See you at the Lakes - Monday Memo 7/31/17

July 31, 2017

“Bringing ‘Boji Back” Leaders Event Thursday, Friday in Iowa Great Lakes Area

As you know and in response to your requests, ABI will return to the Iowa Great Lakes for a member event in the popular series of Connecting Statewide Leaders events. It is not too late to make your plans to join us later this week for great programming, great networking, and great venues.  

ABI Board Member Bruce Tamisiea (Tecton Industries, Spencer) will start things off this Thursday (August 3) by hosting attendees at his innovative company in Spencer.  That will be followed by a reception and dinner at former ABI Chair Toby Shine’s (Shine Bros. Corp., Spencer) famous Okoboji Classic Cars facility.  The next day, a program featuring ABI member CEO Ro Crosbie (Tero International, West Des Moines) will be held at the new Waterfront Conference Center on East Lake Okoboji.  Find more information and register now at: http://www.cvent.com/events/connecting-statewide-leaders-bringing-boji-back/event-summary-433257bfb0ec4215893f84f1b3d39dca.aspx.  See you on Okoboji this week! 

Policy Development Meetings Begin in Two Weeks

For the fifth year in a row, the schedule for ABI's annual policy committees has been advanced.  The policy development process is overseen by ABI Vice Chair David Bywater (Economy Advertising, Iowa City) and it will begin with a meeting of the ABI Economic Growth Committee two weeks from tomorrow.  Thank you to ABI member Russ Cross (Wells Fargo, West Des Moines), who is the longtime chair of the committee. 

Hundreds of ABI members have already registered to attend one or more of the five committee meetings.  If you haven't already done so, there is still plenty of time for you and your employees to register.  Simply go to https://www.iowaabi.org/events/ to register for the committee meetings of interest to you.  The ABI Board of Directors will act on the recommendations of these committees at the September board meeting. 

August ABI Executive Committee Teleconference Two Weeks from Today

Members of the ABI Executive Committee will convene for their monthly teleconference on August 14.  ABI Chair David Zrostlik (Stellar Industries, Garner) and committee members will work through a full agenda in advance of next month’s meeting of the ABI Board of Directors. 

As you know, the first ABI Board Meeting of the 2017 fiscal year will be held on September 13.  Please mark your calendars now and finalize your plans to participate in this important meeting. 

Leadership Iowa University to Begin Ninth Annual Class Sunday

Next Sunday (August 6), the ninth annual session of the ABI Foundation’s Leadership Iowa University program will convene at ABI.  ABI board members and former Chairs are invited to meet and interact with LIU students.  

The LIU reception will be held Wednesday, August 9, in Des Moines, from 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  Beverages and light appetizers will be served.  You won't want to miss this event, because it is being held at Market One Rooftop in the East Village, one of Des Moines’ hottest new venues.   The event is FREE and all you need do to attend is click on this link to RSVP: http://www.iowaabi.org/events/detail/71-abi-foundation-rooftop-reception/.  

You can also help LIU by participating in a business leader roundtable discussion on the same day (Wednesday, August 9) at Nationwide Insurance in downtown Des Moines.  The roundtable comes with a free lunch and will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Thank you to ABI Board Member Jason Gross (Nationwide, Des Moines) for hosting.  Please reply to this memo for more information. 

ABI Advisory Council Meets August 17 at BCC Advisers

Members of the ABI Advisory Council provide significant support for the association.  Certainly their financial investment is important and appreciated, but even more valuable is the programming and resource support they provide for ABI members.  The council will hold its August meeting two weeks from Thursday at longtime ABI member BCC Advisers in Des Moines.  

Thank you to all of the members of the ABI Advisory Council. The Council includes 21st Century Rehab, BCC Advisers, Brick Gentry P.C., BrownWinick, CIRAS, CliftonLarsonAllen, EMC, Focus OneSource, Global Reach, LMC Insurance and Risk Management, Principal Financial Group, Tero International, The Iowa Clinic, Transition Point Business Advisors, and Wellmark. 

Ninth Annual ABI Executive Open in Four Weeks

Register now for the ninth annual ABI Executive Open Best Ball, which will be held four weeks from today, on August 28, at Des Moines Golf and Country Club in West Des Moines.  Golf, networking, and a reception will highlight the day.  Registration has been open for a couple of weeks and golf is nearly sold-out! To register right now for the remaining spots, go to http://www.cvent.com/events/abi-executive-open-2017/event-summary-7d269e2b6cdb43e588197d2b55822197.aspx.  We look forward to seeing you at the end of the month.  

Annual Manufacturing Conference, Legends Dinner September 19, 20

The annual ABI Manufacturing Conference and the third annual Legends in Manufacturing Dinner will be held in Greater Des Moines on September 19 and 20.  You can find more information and register here: http://www.cvent.com/events/legends-in-manufacturing-awards-dinner-and-or-advanced-manufacturing-conference/event-summary-8c33168550c3461288085578e50761e4.aspx. See you there!

YPIowa Conference September 22

The ABI Foundation provides administrative support for Young Professionals of Iowa, our state's largest group for young professionals.  YPIowa is now getting ready for its annual conference, which will be held September 22nd in Ankeny.  You can find more information at YPIowa Annual Conference.   

Atlantic Bottling Honored by City of Waukee; Kirk Tyler on WHO Radio

ABI members tend to be fantastic corporate citizens. One example of that is longtime ABI member Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company.  As the company prepared to move its Waukee distribution facility to a huge new facility in Des Moines, city leaders in Waukee took time out to honor the company and say thanks for all it has done for the city. 

Click on this link to read more about it: http://www.adelnews.com/news/20170725/atlantic-bottling-company-honored-at-waukee-city-council-meeting. Congratulations to everyone at the company, including two former Chairs of ABI: Jim Tyler (Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Atlantic) and Kirk Tyler (Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Des Moines)!  

More congratulations are due Kirk, because he appeared on the popular “Van and Bonnie in the Morning” program on WHO Radio last week. Kirk shared information with listeners about the company’s great expansion, its relocation to its new Des Moines facility, and about an exciting new product, Coke Zero-Sugar.  Congratulations again, Kirk! 

Rand Fisher Recuperating

ABI Board Member Rand Fisher (Iowa Area Development Group, Des Moines) returned to the office last week after the second of two hip replacement surgeries. Rand had the surgery two weeks ago and, as is typical with Rand, was back in the office only a week later. ABI sends best wishes for a complete and swift recovery, Rand!