Student Member Spotlight: Get to know Ian Alphonse

Where are you from/hometown? I’m originally from a small island in the Caribbean called St. Lucia.

How long have you lived in Jacksonville? 10 years.

Briefly explain your job and major responsibilities: I’m a transportation coordinator which includes; searching and tracking of containers, communicating with the customers and carriers for picking up and delivery of containers.

How long have you worked at your current job? Started 12/16/19.

Any prior employment you’d like to share? Retired Military (Navy) after 20 years of honorable service. If you went to college, where did you go and what was your major/minor/degree? I’m presently at Keiser University. Major in Business Administration - Transportation and Logistics.

How long have you been a member of the Propeller Club? 1.5 years Why did you join the club? To network and to meet new and cool friends. I like social gatherings and great networking opportunities.

What is your favorite Propeller Club event? Love them all.

Family/Significant Other/Pets? Wife- Ivy, kids- Jordan, Jaden, Ivianna and Ivan.

What is your proudest moment/achievement? Having my wife and kids and being a Navy Chief (E-7)

What is something unique about you that you’d like to share…hobby/hidden talent/award? Spending time with my family, gym rat, DJ, and love vacationing.

Member Spotlight: Get to know Chris Sloope

Get to know Chris Sloope, Chief Operating Officer at The JZ Expedited Companies and Propeller Club Board Member in this month's Member Spotlight.

Where are you from/hometown?  I was born and raised here in Jacksonville, FL but spent much of my adult life in Tampa, FL so am a little conflicted as to where I call home.

If not Jacksonville, how long have you lived in Jacksonville? I moved back to Jacksonville 3-years ago to join the JZ companies.

Briefly explain your job and major responsibilities: I am the Chief Operating Officer for The JZ Expedited Companies, a family of companies dedicated to solving all facets of the supply chain for our clients. I focus on leading the daily activities of our business units and their continued growth. Our companies have experienced rapid growth over the last few years and I am looking forward to continuing to be a part of this progress.

Any prior employment you’d like to share? I worked for Crowley here in Jacksonville to start my career. Before joining JZ, I was Vice President of Americas World Group, in Tampa, FL. AWG was a group of trade & transportation companies focused on international building material distribution as well as international shipping through our in-house NVOCC.

If you went to college, where did you go and what was your major/minor/degree? Saint Leo University, Bachelors of Science in Business Administration

How long have you been a member of the Propeller Club? 2 years.

Why did you join the club? Please also include your favorite thing about the Propeller Club. I joined the club because of the networking opportunities when I returned to Jacksonville. While the networking is excellent I was immediately impressed by the positive contribution the Propeller Club makes to the maritime industry as well as the broader Jacksonville community.

What is your favorite Propeller Club event? The Pirate Party is my favorite. It raises money for a worthwhile charity and is a very fun evening.

Family/Significant Other/Pets? In this regard I am the luckiest guy you know. I have an amazing wife, Nicole, two daughters, Faith and Lucy, and the most handsome dog you’ve ever seen, Duke.

What is your proudest moment/achievement? I enjoy being a part of a successful team. One of the most notable projects I have been a part of was Msheireb Downtown Doha which was a revitalization of a downtown area in Qatar bringing it to a modern, beautiful, yet traditional city center. We supplied millions of feet of high-quality building materials chosen specifically for their safety and performance ratings. Successfully navigating the numerous challenges, such as the introduction of this product into a new market, international financing, obtaining requisite certificates/warranties and other political and logistical tests remains a proud achievement.

What is something unique about you that you’d like to share…hobby/hidden talent/award? I don’t think I have any great talents but my wife thinks I do pretty good impressions so I guess that qualifies.  

Student Member Spotlight: Courtney Ardizzoni

Get to know University of North Florida's Student Port Club President Courtney Ardizzoni in this month's member spotlight.

Anticipated Graduation Year: Spring 2021

Where are you from/hometown? Jacksonville, Florida

If you currently work in the T&L industry, briefly explain your role: I am focused on my studies right now, but I am looking at getting an internship in the Spring of 2020

Any prior employment you’d like to share? I currently work on campus as a Learning Community Assistant where I help freshmen with their transition to college and strive to create a strong community within Honors.  I also volunteer as the president of the Transportation & Logistics Society.

What is your major/minor/degree? I am Double Majoring in Transportation & Logistics and Business Management. Doubly Minoring in International Business and Leadership.  My degree is a Bachelor of Business Administration.                                                               

Why did you choose this industry to pursue a career? I love the idea of working in fixing processes and cutting waste.  My goal is to earn a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering.  I currently would like to stay in Jacksonville to work in Operations Management.

How long have you been a member of the Student Port? I have been a member since fall 2018.

Why did you join the club? I joined after talking to Lynn Brown about the opportunities given through the program, and I love the networking opportunities found through it.

What is your favorite Propeller Club – Port of Jacksonville event? I participated in the Big Sea Day at JAXPORT and loved seeing how the port worked.

Family/Significant Other/Pets? My parents live in Yulee, Florida, so they’re only a short distance away.  I also have one younger brother who just graduated High School and is pursuing a degree in Accounting.

What is your proudest moment/achievement? My proudest moment was in High School when I earned my Stars and Stripes Award through the American Heritage Girls.  This is equivalent to an Eagle Scout Award in Boy Scouts.  My project was to renovate a building and put in a new installation of bookcases, in which we also asked for book donations to dedicate a library in a rural area without on nearby.  This project took almost 9 months to complete and cost over $3,000 in total.  Once it was completed, I felt so accomplished.

What is something unique about you that you’d like to share…hobby/hidden talent/award? I studied abroad this summer through UNF in two countries.  I spent 3 months abroad primarily in Italy and France, and took both Transportation & Logistics and Management classes. While also learning about the culture and the people in the area.  This trip was truly life changing and has instilled a level of confidence I had not previously possessed.

Member Spotlight: Get to know Whitney Croxton

Get to know Whitney Croxton, Senior Marketing Coordinator, Jacksonville Port Authority, who now serves as the club’s Vice President of Programs in this month’s Member Spotlight.Where are you from/hometown? I am a Jacksonville native (#ilovejax).Briefly explain your job and major responsibilities: Each day I have the opportunity to promote one of our region’s greatest economic drivers – JAXPORT. I am responsible for managing the port’s trade show and events calendar as well as assisting with the port’s marketing efforts. I also serve as the Editor of JAXPORT publications.How long have you worked at your current job? 3 yearsAny prior employment you’d like to share? After graduating college, I spent two years on the marketing team at W&O Supply where I met former club president Tammy Emerson.If you went to college, where did you go and what was your major/minor/degree? University of North Florida, Bachelor  of Science, CommunicationsHow long have you been a member of the Propeller Club? A few years off and on since 2012, but 2 years consistently since joining the port.Why did you join the club?  I have come to have a deeper appreciation for what this industry means to our community since joining the JAXPORT team. As a daddy’s girl, I spent most of my summers riding along in his big rig moving cargo in and out of the port. I have grown up watching this port grow and I am proud of the work we continue to do today to build the port of the future.  Being a part of this organization is one small way I can give back to a community that supported my family’s livelihood when I was growing up and ensure it continues to do so for generations to come.What is your favorite Propeller Club event? I enjoy every event! But I would have to say my favorite is State of the Port. I serve in dual roles for this event – both with my job at the port as well as my role in the club, working behind the scenes to assist in the event production. From where I stand, which is off to the side or in the back, I get to watch the audience’s reaction to the message being delivered.Family/Significant Other/Pets? I have a fiancé Jeff, two boys – Garrett and Grant – and a dog named Bailey

What is your proudest moment/achievement? Professionally, I would say was when my team received the Award of Excellence, the American Association of Port Authority’s highest honor, for a video profiling Jacksonville Bar Pilot Captain Chris Mons last fall. Click here to check it out!

What is something unique about you that you’d like to share…hobby/hidden talent/award? It’s definitely a hidden talent these days – but I can carry a tune in a bucket. I sang in church as a child and performed in my high school choral program – even won my high school pageant with a song and dance to Natalie Cole’s ‘L-O-V-E’. Now I prefer to save my vocals for carpool karaoke.Connect with Whitney on LinkedIn & Twitter (@WhitneyCroxton) or via email: Whitney.Croxton@JAXPORT.com

Member Spotlight: Get to Know Thomas Cancellare

Get to know Thomas Cancellare, Director of Sales, Courtyard Jacksonville I-295/East Beltway, who now serves as the club's of Vice President of Membership in this month's Member Spotlight.Where are you from/hometown? Ft. Lauderdale, FL- Queens, NYIf not Jacksonville, how long have you lived in Jacksonville? 6 yearsBriefly explain your job and major responsibilities: I am responsible for all Sales and Marketing efforts. This includes all group and special corporate business as well as revenue management.How long have you worked at your current job? I just celebrated 10 years with Shaner Hotels.Any prior employment you’d like to share? I worked in my families photography business for over 20 years.If you went to college, where did you go and what was your major/minor/degree? University of Florida majoring in Fine Arts.How long have you been a member of the Propeller Club? 6 years. My father was a member of Propeller Club Port Everglades over 40 years ago.Why did you join the club? When I first saw the close proximity of our hotel to JAXPORT's Blount Island/Dames Point terminals I knew I needed to get involved and learn everything I could about JAXPORT. My favorite thing about Propeller Club is the people. From day one I was made to feel welcomed and part of the Propeller Club family.What is your favorite Propeller Club event? Pirate Party Aargh!Family/Significant Other/Pets? My wife and I celebrated our 25^th wedding anniversary last year. We have a son Thomas and two dogs Marley and Bindi.What is your proudest moment/achievement? I was named Sales Associate of the Year for Shaner Hotels a few years back.What is something unique about you that you’d like to share…hobby/hidden talent/award? When I worked as a photographer I had the opportunity to meet and photograph many famous politicians and celebrities such as Presidents Reagan, Bush-41, and Ford. I also photographed Beyonce when she was just starting out with Destiny’s Child. Nice kids but who knew they would become such big stars!Connect with Thomas: tcancellare@shanercorp.com