Foundation Financial Group, with local offices at 225 Water Street, Suite 2100 in Jacksonville, Fla., named Kevin M. Shaw as its new associate vice president of insurance and Michele A. Dzina as a tax professional.

Shaw, licensed in accident, casualty, health and life insurance services, brings 13 years of experience to his position at Foundation Financial Group. Foundation Financial Group announced the opening of its insurance services division in January 2011.

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Dzina has 24 years of accounting and finance experience and 15 years of experience specializing in taxation. Foundation Financial Group opened its tax services division in December 2011.

For more information, visit www.ffg.com.

JAXUSA Partnership, a division of the JAX Chamber, hosted 10 of the nation’s leading site location consultants who candidly shared details about the criteria they use to evaluate locations for business expansion and relocation projects. As part of JAXUSA’s Site Selection Showcase, the consultants participated in a panel discussion before an audience of Northeast Florida business and community leaders at Epping Forest.

The site consultants participating included:

David Barber of Binswanger in Atlanta

Katie Burdorf of Wadley Donovan Gutshaw Consulting in Bridgewater, N.J.

Gene Canale of Hickey & Associates in Washington, D.C.

Dennis Donovan of Wadley Donovan Gutshaw Consulting in Bridgewater, N.J.

Derith Jarvis of Mohr Partners in Dallas

Kate McEnroe of Kate McEnroe Consulting in Atlanta

Jeff Pappas of Arledge Partners Real Estate Group in Dallas

Ed Riggins of Cresa Partners in Atlanta

Rebecca Truelove of Ernst & Young in New York

Gary Yates of Jones Lang LaSalle in Atlanta

McEnroe and Donovan also served as moderators for the program.

Site consultants work closely with companies to help them select locations for corporate relocation and expansion projects. The panelists addressed the business of site consulting and answered questions from the audience about the process of choosing a business site, analyzing a potential location and competitive advantages including economic incentives and the area’s quality of life and livability.

They also discussed Northeast Florida’s market potential for economic development opportunities, and were enthusiastic about all the region offers, such as an engaged workforce, quality schools and excellent transportation system including the Port of Jacksonville. They were impressed by the area’s mild climate, technology talent, medical diversity and emerging developments including Downtown.

Kate McEnroe stated that face-to-face meetings, arranging visits with companies and making a prospect feel welcome are critical to developing relationships and a city and region’s success. She stated that it does not end with one meeting but requires continuous communication.

Rebecca Truelove applauded JAXUSA Partnership for its efforts, encouraging leaders to continue to build and sustain relationships. She said you must sell and talk about the community. Truelove stated that economic development officials need to understand what a client is seeking and be prepared.

The Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA) and the NEFBA Sales & Marketing Council (SMC) honored the best in marketing and sales in the Northeast Florida building community at its 2012 Laurel Awards. More than 30 awards were presented at the annual event recently held at Nocatee’s Crosswater Hall. The top winners are as follows:

•Grand Award – Michael Bourré, Bourré Construction Group

•Dick Baker Memorial Award – Barbara Moore, Lennar

•Golden Service Award – Cornerstone Homes

•Developer of the Year – The Parc Group for Nocatee

•Lender of the Year – David Wakefield – PrimeLending

•Marketing Director of the Year – Walter Hawkins, Lennar

•Member of the Year – Ron Harris, Harris Realty Partners

•Realtor of the Year – Judy Hicks, ReMax Coastal Real Estate

•Robin Challberg Rookie Sales Person of the Year – David Watts, Lennar

•Site Agent of the Year – Catherine Peterson, Lennar

•Site Agent of the Year (Partnership/Team) – Teresa Santos and Jason Brooks, Lennar

For more information, visit www.nefba.com or call 904-725-4355.

Florida Saves in Jacksonville: Smart investing@your library, a series of free seminars designed to help residents navigate some of the most common financial issues, culminates with an appearance by financial expert Michelle Singletary on Saturday, March 24 from noon – 1:30 p.m. in the Hicks Auditorium at the main library. This free program is open to the public.

The Jacksonville Public Library has partnered with the UF/IFAS Duval County Extension Office, Family Foundations, Real$ense Prosperity Campaign and BankOn Jacksonville to bring this initiative to the community.

This program is made possible by a grant from the FINRA Education Foundation through Smart investing@your library, a partnership with the American Library Association.

For more information, call 630-BOOK (2665) or visit jaxpubliclibrary.org.

The ARC Training Group, a division of The ARC Consulting Group Inc., is hosting a three-day seminar March 19-21 titled “Advanced budgeting and forecasting techniques using Excel” at the Embassy Suites Jacksonville — Baymeadows Road (9300 Baymeadows Road, Jacksonville, FL 32256).

Presented by Richard T. Balog, CPA\CFF, CIA, CGFM, DACFE, managing partner of the certified public accounting firm of Balog + Tamburri LLC, this leading-edge program, worth 24 CPE hours, builds on your basic finance and budgeting skills to empower you to tackle those key issues facing today’s business executive.

This program is for any organization that needs to effectively ensure the achievement of strategic objectives. Particularly, it is designed for financial, management and technical professionals with direct financial responsibilities and need to understand leading-edge techniques to plan, analyze, and evaluate the effectiveness of the plan and those entrusted with its implementation.

Topics covered include budgets in today’s international business environment, approaches to budget development, steps in building financial models, optimization techniques in models using excel, determination of business trends, cycles and seasonality, and more.

To register, call 904-268-1148 or click here for more information.

Ann D. Sabbag, founder & CEO of Health Designs, Inc., and winner of the Small Business Person of the Year from Florida, will compete against winners from the other 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam for the National Small Business Person of the Year during the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) celebration in Washington, D.C. during National Small Business Week, May 20-22.

While in D.C., the winners will have opportunities to meet with top administration officials, congressional representatives and national business leaders. The highlight of the celebration will come when one of them is named National Small Business Person of the Year.

National Small Business Week is cosponsored by the SCORE Association as well as numerous corporate and trade sponsors to be announced.

Events on the three-day schedule will be available for viewing virtually through SBA’s free, live webcasting, which will be accessible at www.nationalsmallbusinessweek.com. Interested parties can register online at the same site, where additional information (updated weekly) is available regarding registration, awards ceremonies, small business forums and educational and matchmaking sessions. The event also will be webcast live at the web site.

Participants also will be recognized for their involvement in disaster recovery, government contracting, and their support for small businesses and entrepreneurship, and awards will be presented to SBA partners in financial and entrepreneurial development, including the year’s top SCORE Chapter, Small Business Development Center and Women’s Business Center.

JAX Sister Cities announces it is hosting a Brazilian-style happy hour on Thursday, March 22, from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Espeto Steakhouse.

“Happy hour” will be from 5:30-8 p.m., which includes a cash bar with specially priced Caipirinhas for everyone and free appetizers. Then stay afterward for a specially priced $29 per person “Brazilian Rodizio” (usually $39).

If you have an interest in International Business in Jacksonville, you might enjoy being a part of Jacksonville Sister Cities. Bring a friend or spouse—it’ll be a good time.

For more information, contact Alan Vinson, Curitiba Brazil Committee President at 904-233-2856 (U.S.) or (11)7149-1552 (BR).

Calling all boaters! The City of Jacksonville and Captains’ Club present the 28th annual Blessing of the Fleet, Sunday, April 1 at 2 p.m. This annual event will feature the blessing of vessels on the Northbank Riverfront of the St. Johns River.

The Blessing of the Fleet is a ceremony similar to those held in the Iberian and Mediterranean regions. The purpose of this annual event is to bless the armada to ask for good weather and safe boating conditions for the upcoming navigational season.

Boaters are encouraged to arrive downtown at 1:30 p.m. and tune in to VHF channel 72. There is no limitation on the size of the vessel and registration is free.

Participating vessels will be blessed by Father Kamal Al-Rahil of the St. George Antiochian Church. Father Al-Rahil will deliver the blessing from the Northbank Riverfront Park located at the Hogan Street gazebo between The Jacksonville Landing and the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts. The parade of boats can be observed from both the Northbank and Southbank.

Individuals without sea legs can take a stroll along the Riverwalk and enjoy the splendor of the St. Johns River while watching as each boat receives its blessing for the coming year.

On Sunday, April 1, the Main Street Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic from 1:30 – 4 p.m. Hogan Street will be closed from Water Street to the St. Johns River from 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sister Cities Road will be closed beginning Friday, March 30 at 8 a.m. to Sunday, April 1 at 6 p.m. The St. Johns River will not be under any extra restrictions.

The 28th annual Blessing of the Fleet is part of the Make A Scene Downtown! Series. For more information, visit www.makeascenedowntown.com, call 904-630-3690, or e-mail events@coj.net.

Latitude Global, Inc., (“LGI” or “Latitude Global”), has announced the formal establishment of a strategic financial partnership with Entertainment Properties Trust (NYSE: EPR). Entertainment Properties Trust (EPR), is a self-administered real estate investment trust (REIT) that develops, owns, leases and finances megaplex theatres, entertainment retail centers (centers generally anchored by an entertainment component, such as a megaplex theatre and containing other entertainment-related or retail properties), public charter schools and destination recreational and specialty properties.

This partnership, which was arranged by EFA Partners LLC, will fund Latitude Global’s expansion into new cities as well as a parking garage at their Jacksonville location (Latitude 30), to meet increasing customer traffic.

For more information on Latitude Global, please visit www.Latitude-Global.com.

Panache, a St. Augustine and Julington Creek company with Aveda Lifestyle Store, Salon and Spas, will hold a fundraiser for St. Johns Riverkeeper on Sunday, April 15 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the Julington Creek salon, 2758 Racetrack Road, #403 in Jacksonville.

Panache owner Kristy Weeks has committed to a day of $15 haircuts and services including any haircut for men, women and children with full style and care consultation, shampoo and conditioning treatment, stress relieving head and neck treatment, haircut, blow-dry and style. Hair stylists from the St. Augustine and Julington Creek salon locations will be donating their time and expertise.

Appointments are available and walk-ins will be welcomed. Families are invited to the event and refreshments will be served along with a remote, radio broadcast. All event proceeds (100%) will be donated the St. Johns Riverkeeper, a local non-profit that works on behalf of the community for clean and healthy waters in the St. Johns River.

For more information and to schedule an appointment, call 904-209-1320. Visit the website at www.getpanache.com.

Peak 10 Inc. will host a live webinar “Before You Move to the Cloud…” at noon EST on Tuesday, March 20. The presentation will help organizations of all sizes and in all industries understand what they should consider before moving to the cloud.

In addition to the online webinar, an executive briefing will be hosted in the Jacksonville Peak 10 location. These briefings will include the online webinar as well as a session with Peak 10 engineers who will be onsite to discuss attendees’ specific needs and how they can benefit from the cloud. The event is co-sponsored by Cisco, EMC and VMware.

To register for this informative, complimentary webinar, click here. For more information, visit www.peak10.com.

Gov. Rick Scott, Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown, and JAXUSA Partnership, a division of the JAX Chamber, welcomed newly combined BI-LO and Winn-Dixie supermarkets to the State of Florida and JAX region.

BI-LO and Winn Dixie announced that Jacksonville will serve as the location for its combined company headquarters, resulting in approximately 900 jobs retained, 100 new high-wage jobs created over time and an approximate $93 million capital investment.

State and local leaders collaborated to ensure the retention and creation of jobs. The company qualified for $1.04 million through Florida’s Quick Response Training program, which supports business expansion efforts. The funds will be used toward training costs for existing and new employees. A state Quick Action Closing Fund incentive of $3.6 million will offset costs associated with relocation expenses and equipment purchases.

On the local level, the City of Jacksonville’s proposal includes a Revenue Enhancement Value (REV) grant not to exceed $2 million during a 10-year period. The REV grant is a fiscal tool used to assist businesses that are expanding or locating in Jacksonville.

Together, Winn-Dixie and BI-LO currently operate 688 grocery stores in eight states, employing 63,000 people. BI-LO has stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. Winn-Dixie has stores in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi.

Jacksonville has been home to the formerly Winn-Dixie headquarters since 1939 after the company, known at the time as Winn & Lovett Grocery Co., relocated its headquarters to Jacksonville. Last year, BI-LO LLC, the grocery store based in Greenville, S.C. agreed to purchase Winn-Dixie.

Mayor Alvin Brown made three key appointments to the City of Jacksonville team.

Angela Spears has been elevated to the role of Special Assistant to the Mayor for Community Engagement. In that role, Spears will assist Mayor Brown in his efforts to engage citizens throughout Jacksonville on key community priorities. In July 2011, Spears was appointed as the Mayor’s Deputy Director of Communications.

David DeCamp will serve as Communications Director. Prior to this position, DeCamp was a reporter for the Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he covered politics and local government; a reporter at the Florida Times-Union, where he served as a City Hall reporter and covered national, state, and local politics; and has been a local and state government and politics reporter with the Tampa Bay Times, formerly known as the St. Petersburg Times.

Jim Robinson will serve as the City’s Director of Public Works. He has more than three decades of experience in engineering and management that trace back to his service to the nation as a captain and traffic engineer for the U.S. Army in the mid-1970s.

Some of the nation’s most influential site selection consultants attended JAXUSA Partnership’s Site Selection Showcase, a three-day event that allows them to experience the best of the region.

Eighty regional business leaders and JAXUSA partners joined the consultants as executives talked about the region’s recruiting ability, unique location, business environment and quality of life.

George Scanlon of Fidelity National Financial (FNF) spoke about the company’s move to Jacksonville in 2003. FNF has since spun off two companies — FIS and LPS — which combined have created more jobs locally than any other employer in the last decade. Other speakers included Craig Drager of Medtronic, Roseann Duran of Web.com, Paul Boynton of Rayonier and Harold Stankard of Fidelity Investments.

Site selection consultants are responsible for evaluating cities for company relocation and expansion plans. This event, held every two years, is one of the many ways JAXUSA markets the region. Industry videos are another tool used to showcase JAX. The latest video about the information technology industry includes executives in the respective industry sharing their experiences and reasons they selected the Jacksonville region to move or locate.

Information technology is one of seven targeted industries, and the Innovate Northeast Florida project recently reported that the technology industry is significantly contributing to the Northeast Florida economy. The number of tech jobs in Northeast Florida is on the rise, increasing 27% between 2005 and 2010 — the third highest rate of all the benchmark regions.

In addition to marketing the region to the world, the videos also help inform residents about the region’s strengths and highlight the many reasons to love JAX, which is the goal of the recently-created #ilovejax campaign.

In Nov. 2011, Forbes magazine named Jacksonville one of the best cities for technology jobs. Bloomberg Business Week ranked Jacksonville fourth in its listing of cities with the most significant growth in technology jobs.

For more information, visit JAXUSA Partnership or JAX Chamber.

Saturday, March 17 (the last Saturday of the Museum’s annual Garden Week) is Museum Community Day at The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens and admission is free from noon to 4 p.m. Live music will be featured and admission include access to Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art, a special exhibit featuring works by Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Cassatt and other famous artists.

More information is available at www.cummer.org or www.cummer.org/garden-week.

The Blood Alliance (TBA), which provides blood to more than 40 hospitals and medical facilities in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, is looking for volunteers to help with its special events.

To support your only community blood bank, visit igiveblood.com or call 888-99-TBA-HERO (888-998-2243).

Sisler Johnston Interior Design has been awarded the contract to provide interior design services for the renovation of the oceanfront Florida and Georgia Guest Houses at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club. The firm is responsible for interior specifications and selections including furnishings, décor, wallcoverings, window treatments, carpeting, countertops, lighting and decorative hardware.

The $2.6 million renovation project involves complete renovations of the oceanfront Florida and Georgia Guest Houses at the resort. Completion is anticipated in April 2012.

For more information about Sisler Johnston Interior Design, call 904-288-0908 or visit www.sislerjohnston.com.

The 17th Annual St. Johns River Celebration cleanup event on Saturday, March 17 is in need of volunteers. Participants will spend the morning collecting litter and debris from more than 20 pre-selected riverfront and inland sites around the city.

Volunteer cleanup is from 8-11 a.m. (specific times vary by locations—see below for more details) followed by a volunteer appreciation event from noon-2 p.m. at the Riverside Arts Market.

Volunteers will be provided with trash bags, gloves and tickets at the locations listed below. Tickets may be redeemed for refreshments and t-shirts, while supplies last, at an appreciation event at Riverside Arts Market following the cleanup.

Students can receive community service certificates for their participation. Participants must be over 18 years of age or accompanied by an adult. Advance registration is not required. Register at the cleanup site.

For more information or to register call 904-630-CITY or visit www.coj.net, keywords: St. Johns River Celebration or KJB.

St. Johns River Celebration 2012 Cleanup Sites

Urban 8 – 11 a.m.

o Hogan Creek behind Jacksonville Historical Society, 314 Palmetto St. — 32202

Meet in the parking lot behind the building. This site is not recommended for children.

Arlington/Beaches 8 – 11 a.m. *Exception: Ft Caroline

o Blue Cypress Park, 4012 University Blvd. N. — 32277

o Helen Cooper Floyd Park (formerly Little Jetties), 3600 S.R. A1A — 32233

o All Wet Sports/Beach Boulevard Boat Ramp, 8508 Beach Blvd. – 32216. A personal kayak, canoe or boat is required for this site. Participants use water vessels at their own risk. This site is not recommended for children.

o Ft. Caroline National Memorial, 12713 Fort Caroline Road – 32225 *Exception: Cleanup from 9 – 11 a.m.

o Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park, 500 Wonderwood Road – 32233. Volunteers must arrive by 9:30 a.m. to participate

o Intracoastal Waterway Boat Ramp, 2510 2nd Avenue North – 32250. This site is not recommended for children.

o Beach Blvd. at the Ocean, 2 Oceanfront N. – 32250. Near the lifeguard station

Naval Station Mayport, Jetties Pavilion # 3, 8 – 11 a.m. Volunteers must have base access or arrange for base access.

Westside

o Tillie Fowler Regional Park, 7000 Roosevelt Blvd. – 32244. Riverside 8 – 11 a.m.

o Yacht Basin Park, 2941 St. Johns Ave. – 32205. Litter cleanup and beautification project at this site.

o Northbank Riverwalk, 221 Riverside Ave. – 32202. Parking behind Yates YMCA. Turn on Jackson St.

o Memorial Park, 1620 Riverside Ave. – 32204

Southeast 8 – 11 a.m.

o Hood Landing Boat Ramp, 12925 Hood Landing Road — 32223

o Burnett Park, 3740 Burnett Park Road — 32257

Southwest 8 – 11 a.m.

o Azalea Creek/Boone Park, 3700 Park St. — 32205

o Fishweir Creek, 4000 block of St. Johns Avenue

o Ringhaver Park, 5198 118th St. — 32244

o Wayne B. Stevens Boat Ramp, 4555 Ortega Farms Blvd. — 32210

Northeast 8 – 11 a.m.

o Huguenot Memorial Park, 10980 Hecksher Drive — 32226

Northwest 8 – 11 a.m.

o T. K. Stokes Boat Ramp, 2120 Riverview St. — 32208

o Hollybrook Park, 2805 McCoys Creek Blvd. – 32254. *Exception: cleanup from 9 – 11 a.m. Volunteers sign in at basketball court.

North 8 – 11 a.m.

o North Shore Park, 7901 Pearl St. — 32208

o Riverview Park, 9620 E. Water Street – 32208 *Exception: Cleanup from 9 – 11 a.m. Park located off of Lem Turner Road

The National Pink Tie Organization in association with Elite Look Productions will hold a fashion show on Friday, March 16, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Casa Marina hotel and restaurant in Jacksonville Beach. All proceeds will benefit the National Pink Tie Organization in their mission of men supporting the fight against cancer.

The show will feature models from Elite Look Productions showcasing fashions from Jacksonville area designers that incorporate pink ties into their creations in honor of the National Pink Tie Organization’s vision of every man wearing pink ties during October and fuchsia ties the remainder of the year to show their support in the fight against ALL cancer.

To honor loved ones who have lost their battle against cancer and to celebrate survivors, the National Pink Tie Organization is inviting all men to submit a photograph of themselves holding a sign with the name of their loved one, the type of cancer and the years of their loved one’s life.

If they are celebrating a survivor (or if they are a survivor themselves), then they should print the name with the word “survivor” boldly highlighted and the years cancer free. They are encouraged to be creative in expressing the essence of the one they are honoring.

The photos will be proudly displayed at the National Pink Tie Organization Fashion Show.

Men are encouraged to show their colors by wearing pink or fuschia ties and ladies should not be shy about joining them to make their own fashion statement. To make sure that everyone is in the spirit, pink and fuschia ties can be purchased at the event.

For more information about the National Pink Tie Organization, contact Steve DiMattia at stevenationalpinktieorg@gmail.com. Visit the NPTO website at www.nationalpinktieorganization.org/. Follow the National Pink Tie Organization on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/nationalpinktie

With more than 5,000 votes turned in, The Wizard of Oz was the not-so-surprising winner in Alhambra’s first-ever fan poll. Starting in early February, Alhambra patrons and fans were invited to vote on this summer’s family show.

“It was really wonderful for so many people to take part in the voting,” said Craig Smith. “What surprised me most was how many write-in suggestions we had. We’ve now got plenty of choices to look at for 2013 and beyond.”

Wizard of Oz will run June 6 to July 22.

Join the Ponte Vedra Chamber of commerce on Wednesday, March 21, for its Ponte Vedra Chamber at Noon Luncheon at the Sawgrass Country Club, at 10034 Golf Club Drive, Ponte Vedra Beach. From 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Cost is $25 for members with reservations, and $30 for guests and members at the Door. Guest speakers include Kirstin Pirris with Pirris Insurance & Financial Services and Heather Senterfitt with First Coast Focus who will be presenting a Speed Networking Workshop. Bring your business cards.

Call the Chamber office for reservations, 285-2004.

The JAX Chamber’s Downtown and Arlington councils hosted a public policy forum examining solutions for homelessness. More than 80 local business leaders attended the forum.

Moderated by Dawn Gilman of the Emergency Services & Homeless Coalition of Jacksonville, the panelists included Elaine Spencer, the City of Jacksonville housing director and with the Mayor’s Homeless Task Force, Terry Lorince of Downtown Vision, Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford and Cindy Funkhouser of the Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless.

While homelessness is a problem in every community, Downtown is considered one of the hot spots in the Jacksonville area where the most vulnerable people are found living on the streets. Homelessness is a problem in downtown communities across the nation because they are centrally located, have a number of services available, are more densely populated and allow for greater walkability.

The panelists at the forum agree reducing the number of homeless individuals living on the streets of Downtown will help save lives and maximize the use of community resources. Research shows that the life expectancy of a homeless person significantly decreases the longer they are on the streets. Finding long-term solutions for the homeless reduces the costs associated with public safety and health care. The panelists and business leaders alike also believe reducing the homeless population will attract more people to businesses, residences and events in the urban core.

Northeast Florida’s newest poker room, BestBet Jacksonville, features the work of Fisher Koppenhafer Architecture and Interior Design. The firm served as the architect and interior designer for the renovation of a former Garden Ridge, located on Monument Road across from the Regency Square Mall, into a new gaming complex.

Owned and operated by Jacksonville Greyhound Racing, BestBet Jacksonville is the state’s largest poker room and the first in Florida to operate away from a track. It offers poker at all limits and simulcast wagering on greyhounds and thoroughbreds. The poker room has 70 tables, including a raised, high rollers area and a private VIP room. In addition, it includes a simulcast room rising 20-feet with 18 120-inch HD televisions. There is also a full service restaurant and bar.

The $7 million renovation transformed approximately 70,000 square feet of the 145,000-square-foot building into the poker room. The site offers a prime location with easy access to major roadways and copious parking.

The first major tournament at BestBet Jacksonville will be the World Poker Tournament Jacksonville BestBet Open. Scheduled for April 27 to May 2, the televised event will have a $1 million guaranteed prize pool. It is the main attraction of the “Jacksonville Spring Series,” beginning April 19, that features 14 tournaments as well as major cash games.

For more information, call 904-367-0077 or visit www.fisherkoppenhafer.com.

Three city-owned buildings in Jacksonville’s urban core have been awarded the designation of Florida’s “Top 100 Buildings” by The Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects as part of its “Florida Architecture: 100 Years, 100 Places” competition.

City Hall at St. James, the Florida Theatre and the Main Library were selected from thousands of submissions statewide, and are among a total of 17 buildings in Duval County to earn this designation. Throughout the state, 100 buildings were awarded this honor.

“It’s an honor to have three city-owned buildings in the running for the A1A Florida 100 Years Celebration. For years, our St. James Building, Florida Theatre and Main Library have helped to define our downtown for visitors and business professionals,” said Mayor Alvin Brown. “They help to provide unique, historic character in our urban center for all of Jacksonville to enjoy.”

All three buildings are now competing in a statewide contest to be the number one ranked building in Florida. Visit aiafla.org by April 6 to vote for your favorite city building. The competition is designed to highlight Florida’s unique and rich architectural heritage.

Christini’s Ristorante Italiano at 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd. Suite 84 in Orlando has selected The AXIA Public Relations Firm as its agency of record. Christini’s Ristorante Italiano is a 28-year-old authentic Italian restaurant and the recipient of The Ivy Award, AAA Four Diamond Award, the Golden Spoon Award and Best Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine for one of the best wine lists in the world.

AXIA has offices in Atlanta, Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa. For more information, visit Christini’s Restorante at www.christinis.com or contact AXIA at 321-710-4911 or www.axiapr.com.

Five local women who have made outstanding contributions to the Jacksonville community have been selected for recognition as 2012 Women’s History Month honorees by the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women. These women epitomize this year’s theme, Women in Motion.

•Audrey Moran – Senior Vice President, Social Responsibility & Community

Advocacy, Baptist Health

•Mary Setzler – Founder, PFC. Tavarus D. Setzler Foundation

•Laine Silverfield – Former Executive Director, Dreams Come True

•Ann Baker, deceased, Long-term Community Activist and Visionary

•Derya Williams, deceased, Former CEO, River Region Human Services, Inc.

The Commission, in partnership with the Thomas G. Carpenter Library at the University of North Florida, will host a reception in their honor on Tuesday, March 13, from 5:30 – 7 p.m.

As is the commission’s tradition, each of this year’s honorees will be featured on a specially designed commemorative poster, which will be unveiled at the reception. The poster will then be placed in the UNF Thomas G. Carpenter Library where the permanent collection of commemorative posters is exhibited. The poster honorees were selected from nominations received from individuals, women’s organizations, agencies and businesses.

NAIOP of Northeast Florida recently announced its annual award winners at the organization’s “Annual Awards & Celebration 2012.” Hosted at the Times-Union Center for Performing Arts, the event drew approximately 200 guests who enjoyed a cocktail reception, award presentation and dinner reception.

The NAIOP annual award winners for 2011 included:

· Office Broker of the Year – Oliver Barakat, CBRE

· Industrial Broker of the Year – Bryan Bartlett, Grubb & Ellis/Phoenix Realty Group

· Emerging Professional of the Year – Joe Ayers, CBRE

· Chapter Merit Award – Erika Bjork, Colliers International

· Chapter Merit Award – Julie Bohn, Cantrell & Morgan, Inc.

· Chapter Merit Award – Tom Mundy, The Shopping Center Group

· Distinguished Service Award – Wyman Duggan, Rogers Towers Attorneys at Law

· Office Lease of the Year – EverBank, CBRE & Grubb & Ellis

· Industrial Lease of the Year – IEM, Grubb & Ellis/Phoenix Realty – Aaron Zarle

· Industrial Project of the Year – SAFT America, JEDC

· Redevelopment Project of the Year – Laura Street Enhancement, JEDC

· The Klechak Award – Jim Bailey, Bailey Publishing & Communications

· Lifetime Achievement Award – William G. Evans

To learn more, visit www.naiopnefl.com or call 904-730-8075.

The San Marco office of Prudential Network Realty is on the move. The Northeast Florida real estate firm announces it will relocate its San Marco office, currently located at 1936 San Marco Boulevard, to a more prominent storefront in the heart of San Marco Square. The new office will be located at 1983 San Marco Boulevard.

The San Marco office is under the direction of Broker/Manager Sheron Willson, who is also the company’s director of training. Willson is charged with growing this location and expanding the company’s team of talented real estate professionals.

Located south of downtown, San Marco Square is a pedestrian-friendly shopping, dining and entertainment district and one of the area’s most popular destinations. San Marco is one of Jacksonville’s most sought-after historic neighborhoods and appeals to single professionals and families alike.

Renovations on the new Prudential Network Realty location are expected to begin soon. The company expects to move into the new branch office before May 1.

For more information, call 904-739-0717 or visit www.PrudentialNetworkRealty.com.

Watson Heating & Air Conditioning has been contracted to provide and install heating and air conditioning units in the second floor of the Elkins Constructors building at 701 West Adams Street in Jacksonville, announced Wendell Davis, president of Watson Maintenance Services.

“The job will involve removing the old units located on the second floor and installing new ones in a downtown commercial environment,” reported Paul Cubilla, manager for Watson Heating & Air Conditioning. “We expect the job to be completed within 10 days.”

Watson Heating & Air Conditioning is a division of Watson Maintenance Services, which is a part of the Watson Realty family of companies. Watson Heating & Air Conditioning has been providing services to both residential and commercial customers since 2004.

Toll Brothers announces the promotion of Greg Netro to vice president of the North Florida division. As division vice president, Netro oversees operations for Toll Brothers’ Northeast Florida communities which include Coastal Oaks at Nocatee in Ponte Vedra.

Netro joined Toll Brothers in 2001 as an assistant construction manager and has worked for the company in Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida. He was promoted in 2007 to the position of senior project manager and in 2011 to assistant vice president. He is a graduate of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va.

For more information, visit TollBrothers.com.

CoWork Jax announces the 2nd Annual Downtown Coworking Week. From March 12 – March 16, the CoWork Jax community has decided to open its doors and invite everyone to enjoy free coworking for the week. The growing CoWork Jax community is eager for others to experience the growing collaborative and innovative atmosphere happening at the space.

CoWork Jax is also a proud member of the Downtown community, and is pleased to be able to offer this event, and to bring people Downtown who might not otherwise think of working there. The first Downtown Coworking Week was held last year, in collaboration with Downtown Vision, Inc., Jacksonville’s Downtown Improvement District, and Downtown Vision is glad to see this becoming an annual event.

In honor of the free week, CoWork Jax will host a number of great events. For a full schedule of events visit the CoWork Jax website at http://coworkjax.com

Monday: Media Day, all day. Local media – bloggers, news media, reporters – are invited to come and work out of the space, meet our members and experience coworking first hand. If you would like to RSVP for the event, or have further questions, send an email to the CoWork community curator, Paige, at Paige@coworkjax.com.

Tuesday: Business Founders Series, 6 p.m. Join us as we host Carl Smith, owner of NGen Works, Darren Bounds, founder of Path.To and Cliqset, as well as Helga Langthon, owner of SOHO Network Solutions as they talk about what it takes to start, grow and manage a company, how they handle failures and successes and key items each has learned along the way.

Wednesday: AIGA’s Morning Leak, 7 a.m. Join the local chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) as they meet over coffee to talk about current projects, upcoming events and more.

Show and Tell Lunch, 12 p.m. Similar to the AIGA Morning Leak, CoWork Jax members gather to share their current projects and ideas, and share thoughts and roadblocks with other members.

Thursday: ImpactJax – “What is CoWorking and Why Should I Care?”, 6 p.m. The highlight event of the week, join Cowork Jax and co-hosts ImpactJax as they provide tours of the CoWork Jax coworking space and give a presentation on the basics of coworking, followed by a special panel discussion on how coworking can benefit your business and community. Featured speakers on the panel will include Jeremy Neuner, CEO of NextSpace, and Ryan Coonerty, Chief Strategist of NextSpace, one of the most successful coworking businesses in the country with four locations across California. NextSpace has a tremendous amount of insight into the successes and failures of coworking. The panel will also feature Elton Rivas, Chief-Coworker for CoWork Jax; Mike Glass, a CoWork Jax member; and one of the co-founders of Jax Hax, a local “makerspace” and community workshop.

Friday: Hackathon, 5 p.m. until… Local hackers take over CoWork Jax for an evening of work, innovation and inspiration. Learn more at http://hackd.it.

For more information on CoWork Jax, visit www.coworkjax.com.

Davidson Realty, Inc. welcomes new Agent Karen Stern to its team of real estate brokers. Stern is a well-known name in the St. Augustine community having been elected to the St. Johns County Commission in 2002, where she served as Chairman and Vice-Chairman to the Commission.

Prior to joining the Davidson Realty team, Karen served as a government relations consultant and as an elected official in St. Johns County. After serving on the St. Johns County School Board, she was elected to the St. Johns County Commission, where she served as Chairman and Vice-Chairman to the Commission. She has also served on the Board of Trustees for St. Johns River State College and on the Northeast Florida Regional Planning Council. Karen is a 2010 graduate of the Leadership Jacksonville program and serves in a volunteer capacity with the LJ Adult and Youth programs. She also enjoys her volunteer service with Habitat of St. Johns County.

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.

Rise Health of Jacksonville was named a Blue Ribbon Small Business Award winner by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The company was recognized for its dedication to the principles of free enterprise and its contributions to restoring jobs and prosperity.

The awards program, sponsored by Sam’s Club, honors companies that demonstrate excellent business practices in several areas, including strategy, employee development, community involvement, and customer service.

This year’s 75 Blue Ribbon winners were selected from a record number of nationwide applicants and will be honored at America’s Small Business Summit 2012, May 21–23, in Washington, D.C. On March 15, seven of the Blue Ribbon recipients will be announced as award finalists, and one will be named the DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year during the summit. The winner will be presented with a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of the U.S. Chamber.

Blue Ribbon businesses are also eligible for the Community Excellence Award, which will be decided in March through online public voting. In addition, 25 Free Enterprise Honorees were commended for their strong business practices and contributions to the economy.

To learn more, visit www.uschambersummit.com.

Foundation Financial Group, with headquarters at 225 Water Street, Suite 2100, announces the opening of its sixth retail branch in Wichita, Kan., its first retail branch opening in 2012.

Foundation Financial Group plans to open 11 retail branch locations throughout the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic in 2012. Foundation Financial Group named Bobbi Jo Dixon as the Wichita branch manager.

For more information, visit www.ffg.com.

Downtown Vision Inc. (DVI) announced the addition of Sarah Henderson, communications coordinator, and Liz Grebe, marketing and events assistant, to its marketing department and the promotion of Katherine Hardwick to director of marketing.

As full-time communications coordinator, Henderson is tasked with telling the story of Downtown through DVI’s printed and online communications, maintaining the website and managing DVI’s social media outreach. Before joining DVI, Sarah worked as a staff reporter and photographer for The Ponte Vedra Recorder in Ponte Vedra Beach.

Grebe joined DVI as part-time marketing and events assistant following an extended marketing internship with DVI. She is tasked with managing Downtown Vision’s signature events, including the First Wednesday Art Walk, and supporting the staff on traditional and grassroots marketing initiatives. While interning, Grebe implemented a college outreach program at the University of North Florida and received the Prism Student Promise Award.

This is the second promotion for Hardwick, who joined DVI in 2009. As director of marketing, she is tasked with strategic leadership and management of the organization’s initiatives to market Downtown Jacksonville. Hardwick brings seven years of marketing experience to the organization. Formerly, as marketing and events manager for DVI, she doubled the average attendance of the First Wednesday Art Walk and launched a number of initiatives to streamline this signature event. She also demonstrated tremendous creativity in the “explore the more” campaign heralded by the International Downtown Association in 2009.

For more information, visit downtownjacksonville.org.

Rick Balog, CPA\CFF, CIA, CGFM, DACFE, managing partner of the Certified Public Accounting firm of Balog + Tamburri, CPAs, was recently granted a Service Award from the Small Business Resource Network (SBRN) in appreciation for his service and dedication.

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.

Seven of the 26 Recognition of Service Excellence (ROSE) Award winners announced for 2012 by the North Florida Hotel & Lodging Association (NFHLA) represent Downtown Jacksonville’s service industry.

The fourth annual event, held at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront on Feb. 21, recognized 26 front-line hospitality employees who demonstrate excellence in customer service. Downtown Vision, Inc.’s Downtown Ambassador Michael Ryan was among the recipients, receiving a ROSE Award for Customer Service: Tourism Ambassador.

Downtown service industry award winners also include:

•Customer Service: Attraction/Tour Guide – Gary Sass representing AdLib Luxury Tours & Transportation

•Customer Service: Retail – Sherry Lyford representing River City Gourmet at The Jacksonville Landing

•Guest Service: Bell Attendant – Tyrone Jackson representing Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront

•Guest Service: Security – Marcella Waldburg representing The Jacksonville Landing

•Guest Service: Valet – Jeremy Ausderau representing Omni Jacksonville Hotel (Parking Management)

•President’s Award – Mary DeJarnette representing Omni Jacksonville Hotel

For more information, visit downtownjacksonville.org.

At a Board of Directors meeting, CEO and Chairman Kristin McLauchlan announced that Legacy Trust Family Wealth Offices will sponsor LPGA tour player and Jacksonville native, Amelia Lewis.

The relationship between Lewis and Legacy Trust is unique in that it will focus mostly on Lewis’ ability to help Legacy Trust build relationships with clients and prospects as an ambassador for the firm. Typically, a relationship with a professional athlete focuses on media exposure. While Lewis will sport a Legacy Trust logo on her left sleeve during all playing and promotional opportunities, the main focus of this sponsorship is client entertainment.

Lewis will participate at Legacy Trust golf outings and clinics, attend special events as a guest or host, and, when possible, even take Legacy Trust clients inside the ropes of tournaments. Legacy Trust will feature a link on their website where clients can go to follow her progress. They will also tie into her website and her social media endeavors.

Follow Amelia Lewis at her twitter page www.twitter.com/TheAmeliaLewis.com, “like” her facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/TheAmeliaLewis to receive golf tips, videos and more or visit her website www.AmeliaLewis.com.

For information, call 904-280-9100 or visit www.legacytrust.com.

The Board of Directors for the Blood Alliance announced that Dale Malloy, president and CEO of The Blood Alliance (TBA), will be retiring. A succession planning committee appointed by the Board has been conducting its own recruitment and search for a replacement. A formal announcement will be made later this year to name the new successful candidate. As part of Malloy’s transition, he will remain with TBA in a part-time advisory and transition support capacity starting in Oct., 2012, and will fully retire on Oct. 1, 2013.

Malloy’s retirement plans include spending time with his extended family, improving his golf game and to continue his community volunteerism. In Malloy’s own words, “I appreciate the high expectations and support in pursuing them that our Boards of Directors have provided over the years. I also must reflect high praise on the staff who have been with me and successfully executed the plans to accomplish what we’ve done together. As I depart, I will leave The Blood Alliance in very capable hands!”

For more information, visit www.igiveblood.com or call 888.99.TBA.HERO (888.998.2243).

Brennan, Manna & Diamond, a 56-lawyer full-service business law firm with offices in Jacksonville and Bonita Springs, Fla.; Akron, Ohio; and Shanghai, China; is proud to announce that two of its attorneys have been recognized as the best in Florida. Managing partner Mike Freed and tax partner Mike Ivan have been selected by “Super Lawyers” magazine as among the top 5% of practicing attorneys in the Sunshine State.

Freed has been managing partner for Brennan, Manna & Diamond since 2003. His experience covers a wide range of practice areas including litigation, banking, corporate governance, and labor and employment. Freed is President of the Jacksonville Bar Association and actively performs pro bono work in areas involving child exploitation and human trafficking.

Ivan joined the firm last year as head of the firm’s local Tax and Estate Planning Group and Regional Transactional Group. He is a board certified tax specialist with extensive experience in estate and tax planning, wealth preservation and business succession planning for high net-worth individuals, business owners and executives.

“Super Lawyers” recognizes lawyers through a rating system using independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. The publication creates a comprehensive and diverse list of outstanding attorneys in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., recognizing attorneys with high peer recognition, ethical standards and achievement. “Super Lawyers’” selection process is recognized by courts and bar associations across the U.S.

JAXUSA Partnership, a division of the JAX Chamber, welcomed Jacksonville Jaguars Owner Shad Khan as its featured guest speaker to the JAXUSA quarterly luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront.

Speaking before a capacity audience of more than 1,000, the self-made business executive spoke candidly about his rise as a successful entrepreneur in the automobile parts industry, his passion for football, and his goals for the upcoming football season. Khan also talked about his interest in reaching out to football fans nationally and internationally and the impact it could have on the region’s economy.

Khan also answered a variety of questions that were submitted to the JAX Chamber via Twitter. He shared his plans to invest in non-football related activities in the community and perspective on the current state of the economy, the importance of entrepreneurship as well as the possibility of the Jaguars playing overseas.

The Jaguars are a significant contributor to the JAX region’s quality of life and community pride. As an NFL franchise, Jacksonville and the region receives national and international exposure and recognition with a regional economic impact of more than $200 million annually. Since the team’s inception, Jacksonville has attracted several large companies, including Deutsche Bank, which was also honored during the luncheon as the recipient of the JAXUSA Partnership Industry Leader Award for its outstanding business performance and corporate citizenship.

Since coming to Jacksonville in 2008, Deutsche Bank has experienced tremendous growth and success in the region. The company selected Jacksonville for a new global technology operations center, one of only six in the world and is the only one of its kind in North America. Deutsche Bank Jacksonville supports the company’s global Corporate Investment Bank operations in multiple areas including equities, collateral management and derivatives.

Deutsche Bank Jacksonville currently has nearly 1,000 employees and has made a capital investment of nearly $16 million. The Jacksonville operations center has led or collaborated on multiple financial projects that resulted in a cost savings of $2.5 million in 2011 and an annual savings of $9.7 million.

The Ponte Vedra Chamber of Commerce announces two events for Wednesday, March 14. Bring your business cards and brochures to its Before Hours Breakfast at Elizabeth’s Café, 1500 Sawgrass Village Drive, from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Cost is $7.50 for members; $10 for guests.

Its second event is a Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting for Clear Ear Hearing Solutions, represented by Troy Mahan, located at 4172 South 3rd Street, Jacksonville Beach from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Come, celebrate and meet Troy Mahan and his staff. Cost is free to members and guests. For additional information, call 285-2004.

Prudential Network Realty recently celebrated its outstanding success in 2011 at the company’s annual awards ceremony. The event honored the hard work, dedication and outstanding service provided by the company’s top performing sales professionals.

During the celebration, numerous Prudential Network Realty professionals were honored for their extraordinary performance and achievements in 2011.

•Elizabeth Hudgins of the company’s Ponte Vedra Beach office led Prudential Network Realty as its top producer with more than $40 million in closed sales volume. Hudgins also received the prestigious Chairman’s Circle Diamond award.

•Anita Vining of the company’s San Marco office was named Prudential Network Realty’s top agent in transactions. Vining also received the Chairman’s Circle Platinum award.

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•Pamela Pearce of the company’s Mandarin office was recognized as the company’s top listing agent and recognized in the Honor Society.

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•Al Kekec of the company’s Beaches office was honored as Prudential Network Realty’s top sales agent and recognized in the Leading Edge Society.

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•Jennifer Wright of the company’s Ponte Vedra Beach office was named Rookie of the Year and recognized in the Honor Society.

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•The Fleming Island office received the coveted Chairman’s Cup award for outstanding achievement.

The celebration also included a lively presentation from motivational speaker, author and consultant Jon Gordon. He shared his formula for success and encouraged the team at Prudential Network Realty to continue to create a culture where they serve others with passion, purpose and excellence.

A complete list of 2011 award winners is available on the company’s website at www.PrudentialNetworkRealty.com.

Join downtown Jacksonville galleries, museums, cultural venues, restaurants and businesses for the First Wednesday Art Walk on Wednesday, March 7 from 5-9 p.m. rain or shine.

This month’s theme, “Art Shook Up” features events at

• The Jacksonville Landing – Hosts Eco Latino’s Jax Talent Show.
• 1904 – New location – Enjoy Downtown’s newest live music venue.
• CoWork Jax – Presents a “CoBand” jam session.
• Icon Boutique – Features “The Lyricist Hour” with DJs, emcees and open mic.
• Burro Bar – Presents live music from Bare Wires, Us Royalty, The Mold and more at 8 p.m.
• Northstar “The Pizza Bar” – Hosts Open Mic Night at 8:30 p.m.
• Omni Jacksonville Hotel – Features the AXPONA Audio Expo with Jacksonville Symphony audio demonstrations from 6 – 9 p.m.
• Thee Wreck Room at Maverick’s – New location – Enjoy art, live local music, beer pong and drink specials.
• The Florida Theatre – Bid on items in AAF Jacksonville’s “Advertising is Art 2012 Media Auction.”
• Midtown Deli & Café – New location – Enjoy everything from soups to sandwiches, coffee to beer.
• The Adrian Pickett Gallery – Kicks off Women’s History month with “Art of the Word” hosted by Lawanda Purdy and special guest poet “Honeycomb.”

This free event hosts more than 18 live music and performance venues, more than 17 hot spots open after 9 p.m. and more than 40 total stops. To see an Art Walk map and venue listing, visit http://www.downtownjacksonville.org/Marketing/First_Wednesday_Artwalk.aspx

For more information, visit downtownjacksonville.org or DTJax.org by mobile phone.

Peak 10 Inc. announced it is supporting the IT infrastructure of VirTech Systems LLC, which specializes in consulting, hosting, virtualization, networking, EDM, security, HIPAA compliance as well as other IT services. Peak 10 is delivering data protection services including Remote Hands and backup as well as cooling, power redundancy and burstable Internet.

VirTech Systems provides a wide variety of IT services customized to fit business needs through the direct, hands-on experience of its team and sound strategic partnerships with today’s biggest IT firms. VirTech’s solutions help companies bridge technology gaps that used to be fiscally impossible. Specialties of VirTech include cloud implementation, virtualization, custom server and storage system builds, and paperless office solutions.

For more information, visit www.VirTechSystems.com or www.peak10.com.

The First Coast Manufacturers Association (FCMA) announced the winners of its 2011 “Excellence In Manufacturing” awards at a special luncheon at the University of North Florida, with Vistakon winning two awards and Vac-Con winning the “Manufacturer of the Year” for the largest manufacturer.

The winning manufacturers include:

2011 Manufacturer of the Year (large) – Vac-Con, Inc.

The company is a manufacturer of truck mounted vacuum, water jet and vacuum excavation equipment for commercial and municipal environmental applications worldwide. Located in Green Cove Springs, it has grown in the last 25 years to become a top competitor in its markets. Products are distributed through a large network of domestic and foreign dealers. One of the largest private employers in Clay County, it is a strong supporter of the local community.

2011 Manufacturer of the Year (medium) – Harris Lighting

Located in Green Cove Springs, Harris has more than 40 years of experience designing and manufacturing energy efficient lighting systems for large and small businesses across North America.

2011 Manufacturer of the Year (small) – Alternate Energy Technologies, LLC (AET)

Established in 1975, AET is the largest manufacturer of flat plate solar thermal collectors in the US. With over 30 collectors and 120 systems tested/approved, AET solar products provide years of reliable energy savings with collectors comprised of the highest quality materials, including Thermafin’s patented Crystal Clear Selective Coating on all Absorber plates.

2011 Founders Service Award – Fleet Readiness Center Southeast

For more than 70 years, Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) has been performing in-depth overhaul, repair and modification to aircraft, engines and aeronautical components. FRCSE employs more than 4,000 civilian and military personnel working in more than 120 specialized career fields. FRCSE successfully maintained the ISO 14001:2004 and AS9100:2004 Revision B third party certifications.

2011 Associate of the Year – Peak 10

Peak 10 Inc. is a managed services and cloud provider that delivers secure solutions for hosting and managing complex information technology infrastructure.

2011 Environmental Award – Saft America

Saft is a world leader in the design and manufacture of advanced technology batteries for industrial and defense applications. Founded in 1918 and headquartered in Paris, there are 19 locations worldwide with over 4,000 employees. Saft Jacksonville is a LEED Certified, state of the art manufacturing facility for the production of lithium-ion cells, modules and batteries.

2011 Education Award AND Economic Impact Award – Vistakon, Inc.

Vistakon is the world’s leading manufacturer of contact lenses. It has continued capital investments in the latest technologies and a corresponding investment in its workforce. Vistakon provides many ways for associates to enhance their skills, from on-site classes led by experienced peers to off-site seminars led by recognized experts to tuition refund programs. Vistakon reflects the Johnson & Johnson corporate philosophy to invest in its employees, and continues to build a strong First Coast manufacturing presence.

For more information, visit www.fcmaweb.com.

Making an ancient art collection interactive for The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens won Jacksonville design firm Wingard Creative a Gold ADDY at the 2012 ADDY Awards and Un-Masquerade Gala on Feb. 11. In total, Wingard Creative took home four ADDY Awards, a Gold and three Silvers, for its work for The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens and Florida Coastal School of Law.

Sponsored by the American Advertising Federation (AAF) of Jacksonville, the ADDY Awards recognize excellence in advertising and celebrate creativity in design. As the world’s largest advertising competition, the ADDYs offer Gold Award winners the opportunity to continue on to compete on a regional and national level.

Wingard Creative received the Gold and Silver ADDY Awards for Interactive Media for the development of “The Royal Dish” Mobile Site which was created for The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. An interactive mobile website, podcasts and QR codes invite visitors to engage with a collection of ancient Meissen porcelain in new and deeper ways. Additionally, Wingard received two Silver ADDY Awards for Collateral Material, Brochure for its Florida Coastal Flipbook and its Florida Coastal Campus Guide, both developed for the Florida Coastal School of Law.

Learn more at www.wingardcreative.com.

World Golf Village-based Davidson Realty has updated the traditional “Home for Sale” sign with new text messaging functionality. Info tubes have been replaced with text messaging signs at all of the Davidson Realty properties throughout Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra. Now house hunters simply send a text message to get the most up-to-date information on a Davidson Realty home for sale sent right to their phones, including photos and video tours, 24/7.

Another advantage to this paperless innovation is that the information stays with house hunters on their phones so they can refer to it later or share it with family and friends.

For more information about Davidson Realty, 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 Feb. 15, Mayor Alvin Brown stopped by the MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation (MWKF) to tour the Foundation’s TnT (Tennis and Tutoring) afterschool program and held a roundtable discussion with MWKF Founder, MaliVai Washington and several of the program’s student mayors.

The student mayors are elected by their peers and serve as class leaders and representatives throughout the school year. During the roundtable, Mayor Brown explained to the students how pursuing education would give them more opportunities in life and also congratulated them on their successes both in the classroom and on the tennis court.

“Our students were very excited to see the Mayor and were quite interested in knowing his plans for our beautiful city. I hope that Mayor Brown’s visit to our Youth Center will continue to highlight the importance of community involvement and advocacy. The Mayor’s support is greatly appreciated and we look forward to a wonderful partnership with his administration,” says MaliVai Washington.

For more information, visit www.malwashington.com.

Public accounting veteran Brett Kurtz, CPA, has joined the Jacksonville office of Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP as audit senior associate.

Kurtz brings more than 12 years’ experience as an in-house accountant and with public accounting firms in Central and South Florida. Kurtz is an account and finance graduate of Florida State University and holds the distinction of being an Eagle Scout.

The Jacksonville office is located at 6622 Southpoint Drive South. For more information, call 904-296-9333 or visit www.dhgllp.com.