At the 2018 #DTJax Gala: Vintage Circus, we took the opportunity to present the #DTJax Awards to celebrate the people and projects that make Downtown Jacksonville a better place to live, work, visit and invest. The Downtown Ambassador of the Year Award honors a Downtown Ambassador who continually goes above and beyond in their service of Downtown’s stakeholders, residents, employees and visitors.
Willie Browner joined Downtown Vision in June of 2016, and has since been an essential member of the Downtown Ambassador program. He came to us from City Rescue Mission and worked for DVI as a temporary employee during One Spark, standing out among a group of 12. When a position became available, we knew we had to have him as a part of our permanent team.
Willie graduated from the City Rescue Mission program shortly after his hire, and currently serves as a mentor to the program. He is our first hire under DVI’s “Second Chance Program,” a program providing employment opportunities for individuals who may be considered unemployable due to prior non-violent convictions. Willie started as a clean team member but was switched to safety and hospitality, a position in which he truly thrives and is an irreplaceable asset.
Willie has received praises from Farah & Farah and Regions Bank for his positive attitude and helpfulness. He also receives the most comment cards from the public, who are so touched by Willie’s thoughtfulness and helpfulness, that they take the time to send these notes in to us. Thank you Willie, and all our Ambassadors, for making Downtown Jacksonville a cleaner and safer place.
Learn more about the Downtown Ambassadors here.