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February 14-20, 2019
The Mathis Report: Ida Claire restaurant coming to town PAGE 4
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JACKSONVILLE
Record & Observer Regency Square Mall owner ‘not selling’
VYSTAR’S Record & Observer VISION JACKSONVILLE
Ownership says it is looking at redevelopment options while property faces foreclosure sale if lien is not satisfied.
JACKSONVILLE
Record & Observer
President and CEO Brian Wolfburg sheds light on the credit union’s strategy as it prepares to move Downtown andJACKSONVILLE put its name on Veterans Memorial Arena.
BY KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
Ownership of Regency Square Mall says it is not selling the property and, in fact, is exploring options for redevelopment. “We’re not selling the asset,” said Elliot Nassim, president of Mason Asset Management Inc., a partner in the ownership group. The group bought the Arlington mall at 9501 Arlington Expressway five years ago on Feb. 14, 2014. Circuit Judge Kevin Blazs ordered that the bulk of the 52-year-old property be sold in a foreclosure auction March 21 if a lien owed by ownership is not paid. Asked if the group was going to satisfy the lien, Nassim said Tuesday he would “rather not comment on pending litigation.” “There was a lawsuit and the judge made an order and we’ll do whatever is required by law,” he said, but explained that the property was not being auctioned. “This is not going to be a sheriff’s sale,” he said. In fact, he said, the group is looking at redevelopment, but he declined details. “We are exploring all options for development of the asset,” he said. “We are speaking to several interested parties.” Nassim said there was no timeline and that he cannot comment on the identity or nature of the interested parties.
Record & Observer
BY MARK BASCH
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
I
n the coming months, Jacksonville residents will be seeing a lot more of VyStar Credit Union. The Jacksonville-based financial institution last week announced a naming rights deal for the city’s sports arena, which will rebrand it as the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. If that deal is approved by City Council, the new signs will be placed on the arena in the middle of this year at about the same time the VyStar name will go up on a 23-story Downtown building. VyStar bought the building, currently known as the SunTrust Tower, for $59 million last year and is moving its headquarters to the tower at 76 S. Laura St. But it’s not just Northeast Florida residents seeing more of VyStar. The credit union founded in Jacksonville in 1952 recently received approval from Florida and Georgia regulatory authorities to expand its field of membership from 22 counties in Photo by Dede Smith
SEE WOLFBURG, PAGE 7
VyStar President and CEO Brian Wolfburg joined the Jacksonville-based credit union in 2017.
Cawton Report: How much JEA will contribute to city budget PAGE 6 Annual JBA Charity Chili Cook-Off is Saturday at RAM PAGE 10 OBSERVER MEDIA GROUP
SEE REGENCY, PAGE 5
THE BASCH REPORT
What jobs are at risk in SunTrust-BB&T merger CEO sheds light on who is safe. PAGE 8 VOLUME 1, NO. 37 • ONE SECTION
WHAT’S TRENDING
Page 2 • Thursday, February 14, 2019
Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
Special to the Daily Record
The seven-story Wolfson Children’s Critical Care Tower is planned at at 800 Prudential Drive on the Downtown Southbank
New Wolfson Children’s Critical Care Tower Baptist Health announced it will begin construction this spring on a $187 million, seven-story Wolfson Children’s Critical Care Tower. The tower will become the front entrance to Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville at 800 Prudential Drive on the Downtown Southbank. The 220,000-square-foot structure is scheduled for completion in 2021. “In May, you should start seeing activity at the site,” said Keith Tickell, vice president of strategic assets/real estate for Baptist Health. “This new building will be our new ‘front door,’ essentially reorienting our entire campus,” said Michael Mayo, Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville Hospital president.
AWARDS Meskel is Overall Small Business Leader of the Year Meskel & Associates Engineering PLLC celebrated a decade in business Tuesday with its president, Antoinette “Tina” Meskel, becoming the JAX Chamber’s 2019 Overall Small Business Leader of the Year. Meskel said her group was “in the middle of some wonderful projects, and important projects, in our community,” including the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center Downtown, the Northbank repairs at Liberty Street and Coastline Drive and The District mixed-use project proposed on the Southbank.
Two North Florida Transportation Planning Organization committees elected leaders: Jacksonville Planning and Development Department Director Bill Killingsworth will serve as chair of the Technical Coordinating Committee. Nassau County School Board member Brad Underhill was elected vice chair. The Citizens Advisory Committee elected Richard Darby, a Clay County resident, as chair and Austin Chapman, a St. Johns County resident, as vice chair. Axia Public relations promoted Hannah Ferran to shared media strategist, responsible for management of user-generated Ferran content channels, social media and community engagement The Dalton Agency added seven employees: Amelia Williams joined as an account executive responsible for managing digital, social video and print production and acts as liaison between clients and Dalton staff. Williams was a senior account executive with Burdette Ketchum. Lauren Homrich joined as account coordinator responsible for creating strategic media plans, drafting
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Jacksonville Daily Record, Jacksonville Record & Observer and Realty-Builder are a division of Observer Media Group Inc. Established in 1912, the Financial News & Daily Record, now the Jacksonville Daily JACKSONVILLE Record, is published Monday-Friday and is the Official Court Newspaper of the Circuit 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, law, companies, economic and industry trends and how local and state government affects business. Realty-Builder is a monthly publication connecting Northeast Florida’s real estate professionals and homebuilders. Content focuses on timely news, information and trends affecting residential real estate sales and construction, as well as events and legal issues impacting the industry. Visit Realty-Builder.com to request your free copy.
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The North Florida Transportation Planning Organization board elected its executive team to serve through December. Nassau County Commissioner Danny Leeper was elected chair. Leeper previously served as vice chair. St. Johns County Commissioner James Johns was elected vice chair. Johns was the former treasurer. Atlantic Beach Mayor Charlie Latham was elected treasurer.
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communications materials for project development, and monitoring media coverage. Homrich was a public relations associate with Clockwork Marketing Services. Tsciena White joined as a social media coordinator managing and developing content on social media for clients. White was an analyst with Citibank. Ryan Huffman joined as a senior art director responsible for the execution of campaigns for clients. Huffman was senior art director for St. John & Partners. Grecia Sim joined as a graphic designer responsible for visual marketing and branding materials. Sim was a graphic designer for the World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum. Atawan Thomas joined as a business office assistant in the operations department. Thomas was a customer service specialist at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Chris Lamberth joined as a web developer responsible for content design and development on digital mediums. Lamberth was an operations coordinator and graphic designer for Bluwave Productions.
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Thursday, February 14, 2019 • Page 3
The Players sees uptick with March return ECONOMIC TRENDS
The golf tournament’s executive director says ticket sales are outpacing last year as companies seek warmer weather.
THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP When: March 12-17 Where: TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra
Defending champion: Webb Simpson Find out more: theplayers.com
BY MARK BASCH CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Special to the Daily Record
The Players by the numbers
$151 million
$100 million
30 million+
$9 million
400+
26,500
Estimated annual economic impact on Northeast Florida
Donated to local charities in 2018
300+
Northeast Florida charities impacted
Donated to for Northeast Florida charities since 1977
Businesses investing in the tournament through corporate hospitality and ticket programs
2,000
Viewers in the U.S. for the 2018 tournament. 226 countries and territories received the broadcast
Complimentary tickets redeemed by the military in 2018
Volunteers work at the tournament
change in scheduling. “This is the first really big tournament of the year,” Simpson said. “I think the new date is going to make the event even bigger and more special.”
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The TPC Sawgrass course is known for the 17th hole and its island green, where the Players held a charity shootout Monday. Simpson said the big crowds at the 17th and the difficulty of hitting the green can be chal-
lenging, but he enjoys it. “It’s a great golf hole and I hope it never changes,” he said. MBASCH@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM
Joel Settembrini, Jr.
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the Players before the Masters tournament in April and the other three major championships gives it a bigger spotlight, Rice said. Last years’ Players champion, Webb Simpson, also likes the
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Technically, it will be winter when The Players Championship is held March 12-17 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. But after moving the tournament this year from its previous schedule in May, the promise of springlike weather in a chilly time of year is attracting more attention, said tournament Executive Director Jared Rice. “We’re seeing a lot of uptick in interest from national and international p a r t n e r s ,” Rice said Monday during a Media Day event for Rice the golf tournament. “I do think that ties into the climate dollars, companies looking for a warmer climate in the first part of the year,” he said. Besides attracting more sponsors looking for a warm spot in winter, the new date is helping general ticket sales, Rice said. “We’re outpacing where we were a year ago by 10 percent,” he said. Rice said he has seen particular interest in ticket sales in markets like Charlotte, Orlando and Atlanta, which are in driving distance of Northeast Florida. But there also have been sales to fans in New York and Chicago. The Players was held at TPC Sawgrass in March from 1982 until it was moved to May in 2007. However, as part of an adjustment to the PGA Tour schedule, the Players is moving back to March this year and the PGA Championship, one of golf’s four major championships, is moving from August to May. The Players is considered by many golf fans to be the biggest tournament outside of the four majors because its field is limited to the top golfers on the PGA Tour. The new schedule that puts
Page 4 • Thursday, February 14, 2019
Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
Photo by Karen Brune Mathis
Plans for Ida Claire, South of Ordinary, at 10209 Rivercoast Drive at St. Johns Town Center. The restaurant will go in the space now occupied by Mimi’s Cafe.
THE MATHIS REPORT
Ida Claire coming to St. Johns Town Center RETAIL NOTES n Floor & Décor applied for a certificate of use for a 74,179-squarefoot store at 10595 Brightman Blvd. near Topgolf. Its first area store is at 8102 Blanding Blvd. The company is based in Smyrna, Georgia. The retailer sells tile, wood and stone flooring.
KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
The Southern-inspired restaurant will take over the current Mimi’s Cafe space. Mimi’s Cafe at St. Johns Town Center will be converted into a Dallas-based concept called Ida Claire, South of Ordinary, according to building plans filed with the city. Get it? “I declare.” The conversion includes adding a 15-seat Airstream trailer within the outdoor patio area to be used for lounge seating and private dining, plans show. It appears to be the second Ida Claire. The first is in Dallas. The ida-claire.com site describes the restaurant as “an intriguing, southern-inspired destination for relaxing suppers, slow weekend brunching or a meeting hub for business lunches and happy hour.” Ida Claire is part of Front Burner Dining Group LLC, which also owns Whiskey Cake, Haywire, Legacy Hall, Mexican Sugar, Sixty Vines, The Keeper and The Ranch. The restaurants primarily are in Texas with one in Oklahoma. The frontburnerdiningroup. com site describes the climatecontrolled private Airstream, for up to 12 guests, as “a funky and psychedelic dining experience.” The project architect is IDA – Innovation & Design in Architecture in Long Beach, California. Simon is the landlord. Renovations to Mimi’s will include remodeling the interior to open up the rooms and allow a view into the kitchen expo area and to relocate the bar to add operable windows to allow a pass-through to the patio. Among the dining areas are the Celestial Room and Garden Room. Exterior work includes remodeling for the Ida Claire concept and construction of a new patio enclosure, adding more outdoor seating and the Airstream deck.
Special to the Daily Record
The Ida Claire in Dallas features a decorated Airstream trailer that parties of 12 or less can book. The trailer is shown on the renderings for the Jacksonville restaurant.
The Dallas Ida Claire serves breakfast, lunch and supper daily and weekend brunch. For food, think a traditional breakfast menu with a few twists, such as an acai bowl and a pork belly biscuit. At the Dallas restaurant, lunch comprises sandwiches, bowls, salads, sides and plates. Sandwiches range from $11 for a muffuletta to $13 for smoked chicken salad or a vegan burger. Share plates, from $6.50 to $12.50, include a butterbean hummus board, Nashville cauliflower (smoked and fried) and sweet potato chip duck confit – goat cheese fondue, duck fat gravy and sunny side up duck egg. Lunch plates – from $12 to $23 – range from chicken in a biscuit to wood-grilled redfish. Supper plates range from $16.50 (chicken and waffles) to $34 (13-ounce Texas Angus ribeye). There also are share plates, biscuits, sandwiches and salads. The bar offerings include cocktails, beer and wine. No contractor is listed on the permit application, which shows an estimated $850,000 investment to alter and convert the restaurant. The almost 7,500-squarefoot building, on 1.23 acres at 10209 River Coast Drive, also has patio space of about 1,000 square feet. Plans indicate seating in the dining areas, at the bar, on the patio and in the trailer. In Dallas, hours are 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 7 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-1
a.m. Saturday; and 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sunday. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The bar opens at 11 a.m. weekdays and at 9 a.m. Saturday-Sunday. The contact with Front Burner did not return a call or email. A Mimi’s representative did not respond to a request for comment.
Restaurant notes n Tropical Smoothie Café landed permission to remodel its San Marco area restaurant at 1808 Hendricks Ave. Skyline Construction Inc. is the contractor for the $180,000 project to renovate the 2,087-square-foot restaurant. The owner said the restaurant has been closed since a fire in August. Plans show a new kitchen plan, décor and furniture. Laura McKinney, director of real estate and construction for Dyne Hospitality Group, said the company hopes to reopen the restaurant in late April. Tropical Smoothie will add a “smoothie bar” where customers can sit and watch the smoothies being made, she said. It is a standard feature at all new Tropical Smoothie Cafes. n Rino’s Pizza Grill & Italian Cuisine applied for a building permit and filed a fictitious name with the state for a location at 5711 Bowden Road, Suite 12, in Bowden Corners in Southside. The owner is Celen Investment LLC, led by Turan Celen. Honest Construction Inc. is the contractor for the
proposed $66,650 renovation of the almost 1,600-squarefoot space. n Owner Tanuki Group LLC filed The Derby House and Derby House fictitious names with the state to do business at 1068 Park St. Tanuki Group comprises Michael Schmidt and Chad Munsey. They recently announced that Derby House Diner is the new concept for the former Derby On Park space at the Five Points address in Riverside. Munsey and Schmidt own The Bearded Pig in San Marco and the Rec Room, also in Five Points. They plan a midApril opening for Derby House Diner. The decades-old diner location most recently operated as Derby On Park, which closed at year-end. n Bartram Market at Race Track Road and Bartram Park Boulevard is preparing for stores. St. Johns County is reviewing a permit for construction of a Wendy’s restaurant. The 2,389-square-foot restaurant and drive-thru is planned on 1.04 acres. The St. Johns River Water Management District is reviewing plans for an almost 2,500-square-foot Dunkin’ Donuts with a drivethru. Bartram Market will be anchored by Publix Super Markets Inc. and include a Wawa gas station and convenience store. n Larry’s Giant Subs will open a 1,441-square-foot shop at 14866 Old St. Augustine Road, No. 108. The city issued a permit for The Shrout Companies to build-out the space at a cost of $78,200.
n St. Johns County approved a permit for a 10,340-square-foot Pilot Truck Care Center at 954 Florida 206 W. in St. Augustine at a construction cost of $1.5 million. n The Pavilion at Durbin Park is building the $3.65 million, 57,000-square-foot inline retail shell building for Ross Dress for Less and Burlington at 675 Durbin Pavilion Drive, Suite 104. St. Johns County issued a permit. n The Pavilion at Durbin Park also is building the $700,000, 8,730-square-foot shell “Building H” at 935 Durbin Pavilion Drive. The county issued a permit. n Eyeglass World intends to open at 14021 Lunar Drive in River City Marketplace. Tenant improvements are in city review for a $225,000 renovation of 3,500 square feet of space.
n Smoothie King was approved for interior build-out at 550 Durbin Pavilion Drive, Suite 107, in The Pavilion at Durbin Park. St. Johns County approved the permit for a $79,000 project for a 1,286-square-foot store. n Jumpin’ Jax House of Food took out a business license for its new restaurant in Atlantic Village at 1021 Atlantic Blvd., No. 1-3, in Atlantic Beach. It opened in January and is the second location. The first is at 10131 San Jose Blvd. KMATHIS@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM @MATHISKB (904) 356-2466
Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
Thursday, February 14, 2019 • Page 5
DEVELOPMENT TODAY These are the largest commercial building permits by job cost issued Tuesday by the city of Jacksonville. APARTMENTS Fusion Rental Community, 8475 Baymeadows Road E., contractor is Associated Construction Products Inc., construct retaining wall, $143,399. GOVERNMENT Jacksonville Aviation Authority, 14700 Yonge Drive, contractor is Acon Construction Co. Inc., 5,000 square feet, structural repair at Signature Flight Support JAX, $85,656.
Photo by Max Marbut
A joint venture led by Regency Mall Realty LLC bought most of Regency Square Mall in 2014 for $13 million.
Regency CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
He also said he could not comment on litigation involving International Decor Outlet LLC, which filed a complaint in July 2017 against the mall ownership in a lease dispute over nearly 200,000 square feet in the west wing of the mall. That part of the mall is now closed. Regency Mall Realty LLC, which is the lead company that bought Regency, is a joint venture of Namdar Realty Group LLC and Mason Asset Management, both of Great Neck, New York. As reported, most of Regency Square Mall is scheduled for auction by the Duval County Clerk of Courts after a $162,872 judgment was levied against the mall owners. The judgment was awarded to JAAMM Inc., a nonprofit company that operated
the former Jacksonville Automotive & Motorcycle Museum in the former Montgomery Ward store in the mall in 2016 and 2017. The complaint was filed in June 2017 against Regency Mall Realty LLC, Regency CH LLC and Regency Nassim LLC, which are related to Namdar Realty Group. The partnership paid $13 million for most of the mall property. It sold the AMC Regency 24 theater property in 2015 to EPR Properties of Kansas City, Missouri, for $26.2 million and the former Belk store within the mall to Impact Church of Jacksonville Inc. in 2016 for $7 million. Dillard Department Stores Inc. and Sears Roebuck & Co. own their stores at the mall, although Sears closed and its property is for sale. The Great Neck group now owns more than 961,000 square feet of space at the mall, property records show. JAAMM has a recorded mechanics
lien and if it doesn’t receive payment, the property will be sold next month, according to the judgment signed Feb. 1. The final judgment directs the sale to be conducted at 11 a.m. March 21 at duval. realforeclose.com. It was not listed on that site as of Wednesday afternoon. On Masonam.com, Mason Asset Management says it is a privately owned owner-operator of retail assets nationally with a national portfolio of more than 120 shopping centers, including 45 regional malls, totaling more than 30 million square feet. It lists Regency Square Mall as a 1.39 million-square-foot property. It also lists ownership of the 219,735-square-foot Jacksonville Regional Shopping Center at 3000 Dunn Ave. KMATHIS@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM @MATHISKB (904) 356-2466
ROOFING Charter Landing Apartments, 5885 Edenfield Road, contractor is Nemetz Roofing, seven permits for roof replacement, $231,000. Hines Global Reit 4875 Town Center LLC, 4873 Town center Parkway, contractor is Barber & Associates Inc., roof repair, $82,340. Villas at Mandarin Bay Apartments, 3857 Pritmore Road, contractor is Hart Contractors Inc., two permits for roof replacement, $48,000. Compiled by Scott Sailer
BUSINESS IN BRIEF Champion Brands, Marlin & Barrel deal: Jacksonville-based Champion Brands partnered with Fernandina Beachbased Marlin & Barrel Distillery to distribute spirits in Northeast Florida. Marlin & Barrel Distillery has been producing spirits since 2014, including rum, gin, vodka, whiskey and fruit flavored liqueurs. Marlin & Barrel is at 115 S. Second St., Fernandina Beach, and has a public tasting room. For more information, visit marlinbarrel.com Compiled by Scott Sailer
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Page 6 • Thursday, February 14, 2019
Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
THE CAWTON REPORT
JEA, city extend their contribution deal
DAVID CAWTON ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Agreement now runs through 2023 and will add another $243.6 million to the city’s general fund. An agreement between the city of Jacksonville and its electric, water and wastewater utility company was extended Tuesday night, securing another $243.6 million in contributions to the city’s general fund through 2023. City Council members unanimously passed legislation extending an existing contribution agreement between the city and JEA that provides contributions to the general fund in lieu of property taxes. JEA contributes about $120 million each year to the city’s $1.2 billion general fund. The agreement extends JEA’s commitment through the 2022-23 fiscal year and extends a provision that requires JEA to transfer about $8.5 Zahn million each year in Water Quality Credits to the city for another 10 years, through 2033. JEA also will contribute $15,155,000 toward phasing out septic tanks in some of the city’s underserved neighborhoods and for river monitoring equipment. The utility has provided $30 million to remove septic tanks since 2016. After the vote, JEA CEO and Managing Director Aaron Zahn said the extension is part of the utility’s strategic plan over the next five years. “There is nothing like financial stability,” Zahn said. He said the agreement, and other efforts, will help JEA as it tries to address lackluster electricity sales over the past decade. “That’s on top of paying off about $1 billion in debt, which will increase our free cash flow,” he said. The agreement also means JEA will continue to contribute 30.34 metric tons of water quality credits each year, plus an additional 13.6 metric tons in perpetuity. According to JEA, those credits are worth about $8.5 million each year. “That can be used to go toward education and public safety and police and fire as opposed to water credits because JEA is creating those through its natural business,” Zahn said. The agreement comes one year after JEA presented a financial evaluation to council members when conversations over possibly privatizing the utility company dominated City Hall. Zahn was a board member at the time and said he did not think JEA should be having the
Photo by David Cawton
Jacksonville City Council candidates gathered at Southside Baptist Church in San Marco on Monday as they seek one of five at-large seats in the March 19 election.
conversation in the first place. “The first question we needed to ask was what is the best business model to serve the customers,” he said Tuesday. “We have now gone through a nine-month period of strategic alignment, have established a strategic framework and values for the company, and now we’re working on culture.” Zahn said the company is working on publishing a financial forecast that covers the next 10 years, “that shows people what the company looks like if we do nothing, and what is possible.” JEA also is considering three proposals to relocate its Downcorporate headquarters. Citing the company’s procurement code, Zahn said he could not speak about the proposals. The JEA board of directors is expected to make a final decision in early April.
Forum features at-large candidates for City Council Running for an at-large seat on Jacksonville’s City Council is no easy task when you look at a map of Duval County. For the 16 candidates filed to run in one of the five at-large races, the prospect of covering most of Duval County’s 841 square miles can be daunting. There are 19 seats on Jacksonville’s legislative body with 14 members representing individual districts. The remaining five represent the entire city “at-large.” The district boundaries are drawn according to population. The election is March 19. If no candidate earns more than 50 percent of the votes, plus one, the top two will compete in a May 14 runoff election. The council year starts July 1. “It’s a challenge for sure,” said Matt Carlucci, one of three candidates seeking to succeed Greg Anderson in AtLarge Group 4.
“I had to be in Baldwin yesterday, I have to be at Beaches today and then on the Northside tomorrow,” Carlucci said. Carlucci appeared Monday night with a dozen candidates, including his direct challengers and fellow Republicans Harold McCart and Don Redman, at the Southside Baptist Church in San Marco. Carlucci and Redman served on council in the past, holding district seats. Carlucci also previously served At-Large Group 4. He said one of the biggest differences between a district and at-large race is how campaign funds are prioritized. “Part of that is me selling myself, which I think I’m doing,” he said, adding that the campaign has “raised a lot of money, but it’s never really enough.” “You’ve got to be everywhere all at once,” Carlucci said. “But that’s what that seat requires.” The two-hour forum focused on drainage and resiliency issues, maintaining San Marco’s historic charm, public safety and government priorities. At-Large Group 1 candidates included Democrat Lisa King and Republican Terrance Freeman, who appeared along with no party affiliate candidate Connell Crooms. Democrat Darren Mason and Republican Ron Salem, running in At-Large Group 2, also attended. The At-Large Group 3 incumbent, Democrat Tommy Hazouri, was present along with his Republican challenger, Greg Rachal. Democrat Chad McIntyre and no party affiliate candidate Niki Brunson attended along with Republican incumbent for At-Large Group 5, Sam Newby. Brunson, a member of the Jacksonville TRUE Commission, said running the citywide race forced her to step out of her East Jacksonville neighborhood to connect with people she may not have had she run
in District 7. “We’re all one big neighborhood and the challenges we face in my part of the city aren’t that different from those in San Marco,” Brunson said. “Because I’ve lived in the urban core my whole life, I understand the issues that some of these neighborhoods are just now seeing as priorities,” she said. Brunson acknowledged running a citywide race is an expensive exercise given the size of Duval County. “This just means I have to work harder,” Brunson said.
Project Danville is approved City Council members approved legislation tied to an economic development agreement that provides $261,000 in city- and state-backed financial incentives to an unidentified international distribution company using the code name Project Danville. Danville proposes to invest $50 million into a Jacksonville facility that would employ 87 people by year-end 2022. Those positions are required to pay an average annual wage of $52,540, plus benefits. According to the legislation, Resolution 2019-37, Danville received a $261,000 Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund, of which the city is responsible for $52,200. The state picks up the rest. The grant is worth $3,000 per new job.
Hart Bridge project planning begins The ramps connected to the Hart Bridge Expressway leading into Downtown Jacksonville won’t come down until 2020, but work is starting. The city seeks a minor modification from the St. Johns River Water Management District, a necessary approval for the project to proceed. According to the Feb. 11
application, the project comprises demolishing a three-quarter-mile stretch of the existing elevated ramps between A. Philip Randolph Boulevard to east of Festival Park Avenue; building new eastbound and westbound ramp connections to Bay Street; and widening, reconstructing and resurfacing portions of Bay Street and Gator Bowl Boulevard. The city recently secured a $12.5 million federal grant to help pay for the estimated $38 million project.
Facade grants getting a boost The Office of Economic Development received $200,000 to continue its Facade Renovation Grant program in 2019. City Council members approved ordinance 2019-21 at their meeting Tuesday night. The bill appropriates money from the Countywide Economic Development II fund to provide grants to businesses investing in economically distressed areas of Jacksonville. The money is an incentive for small businesses to improve the exterior of their properties. The city provides 2-to-1 matching funds for improvements like painting; cleaning; installing doors, windows, awnings or signage; and completing other exterior renovations. Since 2015, the city has approved $183,915 worth of grant money to 30 businesses. The grants range from $1,980 to $10,000. The grant money is used to reimburse businesses after the renovations are completed and documented. To date, only $5,000 has been paid out. DCAWTON@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM @DAVIDCAWTON (904) 356-2466
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Thursday, February 14, 2019 • Page 7
VyStar CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Northeast Florida to 27 additional counties in North and Central Florida and four counties in Southeast Georgia. “Everyone has this impression of credit unions that they should be small,” said VyStar President and CEO Brian Wolfburg. Unlike banks, which expand their businesses to generate more profits for shareholders, credit unions are nonprofit organizations that historically have served specific groups with common ties. VyStar is big already with more than 643,000 members and $8.3 billion in assets, making it the 17th largest credit union in the nation, according to Credit Unions Online. Wolfburg, who came to VyStar in late 2017, is hoping to expand further. “There are a lot of reasons we should pursue growth,” he said. One is operating efficiencies, a strategy that helps financial institutions of all types. The more customers they have, the lower the cost per customer of providing services. For a publicly traded bank, that translates into higher profits for shareholders. For a credit union owned by its members, the efficiencies mean higher interest rates on deposits, lower rates on loans and fewer fees for customers, Wolfburg said. Expanding the geographic reach of VyStar also helps its “safety and soundness,” Wolfburg said. “We were tightly packed in geographically for the size we are,” he said. That made VyStar vulnerable to potential shocks to the Jacksonville economy, such as a major hurricane that disrupts business in the area. With a wider geographic reach, VyStar can better withstand a localized downturn in the economy. The third reason for geographic growth is to bring credit union services to more people, particularly in rural counties in the region that are not well-served by financial institutions, Wolfburg said. That doesn’t mean VyStar will be opening branches in each of the 53 counties now in its membership field. But anyone who “lives, works, plays or practices faith” in those counties can, under credit union regulations, become customers of VyStar, he said. VyStar has 63 branches in 11 counties. It took its first step toward expanding last month by announcing an agreement to acquire Citizens State Bank, which is headquartered in Perry
Photo by Dede Smith
VyStar President and CEO Brian Wolfburg outside what will become his company’s headquarters Downtown at 76 S. Laura St. VyStar bought the SunTrust Tower in July for $59 million.
Renderings special to the Daily Record
VyStar is seeking City Council approval to put its name on the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. It’s also seeking approval to put its sign on its new headquarters building Downtown on what is now the SunTrust Tower.
and also has two offices in Gainesville and one in Steinhatchee. More acquisitions of bank branches are likely in the future. “We are reviewing two to four potential banks a month,” Wolfburg said. VyStar was formed 67 years ago as the Jax Navy Federal Credit Union to serve military families and civil-service employees at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. It grew to serve Cecil Field Naval Air Station but after the U.S. Navy closed that base in 1999, the credit union decided to expand its charter. In 2002, the credit union received state approval to open membership to anyone living or
working in the five-county Jacksonville metropolitan area and changed its name to VyStar. Wolfburg said 5 percent to 10 percent of its members are current or retired military families, but VyStar still considers its service to military personnel to be a primary role. That fits in with its 15-year, $9.76 million naming rights deal for what is now the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. The deal includes provisions that will make financial contributions to veterans’ groups. “We are helping to make Jacksonville and Northeast Florida a better place to live,” Wolfburg said, and the naming rights deal
Edward Waters establishing Honors College with grant from Jessie Ball duPont Fund
FROM STAFF
Edward Waters College is establishing a new Honors College that will help recruit and retain highly qualified students. The program is supported by a $100,000 grant from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. It is one of 24 awards totaling $1.6 million approved in January by the nonprofit’s board of trustees. The Honors College will recruit academically outstanding undergraduates
Wolfburg expects the first VyStar employees to move into offices there in March and the rest will gradually relocate through the end of this year. Besides noticing the VyStar name, Wolfburg said he hopes Downtown visitors will see the improvements to the building as a plus for the neighborhood. “We have a long history here and are deeply rooted in the community,” he said. Even as VyStar expands its geographic reach, “we’re never going to lose our way or where we started.” MBASCH@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM
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Program will include research, internships and travel opportunities.
is part of that. He said it was important to keep “Veterans” in the name of the arena. “There never was a discussion of taking any of those words out,” he said. Wolfburg also hopes the VyStar name on the arena will increase its exposure. While the credit union is familiar to longtime residents, the area continues to see more people moving to the area. “There is an aspect of elevating our brand,” he said. VyStar expects to move 900 employees to the Downtown tower as it relocates its headquarters from a Westside office. With renovations ongoing,
from across the U.S. who will be enrolled as President’s Scholars. Select students will be part of a fouryear residential program that will include research, internships and travel opportunities. The Honors College will provide a “more rigorous curriculum that fosters continued academic success and mentors students into graduate programs and job placement,” according to a news release from the duPont Fund. “This new program will have a positive student and community impact, help maintain competitive faculty members and strengthen the health of the college,” said Katie Ensign, senior program officer for the fund, in the release.
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Page 8 • Thursday, February 14, 2019
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THE BASCH REPORT
Some jobs safe in SunTrust, BB&T merger MARK BASCH CONTRIBUTING WRITER
BB&T CEO promises that branch workers won’t lose their jobs, but not all positions will be spared. SunTrust Banks Inc. and BB&T Corp. have not yet announced specific plans for their branch networks after the two banks merge, but they will have a lot of unnecessary office space. During their conference call with analysts last Thursday after announcing the $66 billion merger agreement, BB&T Chief Financial Officer Daryl Bible said the two banks have almost 740 branches, or 24 percent of their combined offices, located within 2 miles of each other. “This overlap is almost unparalleled in banking, particularly among larger institutions,” he said. Of course, those overlapping offices include the BB&T Tower at 200 W. Forsyth St. and SunTrust’s Downtown Jacksonville office, which is moving from 76 S. Laura St. to the Bank of America Tower at 50 N. Laura St. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. data shows SunTrust has 24 branches in the Jacksonville metropolitan area and BB&T has 14. In a video message to King employees, BB&T Chief Executive Kelly King promised branch employees their jobs are safe even as some offices close. “All of our client-facing associates at BB&T and at SunTrust will have a job,” he said, according to a transcript of the message posted by the companies. “Let me say that again: if you’re a client-facing associate in the branches in any aspect — our corporate calling officers, business calling officers — if you’re a client-facing associate dealing directly with our clients, then you have a job. You don’t need to worry about it.” However, other employees face uncertainty. “In the back room — the support areas — It’s more challenging. There will be change,” he said.
No new Rayonier projects in sight Rayonier Inc.’s 261-acre Wildlight mixed-use development in Nassau County is just a fraction of the 24,000 acres the company owns in the East Nassau Community Planning Area. But the company, which moved its headquarters to a new building in Wildlight in
Photo by Monty Zickuhr
SunTrust has 24 branches in the area, including one at 741 Duval Station Road in North Jacksonville. BB&T has 14 area branches.
2017, is in no hurry to start additional projects in the region. “Our thesis on Wildlight has always been if we owned these 260 acres in this geography and that was all we owned, we wouldn’t be doing this. We don’t aspire to be real estate developers,” CEO David Nunes told analysts in Rayonier’s quarterly conference call last week. “We just own such a large land mass in this area that our ability to catalyze development in this region and let that enhance the value of the surrounding land is a pretty meaningful value opportunity for us,” he said. Nunes suggested Rayonier already has its hands full with the Wildlight development. “Wildlight in and of itself is a 10-year project with relatively modest cash flow and so, again, the value proposition for us in this project has always been to catalyze the value enhancement in the region,” he said. The timber and real estate company reported 2018 earnings of 79 cents a share, up from adjusted earnings of 65 cents in 2017. However, Rayonier is projecting earnings to fall to 46 to 53 cents a share this year. “The projected decline in consolidated financial results versus 2018 is primarily driven by a much lower expected contribution from the real estate segment, following an extraordinarily strong year in 2018,” Chief Financial Officer Mark McHugh said in the conference call. The company said it expects “more normalized” real estate sales this year. The 2019 forecast was lower than the consensus forecast of 64 cents a share by analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research. Rayonier’s stock dropped as much as $3.46 to $26.79 last Thursday morning after the earnings report, but it
recovered to close the day at $28.98.
CSX Corp. raises dividend by 2 cents CSX Corp. last week said its board of directors approved a 2-cent increase in its quarterly cash dividend to 24 cents a share. The is the third straight year the Jacksonville-based railroad company raised the quarterly dividend by 2 cents. There was no dividend increase in 2016.
Express train firm hints at Jacksonville Virgin Trains USA Inc., which began express passenger rail service in South Florida last year, has not announced plans to extend its service to Jacksonville. However, the company’s registration statement for its initial public offering does drop hints that Jacksonville could be in its future. The registration statement for the Miami-based company, formerly known as Brightline, lists several subsidiaries including one called AAF Jacksonville Segment LLC. Virgin’s trains currently run between Miami and West Palm Beach on tracks owned by Jacksonville-based Florida East Coast Railway. The registration statement says the company has exclusive rights to use Florida East Coast’s right-of-way between Jacksonville and Miami. “The Company is in the business of owning and operating an express passenger rail system connecting major population centers in Florida, with plans to expand operations further in Florida and elsewhere in North America,” it says. The company said ridership increased from 75,000 passengers in the first quarter last year when it began service to 239,000 in the fourth quarter. It projects ridership can
increase to 3.1 million passengers annually by 2023 on its service between Miami and West Palm Beach, with ridership increasing as the rail lines are expanded. The IPO was scheduled to come to the market this week, but Virgin Trains called off the deal Tuesday. Bloomberg News reported the deal was expected to be priced below its hoped-for range of $17 to $19 per share.
Tapestry drops on disappointing earnings
Tapestry Inc.’s stock dropped sharply to a 52-week low last Thursday after a disappointing earnings report. The operator of lifestyle brands Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman reported adjusted earnings of $1.07 a share for its second quarter ended Dec. 29, unchanged from the previous year but below the consensus forecast of $1.11 by analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research. Total sales of $1.8 billion, up 1 percent from last year, also were below the consensus forecast of $1.86 billion, Zacks said. Tapestry’s biggest brand, Coach, increased total sales by 2 percent to $1.25 billion in the quarter and comparablestore sales (sales at stores open for more than one year) by 1 percent. All of the distribution for Coach products in North America is handled through its 850,000-square-foot warehouse at the Jacksonville International Tradeport. While Coach sales increased slightly, comparable-store sales for Kate Spade dropped by 11 percent in the quarter. New York-based Tapestry forecast earnings for the full fiscal year of $2.55 to $2.60 a share, which would be down from $2.63 in fiscal 2018 and is below the consensus forecast of $2.78, Zacks said.
Tapestry’s stock dropped as much as $7.40 to $31.91 after the earnings report.
Dun & Bradstreet buyout complete The $6.9 billion buyout of business data firm Dun & Bradstreet by a group of companies including Cannae Holdings Inc. and Black Knight Inc. was completed Friday. Cannae and Black Knight are companies spun off from Jacksonville-based Fidelity National Financial Inc. As previously announced, Black Knight CEO Anthony Jabbour is taking over the role of chief executive of Dun & Bradstreet while continuing to run Jacksonville-based Black Knight. Fidelity Chairman Bill Foley, who also serves as executive chairman of Black Knight and chairman of Cannae, is taking the additional role of executive chairman of Dun & Bradstreet’s board of directors. Besides Cannae and Black Knight, other partners in Dun & Bradstreet include CC Capital Partners LLC, Bilcar LLC and funds affiliated with Thomas H. Lee Partners L.P.
Embraer building planes for Nigeria in Jacksonville
Brazil-based Embraer S.A. last week announced a contract to deliver 12 A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft to the Nigerian Air Force. The airplanes will be built at Embraer’s facility at Jacksonville International Airport, where it has been building the A-29 since 2013 along with partner Sierra Nevada Corp. With the Nigeria deal, the A-29 will be in use by 14 air forces worldwide, Embraer said. The value of the Nigerian contract was not announced.
MBASCH@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM
Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
Thursday, February 14, 2019 • Page 9
REAL ESTATE
Top 10 sales of the week BY SCOTT SAILER • EDITORIAL RESEARCH DIRECTOR
Here are the top 10 real estate sales in Northeast Florida, comprising Baker, Clay, Duval and St. Johns counties. The sales were recorded Feb. 4-8.
File image
The Oaks at San Jose apartments at 5634 and 5635 Auburn Road in Lakewood sold for $15.3 million, a 78 percent increase over the $8.6 million it sold for in 2009.
$15,300,000
$2,218,050
$2,200,000
$2,000,000
$1,800,000
5634 and 5635 Auburn Road, Jacksonville, Duval County
Beacon Lake Parkway, St. Augustine, St. Johns County
Western Way, Jacksonville, Duval County
Blanding Boulevard, Orange Park, Clay County
3801 N. Main St., Jacksonville, Duval County
Type: The Oaks at San Jose apartments Size: 12.69 acres Buyer: Oaks at San Jose 200 LLC Seller: Oaks at SJ LLC Previous sale: $8,568,600 in 2009
Type: 31 single-family lots in Beacon Lakes Phase I Size: Not available Buyer: Mattamy Jacksonville LLC Seller: Heartwood 23 LLC
Type: Undeveloped multifamily Size: 9.7 acres Buyer: SI Homes BTR LLC Seller: AOC Properties Inc.
Type: Commercial Size: 5.7 acres Buyer: U-Haul Co. of Florida Seller: Cono D’Alto
Type: Dollar General Size: 1.6 acres Buyer: Galzion LLC Seller: Genesis Properties International Inc.
$1,750,000
$1,732,500
$1,200,000
$1,200,000
$1,188,000
14402 Marina San Pablo Place, No. 1004, Jacksonville, Duval County
80 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park, Clay County
5566 Atlantic View, St. Augustine, St. Johns County
101 E. Adams St., Jacksonville, Duval County
Beacon Lake Parkway, St. Augustine, St. Johns County
Type: Condominium Size: 3,452 square feet Buyer: Virgil G. Pelham Jr. Seller: Michael J. Furyk Living Trust Previous sale: $1,425,000 in 2016
Type: Commercial retail Size: 1.23 acres Buyer: CNDR Properties LLC Seller: WP Retail Development LLC Previous sale: $1,303,500 in 2016
Type: Single-family Size: 0.17 acres Buyer: Kathleen O. and Brayan B. Krepley Seller: Trudy A. Byerly
Type: Office Size: 0.31 acres Buyer: East Adams Holdings LLC Seller: Bedell Building Associates LLP Previous sale: $314,000 in 1983
Type: 20 single-family lots in Beacon Lakes Phase I Size: Not available Buyer: Dream Finders Homes LLC Seller: Heartwood 23 LLC
Jimerson-Cobb-Homegrown-Partners_JDR20190214-HorzHalfPgGRAY.pdf 1 2/1/2019 3:55:29 PM
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Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
THE MARBUT REPORT
Chili contest Saturday at Riverside Arts Market
MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Jacksonville Bar Association Young Lawyers Section raising money for Best Buddies as the annual event marks its 10th anniversary. Fifty groups are registered to compete Saturday for bragging rights in the 10th annual Jacksonville Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Charity Chili Cook-Off. Cooking teams from law firms and voluntary Bar associations, public defenders and state attorneys will set up their ad hoc kitchens at the Riverside Arts Market at 715 Riverside Ave. under the Fuller Warren Bridge. Teams will begin serving free samples to the public at 11 a.m. A panel of about 20 circuit, county and federal judges also will taste the myriad chili concoctions and award prizes for spiciest, meatiest and best chili. The public will vote for the “Crowd Favorite” award. The awards ceremony is scheduled at 2:30 p.m. Proceeds from team registration fees, sponsorships and donations made at the event will benefit the Jacksonville office of Best Buddies Florida, a nonprofit that provides programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. “Our goal is to raise $15,000 to sponsor Best Buddies chapters at two schools,” said Amanda Thomas, chair of the 2019 chili cook-off committee and an associate attorney at Driver, McAfee, Hawthorne & Diebenow. “The public can help by donating. Even $1 would help,” she said.
Special to the Daily Record
From left, Driver, McAfee, Hawthorne & Diebenow attorneys Amanda Thomas, Cyndy Trimmer and Zach Lever at the law firm’s booth at the 2018 Young Lawyers Section Charity Chili Cook-Off.
Michael Tanner joins Gunster Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart added Michael Tanner as a shareholder and member of the litigation practice in the Jacksonville office. Tanner, a board-certified business and civil trial litigator, has more than 30 years of legal experience and leadership, including for the past eight years representing the 4th Judicial Circuit on The Florida Bar Board of Governors. He has served as president of the American Board of Trial Advocates and chair of the Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education. In 2012, Tanner was inducted as a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and received the Justice Harry Lee Anstead Award in 2010, recognition as The Florida Bar Board Certified Lawyer of the Year. He will continue his focus on business trials and litiga-
tion, appellate for both state and federal courts, election law, anti-trust lawsuits, class action lawsuits and professional malpractice.
Dale Carson Law will relocate to Monroe Street
Dale and Jacqueline Carson purchased the building at 411 E. Monroe St. A mortgage issued by FirstAtlantic Bank for $880,301 was recorded Feb. 11. Dale Carson Law has been in Suite 1101 in the Blackstone Building at 233 E. Bay St. since 2007, but has outgrown the space and “we are moving,” said attorney Chris Carson, son of the firm’s founder. He said the firm will move into “about three times the space as at the Blackstone” at the new location, but that won’t happen until interior renovation is complete later this year.
“The building needs quite a bit of work,” Carson said.
Chief Judge Mark Mahon re-elected Fourth Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Mark Mahon was re-elected last week by his colleagues on the bench to serve another two-year term beginning July 1 through June 30, 2021. He was first elected chief judge in January 2015. Mahon graduated from Florida State University in 1978 with Mahon a degree in business and from Florida State University College of Law in 1981. An assistant state attorney from 1981 to 1984, he then practiced with his father, Lacy Mahon Jr., and in 2000 was elected to the Florida House of Representatives. In 2007, Mahon left private practice and the Legislature when he was appointed to the circuit bench by Gov. Charlie Crist.
Nonlawyer opening on Board of Bar Examiners
Special to the Daily Record
Michael Tanner joined Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart as a shareholder and member of the litigation practice in the Jacksonville office.
Members of the public are invited to apply by March 22 for one three-year term beginning Nov. 1 on the Florida Board of Bar Examiners. The Board ensures that applicants seeking admission to The Florida Bar have met the requirements with regard to character and fitness, education and technical competence before recommending to the Supreme Court an applicant’s admission to the Bar. A public member volunteer should possess education or work-related experience such as educational testing, accounting, statistical analy-
SHARE YOUR LEGAL NEWS Attorneys and law firms are invited to send news and notes to Max Marbut, associate editor – legal affairs, at mmarbut@ jaxdailyrecord.com.
sis, medicine, psychology or related sciences. A bachelor’s degree is required. Lawyers are not eligible for the public seat. Board members must be able to attend approximately 10 meetings a year in various Florida locations, with travel and subsistence expenses reimbursed. Board members should plan to devote the equivalent of three to four days’ work a month, or up to 350 or more hours per year, on board business, depending on committee assignments. The application may be downloaded at floridabarexam.org.
Lippes Mathias partner Walker working with ULI
Christopher Walker, partner-in-charge of Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman’s Ponte Vedra Beach office, is participating in “Delivering Scalable and Sustainable Affordable Housing” presented March 6 by Urban Land Institute North Florida’s Revitalization & Affordable Housing Task Force. The goal is to bring awareness to Urban Land Institute members about the development of affordable housing and revitalization initiatives and to recruit current developments to Urban Land Institute to help in their success.
MMARBUT@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
Thursday, February 14, 2019 • Page 11
Gloria Wiley, who failed to refund federal student aid money, pleaded guilty in November. BY MAX MARBUT
THE COURTS & LAW
Former owner of Stenotype Institute is sentenced ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Trafficking Task Force from 2007-09. As chair of the Jacksonville Bar Association Human Rights Committee, Freed established the Attorneys for Human Trafficking Survivors pilot project. Working with law enforcement and Florida Coastal School of Law, the project identified victims, developed strategies for their recovery and connected victims to pro bono attorneys and legal aid. In 2014, Freed helped organize the North American launch of Artworks for Freedom, using art to raise awareness of trafficking. She organized the JBA’s first CLE event to train law enforcement officials, social services providers and attorneys. Sixty attorneys attended, and many joined Freed as volunteer lawyers helping victims of trafficking. In addition, Freed has logged more than 1,000 volunteer hours in individual case representation. The president’s award is given each year to an attorney in each of the 20 judicial circuits and to a member of The Florida Bar who practices outside the state. It was established in 1981 to encourage lawyers to volunteer free legal services to the poor by recognizing those who make public service commitments and to make the public aware of the volunteer services provided by lawyers to those who cannot afford legal fees.
The former owner of the Stenotype Institute of Jacksonville, Gloria Wiley, was sentenced last week to one year and one day in federal prison for failing to refund federal student aid money, commonly referred to as Stafford Loans and Pell Grants. Wiley pleaded guilty Nov.13. The court also ordered Wiley to pay nearly $289,000 in restitution to former students of Stenotype Institute, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. According to the final judgment signed by Senior U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger, Wiley must pay up to 50 percent of her income, if she works in a federal prison industry, to the clerk of the U.S. District Court. After release, she is required to remit to the government $300 per month until the reimbursement is satisfied. She could have received a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Wiley, 73, was the owner of Stenotype Institute of Jacksonville Inc., a Jacksonville-based stenography school that opened in 1940. It provided professional education to students pursuing stenography careers, including court reporting and medical transcription. The business was authorized to receive federal student aid funds from the U.S. Department of Education on behalf of its students to cover tuition, fees and living expenses. Excess funds drawn on behalf of students were required to be refunded to the U.S. Department of Education or to the student within 45 days. Beginning in June 2015, instead of refunding the excess funds, Wiley and her staff began tracking the amounts owed in a spreadsheet. Meanwhile, Wiley continued to draw funds from the school for personal use. According to court documents, Wiley and the institute held about $290,000 in refunds due to the U.S. Department of Education and to former students, and $9,000 due to the Department of Veterans Affairs, none of which has been paid. The Stenotype Institute closed in March 2016, soon after an on-site program inspection by the U.S. Department of Education. The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Education – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
MMARBUT@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
MMARBUT@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
Photo provided by The Florida Bar
Crystal Freed, left, and The Florida Bar President Michelle Suskauer. Freed is the 4th Judicial Circuit’s recipient of The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award for 2019.
Crystal Freed recognized with Pro Bono Service Award Jacksonville attorney has focused her career on being an advocate for victims of human trafficking. BY MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Jacksonville attorney Crystal Freed received The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award on Feb. 7 at a ceremony at the state Supreme Court in Tallahassee. A 2003 graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, she was a commercial litigator with the Akerman firm until 2007, when she became a sole practitioner and formed the Freed Firm. Since then, she has focused almost exclusively on being an advocate for victims of human trafficking. Freed said she was inspired to strike out on her own to help people who are trapped in modern-day slavery because for her, it’s a calling. “I’ve been given the gift of life, so it’s incumbent upon me to serve others,” she said. And 12 years ago, there wasn’t the level of awareness of human trafficking that exists today. “It’s a legal issue and a public health issue. At the time, nobody was discussing trafficking like they were education and economic development,” Freed said. Freed co-chaired Northeast Florida’s first Human
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AMELIA HENDERSON BY MAX MARBUT • ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Amelia Henderson recently was elected a partner at Smith Hulsey & Busey in the law firm’s health care and corporate departments. She practices transactional, regulatory, trademark and trust and estate law. What inspired you to become a lawyer? I have always loved learning and decided to attend law school when I realized that practicing law would allow me to continue learning throughout my career.
to achieve these aims through clinically integrated networks, and I hope their efforts will be rewarded. If I could change anything in the legal system, I would: Increase civics education for the public to encourage better understanding of how the legal system works, including why they should care about voting to elect and retain judges and why jury service is important.
Someone other than my spouse who inspires me: My friend, and fellow local lawyer, Jennifer Shoaf Richardson. Jenny is an incredible leader who does not hesitate to speak up for what she believes is right. She has made great strides for gender equality in the legal profession as the president of JWLA, and now as president of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers. How does your undergraduate degree relate to your practice of law? My education in business finance helps me understand many nonlegal aspects of corporate transactions. I also believe it enables me to better see things from the client’s perspective when working with business owners and executives. How did you decide your practice area? I always hoped to practice business law to put my undergraduate education to use. Health care law found me when I joined Smith Hulsey & Busey. It has been a natural fit because it is such an interesting and evolving area of law and because my husband also works in the health care industry. What has been the biggest change in your practice area since you passed the Bar? Health care law has changed the most since I passed the Bar, with the implementation of, and revisions and challenges to, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”).
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What do you think will be the next biggest change in your area of law? I suspect health care law will continue to experience the biggest changes. Knowing what will come next is difficult in such a highly political area of law, but I expect that the law will continue moving toward paying health care providers based on the quality of care and incentivizing them to lower costs. We have been fortunate to work with clients proactively seeking
What community service have you pursued and why that? I got involved in the Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association soon after beginning to practice law hoping to meet other women lawyers and learn more about our local legal community. I served on the board for several years, rising to president in 2016, helping to grow JWLA’s membership and public profile, and seeking to further its mission of promoting gender equality and leadership for women lawyers. I currently chair a committee of the Duval County Medical Society Foundation’s Food Deserts Coalition. Food deserts, areas lacking access to fresh and affordable food, represent a critical health issue and significant opportunity for improving our community. What’s your advice for new lawyers? Get involved in an organization outside of your paying job and take on some responsibility. You can gain leadership experience and relationships that will help you in your career, as well as the satisfaction that comes from serving your community.
AMELIA HENDERSON Shareholder at Smith Hulsey & Busey Age: 32 Education: I’m a double Gator. I received my B.S. in business administration and J.D. from the University of Florida Hometown: Stuart Family: I have been married to my husband, John, since law school and we are expecting our first child in May Favorite book: “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen Books I’m reading now: Stacks of books about pregnancy and babies App I can’t live without: The Weather Channel app – I especially like its GoRun Index that tells you the best time to be outside Favorite nonwork activities: Running and working out at the YMCA
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