Annual ABI Legislative Reception Next Week - Monday Memo 1/2/23
January 2, 2023
Next Week: Annual Legislative Briefing/Reception; Register Now
With only a little over a week to go, advance registrations for the 2023 ABI Legislative Briefing and Reception are running at a very strong pace. As I write today’s memo, it is clear that with ABI members, legislators and other officials, well over 400 attendees will be a part of the event. I hope you have already registered, but if not, please register NOW by going to www.iowaabi.org or by simply replying to this email.
NOTE:Registering for the briefing/reception does not register you for the board meeting and vice versa. If you have any doubts about your registrations, please reply to this message and let me know your plans. I'll check on your registration status and make sure it reflects your wishes. If not, we'll take care of it right away. Thank you!
This annual event is one of the association’s most popular and you won’t want to miss the 2023 edition. Please join in the members-only briefing following the ABI Board Meeting and the Reception immediately follows. All events will take place at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in downtown Des Moines.
We expect Governor Kim Reynolds and Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg will be there, as will members of the General Assembly and other state officials and department heads. YOU are the reason that this event draws more legislators and state officials than any other similar meeting. Your attendance and time spent with legislators is a crucial part of ABI’s legislative advocacy. Thank you in advance for your participation.
ABI Board to Meet
As referenced above, the ABI Board of Directors will hold its first meeting of the calendar year a week from Wednesday. You will receive an email message from me tomorrow or Thursday with a link to the usual packet of meeting materials. ABI Chair Kim Augspurger (Pigott, Des Moines) and members of the association's Executive Committee will also convene for the committee’s first meeting of 2023 Wednesday. We look forward to your participation next week.
January Leadership Iowa Session Next Week
The ABI Foundation’s 2022-2023 Leadership Iowa Class will hold its January session next week on Des Moines. The session is jam-packed with terrific speakers, meetings with legislators, media presentations, and other activities. The January session, as you can tell, focuses on state government and politics and is typically one of the program’s most popular. You will have an opportunity to meet members of the LI class at a future date.
Leadership Iowa Alumni Dinner Coming January 11
Speaking of Leadership Iowa, following the ABI Legislative Reception on Wednesday the 11th, the ABI Foundation and will again host the Leadership Iowa Alumni Society Dinner and Celebration. This event will take place at the River Center in Downtown Des Moines. The event provides a fun and unique dinner networking opportunity for LI alumni. LI will be celebrated and other special things will make the night a lot of fun. Click here Summary - Leadership Iowa Alumni Dinner & Celebration (cvent.com) for more information and to register.
JD Davis to Represent ABI at Business Record Forum
ABI Vice President Public Policy JD Davis will represent the association at an upcoming legislative forum. The forum, which will be hosted by the Business Record, will be held Tuesday, January 10. JD and a panel of others will preview the 2023 session of the Iowa General Assembly and discuss other issues important to business.
Click here to register for this free virtual event: 2023 Legislative Forecast Registration, Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 12:00 PM | Eventbrite. Congratulations to JD for being selected for the panel and thank you for representing ABI members and Iowa business.
Remember: You Can Receive ABI Updates through Twitter, Facebook
ABI was one of the first associations to use new social media technologies to keep in touch and inform members of new developments. With next Monday’s convening of the legislative session, it seems like a good time to remind you that you can receive updates via Twitter as legislative developments are happening.
Many ABI members -- and members of the media -- tell me frequently that they appreciate these real time updates. ABI's public policy staff regularly tweets LIVE from the committee rooms at the Statehouse.
ABI also has a Facebook site, shares information via the web, and of course continues to utilize all the traditional media to ensure that you receive the latest information in the format that works best for you. If you have other ideas for other ways we can communicate with you effectively, please let me know.
NAM Report Documents Strong Third Quarter; Growth in 2022
In the December 26th edition of the weekly Monday Economic Report from the National Association of Manufacturers, NAM noted some impressive numbers. In the third quarter of 2022, manufacturing contributed $2.8 trillion to the U.S. economy. And, manufacturing is still on track to grow 2.2 percent for the year. Growth is further expected in 2023, though at an even more nominal level. One thing not improved is the need for manufacturing workers. If you are interested in viewing the report for yourself, reply to this message and I will send it to you.
Todd Sommerfeld Celebrates
A great ABI leader is celebrating. Longtime ABI Board Member Todd Sommerfeld (Kreg Tool, Huxley) celebrated his birthday recently. Happy birthday and congratulations to Todd!
Don Hauser Passes; Funeral this Thursday in Des Moines
It was with regret that I received word last week that Don Hauser, longtime ABI staff member, had passed away. Many of you knew Don and knew of his incredible record of work for ABI. Don joined the ABI staff in 1964 when the organization was still known as the Iowa Manufacturers Association. He left the staff in 1996, serving Iowa businesses for over three decades. Don, Jack Soener, and Jan Meek were all 30-year plus ABI staff members at a time that defined the association’s success.
In addition to his leadership at ABI, Don was a man of strong faith and a strong family man; he loved his wife and children very much. Until just a couple for years ago, Don would stop by ABI and it was always a pleasure to visit with him and to hear his stories of past legislative battles and member interactions.
You can learn more about Don by reading his obituary here: Donald George Hauser Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information (caldwellparrish.com). A visitation and funeral will be held at 10:00 and 11:00 this Thursday morning (1/5/23) at St. Augustin in Des Moines. ABI sends our deepest sympathies to Don’s family.
January Always an Important Month for ABI; Aggressive Agenda for 2022
As I write this week’s memo, it is quiet in the ABI office, as it is officially closed to mark the New Year’s Day holiday. It will be great see the staff back in the office tomorrow and I hope you will join me in thanking them for their work in the months ahead.
It seems like every year about this time, I note that while January is the first month in the calendar year, it marks the seventh month in the annual ABI fiscal year (which concludes June 30). For many reasons, January is a critical month for association programs.
The first ABI meetings of the year are held this month and these events help set the tone for the year. Your participation in these meetings is vital to our success. Also, Foundation programs conduct critical work each January and that is important. Of course, the Iowa General Assembly convenes in January and there is no more important work ABI does than aggressively advance a pro-business agenda before the legislature. Finally, January is ABI’s most important month for revenue, with more of our annual revenue coming in this month than any other.
Thanks to your leadership and your investment, ABI enters 2023 in as strong a position as it has ever enjoyed. We never take for granted that it is ABI members which make that success possible. On behalf of Association Chair Kim Augspurger (Pigott, Des Moines) and our officers, thank you for that support. Big goals are a part of ABI's plans for 2023. ABI has developed a strong record of success and those big goals for 2023 include continued growth in members and revenue, increased programming of value, legislative success, and increases in Foundation activity, among many other things.
For now, your participation in the ABI events to be held this month 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.