ABI Leadership Meetings Ahead - Monday Memo 10/7/19
October 7, 2019
Next Board Meeting a Month Away; Executive Committee Meets Wednesday
ABI Chair Cindy Dietz (Collins Aerospace, Cedar Rapids) is inviting all former chairs and members of the board to participate in the final board meeting of 2019. The board will meet at ABI headquarters in Des Moines' East Village on Wednesday, November 6. To register, simply reply to this message. You can expect a very full agenda.
Again, this will be the final board meeting of the calendar year; I hope you can attend. As for this month, the ABI Executive Committee will hold its monthly teleconference the day after tomorrow.
Biennial ABI DC Fly-In One Week from Wednesday
One week from Wednesday, the 2019 edition of the Biennial ABI DC Fly-In will take off for Washington, DC. The Fly-In was created because you asked for it and we are always pleased to take ABI leaders to our nation’s capital.
This high-value trip is packed with substantive meetings. There will be meetings with every single member of the Iowa Congressional delegation, briefings at the White House, at the National Association of Manufacturers, and there will be other highlights. Thank you to those ABI leaders participating in the 2019 edition of the Fly-In.
Cedar Rapids Putting Out Welcome Mat for ABI
Believe me when I tell you that you do not want to miss the 2020 ABI Taking Care of Business Conference. Plans are shaping up to make this event truly spectacular.
Twice in the past 10 days, I have been in Cedar Rapids. The city’s Mayor, Brad Hart (he addressed the board last month), spoke to me about how excited he and the people in Cedar Rapids are that ABI is coming to town in June. City manager Jeff Pomerantz tells me the same thing. CEO Doug Neumann (Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, Cedar Rapids) said the business community will be pulling out all the stops to ensure a great experience by ABI Annual Conference attendees.
Much of this, I am told, is due to the standing of ABI Chair Cindy Dietz (Collins Aerospace, Cedar Rapids) as a civic leader. Thank you, Cindy, for your leadership in Cedar Rapids, in Iowa, and at ABI!
2020 Annual Conference Workshop Proposals Now Being Accepted
Speaking of the annual conference, one highlight each year is the number of high value, substantive breakout sessions and workshops that are a part of the event. Competition for these presentation slots has been keen and I am sure that will be the case again this year.
RFPs related to the workshops are now being accepted by ABI. Go here for more information or to submit a proposal: https://www.dmacc.edu/dbr/Pages/workshop.aspx. The deadline for submissions is December 1.
2019-2020 Leadership Iowa Class Meets
The initial session of the 2019-2020 Leadership Iowa class met last week at the Hotel Patee in Perry. The 38th annual class heard from terrific speakers, such ABI Board Member Jason Gross (EMC Insurance, Des Moines) and ABI Foundation Board Chair Kim Butler Hegedus (Community State Bank, West Des Moines), and had the opportunity to get to know each other. The class will meet again in November.
As members of the board, you will have multiple opportunities to meet the LI class during the coming months. In the meantime, thank you for your support of the LI program.
Iowa Events Center Again Location for Annual ABI Legislative Reception; Register Now
ABI’s award-winning public policy advocacy is successful for many reasons. One is a terrific staff. Another is a sophisticated array of tools and programs in place to support that work. But the critical reason for our success is you. Your personal relationship with your legislator is vital to ABI’s success.
The association’s second largest event held each year is a great tool to use to help in maintaining that personal relationship. The annual ABI Legislative Reception is always a terrific event. You may register here for the 2020 Reception, which will be held January 15th: http://www.cvent.com/events/2020-legislative-briefing-reception/event-summary-2c2f288944e64f1aa787141a79efb869.aspx.
In the meantime, the big news related to the event is that it will again be held at Des Moines’ Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center. The convention center is spacious and is connected by skywalk to the brand new Hilton Hotel. And, parking is plentiful and convenient. Please make plans now to attend.
Friday is Deadline for ABI Directory Updates
This is the time of year that ABI's member database is being updated. Information from the database will be checked, formatted, and put in to hard copy form for inclusion in the 2020 ABI Resource Guide. The guide, in addition to including member data, includes information on the association's people, programs, and events.
If there are no changes in your personnel or company information, you need do nothing. If you have updates, simply send an email to Dorothy Knowles at dknowles@iowaabi.org. The deadline to receive updates is the end of the week. Thank you for helping ensure accurate information.
Next Month: Manufacturing Best Practices Road Show
On November 12 and 13, ABI will take a manufacturing technology trip to north Iowa and to Minneapolis, Minnesota. You, your operations team, and senior engineering staff will find value in this trip. Go here for more information: http://www.cvent.com/events/manufacturing-technology-road-show-minneapolis/event-summary-8dd1b76b9fb94c7c949f7b4b7664fa5f.aspx.
Last Week’s Events Celebrated Iowa Manufacturing
Last week, ABI held the annual Iowa Advanced Manufacturing Conference. A great crowd was on hand to hear terrific speakers, attend high-value workshops, and share best practice ideas with each other.
The evening before, Iowa manufacturers were celebrated at the fourth annual ABI/Elevate Legends in Iowa Manufacturing Awards Dinner. Congratulations to these ABI leaders and others who were recognized at the Legends Dinner: Karen and Kevin Alsott (C&S Products, Fort Dodge), Connor Deering (CemenTech, Indianola), Al Jennings (EFCO, Des Moines), and Director Beth Townsend (Iowa Workforce Development, Des Moines. Iowa manufacturing leader Fred Lisle (Lisle Corporation, Clarinda) was honored posthumously. Congratulations to all the awardees and thanks to all who attended!
Governor Reynolds Visits CemenTech, EFCO; Al Jennings NOT Retiring
You may get tired of hearing me say it, but one of the most important things you can do to advance ABI’s public policy agenda is to invite policy-makers into your plant or office. Longtime ABI members CemenTech and EFCO are the latest ABI members to have elected officials to visit.
Last Friday, in honor of Manufacturing Week, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds visited CemenTech and EFCO during the same day. Congratulations and thank you to Former ABI Chair Al Jennings (EFCO, Des Moines) and to ABI Board Member Connor Deering (CemenTech, Indianola)!
And by the way, based on media reports, last week’s Monday Memo noted that Al Jennings was retiring after a near 40-year career at EFCO. Mr. Jennings asked that a correction be made. The media reports were in error and he emphatically is NOT retiring!
Lieutenant Governor to Visit Tassel Ridge
Speaking of state officials visiting ABI member facilities, this Thursday, Iowa Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg will visit longtime ABI member Tassel Ridge Winery near Leighton. Iowa’s wine-making industry continues to grow and Tassel Ridge is a leader in the industry. Congratulations and thank you to former ABI Chair Bob Wersen (Interpower Corporation, Oskaloosa), who also owns Tassel Ridge, for the visit!
Randy Moore on Cover of QC-Times Magazine
ABI Board Member Randy Moore (Iowa American Water Company, Davenport) is featured on the cover of the Fall Edition of the Quad-City Times business magazine, Insight. Randy is featured in an article about leaders in the region, which is fitting, because Randy is certainly a leader. Not only in the Quad Cities, but in Iowa and at ABI, too. Congratulations on the great coverage, Randy! If you would like to read the article for yourself, reply to this memorandum and I’ll get a copy to you at once.
Charles Miller, Father-in-Law of David Bywater, Passes
ABI members know well Immediate Past Chair David Bywater (Bankers Advertising/TruArt, Iowa City) and his wife, Angie Bywater. David and Angie were front and center at the annual conference in Ames last June and are wonderful ambassadors for ABI and Iowa.
I am sorry to report the death of Angie’s father, Charles “Chip” Miller. Mr. Miller passed away September 26 and service celebrating his life was held a week ago in Iowa City. He was a well-known businessman in Kalona and Iowa City. Read more about his life here: https://www.peterseimfuneralhome.com/notices/CharlesChip-Miller. Our thought and prayers are with Angie and David and their family.
Former Board Member John Dasher Passes
Former longtime ABI Board Member John Dasher passed away in Wisconsin on September 27. Mr. Dasher was a 40-year McDonald’s franchisee and central Iowa businessman. You can read more about him here: https://www.huehnsfuneralhome.com/notices/John-Dasher.
Thank you to former ABI Chair Bill Bywater (Bankers Advertising/TruArt, Iowa City) for sharing the news of John’s death. Bill also shared that Bill’s wife, Linda Bywater, whom ABI members know well, and John Dasher some years ago worked together to lead a restoration of the famous Campanile, a landmark at Iowa State University in Ames. ABI remembers the life of John Dasher.