05 May 2015

Everson to Headline Linn County GOP Lincoln Day

By Howie Morgan

Former IRS Commissioner joining Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann, Representative Ken Rizer on Stage

Des Moines, IA - Republican Presidential candidate Mark Everson will headline the Linn County Lincoln Dinner tonight at the Elmcrest Country Club in Cedar Rapids.  Everson, a businessman and former IRS and Immigration Commissioner, will be joined on the stage by Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann, State Representative Ken Rizer, and US Army Major General (Ret.) Harry Foster in a "Tribute to Veterans."  Everson was not only the first declared Republican candidate for President, he was the first to open an office and hire staff in Iowa.

Who:  GOP Presidential Candidate Mark Everson

What:  Elmcrest Country Club

When:  Friday, May 1, 2015 at 6:30 PM

Where:  Elmcrest Country Club

1 Zach Johnson Drive, NE

Cedar Rapids, IA  52402

-30-

05 May 2015

PAUL McCARTNEY MEETS ELVIS BENEFIT PERFORMANCE FOR CAMP COURAGEOUS

By Charlie Becker

Saturday, May 16th, 2015 • 5:30 PM - Monticello Eagles Club

MONTICELLO, IOWA - Camp Courageous is hosting a unique fund raiser, a special performance by tribute artist Matt King in "Paul McCartney meets Elvis." The event will take place Saturday, May 16 beginning at 6 PM with a spaghetti dinner at the Monticello Eagle's Club located at 102 Lindner Court. Doors open at 5:30 and the show starts at 7:00. tickets are $30.00 and are available by calling Sheri Lampe at 319-465-5916 ext. 2170 or e-mail: slampe@campcourageous.org

Matt King is ranked as one of the top Elvis tribute artists. Matt has been featured on national television, in magazines, been in several movies, and has won first place in many Elvis tribute contests.

Camp Courageous is a year-round recreational and respite care facility for individuals with special needs run on donations. Camp Courageous will touch the lives of 7,000 individuals with special needs this year.

05 May 2015

Giddian Kappeler wins overall prize with Iowa State University team at Judging Conference

By Carole Custer

AMES, IA (05/01/2015)(readMedia)-- Students from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences made up the Iowa State University teams who won the overall award among four-year institutions at the April 8-10 North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Judging Conference.

Kappeler, a junior in animal science from Muscatine, participated in Ag Computers and Livestock Judging, placing eighth and third respectively .

There were 823 constants at the conference competing on 26 teams from four-year schools and 25 from two-year schools at the event hosted by Black Hawk College in Moline, Illinois. Iowa State University teams ranked first in agricultural communications, agribusiness, crops, and meat animal and livestock management; were second overall in ag computer skills, livestock judging, dairy judging, and horticulture; and the soil judging team ranked fifth.

NACTA is a professional society founded in 1955. Members include public and private post-secondary schools, with divisions for two- and four-year institutions.

05 May 2015

How Extreme Self-Confidence Can End Up Working Against Entrepreneurs

By Ginny Grimsley
More Introspection Is Needed For Long-Term Business Success, Says Former Naval Officer And Business Leader

The entrepreneurial spirit may be taking a hit these days.

Studies show members of the Millennial generation appear less interested than previous generations in starting their own businesses, preferring instead to find work with established companies. In 1989, 11.6 percent of households headed by someone younger than 30 held a stake in or owned a private enterprise; today that percentage is 3.6 percent, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report.

Randy H. Nelson finds that troubling, but perhaps understandable.

"The statistics show the odds of success for a new business are pretty dismal," says Nelson, author of the Amazon best-selling book "The Second Decision: The Qualified Entrepreneur." (www.randyhnelson.com/book)

"Half of new U.S. small businesses fail in their first five years, and 70 percent have gone under by year 10. That's not exactly a new trend, but what is a new is that each year in the United States more businesses now are shutting down than are being started."

But Nelson, who developed leadership skills as a Navy submarine officer and has a track record of starting and building successful businesses, says there is a reason for those sobering statistics.

Anyone can become an entrepreneur. No qualifications are required. If more entrepreneurs understood the ramifications of that - and took steps to compensate for their weaknesses - the odds of success could improve, Nelson says.

One problem is entrepreneurs tend to be extraordinarily confident, which can blind them to their weaknesses.

Nelson remembers that early in his business career his wife asked if he knew what he was doing. He assured her he did. Since then, experience taught him he was wrong.

"The truth was, I didn't know what I didn't know," Nelson says.

Over time, Nelson became what he calls a "qualified entrepreneur." He says when he looks back over his 25-year entrepreneurial career that he could clearly identify four components of the qualified entrepreneur, and recently he added the fifth component, self-awareness, which is an important piece of each of the other four.

·  Entrepreneurship. People who become entrepreneurs are usually brimming with self-confidence, Nelson says. That helps them when it comes to making that "first decision" of starting a new company, all but ignoring those sobering odds for failure that would dissuade many others. The entrepreneur optimistically thinks: "I know I can do this."

·  Career-Long learning. Entrepreneurs think growth all the time for their businesses. They preach their vision to employees and hire the best talent to help them reach their goals. But are entrepreneurs growing their skillsets as fast as their companies grow? If not, they risk becoming the wrong person in the wrong seat, with the very employees they hired to take them to the promised land asking: "What value do you bring to the company?"

·  Leadership. The importance of good leadership is paramount to business success, but not all leaders are created equal. Nelson breaks down leaders into four types. The "urgent/reactive" leader thrives on an almost crazed atmosphere where he or she can ride to the rescue, put out the fire and move on to the next problem. There isn't much time for introspection and no real vision. An "ever optimistic" leader starts from the belief there is nothing he or she can't do. "Yes, we can do that!" is the typical answer from this type of leader...leaving it up to their staff to figure out how, even if accepting the new business takes them away from their core focus.

The "reflexively pessimistic" leader plays to survive, not to win. This leader has been toughened by hard times, and always worries about the economy's effect on the business, Nelson says. In some industries easily battered by a downturn, this style can be effective. But if maintained too long, the pessimism becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The final leadership style, the "steady/proactive" leader, is the one every CEO should strive to become, Nelson says. This type of leader values productivity and profitable growth above all things, knows how to achieve both and can course-correct no matter the difficulty. "They understand both offense and defense, and can shift between them as cycles dictate," Nelson says.

·  Life cycle. A business has different needs at different stages of the corporate life cycle. The qualified entrepreneur must recognize that. The startup stage is where many entrepreneurs thrive. Creating something from scratch is what they are about. Needs and challenges change, though, as companies enter growth or expansion stages. The entrepreneur's needs change, too, because entrepreneurs have their own life cycle, Nelson says.

First, there's getting the business started, and then there's the second-decision stage when the entrepreneur needs to choose what role he or she plays in the business, and whether others might be better equipped. There's also a third decision when entrepreneurs realize work infringes too much on family and personal time, Nelson says. "To avoid regrets later, you have to consider whether you need to make a stronger commitment to a more balanced life." Finally, there's the end stage when the entrepreneur is finished with the current business and must decide what is next. Having experienced the "exit" twice in his career, Nelson has come to realize that after the sale only a few lives really change. Everybody else goes on with their normal day while the entrepreneur, much like a retired athlete, must figure out how to function without leading their entrepreneurial venture every day.

"Ideally, entrepreneurs and CEOs would be more knowledgeable than everyone we manage," Nelson says. "That's rare, though. The rest of us would benefit from a better understanding of the vast reaches of what we don't know, and a dose of the humility that goes with it, and this is where the self-awareness component comes in."

·  Self-Awareness. Entrepreneurs need to know their strengths and weaknesses, and how they affect the business, Nelson says. Unfortunately, that's a trait they often fail to develop. His suggestion: Surround yourself with people who know more than you (entrepreneurs, leaders, and coaches/advisors who have been through all the life-cycle stages the entrepreneur is navigating through) and learn from them. Once you have a clear understanding of what you do and don't know, you can decide your next steps. Will you continue to lead the business directly; take a supporting role and let someone else lead; or move on to create another business?

About Randy H. Nelson

Randy H. Nelson is a speaker, a coach, a Qualified Entrepreneur, a former nuclear submarine officer in the U.S. Navy and author of "The Second Decision - The Qualified Entrepreneur" (www.randyhnelson.com/book/). He co-founded and later sold two market-leading, multi-million dollar companies ? Orion International and NSTAR Global Services. His proudest professional achievement was at the Fast 50 awards ceremony in the Raleigh, N.C., area when NSTAR, a 10-year-old company, and Orion, a 22-year-old company, were awarded the rankings No. 8 and No. 9, respectively. Nelson now runs Gold Dolphins, LLC, a coaching and consulting firm to help entrepreneurial leaders and CEOs become Qualified Entrepreneurs and achieve their maximum potential. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Miami University, Ohio, and was awarded the Admiral Sidney W. Souers Distinguished Alumni Award there in 2011.

04 May 2015

The Old Creamery First Summer Courtyard Concert is on May 8 featuring Craig Erickson

By Lily Allen-Duenas

The Old Creamery Theatre will host Courtyard Concerts this summer, one Friday per month, May through September featuring local bands and food, excluding the month of August. The concerts are free and open to the public.

The shows will all take place from 5:15pm to 7:15 pm in the Old Creamery's Courtyard on the following evenings:

May 8, June 5, July 24 , and September 11. The Courtyard Concert on May 8 features Craig Erickson, a singer, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, writer, and producer.

Raised in the heart of Midwest, his stylistic brew includes blues, fusion, rock, jazz, funk, reggae, acoustic, and more.

Island Vybz will be at our Courtyard Concert on May 8 selling their delicious food.

Billy Heller hits our courtyard stage on June 5, Milk & Eggs come out to Amana on July 24, and Two Bit Maniac takes the stage on September 11.

Call the box office at 319-622-6262 or go online to www.oldcreamery.com for more details.  To read more about Craig Erickson visit craig-erickson.com/bio/

The Old Creamery Theatre is a not-for-profit professional theatre founded in 1971 in Garrison, Iowa. In 2015, the company is celebrating 44 years of bringing live, professional theatre to the people of Iowa and the Midwest.
04 May 2015

Gov. Branstad signs 14 bills into law

By Office of the Governor of Iowa
(DES MOINES) - Iowa Gov. Terry E. Branstad today signed the following bills into law:

House File347: An act relating to the licensure of child care programs operated or contracted for by a school district or accredited nonpublic school and including effective date provisions.

House File 447: An act requiring wireless communications service providers to provide call locations in circumstances of emergency, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.

House File 507: An act relating to certain delinquent accounts for wastewater, sewer system, storm water drainage, and sewage treatment services.

House File 548: An act requiring the Iowa Utilities Board to adopt administrative rules relating to the safety of distributed electric generation facilities.

House File 583: An act relating to the control of effluent from animal truck wash facilities, by requiring certain permits, regulating storage and application of effluent, and making penalties applicable.

House File 599: An act relating to the division of assets and liabilities of school districts involved in a reorganization or dissolution and including applicability provisions.

House File 621: An act relating to the administration of the streamlined sales and use tax agreement by the department of revenue.

Senate File 75: An act relating to the use of blue and white lighting devices and reflectors during snow and ice treatment and removal, making penalties applicable, and including sunset date provisions.

Senate File 199: An act making changes to the campaign finance laws relating to independent expenditures and making penalties applicable.

Senate File 385: An act relating to the expungement of not-guilty verdicts and dismissed criminal-charge records, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

Senate File 404: An act relating to the certification and regulation of shorthand reporters.

Senate File 415: An act related to elections administration.

Senate File 479: An act concerning the apportionment of certain gross receipts of a broadcaster for purposes of Iowa income tax, and including retroactive applicability provisions.

Senate File 487:  An act regulating the sale of portable electronics insurance, including requiring licensure, providing for fees and penalties, and including effective date provisions.

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04 May 2015

Event Announcments - MRA Iowa/Western Illinois

By Kathy Riley

 

Event:            ISO 9001: 2008 Internal

Dates:                   Monday, July 20, 2015 and Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Time:                    8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Where:                MRA- the Management Association

3800 Avenue of the Cities, Suite 100

Moline, IL  61265

 

Cost:                      $550 MRA members / $750 nonmembers

 

This two-day class will have a strong emphasis on best practice techniques used to audit the American National Standard ISO 9001-2008 version. The class incorporates planning audits, performing audits, and analysis/reporting of audit observations. The materials and subsequent test is based upon the accredited certified quality auditor's examination.

To register, or for more information on other MRA training, go to our new website at www.mranet.org/Training-Events, or contact Kathy Riley at 309.277.4186 or Kathy.riley@mranet.org

**************************************************************************************************

Event:            Supervision: The Essentials

Dates:                   Tuesday, August 18, 2015, Tuesday, August 25, 2015 Tuesday September 1, 2015

Time:                    8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Where:                MRA- the Management Association

3800 Avenue of the Cities, Suite 100

Moline, IL  61265

 

Cost:                      $750 MRA members / $950 nonmembers

First line/front line supervisors and managers on your team are often people who have proven they are very good at doing and now they are being asked to take on a leadership role.  At the same time, you realize leading is not the same as doing and you'd like to help them obtain ideas, concepts, and skills necessary for success in their new position. Newly acquired skills will help them become an asset and a more valuable resource for your organization. When time is tight, you can get caught up in the dilemma of how to achieve greater results with limited resources in a time-controlled, economical, and hard hitting way. MRA is pleased to offer a solution to such a dilemma - Supervision: The Essentials.

This three-day program provides your new, less experienced leaders with ideas and practices they can put to use immediately. Think of it as basic training?compact, concise, focused, and all about applicable skills - nothing but the essentials!

To register, or for more information on other MRA training, go to our new website at www.mranet.org/Training-Events, or contact Kathy Riley at 309.277.4186 or Kathy.riley@mranet.org

**************************************************************************************************

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

Dates:                   Friday, July 10, 2015, Friday, July 17, 2015 and Friday, August 7, 2015

Time:                    8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Where:                MRA- the Management Association

3800 Avenue of the Cities, Suite 100

Moline, IL  61265

 

Cost:                      $885 MRA members / $1,170 nonmembers

Push your communication skills to higher levels. In this advanced 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 cutting-edge science of the mind and its impact on language, behavior, understanding, and actions. This highly interactive series seeks to move information to awareness and then to action.

To register, or for more information on other MRA training, go to our new website at www.mranet.org/Training-Events, or contact Kathy Riley at 309.277.4186 or Kathy.riley@mranet.org

**************************************************************************************************

Event:            Principles of Leadership Excellence Certificate Series

Dates:                   Thursday, July 9, 2015 through Thursday, December 3, 2015

Time:                    8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Where:                MRA- the Management Association

3800 Avenue of the Cities, Suite 100

Moline, IL  61265

 

Cost:                      $3,080 MRA members / $4,050 nonmembers

Success in today's business environment calls for a deep and broad leadership perspective.  Managing a workforce with diverse ages, values, and thinking styles is a daily challenge.  Increasing productivity with fewer resources calls for leaders with the know-how to help employees adapt to change.  Give your leaders the skills to foster innovation with increased employee engagement, and reduce silos of knowledge that result in turf protection.

Principles of Leadership Excellence (PLX) is a comprehensive, practical program that teaches what to do and how to do it, including

·         Highly interactive training methods, proven effective for adult learners

·         Inspiring instructors with real-world experience in the office, on the plant floor, and in the field

·         Continuous skill reinforcement through online resources and support between sessions

·         Sharp focus on skills that managers can put into practice the next day

Managers who participate in the PLX program experience a refreshing approach to management training. It's not a broad-brush, lecture-type series that's quickly forgotten in the reality of day-to-day work.  Designed by MRA, your trusted expert in adult learning, PLX delves frankly and deeply into challenging issues.

To register, or for more information on other MRA training, go to our new website at www.mranet.org/Training-Events, or contact Kathy Riley at 309.277.4186 or Kathy.riley@mranet.org

***********************************************************************************************************

Event:            Human Resource Professional Certificate Series

 

Dates & Times: Begins August 3, 2015 and runs weekly through August 24, 2015

Where:                MRA-The Management Association

3800 Avenue of the Cities - Suite 100

Moline, IL  61265

 

Cost:                       $1,100 MRA members / $1,490 nonmembers

 

Get your HRCI credits by attending.  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 Foundations for Human Resource Administration Certificate Series (or comparable coursework or experience) is strongly recommended.

Courses in this series:

To register, or for more information on other MRA training, go to our new website at www.mranet.org/Training-Events, or contact Kathy Riley at 309.277.4186 or Kathy.riley@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.

 

 

04 May 2015

Smiddy to Host Community Education Forum

By Paul Ferrero
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - State Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, will hold a Community Education Forum to discuss a variety of issues regarding public schools on Monday, May 4, at Moline High School located at 3600 Avenue of the Cities in Moline from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.
"I take the perspectives of my constituents very seriously when voting at the Capitol, and this event will give me a chance to better understand the local situation regarding education," Smiddy said. "As a father of two, I share all parents' passion for an education system that gives children a great start, and I'm looking forward to working with educators, parents and administrators to continue the fight for the resources our students and schools deserve."
Smiddy, the Regional Office of Education and several local superintendents will provide updates about the education climate in Springfield and the local area. The program will welcome questions from attendees and an open dialogue about how to strengthen Illinois schools.
The event is free and open to the public. For question, please call 309-848-9098 to speak with someone at Smiddy's full time constituent service office
04 May 2015

Loebsack Announces Winner of 2015 Congressional Art Contest People's Choice Award

By Rick Martin

"Navy Pier" by Kelsey Stamper to be displayed in U.S. Capitol

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack announced today that a pencil drawing by Kelsey Stamper, a senior at Keokuk High School, was selected to represent Iowa's Second Congressional District in the 2015 Congressional Art Contest. The People's Choice Award winner was selected in an online competition in which nearly 700 votes were cast. Stamper's winning drawing, "Navy Pier," was one of 50 entries from 12 different high schools in 10 counties. It will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year and Stamper will receive a free trip to Washington, D.C. to attend the unveiling as well as a reception held to honor all of this year's winners.

"Each year I am more and more impressed by the creativity, ingenuity, and talent of our local high school students. I send my congratulations to all of the young artists whose wonderful submissions made it a very close contest this year. I especially want to congratulate Kelsey and look forward to welcoming her and her family to Washington and seeing her artwork hang in the U.S. Capitol," said Loebsack.

The artwork of the first and second runners-up will be displayed in Loebsack's district offices in Davenport and Iowa City. The first runner-up was a drawing by Rachel Warrick from Van Buren Community School entitled "Dad." The second runner-up was a painting by Crystal Wen from Iowa City West entitled "Willow Creek."

 

Winner:

Kelsey Stamper, Keokuk High School

"Navy Pier"

 

First Runner-up:

Rachel Warrick, Van Buren Community School

"Dad"

 

Second Runner-up:

Crystal Wen, Iowa City West

"Willow Creek"

 

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04 May 2015

Joel Lincoln to receive master's degree from ECU

By Brian Johnson

ADA, OK (05/01/2015)(readMedia)-- Joel Lincoln, of Stockton, IA, will be one of 155 East Central University students to receive their master's degrees at ECU's 2015 Spring Commencement Ceremony at 2 p.m., May 9.

Distinguished alumnus Todd Graham, the head football coach at Arizona State University, will be the keynote speaker.

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