Now as I have said in previous threads I am back in Jacksonville after being gone for a very long time. I see a lot of posts about this and about that and small incidents here and there. So collectively I am asking if people could fill me in on exactly what is going on around here lately. Like what is Mayor Brown doing or not doing and so forth. Don't limit it to just the mayor include whoever you would like, just so long as you tell me who it is and what they do. It will ultimately tell me who is worth dealing with and who I should altogether avoid when going to the city for various endeavors.
Hmm, I don't know that I can tackle a full on state of the city for you, but I'll get the ball rolling by talking about some key leaders who are new to the area. Recently, we've had a lot of turnover at the top of several organizations that has ushered in perhaps a changing of the guard. All of these folks are from out of town and bring with them new blood and perhaps new hope for the future.
JTA - Nathaniel Ford, CEO. Previously in San Francisco & Atlanta.
DIA - Aundra Wallace, CEO. Previously in Detroit & Miami.
Visit Jacksonville - Paul Astleford, CEO. Previously in Columbus (OH), Chicago, Disney & Hyatt
Jaxport - Brian Taylor, CEO.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Shad Khan, Owner.
FSCJ - Cynthia Bioteau, President. Previously at Salt Lake City CC.
Florida Blue - Pat Geraghty, CEO. Previously at Blue Cross of Minnesota.
I'm sure I'm missing a lot of folks, including obviously the important movers and shakers who aren't new to the city, but I just thought creating a list of the fresh faces would be a way to start.
awesome. I do really appreciate that list of new faces. I do like the diversity in cities there I see potential in that.
Just out of curiosity, no one will think negative about people over an opinion... who do you all believe is holding Jacksonville back.
^AuditoreEnterprise, You asked the loaded question. Now lets see who is brave enough to speak up. This I am interested to see.
There have been a number of studies done on Jacksonville in an attempt to identify who and what is holding us back. You can find some of the more recent studies on the JCCI website that have compiled lists of issues that need to be addressed in order to move the city forward. There is a link on the forum right now that you can check out and then you can go to the JCCI site and read many of the reports.
I will look for it then. I am just wondering what and who to steer clear from in my endeavors.
I know that there are a fair share of people and organisations that are solely out to fill their own agenda which usually only includes their own pockets. It's unfortunate, but true...
Like I said before I am truly trying to make a difference... making a fortune is completely irrelevant to me.
Also, just out of curiosity, are the DIA meetings open to the public? and is the public allowed to add input into what votes are being taken for allocations? I am seeking to get a lot more involved in that and I am planning on going to the one on the 30th.
And nobody point fingers at Gabbert... He is already gone 8)
Quote from: AuditoreEnterprise on April 28, 2014, 08:45:35 PM
I will look for it then. I am just wondering what and who to steer clear from in my endeavors.
I know that there are a fair share of people and organisations that are solely out to fill their own agenda which usually only includes their own pockets. It's unfortunate, but true...
Like I said before I am truly trying to make a difference... making a fortune is completely irrelevant to me.
Also, just out of curiosity, are the DIA meetings open to the public? and is the public allowed to add input into what votes are being taken for allocations? I am seeking to get a lot more involved in that and I am planning on going to the one on the 30th.
The DIA meetings are open to the public under Florida's Sunshine law. I am unsure about public commentary in their regular meetings though. I know Stephendare likely knows as well as Noone. Noone goes to most of the meetings.
Not really sure it is any one individual(s) holding us back but more as Paul Astleford indicated shortly after his arrival. More or less many silos and all working pretty much in a vacuum instead of the good for the city as a whole.
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/blog/2013/09/paul-astleford-jacksonvilles.html?page=all
Paul Astleford, who took the CEO job at Visit Jacksonville earlier this year, doesn't mince his words.
In an interview earlier this week with The Florida Times-Union, Astleford said that community leaders have, unintentionally, held back Jacksonville's tourist industry for years by looking out for their own narrow interests and not fostering a collaborative and coordinated approach to marketing the city as a tourist destination.
"I see a huge opportunity for Jacksonville and also, at the same time, a huge challenge for the leadership of this community," Astleford was quoted as saying.
Jacksonville has a history of not treating opinionated outsiders well. The latest example of a headstrong leader who ran afoul of local etiquette was Paul Anderson, the former Jaxport CEO who jumped ship to run Tampa's port last year.
Let's hope that Astleford is not headed in a similar direction — out of town.
As much as the truth can hurt at times, it is invaluable when a knowledgeable expert speaks his or her mind and tells us things about our city that we may be too close to recognize clearly. Also known as the can't-see-the-forest-for-the-trees phenomenon.
Astleford says community ownership builds pride and energy in a city. While the leaders of Jacksonville feel a sense of ownership, a broad swath of the city does not and has not bought into a common vision.
"In a corporation, a big boss is able to say, 'Here's my vision. Now who would like a paycheck?' Now, in a community, you cannot do that," Astleford said. Building a city's tourism brand has to start with the people in the city, not be just imposed by the leaders.
The problem, as Astleford sees it, is that individual leaders have their own personal and business agendas, which leads to a siloing effect, and collaboration breaks down.
"It's [tourism development] been inward-looking in this silo way," he said. "What they [leaders of city organizations] are unconscious of is the mantra that eventually evolves: 'My project can live, but only if your project dies.' "
Is Astleford correct? Is Jacksonville split into too many competing fiefdoms to present a consensus effort to develop its tourism industry? And the bigger question: Does this trait carry over into other aspects of Jacksonville's economic and civic life? Is that part of the reason why Downtown Jacksonville has been slow to redevelop? Too many competing entities and not enough collaboration?
The key here is for people to avoid getting defensive and blowing off Astleford's observations. He is a proven tourism development professional with high-level experience with Disney and the cities of Chicago and Columbus, Ohio. He could well be onto something that propels Jacksonville in a better direction.
Quote from: edjax on April 28, 2014, 09:12:34 PM
Not really sure it is any one individual(s) holding us back but more as Paul Astleford indicated shortly after his arrival. More or less many silos and all working pretty much in a vacuum instead of the good for the city as a whole.
Sort of like a every group is on different pages type of situation?
^^ Yes that and also that each organization seems to care more about just their own making it big instead of thinking big picture for the betterment of the city.
Quote from: AuditoreEnterprise on April 28, 2014, 09:23:58 PM
Quote from: edjax on April 28, 2014, 09:12:34 PM
Not really sure it is any one individual(s) holding us back but more as Paul Astleford indicated shortly after his arrival. More or less many silos and all working pretty much in a vacuum instead of the good for the city as a whole.
Sort of like a every group is on different pages type of situation?
Yep. There isn't a lot of cohesive and comprehensive planning.
One obstacle that has been discussed often are the developers who have been against the mobility fee. You can find threads about that debate all over these forums, but basically mobility fees are supposed to be paid by developers to mitigate their impact on transportation infrastructure, and is generally pooled to fund bigger picture infrastructure improvements (yes, including mass transit) But those against the fee (or for a moratorium on the fee) argue that this fee is unfair/unnecessary and threatens the financial security of future development.
...which is nonsense. :P
Quote from: edjax on April 28, 2014, 09:30:53 PM
^^ Yes that and also that each organization seems to care more about just their own making it big instead of thinking big picture for the betterment of the city.
ahh i see I thank you for that input. I actually see that a lot... sadly even in different groups when I was in college...
Quote from: AuditoreEnterprise on April 28, 2014, 09:23:58 PM
Quote from: edjax on April 28, 2014, 09:12:34 PM
Not really sure it is any one individual(s) holding us back but more as Paul Astleford indicated shortly after his arrival. More or less many silos and all working pretty much in a vacuum instead of the good for the city as a whole.
Sort of like a every group is on different pages type of situation?
[/quote
+1
Quote from: edjax on April 28, 2014, 09:30:53 PM
^^ Yes that and also that each organization seems to care more about just their own making it big instead of thinking big picture for the betterment of the city.
+1
Quote from: Noone on April 28, 2014, 09:45:08 PM
Quote from: edjax on April 28, 2014, 09:30:53 PM
^^ Yes that and also that each organization seems to care more about just their own making it big instead of thinking big picture for the betterment of the city.
+1
Just out of curiosity since you are here noone... are the DIA meetings open to the public so i know whether to head over that way on the 30th?