from staff
Cornerstone Regional Development Partnership, the economic development arm of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, will meet with several of its Northeast Florida economic development partners late this month. According to Jerry Mallot, executive vice president of development for Cornerstone, the primary objective of the meeting is to establish area economic growth objectives and determine how to best push those initiatives during the upcoming session of the Florida Legislature.
“We are combining our legislative forum with the Florida Economic Development Council legislative meeting,” he said. “In both cases, the plan is to focus on the legislative environment in Florida today.”
The Chamber consists of Duval, St. Johns, Clay, Nassau, Baker, Putnam and Flagler counties and representatives from each have been invited to the meeting set for The River Club from 9:30-11 a.m.
Mallot said the challenges facing the Chamber and its members, considering the current economic climate of the state and the nation and budget woes facing lawmakers in Tallahassee, are a given. What he hopes the meeting helps discover are ways Chamber members and its economic development partners can take advantage of what funding may be available.
“We are trying to build community relations and outcomes by working with the counties,” said Mallot, who is co-hosting the meeting along with Jacksonville Economic Development Commission Executive Director Ron Barton.
During the meeting, Frank and Tracy Mayernick — the FEDC’s chief lobbyists — will present the FEDC’s statewide economic development agenda. Also, Mallot will present Cornerstone’s regional legislative priorities. Members of the Duval Delegation have also been invited in an effort to hear the needs of Cornerstone, its partners and the FEDC and take those needs to the Legislature when it convenes March 3.