Jacksonville City Council confirmed appointments of the first five members of the Five Points business improvement district.
Council members voted unanimously during their March 10 meeting to approve Andre Green, Cheryl Croft and Dori Thomsen to serve as board members, and to approve Alonzo Walton and Ashley Kendrick as alternates. Their terms are set to expire June 30, 2028.
The district board is empowered to impose ad valorem assessments on commercial properties within the Five Points BID boundary and hire employees for the district. The full Five Points BID will have five board members and three alternates, with members nominated to two-year terms.
Under the legislation establishing the BID, the Council president appoints three members and two alternates, with the mayor’s office responsible for nominating two members and one alternate.
• Green, nominated under Resolution 2026-0068, is the commercial development manager for Corner Lot, headquartered in Five Points. Previously, he worked for Synovus Bank, Bank of America and John Hancock Financial Network, according to his resume.
• Croft, nominated under Resolution 2026-0069, owns clothing boutique Edge City at 1017 Park St. She previously was a self-employed health care consultant and worked for Mayo Clinic, St. Luke’s Hospital, Riverside Clinic and St. Vincent’s Medical Center, according to her resume.
• Thomsen, nominated under Resolution 2026-0070, is the owner and operator of Soluna Yoga + Spa at 2105 Park St. She also is a Realtor at Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty and president of the Five Points Association advocacy organization.
• Walton, nominated under Resolution 2026-0071, owns investment firm Challen Capital Inc., according to his resume. He has worked in finance and real estate since 1982.
• Kendrick, nominated under Resolution 2026-0067, founded Malachi’s Ice Cream Bar at 1661 Riverside Ave., according to her resume. Before opening Malachi’s, Kendrick worked for Bank of America, Wells Fargo and SunTrust Bank.
Council member Jimmy Peluso introduced legislation, Ordinance 2025-0539, for the Five Points BID after businesses in the neighborhood complained about issues with crime and upkeep. Under the BID plan, board members could hire security staff and someone who could manage the district.
That manager, Peluso said in 2025, would act as the unofficial mayor of Five Points, responding to issues as needed. The BID can provide funding for landscaping, security and promotion for Five Points businesses and residents.
The BID encompasses about 100 commercial properties in Five Points, and is generally bounded by Copeland Street, Post Street and Riverside Avenue. It also includes several properties outside those borders on Margaret Street, Post Street, College Street, Memorial Park Drive, Lancaster Street and Riverside Avenue.
Mayor Donna Deegan also named her first two nominations to the Five Points board, who were introduced at the March 10 Council meeting. Deegan nominated David Wingard as a member and Cody Mashini as an alternate.
Wingard, a Jacksonville native and 1992 graduate of the University of South Carolina, is founder and chief creative officer of Wingard Marketing + Communications. The firm is at 1022 Park St. in Five Points. Wingard’s clients have included Intuition Ale Works, the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, and the Museum of Science and History, according to his resume.
Mashini has worked for ServStar Bar Management Group since 2020 and is now director of beverage operations for the company, according to his resume. He previously was a bartender at Dos Gatos Cocktail Lounge in Downtown Jacksonville. He has been president of the United States Bartenders Guild Jacksonville chapter since 2020.
Wingard’s and Mashini’s nominations are on a one-cycle emergency, positioning them for a full Council vote March 24.