Annual ABI Executive Form Next Week - Monday Memo 7/29/24
July 29, 2024
Next Thursday and Friday: Annual ABI Executive Forum
A great crowd has already registered, but there is still time for you to register for next week’s 2024 ABI Executive Forum. Click here for more information and to register: Summary - Executive Forum (Members Only) (cvent.com). The forum will be held Thursday and Friday (August 8th and 9th) in North Iowa.
Thursday’s events take place in various locations around Mason City, but start at 10:00 that morning with a tour at longtime ABI member Stellar Industries. Friday’s concluding breakfast and tour takes place at longtime ABI member Winnebago Industries in Forest City.
Following the Stellar tour on Thursday, the event moves to the well-known MacNider Art Museum for a terrific lunch program. We’ll be welcomed by Mason City Mayor Bill Schickel and we’ll also hear from a couple of area business leaders, Kim Pang and MercyOne North Iowa president Chad Boore).
Following lunch on Thursday, we’ll move to the Historic Park Inn Hotel and a program featuring Wells Fargo Senior Economist Dr. Michael Swanson. A terrific panel including ABI Board Members Heather Bruce (Osmundson Mfg. Co. Perry), Tim Conlon (Conlon Construction, Dubuque), and Peter Voorhees (Standard Golf Co., Cedar Falls) will come next.
Former ABI Chair Mary Andringa (Vermeer Corporation, Pella) will then serve as our keynote speaker for the day. As noted in previous memos, Mary is a second generation leader of her family’s company and is now Chair Emerita. We’ll take a break and then Mary’s remarks will be followed by a reception and dinner that evening at Mason City’s fabulous Music Man Square events center.
Friday morning, we’ll move to Winnebago and remarks by ABI Chair Chad Reece (Winnebago Industries, Forest City).The manufacturing tour that follows will conclude what you can see is a fabulous program. Make plans now to join 70 other ABI leaders in North Iowa next week!
Executive Committee Zoom Two Weeks from Wednesday; Board Will Meet in September; Iowa Ag Secretary Naig to Speak
ABI Chair Chad Reece (Winnebago Industries, Forest City) and members of the association’s Executive Committee will hold their August meeting two weeks from Wednesday, on August 14th. Discussions related to the search for a new ABI president will be a focus of the meeting. Other agenda items include discussions related to public policy, membership and events, and Foundation programs.
Speaking of leadership meetings, the board will next meet on September 11th. The board will meet at the beautiful Wakonda Club (Home - Wakonda Club) in Des Moines at 11:30 that morning. I had previously indicated the meeting might be held at Des Moines Golf and Country Club, but that facility is not available on September 11th, so Wakonda Club it is.
The September meeting is an important one for several reasons. First, it marks the first board meeting of the fiscal year and the first meeting for newly-elected board members. Second, it will involve board consideration and approval of the policies developed through the annual policy development process (by September 11th, literally hundreds of ABI members will have participated in meetings to propose a slate of policies for 2025). Please mark your calendars and make plans now to participate in this important meeting.
Another highlight of the meeting will be remarks by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. Secretary Naig is a friend to Iowa business and has been a strong leader during the challenges facing Iowa’s ag industry.
Tomorrow: Session One of the New ABI Pre-Employment Testing Process Webinar Series
For weeks, you have read that ABI has created a new webinar series, all focused on getting the latest information and best-practices related to pre-employment testing. This is in response to YOUR feedback.
For years, ABI produced a one-day seminar on this topic. Now, over three dates between now and the end of the year, your HR and risk management teams can get the information By Zoom in three one-hour sessions. The first session will be held tomorrow, July 30th, from 11:00 a.m. to noon/ Click here her for more information and to register: Summary - Pre-Employment Testing Process Webinar Series (cvent.com).
Nicole Crain Speaking at COSMA Annual Meeting
ABI Executive Vice President Nicole Crain left yesterday for the East Coast, where she will represent ABI at the Conference of State Manufacturing Associations annual meeting in New Jersey. Nicole and leadership peers from across the country will meet for three days to discuss joint issues, best practices, and how to serve members even better. Nicole will be speaking at the event, as she discusses successful ABI initiatives and how other states can also implement them. Congratulations, Nicole, and safe travels!
ABI Workplace and Product Safety Committee Meets a Week from Tomorrow; Environment Committee the Day After
Related to the annual policy committee meetings mentioned above, the meetings will be kicked-off in earnest a week from tomorrow. Members of the ABI Workplace and product Safety Committee will start the process with a meeting Tuesday, August 6th. Then, the following day, the ABI Environment Committee will meet. These committees will meet at ABI and thank you to Committee Chairs James Machhamer (Neumann Brothers, Des Moines) and Kelly Jorgensen (AGP/Ag Processing, Muscatine).
The ABI Economic Growth Committee, the ABI Employment and Workforce Committee, and ABI Tax Committee meet later in the month. You can register for any of these meetings by clicking on them in the ABI Events Calendar at Events Calendar | Iowa Association of Business and Industry (iowaabi.org).
LIU Opens Session Next Week; See Invitations Below
The annual class of Leadership Iowa University will kick off its 2023 session a week from yesterday, on August 4th. The program seeks to educate, inspire, and develop college students as a foundation for Iowa’s economic growth and to encourage their on-going involvement in community and state initiatives.
Go to http://www.leadershipiowauniversity.com/ to learn more. As I mentioned last week, class members come from public, private, and community colleges all across Iowa. These students will be tomorrow’s workforce and business owners; we look forward to their participation in LIU.
Regarding LIU (and Business Horizons), here is a message from ABI Foundation Director of Programs Jessi McQuerrey: We had an incredible week with Business Horizons that concluded on Thursday. Our recap video for this year’s program can be found online here.
On Aug. 4, we’ll be welcoming 20+ students to join us for LIU this year! Students are actually still signing up this week, but as soon as we have a list to share, we’ll be sure to do so. For those who may have time in schedules Aug. 4-8, we’d love to invite you all to two fun opportunities to meet our students:
- , Aug. 7, from 12:15-1:45pm: This is our “Lunch with Leaders” networking luncheon held at the Greater Des Moines Partnership in downtown Des Moines. If available, please feel free to reply to this message and I’ll share additional details.
- , Aug. 7, from 5:00-6:30pm: This is a casual networking social taking place at RAMCO / Maple Studios in West Des Moines. There is no cost to attend, but RSVPs are requested online here.
Please be sure to reach out with any questions or if you’d like to join us at any other point during the LIU week.
You really should click on the link to the BH video above. BH is truly a life-changing program that benefits ABI members and our state as a whole. As are all the ABI Foundation programs! Thank you, Jessi and team, for your hard work.
Jessi McQuerrey Cover Star for Business Record
Speaking of Jessi McQuerrey, it was really fun to see her on the cover of the latest edition of the Business Record. This edition of the BR is focused on leadership programs and there is no better example of a terrific leadership development program than ABI’s Leadership Iowa program. ABI is very proud of LI and very proud of Jessi, too. Congratulations, Jessi! Please click here to read the magazine online: Business Record 7-26-24 - Powered by PageTurnPro.com. Note: Jessi said the photo made her look like a political candidate. I said if that’s true, she should go ahead and run and we would support her!
New Board Member Orientations Continue
Meetings with new members of the ABI Board of Directors continue. These include Kathy Evert (Signarama, Ankeny), Brad Henningsen (Henningsen Construction, Atlantic), Ed McGreen (Kreg Tool Company, Ankeny), Bethany Pautsch (Tyson Foods, Storm Lake), Chad Rubner (Express Logistics, Urbandale), and Andrew St. John (CIPCO, Des Moines). Chris LaFerla (Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce, Council Bluffs) is the new honorary Leadership Iowa board representative. You will have an opportunity to meet the new board members at a future meeting.
Annual ABI Executive Open on the 26th
Many of you have commented to me that you are looking forward to the annual ABI Executive Open best ball-golf outing. The open will be held on Monday, August 26th. As this memo goes to press, over 80 ABI members have already registered. The event will be held at the Glen Oaks Country Club, a fabulous private golf course in West Des Moines. Register now to play golf.
By participating, you’ll have fun and have an opportunity to network with great ABI members. And, even you don’t golf, register now and join your fellow ABI members for the reception that closes out the day. To find more information or to register, please go to Summary - Executive Open (cvent.com) today.
ABI Advisory Council Webinar Wednesday 31; ESOP 101: Options for Selling Your Business
Some members of the ABI Advisory Council have created a webinar to help you learn about options available to you as you contemplate transitioning your business to new ownership. This Wednesday, July 31st, AC members will host an hour-long webinar that focuses on Employee Stock Ownership Plans as a potential transition method. Click here for more information and to register: Advisory Council Webinar: ESOP 101: An Introduction to Options for Selling Your Business | Iowa Association of Business and Industry (iowaabi.org).
Big Anniversary Tomorrow for Bill and Mary Zinkewich
Friday is the 55th wedding anniversary of former longtime ABI Board Member Bill Zinkewich (SSAB, Muscatine), and his wife, Mary Zinkewich. Bill was a key ABI leader for years and was especially important as the association began to turn things around almost 19 years ago. And, Bill stays in touch; it is always great to hear from him. Best wishes to Bill and to Mary, who now live in Florida - congratulations all around!
The Business of ABI: Connections
For some reason, summer is a time when ABI members want to connect with each other (they do that all year long, but perhaps more so during the summer). We receive these types of requests all the time and of course are pleased to do it. This is an essential benefit you get as an ABI member, the opportunity to connect with others. You certainly don’t need to pay anything additional for it.
Want to add a customer? Ask about a manufacturing process? Seek information on a new location? These topics and just about anything else you might want to discuss can be a part of a conversation with your fellow ABI members. We want ABI members to do business with each other and will work hard to make it happen. Connecting folks is really what ABI is all about, so let us know how we can help you and thank you!