• National labor and employment law firm Constangy, Brooks & Smith promoted three attorneys in its Jacksonville office. Heather Owen and Margaret Zabijaka were promoted to equity partner and Gary Wheeler was promoted to partner.
• A firsthand look at the Super Tucano airplane, which Embraer will assemble in Jacksonville pending a federal contract, will be displayed from 1-2:30 p.m. Sunday at Sheltair Aviation Services near Jacksonville International Airport. Gary Spulak, president of Embraer Aircraft Holding, will welcome the Embraer team. Also scheduled to speak are Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, Mayor John Peyton and Jacksonville Aviation Authority Executive Director Steve Grossman.
• The roads and sidewalks aren’t the only features being improved on Laura Street. The City Parking Facilities and Enforcement Division purchased about 50 new meters with the help of unused meter replacement funds. The meters are solar powered and accept credit and debit cards as well as coins. The meters will line Laura Street after improvements are completed.
• Speaking of JAA, it said the number of passengers traveling through Jacksonville International Airport rose 3 percent in December, the fourth consecutive month for passenger increase at the airport. The total number of passengers last month was 455,148. That’s 12,524 more than in December 2009. Additional service in 2011 includes Delta and American Eagle Airlines’ flights to Miami, JetBlue’s service to Puerto Rico and Southwest’s service to Denver.
• Robin Sorensen, co-founder of Jacksonville-based Firehouse Subs, was named 2011 Restaurateur of the Year by the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, which said his “influence, creativity, passion for serving others and entrepreneurial spirit are felt throughout the restaurants.” It noted that there are 400 Firehouse Subs restaurants and 1,500 more planned for development.
• Another Jacksonville connection was named to the 2011 Hotelier Hall of Fame. Peter Bos, founder of Legendary Inc. in Destin, is chair, president and CEO of Bos Group Inc. which was formed in 1976, and Legendary Holding, founded in 1991. “He is the visionary behind several real estate development masterpieces, including Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, Regatta Bay, Destin Commons on the Emerald Coast, the Emerald Grande Hotel, HarborWalk Village and the Players Club at Sawgrass in Jacksonville,” said the association. While overseeing food and beverage operations in Tampa at Busch Gardens, Bos met Jerome Fletcher, who persuaded him to move to Jacksonville to become EVP of Fletcher Properties Inc. The job included the construction of three country clubs, thousands of residential units and a restaurant in the southeastern U.S.
• LBA Certified Public Accountants promoted Emily Cornaire to tax manager.
• Tiffany Melanson has joined the marketing and public relations firm Clockwork Marketing Services as an account manager/writer.
• The JU Dolphins will offer fans free basketball when Beaver Street Fisheries sponsors the Feb. 3 doubleheader vs. Belmont. The women’s team tips at 5 p.m. and the men start at 7:15 p.m. There’s a pre-game tailgate party in front of the Arena before the Atlantic Sun Conference match-ups.
• The 2011 Fight for Air Climb is at the Bank of America Tower Feb. 5, but participants have been practicing since September for the event. About 30 members of the Merrill Lynch team will be ascending the building’s 838 steps today during a practice session. The team is ranked second in fundraising with $5,801 behind the CSX Tech Climbers at $9,757.