Bios

Andrew McCutchen was recently appointed as president of the Bay Area Manufacturers Association. He is the founder and president of Baymar Solutions, a product development and contract manufacturing firm specializing in highly regulated industries such as medical devices and aerospace/defense. Andrew has his mechanical engineering degree from the University of Arizona and has been in the manufacturing and product development space since 2002 and started Baymar Solutions in 2006.  

“I take great pride in creating an environment for our team members to thrive and serve our customers with creative and efficient solutions to the problems they bring us.” Andrew’s team has successfully grown to more than just an engineering solution provider by vertically integrating contract manufacturing in-house which provides their customers with shorter lead times and higher quality.

Andrew is excited to have the opportunity to serve the greater Tampa Bay area through his board position with BAMA and help bring new and exciting events and training to the manufacturers in this region.

Roy Sweatman  is President and owner of Southern Manufacturing Technologies, Inc (SMT).

SMT is a precision custom manufacturer located in Tampa. SMT’s 100 employees utilize 22 CNC machine tools to produce high precision components for the Aircraft, Aerospace and Defense Industries.

Roy has spent his entire career in manufacturing starting as an Apprentice Machinist at GE and, after 13 years at GE he then spent 5 years as General Manager of a precision machining company in the Cleveland area. In 1983 Roy moved to Tampa and bought a small machining company with 5 employees and has grown it to what it is today.

Roy is a past National Chairman of the National Tooling and Machining Association. Roy currently serves on the Boards of NIMS, Florida West Coast Chapter of NTMA, BAMA, Career Source Tampa Bay, and Florida Makes where he also chairs the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Leadership Council.

Roy also serves on numerous Advisory Councils such as The Manufacturing Alliance of Hillsborough County, East Lake High School, Middleton High School, River Ridge High School, and Pinellas Technical College where he chairs the Tampa Bay Machining Apprenticeship.

Robert (Bobby) Ralston started RJ Manufacturing in 2017 with a single  5 AXIS CNC MACHINE. They started with 2 products and now they processes 8 cnc machines. This is just beginning. RJ Manufacturing recently open a metal fabrication division, including a 4000 watt Mazak Laser.  In 2022, they became ISO9001 CERTIFIED. 

Bobby likes to be on the water with his jetski just about every weekend around Florida. He loves to travel and spend time with family and friends.

Kevin Gerrish is the Vice President of Operations for Beckwith Electric and has responsibility for manufacturing, quality, planning, purchasing, receiving, assembly, test, shipping, and facilities management.  Mr. Gerrish has over 25 years of experience in engineering, operations, and general management. His experience includes embedded control systems, systems engineering, communications, operational management and excellence, and Lean Six Sigma process management.  Mr. Gerrish received his Masters in Business Administration from Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA, and his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. He has authored 17 U.S. patents.

Bob Kinney has a been a member of BAMA for three years and heads up the RoundTable Committee.  He is also active on the Membership Committee. Bob has spent his entire career in manufacturing working his way up through engineering and management positions to GM roles with full P&L responsibility. Bob has a passion for innovation and continuous improvement and enjoys helping manufacturer’s in these areas, including as a FLMakes 3^rd Party Provider. Bob is a lifelong learner and plays this forward by helping people reach their individual peak performance, aligning their talents to their role. Bob is a Certified Mentor, Certified Manager, Certified Innermetrix Consultant and has a Lean Management Certificate. He earned his MBA (Kellogg/Wharton) overseas.

Kenneth Shannon is the Director of Programs at Eclipse Energy Systems, Inc., a company that specializes in the research and manufacture of advanced materials with applications that range from optical filters to “breathable” heat skins for space satellites. He has over 20 years of experience leading research and manufacturing projects for clients such as NASA and DOE that have a need for tailored materials with highly specialized properties. Ken earned his MSE in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Florida.

Ken is thrilled to have the opportunity to help Tampa Bay Area manufacturers increase their presence and contribution to the community. “I believe we should expand our manufacturing base using every available resource.  Encouraging collaboration, facilitating new revenue sources and bringing in high-paying jobs to the area are all part of BAMA’s mission - and I am excited to be a part of it.”

Grant Peterson represents and counsels employers regarding a broad range of U.S and international labor and employment law issues, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other anti-corruption law issues, and data privacy and data protection law issues.  He represents clients in a wide variety of industries, including manufacturing, service, healthcare, financial, retail, and food processing, as well as multinational companies and trade associations.  Grant recieved the Life Member Award in 2014.

 Cristine Torrefranca, CPA 

Cristine is a senior manager in the Audit & Assurance Services practice of Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund. Cristine has over 10 years of experience and provides audit and assurance services for the firm’s manufacturing and distribution and construction clients. Prior to joining Saltmarsh, Cristine served as a director at a national firm where she managed engagement teams and gained audit experience working with privately held businesses. 

Cristine is passionate about serving her clients, building her team, volunteering in her community, and collaborating and networking with industry partners. She is dedicated to providing solutions for and supporting the growth of manufacturing in Tampa Bay by reviewing financial statements and offering deep technical accounting knowledge. She is crucial to the firms added-value resources as she helps produce webinars, white papers and network-building events. 

Suzanne Chambers has been a BAMA member for 3 year and currently represents Roebuck Technologies, A Managed Services/IT Consulting firm located here in Tampa Florida. Roebuck Technologies works with all businesses and has had a special relationships with construction materials and related manufacturing companies. Roebuck Technologies helps businesses enhance internal technical resources and increase employee productivity. They offer a flexible monitoring platform customized for the needs of each client. Our team proactively supports infrastructure and optimizes technology, while defending against cyberattack.

Suzanne graduated from Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts with a BA in Communications Arts and Sciences. Communication has always been key to any relationship both business and personal. Communication is not always about talking but about listening to understand the other person. With over 30 years of customer relationship management experience throughout Florida, Suzanne has provided personalized service to businesses seeking technology solutions as well as currently volunteering as an ambassador with The Tampa Bay Chamber and the Westshore Alliance.  

Troy Underwood is the owner of Urban Metals LLC, which does business in the Tampa Bay Area under the name of Tampa Steel & Supply (TSS).  TSS is a full line metal service center located in Ybor City that also produces decorative metal products.  Troy purchased TSS in 2018 having served as President since 2014.  The business was recognized by the Business Observer as one of the top 500 largest companies on the Gulf Coast in 2020.

Troy has an extensive record in management and sales of consumer and industrial building products.  Prior to his positions at TSS, Troy oversaw the stone veneer manufacturing facility for Environmental Stoneworks in Atlanta where he learned and implemented LEAN manufacturing principals. 

In addition to being on the Board of Directors for the Bay Area Manufacturers Association (BAMA), Troy is on the National Small Business Association’s (NSBA) Leadership Council and he volunteers as an Advisor to both Hillsborough Community College’s Office Administration Program and Welding Program.

Troy is a Veteran, having served honorably for nine years as an Officer in the Army Reserve.  His company is Certified by the State of Florida’s Office of Supplier Diversity as a Veteran Owned Business.