Business Day in Des Moines in Two Weeks - Monday Memo 2/20/23
February 20, 2023
Inaugural ABI Business Day in Des Moines Just Two Weeks Away
It looks like a terrific crowd will be on hand for the inaugural version of ABI’s newest event, as 124 of you have already registered for the very first edition of ABI Business Day in Des Moines. The event will be held Tuesday, March 7. The day starts with registration promptly at 10:45 a.m. at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Des Moines' East Village.
You’ll hear from legislative leaders of both chambers and both parties (all four leaders are confirmed), you’ll hear a geopolitical update from popular ABI speaker/member Kavi Chawla (Baton Global, Des Moines), and much more. You’ll have the opportunity to interact with these leaders, with fellow ABI members, and you’ll hear the latest about ABI issues and programs. You don’t want to miss it! Click here for more information and to register: Summary - Business Day in Des Moines (cvent.com). See you two weeks from tomorrow for this brand new event!
ABI Board to Meet March 7
The March meeting of the ABI Board of Directors will be held at 1:30 p.m. and conclude by 3:00 p.m. on March 7th. That is immediately following the event outlined above. As with that event, the board meeting will be held at Embassy Suites Downtown in Des Moines’ East Village.
Please watch your email in-basket on or about March 2nd for the usual message with meeting information. On behalf of ABI Chair Kim Augspurger (Pigott, Des Moines), I hope you can all participate.
By the way, per usual practice, the ABI Executive Committee will not meet in March, so that committee members can focus on Business Day in Des Moines and the board meeting. Should you have questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact Michelle Vollstedt or me.
Don’t Miss Opportunity to Advertise in ABI Business Monthly
You will recall that starting January 1, ABI entered into a new partnership with the Corridor Media Group. That ABI-member company publishes the Corridor Business Journal and the Quad Cities Business Journal. And, the group also now publishes the Business Monthly, ABI’s monthly newsprint business journal.
The ABI content is published once each month in both the CBJ and the QCBJ and distributed to ABI members all across Iowa. YOU can also advertise your company and your products and services in the Business Monthly. Great rates are available and you will want to contact Andrea Rhoades (andrea@corridorbusiness.com) for more information.
Governor Reynolds Announces Additional Funds for Manufacturers
Last week (and as you read about in last week’s ABI newsletter), Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced an additional $2 million has been made available to Iowa manufacturers. The funds are a part of the technology investment program to help small/mid-size manufacturers invest in technology. Click here for more information about applying for the funds: Governor Reynolds, IEDA Announce $2 Million in Manufacturing 4.0 Funding | Governor of the State of Iowa.
Beginning Thursday, Register for the Annual Conference; Flagship Hotel Sold Out
The 2023 Taking Care of Business Conference will be held in Cedar Rapids June 13-15. At the conference, you will find not one, but three headline speakers. You will see fabulous venues, you will have access to terrific alternative activities, and great golf at one of Iowa’s finest public courses, and of course you will take part in the best business networking anywhere in Iowa. Registration for the conference will open THURSDAY! Please register for the conference by going to https://www.iowaabi.org/events/annual-conference/.
Related to the annual conference, we learned late last week that the conference flagship hotel, the DoubleTree by Hilton Cedar Rapids Convention Complex, was completely sold out. Excitement is building for the conference! The good news is that there are plenty of other lodging options for the conference. Use the link above to see them and to make your lodging reservation now. And, it is likely that even more options will be added a later date. Don’t miss this terrific event
Hiring, Cobot Events on Tap THIS WEEK
Two high-value ABI programs are coming your way this week. Tomorrow, ABI Executive Vice President Nicole Crain will lead a webinar focused on information about apprenticeships and work-based learning. Senior Advisor to Governor Reynolds Linda Fandel and Kris Bryan of Iowa Workforce Development will provide the program.
This Thursday, on February 23rd, ABI is partnering with members Kinetic Technologies and Iowa Lakes Community College on a high-value cobot automation seminar. The session will provide an informative and interactive program about bringing automation to your company and it will be held at Iowa Lakes’ Algona campus. Lunch will be served. Click here for more information and to register: Summary - Cobot Automation Summit (cvent.com).
ABI Workers Compensation Seminar March 28 in Des Moines
ABI will host its biennial workers compensation seminar late in March. This is the place to find the latest information about workers compensation programs and to learn the best practices utilized by other companies. The seminar will be held at the ABI office on March 28 and you can find more information and register here: Summary - Workers' Compensation Seminar (cvent.com). We look forward to seeing your HR, risk management, and compliance teams at ABI on March 28th.
Bi-Weekly Legislative Update Friday
As you know, ABI lobbyists host an update to give you the very latest information from the Statehouse. These bi-weekly updates on bills, legislative proposals, state actions, and other matters are held every two weeks and the next call is this Friday, February 24. Your specific questions about those topics are also very much welcomed.
The update will take place by Zoom at 8:00 a.m. and you and your employees are encouraged to participate. The members-only call is free as a part of your ABI membership and please go here for more information: Legislative Update (Members Only) | Iowa Association of Business and Industry (iowaabi.org). In the meantime, thanks to JD Davis and Brad Hartkopf, ABI’s public policy team, for their hard work.