Executive Committee to Meet - Monday Memo 12/2/24
December 2, 2024
ABI Executive Committee to Hold Final 2024 Zoom Meeting December 11; First 2025 Board Meeting Next Month
The ABI Executive Committee, chaired by Chad Reece (Winnebago Industries, Forest City), will hold its final meeting of the calendar year a week from Wednesday (December 11). After that, the next ABI leadership meeting will be held next month. The first ABI Board of Directors meeting of 2025 will be held on Wednesday, January 15.
At the meeting, the latest updates regarding critical association business will be a focus, as will issues related to (what will then be) the just-convened 2025 session of the Iowa General Assembly. Your participation in this meeting is important. Please finalize your plans to do so and thank you in advance for making the ABI meeting on January 15 a priority.
Governor, State Officials, Legislators Want to See You at 2025 ABI Legislative Event; Register Now
ABI knows that Governor Kim Reynolds, other state officials, and legislators of both parties attend the ABI Legislative Reception so they can see YOU. As you know, this event is one of the most popular events ABI hosts all year long. Also as you know, it is likely that over 500 people will attend the event, including more legislators of both parties than at any other similar event. I pointed out last week that the attendance of the Governor, coupled with that of so many legislators and other state officials, is one more confirmation of your importance to Iowa policy makers. They attend because YOU attend.
The ABI staff is busy finalizing details related to the 2025 ABI Legislative Briefing and Reception, which will be held Wednesday, January 15 at the Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines. The briefing is your opportunity to hear the latest about legislative news and about ABI's agenda. You can then head right into the reception and share comments with your local legislators. Your participation and interaction with legislators is what makes this event a must-attend for Iowa policy-makers.
Go to the ABI Events webpage and click Summary - Legislative Briefing and Reception. You’ll find all the information you need and can follow the easy instructions to register now. By the way, please see information about a free webinar being conducted by ABI’s public policy staff related to legislative advocacy elsewhere in this memorandum. And we’ll see you in Des Moines on January 15.
Final Session in 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 week, 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).
Annual Shine Bros. Holiday Event is December 13
Each year, the good folks at longtime ABI member company Shine Bros. Corp. host a terrific holiday gathering. You, ABI board members and former board chairs, are invited.
The 2024 event will be held December 13 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the company’s headquarters at 225 10th Ave SE in Spencer. Many of you have attended this event in past years and know that it is a great time for fellowship and good cheer. Having attended many times, I can confirm it is simply an exceptional event. If you have questions or need information, please contact/RSVP to Vicki at Shine Bros. at (712) 262-5579, extension 113, or vicki@shinebros.com. In the meantime, thank you to former ABI Chair Toby Shine (Shine Bros. Corp., Spencer) and former ABI Board Member Eva Shine (Shine Bros. Corp., Spencer) for the invitation!
Ottumwa LI Session, Connecting Statewide Leaders Event This Week
As usual, this time of year is a busy one for ABI. For example, the 2024-20254 Leadership Iowa Class will hold its third session later this week in Ottumwa. The class will hear from an incredible array of terrific speakers. You will have an opportunity to meet the class at next month's ABI legislative reception. By the way, a part of the LI session will include the latest in ABI’s “Connecting Statewide Leaders” series of events. That event will take place this Thursday, December 5th. Following that session, which features Iowa Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend, attendees will join the Leadership Iowa class for lunch. You can register for the Connecting Statewide Leaders event now at Summary - Connecting Statewide Leaders - Ottumwa.
Tomorrow: #Giving Tuesday
Speaking of the programs such as Leadership Iowa, and as you read about in this memo previously (and likely have seen mentioned in other sources), tomorrow, December 3rd is #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. Should you participate in #GivingTuesday, please consider the ABI Foundation. Click here to donate: Pay Online | Iowa Association of Business and Industry (iowaabi.org).
ABI “Advocacy 101” Webinar Will Help You Prepare for 2025 Legislative Session
The 2025 session of the Iowa General Assembly is fast-approaching. In that regard, 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 Senior 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 Members Add Value
Members of the ABI Advisory Council do much to advance the work of the association. Their leadership and support is never taken for granted. They have played a very large part in the increase in quality and quantity of ABI programs across Iowa.
Thank you to the members of the council for their work in 2024. Thank you to Anthologic, AssuredPartners, Bankers Trust, BCC Advisers, BrownWinick, CliftonLarsonAllen, EideBailley, EMC, Fredrikson & Byron, G&A Partners, HDH Advisors, Principal Financial Network of Central Iowa, The Iowa Clinic, Wellmark, and Wells Fargo.
Members Use ABI Online Directory
A few years ago, ABI’s new online member directory became operational. This is just a reminder that the new directory allows you to check member company information, search industry partners, connect with ABI colleagues, and much more. Find the online directory log-in page here: https://www.iowaabi.org/member-directory/login/.
NAM Report: Manufacturing Optimism on the Rise
Last week’s Monday Economic Report from the National Association of Manufacturers provides an update regarding the national economy. One big news item is that manufacturing optimism is on the rise. There is mostly positive data (a change from recent weeks), though growth remains moderate to slow. Read about this and more in the report. If you wish to see the report for yourself, simply reply to this message and I’ll get it to you at once.