About FMCA: Organization, Mission & Code of Ethics

Organization of the Board of Directors

Florida Marine Contractors Association, Inc. is a Florida not-for-profit corporation.

Beginning with the election to be held in October, 2008, the Board of Directors will consist of four directors elected "at large" and six chapter directors, elected by their chapter membership. These ten directors, the past president, and the executive director, comprise the Board.

With the exception of the President, Vice President and Past President, who must be contractor members, all other Board positions are open to any FMCA member.

Once the Board of Directors is elected, the Board assigns each of the four "at large" directors to one of the four officerships: the President, Vice President, Second Vice President, and Secy-Treasurer.

The four officers, with the executive director serving as a non-voting member, constitute the Executive Committee, which has the authority to manage Association business between quarterly Board Meetings.

The sitting President, upon completion of his or her term, assumes the position of Past President.

In order to ensure contractor control of the Association, the President, Vice President, and Past President are each afforded three votes on matters before the Board. All other Officers and Directors have one vote each.

The Executive Director is a retained officer. The Board meets quarterly to set goals, approve strategic plans, establish policy, and otherwise direct the efforts of the Association. The Executive Committee has authority to act between Board meetings, with decisions ad referendum to the Board. The President has authority to appoint all ad hoc and standing committee members.

Chapters & Committees

In July, 2008, the Board modified its Chapter policies in order to improve the Association's ability to communicate with members at the regional level.

The primary purpose of Chapters is to gather information and relay it to appropriate Committees and staff to address.

Members seeking assistance from FMCA should therefore first contact their Chapter Director (see list below)

There are two general exceptions to this policy.

Issues regarding FMCA communications (ADVOCATE, website) and billing should be addressed to the Executive Director.

Issues regarding FMCA Expos and other meetings should be directed to our Meeting Planning Director, Meg Slentz Nagy.

FMCA Mission

The mission of the Association is to employ the resources of a growing membership to accomplish agreed objectives that benefit member firms, our State and our unique environment, and to contribute to professionalism in the marine industry in general and the marine construction industry in particular.

1) It is the responsibility of all FMCA members to comply with appropriate local, State and Federal laws.
a. FMCA realizes that unfair, unclear, unnecessary and even counter-productive rules and regulations make compliance virtually impossible to achieve.
b. FMCA recognizes that extensive reform is needed to create a fair and level playing field.

2) FMCA's goal is to educate the public, the media and public officials on the need for, and benefits of, extensive reform in marine construction rules and regulations. Reform is critical to the success of our mission.

3) To help facilitate our goal, FMCA will develop FAQs on each of these critical subjects.
a. When appropriate,FMCA staff will appear before county/city/state boards and report as to our understanding of applicable rules/regs, based on the FAQs we have developed.
b. FMCA will develop press releases and other materials for distribution and discussion with members, member clients, media, public officials and the public.
c. The FMCA ADVOCATE will regularly feature articles and letters on critical topics to help members better understand the issues and thereby make better, more informed, business decisions.

The Board has endorsed specific goals recommended by the Executive Director:

- Longshore Insurance Reform
a. Optimally, elimination of this requirement for marine construction. Good luck. It's Congress.
b. Reforming Longshore in Florida. In 2004, realizing that reform in Washington was a fruitless effort, the Executive Director set goals to reduce Florida rates, and to initiate a dialog with the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) to discuss the creation of USL&H classes for marine construction.

- Permitting Reform
a. Permits must be reviewed in a timely, organized and consistent process.

- Compliance & Licensing Reform
a. Adoption of a Uniform Dock Construction Code
b. Creation of a State marine specialty construction license.
c. Working with officials and other organization to improve licensing and permitting enforcement.

- Policy Development & Implementation Reform
a. Devolution of authority to the local level (i.e.,decisions are best made locally)
b. More balanced and more powerful stakeholder panels
- reduce the number of stakeholder slots allocated to governmental staff and non-stakeholders
- burden of proof rests exclusively on the rule-making agency (i.e., it is never the responsibility of a citizen or contractor to prove why a rule is not necessary; it is always the burden of the agency to prove why it is)

- Improved Awareness of the Marine Construction Industry in Florida
a. Research to assess and understand the size and impact of marine construction on our State's economy
b. Regular updates on industry innovations and changing procedures
c. Case studies and other "best practices."

Code of Ethics

FMCA introduces low cost credit card management program

If you currently accept credit cards or have thought about having a credit card program, the FMCA Credit Card Processing Program can provide you with tremendous savings.  No enrollment fees, no monthly minimums and a variety of low priced equipment solutions.  In addition to cost effective processing, you also have access to toll-free customer support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

FMCA Accepts Credit Cards Online!

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