IIPAC Candidates Elected - Monday Memo 11/9/20
November 9, 2020
IIPAC-Endorsed Candidates Win Big on Election Night
As you saw in Thursday’s ABI newsletter, pro-business candidates won big in last week’s General Election. The Iowa Industry Political Action Committee is ABI’s PAC and IIPAC endorses pro-business Republicans AND Democrats. IIPAC-endorsed candidates won races across the state last Tuesday.
In fact, 95 percent of Iowa Senate candidates endorsed by IIPAC won their races. In the Iowa House of Representatives, the percentage was even greater, with 96 percent of IIPAC-endorsed candidates winning. Those figures are important and help you know that your IIPAC donation is a sound investment. To find comprehensive election information provided by the ABI public policy team, click here: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Voice-of-Iowa-Business-Newsletter.html?soid=1102334302839&aid=VMmQtms17lk. Thank you once more for your support of IIPAC and pro-business candidates.
Board, Executive Committee to Meet Thursday
Both the ABI Board of Directors and the ABI Executive Committee will meet Thursday (November 12). ABI Chair Steven Bradford (HNI Corporation, Muscatine) will call to order the final board meeting of 2020 at 11:30 a.m. (the board will meet by Zoom).
Election of new directors, a review of the annual audit, staffing issues, an update regarding the conference, and your business reports are highlights of the agenda. In addition, the board will receive the usual operational reports.
As mentioned above, one highlight of the board meeting will be the election of several new board members. Due to a variety of circumstances, the board has developed six openings and new members will be nominated and elected. Nominees include Garrett Burchett (Mississippi River Distilling Company, LeClaire), Jack Carra (LMC Insurance and Risk Management, West Des Moines), Kevin Lentz (Anthologic, West Des Moines), Mike Lovell (Meredith Corporation, Des Moines), Bill McKim (Midland Power Cooperative, Jefferson), and Chad Reece (Winnebago Industries, Forest City).
If you haven't already done so, please register your attendance by simply replying to this message. A link to access the usual packet of reports and reference materials was distributed by email last week. On behalf of our ABI officers, I look forward to seeing you Thursday.
Not Too Soon to Make 2021 Annual Conference Lodging Reservations
It is not too early to make your lodging reservation for the 2021 Taking Care of Business Conference, ABI's 118th annual convention. That event will be held June 8-10 of next year in Iowa City-Coralville.
The main conference hotel is the beautiful Coralville Marriott. Go here and click on the “Hotels” button to find a link to the flagship hotel: https://www.iowaabi.org/events/annual-conference/. You will also see other lodging options and there are new options that didn’t even exist when ABI was last in Coralville just a few years ago.
Remember, this conference will involve exciting, brand new venues, fabulous speakers, and sessions unlike any seen before. You will be able to register for the conference on the ABI website soon. In the meantime, use the link above to make your lodging reservation now.
ABI Foundation Board to Hold Strategic Planning Session
The Board of Directors of the ABI Foundation will meet Wednesday. During their meeting, directors will conduct a strategic planning exercise to ensure continued success for Foundation programs. Thank you to Foundation Board Chair Kim Butler Hegedus (Community State Bank, Ankeny) and her fellow board members for the hard work and leadership.
ABI Legislative Briefing, Reception January 13
Mark your calendars now for one of ABI’s most popular, and most important, events of the year. The annual ABI Legislative Briefing and Reception will be held Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in downtown Des Moines. Typically, over 500 members and state officials attend this event each year.
Because of your participation, this event draws more Iowa legislators (of both parties) than any similar event hosted by other organizations. Your local legislators enjoy this event and appreciate the opportunity to visit with you and your fellow Iowa business leaders in a relaxed and informal setting. As always, all 150 legislators and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg have been invited to join you at the reception.
Immediately prior to the event, the annual members-only legislative briefing will be held. This event will provide you with the very latest in legislative news and information about ABI issues. You can find more information and register NOW by going to https://web.cvent.com/event/8db337e1-f39c-4e1f-8a9c-e88059b6b945/summary?rp=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000. By the way, as always, this event is being held the same day as the January meeting of the ABI Board of Directors. On behalf of our ABI officers and directors, I look forward to seeing you in Des Moines on January 13. As a final note, please know that all possible health and safety protocols are being followed relative to this event.
Iowa Business Report Radio Program
The Iowa Business Report radio program is broadcast weekly on stations all over Iowa. The program is the result of a great a partnership between well-known Iowa broadcaster Jeff Stein and ABI. If you missed the latest episode, you can click here to listen for yourself: http://iowabusinessreport.buzzsprout.com/. Links can also be found on the ABI website at https://www.iowaabi.org/news/iowa-business-report/.
ABI Webinar Series Runs in November, December
Last month, ABI initiated a high-value webinar series. Between then and early December, ABI will host five web programs on a variety of topics. The next, to be held on Wednesday, focuses on leadership. Go to https://www.iowaabi.org/events/ to register and find more information.
Advisory Council to Meet Next Week
The ABI Advisory Council will hold a virtual meeting next Thursday. This will mark the panel's final business meeting of 2020.
The members of the council can be a great resource for your business. Thank you to ABI Advisory Council members 21st Century Rehab, ACS, BCC Advisers, BrownWinick, CIRAS, CliftonLarsonAllen, EMC, Focus OneSource, Fredrikson & Byron, HDH Advisors, LMC Insurance and Risk Management, Principal, Shift Interactive, The Iowa Clinic, and Wells Fargo for your leadership and support!
Business Record Iowa Receiving High Marks
You soon will be receiving the monthly edition of ABI's flagship publication, Business Record Iowa. Published in conjunction with member Business Publications Corporation, BRIowa took the place of our quarterly publication, IA.biz magazine.
When it comes to BR Iowa, members are telling us they really like the greatly increased publishing schedule (from 4 times each year to 12) and the content. Those comments are nice to hear. Just as important is anything we can do to make the new journal even better and more useful to you. Please contact me with any comments or suggestions.
Jason Gross, Mary Andringa, Tom McMahon Celebrate
Former ABI Board Member Jason Gross (EMC Insurance, Des Moines) recently celebrated his birthday. Other ABI leaders are also celebrating birthdays this month. ABI Past Chair Mary Andringa (Vermeer Corporation, Pella) and former ABI Board Member and former ABI Foundation Chair Tom McMahon (Barker Company, Keosauqua) share birthdays. ABI sends best birthday wishes to Mary, Tom, and Jason!
Tom Determann Re-Elected
Longtime ABI Board Member Tom Determann (CADC, Clinton) was a very successful business owner who led his company, Determann Industries, for many years. After selling his business some years ago, Tom retired, but didn’t slow down. He was first elected to the Clinton City Council and later, to the Clinton County Board of Supervisors.
Last Tuesday, Tom was reelected to the Board of Supervisors. Congratulations, Tom, and congratulations to the citizens of Clinton County, who will now continue to benefit from Tom’s common-sense, businesslike approach to issues!
The Business of ABI; Strong Results in 2020
Editor's Note: The following is a message that has become a tradition about this time each year; it has been edited for accuracy and so that it objectively applies to the current year
When I created the Monday Memo, my goal was to provide you with sort of an “inside baseball” view of what is happening at ABI each week. Too many times, this weekly memo becomes simply a list of upcoming events. Given that, I especially like to share news related to developments and projects (other than events) and news of what is happening with your fellow board members and past chairs. And, I like to share news regarding what I call the business of ABI.
The business of ABI refers to key information about the metrics that provide insights as to whether or not our association is achieving the goals you establish for it every year. In that regard and in keeping with a tradition started over a decade ago, I typically share some information in the memo that appears the week of the final board meeting of the year to provide some information about association results during the past 12 months.
For many years, I listed several bullet points related to ABI's work in public policy, programs, with the work of the ABI Foundation, and as it pertains to our operational and financial success. Because that became repetitive, I took a different tack the last few years and I'll do that again now.
Let me simply say that ABI experienced strong results in 2020. I need to point out that is not just rhetoric. Simply saying something is the case does not make it so. In measurable ways, ABI enjoyed success this year. When it comes to public policy advocacy, membership growth, participation in events, conference revenue, Foundation programs, creation of new initiatives, and in so many other ways, 2020 has been a truly great year (and it’s not over yet).
Of course, the year was made even more challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Not too many organizations can say this, but ABI can: We will weather our SECOND global pandemic. ABI survived the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 and it will survive the COVID pandemic in 2020 (here’s hoping there aren’t too many more pandemics to survive). While other organizations laid-off staff members, cut programs, operated in the red, or even went out of business, ABI has continued to operate and has even added new virtual programs during this time. That is due to you, our board members, and the membership in general.
ABI board members demand results. Thanks to your leadership and thanks to a hard-working staff at both ABI and the ABI Foundation, strong results were achieved in 2020. THANK YOU.