Legislative Reception Photos, Marshalltown Meeting - Monday Memo 1/25/16

January 25, 2016

ABI Legislative Reception Photos Available; Check Events Calendar

As you know, the 2016 ABI Legislative Reception was a record-breaker in terms of numbers of members, state officials, and legislators attending.  The event was incredibly successful and was an important part of advancing ABI’s public policy agenda for the year. 

Photographs from the event have been posted to the ABI  website.  Please check them out here: http://www.iowaabi.org/events/photos/.  You might be in them!  More photos will be coming soon, so please check back often. 

In the meantime, many of you have asked about upcoming events.  I encourage you to check the ABI events calendar often at http://www.iowaabi.org/events/ to see the extensive list of ABI meetings and events coming up in the next few weeks.  There is always something happening at ABI. 

May Board Meeting Moved to Marshalltown

More information will be coming your way soon, but please know that the location of the May meeting of the ABI Board of Directors has been changed.  ABI Chair Paul Gregoire (Emerson/Fisher, Marshalltown) will host the board in Marshalltown on May 4.  

The board will meet in the Atrium, which is connected to the world-famous Fisher Flow Lab.  Final details are still being  made.  Please mark your calendars now for what is always a great meeting, as it is the final meeting in advance of the annual conference.  And watch for more information to come your way soon. 

2016 ABI Convention Generating Buzz; Big Sioux City Visit Tomorrow

You know that the annual ABI Taking Care of Business Conference has been growing in terms of attendance and support for the past several years.  The upcoming meeting will be ABI's 113th Annual Meeting, and it will be held June 14-16 in Sioux City.  

The 2016 conference is generating a lot of buzz, with people in Siouxland especially excited to host ABI members from all over Iowa.  Most important, you will hear from terrific speakers and get great information.  As I mentioned last week, another highlight is golf at one of the Midwest's most beautiful golf clubs, Dakota Dunes.  And of course you will see Iowa's best business networking occur at this event. 

By the way, you can register NOW for the conference by clicking on this link: http://www.cvent.com/events/2016-annual-abi-conference/event-summary-9223d9ff385a486fabd62938fbfd74d2.aspx.  You can also use that link to make your lodging reservations and to find more information about the program, about Sioux City, and about other conference matters. 

Related to the conference, ABI Chair Paul Gregoire (Emerson/Fisher, Marshalltown), Conference Committee Chair Kim Didier (DMACC, Des Moines), and others are headed to Sioux City tomorrow.  A full day of media events and other meetings is on tap, all designed to promote the conference and expand attendance.  Next week's Memo will include notes regarding the results of the trip. 

Annual CLA Manufacturing Report Published

Each year, ABI Advisory Council Member CliftonLarsonAllen publishes a comprehensive report on manufacturing and distribution activities.  The latest report is now available and it provides a terrific look at these industries and great information. 

If you or members of your team are interested in seeing the report for yourself, please reply to this message and I will get it to you at once.  In the meantime thank you to CLA for the data. 

Homeland Security Issues Cyber Security Report

Dr. Phil Pitzen, an official with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has been a great resource for ABI members.  Perhaps due to being a son-in-law of former ABI Chair Joe Ryan (Delevan, West Des Moines), Dr. Pitzen has always understood the business needs of ABI members and focused on information of tangible value. 

Phil contacted ABI again last week to tell us of the Department of Homeland Security's latest publication, Seven Strategies to Defend Industrial Control Systems.  Despite an unwieldy title, the publication is full of great information to help you and your company protect itself.  Should you wish to see the report, please let me know and it will be forwarded to you right away. 

Iowa STEM Advisory Council Partners on Externships

Over the last few years, several ABI member companies have participated in the externship program administered by the Iowa Governor's STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Advisory Council.  The externships are six-week terms for educators to get actual experience inside a business. 

The program helps educators by exposing them to practical experience in the business world.  It can help your company by gaining additional staff for a short period and by exposing educators to what their students will find when they graduate.  For more information, please go to this link: http://iowastem.gov/search/node/externships.  

Cedar Valley Marks TechWorks Progress

The last several months have seen much development related to the TechWorks campus in Waterloo.  The ABI Board of Directors toured the campus, a mixed-use redevelopment project,  last spring. 

The Tech2 building was sold last week and development of that part of the project will begin soon.  The Campus is home to the University of Northern Iowa Metal Casting and Additive Manufacturing Center and will open a new Design Center in the coming month.  Congratulations to everyone involved, including ABI Board Member Steve Dust (Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber, Waterloo)

Paul Gregoire and John Schreurs Mark Birthdays, Nate Weaton Celebrates

Two more ABI Board Members are marking birthdays.  Celebrating this month are ABI Chair Paul Gregoire (Fisher-Emerson, Marshalltown) and former Board Member John Schreurs (Strategic America, West Des Moines).  Happy birthday to these two ABI leaders! 

Speaking of ABI leaders celebrating birthdays, you read in last week's Monday Memo that ABI Board Member Nate Weaton (Hillphoenix, Keosauqua) is also marking a birthday in January.  Nate was feted at an event held last Saturday hosted by his spouse, ABI Vice Chair Lori Schaefer-Weaton (Agri-Industrial Plastics, Fairfield).  Former ABI Board Member Dick Smith(Agri-Industrial Plastics, Fairfield) was also spotted in the crowd.  A great time was had by all and Nate well celebrated a BIG birthday (one that ends in a zero).  Congratulations, Nate and Lori! 

Buie, Houston, Schickler Part of CEO Caucus Event Panel

Former ABI Chair FrederickV. Buie (Keystone Electrical Manufacturing Company, Des Moines), Principal Financial President and CEO Dan Houston (Principal Financial Group, Des Moines), and DuPont Pioneer President Paul Schickler (DuPont Pioneer, Johnston) will all serve as panelists at an event this week.  The CEOs will share what is important to them and their businesses on the political front. 

The event will be held at 7:30 a.m. at the Des Moines Botanical Gardens on Wednesday (January 27).  Find more information in today's Des Moines Register or by clicking on this link: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2016/01/24/central-iowa-ceos-talk-politics-ahead-caucuses/79259988/?from=global&sessionKey=mE7FJsjCtvxx5DftMIiXygrSH0EDxxOUg4-18x2deo8K1qTiaZ4ZQwux2B0P9M2gx3Dx3DrPbIdsNjaAGWdPY9rxxBSEgx3Dx3D-kh1H480KYwAHbhZBKab1x2Fgx3Dx3D-4UvXaHD2CnS8tZQAfCoCeQx3Dx3D&autologin=rJDCWawB1PydtCPtWH99VNHlKse2UlpETTFbA92qas0x3D.   Congratulations to each of these ABI member company CEOs for the coverage and thank you in advance for sharing your insights.