Monday Memo - 12/30/24
December 30, 2024
First ABI Board Meeting of 2025 on January 15; Legislative Reception Same Day
January 15 is the date for the first meeting of the ABI Board of Directors in the new year. ABI Chair Chad Reece (Winnebago Industries, Forest City) will convene the meeting at 2:00 p.m. at the Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines. As is customary, you will receive a packet the week before. You should have received an invitation from Michelle Vollstedt to register. If you did not, simply reply to this memo with your plans and I will make sure we get you counted.
Immediately following the board meeting is the 2025 ABI Legislative Briefing and Reception. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Lt. Governor Cournoyer and all statewide elected officials and legislators have been invited.
Go to the ABI website at Summary - Legislative Briefing and Reception. You’ll find all the information you need and can follow the easy instructions to register right now. We welcomed one new sponsor, and an existing sponsor increased their investment for this event. We are also currently 45 registrations ahead of where we were last year at this time. Thank you in advance for participating. On behalf of Chad and our other ABI officers, I look forward to seeing you in Des Moines on January 15.
Editor’s Note: My First Memo
Two weeks ago, we had the opportunity to read Mike’s final memo. I’m grateful for his mentorship and appreciate his leadership and service to the association the last two decades. Thank you to the Board for entrusting me with the opportunity to lead this 121-year-old membership organization. I’m honored to continue to serve the association in the role as President. In continuing with Mike’s tradition, I plan to send a weekly update to the board. If you have suggestions for me on items to include, please let me know. I want to ensure these memos are newsworthy and helpful and I look forward to your feedback.
ABI in the News
Thank you to everyone who completed ABI’s first quarter survey. The participation rate was the highest it had been for at least the last two quarters. The results were also the most positive, particularly in capital expenditures. Here is the full press release. ABI’s release was featured in the Business Record, the Iowa Business Report with Jeff Stein and on several radio stations throughout the state after an interview with the Radio Iowa network. As 2025 approaches, we will continue to look for opportunities to share news of our members and the work of the association with the public.
Year End Impact of Business Horizons
As the calendar year ends, we are celebrating the successes of our foundation programs and sharing with sponsors the impact of their support. This year marked the 40th Anniversary of our high school program, Business Horizons. We have had more than 5,000 program participants thus far. Click here to see the 2024 report card and student testimonials. If you know a high school student who should attend, contact Workforce Programs and Engagement Coordinator, Anna Mable. The 2025 dates are set: July 13-17 at Drake University! If you are making last minute year-end charitable contributions, please consider supporting 2025 Business Horizons or Leadership Iowa University programs to help high school and college students gain insight into employability skills and understand the importance of business to Iowa’s economic success. Click here to donate today.
Year End Impact of Business Horizons
As the calendar year ends, we are celebrating the successes of our foundation programs and sharing with sponsors the impact of their support. This year marked the 40th Anniversary of our high school program, Business Horizons. We have had more than 5,000 program participants thus far. Click here to see the 2024 report card and student testimonials. If you know a high school student who should attend, contact Workforce Programs and Engagement Coordinator, Anna Mable. The 2025 dates are set: July 13-17 at Drake University! If you are making last minute year-end charitable contributions, please consider supporting 2025 Business Horizons or Leadership Iowa University programs to help high school and college students gain insight into employability skills and understand the importance of business to Iowa’s economic success. Click here to donate today.
Olivia Jones who interned with ABI this summer and is a Leadership Iowa University alumna, has joined us part-time as Marketing and Communications Assistant. We are excited to have her back in the office and part of the team this coming semester. After graduation, she will join the association full-time.
I am also excited to share that on January 13, Cami Schaefer will join ABI as Partnership Relations Manager. Cami is not only a former ABI intern, but also a Business Horizons and Leadership Iowa University alumna. She graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an Emphasis in Marketing and a Minor in Economics. She most recently worked at True Manufacturing in St. Louis as Marketing Coordinator. At ABI, Cami will be focused on ensuring strong relationships with our members and investors and developing new opportunities for partners of the association. We are eager to have her back on the team and back in Iowa!
You will have the opportunity to congratulate our new team members and meet the entire ABI team at the ABI Legislative Briefing and Reception.
“Best Class Ever” Competition Continues
Following the ABI legislative reception on Wednesday the 15th, the Leadership Iowa Annual Dinner will be held at Curate in Des Moines. The event provides a fun and unique dinner networking opportunity for the current class and Leadership Iowa alumni. At the event, the class with the highest number of alumni who paid their annual dues is crowned the “Best Class Ever”. Dues are only $100 and if you haven’t paid yours yet, you can do so when you register for the dinner. Click here for more information or to register: Summary - Leadership Iowa Annual Dinner.
ABI Office Closed January 1st
The ABI office will be closed on Wednesday, January 1st, 2025, for New Years Day. The offices will re-open January 2.
Welcome Frances Elizabeth O’Connor!
Finally, to close out the year, the best item was saved for last! All of us on staff were excited to learn during our last off-site of the calendar year held at ABI Board Member, Kevin Lentz (Anthologic, Des Moines) that the ABI team had a new addition. ABI Marketing and Communications Director, Kelsey O’Connor and her husband, Colton O’Connor, welcomed a new baby girl earlier that morning. Frances Elizabeth O’Connor was born at 5:45 a.m. on December 16. At birth, she weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz. Mother and daughter are both doing well and all enjoyed a wonderful first Christmas at home in Norwalk. We are elated for Kelsey and Colton, and for their baby girl. Francis and Theodore, the newest members of the ABI team, will receive a special edition onesie.