INVESTOR NEWSLETTER - SEPTEMBER 2010 


Interline Brands Holds Grand Opening Ceremony

InterlineInterline Brands, a leading direct marketer and distributor of maintenance, repair and operations products, held the grand opening of its 275,000 sq. ft. distribution center at Westside Industrial Park this month. The Jacksonville headquartered company added 70 new jobs to the 600 already here.

Interline3The company's CEO Mike Grebe said "Jacksonville was the ideal location for our expansion because of its competitive business environment and availability of industrial space." Keynote speakers at the ceremony included Mayor John Peyton, City Council President Jack Webb and Cornerstone Chair Lee Thomas. There was even a surprise visit from former Jaguars player Tony Boselli.

Cornerstone Helps Kick Off the 2010 Jaguars Season

wayneanddeloresThe Cornerstone Regional Development Partnership and PRI Productions hosted the second annual Jaguars kickoff event this month to show support for our Jacksonville Jaguars. The luncheon, presented by the United Way of Northeast Florida, featured Wayne and Delores Weaver, Coach Jack Del Rio, the Jaguars players, Jaxson de Ville and Mayor John Peyton.

CoachMore than 1,700 attendees were able to share the excitement with the Jaguars as Brian Sexton, voice of the Jaguars, told America to "buckle up" for an exciting season and Mayor Peyton announced that new season ticket sales are the highest this year in the NFL. Coach Jack Del Rio and the players talked about the upcoming season, while co-owner Delores Barr Weaver focused on the United Way kickoff and how the Jaguars have given back to the playerscommunity through the Jaguars Foundation and the Weaver Family Foundation.JasxonWayne Weaver finished by saying "We're going to erase the word 'blackout' and send a message to the national media that Jacksonville is going to be one of the great NFL cities in the country."

drumlineAttendees were also treated to a great performance by the Jaguars official drumline--the D-LINE, Jaxson de Ville and the Roar cheerleaders.

Photography by Ken McCray

New Business Comes to Jacksonville

pncthreePNC Mortgage, one of the largest residential home mortgage organizations in the country, announced its arrival to Northeast Florida. PNC will begin with 200 jobs on Jacksonville's Southside. PNC Operational Director Danny Lawson announced the new project at the Cornerstone Jaguars luncheon. "From our perspective, Jacksonville offers the right business environment, the right talent pool and the right facility," said Lawson.

PNCcrop2PNC Mortgage is a unit of the PNC Financial Group, the sixth largest bank in the nation with assets totaling $272 billion. More information can be found on the company's website. More information about the available job opportunities can be found at www.pnc.jobs.

Vote "No On 4"

NoOn4LogoCornerstone vigorously supports the "No On 4" initiative, which is working to defeat Amendment 4 in the November elections. If passed, Amendment 4 will lead to heavy job loss and higher costs for Floridians. Bill Rupp, CEO of the Mayo Clinic and Chairman of the Vote "No on 4" campaign, gave an outstanding presentation to the Chamber trustees on why amendment 4 will destroy jobs, stop growth and ultimately raise taxes. If you would like Dr. Rupp or another representative to come speak to your company about the impact of Amendment 4, contact Lisa Daniel at (904) 366-6626 or Lisa.Daniel@myjaxchamber.com. More information can be found on the "No on 4" website.

Cornerstone Seeks Sponsors for Site Selection Showcase

oneoceansmCornerstone is hosting its Northeast Florida Site Selection Showcase by the Shore, November 4 through November 7 at One Ocean Resort. This is Cornerstone's best opportunity to showcase Jacksonville to the nation's leading site consultants and will highlight our region's key business advantages.

To get involved and help promote our region's business environment and quality of life, contact Cathy Chambers at (904) 366-6667 or Cathy.Chambers@jacksonvillechamber.org.
Read more about the available sponsorship opportunities.

 


 

Meet the Cornerstone Team...
Cathy Chambers, Vice President of Business Development and Marketing

ChambersHSCathy Chambers is Cornerstone's knowledge expert on financial services and focuses on recruiting high-wage jobs and private capital investment to Northeast Florida. You have most likely seen her on our annual sales missions, at Advisory Council meetings or other Cornerstone events. She also oversees Cornerstone's marketing initiatives and coordinates partner activities for the seven-county Northeast Florida region. Cathy was Cornerstone's lead project manger for Deutsche Bank, which opened a global technology and operations center in 2008 and added 1,000 jobs to our region.

Other notable projects Cathy has played a key role include:

  • Lender Processing Services, which added 350 new jobs and $1.5 million in capital investment
  • Digital Risk, which added 300 new jobs this year
  • Web.com, which added139 new jobs and $6 million in capital investment

Cathy has more than 15 years of experience working for Chambers of Commerce, regional economic development organizations and city government. Prior to joining Cornerstone's economic development team, Cathy worked for the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and City of Hamilton, Ohio's economic development organization.

Named one of this year's Jacksonville Business Journal’s "Top 40 Under 40", Cathy is a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville class of 2010 and is involved with several local organizations, including the Northeast Florida Regional Council, Jacksonville Community Council and Urban Land Institute Northeast Florida Chapter. Cathy is also a member of the International Economic Development Council and the Florida Economic Development Council.


Future of Florida Forum

Future fo Florida ForumThe Florida Chamber of Commerce is holding its 2010 Future of Florida Forum Oct. 11-12 at the Disney Yacht & Beach Club Resort in Orlando. This two-day Forum is an opportunity to take a proactive interest in shaping Florida's future. World-renowned keynote speakers, including Steve Forbes, will focus on how our state's business community must "evolve or die" in order to thrive in the global marketplace. Don't miss this opportunity to contribute to the discussion on Florida's new economy, gain political insight from key state and national experts and to hear Florida's benchmarking report with the unveiling of the 2010 Florida Scorecard. Register for the Forum.
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Sincerely,
 

Lee Thomas
Cornerstone Chair
Chairman of Rayonier


Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns Counties
3 Independent Drive • Jacksonville Fl 32202 • 904.366.6639
bizrelo@jacksonvillechamber.org • www.expandinjax.com
Where the Future Leads®