Daniel McCarthy
The founder of Lifestyles Realty Web, McCarthy is still under 30 yet has led the company into profitability at a time when most real estate business are suffering, and is also active when it comes to charity work in the community.
Elton Rivas
Rivas helped to make Downtown Jacksonville the creative and technological centre of the city, with the help of his Zero Confines company, which helps to market and launch all kinds of enterprises.In Rivas own words, “I’m passionate. I enjoy working with groups; incubating ideas, businesses, and talent; mentoring, and leading. I believe that business can be enjoyable & profitable at the same time.”
Kristina Cancelmi
A former content manager at surfboard information website the Surf Station, now Cancelmi works as Zion Rootswear’s chief Graphic Designer, a role that requires her to conceptualise and design apparel and merchandise for iconic music licenses whilst also providing in-house web and marketing graphic solutions.
Jack Twachtman
Partner in a successful downtown Jacksonville bar, Burro Bar, Twachtman is also the driving force behind Burro Bags, a company that produces urban apparel and accessories. In his role for the bar Twachtman also books various bands to play, and even moonlights as a music journalist for EU Jacksonville, a monthly entertainment mag.
Tiffany Manning
Manning is a commercial photographer who runs her own photography company,having previously worked as an art buyer, print producer and photo retoucher, while maintaining and growing her own business over the past decade.
Jeremiah Russell
Principal architect at R One Studio Architecture, Russell works for a company that “practices the art and profession of Architecture in the 21st century”. Russell lists his interests besides architecture as “sketching, reading, writing, my kids, biking, skating, soccer, movies, furniture, design, and music.”
Jessi Bruton (Art Director & Macaron Master)
This senior art director at Wingard Creative specialises in Concept and design, client presentation, branding, advertising, environmental design, collateral, packaging, photo shoot direction, photo retouching, print production – you name it. Whether it’s work on a logo for a client, or a t-shirt just for fun, Jessi prefers to include wit in the process. “I enjoy being clever. Design projects can be like strangers in a bar. You may be initially attracted to the one that’s simply beautiful, but it’s the one that says something interesting you remember.”
Jim Ward
Currently working In-house at Native Sun Natural Foods Market, Ward has also served as Programming Director on the board of the Jacksonville chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design. Ward describes himself as having “a natural personable approach to people” and believes that by“using empathy to relate creative ideas, strategies, and approaches in a conversational way” he can producea “more collaborative and confident outcome”.
J. Dash
This computer engineer from Jacksonville is now a hip hop troubadour in his own right, recording the single WOP which has inspired a ‘wiggle’-based dance, which appears on the album Tabloid Truth. He has already worked alongside Flo-Rida, and is promising still bigger things in the coming months ahead.
Willie Evans Jr
Another up-and-coming hip hop artist, Evans Jr’s new album “Introducin’” features the man acting as both mc and producer, and with clever wordplay and intelligent lyrics he is a standout artist on the growing independent hip hop scene. Even if the artwork on the album looks like something a 10 year-old did.
Joey Marchy
Marchy is the website editor with One Spark, an organisation focused on innovation in Jacksonville. The company is “an active community, focused on encouraging idea generation and disruptive thinking” that seeks to helpstart-ups and budding entrepreneurs.
Josh Simpson
Simpson is a web developer at Advantage Design Group, and attributes his development skills to thje struggles he has faced in life; namely: “working through and overcoming limitations presented by my deafness and progressive vision loss due to Usher’s Syndrome. This has provided me with a unique perspective that I’ve been able to apply to my studies and career in web development related to usability and accessibility compliance.”
Kenny Harper
Harper is an award-winning web designer and runs his own digital marketing company Key Theory. Kenny’s passion is to connect with his clients to help them leverage the power of the internet to increase their visibility, lead generation and online success.
Tim Tebow
Tebow comes from Jacksonville and is one of the most influential sports stars in the country, the quarterback having won praise for his unorthodox style, and his habit of playing a fundamental role in important games. Tebow currently plays for the New York Jets.
Marcellec Polednik
Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Jacksonville, Polednik took over the museum in February 2011 and has seen daily attendance, memberships and fund-raising all increase in her first year on the job. Originally from Poland, Polednik says: “There are really a lot of exciting things about Jacksonville. I think MOCA is a part of that. I want to forge a more national presence so that MOCA becomes a feather in Jacksonville’s cap.”
