• Lawyer George Gabel, a partner in the Holland & Knight firm, will likely soon be the newest member of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission. He was appointed by Mayor John Peyton and a resolution confirming Gabel’s appointment was introduced to City Council Tuesday. Gabel will replace commissioner Brenda Ezell. His term would expire June 30, 2012.
• Former Gov. Jeb Bush is scheduled to speak to the NAIOP commercial real estate group at noon Feb. 17 at the Hyatt Downtown. NAIOP sent a save-the-date notice and said more details are coming.
• The Transportation Club of Jacksonville, a group of transportation and logistics professionals, will hold its inauguration dinner and “Jacksonville Transportation Person of the Year Award” presentation from 6-8 p.m. Jan. 27 at The River Club. The guest speaker is Cynthia Witty of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
• Jacksonville-based Foundation Financial Group promoted Executive Vice President Mark W. Boyer to chief executive officer from within the mortgage lender’s organization. Effective Jan. 3, founding partner and former CEO Paul V. Scott takes over as chair of the board for Foundation Financial Group. Scott, along with Kris Williams, founded Foundation Financial Group, a mortgage lender.
• Pet Paradise of Jacksonville and Inhouse Inc. of Ponte Vedra Beach are among the 19 Florida companies to present their plans at the 2011 Florida Venture Capital Conference Feb. 3-4 in South Florida. The Florida Venture Forum determined the companies were some of Florida’s best early-stage prospects for equity financing. Each company will make a 12-minute presentation to an audience of venture capitalists, private equity investors, angel investors, investment bankers, financial intermediaries, service providers and entrepreneurs. Inhouse is part of the lender services industry and provides appraisal management solutions to the mortgage lending industry. Pet Paradise is a pet-boarding chain with 13 “pet resorts” in four states, nine in Florida. The conference will be at the Westin in Hollywood. For information, visit www.floridaventureforum.org.
• Women Business Owners of North Florida seeks nominations for the 2011 “Women in Business Awards” to be presented March 21 at the Hyatt during the event’s 25th anniversary. Award categories are entrepreneur, franchisee/franchisor, corporate leader and pioneer of the year. The nomination deadline is 5 p.m. Jan. 21. The event’s keynote speaker will be Delores Kesler, chair of the DPK Foundation and founder of what became MPS Group, which was sold to Adecco. For information, visit www.wbonfl.org.
• In line with those New Year’s resolutions to shed weight, one Jacksonville Beach gym is taking nominations for one man and one woman to get in shape “Biggest Loser” style. Focus Fitness will provide personal trainers and a nutrition expert to the two winners beginning in late February. For more information, visit www.focusfitnessjax.com.
• The first class of the City Kidz Food Science Educational Laboratory Program took place over the weekend, with 27 area students participating in the three-hour event. The program is a collaboration among City Kidz, Cornell University and food scientists and industry leaders to educate and encourage students to pursue food science and food technology careers.
• The Internal Revenue Service will start accepting electronically filed 2010 tax returns Friday.
• The Transportation Club of Jacksonville will hold its inauguration dinner and “Jacksonville Transportation Person of the Year Award” presentation from 6-8 p.m. Jan. 27 at The River Club. The guest speaker is Cynthia Witty of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
• The Duval Soil & Water Conservation District board of supervisors elected officers for the year. They are Sebastian Alexander, chair; Carlton Higginbotham, vice chair; Katrina Finley, secretary/treasurer; Chelsi P. Henry, supervisor; and Jeff Hunt, supervisor. Alexander becomes the first African-American to chair the district in its 58-year history.
2011 resolution: Wally Lee
President, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce
“I am looking forward to aggressively working with our members to make 2011 the year of the economic turnaround in Jacksonville.”