

			Get Latest WorkWORLD

	www.workworld.org	workworld@vcu.edu

Iowa Business Leadership Network

Iowa Business Leadership Network logo

The Iowa Business Leadership Network (IBLN) is an employer-led initiative to promote the advantages of hiring persons with disabilities in Iowa. IBLN is another answer to recruitment and retention issues in the workplace. It is an affiliate of the US Business Leadership Network (USBLN) initiative, a national business-led endeavor upholding workforce initiatives that enable qualified individuals with disabilities to succeed in the workplace.

About the Iowa Business Leadership Network

Iowa employers know how difficult it is to find qualified workers in the tight Iowa labor market. Hiring employees with disabilities has proven to be a great practice for IBLN companies. They want to share this experience with you. They believe this resource could be a benefit for you -- it works for them!

The IBLN was established in 1999 as a part of a national initiative established by the United States Department of Labor. Each state is encouraged to establish a BLN to provide direct employer-to-employer exchange of ideas and best practices in disability employment management. The BLN is entirely employer run and employer driven.

Activities

Some IBLN activities include:

· Hosted the National Business Leadership Summit in October 2001 for over 300 businesses from all over the country.

· Developed and aired a commercial highlighting the advantages of employing persons with disabilities and aired it over WHO TV.

· Developed and provided a series of "Lunch and Learns" on disability issues for companies. A highlight of this series is the one-hour training provided on site to front line managers on disability issues and disability sensitivity.

· Businesses of the Iowa BLN have been recognized as best practice companies in national communications, including publications of the US Department of Labor. Companies so recognized include Vermeer Manufacturing, Marriott Corporation, the Principal Financial Group, Eagle Communications, Sears, UPS, and KATECHO. Recently, Mercy Medical Center was invited to be recognized in a future national publication.

Membership Benefits

Participation and membership in the Iowa Business Leadership Network provides a number of benefits, including:

· Employer-to-employer exchange

· Access to disability resources

· Access to qualified job applicants with disabilities

· Information on "Best Hiring Practices"

· Post-hire employer and employee support

· Business training programs

· Comprehensive employer resources guide

· Tax benefit information

Contact Information

Additional information about the Iowa Business Leadership Network may be obtained by contacting one of the Lead Companies or the State Liaison.

Lead Companies

Jeanene Campbell, Assistant Director
Affirmative Action/ Diversity/Human Resources Compliance
The Principal Financial Group
711 High Street
Des Moines, IA 50392

Phone: (515) 248-8755
Fax: (515) 247-5874

E-mail: campbell.jeanene@principal.com

Wanda Conway
Operations Specialist
Human Resources
Sears Regional Credit Card Operating Center
7100 Westown Parkway
West Des Moines, IA 50266

Phone: (515) 440-5003
Fax: (515) 440-5009

E-mail: wconway@sears.com

State Liaison

Jean Samson
Iowa Business Leadership Network
7177 Hickman Road, Suite 9D
Urbandale, IA 50322

Phone: (515) 276-6110

E-mail: samswdm1@mchsi.com

Additional Information

You may request a copy of the IBLN Disability Employment Practice Guide by sending an email to: iowabln@signatureblue.com

Source

Information for this topic was drawn from the BLN website at:
http://www.usbln.com/network/ia.html

WorkWORLD™ Help/Information System

Share/Save: Click the button or link at left to select your favorite bookmark service and add this page.

This is one topic from the thousands available in the WorkWORLD™ software Help/Information System.
Complete information about the software is available at: http://www.WorkWORLD.org

See How to Get WorkWORLD page at: http://www.WorkWORLD.org/howtogetWW.html

NOTE: Sponsored links and commercial advertisements help make the WorkWORLD™ website possible by partially defraying its operating and maintenance expenses. No endorsement of these or any related commercial products or services is intended or implied by the Employment Support Institute or any of its partners. ESI and its partners take no responsibility for, and exercise no control over, any of these advertisements or their views or contents, and do not vouch for the accuracy of the information contained in them. Readers are cautioned to verify all information obtained from these advertisements prior to taking any actions based upon them. The installed WorkWORLD software does not contain advertisements of any kind.