On October 7th and 8th, Steve Langerud, CEO of The Mayflower Community (Grinnell IA) led the opening sessions for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) as it started another class of “Leadership Iowa.”
Meeting in Atlantic, Iowa, the group of leaders in training, will be introduced to different Iowa institutions over the next few months. Langerud’s presentation was focused on “personality and communications.”
The Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI), a state unified voice for business, was founded in 1903. It counts as members more than 1,500 companies representing 330,000 working Iowans. ABI’s mission is “to nurture a favorable business, economic, governmental, and social climate within the state of Iowa so our citizens can have the opportunity to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.”
According to ABI information, “Leadership Iowa is the premier issues-awareness program promoting leadership and civic responsibility in our state. Through an integrated series of eight monthly sessions, participants are provided with a wide range of eye-opening experiences and insights that highlight the opportunities and challenges facing Iowa.”
Each year, 40 individuals are selected to participate in Leadership Iowa. Throughout the year (October through June), participants convene in an Iowa community once each month for a two-day session. Each session focuses on a specific topic or issue important to Iowa, allowing participants to gain an insider’s perspective on the condition, needs, and future of our state.
The diverse topics of Leadership Iowa sessions typically include agriculture, education, government, healthcare, economic development, advanced manufacturing, and workforce, as well as other pertinent subjects.
— Bob Mann, Sales & Marketing Director
