Dubuque Events Tomorrow - Monday Memo 2/13/17
February 13, 2017
ABI Team Heads to Dubuque Tomorrow for Taking Care of Business Conference Presser
A team of ABI leaders and staff members are heading to Dubuque Tuesday. Led by ABI Chair Lori Schaefer-Weaton (Agri-Industrial Plastics, Fairfield) and Conference Committee Chair Amy Jones (Agri-Industrial Plastics, Fairfield), the team will conduct several meetings related to the annual Taking Care of Business Conference.
Chief among these is the holding of a press conference for local media. In addition to Lori and Amy, ABI Board Members Tim Conlon (Conlon Construction, Dubuque) and Jack Hasken (Jackson Manufacturing, Maquoketa) are expected to be present.
The 2017 Taking Care of Business Conference will be held June 6-8 in Dubuque. Watch for registration to be available in less than two weeks and make your plans now to attend.
Foundation Staff Requesting Your Help
Members of the ABI Foundation staff are calling all amazingly generous ABI members. With the annual Taking Care of Business conference in Dubuque just a few months away, the ABI Foundation is revving up for its annual conference auction. Foundation staffers are looking for packages/donations for both the live and silent auction. If you have donated in the past, we hope you will be moved to do so again.
You have more than likely already received an email about this – please respond in favor or to decline. 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 Amanda Nuzum, the Foundation’s Development Director at 515-235-0569 or anuzum@iowaabi.org.
ABI CFO Roundtable Thursday at DMACC
One of ABI's newest high-value programs is the CFO Roundtable. The roundtable includes chief financial officers from ABI member companies large and small, whether they be publicly or privately held.
The roundtable will hold its February meeting this coming Thursday on the campus of Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny. A great program is on tap. If your CFO would like to participate or would like more information, please contact ABI Vice President Member Development and Programs Kathy Anderson at kanderson@iowaabi.org. Membership in the roundtable is open to any ABI member company.
Iowa Business Day on the Hill A Month Away
The 2017 version of ABI's Business Day on the Hill will be held Tuesday, March 14. 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 directly across the street). 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 https://www.cvent.com/events/iowa-business-day-on-the-hill-2017/registration-987f9de27d714ea290dad8dedcf691b9.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 and the Iowa Chamber Alliance. On behalf our officers, thank you in advance for your participation in this year’s event.
ABI Board Will Meet March 14
The next ABI leadership meeting will be a meeting of the ABI Board of Directors on Tuesday, March 14, in Des Moines. ABI Chair Lori Schaefer-Weaton (Agri-Industrial Plastics, Fairfield) 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. Click here http://www.cvent.com/d/yvq6jf to register.
Leadership Iowa Board of Governors Meets Tomorrow
The ABI Foundation's Leadership Iowa program is one of the nation's oldest and most successful leadership development programs. Helping to ensure its continued success is great leadership by the LI Board of Governors. The Board of Governors will meet tomorrow afternoon at ABI.
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.
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 romance among business partners. You will find a great photo of ABI Advisory Council Members Steve and Michelle Cassabaum (21st Century Rehab, Nevada) on the cover. Look for it in your in-box now.
Advisory Council Meeting Thursday
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 this Thursday in West Des Moines. Please join me in thanking the members of the council. They are 21st Century Rehab, BCC Advisers, Brick Gentry P.C., BrownWinick, CIRAS, CliftonLarsonAllen, EMC, Focus OneSource, Global Reach, LMC Insurance and Risk Management, Manpower, Principal Financial Group, Transition Point Business Advisors, Tero, and Wellmark.
Next Connecting Statewide Leader Session March 2 in Iowa City
The next event in ABI's Connecting Statewide Leaders series will be held March 2 in Iowa City. A high-value panel, networking, and a reception will be a part of the program, which will be held at the beautiful McCord Indoor Club at Kinnick Stadium.
These programs are simply great ways to gain information and connect with your fellow ABI members, Leadership Iowa class members, local business leaders, and others. And we also appreciate the reports we receive about sales/deals being made during these events, too.
Join ABI for these events on March 2. For more information and to register, click on http://www.cvent.com/events/connecting-statewide-leaders/event-summary-807a18b08352495697a6aa16074b3c42.aspx.
Biennial Workers Comp Seminar March 30 in Des Moines
The biennial ABI Workers Compensation Seminar will be held on March 30 at ABI. The program will include the latest information about work comp (which may be addressed by the Iowa General Assembly) and the latest information about best practices being utilized by other companies. Click here for more information and to register: http://www.cvent.com/events/workers-compensation-best-practices-lessons-learned-and-ideas-from-the-innovators/event-summary-b7df219082a0451dbed5f8305d5f1685.aspx.
Elevate Scholarships Available
You will recall that in last week's Memo, I shared information about scholarships related to ABI's Elevate Advanced Manufacturing initiative. Elevate promotes great careers in advanced manufacturing. In 2017, Elevate is offering (15) $500 scholarships to Iowa high school seniors interested in studying a manufacturing-related career at one of Iowa’s 15 Community Colleges – 1 award will be made per college region. Interested candidates can apply by completing the application at www.elevateiowa.com.
Charles Sukup Will Celebrate Birthday
Former ABI Chair Charles Sukup (Sukup Manufacturing Co., Sheffield) will celebrate his birthday this coming Friday. ABI sends congratulations and best birthday wishes to Charles!
Dusts Fund Advanced Manufacturing Scholarship
ABI board members are the best. They don't just talk; they do. Longtime ABI Board Member Steve Dust (Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber, Waterloo) is a prime example of that. Steve supports everything in which ABI is involved and is a leading donor to IIPAC, ABI's political action committee.
I have also learned that Steve and his wife, Donita Dust, fund a scholarship at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo. The scholarship goes to a qualifying student who is taking courses involved in advanced manufacturing. I should not be surprised by the Dusts' commitment, as t is just one more example of their commitment to their community and to their state. Congratulations and thank you, Steve and Donita Dust!
Another Great Edition of BCC Advisers' Baton
As you know from reading these weekly messages, we enjoy receiving your company newsletters here at ABI. They provide great insights in to Iowa's most successful businesses... yours.
Baton, the newsletter of ABI Advisory Council Member BCC Advisers, is one of the best. It always includes great information and valuable perspectives, not just about mergers and acquisitions, but about business in general. The latest edition is no exception.
The newsletter has a very interesting cover story about the transition of ownership of one of north Iowa's best-known companies, Fox River Mills. BCC Advisers played a key role. Other articles about forms of consideration and the value of investment bankers are also quite interesting. And as usual, business lines, the column written by ABI Board Member and company President and CEO Steve Jacobs (BCC Advisers, Des Moines), was terrific. To see the newsletter for yourself, reply to this message or go to the BCC Advisers website: https://www.bccadvisers.com/.
Rick Tollakson's Mother Passes
ABI joins longtime ABI Board Member RickTollakson (Hubbell Realty Company, West Des Moines) in mourning the loss of his mother, Iola Tollakson. Ms. Tollakson passed away last week in Des Moines. You can read more about Ms. Tollakson here: http://www.ilesfuneralhomes.com/obituary/Iola-Mae-Tollakson/Johnston-IA/1699928. Our thoughts and prayers are with Rick and his family at this time.
Bernadine Reiling, Mother of Jane Galloway, Passes
ABI also joins Jane Galloway, ABI Foundation Administrative Assistant , in mourning the loss of her mother. Bernadine Reiling passed away in Coon Rapids last weekend. The funeral was held Saturday in Coon rapids. You can read more about Mrs. Reiling here: http://www.ohdefuneralhome.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=1919160?want_site=std. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jane, her husband Paul, and their family.