ABI Fort Dodge Events Thursday - Monday Memo 12/2/19
December 2, 2019
ABI Events in Fort Dodge Thursday; Sign-up Now for Connecting Statewide Leaders Session
As you have been reading about in recent editions of this memorandum, ABI is hosting a couple of events in Fort Dodge on December 5. An interesting morning event and the December session of Leadership Iowa are on tap Thursday.
That morning, ABI will host the next in a series of Connecting Statewide Leaders events. This event features Iowa Department of Education Director Dr. Ryan Wise. Director Wise will address the state of education in Iowa and challenges and opportunities ahead. Following the session, lunch with the Leadership Iowa class is available.
There are still spots open for this event. You can register and find more information here: http://www.cvent.com/events/connecting-statewide-leaders/event-summary-e3b7200d1fdc41bda126a27754945b8b.aspx. We hope to see you in Fort Dodge.
JD Davis Joins ABI Today
As you know from past meetings and past editions of this memorandum, former ABI Board Member JD Davis joins the ABI staff today. Following a decades-long and very successful career with longtime ABI member MidAmerican Energy Company, JD joins ABI as Vice President Public Policy.
In his new role, JD will lead ABI’s public policy and political work and will join ABI Director Public Policy Brad Hartkopf at the Statehouse. We are thrilled to have another recognized expert and well-respected member of the Iowa public policy community join us in this role. Please join me in congratulating JD when you see him at an upcoming meeting.
JD fills the position vacated by new ABI Executive Vice President Nicole Crain. Both Nicole and I will assist JD and Brad when necessary. Welcome, JD!
ABI Executive Committee to Hold Final 2019 Teleconference Next Wednesday; First 2020 Board Meeting Next Month
The ABI Executive Committee, chaired by Cindy Dietz (Collins Aerospace, Cedar Rapids), will hold its final meeting of the calendar year a week from Wednesday. After that, the next ABI leadership meeting will be held next month. The first ABI Board of Directors meeting of 2020 will be held on Wednesday, January 15.
Please register for the January board meeting by replying to this memorandum. At the meeting, the latest updates regarding critical association business will be a focus, as will issues related to (what will then be) the just-convened 2020 session of the Iowa General Assembly.
Your attendance at this meeting and at the ABI Legislative Briefing and Reception that follows is essential. Please finalize your plans to attend and register now for these events. Please go to http://www.cvent.com/events/2020-legislative-briefing-reception/event-summary-2c2f288944e64f1aa787141a79efb869.aspx for registration and event information related to the legislative briefing and reception. Thank you in advance for making the ABI events of January 15 a priority.
Tomorrow: #Giving Tuesday
As you read about in this memo two weeks ago (and likely have seen mentioned in other sources), tomorrow is #GivingTuesday. The hashtag signifies a global day of giving fueled by social media and collaboration. The event is celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving and the widely-represented shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Should you participate in #GivingTuesday, please consider the ABI Foundation as one of your beneficiaries. Please contact ABI Foundation Development Director Becky Coady for more information at rcoady@iowaabi.org or at (515) 235-0569.
Final 2020 Quarterly ABI Iowa Business Survey to be Conducted
Later today, you will receive the final ABI Board of Directors Quarterly Economic Survey of 2019. The survey message will arrive in your in-box this afternoon and I hope you will act on it quickly.
When you click on the survey link that will be a part of the message, you will find a very simple and easy to complete survey. Please complete the survey as soon as possible and look for the results to be shared with you next week.
Leadership Iowa Class Headed to Fort Dodge
As you read elsewhere in this Memo, the third session of the 2019-2020 Leadership Iowa Class will be held in Fort Dodge later this week. Class members will meet Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
The session will focus on education and a terrific slate of speakers is on tap. Among those speakers are the Mayor of Fort Dodge, ABI Board Member Matt Bemrich (Bemrich Electric, Fort Dodge) and the Honorary LI-ABI Board Member, Jenae Jenison (Central College, Pella). Thank you, Matt and Jenae.
Davis is Member of Business Record Panel
Longtime ABI member Business Publications Corp. publishes the Des Moines Business Record. The Business Record staff has created a new series of panel events called THE NEWSROOM. Issues in the news are covered in these events, which always feature a panel of experts addressing the issues under focus.
This month’s event will feature, among other panelists, ABI Vice President Public Policy JD Davis. As you might imagine, the topic is a look at the upcoming session of the Iowa General Assembly. The event will be held at 4:00 p.m. on December 12 in Des Moines.
Shine Bros. Corp. Annual Holiday Party Next Week
If you want to experience some great holiday spirit and see some ABI friends, you don’t want to miss the annual Shine Bros. Corp. Holiday Party. This year’s event will be held next Friday, December 13, at the Shine Bros. headquarters in Spencer. You’ll see former ABI Chair Toby Shine (Shine Bros. Corp., Spencer) and former ABI Board Member Eva Shine (Shine Bros. Corp., Spencer). You’ll likely see other ABI board members and past chairs. And you’ll see state officials and Iowa leaders.
All ABI board members and past chairs are invited. All you need do is RSVP to Vicki at Shine Bros. at (712) 262-5579, extension 113, or vicki@shinebros.com. Don’t miss this festive event!
David Fisher to Celebrate
Well-known Iowa business leader and former ABI Chair David Fisher (Onthank Company, Des Moines) has a birthday this week. David will celebrate on Saturday (December 7). Happy birthday, David!
Don Hauser Marks Birthday
Longtime ABI staff member Don Hauser is also celebrating a birthday. Don will turn 89 tomorrow; happy birthday to Don.