Washington insider to address political and technological trends in business at FMA Annual Meeting

Gene Marks, nationally acclaimed author and commentator, will give the keynote address at the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Intl.® Annual Meeting, taking place Feb. 24-26, 2016, at the Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego.

Gene Marks writes daily for the Washington Post and weekly for ForbesMagazine, Fox Business, The Huffington Post, and Entrepreneur.com. He has written six books on business management specifically geared toward small and medium-sized companies. His most recent is The Manufacturer’s Book of Lists. Nationally, Marks appears on Fox News, MSNBC, and CNBC, discussing matters that affect the business community.

Through his keynote -- "From DC to Silicon Valley: Power Trends That Will Impact Your Company Through 2018" -- and breakout session, attendees will get up-to-speed on political, economic, and technological issues so they can not only keep costs under control, but better understand what is going on in Washington and how to take advantage of new opportunities. The focus will be on capitalizing on the latest trends in technology, cash flow, and how to find and motivate the very best people.

Marks owns and operates The Marks Group PC, a highly successful 10-person firm that provides technology and consulting services to small and medium-sized businesses. Marks, a certified public accountant,spent nine years in the entrepreneurial services arm of the international consulting firm KPMG in Philadelphia as a senior manager before starting his own business.

Jim Warren, FMA’s senior director of member services, education, and foundation, explained the importance of including Marks at the Annual Meeting: "Translating the impact that the coming elections will have on legislation, budget deficit, spending, and taxes into everyday language and applications for our members is critical for the success of their businesses."

Intended for owners, executive team members, and budding leaders of job shops and contract manufacturing companies, The FABRICATOR's 11th Annual Leadership Summit track will begin with an assessment of current business conditions from FMA’s economic analyst, Dr. Chris Kuehl. Anchors of the program are noncompetitive, peer-to-peer roundtable discussions that allow participants to share best practices. 2016 topics include growth strategies, sales and marketing, safety, team building, and workforce development. The recipient of The FABRICATOR 2016 Industry Award will share a case study.

The 20th Annual Toll Processing Conference track attracts top industry executives from metals producers, processors, distributors, and suppliers to discuss industry trends, market forecasts, advancements in technology, and equipment innovations. With topnotch speakers such as FMA economic analyst Dr. Chris Kuehl, a panel discussion on laser blanking, interactive breakout sessions, and unrivaled networking opportunities, this event gives participants the insight to navigate through myriad challenges and seize opportunities to strengthen their competitive advantage.

Valuable networking at golf tournaments and fun evening receptions round out the events, allowing attendees to meet customers, make new contacts, and interact with speakers and colleagues. These include tours of the USS Midway Museum and Workshops for Warriors; a Welcome Reception on Wednesday; an exclusive event Thursday night at SeaWorld; as well as golf outings at the Coronado Golf Course and Torrey Pines Golf Course.

Find out more about registration, program details, and sponsorship and exhibit opportunities at fmanet.org/annualmeeting, or call 888-394-4362.