Travis Rigdon is the president of the Downtown Council of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. He is also the general manager of the Hardage-Giddens Funeral Homes & Cemeteries, Chapel Hills location.
WHAT’S YOUR VIEW OF DOWNTOWN?
“As it is now, downtown is in the midst of an energy bubble,” said Rigdon. “It’s electric. In the Downtown Council, we’re blessed that we can feed off what’s naturally here, and we’re lucky to have that. I’m glad we can be a part of leaving a legacy behind, with paw prints and the corporate art tours and hard hat loft tours. I also think this organization is great at taking ideas and birthing ideas. A prime example of that is the Friday Fest that started with [Downtown Council member] Lisa Rowe.”
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR?
Upcoming events include the Corporate Art Tour and Silent Auction on Nov. 13 at the Suddath Building on the Southbank.
“We started the year focusing on the arts. Jane Craven (Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art director) was our first speaker, and we’ll finish with the Corporate Art Tour,” said Rigdon. “We’ve been art-focused, but we’ve also had a lot of key Jacksonville people. We had the mayoral forum, and we were the first council to have Mayor John Peyton as a speaker. Council President Lad Daniels is an upcoming speaker, and we’ll continue with the high level of speakers.”
WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Rigdon lives at 11 E.
“On the lucky 13th floor,” he said. “Because of my downtown involvement, I really felt like it was the place for me.”
Rigdon has views of both the city and the river, and he enjoys visiting the nearby establishments, such as London Bridge Pub and La Cena.
HIS DAY JOB
Rigdon has been with Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home & Cemeteries for nine years.
“I always knew what I wanted to do,” he said. “I’m blessed to work with such wonderful people and to be able to give back to the community. Being able to be there for the families I work with at such a crucial time is what’s at my core, and it’s why I get up in the morning.”
WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN?
Rigdon spends a lot of time with his 7-year-old daughter, Madison. He’s also considering a return to Jacksonville Masterworks Chorale.
WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
Rigdon is a third generation Jacksonvillian. He attended Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and was among the first graduating class to go all the way through.
— by Bailey White