The U.S. Small Business Administration’s April web chat on April 26, at 1 p.m. (ET) will highlight ways to keep your business ideas fresh. Do you have questions about how to sharpen your business ideas, how to organize your business or new ways to market your business?

Octavia Kuransky, program development manager for SBA’s Central Alabama Women’s Business Center, will host the April web chat on “Small Business Spring Clean: How to Keep Your Business Ideas Fresh.” A small business owner in her own right, Kuransky will answer questions about how to get a fresh business outlook for 2012.

Participants can join the live web chat, and also post questions before the chat, by going online to www.sba.gov, and click on the web chat event under What’s New.

To review archives of past web chats, visit online at http://www.sba.gov/content/monthly-web-chat.

The public has spoken, votes have been tallied, and the Jax Kids Book Club has been awarded one of ‘JAX Boldest.’ JAX Boldest is a contest that was hosted by the JAX Chamber and JAXUSA Partnership, which sought to uncover and celebrate new companies, non-profits and projects making bold achievements in our region.

Voted on by the community, the top entries were unveiled during an awards ceremony immediately following the Northeast Florida Regional Economic Development Forum. The winners for each category include:

Company – Bookitout.com, Guidewell Health and Wellness Company and the Law Offices of John Phillips

Non-profit – Pit Sisters Rescue, Rethreaded and Wounded Warrior Project

Project – Adventure Landing’s Winterfest 2011, Jacksonville Superfest and Jax Kids Book Club

The ceremony took place at the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens. Mayor Alvin Brown and Wally Lee, president at the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce met with guests and presented awards, along with other honored guests. Information about each of the winners can be viewed on the JAX Boldest website at www.jaxboldest.com.

The contest is part of the #ilovejax campaign that celebrates all of the great things about the JAX region and encourages citizens to talk about the city and region to family, friends, colleagues and visitors outside of the region.

To learn more about the Jax Kids Book Club or its sponsorship opportunities, contact Cheryl Townsend at cherylt@coj.net or 904-630-6405.

On Thursday, April 26, from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott — 4888 Lenoir Avenue, 32216 — the Jacksonville American Marketing Association (JAMA) and Judy Walz, senior vice president of marketing and planning with VyStar Credit Union, will present the making of VyStar’s Money Makeover Program, a financial program that has helped the competition’s finalists as well as our community increase savings and reduce debt.

Walz will cover how the program started, how it works and which marketing techniques helped lead to its success. She will also touch on the benefits of VyStar’s coordination with Action News, the elements included in the promotion of the competition and how the campaign has evolved over the past four years.

For more information and to register, click here.

Downtown Vision Inc. (DVI), the Downtown Improvement District, in partnership with the Jacksonville Office of Economic Development, released the 2011 State of Downtown Jacksonville Progress Report.

Last year, Downtown began to regain momentum, with a strong commitment from Mayor Brown, the completion of improvements to several parks and public spaces and renewed business interest in relocating Downtown.

Several indicators show that Downtown Jacksonville is improving. Though Downtown continues to face challenges, there is a lot of good news for Downtown:

Development – More than $186 million (12 projects) in development was completed in 2011 and several new projects were announced, including the new Parador parking garage, JAX Chamber’s building renovation and a sustainability resource center.

Office Market and Employment – There was more activity in the office market, with nine new leases signed last year. Interest in leasing near the new courthouse continues to increase and additional leasing activity is expected to occur through 2013.

Residential – Sales and occupancy of Downtown residential units improved in 2011 and three new Downtown residential projects totaling more than 660 units have been announced, including 220 Riverside, Riverside Park and The Ambassador Lofts.

Retail – Downtown’s retail vacancy declined in 2011 and several new businesses opened, including six restaurants, four nightlife venues and several clothiers and gift shops.

Quality of Life – Downtown continues to be one of the safest neighborhoods in Jacksonville, with a crime rate that is 59% lower than the average Duval County crime rate.

A copy of the report is available online at http://downtownjacksonville.org/Media/InTheNews/12-04-19/2011_State_of_Downtown_Report.aspx.

Foundation Financial Group has announced the promotion of Gregory A. Trew to division general manager for the company’s Jacksonville center, located at 225 Water St., Suite 2100.

Trew, a Middleburg, Fla. native, holds a Bachelor of Arts in business administration from the University of Florida. He was previously a section manager within the company and has eight years of industry experience.

Trew has received seven sales excellence awards as well as two individual Cornerstone awards, which is the most prestigious award Foundation Financial Group gives to salespeople.

Prior to joining Foundation Financial Group, Trew competitively raced ATVs, from 1995 until 2005, in the Florida circuit as well as the national circuit for the eastern portion of the United States. He was ranked as high as number six in the professional class.

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

Legacy Trust Family Wealth Offices announced it is adding personnel—Tracey A. Devine, director of investment research and consulting, and Ruthanne Lynch, relationship management coordinator.

As director of investment research and consulting, Devine supports strategic investment decisions based on economic and market research. Together, with the investment strategy team, Devine’s research directs the company’s investment advice. Devine facilitates strategic and tactical asset allocation, manager due diligence, portfolio management and client investment consulting.

As relationship management coordinator, Ruthanne Lynch is responsible for day-to-day interaction with Legacy Trust’s clients, vendors and business partners. She manages all administrative functions for the relationship team, coordinates client events and provides marketing support to the executive staff.

For information, please call 904.280.9100 or visit www.legacytrustcompany.com.

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.

The Intermediary Lending Pilot Program (ILP), which provides long-term loans to eligible non-profit intermediary lenders to finance their lending to small businesses, has opened a second competitive application period. As a result, small businesses, especially those in underserved markets looking for loans up to $200,000, will soon have access to twice as many community-based funding sources under the U.S. Small Business Administration program.

Launched last year under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, the Intermediary Lending Pilot Program is designed to expand access to capital to small businesses and drive economic growth and job creation. Under the program, SBA makes loans of up to $1 million to participating lenders, which use the funds to make smaller loans to startup, newly established and growing small businesses. SBA anticipates that an ILP Intermediary will relend its ILP Loan funds approximately 2.5 times over the 20-year term.

The program funded 20 ILP Intermediaries in 2011, and hopes to identify another 20 this year in the second round. If Congress appropriates additional funds for the ILP program, SBA will select another 20 ILP Intermediaries in fiscal year 2013, for a maximum of 60 intermediaries.

Completed applications are due no later than May 25, 2012.

Eligible intermediaries must have at least one year of lending experience, and include private, nonprofit community development corporations, consortiums of private, nonprofit organizations or community development corporations, or agencies or nonprofit entities established by Native American tribal governments. Intermediaries currently participating in the Microloan program are not eligible to become ILP lenders; however, affiliates of Microloan intermediaries may apply if they can demonstrate at least one year of lending experience.

Potential applicants seeking more information about the ILP program, eligibility requirements for intermediaries and rules of competition may visit http://www.sba.gov/content/intermediary-lending-pilot or email ilpp@sba.gov.

Small business owners and entrepreneurs interested in more information about the ILP program can contact their local SBA District Office or send an e-mail to ilpp@sba.gov. To locate your local SBA office, visit www.sba.gov/about-offices-list/2.

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.

The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) published the “Business Tax Index 2012: Best to Worst State Tax Systems for Entrepreneurship and Small Business.” The index ranks the 50 states and District of Columbia according to the costs of their tax systems for entrepreneurship and small business.

(To view the interactive U.S. map with each state ranking, please click here.)

SBE Council’s “Business Tax Index 2012” pulls together 18 different tax measures, and combines those into one tax score that allows the 50 states and District of Columbia to be compared. Among the taxes included are income, capital gains, property, death/inheritance, unemployment, and various consumption-based taxes, including state gas and diesel levies.

According to the “Business Tax Index 2012,” the 15 best tax systems are: 1) South Dakota, 2) Texas, 3) Nevada, 4) Wyoming, 5) Washington, 6) Florida, 7) Alaska, 8)Alabama, 9) Ohio, 10) Colorado, 11) Mississippi, 12) Michigan, 13) South Carolina, 14) Tennessee, and 15) Missouri.

The 15 worst state tax systems are: 37) Nebraska, 38) North Carolina, 39) Illinois, 40) Oregon, 41) Rhode Island, 42) Connecticut, 43) Hawaii, 44) Vermont, 45) California, 46) Maine, 47) Iowa, 48) New York, 49) New Jersey, 50) Minnesota and 51) District of Columbia.

In terms of recent policy changes, it’s worth noting that some states have made steps forward on providing some tax relief, such as Indiana, Arizona, Maine, Michigan, North Dakota, Delaware, Oklahoma, along with Ohio. In contrast, other policymakers worked against entrepreneurship by making state taxes less competitive, such as Oregon, Connecticut, Illinois and New York.

For more information please visit www.sbecouncil.org.

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.”

Do you have a small business story to tell? Every business has one. Tell your story to the SBA and your video may appear at National Small Business Week, SBA’s marquee event that attracts hundreds of small business owners, Fortune 500 company executives, Members of Congress and Obama Administration officials.

In celebration of National Small Business Week 2012, SBA is looking for creative videos from small businesses that show how they have been helped by an SBA program or service. The contest will raise awareness of the importance of SBA programs, and the impact the small businesses that use them have in their local communities.

Three winning videos will also be shown during a Google+ Hangout hosted by the SBA and the White House with SBA Administrator Karen Mills on May 24. The winners can also participate in the event with Administrator Mills, while she answers questions from small businesses around the country. All qualifying videos will be showcased on SBA’s YouTube page.

Contestants can enter the contest by producing an original video, two minutes or less, that shares their story. The list of Contest Rules provides additional details on required video content. All eligible videos will be judged by SBA senior officials on the inspirational nature of the message and the creativity or uniqueness of the video concept.

Videos will feature small business owners from across the country discussing the SBA assistance the company received, the most rewarding aspects of starting a business and how the SBA assistance benefited the business and the local community. Small businesses may have received SBA business counseling, SBA-guaranteed financing or SBA disaster assistance or participated in a SBA contracting program or in SBA’s online community.

The videos can be submitted through Challenge.gov from 12 p.m. EDT April 16 through 5 p.m. May 11. The contest offers the opportunity to celebrate entrepreneurship and hear directly from small business owners how SBA has helped them grow and create jobs.

For more information on the Small Business Week Video Contest, visit http://smallbizvid.challenge.gov

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.

The tax filing deadline is just around the corner (April 17). The IRS has 10 tips to help taxpayers still working on their tax returns:

1. File electronically Most taxpayers file electronically. If you haven’t tried it, now is the time! The IRS has processed more than 1 billion individual tax returns safely and securely since the nationwide debut of electronic filing in 1990. In fact, 112 million people — 77 percent of all individual taxpayers — used IRS e-file last year.

2. Check the identification numbers Carefully check identification numbers — usually Social Security numbers — for each person listed. This includes you, your spouse, dependents and persons listed in relation to claims for the Child and Dependent Care Credit or Earned Income Tax Credit. Missing, incorrect or illegible Social Security numbers can delay or reduce a tax refund.

3. Double-check your figures If you are filing a paper return, double-check that you have correctly figured the refund or balance due.

4. Check the tax tables If you e-file, the software will do this for you. If you are using Free File Fillable Forms or a paper return, double-check that you used the right figure from the tax table for your filing status.

5. Sign your form You must sign and date your return. Both spouses must sign a joint return, even if only one had income. Anyone paid to prepare a return must also sign it and enter their Preparer Tax Identification Number.

6. Send your return to the right address If you are mailing a return, find the correct mailing address at www.irs.gov. Click the Individuals tab and the “Where to File” link under IRS Resources on the left side.

7. Pay electronically Electronic payment options are convenient, safe and secure methods for paying taxes. You can authorize an electronic funds withdrawal, or use a credit or a debit card. For more information on electronic payment options, visit www.irs.gov.

8. Follow instructions when mailing a payment People sending a payment should make the check payable to the “United States Treasury” and should enclose it with, but not attach it to, the tax return or the Form 1040-V, Payment Voucher, if used. The check should include the Social Security number of the person listed first on the return, daytime phone number, the tax year and the type of form filed.

9. File or request an extension to file on time By the April 17 due date, you should either file a return or request an extension of time to file. Remember, the extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay.

10. Visit IRS.gov Forms, publications and helpful information on a variety of tax subjects are available at www.irs.gov.

Links:

Information for E-file

Where to File

Electronic Payment Options

Form 9465, Installment Agreement Request (PDF)

Form 1040-V, Payment Voucher (PDF)

Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File (PDF)
Videos:

Last-Minute Tax Tips English | ASL

Podcasts:

Last-Minute Tax Tips English

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.

On April 10 at 1 p.m. EDT, National Small Business Association (NSBA) will hold an issue briefing teleconference, “How to Make the Most of Your Online Presence: Utilizing Websites and Social Media,” on the importance of being online and how to maximize the impact social media has on your business.

Sponsored by NSBA Corporate Partner Neustar, this teleconference will provide best practices and how to drive business through your website as well as tips from other small-business owners and experts on the best uses for social media in your day-to-day operations.

Experts will provide insight to ensure you’re getting the most from your website, tips on how to enhance your business operations through a website, and quick and easy shortcuts for a simple website presence if you don’t already have one. Finally, you’ll learn some quick ways to improve your social media sites such as pitfalls to avoid and general etiquette, all with the goal of increasing traffic and your company’s online footprint.

Please click here to register for this teleconference.

Please click here for more information about NSBA’s Issue Briefings.

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.

Focus group sessions resulted in recommendations to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) on how to improve its award-winning SBA.Gov website and maximize social media tools and tutorials for the 800,000 individuals who visit the site each month.

Feedback from focus groups suggested that small business owners often aren’t aware of many of SBA’s resources or how our partner organizations can help both startups and day-to-day business operations. For example, SBA offers resources specific to women business owners, veterans, and hosts an entire online community of blogs and discussion boards with over 30,000 members providing answers to common small business challenges.

As a result, SBA is undertaking a series of communication initiatives that highlight how its programs and services can help, and the effort has brought increased website traffic to SBA.gov as well as a measurable growth in engagement via social media.

Using a variety of integrated outreach tactics, including the SBA.gov website, email campaigns and social media, SBA is bringing together resources from across its diverse program offices to provide small business owners with a one-stop resource built around key topics. For example, through targeted marketing and social media, one topic—how small businesses can sell to the federal government and tap into the $100 billion that the government awards to small businesses each year—saw a 72% increase in visits to the Government Contracting classroom page. Those visits resulted in a 255% registration increase in “Gov’t Contracting 101” courses.

Another topic highlighting resources for women-owned businesses spurred a 92% total increase in page views by current or aspiring women small business owners. Other topics include tips to help reduce their taxes and the President’s Startup America campaign, to name a few.

Putting the needs of small businesses front and center demonstrates SBA’s continued commitment to better serve the needs of the nation’s 29 million small business owners.

For more information, go to http://www.sba.gov/ and follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Blogs.

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.

Interesting and useful facts about the range and depth of U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) disaster assistance programs will be presented during the April 10 webinar, titled  “Five Things You May Not Know about SBA Disaster Assistance”—A presentation and a Question & Answer session, hosted by Agility Recovery Solutions and SBA.

The webinar, which runs from 2 to 3 p.m. EDT, will focus on questions typically asked by the public and local media after a disaster. In addition to clarifying SBA’s partnership with FEMA, we’ll also talk about SBA’s outreach to local banks to expand the support network for business recovery after a disaster.

Space is limited. Register at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/369141176 To learn more, visit www.sba.gov/disaster.

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.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is inviting states and U.S. territories to apply for $30 million in grants that can be used in a variety of ways to help increase exporting by small businesses. SBA began accepting applications on March 27.

The State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) grant initiative, launched under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, is a pilot grant program authorizing up to $90 million in grants to the states and U.S. territories over three years to help them increase the number of businesses that export, as well as the value of exports by small businesses.

In fiscal year 2011, the STEP program awarded 52 grants totaling $30 million. The average grant was for $577,000.

Each state, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa may submit a single application under the program each year. Activities authorized include participation in foreign trade missions and market sales trips, subscription to services provided by the Department of Commerce, design of international marketing products and campaigns, export trade show exhibits, training, and other efforts aligned with program goals.

The STEP program announcement will be posted at www.Grants.gov. The application period will be March 27 through May 17, 2012. Awards will be issued by Sept.30, 2012. See more information at www.sba.gov/STEP.

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.

If you make a mistake on your tax return, it can take longer to process, which in turn, may delay your refund. Here are eight common errors to avoid.

1. Incorrect or missing Social Security numbers When entering SSNs for anyone listed on your tax return, be sure to enter them exactly as they appear on the Social Security cards.

2. Incorrect or misspelling of dependent’s last name When entering a dependent’s last name on your tax return, make sure to enter it exactly as it appears on their Social Security card.

3. Filing status errors Choose the correct filing status for your situation. There are five filing statuses: Single, Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, Head of Household and Qualifying Widow(er) With Dependent Child. See Publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction and Filing Information, to determine the filing status that best fits your situation.

4. Math errors When preparing paper returns, review all math for accuracy. Or file electronically; the software does the math for you!

5. Computation errors Take your time. Many taxpayers make mistakes when figuring their taxable income, withholding and estimated tax payments, Earned Income Tax Credit, Standard Deduction for age 65 or over or blind, the taxable amount of Social Security benefits and the Child and Dependent Care Credit.

6. Incorrect bank account numbers for direct deposit Double check your bank routing and account numbers if you are using direct deposit for your refund.

7. Forgetting to sign and date the return An unsigned tax return is like an unsigned check – it is invalid. Also, both spouses must sign a joint return.

8. Incorrect adjusted gross income If you file electronically, you must sign the return electronically using a Personal Identification Number. To verify your identity, the software will prompt you to enter your AGI from your originally filed 2010 federal income tax return or last year’s PIN if you e-filed. Taxpayers should not use an AGI amount from an amended return, Form 1040X, or a math-error correction made by IRS.
Links:
• Publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deductions and Filing Information
YouTube Videos:
• Tax Return Errors English | Spanish | ASL