Board to Meet Wednesday - Monday Memo 11/4/19

November 4, 2019

Board, Executive Committee to Meet Wednesday

Both the ABI Board of Directors and the ABI Executive Committee will meet Wednesday (November 6).  ABI Chair Cindy Dietz (Collins Aerospace, Cedar Rapids) will call to order the final board meeting of 2019 at 11:30 a.m. at the ABI office in Des Moines.  

A review of the annual audit, staffing issues, an update regarding the conference, and your business reports are highlights of the agenda.  In addition, the board will receive the usual operational reports.  

If you haven't already done so, please register your attendance by simply replying to this message.  A link to access the usual packet of reports and reference materials was distributed by email last week.  I distributed the monthly financial report about 20 minutes ago.  If you did not receive those messages, please let me know and the information will be sent to you at once.  In the meantime and on behalf of our ABI officers, I look forward to seeing you Wednesday. 

IIPAC Investors Invited to Meet New House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl

As you read in last week’s Memo, IIPAC (ABI’s PAC, the Iowa Industry Political Action Committee) investors are invited to ABI at 10:30 Wednesday morning to meet with newly-elected Iowa House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl (R-Missouri Valley).  Majorly Leader Windschitl has asked for this conversation with business leaders.  

This will be one of Representative Windschitl’s very first events since being elected Majority Leader.  This event is open to IIPAC investors only and more information will be coming your way soon.  If you aren’t already an IIPAC investor (and you should be; I am) click here to become one: https://www.iowaabi.org/public-policy/iipac/.  

Manufacturing Best Practices Road Show NEXT WEEK

Over two days next week, ABI members will be exposed to the very latest in digital manufacturing technology and practices.  ABI and the Center for Industrial Research and Service at Iowa State University (CIRAS) are leading a tour of sites with the very latest in digital manufacturing technology and practices.  

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.  Several folks are already registered for the roadshow.  If you and your team have not yet registered, or if you wish to see more information, please click here: http://www.cvent.com/events/manufacturing-technology-road-show-minneapolis/event-summary-8dd1b76b9fb94c7c949f7b4b7664fa5f.aspx

2020 ABI Legislative Reception on January 15

One of the association's most popular events is the annual legislative reception.  ABI members are proud that the reception has traditionally drawn more Iowa legislators (of both parties) than similar events hosted by any other organization.  All 150 legislators and the Governor and Lieutenant Governor will again be invited to join you at the 2020 reception, which will be held January 15 (the same day as the January ABI Board Meeting) at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in downtown Des Moines.  

Mark your calendars now.  You can register for the event/find more information about the event by clicking on http://www.cvent.com/events/2020-legislative-briefing-reception/event-summary-2c2f288944e64f1aa787141a79efb869.aspx. Your attendance at this important event is vital for ABI to advance its pro-growth, pro-jobs agenda.  

Register Now for December 5 Fort Dodge Events

On December 5th, ABI will host two events that will bring value to your company.  That morning, ABI will host the next in a series of Connecting Statewide Leaders events.  Following that event and lunch with the Leadership Iowa class, ABI will then hold a value-building seminar. 

The Leaders forum will feature Ryan Wise, the Director of the Iowa Department of Education.  The Director will share news regarding Iowa education programs, training initiatives, and related matters.  You can register for this event now at http://www.cvent.com/events/connecting-statewide-leaders/event-summary-e3b7200d1fdc41bda126a27754945b8b.aspx.  The seminar about building business value will immediately follow lunch.  You can register and find more information here: http://www.cvent.com/events/building-business-value-december-2019/event-summary-1fb42836b53049e2bce0730a9212f5e3.aspx.  Both events will help your business succeed. 

Conference Breakout Proposals Due December 1

The members of the ABI Conference Committee are putting together plans for a spectacular Taking Care of Business Conference.  The 2020 conference will be held next June in Cedar Rapids.  

Speaking of the annual conference, now is the time for interested parties to submit their responses to the breakout session RFP.  Conference attendees have given very high marks to the breakout sessions in recent years and much of that is due to the very competitive process related to those sessions.  The deadline for proposals is December 1 and you can click here for more information: https://www.dmacc.edu/dbr/Pages/workshop.aspx.  The conference will be held in June 9-11 of next year.  Mark your calendars now and watch for more information soon. 

Leadership Iowa Class in Iowa Falls this Week

The ABI Foundation's 2019-2020 Leadership Iowa class will hold its second session this week in Iowa Falls.  The session will focus on agriculture and renewable energy.  Thank you to all of you for your support for Leadership Iowa. 

Cindy Dietz Celebrates Wednesday

ABI Chair Cindy Dietz (Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids) celebrates her birthday Wednesday… and rumor has it there may be a cake at the board meeting to help mark the occasion.  In the meantime, ABI sends big happy birthday wishes to Cindy Dietz! 

Jennings Family Member May Receive World Series Ring

Iowan Dan Jennings pitched 8 innings in relief for the Washington Nationals during this past Major League Baseball season.  The Nationals, of course, won the World Series last Wednesday evening by defeating the Houston Astros in the Series’ decisive seventh game.  What that means is that Dan may receive a World Series ring.  You can read more about that here: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/baseball/2019/10/30/washington-nationals-jeremy-hellickson-dan-jennings-des-moines-hoover-high-school-valley-high-school/4106733002/.  

Dan is the son of former ABI Board Member Bob Jennings and grandson of former ABI Chair Al Jennings (EFCO, Des Moines).  No matter what, pitching in the major leagues is pretty cool, so congratulations to Dan... and to his father and grandfather!  Thank you to Bob Jennings and to Al Jennings’ assistant Raquel Loree for the link and thank you to Immediate Past ABI Chair David Bywater (Bankers Advertising/True Art, Iowa City) for making me aware of this fun happening. 

The Business of ABI; Strong Results in 2019

Editor's Note: The following is a message that has become a tradition about this time each year; it has been edited for accuracy and so that it objectively applies to the current year.

When I created the Monday Memo, my goal was to provide you with sort of an “inside baseball” view of what is happening at ABI each week.  Too many times, this weekly memo becomes simply a list of upcoming events.  Given that, I especially like to share news related to developments and projects (other than events) and news of what is happening with your fellow board members and past chairs.  And, I like to share news regarding what I call the business of ABI.  

The business of ABI refers to key information about the metrics that provide insights as to whether or not our association is achieving the goals you establish for it every year.  In that regard and in keeping with a tradition started over a decade ago, I typically share some information in the memo that appears the week of the final board meeting of the year to provide some information about association results during the past 12 months. 

For many years, I listed several bullet points related to ABI's work in public policy, programs, with the work of the ABI Foundation, and as it pertains to our operational and financial success.  Because that became repetitive, I took a different tack the last few years and I'll do that again now.  

Let me simply say that ABI experienced strong results in 2019.  I need to point out that is not just rhetoric.  Simply saying something is the case does not make it so.  In measurable ways, ABI enjoyed success this year.  When it comes to public policy advocacy, membership growth, participation in events, conference revenue, Foundation programs, creation of new initiatives, and in so many other ways, 2019 has been a truly great year (and it’s not over yet). 

ABI board members demand results.  Thanks to your leadership and thanks to a hard-working staff at both ABI and the ABI Foundation, strong results were achieved.   THANK YOU.