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On Tuesday, January 21, 2020, over 450 local business owners and community leaders came together to celebrate the best of the Nassau County business community at the Chamber's Annual Awards Dinner & Gala. The purpose of this event is to highlight the talented men and women who work so tirelessly to provide a service for members of our community. On behalf of the entire Nassau County Chamber of Commerce, we thank every business that worked so hard to make 2019 such an incredible year. We would also like to thank all of the sponsors of this year's event; without their support, the Annual Awards Gala would not be possible. And the winners are... LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR The Lakeside at Amelia Island MEDIUM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Traders Hill Farm SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Atlantic Hair Studio GREEN BUSINESS OF THE YEAR MosquitoNix BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR Octavio Martinez | Hot Paws Pet Grooming, Hotel & Spa YOUNG BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR Jackson Selvidge | Brightway, The Coastal Agency CUSTOMER SERVICE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR Rachel Clark | Traders Hill Farm NONPROFIT BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Barnabas Center ISLAND COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE YEAR Melanie Brubaker | Amelia River Cruises YULEE COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE YEAR Stuart Davis | River Capital Advisors WESTSIDE COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE YEAR Lisa Rozier | Family Support Services of North Florida CHAMBER AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR Ashley Powell | Building It Green, LLC 2019 CHAIRMAN'S AWARD Sean McGill | Taylor Morrison DR. HARRY HALLEY BOWTIE AWARD FOR VOLUNTEER EXCELLENCE Kimberly Schwerdtfeger | Amelia River Cruises THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
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St. Clare, a new Catholic early learning center in Nassau County, will open in time for the new school year this fall. The school is located in Wildlight, a master-planned community by Raydient Places + Properties in Nassau County near I-95 and A1A. The early learning center will serve children as young as 6 weeks to 4 year olds. Construction began last fall on the 19,810 square-foot building. The $6.2 million school will have space for 177 students. “We are so excited to bring a Catholic early learning center to Nassau county, especially to the new Wildlight community, as our first step. St. Clare will be our ninth early learning center and will serve students from six weeks old to pre-kindergarten and in a family-centered environment. As families entrust their children to us, as our mission statement says, ‘[w]e believe in providing programs that truly enhance the emotional, social, physical, spiritual and intellectual growth of young children.’ The center will open in the fall of 2020 and we will begin a search for highly competent and qualified staff to serve the community. We are looking forward to continued expansion on this piece of property with a Catholic church, school and parish hall.” “We are thrilled to welcome the St. Clare Early Learning Center to Wildlight as the community’s first religion-centered educational system,” said Chris Corr, president of Raydient Places + Properties. “Our community prides itself on providing top-rate, high-quality facilities that foster learning, education and growth among our students. The Catholic school community of the Diocese of St. Augustine will continue to expand our educational environment by providing a rich culture where students can learn in their faith, values and academics.” Catholic school officials expect to draw families from Yulee, Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, and even Southern Georgia including Kings Bay Navy Base, which is part of the Diocese of Savannah. If you would like to register a child starting as early as May, call the Catholic Schools Office at (904) 262-0668. To learn more about St. Clare Early Learning Center, visit www.stclareelc.org.   As 2020 dawns, many great things are happening in our city. New wayfinding signage downtown points our residents and visitors to the stores and shops that profit from their business and keep our downtown thriving. Events like the History Happens Here tours and speaker panels at the Courthouse have re-energized our appreciation of the historic district and recognized the people whose hard work and vision in the 1970s preserved our architectural legacy. A new book Saving Fernandina, telling the full story of our 70s efforts to revitalize downtown, is now in local bookstores. And the Historic Preservation Tour and Awards reinforced and demonstrated that preservation and economic vitality are solid partners.
What’s coming in 2020? We’re assessing current lighting fixtures and sidewalks downtown to create a replacement plan for both safety and consistency, including funding source, by the end of the 2nd quarter. Working with expert arborists we’ll examine the condition of our all-important trees and the shade they provide downtown. We’ll create a plan for replacement where necessary, along with funding sources. We’ll replace landscaping in permanent beds in the 2nd quarter. The new wayfinding, with standardized directional and parking signs, will be completed by end of 2nd quarter, depending on funding. All of these things happen in great measure because of the Fernandina Beach Main Street program – one of 1600 organizations across the nation that are part of the National Trust – along with the support of the city and partners including the History Museum, the Restoration Foundation, the Historic Fernandina Business Association, Chamber of Commerce, Amelia Island Tourist Development Council and the dozens of volunteers who help us deliver on the Main Street promise: Nationally recognized. Locally powered. Ricky Robbins, President and local business person Terri Tennille, Vice President and local business person Jose Miranda, Secretary, Restoration Foundation, and local architect Dawn Tiura, Treasurer and local business person Sal Cumella, City of Fernandina Beach Preservation Planner Gil Langley, Convention Visitors’ Bureau Lindy Kavanaugh, local business person Buddy Jacobs, local Preservation Award winner and attorney Bobby Ferreira, past president and local business person  From Business After Hours to ribbon cutting ceremonies, the Chamber offers members plenty of opportunities to network with other business professionals in the area. One of our favorites is our monthly NetPerks morning networking event, which we are excited to start up again in the new year!
NetPerks is meant for smaller businesses that might not be able to handle the amount of people who attend Business After Hours, but still want to show off their business to members of the community. NetPerks events take place in the morning on the last Friday of each month. There is no cost to host, but businesses are asked to provide light refreshments for all attendees, such as breakfast treats and coffee, and two door prizes for a raffle drawing. Interested? Download the NetPerks Agreement form below or contact the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce at (904) 261-3248 or info@NassauCountyFLChamber.com.  Home2 Suites by Hilton, part of Hilton’s (NYSE: HLT) All Suites portfolio, announced today its newest property, Home2 Suites by Hilton Fernandina Beach Amelia Island. Designed for travelers who want to enjoy the Suite Life, the hotel features 103 suites and a range of value, tech-focused and eco-conscious amenities. Home2 Suites by Hilton Fernandina Beach Amelia Island is located on the northern most point of Florida’s Atlantic Coast and complements the city’s flourishing tourism industry, which hosted a record 690,100 overnight visitors last year. “As a brand, we’re committed to delivering the modern and flexible accommodations our guests demand in a growing number of coastal destinations that they love to visit,” said Adrian Kurre, global head, Home2 Suites by Hilton. “Fernandina Beach’s picturesque beaches, pristine golf courses and rich history make it a paradise for both vacationers and business travelers extending their stays for some well-earned leisure time.” OUTDOOR SPACE AVAILABLE FOR GUESTS. Owned and managed by Fernandina Investments, Home2 Suites by Hilton Fernandina Beach Amelia Island offers all-suite accommodations with fully-accessorized kitchens and modular furniture, providing guests the flexibility to customize their suite to their style and preference. The hotel also features complimentary Internet, inviting communal spaces and trademark Home2 Suites by Hilton amenities such as Spin2 Cycle, a combined laundry and fitness area, Home2 MKT for grab-and-go items and the Inspired Table, a complimentary daily breakfast that includes more than 400 potential combinations. Guests can also enjoy an outdoor saline pool, fire pit and grill area. Home2 Suites by Hilton Fernandina Beach Amelia Island is also pet-friendly. Located at 2246 Sadler Road, Home2 Suites by Hilton Fernandina Beach Amelia Island offers guests convenient access to local restaurants and close proximity to historic downtown Amelia Beach and the Beach. Guests can commute to Jacksonville International Airport in just 35 minutes. Home2 Suites by Hilton Fernandina Beach Amelia Island is part of Hilton Honors®, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton’s 17 distinct hotel brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else and free standard Wi-Fi. Members also enjoy popular digital tools available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app, where Hilton Honors members can check-in, choose their room and access their room using a Digital Key. Read more about Home2 Suites by Hilton at www.home2suites.com and newsroom.hilton.com/home2suites.  Home2 Suites Fernandina Beach Amelia Island  Keep Nassau Beautiful introduced its newest program, Planting Nassau’s Future by committing to a project which will plant 300 trees in Nassau County by April 30, 2020. The project kicked-off with the planting of a donated tree at Central Park, Fernandina Beach. The tree was donated by a local couple who are committed to protecting habitat and contributing to the community. They gifted the tree to Fernandina Beach in the hope that their gift may encourage others who can, to do the same. Through this project Keep Nassau Beautiful plans to distribute trees through public and organization specific educational events, and by coordinating spaces throughout Nassau County that may receive the gift of a larger, donated, legacy tree. During the planting ceremony, participants were advised of the many ways to get involved in Planting Nassau’s Future, Adopt-A-Tree project. The project seeks individuals who have interest in planting trees on private property, and businesses and organizations who have interest in planting multiple trees on business-owned or public property. Educational support will be provided so adopted trees may be given the best possible support for on-going good health. For individuals and organizations who would like to donate a legacy tree, Keep Nassau Beautiful will coordinate a tree planting on public property or your private property location. The donor may select the location and the tree species based on the right tree for the location. “Keep Nassau Beautiful thanks the organizations and individuals who have helped make this project possible,” said Lynda Bell, Executive Director, “we are looking forward to working with the individuals, volunteers and donors who are committed as we are to beautifying Nassau County.” For more information on Planting Nassau’s Future and Adopt-A-Tree or to donate a legacy tree, https://www.keepnassaubeautiful.org/news-and-events/ or 904-261-0165. Keep Nassau Beautiful, Inc. is working to inspire, educate, and equip individuals, groups, businesses and governments to take action to make Nassau County a place where residents, visitors and wildlife can thrive and experience the beauty of Nassau County. www.keepnassaubeautiful.org  Keep Nassau Beautiful kicks off Planting Nassau’s Future with more than 20 citizens present for the kick-off tree planting. Picture includes Fernandina Beach Vice Mayor Len Kreger, Fernandina Beach Commissioners Mike Lednovich and Chip Ross, and OHPA Commissioner Mike Cole.  Planting tree #1 of 300 in Central Park, Fernandina Beach.  Nassau County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has adopted by resolution the Western Nassau Heritage Preservation Vision Book. The adoption of the Vision Book is the culmination of a community-driven process to proactively plan for the future of western Nassau County, including all of the County west of I-95.
In response to a Fall 2017 Urban Land Institute report on the impacts of growth on Western Nassau, the Nassau County Planning and Zoning Board (PZB) formed a subcommittee, the Western Nassau Heritage Preservation Committee (WNHPC). Five PZB members who live in Western Nassau served on the WNHPC. The committee was charged with discussing the future of Western Nassau, and to work with the Planning and Economic Opportunity Department to determine how they can best assist in planning efforts. The Committee’s logo “Our Heritage, Our Future” echoes the historic Hilliard Poultry Association signage as a nod to the County’s past. During the process, Nassau County Department of Planning and Economic Opportunity (PEO) facilitated an extensive public outreach campaign to gather input from residents, property and business owners, and state and local agencies to craft their vision for the future. On March 26, 2019, after a full year of community engagement, the WNHPC adopted the following mission statement: The Western Nassau Heritage Preservation Committee exists because there is a genuine desire on the part of our citizenry to ensure what our name implies–Preservation! We enjoy a rich heritage in Western Nassau County. Through purposeful community engagement, we are driven to gain perspective and insight for inevitable growth. The underlying impetus of our goal is to maintain a high quality of life, preserve rural character, and ensure fiscally sustainable and appropriately controlled development. The Committee and PEO staff then translated community input into the Vision Book’s goals, objectives, and strategies to be implemented over the planning horizon through 2045. Objectives and strategies relate to community goals including history, natural resources, health, quality of life, recreation, jobs and education, and public spaces and infrastructure. Community partners and other related planning efforts such as Vision 2032 and the County Comprehensive Plan are also included in the Vision Book. The Vision Book was approved by the Western Nassau Heritage Preservation Committee on October 22, 2019. The full County Planning and Zoning Board recommended approval to the BOCC in November 2019. Last month, the County PEO staff received the Outstanding Public Participation award from the First Coast Chapter of the Florida Planning and Zoning Association for efforts related to the Western Nassau Vision Book. The WNHPC and County staff extend many thanks to the numerous citizens who took time to attend meetings and events, or stop to talk to staff during community events. The Vision Book is truly a citizen-led plan and would not have been possible without their time and interest. More information on the work of the Western Nassau Heritage Preservation Committee and the Vision Book can be found at: www.nassaucountyfl.com/westernnassau. The Nassau County Planning and Economic Opportunity Department is charged with leading long-range and current planning for the community, with a focus on technical planning, implementation and management of the Land Development Code and Comprehensive Plan, development and site plan review, and assistance to citizens, the Board of County Commissioners, County Manager and other staff, advisory boards, government agencies, and the private sector regarding growth and development in Nassau County. For more information on our Plan, Code, or current initiatives, visit www.nassaucountyfl.com/planning, call (904) 530-6300 or email planninginfo@nassaucountyfl.com. The nominations are officially in! The Nassau County Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards process is an opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding businesses and entrepreneurs throughout Nassau County. Congratulations to all of the nominees!
The winners for each category will be announced on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at the Annual Awards Dinner & Gala, the Chamber of Commerce's biggest event of the year. Tickets are still available, but space is very limited and filling up fast. CLICK HERE for more information or call (904) 261-3248. Interested in promoting your business or organization at the Gala? CLICK HERE to decorate a table. And the 2019 nominees are... LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
MEDIUM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
GREEN BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR
YOUNG BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR
CUSTOMER SERVICE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
NONPROFIT BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Ed Hubel Appointed as Chairman of the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors12/18/2019  The Nassau County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the appointment of Ed Hubel, FACHE, President of Baptist Medical Center Nassau, as Chairman of the Board of Directors for 2020. Ed officially took his place as the Chairman on December 12, 2019 at the Chamber of Commerce's Annual Membership Luncheon.
Ed Hubel has been with Baptist Health since 1986 in various capacities but has served as the President of Baptist Medical Center since 2016. Under his leadership, Baptist Nassau has received an A rating in patient safety four consecutive times. Ed serves on several community boards and as a mentor for future healthcare leaders through the American College of Healthcare Executives and local college and health organizations. Looking ahead to 2020, Hubel said it was imperative the Chamber embrace change and continue to be precision focused on the mission. "Our membership is changing, and we must find a balance to preserve some of the tried-and-true traditions but also be willing to introduce new ways to engage our business community that are different than what we've done in the past. We must utilize new resources to change and prepare for tomorrow which include collaboration with and learning from our young professionals and preparing for the future of our next generation of leaders and decision makers," said Hubel. The Board of Directors sets the goals and policy direction for the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce. Its mission is to promote a vibrant business environment and economic prosperity in Nassau County by providing vision, expertise and innovative solutions.  Help students discover their job skills.
Join with other local businesses for a one day event, Friday – February 21, 2020 at FSCJ - Bean Center – Nassau Room; 76346 William Burgess Blvd, Yulee, FL to showcase the abilities of individuals with disabilities. Participants will rotate through your workstation, competing with others to complete your job task. Celebrity judges and special guests will cheer on participants and give out awards. WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE Each company will have a station with a job task that a potential employee will complete. Students (14-21 years old) will practice & then compete. Examples:
BENEFITS & RECOGNITION
WHAT TO BRING
PROVIDED
SCHEDULE Set Up: 8:30am Student Practice: 9:30-11am Lunch: 11-11:30am Competition: 11:30am – 1:30 pm Awards – 1:30 pm-2:00pm EVENT CONTACT: Janet Cunningham 904-225-9355 or 904-610-6204 JanetCunningham@thearcnassau.org Registration Deadline: January 31st, 2020 |
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Nassau County Chamber of Commerce
961687 Gateway Blvd., Suite 101-G | Fernandina Beach, FL 32034 Phone: (904) 261-3248 | info@nassaucountyflchamber.com | site map |
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