On December 13th, Chang Robotics team members from all over the country met in Jacksonville, Florida, for a full day of thought leadership and collaboration. The team gathered at the brand-new Jacksonville University College of Law campus in downtown Jacksonville.
We started the day with an address from Nicolas Allard, the dean of the JU College of Law. Dean Allard shared his excitement about hosting Chang Robotics at the new downtown campus and how the College of Law's values align with Chang Robotics'. He explained that his goal is to educate lawyers who are excited about innovation and ready to work with engineers and trailblazers to foster change.
Thought Leader Presentations
💻 Summer Vyne, founder and CEO of AnuVision Technologies Inc., presented "Building a Tech Co, and Building it Again," as she shared her story of success, failure, and finding success again. She encouraged our team that it's never too late to start fresh.
💸 Robert Sterling, CFO of the Chang Robotics Fund and Founder of EV Partners shared the importance of creating value for your shareholders and stakeholders. He emphasized that as a business if we focus on God first and the needs of our customers second, we can never go wrong.
💥 Phil Dryden, former manufacturing director for McCormick, shared a presentation on what customers actually value. He noted that understanding the value you provide can help you attract potential customers and better service existing ones.
👏 Paul Boynton's talk entitled "CEO Perspective: Doing Good in the World" was about the importance of ethical leadership. He shared many compelling stories from his own career where the right thing to do was not always the easiest, but it was always the correct choice.
💰 Forrest Hayes discussed the new Chang Robotics fund and started his presentation with a fun moment where his son, Tre Hayes, CR Fund Intern, showcased his impressive Mandarin skills.
We then got to hear updates from the team! ⬇️
🙏🏼 Matthew Chang, PE shared with us how our tithing of time and finances in 2024 has impacted communities in Jacksonville and worldwide. He also shared some exciting updates about the future of JVC in 2025.
🧬 Dr. Tim Wei gave an update on GO-Eco™️, Chang Robotics' advancement in graphene oxide in partnership with Northwestern University.
💡 Marc Manning presented on Kodiak Tech and what the team is working on in 2025.
📊 Cheyenne LeMaire and Laine Smith gave an update on marketing and our growth in the media this year, including two national recognitions.
📰 Cheryl Conner shared more updates on awards and media in her PR Strategy presentation. She also shared her plans for next year to publish more thought leadership.
🤖 Chris Callura shared about our strategic partnerships in many categories: technology, robotics, engineering, infrastructure, and more. He also gave an update on the success of our Robot Studio at Jacksonville University.
📈 Philip Blackwelder talked about technology development and gave specific examples of how we actively do this in our company.
🤝 Don Capener, PhD, discussed the results of a company-wide culture survey that the team took earlier this fall. He highlighted all the positives within our company and suggested how we can improve.
🧡 Kate McAfoose, P.E. finished our day with a heartfelt thank you to the team for a great year and shared exciting wins for Q4 and upcoming engagements for the new year!
Engineering Workshop
As part of our company meeting, Matthew Chang led an engineering workshop. The group was split into four teams, each given a different engineering challenge. Their goal was to automate and improve their site's processes while being conscious of budget, ROI, safety, etc. Shout-out to Team Four for winning this year's workshop challenge!
Gift Shoutout
A heartfelt thank you to Rethreaded for contributing to our gifts this year. Their toffee is not only delicious but also supports their meaningful mission of empowering survivors of human trafficking through employment and community.
We’re also grateful to Sierra Honey Farm for their artisanal, small-batch honey that reflects their commitment to sustainable beekeeping and preserving local ecosystems.
We’re proud to support businesses that create meaningful impact through their products and their purpose.
Fun!
This year, we stayed at the Marriot Jacksonville Downtown. We got an inside tour of Cup of Job coffee shop from Tammie McClafferty before going axe throwing at Axe Champs in Murray Hill. Later, we indulged in pizza, wings, and subs at Wood Fired Up Pizza. The fun continued the next night with an incredible Happy Hour and Dinner at Bellwether in downtown Jax, where Josh Andrews from Jax Headshots joined us to capture professional headshots for our team!
Pictures from the weekend:
Comments