The South Florida Manufacturers Association (SFMA) will celebrate accomplishments from the SFMA and the manufacturing industry in South Florida at the 63rd Annual Meeting and Made in South Florida Showcase, presented by FPL. The event is scheduled at Signature Grand in Davie on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. The Made in South Florida Showcase will begin at 4 p.m., followed by the Annual Meeting program at 6:30 p.m.
According to the president of SFMA, Matthew Rocco, this year’s Annual Meeting focuses on employee culture and achieving results through people. Rocco also announced that Bob Chapman, the Chairman and CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, a global capital equipment and engineering solutions company with over 12,000 team members, will deliver the Keynote Address for this year’s event. Chapman has grown the business from $20 million in revenue in 1975 to more than $3.3 billion.
The Society has recently awarded Chapman various accolades, such as the CEO of the Year for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Chapman is known for intentionally using his platform as a business leader to build a better world. During the upcoming keynote address, he plans to challenge traditional thinking about running a business and being a caring and effective leader. Attendees can expect to hear simple yet groundbreaking ideas about creating safe, healthy and fulfilling work environments grounded in people-centric leadership.
“Our vision is that business could be a powerful force for good in the world if we developed leaders who have the skills and the courage to care for those in their span of care—to send them home each day knowing that who they are and what they do matters,” Chapman says. “When people feel safe, cared for and valued at work, they treat their loved ones better than when they feel used for someone else’s success.”
The South Florida Manufacturers Association (SFMA), established in 1961, is a top resource for manufacturing companies in South Florida, offering resources, networking, advocacy, and technical and employability skills training to its members. The SFMA has partnered with FloridaMakes, and together, they have been instrumental in creating an economic impact of $2 billion in South Florida since 2016.
For registration information and an overview of sponsorship opportunities, visit the event page at www.sfma.org/annual-meeting.
