by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Almost 90 of the area’s top business and civic leaders are in Seattle this week for the 2008 Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce’s annual Leadership Trip.
The destination was chosen last fall by Chamber-chair elect Mike Hightower, an executive with BlueCross BlueShield of Florida. At the time, the choice looked good — Seattle is a city that resembles Jacksonville in that it was once suffering economically, but through a strong port operation and small business success, it has become one of the more economically sound cities in the nation.
Things may have changed since last fall, but Hightower still likes his choice and is looking forward to the week-long trip.
“I think this is going to be a unique opportunity for Jacksonville,” said Hightower, alluding to the billboard that graced the Seattle skyline in the 1970s that said “The last person out of Seattle, please turn out the lights.” He said that decade was a real bust and rollercoaster ride for the Pacific Northwest city that’s the corporate home of Starbucks, Boeing, Microsoft and others. “They came back from that when they were on their last leg.”
Hightower said Jacksonville’s economy is based partly on large corporations and businesses related to the Jacksonville Port Authority. However, he added the economic backbone is the 39,000 small businesses that call Jacksonville home.
“We have the second-largest Chamber in the country with 4,600 members,” said Hightower, who likes the entrepreneurial nature of Jacksonville and said it’s similar to the environment found in Seattle.
Even the current national economic woes haven’t dampened the enthusiasm of this year’s participants. Despite a limited number of people going compared to years past, Hightower said only two who initially committed to going have cancelled their reservations.
“I think that’s an extraordinary statement of the loyalty and commitment to this community,” he said.
While in Seattle, the Jacksonville contingent will get a tour of the Starbucks corporate offices, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Pikes Peak Market and meet with Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.
|
Name | Company | |
| |
Barry Allred | Elkins Constructors | |
Bill Andrews | GrayRobinson | |
Ron Autrey | Miller Electric Company | |
Hilah Autrey | Miller Electric Company | |
Bob Baldwin | Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce | |
Bruce Barcelo | Barcelo & Company | |
Martha Barrett | Bank of America/Duval Co. School Board | |
Ron Barton | JEDC | |
Lynette Beitz | Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce | |
Rebekah Bell | Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce | |
Beverly Brinn | 3 Sister’s Chocolate Company | |
Celeste Burger | Celestial Travels | |
Jeff Burger | Celestial Travels | |
Robert Burke | Robert E. Burke CPA | |
Ross Carrier | Flagler Development Group | |
Jennifer Chapman | Fidelity Investments | |
Frank Crocetti | Fidelity Investments | |
Juan Diaz | BEA Systems Products Group | |
Lelia Duncan | Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce | |
John Emery | Sea Star Line | |
Sam Entriken | W&O Supply | |
Larry Fairman | Fairman Consulting | |
Tom Fallin | England, Thims & Miller | |
Bruce Ferguson | WorkSource | |
Brian Franco | Auld & White Constructors | |
Sheila Green | Green Productivity Solutions | |
Philip Green | University of North Florida | |
Denise Green | Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce | |
Eric Green | JaxPort | |
Jack Guidry | W&O Supply | |
Mary Harvey | Agency a la Carte | |
Tommy Hazouri | Duval County School Board | |
Maggie Hightower | Jacksonville Public Library | |
Mike Hightower | Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Florida | |
Adam Hollingsworth | City of Jacksonville | |
Gilli Hyde | John Hancock-Gilli Hyde | |
Leerie Jenkins | Reynolds, Smith & Hills | |
Matthew Kampfe | Jacksonville University | |
Don Kartzmark | Haskell | |
Scott Keith | BB&T | |
Chris Kennelly | Kennetic Productions, Inc. | |
Kellie Jo Kilberg | Clay County Chamber of Commerce | |
Ali Korman | Stellar | |
John Lafond | Deutsche Bank | |
Alyson Lee | Jacksonville University | |
Wally Lee | Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce | |
Suzanne Lemen | Dynamic Corporate Solutions | |
Jim Love | State Farm Insurance-Jim Love | |
Robin Love | Carter Love LLC | |
Richard Lovelace | Stellar | |
Betsy Lovett | Jacksonville Public Library Foundation | |
Steve Lovett | Ervin, Lovett & Miller | |
Mike Madden | n/a | |
Kelly Madden | Wachovia | |
Jerry Mallot | Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce | |
William C. Mason | Jacksonville Port Authority | |
Maxine McBride | Clockwork Marketing Services | |
Joe McCann | Jacksonville University | |
Jeanne Miller | FCCJ | |
John Montgomery | Enterprise Integration | |
Lisa Moore | IBM | |
Cheryl Munn | Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce | |
Michael Munz | Dalton Agency | |
Leith Oatman | Gresham, Smith & Partners | |
Ron Pellum | Ennis, Pellum & Associates | |
Mayor Peyton | City of Jacksonville | |
Roger Postlethwaite | GreenPointe Communities | |
Ed Pratt-Dannals | Duval County School Board | |
Michele Querry | FCCJ | |
Alisa Quinn | Enterprise Integration | |
Wayne Reed | R-A-M Professional Group | |
Doug Reed | Fidelity Investments | |
Conchita Robinson | Turknett Robinson Group | |
John Rutherford | Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office | |
Erik Simonsen | Deutsche Bank | |
Greg Smith | Bank of America | |
Theresa Smith | Rink Design Partnership | |
Michael Stewart | Jacksonville Aviation Authority | |
David Stimpson | Jacksonville University | |
Cynthia Stover | Mercantile Bank | |
Bill Sulzbacher | Atlantic Coast Developers | |
Jill Tager | The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society | |
Penny Thompson | Shands Jacksonville | |
Paul Tyler | Haskell | |
John Tyrrell | Fidelity Investments | |
Dr. Steven Wallace | FCCJ | |
Jepp Walter | Redline Services | |
Rick Welch | Connelly & Wicker Inc. | |
Edward White | Auld & White Constructors | [email protected]
356-2466
