Event Announcement:   

Event:           Project Management: The Human and Technical View  

Date:           Thursday, April 2, 2015 and Friday, April 3, 2015  

Time:            8:00 AM - 4:00 PM  

Where:         MRA - The Management Association  

3800 Avenue of the Cities, Suite 100  

Moline, IL  61265  

Cost:             MRA Members: $460; Nonmembers: $645   

This two day program, gain the know-how to lead projects to successful outcomes.  Participants will learn to implement a process for planning and completing any project, using a practical, hands-on approach.  Discuss the roles and responsibilities of a project manager, including managing the human dynamics of the team and stakeholders.  A communication-style assessment guides project managers to an understanding of the power of an adaptable style. Participants will be able to explain how to affect change and influence others as projects evolve.

To Register, or for more details, go to www.mratraining.com, or contact MRA at 309.277.4183 or heatherroberts@mranet.org.  

   

Event Announcement:   

Event:           Affirmative Action Plan Workshop  

Date:           Thursday, April 9, 2015 and Friday, April 10, 2015  

Time:            8:00 AM - 3:30 PM  

Where:         MRA - The Management Association  

3800 Avenue of the Cities, Suite 100  

Moline, IL  61265  

Cost:            MRA Members: $460; Nonmembers: $665  

 

During this two day workshop, you will receive the tools you need to write a federally-sound affirmative action plan from start to finish, including the preparation of all critical statistical analyses.  In addition to writing the plan, we discuss important affirmative action concepts and implementation requirements.  Our approach is unique.  First, the seminar is conducted by MRA's AA/EEO managers.  Second, this is one of the most "hands-on" and "interactive" seminars you will ever attend.  You actually prepare many elements of your plan during the seminar.

To Register, or for more details, go to www.mratraining.com, or contact MRA at 309.277.4183 or heatherroberts@mranet.org.

 

 

Event Announcement: 

Event:           Advanced Communication Series - The Art and Science of Excellence

 

Date:           Effective Communication - Beyond the Basics - Friday, April 10, 2015

Communication From The Inside Out - Friday, April 24, 2015

Right Brain/Left Brain Thinking -  Friday, May 15, 2015

 

Time:            8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

 

Where:         MRA - The Management Association

3800 Avenue of the Cities, Suite 100

Moline, IL  61265

 

Cost:             MRA Members: $885; Nonmembers: $1170 

 

During this three day series, you will push your communication skills to higher levels. In this series, participants will learn how humans take in and process language and information and the ways language and information drive our thinking and behavior.  This series will explore current science of the mind and its impact on language, behavior, understanding, and actions.  This highly interactive series seeks to move information to knowledge and then to action.

To Register, or for more details, go to www.mratraining.com, or contact MRA at 309.277.4183 or heatherroberts@mranet.org.

 

 

Event Announcement: 

Event:           Human Resource Professional Certificate Series

 

Date:           Session 1: HR Professional As Business Partner - Friday, April 17, 2015 (8:00 AM - 3:30 PM)

Session 2: HR Metrics: ROI For HR Initiative - Friday, April 24, 2015 (8:00 AM - 11:30 AM)

Session 3: Internal Investigations: A How-To-Guide - Friday, April 24, 2015 (12:30 PM - 4:00 PM)

Session 4: Fundamentals of Compensation - Friday, May 1, 2015 (8:00 AM - 3:00 PM)

Session 5: Finance Essentials For The HR Professional - Friday, May 8, 2015 (8:00 AM - 3:30 PM)

 

Where:         MRA - The Management Association

3800 Avenue of the Cities, Suite 100

Moline, IL  61265

 

Cost:             MRA Members: $1100; Nonmembers: $1490

 

This certificate series is designed specifically for those with at least 3 years of professional level HR experience and for experienced HR Professionals looking to improve their overall technical and management knowledge.  Prior completion of the Essentials of HR Certificate Series is strongly recommended.

During this five session certificate series, you will be building upon the technical skills gained in the Essentials of HR Certificate Series, this certificate series continues to grow your technical HR expertise, while focusing on key HR competencies of business acumen, collaboration, influencing, and work relationships.

HRCI Credit: 16.25 Business (Strategic)

To Register, or for more details, go to www.mratraining.com, or contact MRA at 309.277.4183 or heatherroberts@mranet.org

 

 

Event Announcement: 

Event:           Frontline Leadership Certificate Series

Date:           1. Motivation and Trust Building - Tuesday, April 21, 2015

2. Communication Skills - Tuesday, April 28, 2015

3. Effective Training Techniques - Tuesday, May 5, 2015

4. Resolving Conflict And Handling Difficult People Problems - Tuesday, May 12, 2015

5. Achieving High Impact Results - Tuesday, May 19, 2015

 

Time:            8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Where:         MRA - The Management Association

3800 Avenue of the Cities, Suite 100

Moline, IL  61265

 

Cost:             MRA Members: $1250; Nonmembers: $1700 

 

This five-day series is for those individuals who provide leadership or formal guidance to a work group without the power to hire, to fire, or conduct performance reviews. (They may be called group leaders, team leaders, coordinators, leaders of work groups, "go to" people, etc.) These employees often do the work while providing leadership to their work group. 

This series introduces the important principles of motivation, interpersonal communication, employee training, influencing others to achieve results, meeting organizational objectives, and resolving conflict. Using a combination of discussion, case study, and skill practice, participants are prepared to be more productive within their organization by developing their leadership skills. This series is also effective for individuals that are being groomed for a leadership-type role. 

To Register, or for more details, go to www.mratraining.com, or contact MRA at 309.277.4183 or heatherroberts@mranet.org

 

 

About MRA-The Management Association
Founded in 1901, MRA-The Management is a not-for-profit employer association that serves more than 4,000 employers throughout the Midwest, covering 800,000+ employees. As one of the largest employer associations in the nation, MRA helps its member organizations thrive by creating powerful teams and safe, successful workplaces. MRA conducts more than 2,000 learning events each year. Members of MRA also receive access to expert guidance, best practices, professionally facilitated roundtables, essential tools, and dozens of business services in the areas of human resources and training. MRA is headquartered in Waukesha, Wis., and has regional offices in Palatine, Ill.; Moline, Ill.; and Plymouth, Minn. To learn more and to become a member of MRA, visit www.mranet.org.

MOUNT CARROLL, IL -- Timber Lake Playhouse, the professional summer theatre in Mount Carroll, announces their "kick-off" fundraiser, "Lena Las Vegas" Casino Night onSaturday, April 18 from 6:00 - 9:00.  TLP's Casino Night will be held at The Rafters in Lena.  Tickets are $50 per person.

Included in the ticket price is a starting purse, chances to win prizes, roving appetizers, and "Cheezer's Palace" Mac & Cheese Bar.  Casino games include craps, blackjack, roulette, and Texas Hold'em.  Casino games are being provided by U.S. Poker and Casino Parties of Bensenville.

TLP is also looking for sponsors for the event.  Sponsor levels begin at a $150 Casino Table Sponsor and go to the High Roller level at $1000.

For information about sponsorship or tickets, visit www.timberlakeplayhouse.org or call the box office at 815-244-2035 between the hours of 10:00 - 3:00.  Tickets may also be purchased at the TLP administrative offices across from the playhouse at 8216 Black Oak Road in Mount Carroll also between the hours of 10:00 - 3:00.

Financial Consultants Say Retirees Can Take Steps To Protect Savings From Vagaries Of The Market

As people creep into the retirement "red zone" - those years just before or right after they retire - it becomes more important than ever that they find ways to keep their savings safe.

Because at that point, their retirement picture will change significantly only if they lose a lot of money, says Chris Bennett, co-founding partner of The Abbott Bennett Group, (www.theabbottbennettgroup.com).

"They are not going to change who they are," Bennett says. "But if they lose a bucket of money, they are not going to go out to eat, they won't travel, they won't be able to leave money to their children and grandchildren. They will end up having to make sacrifices."

In other words, they won't be living the retirement they envisioned all those years they were saving a nest egg.

Having a "safe money" strategy is key to a secure retirement, say Bennett and Michael Abbott, CFO of the firm. It's important to be able to create an income stream that the retiree won't outlive.

There are several areas you and your financial professional can focus on as part of an overall "safe money" strategy, Abbott and Bennett say. Here are two examples:

• Rate of return vs. sequence of return. The average rate of return on an investment can be misleading, they say. That's because in reality how well you hang onto your money depends more on "sequence of return." That is, exactly when do those profits and losses come about?

To see how that might work, imagine a 50 percent loss followed by a 50 percent gain. That would appear to average out to a zero rate of return. But that's not how it would look in your portfolio, Bennett says. If you have $100,000, a 50 percent loss drops it to $50,000. The market rebounds with a 50 percent gain. But a 50 percent gain on $50,000 just increases that investment to $75,000, so you've still taken a loss.

Now consider that kind of activity over the course of your retirement as you are also withdrawing money from your savings to live on. Depending on when market fluctuations happened, you could take major hits. That's especially true if the dips come early in retirement when your savings are at their peak, and the rallies arrive late when there is less left in the account.

"One big downturn and that money could run dry," Bennett says.

Abbott and Bennett say there are tools that a good financial professional uses that can help people reduce the risk created by sequence of return.

• Maneuvering toward tax-free income. "Whatever the tax rates may be in the future, taxes can be a drag on your savings and may adversely impact your retirement security," Abbott says. So it's important to consider the tax implications of how you hold your assets.

Even those Social Security benefits that retirees draw can be taxed, but they don't necessarily have to be, Bennett says. Once again, a financial professional can review strategies that could help reduce or even eliminate the tax on that monthly Social Security benefit.

"It's possible to have tax-free income in retirement," Bennett says. "Talk about being in control. Then you can just enjoy your retirement with your children and your grandchildren."

About Michael Abbott and Christopher Bennett

Michael Abbott has two decades of experience assisting retirees with their 401(k)s and pension plans. He is co-founder of The Abbott Bennett Group, LLC, an independent financial services firm, where he serves as CFO. He is a lifetime member of MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table), an association composed of the world's best financial services professionals, and a member of NAIFA (National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors). He holds a Master of Estate Preservation designation.

Christopher Bennett is a 16-year financial professional who has served as CEO of The Abbott Bennett Group, LLC, since 2003. He holds a Certified in Long-Term Care designation, a Master of Estate Preservation certification, and is a lifetime member of Million Dollar Round Table). Chris is also a member of multiple chambers of commerce, and participates in the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. He has hosted and conducted hundreds of seminars and workshops.

Handcrafted pizza and a Hawkeye bar are just a couple of reasons to make your next stop the Mellow Mushroom Coralville.

Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers is now open at 1451 Coral Ridge Avenue, located at the Coral Ridge Mall. From the handcrafted food to the unique and inviting atmosphere, Mellow is a great hangout for all ages.

Owners Drew Knudsen and Kaaren Vargas are thrilled to bring Mellow Mushroom to the Coralville market. "This is an ideal setting for our guests?people who enjoy a family friendly environment along with a one-of-a-kind experience and fantastic food," states Drew.

Mellow Mushroom features a creative menu with an assortment of pizzas, hoagies, salads, calzones, appetizers and vegetarian and vegan options, using only the freshest of ingredients.  Gluten free crust and a kids as well as Vegan menu are also available.

All Mellow Mushrooms are known as places that provide an entertaining experience in a unique art filled environment, and this location carries on that tradition in an astounding way. The flawlessly detailed Cosmos meets the Heartland combined theme is finished off with vibrant splashes of color in the most unsuspected places.

Upon entering the Mellow, a never before seen Herky is displayed at the bar, along with a nod to the history of the Iowa Hawkeye football team, enjoyable for any fan to see. A large spaceship suspends in the air, contrasted with an artistic interpretation of a crop circle, alien invasion, and a disco cow being abducted into the sky.

A full service gigantic bar sits near the entry of the restaurant, with plenty of beverages for any and all tastes. The bar menu features over 200 beers with 48 of them on draft, handcrafted cocktails, and a wine list.

For a great place to catch some sports action, this Mellow has plenty of options with large flat screens and a full audio system. Looking for something unique throughout the week? Catch trivia or just make it a great night out for the entire family!

Mellow Mushroom will operate 7 days a week. For more information on Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers, visit http://mellowmushroom.com/store/coralville and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MellowMushroomCoralville.

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About Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers

About Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers

Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers (www.mellowmushroom.com) was founded in 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia. This franchise, operated under Home-Grown Industries of Georgia, Inc., is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. For 41 years, Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers has been serving up fresh, stone-baked pizzas to order in an eclectic, art-filled, and family-friendly environment. Each Mellow is locally owned and operated and provides a unique feel focused around great customer service and high-quality food. For more information on Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers, like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mellowmushroomHQ, follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MellowMushroom, and follow us on Pinterest at https://pinterest.com/mellowmushroom.