St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce

09/13/2024

🍕Pizza for breakfast? Totally a thing. Hillary’s Chicago Pizza in St. Augustine hosted a very tasty Chamber Before Hours where members got their work day started with great networking and authentic Chicago-style pizza.

Owners Hillary and Bruce Lake bring the love of pizza and history of being Chicagoans to St. Augustine. The restaurant is located on U.S. 1 near State Road 312 in St. Augustine; they also offer online ordering and catering. More information ➡️ https://bit.ly/47qtcrl

See more Before Hours and other opportunities to connect with the local business community on the chamber calendar 📆 https://bit.ly/sjc_chamber_events

09/12/2024

🌦 Come rain or shine, it's Chamber After Hours time! Real Property Management Home Together hosted a fun After Hours with great networking, food and drinks. Despite some rainy weather, everyone had a great time!

🏠 RPM Home Together is the affordable solution to managing real estate in St. Johns County, with a focus on quality residential property management. More information ➡️ https://bit.ly/3XmRAW3

See more After Hours and other opportunities to connect with the local business community on our events calendar 📆 https://bit.ly/sjc_chamber_events

09/10/2024

The 2024 St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce Golf Classic is just around the corner! ⛳️🏌️‍♀️ Swing into action with area business leaders for a day of friendly competition and great networking opportunities.

📆 When: Monday, Sept. 30
📍 Where: Marsh Landing Country Club, Ponte Vedra Beach
✅ RSVP: https://bit.ly/sjcchamber_golf_2024

Whether you're a pro or just love a round of golf with friends, we hope to see you there! 🤩

09/09/2024

Mental health and wellness were the focus of this month's Women with Vision Council luncheon, sponsored by SouthState Bank.

Paige Stanton, executive director of UF Health St. Johns Care Connect, shared information about mental health struggles, signs and symptoms to look out for in yourself and others, and resources for anyone needing mental health care. Meg Zabijaka, a partner at Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete and a member of the chamber's board of directors, spoke about managing mental health in the workplace through the Americans with Disabilities Act.

If you, a friend, a coworker or a family member need support, many resources are available:

UF Health - Behavioral Health Resource Center
Open 24/7, no appointment needed
(904) 819-5204
300 Health Park Blvd., Suite 1008
St. Augustine, 32086

EPIC Behavioral Healthcare
(904) 829-2273 Counseling Center
(904) 417-7100 Recovery Center

SMA Healthcare
(800) 539-4228
1880 San Sebastian View
St. Augustine, 32084

988 Su***de and Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988

Crisis Text Line
Text CARE4U to 741741

SAMHSA Find Support
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-support

Betty Griffin Center
24-Hour Help: (904) 824-1555

09/06/2024

North Avenue Capital based in Ponte Vedra hosted St Johns County Chamber of Commerce leaders Bob Porter & Beth Tate…learned about Chamber work to advance small business goals in Tallahassee…

09/03/2024

⛳️🏌️‍♂️ Get ready to golf and enhance your company's visibility when you sponsor the annual SJC Chamber Golf Classic! Packages are available for any company's budget. Don't miss this opportunity to show your support for a strong business environment in St. Johns County! Explore your options ➡️ https://bit.ly/sjcchamber_golf_2024

08/30/2024

The chamber held our annual retreat and strategy planning session for the board of directors and staff this week at St. Johns Golf & Country Club. It was a great day where we shared many important conversations, ideas and plans for how to best continue the chamber's work as an advocate for the St. Johns County business community. We're all looking forward to another great year for the chamber and businesses in the county!

Thank you to Nancy Dering Mock for facilitating the strategic planning and to Gabriel Giannelli of First Coast Headshots and Amanda Hopcraft of Hopcraft Collective for making board and staff members look great in our new headshots!

08/30/2024

🏌️‍♂️Get rolling at the annual SJC Chamber Golf Classic! Sponsorships are available to showcase your company to dozens of business leaders from around the region. 🏆 This is the perfect opportunity to network, advance your brand and support the local business community! Learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/sjcchamber_golf_2024

08/26/2024

🐶 It's National Dog Day! Check out these chamber members to pamper your pooch, give them a day with their puppy pals, or get training they (and you) need for the best partnership:

Fetch Pet Care of St. Johns
Doggy Drop 'n' Go
Hounds Town St. Augustine - Northeast
Paradise Poochie, Saint Augustine
Sawgrass Pet Resort
The Dog Wizard

08/23/2024

At the next Economic Development Council breakfast on Friday, Sept. 20, hear from St. Johns County Public Schools Superintendent Tim Forson about ways to maintain the county's ranking as the No. 1 school system in Florida. Learn more about the continuation of the sales tax and development of additional opportunities to increase teacher pay and enhance infrastructure.

📅 Date: Friday, Sept. 20
⏰ Time: 7:30-9:30 a.m.
📍 Location: Renaissance World Golf Village, St. Augustine
✅ RSVP: https://bit.ly/3yLF4HB

08/22/2024

On Tuesday night, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection released a press release notifying the public of proposed plans to build recreational spaces and lodgings in several State Parks. Our county's Anastasia State Park was included in these plans. The proposed changes to Anastasia State Park included the installation of pickleball courts, a disc golf course and a lodge with up to 350 rooms located within the State Park.

We were unaware of this proposal until it was released to the public. Our Chamber Board of Directors have voted to officially oppose the proposed development by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection at Anastasia State Park.

The Chamber is currently working with our community partners and local government to make our position known and advocate for our community. There is an FDEP meeting that will take place August 27 from 3-4pm at the First Coast Technical College where there will be a brief presentation on the plan followed by public comment.

More information on the Anastasia State Park Unit Management Plan Amendment can be found here: https://floridadep.gov/parks/parks-office-park-planning/content/41005-anastasia-state-park-public-meeting

08/22/2024

Don’t miss the next Women with Vision Council luncheon on Thursday, Sept. 5! 🪷 Join us for an insightful discussion on strategies to support women’s health and wellness both at home and in the workplace. We’re excited to welcome speakers Paige Stanton of UF Health St. Johns Care Connect and Meg Zabijaka of Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP.

📅 Date: Thursday, Sept. 5
⏰ Time: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
📍 Location: Palencia Club, St. Augustine
✅ RSVP: https://bit.ly/4cxAJp3

08/22/2024

✨ Thank you Donna Mancini Interiors and Flooring for hosting a great Chamber After Hours and providing such a beautiful space for networking and fun! 🏠💡🚪🖼🪞DMIAF offers furniture, lighting, flooring and more, all under one roof. Learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4duT9rS

08/20/2024

Join us for the annual Chamber Golf Classic on Monday, Sept. 30, at Marsh Landing Country Club! ⛳️ Whether you're a regular on the golf course or just interested in a day of fun and networking, it will be a great way to connect with your fellow business leaders, enjoy great company and support your SJC Chamber! 🌟 RSVP for individual golfers or a foursome ➡️ https://bit.ly/sjcchamber_golf_2024

08/20/2024

🇺🇸 Today is the Primary Election in Florida, so be sure to take the time to cast your vote! 🗳 Polls are open until 7 p.m. Find your polling place and check your voter information at https://www.votesjc.gov/find-my-polling-place

08/18/2024

The chamber team had a blast last night with Fury Water Adventures St. Augustine on their maiden sunset cruise in the Oldest City! 🍾🌅⛵️The Key West-based water adventure company just opened in St. Augustine and offers a variety of fun sailing adventures aboard their 65-foot catamaran, including a sunset cruise with live music. They’ll be setting sail out of Beaches Marina in Vilano Beach. Since our whole team couldn’t be there, we’ll definitely be back for another adventure! Learn more and book your cruise at https://furystaugustine.com

08/16/2024

During our trip to Avilés, Spain, as part of the City of St. Augustine - Government Delegation, Scott Maynard and I had the pleasure of meeting an entrepreneur interested in relocating to St. Augustine in St. Johns County, Florida, FL.

José Luis González Del Valle, the owner of Atlantica Consorcio Exportador, runs a company dedicated to exporting Spanish food to the U.S., with items available in multiple retail stores, including Winn-Dixie. We're excited about the potential opportunities this new relationship could bring. Thank you to Nancy Sikes-Kline for inviting us to join the delegation.

08/15/2024

It's National Relaxation Day! 💆 These chamber member businesses offer a variety of ways to relax, unwind and recharge:

StretchLab
4Ever Young Anti-Aging Solutions- St. Johns, FL
Casa Monica Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection
The Effect Lifestyle Practice
Glow Balance Med Spa
Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa
Hydro Med Spa
Rejuvenate Medical Spa
Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa
Spavia Day Spa - Ponte Vedra
True REST Float Spa

You can find more relaxing experiences at https://pvwellness.net/🧘🛀

08/14/2024

Congratulations to David Permenter of Generation Media LLC for earning Ambassador of the Month for July! He attends many ribbon cuttings to welcome new chamber members and currently serves on the Ponte Vedra Beach Division board. Thank you, David, for your active participation in the Amabassador program!

08/13/2024

Don't miss the next Chamber Before Hours this Thursday with Code Ninjas World Golf Village! Owner Ryan Clark is a member of the chamber's board of directors — this is a great opportunity to get to know him and learn more about this local business.

📅 When: Thursday, Aug. 15, 8-9 a.m.
📍 Where: Code Ninjas World Golf Village, 533 W. Twincourt Trail #704,St. Augustine 32095
✅ RSVP: https://bit.ly/3yCWTbB

08/13/2024

Join us for a fun Chamber After Hours tomorrow at DJ's Clam Shack St. Augustine, FL!

📅 When: Wednesday, Aug. 14, 5:30-7 p.m.
📍 Where: 21 Hypolita St., St. Augustine 32084
✅ RSVP: https://bit.ly/46ILl3k

08/12/2024

🤝 Chamber President Isabelle Renault and Vice President of Economic Development Scott Maynard visited St. Augustine's sister city of Aviles, Spain, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the cities' relationship. They met with leadership of the Aviles Chamber and discussed business opportunities for both cities. 🌎🌟

08/09/2024

🎉 Congratulations to First Coast Headshots 📸 on your ribbon cutting! Owner Gabriel Giannelli has opened a new studio in downtown St. Augustine at the historic Treasury building at 24 Cathedral Place, so if you or your team need new headshots, be sure to check them out. Plus, Gabriel is a chamber Ambassador, so you'll see him at some of our events!

More info ➡ https://bit.ly/4dzmNfe

08/09/2024

Ascension St. Vincent’s Jacksonville hosted a great Chamber Before Hours ☀️ earlier this week for members and friends at their St. Johns County hospital! Guests heard from Mary Anne Thomas, director of foundation development, and Cory Darling, president of Ascension St. Vincent's St. Johns County. They shared information about the foundation and how it supports the hospital's community outreach ministries that provide care for impoverished and underinsured residents of Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. ❤️‍🩹

Learn more about Ascension St. Vincent's ➡ https://bit.ly/3LVP4Rw

08/09/2024

🎉 Congratulations to new Chamber member Dutch Bros Coffee on their Ribbon Cutting and official Grand Opening today! Located on US-1 near the Palencia-International Golf Pkwy intersection, their team is serving up a variety of coffees, teas, shakes, and more every day starting at 5am. Check them out here: https://locations.dutchbros.com/dutch-bros-coffee-89e7f85e57a9

08/06/2024

The Small Business Development Center of Florida will host workshops at St. Johns County Public Libraries to help small business owners with the new requirement for the Beneficial Ownership Information report. SBDC will have a presentation and help business owners file the report. Computers and laptops will be available if needed. Filing is simple, secure and free of charge. More info in the shared post ⬇️

Are you a small business owner and have not heard of this new requirement for Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report?

If so, join us for a workshop where our Small Business Development Center business consultants will present an overview of why, how and when to file this new report.

RSVP now for the workshop on Aug 8, 10am at the Anastasia Island Library - https://sjcpls.org/event/boi-small-business-workshop-2/

08/03/2024

St. Johns County issued a local state of emergency today in advance of potential storm conditions due to tropical activity currently south of Florida. A declaration of a state of emergency aids in the response, recovery, and operations necessary to cope with the emergency.

The county offers several resources for staying informed during the storm:
• Follow St. Johns County Emergency Management.
• Sign up for the Alert St. Johns emergency notification system at www.sjcemergencymanagement.com. Ensure the notification settings selected allow you to be alerted at all times.
• Register for Nixle Alerts by texting StJohnsEOC to 888777.

The SJC Chamber will share important updates for the business community on our page and by email to chamber members.

08/03/2024

Sign up for Alert St. Johns to receive alerts about emergencies from the county in a variety of situations, such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing persons and more. 📲 https://www.alertstjohns.com/

08/02/2024

St. Johns County is under an official State of Emergency as directed by the Governor yesterday. Now is the time to prepare for the possibility of hazardous and severe tropical weather.

Check out the Hurricane Preparedness Guide to make sure you and your businesses are ready ▶️https://www.sjcfl.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/hurricane-preparedness-guide.pdf

08/02/2024

We are monitoring the Tropical Disturbance in the Atlantic Ocean currently over many Caribbean Islands. We will continue to give updates on our page as they develop.

Now is the time to prepare for the hurricane season. Be sure to go to our page on Hurricane Preparedness for Businesses to help with your emergency planning 🔽

Hurricane Preparedness for Businesses Every year, St. Johns County residents and workers are reminded of our coastal community’s vulnerability to hurricanes and tropical storms. As the county continues to grow and develop, hurricane preparedness for businesses becomes even more critical because th...