• Mike Ruble has been named BB&T’s Wealth Division Wealth Management Team leader for Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. He most recently served as a private client advisor and team leader for U.S. Trust with Bank of America in Ponte Vedra Beach. BB&T’s Wealth Division manages more than $17 billion in assets. Wealth Management clients typically include individuals or families with at least $1 million in assets to invest or at least $5 million in net worth.
• Speaking of banking, Kelly Madden, First Coast market president for Wachovia, is the chair-elect of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce. A year from now, she’ll succeed Blue Cross Blue Shield executive Mike Hightower. Chairing the Chamber will put a cap to a recent run for Madden that includes serving as chair of the Chamber’s Cornerstone initiative and the Gator Bowl Association.
• City Council members Daniel Davis and Art Graham will meet Friday at 3:15 to discuss Davis’ procurement bill that would favor local companies seeking City contracts. The bill passed the Council’s Rules and Finance committees and could get the approval of full Council Tuesday. The meeting Friday is in Conference Room A in the Council offices.
• There will be a change of command ceremony Friday at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Rear Adm. Townsend G. “Tim” Alexander will relieve Rear Adm. Michael C. Vitale as commander of Navy Region Southeast. The command leads shore installation management support and execution for 21 bases in the Southeast United States and parts of the Caribbean and has a budget of more than $850 million. Alexander previously served as Commander, Navy Region Hawaii and Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific. Vitale has been selected for promotion to vice admiral and his next assignment will be Commander, Naval Installations Command in Washington, D.C.
• The Riverside Fine Arts Series will present jazz vocalist Sophie Milman Jan. 23 at 8 p.m. at the Church of the Good Shepherd on Park Street. The Juno Award-winner has performed with Aaron Neville, Chick Corea and Jesse Cook. Tickets are $35, $10 for students and may be purchased by calling 389-6222.
• The Amelia Island Convention and Visitors Bureau is hard at work trying to attract visitors to the island community north of Jacksonville. It has created “Restaurant Week” and “Vacation from Inauguration.” Restaurant Week is from Jan. 25-Feb.1 and allows customers to eat from set menus for either $19 or $29 at 16 restaurants on the island, and lodging specials are also available. Vacation from Inauguration will tempt residents of Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., to leave the crowded confines near the U.S. capital as people flock to President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration. The promotion utilizes direct flights to Jacksonville from D.C. and couples that with lodging deals at nine island properties from Jan. 18-22. Customers will have to show a valid driver license from those areas to get the deal.
• Douglas Howe, national chair of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties will be in town Jan. 27 for the local NAIOP luncheon at the Crowne Plaza. Howe is the founder and president of Seattle-based Touchstone Corporation. Locally, NAIOP is chaired by Oliver Barakat of CB Richard Ellis.
• Missed “The Dark Knight” on the big screen? Starting Jan. 23, The World Golf Hall of Fame will show the film in its IMAX Theater. Tickets will be available to the public on www.wgv.com and in the theater box office beginning Friday.
• Next week, the Northeast Florida Builders Association will install its 65th board of directors during a breakfast next Friday at the University of North Florida’s University Center. NEFBA past presidents will also be honored during the ceremony.
• Legal thriller author David Baldacci will be here Feb. 27 as part of the Much Ado About Books festival luncheon at the Main Library. The luncheon is hosted by the Jacksonville Public Library Foundation.