SEMA_________________________________

SOUTHEASTERN MEAT ASSOCIATION
P.O. Box 620777; Oviedo, FL 32762 Phone: 407-365-5661

JULY 2012

VOLUME 27, No. 7

Brasstown Resort

SEMA President Wayne Lord kicked off the SEMA convention, welcoming everyone to the Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa in Young Harris, GA and opening the exhibitor’s ballroom.

Attendees commented on useful ideas they received while networking with other processors and exhibitors.

We have many challenges in our business and the presentations this year touched on many of them.  Food and Agriculture Critical Infrastructure & Food Defense was presented by Dr. Jim Daniels from UGA while  Michael Pairsall spoke on how to pick which GFSI Standard is best for your company.  Exporting opportunities were discussed by Steve Isaf, President of Interra International.  Dennis Reisen, USDA-FSIS Deputy District Manager from the Atlanta office gave a FSIS Regulatory Update.  The Atlanta office will be adding South Carolina to its district.  SEMA member Jack Payne, Ross Enterprise-CDC Software presentation showed members how they can improve their operations with alert technologies.  For members starting in business or having employee and /or customer issues Curt Fowler, Fowler & Associates explained the importance of a value driven workforce.  New SEMA member Buckhead Beef of FL, Jerry Jones presented a virtual plant tour.  Jerry shared plant and food safety procedures.

SEMA Seminars

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Things to Ponder . . .
. . . .
I had six honest serving men. They taught me all I knew.
Their names were: Where, What, When, Why, How and Who.
                                                                                          Rudyard Kipling, British Writer
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Associates exhibited their products and solved many SEMA processors challenges.  Everyone was a winner this year as many of the exhibitors had drawings for door prizes.  Thanks to all of our Associate members for their support and participation in the association.

Exhibitors

A.C. Legg Co.
ABC Research Laboratories
Access Business Group
Advanced Surfaces
Aspen Systems   
Astro Products
Chilton Consulting Group
CSB-System International
DeWied International
*Ecodrum Composter
Express Label Co.
Frank Door Co.
Grasselli – SSI

Associate Member Tabletop Demos

 

Handtmann, Inc.
*Hollymatic Corp.
International Casings Group
Marel Inc.
Nu Products Seasoning / NuSpice
NUTEC Manufacturing Inc
Permatherm, Inc.
Poly-Clip System
Praxair Inc
*Provisur Technologies
Quality Casing Co., Inc.
RDP Consulting, LLC
Reiser
Risco USA
Ross Enterprise / CDC Software
Scott Pec Inc.
The Supply Source
Tipper Tie, Inc.
VC999 Packaging Systems
Winpak 
Wolfson Casing Corp.
Wolf-tec, Inc.
WTI, Inc.

 

SEMA Convention Expo Tables

Sponsors
                                       
 Cryovac Sealed Air Corporation
Curwood, Inc.
*G. Chitwood, LLC
Jamison / HCR Door Company

*New SEMA Members

USDA FSIS Logo
Resource materials were provided by the USDA – FSIS, Outreach, Employee Education & Training.  Materials were given to all SEMA members.
 

 

Tom Carol of Sunset Foods

      Each year the frog is auctioned off to raise money for the SEMA scholarship fund.  This year Tom Carroll (left), from Sunset Farm Foods and a SEMA Executive Officer was the successful bidder. 
     This year both scholarship awards went to students from the University of Florida.  Each will receive a $2,000.00 scholarship.

 
Hannah Shetters
Hannah Shetters

 

  Bradley Bennett
Bradley Bennett

Due to the generosity of our processor and associate members, SEMA has been able to help many students with their educational needs.

Golf Tournament

      Ron Brown from Cryovac Sealed Air and SEMA Director put together another successful golf tournament.  Cryovac provided the golf awards.  We appreciate Cryovac’s generosity and participation in the Association. 
     Winning team pictured to the right.

 Cryovac Golf Tournament
Clay Robertson, Gregg Mysker, Joey Edwards, Chris Hudson

Everyone had a good time at the Hillbilly Hoedown and enjoyed the beef sticks provided by SEMA member Country Meats, Paul Geatches.  There were hayrides, s’mores over the fire, and entertainment by the Mountain Buzzard Boys.

 

Live Music

 

Hayride

 

BBQ

 

Sunset

  

The convention came to a close at the Presidents Banquet Saturday evening with Las Vegas mentalist, Paul Draper.

Paul interacted with our members during the reception and mesmerized the audience with his show.

SEMA Convention Party

For a convention to run smoothly it takes good people behind the scenes; thanks to Dr. Chad Carr from the University of FL for providing the audio-visual equipment and moderator Dr. Dwight Loveday from University of Tennessee for keeping the program on track.

 

Mark Your Calendar

Hammock Beach Resort
Palm Coast, FL
June 6-8, 2013
  

      
Hammock Beach Resort

SEMA Annual Business Meeting

      The annual business meeting was held at the June convention.  The By-Laws were revised and the revised By-Laws were passed by the majority of the membership.  The new By-Laws add one new associate member to the board of directors for a total of four associate directors.  Duane Mobley from Astro Products was nominated by the associate members and approved by the Board of Directors prior to being voted to service on the board. 

    Duane Mobley and Wayne Lord
Duane Mobley and Wayne Lord

Treasurer, Tom Carroll reported SEMA was doing well financially and that we should break even or make a little on the convention.  Membership chairman, Gene Funkhouser reported that membership is good and stayed about the same over the last few years and noted this is due to consolidation and some businesses closing due to retirement. 

Wayne Lord appointed the following committees:
Membership: Gene Funkhouser-chairperson, Hugh Tyler, Brian Sapp, and Don Wilson
Education: Al Kaempfer-chairperson, Tom Carroll, Karla Weiszer, and Ferril Maddox
Convention: Billy Nettles-chairperson, David Solana, and Chris Hudson
Nominating: David Lee-chairperson, Scott Kelley, Adam Chernin, JohnEdd Wampler, Ferril Maddox

SEMA Board of Directors
SEMA Board Members
1st row left to right Al Kaempfer, Gene Funkhouser, Karla Weiszer, Anna Ondick, David Lee
2nd row   Scott Kelley, Ron Brown, JohnEdd Wampler, Don Wilson, Wayne Lord, Chris Hudson
3rd row Billy Nettles, Adam Chernin, Ferril Maddox, Hugh Tyler, Tom Carroll, Brian Sapp

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

SEMA Board of Directors Meeting 407.365.5661 To Be Announced

 

 
AAMP    Annual Convention
717.367.1168
Crown Plaza,  St. Paul, Minnesota July 26-28
AAMP   Flavor-Value Added Mt Process Workshop   Crown Plaza,  St. Paul, Minnesota July 25