Each year, the JBJ celebrates some of Jacksonville’s business rock stars — and this year, we wanted to make their stardom clear. In this special section, find out why these leaders are hitting the high notes and making a difference.
Kelly Pulignano
TSCG (The Shopping Center Group), Senior Vice President
Age: 31
Quote that has inspired you: “Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.” —Maya Angelou
What has been your biggest accomplishment over the course of your career? Being a part of some of the most significant retail deals in town — from record setting single transactions such as selling the former Toys R Us box at the Town Center to Rooms to Go, to drastically transforming the retail climate in St Johns County by leasing up The Pavilion at Durbin Park from the ground up to the flourishing major shopping center that it is today. I also take pride in my ability to sell Jacksonville by attracting new retailers into the market; recent examples include Buff City Soaps, Crumbl Cookies and Sugar Factory.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the First Coast? I think there is a bit of a chicken-or-egg effect going on with the ability to recruit major employers/tourism to the region and the lack of a thriving downtown offering. However, I believe the tide is turning with the significant pipeline of urban development projects and I am looking forward to seeing the transformation.
What about the First Coast are you proudest of? The diversity of offering – from the incredible natural resources to the awesome restaurant scene.
What do you think the community needs to do more of to shape the next generation? This is not a quick or easy fix – but recruiting more major companies to move or expand their presence here, to provide more strong entry level employment opportunities for recent college graduates. I think we lose a lot of young professionals that could be really impactful here to cities like Atlanta or Miami due to stronger career opportunities with major employers. As stated above, I think major employers are going to have more of an appetite for Jacksonville once we can show a flourishing urban core – so the continued incentives from the city to drive further development will pay off significantly.
