WEDNESDAY December 11, 2019
Public legal notices begin on page 3
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Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
JAXUSA PARTNERSHIP LUNCHEON
Andy Allen resigns from JEA board
Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
Executive says CSX team transformed the company
Mark Wallace, executive vice president of sales and marketing at the Jacksonville-based railroad giant, joined the company shortly after Hunter Harrison in 2017. BY MARK BASCH
Corner Lot Development Group CEO says the city-owned utility’s privatization effort was impacting his business.
Daily Record Daily Record
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Mark Wallace joined CSX Corp. in early 2017 as part of a sweeping overhaul of the Jacksonvillebased railroad company’s top management. As far as he’s concerned, the new team is succeeding in its goals of improving the company’s operations, Wallace said Tuesday at the quarterly luncheon of JAXUSA Partnership. “I don’t think it would be overstating it to say we have managed to fundamentally transform the company,” he said at the event at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront. More than 450 people attended the event. JAXUSA Partnership is the economic development division of JAX Chamber. Wallace, CSX’s executive vice president of sales and marketing, moved to Jacksonville to join the company shortly after the late Hunter Harrison became CEO in March 2017. “It was March 2017 that CSX embarked on the transformational process,” he said. CSX has cut about 5,000 jobs in its operations throughout the Eastern U.S. over the past three years, but not because of “ruthless cost-cutting and downsizing,” Wallace said. “One my main goals today is to debunk that,” he said. Increasing efficiency on the
JACKSONVILLE
BY MIKE MENDENHALL STAFF WRITER
JACKSONVILLE
Photos provided by JAXUSA Partnership
Mark Wallace, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Jacksonville-based CSX Corp., was the keynote speaker at the JAXUSA Partnership luncheon Dec. 10.
From left, Ray Driver, 2019 JAXUSA Partnership chair; Giselle Carson, shareholder and immigration attorney, Marks Gray; Nigel Cockroft, general manager for the U.S. and Canada, JinkoSolar; and Nelson Bradshaw, Northeast Florida CEO, BBVA. Carson and Cockroft were presented international business awards.
Andy Allen, who resigned from the JEA board of directors this month, said Dec. 10 the debate surrounding the public utility’s effort to possibly privatize had a noticeable effect on his business. “I’m protecting the business and that’s first and foremost,” said the Corner Lot Development Group CEO. Allen emailed his resignation letter to Mayor Lenny Curry on Dec. 2, citing “increasing demands” from family and business responsibilitie s. C u r ry appointed Allen to the JEA Allen board June 25. Allen said his resignation letter “sums everything up” and that he “listens to his inner circle.” The email, provided Dec. 10 by JEA states: “Dear Mayor Curry, Thank you for the opportunity to serve the city as a member of the JEA Board of Directors during the last year. It has been an honor to be part of this board at such an important time for JEA and our city. The management and board members in place are a talented group of individuals that put the needs of ratepayers and taxpayers first. Unfortunately, there has been increasing demands on my time from my family and business responsibilities that must take precedence over my continued service on the board.” His resignation was effective SEE ALLEN, PAGE 2
SEE WALLACE, PAGE 2
Jumpin’ Jax sets Downtown opening Jumpin’ Jax House of Food owner Howland “Howdy” Russell plans a Jan. 3 opening in Downtown Jacksonville. Russell is subleasing the former 20West Cafe space at 20 W. Adams St. from Florida State College at Jacksonville for three years and has options to renew. “We would love to stay on as we continue to grow and thrive,” Russell said. The opening brings the menu Downtown from his two other restaurants plus, he said, “additional breakfast items that include breakfast sandwiches and breakfast pizzas.” The restaurant will operate 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday.
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