Adam Babington Legislative Counsel, Florida Chamber of Commerce Adam Babington is Legislative Counsel for the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the state’s largest business association. He lobbies for and advises the Chamber on issues relating to growth management, energy, environmental regulation, and legal reform. He also coordinates the Chamber’s efforts relating to statewide constitutional amendments, including Amendment 4, the so-called “Hometown Democracy” amendment. Prior to joining the Chamber, Babington worked as a legislative analyst in the Senate Committee on Ethics & Elections. He has also worked for both the House and Senate Majority Offices. Over the past decade, he has participated and played active roles in numerous local, state, and national political campaigns. Babington received his law degree from the University of Florida, and received his B.S. degree in Political Science from Florida State University. He is a member of The Florida Bar, and is a graduate of College Leadership Florida, Class V. Babington grew up in Orlando, and now lives in Tallahassee with his wife and three daughters. Established in 1916 as Florida’s first statewide business advocacy organization, the Florida Chamber of Commerce is the state's most powerful federation of employers, chambers of commerce and associations, representing more than 139,000 grassroots members with more than 3 million employees. The Florida Chamber unites Florida's business community with its combination of legislative, grassroots, and political tools. Barney Bishop President and CEO, Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) bbishop@aif.com aif.com Known as “The Voice of Florida Business” in the Sunshine State, Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) has represented the principles of prosperity and free enterprise before the three branches of state government since 1920. A voluntary association of diversified businesses, AIF was created to foster an economic climate in Florida conducive to the growth, development, and welfare of industry and business and the people of the state. Jerry Cartwright State Director, Florida SBDC Network Pensacola, FL jerry.carwright@floridasbdc.org Jerry Cartwright has served the SBDC and national Association of SBDCs for 23 years: 16 years as the State Director for the University of West Florida, FSBDC Network and 7 years serving in the same capacity at the University of St. Thomas for the Minnesota SBDC program. He holds both a Bachelor and Master of Arts in Education from the University of Northern Colorado. He has been recognized as an innovator in developing new programs such as the Japan Trade Expansion Center Program and international SBDC affiliates in Mexico and Curacao. He also envisioned and guided the development of the Florida Professional Development and Counselor Certification Program that has been replicated in some fashion by 36 State SBDC programs and 2 foreign small business assistance organizations. He has served the national ASBDC program in many capacities such as serving as its Treasurer 1987-88 and serving on most of its committees including the Operations, Legislative and Accreditation committees. It is with this history that Cartwright was chosen to serve as a member of the national ASBDC Board of Directors in 2006 and was recently elected by the Board as its Chair for 2008-09. Cartwright is the single point of contact for the management and operation of the Florida SBDC program. He reports directly to the Provost for Academic Affairs at the University of West Florida and serves on the President’s Advisory Council and the Sponsored Research Advisory Committee. The Florida SBDC Network is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. SBA; state designated as Florida's principal business assistance organization; and nationally accredited through the Association of SBDCs by Congressional mandate. For 30 plus years, the Florida SBDC Network has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development organizations and has been dedicated to providing emerging and established business owners with assistance. This assistance has enabled small businesses to grow and increase profitability, leading to economic prosperity for the entire state. MaryAnn Fiala Executive Director, AeA Florida Council maryann_fiala@aeanet.org Maryann Fiala has lived in Orlando for over twenty years. After graduating with a degree in Business Administration from Youngstown State University, she relocated to Central Florida in 1982. Maryann spent the first nine years in Florida in sales and sales management in the telecommunications industry with Sprint and Siemens. From there she became the Southeast Regional Director for a high tech staffing firm, where she worked for over 6 years taking the company from a start-up to over $7 million in revenue. Maryann served as the Executive Director for the Greater Orange City Area Chamber of Commerce and the Oviedo Chamber of Commerce prior to coming to the AeA – Florida Council. Maryann has served on a variety of Economic Development and community boards including Enterprise Florida, Enterprise Volusia, Habitat for Humanity and the Orange City Economic Development Commission. She has served on the Land Planning Agency for the City of Oviedo and is past president of the Citizens in Action group. Currently she serves as a Board member of Envision Seminole, the TEC Council and the IT Advisory Board. She is married to Al Fiala. They live in Oviedo with her parents and their three dogs, Gabby, a Tibetan Terrier, Jake, a Bichon Frise and Tanzi, a poodle. The Florida Council of the AeA is proud to be the voice of the high-technology industry in the fourth largest Cyberstate in the US. As reported in AeA’s Cyberstates, Florida is the fourth largest employer of technology workers nationwide. There are six Cybercities within Florida: Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Brevard County, Tampa and Orlando. The AeA Florida Council is based in Orlando Florida. Dedicated to Advancing the Business of Technology, AeA is the nation's largest high-tech trade association. Founded in 1943, AeA has 2,500 member companies that span the high-technology spectrum, from software, semiconductors and computers to Internet technology, advanced electronics and telecommunications systems and services to biomedical engineering. With 17 regional U.S. councils and offices in Brussels and Beijing, AeA offers members a global reach combined with a grassroots capability to affect policy and a wide portfolio of valuable business services and products for the high-tech industry. Since 1943, AeA has been the accepted voice of the U.S. technology community. Bill Herrle Executive Director in Florida, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Bill.herrle@nfib.org Bill Herrle is Florida executive director for the National Federation of Independent Business, Florida's and the nation's leading small-business advocacy group. Herrle manages NFIB's state operations in Florida to include its lobbying, member support, and statewide political and media functions. Herrle, who was NFIB/Florida's state director from 1990-2001, rejoined NFIB in March 2007. From 2001-07, he served as vice president of governmental affairs and political action for the Florida Retail Federation, where he lobbied effectively and successfully grew their political efforts. Herrle is a recognized leader in Tallahassee with a highly impressive track record. Before his work at the Retail Federation and NFIB, Herrle served as communications director for Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects and account manager for Executive Management Services, an association management and lobbying firm. Herrle is a graduate of Penn State University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in political science. The National Federation of Independent Business is the leading small business association representing small and independent businesses. A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1943, NFIB represents the consensus views of its members in Washington and all 50 state capitals. NFIB's mission is to promote and protect the right of our members to own, operate and grow their businesses. NFIB also gives its members a power in the marketplace. By pooling the purchasing power of its members, the National Federation of Independent Business gives members access to many business products and services at discounted costs. NFIB also provides timely information designed to help small businesses succeed. Todd Kocourek Partner Florida Financial Network (FFN), President and CEO Florida First Capital Finance Corporation todd@ffcfc.com Todd G. Kocourek serves as President, CEO and General Counsel of Florida First Capital Finance Corporation, reporting to the board of directors. Based in the corporate offices in Tallahassee, he has direct management responsibility for all personnel, operational, corporate, marketing and legal matters for the company. Kocourek joined Florida First Capital as its General Counsel and, in 1998, was named President/CEO. He is a member of the SBA North Florida Advisory Council, Vice-Chair of the board of the Florida Export Finance Corporation, the Past Chair of the International Law Section of the Florida Bar. Rick McAllister President & CEO, Florida Retail Federation rick@frf.org www.frf.org Richard A. McAllister is part of a short list of distinguished retail veterans who have held the post of President and CEO, only the fourth in the 70 year history of the Florida Retail Federation (FRF). A native of Louisiana, Rick has over 40 years of retail, manufacturing, consulting, and association experience. His background includes retail chain store ownership, chief operating officer of a publicly traded retail company, a decade of retail consulting, and presidency of two statewide trade organizations. He came to the Retail Federation from the Florida Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association, where he also served as President and CEO. Rick has a history of building and providing creative leadership to teams of executives and board of directors. He has won numerous awards including Volunteer of the Year for The Family Source of Florida and Campaign Volunteer of the Year for the Big Bend United Way. He currently serves on the Boards of the Florida Retail Federation, Florida TaxWatch, Council of State Retail Associations, Florida State University’s Center for Retail Merchandising, and University of Florida’s Retailing Advisory Board. Rick and his wife Cindy have four children, seven grandchildren and two dogs. Founded in 1937, the Florida Retail Federation (FRF) is the statewide trade association representing retailers in Florida’s legislative and regulatory processes and provides cost-saving services. FRF is the advocate of the state’s most important industry – retailing. Florida’s retailers supply more than $25 billion in wages annually, provide one out of every five jobs, and collect and remit over $19 billion in sales and retail-related taxes for Florida’s government. In fact, more than three out of four of Florida’s budget dollars come from retail-related activity. Tom Stahl Executive Director, Florida United Businesses Association tstahl@fuba.org Tom Stahl serves as the Executive Director of the Florida United Businesses Association (“FUBA”). FUBA is a non-profit trade association representing small businesses before the Florida Legislature and state regulatory agencies. FUBA is the sponsor of a workers’ compensation group self-insurance fund, the FCBI Fund, doing business as “FUBA Workers’ Comp,” which provides workers’ compensation coverage to eligible small business members of FUBA. Mr. Stahl currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Florida Workers’ Compensation Insurance Guaranty Association (“FWCIGA”). FWCIGA is the statutorily created guaranty association responsible for the payment of workers’ compensation benefits incurred by insolvent insurance companies and group self-insurance funds operating in the State of Florida. Mr. Stahl is also a partner in the law firm of Phillips & Stahl, LLC, a private firm located in Tallahassee, Florida. He practices regulatory and administrative law, and provides government and legislative relations services. Mr. Stahl represents primarily insurance companies and self-insurance entities involved in Florida’s workers’ compensation system. He has testified on a variety of regulatory and workers’ compensation issues before the Florida Legislature, state regulatory agencies, and the House Ways & Means Committee in Washington, D.C. Mr. Stahl serves as the co-administrator for LUBA Casualty, a stock insurance company that is the second largest writer of workers’ compensation insurance in the State of Louisiana. Mr. Stahl served as a staff attorney and analyst for the Florida Senate, Committee on Commerce in 1983 and 1984, where he was the primary analyst for workers’ compensation and property and casualty insurance legislation. Mr. Stahl received a B.S. degree in Finance from Florida State University in 1979. He received a J.D. degree from the FSU College of Law in 1982. Florida United Businesses Association (FUBA) is a lobbying and trade association representing small businesses in the state of Florida. As the Small Business Watchdog in Tallahassee, FUBA is both your lobbyist in the State Capitol and your source for education on state laws and regulations that affect your business. Nancy Stephens, CAE Executive Director, Manufacturers Association of Florida nancy@nstephens.com Nancy D. Stephens, CAE, is President of nancy d. Stephens & Associates, LLC, (SA), in Tallahassee, FL, an association management, government relations, and meeting planning firm. She serves as Executive Director of the Manufacturers Association of Florida, the Florida Minerals and Chemistry Council, and the Florida Poultry Federation. The company serves the manufacturing, agriculture and lobbyist business sectors. Nancy Stephens started her professional career with a B.S. in Agriculture from the University of Florida making disaster loans to farmers for the USDA. Leaving there, she went on to the St. Johns River Water Management District where she served as water use and recreational planner. She then worked for the Florida Department of Community Affairs as a development of regional impact planner and in the 1980’s she moved to the Florida Legislative branch where she served on staff of the Senate Natural Resource Committee and then Staff Director of the Senate Ethics, Elections and Executive Business Committee. She joined the association and lobbying world in 1991. Nancy has been a professional lobbyist since 1991. Nancy Stephens received her CAE (Certified Association Executive) designation in 1996 from the American Society of Association Executives, graduated from the Institute of Organizational Management of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce a few years later, and graduated from the Clayton College of Natural Health with a Doctor of Naturopathy degree in 2008. She is a member of the State Emergency Response Commission, Co-Chair of the Tallahassee Society of Association Executives CEO Roundtable, business representative to the North Florida Domestic Security Task Force, member of the Enterprise Florida Stakeholders Council, member of the Agriculture Coalition, and member of the Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists, Florida Society of Association Executives, American Society of Association Executives, and Tallahassee Society of Association Executives. The Manufacturers Association of Florida is a state trade association whose mission is to improve the business climate for Florida manufacturers. MAF is an advocate for manufacturers of all sizes and types. The association works with government and private sector parties to improve the business climate, the workforce, and the public image of manufacturing in Florida. The association also serves as the conduit for information from the government sector to the manufacturing sector. The website is www.mafmfg.com.