by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Mike Hightower tells the story of moving from Chicago to Jacksonville when he was a kid. So distraught he was, Hightower jokes he wanted to divorce his parents. Then, something happened — the same thing he says happens to most who move to the area — he quickly grew to appreciate Jacksonville.
That was nearly 40 years ago. Today, Hightower is a lobbyist for BlueCross BlueShield of Florida, the state’s largest health insurance provider, chair of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce and a current or former member of too many boards and commissions to name.
Friday, Hightower met with the Sales & Marketing Council — the marketing arm of the Northeast Florida Builders Association — at the University of North Florida’s University Center. Despite being in an industry that has been decimated nationwide over the past 18 months, the real estate community remains upbeat. Hightower says there’s a good reason for that.
“No one would have thought 18 months ago that we would be talking about what’s going on in Detroit or what’s going on in New York on Wall Street. These are unique times,” he said. “We are going to make it. Jacksonville is going to make it. There is something happening in Jacksonville that is not happening in other cities in Florida or the Southeast. People are still buying a house. People are still talking to realtors. People are still talking to brokers.
“Can you imagine having this meeting outside of Detroit or New York or New Jersey? You wouldn’t have this kind of enthusiasm.”
Cal Williams of Lennar Homes is the current SMC chair. He’s been selling real estate in the area for 37 years. He’s seen better days. He’s seen worse. Williams is convinced the slide is over.
“We are at the bottom, but it is getting better,” he said. “But, it’ll never be the same.”
Hightower also talked about the benefits of joining the Chamber. He realizes that the $344 a year membership dues may be too much for a small business or independent contractor such as a realtor, but he also said the Chamber is willing to work with potential new members. With 4,200 members that represent 39,000 businesses in the Northeast Florida area, Hightower says Chamber membership is one of the best networking tools available today. The existence of eight area Chamber Councils also assures that members don’t have to travel Downtown once a month to keep up on what’s going on in their district or Chamber-wide.
“We are a unique Chamber, different from most,” he said. “The Chamber has evolved to meet the needs of the community and the Chamber reflects what the community looks like.”
While the Jacksonville area has certainly felt some of the recent problems associated with the national economic woes, Hightower says the people and business-friendly climate have helped keep the damage at a minimum. He’s also convinced those two traits will assure Jacksonville rebounds quickly.
“We are one of the few cities in America that companies are still coming to. We also need to keep the companies we have,” he said. “When you create jobs, the building industry likes to see that. Realtors like to see that.
“Jacksonville is growing and the Chamber is committed to making sure if a company is willing to locate here, we are there telling them about Jacksonville.”
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