Today is: October 8, 2009
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Manufacturing
Luncheon
Public
Policy Committee Meetings
Workplace
& Product Safety
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To foster a favorable business, economic,
governmental and social climate within the State
of Iowa so that our citizens have the opportunity
to enjoy the highest possible quality of
life. | |
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  Legislative News
Across
the Board Cuts Raise Property
Taxes
Literally minutes after a great meeting
with ABI members in Davenport last Thursday,
where much of the discussion centered on the
state's impending budget deficit, the
Legislative Services Agency announced that state
tax revenues were down 9.1% ($141 million) for
the first quarter of the fiscal
year. Governor Chet Culver is
considering two options in response to these
numbers. He can call a special legislative
session where strategic cuts to programs and
agencies can be made, or he can make across the
board cuts. Continue
reading>>>Iowa Workforce Development to
Hold WorkshopIowa Workforce Development
is hosting a free workshop in Cedar Rapids on
Wednesday, October 28th. The workshop will
focus on the renewed efforts to make certain
employees are classified properly. The
event is at Iowa Workforce Development 800 7th
St., SE in Cedar Rapids and will last from
2:00-3:45 p.m. Although the workshop is
free, registration is requested. You can
contact Scott Maher at 1-319-365-9474 Ext.:
31124. EPA Finalizes Mandatory
Greenhouse Gas Rule
U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator
Lisa Jackson signed the Greenhouse Gas Reporting
rule on September 22nd. The proposal will
significantly impact many industrial facilities
in the state of Iowa. The Iowa Department
of Natural Resources prepared a "frequently
asked questions" document for individuals who
are not sure how the new rule will impact them.
Continue
reading>>>
Regional Meetings Conclude in
Waverly
ABI's regional policy meetings concluded
Tuesday, with a great meeting hosted by Mark
Hanawalt (United Equipment Accessories,
Waverly). Several ABI members, including
those from out of state, participated in great
discussions about the 2010 legislative
landscape. Thank you Mark Hanawalt, Bob
Bocken and Tom Blessing for hosting ABI meetings
and your hospitality!
Employment and Workforce
Committee Meeting Record Crowd
The ABI Employment and Workforce Committee
met Wednesday afternoon to help formulate the
2010 legislative agenda. Over 40 members
were in attendance and provided great feedback
and discussion over existing and proposed
legislative policies. Attendees heard a
great Employment Law update from attorney Hugh
Cain of Hopkins and Huebner,
P.C. |
From the Desk Of...Threase
Harms
BY
THE NUMBERS: WHAT'S DRIVING HEALTH INSURANCE
PREMIUMS UP & WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT
IT?
 As corporate budgets grow ever
tighter, business leaders across Iowa are forced
to take a harder look at expenses and ways to
better manage costs. Right now, one of the
most glaring business expenditures is the
skyrocketing price of healthcare premiums, and
once again this year, health insurance costs are
outpacing inflation. A study released last
year by PricewaterhouseCoopers on
behalf of the America's Health Insurance Plans
(AHIP) shed light on the problems
business leaders are facing; a problem that has
been further compounded by a deep
recession.The study found that in
2007, health insurance costs increased by 6.1
percent, down from previous years, but still
growing faster than the rate of inflation (as
measured by the Consumer Price Index).
Inflation accounted for about 46 percent of that
hike. The rest of the increase, however,
can be attributed to healthcare price increases
in excess of inflation and increased utilization
of services. Continue
reading>>>
Did you miss the
Monday Memo from ABI President, Mike Ralston?
For this week's memo click here. |
 Top 10 Tips When
Networking...
In this
economic climate, it is more important than ever
to cultivate relationships. Whether your
company provides a service, builds a product or
is a non-profit, holding on to, building upon
and growing your business contact inventory is
critical.
1.
Know your target audience. Find
events that put you in front of the decision
maker for the product/service you
represent. If that isn't possible,
identify internal advocates within the
organization that will help you get to the right
person.
2. Position
yourself as a resource.
Decision
makers can smell a sales pitch a mile
away. Instead of self promotion, provide a
resource that will help them with their
operation.
3. If the
group is largely made up of C - level
individuals, send your C- level
personnel.
When the room is filled
with business owners and a sales person appears,
their motives are obvious. Encourage your
C - level to attend higher level meetings so
that their face is the one associated with your
brand to that audience. Continue
reading>>> | |
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