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Two surprise Democratic wins this week — one in Hillsborough County and one in Palm Beach County — are being read by local analysts as more than isolated events.

As Northeast Florida heads into Q2 2026, Bank of America Jacksonville President & Southeast Regional Executive Mark Bennett says local business confidence has shifted toward growth - if owners have the right capital in place to seize opportunities. Bennett shares three priorities he’s hearing most from Jacksonville leaders and also points to continued strength in sectors like advanced manufacturing, fintech/financial services, healthcare, and technology as companies adopt more AI solutions.

Jacksonville’s rapid growth is putting new pressure on an old bottleneck: permitting. On this episode of This Week in Jacksonville Business Edition, Kent Justice talks with Sabrina Dugan, managing partner of SwiftBuild.ai, about how artificial intelligence is being used to speed up plan review—without removing human oversight.

VyStar Credit Union paired a regional survey with TransUnion data and found Jacksonville residents are experiencing high financial stress - with higher debt and delinquency than national averages. VyStar’s chief marketing officer Dana Karzan discusses a community-focused approach that includes a debt payoff challenge, financial education and fraud-prevention outreach.

This week’s episode of This Week in Jacksonville, Business Edition previews Players Championship week at TPC Sawgrass with executive director Lee Smith. He explains why running the tournament is a “52-week-a-year job,” outlines changes for this year — including a smaller field, new fan areas and drone coverage — and discusses economic impact for northeast Florida.

In this episode of This Week in Jacksonville: Business Edition, host Kent Justice talks with Mark Wilson, president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, about the latest data showing a decline in childhood poverty across Florida. They discuss what this means for local businesses, the importance of targeting efforts at the zip code level, and how businesses can play a crucial role in breaking the cycle of generational poverty.

In this episode of “This Week in Jacksonville: Business Edition,” host Kent Justice talks with Revival 250 organizer Chris Widener and Bold City Church pastor Jason Masters about Revival 250—an upcoming faith-focused event scheduled for May 3 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, with a national and international livestream.

Jacksonville attorney and Republican candidate for governor Paul Renner pointed to a simple but critical problem: costs have risen faster than wages while discussing affordability.

Victor Dover - co-founder and principal of Dover Kohl & Partners and keynote speaker for Scenic Jacksonville’s Sixth Annual Great Cities Symposium (Feb. 5) - joins Kent Justice to discuss how cities can grow in ways that strengthen quality of life and long-term economic competitiveness. Dover argues that communities aren’t just recruiting businesses; they’re recruiting people—and the experience “outside between buildings” can be a deciding factor for talent, investment, and lasting prosperity.

Jay Collins, Florida’s lieutenant governor and gubernatorial candidate, recently discussed his top policy priorities and views on key issues in an interview on This Week in Jacksonville. Collins emphasized three main priorities: “economy, education, and safety and security in the community.”

Dr. Kyle Mikals and Dr. Samantha Mikals, both military veterans and board-certified physicians, share their journey transitioning from military medicine to launching a concierge healthcare practice in Jacksonville. They discuss leadership lessons from their service, the unique benefits of concierge and direct primary care, and their vision for growing a patient-focused practice that balances quality care with work-life fulfillment. They also highlight the importance of community support for veterans and the evolving healthcare landscape in Northeast Florida.

In this episode of This Week in Jacksonville: Business Edition, host Kent Justice talks with Ryan Smith, founder of First Coast Metalworks and the Jacksonville Innovation Hub. Ryan shares his journey from local fabrication to creating a centralized innovation space that supports entrepreneurs with prototyping tools, workspace, and investor connections. Learn how the Innovation Hub aims to accelerate product development, foster collaboration, and build a stronger startup ecosystem in Northeast Florida.

As Florida’s legislative session begins, Clay County leaders Ted Yoho and Sam Garrison shared their perspectives on the proposed property tax repeal and other key issues facing the region.

Downtown Jacksonville continues strong growth as 2025 ends, says Jake Gordon, CEO of Downtown Vision, Inc., who has been leading the organization for nearly 11 years and joined the next episode of “This Week in Jacksonville: Business Edition.”