Programs

  • Program 1 [2020]

    THIS YEAR HAS BEEN A VERY DIFFERENT AND CHALLENGING YEAR FOR ALL. AS THE YEAR BEGAN, THERE WERE BRIGHT EXPECTATIONS FOR OUR MANUFACTURERS AND FOR THE FIRST COAST MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION. THE ECONOMY WAS ON AN UPSURGE AND OUR ASSOCIATION HAD MANY PLANS FOR EVENTS AND PROGRAMMING FOR OUR MEMBERS. THE OUTBREAK OF THE COVID PANDEMIC CREATED A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES FOR OUR MEMBERS AND THE OPERATIONS OF BUSINESS IN GENERAL. DESPITE THE UNEXPECTED TURN OF EVENTS, THIS YEAR HAS PROVEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN DIFFERENT MEASURES AND WAYS.THE INTERVENTION OF GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS PROVIDED ARE ASSOCIATION THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH OUR MEMBERS PROVIDING A FLOW OF VIABLE INFORMATION. A PROGRAM WAS SET UP TO FORWARD IN ACCESS CURRENT DATA AND MANDATES TO DEAL WITH THE PANDEMIC. FCMA EXPANDED OUR WEBSITE TO DOCUMENT EDICTS AND MANDATES AS WELL AS RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR DEALING WITH THE SHUTDOWN RESULTING FROM THE PANDEMIC. WEEKLY AND REGULAR UPDATES WERE PROVIDED TO MEMBERS TO DEVELOP BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND RESPOND TO VARIOUS MANDATES.THE INABILITY TO MEET IN PERSON FOR THE FIRST SEVERAL MONTHS PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE VIRTUAL MEETINGS. THE VARIOUS VIRTUAL PLATFORMS WERE INCORPORATED INTO OUR GENERAL MEETINGS AS WELL AS OUR BOARD MEETINGS AND OUR COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES. THESE NEW WAYS OF STAYING IN CONTACT WITH MEMBERS PROVIDED US WITH A CONTINUUM OF CONNECTION WITH OUR MEMBERS. WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY A NUMBER OF OUR MEMBERS THAT WE SUCCESSFULLY HELPED TO KEEP OUR MEMBERS INFORMED AND WELL CONNECTED THROUGH THESE CHALLENGING TIMES.OUR TRAINING COURSES IN VARIOUS CLASSES WERE GENERALLY SUSPENDED DUE TO LACK OF PARTICIPATION GIVEN CONSTRAINTS FOR HEALTH ISSUES. THIS YEAR HOWEVER WAS WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE WORKSHOPS CONCERNING BUSINESS PRACTICES, HEALTH CONCERNS AND EMPLOYMENT LAW. THESE PROGRAMS WERE WELL RECEIVED AND ATTENDED.OUR PROFESSIONAL PROGRESS PROGRAM CONTINUED TO MEET THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SOME IN PERSON AND MOST BY ZOOM. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO CONNECT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR INDIVIDUALS IN A LEARNING PROCESS FOR INTERACTION. THE PROGRAM HAS OPERATED FOR OVER 25 YEARS.THE LEGISLATIVE DAYS EVENT WAS HELD IN TALLAHASSEE A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THE SHUTDOWN. THE EVENT WAS WELL SUPPORTED BY OUR MEMBERS WHO WERE TREATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET OUR LEGISLATORS AND OTHER CABINET MEMBERS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA. WE WERE SUCCESSFUL AT SECURING CERTAIN GRANT TRAINING FUNDS FROM THE STATE, HOWEVER MOST GRANT FUNDING EVAPORATED WITH THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC AND ITS IMPACT TO THE STATE ECONOMY.THE ANNUAL GOLF OUTING WAS POSTPONED FROM APRIL INTO MID JUNE. THIS WAS OUR FIRST TEST OF GETTING A REPRESENTATION OF HOW OUR MEMBERS WOULD INTERACT DURING THE PANDEMIC. THE EVENT WAS SUCCESSFUL BY ALL MEASURES HOWEVER THE PARTICIPATION WAS LIGHTER THAN USUAL. COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS ENJOY THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT TO ENJOY INTERACTING AND PLAYING A ROUND OF GOLF.FCMA HAS HAD A TRADITION OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS OF PRESENTING A SYMPOSIUM OR A SUMMIT PROGRAM. THE BOARD MADE AN EARLY DECISION THIS YEAR NOT TO HOLD A SUMMIT BUT TO PRESENT A ONE-DAY SYMPOSIUM, WHICH WAS A WISE DECISION AS DOING A RETREAT FOR A SUMMIT WAS NOT A VIABLE OPTION THIS YEAR. OUR SUMMIT WAS HELD AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER WITH AN ATTENDANCE IN EXCESS OF 80 PARTICIPANTS. MOST OF THE PARTICIPANTS EXPRESSED GREAT APPRECIATION TO OUR ASSOCIATION FOR HOLDING THE EVENT.EACH YEAR OUR ASSOCIATION WORKS WITH OUR MEMBERSHIP TO RECOGNIZE THEIR WORK AND SELECT A MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR. THIS YEAR 40 OF OUR MEMBERS WERE RECOMMENDED FOR OUR AWARDS. WE ALTERED OUR TRADITIONAL SELECTION PROCESS IN FAVOR OF INTERVIEWING IN REVIEWING COMPANIES WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY VIRTUAL MODES. THE INTERVIEWS PROVIDED THE ASSOCIATION WITH A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPROVEMENTS AND ADVANCES OF OUR MEMBERS. NEW AWARD CATEGORIES WERE CREATED TO LINE UP WITH WHAT OUR COMPANIES WERE DOING. THE WINNERS WERE SELECTED AND RECOGNIZED AT THIS YEAR'S SYMPOSIUM.A POPULAR PROGRAM WITH OUR ASSOCIATION IS OUR EXCELLENCE IN MANUFACTURING, WHERE WE RECOGNIZE OUR MEMBERS OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEES FOR THE YEAR. THE EVENT HAS USUALLY BEEN SCHEDULED FOR THE FALL AND HAS BEEN POSTPONED THIS YEAR DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. WE RESTRUCTURED THE PROGRAM IN AN EFFORT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE EMPLOYEES IN ADVANCE OF OUR FORMAL PRESENTATION, WHICH IS A SEMIFORMAL DINNER. A NUMBER OF OUR COMPANIES HAVE ELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM WHICH WILL BE HELD IN JANUARY.OUR LEADERSHIP ACADEMY TRAINING COURSES HAVE HAD LITTLE PARTICIPATION THIS YEAR. THE PROGRAMS ARE SCHEDULED TO RESUME IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR. A NUMBER OF OTHER COURSEWORK PROGRAMMING HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AND NEW OFFERINGS ARE BEING SUBMITTED TO OUR MEMBERS. IN ADDITION TO DIRECT INTERACTION FOR HEALTH CONCERNS, A NUMBER OF OUR COMPANIES ARE NOT OPENING UP THEIR SHOPS OR BUSINESSES FOR OUTSIDE VISITORS WHICH IS FURTHER RESULTED IN A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER PARTICIPANTS. WE ANTICIPATE THAT NEXT YEAR OUR PROGRAMS AND OFFERINGS WILL RESUME.THIS YEAR WE EXPANDED OUR OPPORTUNITIES WITH FLORIDAMAKES. AMONG THE ADVANCES WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP WE WERE ABLE TO COLLECT INFORMATION THAT WAS USED TO IDENTIFY RESOURCES FOR OUR MEMBERS. A NEW PLATFORM FOR OUR MEMBERS WAS RELEASED IN THE SPRING KNOWN AS CONNEX. THE CONNEX SYSTEM IS PROVIDED TO HELP MEMBERS IDENTIFY RESOURCES FOR SUPPLY CHAIN MATERIALS AND OTHER LOCALLY MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS. ADDITIONALLY, IT PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR MANUFACTURERS TO HELP MARKET THEIR PRODUCTS.LAST YEAR FCMA PARTICIPATED IN MANUFACTURING MONTH BY INVITING OUR SCHOOLS TO COME TO OUR MEMBERS SHOPS TO LEARN ABOUT MANUFACTURING. WE HOSTED OVER 600 STUDENTS ACROSS THE REGIONAL AREA. THE SUCCESS WAS SIGNIFICANT IN TWO WAYS FIRST BY THE PARTICIPATION OF STUDENTS AND SECOND BY THE INVOLVEMENT OF OUR MANUFACTURERS. THIS YEAR THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF LIMITATIONS ON STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN PERSON AS WELL AS COMPANIES OPENING THEIR SHOPS AND OFFICES FOR VISITORS. WE HAVE WORKED WITH FLORIDAMAKES AND OTHERS TO DEVELOP A VIRTUAL TOUR PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS. THE ATTENDANCE HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT LESS THAN LAST YEAR, HOWEVER WE ARE PLEASED THAT OUR SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS CONTINUE TO SHOW AN INTEREST IN LEARNING ABOUT CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN MANUFACTURING.IN CONCLUSION, THIS YEAR HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN A NUMBER OF WAYS BY EXERCISING AND USING VIRTUAL COMMUNICATIONS AND OTHER TECHNICAL TOOLS TO KEEP OUR MEMBERSHIP INFORMED AND WELL CONNECTED. AS WE HAVE ENDED THE YEAR WE ONCE AGAIN BEGAN HAVING MEETINGS WITH COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS IN PERSON. OUR POPULAR LUNCH WITH LAKE WAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE A LUNCH WITH CLAY AS WELL. THE FEEDBACK WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THESE LUNCHES HAS BEEN THAT FCMA HAS EXCEEDED AND EXCELLED IN OUR LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION BEYOND ANY OTHER REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO CLOSING OUR YEAR OUT WITH AN OPEN HOUSE IN DECEMBER WITH A HOPE THAT IT SETS THE STAGE FOR AN EXCITING NEW YEAR.THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE WORKED TO SUPPORT AND REINFORCE OUR ASSOCIATION.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
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  • Manufacturers Association Support

    2023 First Coast Manufacturers Association Accomplishments This year has been exciting for FCMA as companies continue to emerge from the longer-term impacts of the Covid shutdown. Businesses are growing in strength and production while things return to near normal levels. The softened participation in Association events, had a complete reversal this year as attendance returned at our events. We want to share some highlights from this year at FCMA. The second Roundtable event gave insight on the banking crises, artificial intelligence and continued supply chain issues. Participation grew as we provided information on key policy and business issues. Our Symposium participation increased over 20% over last year with topics on future business interactions in a digital age, the new workforce approach employment, topped with a panel discussion lead by Congressman Arron Bean on supply chain, economic outlook and supply chain. Government policies continue to create opportunities and challenges. We had a great year working through our partnership in FloridaMakes by providing policy changes in the legislature, laying the groundwork for increased resources and grants for our members in 2024. FCMA continues providing workshops and committee action to identify changes in policies, mandates and legislation as a resource for managing these issues. Currently, we are monitoring potential impacts of increased energy cost and emerging policy pertaining to carbon emissions. We anticipate energy and carbon emissions will continue to have key financial impacts to operational costs. This year we continued to have multi participation options for in-person and virtual meetings, remaining focused on in-person meetings to create network opportunities. Our Leadership Academy courses were very active this year, including Professional Progress which returned to help personal interaction skills and develop relationships skills. Plans are underway for next year's classes. I hope you will plan to participate in these outstanding programs. The Legislative days were held this year after a three-year pause giving our members the opportunity to meet legislators and discuss important statewide matters. Plans are underway next year to participate with FloridaMakes to join with manufacturers around the state in our legacy event. The annual golf outing held in May was near capacity. Excellence in Manufacturing annual awards program to recognize our manufacturers, partners and employees was held in October. We hosted almost 350 participants as we enjoyed recognizing our manufacturers' accomplishments throughout the year. Plans are already underway to make next year's event even bigger and better. This year's success was also visible in our Lunch with Lake and Lunch with Clay (Yarbrough), giving members opportunities to socialize and network. We are looking forward to closing our year out with our Holiday Party with a special venue at the Igloo. Thanks to all who have supported and participated with our Association. Please take a moment to renew your membership so can continue to serve you. With kind regards, Lake Ray III
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2023
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
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