• Raymond O’Steen Jr. joined the Smith Hulsey & Busey law firm’s real estate practice, where he will focus on advising banks and other creditors on lending matters. He most recently was assistant vice president and claims counsel for Fidelity National Financial and before that held a senior in-house counsel position with the PGA Tour. He began his legal career with Smith Hulsey & Busey in 2001.
• Add to dangerous driving distractions: Dogs in the car. GT Leasing’s newsletter said an AAA-sponsored study found that 84 percent of dog owners take pets in their cars and 98 percent don’t use restraints. The study found that 52 percent of drivers said they petted their dogs while driving. GT Leasing said the study found that pet interaction while driving resulted in 30,000 accidents a year. No mention about what role cats played.
• The University of North Florida was named to Forbes Magazine’s “America’s Best Colleges” 2011 list. It was the only Northeast Florida area institution on the list and ranked No. 491 in the country. UNF was ranked No. 137 in the South.
• Kevin Vander Kolk joined Boyd & Jenerette as a partner and will be practicing in the Jacksonville office in the Coverage and Bad Faith department. He has 22 years of experience in the practice of law, specializing in commercial litigation, real estate, title insurance, property insurance and banking law. He previously worked for Fidelity National Financial where his role was senior litigation counsel.
• The Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida plans two fundraising workshops for nonprofit organizations. “Getting Ready to Fundraise” is planned 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 15 and “Being Passionate about Raising Major Gifts for Your Organization” is planned 9 a.m.-4 p .m. Sept. 16. Both will be at the Jacksonville Golf & Country Club. For information, visit www.nonprofitctr.org.
• Haven Hospice plans to complete the property purchase Thursday to build an inpatient care center in Clay County. The 9-acre site is at 733 Blanding Blvd. in Orange Park. Groundbreaking is scheduled Sept. 9. The center is expected to open next summer.
• Meanwhile, Haven Hospice and the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville will host the Second Annual “Joes v Pros Celebrity Challenge” Family Extravaganza from 1-4 p.m. Sept. 18. The University of North Florida baseball team will host a mini-training camp and activities include events for children, as well as an area to view the Jacksonville Jaguars away game against the New York Jets. For information, call 465-2431 or visit www.havenhospice.org.
• Actor Lisa Valdini takes over directing duties for “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” at Alhambra Theatre & Dining as her husband, Tod Booth, takes to the stage. The performance starts Wednesday with Booth in the lead role. It’s the first time Booth relinquished the director’s chair in almost three decades. Valdini is a veteran Alhambra performer. Managing Partner Craig Smith said it might be the first time a woman has directed at the theater and quips that “directing her husband will create some drama.” The show runs through Sept. 18.
• State Rep. Lake Ray previews the 2012 legislative session to the Associated Builders & Contractors Inc. lunch meeting Aug. 26 at San Jose Country Club. It’s sponsored by Ennis Pellum & Associates. Information: 731-1506 or www.abcfirstcoast.com.
• Cushman & Wakefield reported that the overall industrial vacancy rate in Jacksonville declined to 11.1 percent at midyear from 12.8 percent at the midpoint of 2010. “Jacksonville activity levels in the second quarter showed the most dramatic improvement seen in Jacksonville over the past several reporting periods,” said Mark Scott, Cushman & Wakefield senior director of industrial brokerage services. “There is certainly more optimism heading into the second half of 2011 and with some of the transactions currently in play, Jacksonville’s industrial market should finish 2011with its best performance since 2007.”
• Teri Coutu is the keynote speaker at the South Council of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce at lunch Tuesday. The meeting is at Carrabba’s Italian Grill at Florida 9A and Baymeadows Road. Coutu is director of the Riverside Arts Market and will talk about marketing businesses at the market and community involvement. Information: www.southcouncil.org.