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How The Copper Closet started — and what’s next PAGE 9

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JACKSONVILLE

Record & Observer BUILDING THE Record & Observer WORKFORCE

SoFi, SS&C to create 498 jobs in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE

What Northeast Florida’s institutions of higher learning are doing to meet the needs of business.

JACKSONVILLE

Governor announces identities of IT companies approved for incentives as projects Quail and Liberty.

Record & Observer BY MIKE MENDENHALL STAFF WRITER

talent pipeline we need to support the businesses we have and bring new business to the area,” she said. Lebesch works with local institutions of higher education — Edward Waters College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida — to help coordinate curriculums to match the demand for qualified potential employees. “Our colleges and universities under-

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that two international information technology companies will create a combined 498 jobs in Jacksonville, disclosing the names of Project Quail and Project Liberty. SoFi, a California-based online personal finance company, has been seeking $1.5 million in state and city incentives through the Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund program as code-named Project Quail to establish its DeSantis southeastern operations center and create 300 jobs in Jacksonville. DeSantis also announced SS&C Technologies as Project Liberty. Under that name, the international IT and software company asked for $990,000 in QTI incentives to add 198 jobs to its existing local workforce. DeSantis made the announcement during the Enterprise Florida board of directors meeting at the Omni Jacksonville Hotel. The governor linked the Florida expansion of the San Franciscobased companies to a broader shift by technology and financial service firm away from higher taxes, living expenses and housing prices their employees experience in markets like California.

SEE WORKFORCE, PAGE 10

SEE JOBS, PAGE 11

JACKSONVILLE

Record & Observer Photo by Max Marbut

Florida State College at Jacksonville President John Avendano is devoting much of his time to meeting with the area’s CEOs. BY MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR

here are many reasons businesses consider Northeast Florida for a headquarters, facility or expansion. There’s the businessfriendly tax environment and municipal government, the port, logistics infrastructure, commercial real estate opportunities, the climate and the quality of life.

Another of the region’s business development assets is its workforce. “‘What’s the talent like?’ is one of the first questions a company asks when considering Jacksonville,” said JAXUSA Partnership Vice President of Talent Development Anna Lebesch. The chamber’s business development division created the position this year to connect residents to career opportunities and attract skilled workers to the region. “We work with the colleges and universities to make sure we build the

Mathis Report: TSG sells Town & Country, acquires Aldi PAGE 3 Basch Report: Stein Mart hopes new initiatives lift sales PAGE 6 Advice for attorneys considering applying for the bench PAGE 11

MENDENHALL REPORT

Attracting international investment to Jacksonville Cross Regions CEO shares his technique. PAGE 4 VOLUME 2, NO. 13 • ONE SECTION

WHAT’S TRENDING

Page 2 • Thursday, August 29, 2019

Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer

Big news doesn’t break just on Thursday. Here’s a look at some of the top stories published over the past week online at JaxDailyRecord.com and in the Jacksonville Daily Record that you may have missed.

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The 37-story Wells Fargo Center is the centerpiece of the Downtown skyline..

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

Wells Fargo Center is on the market Colliers International reports that the 37-story Wells Fargo Tower is on the market. “We are interested to see where this tower trades,” said the Jacksonville office of the real estate group in a quarterly office market report. Being on the market indicates the owners are looking at options that typically include selling it, recapitalizing it or keeping it. Colliers International Executive Director Chuck Diebel said the building needs an owner willing to reinvest capital into it.

“Historically, the building has maintained occupancy rates at or around 95 percent; in recent years, though, that number has dropped. It’s just not the same Class A building that it used to be,” he said. Diebel said it will take “a lot of investment to bring the building up to modern Class A standards, and to ensure that it remains the iconic building that it has always been.” The Wells Fargo Center, at 1 Independent Drive, last sold in June 2014 for $75 million, according to deeds filed with the Duval County Clerk of Courts.

Industrial, commercial park planned at Wildlight An almost 160-acre industrial and commercial park is in review for the Wildlight community at northeast Interstate 95 and Florida A1A in Nassau County. “Extensive market studies show there is a substantial need for new industrial space,” said developer Rodney Jones, citing a low industrial vacancy rate for Nassau County.

Jones said the site is near the interstate highway system, area ports and Georgia as well as the Jacksonville metropolitan area. “We are also attracted to the Wildlight development itself,” he said of the 2,900-acre residential, commercial, office and industrial center in progress by Raydient Places + Properties LLC.

DOWNTOWN Fresh lawn means new riverfront event space Looking for riverfront land for an event? Check out the green grass that covers the Downtown sites of the demolished Duval County Courthouse and City Hall Annex. James Croft, city assistant director of public affairs, said the city-owned property along the south side of East Bay Street is available for special

events and activities. He said that requests to reserve and permit the use of the properties should be made to the city Office of Special Events in Room 280 at City Hall at 117 W. Duval St. The office can be reached at (904) 630-3690. Fees are based on the specific event and its needs, he said.

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Jacksonville Daily Record and Jacksonville Record & Observer are a division of Observer Media Group Inc. Established in 1912, the Financial News & Daily Record, now the Jacksonville Daily Record, is published Monday-Friday and is the Official Court Newspaper of the Circuit JACKSONVILLE Court and publisher of public notices in Duval County. Jacksonville Record & Observer is a free weekly business newspaper available in Downtown Jacksonville and key business nodes throughout Jacksonville. To find a location near you, visit jaxdailyrecord.com/rack-locations. Editorial content focuses on news and trends, with a concentration on development, real estate, construction, law, companies, economic and industry trends and how local and state government affects business.

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BUSINESS CALENDAR

JaxDailyRecord

To find more business events or to submit your event to the the business calendar, visit jaxdailyrecord.com/calendar. SEPT. 12 Jim Knight at FSCJ Speaker Series: Jim Knight, the author of “Culture That Rocks!” and a former executive with Hard Rock International, will Knight talk about “how to amp up or revolutionize a company’s culture” at the Florida State College at Jacksonville Speaker Series. The event is free. It is scheduled 9-10:30 a.m. Sept. 12 at the FSCJ Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Arts at 11901 Beach Blvd. Breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m. Register at fscj.edu/businessspeakers for the event.

OCT. 12 Gary Norcross at JAXUSA: Fidelity National Information Services Inc. Chairman, President and CEO Gary Norcross is scheduled to speak to the quarterly JAXUSA Partnership Luncheon on Oct. 9 at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront. Norcross will talk about the company’s acquisition of Worldpay, the growth of the regional fintech industry “and other upcoming announcements,” according to a JAX Chamber news release. Check-in starts at 11:30 a.m. followed by the program at noon. Tickets start at $50. For information, visit myjaxchamber.com.

POSTAL INFORMATION Jacksonville Daily Record (USPS 190-620) is published daily except Saturday, Sunday & legal holidays (New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas) by Daily Record & Observer LLC, 10 N. Newnan St., Jacksonville, FL 32202. Periodicals postage paid at Jacksonville, Florida and at additional mailing offices. Under no circumstances will any news or records of Duval County be suppressed for anyone. Information in this newspaper is for our subscribers only and must not be used by anyone for publication purposes.

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Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer

Thursday, August 29, 2019 • Page 3

TSG Realty sells Town & Country, buys Aldi

TSG also owns the Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers property next door to the grocery. TSG Realty has been selling and acquiring retail properties. JWB Real Estate Companies LLC paid $5.08 million Aug. 15 for the almost 19-acre Town & Country Shopping Center with about 200,000 square feet of space built from 1953-79. Pamela Howard, property manager with TSG Realty and agent for the former owner of the Town & Country Shopping Center in Arlington, said JWB made an unsolicited offer to buy the retail property at northeast University Boulevard

File image

TSG Realty bought the Aldi grocery store at 4444 Town Center Parkway in Town Center Promenade.

and Arlington Expressway. “JWB is an exceptional local company who has big plans for the property,” Howard said in an email. She said Town & Country Shopping Center Inc., led by President Leonard Setzer, will invest the sale proceeds into a 1031 exchange “to focus more on its core business of exceptional retail strip centers and single-tenant assets.” She said the sellers “wish JWB all the best with Town & Country Shopping Center. We know they will do an outstanding job with this property.”

RETAIL NOTES Sports stores in Regency: The city issued permits for tenant improvements for Champs and Foot Locker at the Regency Pointe shopping center at 9428 Arlington Expressway. The job costs total $176,000. The retailers have been leasing at Regency Square Mall across the expressway. Victoria’s Place in Nassau County: Ash Properties proposes to develop a 17,150-square-foot building at the Victoria’s Place commercial project along Florida A1A in Yulee. Baker Design Build is the civil engineer. Victoria’s Place is an almost 35,000-square-foot retail center a half-mile east of U.S. 17. Twin Creeks in St. Johns: Twin Creeks Development Associates LLC of Delray Beach wants to build five commercial-retail buildings totaling about 50,000 square feet on 11.64 acres of vacant land along County Road 210 West. Prosser Inc. is the civil engineer. Burlington to Durbin: Burlington will open in the fall in The Pavilion at

JWB President Alex Sifakis said his group, which focuses on infill housing development, is evaluating options for the site and will honor current leases. TSG then announced it purchased the Aldi at 4444 Town Center Parkway in Town Center Promenade. The 17,760-square-foot building sits on 2.2 acres and has a longterm lease with the grocer. “We were very pleased to purchase the Aldi,” Howard said. “It was purchased using cash from investors.” Section 1031 is an Inter-

Durbin Park at 675 Durbin Pavilion Drive, No. 105, in St. Johns County. More retail to Durbin: St. Johns County issued a permit for a 6,110-square-foot shell building at The Pavilion at Durbin Park at a cost of $510,000. The address is 475 Durbin Pavilion Drive.

HOTEL WoodSpring Suites to Campfield Commons: Baker Design Build submitted plans for a 122-room WoodSpring Suites hotel along Lamb Tail Lane, off RG Skinner Parkway at Annie Eliza Road in the Baymeadows area. The four-story 51,684-squarefoot hotel is planned on 1.85 acres. The developer is WP Concord Holdings II LLC of Raleigh, North Carolina.

OFFICE Bank of America in Southside: Marand Builders Inc. will renovate 25,600 square feet on the third floor at the Bank of America operations center at 9000 Southside Blvd., Building 200, at a cost of almost $2.4 million. Bank spokesman Matthew Daily said

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Building on Suemac: Solid Rock Engineering Consultants Inc. is the agent for a proposed 45,000-squarefoot office building for truck sales and service along Suemac Road near Clayton Road. JEA issued a service availability letter for the project on vacant land owned by N.G. Wade Investment Co. The city calculated a mobility fee of $44,615 for the project, on 12.23 acres, to mitigate the project’s infrastructure impact. Florida Baptist Convention at Belfort Oaks Place: The city is reviewing a permit application for

In the increasingly competitive gas station and convenience store industry, Circle K Stores Inc. is converting a corner of East Arlington. A contractor for Circle K pulled permits to demolish one of its smaller stores at 12743 Atlantic Blvd. and build a larger one and a car wash at a job cost of almost $6.1 million. The 2.51-acre location is at northwest Atlantic Boulevard and Girvin Road. Winesett-Hill Constructions Inc. of Hixson, Tennessee, will demolish the 2,700-squarefoot Circle K and clear the site. It then will build the new 5,314-square-foot store, a 1,498-square-foot car wash, canopy, dumpster and fuel pumps. KMATHIS@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM @MATHISKB (904) 356-2466

Florida Baptist Convention at its relocated offices at 6850 Belfort Oaks Place. Canco General Contractors Inc. of Plant City is the contractor for the $300,000 project to remodel space for its headquarters meeting room. Florida Baptist Convention Inc. sold its San Marco property at 1230 Hendricks Ave. to Chadbourne II LLC for redevelopment into 345 apartments, parking and 5,500 square feet of retail space.

CAR DEALERSHIPS Jaguar Land Rover in East Arlington: The city issued a permit July 23 for Fields PAG Inc. to demolish the former Jaguar Land Rover dealership at 11211 Atlantic Blvd. now that it has moved into its new facility next door. J.B. Coxwell Contracting Inc. is the contractor for the $60,000 project to take down the older structure. Fields Automotive Group Inc. intends to demolish the old dealership to make space for a new facility for Fieldsowned Porsche Jacksonville to move from its location at 10100 Atlantic Blvd. Garry Redig, vice president of operations.

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SS&C expands in Gramercy Woods: The city approved a permit for DavLin Interior Contractors to build-out almost 8,900 square feet for SS&C Technologies Inc. in Gramercy Woods at a cost of $366,286.

Circle K rebuilding in East Arlington

Robert A. Cole

Representing Mesothelioma & Lung Cancer Victims for Over 25 Years Throughout Florida

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the project “is a continued investment in our ongoing commitment to the Jacksonville market. As always, we’re renovating the floor to create modern workspace for the way employees work today and in the future.” The center is in Gramercy Woods.

Howard said TSG is growing and making a few acquisitions of prime locations each year. Earlier this year, it acquired a Burger King on County Road 210 in St. Johns County.

THE MATHIS REPORT

KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR

nal Revenue Code provision that defers tax on qualifying exchanges of like-kind real estate. According to property records, Town & Country Shopping Center Inc. paid $3.7 million for the store. The seller was CPC Jacksonville SJTC LLC. CPC is part of Atlantabased Core Property Capital. “We bought it because we think this is a premier location at the corner of the traffic light at Town Center,” Howard said. “Aldi is an excellent tenant and the close proximity of the property to UNF makes this an especially successful store.” The University of North Florida is 1.6 miles east. TSG also owns the Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers property next door at 4458 Town Center Parkway. “We liked the idea of controlling both corners on our side of the street,” Howard said. The Aldi was part of the 1031 exchange from the sale of the Town & Country center. In addition, Town & Country Shopping Center Inc. also purchased the 7-Eleven store at 920 Margaret St. in Riverside last week for $1.2 million as an investment.

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Page 4 • Thursday, August 29, 2019

Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer

THE MENDENDHALL REPORT

CEO shares tip to lure international investors

MIKE MENDENHALL STAFF WRITER

David Ergisi of Cross Regions Group uses his South Florida office as a gateway to show the returns offered in Jacksonville. Cross Regions Group President and CEO David Ergisi developed a strategy to convince international investors to spend in the Jacksonville market. He eases them in through the more familiar South Florida. “Jacksonville doesn’t exist in the international market. I hate to say it. The reason why I opened my office in South Florida is to get people comfortable with Florida in general,” Ergisi said Aug. 22 during a panel discussion at the Northeast Florida Chapter of the Appraisal Institute. The panel also featured Chase Properties President Michael Balanky; Sleiman Enterprises Director of Development Michael Herzberg; and Ryan Hoover, president of Vestcor Companies subsidiary TVC Development Inc. The companies are based in Jacksonville. Ergisi, who is from Turkey and has an office in Istanbul, said he has “more than halfa-dozen” partnerships with Turkish and Israeli investors who acclimated to Florida through his offices in Miami and Boca Raton before coming to Jacksonville. “I tell them I have operations in South Florida, which I do, and they get comfortable. We sit down at the table and start developing opportunities from the investment perspective and returns,” Ergisi said. “We look at potential developments or existing property in Jacksonville and look at the returns … compared to the South Florida market, quickly

Special to the Daily Record

“Once they (investors) get to Jacksonville, I show them the numbers. They are very savvy and smart people. They don’t want to take any escalated risk. They want better returns. Here, we’re able to accomplish that.” DAVID ERGISI, CROSS REGIONS GROUP PRESIDENT AND CEO

there’s a big difference,” he said. Jacksonville city government and business leaders are trying to recruit international investment to Northeast Florida. Representatives of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority and JAXUSA Partnership traveled to the Paris Air Show in June to recruit multinational companies. The Jacksonville Jaguars have played one regular-season game per year in London since 2013. Team President Mark Lamping says that helps boost the city’s international profile. “Once they (investors) get to

Joel Settembrini, Jr.

Jacksonville, I show them the numbers. They are very savvy and smart people,” Ergisi said. “They don’t want to take any escalated risk. They want better returns. Here, we’re able to accomplish that.” After forming his first commercial real estate development company in 2007 and working in the investment division of Colliers International Group Inc. from 2011-14, Ergisi founded Cross Regions in 2014. Ergisi said nearly 80% of his development portfolio is in medical real estate. His latest project is the proposed

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132,000-square-foot Duval Station at River City Marketplace medical hub near UF Health North. Cross Regions paid $1.6 million for the 9 acres at northeast North Main Street and Max Leggett Parkway to develop medical offices and retail space. The company also proposes a medical and retail center in St. Johns County — The Fountains at St. Johns along County Road 210 West. Ergisi said the nature of the medical profession — spending years building a base of patients and a practice — makes medical services more reliable tenants then retail outlets. He said he anchors many of Cross Regions’ developments with services that can better weather market downturns. “The reason I like it is because it’s more stable than being in commercial real estate in my opinion,” Ergisi said. “Physicians don’t pick up and leave.” Hoover explained Vestcor’s model for seeking low-income housing tax credits from the state of Florida to have an affordable housing focus. Vestcor developed affordable and workforce housing Downtown with its “Loft” brand in LaVilla, Brooklyn and a proposed project in the Cathedral District. Hoover said the most competitive award is a 9% tax credit because it covers 70% of the development costs. Herzberg said Sleiman is looking at a more servicebased anchor concept for its shopping center developments, such as grocery stores, to offset competition from online retail. Herzberg also highlighted the two-story, 8,200-squarefoot building that Sleiman bought at 1974 San Marco Blvd. He said the 94-year-old building in San Marco Square still needs a tenant. The company paid $3.2 million for the property Aug. 15. Balanky spoke of the health of Jacksonville development in light of a possible economic slowdown. Balanky said developers in Northeast Florida have “at least” until the end of 2020 before a recession and he sees Jacksonville in a better position than before the 2007-09 financial crisis. He said retirees relocating

to Florida will choose regions with lower costs of living which, he says, will be advantageous for Jacksonville. “The average income-tohome price ratio is 25%” in Jacksonville, he said. “Miami is 82%, so you’re going to see a lot of flight from areas like that to areas that are more affordable.”

Bill filed for Hart Bridge ramp FDOT grant

City Council President Scott Wilson introduced legislation authorizing the city to appropriate $12.46 million from a Florida Department of Transportation grant to demolish a portion of the elevated concrete Hart Bridge Expressway. Wilson introduced Ordinance 2019-611 on Aug. 22 at the request of Mayor Lenny Curry. The $38.9 million project, expected to be completed by the end of 2021, will remove the ramp at Liberty Street between Gator Bowl and A. Philip Randolph boulevards, bringing a portion of the expressway to street level. City and FDOT officials plan to create an intersection at Gator Bowl Boulevard and install traffic signals and pedestrian and bike paths as “traffic calming improvements,” according to documents from the Mayor’s Budget Review Committee. Officials want to remove the physical barrier between parking Lot J near TIAA Bank Field and the Shipyards, east of Berkman Plaza II to WJCT Studios, and south of Bay Street and Gator Bowl Boulevard to the St. Johns River. Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan has proposed a $2.5 billion redevelopment of both sites. City Council held its first reading of the bill Tuesday night. As the Council prepares to debate the legislation, three firms submitted bids Aug. 22 for construction engineering and inspection services for the project. The city has not awarded a contract for the project.

MMENDENHALL@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM @MIMENDENHALL (904) 356-2466

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Thursday, August 29, 2019 • Page 5

The Civil Trial Law Firm, Jakab Law, PLLC,

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has added MEDIATION SERVICES to its practice, while continuing to specialize in the following areas:

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE Promotions, hirings and happenings for business people in Northeast Florida. Send items to ssailer@jaxdailyrecord.com Genevieve Day joined the North Florida Land Trust as operations manager, responsible for office operations, financials, event logistics and development. Day was operations manager for the Timucuan Parks Foundation. Suzanne Konchan, joined Volusia County government as deputy county manager. Konchan was director of growth management for St. Johns County. Michael Roberson, the former assistant director, serves as the interim director of growth management for St. Johns County. Kevin McKeown will rejoin Memorial Hospital as its chief financial officer Sept. 23. He previously served as assistant CFO at the hospital until December 2017. He then became CFO at Memorial Satilla Health in Waycross, Georgia. Adam Longson will join the CSX Corp. Sales and Marketing organization as

MVA, Trucking & Industrial Accidents

vice president of energy Sept. 9. He most recently was director of commodity research and hedging at Continental Resources.

Medical Malpractice & Professional Liability Premises Liability; Negligent Security, Dramshop

J. Palmer Clarkson was reappointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to the Jacksonville Port Authority for a four-year term. Clarkson has been the CEO of Bridgestone HosePower LLC since 1992. He was appointed to a four-year term in March 2018 by Gov. Rick Scott. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

Commercial Torts, Fraud, Contract Disputes Education Law Insurance Disputes & Bad-Faith

Tim Jenkins, a senior project manager in Stellar’s Commercial Division, was appointed to the University of North Florida Construction Management advisory board, a panel of industry professionals that steer the UNF Construction Management Department toward producing top-ranked graduates for the industry.

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From staff

DEVELOPMENT TODAY These are the largest commercial building permits by job cost issued Tuesday by the city of Jacksonville. OFFICE Central Park Business Center, 3728 Philips Highway, Nos. 201 and 208, contractor is Duckworth Construction Co., 7,961 square feet, remodel space, $561,099. JEA, 1840 Cedar Bay Road, contractor is C.C. Borden Construction Inc., Cedar Bay Results Lab Buildings 1 and 3, renovations, two permits totaling 3,558 square feet, $208,225. OTHER 9Round Fitness, 716 New Berlin Road, No. 11, contractor is Certified Building & Construction LLC, training and skill center, interior build-out, 1,114 square feet, $26,437. SERVICE STATION Daily’s, 12227 San Jose Blvd., contractor is C&R General Contractors Inc., construction of 7,124-square-foot convenience store, 1,750-square-foot car wash and trash enclosure, $540,000. SIGNS Boston’s Pizza, Restaurant & Sports Bar, Take Out, 13070 City Station Drive, contractor is Taylor Sign & Design Inc., seven signs, $14,000.

Weldon Law Group PLLC Attorneys At Law, 334 E. Duval St., contractor is Taylor Sign & Design Inc., wall sign, $2,000. San Jose Square, 5025 San Jose Blvd., contractor is General Sign Service Corp., ground sign, $2,000. BP, DQ Grill & Chill, 9012 New Kings Road, contractor is Aluminum Plus, ground sign, $2,000. Shell, 7071 Philips Highway, contractor is Aluminum Plus, two ground signs, $2,000. Shell, 849 Edgewood Ave. N., contractor is Aluminum Plus, two ground signs, $2,000. BP, 6923 Atlantic Blvd., contractor is Aluminum Plus, ground sign, $1,000. TownPlace Suites by Marriott, 13733 Beach Blvd., contractor is Taylor Sign & Design Inc., wall sign, $1,000.

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STORES, MERCANTILE Wawa, 7911 Blanding Blvd., contractor is M.E. Construction Inc., construction of a 5,636-square-foot convenience store with a canopy and trash enclosure, two permits, $1.1 million. Compiled by Karen Brune Mathis

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BUSINESS IN BRIEF Jackson-Shaw leases to Mygrant Glass, Priority Tire: National real estate developer Jackson-Shaw leased 60,000 square feet of space to auto glass wholesaler Mygrant Glass in International DC 1 and leased 52,000 square feet of space to tire distributor Priority Tire in International DC 5 in Jacksonville International Tradeport. About 140,000 square feet remains available in DC 1 and 41,600 square feet is available in DC 5. Tyler Newman and Jacob Horsley of Cushman & Wakefield are the leasing managers.

SoBA opens on Southbank: SoBA, a new luxury apartment community at 1444 Home St. on the Downtown Southbank, is preleasing units for September move-in. The 147-unit, four-story community offers one-, two- and threebedroom units from 605 to 1,201 square feet. Monthly rents range from $1,330 to $2,245. The community was developed by Catalyst Development Partners of Atlanta and is managed by Greystar, based in Charleston, South Carolina.

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Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer

THE BASCH REPORT

Stein Mart hopes new programs lift sales

MARK BASCH CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Second-quarter sales slide, but fashion retailer rolling out new internet shopping tools, kids department and fine jewelry. Stein Mart Inc. last week reported a drop in secondquarter sales, while expressing hope that new initiatives will turn the trend around in the second half of the fiscal year. The Jacksonville-based fashion retailer said total sales in the quarter ended Aug. 3 fell 5.9% to $292.4 million and adjusted comparable-store sales (sales at stores open for more than one year) fell 1.9%. Stein Mart had 283 stores operating at the end of the quarter, down from 289 in mid-2018. The company closed four stores in the first half of 2019, which it said completes its store plans for this year. In a conHawkins ference call with investors, CEO Hunt Hawkins said Stein Mart hopes several new programs will lift sales in the coming months. “Our 2019 sales-driving initiatives were all planned for deployment in the back half of the year and are all beginning to roll out now,” he said. “This gives us confidence that our comp sales trend will improve in the second half.” The initiatives include new in-store mobile shopping technology and a buy online, pick up in-store option. Stein Mart also launched a new kids department this month and will begin offering a new fine jewelry product line in October. “We are very excited about the opportunities that these

Stein Mart earnings Second-quarter results for the Jacksonville-based company:

$294.4M 5.9% Total sales

Decline

and other initiatives provide us to grow sales through higher traffic and new customer acquisitions throughout the fall and beyond,” Hawkins said. Stein Mart recorded a net loss of $2.1 million, or 4 cents a share, in the quarter. While sales trends are down, Hawkins said the company is working to maintain better profit margins. “We’ve been quite disciplined about maintaining an appropriate mix of our regular priced and clearance inventories,” he said.

Australian firm buying Patriot Rail First State Investments announced an agreement Monday to buy Jacksonvillebased Patriot Rail and Ports from SteelRiver Infrastructure Partners. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Patriot operates 12 shortline freight railroads with 585 track miles across 14 states. SteelRiver acquired the company in 2012. Transportation industry news outlets reported early this year the firm was looking to sell Patriot. First State is an infrastructure investment firm headquartered in Sydney, Australia. It has an $8 billion global investment portfolio with a focus on midmarket companies in the transportation and utility sectors. “Patriot is a great addition to our global infrastructure investment portfolio and provides further diversification

by sector and geography,” said Danny Latham, a First State partner, in a news release. Patriot expanded its business in 2017 by merging with Diversified Port Holdings, which operated a maritime ports logistics business. Patriot’s ports business now provides terminal stevedoring, logistics and warehousing services across nine terminals and two cold-storage facilities in the Southeastern U.S.

Medtronic beats forecasts Medtronic PLC’s stock rose to record highs last week after reporting better-than-expected earnings for its first quarter ended July 26, helped by strong sales at its Jacksonville-based division that makes surgical instruments for ear, nose and throat physicians. The global medical technology company said total sales in the quarter rose 1.5% to $7.49 billion and sales in its ENT division grew by a mid-singledigit percentage. ENT sales were driven in part by sales of the company’s StealthStation ENT surgical navigation system. When that system was introduced two years ago, Medtronic said it’s a product that allows ENT surgeons to target patient anatomy similar to the way a GPS helps automobile navigation target a location. Medtronic said it also had strong sales of an intraoperative nerve monitoring system for ENT surgeons. The company does not

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release sales figures for the ENT business, which is part of its specialty therapies group. That division had total revenue of $322 million in the quarter, up 4.2% from the previous year. Medtronic reported adjusted net income of $1.26 a share for the quarter, 9 cents higher than last year and 8 cents higher than the consensus forecast of analysts, according to Zacks Investment Research. Medtronic also said it is increasing its adjusted earnings forecast for the full fiscal year by 10 cents a share to a range of $5.54 to $5.60. The company’s adjusted earnings were $5.22 a share in fiscal 2019. After the earnings report, Medtronic’s stock jumped Aug. 20 as much as $5.52 to $109.70.

mCig CEO updates company plans Jacksonville-based mCig Inc. has not yet filed its annual report for the fiscal year ended April 30, but its new co-chief executive officer last week updated shareholders on the outlook for the medical cannabis products and services company. Mike Aertker, who joined mCig in July, said in a news release he is expecting better results from the company, which recorded sales of $1.9 million and a net loss of $1.6 million in the first nine months of the fiscal year. “The past 12 months for mCig have not seen growth or innovation and this is reflected in our stock price,” he said. The stock has been trading below 10 cents since April. “We are at an exciting time in the cannabis industry and there is a myriad of opportunities for us to both innovate and grow,” Aertker said. “Our past failure to grow new business during this time and continue to innovate and increase our own efficiencies contributed to the performance we experienced,” he said. Aertker, who has nearly 30 years of experience in biomedical engineering, said he joined mCig because he sees opportunities to expand the business. “A greater emphasis will be placed on true vertical integration where mCig will have direct operations or investments in companies that will process raw product to final

use consumer goods,” he said. “We are working on several exciting projects that we strongly believe will result in the growth of mCig-owned assets and greater opportunity for participation in all phases of cannabis product development from harvest to retail product. Aertker believes mCig can leverage opportunities in a growing global market. “All estimates for the growth of the legal cannabis market in the US as well as overseas show that all sectors will experience significant growth in the next few years,” he said in the letter to shareholders.

Report: Merchants complain about Worldpay fees

In a lengthy story last week, Reuters news service said many small merchants have been complaining about fees charged by payment processing company Worldpay Inc., saying the company does not properly disclose its fees. The practices were in place before Jacksonville-based Fidelity National Information Services Inc., or FIS, completed its $43 billion acquisition of Cincinnati-based Worldpay on July 31. In response to Reuters, Worldpay said its fee practices are in line with industry practices and are properly disclosed. FIS issued a statement to Reuters saying it engaged a third party to review Worldpay’s practices as part of its integration process after the acquisition. “We take any concern over unfair practices very seriously,” FIS said in the statement, according to Reuters.

Shepherd’s Finance sees earnings tumble

Shepherd’s Finance LLC on Monday said second-quarter earnings fell 63% to $75,000, and earnings for the first half of the year fell 13% to $420,000. The Jacksonville-based commercial lending company, which focuses on construction and development loans, had $50.4 million in loans receivable as of June 30 with 255 loans outstanding in 20 states.

@MBASCH@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM

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Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer

Thursday, August 29, 2019 • Page 7

BY SCOTT SAILER • STAFF WRITER

Here are the top 10 commercial real estate sales in Northeast Florida, comprising Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties. The sales were recorded Aug. 19-22.

File image

The Aldi grocery store at 4444 Town Center Parkway sold for $3.7 million.

DUVAL

ST. JOHNS

DUVAL

$3,700,000

$3,200,000

$2,350,000

$1,935,625

$1,428,000

4444 Town Center Parkway, Jacksonville

1980 San Marco Blvd., Jacksonville

14590 Duval Place W., Jacksonville

104 Seventh St., St. Augustine

2039 and 2100 Forest St., Jacksonville

Type: Aldi grocery store Size: 2.2 acres Buyer: Town & Country Shopping Center Inc. Seller: CPC Jacksonville SJTC LLC

Type: Commercial retail Size: 0.31 acres Buyer: Marco Square Land LLC Seller: San Marco Limited Partnership Previous sale: $900,000 in 1990

Type: Dick Gore’s RV World Size: 4.73 acres Buyer: CI Jacksonville LLC Seller: Dick Gore’s R.V. World Inc.

Type: Undeveloped commercial Size: 1.13 acres Buyer: HVG Properties LLC Seller: MSB Hotels I LLC

Type: Park and public facilities Size: 12.65 acres Buyer: Vestcor Family Foundation Inc. Seller: City of Jacksonville

DUVAL

CLAY

DUVAL

$675,000

$665,000

$649,398

$620,000

$475,000

8300 Merrill Road, Jacksonville

910 Dunn Ave., Jacksonville

Southern Oaks Drive, Green Cove Springs

3779 Irvin Court, Middleburg

563 Osceola St., Jacksonville

Type: Undeveloped Size: 9.04 acres Buyer: Lennar Homes LLC Seller: Lakeview Christian Fellowship Inc.

Type: Vacant commercial Size: 0.6 acres Buyer: MDP Equities LLC Seller: Fifth Third Bank

Type: Eight single-family lots in Edgewater Landing Phases 1 and 2 Size: Not available Buyer: D.R. Horton Inc.Jacksonville Seller: Edgewater Landing LLP

Type: Utilities Size: Not available Buyer: Seminole Electric Cooperative Inc. Seller: Clay Electric Cooperative Inc.

Type: Commercial Size: 0.26 acres Buyer: Osceola Street Properties LLC Seller: Sundial Florida LLC Previous sale: $230,000 in 2018

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RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE

Page 8 • Thursday, August 29, 2019

Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer

Top 10 home sales of week BY SCOTT SAILER • STAFF WRITER

Here are the top 10 single-family residential real estate sales in Northeast Florida, comprising Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties. The sales were recorded Aug. 19-22.

DUVAL

$837,500

$760,000

4444 Hunterston Lane, Jacksonville

1655 Selva Marina Drive, Atlantic Beach

Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.37 acres House size: 3,182 square feet Buyer: Campbell and Carol Potts Seller: Henry W. Tuten Jr., individually and as trustee of the Bobbie M. Tuten Revocable Living Trust, and Anne Tuten Previous sale: $847,900 in 2016

Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.66 acres House size: 3,252 square feet Buyer: Chad F. and Mary Beth G. Johnson Seller: Joan I. Sapia Previous sale: $150,000 in 1988

ST. JOHNS

519 Midway St., Neptune Beach

$835,000

ST. JOHNS

141 S. Bend Drive, Ponte Vedra Beach

$5,800,000 417 Ponte Vedra Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach

Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.83 acres House size: 3,773 square feet Buyer: Ralph and Julie Jones Seller: John Koopman, individually and as personal representative of the estate of Eugene Koopman, Patricia Koopman, Josh, Zach and Elaina Foster

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Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.3 acres House size: 4,944 square feet Buyer: Phillip A. Philbin Seller: John H. and Anne W. Parker

ST. JOHNS

DUVAL

$1,450,000

$1,181,700

$1,025,000

281 Plantation Circle S., Ponte Vedra Beach

100 Hopkins St., Neptune Beach

8140 Presidential Drive, Jacksonville

DUVAL

Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.62 acres House size: 4,439 square feet Buyer: David and Donna Flinn Seller: Christopher R. and Mary K. Listau Previous sale: $995,000 in 2018

Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.12 acres House size: 3,344 square feet Buyer: Blair B. and Gerald R. May Seller: Erick A. and Erica S. Sanchez Previous sale: $930,000 in 2017

Type: Single-family Lot size: 1,01 acres House size: 7,713 square feet Buyer: William K. and Deanna D. Fenwick Seller: Christopher D. and Kimberly Jackson Previous sale: $925,000 in 2017

Bonefish Drive, Jacksonville

$775,000 Type: Single-family Lot size: Not available House size: Not available Buyer: Jennifer and Drue Holdeman Seller: Palm Island Partners

$680,000

Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.08 acres House size: 1,432 square feet Buyer: Scott E. Miller Seller: Elizabeth Kreul-Starr Previous sale: $425,000 in 2010

DUVAL

$675,000 Bonefish Drive, Jacksonville Type: Single-family Lot size: Not available House size: Not available Buyer: George and Irena Leone Seller: Palm Island Partners LLC

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Thursday, August 29, 2019 • Page 9

HEALTH & BUSINESS

The Copper Closet CEO looks to expand KATIE GARWOOD STAFF WRITER

Danielle Dallas maxed out her credit cards three years ago to start her boutique, which now has 10 locations and is about to begin franchising. As a college student managing a high-end boutique in Gainesville, Danielle Dallas often saw a lot of clothes in the store she liked, but could not afford. She wasn’t the only disappointed customer. She frequently would watch girls her age come into the store, find a piece they liked, but leave with nothing because the price was too high. Dallas, then 21, wondered why there weren’t more affordable boutique options. She decided to fill that void. She started buying and selling merchandise online out of her bedroom, which she said “looked like a stockroom.” She was able to save enough money, along with maxing out her credit cards, to open her first Copper Closet store in 2016 in Riverside. The first location cost about $25,000 to open, and on the day it did, Dallas had $20 in her bank account. All items in her boutiques are priced less than $50 and are organized in a way that’s not overwhelming to the customer. Today, the company operates 10 locations in the Southeast from Melbourne on Florida’s East Coast to Charleston, South Carolina. The next location will open

Photo by Katie Garwood

Danielle Dallas, CEO of The Copper Closet, at her store at 4712 River City Drive, No. 7440, in St. Johns Town Center.

in September in Tampa. Dallas said there will be 13 stores open by the end of the year. Last year, Copper Closet did $2.1 million in sales with five stores. The year before, sales were half that with three stores. Despite the risk she took in opening the first store, the 24-year-old said recently she had a sense the initial investment would pay off. While still attending Santa Fe College and before managing the boutique, Dallas worked retail jobs. Starting as a sales associate at Victoria’s Secret, she was promoted to a position in the visuals department, designing store displays. She then worked

for accessory store Charming Charlie in a similar role, which helped her learn what was selling and how to best capitalize on that. Dallas also saw the mistakes those companies were making, and made sure not to do the same with her business. Through her experience at the boutique, she learned what items people want to see, and how to price them. Even with that retail experience, opening The Copper Closet was “a little stressful.” “Being all-in to something and not having an option for it not to work is really important for anyone who’s opening a business,” she said. “But (succeeding) was my only option.

File image

The Copper Closet, launched in 2016, offers items for less than $50.

I quit my job, I moved to a new city where I didn’t know anybody and I was just hoping it was really going to work. And luckily it did.” Dallas has two Copper Closet locations in Jacksonville at The Avenues mall and St. Johns Town Center. The Riverside location closed, but Dallas said she hopes to relocate to another storefront in the neighborhood on Park Street. Part of the reason for the stores’ success so far, she said, has been because of the price point and the setup. The displays are clean and uncluttered, she said. People often come into the store expecting it to be a more expensive shop. “People get a good kind of sticker shock when they walk in,” Dallas said. Dallas said she usually works seven days a week, five in the home office at St. Johns Town Center and on weekends traveling to the other stores throughout the region. She designs the company’s ads, Instagram posts, helps oversee the models and handles the inventory. Because she’s selling to her demographic, she said she has a better idea of what customers want to see. Her husband, Ryan Viti, who owned a recording studio for 10 years, sold his company to help Dallas with hers. He handles more of the business aspects that stress her, she said. Next year, the company will begin franchising locations. Her ultimate goal for the store is to be the next Francesca’s women’s clothing and accessories chain, but bigger and more affordable. “It would be awesome if you could go to almost any mall and you could find a Copper Closet,” Dallas said. Franchises will cost less than a typical women’s clothing

DANIELLE DALLAS Title: CEO Company: The Copper Closet, Mod+Mkt Sales: $2.1 million Age: 24 Hometown: Ocala Education: Santa Fe College (Gainesville), associate degree Family: Husband, Ryan Viti

store so that more people can afford to start a business, she said. Dallas said she also wants to help more women become business owners. In July, Dallas branched out into the home decor business with a new concept, Mod+Mkt. Much like The Copper Closet’s model, the store will offer affordable home decor. If the store, which is slated to open at St. Johns Town Center this month, is successful, she said she’d consider adding more locations. At times for Dallas as a young woman in business, she said people don’t take her seriously. But as the company grows, so has the respect. “Word gets around a little more about our company and the things we’re doing and the places we’re going. “They’re really seeing that I’m not just some 24-year-old girl,” she said. “I’m the CEO of a big company.” KGARWOOD@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466

Page 10 • Thursday, August 29, 2019

Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer

Edward Waters College

Florida State College at Jacksonville

Jacksonville University

University of North Florida

1658 Kings Road

101 W. State St.

2800 University Blvd. N.

1 UNF Drive

Website: ewc.edu

Website: fscj.edu

Website: ju.edu

Website: unf.edu

President: A. Zachary Faison Jr.

President: John Avendano

President: Tim Cost

President: David Szymanski

Established: 1866

Established: 1965

Established: 1934

Established: 1972

Students: 968

Students More than 50,000

Students: 4,052

Students: 17,000

About: Edward Waters College is Florida’s oldest higher education institution. The college offers eight undergraduate degree programs in biology, business, criminal justice and safety studies, communications, elementary education, liberal arts and humanities, music history and literature, and psychology.

About: From the initial junior college class in 1966, FSCJ has grown to offer 13 bachelor’s degrees, 45 associate degrees and more than 100 technical certificates and workforce certifications.

About: Jacksonville University offers more than 100 majors and minors, including undergraduate and graduate degrees in nursing, business, biology and marine science, engineering, finance, aviation, communication sciences and disorders, film, animation and sports business.

About: The University of North Florida offers more than 50 undergraduate degree programs, about 30 graduate-degree programs and five doctoral programs in areas including international business, coastal biology, nursing, nutrition and dietetics, transportation and logistics and music.

Workforce CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

stand our target industries and their needs to make sure we’re producing the individuals they need,” Lebesch said.

FSCJ: Moving at the speed of business With about 50,000 full- and part-time students enrolled in 13 bachelor’s degree programs, 45 associate degree programs and more than 100 technical certificate and workforce certification courses of study, FSCJ is the area’s largest provider of career and employment education. John Avendano was appointed the college’s sixth president in April and began working as its top administrator in July. “We reflect what the community needs. My first six months are going to be spent meeting the movers and shakers, the CEOs of business and industry, to determine what FSCJ can do to help their companies thrive and flourish,” Avendano said. The curriculum is designed to serve three types of students. “Our strength areas are recent high school graduates who want to get an education to get into the workforce; customized workforce training for companies that want to invest in

JAXUSA Partnership Vice President of Talent Development Anna Lebesch.

their people to elevate the level of education and training; and if something goes south for a company and people need to be retrained to get back in the workforce, we’re here for them, too,” Avendano said. The challenge for FSCJ, he said, is to keep pace with evolving technology and how that will affect the employment needs of local companies. “Our board of trustees wants to make sure we move at the speed of business, not the speed of academia. We’ll create a proactive culture to be ahead of the curve,” Avendano said.

JU: Significant investments and cultivating expertise

Jacksonville University has about 4,000 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree workforce programs in subjects including aviation, business and finance, engineering, nursing and communications. The university works with local businesses to provide a curriculum of more than 100 majors and minors that reflects their needs for qualified employees. “Jacksonville University has made significant investments in several academic programs that align with the demands of our regional workforce, par-

ticularly in health care,” said JU President Tim Cost. “Northeast Florida has become one of the most vibrant health care hubs in the world and Jacksonville University made the decision several years ago to partner with some of the region’s biggest health care providers, organizations such as Brooks Rehabilitation, Florida Blue, Mayo Clinic and Baptist Health,” he said. “We met with them, asked about their needs and how we could help.” Cost cites the university’s Davis College of Business as a recognized resource for local companies that need to, what he calls, “cultivate expertise.” “Our Master of Business Administration offered at JU’s Davis College of Business was recently named one of the top MBA programs in Cost the world by CEO Magazine, thanks in large part to the prolific real-world experience of our faculty. That’s why many of the Fortune 500s based in Jacksonville send their best talent here to further their education and their careers,” Cost said.

UNF: ‘Florida’s Jobs University’ The University of North Florida offers more than 50 undergraduate degree programs, five graduate programs and five doctoral programs in areas including business, nursing, nutrition, transportation and logistics. The school’s 17,000 students have an excellent chance of finding a job in the state after they graduate, said UNF President David Szymanski. “We like to refer to UNF as ‘Florida’s Jobs University.’ UNF ranks No. 1 among schools in Florida’s State University System in the percentage of bachelor’s graduates being employed in the state,” Szymanski said. “We also rank among the top three state universities in awarding bachelor’s degrees in Florida’s areas of strategic emphasis,” he said. “More than half of our degrees address these key areas that include STEM, health, education and global disciplines.” While the university is focused

Photos special to the Daily Record

Edward Waters College President A. Zachary Faison Jr.

on meeting the business community’s needs, the business community offers an exceptional education experience for students, Szymanski said. “Being in Jacksonville provides phenomenal opportunities for internships. By the time they graduate, UNF students already have tremendous experience in their fields,” he Szymanski said. UNF students who remain in the region are contributing to the growth of the local economy, based on data collected from graduates. “The starting salary for nursing graduates is above $57,000, and graduates from all programs in the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction who are working in Florida have average starting salaries above $50,000,” Szymanski said.

EWC: Economic and educational impact Established in 1866, Edward Waters College is the oldest independent higher education institution in Florida and the state’s first college founded for the education of African Americans. College President A. Zachary Faison Jr. says EWC’s economic impact includes alumni workforce earnings, job creation and economic stimulation, particularly in the neighborhood near Downtown where the campus is located, based on data published in 2017 by the United Negro College Fund.

“As an institution of higher education, it is the desire of the institution to produce qualified and skilled graduates that will enter the workforce,” Faison said. “According to a UNCF study, the total lifetime earnings for graduates of Edward Waters College as of 2014 was $269 million. This equates to more than 77% higher earning outcomes than if these students had not attended Edward Waters College,” he said. The college has nearly 1,000 students enrolled in eight undergraduate programs and represents nearly 500 jobs on and off campus, Faison said. “The impact of job creation by the institution to the community it serves, in particular, the Kings Road Corridor, is instrumental to not only those who live in the local neighborhood, but in the creation of diversity and opportunities through the transplanting of people through campus employment,” he said. “This diverse body of people, be it social, political, or economic, begins to create a transformative experience for not only the students, but the community by virtue of recognizing difference within a significantly homogenous population,” Faison said. Faison also cites the career success of graduates. “An Edward Waters College graduate can anticipate additional earnings of $1.1 million in incremental income based upon a degree that would not otherwise be true without the degree,” he said. MMARBUT@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466

Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer

Thursday, August 29, 2019 • Page 11

Advice for starting on path to the bench The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education certified 262 lawyers in 2019 who may use the term “board certified” when referring to their legal credentials, such as in advertising. Board certification recognizes an attorney’s special knowledge, skills and proficiency in various areas of the law and professionalism and ethics in practice. More than 5,100 of Florida’s nearly 107,000 lawyers have earned board certification. Florida offers 27 specialty areas for board certification. That’s more than any other state. Twenty-three lawyers who practice in the 4th Judicial Circuit and in St. Johns County earned board certification in this year’s cycle:

MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Federalist Society spotlights the judicial nominating process. If you want to be a judge appointed to, or elevated on, the bench in Florida – at least while Gov. Ron DeSantis is in office – you’ll need to respect the rule of law and understand the role of a judge. That’s what Joseph Jacquot, general counsel to DeSantis, told more than 100 attorneys and judges at The River Club during a panel discussion presented Aug. 22 by the Jacksonville Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society. Jacquot was joined on the panel by Katherine Hurst Miller, an attorney at Wright & Casey in New Smyrna Beach and chair of the 7th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission, and Patrick Kilbane, general counsel and wealth adviser at Ullmann Brown Wealth Advisors and immediate past chair of the 4th Circuit JNC. The discussion was moderated by Rogers Towers attorney Adam Brandon, president of the Jacksonville chapter of the Federalist Society. Since taking office in Janu-

Adoption law: Jennifer Boston Williams Photo by Max Marbut

From left, Joseph Jacquot, general counsel to Gov. Ron DeSantis; Katherine Hurst Miller, chair of the 7th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission; Patrick Kilbane, immediate past chair of the 4th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission; and Adam Brandon, president of the Jacksonville Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society.

ary, DeSantis has appointed 30 people to the bench, including three state Supreme Court justices. “Half are women, half are men, half are non-Caucasian and most had no judicial experience,” Jacquot said. The discussion covered nominating and appointment protocols. The chair and past chair on the panel explained the beginning of the process. “There is no perfect applicant. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. We look for the ability to do the job,” Miller said. Kilbane said attorneys who wish to apply for a judicial vacancy should begin work on their application, even if it’s years ahead of when the

applicant plans to become a candidate. He also said that as long as the commission hasn’t been convened to fill a vacancy, commissioners are available to help potential candidates complete their applications. “That way, you can have it ready when there’s a vacancy,” Kilbane said. “It’s a bear to fill out. Think about how you’re presenting yourself and have someone help you with proofreading. Your application is your introduction to the JNC and to the governor,” Miller said. After a nominating commission submits three to six candidates to the governor’s office, Jacquot and his staff interview the nominees and make recommendations to DeSantis,

Appellate practice: Rhonda Burns Boggess Business litigation: Austin Hamilton City, county and local government law: Bradley James Bulthuis, Denise Cheri May, Paolo Salinas Soria

Labor and employment law: Samuel Joseph Horovitz

Condominium and planned development law: Thomas Murray Jenks, David Daniel Rottmann.

Real estate: Andrei Alexandrovich Korotkov, Zachary Russell Roth

Construction law: Rebecca Ann Ross

who then has the authority to appoint one of the nominees, or ask the commission to submit more candidates. “The governor’s role is to promote liberty. We’re look-

Tax law: Kelly Leigh Hellmuth

ing for character and judicial philosophy,” Jacquot said. MMARBUT@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466

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SoFi is subleasing the fifth floor of the Town Center Two building at 5335 Gate Parkway.

MMENDENHALL@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM @MIMENDENHALL (904) 356-2466

Juvenile law: Kelli Ann Swaney

Marital and family law: Matthew Charles Hunt, Molly Lewis Sasso

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Dec. 31, 2021. The city’s Office of Economic Development says the average salary for the 198 new positions will be $69,000, generating a payroll of about $13.6 million. The city will be responsible for $198,000, or 20%, of the award, over five years. The state is paying $792,000. For SoFi, the city’s portion of the QTI refund would be no more than $300,000. The refund from the state would total $1.2 million. SoFi told city and state officials that the average wage of the 300 jobs will be $54,941 per year plus benefits. SoFi will generate an annual payroll of $16.4 million. OED officials said SoFi will make a $5.5 million capital investment in Jacksonville including real estate improvements, IT equipment, furniture and fixtures. Both SS&C and SoFi will have to verify their employment and wage targets with the city and state before receiving the QTI refunds.

Education law: David Jeffrey D’Agata

Civil trial: Fraz Ahmed, James Patrick Hanratty, Eric Ragatz, Kendra Therrell

Jobs “It’s prohibitively expensive,” DeSantis said. “So to be able to come here to Florida, I think the business gets a better deal because, I think, we have a better climate. But I also think a lot of the employees are going to get a much better deal and a much higher quality of life.” In an email Wednesday, City Director of Public Affairs Nikki Kimbleton said SS&C has signed the economic development agreement with the city. It awaits Mayor Lenny Curry’s signature. SoFi has yet to sign and return its agreement to the city. Kimbleton said a fully executed agreement with SoFi “may be a couple weeks.” The state’s portions of both deals will be handled in separate documents. SoFi agreed two weeks ago to lease 37,000 square feet of space at Town Center Two at 5335 Gate Parkway. City Council adopted Resolution 2019-491-A Aug. 13 in support of the incentives. SS&C has expanded in the Gramercy Woods office park at 9000 Southside Blvd. into about 107,000 square feet of office space. City officials say the company plans to invest $1.7 million in property improvements, IT and office equipment purchases. SS&C came to town in July 2015 through acquiring Advent Software Inc. Both companies sought a tax refund of $5,000 for each job created, with the city accounting for $1,000 and the state paying $4,000. The Project Liberty summary said the incentives would be a factor in its growth. The Council adopted Resolution 2019377-A June 11 to support the deal. In its agreement with the city, SS&C said the expansion will increase its staffing in Jacksonville to 656 employees by

Criminal trial law: Brooke Fuller Brewer, David Finley Williams Jr.

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THE MARBUT REPORT

23 local lawyers ‘board certified’

IN THE LAW

Page 12 • Thursday, August 29, 2019

Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer

SAMUEL B. FRIEDMAN BY MAX MARBUT • ASSOCIATE EDITOR

SAMUEL B. FRIEDMAN Associate attorney at Jimerson Birr Age: 26

Samuel B. Friedman, a former assistant state attorney in the 4th Judicial Circuit, has joined the Jimerson Birr law firm as an associate attorney and business litigator. Who or what inspired you to become a lawyer? I was at a crossroads during my undergrad at Maryland and was unsure of what I wanted to do. I ended up taking a law class because it sounded interesting and I enjoyed it. I then ended up taking a prelaw legal writing course where I had a professor who inspired me to take the LSAT and pursue the practice of law. How do you relate your undergraduate degree to your practice of law? My undergraduate degree was in criminal justice, so when I joined the State Attorney’s Office, the position put me directly in the front seat to learn how our system works. The skills I obtained in the practice of law didn’t come from my undergraduate degree. Instead, the opportunities I pursued in law school helped lay a foundation for advocacy and my on-thejob training. How did you decide your practice area? And why have you chosen that? I tried more than a dozen criminal cases in Jacksonville and the stakes always were high. Rather than going in a random direction, I wanted to leverage my trial experience into an area of legal practice that required a similarly high level of thorough preparedness and makeor-break consequences. Practicing business litigation, where my representation of a company can make the difference between bankruptcy or success, fits the bill perfectly.

deal with it favorably for your client. I make every effort to outwork, outthink, and outperform my opponents. It also helps to wear a nice suit.

Education: University of Maryland, bachelor’s in criminology; University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D. Hometown: Baltimore

What’s the best advice you received as a new lawyer? That I had to put in the time. There are no shortcuts, because the only way to learn and improve as a lawyer is by taking the time and sinking my teeth into the practice of law. I think it’s crucial to find good mentors to show a new attorney the path toward success. I feel fortunate for the people in the State Attorney’s Office who went out of their way to pay it forward and teach me the practice of law, plus the fantastic mentors and supervisors I have gained by joining at Jimerson Birr to build my practice.

Family: Parents Randy and Geoff Friedman; brother, Ryan; niece, Lily; grandmothers Eileen Garfield and Adele Friedman I’m inspired by: My parents and grandparents Favorite book: “Angels & Demons” by Dan Brown Book I’m reading now: Rereading “A Song of Ice and Fire” (Game of Thrones) by George R.R. Martin because of a certain TV show’s questionable ending Website I can’t live without: Netflix Favorite nonwork activities: Working out, playing sports with friends, eating good food and going to the beach

How do you do to get ready for trial? Prepare, prepare, prepare. It’s essential to anticipate every possible situation or argument that may arise, and be prepared to Special to the Daily Record

1:00-5:00pm

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Social Hour Immediately Following Duval County Courthouse | Jury Assembly Room #2379

MODERATOR: David M. Dunlap | Dunlap, Ravis & Miller, PLLC CONTACT TO REGISTER: Kelly Karstaedt kellykarstaedt@gmail.com 904-348-0139

American Board of Trial Advocates

Jacksonville Chapter

“Elevating the Standards of Integrity, Honor and Courtesy in the Legal Profession”

SPEAKERS: Welcome & Introduction to ABOTA David M. Dunlap | Dunlap, Ravis & Miller, PLLC Jim D’Andrea | Milton, Leach, Whitman, D’Andrea & Eslinger, P.A. A Panel Discussion: Professionalism in Litigation Honorable Tyrie Boyer, Fourth Judicial Circuit Honorable Virginia B. Norton, Fourth Judicial Circuit Honorable Robert M. Dees, Fourth Judicial Circuit Honorable Harvey L. Jay, III, Florida First District Court of Appeal A View From Both Sides Kristen M. Van der Linde | Boyd & Jenerette Jamie Holland | Harrell & Harrell, P.A.