Three days after the surprisingly closely held news was announced that Florida Rep. Daniel Davis will become president and CEO of the JAX Chamber on July 1, starting what the chamber proclaims as "a new day," Davis outlined several actions he intends to take:
• He wants to create a Real Estate Council to add to the nine chamber councils that exist to cover geographic areas and specialized interests. Davis is executive director of Northeast Florida Builders Association and said Friday he wants the two organizations to work together.
• He wants a proactive chamber communications campaign to reach businesses of all size to increase membership and show the value of being a member, and also to improve the community's knowledge about the chamber's work.
• He will bring his strength as a fundraiser to the chamber to generate money for chamber needs, including completing the efforts to fund the chamber's $3.5 million renovated Downtown headquarters, for which there are naming rights for "everything from the building to the coffee pot." He would not divulge any donor names that might be announced.
• He will capitalize on his local ties as a former City Council member and current state representative as well as a 34-year resident of Jacksonville, moving to the Westside as a child and maintaining a residence in West Jacksonville since.
• He wants the chamber to take advantage of economic development circumstances. "From London to the port to Cecil, we have a lot of opportunities to capitalize on," he said, referring to the Jacksonville Jaguars' once-a-season game in London the next four years; Jacksonville's ports, considering a major area economic driver; and Cecil Commerce Center, the City-owned business and industrial park in West Jacksonville.
His first comment this morning was an expression of surprise that the news of his appointment was kept a secret almost until the day it was announced. Someone coming across news like that in Jacksonville finds "it's very difficult to keep it to yourself," he said.
Davis, 40, was introduced Friday as the new president and CEO of the JAX Chamber, succeeding Wally (Walter M. III) Lee, who retired after 23 years in the position. Lee remained an adviser until March, when he turned 65.
Davis isn't much younger than Lee was upon taking the job.
Davis was one of about 150 applicants considered for the position and said he was approached by the search firm before the legislative session began March 5. The session concluded May 3 and Davis was announced as the JAX Chamber CEO two weeks later.
"I had never applied for a job before," he said. "I had to put a resume together."
Davis said he and chamber leaders plan to meet to decide his future with the Legislature – whether he should step aside or keep the position, which he has held since 2010.
He expects a decision "in short order," but didn't have a timeframe.
Davis said he met Friday morning with Mayor Alvin Brown for about an hour to talk about the chamber role.
Brown's communications director, David DeCamp, issued a statement Monday morning that "Mayor Brown looks forward to working with Representative Davis, and is happy he shares the mayor's priorities and goals for economic development in Jacksonville."
Observers say Brown likely was also supportive of the appointment because Davis has been rumored as a potential mayoral candidate in 2015, running on the Republican ticket to oppose
Brown, a Democrat who is running for a second term.
DeCamp referred questions about the mayor's race "to the political organization outside of the city administration as it is inappropriate for city staff to be involved in political actions as public employees."
"I am definitely not running for the mayor's office," Davis said, referring to 2015.
"This is a very, very important job," he said, adding that he couldn't run the chamber and run a campaign at the same time. He didn't rule out a future run.
Davis said Friday his priorities included expanding and serving the chamber membership, now about 3,000; recruiting jobs and the retention and growth of existing jobs; and public policy, including support of the proposed City human rights ordinance, which failed in a City Council vote after heated debate.
Davis said Friday there was "no place for in our community for any type of discrimination" and repeated that Monday.
Chamber leadership strongly supported the anti-discrimination legislation, which would have added language to the City ordinance code banning discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Politics and family
A Westside resident, Davis is a member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing District 15, and chairs the House Transportation and Highway Safety Subcommittee.
He was elected to the House in 2010 after representing City Council District 12 from 2003-10, serving as Council president in 2007-08.
Davis was chosen by local Republican leaders in 2010 to replace former Florida Rep. Jennifer Carroll on the ballot after Carroll was tapped by Gov. Rick Scott as his running mate for lieutenant governor. Davis was subsequently re-elected.
He has been executive director of the Northeast Florida Builders Association since 2006, running Jacksonville's second-largest membership organization, with about 1,100 members.
Davis said he is working with the builders' group to determine a succession plan.
Davis said he first ran for Council at the age of 25 but lost to Doyle Carter, who currently is serving another tour in the District 12 Westside seat. Davis then joined the staff of the builders association.
His biographical information on the myfloridahouse.gov website lists his family – wife, Rebekah Pendleton Davis, originally from Boulder, Colo., and their four children — two girls, two boys, from age 13 to 6.
The couple celebrates their 16th anniversary in June.
Davis was born Jan. 15, 1973, in South Bend, Ind., and moved to Florida in 1979 when his father moved here in the ministry. Davis earned his bachelor's degree from Maranatha Baptist Bible College in Watertown, Wis., where he played Division III football and where he met Rebekah.
He lists his recreational interests as fishing, golf, hunting and time with family
As for longtime talk about his family relationship to Clerk of Courts Ronnie Fussell, who served on Council with Davis, Fussell's wife is a cousin to Davis.
Chamber priorities
The appointment of Davis also frees interim CEO Jerry Mallot to resume full-time leadership as the JAXUSA Partnership president.
Mallot took the interim title of JAX Chamber CEO on Jan. 1, when Lee stepped aside to become an adviser.
The chamber, one of the largest in membership in the nation, operates with a $7 million annual budget and has about 50 employees.
The chamber began in 1884, which means next year will be its 130th anniversary.
"We need to hit it on all cylinders now," Davis said today. "We've got a bright future."
JAXUSA Partnership, formerly known as Cornerstone, is the economic development division of the JAX Chamber, which previously was known as the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The JAXUSA Partnership comprises the seven counties of Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns as well as almost 200 private-sector investors along with the Jacksonville Office of Economic Development, JEA, Jacksonville Port Authority, Jacksonville Aviation Authority, Jacksonville Transportation Authority and the WorkSource state job agency.
Mallot's strong reputation as an economic developer was underscored when he took the microphone Saturday at the release of the JAX2025 vision, staffed by Jacksonville Community Council Inc.
Brown began chanting "Jer-ry… Jer-ry..."
The JAX Chamber news release Friday about Davis called it the "rebirth" of the 129-year organization.
The announcement took place at noon Friday in front of the chamber's Downtown headquarters under renovation at 3 Independent Drive.
The building was developed in 1981. It is being referred to as "Downtown's New Front Door," given its location at the Northbank base of the Main Street Bridge.
In the meantime, the chamber staff is operating in the BBVA Compass Bank building at 10060 Skinner Lake Drive, Suite 200, in Southside near the St. Johns Town Center. The chamber's phone number remains (904) 366-6600. Its website is myjaxchamber.com.
The chamber had settled on its focus for the year before hiring Davis.
As reported in February, the JAX Chamber board identified five priorities for 2013.
"The chamber board identified key priorities that will help us drive business growth to the region," said 2013 JAX Chamber Chair Greg Smith in a news release. Smith is the Northeast Florida Market president for Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
The five priorities are:
• Revitalize Downtown. The chamber is contributing to re-energizing the urban core through initiatives that include renovating its Downtown headquarters, participating in the Downtown Marketing Collaborative, organizing and attracting residents to Community First Saturdays; and partnering with other organizations on issues facing Downtown.
• Encourage education and workforce development. Chamber leaders will focus on educational programs that prepare students for jobs within targeted industries, including advanced transportation, health and life sciences and financial services. Many positions within these industries require skills in science, technology, engineering and math, known as the STEM industries.
• Transportation and infrastructure. The chamber will work with transportation authorities to develop and market the region as a transportation gateway and will advocate for funding for infrastructure improvements that are detailed in the Innovate Northeast Florida Strategic Implementation Plan recommendations.
• Build strategic partnerships. The chamber's public policy committee will lead efforts to form alliances with organizations to help develop and enhance economic development opportunities while strengthening economic partnerships.
• Instill community pride. The chamber's #ilovejax campaign will continue to highlight the region's business and economic strength and boost community pride. The #ilovejax campaign uses multiple communication methods with a focus on social media to promote the region.
The chamber also will continue to provide leadership in public policy to create a business-friendly political environment; work with businesses to create and grow the number of jobs in Northeast Florida; and to continually innovate to increase the interaction among chamber members, said a news release.
Davis also takes on responsibility for a list of targeted industries for recruitment, expansion and retention.
As Mallot re-stated Saturday at the JAX2025 event, the chamber and City's targeted industries are:
• Aviation and aerospace. According to the City's coj.net site, the City has a strong and long-running relationship with military aviation and aerospace activities that has led many related manufacturers, MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) operations and support operations to locate in Jacksonville.
Aviation and aerospace companies find an ample supply of highly-skilled workers from the 3,000 military separations per year from the local military units which include the U.S. Navy at NAS Jacksonville and Naval Station Mayport, the U.S. Marines and the Department of Homeland Security aviation operations.
Commercial and general aviation airports include Cecil Airport, Jacksonville International Airport, Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport and Herlong Recreational Airport.
There are 8,300 developable acres at the City-owned Cecil Commerce Center which is home to Cecil Airport, which has four runways, three measuring 8,500 feet and one with a length of 12,500 feet making it Florida's third longest runway.
Jacksonville educational institutions offer aviation-related education.
• Supply chain logistics. Three major interstates — Interstates 95, 75 and 10; three railroads — CSX, Norfolk Southern and Florida East Coast; JaxPort, with three marine terminals; Jacksonville International Airport and developable sites contribute to the infrastructure that connects Northeast Florida to state, national and international markets.
The City says 45 million people live within an eight-hour drive of Jacksonville and 60 percent of the U.S. population, about 179 million people, is within a 24-hour truck drive.
"Many people are surprised when they hear that Jacksonville is the most western city on the entire East Coast of the United States (and even more western than Cleveland," says the site.
Sites and buildings for distribution are available throughout the area. The City-owned Cecil Commerce Center has more than 8,300 developable acres, entitlements to industrial space and direct interstate access.
• Finance and insurance. Companies in the sector include Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Florida Blue, Citi, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo.
The University of North Florida, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville University, Edward Waters College and Flagler College in St. Augustine produced more than 2,600 students with business degrees last year.
• Headquarters. Jacksonville continues to recruit national, regional and divisional headquarters.
Among them, three Jacksonville-based companies made this year's Fortune 500 list of the nation's largest corporations.
The list of the 500 companies, which is based on fiscal 2012 revenue, included CSX Corp. ranked No. 231 with $11.8 billion in revenue; Fidelity National Financial Inc. ranked No. 353 with $7.3 billion in revenue; and Fidelity National Information Services ranked No. 434 with $5.9 billion in revenue.
Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. had been a regular member of the Fortune 500, but the Jacksonville-based supermarket chain was acquired last year by Bi-Lo Holding. Privately owned Bi-Lo Holding LLC, the parent company of Winn-Dixie and Bi-Lo, was not included in the Fortune 500 list, although a company executive says it has sales of $10 billion. The combined headquarters is in Jacksonville.
• Information technology. "This cluster thrives because of the diverse economic base of Jacksonville companies which are its clients. The large financial services cluster is a main customer of the information technology companies in the area," says the City website.
• Life sciences. The City says that with more than 50,000 employees, half a dozen major hospitals and a recent private capital investment of more than $600 million, the industry "serves as a driving force for business development and the expansion of world-class medical research facilities."
It lists St. Vincent's Medical Center, the University of Florida and Shands, Mayo Clinic Florida and Baptist Health as some of the medical centers. "The nation's third proton beam therapy center has also been established at the Shands Jacksonville medical center, with the help of the Office of Economic Development," says the City.
• Advanced manufacturing. Advanced manufacturing companies in Jacksonville include BFGoodrich and Vistakon Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, according to the City.
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