Busy Summer Continues at ABI - Monday Memo 8/6/18
August 6, 2018
Executive Committee Teleconference a Week from Wednesday; Board Will Meet in September
ABI Chair David Bywater (Bankers Advertising/Tru Art, Iowa City) and members of the association’s Executive Committee will hold their August teleconference a week from Wednesday, on August 15. Agenda items include discussions related to public policy, membership and events, and Foundation programs.
Speaking of leadership meetings, the board will meet September 12 in Ames. You will receive a complete packet of meeting materials in your email in-basket about a week prior to the meeting. The board will meet at 11:30 a.m. at Reiman Gardens near Jack Trice Stadium in Ames.
The September meeting is an important one for several reasons. First, it marks the first 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 12, literally hundreds of ABI members will have participated in meetings to propose a slate of policies for 2019). This part of the meeting will be led by ABI Vice Chair John Krogman (Connect-A-Dock, Atlantic). Please mark your calendars and make plans now to attend this important meeting.
ABI Employment and Workforce, Workplace and Product Safety Committees to Meet
Members of the ABI Employment and Workforce and Workplace and Product Safety Committees will hold their annual policy meetings this week in Des Moines. These committees will meet at ABI on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. Thank you to Committee Chairs Amy Larsen (United Equipment Accessories, Waverly) and Rex Butler (CIPCO, Cedar Rapids)).
These meetings will be followed next week by meetings of the ABI Economic Growth Committee, the ABI Environment Committee, and the ABI Tax Committee. You can register for any of these meetings by clicking on them in the ABI Events Calendar at https://www.iowaabi.org/events/.
LIU Opens Session; Meet with Class This Week
The annual class of Leadership Iowa University kicked-off its 2018 session yesterday at ABI in Des Moines. 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.
The students are an intelligent and enthusiastic group. It is clear they are focused on business and advancing their careers in a way that brings value to them, their future employers, and to Iowa. As I mentioned last week, class members come from public, private, and community colleges all across Iowa.
You can meet the class at a reception Wednesday afternoon from 5:15-6:30. It will be held at Shive-Hattery in West Des Moines. The event is FREE and all you need do to attend is reply to this memo.
You are also invited to participate in an LIU Leaders Luncheon Wednesday at EMC Insurance. Thank you to ABI Board Member Jason Gross (EMC, Des Moines) for hosting the class Wednesday. Many other ABI leaders will participate in LIU events throughout the week and that support is deeply appreciated as well.
New Board Member Orientations Continue; Deering, Bemrich Up This Week
Meetings with new members of the ABI Board of Directors continue. This week, two more great leaders are on tap: Connor Deering (CemenTech, Indianola) and Matt Bemrich (Bemrich Electric and Telephone, Fort Dodge). You will have a chance to meet Connor and Matt and all the other newly-elected board members at the September meeting of the board.
Annual ABI Executive Open on the 27th
Many of you have commented to me that you are looking forward to the tenth annual ABI Executive Open best ball golf outing. The open will be held on Monday, August 27. As this memo goes to press, nearly 100 ABI members have already registered. The event will be held at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club, a fabulous private golf course in West Des Moines. Register now to play golf or just join us for the reception following the outing.
The day’s events are arranged in such a way that most of you will be able to spend time in the office that morning and then participate in the best ball that afternoon. You’ll have fun and have an opportunity to network with great ABI members. To find more information or to register, please go to the ABI webpage at www.iowaabi.org and click on the events tab.
ABI Advisory Council Meets Next Week
As you read in last week's memo, members of the ABI Advisory Council will meet soon. The council will meet on the 16th. Thank you to ABI Advisory Council members 21st Century Rehab, BCC Advisers, Brick Gentry P.C., BrownWinick, CIRAS, CliftonLarsonAllen, EMC, Far Reach, Focus OneSource, Global Reach, HDH Advisors, LMC Insurance and Risk Management, Principal, Shift Interactive, Tero International, The Iowa Clinic, Wellmark, and Wells Fargo.
Legends in Manufacturing Awards Nominations Deadline Extended
The nomination deadline for the Legends in Manufacturing Awards has been extended to August 17. Go now to https://www.elevateiowa.com/about/elevate-legends-nominations to make your nominations of worthy companies. Then, plan on attending the annual Legends dinner on October 2nd.
ABI, CIRAS Partner on Manufacturing Road Show
ABI, in conjunction with longtime member/partner CIRAS (the Center for Industrial Research and Service at Iowa Strate University) has developed a manufacturing best practices road show. The event is scheduled for two days – September 18th and 19th – and involves a trip by chartered coach to the Quad Cities and suburban Chicago. To find more information and to register, please click on https://www.iowaabi.org/events/detail/121-manufacturing-best-practices-road-show-chicago/.
Various stops will be made to pick up passengers and the group will tour two businesses in the Quad Cities and two near Chicago. The latest manufacturing technology will be on display and the tour will include live presentations by manufacturers who will share the latest in digital technology, process improvement, and best practices. Register now using the link above.
Trent: Gage and Jimmy Kent Lead White House Delegation
In last week’s Monday Memo, I noted that longtime ABI member the Kent Corporation was featured in a product showcase at the White House in Washington, DC. Read about the showcase here: https://www.radioiowa.com/2018/07/24/muscatine-company-showcased-in-white-house-business-event/.
After reading the memo, former longtime ABI Board Member Bill Trent (Kent Corporation, Muscatine) checked in (it is always good to hear from Bill). Bill noted that the Kent delegation was led by Gage and Jimmy Kent, marking the 3rd and 4th generations of the Kent Family to lead this Iowa grown and based family business. Congratulations to everyone at Kent, including the Kents, Bill, and ABI Board Member Rich Dwyer (Kent Corporation, Muscatine)!
Big Week for Kay Neumann-Thomas
Last week was a big one, with the birth of a fifth granddaughter to ABI Vice President Foundation Programs Kay Neumann Thomas and her husband, Bill. The new baby, named Collette, weighed in at an even seven pounds. What a wonderful time for the family. All of us at ABI wish them the very best!