The chief operating officer for the Jacksonville Port Authority has died in a car accident.
JaxPort confirmed the death of COO James Bennett in a Dec. 8 statement. Bennett had worked for the authority since 2017 and served as COO since 2022.
“We are deeply saddened by the unexpected passing of our colleague and friend, James Bennett. James dedicated his life to improving the quality of life for people in Northeast Florida, and our entire community is better for his service,” JaxPort spokesperson Chelsea Kavanagh wrote in the statement.
Details of the accident were not immediately available.
As COO, Bennett managed the port’s operational divisions as well as its engineering and construction department. He oversaw JaxPort’s capital growth program and the expansion of Blount Island’s container and auto-handling capabilities.
Bennett joined JaxPort as its senior director of engineering and construction. In that role, he was responsible for the completion of JaxPort’s 47-foot harbor deepening project, $100 million berth modernization project, and renovations to the JaxPort Cruise Terminal.
“James brought extraordinary dedication, skill, and heart to everything he did. His work ethic was unmatched, and his commitment to our mission elevated everyone around him. He loved his work and the people he worked alongside, and in turn, we were all made better by working with him,” Kavanagh wrote.
“Beyond his professional accomplishments, James was an exceptional human being whose spirit filled every room he entered. His loss will be felt deeply across our organization.”
Before JaxPort, Bennett spent more than 20 years with the Florida Department of Transportation, where he served as planning manager for District Two, encompassing 18 counties throughout North Florida. Bennett also worked alongside JaxPort officials as a senior engineer for RS&H, an architecture, engineering and consulting firm.
Outside of his work with JaxPort, Bennett sat on the Baker County Board of County Commissioners since 2011.
In an email, lobbyist Christian Doolin said Bennett was “committed to accountability, transparency and clear services to the citizens of Baker County. An expert in transportation policies – his leadership will be missed.”