It’s breaking news today in Jacksonville and finally the heart of our city – The Landing – can rest. She served us well throughout her lifetime on the St. Johns River.
It was just announced Jacksonville Landing Investments (JLI) and Mayor Curry have entered into a Settlement Agreement regarding the Landing’s future. The details are not public yet.
Both Mayor Curry and Toney Sleiman have agreed it is time to move forward and do what is best for Jacksonville.
None of us knows what that means. But we all have ideas such as:
Turning the Landing into green space? (we hope not because it will become an area for homelessness and crime)
Tearing it down and making it into condos on the River?
Revamping it into something else?
Whatever it will become – it has absolutely given us much joy over the years. She has weathered many storms – both weather related and political ones. She has served the least of the community and hosted many US Presidents too. She has appeared in more pictures depicting Jacksonville than any other building. She even has her own signage on I95. Her orange roof is well known throughout the world. She’s done good!!
She has served her time well and we appreciate her. AND…we appreciate the Sleiman family for all they have done to keep her going. They are wonderful residents who have given much to this community.
We are thankful for a positive statement from the Mayor and Toney Sleiman and we wish them well as they finalize the deal. It’s time to move on and make this city beautiful again.
Sad part is this: Who will host the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony for those who can’t afford fancy and expensive city-owned establishments?
Bittersweet. That’s the word that goes with “CHANGE.”
She craved anything leadership related and enjoyed being around the world of entrepreneurial CEOs. She watched as they made decisions; pondered how they would make payroll when cash flow was tight; and appreciated how they created career opportunities for hundreds of thousands of people. Because of her experiences, she has emerged as a key resource for the media and others who want to understand important insights about executives, management teams and board dynamics.
In 2008, Billie became discouraged as she watched some of her clients struggle with the political economic impacts on their businesses. The same CEOs who mortgaged their home and charged up their credit cards to make ends meet to build a business and keep others working, now watched as their government bailed out the big banks who had mismanaged their resources. She cringed as most of her clients laid off employees for the first time and she vowed she would help them… somehow…someway.
That somehow…someway showed up in the Tea Party Movement in America. She formed one of the largest tea party group’s in America (more than 9,000 members strong) and helped bring attention to America’s debt problem, out of control spending, over taxation and regulation strangulation on companies.
With her background in working with leaders and her influence in the political and leadership world, Billie has continued her dream to help CEOs navigate these troubling waters that permeate the world of capitalism in America.
She has been an active participant in the media as a guest on CNN, Fox News, Fox Business, Bott Family Network Radio and co-hosts a political/financial radio show in the Northeast Florida market entitled, Smart Money.
She was the first speaker at the House of Representatives Tea Party Caucus inaugural event and was invited by Heritage Foundation to speak at their prestigious annual Heritage Resource Bank, and on their National Security Panel live broadcasts.
She spoke at the Congressional Republican House Retreat in Pennsylvania in 2012. She was also the co-host and co-producer of the CNN Tea Party Express Debate in the 2012 Presidential Election.
She is a firm believer that America needs more entrepreneurs and more opportunities for people to use their God-given talents and passions to better themselves, their communities and America.
Her favorite quote has become her mission to help CEOs succeed:
“Vision without execution is hallucination.” – Thomas Edison
