VMA's 36th Anniversary and Awards Banquet is Set for December 1st, 2016

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Nov. 7, 2016 - PRLog -- Jayne Fifer, President & CEO of VMA, is pleased to announce the organization's 36^th Anniversary Awards Banquet is planned for Thursday, December 1^st at the Plaza Resort and Spa, located at 600 North Atlantic Ave. in Daytona Beach.

"It's always great to get together with such a driving force of people in our community, and recognize our manufacturer of year at our annual banquet," said Jayne Fifer, VMA President/CEO. "We have eight well-deserved awards to present, it's really a fantastic event to attend," she added.

The awards to be given out include; the Lou Fifer Manufacturer of the Year, Inaugural Innovation award, Best Practice award, Green award, Dream It! Do It! Champion, Karl Schiller Member of the Year, and Friends of the Industry award.

The December 1^st event starts with networking at 5:30pm, and dinner and awards at 6:30pm. There will be entertainment by Walker and Randie Paul. Tickets are $85 per person for members, and $100 per person for non-members. Tables of eight are available for $680 for members and $800 for non-members. RSVPs are required by November 23^rd and tickets can be purchased at http://vmaonline.com/.

The Presenting sponsor for the event for the third year in a row is Halifax Health. To date, Platinum sponsors include Florida Healthcare Plans, Rapid Prototyping Services, and FPL. VMA anticipates more sponsors will sign on prior to the event. The Music Sponsor is Miller Leaman, Inc. Sponsorship opportunities are still available and details can be found at http://vmaonline.com/.

VMA is a 501(c)6 that connects manufacturers and related suppliers to the information, education and the people members need. Founded by Manufacturers for Manufacturers in 1980, this vibrant manufacturing community connects members to great ideas and people to inspire leadership and achievement in Volusia and Flagler Counties and the surrounding areas. VMA is a manufacturers trade alliance with the power to transform the stature and development of the area's manufacturers. They can be reached at 386-673-5050, or online at http://vmaonline.com/, or https://www.facebook.com/VMAonline/. Follow VMA on Twitter at @VMAVolusia.

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About

Manufacturers are combating the critical shortage of skilled labor through the VMA Dream It! Do It! Project. VMA works with local schools – elementary through college - to build awareness of the substantial and lucrative careers in manufacturing. VMA has donated over $71,000 of 3D printers, CNC machines, materials and supplies to area schools. Manufacturers are adopting the manufacturing-related Career Academies and programs in the high schools, inviting students on tours, sending speakers into the classrooms, sponsoring and judging robotics competitions, working with interns and co-op students at all of the area high schools and colleges.

The VMA's tag line "We Make It Here" started as a simple speech and has grown into a movement. The audience was asked to shout, "We make it here!" when the VMA president named a recognizable product made locally and the crowd loved it. Every month a manufacturer opens their doors for a Plant Tour, and there are huge posters in schools, product displays in libraries, radio ads, a parody sung by a member about local products, and the annual Manufacturer's Showcase that draws thousands. And coming soon, a huge product display at the Daytona International Airport.

There are over 450 manufacturers in the counties encompassing and surrounding Daytona Beach, Florida. They are there, strong, diverse and growing. They employ over 12,000 and pay an average annual wage of $60,534 including benefits.

They make a wide variety of recognizable products people use every day like sun tan lotions, personal care products, boats, luxury yachts, signs, syringes, pumps, dialysis liquids, blood bags, parachutes, sportsman sunglasses, mattresses, sheds, intelligent classrooms, taffy and key lime pies. Plus, many parts that go into bigger parts.

VMA, Inc., the Volusia and Flagler counties regional manufacturers association, is determined to make the 500,000 people in the region, a manufacturing champion and to never hear again, "I Didn't Know We Made That Here!"