• The Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida elected board member Susan Ponder-Stansel as board chair. Ponder-Stansel is the president and CEO of Community Hospice of Northeast Florida and has served on the Health Planning Council’s board of directors for more than four years.
• The City also approved a permit for McIntyre Elwell & Strammer General Contractors Inc. to remodel the Publix at 7628 103rd St. The permit lists a job cost of $536,646.
• Correction: Mary DeJarnette, PBX operator at the Omni Hotel, is not a four-time winner of the Recognition of Service Excellence Awards as was reported in a story April 27. From 2009-11, she was an “Omni Top 10” award winner. This year, 2012, is the first year DeJarnette has been honored by the North Florida Hotel & Lodging Association’s “ROSE” Awards.
• Erin Ocobock joined Communities In Schools of Jacksonville as a resource development specialist. She will help the organization with public relations, social media, special events and fundraising. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in radio and television from the University of Central Florida. She previously served as community and public relations coordinator for the Jacksonville Giants basketball team and as director of public affairs for the Jacksonville Bullies professional lacrosse team.
• The H&M fashion retailer is closer to opening. The City OK’d a building permit last week for Bacon Construction Co. to build out 19,664 square feet of space at The Avenues mall at a cost of $1.79 million. Simon Property Group Inc. announced in February that The Avenues would add H&M, which will open its first Jacksonville store there in late summer. The two-level store will open in the mall’s Center Court.
• Scott Mueller has joined Burdette Ketchum as executive vice president of strategy & integration. He has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and branding programs. He will serve as the agency’s senior lead for account management and strategy, integrating all of Burdette Ketchum’s marketing disciplines and services. He previously served as general manager for MARS Advertising in New York City.