Daily Record Financial News &
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Vol. 102, No. 107 • One Section
35¢
www.jaxdailyrecord.com
DVI to select new hire in public
Board of directors to receive Sunshine Law training By Max Marbut Staff Writer Downtown Vision Inc.’s selection committee will meet next week to again choose an executive director, this time at a public meeting. Last week, Jacob Gordon from Camden, N.J., was selected by the committee to replace Terry Lorince. However, the choice was discussed by committee members during telephone conversations and the decision was not made in a public meeting.
Both violate the state’s Sunshine Laws that require those conversations and decisions occur in public, as reported Friday by the Daily Record. The violations made the committee’s choice voidable. The group will convene April 21 in a publicly noticed, open meeting to reconsider candidates and re-select the organization’s next chief executive. Board Chair Debbie Buckland said Monday she is calling for the properly noticed “cure meeting,” which will give the public the opportunity to witness and par-
ticipate in the selection process. Asked why the meeting will be scheduled seven days after the notice instead of only 24 hours as required by the Sunshine Law, “We want to make sure the public has plenty of time to attend (the meeting),” she said. Buckland also said city staff will conduct Sunshine Law training for DVI’s board members, all of whom are volunteers. The training probably will occur at the regularly scheduled board meeting May 27. Alexis Lambert, director of the city Office of Public Accountabil-
ity, will present an overview of Sunshine Law requirements. The presentation will address topics such as notice requirements, making meeting minutes available to the public and “what and when and where discussions may take place,” she said. It’s a 15-20 minute presentation, followed by questions. “Different boards have different questions,” said Lambert, who is an attorney. “Each board has its own needs.” Buckland said she and the committee members did not realize DVI... Continued on Page A-3
Hemming group to receive big grant
Taking the fast track to success
Will trigger $150,000 payment from city
David Miller quit selling copiers and started Miller Insurance Group in 2003. Five years later, the company became Brightway Insurance. By the end of 2014, Brightway’s annual sales revenue was $367 million.
As a young man, David Miller wanted to make a difference. So, he sold insurance. It doesn’t sound like a noble choice. But then Miller starts talking about it. “Insurance products, when done right, save people’s lives,” he said. “You’re protecting people and the things that are their biggest assets.” It wasn’t enough, either, to simply do a great job of selling insurance. When Miller and his brother, Michael, co-founded Brightway Insurance, they redefined the business model. Agents represent policies from more than 120 insurance companies. It means, Miller said, customers “get the right coverage, the best rate and complete confidence in knowing you never have to do that again, because we do it for you.” The company was founded in 2003 in Jacksonville as Miller Insurance Group. It became Brightway Insurance in 2008 and began franchising that same year. Brightway offers home, auto, flood and umbrella insurance, but a whopping 65
Public
“Insurance products, when done right, save people’s lives. You’re protecting people and the things that are their biggest assets.” David Miller Founder of Brightway Insurance percent of the business is homeowners’ insurance. Miller said Brightway writes “some crazy number like one out of every two” policies for homes sold in the Jacksonville market. By the end of 2014, Brightway had 115 agencies in 10 states and annual sales revenue of $367 million. That year, the company was named one
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of Entrepreneur magazine’s Top 500 franchises. Forbes named it the ninth Best Franchise with less than $150,000 in entry costs.
Eventually making his way to insurance
Miller was born in Jacksonville into a close-knit family. It’s something that brought him back to the city after graduating from Florida State University and figured into him later partnering in business with his two brothers. The youngest, Daniel, opened his own Brightway agency soon after the elder brothers started the company. As a young man, Miller always had big ideas, but at first, not much direction. He graduated from FSU with degrees in political sciences and social sciences. “It was very broad,” Miller conceded. “I joke that I could have gone to law school or shined shoes.” It was actually in the back of his mind to enter law school — he loved public service and was president of student council in high school. Brightway... Continued on Page A-4
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for
Photo by Carole Hawkins
By David Chapman Staff Writer
Miller builds Brightway into industry giant
By Carole Hawkins Staff Writer
Buckland
Almost a month after it missed a fundraising goal that meant it wouldn’t receive $150,000 from the city, Friends of Hemming Park is poised to collect. Vince Cavin, the organization’s executive director, said Monday the nonprofit will have an April 22 announcement about a $100,000 grant it’s been awarded. He wouldn’t name the company providing the funding. With that boost, it would mean the organization charged with revitalizing and programming Downtown’s prime city block would be in line for the scheduled payment it missed March 1. The group has a $1 million contract with the city, but is required to meet performance objectives to receive Cavin funding. One of those is private fundraising — it needed to have brought in $100,000 by March 1 for the city to give its next $150,000 funding obligation. It comes at an opportune time. The nonprofit is scheduled to turn in its next financial report Wednesday to the city. The $100,000 grant will be reflected in it and would trigger the next scheduled payment to the nonprofit. “We are looking at having way over six figures,” Cavin said Monday. In fact, with the addition the group will almost have hit the $200,000 mark needed to reach the nine-month mark of $200,000 in fundraising. That accounts for the $50,000 in past
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