Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has a returning tenant — a large one.
Goober, a 411-pound Aldabra tortoise, was introduced to his new exhibit last week at the zoo’s Africa boardwalk.
He first arrived at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in 1968. In 1984, Goober successfully sired the first Aldabra tortoise hatchlings in captivity in the western hemisphere. He was born in the wild and is estimated to be about 62.
He’s been visiting the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Sanford since 2006, but is back in Jacksonville, at an exhibit at the zoo’s entrance. He’ll soon be joined by a flock of African flamingos.
St. Vincent’s offers counter to heart disease
St. Vincent’ s HealthCare is offering patients a way to reverse heart disease through its “Undo it With Ornish” program.
Medicare now reimburses the hospital for the first program scientifically proven to reverse the disease.
Participants take part in a nine-week program that overhauls nutrition, fitness and stress management while educating them on the importance of their support network.
It’s based on more than three decades of research that shows coronary artery disease can be treated and reversed through lifestyle changes.
St Vincent’s will host its first Ornish session Aug. 17. Interested patients can call (877) 888-3091 or visit jaxhealth.com/undoit.
Pet Paradise opens three locations, including two in Florida
Jacksonville-based Pet Paradise has expanded the past couple of months.
The company added three pet boarding, day camp and grooming resorts, bringing operations up to 23 resorts across seven states.
In late May, the company opened a resort at Orlando International Airport on Wally Park property. In early June, it opened one in the Albuquerque, N.M., area featuring three swimming pools. The most recent addition was in Southwest Florida in Naples — the first in the area and 11th in the state.
The company was founded in 2002 and has more than 550 employees. Other sites include Atlanta, Houston and Phoenix.
For more information, visit petparadise.com.
LBA Group promotes five employees
The LBA Group, an accounting, consulting and wealth advisory firm for businesses and nonprofits, has made several promotions. They are:
• Daniel Brock to senior tax manager. Brock interned with LBA and returned in 2006 as a full-time staff accountant. He focuses on tax planning and business consultation with local manufacturing, distribution, consulting and software businesses.
• Oksana Gonzalez to tax manager. She joined LBA in 2004 as a staff accountant and in the past 11 years has worked with companies in professional services, health care and real estate. She specializes in foreign assets reporting as well as state and local taxation and planning.
• Mark Klebe to senior tax manager. Klebe joined the firm in 2013 as a manager and has more than 20 years’ experience in public accounting and 12 years in private industry as a chief financial officer. He focuses on tax services and business planning in health care and real estate.
• Jennifer Koopman to senior tax manager. Koopman joined LBA in 2007 and provides tax planning and preparation within the health care, investment services, professional services and construction and real estate industries. She also specializes in state and local taxation.
• Therese Zeman to senior manager of business accounting solutions. Zeman has 18 years of experience focusing on small business and issues including those related to start-ups, buying and selling arrangements and growing a company. She will oversee LBA’s Business Accounting Solutions team.
Jaguars to host football safety clinic for moms
Proper equipment fitting, concussion awareness and heat and hydration preparedness are on Saturday’s agenda for a safety clinic for mothers hosted by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The session is part of USA Football’s Heads Up Football program, with moms in attendance taking part in “Heads Up Tackling” and other football-related drills. It’s part of a series of football safety clinics for mothers.
More than 200 North Florida area moms will take part from 10:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. at EverBank Field.
Rod Scott, Jaguars associate athletic trainer; Jimmy Luck, team head equipment manager; Darrell Sutherland, USA Football Heads Up master trainer; and Don Hooton Sr., Taylor Hooton Foundation president, will lead the session.
Registration is available at jaguars.com/foundation-community/foundation/momsclinic.
Crowley Maritime promotes Mark Miller to VP
Crowley Maritime Corp. promoted Mark Miller to vice president of corporate and marketing communications.
He directs internal and external communications around the world for Crowley and its commercial subsidiaries. That includes brand development and protection, media relations, crisis communication and strategic development.
Miller most recently served as Crowley’s director of corporate and marketing communication. He joined the company in 1995.
Park West grand opening Aug. 1
Park West ER, a campus of Orange Park Medical Center, is having a grand opening from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 1.
The event will include food, bounce houses, games and giveaways and is free and open to the public.
The ER is at 103rd Street, east of Interstate 295. For information, visit parkwestemergency.com.
Price joins Ameris Bank in Jacksonville
Ameris Bank has named Matt Price as assistant vice president, business banker in its Lane Avenue Branch.
He’ll work with business owners to grow business deposits and loans and develop commercial relationships.
Price served in the same role for Ameris Bank in Albany, Ga., where he was responsible for a $30 million commercial loan portfolio.
Price previously was an assistant vice president, small business banker and branch manager for Regions Bank in Jacksonville. He helped open two Regions offices in the market.
Port deepening forum Tuesday
The Beaches Democratic Club will host a panel of experts discussing St. Johns River deepening and alternatives at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Beaches Branch Library, 600 Third St. N.
Panelists scheduled to attend are: Brian Taylor, Jacksonville Port Authority CEO; Lisa Rinaman, St. Johns Riverkeeper; Gabe Hanson, Sierra Club of Northeast Florida vice chair; David Jaffee, University of North Florida sociology professor; and Tom Collins, Beaches Democratic Club past president, who will moderate.
Questions from the audience will be taken after seven-minute presentations and three-minute rebuttals by each speaker.
Seating is limited.
Kaywork receives lifetime achievement award
Family Support Services of North Florida CEO Lee Kaywork received the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Florida Coalition of Children Foundation.
Kaywork was recognized for his career of service and accomplishments that have made a difference in the lives of Florida’s most needy children and their families.
Family Support Services is the lead agency for foster care, adoption and family preservation in Duval and Nassau counties.
He joined the organization in 2008 and was named CEO in 2012, previously serving as the agency’s vice president of research and development and project manager for foster-care redesign.
He and his wife, Mary, have raised three sons, adopted two daughters and fostered 35 children.
Kaywork received the award during a state conference in Orlando.