by David Ball
Staff Writer
Michael Cavendish, attorney and shareholder with the new Jacksonville office of Gunster Yoakley & Steward P.A., didn’t exactly expect to be chosen as the newest JTA board member, let alone be appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist.
“Opening that letter produced a kind of feeling of fear that something had happened to me that I really wasn’t worthy of,” said Cavendish. “It was a great feeling, but as soon as I read the words in the letter, what washed over me was a sense that I’ve got to earn what I’ve been given.”
Cavendish, 35, will have plenty of time to earn his place as he begins a four-year term this month, replacing outgoing board member John Sawyer on the seven-member panel. He joins board Secretary Ava Parker, a partner at Lawrence, Parker & Neighbors, as the board’s two lawyers.
While Parker brings past experience with the Public Service Commission and the Florida Department of Transportation, Cavendish brings his experience as a commercial lawyer with a concentration in complex commercial litigation. JTA Executive Director Michael Blaylock said Cavendish is a welcome addition to the board.
“He’s got a good corporate knowledge,” said Blaylock. “Right now we’re investigating the use of private-sector dollars to help fund our public projects, and his experience could help.”
Cavendish, originally from Coral Springs and a University of Florida law school graduate, is a member of The Florida Bar and American Bar Association, where he chaired the ethics subcommittee. He was recently named to Florida’s “Legal Elite” by Florida Trend Magazine.
He also plays active roles in community groups such as the I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless, Community Connections of Jacksonville and The Florida Bar Foundation, which helps provide legal services to low-income families.
Although these accomplishments were listed in his application, Cavendish said it likely was his stated passion for the Jacksonville community that helped win his appointment. As an attorney in the city since 1998, he said he’s had a unique glimpse of Jacksonville’s many faces.
“As a lawyer, I get to move all over town and meet people in every segment of the economy,” said Cavendish. “And I also get to be a spectator to the economic life of Jacksonville.
“The little quirks about our city, the hiccups in the road as we grow,” he continued. “You wake up one day and all these things, and making your city better, become very important to you.”
Cavendish said he’s spent his entire career in the private sector or with non-profits, and he’s looking forward to his first foray into the workings of a large governmental agency handling multi-billion-dollar in projects, even if there is a learning curve.
“When I look at the other board members and the executive director, it’s pretty humbling to be able to join them,” he said. “I’m going to be the junior member with the least experience, and I’ve got to learn from these folks.”
Despite his modesty, Cavendish isn’t a newcomer to transportation work. Last fall, he served on a citizen’s advisory group charged with reviewing FDOT’s operations for incoming Gov. Crist.
“Florida is facing vastly increasing transportation infrastructure costs and also the specter of declining fuel taxes,” said Cavendish. “The buzz word going around the state now is ‘innovation.’ There needs to be innovative ways to solve these transportation problems.”
The proposed JTA bus fare increases and route changes is one immediate issue on the horizon, Cavendish said, as is working to further streamline the connections between different areas of Jacksonville.
“We have these gorgeous beaches and historic neighborhoods on the river, and they are 40 minutes apart driving at a good clip,” said Cavendish.
“We have stunning new golf communities in the southern part of the county and beautiful natural resources in the northern part. Smart transportation solutions to connect us all together is everything.”
Cavendish’s first board meeting is in August, and although he’s officially been a board member for only two weeks, he said his work began quickly.
“One thing JTA has been good at is getting community input,” he said. “I’ve already had all kinds of folks approach me and share ideas. I think that’s something that’s going to continue and something I look forward to receiving.”