FMA members gathered in Alexandria, Virginia, for the association’s 86th National Convention & Management Training Seminar March 24-27, 2024. This year’s event included an open house of FMA’s National Office, steps away from the hotel.

FMA National President Craig Carter gaveled in the convention and provided opening remarks. Members then heard from keynote presenter Loren Schulman, Associate Director for Performance and Personnel Management, Office of Management and Budget. Attendees also heard from special guest Rear Admiral Scott M. Brown, Deputy Commander, Industrial Operations, Naval Sea Systems Command.

Members then heard reports from national officers and Director of Government & Public Affairs Greg Stanford, approved a resolution revising the national by-laws, and held elections for National President and National Secretary. Craig Carter (Chapter 3, Norfolk Naval Shipyard) was re-elected to a two-year term as National President, while Chris Lombardi (Chapter 6, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard) was re-elected Secretary. You can read more about the elections in another piece in this issue. Chapters then met with other chapters within their Regions to discuss region business and to network.

Day Two saw impressive training sessions with FMA Region 4 Director Vince Stamper, Transformation Program Manager, Trident Refit Facility Bangor (Chapter 14), Adam Henckler, Superintendent of Production Engineering & Facilities, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (Chapter 6), and Conor Dirks, Partner, Shaw, Bransford & Roth. In the afternoon, FMA members toured the National Archives and saw the blooming cherry blossoms.

At the annual awards luncheon, sponsored by GPIS Employee Benefits Specialist, NARFE, and WAEPA, membership recruitment awards were given out to those who have helped build the ranks of FMA. Recruitment winners were: Super Recruiter Jeris Smith, Chapter 3, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia; Small Chapter: Mike Beedle, Chapter 375, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chicago; Medium Chapter: Savanna Massey, Chapter 11, Fleet Readiness Center – Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida; and, Large Chapter: Jessica Younger, Chapter 3, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia.

National President Craig Carter was presented the Manager of the Year award. You can read more about Craig in a separate article in this issue of the Washington Report. James Cappa, President of Chapter 14 (Puget Sound Naval Shipyard) received the Gil Guidry Award for outstanding chapter president. Chapter 375 (Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chicago) received the President’s Award for outstanding chapter, and Region 1 Director Jeremy Barton received the Odell Green Award for outstanding Executive Board member.

On Wednesday, FMA members headed to Capitol Hill for FMA’s annual Day on the Hill, where members walked the halls of Congress and provided FMA’s Issue Briefs to congressional staff. Members reported a rewarding and fulfilling experience advocating for FMA priorities and for their agencies and installations. The event closed that night following a lively reception.

We are grateful to those who attended the convention this year, and we look forward to seeing members at future events, including regional conferences this fall. Keep an eye out for future events on FMA’s webpage at: fedmanagers.org/Events.