Fortune 500: Florida's Largest Companies in 2011

[MusicMan]

My opinoin is CSX is a total slacker when it comes to supporting the citizens of Jax, especially in terms of their giving to non-profits. If there is substantial evidence to the contrary, some one please post it.

They earned the same amount of money with less than half the total revenue of Publix. That is impressive.
If these local companies (those on the Fortune 500) pledged 3% of their profits to be re-invested into the community we would live in the greatest city in Florida.

[tufsu1]

I don't disagree...but how does a publicly traded company that is located all over the eastern half of the US tell it's Board that they should re-invest 3% of their profits in one community?

[Lunican]

CSX recently made an announcement that they would actually be focusing more on the smaller communities throughout their rail network.

Here is more info: http://www.beyondourrails.org

[thelakelander]

Should we expect private companies to invest in communities that don't invest in themselves?

[Captain Zissou]

So you're saying you want them to invest almost $900 million annually in the city??  That would be awesome, but I don't see the boards of directors leaping at the opportunity. 

[Jdog]

On the bright side, if CSX is the "slacker", at least they're located downtown, say it is important and want to stay there. 

[tufsu1]

I don't disagree...but how does a publicly traded company that is located all over the eastern half of the US tell it's Board that they should re-invest 3% of their profits in one community?

how about any community?

In point of fact, TUFSU, the corporate giants of this city actually do contribute substantially to the other cities in which they are located.  Jacksonville is the sole exception.  We don't have a mechanism or expectation for it.

I think it very reasonable to suggest that companies give back some of their profits...but for a company like CSX that would mean cities like Boston, NYC, Philly, Baltimore, DC, Raleigh, Richmond, Atlanta, Tampa, etc in addition to Jax...then there's the smaller communities Lunican mentioned... and that's just on the east coast

[duvaldude08]

I don't disagree...but how does a publicly traded company that is located all over the eastern half of the US tell it's Board that they should re-invest 3% of their profits in one community?

how about any community?

In point of fact, TUFSU, the corporate giants of this city actually do contribute substantially to the other cities in which they are located.  Jacksonville is the sole exception.  We don't have a mechanism or expectation for it.

I think it very reasonable to suggest that companies give back some of their profits...but for a company like CSX that would mean cities like Boston, NYC, Philly, Baltimore, DC, Raleigh, Richmond, Atlanta, Tampa, etc in addition to Jax...then there's the smaller communities Lunican mentioned... and that's just on the east coast

But at the end of the day, they are a Jax fourtune 500 company and This is their home. Im not saying they should break the bank, but DANG give back to the community some. Heck, as small as Everbank is theyve slapped their name on the stadium. Heck Winn Dixie has done more for the Jacksonville community than CSX. Even BCBSFL has given more back to the community than CSX has.

Dont get me wrong, I am glad they are here and are deticated to staying downtown, but other than that, what else are they doing?

[acme54321]

Hey, they are gracious enough to give everyone in the core the sweet sound of their train horns at 3AM

[Jason]

^ ....and the nice little train set at the zoo.

[duvaldude08]

Hey, they are gracious enough to give everyone in the core the sweet sound of their train horns at 3AM

Oh Im imune to the horns. My mom's house on the NS is at the end of the street, right by the railroad tracks. Oh the sweet sounds of horns and windows rattling at 3AM. Brings back fond memories of my childhood LMAO

[thelakelander]

Can't fault them for the horns. The tracks have been in place since the mid to late 1800s.

[cityimrov]

You know, I'd hate to say this but our Fortune 500 companies are pretty dinky.  I'm not sure this is a celebration but more of an embarrassment.  

Charlotte, yes, that city which we like to compare has ONE Fortune 500 company that has enough power to buy all our little Fortune 500 companies.  Bank of America is worth $121 BILLION (Mkt Cap) while CSX, one of our largest, is only worth $25 billion.  Winn-Dixie has a market cap of less that a billion and Fidelity is only $3 or so billion.  

Let me put it this way, Bank of America has enough value to buy ALL our Fortune 500 companies in this city and then some more.  It's value was cut by a lot after the banking crisis which cased it to be worth a whole lot less than it is today.  Bank of America isn't even the biggest one in the nation!  

If you combine all the Fortune 500's that Charlotte has, start crying because our city, even our state is that poor!  

[acme54321]

Can't fault them for the horns. The tracks have been in place since the mid to late 1800s.

It was a joke... but sometimes it does get a little ridiculous in the middle of the night.  I usually sleep through it.

[thelakelander]

Oh, I know. However, isn't there less train traffic then there was during rail's heyday? Imagine living next to the tracks in 1930. Regarding the Charlotte/BOA example, Publix is significantly smaller as well, but they've poured a ton of money into Lakeland's downtown revitalization projects and enhancing Florida Southern College's campus. I still think a major key to stimulating public/private partnerships is the public sector making an effort to invest in itself first.