Kirk Wendland, executive director of the city Office of Economic Development and a key figure in negotiating deals for three administrations, will retire June 30 as Mayor-elect Donna Deegan takes office July 1.
Wendland said June 15 he was targeting the end of this month regardless of whether Deegan, a Democrat, or her Republican opponent, Daniel Davis, won the May 16 election.
“I am not somebody who makes impulsive decisions,” Wendland said.
“I knew June 30, 2023, was coming for a long time and knew there would be a new boss at that point in time.”
While he doesn’t rule out a return to a business development-related career, he intends to take a break.
“I can’t deny that I turn 60 this year,” Wendland said, adding he wanted to spend time catching up on leisure activities, “whether playing golf or traveling and seeing my kids.”
His birthday is in November. He and his wife, Diana, have two adult children. Their daughter is in the Cincinnati area and their son is in Seattle.
“Outside of long weekends and holidays, I really haven’t taken any significant time off during this last eight-year stretch,” Wendland said.
Wendland worked in economic development for Republican mayors John Delaney, John Peyton and Lenny Curry, whose two terms end June 30.
He has worked on writing incentives policies and negotiated many of the city’s biggest deals for jobs and capital investment, such as the recent Cosentino surfaces plant at the Cecil Commerce Center megasite, Amazon.com fulfillment centers and the Project Crystal distribution warehouse believed to be for Sam’s Club in North Jacksonville.
His annual salary is $189,625.
He did not work for the administration of Democrat Alvin Brown, who lost a bid for a second term to Curry.
Wendland said department heads were asked if they wanted to be considered for their positions in the Deegan administration. He passed on it and submitted a retirement letter.
“On the professional side, it’s been an honor to have this position for the last eight years and appreciate Mayor Curry for appointing me and working with Sam and Brian and learning a lot from them,” he said.
Sam Mousa was Curry’s chief administrative officer, succeeded by Brian Hughes in 2019. Hughes had been chief of staff.
Deegan appointed Ed Randolph as director of economic development. Randolph has held that position at city utility JEA since August 2022.
Before that, he was director of business development with the city economic development office for 17 years, since 2005, some of that time with Wendland.
It’s not uncommon for city appointees to take or create positions as consultants, lobbyists or corporate experts.
Asked if he would look in those directions, Wendland’s response: “Never say never.”
“I don’t think you would ever see me in city government. That ship has sailed,” he said.
But there is a possibility a local opportunity might interest him.
“I’ve had a few conversations, but for the time being, I need to clear my head a little bit and get my handicap back to single digits.”
The high-school baseball player from Illinois and Jacksonville University walk-on shortstop, for two seasons, earned his accounting degree in 1986.
He joined the Jacksonville City Council auditor’s office in 1986 and became a CPA in 1989. Since then, he worked in different city departments, eventually serving as executive director of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, created in 1996-97 during the Delaney administration.
Wendland worked with the JEDC from 1997-2005 for Delaney’s two terms and for a year for Peyton, mayor from 2003-11. Wendland led the commission from 2001-05 as executive director.
He then spent four years as a developer with LandMar Group, two years with Strategic Solutions in St. Johns County and then three years as president of the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce through 2013.
During that time, Brown’s administration and City Council ended the commission and moved its functions into City Hall as the Office of Economic Development in 2012.
Wendland joined Stellar in 2014 for almost two years in business development before joining Curry, who took office in 2015.
Wendland said he would look at opportunities and prove “that I have a little something left on the fastball.”