ABI Executive Committee Meets Wednesday - Monday Memo 4/6/20

April 6, 2020

Executive Committee Meets Wednesday, Board in May

The monthly meeting of the ABI Executive Committee will take place the day after tomorrow.  The committee will meet by teleconference starting at 9:30 that morning.  

The next meeting of the ABI Board of Directors will take place next month.  ABI Chair Cindy Dietz (Collins Aerospace, Cedar Rapids) will lead a teleconference meeting of the board on May 13.  

I hope you will be able to participate in the board meeting on May 13.  It will mark the board’s final meeting before the end of the calendar year and it will include a focus on COVID-19 and its impact on ABI members and the association itself.  Watch for more information soon. 

Nominating Committee to Meet Later This Month

The ABI Nominating Committee will kick off its work soon.  The committee, which is chaired by Immediate Past Chair of the ABI Board of Directors David Bywater (Bankers Advertising/Tru Art, Iowa City), will meet by teleconference on April 28. 

In addition to David, members of the Committee include ABI board members from each of the association's five state districts.  They are District 1 – Andy Kretz (Dexter Apache Holdings, Fairfield), District 2 – Rich Phelan (LyondellBasell, Clinton), District 3 – Stacey Pellett (John Deere, Johnston), District 4 – Kellan Longenecker (General Mills, Avon), and District 5 – Larry Countryman (Wilson Trailer, Sioux City).  

If you have someone you believe would make a great ABI board member, the committee wants to know about her or him.  Simply contact one of them, or me, and we’ll make sure the names are considered by the committee.  

14th Episode of Iowa Business Report Radio Program Broadcast

The Iowa Business Report radio program’s 14th edition was broadcast statewide over the weekend.  ABI is proud to sponsor this terrific program.  Click here to listen for yourself: http://iowabusinessreport.buzzsprout.com/.  Links can also be found on the ABI website at https://www.iowaabi.org/news/iowa-business-report/.  The show is produced by well-known Iowa broadcaster Jeff Stein.  

Foundation Programs Active; Nominations due This Month

This is a busy time for ABI Foundation programs.  And, now is the time to make your nominations for all Foundation programs.  Doing so is easy and doesn’t cost a thing.  Simply go to http://www.iowaabi.org/abi-foundation/about/ and click on the links for each program.  

In surveys of participants, all the ABI Foundation programs (Leadership Iowa, Leadership Iowa University, and Business Horizons) receive very high marks.  Strong nominations are the first step in ensuring a quality program, so please make your nominations now.  They are due by May 1 and your support by nominating worthy individuals is appreciated.  

Leadership Iowa Holds Successful Virtual Session

Speaking of Foundation programs, the ABI Foundation’s flagship program, Leadership Iowa, held the April session of the 2019-2020 class last week.   Every organization has had to adjust to changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and Leadership Iowa is no different. 

Last week’s session was held virtually through the video-conferencing program Zoom.  Even so, there was incredible participation by members of the class.  Great conversation and lively discussion marked the session, with terrific speakers (myself excluded) provoking thoughtful discussion. 

Thank you to the class for adjusting so well to this dramatic change in format.  And a special thank you to Jessi McQuerry and the ABI Foundation team for their hard work in making this special LI session take place!

Birthdays for Schaefer-Weaton, Wersen, Roberts Celebrated this Week

Two former Chairs of the association and a longtime former board member are celebrating birthdays this week. In fact, one of them is celebrating today. 

Former ABI Chair Lori Schaefer-Weaton (Agri-Industrial Plastics Company, Fairfield) marks her birthday today.  Happy birthday, Lori! 

Thursday and Friday of this week, former ABI Chair Bob Wersen (Interpower Corporation, Oskaloosa) and former board member Steve Roberts (Davis Brown Law Firm, Des Moines) mark their birthdays.  Happy birthday, too, to Bob and Steve! 

Metalcraft, Stellar; Weaton Capital Featured in News Articles

As I noted last month, a great many ABI member companies are re-tooling to manufacture personal protective equipment or some other product to help fight COVID-19.  In that regard, three longtime ABI members were highlighted in newspaper stories for doing just that.  

Mason City ABI member Metalcraft and ABI member Stellar Industries, located in Garner, were highlighted in an article in the Mason City Globe-Gazette.  Read the story for yourself here: https://globegazette.com/business/metalcraft-stellar-pivot-to-help-produce-medical-equipment/article_5df57f66-3168-5195-9cdb-ab618d7a9da2.html

Also recognized in a news article, this one in the Ottumwa Courier, was ABI member Weaton Capital.  The company is making face shields for use at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.  Read the story here: https://www.ottumwacourier.com/news/weaton-capital-brought-to-ppe-frontline/article_af7de5b4-75c2-11ea-b77a-338d632fead8.html

THANK YOU and congratulations to all three companies and to Stellar President and Former ABI Chair David Zrostlik (Stellar Industries, Garner) and to Weaton Capital President and former ABI Board Member Nate Weaton (Weaton Capital, Fairfield).  And a final note of thanks to ABI Board Member Steve Dust (Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation, Ottumwa) for letting me know about the Courier article. 

Johnsons Celebrate a Big Anniversary

Longtime ABI Board Member Alan Johnson (Norplex-Micarta, Postville) and his wife, Julie Johnson, are celebrating a major milestone.  Alan and Julie were married 40 years ago and thus are marking their 40th wedding anniversary this month.  That is a terrific milestone and ABI sends best wishes and congratulations to the Johnsons!