Ketterman Photography
Young Man on the Move
In Politics Or Association Work, NEFBA's Daniel Davis Is Determined To Give Back.
????Daniel Davis thinks Jacksonville is already a terrific place to live, work and raise a family. But, in his dual roles as vice president of the Jacksonville City Council and executive director of the Northeast Florida Builders Association, he’s determined to make his hometown even better.
“Everyone can see where things can be improved,” says Davis, 34. “I’m blessed to have the opportunity to work toward those changes.”
????Clearly, Davis is a young man with a bright future. City Hall insiders have tapped him as a political up-and-comer whose affable personality could take him to Tallahassee and beyond.
“He’s a leader today, but he’s also in our next generation of leaders,” says City Council member Ronnie Fussell, who is Davis’ cousin by marriage. “He has good ideas, a good work ethic and solid core values. If I had a little brother, Daniel is just how I’d like for him to be.”
Davis, originally from Wisconsin, grew up on Jacksonville’s Westside. He attended Trinity Christian Academy and then returned to Wisconsin to attend Maranatha Bible College, where the curriculum prepares students to serve God while living in a diverse society.?
????While at Maranatha, Davis captained the football team and met his future wife, Rebekah.
Back in Jacksonville with a liberal arts degree, Davis went to work as a juvenile drug court case manager. In 1999, anxious to make a bigger difference, he ran for the Jacksonville City Council—and lost. That defeat, however, led Davis to a position as NEFBA’s governmental affairs director.
Denise Wallace of BCM Services, a past NEFBA president, recalls the association’s first meeting with the young candidate.?
????“Daniel wanted to run for the right reasons,” Wallace says, “We saw a lot of talent in him. We hired him after one interview.”??
????At NEFBA, Davis found a valuable mentor in Arnold Tritt, who had served as the association’s executive director since 1972 and shared Davis’ passion for community service.?
????Davis also regrouped and made a second run for elective office, winning the District 12 City Council seat in 2003. In May of last year, he was elected to a one-year term as vice president.
Then, when the legendary Tritt announced last year that he was stepping aside to serve as executive advisor, Davis took over the top spot.
????“Daniel had been in training for about seven years,” says Tritt of the transition. “I believed he was ready to assume the executive director responsibilities.”
Wallace agreed with Tritt’s assessment, and says she’s enjoyed watching Davis grow into his leadership role.?
????“Daniel sees the big picture,” Wallace says. “He really cares about this community and the people in it. And he hasn’t let his success go to his head; he’s still willing to learn. Any parent would be proud to have a son like him. I tell my son and daughter that if they can grow up to be like Daniel Davis, they’ll do well.”
????Two years ago, Council President Elaine Brown selected Davis to receive the Charles D. Webb Award, which is presented to Council members who have done the most to advance good government.?
????One reason for the honor was Davis’ introduction of a bill that forced sexual predators to live farther from schools and other places where children gather.
????“The first word I can think of to describe Daniel is ‘delightful,’” says Brown. “And he shines at everything he undertakes. He can relate equally as well to adults and children.”
????Davis was also a leader in the fight to keep the Cecil Commerce Center from reverting to military use. His opponents on this issue included Gov. Jeb Bush and U. S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw.?
????But Davis, who believed that his Westside constituents would benefit more from private development of the property, stood firm for what he believed and eventually prevailed.
During Davis’ short tenure in NEFBA’s top job, he’s already spearheaded a massive “Great Time to Buy” educational campaign. The multimedia effort, which was funded by builder donations, is being emulated at other builder associations across the country.
????He also initiated a historic partnership between NEFBA and JEA to boost environmentally friendly building. Green Built Homes of Florida, a joint venture between the association and the utility, offers a builder certification program and promotes the advantages of “going green.”
Davis says a typical day starts at 7 or 7:30 a.m. with breakfast meetings. He’s usually at his NEFBA office by 8:30 a.m. and often attends evening events, which means he sometimes doesn’t arrive home until 9 p.m. or later.
????So how does he get everything done???
????“I’m not afraid to work,” says Davis, “and I have a lot of smart people around me who keep me on task.? If you’re willing to work and can stay organized, you can get a lot accomplished.”
Family is a major motivator. “Everything I do, I do for my family,” Davis says. He and Rebekah, a registered nurse who works with premature babies at Baptist Hospital, have three small children: Alivia, Caroline and Christian, with another on the way?
????“We have dinner together—a traditional, family dinner—two or three nights a week,” Davis adds. “It’s hard, with my schedule, but we feel that it’s important.”
????On weekends, Davis usually putters in his yard and spends outdoors time with his children. The family also travels together, including the requisite treks to Disney and hiking trips in the North Carolina mountains.
????In addition to family, faith also plays a crucial role in Davis’ life. He continues to serve as a deacon and Bible fellowship teacher at Trinity Baptist Church and facilitates NEFBA’s involvement in an array of good works.
????In fact, it was Davis who first approached NEFBA’s Charitable Foundation with a challenge: He would raise $100,000 for construction of Trinity Rescue Mission’s Women’s & Children’s Center if the organization would provide matching funds.
????As it turned out, NEFBA, led by Greg Matovina of Matovina & Company, kicked in more than $1 million in cash and in-kind donations and built the new facility using volunteer labor.
?????“I’ve been so blessed,” Davis says, “and the best way to pay that back is through helping others.”?
“Everyone can see where things can be improved,” says Davis, 34. “I’m blessed to have the opportunity to work toward those changes.”
????Clearly, Davis is a young man with a bright future. City Hall insiders have tapped him as a political up-and-comer whose affable personality could take him to Tallahassee and beyond.
“He’s a leader today, but he’s also in our next generation of leaders,” says City Council member Ronnie Fussell, who is Davis’ cousin by marriage. “He has good ideas, a good work ethic and solid core values. If I had a little brother, Daniel is just how I’d like for him to be.”
Davis, originally from Wisconsin, grew up on Jacksonville’s Westside. He attended Trinity Christian Academy and then returned to Wisconsin to attend Maranatha Bible College, where the curriculum prepares students to serve God while living in a diverse society.?
????While at Maranatha, Davis captained the football team and met his future wife, Rebekah.
Back in Jacksonville with a liberal arts degree, Davis went to work as a juvenile drug court case manager. In 1999, anxious to make a bigger difference, he ran for the Jacksonville City Council—and lost. That defeat, however, led Davis to a position as NEFBA’s governmental affairs director.
Denise Wallace of BCM Services, a past NEFBA president, recalls the association’s first meeting with the young candidate.?
????“Daniel wanted to run for the right reasons,” Wallace says, “We saw a lot of talent in him. We hired him after one interview.”??
????At NEFBA, Davis found a valuable mentor in Arnold Tritt, who had served as the association’s executive director since 1972 and shared Davis’ passion for community service.?
????Davis also regrouped and made a second run for elective office, winning the District 12 City Council seat in 2003. In May of last year, he was elected to a one-year term as vice president.
Then, when the legendary Tritt announced last year that he was stepping aside to serve as executive advisor, Davis took over the top spot.
????“Daniel had been in training for about seven years,” says Tritt of the transition. “I believed he was ready to assume the executive director responsibilities.”
Wallace agreed with Tritt’s assessment, and says she’s enjoyed watching Davis grow into his leadership role.?
????“Daniel sees the big picture,” Wallace says. “He really cares about this community and the people in it. And he hasn’t let his success go to his head; he’s still willing to learn. Any parent would be proud to have a son like him. I tell my son and daughter that if they can grow up to be like Daniel Davis, they’ll do well.”
????Two years ago, Council President Elaine Brown selected Davis to receive the Charles D. Webb Award, which is presented to Council members who have done the most to advance good government.?
????One reason for the honor was Davis’ introduction of a bill that forced sexual predators to live farther from schools and other places where children gather.
????“The first word I can think of to describe Daniel is ‘delightful,’” says Brown. “And he shines at everything he undertakes. He can relate equally as well to adults and children.”
????Davis was also a leader in the fight to keep the Cecil Commerce Center from reverting to military use. His opponents on this issue included Gov. Jeb Bush and U. S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw.?
????But Davis, who believed that his Westside constituents would benefit more from private development of the property, stood firm for what he believed and eventually prevailed.
During Davis’ short tenure in NEFBA’s top job, he’s already spearheaded a massive “Great Time to Buy” educational campaign. The multimedia effort, which was funded by builder donations, is being emulated at other builder associations across the country.
????He also initiated a historic partnership between NEFBA and JEA to boost environmentally friendly building. Green Built Homes of Florida, a joint venture between the association and the utility, offers a builder certification program and promotes the advantages of “going green.”
Davis says a typical day starts at 7 or 7:30 a.m. with breakfast meetings. He’s usually at his NEFBA office by 8:30 a.m. and often attends evening events, which means he sometimes doesn’t arrive home until 9 p.m. or later.
????So how does he get everything done???
????“I’m not afraid to work,” says Davis, “and I have a lot of smart people around me who keep me on task.? If you’re willing to work and can stay organized, you can get a lot accomplished.”
Family is a major motivator. “Everything I do, I do for my family,” Davis says. He and Rebekah, a registered nurse who works with premature babies at Baptist Hospital, have three small children: Alivia, Caroline and Christian, with another on the way?
????“We have dinner together—a traditional, family dinner—two or three nights a week,” Davis adds. “It’s hard, with my schedule, but we feel that it’s important.”
????On weekends, Davis usually putters in his yard and spends outdoors time with his children. The family also travels together, including the requisite treks to Disney and hiking trips in the North Carolina mountains.
????In addition to family, faith also plays a crucial role in Davis’ life. He continues to serve as a deacon and Bible fellowship teacher at Trinity Baptist Church and facilitates NEFBA’s involvement in an array of good works.
????In fact, it was Davis who first approached NEFBA’s Charitable Foundation with a challenge: He would raise $100,000 for construction of Trinity Rescue Mission’s Women’s & Children’s Center if the organization would provide matching funds.
????As it turned out, NEFBA, led by Greg Matovina of Matovina & Company, kicked in more than $1 million in cash and in-kind donations and built the new facility using volunteer labor.
?????“I’ve been so blessed,” Davis says, “and the best way to pay that back is through helping others.”?