1. How long have you been a BAMA member? I have been a proud BAMA member for a year and a half.
2. What do you like most about being a BAMA member?What I appreciate most about being a BAMA member is the sense of community. BAMA brings together people who genuinely care about manufacturing, innovation, and helping one another succeed. It has given me the opportunity to learn from experienced leaders, build valuable relationships, and become more connected to the growth of manufacturing in our region.
3. Tell us about your company. Veterans Plastic is a Port Richey, Florida-based additive manufacturing company providing 3D printing and short-run manufacturing support for government, medical, industrial, and educational customers. We specialize in rapid prototyping, replacement parts, jigs, fixtures, brackets, housings, and other functional components using a range of engineering and specialty thermoplastics. Our focus is on delivering responsive service, practical problem-solving, and quality parts that help customers move efficiently from concept to production.
4. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment to date?My greatest accomplishment is building a life and career centered on growth, relationships, and resilience. I am proud of my 35 years in global compute deployments in and around Silicon Valley, learning the manufacturing sector from Bobby Ralston of RJ Manufacturing, being inducted into Who’s Who for Engineering, taking part in the deployment of the worldwide internet, participating in compute protocol engineering standards committees, and receiving a patent for a gem polishing machine I engineered. Above all, I am most proud of my wife, my family of 35 years, and becoming part of the manufacturing community.
5. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? The best advice I have ever received is to stay fluid, because business is always changing. Another lesson that has stayed with me is this: if you are going to act, think once; if you are going to react, think twice. That advice has helped me remain adaptable, thoughtful, and steady in both business and life.
6. What is the most important skill you have developed in your career? The most important skill I have developed in my career is communication, especially the ability to listen fully before responding. I have learned that the best relationships and the best business decisions come from truly hearing people, understanding their perspective, and responding with clarity, respect, and authenticity.
7. What are your hobbies or interests?I enjoy mining Black Opal in Australia and searching for different gems throughout the United States. I also enjoy playing the Puerto Rican cuatro and guitar with my father-in-law. Above all, I value time with my grandchildren, my wife, and the relationships I have built with partners and friends over the years.

1. How long have you been a BAMA member? Since founding GainWise Partners in 2025. Manufacturing is the industry I'm most passionate about serving, and BAMA gives me the opportunity to do this.
2. What do you like most about being a BAMA member?Definitely the people I get to meet. The BAMA members and staff are all first-class. The relationships I have built, and am building, are impactful.
3. Tell us about your company. GainWise Partners creates profit by delivering new solutions to old problems- using AI as the catalyst to make faster decisions, eliminate broken workflows, break down silos, and build operations that actually scale. We lead with people, process, and technology in that order, because AI without alignment is just expensive, risky software. From readiness assessments to full implementation, we deliver solutions your team will actually use.
4. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment to date? Scaling A2 Global Electronics from $250M to $1.2B- with zero increase to the IT budget. We didn't throw money at the problem. We redesigned how the business made decisions. That's the same philosophy behind GainWise.
5. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? "Always ask why it's done that way." The most expensive words in business are "because we've always done it that way." Most of the value I've unlocked for clients didn't require new technology- it required someone finally asking that question.
6. What is the most important skill you have developed in your career?Translating technology into business outcomes. Building things is the easy part. Earning trust, understanding the operation, and connecting solutions to margin and throughput- that's where the real work is.
7. What are your hobbies or interests?Family, friends, and going to the gym. If you can't find me, I'm probably at my kid's sporting events!

1. How long have you been a BAMA member? I became a BAMA member when I first moved down to Florida in 2023 with the company that relocated me, Rev-Tech Manufacturing Solutions.
2. What do you like most about being a BAMA member?The collaboration that comes from and network that is built of the manufacturers in the area, and the willingness to use each other to source different aspect of each other’s business.
3. Tell us about your company. I am currently a business consultant for the Florida SBDC at USF. The Florida SBDC at USF helps create a better Florida for all by providing businesses the expertise and resources needed to succeed and grow. The Florida SBDC at the University of South Florida is a member of the Florida SBDC Network, a statewide partnership program nationally accredited by the Association of America’s SBDCs and funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of War, State of Florida, and other private and public partners, with the University of West Florida serving as the network’s headquarters. Full funding disclosure available at www.floridasbdc.org/funding-disclosures/. For more information, please visit SBDCTampaBay.com.
4. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment to date? There are a few, but I am really proud of my past track record with Lean Projects. One I can think of was a shortened leadtime of a total product from 40 days to a mere 6 days. We reduced the total travel of a major component from 1.5 miles of travel in the plant to a grand total of 300 feet, with a result in 1.3 million in savings annually, 36% increase in productivity, and the reduction of shrinkage of components to 0.
5. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? "Go into every situation with Curiosity"
6. What is the most important skill you have developed in your career?Go to Gemba and listen to your employees. They are the ones who are doing the task every day, and they know the pain points and solutions to fix them. They are also more likely to sustain changes when they are the ones who came up with them and will police their peers to ensure that the changes stay. Kaizen and Continuous Improvement is not done away from the floor by engineers and management in a conference room, you need the floors help.
7. What are your hobbies or interests?I am heavily involved in the Veteran Committee, Train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu every day and competitions, and tactical firearms training.

1. How long have you been a BAMA member? As a referral from Krista Brown, we joined BAMA in 2023 after visiting as her guest to several events (we especially love the craft breweries and distilleries tours:-) 
2. What do you like most about being a BAMA member? In addition to the tours, we love serving on the Membership Committee and sponsoring the Kelly Murphy Memorial, where we meet lots of great manufacturers and industry professionals throughout Greater Tampa Bay.
3. Tell us about your company. From Lakeland, FL, Keller Manufacturing has a 60-year history of manufacturing and servicing industry equipment worldwide. Keller provides waste incineration and cremation equipment, and EEE has provided them with their state-of-the-art SELAS burners. Our SELAS Heat Technology Senior Manager joined us at the BAMA tour of Tampa Bay Brewing Company, where he met many great BAMA members.
4. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment to date? After serving as a US Navy Chief Boiler Technician (BTC) for 23 years, our Boilerman returned home to Lakeland where he began EEE in 2005. Becoming a successful entrepreneur ("making steam" for manufacturers and end users) for over 20 years has been a great accomplishment in addition to his retiring from a successful Naval career.
5. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? Kevin's best piece of advice is his mantra: Integrity is everything. From the Latin integritas, integrity means consistency and honesty in all things, with self and others. Integrity marks Kevin's reputation in professional relationships as well as personal ones.
6. What is the most important skill you have developed in your career? Kevin has incredibly strong problem-solving skills. His closest colleagues refer to him as the "MacGyver" of steam boilers, burners and combustion controls. And yes, he always has a Swiss Army Knife, duct tape and zip ties with him.
7. What are your hobbies or interests? The Boiler Man's hobby and happy place is his Alabama hunting camp: a compound of cabins near Eufaula in "The Community of Great Hope." There, Kevin built Mico Cuko Eco-cee (Chief's Home of many Deer), where he hosts annual Navy reunions for his fellow BT's and Machinist's Mates (MM). 50+ retired service members re-connect with each other and share stories of serving together on the USS Belleau Wood ("Devil Dog") and the USS Nashville.

1. How long have you been a BAMA member? Since August, 2025.
2. What do you like most about being a BAMA member? I have always had an interest in and affinity for the manufacturing industry. BAMA’s high quality programs and events provide me with continuous learning and opportunities to connect and collaborate with so many great people in our business community. 
3. Tell us about your company. Established in 2005, NOW CFO is the leading national provider of Fractional, Interim and Permanent CFO’s, Controllers, and all levels of accounting staff. We work with all budgets, as we only bill by the hour and we don’t require any minimums or long-term contracts. We have extensive experience in manufacturing, and over 15,000 happy clients in all industries across the U.S. 
4. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment to date? When I worked for a National CPA firm, I landed a multibillion-dollar Agricultural manufacturing company in Florida, defeated bidders from the Big 4, and took ownership of the relationship, which was managed by another major CPA firm for 60 years! All because I made a cold call to the CFO. 
5. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? “Show up early, stay late, do more than is expected, treat people kindly and with respect, and the rewards will come.” 

 – from my late Father 

1. What is the most important skill you have developed in your career? Relationship-building 
2. What are your hobbies or interests? Pickleball, swimming, gardening, volunteering 

1.      How long have you been a BAMA member?
McCormick Stevenson has been a member for approximately 8 months.
2.      What do you like most about being a BAMA member?
I am grateful for the opportunities for engagement with other local companies.
3.      Tell us about your company.
McCormick Stevenson is a small, non-traditional defense contractor, supporting the Department of Defense through focused technical expertise in the Development and Production of armament systems. Our engineers support areas in design, analysis, manufacturing, quality, and test with a focus in all areas of product lifecycle; concept and requirement development, through full rate production, and into sustainment.
4.      What do you consider your greatest accomplishment to date?
Early in my career as a manufacturing engineer, I helped a design team with transition to production of a cryptographic data transfer device used with COMSEC equipment. After multiple failures in testing and design validation, I implemented a new manufacturing method after completing full root cause analysis. This led to successful qualification and ultimate fielding of the device for the National Security Agency.
5.      What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
You do not have to seek perfection right away. Focus on getting halfway to the wall every time. Continuous improvement is indeed continuous.
6.      What is the most important skill you have developed in your career?
I believe my growth and development in problem solving has been beneficial in the different hats I have worn in my roles as a manufacturing engineer, manager, program manager, proposal developer, and business development.
7.      What are your hobbies or interests?
Outside of spending time with my 3 daughters and bride, I enjoy attending USF Athletics events and chasing a little white ball around a golf course.

1.      How long have you been a BAMA member? Over 10 years
2.      What do you like most about being a BAMA member? Going to other manufacturing companies in the area and see how they manufacture their products.  Also speaking the Manufacturing language with fellow BAMA members.
3.      Tell us about your company. DITEK is a proud, family-owned American company based in Largo,  and has been leading the Surge Protection industry for over 30 years. In today’s digital age, where we rely on electronics and electricity more than ever, DITEK Surge Protection provides peace of mind by safeguarding your most valuable electronic and digital assets. Think of it as insurance for the devices you depend on—protecting communications, fire and security systems, home appliances, and virtually anything you plug in to power.
4.      What do you consider your greatest accomplishment to date?  Running and completing 2 full marathons.
5.      What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? You are responsible for everything you do, good or bad, owned up to it, and reap the rewards for hard work. -My Dad’s advice to me when I was young.
6.      What is the most important skill you have developed in your career? Communication, Communication, Communication! An informed Team is never left guessing what’s next.
7.      What are your hobbies or interests? Cruising, Camping, and working on my landscaping at home.

1.      How long have you been a BAMA member?  One Year
2.      What do you like most about being a BAMA member?  What I enjoy most is the variety of businesses involved and the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with other local professionals. 
3.      Tell us about your company.  Flagship Bank is a locally owned community bank with six branches across Pinellas and Pasco counties. While we offer a full range of banking services, we specialize in business banking and commercial lending and take pride in supporting the growth of local businesses.
4.      What do you consider your greatest accomplishment to date?
Personally, my greatest accomplishment is my family, Professionally, I take pride in treating every customer with the same level of care and respect, no matter the size of their account. I’m proud of the relationships I’ve built over the years and have many customers who have trusted me since 1996. My relationships have played a big role in helping me do what I’m passionate about, both in my work and in the community. The support I’ve had over the years has enabled me to stay involved and give back where I can. For the last 15 years, I’ve been part of efforts like Toys for Tots, FEAST, and Oldsmar Cares. I just can’t stand the thought of a child going without, and I’ll always step up to help when I can.
5.      What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?  The best advice I’ve received is to treat every customer the same—whether they have one dollar or a million. Everyone deserves respect, and that mindset has stuck with me throughout my career.
6.      What is the most important skill you have developed in your career?  The most important skill I’ve developed in my career is sharing knowledge. I enjoy helping others learn and grow. It’s incredibly rewarding to see people succeed and know you played a part in it.
7.      What are your hobbies or interests?  I enjoy reading, doing crossword puzzles, and spending time with my family. I also love cooking and if you come to my house, you’re leaving full, and probably with the best plate of spaghetti you’ve ever had! I’m active in my church and enjoy the occasional trip to the casino.

1. How long have you been a BAMA member? One year, but my company has been involved for three years.

2. What do you like most about being a BAMA member? Getting exposure to the local manufacturing community, connecting with like-minded individuals and companies, plus educating myself on the expansiveness of the Bay Area’s manufacturing capabilities.

3. Tell us about your company. United Scrap Metal is a certified woman-owned, full-service recycling company with a local presence in Land O’ Lakes and Largo. We partner with manufacturers to create tailored scrap programs that maximize material value, meet ISO 14001 and RIOS standards, and support supplier diversity initiatives. With over 45 years of industry experience and a strong focus on sustainability and community engagement, we are a proven and trusted resource.

4. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment to date? I consider my greatest accomplishment to be stepping into a completely new industry, quickly gaining the knowledge and skills needed to hit the ground running, and becoming a trusted resource for anyone’s scrap metal needs.

5. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? “Good things come with time.” It reminded me that change doesn’t happen overnight, and not everyone is ready to pivot at a moment’s notice.

6. What is the most important skill you have developed in your career? Coming into this role with no prior understanding of scrap metal recycling, I’ve honestly developed so many skills along the way. However, the most exciting development has been learning how to take complex data and turn it into something simple and easy to understand. Early on, I realized that not everyone sees numbers the same way, so I’ve learned how to connect the dots between data, day-to-day operations, and a company’s bigger picture. Whether it’s highlighting inefficiencies or helping someone understand the impact of a process change, I’ve gotten better at framing information in a way that’s clear, practical, and actually useful for making decisions.

7. What are your hobbies or interests? I’m passionate about giving back and serve on the Advisory Council for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay, helping create solutions for families facing tough times. Outside of work, I love traveling and immersing myself in new cultures and experiences. 

1.      How long have you been a BAMA member? Since 2023
2.      What do you like most about being a BAMA member?Being a BAMA member brings a sense of community and collaboration in our area. It’s truly a network of professionals who are passionate about advancing the manufacturing industry. 
3.      Tell us about your company.  Polypack specializes in manufacturing shrink wrap and corrugated packaging machines. We serve a wide range of industries, from food to pharmaceuticals. With over 65 years of experience, we take pride in delivering equipment that enhances productivity.
4.      What do you consider your greatest accomplishment to date.  Our greatest accomplishment as a company has been to stay on the forefront of innovation and sustainability in our industry.  We continue to lead the way on sustainable packaging materials for shrink wrap and our machines manufacturing is done green initiatives in mind.
5.      What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?  The best advice comes from our customers.  Their feedback allows Polypack to make machines built with their needs in mind.
6.      What is the most important skill you have developed in your career?  Adaptability is a key skill for our industry. The packaging industry is constantly evolving, and being able to pivot strategies and embrace new technologies has been crucial to maintaining success in sales and marketing.
7.      What are your hobbies or interests?  Polypack is proud to host the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum.  It is a one of a kind museum focused on engin eering and innovation in automotive history.