COMPANIES with Heart

Annual Recognition of First Coast Businesses That Strive for Bottom Line Success

While Also Embracing the Spirit of Giving Back

Did you know that a combination of student volunteers from UNF and staff at Baptist Health work together to package and deliver meals to more than 250 local seniors in need every week? How about that the team at Pine Castle, an area center that offers employment opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities, created more than 2,000 luminaria kits this past Christmas, a fundraiser that is spearheaded by a First Coast real estate agency? Or were aware of the efforts of two individuals at the construction firm Haskell who guided an annual United Way campaign that garnered more than $300,000 in contributions?

If you’re not familiar with these acts, that’s okay. You’re not alone. These charitable efforts, and countless more just like them, tend to fly under the radar because they don’t make for overly alluring social media posts. They are, instead, simple acts of kindness and giving. Fortunately, most who participate in such efforts don’t do it for the recognition.

Instead, most do it because it’s the right thing to do—and this includes many of Northeast Florida’s leading businesses.

Fifteen local businesses are featured here, honorees as this year’s Companies With Heart . These commercial enterprises are in business to make money. Don’t think they are not. However, these firms also understand the need to contribute to the greater good, whether that be through monetary donations, programs designed to protect natural resources, or allowing employees the opportunity to volunteer for causes close to their hearts. Featured here is just some of what these Companies With Heart have been up to during the last year.

Auld & White Constructors

# OF EMPLOYEES: 145 a To Auld & White Constructors, success means contributing to the community in which it works. The company is proud to support over 30 locally focused nonprofit groups with financial contributions and volunteer time throughout the year. Team AWC can be found volunteering for Habijax, American Heart Association, Holiday Gift Giving program, and many other organizations each year. Auld & White is proud of all their volunteers who take an active role in the betterment of Northeast Florida.

Among the many local non-profits the company plans to contribute in 2023 are Baptist Health Foundation, Bishop Kenny High School, Community Hospice & Palliative Care Foundation, Jacksonville Humane Society, North Florida School of Special Education, and Wolfson Children’s Hospital.

Baptist Health

# OF EMPLOYEES: 14,000 a Since 2019, Baptist Health has donated a portion of the food from its hospital cafeterias to the University of North Florida’s Meals on Wings initiative. Three days a week, student volunteers from UNF’s Nutrition and

Dietetics program pick up unserved food prepared in Baptist kitchens and repackage it for delivery to more than 250 seniors. The food recovery program has allowed Baptist to extend its mission of caring by repurposing excess food. According to UNF, nearly 1,000 seniors in Duval County are on a waiting list to receive home delivered meals.

COMPANY STANDOUTS: Baptist wishes to highlight the efforts of employees

Last year alone Baptist Health measured its impact by the more than $19.5 million community benefit projects that were engaged, the $53 million provided in charity care and the $154.3 million incurred through unreimbursed Medicare and Medicaid costs. In addition, the healthcare provider measures the number of visits to the Wolfson Children’s School-Based Health Center and improvement in health indicators such as blood pressure, BMI, cholesterol, and glucose in Y Healthy Living Center coaching participants. For the fifth year in a row, Baptist Health had the most registered participants (1,052) in the annual First Coast Heart Walk, with 110 Baptist Health teams taking part in the 2022 event, raising more than $54,000 and placing fifth overall out of 82 companies.

Dawn Smith and James Clandaniel. As National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Jacksonville volunteers, Dawn and Jim serve as family support group facilitators and were instrumental in expanding the NAMI family program to the Baptist Jacksonville campus, holding twice-monthly meetings in the Children’s Behavioral Health Center lobby. Jim has been involved with NAMI Jacksonville since 2015, shortly after a loved one presented with serious mental health issues. Dawn, who became a trained NAMI Family Support Group facilitator in 2020, leads an hour-and-a-half support group twice a month and provides information and resources to help families navigate through crisis and daily life.

Berkshire HomeServicesHathawayFlorida

Network Realty # OF EMPLOYEES: 51 a Berkshire has been involved with Dreams Come True of Jacksonville since 2014, donating a total of $411,915 towards making dreams come true for local children facing life threatening Illnesses. In 2022, the company donated $69,055. In addition, several of its agents and employees participated in the 2022 Dreams Come

True 5K in Downtown, as well as a televised phone bank to help raise funds. The company also has two employees who serve on the nonprofit’s Horizon Board.

Over the past several years, Berkshire has partnered with Pine Castle, a leader in serving adults with intellectual and developmental differences which provides support to their families across Northeast Florida. More than 300 participants take part in Pine Castle’s programs daily, learning valuable work and life skills. Through purchasing and reselling Christmas luminary kits made by Pine Castle, the company has helped to provide jobs and a paycheck to Pine Castle participants. Over 50 people at Pine Castle worked on the luminaria kits this past Christmas and, in 2022, Berkshire sold approximately 2,000 kits at its branch offices and organized luminaria events in neighborhoods throughout Northeast Florida.

In addition to continuing to support Dreams Come True and Pine Castle, in 2023 Berkshire plans to contribute to Hunger Fight, Lone Warrior Foundation, Operation New Hope and the Women’s Center of Jacksonville.

BKS Partners

# OF EMPLOYEES: 437 a At BKS Partners, success is measured by the commitments of the organization’s colleagues and its philanthropic values to take care of the communities in which it works and lives. The company honors this commitment by providing 24 paid volunteer hours for each colleague to provide their time and talents to a cause they are most passionate about.

Coastal Wealth

# OF EMPLOYEES: 400 a Coastal Wealth understands the importance of giving back and has a longterm approach to its community’s needs, helping them become a better places. Coastal Wealth regularly comes together to reinforce this support while utilizing its giving-back programs and dedicates time to community service. Through the commitment of company talent, passion, time and dollars, employees continuously roll up their sleeves and participate in advocacy, volunteering and activities that give back to local communities.

The firm knows the importance of its members giving back to Northeast Florida and it encourages each of its members to be committed and compassionate in what they do as a team and individually. Coastal Wealth has partnered with multiple locations of Feeding America to provide meals to people facing hunger. In September, Hunger Action Month, Coastal Wealth volunteered in fullforce packaging meals to be distributed—and donated $90,000 to the cause.

COMPANY STANDOUT: Grace Staten is the heart and soul of Coastal Wealth’s community service efforts. Giving back is a way of paying it forward and she not only talks the talk but walks the walk. What began as a one-time initiative for the firm, volunteerism, fundraising and donations now reside as all-firm events with the varying nonprofits each quarter. Grace has immersed herself in her dedication to better the world. She volunteers and donates to several organizations including Girl Scouts of Gateway Council.

Crowley # OF EMPLOYEES: 7,000

a Crowley is on a mission to become the most sustainable and innovative maritime logistics company in the Americas. Crowley has committed to net-zero greenhouse emissions across all scopes by 2050. To reach this target, Crowley estimates that it will reduce overall emissions by 4.2 million metric tons of greenhouse gases per year, or the equivalent of removing more than 90,000 cars from the road every year. The company formed a New Energy division that will provide offshore wind services in the U.S. and is developing a program that will allow customers to select more sustainable fuels. Their use of biofuels throughout their fleet is another way Crowley is lowering carbon emissions and raising industry standards.

The company’s charitable giving program, Crowley Cares, enable employees to make a difference. Eligible employees can have their donations matched at 50% and also have 16 hours of paid leave to volunteer during business hours. Through Crowley Cares, the company empowers its team members to take positive actions that improves the lives of people where Crowley serves. The initiative has supported and enhanced communities through employee-driven efforts in the U.S., Central America and the

BKS Partners will continue to show support for The Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Florida, as well as Seamark Ranch and the Monique Burr Foundation. In fact, local BKS colleagues hold leadership or board positions on the Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors. Through their affiliations, the company plans to continue its volunteer efforts at the Club’s after-school programs.

COMPANY STANDOUT:

Trevor Harkness served as Chairman of the Alzheimer’s Walk in 2022, raising over $350,000. Personally, Trevor made monetary contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association and Monique Burr Foundation.

Caribbean, including supporting groups such as Red Cross, Chemo Noir and American Heart Association.

CTI Resource Management Services

# OF EMPLOYEES: 115 a CTI promotes volunteerism through a policy that pays employees for their time for volunteering with their favorite charitable organization. The company measures the success of this program by how many employees take advantage of this opportunity. Last year, they saw a 50% increase in the utilization of the program. CTI believes it has has an an obligation to leave a legacy in its communities—a positive impression of what people will know and perceive of the business as an organization and individually as CTI employees.

The CTI philosophy statement reads: “We see a company that is committed to making a difference in the lives of our employees and our customers so that they can make a difference at work, at home, in their communities and the world.” Organizations its employees have volunteered for include Literacy Alliance of Northeast Florida, where team members volunteered hours for reading tutoring for adult literacy. Care4Communities is a ministry in Honduras that CTI employees volunteer for annually. Last year, they continued the building for school rooms for Honduran children. In addition, staff volunteered to teach English as a second language to the children when they go on the mission trips.

In an effort to support local arts organizations, CTI employees served as ushers and volunteers at a number of performances at the Players by the Sea Theatre. The company also has a robust, award-winning Wellness Program that includes nutritional information, physical/ exercise challenges, financial education and mental wellbeing support. And the company has monthly celebrations for birthdays and a well-stocked kitchen for employees to enjoy.

Florida Capital Bank

# OF EMPLOYEES: 140 a At Florida Capital Bank, the goal is to provide the best-in-class service its customers and communities deserve—not just through its products, services, and technology, but also through its volunteer programs, donations, and corporate social responsibility initiatives. The company tagline, “We Bring the Bank to You,” applies equally to its business model and community involvement philosophy. In 2022, the company continued to find creative ways to engage its team in service initiatives, even as it continued to work in a hybrid virtual environment. Florida Capital found success in this goal by deepening its engagement with Operation New Hope and the Raines High School JROTC program.

Small actions, done with joy and compassion, can lead to lasting impacts. This idea has led Florida Capital Bank to contribute to causes that improve lives at the individual level. From buying holiday gifts for children in the foster care system, to raising funds and awareness through walks with Operation New Hope, individual members of Florida Capital Bank’s team made a difference for neighbors who will never know their names.

COMPANY STANDOUT: Beth Touchton does more than help people buy houses; she helps make Northeast Florida a better place to call home. As the Vice President and Director of Mortgage Credit and Operations, she provides behind-the-scenes leadership to make sure the mortgage lending division runs smoothly. However, her two other positions at the bank truly light up her smile:

Community Reinvestment ActOfficer/Program Manager, and Volunteer Program Manager. Beth engages her coworkers—from the highest executives to the newest entry-level employees—to become advocates, Santa’s elves and more. Because of Beth’s efforts, the JROTC students from William H. Raines High School had a nourishing meal to enjoy after marching in the MLK Day Parade. Because of her passion, foster care children served by Family Support Services of North Florida woke up on Christmas morning to find gifts that were selected just for them.

Haskell Company

# OF EMPLOYEES: 1,600+ a The Haskell Company is a pioneer in sustainable design and building practices. It was one of the original U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) members, joining the organization in 2001. In fact, the value of Haskell’s Green Building portfolio exceeds $1.1 billion. As an integrated design-build firm, the company has designed and built 100+ LEED® certified projects. Haskell has its own internal Sustainability Council with the objective to engage, educate and evolve its sustainable business practices. cleaning out garden beds, replanting annual plants, pruning native plant hedges and mending sustainable weed barriers with used cardboard boxes, the team also installed sunshades and umbrellas to increase the enjoyment of the outdoor spaces.

STANDOUT EMPLOYEES:

The year’s United Way co-chairs, Kristilee Adler and Molly Keifer , provided the leadership and drive and tireless hours to ensure an informative and impactful campaign that exceeded the goal of $300,000.00 in donations. The company’s non-profit contributions will continue in 2023 through support of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Baptist Health Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and University of Florida School of Architecture-JaxLab

Landsouth Construction

# OF EMPLOYEES: 105 projects including multiple Packing Events throughout the year. Helping children is a focus of LandSouth and Hunger Fight is a wonderful partner.

THE PLAYERS Championship

# OF EMPLOYEES: 1,204 a In addition to being springtime’s must attend event in Northeast Florida, THE PLAYERS is one of the largest charitable partners in the region with over $100 million donated to local causes since the tournament started in 1974. Since inception, THE PLAYERS has supported nonprofit organizations in the five-county area who provide services covering the following pillars: youth services, education, character development, health, wellness and sports, and military support.

Since 2013, Haskell has teamed up with local schools to help them realize many sustainability projects. In 2022, it again partnered with Kernan Trail Elementary School. This was a wonderful and collaborative opportunity to work alongside faculty, students and parents who tended to the raised gardens and landscapes installed previous years. In addition to a At the LandSouth Construction annual meeting, the company asked Hunger Fight to come in and set up a Packing Event where the company could participate together in a team exercise to help those in need. In 45 minutes, 105 LandSouth employees worked together quickly and efficiently to pack 22,344 meals so children will not go hungry. It was a record-making event and, not surprisingly, Hunger Fight was extremely appreciative. And the LandSouth employees who participate were thrilled to be a part of an event where they could work together to help others.

For 2023, LandSouth plans to contribute to many local non-profits, with Hunger Fight being a focus. The company will make a monetary donation, and continue to work with Hunger Fight on a variety of

Philanthropy is at the heart of everything they do at THE PLAYERS. Much more than a golf tournament, the organization was founded to be a public trust, and its mission is to improve lives in Northeast Florida through year-round charitable engagement efforts. Its goal is to listen to the needs of this community so that it can direct its investments and community outreach efforts to the causes and initiatives that need help the most.

HERE IS ONE EXAMPLE OF THIS MISSION IN ACTION:

In conversations with Nemours leadership, THE PLAYERS learned about the rising numbers of pediatric oncology patients in Northeast Florida. They informed the company that in the past ten years, the number of pediatric cancer patients they treat has doubled, and they approached THE PLAYERS to see if there was anything it could do to help. In October, the largest donation in the history of THE PLAYERS Championship was announced, a pledge to match dollar for dollar, up to $2 million to Nemours

Children’s Health Jacksonville to fund the complete redesign and expansion of the children’s cancer and blood disorder center.

While every volunteer at THE PLAYERS deserves recognition, the volunteer leadership committee, composed of the Red and Blue Coats, are such an integral part of the philanthropic efforts and deserve extra acknowledgement for their efforts. The Red and Blue Coats oversee all volunteer committees and work yearround with the tournament team to ensure success. And they do all of this in addition to their day jobs, family duties and other community endeavors.

Riverside Homes

# OF EMPLOYEES: 55 a “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” Those words from Mother Theresa are put into practice by Riverside Homes, While celebrating its ten-year milestone anniversary this year, the locally owned homebuilder upheld and strengthened its strong tradition and passion for serving others on the First Coast. The philosophy of “Building with Heart” is the foundation on which the homebuilder was established. In addition to striving to provide exceptional customer service and high-quality home designs, Riverside Homes measures its success based on the positive impacts its corporate social responsibility efforts make on those in need.

Through philanthropy, volunteering, and environmental efforts, the company’s team is able to demonstrate its commitment to giving back. As a team and as individuals, the company donates generously both monetarily and with volunteer hours to a wide variety of causes, including The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, The Healing Hearts Project, Best Buddies, Down Syndrome Association of Jacksonville, and Early Learning Coalition of North Florida. Since 2019, Riverside Homes has supported Rethreaded by donating $30,000 annually as a matching gift for their birthday fundraising celebration. In addition, Riverside Homes has sponsored the Down Syndrome Association of Jacksonville’s Buddy Walk each year. With two employees having children with down syndrome, the company understands the importance of advocating for its work family by championing organizations that are near and dear to its team members’ hearts.

STANDOUT EMPLOYEE:

Soon after deciding to work with Cindy Blanton on her dream family home, client Cindy A. was faced with one of the darkest moments of her life. Her beloved husband of 25 years, Joe, passed away from pancreatic cancer. Through these incredibly difficult times, Cindy Blanton was more than just an agent. Whether it was working closely to make any necessary accommodations or simply texting her thoughts and prayers, she was there for their family. It was this relationship and consideration that led Cindy A. to nominate Blanton as a candidate for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) Woman of the Year. Cindy’s determination led her to be awarded the 2022 Citizenship Award for Community Involvement, as well as personally raise $57,000 for LLS.

Root Realty

# OF EMPLOYEES: 17 a This year, Root Realty able to bring back The Run Home 5K after a two-year break due to the pandemic. The event drew over 250 runners, 20 sponsors, and raised more $13,000 for two non profits that are so meaningful to the community—Rethreaded and Sulzbacher Village. The amount Root Realty was able to donate to these two incredible organizations was a measure of success to the company.

STANDOUT EMPLOYEE: Subaru of Jax wishes to recognize sales team member John Pitts, the first to volunteer when the opportunity arises with Beaches Habitat for Humanity. If the dealership is helping build a home for many weeks, he uses his day off, Wednesday, to build each week. He is the first to say, “How can I help?”

The company plans to continue its support for these two local organizations in 2023. Root Realty’s fourth Run Home 5K is scheduled for April 22 and the beneficiaries will be Rethreaded and Sulzbacher Village. In addition, the company has plans for a Galentine’s event in February, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to Rethreaded.

STANDOUT EMPLOYEES:

The company as a whole works to host events such as its fundraising 5K race. However, a special thanks is deserved for MaryAnne Rodriguez, Emily Hall, Jacki Arcdenoux, and Alaina Burt for making last year’s event such a success.

Subaru of Jacksonville

# OF EMPLOYEES: 78 a Subaru of Jacksonville believes it is the “Dealership with a Purpose,” and that purpose is much greater than selling vehicles. It means giving back and supporting Jacksonville charities and their missions. The company supports many charities, but Wolfson Children’s Hospital, BASCA, Child Cancer Fund, Beaches Habitat for Humanity, and St. Michael’s Soldiers received the most financial support in 2022. The Subaru of Jacksonville team also held two volunteer days with team members. These outings included spending the morning building a house with Beaches Habitat for Humanity and a day at the Jacksonville Humane Society replacing and beautifying their landscaping.

Wingard

# OF EMPLOYEES: 20 a Wingard’s vision is “Realized Potential”–for client partners, the community, and its people. That vision manifests itself in the service-oriented culture created within Jacksonville’s marketing and advertising industry. The company’s culture prioritizes genuine collaboration with causes that help the community realize its full potential, and creates opportunities for every member of the team to support exemplary organizations throughout the year.

Wingard dedicates a portion of its ongoing services as in-kind donations to organizations that provide health and social impact services to the community, including Ability Housing, a nonprofit developer of affordable housing; LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, the nonprofit blood bank that serves several regional hospitals (including Wolfson Children’s Hospital); the DONNA Foundation, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance to breast cancer patients and contributes funds to breast cancer research. In total, Wingard donated more than $80,000 in creative, public relations, website design and development, and marketing strategy services to area nonprofits in 2022.

STANDOUT EMPLOYEE:

Ashley Williams, public relations and communications manager, took Wingard’s community involvement efforts to heart—quite literally—in 2022. When company CEO Russell Baker signed on to join the AHA’s Executives With Heart Challenge, he offered to engage our broader team in their mission and Ashley raised her hand to help spearhead those efforts. She led a successful pro-bono PR effort to announce the Executives With Heart program and its mission to raise $500,000 to purchase infant CPR kits for local hospitals. u