ABI Business Day on the Hill Tomorrow - Monday Memo 3/12/18
March 12, 2018
Big Day of ABI Meetings and Events Tomorrow; Feenstra to Speak
As I note every year about this time, ABI has been very busy hosting many events and meetings of late. And, as always, that’s good; if the association is fulfilling its mission, we better be busy (and productive).
Tomorrow, ABI will host several events. The annual Business Day on the Hill starts things off. Find more information by visiting https://www.iowaabi.org/events/.
Following the Business Day on the Hill events, you can also participate in the annual luncheon benefiting ABI’s political arm, the Iowa Industry Political Action Committee. The IIPAC Board of Directors is chaired by former ABI Chair Kirk Tyler (Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Waukee). Iowa Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) will keynote the luncheon.
Following the luncheon, the March meeting of the ABI Board of Directors will be held (the ABI Executive Committee will not meet on the14th so that members can participate in the other events). A full agenda will be the focus of the board meeting.
Your attendance at these important meetings and events is appreciated. On behalf of ABI Chair David Zrostlik (Stellar Industries, Garner) thank you in advance for your participation.
Legislative Update Friday
Periodically throughout the legislative session, ABI lobbyists host a teleconference to give you the very latest information from the Statehouse. Updates on bills, legislative proposals, state actions, and other matters are covered in each call. Your specific questions about those topics are also very much welcomed.
The next call will be held this Friday, March 16th, at 8:00 a.m. and you and your employees are encouraged to participate. The members-only call is free as a part of your ABI membership, but please register at http://www.iowaabi.org/events/detail/93-abi-members-only-legislative-conference-calls/.
2018 ABI Drug Testing Seminar March 22
The 2018 edition of ABI's biennial Drug Testing Seminar will be held later this month. The seminar will be held at the ABI office on Thursday, March 22.
The seminar will include the latest information on the status of drug testing changes and what they mean for your company. The program will also include other information, such as best-practice data from other companies. To register, please go to this link: http://www.cvent.com/events/employee-drug-testing-program-signs-symptoms-solutions/event-summary-ae2c7d6158bb4691a442c9f05e7d105e.aspx. I look forward to seeing your HR, risk management, or other staff members at the seminar.
Make Your Convention, Lodging Reservations Now; TWO HOTELS ALREADY SOLD-OUT
ABI members and staff are heavy into planning for the association’s 115th annual convention. The annual conference will be held June 5-7 in Coralville/Iowa City.
The 2018 Taking Care of Business Conference is shaping up to be a spectacular event. The conference planning committee, chaired by Donna Popp-Bruezewitz (Stellar Industries, Garner), is putting together a terrific program.
Many ABI members have already made their reservations for the conference. In fact, two of the hotels, the Coralville Marriott and the nearby Homewood Suites, are already sold-out. Plenty of other great options remain, however. If you haven't made your reservation yet, you can go to http://www.cvent.com/events/2018-abi-taking-care-of-business-conference/event-summary-10c1c9760a3e4dd682c42cdc092b358e.aspx and take care of it today. That link will provide you with information about lodging and information about the conference agenda and speakers, information about terrific venues and special events, and information about the incredible list of things to do in the Greater Coralville/Iowa City region. Perhaps most importantly, you can also register for the convention.
All the information you need is on this website. Or, if you wish to have the ABI staff handle your reservation, simply reply to this email message and I’ll make sure it gets handled. See you in Coralville/Iowa City in June!
Call is Out for Great Foundation Auction Items
Speaking of the annual conference, one of the highlights of the conference each year is the auction that benefits the programs of the ABI Foundation. And, as read in the Monday Memo of a month ago, the ABI Foundation staff is calling for your donations for terrific auction items.
With the annual conference in Greater Iowa City just a few months away, Foundation staffers are looking for packages/donations for both the live and silent auction. If you have donated in the past, please do so again. If you haven’t donated items to the auction, please take a moment to think about how you or your business can contribute. The conference auction is vital to the success and sustainability of the Foundation’s life-changing programs. Thank you for your consideration.
Latest Edition of Business Record Iowa Now Out; Yanney on the Cover
The latest edition of ABI’s monthly newsmagazine, Business Record Iowa, has now been published. The magazine is made possible through a partnership between ABI and Business Publications Corporation, publishers of the Des Moines Business Record.
Iowa transportation issues are a focus of this edition and you can read about that and more in this month’s magazine. You can’t miss it, as former ABI Chair Charese Yanney (Guarantee Roofing and Siding, Sioux City) graces the cover. If you don’t receive your copy in the mail today or tomorrow, contact the ABI office and we’ll get another copy to you at once.
LI, BH Nominations Encouraged
Leadership Iowa and Business Horizons are two of the ABI Foundation’s flagship programs. LI is one of America’s oldest and most successful leadership development programs. BH provides a terrific week-long entrepreneurial experience for Iowa high school students each summer. The 2018-2019 Leadership Iowa Class will convene in October and Business Horizons 2018 will be held in July at Central College in Pella.
Now is the time that you can help the program in an important way. Nominate participants for LI and students for BH. Making nominations doesn’t cost a cent and is easy to do. Simply click on https://www.leadershipiowa.com/ and/or http://www.businesshorizonsiowa.org/ for more information and to make your nominations.
ABI Members Invited to Midwest Environmental Compliance Conference
For many years, ABI has been among a number of organizations that are collaborating in producing the Midwest Environmental Compliance Conference. Past editions of the conference have been a huge success.
The 2018 conference will be held on April 11-12 at the Kansas City Convention center in downtown Kansas City. If you have been to the convention center, you know how accessible it is, with plenty of convenient parking. The agenda for the conference is terrific and packed full of high-value information. Your compliance staff will find no better resource for the very latest in environmental regulatory information.
ABI receives financial support for every Iowa participant that registers for the conference. While that is a great incentive, the real reason to attend is for the high-value program. Please consider sending your staff to the conference, which is being held about a month earlier than usual. Find out more information and register by clicking on http://mecconference.com/.
ABI Executive Committee Meeting April 4; Next Board Meeting May 2
The ABI Executive Committee will next meet by teleconference on April 4. The next meeting of the ABI Board of Directors will be held May 2 in Garner. Please watch for more information.
This Week in NAM Report: Encouraging Data
Longtime readers of this memorandum know I appreciate the reports published by the National Association of Manufacturers, even when the data isn’t positive. Last week’s NAM Monday Economic Report was somewhat sobering, because it highlighted volatility in the financial markets and the negative impact that volatility was having on the economy.
The news is much better this week, with the report citing the well-known Manufacturing Purchasing Manager’s Index rising higher than it has in 12 years and other positive data. As always, if you wish to see the report, simply reply to this message and I will get it to you at once.
Big Day at State for Landhuis Family
Thanks to Kay Neumann-Thomas, I heard about the incredible day at the state swim meet enjoyed by athletes from Clarinda. Six first and two meet records!
ABI board members will remember Nik Landhuis, who visited the board at its meeting in January. Here is a fun newspaper story about Nik, who is a terrific athlete: http://www.clarindaherald.com/sports/landhuis-concludes-high-school-swim-career-at-state-meet/article_c219d980-1746-11e8-9dc8-37f3e8b5ee3b.html. Congratulations to Nik! And to mom and ABI Board Member Mary Landhuis (Lisle Corporation/EZ Way, Clarinda)!
Krista Tanner to Celebrate Friday
ABI Board Member Krista Tanner (ITC Midwest, Des Moines) will mark her birthday this Friday, on March 16. ABI sends best birthday wishes to a great ABI leader. Happy birthday, Krista!
John Deere Archives Subject of Fun Newspaper Story
One thing I have learned during my time at ABI is the importance of history, of legacy. ABI members are always looking to the future, but they always treasure the past.
In that regard, the Quad City Times last week carried a fun article about the archives built and maintained by Deere & Company. Click on this link to read the story for yourself: http://qctimes.com/news/local/barb-ickes/ickes-off-limits-at-john-deere-corporate-archives/article_a31205e7-e256-53da-8b49-3da80ea974b4.html#tracking-source=home-top-story. Congratulations to everyone at Deere on this fun article, including ABI Board Member Stacey Pellet (John Deere, Johnston)!