Annual ABI Legislative Events, Board Meeting a Week from Tomorrow - Monday Memo 1/1/12
Register Now for Next Week’s ABI Legislative Briefing and Reception; Policy Books Soon available
You will not want to miss one of the association’s premier 2012 events, the annual ABI Legislative Briefing and Reception. Both events are being held at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Des Moines and will conveniently follow the ABI Board Meeting on January 11, which is Wednesday of next week.
The briefing is your opportunity to hear the latest about legislative news and about ABI's pro-growth agenda. ABI Senior Vice President Government Relations John Gilliland and Director Government Relations Kevin Condon will present the program and answer any questions you might have about the upcoming session. The information shared during the briefing can then be shared with your legislators during the reception that follows. You’ll recall that more Iowa legislators attend this event than any similar event hosted by any organization. This is because YOU attend. Legislators tell ABI all the time that they want to meet you, they want to learn about your business, and they value this opportunity to visit with you about issues. Visit with them about ABI’s new public policy program, It’s About Jobs.
To register for this event, please go NOW to www.iowaabi.org – or SIMPLY REPLY to this email and I’ll make sure you are registered. Make no mistake; your attendance at next week’s reception, briefing, and board meeting is absolutely critical to advancing ABI’s 2012 legislative agenda. On behalf of our officers, thank you in advance for participating in this very important event.
In the way of a final note, be on the lookout for your personal copy of the 2012 ABI Policy Handbook. The handbook has become a valuable reference tool for ABI members and legislators alike. The latest edition is this week being published and will be on its way to you very soon. Thanks to John and ABI Administrative Assistant Michelle Vollstedt for their work with the handbook.
Important ABI Executive Committee, Board Meetings a Week from Tomorrow
The first ABI leadership meetings of 2012 will be held next week, on Wednesday, January 11. The ABI Executive Committee will meet at 12:30 and the ABI Board of Directors will meet at 2:00 that afternoon. These meetings are very important, with discussion of association programs and finances on tap, as well as vital information related to the 2012 Session of the Iowa General Assembly. Both meetings will be held at the ABI office at 400 East Court Avenue, Suite 100 in Des Moines’ East Village. The office is easily accessible from I-235 and it has plenty of free and convenient parking.
All board members and Past Chairs are encouraged to attend the board meeting and stay for the annual legislative briefing and reception that follows. ABI Senior Vice President Revenue and Programs Leisa Fox, Member Programs Coordinator Holly Mueggenberg, Membership Coordinator Dorothy Willson, Events Coordinator Chrissy Blake, and Bookkeeping/IT Coordinator Jim Lydon have developed strong meeting arrangements. Look for your usual meeting packet in your email in-basket later this week. In the meantime, thank you in advance for attending this important afternoon of events.
Order Your ABI Apparel Now
Members frequently ask for clothing that carries the ABI logo. We have been slow to develop such items, but as you saw at the November meeting of the ABI Board of Directors, they are now available.
Please go to /index.cfm?nodeID=38778&audienceid=1&preview=1 and you can click on photographs of the many options of shirts available. If these items prove popular, more options (and for different types of items) may be developed in the future.
By the way, the ABI staff hopes to place an order this week (so that the items are received in time for you to pick them at the meeting on January 11), so please order now. Thank you advance for displaying the ABI logo!
Leadership Iowa Class to hold January Session
Members of the ABI Foundation’s 2011-2012 Leadership Iowa Class will convene next week for their January session. The class will meet in Des Moines for a program that will focus on government. In fact, members of the class have been invited to join you and other ABI members for the annual legislative reception on Wednesday evening. Congratulations to the LI Board of Governors and to ABI Foundation Vice President Kay Neumann-Thomas and Foundation Administrative Assistant Sarah Roth for developing another terrific series of LI sessions.
NAM Weekly Economic Report Positive for 2012
As we begin the new year, it is somewhat reassuring to see many predictions of positive growth ahead. Several indicators have been highlighted in recent editions of the National Association of Manufacturers' Weekly Economic Report. Surveys of CEO, CFOs, purchasing agents, inventory reports, sales estimates... all of these are examples of indicators that trending up as we start 2012.
We look forward to your reports at next week's meeting and we hope that 2012 is a GREAT year for your company. In the meantime, please contact me if you would like to see the NAM report.
As Always, ABI has Aggressive Agenda for New Year; Check Events Calendar Often
Thanks to the leadership of ABI Chair Frederick V. Buie (Keystone Electrical Manufacturing Company, Des Moines) and all of you on the ABI Board of Directors, strong action and big goals are in store for ABI in 2012. ABI has developed a strong record of success. At a time when other organizations are seeking to simply maintain their current position, you have pushed for new achievements. ABI has big plans for 2012; plans which include continued growth in members and revenue, legislative success, and increases in Foundation activity, among many other things.
Our plans for 2012 also include a series of meetings and events that can add real value to your organization. For a partial list, go to /en/events_calendar/ and check back often.
For now, your participation in next week’s events is an important part of starting the year successfully. We need your leadership to continue the aggressive and impactful record of the past years. THANK YOU again for all you do for ABI and for Iowa business.
Jan 3, 2012 6:58 AM
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