January 18, 2010
2010 ABI Legislative Briefing, Reception Terrific Success
The 2010 ABI Legislative Briefing and Reception were held Wednesday evening at the Science Center of Iowa in downtown Des Moines. A standing-room-only, overflow crowd attended the annual briefing, which was declared the best ever by many who were there. Following that event, a terrific crowd was on hand to visit with state legislators and other state officials at the annual reception. The Iowa Senate was in session and thus its members could not participate, but many House Democrats and Republicans did join ABI members Wednesday evening. In fact, over 350 attendees were on hand to make this year’s event a smashing success.
The crowd for this event seems to grow every year. ABI members from literally every corner of the state and from many states outside Iowa were on hand to connect with state officials. It is that interaction with legislators that is so vital and that makes the event such a critical component to advancing ABI’s agenda each year.
Watch for videos and photos from the event to be posted soon on the ABI website. In the meantime, many thanks for the good words you have shared about the event and for the work of ABI staff. Even more importantly, THANK YOU for making the 2010 ABI Legislative Briefing and Reception a huge success.
First Executive Committee, Board Meetings of 2010 Held; Futuring Work Updated
Members of the ABI Executive Committee met Wednesday and that meeting was immediately followed by the first 2010 meeting of the ABI Board of Directors. Both meetings saw discussion of important issues and action on a number of items. Much discussion centered on the just-convened session of the Iowa General Assembly, the financial report, and member issues.
During the meetings, ABI Chair Bill Brown (BrownWinick, Des Moines) updated members on the progress of the ABI Futuring Committee. The committee is charged with a strategic review of ABI and its programs. A preliminary survey conducted by an independent consultant has been completed and a survey tool involving ABI members is now being developed. Further progress reports will be a part of future board meetings. In the meantime, thank you to Bill and fellow Futuring Committee board members Sarah McDonald Hasken (A.Y. McDonald Manufacturing Company, Dubuque), Tom McMahon (Hill-Phoenix, Keosauqua), Dennis Murdock (CIPCO, Des Moines), Lori Schaefer (Agri-Industrial Plastics, Fairfield), and Kirk Tyler (Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Waukee).
ABI Members Interested in Helping With the Haiti Recovery
ABI has fielded some calls from members looking to assist in the recovery of Haiti following that country’s devastating earthquake last week. In last week’s ABI eNewsletter, information was shared about ways to be of assistance. Please click here if you missed that information.
IDED Seeks ABI Members to Participate in Iowa Student Internship Program
ABI member companies across Iowa have utilized a program created by the Iowa Department of Economic Development to aid students and employers. The program, called the Iowa Student Internship Program, provides grants to small and medium-sized companies in targeted industries (such as manufacturing) to help those companies support internship programs.
If your company is engaged in one of the targeted industries and has 500 or fewer employees, you might be eligible for participation. The program provides funds to help pay the wages of up to three interns each summer. The interns must be students of an Iowa college (public or private). For more information, please contact IDED at (515) 725-3196.
Davenport Roth Conversion Event Thursday
ABI will host a program entitled “To Convert or Not: Tackling the Roth IRA Conversion” in Davenport this Thursday, January 21. The program will provide information to simplify issues around the Roth IRA and will provide a great opportunity for you and your staff to gain valuable counsel regarding what can be a complicated topic.
Please click here for more information and to register for this presentation. Special thanks to ABI Advisory Council Members LWBJ, Principal Financial Group, and Syverson Strege & Company for their leadership with regard to this program.
Convention Committee to Meet Tomorrow
Now that the new year has begun, planning related to the 2010 ABI Annual Convention begins in earnest. The committee planning the event has been meeting regularly, but work will kick into second gear, beginning with the monthly meeting of the committee tomorrow afternoon at ABI.
Committee Chair and ABI Board Member Debi Bull (BrownWinick, Des Moines) and members are providing the finishing touches to work related to the convention website, which will go live prior to the end of January. Other work is underway to make this 107th annual meeting of the association truly great. Exciting new venues in central Iowa, terrific speakers, and the very best business networking available in Iowa make the convention a must-do event for you and your employees.
Several ABI members, some of you who haven’t been to convention in a while, tell me that have already made hotel reservations and are eagerly looking forward to convention. Mark your calendars now to join your ABI colleagues June 8-10 in Ames. Don’t miss it!
Second Annual ABI Foundation’s Leading Leaders Conference Set for March 1
You’ll recall that last February, the ABI Foundation held the first-ever Leading Leaders Conference. The conference was a one-day workshop for directors of Iowa’s community leadership programs, their board members, and anyone interested in such a program. The event was a great success.
Planning for the second Leading Leaders is now underway. It will be held in West Des Moines (at a site to be determined) on Monday, March 1. Look for more news regarding the conference as it is developed.
Standard Golf Turns 100
Another great ABI member, Standard Golf Company, is celebrating a century of success. The company will turn 100 years old this year and is celebrating its birthday by honoring its history and employees. Standard Golf is one of nation’s leading manufacturers and distributors of golf course items and equipment. You can learn more the company’s fascinating history by clicking here.
ABI salutes Standard Golf and congratulates its employees and CEO, longtime association Board Member Peter Voorhees (Standard Golf, Cedar Falls)!
2010 Off to Big Start for ABI
Thanks to you and other ABI members, the association is off to a terrific start to the new year. Other organizations are seeing a downturn in revenues, member involvement, and programming. Because of your leadership, just the opposite is true at ABI.
The terrific attendance at this year’s legislative reception is tangible evidence that ABI continues to grow in participation, involvement, and impact. Revenue is on the upswing, member numbers are strong, and new programs are being added. None of that would be possible without your strong support and leadership. Thank you.
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