Daily Record FINANCIAL NEWS &
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016
Vol. 103, No. 223 • Two SecTioNS
Improving house they call home
By David Chapman, Staff Writer Trinidad is home to Sheldon Ramsingh and Sally Teesdale. It is home for their son, Zachary, too, but their baby boy with big brown eyes and flowing black hair won’t be celebrating his first birthday Thursday in his native country. Zachary recently had open-heart surgery, the second such surgery of his young life. He’s a champ. He was discharged three days later and bounced back even better than doctors or his parents anticipated. He still has several follow-ups in the coming weeks, meaning the family won’t be heading back to Trinidad just yet. In the meantime, they’re in a place Teesdale calls a “home away from home — just better.” The temporary “home” is the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Jacksonville, a 30-room facility in the shadow of Downtown’s hospitals that provides comfort and care for families of critically and chronically ill or injured children. Teesdale remembers walking into the San Marco facility Sept. 7 and feeling a sense of astonishment and relief. The facility was so clean and well-furnished, the staff and volunteers so nice and accommodating. “All of this is for us?” she recalled thinking. “It was really, really, awesome.” Prior to their arrival, though, there was a chance there wasn’t going to be room for the family. Raising funds for their lodging would have been an expensive endeavor. They would have done it, but thankfully it didn’t come to that. Close to five years ago, the nonprofit had a wait-list for families seeking to use its services while going through their challenging ordeals. Ronald McDonald House officials hope that list drops or disappears altogether. The organization today is unveiling the fruits of a $12.5 million capital expansion that will add 23 rooms for a total of 53, and an expansive rooftop garden that overlooks Downtown and provides other amenities. RONALD MCDONALD CONTINUED ON PAGE A-6
Sheldon Ramsingh and Sally Teesdale with their son, Zachary, are staying at the Ronald McDonald House.
One of the features of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Inc. expansion is a spiraling staircase with blown-glass birds filling the middle section for floors. “The Avarium,” as it’s called, is part of a $12.5 million expansion the facility is opening today.
Photos by David Chapman
Ronald McDonald House celebrates $12.5M expansion
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
Hillwood wants 86 acres at Cecil
Hillwood Investment Properties might buy 86 acres from the city within the month at Cecil Commerce Center where it has been working on an unidentified 1 million-square-foot regional package center. Dallas-based Hillwood is considering acquiring the land, known as Parcel C, as early as mid-October, according to a City Council ordinance to close a right-of-way. Hillwood is the master developer at the city-owned Cecil Commerce Center in West Jacksonville and is developing it as AllianceFlorida. City spokeswoman Tia Ford said Tuesday the city would sell the land to Hillwood for $758,434. Ordinance 2016-566 would close a 30-foot unopened and unimproved rightof-way that exists on the proposed project site. City, state and utility agencies did not object. The city Office of Economic Development requested the ordinance. The property is subject to access by JEA to reach utilities as needed. Ford said the office had no additional information to provide. The council Transportation, Energy & Utilities Committee moved the ordinance Monday in a 6-0 vote after a public hearing at which no one spoke for or against the bill. There was no discussion by committee members. District 12 council member Doyle Carter, who represents the area, said Tuesday he would be meeting with Hillwood, but didn’t know the identity or nature of the project. “Whatever it is, it’s good,” he said. Parcel C is just south of the GE Oil & Gas valve-manufacturing plant that Hillwood developed. The bill is ready for council. The project appears to be moving through the development process. Hillwood has submitted site plans, a zoning request and a St. Johns River Water Management District application. MATHIS
CONTINUED ON
PAGE A-2
VanOsdol walking toward excellence in care
By Marilyn Young, Editor
When Tom VanOsdol needs a bit of an energizer, he walks the halls at St. Vincent’s HealthCare. It’s where he sees what he loves about the business. The care being delivered to patients. The chance to give an attaboy or attagirl to an employee who is providing compassionate aid. An opportunity to just smile and say hello, letting workers know he appreciates what they do. It also takes VanOsdol back to what was so magical about being a caregiver himself, long before he became chief operating offi-
Public
cer at St. Vincent’s in December. Bookends of a career that has stretched nearly three decades. Over that time, he’s learned effective leaders have tentacles that reach deep in an organization, able to transform it at all levels. Those tentacles can come in the form of an improved process, open communication or cleaning toilets alongside employees. And yes, he’s really done that.
Understanding a bigger influence
VanOsdol began his career in 1988 at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Marion,
legal NoTiceS begiN oN Page
b-1
Ind., as a speech language pathologist. He said he likes the specialty because it’s one that touches patients from birth to end of life. Little ones with facial anomalies, children with speech and language disorders and adults who’ve suffered traumatic brain injuries or strokes. Every day, VanOsdol could see the difference he was making. Sometimes it was helping a patient learn to communicate more effectively, other times it was teaching them to chew and swallow safely. “You see such relief and gratitude and probably a recognition WORKSPACE CONTINUED ON PAGE A-7
Tom VanOsdol has been chief operating officer at St. Vincent’s HealthCare since December. He transferred from a St. Vincent’s facility in Anderson, Ind., where he was president.
PubliShed
for
27,023
coNSecuTiVe weekdayS