by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Tom Petway has done a lot of things in his professional career.
Most notably, he’s the chairman of Zurich Insurance Services, co-founder of Prudential Network Realty and a part-owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Come October, Petway will take the international stage when he chairs this year’s 30th annual joint meeting of the Southeast United States/Japan Association. And, it’s a role he relishes.
“It is a big honor,” said Petway. “I’m flattered they chose me. It speaks volumes not just about me, but about Northeast Florida.”
The SEUS/Japan Association is a yearly opportunity for business leaders from seven Southeast U.S. states — Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia — to meet with business leaders from Japan to discuss trade, commerce, investment and other business-related topics.
It won’t be all business Oct. 22-24 in Orlando: one of the main purposes of the annual meeting is to establish business relationships while developing personal friendships through golf, tours, reception and entertainment.
Petway said he hasn’t been involved directly in the SEUS/Japan meetings before but his interest in economic development was more than reason enough to agree to chair this year’s meeting — the 30th, but the first in Florida in 14 years (the meeting alternates yearly between the Southeast U.S. and Japan).
“I know some of the leaders as well as Glenda Hood, the former mayor of Orlando and Florida Secretary of State,” said Petway. “My intention, and the reason they asked me to do it, is that they know I have been involved in economic development. It’s one of my passions. Economic development is what keeps the engine running. The governor (Jeb Bush,) too, knows that economic development is the key driver.”
The conference will also be a chance for local business and economic development leaders to establish ties with other areas of Florida as well as the Southeast United States and Japan. Jerry Mallot, the executive vice president of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, will attend as will others. Petway says the local port is one of this area’s biggest assets.
“The conference is the method by which we communicate with Japanese business leaders, which leads to business with Jacksonville companies,” said Mallot. “It’s probably the easiest and most important way to develop business relationships that will last years. It takes time to develop those relationships with different cultures, especially Asian cultures.”
Mallot pointed at the recent deal inked by the Jacksonville Port Authority that will see Japanese cargo shipper Mitsui build a $150 million terminal at the Port as a huge stepping stone toward making better inroads in Japan.
“This terminal has already brought significant interest from large distribution centers that ship Asian-related goods,” said Mallot.
Bush will be the host governor for the meeting, which is limited to 70 delegates from Florida, and Petway has ties to Bush. He chaired Bush’s transition team after Bush was re-elected in 2002 and lived in Tallahassee during the transition period.
Petway sees the three-day meeting as both an honor and an opportunity to make inroads in the international business community, and especially in a country like Japan that has a solid relationship with the United States.
Sibille Pritchard is the chair of the SEUS/Japan Florida delegation and said Petway’s impeccable reputation played a role in his selection.
“We are thrilled to have the support of such a regarded businessman as Tom,” said Pritchard, the senior vice president of Brooksville Development Corp. in Orlando. “His solid reputation throughout the state will help attract other business leaders interested in this exclusive opportunity to establish business relationships with leading Japanese corporations.”
SUES/Japan Association Executive Director Dave Woodward agreed that Petway’s character and business acumen makes him a good choice to lead the conference.
“Tom’s outstanding business and civic reputation — as demonstrated through his leadership role with the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Super Bowl in Jacksonville and his other extensive involvement — speaks to his ability to help us attract business delegates for the conference,” said Woodward. “He also came highly-recommended by the Governor’s office, a true honor which further speaks to his impressive reputation.”
Petway said he doesn’t have a personal agenda heading into the meeting and prefers to view the conference as a way to showcase Florida. Planning for the event has already started.
“It’s a very organized event. We went over the agenda yesterday with organizers,” said Petway, adding that Woodward and his staff do most of the planning and organizing. “I am not involved in that process. But, the conferences are very well attended.”
Last year’s SEUS/Japan Association meeting was held in Tokyo while the 2004 meeting was hosted by the Grand Hyatt in Atlanta. Three years ago, Hood — who was Secretary of State at the time — led the U.S. delegation that attended the conference in Osaka. Petway said he isn’t sure which Japanese city will host next year’s conference, but he does know one thing.
“It would be exciting to go Japan and meet with the business community there that is parallel to what we do here,” he said.