Board Meets Next Week - Monday Memo 11/11/24
November 11, 2024
ABI Board Meets November 20th
The ABI Board of Directors and the ABI Executive Committee will meet a week from Wednesday, on November 20th. ABI Chair Chad Reece (Winnebago Industries, Forest City) will call to order the final board meeting of 2024 at 11:30 a.m. (at ABI) and the traditional Thanksgiving lunch will be served. A review of the annual audit, an update regarding the conference, policy discussions, and your business reports are highlights of the agenda. In addition, the board will receive the usual operational reports.
If you haven't already done so, please register your attendance by replying to this message. You will receive a message from me later this week that includes a link to access the usual packet of reports and materials related to the meeting. In the meantime and on behalf of Chad and our ABI officers, I look forward to seeing you on the 20th.
ABI to Host Connecting Statewide Leaders Event December 5 in Ottumwa; IWD Director Townsend to Speak
ABI will soon host another event designed to bring value to your company. On the morning of December 5 in Ottumwa, ABI will host the next in the series of Connecting Statewide Leaders programs.
A luncheon follows the meeting and you will have a great opportunity to visit with fellow ABI members, meet the new Leadership Iowa class, and develop new customers. Remarks by Iowa Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend will highlight the event. Register now for this program at: Summary - Connecting Statewide Leaders - Ottumwa. Make plans now to join the LI class and ABI members in Ottumwa in December.
Final Session ABI Pre-Employment Testing Webinar Series December 10
For years, ABI hosted a single day conference related to pre-employment testing. After receiving feedback from members, that conference was re-developed as a FREE three-part webinar series. Webinars were held on July 30thand September 17th. The third and final webinar in this series will be held next month, on December 10th, and as did the others, will last an hour. Get the latest information and best practices when it comes to effective pre-employment testing and treated issues. To learn more, click here: Summary - Pre-Employment Testing Process Webinar Series (cvent.com).
Leadership Iowa Class Holds Second Session; Mary Landhuis Welcomes Class to Clarinda
The 2024-2025 class of ABI’s Leadership Iowa program convened for the first time last month in Algona. The class is another terrific group of young Iowa leaders and it is clear that class members are committed to making the most of their LI experience.
The class met for its second session last week in SW Iowa for a session focused on agriculture and renewable resources. The class kicked-off its Thursday session at a great longtime ABI member: Lisle Corporation in Clarinda. In addition to touring Lisle, the class was treated to remarks by Lisle President (and longtime ABI Board Member) Mary Landhuis (Lisle Corporation, Clarinda). Thank you, Mary, for taking time from your busy schedule to share insights with the LI students!
2025 ABI Legislative Briefing, Reception in January
One of ABI’s most popular events each year is the annual legislative reception (the annual members-only legislative briefing precedes it). This important association meeting provides an opportunity for you and your employees to visit with your legislators in a fun and casual setting. Traditionally, more legislators attend this event than any other similar event held throughout the session and it is important for ABI members to be on hand to share business perspectives with them.
The 2025 Reception will be held Wednesday, January 15. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, the Lieutenant Governor, all 150 members of the Iowa General Assembly, and other state officials have been invited again this year. Don’t miss this opportunity to greet your legislators and share important business issues with them.
You can register now by going to Summary - Legislative Briefing and Reception and clicking on the button at the top of the page. The event will again be held at the Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines and it will follow the January meeting of the ABI Board of Directors. See you there.
Catch ABI “Advocacy 101” Webinar to get ready for Legislative Session
Speaking of the 2025 session of the Iowa General Assembly (see above), the ABI public policy team will help get you ready to advocate for Iowa business in 2025. At 9:00 Friday morning January 10th, ABI Vice President Public Policy JD Davis and ABI Director Public Policy Brad Hartkopf will host a one-hour webinar to share information about the legislative process and tips for engaging your legislators. This interactive, members-only discussion will provide a deeper dive into the legislative process to help you feel prepared as the Legislature convenes. Register here for this FREE webinar: Advocacy 101 Webinar (Members Only) | Iowa Association of Business and Industry.
Advisory Council to Meet a Week from Thursday
The ABI Advisory Council will meet a week from Thursday, on November 21st. This will mark the panel's final business meeting of 2024. Thank you to Advisory Council members Anthologic, AssuredPartners, Bankers Trust, BCC Advisers, BrownWinick, CliftonLarsonAllen, Eide Bailley, EMC, Fredrikson, G&A Partners, HDH Advisors, Principal Financial Network of Central Iowa, The Iowa Clinic, Wellmark, and Wells Fargo for your leadership and support!
First ABI Board Meeting of 2025 on January 15th
The January meeting of the ABI Board of Directors is traditionally one of the association’s busiest and best attended. The board will meet Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines and the ABI Executive Committee will meet immediately prior. Your attendance is needed to ensure this important meeting goes well. Please mark your calendars now to join your ABI colleagues on January 15 in Des Moines; watch for more information coming your way soon.
Foundation Asks: Please Remember #Giving Tuesday
Speaking of the Foundation, please remember #GivingTuesday. The hashtag signifies a global day of giving fueled by social media and collaboration. The event is celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving and the widely-represented shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Please support the ABI Foundation through #GivingTuesday. Click here to make your donation: Pay Online | Iowa Association of Business and Industry (iowaabi.org).
Make Your 2025 Annual Conference Lodging Reservations Now
In last week's memo, I noted that it is not too early to make your lodging reservation for the 2025 Taking Care of Business Conference. The conference will be held in Council Bluffs June 10-12 of next year. Rooms are going fast, so make your reservations now. The Hotel Black Hawk is the main conference hotel, but there are several other great options, too. Click here for more information: https://www.iowaabi.org/events/annual-conference/. Watch for other exciting conference announcements in the coming weeks!
After a Rough and Tumble Election, Something Fun
Democrat or Republican, I will bet that we are all pleased that the election of 2024 is over. Now, legislators and others can get to work addressing issues.
In the meantime, something came across my desk last week that was a fun distraction from nasty political ads. Iowans of a certain age will well recall the late Governor Bob Ray’s incredible campaign song. Sung by legendary singer Marilyn Maye, the song seemed to play on a continuous loop on every Iowa radio television all day long. Just for fun, here it is again: Governor Robert D. Ray's Catchy Campaign Song - Governors of Iowa. Those were the days!