2026 SMBEA Application Profile & Overview

For the nominated manufacturing facility.

1. Facility

The Facility

Company name*

Contact at the Facility

Contact first name*

Contact last name*

Contact job title*

Contact email*

Contact phone*

Facility Address

Facility street*

Facility city*

Facility state*

Facility zip*

About the Facility

Facility NAICS code*

Facility employees (FTE)*

Facility employees (contract)*

Facility year established*

Facility parent company, if any, and number of employees

Chief Executive

Chief executive name*

Chief executive email*

2. Parent Organization

If there is a parent organization, on what corporate activities and resources do you depend to manage your business day-to-day?

If there is a parent organization, does the parent provide resources for technology, equipment, facilities, or other capital investments?

If there is a parent organization, how would you characterize the level of autonomy this facility has with respect to the parent?

3. Products, Customers, and Operations

1. What are your company’s main products and services?*

2. What are your key customer groups and markets? What are their key requirements and expectations for your products and services, and customer support services?*

Customer Groups

3. Are your customers end-users?*

4. What are your potential additional customers or customer groups, if any?*

5. How are your products and services sold and delivered to customers? Do you market directly to customers or through distribution networks?*

6. What are your key types of suppliers and vendors?*

7. What are your workforce/employee types or segments and numbers? Which, if any, are unionized and represented by bargaining units?*

For example: X number of engineers, X number of production and assembly, X number of support/front office/back office, etc.

8. What is the regulatory environment in which you operate? What regulatory agencies, industry standards, etc., govern your business operations?*

9. What is year over year growth percentage change? What is your relative size in your industry or markets served?*

10. How many and what types of competitors do you have?*

4. Strategy, People, and Improvement

11. What key changes, if any, taking place in your marketplace or industry sector, are affecting your competitive situation, either positively or negatively? Which are creating opportunities for innovation and new technologies?*

15. (S) How do you think about and identify Company-wide objectives to accomplish in the near and long term?*

16. (L) How do you set a vision, mission, and values for the Company and help the workforce understand them?*

17. (L) How do you fulfill social responsibilities and support your educational and manufacturing communities, and the community at large?*

18. (C) How do you listen to and hear customers to understand their needs and expectations?*

19. (C) How do you engage your customers and build relationships with them?*

20. (M) How do you make decisions based on data and manage by fact?*

21. (M) How do you embed knowledge and learning into your Company?*

22. (W) How do you engage your workforce to accomplish your Company’s work?*

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23. (W) How do you ensure a skilled workforce to meet Company needs?*

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24. (O) How are products and processes designed and improved to meet requirements?*

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25. (O) How do you ensure your Company resilience to anticipate, prepare for, and recover from disasters, emergencies, and other disruptions?*

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5. What Are Your Company’s Strategic Challenges and Advantages?

Strategic Challenges & Threats*

Pressures that exert influence on the likelihood of future success.

Strategic Advantages & Opportunities*

Benefits that exert influence on the likelihood of future success.

6. If Known, What Are the Key Sources of Comparative and/or Benchmarking Information for Your Business?

From Within Your Industry

From Outside Your Industry

7. As Available, Please Provide an Electronic Copy of Each

Organizational Chart

Mission Statement

Corporate Values or Principles

Vision Statement

8. Additional Information

125-word company overview

An electronic document covering your company, its products, and domestic and international markets. It will be used publicly and may be used to promote manufacturing high performance.

Company logo

A high-resolution .png, .jpeg, or .eps file. Not a PDF.

Facility photos

High-resolution .jpeg or .png photos, not PDFs. Include at least one or two of the facility exterior and at least three to five of your operations, team, and products.

9. Disclaimer, Expectations, and Other Important Information

Disclaimer

By submitting this Application Profile and supplemental materials, Company authorizes The Sterling Council to use and publish articles, press releases, photographs, videos, logos, and any other form of print or digital media for educational, informational, and promotional purposes about the company. Print, video, and digital materials may be used in, but not limited to, The Sterling Council publications, newsletters, news articles, promotional materials, websites, social media, etc. Company waives the right to inspect or approve the product before publishing. Company hereby releases The Sterling Council, and anyone authorized by The Sterling Council to use the print, video, logos and digital materials and other materials concerning the company from any and all claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses which company now has or may hereafter have by reason of any use thereof. Company understands that all media, video, audio or other materials produced and used by The Sterling Council, will be the property of The Sterling Council and subsequently in the public domain.

Expectations

All participating manufacturers will be provided with written and verbal feedback from their Company evaluation, offering specific identified Company strengths and opportunities for improvement, as well as recommendations.
Award Recipients will be announced mid-May 2026. SMBE Award participants are encouraged to attend the recognition and award event on May 29, 2026, at the JW Marriott Bonnet Creek in Orlando.
SMBE Award participants should expect to be invited to participate in knowledge sharing activities in the Regional manufacturing community, which may include participation in virtual or in-person plant tours, expositions and company displays, webinars, and other development events.
SMBE Award participants will be invited to provide an examiner to represent the company in the 2027 awards process.
Recipients will be invited to join The Sterling Council Board of Directors at the Honorary Designation Level at no-cost for the First Year.
Company commitment includes a nominal fee investment for this award process with other promotional benefits, based on number of employees (FTEs) according to this schedule. Fee invoiced upon receipt of this Application.

FTEs	Fee
Fewer than 21	$975
21 to 50	$2,175
51 to 100	$3,275
101 to 150	$4,375
More than 150	$5,575

Included in the fee are: Evaluation Process, Live and Written Feedback Reporting, Sterling Press Releases and other promotional activity for Evaluated Companies, No-Charge Sterling Executive Roundtable participation, No-Cost Expo Hall Table at Annual Sterling Conference, Reduced Conference Registration rate, Table Reservation at Awards Ceremony. Recipients will be invited to join The Sterling Council Board of Directors at the Honorary Designation Level no-cost for the First Year.

Time investment for the evaluation process by the nominated manufacturing company is about six to eight hours over several weeks from January to April 2026.

Other Important Information

Eligibility: All manufacturers with production facilities in Florida and Georgia, not having won the Gold Level award in 2024 or 2025, are eligible to participate. Membership in any association is not required. A nomination may be made by any individual or organization including any industry group, supplier, customer, workforce or economic development organization, University/College/School, or government agency. Self-nominations are also acceptable.
Only one profile per company per year will be accepted. If a company has multiple manufacturing facilities in Florida or Georgia and more than one submits a profile, the first one received will be the one considered.

If you have questions, please direct them to Phil Centonze, 954-684-2642, or Info@TheSMBEA.org.

10. Signature

Sign name*

Date*