Presidents Message Archive
Issue 352, September 27, 2026
Every sunset is an opportunity to reset. Every sunrise begins with new eyes. Richie Norton Fall is here, and with it the welcome return of pumpkin spice lattes and the first stretch of cooler weather. After getting through hurricane season without a major hit, Jacksonville can finally exhale and step outside again with walks in […]
Issue 351, September 20, 2026
This past week was a special day in history. On September 13–14, 1814, during the War of 1812, British forces attacked Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland. British ships in the Chesapeake Bay bombarded the fort throughout the night, firing rockets and explosive shells at the American defenders. Despite the intense attack, the American troops held their […]
Issue 350, September 13, 2026
“Are you guys ready? Let’s roll” Todd Beamer, passenger on United Flight 93 This time of year, only one moment comes immediately to mind: the attack on the World Trade Center towers. The emotions still flood back like being slapped in the back of the head: sudden, disorienting, and impossible to shake. In those hours […]
Issue 349, September 6, 2026
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas Edison One hundred forty-four years ago, workers pushed back against brutal conditions that included fourteen-hour work days, six-day work weeks, working in sweltering heat with no air conditioning. 1882 Oregon became the first state to recognize Labor […]
Issue 348, August 30, 2026
“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” — Warren Buffett I was making a purchase online the other day when I discovered the biggest difference between internet and local purchases: the trade-off between effortless convenience and the security of human relationships. Online, we can get food, cars, clothes, and even hot prepared […]
Issue 347, August 23, 2026
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill Southside Business Men’s Club has built a the foundation of giving back to the community in which we live and work. This includes cleaning beaches, riverbanks, and parks; Habijax and Retreaded work projects; and recent […]
Issue 346, August 16, 2026
“An investment in knowledge always pays the highest return.” — Benjamin Franklin It’s that time of year again, one of the key reasons for our fundraisers, when we have the privilege of passing out grants to deserving students of our community who through hard work and dedication to their studies, proved their worthiness of such […]
Issue 345, August 9, 2026
“When I was your age, I walked five miles to school… uphill both ways.” -An eternal parental exaggeration As buses start rolling and backpacks fill the sidewalks again, the familiar rhythm of the school year returns and with it comes a simple but urgent call: slow down. Watch for kids, not just at marked crosswalks, […]
Issue 344, August 2, 2026
“Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.” — Steve Jobs As a real estate photographer, I often forget that it takes more than just myself to get jobs done; stagers, agents, homeowners, and even editors all play a role in creating those polished final images. […]
Issue 343, July 26, 2026
“People want to fund your impact, not your existence.” Beth Brodovsky In the late 1960s, SBMC sponsored Pop Warner League projects. In 1969, the “Little Gator Bowl” game, a name sanctioned by the Gator Bowl Association and given exclusively to us to use, was established. The Pop Warner League competed in the mighty Gator Bowl […]