Conference Registration Opens February 21 - Monday Memo 2/11/19
February 11, 2019
ABI to Release Taking Care of Business Conference Media Info; Conference Registration Live on the 21st
A team of ABI leaders and staff members have made multiple visits to Ames over the past several months. Led by ABI Chair David Bywater (Bankers Advertising/Tru Art, Iowa City) and Conference Committee Chair Lisa Patterson (Bankers Advertising/Tru Art, Iowa City), the team has participated in meetings and tours related to the annual Taking Care of Business Conference. The Conference Committee will meet at ABI tomorrow, as planning continues for the 2019 Taking Care of Business Conference to be held in Ames June 4-6.
Preparations for the conference now begin in even greater earnest. A major development is the release of media information on the 21st of this month. And, watch for registration to be live that same day, February 21st. At that time, register and, if you haven’t already done so, please make your lodging reservations. While two of the conference hotels are nearly sold-out, plenty of other great options remain. Go here for more information: http://www.iowaabi.org/events/annual-conference/.
Annual Business Resource Guide Published
One of the association’s most popular annual publications is the ABI Business Resource Guide. More than simply a membership directory, the BRG includes information about ABI and ABI Foundation programs, services, and products, as well as other information of value to your business.
You should have received your copy of the guide in the mail. If you didn’t, or if you need additional copies of the guide (a frequent request) simply reply to this message and we’ll get them to you right away. In the meantime, thank you to the many staff members who worked on the guide and to our partners in its production, founding ABI member Bankers Advertising/Tru Art and longtime ABI member Business Publications Corporation!
Iowa Business Day on the Hill A Month Away
The 2019 version of ABI's Business Day on the Hill will be held Wednesday, March 13. The program begins with registration at 8:30 a.m. at the ABI office in Des Moines' East Village (plenty of convenient free parking is available). Following a continental breakfast and an exclusive update with the latest information from the General Assembly, participants will be taken to the Capitol for meetings with legislators and other leaders.
There will be many highlights during the day. For instance, you'll have plenty of time to speak with your legislators, look around Iowa's beautiful Statehouse, and conduct other business. Register now at http://www.cvent.com/events/iowa-business-day-on-the-hill-2019/event-summary-2080946833bd49518eade9d46c07cfb2.aspx.
This year, ABI Day on the Hill has again become Business Day on the Hill, as our association is partnering with the Iowa Chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business, the Iowa Chamber Alliance, and the National Association of Women Business Owners. On behalf of our ABI officers, thank you in advance for your participation in this year’s event.
ABI Board Will Meet March 13
The next ABI Board of Directors meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 13, in Des Moines. ABI Chair David Bywater (Bankers Advertising/Tru Art, Iowa City) will lead the meeting, which will be held at the ABI Office in downtown Des Moines.
In addition to the latest news from the Statehouse, a full agenda will be on tap for the meeting and I hope you can all attend. Watch for the usual packet of materials to arrive in your email in-basket about a week in advance of the meeting.
Legislative Update Friday
Periodically throughout the legislative session, ABI lobbyists host a teleconference 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 a week this Friday, February 15th, 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 https://www.iowaabi.org/events/detail/138-abi-members-only-legislative-conference-calls/.
Latest BRIowa Now Out
The Des Moines Business Record is a great ABI member and partner. The business weekly covers central Iowa and, once a month when it publishes (in conjunction with ABI) Business Record Iowa, it is a statewide newspaper. Look for it in your mailbox now.
The latest edition of Business Record Iowa, ABI's monthly newsprint magazine, is now out and it should be in your mailbox by now. If you haven't received it, please contact me and we'll get another copy out to you right away.
In addition to the latest news about ABI members and programs, the focus of this edition is on a great Iowa economic success story: Ames and Story County. You will find a great photo of ABI member CEO CJ Warner (Renewable Energy Group, Ames) on the cover.
Advisory Council Meeting next Week
Members of the ABI Advisory Council provide leadership in many ways. Certainly their financial support to ABI is important, but of even greater value are the people and information these great companies provide to ABI members. The council will hold its monthly meeting next week in Des Moines. Please join me in thanking the members of the council. They are 21st Century Rehab, ACS, BCC Advisers, BrownWinick, CIRAS, CliftonLarsonAllen, EMC Insurance, Far Reach, Focus OneSource, HDH Advisors, LMC Insurance and Risk Management, Principal Midwest Business Center, Shift Interactive, Tero, The Iowa Clinic, Wellmark, and Wells Fargo.
Foundation Update: Auction Coming in June; LI Locations Sought
Members of the ABI Foundation staff are calling all ABI members. With the annual Taking Care of Business conference just a few months away, the ABI Foundation is revving up for its annual conference auction. An auction committee has been developed and a revamped and exciting auction will be the result. If you have donated auction items in the past, we hope you will be moved to do so again.
If you haven’t donated items to the auction, we hope you will 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. To make arrangements, please contact Rebecca (Becky) Coady at 515-235-0569 or rcoady@iowaabi.org.
And, don’t forget to nominate your community as host community for the Foundation’s Leadership Iowa program. As you read in last week’s Memo, communities selected benefit in a number of ways by being an LI host. Please click here to submit a nomination (and tell us more about why it should be considered for a future session): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfFIzADVuM6LPvuL612OV66TtQEVX4MPOg7BVRGOtosoMUgrg/viewform. If you have questions, please contact Jessi Steward, Director of Programs at the ABI Foundation at jsteward@iowaabi.org or by phone at (515) 235-0570.
Biennial ABI Workers Compensation Seminar March 27 in Des Moines
The biennial ABI Workers Compensation Seminar will be held on March 27 at ABI. The program will include the latest information about legal issues related to workers comp and the latest information about best practices being utilized by other companies. Click here for more information or to register: http://www.cvent.com/events/workers-compensation-best-practices-and-lessons-learned/event-summary-be96531bb7a54282b237b7d3236e9286.aspx. We look forward to seeing you at the seminar on March 27.
Happy Birthday to Charles Sukup
Former ABI Chair Charles Sukup (Sukup Manufacturing Co., Sheffield) will celebrate his birthday on Sunday. ABI sends congratulations and best birthday wishes to Charles!