Our Team
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Kristina K. Berano - Executive DirectorKristina hails from Connecticut but has called Florida her second home since 1994. The pandemic forced her and her family to move to Florida full-time to take care of her mom. Now, she and her husband (of a very long time) reside in The Villages. Prior to the global shutdown, Kristina enjoyed a career in high-end salon and spa management. But don’t let that fool you—LBM is in her blood, inherited from her dad, who was a self-taught engineer and factory foreman at Jacobs Manufacturing during the development of the keyless drill chuck.
Kristina brings decades of hospitality experience to her role as Executive Director. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Hospitality Management from Johnson & Wales University, Providence. She spent several years in the restaurant industry and has worked in retail and finance as well. She was the owner/operator of a twelve-bed residential care facility, catering to chronically mentally ill adults for many years in the Connecticut Valley before landing in the spa world. When the staff can finally pull her out of the FBMA office, she can be found fussing over her rescue plants or meditating at the beach. |
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Sonya Weaver - Administrative AssistantSonya holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Music from Ursuline College in Cleveland, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys exploring genealogy, cooking, traveling, and spending quality time with family and friends. She is married to Ron, a proud U.S. Army veteran with 40 years of service, and has a son and daughter-in-law who live in Sarasota, Florida. Sonya also speaks Hungarian and enjoys staying connected to her cultural roots.
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Emmanuel Foret - Social Media ManagerEmmanuel Foret is a devoted husband of 22 years to his wife, Jennifer, and proud father of two boys, Charlie (12) and Sam (8). Outside of family life, he enjoys coaching youth soccer and cycling, finding balance between his passions and professional pursuits.
With nearly 30 years of marketing experience, Emmanuel has built expertise in social media, paid search, website design, print design, and video production. He is also the owner of Lately Media, LLC, an Orlando-based marketing company that specializes in local direct mail and comprehensive marketing solutions. |
Serving Florida's Building Supply Industry Since 1920
The Florida Building Material Association, FBMA, had its inception in the minds of the pioneers of the building materials industry about the turn of the century, but was never carried to completion. The germ persisted with a group of millwork manufacturers meeting in Fort Pierce during a discussion of the Southern Sash Door and Millwork Manufacturers Association, a group of sash and door makers covering the Southern states.
They soon realized that the Lumber, Building Material and Millwork industries are so closely allied that it would be difficult to separate them and maintain an organization to serve the several industries without recognizing all the main factors in the industry. Thus in 1920, the progenitor of the Florida Building Material Association, the Florida Lumber and Millwork Association was born. |
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Our Vision
Since its inception, the FBMA has strived to promote the interests of the building material industry throughout the State of Florida. Our mission is guided by the following 5 strategic goals:
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What we do for you
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Legislative Efforts
FBMA's Government Relations Committee and staff work to represent our members’ needs in Tallahassee, Florida. |
Market Access
Ensuring that our members’ products are not excluded from the market by building codes and government rules and regulations is another major goal of FBMA. |
Education
FBMA members benefit from management training and educational programs. From sales training to blueprint reading, FBMA provides its members with quality, low cost employee training. |
