Issue 173, April 9, 2023
This past Wednesday’s meeting, we heard from Mark Van Loh, CEO of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority. He gave us a great overview of what to look for at the four area airports under his supervision.
The largest project underway is the revamping of the security checkpoint at JIA. Wait time can sometimes exceed 45 minutes so the expansion to 10 lanes will cut security time in half. New machines are already going in and are much more efficient. He talked about the guns coming through security and how they find one almost daily.
Also, the parking garage is being extended adding 2000 spaces. In the lobby, JAA has cut down on some of the retail stores to add more food options, primarily located after the checkpoint. Their goal is to provide more local flavor with the additions of Firehouse Subs, Southern Grounds, and Burrito Gallery. They are also adding a new Burger-Fi.
Incidentally, construction has already begun on Concourse B which will give us six more gates upon completion and an additional six gates available for future needs.
Van Loh also spoke about the new airline Breeze and his team’s work on achieving more direct flights. The projects within Cecil Field (along with Cecil Spaceport), JAXEX, and Herlong Airport keep his team very busy.
Join us this week as we officially begin our Springtime projects with many great fundraisers and socials on the calendar. Don’t forget to sign up for our Golf Tournament, Jumbo Shrimp Night, and attend our club Meet-up coming up. Please check the calendar for more information.
Our speaker this Wednesday is Bill Herrle with the National Federation of Independent Business who will speak on all the great programs available affording small businesses ammunition to be strong and independent. It’s time to step up and attend a meeting, bring a guest to strengthen our club, and get involved. Put your dues to work and get to know our other members. Have a great weekend and Happy Passover and Easter!
Respectfully,
Jeanne Maron
2023 President
