by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Tom Petway and Winston Wilkinson have been appointed to the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission by Mayor John Delaney. Petway is a minority owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the president and CEO of Zurich Insurance. Wilkinson is the local president of First Union.
Petway and Wilkinson replace Ed “Chipper” Hall, who resigned late last year, citing other commitments that required more of his time, and Kathy Barco, who resigned several weeks ago after her company was subpoenaed in conjunction with the lawsuit filed by the Utility Contractors Association against the City of Jacksonville.
Neither Petway nor Wilkinson will be able to sit on the Commission in an official capacity until they receive City Council approval. The next full Council meeting is scheduled for May 14, which means, if approved, both will be able to vote on action items at the June 13 JEDC meeting.
With Petway and Wilkinson on board, the JEDC will have its full compliment of seven members for the first time since December of last year. The JEDC is chaired Rev. Fred Newbill and also consists of Downtown Development Authority chairman Jim Citrano, Lewis Siplin, Susan Hartley and Ceree Harden.
The JEDC was created by Delaney for the purpose of providing economic incentives for projects all over Jacksonville, but specifically in the downtown area north and west of the river. Since its inception, the JEDC has created and approved such projects as the Adam’s Mark Hotel, Berkman Plaza and the $860 million Shipyards project.