July 2022
THE BAMA BULLETIN
ANNOUNCING BAMA 2022 MEMBER AWARD WINNERS!
MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR
RJ MANUFACTURING
ROBERT RALSTON
ASSOICATE OF THE YEAR
DIANE McKELVEY
AMERICAN MOMENTUM BANK


DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
JEFF PERKINS
SEAL DYNAMICS
EMERGING LEADER
CRISTINE TORREFRANCA
SALMARSH, CLEVELAND & GUND
LIFETIME HONORARY MEMBER
CHUCK WARRINGTON
CLEARWATER GAS
WELCOME BAMA 2022-2023
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President - Jeff Cole, AMSkills
Vice President - Roy Sweatman, Southern Manufacturing Technologies
Treasurer/Secretary - Cristine Torrefranca, CPA, Saltmarsh
Director - Kevin Gerrish, Beckwith Electric
Director - Suzanne D. Chambers, Roebuck Technologies
Director - Pete Cirak, Seal Dynamics
Director - Grant Petersen, Ogletree Deakins
Director - Bob Kinney, Accelerate Results Group
Director - Jeff Fain, GLE Scrap Metal
Director - Robert Ralston, RJ Manufacturing
Immediate Past President - Christina Davenport, JMI Resource

Thank you to our exiting board members for your many years of service:
Jeffrey Perkins
Ann Paxton
Megan Meiers, SHRM-CP

Read full press release here.
Pictured: (left to right) Cristine Torrefranca, Jeff Perkins, Roy Sweatman, Christina Davenport, Jeff Cole, Kevin Gerrish, Suzanne Chambers, Jeff Fain
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR STUDENT WINNERS!
BAMA Wins Most Innovative Manufacturing Month Student Event Award!
BAMA recently won the statewide award for our manufacturing month event, the Great Manufacturing Teach In with collaboration from Pinellas County Schools, Hillsborough County Public Schools, FLATE and FloridaMakes.

The virtual event brought together students and manufacturers in an interactive setting. Special thanks goeas out to the participating manufacturers who created a video tour of their facility and were live with the students taking their questions: Electro Mechanical Solutions, Seal Dynamics, MicroLumen Medical Tubing, AMRoCFabLab, METTLER TOLEDO, Mastercut Tool Corp., TSE Industries, Inc., Omnicell, Molex, Custom Manufacturing & Engineering, and MONIN.

Email admin@bama-fl.org if you are interested in getting involved this year.
REFER A MEMBER
Do you know a leader in manufacturing who could benefit by being part of our association? Membership in a manufacturing association offers so many benefits and will keep members knowledgeable about important, ever-changing issues, trends and legislation within the industry. The most popular benefit our members rave about is our networking events and tours at local manufacturing facilities. The best part is, over 70% of the attendance at these events is made up of other manufacturers who share best practices and strategies that are working for them.
Welcome BAMA's New Business Operations Assistant
BAMA welcomes a new business Operations Assistant Intern - Laura Abreu! She will be helping with various administrative tasks such as updating the BAMA member database and assisting with marketing. Laura was born and raised in Tampa, Florida and graduated from Alonso high school with a 4.8 GPA. She is a bilingual, determined girl who believes experience and skills are crucial to today's world. Laura believes working with BAMA will give her special insight into how manufacturing companies operate and give her experience that will help her in the pursuit of becoming a veterinarian. She says, "It will be a wonderful opportunity working with BAMA."
UPCOMING EVENTS
BAMA BENFITS AFFINITY PROGRAM
As a BAMA manufacturing member, you and all of your employees receive discounts through our BAMA Benefits program. Associate Companies receive discounts for three members. Log into the BAMA website and visit https://www.bama-fl.org/BAMA-Benefits to access the program.
Discounts available for:

  • Hotel Engine Hotel Room Rentals
  • Enterprise and National Car Rentals
  • UPS Shipping
  • The GE Appliances Store
  • Lenovo
  • ODP Business Solutions™
BAMA BLOG

When most people think about disaster preparedness, they think of things like food, water and emergency supplies. While all of those items are important, they're not the only things you need to worry about in the event of a natural disaster or emergency. If your company is like most manufacturers, you have a lot of critical equipment and supplies that could be damaged or destroyed in a disaster. That's why it's important to have a plan for protecting your business during an emergency. In this blog post, we'll discuss some tips for preparing your manufacturing company for disasters big and small. Read More and visit our Disaster Relief Resources Page.
How long have you been a BAMA member? 
I have been a member for three years. 

What do you like most about being a BAMA member? 
Connecting with the Tampa Bay manufacturing community allows us to better understand the challenges manufacturers face and how the Florida SBDC at USF can help manufacturers address those challenges.  

Tell us about the SBDC. 
The Florida SBDC at USF provides confidential no-cost consulting services to 10 west-central Florida counties. We are part of a nationwide network of Small Business Development Centers that provide technical assistance to entrepreneurs from diverse industries, in all stages of maturity, across the U.S. since 1976. From the aspiring entrepreneur with questions about business entities and how to write a business plan to existing businesses who need assistance with marketing, social media, SEO, access to capital, government contracting, growth, and many other areas; the Florida SBDC at USF has the expertise to assist them.   
  
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment to date? 
I have overcome many challenges in my career. I attribute these successes to two things:
  1. My military service. The Marine Corps revealed my physical/mental limits while teaching me to operate at the limit and push past it. 
  2. My amazing family. 
  • My wife and I just celebrated 28 years of marriage. Her love and support are the foundation that gives me the strength and confidence to tackle any challenge.
  • My wife and I were blessed to raise two amazing young men. My oldest son is a Sgt. in the USMC serving as a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. My youngest son is a junior studying agricultural sciences at Warner University with the goal of joining the United States Coast Guard upon graduation.  

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?  
If you wait until you are ready for the next challenge or position, you will never overcome the challenge or get the position. Trust in your abilities and step out in faith.  
  
What is the most important skill you have developed in your career? 
As a young leader, I was eager to make decisions and solve problems the moment I became aware of them. Many times, I found myself addressing symptoms of the problem but never solving the core issue(s). Over my career, I have learned to be more patient and make a more thorough assessment of a situation before taking action. 

What are your hobbies or interests? 
I enjoy spending time with my family, shooting sports, and grilling.  
Read the Latest from FLATE in their July Newlsetter
Adams Proudly Presents: Better. Faster. Smarter., an Industrial Innovation Podcast
The Adams team is excited to present 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫., a podcast focusing on helping customers do just that, get better, faster and smarter when it comes to their manufacturing processes.
 
You can find the podcast here.
 
Apple:
 
Spotify:
AmSkills Career Discovery Bootcamp
 
Transforming Lives and Strengthening Communities Through Workforce Training & Apprenticeships for Youth, Adults, Veterans, and the Economically Disadvantaged
If your organization is like most nowadays, you're struggling to find entry-level team members in the manufacturing field. If that's the case, you may want to participate in the upcoming AmSkills Career Discovery Bootcamp.
 
AmSkills is a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to “transform lives through workforce training and apprenticeships.” They teach high school students and adults the foundational skills needed for a career in the manufacturing industry using hands-on training.

The 2-Week Bootcamp consists of:
·   Multiple Hands-On Projects
·   Blueprint and Precision Measurement
·   Intro to soldering, electrical & mechatronics
·   Tours of Local Manufacturers’
·   OSHA 10 Safety Certification
·   Employability Skills Assessment and Interview Coaching
 
All participants who successfully complete the Bootcamp will receive a Certificate of Completion and will be available to interview with employers participating in the BootCamp on the final day. There is no cost for the employer to participate.
 
Call Jim Shedden, Apprenticeship Program Coordinator, at (727) 301-1282 ext 121, or email jshedden@amskills.com. 

Small Business Executive Program: Tampa Bay & St. Petersburg

Let us help you work on your business.
Created to be a world-class learning experience that accommodates the busy schedule of small business owners, the Small Business Executive Program (SBEP) is ideal for CEOs, entrepreneurs, presidents of small businesses, and immediate successors of businesses. You will emerge a stronger leader ready to capitalize on business opportunities, implement best practice management, and turn challenges into a strategic advantage. Thanks to our supporters, this program is offered at no cost to the accepted participants.

Application & Schedule
Held in historic downtown St. Petersburg, Class VIII of the Tampa Bay Small Business Executive Program will run from September to December 2022. You can find the schedule below. Mandatory attendance is required for all the class sessions. Apply before August 7th to be considered for acceptance.
RECENT EVENTS
Lunch & Learn: Understanding ASC 842 and Impacts to Manufacturers and Distributors
Presented and Sponsored by Clifton Larson Allen
CONGRATULATIONS TO CAVAFORM!
Congratulations to longtime BAMA member, Cavaform International, LLC,! In late October of 2021, Cavaform was awarded a $10.4 M federal contract to expand their production capacity of Covid related products. Part of that expansion is adding 15,000 sq. ft. to their existing building as well a number of new manufacturing cells.
Cavaform Groundbreaking Ceremony, July 2022
Rep. Andrew Learned Presents Adams Air with Challenge Coin
Rep. Andrew Learned is on the Manufacturing Caucus. He visited Adams Air recently to tpresent them with a Challenge Coin. Learned also toured Adams and Dynamic Control & Automation. Adams both distributes and builds factory automation equipment. Both companies help with keeping Florida based manufacturing businesses competitive in the global manufacturing marketplace. 
Thank you to Christina Davenport!
Board service is one of the toughest volunteer roles of all and BAMA President, Christina Davenport has shown dedication over the past four years as BAMA Board President from 2018 through 2022. Thank you for all you have done to advance the organization and our manufacturers.
Thank You Corporate Sponsors!

Take a moment to learn more about our annual sponsors
by visiting their websites.
727-536-5809 | www.bama-fl.org