Register for Paycheck Protection Program Next Steps Webinar
This coming Tuesday, ABI will host a webinar that will walk through the changing guidance the Small Business Administration and U.S. Treasury have issued for companies that have taken advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP, which was enacted under the CARES Act that was signed into law this past March, provided forgivable loans to eligible companies for payroll and other expenses when they were forced to shut down by the government. Presenting on this topic is Eric Fopma (MBA) of ABI Advisory Council member company CliftonLarsonAllen. If your company has utilized the PPP, you won’t want to miss out on this free webinar taking place on Dec. 15 at 10 a.m. You can register here.
Governor, IDPH Unveil Updated Vaccine Plan for Iowa; First Vaccines Tentatively Scheduled to Arrive Next Week
Last Friday, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) published its latest version of Iowa’s COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy. IDPH Director Kelly Garcia stated that health care workers, long-term care residents and their staff would be the first to receive the vaccine. The report indicates that food packaging and distribution workers, law enforcement officials, teachers and child care providers would be in the next phase of prioritization for vaccines, as they are Iowans “who play a key role in keeping essential functions of society running and cannot socially distance in the workplace.” Iowa will partner with pharmacies, nursing homes, health care clinics and other local entities to distribute the vaccine during phase two. ABI will continue to monitor the situation. Read more from The Gazette.
Governor Continues Current Emergency Proclamation Through Next Wednesday
Yesterday, Gov. Reynolds announced during her press conference that she would be signing an emergency proclamation that largely continues the COVID-19 mitigation efforts that are currently in place through Dec. 16. The extension continues the requirement that a mask is worn indoors by individuals when they are within six feet of each other for more than 15 minutes with exceptions. Indoor and outdoor gatherings will also be continued to be limited in scope. You can view a summary of the changes and the entire proclamation.
ABI Policy Team Continues Preparation for 2021 Legislative Session
We’re almost exactly one month away from the beginning of the 2021 legislative session, and ABI’s public policy team has hit the ground running. Up until the start of session, JD Davis and Brad Hartkopf will meet with key legislative leaders, caucus staff and other lobbyists as they work to enact ABI’s priorities in 2021. With 18 new members in the House and at least 8 new members in the Senate, JD and Brad will work to meet with these new individuals and educate them on the issues that matter to ABI members. Should you have any questions about ABI’s priorities or other policy questions, please contact JD Davis or Brad Hartkopf.
Three Weeks Left to Be an IIPAC Donor in 2020
The Iowa Industry Political Action Committee (IIPAC) had an amazing year in 2020! Thanks to those who stepped up and invested, IIPAC was able to deliver over $88,000 to pro-jobs candidates running for the Iowa Legislature. Over 96% (76 out of 79) of IIPAC-endorsed candidates won their races, making this one of the best cycles ever for IIPAC! IIPAC board members rightly determined this was a critical election and spent down our IIPAC balance to a very low level. With pre-session fundraisers and a potential special election occurring in the Senate, IIPAC needs your help to rebuild that balance. The return-on-investment is clear when you contribute to the vehicle that helps ABI support pro-growth policymakers. If you haven’t invested in IIPAC this year, do so today!
ATRA Announces 2020-2021 “Judicial Hellholes”
The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA), a national partner of ABI, recently released its annual report on judicial hellholes. ATRA, a nationwide organization dedicated to reforming the civil justice system, deemed nine jurisdictions as judicial hellholes for this year, including New York City, California, Louisiana, Georgia, St. Louis, Minneapolis and more. Over the last four years, ABI has been able to enhance Iowa’s legal climate for businesses. We’ve helped pass multiple pieces of substantive tort reform including most recently the “COVID-19 Response and Back to Business Limited Liability Act” in 2020. You can view the executive summary and the full report.
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Next Tuesday: "Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – Next Steps" Webinar |
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If your organization was awarded a PPP loan under the CARES Act, you may have some concerns about the changing guidance you’ve seen from the SBA and the Treasury regarding your loan.
Join us Dec. 15 for a webinar, "Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – Next Steps," with Eric Fopma from CLA. He will discuss PPP Forgiveness applications, along with the pitfalls CLA has seen clients run into throughout the process. There is no cost to attend. Register now.
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Six Iowa Business Leaders Join ABI Board |
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Six Iowa business leaders will join the Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) board of directors in January.
Newly elected board members include:
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Garrett Burchett (Mississippi River Distilling Company, LeClaire)
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Jack Carra (LMC Insurance and Risk Management, West Des Moines)
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Kevin Lentz (Anthologic, West Des Moines)
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Mike Lovell (Meredith Corporation, Des Moines)
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Bill McKim (Midland Power Cooperative, Jefferson)
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Chad Reece (Winnebago Industries, Forest City)
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3 Surprisingly Simple Tips for Mastering Financial Agility |
Mark K. Phillips
Vice President of Treasury Management Services
Bank Iowa
Reaping what you sow is far from a sure thing, as Iowa farmers know all too well. The 700-mile path of destruction from this summer’s derecho included more than 10 million acres of Iowa’s corn and soybeans. These crops were planted with great care, strategy and investment. Yet, they won’t yield anywhere near what their growers expected.
Of course, Iowa’s farmers are not the only strategists confronting losses from surprise events. COVID-19 threw millions of families, educators, business owners, healthcare providers and others for an unprecedented loop. Had they seen the challenges ahead, many would have planned for the year quite differently.
Let’s be honest, though. Even the most crystal ball-like contingency plan may not have turned out as expected. Think of it this way ... even when the world isn’t coping with the shock and awe of pandemic-era crises, natural disasters and social unrest, we still experience disappointing outcomes. It’s a fact of life.
Knowing that the best-laid plans are sure to go awry, agility becomes a crucial skill, especially when it comes to finances. Mastering financial agility is surprisingly simple. Here are a few practices business leaders can put into place now to maintain the dexterity necessary to thrive amid unforeseen trouble. Read more.
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Davis Brown Law Firm to Combine with Dentons
Davis Brown Law Firm announced Tuesday a future combination with Dentons, the world’s largest law firm. The combination continues the growth of Project Golden Spike, a series of combinations dedicated to advancing the first truly national U.S. law firm capable of helping clients navigate the new dynamic across 39 U.S. locations and 193 locations across 77 countries around the world. Davis Brown is one of the largest law firms in Iowa with close to 80 lawyers and offices in West Des Moines, Ames and Des Moines. Read the full news release.
LyondellBasell Named to Newsweek Magazine's List of "America's Most Responsible Companies"
LyondellBasell, one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world, recently announced it has been named to Newsweek Magazine's 2021 list of "America's Most Responsible Companies." This is the second time LyondellBasell appears on the list, which debuted in 2020 and recognizes companies for their performance in the areas of environmental, social and corporate governance. Read the full news release.
CEC Helps Healthcare Organizations Prepare to Safely and Confidently Store COVID-19 Vaccines
CEC, a nationally recognized technology solutions provider and systems integrator in the Midwest, stands ready to help hospitals, pharmacies and medical clinics prepare to store vital COVID-19 vaccines as they make their way across the country. CEC’s team of in-house healthcare technology experts can help healthcare organizations prepare to safely and confidently maintain extremely cold storage temperatures (as low as -94 degrees F) to preserve the vaccine’s active ingredients. Read the full news release.
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