• The First Coast chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators named Angela Vigil, internal communications manager for the City of Jacksonville, as its 2010 volunteer of the year. The chapter’s 2010 rising star award recipients are Donia Crime, public relations director at Burdette Ketchum, Cathy Smith, a communications consultant, and Adriane Tish, communications specialist at First Coast Service Options.
• Also at Burdette Ketchum, Melynda Batchelor, a 17-year veteran of Citigroup, joined as director of digital strategy. She will develop and execute online strategies for clients.
• Gov. Rick Scott tapped Jacksonville’s GOP ranks for almost half of his appointments to the Republican Party of Florida’s Executive Committee. They include Mike Hightower, key party fundraiser and Blue Cross Blue Shield lobbyist; Adam Hollingsworth, Scott campaign and transition team member; John Rood, former ambassador; and Susie Wiles, Scott campaign manager.
• The Southside Business Men’s Club plans a mayoral candidates’ forum Feb. 2 and a speech from Mayor John Peyton on March 2. Peyton is completing his second and last term.
• The “Jacksonville: Choosing a Future” forum is scheduled Jan. 28 at the University of North Florida, featuring Mayor John Peyton and Greg Ip, the U.S. economics editor for The Economist magazine. UNF President and immediate past Mayor John Delaney will chair a panel to further discuss the issues raised by Peyton and Ip. The event starts at 8 a.m. and should wrap up by 11:30 a.m.
• Assistant Public Defender Sean Espenship will host the first book signing of his first novel, “Casino’s Gamble,” from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Jan. 22 at North Beach Bistro, 725 Atlantic Blvd. in Atlantic Beach.
• Aloft Hotels opened a second hotel in Jacksonville, this one at Tapestry Park on the Southside. The first opened in 2009 near Jacksonville International Airport. The new hotel has 137 rooms.
• Baptist Medical Center South breaks ground Monday for its emergency center expansion, adding 16 treatment rooms, three triage rooms and a triage work area for more rapid patient evaluation. The entrance is being relocated, too. The project should be completed in December.
• Hallmark Partners announced it is the exclusive office broker for Brooks Rehabilitation. Hallmark will represent Brooks in locating, securing and negotiating all leases and subleases of office space. In addition, the two organizations are planning to develop a comprehensive long-term occupancy and management plan for Brooks’ real estate assets. Brooks has 26 outpatient locations throughout north and central Florida.
• 2011 resolution: Steve Grossman
Executive Director, Jacksonville Aviation Authority
“To continue our efforts to improve professionalism throughout the authority and increase economic creation in Northeast Florida.”