Ajax Building Corporation Vice President Jay Smith Named to Florida P3 Task Force – Press Release
Ajax Building Corporation is proud to announce that Vice President Jay Smith has been appointed by Governor Rick Scott to serve on the Partnership for Public Facilities and Infrastructure Act Guidelines Task Force. Created by Florida’s new P3 legislation that took effect in July, the task force will recommend guidelines for creating a uniform process for establishing public-private partnerships (P3) across the state.
The seven-member task force is chaired by Craig J. Nichols, Secretary of Florida’s Department of Management Services.
Other appointed members include:
- Frank C. Attkisson, St. Cloud, County Commissioner in Osceola County
- Sonya C. Little, Tampa, Chief Financial Officer for the City of Tampa
- Andy Tuck, Sebring, school board member for Highlands County
- George M. Burgess, Pinecrest, chief operating officer for Becker & Poliakoff
- Michael H. Olenick, Palm City, is the vice president of corporate affairs and chief compliance officer of The Morganti Group
All members will serve a term beginning this month and ending December 31, 2014.
“This new law builds upon Florida’s successes in using public-private partnerships to help solve myriad issues where public funding and resources are stretched or unavailable,” said Smith. “The P3 legislation gives counties, cities, school boards and other political entities the ability to reach beyond traditional methods in developing a wide range of facilities that serve a public purpose.”
These projects may include schools, airports, mass transit infrastructure, schools, roads and highways, healthcare facilities, sports arenas and cultural facilities.
Ajax had direct involvement in a P3 corrections project in building the Baker County Sheriff’s Complex. Completed in 2009 in Macclenny, Florida, the $32.6 million project included a 512-bed detention facility and central buildings for administration, emergency operations and a call center.
As Ajax vice president, Smith, 39, is responsible for the overall management, safety and leadership of the company’s team of more than 125 men and women. He has been involved with more than 200 Ajax construction projects throughout the Southeast. He is the grandson of Ajax founder “Block” Smith, and started as a laborer working in the field then interned while earning his Bachelors degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida. He has served as project engineer, then Director of Business Development before being named Vice President.
About Ajax Building Corporation
A 55-year-old company, Ajax is recognized for its expertise in construction management, design-build and program management of educational, healthcare and commercial facilities, as well as other public and institutional buildings. Ajax is dedicated to building sustainable and high performance facilities — from design to construction and operation —and has 21 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professionals credentialed employees on staff. Ajax maintains Florida offices in Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Gainesville, Orlando, Tampa Bay, Ft. Myers and Punta Gorda, as well Atlanta and Durham, NC. In rankings, the company takes a leadership position in a number of Top Contractor categories. Engineering News Record names Ajax among the Top 100 Green Contractors in the United States. Regionally, Southeast Construction magazine ranks Ajax No. 18 in the list of Top Contractors and No. 15 in Green Builders. McGraw Hill’s Design Build magazine also ranks Ajax No. 67 in the Top Design Builders in the United States.