Big Day at ABI - Monday Memo 3/7/22

March 7, 2022

Big Day of ABI Meetings and Events Tomorrow

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 ABI Day on the Hill program starts things off.  Following Day on the Hill events, the annual IIPAC luncheon will be held.  If you have questions about anything related to Day on the Hill or the luncheon, please reply to this memo.  In the meantime, please click here to register or for more information: Summary - Day on the Hill 2022 (cvent.com).    

Following the luncheon, the March meeting of the ABI Board of Directors will be held (the ABI Executive Committee will not meet on tomorrow so that members can participate in the other events).  A full agenda will be the focus of the board meeting.  A highlight will be remarks by Canadian Consul General Ariel Delouya upon adjournment of the board meeting.  Refreshments will be served. 

Your attendance at these important meetings and events is appreciated.  On behalf of ABI Chair Jack Hasken (Jackson Mfg., Maquoketa), thank you in advance for your participation. 

Next Legislative Update March 18

Periodically throughout the legislative session, ABI lobbyists host a Zoom meeting 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 a week from Friday, March 18th, 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 Legislative Update (Members Only) | Iowa Association of Business and Industry (iowaabi.org).      

2022 ABI Pre-Employment Testing Seminar March 30

The 2022 edition of ABI's biennial Workers Compensation Seminar will be held later this month.  The seminar will be held at the ABI office on Wednesday, March 30.  

The seminar will include the latest information on the status of drug tests and other pre-employment processes 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: https://web.cvent.com/event/2a596dfc-b15b-4249-8bcd-5be1278155fd/summary.  I look forward to seeing your HR, risk management, or other staff members at the seminar. 

Make you’re Conference, Lodging Reservations Now; FLAGSHIP HOTEL SOLD-OUT

ABI members and staff are heavy into planning for the association’s 119th annual convention.  The 2022 Taking Care of Business Conference will be held June 14-16 in Dubuque and it is shaping up to be a spectacular event.  

Many ABI members have already made their reservations for the conference.  In fact, one of the hotels, the Hotel Julien Dubuque, is already sold-out.  A second hotel, the Grand Harbor Resort, is also filling fast.  Plenty of other great options remain, however.  If you haven't made your reservation yet, you can go to https://www.iowaabi.org/events/annual-conference/  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 Dubuque.  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 Dubuque 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 you 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 Dubuque 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. 

LI, BH Nominations Encouraged; Foundation Executive Committee to Meet

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 2022-2023 Leadership Iowa Class will convene in October and Business Horizons 2022 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.  

Speaking of the ABI Foundation, the Foundation’s Executive Committee will meet Wednesday at ABI in Des Moines.  The committee, which is chaired by Kim Butler Hegedus (Community State Bank, Ankeny) and includes terrific leaders, is re-energizing the Foundation. 

ABI Board to Meet in Ames in May

The next meeting of the ABI Board of Directors will be held at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center in Ames on Thursday, May 12.  Please watch for more information. 

Council Bluffs LI Session Big Success; ABI Statewide Leaders Event Draws Crowd, Board Members Attend

The 2021-2022 Leadership Iowa Class held its latest session last week in Council Bluffs.  The class heard from an incredible array of terrific speakers in a session focused on economic development. 

By the way, a part of the LI session included the latest in ABI’s “Connecting Statewide Leaders” series of events.  A terrific panel comprised of Iowa leaders was the highlight.  Special thanks to ABI Board Member Kathryn Kunert (MidAmerican Energy Company, Des Moines), who was a part of the panel. 

Other board members attending included Kelly Barrick (CIBC Bank, West Des Moines) and Chad Reese (Winnebago Industries, Forest City).  Also present was former longtime ABI Board Member Alan Mores of Harlan.  Thank you to these ABI leaders for attending the event. 

New Company “Inseer” May be Workers Compensation Resource

ABI members work hard to provide a safe workspace for their employees and seek to do all they can to promote health and safety.  That’s as it should be, as injured/unwell employees are not productive and workers compensation costs can be a major expense. 

In that regard, ABI was approached by a new Iowa company, Inseer.  The company was created to help companies manage workers compensation costs by using data analytics to create safe work stations.  Click here for more information: https://inseer.com/index.cfm.  Many of you know Tim Putnam, who formerly was an ABI member executive.  Tim is the point of contact for Inseer and if you wish to reach him, please reply to this memo and I’ll get you his information.  In the meantime, we are working with Inseer to become an ABI member. 

Weekly NAM report Filled with Positive Manufacturing Data

Today’s edition of the Monday Economic Report, published, by the National Association of Manufacturers, is filled with positive manufacturing data.  Many data points trended up last month.  As always, please respond to this memo if you would; like to see the report and I’ll get it to you at once.