Board to Meet in November - Monday Memo 10/16/17
October 16, 2017
ABI Board Will Meet November 8 in Des Moines; Attorney General to Speak
The ABI Board of Directors will hold its next meeting on Wednesday, November 8 at the association's headquarters in Des Moines' East Village. The meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m.
ABI Chair David Zrostlik (Stellar Industries, Garner), board members, and former chairs will work through a full agenda of important items. This will be the final meeting of the calendar year for the board and a number of important discussion topics will be highlights of the November session.
Another highlight of the meeting will be remarks by Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller. The Attorney general will share remarks about the latest business initiatives of his office and take questions. Register now for the meeting at http://www.cvent.com/d/stqk7x. Don't miss this meeting, which will include the latest information about association programs and other issues.
Latest Edition of Business Record Iowa Now Out
ABI's monthly news journal, Business Record Iowa, is published in conjunction with the Des Moines Business Record. It has been very well-received by ABI members and others across the state.
BR Iowa is found inside the Des Moines Business Record. When you come to the section of the Business Record that is Business Record Iowa, you will see longtime ABI Board Member Drew Vogel (Vogel Paint Company, Orange City) on the cover. Thanks for being a terrific cover subject, Drew!
The latest edition of the newsprint journal came out Friday and it should be in your mailbox now. If it isn't, let us know and we'll get a copy to you right away. In the meantime, let us know what you like about the publication and let us know how we can make it even better. Thanks for your many comments already received.
ABI Advisory Council Meets Thursday
The ABI Advisory Council will meet Thursday at ABI. As always, ABI thanks the members of the advisory council, who are all key resources for association members.
In their meeting this Thursday, members of the council will review ABI programs and discuss more ways in which they can provide value for you and your business. The group will meet at ABI.
Thank you to ABI Advisory Council members 21st Century Rehab, BCC Advisers, Brick Gentry P.C., BrownWinick, CIRAS, CliftonLarsonAllen, EMC, Focus OneSource, Global Reach, LMC Insurance and Risk Management, Principal Financial Group, Tero, The Iowa Clinic, Transition Point Business Advisors, and Wellmark.
Elevate Ambassador Training at Kirkwood; Parent’s Night Event in Waterloo
The next training session for ambassadors for ABI’s Elevate Advanced Manufacturing initiative will take place at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids on November 14. The Elevate Ambassadors are a group of business leaders and others who tour the state talking about manufacturing careers. The group is a key part of ABI’s Elevate Advanced Manufacturing initiative and you and/or your employees can register here for the event at Kirkwood: https://www.elevateiowa.com/news-and-events/.
As you know, Elevate has also sponsored Parent’s Night events, where parents and students can learn about manufacturing careers, the group also support partners in the holding of such events. A great ABI member, the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber, is hosting parent’s night in Waterloo on October 26. You can find more information and register for that event here: http://greatercedarvalleyalliance.chambermaster.com/events/details/manufacturing-parent-s-night-498821. As always, thank you to ABI Board Member Steve Dust (Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber, Waterloo) for supporting manufacturing in the Cedar valley and in Iowa!
Annual IEDA Internship Program Application Process Now Underway
ABI member companies across Iowa have utilized the Iowa Economic Development Authority's Iowa Student Internship Program. The program is a great way to get students into your plant.
The program provides grants to small and medium-sized companies to help pay a stipend to interns. Applicant companies must have 500 or fewer employees and must offer the internships to Iowa students (students of Iowa post-high school institutions or Iowa students attending post-high school institutions outside the state), and stipends must be at the level of a wage of $14.50 per hour or greater.
Applications are now being accepted, with a deadline of December 30, 2017 for the spring 2018 program and April 30, 2018 for the summer 2018 program. Please click on this link http://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/WorkforceTraining/student for information.
First of 2017-2018 Connecting Statewide Leaders Events November 2nd in Jefferson
A few years ago, at the request of members looking for more association events in locations outside Des Moines, ABI created the Connecting Statewide Leaders Forums. The events have proven very popular and are held throughout the fall, winter and spring all around Iowa. The first event in the 2017-2018 will be held November 2 in Jefferson.
Each of the Connecting Leaders events has drawn a great crowd and the series has resulted in new association members. The forum on November 2 is the next opportunity to participate in this terrific series.
At the luncheon/forum, you will have a great opportunity to hear remarks by Iowa Economic Development Authority Director Debi Durham, visit with fellow ABI members, meet the new Leadership Iowa class, and develop new customers. Please mark your calendar now and watch for more details to come your way soon.
Not Too Early to Register for 2018 ABI Legislative Reception
Every year, more people attend and participate in the annual ABI Legislative Reception than in any other similar event in Iowa. It is not too early to register for the 2018 edition of the reception and you can do so here: http://www.cvent.com/events/2018-abi-legislative-briefing-reception/event-summary-aa9c51846e394bc9851aa2329527436e.aspx.
The 2018 Legislative Reception will be held at the Iowa Taproom, literally steps away from the ABI office in Des Moines’ East Village. The Taproom is a popular destination for Capitol Hill folks and the entire venue will be closed to all except ABI members and state officials for the night. Make plans now to attend.
NAM Reports: Mixed Manufacturing Signals
Last week's edition of Monday Economic Report, published by the National Association of Manufacturers, carried a lead story about losses in manufacturing jobs. The story highlighted the negative impacts of recent hurricanes and other phenomena as major causes in the loss of jobs.
Later in the week, in the NAM’s Global Manufacturing Economic Update, a decidedly more positive story led the report. Data that suggests a projected annualized growth in manufacturing outputs nearing four percent per annum was the focus. The bottom line is that manufacturers across the U.S. remain cautious about the economy. If you wish to read the reports for yourself, please reply to this memo and I will forward them at once.
Charles Sukup Named Tau Beta Pi Distinguished Alumnus
Former ABI Chair Charles Sukup (Sukup Manufacturing Cop., Sheffield) was named a Distinguished Alumnus by Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering honor society, at the group’s annual convention in Detroit last week. Charles was honored for his lifetime achievements and commitment to engineering education.
Please read more here: https://news.engineering.iastate.edu/2017/08/11/charles-sukup-named-tau-beta-pi-distinguished-alumnus/. This honor is much deserved and ABI salutes and congratulates Charles Sukup!
Atlantic Bottling Marks one Year Anniversary of Major Acquisition
In the latest edition of The Fizz, the company newsletter of longtime ABI member Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, a feature column marked the first anniversary of the largest expansion in the company’s century-plus history. Company President Rob Feeney (Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Des Moines) wrote about what it was like a year ago, as the company acquired seven new locations and welcomed several hundred new employees. The company now has nearly 800 employees in nine locations throughout Iowa and beyond.
As is typical with ABI leaders, Rob celebrates the accomplishments of the past year, but closes with a focus on the company’s future and on ways each employee can help the company and themselves be successful. Congratulations to Rob, to former ABI Chairs Jim Tyler (Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Atlantic) and Kirk Tyler (Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Des Moines) and to everyone at Atlantic Bottling on their great success!
Mark Hanawalt Featured in Waterloo Courier for Junior Achievement Honor
Former ABI Chair Mark Hanawalt (United Equipment Accessories, Waverly) is a well-known business and community leader in Iowa, especially in the Cedar Valley region. And, later this month, Mark will be inducted in the Junior Achievement Hall of fame for his work with young people.
That honor and Mark’s leadership were the focus of a terrific feature about Mark in yesterday’s Waterloo Courier. Click here to read it for yourself: http://wcfcourier.com/business/local/mark-hanawalt-growing-with-the-family-business/article_a9160a2f-77d4-5a94-875b-20ba6b9363b6.html.
Mark will be inducted in to the Hall of Fame at a special ceremony at Gallagher-Bluedorn Auditorium on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa on October 26. ABI salutes and congratulates Mark on the great coverage and the well-deserved JA honor!
Diamond Vogel Expands Partnership with KIB
In its latest newsletter, ABI member organization Keep Iowa Beautiful announced an expansion of its well-known Paint Iowa Beautiful program. The expansion is thanks to the generosity of another ABI member, Vogel Paint Company.
Through its Diamond Vogel brand, Vogel Paint provides free paint to a wide variety of public service project all across Iowa. This year, Vogel Paint is expanding its donation to include painting projects at Iowa’s 70 state parks. Congratulations and thank you to KIB and to Vogel Paint, including longtime ABI Board member Drew Vogel (Vogel Paint Company, Orange City)!
Bill Trent Celebrates Today
Former ABI Chair Bill Trent (Kent Corporation, Muscatine) is celebrating his birthday today. Happy birthday, Bill!
The Business of ABI: The Very Best Business Public Policy Advocacy Programs
You have heard me say often that I like things that can be measured, because they let us know whether or not we are having success in achieving the goals that the board sets for us each year. Some goals are easy to measure, such as the condition of our balance sheet (it is strong). Other things are more difficult to measure, but are measurable nonetheless. One example of that is ABI’s public policy work. Is the association getting passed into law the bills that will help members grow and create jobs? And, is the association stopping advancement of bills that hinder that growth? The answer to both questions, for decades through today, is a resounding yes.
You don’t have to take my word for it. National recognition, awards, mentions by media about how strong and effective is ABI’s policy work, all these things attest to ABI’s success.
In fact, as it pertains to public policy, no business organization has had more had more success than ABI… none. For over a hundred years, ABI has been at the Statehouse; year in, year out, achieving success in public policy advocacy and doing the hard and tough work of representing business interests.
You already receive that award-winning public policy work as a benefit of your membership in ABI. You don’t have to pay extra for it. Between ABI and our programs such as the Iowans for Jobs Initiative, ABI annually puts together the strategy that will bring victory - and then achieves it.
Success. It is what you are paying for when you make your annual investment in ABI. You already receive Iowa’s best pro-growth, pro-business public policy work as a result of your membership in ABI. And, thanks to your continued investment in ABI, continued success is assured.