FCMA PDFs - FINAL

OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEE & COMPANY RECOGNITION 

2019 

EXCELLENCE AWARDS 

The FCMA Excellence Awards are presented to outstanding employees and 

companies in the Northeast Florida manufacturing industry. 

The outstanding employee award is to honor the contributions made by 

employees to the betterment of the workplace and Florida’s First Coast 

community. In addition, FCMA annually recognizes outstanding companies 

for contributions to the goal of manufacturing excellence. 

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Sunday, October 20, 2019 T2 

2019 FCMA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 

From the President 

Excellence in Manufacturing on the First Coast 

of Florida is celebrated annually to recognize the 

outstanding employees of our companies. These 

individuals and teams represent the top workers 

who make a difference by work effort and resourceful 

thinking to create best practices and products. 

Northeast Florida is home to over 40,000 manufacturers 

workers. The impact of this force represents 

about 15 percent of the region’s GDP. 

The First Coast Manufacturers Association is 

pleased to recognize these dedicated workers and 

congratulates them on a job well done. As we celebrate 

their work, we hope that families, friends and our 

communities will extend their congratulations as well. 

We are also pleased to recognize our outstanding 

performing manufacturing companies as top performers. 

Several of the products made on the First 

Coast are exported worldwide and make a difference 

in improving the quality of life for many people. 

Join with us in congratulating these fine companies 

and the workers that make these companies great. 

Lake Ray 

President 

2019 FCMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Auld & White Constructors................................................................................. Steve Auld 

Carlisle Interconnect Technologies.....................................................................Pat Cusick 

Dupuy-Silo Facility LLC...........................................................................................John Butz 

Florida Power & Light.............................................................................................. Jim Bush 

Johnson & Johnson Vision ............................................................................. Les Rodriguez 

Johnson Controls, Inc.................................................................................... James O’Berry 

Krystal Klean.................................................................................................... Tony Morgan 

Miller Electric Company................................................................................. Mike Brannen 

Nu-Trend Plastics................................................................................................ Kelly Wood 

Polyhistor International............................................................................ Peter Schonning 

Proforma Northpoint.......................................................................................... Blair Wygle 

Progressive Power Products..............................................................................Larry Kates 

Rulon International.............................................................................................Brian Tuttle 

Saft America, Inc..............................................................................................Jody Beasley 

Smith Gambrell & Russell................................................................................. Patricia Hill 

Vac-Con, Inc................................................................................................... Darrell LeSage 

Vak Pak...................................................................................................... David Sutherland 

2019 TRI CHAIRS 

Rob Caldwell……………………….....................................................................…..Vac-Con, Inc. 

Trent Schmidgall…………………………...........................Carlisle Interconnect Technologies 

Kelly Wood…………….........................……………................................……… Nu-Trend Plastics 

Darrell LeSage (on truck) and Vac-Con employees celebrate in 2017 the company’s 

8,000th truck built at the company’s Green Cove Springs plant. 

Vac-Con’s Darrell LeSage 

receives President’s Award 

FCMA’s outstanding individual 

award is the President’s Award. The 

award is given to recognize careerlong 

achievement and contribution 

in manufacturing. 

This year, we are pleased to recognize 

Darrell LeSage, a founder 

and CEO of Vac-Con. He located a 

newly forming business to develop 

a vacuum truck for cleaning sewer 

lines in Green Cove Springs in 1986. 

The first year, two newly designed 

trucks rolled out of the plant and the 

business was off and running. 

Today, Darrell is recognized by 

many in the industry as the patriarch 

of modern vacuum sewer cleaning 

industry. Over the years, he 

has grown the business to over 300 

employees. manufacturing one truck 

a day. Many have spotted the red 

Vac-Con truck in our area or elsewhere 

around the world. 

Darrell continues to improve the 

lives of his workers in caring about 

them and helping them succeed with 

a terrific career in manufacturing. 

With over 40 years in manufacturing, 

Darrell represents the 

entrepreneur spirit, ingenuity and 

drive to make a difference at work 

and in our community. 

Join with us in celebrating 

Darrell’s great honorable career 

as our 2019 President’s Award 

recipient. 

FCMA President 

Lake Ray and 

Manager 

of Business 

Development Clay 

Yarborough present 

Vac-Con President 

Darrell LeSage 

the President’s 

Award during the 

Excellence Awards 

banquet, held 

Sept. 27 at UNF’s 

Adam W. Herbert 

University Center.

The History of the FCMA 

During the mid-1980s, many 

issues demonstrating the need for 

a unified voice by manufacturers 

surfaced. An organizational meeting 

was held in late 1988 to explore 

creation of an organization focused 

specifically on issues affecting manufacturing. 

Our primary objective 

is to promote community awareness 

of manufacturing’s role in our 

economy and to thereby create a 

promanufacturing attitude in the 

First Coast community. 

The 11 founding members were 

Anheuser-Busch, Inc., CSX 

Transportation, Jacksonville 

Port Authority, Jefferson Smurfit 

Corporation, Swisher International, 

Maxwell House Coffee Company, 

Reichhold Chemicals, Inc., Rex 

Packaging, Inc., Glidco/Millennium 

Specialty Chemicals, Inc. (Symrise), 

Smurfit-Stone Container 

Corporation (WestRock), and Union 

Camp/Bush Boake Allen, Inc. (IFF). 

FCMA’s current membership 

includes nearly 250 outstanding 

manufacturing and related companies 

in the First Coast. Our vision is 

to be the center of manufacturing 

excellence and growth in Northeast 

Florida. Our mission is to be a 

member supported association providing 

a united voice to government 

and pathways to member success 

through our pillars: advocacy, education, 

workforce development, and 

business-to-business relationships. 

FCMA’s accomplishments are 

significant and its contributions 

have gained recognition and acceptance 

in the community. We are a 

strong voice at local and state levels. 

Through interactive partnerships 

and involvement in community 

affairs, we will continue to gain 

insight and bring valuable information, 

resources, and opportunities 

to the residents of Florida’s First 

Coast. 


23rd Annual Awards 

EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE AWARDS 

Employee Excellence Awards, previously 

Crane Awards, are presented to outstanding 

employees of FCMA member firms 

based upon criteria established by the 

company. The award is to honor the 

contributions made by our employees to 

the betterment of our workplaces and 

Florida’s First Coast community. 

COMPANY EXCELLENCE AWARDS 

Since 1992, we have annually recognized 

outstanding companies for contributions 

to the goal of manufacturing excellence 

or to meeting specific objectives of FCMA. 

In addition, the Board of Directors may 

offer specific recognition to companies 

who make significant contributions to the 

betterment of our community. This year, 

we would like to honor all of our members 

for their outstanding work that they do 

every day. Thank you to all the companies 

who submitted for the company awards. 

T3 Sunday, October 20, 2019



Company Excellence Awards 

MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR: VAC-CON, INC. 

FOUNDERS SERVICE AWARD: JOHNSON & JOHNSON VISION 

In 1987, Johnson & Johnson Vision, Inc. introduced the world’s first mass-marketed disposable 

soft contact lens under the ACUVUE Brand name manufactured at its global 

headquarters in Jacksonville. Johnson & Johnson is high-volume contact lens manufacturing 

site, which focuses on precision injection molding, automation, robotics and optical tooling 

fabrication. The company serves a global marketplace with more than 4,000 team members 

in 52 countries worldwide; more than 2,200 employees in Jacksonville; and produces 

more than 4 billion contact lenses per year while ensuring to commitment to quality and 

its customers. As it continues to develop and launch new products, Johnson & Johnson’s 

production provides direct financial gain to its employees and the community in wages, 

benefits, and charitable contributions to many worthy organizations. Through this growth, 

Johnson & Johnson is in the process of hiring over 50-plus employees into the manufacturing 

area with expertise in engineering, manufacturing/production and quality. 

Vac-Con, Inc. has been a principal manufacturing enterprise on the First Coast for more 

than 33 years. In 1986, the formation of Vac-Con was a business strategy to support the continuity 

of its original parent company, Dunbar Kapple, after the 1980s’ grain embargo. Today, 

Vac-Con is a leading manufacturer of industrial vacuum sewer cleaners and hydro-excavation 

machines for municipal, private, and federal markets. The same innovation-driven 

mentality is instilled in the culture of Vac-Con, propelling it to be one of the top businesses 

and employers in Clay County and on the First Coast. Vac-Con is named Manufacturer of the 

year for its commitment to improving the economy, for its protecting the environment, the 

commitment to educating its workforce and for its commitment to FCMA. 

ENVIRONMENTAL 

AWARD: JEA 

As the regional water supplier 

for the Jacksonville 

area, JEA provides 120 

million gallons per day 

(mgd) of potable water to 

meet customer’s needs. 

Currently, all of the water 

supply is from the aquifer, 

which is a finite resource. 

As our community continues 

to grow, additional 

water will be needed. In 

planning for future water demands, JEA proactively began an investigation into alternative 

sources of water supply. One innovative initiative is water purification. From 2017 to 2019, 

JEA tested two industry-leading technologies at two different water reclamation facilities to 

determine the feasibility of water purification as an alternative water supply. The testing results 

determined that it is cost-effective compared to other alternative water supplies available, technically 

feasible at continually protecting public health, and protects the water resources of the 

region by provide a long-term, drought-proof water supply for future generations. As a result, 

JEA is proceeding with demonstration and implementation. This step includes an initial 1 mgdcapacity 

facility fully expandable to 10 mgd to further demonstrate the technology, optimize 

performance and engage the public in the benefits of water purification. By doing this, JEA is 

leading the state and region in the application of potable reuse.


2019 Employee Excellence Award Recipients 

AULD & WHITE CONSTRUCTORS, LLC 

Johnathan Marshall 

BAE SYSTEMS SOUTHEAST 

SHIPYARDS 

Roy “Gris” Grizwold and Kenny Walters 

CARLISLE INTERCONNECT 

TECHNOLOGIES 

Kaizen Team Braidy Bunch: Donna 

Fahrney, Johnathon Jankowski, Donnie 

McClain, Wendy Puckett, Jeff Santos, 

Erica Urbanczky and Jim Wynn 

GEORGIA-PACIFIC CORPORATION 

Tim Bellamy 

AngelSoft Converting Team: Michael 

Belcher, Morris Jeffers, Kyle Nail, 

Nathaniel Perry, Chase Richardson, Will 

Sullivan and Shawn Williams 

Boiler Maintenance Team: Daniel 

Fisher and Randall Sanchez 

GP Lighthouse Project Team: Jill Daily, 

Grace Gomez, Stuart Jergensen and Ryan 

Williams 

GP Robotics Team Mentors: Shawn 

Barnard, Justin Byrd, Grace Gomez, 

Chris-Annie Joseph, Rob Knutsen, Carl 

Rush and Bridgette Wagner 

Kraft Papermaking Water Conservation 

Team: Bob Blankenship, Matthew Branch, 

Jonathan Henley and William (Bill) 

Murray 

Maintenance Safety Committee: 

Rodney Carnes and Kyle Gaylord 

JOHNSON & JOHNSON VISION 

Supply Chain Core Team: Mark 

Blayney, Eric Convenido, Richard 

Fiacable, Shawn Hardy , Joseph Ricard, 

Sasha Sierra, Joshua Wartzok and Donald 

Welch 

MEDTRONIC 

Janna Donofrio and Steve Hollis 

EMG COS Team: Babak Akbarian, 

Brent Cary, Joseph Derome, Dave Errico, 

Rene Halili, Grecia Laboy, Jim Polk, Cole 

Rittenhouse and Sameer Shums 

EMG 1st Shift: Aldrin Benitez, Nathacha 

Berens, Annie Downey, Yoni Fisher, Linda 

Hak, Saron Kim, Onell Layola, Erlinda 

Macarthur, Vilma Robinson, Angie Silva, 

Lyndale Smith, Chetra Thiounn, Angela 

Thomas and Roberta Wilson 

EMG 2nd Shift: Sam Hev, Eli Matos, 

Vanna Nhem, Julianne Palomo, Michael 

Piedad, Emelie Reodica and Isabelo 

Tosoc 

Machine Guarding Team: Kevin 

Anderson, T.J. Barner, Jesus Caracoza, 

Paul Dejno, Ryan Dugan, Grecia Laboy, 

Chuck Peterson and Kyle Smith 

MORAN ENVIRONMENTAL 

RECOVERY — WATER 

RECOVERY DIVISION 

Megan Bockmeyer and Stephen 

Williams 

PINE CASTLE 

Tiffany Hall 

TIMES-UNION MEDIA 

Barry Ekstrom 

VAC-CON, INC. 

Chris Ford, Brian Guidi and Marco Paul 




Meet the Employee Excellence Award Winners 

AULD & WHITE 

CONSTRUCTORS, LLC 

Auld & White Constructors provides 

a variety of design-build, 

construction management, and 

general contracting services for 

the new construction and renovation 

of commercial, healthcare 

and public facilities throughout 

Northeast Florida. 

Johnathan 

Marshall 

Auld & White 

Constructors 

Roy Griswold 

BAE Systems 

Southeast 

Shipyards 

Kenny Walters 

BAE Systems 

Southeast 

Shipyards 

Tim Bellamy 

Georgia-Pacific 

Johnathan Marshall 

Johnathan is excelling as an 

Apprentice, both in the classroom 

and on the jobsite. His co-workers 

describe him as dependable, safe, 

productive and well-rounded. 

Johnathan is mindful of the client 

and works to build a trusting relationship 

throughout the project. 

BAE SYSTEMS 

SOUTHEAST SHIPYARDS 

BAE is part of the BAE Systems 

Ship Repair sector and is a leading 

U.S. non-nuclear ship repair, 

modernization and conversion 

company strategically located 

near Naval Station Mayport and 

East Coast shipping lanes. They 

are a full-service facility that 

provides ship repair and new 

construction services to U.S. 

government-owned vessels, commercial 

vessels and mega-yachts. 

While having state-of-the-art 

capabilities, it is the skill, 

experience and dedication of its 

exceptional employees providing 

unparalleled service that 

establishes them as a world class 

shipyard. 

Roy "Gris" Grizwold 

Gris is a recognized motivator, 

mentor, and gentleman. Each 

day, he demonstrates through his 

leadership the traits associated 

with operational and professional 

excellence. Along with his wife, 

Josefina, they raised their six 

children on the First Coast. Gris’ 

entire professional life has been 

serving his country by maintaining 

and repairing the Navy’s 

warships. 

CARLISLE INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGIES 

Kaizen Team Brady Bunch: Donna Fahrney, 

Johnathon Jankowski, Donnie McClain, Wendy 

Puckett, Jeff Santos, Erica Urbanczky and Jim 

Wynn (pictured in no particular order) 

Kenny Walters 

Kenny’s ability to handle complex 

repairs on multiple shipboard systems, 

combined with his extensive 

mechanical knowledge and skills, 

are the hallmarks of a true professional. 

His leadership in areas of 

workplace and job safety and his 

dedicated focus on mentoring 

his workforce and demonstrate 

his integrity and his personal 

leadership. 

CARLISLE INTERCONNECT 

TECHNOLOGIES 

Carlisle Interconnect Technologies 

is a wire and cable manufacturing 

facility serving the Aerospace 

industry, Medical Equipment suppliers, 

and Test and Measurement 

markets. But CIT doesn’t just 

manufacture interconnect components, 

it makes the critical 

connections that allow surgeons 

to save lives, commercial pilots to 

deliver families safely to their destination, 

and enable fighter pilots 

to maneuver at twice the speed 

of sound. CIT makes the amazing 

possible by making critical 

connections when performance 

matters. 

Kaizen Team Braidy Bunch 

Donna Fahrney, Johnathon 

Jankowski, Donnie McClain, 

Wendy Puckett, Jeff Santos, Erica 

Urbanczky and Jim Wynn 

Carlisle Interconnect Technologies 

St. Augustine held a Shopfloor 

Kaizen Breakthrough to improve 

GEORGIA-PACIFIC 

Angel Soft Converting Team: Morris Jeffers, Michael Belcher, Kyle Nail, 

Nathaniel Perry, Shawn Williams, Chase Richardson and Will Sullivan 

(pictured in no particular order; Will Sullivan is not in photo) 

its current process for our braid 

operation. This particular operation 

costs the company about 

$150K year over year in scrap 

and this amazing team was 

able to implement changes that 

will potentially cut this cost 

in half. Future state includes 

robust Standard Work and 

Troubleshooting guide, with highlighted 

steps for easier training of 

new and current manufacturing 

associates. The team has also 

revised their internal training process 

to ensure all aspects of the 

braid operation is being covered 

going forward. 


CORPORATION 

Georgia-Pacific is one of the world's 

leading makers of tissue, pulp, 

paper, packaging, building products 

and related chemicals. Our products 

are part of everyday life. While 

they fill a diverse range of home, 

commercial and industrial needs, 

they have one thing in common: 

they're all made to high standards 

of quality and safety. Our Palatka 

Operations includes nearly 1,000 

team members committed to quality 

and safety every day. 

Tim Bellamy 

As a recovery process operator 

for GP Palatka, Tim has continuously 

demonstrated our Guiding 

Principles in helping our campus 

transform to new technology 

and processes. Recently, Tim 

embraced an opportunity to 

help our entire company demonstrate 

technological capability to 

improve our remote operations 

capability. Tim spent two weeks 

near our company headquarters 

in Atlanta learning the use of 

advanced monitoring equipment 

that optimizes our processes at 

the mill and beyond. 

Angel Soft 

Converting Team 

Morris Jeffers, Michael Belcher, 

Kyle Nail, Nathaniel Perry, Shawn 

Williams, Chase Richardson and 

Will Sullivan 

Beginning April 2018, Angel Soft set 

out on a learning adventure in prep 

for starting up a major investment 

in the Palatka facility. The project 

involved installing three manufacturing 

lines of new technology and 

capability. The team rose to the 

challenge to safely and successfully 

start the converting machines 

Continued on Page 7

a transformation to become 

technicians and master technicians, 

where flow to the work 

and autonomous maintenance 

become an everyday part of life. 

The entire 50-employee department 

embraced this challenge and 

the constant learning environment 

in which development of on-shift 

capability became a main focus of 

the team. 


T7 Sunday, October 20, 2019 


Kraft Papermaking Water 

Conservation Team: Jonathan 

Henley, Bob Blankenship, Matthew 

Branch and William (Bill) Murray 

(pictured in no particular order) 

Continued from Page 6 

to support the business while 

transforming how we achieve success. 

A concerted effort involved 

the team’s opportunity to help 

establish operational standards 

for the entire facility. During this 

process, operators went through 

Kraft Papermaking Water 

Conservation Team 

Jonathan Henley, Bob 

Blankenship, Matthew Branch and 

William (Bill) Murray 

Jon Henley led GP Palatka’s 

Kraft team in an effort to reduce 

water consumption — part of 

GP’s continuing commitment to 

environmental stewardship. Jon 

sponsored a Mill Improvement 

Process team that spearheaded 

a reduction of the Kraft 

Department’s water over a 

10-week time period. The team’s 

efforts helped reduce our hourly 


GP Robotics Mentorship Team: Shawn 

Barnard, Justin Byrd, Grace Gomez, 

Chris-Annie Joseph, Rob Knutsen, Carl 

Rush and Bridgette Wagner (pictured 

in no particular order) 

water usage by 40% — which 

equates to a truly sustaining 

improvement. This team’s effort 

fully demonstrates our company’s 

principle of mutual benefit by 

supporting not only our mill but 

helping our society through environmental 

sustainability. 

Continued on Page 11



Scenes from the 23rd Excellence Awards Banquet 

ABOVE: FCMA President 

Lake Ray greets guests at 

the 23rd annual Excellence 

Awards banquet, held 

Sept. 27 at UNF’s Adam W. 

Herbert University Center. 

Some 91 employees from 

10 companies were recognized 

for outstanding work 

performance. 

FCMA Tri Chairs had the pleasure of presenting the Employee Excellence Award on stage 

to honored employees, including these members of the Kaizen Team Braidy Bunch from 

Carlisle Interconnect Technologies, a Gold sponsor. 

RIGHT: Four members of 

UNF’s Army ROTC unit 

approach the front of the 

room to retire the colors. 

Several members of Johnson & Johnson Vision, a Platium sponsor, enjoy dinner. 

Georgia-Pacific, a Platinum sponsor, was well represented at the FCMA Excellence 

Awards banquet, including guests at this table. 

FCMA President 

Lake Ray (right) 

welcomes Trent 

Schmidgall, 

Tri Chair 

from Carlisle 

Interconnect 

Technologies, 

whose message 

to the audience 

was on the 

importance of 

excellence in 

the workplace 

on the First 

Coast.



ABOVE: Honored Medtronic employees enjoy getting together for a post-dinner photo. 

Medronic was a Bronze sponsor. 

TOP LEFT: Times-Union Media’s Barry Ekstrom enjoys the banquet with wife Sam. The 

Times-Union was an Event Partner. 

LEFT: Representatives and honored employees from BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards 

are recognized as a Gold sponsor of the banquet. 

ABOVE: It’s a fun evening for Vac-Con employees, honorees and guests at the banquet. 

Vac-Con was a Gold sponsor. 

LEFT: These guests enjoy dinner with representatives of JEA, a Silver sponsor. 

Arlington Flower Shop sponsored the banquet’s centerpieces.



Guests who served in the military stand up and get recognized for their service. 

ABOVE: FCMA President Lake Ray and Tri Chairs 

Kelly Wood, NuTrend; Trent Schmidgall, Carlisle 

Interconnect Technologies; Rob Caldwell, Vac-Con; 

and Abe Alangadan, Johnson & Johnson Vision = 

Leadership in FCMA. 

LEFT: Former Terry Parker High Schoiol classmates 

Barry Ekstrom of Times-Union Media and FCMA 

President Lake Ray share a laugh as they meet for 

the first time after many years. 

FAR LEFT: Managing Editor of Specialty Audience Joe 

DeSalvo gets together for a photo with the FCMA’s 

Amanda Starling (left) and Maria Corby. The Times-Union 

has been an Event Partner of the banquet for 10 years. 

ABOVE: Brian Guidi of Vac-Con is appreciative of 

being recognized as he comes up to the stage for his 

Excellence Award. 

LEFT: Specially designed FCMA Excellence Awards are 

showcased on stage.

Maintenance Safety Committee 

Kyle Gaylord and Rodney Carnes 

Kyle Gaylord and Rodney Carnes serve 

as safety committee co-facilitators for 

the GP Palatka Maintenance Team. This 

year, Rodney and Kyle volunteered to 

facilitate and establish on-shift ownership 

of our department safety performance 

and advancement. Under their leadership 

as Maintenance Safety Committee 

Co-facilitators, our safety participation 

rate was 90% for July and 98% for 

year-to-date. 



Johnson & Johnson Vision, Inc., also known 

as VISTAKON, introduced the world’s 

first mass-marketed disposable contact 

lens under the ACUVUE brand name in 

1987. Johnson & Johnson Vision now 

employs over 1,900 people and exports to 

Europe, Japan, and the Pacific Rim. The 

Jacksonville site houses global headquarters, 

the research and development facility, 

a distribution facility, and a state-of-the-art 

manufacturing plant. 



Boiler Maintenance Team: Randall 

Sanchez and Daniel Fisher 


GP Robotics 

Mentorship Team 

Shawn Barnard, Justin Byrd, Grace Gomez, 

Chris-Annie Joseph, Rob Knutsen, Carl Rush 

and Bridgette Wagner 

The GP Robotics Mentorship Team provided 

mentorship to area high school students 

participating in after-school robotics competition 

programs. The group mentored three 

teams of students: the Palatka High School 

Robo-Panthers, Interlachen High School 

Ram Automa and the Palatka Girl Scouts 

team. Additionally, the Mentorship Team 

helped host the very first robotics competition 

in Putnam County. The team’s work and 

guidance help prepare the students for the 

work force of tomorrow by providing them 


Maintenance Safety 

Committee: Kyle 

Gaylord (right) and 

Rodney Carnes 

valuable hands-on knowledge and skills 

needed for careers in Science, Technology, 

Engineering, and Mathematics. 

Boiler Maintenance Team 

Randall Sanchez and Daniel Fisher 

Randall and Daniel developed a repair procedure 

to correct a recurring problem with 

boiler leaks that would routinely cause the 

need to shut down the mill. Previous repairs 

were unsuccessful. Randall and Daniel combined 

their welding inspection knowledge 

and skill to develop a new method, which 

has proven to be effective in eliminating the 

facility’s top downtime cause. Since implementation, 

the boiler has operated reliably 

with no leaks and created significant savings 

for the mill from reduced downtime. 

GP Lighthouse Project Team 

Stuart Jergensen, Ryan Williams, 

Grace Gomez and Jill Daily 

Stuart, Ryan, Grace and Jill spearheaded 

a special project during an eight-week 

period this past summer. Their leadership, 

knowledge and collaboration came 

together to help our mill identify and 

execute performance improvement 

opportunities. This leadership team led 

significant and rapid operating improvements 

during the period — and helped 

demonstrate our strength and capability 

as we focus on continual transformation. 

Supply Chain Core Team 

Mark Blayney, Eric Convenido, 

Richard Fiacable, Shawn Hardy, 

Joseph Ricard, Sasha Sierra, Joshua 

Wartzok and Donald Welch 

The Supply Chain core team is responsible 

for delivering new manufacturing 

capacities of the ACUVUE OASYS 1-Day 

for ASTIGMATISM Brand. The JJV team 

has executed significant line improvements 

in 2019, which drove both capacity 

and capability improvements to the product 

and enabled the brand to meet the 

Continued on Page 12 


GP Lighthouse Project Team: Stuart Jergensen, Ryan Williams, Grace Gomez and Jill Daily




Supply Chain Core Team: Mark Blayney, Eric Convenido, Richard 

Fiacable, Shawn Hardy, Joseph Ricard, Sasha Sierra, Joshua Wartzok 

and Donald Welch (pictured in no particular order) 

Janna Donofrio 

Medtronic 


growing demand for this brand. These 

line improvements included substantial 

hardware, software, process upgrades, and 

innovative solutions with completions on 

schedule and full quality and safety standards 

in place. 

MEDTRONIC 

Steven Hollis 

Medtronic 

The Medtronic Restorative Therapies Group 

develops products and procedural solutions 

for neurosurgery, spinal & orthopedic 

surgery, as well as ENT. This includes 

solutions for the diagnosis and treatment 

of chronic diseases and disorders of the 

ear, nose, and throat; surgical devices and 

implantable products for the treatment of 

cranial, spinal and specialty small- bone 

conditions; and advanced navigation and 

imaging solutions used in operating rooms. 

Janna Donofrio: Janna has outstanding 

individual contributions in her short period 

of time in Operations Quality. As a site 

lead and representative on a high-visibility 

division-level project that required among 

other things: rigorous thinking, demanding 

timelines, understanding of quality requirements 

and co-leading kaizens and events, 

Janna has surpassed all expectations of 

Senior Management on this project. 

Steven Hollis: Steven of the Facilities 

Department facilitated the project 

management of the Fall Protection 

Improvement for the Jacksonville Facility. 

An EHS assessment and audit identified 

gaps with the site’s walking/working surface 

and fall protection program for three 

buildings. Steven worked closely with the 

contractor & subcontractors to lead and 

execute the fall protection improvement 

project. 


MEDTRONIC 

EMG COS Team: Babak Akbarian, Brent 

Cary, Joseph Derome, Dave Errico, 

Rene Halili, Grecia Laboy, Jim Polk, 

Cole Rittenhouse and Sameer Shums 

(pictured in no particular order)



MEDTRONIC 

EMG 1st Shift: Aldrin Benitez, Nathacha Berens, Annie Downey, Yoni 

Fisher, Linda Hak, Saron Kim, Onell Layola, Erlinda Macarthur, Vilma 

Robinson, Angie Silva, Lyndale Smith, Chetra Thiounn, Angela Thomas 

and Roberta Wilson (pictured in no particular order) 

MEDTRONIC 

Machine Guarding Team: Kevin Anderson, T.J. Barner, Jesus 

Caracoza, Paul Dejno, Ryan Dugan, Grecia Laboy, Chuck Peterson 

and Kyle Smith (pictured in no particular order) 

As part of the Jacksonville site’s efforts to 

manage production capacity and mature 

manufacturing lines, specific focus was 

applied to the EMG Standard and Contact 

Assembly Process. The line has undergone 

prior COS conversions and this latest 

instance is a reflection of our investment in 

continuous improvement. Over the course 

of five months, we had tremendous team 

support that included Manufacturing, 


MEDTRONIC 

EMG 2nd Shift: Sam Hev, Eli Matos, Vanna Nhem, 

Julianne Palomo, Michael Piedad, Emelie Reodica and Isabelo Tosoc 

(pictured in no particular; Julianne Palomo is not in photo) 


EMG COS Team 

Babak Akbarian, Brent Cary, Joseph 

Derome, Dave Errico, Rene Halili, Grecia 

Laboy, Jim Polk, Cole Rittenhouse and 

Sameer Shums 

EMG 1st Shift 

Aldrin Benitez, Nathacha Berens, Annie 

Downey, Yoni Fisher, Linda Hak, Saron Kim, 

Onell Layola, Erlinda Macarthur, Vilma 

Robinson, Angie Silva, Lyndale Smith, 

Chetra Thiounn, Angela Thomas and 

Roberta Wilson 

EMG 2nd Shift 

Sam Hev, Eli Matos, Vanna Nhem, 

Julianne Palomo, Michael Piedad, 

Emelie Reodica and Isabelo Tosoc




Quality and Manufacturing Engineering, Released Product 

Management, Quality Assurance Services, Purchasing 

and Operational Excellence. Major outcomes include 

output increasing from 600 units per day to 750 per shift 

while yield for the line remains unchanged at 94%. We 

addressed four of 12 Phase 1 and two of six first-time 

quality risks; additional risk mitigation is underway with 

improvements to leak testing. 

Machine Guarding Team 

Kevin Anderson, T.J. Barner, Jesus Caracoza, Paul Dejno, 

Ryan Dugan, Grecia Laboy, Chuck Peterson and Kyle Smith 

The Equipment Support and Engineering team worked for 

over eight months to improve machine guarding for the 

site which consisted of individual projects within various 

departments. Their work included machine guarding for 

two machines in molding, five machines in micro-machine, 

all onsite Zebra printers and Urania sealers, and all production 

hi-pot testers. 

MORAN ENVIRONMENTAL RECOVERY — 

WATER RECOVERY DIVISION 

Water Recovery (WRI), a proud member of the Moran 

“family of companies,” operates an Environmental 

Stewardship Award Winning, Industrial Wastewater 

Treatment Plant. WRI is permitted by JEA as a Centralized 

Wastewater Treatment Facility with the capability to 

manage the transportation and disposal of non-hazardous 

wastewater from a wide array of customers. WRI operates 

a Waste to Energy division and is permitted by FDEP as a 

Used Oil Recycling Plant. 

Megan Bockmeyer 

Megan joined the team in 2017 as a laboratory technician 

after receiving Bachelor’s degrees in Biomedical 

Science and Biology from UCF. From the beginning, she 

was recognized by management, teammates and customers 

for her consistently high performance and exceptional 

commitment to safety, compliance, customer service and 

continuous improvement. 

Megan 

Bockmeyer 

Moran 

Environmental 

Recovery 

Tiffany Hall 

As a Manufacturing/Production Supervisor, Tiffany has 

been with Pine Castle for 18 years. She manages a team of 

seven participant-workers in fulfillment and packaging of 

the drug-testing device product line, consisting of 70-plus 

device configurations. She teaches work and production 

skills to empower participants to secure and maintain 

community employment. 

TIMES-UNION MEDIA 

The Florida Times-Union and St. Augustine Record are 

daily newspapers owned by GateHouse Media. Coupled 

with the reach of Jacksonville.com and StAugustine.com, 

they are the area’s No. 1 source for award-winning journalism, 

along with advertising and marketing opportunities in 

their core and ancillary publications. 

Barry Ekstrom 

In his 40-plus years at The Florida Times-Union, Barry 

has always had a knack for the technical, and although 

he spent most of his career on the production side of 

the business, for the last several years he has honed 

his tech skills as a desktop support technician in the IT 

Department. Barry was instrumental in the Times-Union’s 

seamless move from its Riverside Avenue building to its 

new offices in the Wells Fargo Center. 

VAC-CON, INC. 

Stephen 

Williams 

Moran 

Environmental 

Recovery 

Tiffany Hall 

Pine Castle 

Barry Ekstrom 

Times-Union 

Media 

Chris Ford 

Vac-Con 

Brian Guidi 

Vac-Con 

Marco Paul 

Vac-Con 

demands on Chris span many disciplines ranging from 

CNC milling, lathing, bending, and rolling to automated 

laser and plasma metal cutting and robotic welding. 

Brian Guidi 

Brian began his career at Vac-Con in 2011 as a Material 

Handler in the Inventory Control Department. Over the 

past eight years, Brian has been instrumental in the 

continuous improvement and overall evolution of the 

Inventory Control Department. Brian has played an integral 

role in updating work orders, ensuring that the correct 

material is delivered on time, accurate, and complete. 

Marco Paul 

Marco began his career at Vac-Con in July of 2015 as 

an Electrical Engineer. Over the past four years, Marco 

has been instrumental in establishing design standards, 

creating standard work documentation, and performing 

production troubleshooting. In 2018, Marco was promoted 

to Lead Programmer where the combination of his drive, 

dedication, and capabilities have propelled him to be an 

integral member of our engineering department. 

Stephen Williams 

Steve joined WRI in 2015 as a Class A CDL tanker driver. 

He continually and consistently demonstrates a “Can Do” 

attitude often going above and beyond to help out a teammate 

or a customer, even if it means coming in outside of 

his scheduled shift at odd hours. His loyalty, dedication 

and support has been a huge contributor in the success 

and continued growth of the transportation department. 

PINE CASTLE 

Pine Castle, a non-profit agency, serves over 300 adults 

with intellectual and developmental differences. They 

provide work-skills training, job placement and residential 

services. 

Vac-Con, Inc. has been a principal manufacturing enterprise 

on the First Coast for more than 33 years. In 1986, the formation 

of Vac-Con was a business strategy to support the 

continuity of its original parent company, Dunbar Kapple, 

after the 1980’s grain embargo. Today, Vac-Con is a leading 

manufacturer of industrial vacuum sewer cleaners and 

hydro-excavation machines for municipal, private, and federal 

markets. The same innovation-driven mentality is instilled in 

the culture of Vac-Con, propelling it to be one of the top businesses 

and employers in Clay County and on the First Coast. 

Chris Ford 

Chris began his career at Vac-Con in April of 2013 as a 

member of the Plant Reliability and Maintenance team. As 

a 2nd shift team member, Chris brings a set of strong and 

reliable technical abilities to the night crew. The technical

FCMA Gives a Special ‘Thank You’ 

The FCMA would like to thank the following volunteers for their 

assistance at the 2019 Excellence Awards banquet, held Sept. 27 at 

the UNF Adam W. Herbert University Center. From left are Hampton 

Ray, Steadfast Solutions; Monica Pritchard, Jo-Kell; Lake Ray IV; Roben 

Faircloth, CareerSource; Tom Rice, Rulon International; Laura Caldwell, 

Vac-Con; Lisa Crowley, PNC Bank; Sandra Lief and Keith Fairchild, 

FairchildHR; Paula DeLuca, FloridaMakes; and Jessica Ray, Steadfast 

Solutions. Pictured at right is Robin Davis of Mac Paper Converters. 

This FCMA Excellence 

Awards special section 

was produced by 

the Florida Times-Union 

Specialty Publications 

Department. It was coordinated 

by Managing Editor 

of Specialty Audience Joe 

DeSalvo and designed 

by the GateHouse Media 

Editing and Design 

Center. The cover image 

was provided by Getty 

Images and designed by 

Caitlyn Broyles. Times- 

Union Account Executive 

Savannah Scherff coordinated 

advertising support. 


About This Section 

FCMA staff: Clay Yarborough, Maria Corby, Amanda 

Starling and Lake Ray 

Photographs were taken by Laurence Greene of Laurence Greene Photography; 

Mark Krancer of Kram Kran Photo; or submitted by participating companies. The 

Times-Union would like to thank the FCMA staff for their assistance — President 

Lake Ray; Director of Member Relations Maria Corby; Director of Public Relations 

Amanda Starling; and Manager of Business Development Clay Yarborough. 


Sunday, October 20, 2019 T16

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