Leona Brown has been the administrator of the St. Johns Builders Council for almost two years. “I run the organization here in St. Augustine. I organize all the functions, take the minutes for the board and run the office. I work with different organizations including St. Augustine Housing Partnership and Habitat for Humanity. As a builder’s organization we have a lot of builders that have a lot of talent and can contribute to these other organizations. I work very closely with the St. Johns County Building Department. We have an excellent rapport with them.”
UNDER NEFBA?
The St. Johns Builders Council comes under the Northeast Florida Builders Association’s umbrella. “We are the largest one under the umbrella with 200 members. We are the only one with an outside satellite office.”
WHAT ELSE DOES
SHE DO?
She puts out a monthly publication where the members advertise, upcoming events are posted and information about St. Johns County is publicized. “It goes to anyone who is a member of the NEFBA organization that wants to get on the mailing list to find out what is going on in St. Johns County.”
WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY?
“It’s booming. There are so many communities and the county is so large. You hardly know when you leave St. Johns County and go into Jacksonville with all the communities on CR 210, World Golf Village and even up into Ponte Vedra Beach. All of the big builders including North Florida Builders, Mercedes Homes, Seda Construction are building in St. Johns County. What we are trying to do is to get those builders involved with our organization here.”
WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR MAIN GOALS THIS YEAR?
“To continue the rapport with the St. Johns Building Department. To support them and let us give them whatever support we can to make their organization better service our builders. We want to do whatever we can to do help them makes the process of building a house better for the builders.”
HOW DID SHE GET INTO THE BUILDING BUSINESS?
In 1975, she started working in sales for the developer of Palm Coast, ITT Community Development Corporation. When they closed, she moved to St. Augustine and started with the City of St. Augustine Beach’s Building Department until she was recruited by Coates Construction, where she worked directly with prospective clients, pulled permits and coordinated inspections. When she relocated to Palm Coast, she went to work for SeaGate Homes as a marketing coordinator and design associate until she heard about the position opening at the St. Johns Builders Council. She still resides in Palm Coast.
HOW DOES SHE LIKE IT?
She loves it. “Getting to meet new people and networking to get more people to join is fun.”
WHEN DO THEY HOLD THEIR MEETINGS?
The third Tuesday of each month and the location varies.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AGAINST GROWTH, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO THEM?
“Growth is like a child, you can’t stop it from growing. It’s inevitable. I can understand people who are environmentally sensitive and want to protect the environmentally sensitive land. I am all for that. You can’t have all this property and have it completely full of houses and commercial buildings. You need to have parks, recreation and natures beauty to surround you. But, that is something that the St. Johns County commissioners have under control. I think they are very aware of what is going on in St. Johns County. I think the commissioner we have now, Bruce Maguire, will protect the growth as much as he can.”
BIRTHPLACE
Abaco, Bahamas.
HOBBIES
Fishing, boating and remodeling her home that sits on a canal in Palm Coast. “It was one of the original homes built in Palm Coast.”
FAMILY
She’s maarried to Jerry, a network manager for BellSouth. She has two children, Daniel and Lise.
FAVORITES
Her favorite movie is “Gone With the Wind.” When relaxing at home, she enjoys tuning into “Jags”. When traveling she likes to go home to the Bahamas. When dining out, she enjoys Outback Steakhouse.
— by Michele Newbern Gillis