Executive Committee will Meet - Monday Memo 7/1/19

July 1, 2019

Executive Committee Teleconference Next Week

The ABI Executive Committee will hold its July teleconference a week from Wednesday.  ABI Chair Cindy Dietz (Collins Aerospace, Cedar Rapids) and members of the committee will hold what is typically a brief meeting, but one which includes a full agenda of reports and action items.  News regarding developments will be a part of the September meeting of the ABI Board of Directors. 

New Board Member Orientations Begin; ABI Board Will Meet in September

Orientation sessions with new members of the ABI Board of Directors begin tomorrow, with a meeting involving newly-elected ABI Board Member Eric Lohmeier (NCP, Des Moines).  A terrific group of new board members was elected to the board in June and they join an already strong group of Iowa business leaders.  

Thank you to the new members for their commitment to the association.  The new members will join you for the first time at the board’s next meeting, which is set for Wednesday, September 11.  

At the September meeting, which will mark the first meeting of the board for the fiscal year, ABI will officially welcome Eric and other new association board members.  Elected to the board for terms beginning July 1 were Tom Bosch (Shive-Hattery, West Des Moines), Scott Folkers (Winnebago Industries, Forest City), Gary Nordquist (LMC Insurance and Risk Management, West Des Moines), Todd Robinson (Renewable Energy Group, Ames), Taylor Teepell (CenturyLink, Des Moines), Dennis Van Zanten (Pella Corporation, Sioux Center), Julie Vande Hoef (Alliant Energy, Des Moines), Josh Wilford, and Molly Varangkounh (Hy-Capacity, Humboldt).  

We look forward to getting an update from these new board members about their companies.  Thanks again to these new board members for their service! 

Registrations Coming In for Okoboji Event; Former Casey’s CEO Terry Handley and Other Great Speakers Confirmed

The Third Annual ABI Executive Forum will be held in the Iowa Great Lakes August 1st and 2nd.  Registrations are already coming in for this fun and high-value event.  If you are interested in great programming, great networking, and great venues, you will want to attend this event.  

A fantastic program is in store on August 1st, starting with lunch and three high-value presentations.  The first is all about leading for the long term and the speaker is the very successful recently retired CEO of Casey’s General Stores, Terry Handley.  Then, a fascinating panel about leading when the stakes are high, and last, a popular ABI panel about building company value and transitioning ownership.  To cap things off, the day will end with dinner at the Lakes Area’s newest venue, the Parks Marina Boat Club.  

For those how are interested, the next morning (August 2nd) will feature an industry tour.  Find more information and register now at: http://www.cvent.com/events/okoboji-ceo-forum/event-summary-86a0f03f9f4f45e280eeb6ece6d71713.aspx.  See you at the Lakes in August! 

IIPAC Fundraising Ongoing

ABI’s political arm, the Iowa Industry Political Action Committee, supports candidates for statewide and legislative office who support pro-business policies.  I always say IIPAC will support a Republican, a Democrat, a Whig, or a Tory, as long as that candidate supports business. 

In order for others to know a positive business climate is important for Iowa, IIPAC needs a strong financial report.  If you are an ABI board member who has not yet contributed, please consider a personal contribution today.  You can donate here: https://www.iowaabi.org/public-policy/iipac/.  Your investment is used to maximize support of candidates who support economic growth polices around Iowa.  In the last election, the IIPAC-endorsed candidate won in 95% of the races.  

For more information about the PAC or why you should continue, please contact us at ABI by replying to this message.  In the meantime, thank you to former ABI Chair Kirk Tyler (Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Des Moines) and our other IIPAC board members for their leadership.  And thank you to all IIPAC contributors for your support! 

Plan Now to Participate in Annual Policy Development Process

As you know, ABI has significantly stepped-up its award-winning public policy programming.  Already recognized for years as one of Iowa's most effective public policy organizations, ABI over the years dramatically increased events (held throughout Iowa), added new events, and altered its annual policy development process to increase its impact. 

To that end, the association's annual policy committee meetings have already been scheduled.  Please go to the ABI Events Calendar at http://www.iowaabi.org/events/ to register for the committee meetings of interest to you and your employees.  The ABI Board of Directors will act on the recommendations of these committees at the September board meeting. 

Business Horizons 2019 in Two Weeks

As you read about in last week's edition of this memorandum, the 2019 session of the ABI Foundation's Business Horizons high school experience will soon be upon us.  Iowa high school students will converge on the campus of Central College in Pella July 14-18 to participate in this terrific program.  This program is simply a great event each year and it is possible only through the support of you, your company, and your employees.  

Annual LIU Program August 4-8

The newest of the ABI Foundation programs is Leadership Iowa University.  The program, open to all Iowa College students (community college and four-year colleges, public or private colleges and universities), provides leadership and career development training and other opportunities to students in a week-long course.  The 2019 program will be held August 4-8 in Des Moines.  Go here for more information: https://www.iowaabi.org/leadership-iowa-university/about/.  

Mark Your Calendars for Annual ABI Executive Open August 26

ABI holds an annual golf event to promote member programs and to thank members for their support and participation.  The event has proven incredibly popular.  The eleventh annual event will be held Monday, August 26.  The past six opens have sold-out and we expect that will be the case again this year.  Join us for golf and for an afternoon of fun and networking. 

The ABI Executive Open will again be held at Des Moines Gold and Country Club in West Des Moines, one of Iowa's most exclusive private clubs.  This is a fabulous course and registration is now open for this always-great event.  Please click on https://www.iowaabi.org/events/detail/136-executive-open/  to register now.  See you at Des Moines Golf in August! 

ABI Members Encouraged to Participate in Workforce Workshop at Drake University

A new workshop is being held at Drake University August 13-15.  Everyone at Work, an organization focused on placing differently-abled persons in jobs, is hosting the workshop.  That organization is led by Kyle Duarte, who is associated with longtime ABI member Deaf Services Unlimited.  The August workshop focuses on how deaf persons can be great employees. 

Please share this information with your HR teams, as ABI members are especially encouraged to participate in the workshop, both as attendees and to have a booth for potential workers.  Click here for more information and to register: https://www.everyoneatwork.com/job-seekers/.  

UI Pappajohn Center Reaches Out to ABI

Officials with the John Pappajohn Center at the University of Iowa have reached out to ABI to remind you that they offer consulting services at no charge.  These are general services related to a student-led project.  Learn more here https://www.iowajpec.org/community/business-consulting.  

Reminder to View Photos Online

Many of you have been great to share very positive feedback from last month’s 116th Annual ABI Taking Care of Business Conference.  We appreciate that, but we are always looking for constructive criticism as well, so please know that your feedback of any kind is important to us. 

And be sure and view the photos from the conference (you might be in them!):  www.iowaabi.org/events/photos.   Again, thank you for your participation and assistance in helping make the 2019 ABI Convention a terrific success. 

Ninth Edition of INF Leo Mores Leadership Institute Underway

ABI members are leaders within their industry was well as in Iowa.  One example of that is the Iowa Newspaper Foundation’s Leo Mores Newspaper Leadership Institute.  The Institute was created through a gift endowed by longtime ABI Board Member Alan Mores (Harlan Newspapers, Harlan) and his brother, Steve Mores (Harlan Newspapers, Harlan).  Leo was a longtime Iowa newspaper publisher and leader and Alan (a newspaper industry leader himself) and Steve are his sons. 

The ninth class of the Institute, featuring newspaper folks from all around Iowa, recently kicked-off in Des Moines.  Upon completing the class, members will have greater skills and abilities to be leaders in their newspapers and in their communities.  Congratulations and thank you to Alan and Steve for making the Institute possible. 

Hank Evans Back on the Road

Many of you will well recall former longtime ABI Board Member Hank Evans (A.F. Johnson Millwork Company, West Des Moines).  Hank has experienced some tough years as he dealt with the lengthy illness and passing of his wife of many years, Ann Evans. 

Well, Hank checked in last week and he is back on the road, visiting friends and traveling the country.  It was great to hear from him.  Hank says we may even see him back in Iowa sometime this fall.  If you would like to read Hank’s message and catch up on his activities, simply reply to this message and I’ll forward the message at once.  Thanks for checking in, Hank, and best wishes! 

ABI Begins New Fiscal Year, Focus is on Value for Members

Each July, I note the passing of the fiscal year, more for what opportunities lie ahead than for anything having to do with the past (though make no mistake, in so many ways, the past year was a record-setter for ABI).  

ABI begins a new fiscal year today. 

As always, ABI's focus is on providing high value for members.  The beginning of a new year brings new opportunities to serve existing members, gain new ones, and build a better Iowa business climate.  As we start the year, all of us at ABI are thinking about how we can do things even better than they have been done in the past.  

You have heard me say often that I like things that can be measured, because they let us know how we are doing at achieving the agenda you set for us each year.  Revenue at ABI has increased over the course of the past several years, thanks to new members, new sponsors, and (we hope) more value for your company.  Still, we take seriously our charge to not waste your investment. 

At ABI, it's all about the members!  We are always looking forward and building for growth.  If we aren't moving ahead, we are falling behind and that is not acceptable.  Thanks to your leadership and a great staff, we are achieving that goal.  It is not just rhetoric to say that your leadership has ensured that ABI continues its resurgence and growth as one of our state’s leading organizations.  Thank you