Special Thanks to Retiring FCMA Leaders

Lad Daniels

Each year since I became President in 1992, I reflect on the quality of the FCMA leadership. The strength of any organization rests with those privileged to serve as officers and leaders. In my nearly 50 years of experience in numerous business, non-profit, and volunteer organizations, I have never seen the consistency of high quality, dedicated leaders that FCMA has on an annual basis. It is a honor for me and the staff to work with such exemplary leaders in their companies and in FCMA.

We wish to pay special tribute to those Tri Chairmen, Board members, and committee chairs who completed their service this year.

Tri Chairman:

  • Derrick Smith, CSX: Derrick completed his three-year term this year and now continues on the Executive Committee with specific responsibility for chairing the Nominating Committee. The manufacturing downturn that began in fourth quarter 2008 will continue into 2010. Derrick’s gift was to have us focus on how we should prepare for the economic recovery rather than put emphasis on the negative aspects of a recession. He receives special recognition from CSX by his selection to attend the prestigious Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program this fall. I am particularly grateful for Derrick’s positive outlook on both life and business and his ability to guide his peers to set ever higher goals for themselves and their organizations.

Board of Directors:

  • Advanced Disposal Services: Mary O’Brien has served as its Board representative since 2007. This Jacksonville-based company continues the role it began in the 1970’s as a leader in the field of waste hauling. In recent years, it has emerged as a leader in conservation and recycling. The company is engaged in a wide variety of community activities and has been a mainstay within FCMA since its joining.
  • Anheuser-Busch: Represented by Steve Foppe, Anheuser-Busch is a Founding member of FCMA and continues to provide strong direction and leadership to the organization. This year marked a major milestone in the company history with its merger into the international InBev organization. A-B will continue to be a major factor in the First Coast economy as one of its top ten manufacturing employers. Additionally we continue to appreciate its strong community commitment.
  • Maxwell House-Kraft: This Founding member’s latest contribution to Board leadership began in 2004. The following year, its plant manager Joe Waryold became a Tri Chairman. The beginning of FCMA in many ways can be attributed to the “Keep Max in Jax” campaign of the late l980’s. The company has been an integral part of our community for nearly 100 years and provides the most readily visible sign of manufacturing with its downtown presence.
  • Moran Environmental Recovery: This Jacksonville-based company began its Board service in 2002. Steve Jenkins served as a Tri Chairman and in 2009 completed his service on the Executive Committee as Chairman of the Nominating Committee. The company has expanded its operations to encompass most of the Eastern Seaboard and has become a major leader in environmental clean-up. Among Steve’s contributions to FCMA are: chairing the TMDL Committee, restructuring FCMA’s financial reporting, and developing the leadership transition plan to be used in 2010.
  • Golder Associates Inc.: Neil Hancock has served as its primary representative to the Board since 2007. The company has been a staunch supporter of FCMA’s activities and its active participation in environmental issues, including Professional Progress, has led to the strengthening of FCMA’s reputation among regulators and the community at large. This international company helped in the development of our statewide Manufacturers Association of Florida and its regional associations.

Committee Chairpersons:

  • Workforce Development - Larry Hickey, Atlantic Marine: Larry has led this committee since 2006. He is responsible for the expansion of our workshop programs and was the initiator of FCMA’s Career Fair. He also has led the drive to introduce his committee to the numerous community resources available for workforce training. His latest initiative includes the formation of the FCMA Gap Training Institute that began this year. Because of his numerous and unique contributions over an extended period of time, the Board of Directors recognized Larry for his outstanding service with a special presentation at its annual planning meeting.
  • Membership Services - Mark Wood, Milton J. Wood Fire Protection Co.: The challenges faced by FCMA, and all non-profits, in 2009 was extraordinary. Mark led the committee’s efforts that will result in FCMA maintaining its over 300 membership level throughout this difficult year. He offers great insight and creative thought into goal setting and recognition efforts. Mark will take his place on the Board of Directors beginning in 2010.
  • Membership Services/Golf Committee - Jeff Nelson, CB Richard Ellis: Jeff served as Assistant Chairman for Membership, as well as chairing the Golf Committee. The Board recognized his outstanding contributions in both areas through a special presentation at the recent planning meeting. Jeff’s service to FCMA in a time of turmoil and distress in his chosen industry of commercial real estate reflects his dedication to the goals of FCMA and his commitment to fulfilling his obligations.

Each of these individuals and the companies they represent serve as a continuing example of the dedication and commitment necessary to maintain the strong presence of FCMA both in the First Coast and the State of Florida. I am proud to be associated with these outstanding leaders. The Board of Directors joins in expressing its heartfelt appreciation for the service of each of these individuals and the commitment of their companies.

Welcome to…

Energy Pure Solutions
Contact: Susan Tidball, President
Phone: (904) 230-6335
1705 Crystal Court, Jacksonville, FL 32259

Energy Pure Solutions’ mission is to provide their customers with state of the art, eco-friendly technology that will save them money while protecting our environment. Their unique ability to harness the power of Mother Nature enables them to bring healthy and natural benefits right into your home or business.

Sponsor: FCMA

Paper Retriever Recycling
Contact: Joseph Anderson, Salesman
Phone: (904) 887-1066
1580 W. Beaver Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209

Paper Retriever is a recycling program that benefits society and organizations through benefits to the environment and community, promoting environmental stewardship and education, being absolutely free, and having unrestricted funds.

Sponsor: Maria Coppola, BroadBased Communications

WW Grainger
Contact: Steve Gustin, Director of Distribution
Phone: (904) 378-5221
8001 Forshee Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32219

Grainger helps customers save time and money by providing them the right products to keep their facilities up and running. Grainger’s employees serve customers more than 115,000 times every day through multiple channels.

Sponsor: Mark Alexander, Holland & Knight

Touchdown Jacksonville - Revive the Pride!


FCMA is supporting the “Touchdown Jacksonville – Revive the Pride” initiative to assist the Jacksonville Jaguars in filling the stadium for the Jaguars vs. Colts game at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium on Thursday, December 17, kick-off 8:20pm.

As a member of FCMA, tickets are being made available at a special group rate starting at just $40 per seat.

Click here for more information.

Holiday Social

FCMA’s annual Holiday Social will be held on Tuesday, December 8 from 6:00-8:00PM at The Haskell Building, located 111 Riverside Avenue. Tickets are $30 per person. This is a members only event. Tickets are non-transferable/non-refundable. This is a members only event. Tickets are non-transferable/non-refundable. E-mail Maria to pay for tickets.

2010 Excellence in Manufacturing Awards

FCMA’s annual outstanding company awards luncheon will be held on Thursday, February 25, from 11:30AM-1:00PM at the UNF University Center, located 12000 Alumni Drive. Click here for information on the nominating process. Click for information on sponsorship opportunities. If your company would like to sponsor the event or for more information, e-mail Maria in the FCMA office.

Manufacturing on the First Coast Magazine

The 4th edition of the magazine will be published in February 2010 and distributed over the next two years. We are currently looking for advertisers for the issue. The deadline to get your ad in the magazine is January 15, 2010. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Jane Bachtell of Clements Publishing.

2009 Wage & Benefit Survey

The 2009 Wage & Benefit Survey has been released Member companies can receive a copy of the survey for only $75. To order your copy or for more information call the FCMA office or e-mail Sherri Mitchell.

Many thanks to our survey sponsors!

FREE LUNCH from the EHS Committee

Attention Associate Members of the EHS Committee! You will receive your lunch for free and your Manufacturing member guest’s lunch, when you bring an FCMA Manufacturer who has not previously attended an EHS Committee meeting or has not attended within the past year. In addition, your name will go into a drawing for a door prize for all Associates helping to increase manufacturing’s participation. For a schedule of EHS Committee Meetings, click here.

Next Meeting Will Be MONDAY JANUARY 25th!

Our next General Meeting will be held on January 25 from 4:00 to 6:00PM. The location is TBA. When it is set it will be updated on our website. Keep checking back for details!

KAMAN

Kaman Aerospace welcomed FCMA on November 16th! Over 135 people were in attendance. Kaman offered an exclusive must-see tour of their facility to all those present. Kaman produces and/or markets widely used proprietary aircraft bearings and components; complex metallic and composite aerostructures for commercial, military and general aviation fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

A special thank you to Joe Rizzo and the Jacksonville Lean Consortium for providing refreshments.

Following are pictures from the event (click the images for larger versions):

Retiring FCMA leaders were recognized. Pictured clockwise from upper left: Mary O’Brien of Advanced Disposal Services; Steve Foppe of Anheuser-Busch; Neil Hancock of Golder Associates; and, Jeff Nelson of CB Richard Ellis.


MAF Annual Manufacturing Summit

Lad Daniels was recognized as MAF’s the “Man of the Year Award” in recognition for his outstanding work on behalf of manufacturers not only in Jacksonville but all of Florida. FCMA was also presented with MAF’s “President’s Award for Performance Excellence” in recognition of its governmental affairs advocacy program–a testament to all our hard work at the state level.

Following are pictures from the event (Click the image to view larger).



Fleet Readiness Center Southeast was named the 2009 Large Manufacturer of the Year at the Summit. Below is a picture of FRCSE at the event. Click the picture for larger version.

Swisher International was a finalist for 2009 Large Manufacturer of the Year at the Summit. Below is a picture of Swisher at the event. Click the picture for larger version.

Emerging Environmental Issues Workshop

The November 4 EHS Fall Workshop “Environmental Challenges—2010 and Beyond” was a huge success with over 60 in attendance. Presenters included Rick Ferrin from JAXPORT, Kirby Green from the St. Johns River Water Management District, Jim Dickenson from JEA, and Drew Bartlett from the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection. All discussed events that will be happening in the near future which will have a major impact on our region’s manufacturing community. Special thanks to our sponsors Golder Associates and CDM. If you missed this workshop, don’t worry… each segment that was covered will be expanded to individual workshops for 2010. Keep an eye on the calendar for upcoming events!

Following are pictures from the event:

Trends & Benefits


Laura Miller Andrew with Smith Gambrell & Russell (pictured right) did a great job on reporting the latest update on the Obama Health Care Reform, 401(k) Employer Challenges, and the future of Executive Pay. Small employers will receive a rolling 2 year tax credit if annual payroll is less than $500,000. For large employers, the Healthcare Act will leave insurance plans unaffected for up to 5 years, giving them the choice of providing affordable coverage to their workers or pay a fine of 8% of payroll costs.

November EHS Meeting

Special thanks to Carter Belvin of Water and Air Research for updating the committee on November 19 on the development of the statewide Stormwater Treatment Rule. The rule was created to address nutrient content in Florida waters impacting stormwater treatment. There are still a lot of important aspects of this rule that need to be resolved and many questions that have yet to be answered. We will keep the committee updated on this issue. (pictured L-R: Mike Shuler and Carter Belvin from Water & Air Research; Paul Steinbrecher, JEA)

Anheuser-Busch, Inc… The Jacksonville Brewery is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and is the only brewery to make the Jimmy Buffet brew, Landshark Lager. Anheuser-Busch was also featured in an article in the Jacksonville Daily Record about there new “Beer Master Tour.” Click here to read the article.

Golder Associates… Promotions: Ben Lucero - staff engineer; Josh Richards - staff geologist; Kari Reno - staff scientist/industrial hygienist.

Pattillo Construction Company… received a city of Jacksonville building permit a $367,163 addition of office space to an existing business near the port and also a permit for a $225,194 renovation of a building on the Westside. FCMA member Summit Electrical Contractors is the electrical contractor for these projects for Pattillo.*
*This is a great example of member-to-member business. Share your member-to-member story with us so we can add it to Voice

Rayonier… commemorated the planting of the company’s billionth tree in the Southeast at a ceremony in Goffinsville Park on November 19. Elected officials and more than one hundred guests helped the company mark the occasion. To mark the milestone, Rayonier planted a 25-foot-tall live oak tree on the Goffinsville Park waterfront. Additional hardwood, longleaf and loblolly pine trees were planted throughout the park and parking lot.

Smith Hulsey & Busey… hired Zachary Lever, Jessica Jackson, J.C. Van Lierop, and Zachary Warren as lawyers.

The Stellar Group… promoted Neil Horn to divisional vice president of the refrigeration services division and Scott Mark to division manager of the food and beverage facility services division.

  • The Future of Manufacturing 2009 - “Manufacturing leaders chart the impact of the recession and identify the opportunities and risks facing the U.S. manufacturing sector in the years ahead.”
  • St. Pete Beach Abandons Local Experiment in Amendment 4 - “Since beginning a 3-year experiment in Amendment 4-style rule, St. Pete Beach residents have seen endless lawsuits, higher taxes and widespread economic turmoil. In recent elections, the citizens of St. Pete Beach voted to scale back their local version of Amendment 4 so that only certain land use changes require a referendum.”
  • Federal GINA Law makes new labor law poster mandatory - “On November 21, 2009, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008 which was signed into law on May 21, 2008, will go into effect. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) poster has just been updated to include information about the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act.”
  • Clay County Chamber’s China 2010 China Trip - “The Clay County Chamber has an upcoming trip to China, and has extended invitation the other FCMA members as well as the businesses they work for. This trip is a lifetime opportunity to experience China at an extremely low cost. Contact Leah Zdenek at 904-394-0646 or lzdenek@claychamber.com for more information. Last day to register is January, 1, 2010.”
  • We need to export more to China - “The U.S.’s high-skilled manufacturing is strong, but it is extremely productive so it doesn’t employ a lot. For a high-income economy, the future is skilled jobs.”
  • Brazil exports: Where it’s at - “Florida Tax Watch released a study this week suggesting that exports to Brazil could be a new pillar for the state’s economy. The declining value of the dollar and Brazil’s robust health sets the stage for increased exports to Florida’s biggest international trading partner.”

Manufacturing Growth Will Outpace Overall Economy

Long-awaited growth is finally poised to return to the U.S. economy, albeit at a far more modest rate than the typical recovery from previous recessions, according to a new report from The Manufacturers Alliance. The group predicts that inflation-adjusted gross domestic product (GDP) will decline 2.5% in 2009, before rebounding to 2.4% growth in 2010, and by 3.5% in 2011.

“Manufacturing production growth, at 4.6%, will grow faster than the general economy, at 2.4%, in 2010,” he said. “An inventory swing in the goods producing sector is a major reason for the acceleration in manufacturing production. We expect manufacturing growth to be led by high technology products, semiconductors, and computers.”

Click here to read the entire article.

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