• Michael Rogers, director of human resources and administrative services at Edward Waters College, was appointed vice chairperson and chairperson-elect for the Independent Colleges and Universities Benefits Association board of directors. Rogers will transition into the chairperson’s position in 2014 to lead the board’s 14 members who represent 21 institutions, including Edward Waters College.
• The CoreLogic research firm reports that home prices in Jacksonville, including distressed sales, rose by 4.5 percent from March 2011 to March 2012 and rose 0.6 percent from February-February. Excluding distressed sales, year-over-year prices rose by 3.3 percent from March-March and 0.4 percent from February-February.
• Melissa Ross, host of the First Coast Connect program on 89.9 FM, is scheduled as the speaker to the Civic Round Table of Jacksonville at noon Friday at the Crowne Plaza Riverfront. Cost is $17. For information, email [email protected].
• The Jax Cash Mob meets at 1 p.m. May 19 in Avondale. The participants will shop in the retail district, which consists of more than 60 locally owned and operated small businesses. The first Jax Cash Mob event was April 7 Downtown. It reports that it boosted sales that day by 29 percent and 38 percent at two businesses.
• River Garden Hebrew Home for the Aged and Baptist Health formed an alliance. Effective May 1, Baptist Health physicians began providing primary care to residents of River Garden Hebrew Home, the 180-bed skilled care nursing facility within the River Garden community. Later this year, services will expand to include providing medical care to residents of The Coves, River Garden’s 80-unit senior independent living community; River Garden’s Adult Day Care program; and to River Garden employees.
• The 3rd annual Celebrate Asia! event to commemorate National Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month is scheduled at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Hyatt Downtown. The event starts with a reception and general admission followed by performances from 8:30-9:45 p.m. The event organizers said attendees will include Mayor Alvin Brown and Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll. The master of ceremonies will be actor Bee Vang, a co-star of Clint Eastwood’s 2008 award-winning film “Gran Torino,” and actress Fe de los Reyes. For information, visit www.celebrateasia.net.
• Cheryl Canzanella joined Financial Design Associates of MassMutual as brokerage director. She began her sales career in 1999 with Merrill Lynch and has since held several positions with companies and independent brokerage firms. She founded the Northeast Florida Chapter of Women in Insurance and Financial Services and serves as the chapter president.
• Small Business Week is coming up. At 8 a.m. May 21, “Breakfast with the Experts” will feature roundtable discussions. From 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. May 24, the 20th Annual Small Business Week Celebration takes place. The keynote speaker will be author Dan Roam, founder and president of Digital Roam Inc. Both events will be at the University of North Florida University Center. For information, visit www.sbdc.unf.edu or call 620-2476.
• Jacksonville-based CSX Corp. was named one of CivilianJobs.com’s “Most Valuable Employers for Military.”
• The City Environmental Protection Board will hold a public hearing about a request to fund the Florida Coastal School of Law and Jacksonville University 2012 Environmental Summit. The hearing is scheduled at 5 p.m. Monday in the 10th floor conference room of the Ed Ball Building Downtown.
• The Jacksonville Port Authority issued a Request for Proposal for office supplies. The contract is set aside for certified JSEB/DBE/SBA contractors only. Information: www.jaxport.com or 357-3058. Proposals must be submitted by 2 p.m. May 24.
• The Jacksonville Aviation Authority issued a Request for Proposal for valet parking services. Information: www.flyjacksonville.com, click on bid opportunities. Proposals are due by 2 p.m. May 24.
• Daily Record news partner WOKV AM-690 and FM-106.5 reports this morning that presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is scheduled to visit supporters May 17 at Epping Forest Yacht Club on a fundraising swing through Florida. State Sen. John Thrasher, former mayors John Peyton and John Delaney, Jacksonville and St. Johns County sheriffs and others are on the guest list. WOKV said the fundraiser will cost $2,500 to $25,000 to attend.
• Mayor Alvin Brown celebrated the end of “Sunshine Week” March 16 by announcing his intention to appoint staff to lead an Office of Public Accountability. In a May 4 email, City communications director David DeCamp provided an update. “The mayor remains committed to establishing an Office of Public Accountability,” he said. “We expect to name someone to lead the office in the coming weeks.” Brown said his intention was to appoint staff to lead the office, provide accessible space in City Hall, order the creation of an email address and website to help citizens obtain information about City government, and ask the office to provide recommendations on other initiatives to support transparency.
• A grand opening is planned from 2-3 p.m. Thursday for the GE Capital Working Capital Solutions operation in Flagler Center. The JAX Chamber said the center will serve as an account receivables management center for local clients and might house up to 300 professionals when fully staffed.
• The two building permits at Mayo Clinic for $1.47 million covered the inpatient dialysis and ambulatory infusion area construction. Spokesman Kevin Punsky said the clinic is relocating those two services from the sixth floor of the hospital to the fifth floor of the Mayo Building.
• There’s no Jacksonville Economic Development Commission this week. The commission issued a notice that a previously scheduled May 10 meeting will not take place. The JEDC is being dissolved in legislation under review in City Council.
• Physicians, neuropsychologists, athletic trainers and other local medical professionals met in March at Nemours Children’s Clinic for the inaugural meeting of the Northeast Florida Regional Sports Concussion Task Force. The task force’s next meeting is 6 p.m. May 16 at Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital.
• The Florida Chamber presents special awards annually to legislators who support private-sector job growth. State Sen. John Thrasher was recognized for supporting the Florida Chamber’s agenda as rules chair by making sure key bills were heard in committee and advanced to the floor. Rep. Lake Ray was recognized for sponsoring Florida Chamber-backed legislation building the state’s efforts to attract space-flight businesses and commercial space companies to Florida by adding Cecil Airport to Space Florida’s master planning program.
• The iconic Budweiser beer label will receive a patriotic makeover for the summer. The red, white and blue labels will be rolling off production lines at it breweries across the country, including the Jacksonville plant, from May 20-July 7 to benefit the Folds of Honor Foundation. The foundation provides postsecondary educational scholarships for families of U.S. military personnel killed or disabled while serving their country. Budweiser will donate a portion of sales to the foundation and wants to raise more than $2.5 million during the summer.
• The annual Duke Jacksonville Law Lunch will take place Thursday at the law offices of Fowler White & Boggs. The program, “Law and Entrepreneurship at Duke and Beyond,” will be led by Kip Frey, an entrepreneur venture capitalist, and director of the Duke Law and Entrepreneurship Program.