• Community First Credit Union of Florida has named Scott Davey manager of its Downtown branch. Davey will direct the overall branch operations and be responsible for staff development, training and member satisfaction and has more than 12 years of experience in the financial industry. The branch location is at 623 N. Main St. Davey was most recently a financial center manager at First Guaranty Bank.
• Duval County’s unemployment rate fell to a seasonally adjusted 10.38 percent in April from 10.71 percent in March and 11.79 percent in April 2010, according to state numbers adjusted by University of North Florida economics professor Paul Mason. Over the year, from April 2010 to the past month, the number of unemployed people in Duval County dropped by almost 5,000. Over the month, from March to April, the number of employed people rose by almost 2,000 and the number of unemployed dropped about 1,500. “Almost all of those who found jobs were from the ranks of the unemployed in March,” said Mason, director of the Local Economic Indicator Project.
• The Engineering News-Record, a construction industry trade publication, annual “Top 400 Contractors” list has three Jacksonville-based firms on it. Stellar comes in at No. 102, up from No. 143 in 2010; Haskell places No. 110, up from No. 118 in 2010; and Elkins Constructors Inc. ranked No. 354, up from No. 393. Published each May, the publication ranks publicly and privately held general contractors based on contracting-specific revenue.
• Season’s greetings: Gov. Rick Scott has proclaimed this week as Florida Hurricane Preparedness Week. Also, Scott, along with Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, took part in a four-hour hurricane exercise Monday at Camp Blanding. The season begins June 1 and concludes Nov. 30. For more information on how to prepare, go to www.floridadisaster.org.
• The Downtown Development Review Board meeting scheduled Thursday has been canceled due to a lack of action items.
• Southside United Methodist Church has added Darren Dailey to its staff in the part-time position of director of traditional music. Dailey will conduct the Chancel Choir and Handbell Choir, as well as supervise directors of three children’s choirs. He will continue in his role as the artistic and executive director of the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus.
• Jacksonville will be the starting point for a new burger franchise in Florida. Denver-based Smashburger announced Monday that it has added five new franchise partners, including Jim Crossen of American Food Services Group, who have committed to open seven of the restaurants over the next four years in Duval County. The restaurants burgers are made with 100 percent Certified Angus Beef, cooked to order and smashed on a flat grill to sear in the flavor. The corporate office reported that the first Smashburger restaurant in Florida will open in Jacksonville Beach this summer.