Regency Centers (NYSE:REG) announces the addition of Dale Johnston as vice president, chief information officer. With more than 16 years of experience leading technology teams and projects for commercial real estate companies, Dale will oversee Regency’s information technology team nationwide and advance the company’s technology platforms from Regency headquarters in Jacksonville.

Before joining Regency, Dale served as vice president and chief information officer for neighborhood shopping center developer and owner EDENS in Columbia, S.C. Previously, Dale worked as vice president of information services with Canadian Real Estate Investment Trust and held senior I.T. positions at CBRE Canada and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.

Burdette Ketchum recently added to its team Taylor Harkey as associate creative director, Diara Sullivan as web producer and Danielle Bergh as account coordinator.

An award-winning art director, Taylor Harkey has more than 10 years of branding, advertising and graphic design experience working with some of the largest and most well-known brands in the country including AT&T, U.S. Air Force, BMW, Southwest Airlines, Tostitos, Marriott Hotels and the Discovery Channel. As associate creative director, he works directly for the executive creative director overseeing members of the creative team and the entire creative process, from developing the concept to producing the final creative product.

As web producer, Diara “Dee” Sullivan serves as traffic manager and quality control of the firm’s digital projects, working closely with the digital team to ensure timely workflow and quality work product. Sullivan helps to manage implementation of email campaigns, online banner ads, microsites and websites, analytics and other digital assets.

Danielle Bergh joined Burdette Ketchum as account coordinator to support the firm’s healthcare client services teams. She assists with all facets of account management including research, project status and budget reporting, and client management.

For more information, visit www.burdetteketchum.com, Facebook page, or follow on Twitter @BurdetteKetchum.

Leadership Jacksonville, a program that develops youth and adult leaders in Northeast Florida, welcomed more than 540 guests to its Celebration 2012 fundraiser. The celebration honored community trustees Preston H. Haskell and William O. Birchfield for their dedication and leadership to the Jacksonville community, while the memory of Gertrude H. Peele was honored with the presentation of The Frederick H. Schultz Lifetime Achievement Award.

The 17th annual event raised over $115,000, more than any previous event. Proceeds will help fund the Youth Leadership Jacksonville and Collegiate Leadership Experience programs.

In addition to recognizing the honorees, Leadership Jacksonville highlighted students currently completing the Youth Leadership Jacksonville program. Cooper Flower of Episcopal School of Jacksonville led the pledge of allegiance while Olajuwon Harris of Englewood High School provided an inspirational thought prior to dinner. Ron Brame III of Mandarin High School had the honor of introducing William O. Birchfield, and Kyndall Outler of Atlantic Coast High School introduced Preston H. Haskell.

Youth Leadership Jacksonville annually offers training to 50 outstanding students from Baker, Clay, Duval and St. Johns county high schools. The Collegiate Leadership Experience emphasizes community trusteeship to college students from the First Coast. To learn more, visit www.leadershipjax.org or call 904-396-6263.

Deltona Realty is proud to announce Realtor Brenda Billingsley has joined the company. Billingsley is based in Deltona Realty’s office on U.S. 1 South in St. Augustine Shores, a St. Augustine master-planned community.

A real estate professional since 2000, Billingsley has worked in general real estate sales, site sales, new home construction sales and commercial real estate. She also has worked in marketing, management and corporate sales for the Bluegreen Corp., a company providing timeshare products and services. During her career, Billingsley has received numerous industry recognition and awards for outstanding sales performance. She is a graduate of Towson State College in Baltimore.

More information is available at www.deltonarealtyinc.com.

Mayor Alvin Brown will host President Bill Clinton on Friday, May 11. President Clinton will speak at City Hall about jobs and the economy.

“President Clinton has an unparalleled perspective on my priorities. It is a privilege and an honor to host him in Jacksonville,” Mayor Brown said. “I am focused like a laser on putting people back to work. With President Clinton’s innovative and creative insight on jobs and the economy, with a city government that lives within its means, with strong public-private partnerships, we are going to take Jacksonville to the next level.”

Black Horse Winery will be holding its open house and grand opening on Friday, April 20, beginning at 5 p.m. at the winery located at 420 Kingsely Ave., Orange Park, 32073.

Winemaker Kiyoko Fiedler, an award winning winemaker with over 20+ years of actual wine making experience, invites guests to enjoy wine tastings and tour the winery at this grand opening event.

The winery makes the wine from the juices of fresh grapes and other fruits right in the winery­—no water is ever used in the manufacturing or fermentation process. The winery is also available for events and special parties.

For more information, call 904-644-8480 or visit www.blackhorsewinery.com.

The U.S. Commercial Service, Enterprise Florida, JAXChamber, Brazil-Florida Alliance and the Florida District Export Council present Exporting to Brazil on Thursday, April 26 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the JAX Chamber Hadlow Boardroom (3rd Floor) located at 3 Independent Drive.

Come and learn about doing business with Brazil and the best prospects for exports to Brazil and join in the extensive Q&A session.

Register by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25. The cost is $20  and it includes a Continental breakfast. Parking is $6 for three hours

For full agenda and to register, visit http://go.usa.gov/mkK.

The Jacksonville Women’s Business Center (JWBC), a department of the JAX Chamber Foundation, is seeking applicants for its ATHENAPowerLink® mentoring program. The spring enrollment application period opens April 15 and runs through May 31, 2012.

JWBC announced the new co-chairs of the ATHENAPowerLink® Governing Body. David Sillick, Jacksonville Business Journal publisher, and Emily Magee, a partner at Foley and Lardner, are leading the program this year.

One of only 29 programs offered nationwide, Jacksonville’s ATHENAPowerLink® program targets women-owned businesses that are at least two years old and beyond the initial start-up phase. The program “links” the business owner with a panel of unpaid advisors who agree to work with her for one year to meet her stated business goals and objectives.

To qualify for the program, ATHENAPowerLink® applicants must also meet strict revenue criteria and have been operating their business for a minimum of two years. Participants for the program are selected from a field of applicants by a governing body of volunteer community members.

Those selected for the ATHENAPowerLink® program are matched with an advisory panel consisting of carefully selected members who are uniquely qualified to address the participant’s business needs and support them in implementing best practices. The members of the advisory panel are seasoned business leaders who share their expertise as personal advisors and mentors to help the participants meet their goals and objectives. The panelists have agreed to serve as unpaid advisors for one full year.

To learn more about the ATHENAPowerLink® program including how to become a mentor, visit the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center at www.jaxwbc.com.

Data Technology Group of Cambridge, Mass., has hired Jacksonville-based Brazil Business Solutions to provide business development services for Data Technology Group as it seeks to partner with private equity firms in Brazil for its accounting software solutions suite.

For more information, go to www.mybusinessinbrazil.com or contact Alan Vinson at 904-233-2856.

The Ponte Vedra Chamber After Hours event, sponsored by Manormor Sotheby’s International Realty and represented by Jane Chefan, will take place on Wednesday, April 25, at 1300 Marsh Landing Parkway, Suite 107, Jacksonville Beach, 32250 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The cost is free to members and guests.

For information, call 904-285-2004.

Harbor View Advisors is pleased to announce that Cornerstone OnDemand (NASDAQ: CSOD) has completed its acquisition of Sonar Limited (“Sonar6”).

Harbor View Advisors served as exclusive financial advisor to Sonar6 in the transaction, which was completed on April 5, 2012.

Based in Auckland, New Zealand, Sonar6 is a leading provider of cloud-based talent management solutions serving small businesses globally. The acquisition combines two of the talent management industry’s most innovative providers and allows Cornerstone to strengthen its ability to serve clients of all sizes. Additionally, Cornerstone expects that the acquisition will accelerate the company’s momentum in the small business (SMB) market.

Sonar6 is renowned in the talent management industry for its distinct ability to engage employees with its highly interactive technology. Like Cornerstone, Sonar6 offers a completely organic, cloud-based solution. Sonar6’s innovative, graphical approach to talent management has won numerous accolades.

For more information about Harbor View, visit www.harborviewadvisors.com.

It’s that time of year again for the Verizon Wireless Kids 4 Kids Carnival! The Carnival will take place Saturday, May 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation (MWKF) Youth Center.

This free outdoor event is open to the public and has interactive activities for every age. Each year, hundreds of attendees come out and enjoy games, bounces houses and inflatables, contests, a live DJ, mascots, arts & crafts, tennis clinics, prizes, special guest appearances, give-a-ways and more! Several community and social organizations will also be on site with information on health and social services.

For more info on MWKF or the Carnival, please call 904-359-5437(KIDS) or visit www.malwashington.com.

Foundation Financial Group announces the promotion of Rolf Wilck to chief information officer.

Wilck, a King’s Park, N.Y., native, has been working in the information technology field for the past 18 years. He has moved on from information technology support to the CIO position, where he is now the top executive for all information technology and telecommunications at Foundation Financial Group. This includes seven regional centers, a branch network of retail locations and four business units across the United States.

Wilck has earned an honorable 46 corporate awards for leadership and performance excellence during his time with Foundation Financial Group. Wilck also volunteers his time with a number of different non-profit groups such as Habitat for Humanity, Disabled American Veterans, The Museum of Science and History and Seacoast Christian Academy.

For more information, call 866-334-1001 or visit www.ffg.com.

Community leaders joined Medtronic’s Surgical Technologies Division to break ground on the company’s $14 million, 75,000 square-foot planned expansion of its Jacksonville headquarters.

The facility will help accommodate the 175 new high-wage jobs the company is creating and further enhance the strong economic profile of the city.

Once complete in 2015, the new building will add research and development, laboratory, marketing and customer training labs to the company’s headquarters.

Medtronic is the global leader in medical technology. It develops and manufactures a wide range of products and therapies to diagnose, prevent and monitor chronic conditions. Each year, the company’s therapies help more than seven million people worldwide.

The company’s new training facilities will increase its ability to effectively train medical professionals from around the world who visit the facilities for product training.

Medtronic Surgical Technologies is Medtronic’s fastest growing division with revenues exceeding $1 billion per year and manufactures technologies for the treatment of ear, nose and throat diseases and cranial, spinal and neurologic conditions. The Division has operations in twelve locations worldwide, including the headquarters in Jacksonville.

For more information, visit www.medtronic.com

Bissell & Associates Insurance, a Jacksonville Independent Insurance Agency, has been awarded an appointment by Nationwide Insurance Company to represent the company’s personal casualty and liability insurance lines.

With the appointment, Bissell can offer Nationwide’s auto, motorcycle, RV and boat insurance, including personal umbrella coverage. The Bissell agency also can access commercial insurance coverage through its national affiliation group, Strategic Insurance Agency Alliance (SIAA), which means Bissell can offer all Nationwide products.

Bissell & Associates, an Independent Insurance Agency based in Jacksonville, Florida, represents national and regional insurance companies who write auto, homeowners and business insurance.

The disused gas station in the center of the Shoppes of Avondale is to be the site of a new Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers. Local restaurateur John Valentino is bringing the restaurant to Riverside Avondale in fulfillment of a long-held personal dream of serving premium pizza in the neighborhood in which he was born and raised.

The restaurant will occupy the space at the corner of St. Johns Avenue and Ingleside Avenue currently inhabited by the former gas station, ’town restaurant and the Emly Benham shoe store. Urban in-fill specialist Design Cooperative has been commissioned to manage the revitalization of the space, which will include new parking and outdoor seating. Emly Benham will move to new premises across the street, while ‘town is expected to move to a new location in the summer.

Valentino, who was born at the former Riverside Hospital, was made aware of the opportunity to obtain both the shoe store/’town building and the gas station when Emly Benham President, Benham Purcell, alerted him to it. As Riverside natives, Purcell and Valentino have known each other for decades and both believe that Mellow Mushroom would be a particularly strong cultural fit in Riverside Avondale.

More information is available at www.igetmellow.com/avondale

Davidson Realty Inc. is pleased to announce its top producers for March and the First Quarter of 2012.

For the month of March, Davidson Realty’s top listers, sellers and producers include:

Top Sales (most buyer sales): Pauline Cake

Top Lister (most seller listings sold): Mirtha Barzaga

Top Producer (most closed listings & buyer sales combined): Mirtha Barzaga

For the First Quarter 2012, top performers overall include:

Top Sales (most buyer sales): Pauline Cake

Top Lister (most seller listings sold): Mirtha Barzaga

Top Producer (most closed listings & buyer sales combined): Jennifer Todd

For more information, call 904-940-5000 or visit www.DavidsonRealtyinc.com, Fan them on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/DavidsonRealty, follow them on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DavidsonRealty or visit their videos on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/DavidsonRealtyInc.

On Wednesday, April 18, the Ponte Vedra Chamber At Noon Luncheon will take place 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Sawgrass Country Club, 10034 Golf Club Drive, Ponte Vedra Beach, 32082.

The event, sponsored by The PLAYERS Championship, will feature guest speaker Jared Rice, Director of Sales and Marketing for The PLAYERS Championship. Cost is $25 for members with reservations and $30 guests and members at the door.

Call 904-285-2004 for reservations.

Costco Wholesale will be hosting a Business to Business Breakfast on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at its 4901 Gate Parkway location.

Come and network with those local businesses that are interested in forming new relationships. Costco will be providing a continental breakfast offering membership incentives during the breakfast event. You will also have the option to shop before opening to the public. Let Costco show you ways to save substantially on your daily business services.

RSVP to w357mkt02@costco.com

Members of the business community can join the #ilovejax conversation as partners and help spread the message about all that makes the JAX Region dynamic.

Partners are encouraged to feature #ilovejax on their social media pages and websites and promote why they, as an organization, love the region, which includes Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns counties.

In addition to featuring #ilovejax on social media and websites, here are other ways businesses can join the conversation and encourage community pride:

•Use #ilovejax when tweeting something positive about their business or events

•Post what they love about the region on the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ilovejaxfl

•Place the #ilovejax ad in their newsletters or publications

•Link to the Facebook page when the ad is online

•Add the JAX Chamber’s one-page #ilovejax fact sheet to new employee packets

•Take five minutes during staff meetings to get employees to talk about what they love about the JAX Region

The #ilovejax campaign’s monthly themes are designed to give partners inspiration for their messages. With spring in the air, April’s theme of renewal offers an opportunity to highlight community improvement projects such as efforts to develop Downtown Jacksonville.

For more information about #ilovejax involvement, call 904-366-6641 or visit http://www.myjaxchamber.blogspot.com/.

Florida Coastal School of Law and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will celebrate the Fifth Annual Citizenship Day on Saturday, April 14, by legal permanent residents in the Northeast Florida community apply to become U.S. citizens.

The Jacksonville event is an effective collaboration of Florida Coastal School of Law, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, and The Jacksonville Bar Association. Approximately forty pro bono attorneys and dozens of law students will gather to assist applicants with their forms and taking the next step toward naturalization. It will take place at Florida Coastal School of Law from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

As a single-day, nationwide event, AILA Citizenship Day provides free or low-cost assistance to eligible legal permanent residents who wish to apply for U.S. citizenship, utilizing partnerships between AILA chapters across the country and grassroots organizations. In partnership with the “ya es hora ¡Ciudadanía!” campaign, AILA will hold 43 naturalization clinics in 30 states serving more than 2,000 immigrants who are preparing to become citizens for which they estimate 400 AILA attorneys and 900 non-volunteers will be needed. More than 80 immigrants are expected at Coastal Law during the local event.

Citizenship Day is an award winning venture, capturing the 2008 Award of Excellence in the Associations Advance America Awards program, a national competition sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and The Center for Association Leadership. Citizenship Clinics will be held in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Washington, and the Washington, D.C. Metro Area. A list of clinic coordinators and their phone numbers is available after this release.

For more information, visit www.fcsl.edu.

NAIOP of Northeast Florida, the region’s commercial real estate authority and trade association, is introducing an exciting new event titled “Downtown Tour & Tasting.” The inaugural event will kick off April 26 from 4 to 8:30 p.m. and will take guests on a fun tour of downtown office buildings that are currently available for lease or purchase. At each office location, the tour will feature select wines and tapas from different regions of the world, including New Zealand, Italy, Chile and Argentina.

The Downtown Tour & Tasting event will begin at 4 p.m. at One Enterprise Center and then proceed to the AT&T Tower, 121 Atlantic Place, Bank of America Tower and will conclude at the Wells Fargo Center with an after party featuring the band, Cloud 9, which is sponsored by Duckworth Construction Group, Perdue Inc. and Shaw Contract Group. The after party at the Wells Fargo Center will include featured wines and new brews from Intuition Ale Works.

Tickets to the event are $35 for members and non-members and include a special wine glass gift compliments of Centerstate Bank. Space on the tour is limited, so early registration is required. To purchase tickets, visit www.naiopnefl.com or call 904-353-6500. More information is available by contacting Michael Loftin at MLoftin@PKY.com.

Fifty-five real estate professionals from Prudential Network Realty recently attended the national Prudential Real Estate Sales Convention in Orlando. The Northeast Florida company was recognized as one of the Top 50 affiliates nationally from among 2,200 offices around the country.

The national sales convention is held annually to honor and celebrate high-performing offices and agents. Numerous Prudential Network Realty professionals were recognized, including Elizabeth Hudgins of the company’s Ponte Vedra Beach office. Hudgins, who in 2011 led Prudential Network Realty as its top producer and was recognized as the No. 1 sales associate in the Prudential Real Estate Network in Florida, was honored as a 15-Year Legend, an award presented by Prudential U.S. and International Real Estate Services President Earl Lee.

In tandem with the convention’s theme, “i.Imagine,” representing the possibilities, potential and power that lie ahead for the network’s real estate professionals, convention attendees enjoyed professional training, educational seminars, networking events and motivational speakers. The line-up included keynote speakers Guy Kawasaki, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist, bestselling author and well-known blogger whose rise to fame started at Apple, and Liz Murray, a motivational speaker who overcome a troubled upbringing in The Bronx to achieve tremendous success.

Prudential Network Realty’s presence was seen throughout the convention as Priscilla Johnson of the company’s Ponte Vedra Beach office and Amanda Dandy of the company’s corporate office participated in a special video presentation that opened the event festivities and featured Prudential professionals singing the National Anthem. Convention attendees also enjoyed entertaining evenings including an exclusive party at “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” at Universal’s Islands of Adventure and a spectacular Cirque-style performance benefitting The Sunshine Kids, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to children with cancer.

To learn more about Prudential Network Realty, visit www.PrudentialNetworkRealty.com.

Foundation Financial Group’s insurance division has acquired Assured Insurance Services, securing its Kansas and Missouri customers who have personal insurance policies.

As a result of the acquisition, Assured Insurance Services’ customers now have access to Foundation Financial Group’s wide array of financial products and services such as mortgage lending, life insurance, retirement services, personal taxes and corporate tax services. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Foundation Financial Group announced the opening of its insurance division in January 2011. In January 2012, Foundation Financial Group acquired Florida-based B&R Insurance. In just over a year the insurance division has realized exponential growth.

For more information, call 866-334-1001 or visit www.ffg.com.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Inc. (BCBSF) is now Florida Blue. The new name, new logo and tagline—‘In the pursuit of health’—are all part of the company’s transition to a health solutions company with an overarching mission to help the people of Florida and their communities achieve better health. Consumers will soon see the new Florida Blue brand utilized in signage, sponsorships and advertising.

The brand transition reflects a host of initiatives inspired by Florida Blue’s expanded mission, including: a focus on affordable products; the introduction of new health plans and services; the personalization of health care services and customer support through the company’s unique Florida Blue retail centers, an expanding suite of online tools to empower healthcare consumers and even stronger state-wide outreach to support Florida communities in their quest for better health. All of these programs and services support the company’s commitment to providing accessible and affordable health solutions to all Floridians.

Introducing the new Florida Blue name marks a new era for the company – moving from a one-dimensional business model focused primarily on health insurance to a multi-dimensional health solutions company with a more comprehensive approach to health. Florida Blue is committed to helping all Floridians get the most value out of their health care dollar, providing personal health care support and building health-minded communities.

For more information, visit floridablue.com.

The Small Business Development Center at UNF (SBDC at UNF) is pleased to announce that Cheryl Lynch has been hired as a business analyst. Lynch will provide confidential consulting and training to small business owners at the new SBDC office in Putnam County.

In her new role at the SBDC at UNF, Lynch will work one on one with clients who are interested in starting or who already own a small business. She will work primarily out of the SBDC office at the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce located at 1100 Reid Street in Palatka. The office officially opened on March 28. Businesses who are interested in setting up a time to meet with Lynch can call 386.328.3293.

The new SBDC office in Putnam County is made possible through support from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the University of North Florida, the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, Board of County Commissioners, City of Palatka, and the Putnam County Development Authority.

Dion Marketing Company signed on five new clients in March. Specializing in media buying, promotions, partnerships and public relations, Dion Marketing will be working with the following businesses in 2012: The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority in North Carolina; Swings N Things Family Entertainment Center, Cleveland; Jump Zone Inflatable Party Play Center, Jacksonville; Ghost Town in the Sky Theme Park, Maggie Valley, N.C.; and The Beanstalk Journey, Morganton, N.C.

For more information, click www.DionMarketing.com.

The ARC Consulting Group Inc.’s three-day program, titled “Advanced Budgeting and Forecasting Using Excel,” at the Embassy Suits on Baymeadows Road held March 19 – 21 was a huge success attracting participants from as far away as Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Led by Rick Balog CPA\CFF and managing partner of the certified public accounting firm of Balog + Tamburri CPAs, the program provided participants with more than 100 Excel models, formats and worksheets along with a structured approach to develop long-range budgets and forecasts.

For information on other programs sponsored by ARC, go to http://www.arcconsultinggroup.com/training.htm or contact Kate Balog at 904-268-1148.

The Haskell Company Founder Preston Haskell shared insight on building a successful company at the CEO Nexus Forum, a quarterly event hosted by the JAX Chamber’s GrowJAX Department.

Throughout Haskell’s career, he used and promoted the integrated design-build method of construction. Haskell took an active leadership role in the construction industry as the founding chairman of the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA).

Haskell founded The Haskell Company in 1965. With the headquarters in Jacksonville, it is the largest privately-held construction company and Florida’s 52nd largest private company. The Engineering News-Record named The Haskell Company a top green contractor and it ranks among the top design-build firms in the country.

For more information, click JAX Chamber or GrowJAX.

Mayor Alvin Brown announced a new initiative, the Mayor’s Quarterly Young Professional Roundtable, during the ImpactJAX annual mayoral address. The initiative is a joint effort between the Mayor’s Office and young professional organizations—United Way’s Atlantic Circle, JCCI Forward and the JAX Chamber’s ImpactJAX program.

The Roundtable discussions are designed to engage young professionals and support efforts to improve the JAX Region.

Representing young professionals in Jacksonville, the Roundtable includes 10 to 12 individuals from various young professional organizations. Meetings provide an opportunity for the mayor to hear what Roundtable members like about the region and also their ideas on ways to make Northeast Florida a destination for other young professionals.

Potential discussion topics include cost of living, transportation and commuting, employment earnings, parks and other natural amenities, educational opportunities, social and cultural opportunities, diversity and community life.

The Roundtable membership is determined by a written application and interview process. Selected members will discuss various topics and are required to assist with projects that arise from these discussions. The selection committee includes Atlantic Circle, ImpactJAX, JCCI Forward, and Mayor’s Office representatives.

The deadline to submit an application is June 1. Electronic applications are available at http://issuu.com/jcci/docs/mayorsyproundtableapplication.

On Wednesday, April 11, The Ponte Vedra Chamber Before Hours Breakfast will take place at The Player’s Café on 262 Solana Road , Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082.

The event, sponsored by Wells Fargo Advisors and represented by Chris Thompson, will begin at 7:30 a.m. and last until 8:30 a.m. Be sure to bring your business cards and brochures. Cost is $7.50 for members and $10 guests.

For information, call 904-285-2004.

Real$ense Prosperity Campaign, a United Way Initiative in partnership with IRS and AARP Tax-Aide is hosting a special tax assistance day on Friday, April 13, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the last clients being taken at 5 p.m., at the Wells Fargo Historic Springfield Community Learning Center on 1601 North Main St., 2nd Floor, Jacksonville, 32006.

Free tax return preparation for qualified residents including assistance with claiming the EITC (earned income tax credit). No income limitations apply. Appointments are requested to best serve individuals with physical disabilities or anyone requiring additional assistance by calling 904-390-4008 by April 12, 2012.

Taxpayers wishing to participate should bring:

· Photo ID

· Social Security cards for themselves, their spouse and dependents

· Copies of all W2s, 1099s, etc

· A voided check for direct deposit

· If a couple is filing jointly, both spouses must be present

Taxpayers may visit www.realsensejax.org or call United Way by dialing 2-1-1 or 904-632-0600 for other tax site locations and hours of operation.

Mayor Alvin Brown appeared with leading members of the Jacksonville business community to unveil legislation aimed at reforming the city’s economic development structure and policy to help create jobs and revitalize Downtown.

Last December, the Jacksonville City Council overwhelmingly passed Mayor Brown’s government reform initiative, the first major reorganization of city government in 20 years. That legislation reformed the city’s economic development structure to make it directly accountable to the mayor and includes all city functions that could enhance the mission of creating jobs and generating economic activity.

In January 2012, Mayor Brown and the City Council sought the approval of the Florida Legislature to alter or amend the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission (JEDC) as a necessary step to evolve the city’s economic development efforts. Both houses of the Legislature unanimously provided that authority.

Mayor Brown’s legislation would take the following steps to boost job creation and generate economic activity:

•Accelerate the process of approving job creation and other economic development incentives by reducing the number of City Council meetings required for approval.

•Update and modernize the City of Jacksonville Economic Development Investment Policy.

•Empower the Office of Economic Development, which will be led by an Economic Development Officer who reports directly to the mayor, to advance the city’s economic goals.

•Transform the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission (JEDC) into the Downtown Investment Authority (DIA), which will focus on revitalizing economic activity in Downtown. The DIA will have a nine (9) person board, with its members appointed by the mayor and approved by the council, and the authority to pursue Downtown economic development opportunities.

•Create an Economic Development Closing Fund subject to Council funding that gives the mayor the ability to authorize quickly-needed economic development incentives.

Foundation Financial Group was named March’s Growth Company of the Month by The Association for Corporate Growth, North Florida Chapter at an award ceremony at the Epping Forest Yacht Club in Jacksonville.

Over the last two years, Foundation Financial Group has grown an average of 14.5%. In the past 18 months, Foundation Financial Group has added tax services, retirement services and home, life and auto insurance service divisions to its established mortgage division.

Last year, Foundation Financial Group opened regional centers in Rochester, N.Y. and Dallas as well as opening a branch network of retail locations in Dayton, Ohio; Indianapolis; Kansas City, Mo.; St. Paul, Minn.; and Toledo, Ohio. Also in 2011, Foundation Financial Group launched its services into nine additional states; Foundation Financial Group is now in 37 states.

For more information, call 866-334-1001 or visit www.ffg.com.

The MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation (MWKF) received a $3,500 grant from The Winn-Dixie Foundation. The grant will support MWKF’s TnT (Tennis-n-Tutoring) program. TnT is an after-school program which provides a variety of free services to youth in grades Kindergarten-High School ranging from homework assistance to life skills classes and tennis lessons.

The Winn-Dixie Foundation has a long tradition of supporting the neighborhoods in which we work and live, and makes grants available to local nonprofit organizations to support programs and initiatives fostering healthy and thriving communities.

For more information, visit www.malwashington.com or www.winn-dixie.com.

Results of the recent TD Bank Florida Small Business survey—where 300 small business owners from Southeast, Central and Northeast Florida were asked to rate their current and anticipated financial health, their thoughts on the overall economy and their commercial real estate plans—are in. Of the 300 small businesses polled, 100 were in Northeast Florida. Companies with annual sales of no more than $5 million were surveyed.

Overall, the results of the total Florida survey were encouraging, with 69% of small businesses saying that they expect to meet or exceed revenue projections in the upcoming quarter and 67% of respondents reporting that they expect to keep staffing levels the same in the upcoming quarter.

The survey also revealed that nearly 82% expect to maintain or increase capital investments over the next quarter, and when asked to describe their happiness as a small business owner, 64% are just as happy or happier today than they were a year ago. When asked about their commercial real estate plans over the next year, 83% said they are somewhat or very unlikely to move.

Below are the Northeast Florida-only results (100 polled small business owners) of the survey:

•When asked to rate their optimism about the U.S. economy…43% are neutral or optimistic

•When asked to grade their business’ performance during the most recent quarter…39% performed as expected or significantly exceeded revenue projections

•When asked to project their business’ performance in the next quarter…63% will perform as expected or significantly exceed revenue projections

•When asked about next quarter’s staffing plans…93% expect to keep levels the same or hire up to two or more new positions

•When asked about company’s capital investments in the next quarter…77% expect capital investments to stay the same or increase as much as 15%

•When asked to describe their overall happiness as a small business owner today compared to a year ago…50% are just as happy or happier today

•When asked how likely they are to move to a new commercial real estate space in the next 12 months…86% say they are somewhat or very unlikely to move

•When asked what would be the most important reason for moving to a new commercial space, respondents said the following would be the most important reason…a more affordable lease (26%), a more desirable business location (20%), a move to a larger commercial space (24%), opportunity to buy a commercial space (7%), being closer to home (9%) and a move into a smaller space (14%)

To learn more, find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDMoneyLoungeUS, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US, or visit www.tdbank.com.

Construction is underway on a renovation of St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Middleburg by Bourré Construction Group, which is leading the renovation project to enhance the energy efficiency of the church’s facilities, which includes improvements to the church’s exterior walls, interior walls, and ceiling modifications.

St. Luke’s Catholic Church is one of the fastest growing congregations in the North Florida region. The church has served the needs of the Catholic community in Middleburg, Lake Asbury, South Orange Park, Oakleaf Plantation, Argyle and the surrounding area since its formation as a parish in 1982.

The first phase of the project will be completed in March.

For more information, call 904-529-1556 or visit www.bourreconstructiongroup.com.

With industrial and construction growth increasing in the Asian markets, J.C. Renfroe & Sons Inc.—an international manufacturer and marketer of industrial lifting clamp products, based in Jacksonville—has selected the Allan Marketing Group of Victoria, Australia, as its master distributor-agent.

The Allan Marketing Group will be responsible for promoting the sale and solicitation of orders for Renfroe’s product line in an assigned territory that includes Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Pacific Islands, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea.

Renfroe offers a full line of lifting clamps and ancillary products such as crane blocks, sheaves and swivels. The company, which has affiliated manufacturing facilities in Germany, Japan and Spain, supplies their products to customers around the world.

Allan Marketing Group has more than 35 years of experience in the lifting industry and is an Asian supplier of hoists, chains, winches, wire rope fittings, plate clamps, hydraulic equipment, pallet trucks and lashing.

For more information about J.C.Renfroe & Sons, visit www.jcrenfroe.com. To contact the Allan Marketing Group, email info@titanlifting.com.

Balog + Tamburri CPAs were recently named the external accountants for Client First Insurance Group LLC and Manikin Modeling and Talent Agency LLC, both headquartered in Jacksonville.

Balog + Tamburri is a North Florida-based certified public accounting firm with Florida offices in Jacksonville and St. Augustine, and Georgia offices in Atlanta and Alpharetta. For more information, visit www.flgacpa.com.

Time is running out to enter and vote in the JAX Boldest Contest. The deadline to enter is midnight on Saturday, March 31. Contest voting ends at midnight on Saturday, April 7.

The contest was initiated as part of the Innovate Northeast Florida project and the JAX Chamber’s #ilovejax campaign and has received more than 150 entries from individuals and groups vying to be called the area’s most innovative company, creative project or nonprofit.

The winners of each category are determined by the number of votes they receive from residents in the JAX region. “We are excited by the number of entries submitted and want to see more people voting,” Allegretti said. “Check out some of the videos and share them on your social media pages.”

The public can visit the JAX Boldest website (www.jaxboldest.com) and vote for their favorite entries in each category (company, project and nonprofit organization.)

Community leaders will announce the winners at the Innovate Northeast Florida launch event on April 19. The individual who submits the winning entry for each category will receive a cash prize of $500. The top company, project and nonprofit selected as the winning entries will also be recognized.

More information is available at www.jaxboldest.com.

The Omni Amelia Island Plantation proudly announces its appointment as one of Condé Nast Traveler’s Top 121 Golf Resorts in the World, appearing in the April issue of the publication. The sixteenth annual reader poll ranked the resort in the Top 20 Florida Golf Resorts, based on eight criteria: course design and access; golf staff and services; accommodations quality; service; food and dining; location; overall resort design; and activities.

“The Condé Nast Traveler ranking illustrates our dedication to maintaining an exceptional guest experience at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation,” said Paul Eckert, general manager. “We are honored by this recognition and we will continue to offer unparalleled service and luxury for our guests.”

For more information on the Omni Amelia Island Plantation, call 1-800-The-Omni or visit www.omniameliaislandplantation.com.

121 Financial Credit Union donated six computer servers to the School of Computing, Engineering & Construction at the University of North Florida (UNF), announced Larry Rouse, 121 Financial’s Information Technology Manager.

121 Financial delivered six dual-process, rackable servers, valued at approximately $10,000, to the college to support student training in the area of virtualization, a method that utilizes the hosting of multi-servers on one machine in order to save on electrical costs.

“Virtualization is a cost saving system that we are incorporating at 121 Financial,” Rouse explained. “In the process of instituting virtualization, we realized we had extra servers we could donate. So we asked around to the area colleges. That’s when UNF said their college was interested in extending their curriculum to include the virtualization process and would like to have the hardware for the program. And we were happy to provide this opportunity to the school and their students.”

For more information, visit 121fcu.org.

Deltona Realty announces Realtor Robin Rawald was named the company’s top producing real estate agent and top in sales for February. During this time, Rawald closed more than $2.8 million in sales.

Rawald is based at Deltona Realty’s office located near World Golf Village in the Shoppes at Mura Bella. A real estate professional since 2004, Rawald is a distressed property expert and holds a Green Designation from the National Association of Realtors.

Deltona Realty also operates an office on U.S. 1 South in St. Augustine Shores, a St. Augustine master-planned community. More information is available at www.deltonarealtyinc.com.

The Omni Amelia Island Plantation and its newly re-branded tennis school, Cliff Drysdale Tennis, welcome Scott Colebourne as the new director of tennis. Colebourne comes to the luxury property from Stratton Mountain Resort in Vermont, where he has led the resort’s Drysdale Tennis School since 2009.

Under his direction, the Stratton Mountain Resort’s tennis program was propelled to a top ranking with Tennis Magazine’s “Top Tennis Resorts” and Tennis Resorts Online’s “Top Tennis Camps.” Colebourne holds a Bachelor of Management Studies from the University of Waikato, New Zealand and was nationally ranked in the top five for collegiate tennis players in New Zealand, eventually playing at the collegiate All American level at Vincennes University in Indiana.

For more information, call 1-800-The-Omni or visit omniameliaislandplantation.com.

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Duggar & Traylor LLC, a Jacksonville based CPA firm, announces its affiliation with Sheldon & Associates. The combined expertise of both firms will provide insight into managing dental practices from day-to-day challenges, profitability analysis and financial and tax implications.

Donna Sheldon, principle at Sheldon & Associates, specializes in the dental industry and brings more than 30 years of experience transforming dental offices into productive and profitable businesses.

Look for upcoming presentations focused on medical/dental cross over billing and the revenue impact it brings to an established practice.

For more information, email jsmith@duggarandtraylor.com or donnaasheldon@aol.com.
or visit www.duggarandtraylor.com

The Beaver Street Enterprise Center is hosting “The Sweet Taste of Success… A Celebration of Women’s History Month!” on Thursday, March 29 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.(ET) at the Beaver Street Enterprise Center located at 1225 West Beaver Street, 32204.

Come and listen to some of Jacksonville’s most distinguished women business owners, including Lauren Little of Edible Arrangements, Hollis Wilder of Sweet by Holly and Dana Stallings of Kilwins Chocolate, Ice Cream and Fudge, as they intimately and candidly share their secrets to success. The panel will be moderated by Pat Blanchard, Director of the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center.

For the cost of $5, you get to sample the sweet taste of success by indulging in an array of goodies sure to whet your appetite, as well as network with other aspiring and successful women business owners or just pamper yourself with a gentle massage and more.

Register for this event by clicking HERE.

The AXIA Public Relations Firm hired Phillip Bergman as its vice president of national public relations. In the newly created position, Bergman oversees public relations campaigns for AXIA’s national clients.

Bergman has more than 20 years of strategic public relations, communications and community relations experience. He has implemented many high-profile public relations campaigns and managed issues for national companies and organizations such as IBM, British Airways, the Semiconductor Industry Association, and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. His program strategies create heightened awareness, build credibility and generate growth opportunities for clients.

For more information, go to www.axiapr.com or call 866-999-2942.

For the second year in a row, Mary Hafeman has been named the PGA Northern Chapter, North Florida Section Teacher of the Year. In addition to this two-time award, she was also awarded the 2012 President’s Plaque—an award designed to recognize a PGA Professional for extraordinary and exemplary contributions and achievements in the area of player development.

This award considers the PGA Professional’s growth of the game leadership commitment at the Section and National levels and the impact made at the facility.

The President’s Plaque Guidelines include:

•Contributions to Section and National Play Golf America initiatives.

•Quantity, quality and diversity of player development programs.

•Use of Play Golf America tools and resources.

•Quality of best practices, including uniqueness of ideas, increase in rounds / revenues, retention and customer satisfaction.

•Inspiration of fellow PGA Professionals in the area of player development.

For more information, visit www.maryhafemangolf.com

Mayor Alvin Brown announced that IBM has selected Jacksonville to receive an IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant. The grant provides Jacksonville with access to IBM’s top experts to analyze and recommend ways the city can become an even better place in which to live and work.

The IBM Smarter Cities Challenge is a competitive grant program in which IBM is awarding a total of $50 million worth of technology and services to 100 municipalities worldwide through 2013. Jacksonville is the first city in Florida to be selected.

Teams of specially selected IBM experts will provide city leaders with analysis and recommendations to support successful growth, better delivery of municipal services, more citizen engagement, and improved efficiency.

IBM selected cities that made the strongest case for participating in the Smarter Cities Challenge. During these engagements, IBM technical experts, researchers and consultants immerse themselves in local issues and offer a range of options and recommended next-steps. Among the issues they will examine are healthcare, education, safety, social services, transportation, sustainability, budget management and energy.

Mayor Brown and the City of Jacksonville look forward to working with a grant-funded IBM team on ways to develop a plan that will increase residential and commercial occupancy and community activities Downtown.

To find out more about IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grants, please visit http://smartercitieschallenge.org/ and http://www.youtube.com/user/citizenIBM.