Past Events
On Tuesday, January 23, the Foundation of Associated Industries of Florida continued its series of Lunch & Learn events with a roundtable discussion surrounding the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the business community. A broad group of business leaders and legislators were present to take part in the discussions about the future of AI, the pros and cons, and how education is important to the future of AI in business, government, education, and the everyday lives of citizens.
A series of Florida Defense Cybersecurity Training Programs being held in 2021 that will focus on cybersecurity protection for business and the Department of Defense CMMC requirements for defense contractors.
This event is part of the Florida Defense Cybersecurity Training Program, brought to you by FloridaMakes. This program focuses on cyber protections for businesses, the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) requirements for defense contractors, and how to begin the cybersecurity assessment process.
As a bonus with your registration, you will be automatically registered for the National Center for Simulation (NCS) event "Bigs, Smalls and Alls,” taking place at the same location directly following the forum. This event features a panel of small and large business representatives who will discuss best practices for partnering in the MS&T and defense sector.
Conducted in partnership with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, FloridaMakes, the Department of Defense Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation and other statewide organizations, this interactive virtual workshop will assist IT service providers in understanding the development and rollout of the DoD’s regulations for Cybersecurity.
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The Department of Defense (DoD) has provided Florida’s business community with an enormous opportunity with their investment in our state. With more than $22 billion a year spent on contracted defense procurement across Florida and more than $95 billion in total annual economic impact, supporting our warfighters is critical to both Florida’s economic health and our national security.
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One of a series of Florida Defense Cybersecurity Training Programs, the Jacksonville-based outreach program will focus on cybersecurity protection for business and infrastructure, including healthcare and the Department of Defense CMMC requirements for defense contractors.
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Following on the success of the first event, the Foundation of Associated Industries of Florida (FAIF) will co-host the second annual Cybersecurity Forum on August 19th and 20th. The Forum will be co-hosted by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, FloridaMakes, and the Workers' Compensation Institute (WCI).
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Mental health is one such topic that must be addressed. You would be hard-pressed to find discussions on this issue in the various forms of public debate. Yet, there are glaring statistics that mental health is a critical problem that continues to increase every day. Employers need a strong and healthy workforce in order to be productive and profitable, and mental health is a serious impediment to those goals.
On January 27, 2020, FAIF held a roundtable event on ‘Mental Health Challenges in the Workplace for Florida’s Employers’ as part of our Lunch & Learn Series. This document captures the key points and areas of discussion. It is our hope that this document will provide a comprehensive introduction to all, and that the discussions among Florida’s employers and our government leaders continue on this important subject.
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On Wednesday, November 20, 2019 the Foundation of Associated Industries of Florida gathered with business leaders, issue experts and senior government officials for an educational dialogue on cybersecurity, its escalating impact on governments, industry, and our communities, and how the public and private sectors can work together to better fortify Florida. High-level discussions explored the most significant cyber-threats to companies and our state’s critical infrastructure, how to manage risk and improve resiliency, evaluating liabilities and the marketplace for cyber insurance, efforts to ensure the security of Florida’s election systems, the vulnerability of municipalities and SME’s, and the current state of cyber educational training and workforce development.
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On Wednesday, February 20, the FAIF Lunch & Learn Series kicked off with a high-level discussion on hospitals and how they operate as businesses and employers. The group focused on the current state of the hospital and health system’s operational environment in Florida, including staffing and employment, revenue sources, and more.
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Jack Kingston, from the prestigious firm of Squire Patton Boggs, and Catie Kawchak, from the National Association of Manufacturers, provided expert analysis and an update on where the Congress and the White House currently stand in regard to Health Care.
The shifting sands in Health Care law will affect every single citizen and business in the country, and FAIF provided a forum for Florida business leaders to engage in a robust conversation about what changes Congress could make before the end of 2017.
During the 2017 Annual Conference of Associated Industries of Florida (AIF), the Foundation sponsored a very timely panel made up of current members of the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC).
The CRC has unique authority that can and has made a major impact on the laws in this state. The mere fact of making law directly in the state Constitution, rather than going through the hurdles of normal state law, gives this commission a high degree of power. The panel provided direct and specific information to conference attendees about the core issues that the commission would be discussing as they deliberate on the issues to be placed on the 2018 ballot.
☆ View AIF's Constitution Revision Commission Hub ☆
Without a doubt the #1 issue for the business community in the 2017 session was workers’ compensation due to actions by the courts which resulted in a major spike in costs for employers.