A look at major career developments in the area.
Schroeder named county OMB director
During the Aug. 19 St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners’ regular meeting, Wade Schroeder was appointed the new Office of Management & Budget director.
Schroeder has been the Office of Management & Budget (OMB) assistant director since 2016. He has worked exclusively in OMB for more than 20 years, navigating the county through the 2008 recession, the most recent county growth period and various moments of disaster recovery.
In July, the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States named St. Johns County a 2023 Triple Crown Winner for earning three distinct awards for communicating financial information openly and transparently to the public. St. Johns County is one of just 403 governments in the United States and Canada that received the Triple Crown for fiscal year 2023.
Before joining the county, Schroeder worked for the St. Johns County Clerk of the Courts’ finance department for five years. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the University of Central Florida and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of West Florida.
Decker joins Junior Achievement as director of development
Junior Achievement of North Florida (JANFL) has announced the appointment of Tim Decker as its new director of development, bringing with him more than two decades of leadership experience in nonprofit and child welfare organizations.
Decker joins JANFL from St. Augustine Youth Services, where he served as director of development. Throughout his career, Decker has demonstrated exceptional skill in fundraising, community engagement, donor relations and strategic planning, making him a valuable addition to the organization’s leadership team.
Prior to his role at St. Augustine Youth Services, Decker spent more than 20 years at daniel, Florida’s oldest child-serving agency, where he advanced from residential counselor to director of case management. In that role, he managed services for approximately 700 at-risk children and families and nearly doubled the department’s size while maintaining industry-leading staff retention.
A graduate of the University of Florida with a master’s degree in business administration and the University of North Florida with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Decker is also a certified child welfare case manager.
McCarthy inducted into American College of Trial Lawyers
Rogers Towers has announced that shareholder Ed McCarthy III has been inducted as a fellow into the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL), one of the most exclusive and respected professional organizations for trial lawyers in North America. This honor is extended to no more than 1% of practicing attorneys in any state or province. It is based solely on a rigorous peer nomination process, followed by careful vetting and evaluation.
With this distinction, McCarthy joins an elite group of attorneys across the United States and Canada who have demonstrated the highest standards of trial advocacy, ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism and collegiality. His induction also reinforces Rogers Towers’ status as a home to legal excellence; the firm now proudly boasts four active ACTL fellows, more than any other firm in Northeast Florida.
As co-chair of the firm’s Litigation Department, McCarthy has built a robust and diverse practice, representing clients in complex civil litigation, medical malpractice defense, class actions, trucking litigation, professional liability and commercial disputes. He has successfully represented clients in state and federal courts throughout Florida.
McCarthy currently serves as president-elect of the Downtown Rotary Club of Jacksonville and chairman of Young Life’s Northeast Florida Region and is active on the boards of Christian Healing Ministries and other charitable and professional organizations.
For more information about McCarthy and the litigation team at Rogers Towers, go to rtlaw.com/business-and-tort-litigation.
Jacksonville Symphony appoints principal, assistant librarians
The Jacksonville Symphony has appointed Benjimen Neal as principal librarian and Dr. Shannon Lockwood as assistant librarian ahead of the 2025-26 season. Both bring impressive backgrounds in performance libraries and orchestral music, and the symphony is excited to welcome them to manage this vital part of its operations.
Neal is an accomplished performance librarian with extensive experience at major music institutions. He currently serves as head librarian for the Aspen Music Festival and School, overseeing preparation for all festival programs, including mainstage concerts, operas, musicals and contemporary ensemble performances.
He also works as a library fellow with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, handling all aspects of music preparation and administration.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in music industry and clarinet from Middle Tennessee State University.
Lockwood is a distinguished cellist and educator with degrees from the University of Denver and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She has performed with the Colorado and Jacksonville symphonies and appeared as a soloist with the Jacksonville University Orchestra.
With more than a decade of academic teaching experience, a deep knowledge of symphonic repertoire and prior work in performance libraries, Lockwood brings a strong combination of expertise to the symphony’s library team.
Office Images welcomes business development manager
Office Images has announced that Brooke Dovie Gay has joined its team as business development manager. In her role, Gay’s responsibilities include driving Office Images’ growth by identifying and propelling new business opportunities, building and maintaining client relationships and expanding the company’s market presence in Jacksonville and beyond with an emphasis on hospitality spaces.
Gay joins Office Images with more than 10 years of experience in the design and furniture industry. She takes a collaborative and personalized approach to every project, building and nurturing strong, lasting relationships with clients, partners and stakeholders, while developing innovative solutions that enhance value and support growth. Gay earned a bachelor’s degree in interior design and operational management from the University of North Texas.
Lupi joins real estate company
Joshua Lupi has joined Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty as the newest member of its team of real estate professionals. Lupi earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a focus on real estate and brings a passion for helping clients to achieve their property goals in Northeast Florida.
Lupi can be reached at 912-577-9493, via email at Joshua.Lupi@FloridaNetworkRealty.com, or online at JLupi.FloridaNetworkRealty.com.
The Ponte Vedra/Nocatee office is located at 333 Village Main St., Suite 670, Ponte Vedra Beach. Broker/Manager Erin Spalding can be reached at 904-285-1800, Erin.Spalding@FloridaNetworkRealty.com and floridanetworkrealtycareers.com.
— Compiled by Shaun Ryan
