April 2026
What Happens When You Say Yes
When the Civic Council asked me to host the Unreasonable Podcast, I’ll be honest — I wasn’t exactly sure what I was doing or why they picked me. So, naturally, I said yes.
It reminded me a lot of when I moved to Jacksonville in 2003. What I expected at the start and what actually unfolded turned out to be one of the greatest gifts of my career, a front-row seat and the privilege of helping steward some of the most inspiring stories I’ve ever heard.
In our latest episode with the incomparable Amy Berg, we are inspired by values-based leadership as a means to building strong communities. At the core is a shared belief in dialogue, storytelling, and collaboration and the understanding that real progress requires courage, curiosity, humility, and a willingness to engage with one another. These stories serve as a guide for what is possible in Jacksonville and our future.
Jacksonville is an aspirational city, forged in fire and steadfast in its determination to be known for its true identity. We want to be regarded with honesty and, not as a city in search of respect, but rather a city worthy of respect. Jacksonville is a city where the quality of your life will be determined by the quality of your contribution.
As we proceed towards our goal of becoming a Top 50 City in the world, potential has now been replaced by progress and renderings have transitioned to reality. We are all the authors of our own civic destiny. Where the stories live not in landmarks, but in the people who keep showing up and setting the table anyway.
Here we come…
Josh MartinoJacksonville Civic Council MemberCEO: Home Team Restaurant Group
Jax On the Ground: Where Unreasonable Things Are Happening
See the work in action. These are the places, projects, and conversations moving Jacksonville toward a Top 50 future.
UF Jacksonville Luncheon
April 22 | 11:30-1:00 PM | The River Club
While new facilities are under development, the UF Jacksonville campus will launch operations from 801 W. Bay Street in August 2026—marking a major step forward for talent, research, and the region’s long-term competitiveness.
Join us for a luncheon conversation with the UF Jacksonville Program Directors to get an inside look at what’s coming, how their programs are taking shape, and where there may be opportunities to connect this work to your organization and team.
Open to the Jax365 2025 Cohort and JCC members.
Inaugural Jacksonville Waves Home Game
May 15 | 6:00 PM | VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
Join us in supporting Donna Orender and Andy Kaufmann at the inaugural home game of Jacksonville’s first women’s professional basketball team. The Jacksonville WAVES take the court against the Charlotte Crown. Experience the night from a private suite, with food and beverages included.
Open to the Jax365 2025 Cohort and JCC members. Limited availability.
A World-Class City Requires A World-Class Parks and Education System
Last November, we set a goal for Jacksonville to become a Top 50 global city by 2032. Using the Oxford Economics Global Cities Index to guide our work, we’ve identified two areas with the greatest opportunity for impact:
Countywide Parks: Jax will have a world-class countywide parks system.
Jacksonville’s parks system has the potential to be a defining asset for the city as we push toward Top 50. From access to green space and recreation to connections between neighborhoods and waterways, a well-designed park system supports healthier communities, attracts talent, and enhances overall livability.
With more than 400 parks, the largest parks system in the country, and a riverfront that now includes two world-class additions, RiversEdge and Riverfront Plaza, the foundation for something exceptional is already in place. Yet today, that system doesn’t always feel connected, consistent, or fully accessible, with gaps in maintenance, safety, and proximity limiting how residents experience these spaces across neighborhoods.
In partnership with the City of Jacksonville Parks Department and with JCC members and community leaders including Bobby Stein, David Miller, David Sweeney, Christian Harden, Darnell Smith, and Frank Frangie, we’re supporting efforts that will tap into what a truly world-class countywide system requires.
Because the question is no longer if Jacksonville can have a world-class parks system. It’s how we build one, with purpose.
Quality Early Learning: All children will be kindergarten ready in Duval County.
Early learning is emerging as one of the most powerful levers for Jacksonville’s long-term success, shaping everything from kindergarten readiness to workforce participation and economic growth. Local data and national research consistently show that access to high-quality early education improves outcomes for children while enabling parents to fully participate in the workforce. Yet today, access remains uneven across Duval County, with gaps in affordability, availability, and consistency creating real challenges for families and limiting the city’s ability to fully realize its potential.
At the same time, new national polling underscores that child care and early learning are increasingly viewed as essential economic infrastructure, with strong bipartisan support for solutions that expand access and strengthen quality. Voters overwhelmingly recognize that when families can reliably access early learning, it benefits not only children, but also employers, workforce stability, and overall economic competitiveness. Together, these insights point to a clear opportunity for Jacksonville to think differently and explore unreasonable, locally tailored approaches that better align early learning with the needs of children, families, and the future workforce.
We’re in the early stages, working alongside the Early Learning Coalition, DCPS, JPEF, and UNF, to build toward a shared goal: every child enters kindergarten ready to succeed.
Inaugural Jacksonville Food & Wine Festival an Epic Success
Daniel Davis
President & CEO: JaxChamber
On March 7, the JaxChamber hosted the inaugural Jacksonville Food & Wine Festival.
With more than 2,000 attendees, 35 chefs, 20+ wineries, and two live music stages, it brought together food, culture, and community at a scale Jacksonville hasn’t consistently delivered—until now.
Experiences like this shape how people experience the city day to day—and how we measure up on quality of life, one of the key areas where Jacksonville still trails its peers.
The opportunity now is simple: make events like this in our community the standard, not the exception. Have an idea on how? Let’s connect.
Unreasonables in Action
Ronnie King
Amy Margerum Berg
Mark Lamping, Christian Harden, Rusty Newton, Kevin Hyde, Eric Mann
Patrick Green
Eric Mann, Melanie Patz, Donna Orender, Darnell Smith
Gary Chartrand, Darnell Smith
What's Your Unreasonable?
Be Part of Making Jacksonville a Top 50 Global City
The Unreasonable Gazette tracks the ideas, actions and momentum shaping Jacksonville’s path to become a Top 50 global city. Join us in being Unreasonable—because this is how cities move from first class to world class.
