The CAMA Conversation: Feb 2019 – Manufacturer's Edge

Colorado is the state for collaboration. Women and men who are my counterparts around the country marvel at the way public and private groups, educational institutions, state agencies, economic developers, trade associations, and almost any of the myriad groups interested in growing the Colorado economy work together on hundreds of efforts. We all have experienced the one thing that distinguishes us from other states…we make a call, start a meeting, have an informal discussion on an issue or opportunity or problem, and the likely response we get will be “How can we help?”. It’s part of what keeps our economy the envy of every other state.

At the end of the day, though, we are collaborating with individual people. I always tell my team, I don’t invest in ideas…I invest in the people behind the ideas. Ideas need execution and good people always execute well. In the last few months, we at Manufacturer’s Edge have been excited to collaborate with a gentleman who we have always admired and respected, and are now happy to be working with more closely. We’ll definitely invest time and money in his ideas.

Dave Jeffrey, CEO of JPM Prototype and Manufacturing, has been a leader in the Colorado Springs manufacturing community, and has recently accepted the role of Board Chair of CAMA, the statewide Colorado Advanced Manufacturing Association. Dave and I, along with Cindy Nowak (the Manufacturer’s Edge Southern Regional Director), have probed ways that Manufacturer’s Edge and CAMA can work together to strengthen Colorado manufacturing. Dave has brought to the table a vision for how we can help raise the manufacturing tide and I am greatly looking forward to working with Dave and the CAMA team to bring his vision to life. As we work together this next two years of his tenure as CAMA Chair, look for a monthly article in this newsletter in which Dave will talk about CAMA and his vision, as well as many other things manufacturing. Thanks for doing that, Dave, and good luck as Chair!

– Tom Bugnitz, CEO, Manufacturer’s Edge

With the new year comes a change in leadership at CAMA (Colorado Advanced Manufacturing Association). As the new Chair for CAMA, I would like to introduce myself, but first, I want to express my appreciation to Grady Cope for his years of dedicated service to CAMA and the manufacturing community as a whole. In addition, I am grateful for the dedicated efforts of Tim Heaton, CAMA President, and Daron Linton, CAMA COO & Events Manager, and all they do to further manufacturing in Colorado.

I am the CEO and Owner of JPM Prototype & Mfg., Inc., a high precision manufacturer in Colorado Springs. I have been serving on the Board for CAMA and CAMA South for several years and have worked with incredible manufacturers and wonderful partners, like Manufacturers Edge, who are passionate about manufacturing. I have also had the privilege of serving on the Pikes Peak Community College Advanced Manufacturing Board, the Pikes Peak Workforce Center Board, and the Government Affairs Committee at the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC.

In the past couple of months, I have had some great meetings with Tom Bugnitz and Cindy Nowak to discuss how we can better align Manufacturers Edge and CAMA. I look forward to the partnership we can build between the two organizations. JPM has worked with Manufacturers Edge for a number of years, and it is a privilege to do so now from the CAMA side.

Manufacturing is strong in Colorado, and together, we can make it even stronger.

– Dave Jeffrey, Chair of the Colorado Advanced Manufacturing Association

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