MAF Weekly Report-February 2, 2013
New Economic Development Tool from Florida Power & Light
During the January 30-31 Enterprise Florida quarterly Board meetings Florida Power and Light rolled out a tremendous tool for economic developers. It is a resource website called Powering Florida (www.poweringflorida.com) and is intended to provide all the information economic developers need to know about helping businesses pick a location for their next business site in Florida. Thank you Florida Power & Light for providing this tool to our economic developers.
Lots of Excitement for Manufacturing Days - February 4-5, 2013
More than 60 people have registered for Manufacturing Days at the Capitol – a record for MAF. Joining us for our briefing at Manufacturing Days this year on February 4 is: Enterprise FL, Workforce FL, Associated Industries of FL, Florida Chamber of Commerce, TaxWatch, Sen. Hukill, and Representatives Ray, Magar, and Patronis.
On February 5 participants have appointments with more than 20 legislators and the Governor. The group visit with the Governor will be a press event on the Governor’s manufacturing initiative. Two local manufacturing companies will be bringing equipment in for a backdrop, participants will be invited to put their signatures on a sign for the event, we have buttons for participants to wear: “Let Manufacturers Lead,” we have a recognition spot planned for a legislative committee meeting and we will be interviewing willing participants on two questions:
- Why it is important to belong to the Manufacturers Association of Florida and what has it meant to you and your company?
- Why is it important to completely eliminate the sales tax exemption for manufacturing machinery and equipment in Florida?
We hope you will participate in the interviews. One video will be turned into a membership promotional video and the other an advocacy video for our website and for use at the Capitol. If you didn’t have time to register, just show up on Monday!
Enterprise Florida to Market Florida as a Business Destination
At the January 30 Enterprise Florida Stakeholder meeting Melissa Medley unveiled Enterprise Florida’s business marketing plan – to market Florida as a business destination in addition to a tourist destination; however, they will tie the two together. Using sand castles of business people as a backdrop in promotional events, the campaign will replace the “I” in Florida with a business tie. The slogan is “Florida is the Perfect Climate for Business.” The campaign needs angel investors, investing anywhere from $100,000 to $1,000 to reach the goal of $3 million for the marketing plan. If you would like to invest, let us know and we will connect you with Melissa Medley.
Internship Agreements
The MAF Center is collecting internship agreements from various sources to develop a model internship agreement for our manufacturers. If you have any materials for internship programs at your company that you would be willing to share, please send them to nancy@nstephens.com. Feel free to take your name off the materials before sending.
Manufacturing Task Force Endorses Welcome Mat for Manufacturers
The Manufacturers Task Force of Enterprise Florida, co-chaired by MAF Executive Director Nancy Stephens, had a lively meeting on January 30 in Tallahassee. EFI staff gave a briefing on status of the Governor’s proposal on the manufacturing sales tax elimination, Workforce Florida briefed the group on Quick Response Training Fund uses and the proposal to double that funding, Nancy Stephens presented manufacturing facts so everyone would be on the same page in their advocacy, the group talked about what each of them could do to help pass the Sales Tax Elimination and the QRT Funding this year, and lastly the group decided to implement a program called the Manufacturing Welcome Mat.
In the Welcome Mater program Enterprise Florida will issue a quarterly report to MAF on the manufacturing companies that have been recruited/retained/expanded in Florida via the Enterprise Florida recruitment programs. MAF will set up meetings with those manufacturing companies and invite the regional manufacturing association, the local economic development partner, and Enterprise Florida to brief the company on resources and connections available to them in Florida. MAF sees this as another tool in our tool box to build membership for MAF and for the regional manufacturing associations, while providing a service to new manufacturers and the state.
Our first Welcome Mat event will be in conjunction with the March 6-7 Southern Advanced Manufacturing Tradeshow at the Orange County Civic Center in Orlando. MAF and MACF will host a booth there and a Welcome Reception for participants to drop by and network with Florida manufacturers. We hope you will attend. More details to come, but registration is open for the entire show for free using the code MZ at http://registration3.experientevent.com/showubm131/default.aspx?flowcode=ATT2.
MAF Participates in Press Event with Governor
On January 31 MAF President Al Stimac and Executive Director Nancy Stephens attended a luncheon and participated in a press announcement with Governor Scott. At the luncheon the group of business leaders and educators heard from Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, Governor Scott’s Chief of Staff Adam Hollingsworth, the Governor’s Budget Director Jerry Daniels, and Governor Scott. After an overview of the proposed 2012-2013 state budget proposal, Governor Scott answered questions from the audience.
Following the lunch, the group moved to the Cabinet Room for a press conference on the budget. Governor Scott announced his $74.2 billion budget and his two priorities – complete elimination of the sales tax exemption on manufacturing machinery and equipment and $2,500 pay raises for teachers. In questions and answers between the press and the Governor there was not one question about the sales tax exemption! Thank you Governor Scott!
Short Notes
· Tom Kennedy has left the South Florida Manufacturers Association for new opportunities. June Wolfe will be assisting SFMA during the interim. Thank you to Tom for his service to MAF as Secretary-Treasurer since MAF formed. Tom’s last official MAF duties will end with the February 4 Board meeting in Tallahassee. Best of luck to Tom!
· Making It Happen: How Career Academies Can Build College and Career Exploration Program was released in January by the MDRC, a Ford Foundation non-profit organization. It looks at Florida, Georgia and California Career Academies. The link to the report: http://www.mdrc.org/making-it-happen.
· Interested in adopting a school through the MAF Center’s Dream It Do It Program? Want a Quick Start guide? Contact your regional manufacturing association or June Wolfe at june.wolfe@comcast.net. For more information about Dream It Do It, visit www.mafcenter.org.
- Know someone who should be a member of MAF? Contact nancy@mafmfg.com to provide the contact information.
- The Florida Administrative Register report for the week is attached.
Upcoming Events - 2013
February 4 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. MAF Board of Directors Meeting, Governors Club, 202 ½ South Adams Street, Tallahassee, Florida
February 4-5 Florida Manufacturing Days at the Capitol, Governors Club, 202 ½ South Adams Street, Tallahassee, FL and the Capitol, Tallahassee, FL. Book a room at the aloft Hotel (850.513.0313)
February 18 DOT Florida Mobility & Trade Plan Review Webinar, 9:30-11:30 am, Save the Date!
March 6-7 Southern Advanced Manufacturing Tradeshow, Orange County Civic Center, cosponsored by MAF and MACF. For more info call 310.445.4200. MAF member regional manufacturers’ association members will receive free tradeshow admission by using registration code: MZ. Mark your calendars now! Register at:
http://registration3.experientevent.com/showubm131/default.aspx?flowcode=ATT2.
May 29 MAF Board of Directors Meeting, JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes, Orlando, FL. Time TBA. Mark your calendars!
March 28 FDOT Florida Mobility & Trade Plan, Business Forum III Plan Review, 8:30-5:00, Orlando, FL. Save the Date!
May 28-31 Florida Sterling Council Annual Conference, JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes, register at www.floridasterling.com.
May 30 Mark your calendar for a manufacturing education forum, particularly relevant for manufacturing human relations professionals and educators, to be held in conjunction with the Florida Sterling Conference in Orlando
