In This Issue
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VMA "MFG Makes VA" Weekly Legislative Webinar w/ Brett Vassey
12 pm - 12:30 pm
Fridays
(January 11 - March 1)
17th Annual Virginia Environmental Health and Safety Conference (VEHS)
September 18 -19
Hilton Hotel & Spa,
12042 West Broad St.,
Richmond VA
Virginia Competitiveness Forum
&
2nd Annual VMA STEP Ahead Recognition Luncheon
November 19
Williamsburg Lodge Conference Center,
310 S England St.,
Williamsburg VA
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| Follow the VMA on LinkedIn |
We constantly strive to stay current in the digital era. We have expanded our social media presence to connect our members, partners, and allies with VMA member benefits, networking and professional development opportunities, workforce solutions and government affairs resources.
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VOLUME 12 | Edition 8 | December 2018
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| Letter from the President & CEO |
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Dear Members:
This time of year we all try to make that last push to meet annual goals and set up a prosperous new year. Too often we miss the simple opportunities to contribute to something greater than ourselves.
This holiday season I am challenging all members to provide a year-end contribution, corporate or individual gifts, to the Virginia Industry Foundation's (VIF) Vision 2020 campaign.
The VIF is the non-profit 501(c) 3 affiliate of the VMA. Together, our organizations will dedicate these funds to the following:
- Closing the Gender Gap in MFG. Funds will support the new Women in MFG and STEP Forward programs at the VMA.
- Closing the Skills Gap in the Workforce. Funds will support the Manufacturing Skills Institute's programs that provide educational resources and training to over 150 academic institutions across the Commonwealth, including the Career Pathways for Individuals with Disabilities (CPID) program. The goal is to build a system that produces 6,000 industry credentialed graduates a year.
- Closing the Interest Gap in the Workforce. Funds will support the Dream It Do It Virginia programs that include K-12/Community College Advanced Technology Summer Camps, a K-12/Community College Career Coach, the Virginia Career Explorer and the Employability Workshop series for low-income and unemployed. The goal is to reach over 20,000 individuals a year and shape their career decisions by improving the image and understanding of Virginia manufacturing careers.
These goals and programs depend entirely upon philanthropic support. Dues do not support them.
We need your help to raise $250,000. Please consider a corporate gift or a personal gift to the Vision 2020 campaign today. Contributions are considered charitable for tax purposes. For more information, contact Kelly Stevens at
[email protected].
Best Wishes and Happy Holidays,
Brett
Brett A. Vassey
President & CEO
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VMA Grows Partnership with Consumer Energy Alliance
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Over the past 10 years, VMA has been proud member of the Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), joining its Board in 2014, and assuming the position of Board Chairman last year. CEA remains one of the nation's leading consumer advocacy organizations that focuses on "all-of-the-above" energy solutions for Virginia's families and businesses. The organization has run more than 250 energy-focused advocacy efforts all over the nation, including impactful campaigns here in the Commonwealth supporting energy development and infrastructure. More recently, CEA has been championing "consumer-energy pledges" for local, state and national elected leaders to move our national discussion about energy in a positive and beneficial direction.
VMA encourages all of our member companies to go to www.consumerenergyalliance.org to learn more about CEA. We also encourage you to contact CEA President David Holt @ [email protected] about joining CEA as an affiliate member. CEA is doing amazing work as the voice of the U.S. energy consumer.
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Member Benefit:
Employee Banking Rewards
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By signing up for
Kasasa
through the VMA and Sonabank partnership, your employees get all the great rewards of a
Kasasa
account, plus more!
Click here to learn more about how Kasasa can reward your employees or contact Katie Miller at [email protected] for more information.
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Expanding Exports by 2025
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The VMA is committed to expanding Virginia exports $8 Billion by 2025 and is a strategic partner of the Virginia International Trade Alliance (VITAL). The mission of VITAL is to expand the Commonwealth's nationally recognized international trade programs through formal partnerships with Virginia public universities and industry associations. 95% of consumer demand is outside the United States so
going international can be a crucial turning point for any business.
VITAL services include:
- Global Market Research
- Trade Missions & Trade Shows
- Trade Show Assistance
- Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) Program
- Global Defense Program
The VMA is also a co-host of the annual VA Conference on World Trade and provides a panel of industry experts to discuss issues specific to manufacturing. In addition, the VMA participates in official state meetings with international leaders and ambassadors. Earlier this year, the VMA held a
private dinner with the Honorable Kirsten Hillman, Canada's Deputy Ambassador to the US. VMA members had direct access to the Deputy Ambassador to discuss current challenges and opportunities for expanding trade with Canada.
Members also participated in a round-table discussion with a Member of Parliament and the UK Regional Trade Envoy to the USA, Mark Garnier. Mr. Garnier
discussed UK trade and investment policies, Brexit and tariff issues that impact business on both sides of the Atlantic.
These are just a few
ways that the VMA is helping to increase exports and economic diversification in the Commonwealth.
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| VMA January Webinar: Getting Top Talent with Competitive Retirement Plans |
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Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Join us for another installment of the VMA Webinar Series which will feature a discussion on ways to promote your employees' financial success and retain top talent through retirement plans.
Kappy Gross of Heron Creek Advisors
will focus on the tools available to plan sponsors that will help maximize the benefit of offering workplace retirement programs. We will focus on how much individuals need to save and the benefits of doing so through a 401(k). Kappy will also discuss the tax advantages of offering a plan, both for employees and employers.
Sherita Hayes of Sona Bank will elaborate on the Sona Bank at Work Program (SBAW) that supports the financial health of your current and future employees.
Please join us for this overview.
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