A look at major career developments in the area.
YMCA of Florida’s First Coast selects new president, CEO
The YMCA of Florida’s First Coast has announced the appointment of Darryl Head as its next president and chief executive officer. Head will join the association in early May, leading the First Coast YMCA’s work to strengthen the community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
He succeeds Eric Mann, who served YMCAs across the country for more than 40 years, including 14 years as president and CEO of the First Coast YMCA. Committed to ensuring a seamless transition, Mann will retire at the end of June.
Most recently, Head served as president and CEO of the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina. He led a team of 1,425 employees across 14 branches and four corporate wellness centers located through an eight-county region, serving more than 78,000 members. Under his leadership, the association opened the transformative YMCA REACH Center in East Winston-Salem, launched major renovations at four branches, established a significant medical partnership, expanded into new communities and achieved record financial and fundraising performances.
“I am so honored to join the First Coast YMCA and to become part of this vibrant and growing community,” said Darryl Head.
Community involvement is very important to Head. Outside of his work with the YMCA, he is an avid runner and frequently trains for races with his running group. He has a strong commitment to youth development as he often volunteers to coach youth sports teams, including basketball, football and soccer. In total, he has coached more than 720 kids in the Winston-Salem area, creating relationships with families across the country.
McNaughton named Sporting JAX president
Sporting Club Jacksonville (Sporting JAX) recently announced that Michael McNaughton, a nationally recognized real estate executive with more than 30 years of experience in large-scale development, mixed-use placemaking and complex real estate operations, has been named president of the Sporting JAX Development Co.
In this role, McNaughton will oversee all real estate, master-planning and development initiatives tied to Sporting JAX’s long-term vision, guiding the creation of a purpose-built, community-centered sporting district that will serve as the permanent home for both the Sporting JAX men’s and women’s teams. His leadership marks a decisive step toward securing the club’s long-term future in Jacksonville and anchoring professional soccer in North Florida for generations to come.
McNaughton is the founder of M2 Real Estate Advisors and brings decades of executive-level experience across virtually every real estate asset class. His background includes leadership roles in street retail, mall and mixed-use redevelopment, office, hospitality, multifamily, infrastructure, industrial and flex space, and major transportation-integrated projects.
As Sporting JAX advances its stadium plan and surrounding mixed-use vision, McNaughton will lead development strategy for a broader, community-centered sporting district that integrates entertainment, dining, family-friendly amenities, public spaces and year-round programming. The district will be designed for inclusive community use, positioning sport as a catalyst for innovation, access and long-term social and economic benefit for Northeast Florida.
Ereck Brown is county’s Employee of the Year
On Feb. 24, St. Johns County recognized 183 employees for their dedication to public service during the annual St. Johns County Service Awards ceremony, honoring team members who have reached significant career milestones while serving the community.
The ceremony also recognized Ereck Brown, utility field supervisor for the Utilities Department, as the 2026 St. Johns County Employee of the Year.
Brown was selected for his leadership, technical expertise and consistent commitment to maintaining reliable utility services that residents depend on every day.
Throughout his career with St. Johns County, Brown has played a key role in supporting essential water and wastewater operations, helping ensure system reliability while mentoring team members and promoting a strong culture of safety and accountability. In his role as utility field supervisor, he oversees field operations that support the county’s expanding utilities system, coordinating crews, responding to operational challenges and helping deliver uninterrupted service to thousands of customers across St. Johns County.
Fullwood named Ability Housing CEO
Ability Housing, a nonprofit developer of affordable multifamily housing across Florida, recently announced the appointment of Reggie Fullwood as the organization’s new chief executive officer. Fullwood is an accomplished executive with deep roots in the affordable housing industry. He has been part of the organization’s board of directors for two separate terms, starting in the early 2000s and most recently serving as chair. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles with The Vestcor Companies and the Metro North Community Development Corp. — experiences that strengthened his knowledge of Florida’s housing landscape, including multifamily and single-family development, as well as community-based, resident-centered programs.
Since 2022, he has served as the CEO of Operation New Hope: a Jacksonville-headquartered, nationally recognized nonprofit focused on workforce development and reentry services, which has added offices under his oversight in St. Augustine, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg and the Space Coast region.
— Compiled by Shaun Ryan
