Newsmakers for 2011
by Karen Brune Mathis
Managing Editor
While many people in power will make headlines in 2011, some Duval County business and civic leaders are in positions, by choice or by circumstance, to influence significant events in the coming year.
The Daily Record staff nominated, reviewed, voted and debated a list of dozens of people who are in pivotal civic or business positions and who are expected to tackle significant issues of citywide importance in the coming year.
The top 10 are presented here today, although it’s important to note that many others were strongly considered.
Those chosen are in a specific place of particular relevance to the direction of the city. Their comments and insights will signal directions in business, politics, education and the future of Northeast Florida.
Whether or not you agree with them, you might benefit from knowing their views and plans because they might well affect you.
Also, you won’t see the names of elected officials. We excluded them from this list because elected officials are expected to influence events. That’s their job.
With all due respect to Jacksonville Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver, we also decided that he is a perennial person of influence and has been since the Jaguars were announced in 1993.
Here is the Daily Record Newsmakers list for 2011.
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Newsmakers: | · Rob Clements, chair and CEO, EverBank Financial Corp. | · Nat Glover, interim president, Edward Waters College |
| · Hugh Greene, president and CEO, Baptist Health, and 2011 chair, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce | · Dave Kulik, chair, Jacksonville Port Authority board of directors |
| · Carla Miller, ethics officer, City of Jacksonville | · Ava Parker, chair, State University System board of governors, and chair, Northeast Florida Regional Transportation Study Commission |
| · Peter Rummell, chair, Jacksonville Civic Council | · Toney Sleiman, owner, The Jacksonville Landing |
| · Billie Tucker, executive director, First Coast Tea Party | · Herschel Vinyard, business operations director, BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards and treasurer, JPA board of directors |
Rob ClementsChair and CEO
EverBank Financial Corp.
Rob Clements will make news in 2011 in two categories: banking and sports.
As chair and CEO of EverBank Financial Corp., Clements will lead the growing Jacksonville-based organization through a public stock offering.
As the head of EverBank, he also will be the topic of interest because of EverBank’s sponsorship of EverBank Field, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
A spokeswoman said Clements could not comment because the company is in a quiet period, having filed its Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. EverBank filed its registration statement Oct. 8 to sell up to $200 million in stock in an initial public offering. The SEC bans promotional publicity for a period of time after a registration statement is filed.
EverBank started in 1994 when an investor group bought the former Alliance Mortgage Co. and has grown from there.
EverBank also is widely cited as being one of the strongest performing banks in the area, the state and the country, having avoided the real estate loans that tanked other institutions.
According to its registration statement, it has recorded positive earnings in every full year since 1995.
In July, EverBank and the Jaguars announced the bank’s five-year, $16.6 million deal to put its name on the stadium. City Council agreed in August to waive the City’s 25 percent stake in the deal.
Clements’ challenges will be to continue leading EverBank through its public offering and into operations as a public company, as well as to capitalize on the stadium naming rights.
Nat GloverInterim President
Edward Waters College
Former Sheriff Nat Glover, also a former mayoral candidate, took the leadership of the struggling Edward Waters College in May as interim president, building support and securing funding to put the historically black college on track.
Edward Waters is the oldest private institution of higher education in Florida. It was founded in 1866 to educate emancipated slaves.
But through the years, the college struggled with leadership, funding and educational issues. The graduation rate of the 830-student institution was 12 percent when Glover, a 1966 graduate and football star of the college, took over.
In July, African Methodist Episcopal Church officials announced they were investing $2 million in Edward Waters College, saying the money would eliminate the college’s $1.8 million deficit and help with operating expenses.
“It put us on a sound financial basis and we are in a position where we can go out and do those things necessary to grow to the prominence I think we are able to accomplish,” said Glover.
His challenge: “Notwithstanding some perceptions in the community about Edward Waters College, it is my objective for the year to get the community to a point where it recognizes Edward Waters as the crown jewel in the community that it is,” he said.
Glover said the existence of four institutions of higher learning - the University of North Florida, Jacksonville University, Florida State College at Jacksonville and Edward Waters College - is good for the city.
The choices allow “our youth to be able to access any experience of higher learning that they so desire,” he said.
Glover said in May that he was focused on the “interim” part of his title and said then that he expected it could take a year or 18 months to hire a president. A search committee of alumni, faculty and others will recommend a new president.
Few people in the community would be surprised if Glover was at the top of the short list. And many would be disappointed if he wasn’t.
Hugh GreenePresident and CEO, Baptist Health 2011 Chair, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce
Baptist Health President and CEO Hugh Greene shoulders several issues going into 2011.
He will chair the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce as he oversees the construction of a medical tower at Baptist Health’s Southbank campus. Greene also has been talking about national health care reform, a subject of continued national debate.
The chamber wants to strengthen its base of 3,500 member companies and attract business to create jobs for the area, which continues to face double-digit unemployment rates.
His challenge at the chamber: “The ongoing work of economic development remains key for the chamber in 2011, especially given the need for jobs creation in light of current unemployment levels,” he said.
“No opportunity in this regard has greater potential impact than the further development of our port, but this has its own challenges. We also need to address the opportunity around Downtown development, which I firmly believe is crucial for any great city,” he said.
His challenge at Baptist Health:
“The largest challenge is to position Baptist Health for an uncertain post-reform environment, especially potential payment methodology changes. We are making significant progress toward the necessary integration of the health system in anticipation of these changes, but these efforts will well extend beyond 2011 as reform is implemented.”
Ava ParkerAttorney
Chair, State University System of Florida board of governors
Chair, Northeast Florida Regional Transportation Study Commission
Attorney Ava Parker chairs the 17-member State University System of Florida board of governors and the Northeast Florida Regional Transportation Study Commission. She is finishing a term as chair of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority.
As such, she must navigate the financial, political and planning challenges in two areas critical to most citizens - transportation and the state’s 11 public institutions of higher learning.
The board of governors is responsible for defining the mission of each of university and planning the operation of the system, which enrolls more than 300,000 students.
Meanwhile, the transportation commission recently began a two-year study for a regional transportation authority for the seven counties of Northeast Florida, consisting of Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns counties.
Parker is president of Linking Solutions Inc. and a practicing attorney at Lawrence, Parker & Neighbors LLC and the Law Offices of Ava Parker. Among other community service posts, she recently joined the board of Baptist Medical Center.
Her challenge: “The biggest challenge in education and transportation is funding. When I think about education and transportation, I see them first as meeting a need for our citizens and second as economic engines that enhance growth and opportunity.”
Parker said the state’s universities “have suffered substantial cuts in their budgets. Our universities provide a quality education while our students enjoy some of the lowest tuition rates in the country. I am concerned that if our universities suffer any additional budget cuts, the quality that we provide our students will suffer.”
She said the board is preparing for possible cuts “by demonstrating that we are accountable for every dollar that is appropriated and by further showing that we not only serve our students, but also help to build and grow the economy.”
She said the state’s universities “attract substantial funding to the state” through research and grants. “If the budgets are cut, the opportunities to get this additional funding will also be lost.”
She said transportation infrastructure “is the cornerstone of a strong economy.”
“Unfortunately transportation budgets have been negatively impacted as our economy has suffered. I believe that in the short term, transportation leaders are working with our elected officials to show that it is imperative that we continue our transportation work plans and our mass transit opportunities in order to support and grow our economy.”
Parker also said that because of the difficult economic conditions, “the Northeast Florida Region is using this time to come together and determine how we may work together to support the transportation needs of our area.”
Toney SleimanOwner, The Jacksonville Landing
Toney Sleiman has been a longtime newsmaker in Jacksonville, having developed acres of suburban retail centers and then buying the Landing Downtown. He has turned his focus visibly and strongly Downtown, and especially on City government. That attention will continue in 2011 as Jacksonville voters elect a new mayor and vote on City Council members, and Sleiman intends to be vocal about it.
His challenge: “My biggest challenge for 2011 will be to assist in the ‘recall’ of all of the taxes and fees that we have imposed upon the citizens of this great city over the past eight years,” he said.
He also has another goal.
“Additionally, as part of my Christian convictions, I intend to return the festivity of the birth of our savior back into our City, promoting the return of Christmas lights and decorations throughout our Downtown area that have been missing for the past eight years, and help to create jobs,” he said.
“And yes, I am ready to fight for them. I will fight tirelessly for them and I will win.”
Dave KulikChair, Jacksonville Port Authority board of directors
Dave Kulik is at the helm of what possibly is the City’s largest economic-development opportunity, which is the improvement, expansion and positioning of the Port of Jacksonville.
Kulik will work with the new port CEO, who could be former Federal Maritime Commissioner A. Paul Anderson. If negotiations are successful for the up-to-$325,000 job, Kulik will work with Anderson on many immediate issues, including resolving the Mile Point navigational problem, deepening the St. Johns River to accommodate the larger ships coming through the expanded Panama Canal in 2014, determining the site of a new cruise ship terminal, repairing aging infrastructure, developing ondock rail service and, the biggest challenge of all, finding the money to do it. It’s been estimated to cost at least $1.5 billion.
His challenge:
“I’m ready for it. The many issues that are confronting the port are going to be very complex. Those are huge investment issues. What is worrisome for me is there is a window of opportunity the next five years. If we are not successful the first year, we just postpone the success and if you get out too far in the future, you’ve lost the opportunity altogether.
“The next year is critical to start all these complex issues, to lock them down one at a time to be successful with each.” He said the first step was finding the new CEO and another step is what he called “some early success” in finding a fix for Mile Point.
Kulik said he expects the Army Corps of Engineers to pursue a feasibility study to look at whether removing an underwater wall would improve access to the docks. “If the feasibility study is successful, they will start the work in September.”
Kulik said he has become more active at the port as a new CEO is hired. “It’s going to be challenge and at the same time, I think it will be a labor of love.”
He said the port has a “very motivated and energized team.”
Kulik said that at a recent meeting of City, state and business representatives, everyone voiced support for the port. Supporters include the First Coast Manufacturers Association, which is publicly calling for a tax increase for port improvements.
“I want to harness this groundswell of support and all of these good intentions and have a coordinated effort to find the money,” said Kulik.
“My job is to bring all of these resources together and turn to Mr. Anderson and say, ‘Here’s the challenge and here are some of the known facts and here are some of the unknown and how do we attack the challenge?’”
Peter RummellChair, Jacksonville Civic Council
Peter Rummell, the former chair of The St. Joe Co., is the chair of the Jacksonville Civic Council, the group of about 50 CEOs of the area’s largest or most influential companies and organizations. It took shape early this year, taking over where the Jacksonville Non-Group left off.
The council is focusing on many issues, including the topic that will occupy much of Jacksonville’s attention this spring: The election of a new mayor.
His challenge:
“We’re coming up on our first anniversary. We have 10 months of working together and we have an executive director in place and we have some committees formed and I think we are starting to hit our stride,” said Rummell.
“We have been spending a lot of time thinking about what Jacksonville wants to be, or what should it want to be, and that is going to end up being framed several different ways,” he said.
The council will look at the City’s capital needs, he said, drawing a comparison with retailing. “Do we want to be a Sears, Roebuck or Amazon? A 1970s model of a big-box retailer or figure out where the world is going and stay ahead of it?”
The council will ask that of the mayoral candidates when it sets up interviews in the new year.
“That is a fundamental question the mayoral candidates have to answer, and it’s from that that all things flow.”
“Do you want to be the best 1970s company you can be? Then we do that on the cheap, or some version of what we are doing right now. If we want to play in the 21st century world, then we have to think about what is going to happen and what it is going to take to do that.”
And, he says, “You can’t do that with platitudes and say you are gong to cut waste and not raise taxes.”
The council decided it will not endorse a candidate, he said, but “we are here to work with whoever wins.”
Herschel VinyardBusiness Operations Director, BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards
Treasurer, JPA board of directors
Herschel Vinyard has a strong background in the City’s manufacturing, economic development, port and legal fields, which some say positions him for a run for public office, should he pursue that.
His challenge is to direct his corporate and public-service goals through pivotal economic and political currents.
Long considered quietly but firmly effective, Vinyard is a board member and treasurer of the Jacksonville Port Authority and is a shipyards executive by trade. He is a director of business operations for BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards, which recently bought Atlantic Marine Holding Co.
Vinyard joined Atlantic Marine in 1999 after spending almost a decade as an attorney and shareholder with the Smith, Hulsey & Busey firm.
His leadership positions also included serving as a tri-chair at the First Coast Manufacturers Association, as well as national organizations, including the Shipbuilders Council of America, the trade association of the U.S. shipyard industry.
The manufacturers association, led by former City Council President Lad Daniels, has called for City leaders to support a tax to raise money for improvements and ongoing work at the port.
Vinyard was appointed to the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission in 2007 before taking the board appointment to the JPA.
Vinyard is a member of Gov.-elect Rick Scott’s Economic Development Transition Team.
Those who know him say Vinyard is being urged toward public office.
His challenge at BAE:
“The folks from BAE have been terrific. The integration of Atlantic Marine into BAE is almost complete and we already are focusing on a new, more global approach to capturing additional business.”
His challenge at the JPA:
“Our biggest challenge at the Jacksonville Port Authority is financing much needed capital improvements. The expansion of the Panama Canal in 2014 will mean larger ships will soon be calling on East Coast ports. If Jacksonville doesn’t have the infrastructure and sufficient water depth to accommodate these larger ships, we will see high-paying port jobs sail north to Savannah.”
His challenge as a leader and director of the manufacturers association:
“Lad Daniels and his team at FCMA have done a fantastic job at highlighting the need for advanced manufacturing in our community. He has worked tirelessly with our elected officials to remove obstacles that discourage manufacturers from locating or expanding in our community. But, like the ‘Whac-A-Mole’ game, for every problem he solves, another one appears.”
As for speculation that Vinyard will seek elected office?
“There are still plenty of ‘opportunities’ to solve at the shipyard,” he said.
Carla MillerEthics Officer, City of Jacksonville
Carla Miller is the City’s Ethics Officer and will focus on the City legislation, hammered out the past year, to put an Ethics Code back into the City Charter.
While some say it’s sad and disappointing that the City needs an Ethics Code to enforce good behavior by City officials, City Council unanimously approved a Charter amendment in November to return the code to the Charter.
The next step will be to address details of some of the authority that is granted to the City Ethics Commission, including the structure of civil fines or penalties for violations of the code and what mechanism the commission can use to obtain documents and testimony as it investigates violations.
Her challenge: “The Ethics Charter amendment was a blueprint for legislation that needs to be enacted in 2011 to make it actually work. It will be challenging to continue the momentum during the local elections this spring and with a new mayor in July,” she said.
“But with the state of the economy and decreased public trust in government, it is essential that we do it right and do it soon. I am ready, along with the Ethics Commission and many local citizen groups, to do whatever it takes to end government fraud, waste and corruption.”
Billie TuckerExecutive Director, First Coast Tea Party
Billie Tucker, executive director of the First Coast Tea Party, is gearing up her troops for the spring elections and beyond.
The tea party movement across the country strongly influenced the November elections and the First Coast Tea Party is preparing to interview candidates on the local ballot.
An outspoken advocate for tea party principles, Tucker is putting structure to the First Coast Tea Party and setting up committees to keep watch on City, state, federal and school board issues.
Her challenge: “2010 was a year of great wins for the tea party movement. Those wins do not mean we will go away or that our work is done. Because within those great wins came many disappointments. The lame-duck session after our win on Nov. 2 showed us the absolute disregard by our leaders for the desires of the people,” she said.
“We fired them on Nov. 2, yet they kept spending our money, passing legislation to micromanage our lives and gave special deals to their buddies.”
Tucker said that in the private sector, a fired employee is “escorted out the door so they cannot do the company harm. Again, we see government doesn’t work that way and the harm caused by this lame duck will be felt by generations to come.”
Tucker said that attention now turns locally.
“With 2011 just days away, the First Coast Tea Party will turn our attention to finding and electing principled leaders to lead us at the local level. With the many issues facing us as a city, it will take men and women of character and vision who can work together to bring prosperity and jobs back to the First Coast.”
Her personal challenge:
“To keep the good fight going within the tea party movement, balance my life as a wife, mom and grandmother, move my own career to a higher level of performance and satisfaction and grow my faith in the One who sustains me. “
