The South Florida Manufacturers Association (SFMA) celebrated accomplishments from the SFMA and the manufacturing industry in South Florida at its 63rd Annual Meeting and Made in South Florida Showcase, presented by FPL. The event was held in October and it focused on employee culture and achieving results through people. Bob Chapman, the Chairman and CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, a global capital equipment and engineering solutions company with over 12,000 team members, delivered 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 addressed the challenge of using traditional thinking to run a business and being a caring and effective leader.
“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.
