JAXPORT honors late Chief Operating Officer James Bennett
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The family of JAXPORT’s late Chief Operating Officer, James Bennett, recently joined port leadership, the University of North Florida (UNF) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to honor his life and legacy.
“James’s influence extended far beyond his job description. In many ways, he was the heart and soul of JAXPORT,” said JAXPORT Board Chair Palmer Clarkson.
Jacksonville City Council President Nick Howland presented Bennett’s family with a City Council resolution honoring his life and service. Passed in January, the resolution recognizes his contributions to JAXPORT and communities throughout Northeast Florida.
Bennett joined JAXPORT in 2017 as Senior Director of Engineering and Construction and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2022. He led operations and engineering, JAXPORT’s two largest departments, which together represent more than half of the port’s workforce. He also oversaw construction projects from concept to completion, bringing knowledge, commitment and attention to detail to every undertaking.
His work included a $100 million berth modernization project, improvements to the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal and the expansion of Blount Island’s container and auto-handling capabilities. He also worked closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Jacksonville Harbor Deepening Project, which created a 47-foot-deep shipping channel.
“James was an extraordinary engineer. His technical mastery, vision and problem solving were world class,” said USACE Jacksonville District Senior Project Manager and Acting Branch Chief Jason Harrah.
Harrah presented Bennett’s family with a survey marker bearing James’s name. It will be installed at Auto Berth 21 on Blount Island as a permanent reminder of his impact on the terminal.
James’s vision extended to JAXPORT’s landside facilities. Before joining the port, he spent more than 20 years with the Florida Department of Transportation, including serving as Planning Manager for District Two. At JAXPORT, he spearheaded a new roadway and entrance to improve traffic flow at Blount Island Marine Terminal. Even before his passing, colleagues affectionately referred to it as the “James Bennett Highway.”
“James understood that infrastructure is about more than concrete and pavement,” said JAXPORT CEO Eric Green. “It is about connecting people, improving safety and preparing our port for the future.”
The JAXPORT Board approved construction of the second entrance and named the roadway “James Bennett Way” in his honor. The project will reduce traffic at the terminal’s main gate, and the new security plaza will display a plaque recognizing James.
James was equally committed to the next generation. A respected leader in engineering and transportation, he frequently spoke to UNF engineering classes. Following his passing, colleagues, tenants and community partners asked how they could help honor his professional contributions and the personal impact he had on so many.
Their support established the James Bennett Memorial Endowed Scholarship at UNF. To date, $181,250 has been raised from nearly 80 donors. The scholarship will support junior- and senior-level students pursuing degrees in engineering or transportation and logistics. Recipients must be from the five-county North Florida area, demonstrate financial need and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA. Preference will be given to students from James’s home community of Baker County.
FDOT has also committed to offering each scholarship recipient a paid internship, giving students hands-on experience as they prepare for their careers.
A paver bearing James’s name will be placed near the front of UNF’s Student Union in February 2027. It reads: “In memory of James Bennett, servant leader who led with heart and lifted us all.”
“Years from now, a student will sit in a classroom, or walk a terminal, because of a man they never met. And they will go on to build something,” said UNF Interim President Dr. Angela Garcia Falconetti. “James Bennett showed us what one person can do through leadership and service.”
Support for the scholarship came from JAXPORT tenants TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, Crowley, Trailer Bridge, Enstructure, SSA Marine, Southeast Toyota Distributors and AMPORTS, as well as the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, FDOT, the Propeller Club – Port of Jacksonville and many individual donors.
JAXPORT leadership also presented the Bennett family with a photo James took while sailing aboard Norwegian Gem, a cruise ship he helped bring to Jacksonville. From the ship, he captured the cranes, equipment and reinforced pavement that were part of the progress he helped make possible. The photo is surrounded by signatures from the JAXPORT team.
“It is a remarkable image because it shows JAXPORT through James’ eyes: a port he helped build, photographed from a ship he helped bring here,” Green said. “We hope it will serve as a lasting reminder of the extraordinary mark he left on this port and all of us.”
“Hearing you talk about his accomplishments reminds us of what we always knew to be true. He didn’t just come to work – he put his heart into it,” his daughter Cloey said. “On behalf of me and my family, thank you for loving my dad, respecting him and his work, and keeping his legacy alive in such a beautiful way.”
Donations in honor of James can still be made through UNF: https://gift.unf.edu/campaign/833740/donate
