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From the Executive Director: |
| Join us in welcoming our NEW BAMA MEMBERS! | | |
1. How long have you been a BAMA member? I have been a Bama Member for about 5 years now.
2. What do you like most about being a BAMA member? Community - BAMA fosters an exceptional sense of community, creating an environment where industry professionals come together to share experiences, knowledge, and best practices. More than that, the networking opportunities and camaraderie it cultivates are truly outstanding.
3.Tell us about your company. GA Foods, headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, is a specialized provider of nutritious meals serving the unique needs of healthcare patients, seniors, children, the military, and emergency responders. Established in 1973, the company has grown from a local Florida business to a nationwide meal provider, delivering over 30 million meals annually across 40 states. We manufacture in Saint Pete and deliver across the nation.
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BAMA Awards Banquet
Thursday, June 19th, 2025
5:00 - 8:00 PM
Shanna and Bryan Glazer Family JCC, 522 N Howard Ave, Tampa, FL 33606
Event Highlights:
- Networking and Cocktail Reception
- Keynote Speaker: Audrey McGuckin, Audrey spent over 10 years as the Chief Talent Officer for Jabil, a $27 billion company.
- Award Winners: 2024-2025 BAMA member award winners announced, celebrate the Manufacturer of the Year, meet STEM fair & scholarship winners.
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The Made In Tampa Bay Expo and Job Fair
Presented by BAMA and Career Source
April 9, 2025 | 2:00 - 6:00 PM
The EpiCenter, 13805 58th St N, Clearwater, FL 33760
Event Highlights:
- Product Showcase: Explore the diverse array of products manufactured locally in Tampa Bay. Meet the innovators behind these products and discover how they are made.
- Job Fair for Manufacturing Industry: Connect directly with manufacturers who are hiring. Learn about available opportunities and how to build a career in the thriving manufacturing sector.
- Networking: Engage with local business owners, potential employers, and other job seekers to build connections in the manufacturing industry.
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BAMA Leadership Conference
The Bay Area Manufacturer’s Leadership Conference Fundraiser, Live2Lead, was an empowering event for those looking to enhance their leadership skills. Held on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at the Brandon Campus Conference Center, Hillsborough Community College, attendees gained invaluable insights from renowned experts like John C. Maxwell, John Gordon, Chaunté Lowe, and Brandon Dawson. Hosted by Dr. Kim Moore, the conference provided leadership strategies and actionable takeaways for personal and professional growth. All proceeds benefited STEM education. It was an inspiring day that helped attendees elevate their leadership impact.
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BAMA's 7th Annual Clay Shoot Fundraiser
The 7th Annual Clay Shoot for Veterans Education, held on February 14, 2025, was a huge success! Held at Tampa Bay Sporting Clays, the event featured multiple shooting stations where attendees tested their skills and enjoyed the camaraderie of fellow enthusiasts. Proceeds from the Clay Shoot went toward programs that support local manufacturers and scholarships for Veteran students making it a fun way to give back. Prizes were awarded to top shooters, and everyone had a chance to connect while supporting the community. With excellent weather the event was a memorable success. Thanks to all who participated! We had so much fun supporting a cause that means so much to us.
Top Female Shooter:
Suzanne Bach, CPA, Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund
Top Male Shooter:
KC Misemer, Hancock Whitney
Top Teams:
1st Place: Sunrise Yacht Products
2nd Place: C&S Companies
Grand Prize Winners:
David Laugtug, Dan Steel and Jenna Rosselli
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BAMA's HR Insights Summit
On March 6th, we hosted an insightful event on the latest Hot Topics in Employment Law. As 2025 brought significant changes, the knowledgeable panel discussed key issues impacting employers, including updates to the Pregnancy Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), shifts in the National Labor Relations Board's stance on non-compete agreements, evolving wage and hour laws, and the ethical challenges of embracing AI in the workplace from an HR perspective.
Gary Schick of Jabil, Kevin Johnson of Johnson Jackson, Bernie Currie, SHRM-CP, PHR, and Erin Jackson of Johnson Jackson presented these critical topics. Christina Davenport, owner of JMI Resource, moderated the session.
The event provided valuable insights to ensure workplaces remained compliant and prepared for the future.
The course was approved for 1.25 PDCs for SHRM. It was a fantastic opportunity to stay informed!
| | Florida Manufacturing Days 2025 | |
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From February 4-5, BAMA participated in Florida Manufacturing Days 2025 alongside the Florida Manufacturing & Supply Chain Advocacy Council, bringing together nearly 50 industry leaders to advocate for policies that strengthen Florida’s manufacturing sector. This annual event serves as a crucial platform for manufacturers to directly engage with legislators and influence impactful policy reforms.
During the event, BAMA’s delegation conducted one-on-one meetings with 11 regional legislators to advance key advocacy priorities for the year, ensuring that the voices of Tampa Bay manufacturers were effectively represented. Representing the Tampa area were Andrew Kossowski, owner of Veterans Metal, Troy Underwood, owner of Urban Metals dba Tampa Steel & Supply, Roy Sweatman, owner of Southern Manufacturing Technologies, Beth Galic of BAMA, Maria Morales of CliftonLarsonAllen, Ginny Veit of CliftonLarsonAllen, Micah Daugherty of FloridaMakes and John Ray of Florida Medical Manufacturers Consortium.
2025 Key Advocacy Priorities:
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Manufacturing Legislation (SB 600 & 602; HB 561 & 563): Advocating for the establishment of a Chief Manufacturing Officer, the launch of the Made in Florida program, and enhanced support for the manufacturing sector.
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Strategic Investments: Expanding the Qualified Target Industry (QTI) Tax Refund Program to drive high-wage job creation and increase state revenue.
By collaborating with industry stakeholders, we are ensuring Florida’s position as a leading hub for manufacturing innovation and sustained economic growth. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the senators and representatives who took the time to meet with us and engage in these meaningful discussions: Representative Steele, Representative Yeager, Senator Hooper, Senator Collins, Representative Rouson, Representative Driskell, Senator DiCeglie, Representative Owen, Representative Chaney, Representative Jacques, and Representative Holcomb. Your support is truly invaluable in advancing Florida’s manufacturing sector.
If you are interested in joining the BAMA advocacy committee or the council, please reach out to Beth Galic at beth@bama-fl.org.
To learn more about our advocacy efforts, visit:
https://www.floridamfgadvocacy.com/blogs/amanda-starling1/2025/02/10/2025-florida-manufacturing-days
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A Case Study in Machine Learning (ML) Using Transfer Learning Models
March 28, 2025 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM EDT
Insights Into the Workforce of the Future
April 9, 2025 10:00AM – 11:00AM EDT
Using Python for Machine Learning in Manufacturing
April 11, 2025 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM EDT
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Nominate your favorite Florida-made product and help us showcase why Florida is on track to become a Top 5 manufacturing state by 2030! | | Business/Economic Hurricane Impact | | |
If your business has any unmet needs due to Hurricanes Idalia, Helene and Milton, please take a minute to complete the survey at the link below by Monday, March 31st.
Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HurricaneDisasterImpactandRecoverySurvey
Pinellas County has scheduled the following public meetings for residents and business owners to provide their input and feedback.
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South County – April 7th 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Lealman Exchange
Ray Neri Room
5175 45th Street North
St. Petersburg, FL 33714
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Mid County – April 10th 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
City of Dunedin – City Hall
Commission Chambers
737 Louden Ave
Dunedin, FL 34698
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North County – April 24th 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Harbor Hall/White Chapel
1190 Georgia Avenue
Palm Harbor, FL 34683
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Board of County Commissioners – May 6th
333 Chestnut Street, Palm Room
Clearwater, FL 33756
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Virtual Public Hearing | TBD
CDBG-DR Action Plan information will be shared and tracked on the Pinellas County CDBG-DR Website: https://pinellas.gov/cdbg-dr/
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The world moves fast – and your BAMA UPS® Savings Program has the tools you need to help your small business move even faster. We’re here to help you push envelopes and ride the edge of what’s possible. We’ll be right by your side with everything you need to keep blazing forward.
Let UPS® help make your business unstoppable. Members enjoy the following savings every time you ship:
- 65% off Domestic Next Day
- 42% off Ground
- 65% off International
Sign up for a new account [Link to: www.savewithups.com/1800members ]
Or if you already have a UPS account, simply re-enroll and apply our member-only savings to your existing account.
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Exciting Opportunities Await in the Manufacturing industry!
Visit our job posting page to see what's available. Whether you’re an experienced professional or just starting your career, there are a range of roles available, including technical jobs, supporting positions, and office roles that could be the perfect fit for you.
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The MTC Innovation Program includes paid internships within their Business Enterprise warehouse plus providing scholarships for training certifications currently being offered at the MTC via the eMerge Program. Phase one of this program is focusing on the Deaf and hard of hearing community. Their interns will work in their MTC Business Enterprise warehouse and take training classes to promote ongoing skills training in a variety of areas.
Questions? Please contact Anne Prosser at aprosser@macdonaldccenter.org for more information!!! She would love to connect with your Management or HR Teams to discuss collaboration!!
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