Board Meeting Wednesday - Monday Memo 9/21/15
September 21, 2015
Busy Period for ABI Meetings and Events
This is a busy time for ABI members. Several association meetings and events will be held throughout the next couple of weeks.
Please see the following items for more information. And you can always go to the ABI events page on the ABI website for detailed information and to register for upcoming ABI events. Click on /en/events_calendar/ to access that page. As always, thank you for making ABI business a priority for you and your company.
ABI Board Will Meet in Two Days
ABI Chair Paul Gregoire (Emerson/Fisher, Marshalltown) will convene the first board meeting of the fiscal year Wednesday in Des Moines. The board will meet at ABI headquarters in the East Village at 11:00 a.m. on September 23.
The September meeting is an important one for several reasons. One, it marks the first meeting of the fiscal year and the first meeting for newly-elected board members. Two, it will involve board consideration and approval of the policies developed through the annual policy development process (literally hundreds of ABI members have participated in meetings to propose a slate of policies for 2016). This part of the meeting will be led by ABI Vice Chair Lori Schaefer-Weaton (Agri-Industrial Plastics, Fairfield). Three, the board will receive and act on operational reports regarding the business of ABI. Four, former ABI Chair David Fisher (Onthank Company, Des Moines) will lead a presentation about the new passenger terminal project at Des Moines International Airport. Five and finally, the meeting will include time for brief business reports from each member present. These reports are always a highlight for those attending.
On behalf of Paul and our other officers, I look forward to seeing you Wednesday here in Des Moines. Thank you in advance for making plans to attend the meeting.
EPIC Events Friday
ABI leads a coalition of business organizations called Economic Progress for Iowa's Citizens. EPIC is not a political action committee, it is a venue by which nonpartisan information is developed and shared. It is a terrific resource for ABI members and their employees.
Two important EPIC events will take place at ABI this Friday. First, the EPIC Board of Directors will meet. Then, the annual general meeting of members will be held.
A highlight of Friday's events will be a joint appearance involving officials from BIPAC in Washington, DC. A caucus toolkit will be rolled-out at the membership meeting. The toolkit promises to bring sophisticated resources to Iowa employers. Watch for more information coming your way soon.
Legends in Manufacturing Awards Dinner Next Tuesday
As you have been reading about in several forums, the first-ever Legends in Manufacturing Awards Dinner is turning in to a huge event. The program was created by ABI's Elevate Advanced Manufacturing program and it will be held at Prairie Meadows Events Center in Altoona on the evening of September 29.
It is not too late to make plans to attend; you do not want to miss this event! Go now to:/index.cfm/11274/68333/legends_in_manufacturing_awards_dinner). There you can find more information and register to attend the dinner. See you there!
Second Biennial ABI DC Fly-In Huge Success
The Second Biennial ABI DC Fly-In was held, with a group of ABI leaders converging on Washington, DC Tuesday through Friday of last week. The group met with each member of the Iowa Congressional Delegation and briefings were held at the National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and BIPAC.
The meetings were substantive and informative and ABI leaders unanimously determined the trip another success. Thank you to those who joined this trip and to everyone else, watch for more news about upcoming trips in the future.
ABI Directory Updates Due by October 15
As you read in last week's ABI newsletter, this is the time of year that ABI's member database is being updated. Information from the database will be checked, formatted, and put in to hard copy form for inclusion in the 2016 ABI Resource Guide. The guide, in addition to including member data, includes information on the association's people, programs, and events.
If there are no changes in your personnel or company information, you need do nothing. If you have updates, simply send an email to Dorothy Knowles at dknowles@iowaabi.org. The deadline to receive updates is October 15. Thank you in advance for helping us make sure your information is accurate.
ABI's Iowa Advanced Manufacturing Conference September 30
Each year, ABI hosts a conference highlighting Iowa manufacturing. This year, ABI and the Center for Industrial Research and Service at Iowa State and Des Moines Area Community College are the lead sponsors for the 2015 Iowa Advanced Manufacturing Conference.
The conference will be held in Altoona Next week. Register now for this important conference athttp://www.cvent.com/events/iowa-s-advanced-manufacturing-conference-2015/event-summary-6b0a2a2b098a4c248967d681a3d989d7.aspx.
The year's conference covers manufacturing and much more. I hope to see you there.
Final Call: Next Week's Annual YPIowa Conference
As you know, the ABI Foundation provides important support for Young Professionals of Iowa, our state's leading resource for YPs. YPIowa will hold its annual conference next week.
You and your employees, especially the YPs on your staff, will find value in the conference. The 2015 YPIowa conference will be held on September 24 and 25 in Carroll. Find more information at http://ypiowa.com/events/yp-iowa-conference/.
Sarah McDonald Hasken Featured in bizTimes Magazine
Former ABI Chair Sarah McDonald Hasken ( Unity Point-Finley, Dubuque) is featured in the current edition ofbizTimes magazine. The magazine notes Sarah's new role as regional director of operations. Congratulations to Sarah! speaking of the Hasken Family, we look forward to seeing newly-elected ABI Board Member Jack Hasken (Jackson Manufacturing, Maquoketa) at this week's ABI Board meeting!