Conference is Two Weeks Away - Monday Memo 5/29/23

May 29, 2023

ABI Taking Care of Business Conference in Two Weeks

Something BIG will happen just two weeks from tomorrow.  On Tuesday, June 13, ABI will convene its 120th annual meeting, the 2023 Taking Care of Business Conference.  The event promises to be another spectacular annual conference. 

Well over 450 have already registered and we are on pace to have between 500 and 600 attendees participate.  Terrific keynotes, fantastic venues, great golf, the very best business networking, and wonderful river city hospitality are all on tap.  If you haven’t registered, there is still time.  Go to https://www.iowaabi.org/events/annual-conference/ and do so today! 

ABI Foundation Auction Moves to Silent Format

The annual auction benefitting the programs of the ABI Foundation returns to the Taking Care of Business Conference with more fabulous gift packages and special features.  This year, the event will take place from June 5-14 in a silent auction format.  

Things begin with a silent auction starting on June 5 at 8:00 a.m. and you can click this link for more information: 2023 ABI Foundation Auction | 32auctions.  Silent bidding will conclude on June 14 at 9:00 p.m.  You’ll find a must-have or must-do package in categories such as Experiences & Entertainment; Home, Office, Garage & Garden; Food & Beverages; Iowa Creators, and many others.  More information will be available soon and please watch the ABI Conference site for live auction details. 

Funds raised will benefit the ABI Foundation’s statewide leadership programs: Business Horizons (Iowa high school students), Leadership Iowa University (college students and interns in Iowa), Leadership Iowa (Iowa professionals), and also will benefit Elevate Iowa - Home. The ABI Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with a mission to develop Iowa’s leaders to strengthen our state’s companies and communities. 

Thank you to many Iowa leaders and organizations that donated to the auction. The auction is sponsored by Gilliland Group at RBC Wealth Management.  Thank you to this great ABI member firm for its support! 

5-Meeting ABI Regional Policy Tour Continues

Following adjournment of the Iowa General Assembly each year, the ABI public policy team hits the road for a series of meetings about the session, how actions taken impact your business, and to gather your views about policy issues for the next year.  Again this year, the ABI staff is coming to you in person. 

The first regional meeting was held last week in Council Bluffs.  Four more stops (Fort Dodge, Sioux Center, LeClaire, and Des Moines) are on tap before the tour is over and you can click here to see more info: https://www.iowaabi.org/events/.  The agenda includes a review of the 2023 session of the Iowa General Assembly and a focus on obtaining your thoughts about ABI's priorities for 2024.  The participation of so many members across Iowa is what makes the meetings so successful.  

Fantastic ABI Okoboji Executive Forum Drawing Lots of Registrations

Some years ago, at the request of members, ABI created a signature event to be held in the Iowa Great Lakes Region each summer.  The event, the ABI Okoboji Executive Forum, has involved terrific programs and speakers and this year’s event is going to be another home run.  In fact, registrations are already pouring in for the event, which will be held August 3rd and 4th.  Register now at Summary - Executive Forum (Members Only) (cvent.com) to hear terrific speakers and network with ABI member executives. 

The program features a high-value presentation by members of the ABI Advisory Council, a family business panel involving ABI board members/owners of iconic Iowa companies, a keynote address by company CEO Ben McLean (Ruan, Des Moines), remarks by a longtime ABI leader about his personal story, a talk by a key Lakes-Area ABI leader, and much more.  This is a fantastic program; register now using the link above! 

Register Now for ABI Executive Open

It is time for me to share the story I often tell of the time an ABI staff member approached me with an idea for a late-summer, early-fall golf outing.  I said something like, “No one wants another golf outing, but sure let’s try it.” 

Well, the event sells-out every year and this was one more example (there are many) of me being wrong.  This year’s ABI Executive Open will be held at Glen Oaks Country Club in West Des Moines, one of our state’s most beautiful private clubs.  Learn more about it here: Glen Oaks Country Club (glenoakscc.com).  

While the course is fantastic, the real reason the event is so popular is because of the terrific networking and fun that are a part of it.  Registration has now opened and you can find the link here: Summary - Executive Open (cvent.com).  Mark your calendars and join your ABI colleagues at Glen Oaks on August 28th