Have you ever had the thought that you were missing something but didn’t quite know what or how to put a finger on it? I realized this last week at the IGIA Convention as we were going through the convention and I was wishing that all IGIA members could have been in Okoboji to hear some outstanding speakers and have interaction between industry members. I just have to tell our members about it! And then, I realized, I was only doing Jerry’s Jottings every other month now because of the six times per year printed Scanner schedule we started in January.
So, since I did not want to wait until August, I told Phillip Nicolino (IGIA Communications Specialist and guardian of communications keys!) I wanted to start doing a short version of Jerry’s Jottings every other week for the E-Scanner. By the look in his eyes, I could tell he thought I was crazy (because it will be 26 more deadlines he will have to come in and remind me of!), but I got him to agree, so here we are!
Here are three things I want to touch on this week:
The Behind the Scenes Work on Debit Card Interchange on the Federal Level:
As I am writing this, the Senate is taking the final vote on the Financial Reform Bill that includes the Durbin Amendment on debit interchange the entire retail community fought hard for. It has passed, and President Barack Obama is expected to sign the bill.
Unless you were living under a rock with no Internet access for the past two months, you have received several e-mails from the IGIA about contacting, calling and writing the Iowa Congressional delegation to support the Durbin Amendment. Thanks and congratulations! All your work paid off! Frankly, without your contacts, the amendment would not have been included as Sen. Charles Grassley was key in supporting it in the face of fierce opposition from the credit card companies, the bankers and the credit unions. We literally had to fight fire with fire on this issue.
When opposition went to making mass calls to Congressional offices, we turned the IGIA membership loose on making contacts with the Iowa’s Congressional delegation. When the bankers and credit unions submitted an opinion-editorial article in The Des Moines Register, we responded by penning an Op-Ed piece endorsed by both the Petroleum Marketers and the Iowa Retail Federation the next week (that was greatly appreciated by many in the Iowa Congressional delegation). Here at the IGIA office, we wrote individual letters to the delegation, talked to their staff and coordinated with national groups such as the Food Marketing Institute, National Grocers Association and National Association of Convenience Stores on this issue.
Believe me, this was not easy but is a great first step on this issue. Personally, the more I heard the other side and some of the propaganda they were putting out, the madder I got and the harder I and the rest of the IGIA staff worked on it. Normally, we have not had to do many “mass” grassroots efforts at the federal level. Due to the political makeup of the Iowa delegation, it is usually pretty clear where most of them always stand. This issue was different. It was a challenge but, in a perverse way, was fun (it’s always more fun to win!).
Now, if I can convince more of you to come to Washington, D.C. next year for the Public Policy Conference, you can get a chance to meet and thank those who helped us and learn more about how important Iowa is going to be in the political process the next two years!
IGIA Convention has Turned Into Attendee’s “Passport to Prosperity”
The weather was great, the food was terrific and the speakers during the education sessions were even better, said many IGIA convention attendees! Building around the convention theme of “Passport to Prosperity,” speakers elaborated on several areas, including Desi Williamson bringing it to IGIA attendees on a personal level with “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way;” Drew McLellan on “The Thrill and Threat of Social Media;” Garry Smith, of American Pop Corn Co., on the challenges of running a three generation business; and Gen. Timothy Orr from the Iowa Army National Guard.
Gen. Orr gave a presentation on how the Iowa Army National Guard is preparing for nearly 3,000 personnel to deploy to Afghanistan. That was not only interesting in how they are doing it logistically, but had many more correlations to how business people can approach running their businesses than what I might have envisioned previous to his presentation. In fact, so many in the audience were scribbling notes during Gen. Orr’s presentation that he has agreed to provide it to IGIA.
If you are interested in any of the PowerPoint presentations given at the convention, please contact Carolyn Bahnsen at cbahnsen@iowagrocers.com and we will try and get them to you.
Election 2010: Breaking It Down
Starting next week, look for a new feature in your e-mail inbox. The IGIA will begin a feature series on Iowa legislative races, statewide races and the Iowa Congressional delegation races that culminate on Nov. 2, 2010 (Election Day). IGIA Legislative Counsel Scott Sundstrom made a terrific presentation on several key races to watch in Iowa this year and, based on feedback from convention attendees, we are going to turn it into electronic newsletter that’s sent every other week starting next week and running through Election Day.
A big part of what the IGIA does is tied to the legislative, and in turn, political arena. The more knowledgeable and interested IGIA members become, the better the chances are of electing legislators who support our industry’s views.
Both Scott and I will break down many of the races across the state, as well as give you the feedback from legislative leaders and report on public polling of races where available. The plan is to feature between 2-4 races each issue. We believe it will help educate IGIA members on candidates and make it easier for them to get involved in the process. It will be quick, fast-paced and a must read for those even slightly interested in politics.
As always, I will appreciate your feedback and suggestions!
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