• The Jacksonville Community Council Inc. releases its latest study Thursday at the Wyndham. It’s on “Attracting & Retaining Talent: People and Jobs for the 21st Century.”
• The St. Joe Company has a new exec in its Riverside Ave.offices. He’s Jay Romans, who’ll be the senior vice president for human resources. He comes from Hughes Supply, Inc., an Orlando-based Fortune 500 company with 500 branches in 42 states and 10,000 employees, where he was Senior Vice President Human Resources and a Corporate Officer.
• Former U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese (he served under President Ronald Reagan) has been confirmed to speak at a Florida Coastal School of Law forum on Oct. 5.
• You’ll see another statistic on your TV weather reports this year. Says Ch. 12-25’s Tim Deegan, “With all these trees around here, we can take a beating even if the hurricane doesn’t hit. So, you’ll hear forecasters telling you that there’s a certain percent chance of being hit by a hurricane but also you’ll get the percentage of being hit by 70 miles per hour winds and 50 mph winds.”
• Some of our young Downtown fun lovers are having a football party at the River City Brewing Company on Aug. 26 to dance, watch the Jaguars and then go to an after party at Mark’s Downtown. It’s a benefit for Dreams Come True and you should show up between 3-7 p.m. with $20.
• Liz Flaisig has left the Business Journal for an editorial position at the Times-Union.
• The World Golf Village celebrated its 8th anniversary May 19 and Chief Operating Officer Jack Peter said the WGV has had a great start. “We have come a tremendous way in eight short years,” he said.
• Speaking of the World Golf Village, look for them to make their final World Golf Hall of Fame announcement regarding this year’s inductees at next month’s British Open. Why the staggered announcements and why at tournaments? Peter said the announcements are being made outside the WGV to “get as much exposure as possible.”
• One more from WGV. So who’s the lucky one from the staff who will be at Royal Liverpool Golf Course to help make the Hall of Fame announcement? Communication manager Peyton Taylor whom Peter joked “drew the short straw.”
• Real estate note from WGV. Davidson Realty will open its new headquarters late this year and it’ll be just inside the entrance to the Slammer & Squire course. According to Davidson Realty President Sherry Davidson, the real estate division will occupy the first floor while Davidson Development will occupy the second floor. There will also be a 12,000 square-foot day care center called Roots and Wings.
The new Downtown This Week is out and the cover story features Jazz in June, the month-long event designed to bring jazz and big crowds to the Northbank Riverwalk. The magazine is free and available all over Downtown.