ABI Board to Meet in September - Monday Memo 8/16/21
August 16, 2021
First ABI Board Meeting of Fiscal Year on September 9
Finalize your plans now to join ABI Chair Jack Hasken (Jackson Mfg., Maquoketa) and members of the ABI Board of Directors for the September board meeting. The board will meet in Maquoketa on September 9. As usual, a detailed meeting packet will be sent to all board members and former chairs a week prior to the meeting.
Highlights of the meeting will include welcoming newly-elected board members to their first meeting, adoption of 2022 ABI public policy positions, and a tour of ABI member Jackson Mfg. As for new board members, they are Heather Bruce (Osmundson Mfg. Co., Perry), Josh Byers (Harlan Newspapers, Harlan), Jerry Krantz (SSAB, Muscatine), Claudia Schabel (Schabel Solutions, Des Moines), and the honorary Leadership Iowa board representative, Eric Moerman (Interstates, Sioux Center). Be sure to join your ABI colleagues, meet these new directors, and participate in this important meeting.
As I noted in last week’s Memo, the September board meeting is typically well-attended and many of you have told me you already have this meeting on your calendar. On behalf of Jack and our other officers, I look forward to seeing you on September 9.
ABI Advisory Council Meets Tomorrow
Members of the ABI Advisory Council will meet tomorrow for a networking event at Twisted Vine Brewery in West Des Moines. The members of the Advisory Council can be a great resource for you and your business – and ABI is grateful for the leadership and support council members provide the association. Thank you to ABI Advisory Council members Anthologic, ACS, BCC Advisers, BrownWinick, CIRAS, CliftonLarsonAllen, EMC, Focus OneSource, Fredrikson & Byron, HDH Advisors, LMC Insurance and Risk Management, Principal, The Iowa Clinic, and Wells Fargo.
Annual ABI Executive Open-Central in Two Weeks; ABI Open-East in Six Weeks
Some years ago, ABI created an event to provide an opportunity for members (and prospective members) to have fun and network with each other. It was a huge success, with members saying they greatly appreciated the informal, relaxed nature of the event.
The event has become part of ABI’s yearly schedule and the annual ABI Executive Open Best Ball Event will be held Monday, August 30. This year's Open will be again played at one of Iowa's most beautiful private clubs, Des Moines Golf and Country Club in West Des Moines. You can register for the event at Summary - Executive Open - Central (cvent.com). Don't miss this chance to join your ABI colleagues for a great event.
And please remember that ABI has added an ADDITIONAL golf and networking event in the eastern part of Iowa. That outing will be held on Monday, September 27 in Cedar Rapids and you can register for the event here: Summary - Executive Open - East (cvent.com).
ABI Sponsors Business Record Manufacturing Event
ABI always seeks to promote and highlight the incredibly innovative and high-quality manufacturers located in Iowa. The Des MoinesBusiness Record, a great member, is a terrific partner in that work.
ABI is pleased to be the presenting sponsor of the BR’s “Made in Iowa: State of Manufacturing Event” on August 19. In fact, ABI members will be among the speakers featured at the event. Find more information and register now at Manufacturing Forecast Event — Made In Iowa (madeiniowabr.com).
Policy Meetings Continue this Week; Strong Participation Marks Meetings
ABI Board Member Kelly Barrick (CIBC, West Des Moines) is the Chair of the ABI Economic Growth Committee. That committee will meet a week from today and will have Iowa Economic Development Authority Director Debi Durham as its keynote speakers. Register for the meeting here: 2021 ABI Economic Growth Public Policy Meeting | Iowa Association of Business and Industry (iowaabi.org). Then, a week from tomorrow, the fifth and final policy committee, the Tax Committee will hold its annual meeting.
Literally hundreds of ABI members from all across Iowa and beyond participated in the 2021 series of meetings. The process next shifts to the ABI Legislative Committee and then will conclude with the meeting of the ABI Board of Directors on September 19. On behalf of ABI Vice Chair Kim Augspurger (Saxton, Des Moines), who this year leads this process for ABI, thank you for your participation in this important work.
Latest BR Iowa Now Out
As you know, in conjunction with member company Business Publications Corp., ABI publishes Business Record Iowa. This monthly newsprint magazine is distributed to you and to business leaders all across Iowa as a part of the Des Moines Business Record.
The August edition of BR Iowa was published last week and should be in your mailbox by now. It features a great ABI leader and her daughter on the front cover. Former ABI Chair Lori Schaefer-Weaton (Agri-Industrial Plastics Company, Fairfield) and daughter Cami Schaefer (who served as ABI’ summer intern this year) are the cover stars this month in an edition that focuses on education and the ABI Foundation. If you have not received your copy of BR Iowa, please contact me and one will be sent to you at once.
Register Now for Legends Dinner, Manufacturing Conference
While it was not possible to hold them last year due to the pandemic, two popular ABI events return this fall. The Legends in Manufacturing Awards Dinner and the ABI Advanced manufacturing Conference will be held at the Prairie Meadows Events Center on September 28 and 29. Registration is open for both events and you can use one link to register. Go to Summary - Legends in Manufacturing Awards Dinner (and/or) Advanced Manufacturing Conference (cvent.com) for more information or to register. Watch for more information soon.
LIU Session Huge Success
The 2021 session of the ABI Foundation’s Leadership Iowa University program was held last week and it was a smashing success. The class of about 20 student’s met throughout the week. The program provide high-quality speakers and terrific networking that will help the students find their careers right here in Iowa.
Go to https://www.iowaabi.org/leadership-iowa-university/ and for more information. Thank you to the ABI Foundation staff and great volunteers for making the program such a hit.
BrownWinick: Take a Look at the New Des Moines Industrial Transload Facility
ABI member BrownWinick is legal counsel for Des Moines Industrial, a new company developed to provide customers with better shipping options and on-site storage capabilities, among other things. Longtime ABI Board Member Chris Sackett (BrownWinick, Des Moines) called my attention to a terrific article in the Business Record about the new DSMI Transload Facility. You can read that story here: https://www.businessrecord.com/Content/Default/Default/Article/Transload-facility-will-benefit-everyday-consumers-/-3/-3/94145. Congratulations all around on the great coverage!
Latest NAM Report Outlines Positives, Challenges Facing Manufacturing
This month’s edition of the National Association of Manufacturers’ Global Manufacturing Economic Update is informative. There is good news (expanding production) and challenging news (increased input prices). If you wish to read the report for yourself, please reply to this memorandum and I’ll get it to you at once.
Steve Jacobs Celebrates Tuesday
A great guy and a great ABI board member celebrates his birthday tomorrow. Longtime ABI Board member Steve Jacobs (BCC Advisers, Des Moines) celebrates his birthday on the 17th. Happy birthday, Steve!
Larry Countryman Passes
It was with regret that I received the news from the Persinger Family (owners of Wilson Trailer Company) Saturday morning that longtime ABI Board Member Larry Countryman (Wilson Trailer, Sioux City) had passed away. Sadly, Larry had been ill for some time and his passing had been imminent. Larry was the Treasurer/CFO for Wilson Trailer for 26 years and for most of that time, he was an ABI board member as well. Larry was also the longtime Chair of the ABI Tax Committee.
Prior to Wilson Trailer, Larry was a CPA in practice in the Greater Sioux City area. At an opening session of Leadership Iowa in 1990, Larry roomed with another LI class member… me. It was then that I first learned about Larry’s commitment to his family and about his positive philosophy of hard work and helping others. Nicole Crain shared this link (thank you, Nicole) and you can read more here: Obituary for Larry Charles Countryman | Nicklas D Jensen Funeral Home (nicklasdjensenfh.com). One thing I know is that Larry will be deeply, deeply missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with Larry’s wife, Diane, and their children.