • 1st Runner Up: Legat Architects.
  • 2nd Runner Up: Shive-Hattery.

Best Engineering Firm

  • No. 1 Winner: IMEG. 
  • 1st Runner Up: RTM Engineering Consultants. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: Shive-Hattery. 

Best Commercial Realty Company

  • No. 1 Winner: NAI Ruhl Commercial Company. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Hawkeye Commercial Company.
  • 2nd Runner Up: Mel Foster Co.

Best Residential Realty Company

  • No. 1 Winner: Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors.
  • 1st Runner Up: Mel Foster Co.
  • 2nd Runner Up: RE/MAX Concepts. 

Best Home Builder

  • No. 1 Winner: Bagby Construction.
  • 1st Runner Up: Advance Homes Inc.
  • 2nd Runner Up: Kerkhoff Homes.

Best Commercial Builder

  • No. 1 Winner: Russell. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Estes Construction. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: (Tie) Bush Construction AND Valley Commercial Construction. 

Best Office Furnishings & Design

  • No. 1 Winner: Pigott.
  • 1st Runner Up: Conceptual Designs Inc. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: Allmakes Office Furniture.

Best Developer

  • No. 1 Winner: Russell.
  • 1st Runner Up: Frontier Hospitality Group. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: (Tie) Windmiller Design Build AND Geifman First Equity.

Best Business Leader

  • No. 1 Winner: Laura ‘Divot’ Ekizian. 
  • 1st Runner Up: (Tie) Joe Slavens AND Todd Gipple (tie for 2nd).

Best Business Insurance Brokerage

  • No. 1 Winner: Nelson Brothers Agency. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Ben Farrar Insurance. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: Brad Zaiser Country Financial. 

Best Trucking Company

  • No. 1 Winner: Ecogistics. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Dohrn Transfer Company.
  • 2nd Runner Up: Amhof Trucking, Inc. 

Best Business Consulting

  • No. 1 Winner: Rouse Consulting Group. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Honkamp. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: (Tie) Centennial Tax & Accounting AND Iman Consulting.

Best Landscaping & Nursery

  • No. 1 Winner: Wallace’s Garden Center. 
  • 1st Runner Up: (Tie) Corn Crib Nursery AND Valley Outdoor LLC.

Best PR/Marketing/Creative Agency

  • No. 1 Winner: TAG. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Edwards Creative.
  • 2nd Runner Up: MindFire Communications. 

Best Website/App Developer

  • No. 1 Winner: TAG. 
  • 1st Runner Up: (Tie) Twin State Technical Services AND Agworks. 

Best Local Internet Service Provider

  • No. 1 Winner: Metronet. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Geneseo Communications. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: Muscatine Power & Water. 

Best IT Support Company

  • No. 1 Winner: Rouse Consulting Group.
  • 1st Runner Up: Twin State Technical Services. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: ABS (Advanced Business Systems).

Best Cybersecurity Company

  • No. 1 Winner: Rouse Consulting Group.
  • 1st Runner Up: Twin State Technical Services.
  • 2nd Runner Up: Office Machine Consultants, Inc.   

Best Sign Company

  • No. 1 Winner: Stecker Graphics. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Quad City Custom Signs. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: Lamar. 

Best Office Equipment & Supplies

  • No. 1 Winner: Staples. 
  • 1st Runner Up: ABS (Advanced Business Systems).
  • 2nd Runner Up: Office Machine Consultants. 

Best Photographer/Videographer

  • No. 1 Winner: dphilms. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Kyrie Copeland Films. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: (Tie) PhotoFROG Studio AND Two Rivers Photography. 

Best Staffing/Temp Agency

  • No. 1 Winner: Robert Half. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Sedona Staffing. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: Team Staffing. 

Best Golf Course

  • No. 1 Winner: Palmer Hills Golf Course.
  • 1st Runner Up: TPC at Deere Run. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: Crow Valley Golf Club. 

Best Casino

  • No. 1 Winner: Rhythm City Casino Resort.
  • 1st Runner Up: Bally’s Quad Cities. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf.

Best Hotel

  • No. 1 Winner: Cambria Hotel.
  • 1st Runner Up: Hotel Blackhawk.
  • 2nd Runner Up: (Tie) Hampton Inn – Utica Ridge AND The Merrill Hotel.

Best Place to Buy Wine & Spirits

  • No. 1 Winner: Hy-Vee. 
  • 1st Runner Up: The Grape Life.
  • 2nd Runner Up: (Tie) ALDI AND Willy’s Wine & Spirits.

Best Brewery

  • No. 1 Winner: 5ive Cities Brewing. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Bent River Brewing Company.
  • 2nd Runner Up: Front Street Brewery.

Best New Restaurant

  • No. 1 Winner: El Fogon Mexican Bar & Grill.
  • 1st Runner Up: La Ragazza Tuscan Kitchen & Bar.
  • 2nd Runner Up: Tony’s Chicago Style Pizza & Breakfast. 

Best Place for a Business Lunch

  • No. 1 Winner: Monarch. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Me & Billy.
  • 2nd Runner Up: (Tie) Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano AND The Filling Station.

Best Banquet/Event Facility

  • No. 1 Winner: Stardust. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Cambria Hotel.
  • 2nd Runner Up: (Tie) Quad Cities Waterfront Convention Center AND Stoney Creek Hotel.

Best Jewelry Store

  • No. 1 Winner: Necker’s Jewelers.
  • 1st Runner Up: Revell Jewelers.
  • 2nd Runner Up: Doland Jewelers.

Best Cultural Attraction

  • No. 1 Winner: Figge Art Museum. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Mercado on Fifth. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: (Tie) Freight House Farmers Market AND (tie for 3rd).

Best Auto Dealer

  • No. 1 Winner: McLaughlin Motors. 
  • 1st Runner Up: NextGen Motors of Muscatine.
  • 2nd Runner Up: Kunes. 

Best Auto Service Dealer

  • No. 1 Winner: McLaughlin Motors. 
  • 1st Runner Up: (Tie) Kunes AND NextGen Motors of Muscatine. 

Best MBA Program

  • No. 1 Winner: St. Ambrose University. 
  • 1st Runner Up: University of Iowa. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: Augustana College. 

Best Bakery

  • No. 1 Winner: Olde Towne Bakery. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Kihm’s Bakery. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: WHISK QC. 

Best Coffee Shop

  • No. 1 Winner: Dunn Brothers. 
  • 1st Runner Up: The Coffee Revolution. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: Coffee House Cafe AND Goods 15.

Best Pizza

  • No. 1 Winner: Pizza Shack. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Frank’s Pizza.
  • 2nd Runner Up: Smash Pizza. 

Best Hospital

  • No. 1 Winner: UnityPoint – Trinity. 
  • 1st Runner Up: MercyOne Genesis. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: (Tie) Orthopedic Specialists AND University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.

Best Optometrist/Ophthalmologist

  • No. 1 Winner: Rock Island Optometric Center. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Eye Surgeons Associates. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: Eye Care Pavilion.

Best Senior Living Community

  • No. 1 Winner: Fountains. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Friendship Manor. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: Senior Star at Elmore Place.

Best Pet Care

  • No. 1 Winner: New Horizon Kennel. 
  • 1st Runner Up: Scott County Animal Hospital. 
  • 2nd Runner Up: (Tie) Animal Family Veterinary Care Center AND D.O.G. & Friends.

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