Business Images Hattiesburg, MS 2009-10

BUSINESS

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GREATER HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI

From Here to Everywhere Road, rail, air network keeps commerce moving

A Downtown Looking Up Preservation efforts give city center new vibe

Where Ideas Blossom The Garden lets innovation take root

SPONSORED BY THE AREA DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP | 2009

contents BUSINESS ®

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14

OVERVIEW

7

BUSINESS ALMANAC

8

BUSINESS CLIMATE

It Means Business

10

Diverse economy puts Pine Belt on growth curve.

All for One

13

HEALTH

Picture of Health

14

Expanding facilities demonstrate sector’s strength.

20

State-of-the-Art Care

17

EDUCATION

Where Innovation Is Born

18

Southern Miss is a Pine Belt knowledge asset.

TR ANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS

From Here to Everywhere

20

Transit network makes the region a business hub.

TECHNOLOGY

Where Ideas Blossom

22

Innovation takes root at The Garden.

24

LIVABILITY

A Downtown Looking Up

24

Preservation efforts give city center vitality.

RECREATION

Walk This Way

28

The Pine Belt makes it easy to get outdoors.

ARTS & CULTURE

On a High Note

30

Symphony scores an international reputation.

ECONOMIC PROFILE

32

On the Cover PHOTO BY BRIAN McCORD The Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg

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BUSINESS

contents

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2009 EDITION, VOLUME 1

CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

MANAGING EDITOR BILL McMEEKIN COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, JESSY YANCEY ONLINE CONTENT MANAGER MATT BIGELOW STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN

VIRTUAL MAGAZINE >>

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MICHAELA JACKSON, JOE MORRIS DATA MANAGER RANETTA SMITH

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STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, J. KYLE KEENER PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ANNE WHITLOW

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR BRIAN SMITH ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, CANDICE SWEET, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER ALISON HUNTER GRAPHIC DESIGN ERICA HINES, JESSICA MANNER, JANINE MARYLAND, AMY NELSON, MARCUS SNYDER WEB PROJECT MANAGERS ANDY HARTLEY, YAMEL RUIZ WEB DESIGN LEAD FRANCO SCARAMUZZA WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULZ COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA ALLEN AD TRAFFIC JESSICA CHILDS, MARCIA MILLAR, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN

NEWS AND NOTES >>

Get the Inside Scoop on the

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN

latest developments in Greater

SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER

Hattiesburg from our editors and

V.P./SALES TODD POTTER

V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER

business insiders

V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM MANAGING EDITOR/CUSTOM KIM NEWSOM

Workstyle A spotlight on innovative companies that call Greater Hattiesburg home

SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS >>

Meet the people setting the pace for Greater Hattiesburg business

MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA MCFARLAND, LISA OWENS RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH

DIG DEEPER >>

IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY

to local Web sites and resources

CUSTOM/TRAVEL SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY

to give you the big picture of

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN

DATA CENTRAL >>

A by-the-numbers look at doing business and living in Greater Hattiesburg

Our award-winning photographers give you a virtual peek inside Greater Hattiesburg

NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR JAMES SCOLLARD

Log into the community with links

Greater Hattiesburg

See the Video

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE

GUIDE TO SERVICES >>

Links to a cross section of goods and services in Greater Hattiesburg

GO ONLINE

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

Business Images Greater Hattiesburg is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Area Development Partnership.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Area Development Partnership One Convention Center Plaza â&#x20AC;¢ Hattiesburg, MS 39401 Phone: (601) 296-7500 â&#x20AC;¢ Fax: (601) 296-7505 www.theadp.com VISIT BUSINESS IMAGES GREATER HATTIESBURG ONLINE AT IMAGESHATTIESBURG.COM ©Copyright 2009 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

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G R E AT E R H AT T I E S B U R G

overview

GREATER HATTIESBURG MAKES IT EASY TO WORK AND PLAY The health-care industry employs more than 8,200 people, generating almost $400 million in payroll.

Besides being economic drivers, the region’s health systems provide a full range of services using the latest in cutting-edge treatments and technology.

The three-county Greater Hattiesburg area is the ideal place to grow a business, a family or a future.

The region, which includes Forrest, Lamar and Perry Hattiesburg counties, is one of the most progressive areas in the state. Its low cost of living, favorable business climate, recreational and cultural attractions, and community services contribute to its outstanding quality of life.

Interstate 59 and two major U.S. highways, 49 and 98, provide access to major markets and the region is served by nine third-party, multi-terminal ground transportation firms and numerous independent firms, as well as three Class 1 rail lines. HattiesburgLaurel Regional Airport and Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport in Hattiesburg help serve the area’s air travel needs.

Greater Hattiesburg has nurtured a pro-business culture and low cost structure deeply rooted in a diverse economy.

From a lively downtown Hattiesburg, with its bevy of historic and restored buildings, to the 41 miles of trails at Longleaf Trace to the art galleries, museums, performing arts and championshipcaliber golf courses, the Pine Belt offers amenities that rival any large metro area, but with unparalleled scenic beauty, ease of getting around, low crime rates and comfortable living. It’s no wonder Greater Hattiesburg is a destination of choice for a growing number of retirees. It’s easy to see why the Pine Belt is the ideal place to work, live, play and stay.

A major knowledge asset is the 16,000-student University of Southern Mississippi, which includes a world-class polymer research center. The Garden, a 521-acre innovation park, will become a key in bringing research concepts to market and creating new jobs. The 2,600-student William Carey University and a stable of community colleges provide quality education for students and help the Pine Belt’s employers meet their workforce needs.

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Sumrall Petal 98

59

Hattiesburg 15

LAM AR R Purvis

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SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Take a virtual tour of the Pine Belt at imageshattiesburg.com, courtesy of our awardwinning photographers.

G R E AT E R H AT T I E S B U R G

New Augusta

F OR O RE EST

Beaumont

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98

McLain

P ER R RY

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Lumberton

Richton

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I M AG E S H AT T I E S B U R G . C O M

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THE REALLY BIG PICTURE

A GOLDEN PLACE TO LIVE The Pine Belt is a great place to spend your retirement years.

That’s according to Where to Retire magazine, specifically in its September/October 2008 issue. The magazine is devoted to helping people with retirement relocation decisions, and it profiled Hattiesburg as one of eight communities with safe and well maintained cycling trails and amenities suitable for retirement.

The magazine named Hattiesburg as one of the 100 Best Retirement Towns in America, one of the many recognitions the region has earned for its desirability as a retirement locale.

One of the largest murals in all of Mississippi is at the Library of Hattiesburg, Petal and Forrest County. The mural is a circular, 167-foot painting with historical and contemporary images of South Mississippi, and is entitled The Spirit that Builds.

It was painted on sandblasted stainless steel by artist William Baggett, and received the 1996 Governor’s Award for the Design of Public Space.

CLOSE-KNIT GROUP

PATS ON THE BACK

The art of quilting is very much alive in Greater Hattiesburg.

The region is ranked in the top 10 among cities on National Geographic’s 2008 list of the Best Places to Live and Play in America. The city of 45,000 was lauded for its median home price of $72,000, and for Grand Tudor and Victorian homes that line its streets.

The Pine Belt Quilters of Hattiesburg is a 150-member club devoted to helping preserve the American artistic and cultural heritage of the craft.

The group says it recognizes that quilts not only look beautiful on a bed, but also are works of art suitable for hanging on a wall.

Way to go, Hattiesburg.

The magazine also mentioned the historic Saenger Theater, an Art Deco movie house, and the De Soto National Forest’s 41-mile Black Creek Trail as major assets.

The Pine Belt Quilters offer educational programs, show-and-tell, workshops, community service project groups and a biennial quiltshow as part of their efforts. For more information on the organization, go to www.pinebeltquilters.com.

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G R E AT E R H AT T I E S B U R G

business almanac

ART, MUSIC, FOOD & FUN Downtown Hattiesburg becomes party central when one of the region’s biggest festivals takes place each year.

HUBFEST features fine art, crafts, local cuisine and entertainment, with the 2008 festival headlined by the Pointer Sisters performing at the Saenger Theater. The Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra accompanied the Pointer Sisters at the 2008 event.

The 2009 HUBFEST is scheduled for March 28, celebrating Hattiesburg’s 125th anniversary.

MENTION THE CONVENTION More than 1.5 million people have walked through the doors of the Lake Terrace Convention Center since it opened in July 1998.

Those visitors have generated $145 million for the Greater Hattiesburg economy, creating a positive ripple effect of $200 million. Convention South Magazine has named the center “Best of the Best” on three different occasions.

SALUTING THIS MUSEUM The Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby is the official military history museum for the state of Mississippi.

It features more than 16,000 square feet of exhibit space, including a theater and a Medal of Honor tower, and holds 17,000 artifacts.

Individual displays are devoted to World War I, World War II and the Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars.

Memorabilia ranges from large military vehicles, weapons and equipment, to archival materials relating to the history of Mississippi’s veterans and training facilities.

Lake Terrace offers 68,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit halls, conference rooms and gathering spaces.

Go to www.laketerrace.com for more on the center.

SMELL THE ROSES The University of Southern Mississippi is home to one of only two All-American Rose Gardens in the state. Each year, Southern Miss receives roses from the AllAmerican Rose Society, and those new plants join 750 others that make up the garden at the front of the university. The garden has been in existence since 1972.

G R E AT E R H AT T I E S B U R G

I M AG E S H AT T I E S B U R G . C O M

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BRIAN MCCORD

business climate

The high-performance, zero-toxin Mythic paint paint grew out of six years of research at the University of Southern Mississippi.

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G R E AT E R H AT T I E S B U R G

It Means

Business Diverse economy puts Pine Belt on a growth curve

W

hen promoting the Pine Belt as a business destination, the question isn’t what attributes to highlight, but in what order to highlight them.

A vibrant, diversified and sophisticated business sector, superior cultural and recreational offerings, renowned education assets and a highly skilled workforce make the three-county, Greater Hattiesburg region a magnet for business relocation, investment and expansion.

“Whether you’re looking to relocate your business, expand what you have or create a new business, our diverse economy is a definite strength for you,” says Dr. Angeline Godwin, president of the Area Development Partnership. “We have always recognized the critical importance of not having a one-horse economy.”

Godwin also touts Hattiesburg’s physical location near major markets

G R E AT E R H AT T I E S B U R G

and ports, as well as its hub location for several state and federal highway and interstate routes. That, coupled with a positive approach to change, has always allowed the region’s businesses to lead the charge, she says.

“Hattiesburg has always been friendly toward our business, and the city’s really a good snapshot of what every city in the South would like to be,” says Bill Hudson, who is the third generation of his family to head the 72-year-old Hudson Salvage LLC. “We have all the positives here and few of the negatives, and it’s been a very aggressive market for us.”

Hudson Salvage’s sales in 2008 were up about 30 percent over the previous year, something he attributes to the company’s role as a cost-efficient supplier as well as the city’s businessfriendly environment.

“We’ve grown, and Hattiesburg keeps plugging right along too,” Hudson says.

Scorecard PINE BELT REGION

BY THE NUMBERS

136,000 Population of Forrest, Lamar and Perry counties

51,300 Number of households in region in 2008

$49,800 Average household income

61,100 Total civilian employment

I M AG E S H AT T I E S B U R G . C O M

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P H OTO S B Y B R I A N M C C O R D

business climate

Hattiesburg is known as the Hub City because its location at the intersections of Interstate 59 and U.S. Highways 49, 98 and 11, as well as its proximity to major rail lines, makes it a center of transportation.

“The amount of businesses and industries that have been brought in are signs that we have a very healthy community, and it’s also good that nothing’s been too overwhelming. The new companies that are coming in are helping the marketplace to evolve, not challenge it.”

A case in point is Mythic Paint, touted as the world’s first high-performance, zero-volatile organic compounds, zerotoxins and non-carcinogenic paint.

Mythic came into existence after six years of polymer research at the University of Southern Mississippi and is set to change the paint marketplace from its Hattiesburg headquarters, says Rocky Prior, the company’s president and chief scientific officer.

Mythic Paint is a brand owned by Southern Diversified Products, a company based in Hattiesburg.

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“We have always recognized the critical importance of not having a one-horse economy.”

“Because we are located directly across the street from the University of Southern Mississippi, we have a virtually unlimited pool of talent to draw from and have hired several graduates,” Prior says. “A fairly low cost of living, steady economy, and the university all make this a great place to do business.”

And there are plenty of other success stories like Mythic’s on the ground in

Hattiesburg, notes Godwin.

“There are some very sharp contrasts between our economy and the national picture,” she says. “Our diversity has led to our stability, and we hope that by continuing to maximize and leverage all of our regional assets and resources that we’ll put ourselves in a stronger competitive position as the national economy recovers.”

– Joe Morris

G R E AT E R H AT T I E S B U R G

All for One and One for All REGIONAL APPROACH ENSURES PINE BELT CITIES, COUNTIES PROSPER While the cities and counties that make up the Area Development Partnership’s member base are a diverse group, they all pull together to make the area one of the Southeast’s brightest spots in the economic-development arena.

Beaumont, Hattiesburg, Lumberton, New Augusta, Petal, Purvis, Richton and Sumrall are cities on the move, while the region’s three counties of Forrest, Lamar and Perry also pitch in when it comes to business recruitment, retention and expansion.

All told, the region is able to attract a diverse business base with a combination of low tax structure, well-trained workforce and unmatched quality of life.

Add to the mix a location that allows companies to reach the majority of the U.S. population within a day by car or truck, and it’s easy to see why the threecounty region is leading the way in a state that’s seeing a business renaissance from one end to the other.

A major component that each of the cities and counties in the ADP is using to bolster the Pine Belt’s business base is the Gulf Opportunity Zone tax incentive, put in place in 2005 to help rebuild the area following Hurricane Katrina.

That program, along with a wide array of local and regional incentive packages, explains why the Pine Belt is definitely on the move. And because the incentives are unique to the region, they are just one more reason why the ADP’s 1,200 members are enjoying the benefits of an area-wide, cooperative approach to successful economic development for now and for the future.

– Joe Morris

More Insight FORREST COUNTY www.forrestcountyms.us Cities: Hattiesburg, Petal

G R E AT E R H AT T I E S B U R G

A display at the Copper Kettle in Sumrall, one of eight cities in the threecounty Hattiesburg area that promote regional economic development

THE PINE BELT REGION

LAMAR COUNTY www.lamarcounty.com Cities: Lumberton, Purvis, Sumrall

PERRY COUNTY www.perrycountyms.com Cities: Beaumont, New Augusta, Richton

I M AG E S H AT T I E S B U R G . C O M

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health

Picture of

Health Expanding facilities, enhanced services demonstrate sector’s strength, quality

Scorecard BOOSTER SHOT

12,000 Primary and secondary health-care employment

$393.5M Primary wages generated by health-care sector

$375.2M Value of sector construction planned in next five years

17 Percentage of economy tied to the health-care sector

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I M AG E S H AT T I E S B U R G . C O M

A

s quality-of-life indicator and major employment sector, the Pine Belt region’s health-care industry does double duty – and does it very well.

Through hospitals, clinics and other facilities, Hattiesburg is the center of a 17-county health-care region that employs more than 8,200 people and generates more than $400 million a year in payroll. Add to that the secondary market of service providers and others who support the industry, and it’s easy to see why health care is a major force in the Pine Belt economy.

“We are definitely a driver in the community in terms of our economic impact,” says William C. Oliver, president and chief executive officer at Forrest General Hospital.

The 512-bed facility provides coverage to 17 counties and offers a full range of services at its f lagship facility in Hattiesburg as well as at Highland Community Hospital, a 95-bed, acute-

care facility in Picayune.

The hospital employs more than 2,900 in Hattiesburg and another 300 in Picayune, with an annual payroll of $142 million.

“We did a study a couple of years ago that showed our economic impact in the community to be more than $460 million per year,” Oliver says.

With a reach that covers most of Southern Mississippi, Forrest General works to stay on top of new treatments and technology at its hospitals and offer a range of services in the communities.

“One area where we’ll continue to see growth will be in the outpatient areas,” Oliver says. “We’re working on several new outpatient facilities in the local market and further out in the region, because we want to make sure those patients have access to the latest diagnostic tools, and not have to come all the way to Hattiesburg to have that.”

The 211-bed Wesley Medical Center is equally active in the local market

G R E AT E R H AT T I E S B U R G

BRIAN McCORD

The 512-bed Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg

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Helping with Healing The 2,600-student William Carey University offers fouryear degree programs and advanced degrees in a number of fields of study, including business, behavioral science, nursing, religion, music and elementary education.

The Baptist-affiliated William Carey University, which traces its roots to 1906, has its main campus on 120 acres in Hattiesburg and operates a campus in Gulfport, Miss., and a nursing school at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

A major initiative of the university is the planned College of Osteopathic Medicine, which will open with an inaugural class of 100 students on the Hattiesburg campus by 2010 and become one of only 25 such colleges in the nation.

Students will receive two years of basic medical training and two years of communitybased training, and be assigned to hospitals and clinics in six areas of the state to complete their studies.

The university has initiated a three-phase construction project related to the new school. The first phase will provide classroom space, with administrative offices and a medical clinic coming in later phases. The university has set aside some $19 million for the program and is in the midst of raising an additional $20 million.

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CAREY LAUNCHES OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE PROGRAM

Wesley Medical Center is a 211-bed state-of-the-art medical facility in Hattiesburg that offers acute and intensive-care services, and a variety of specialized treatment.

“We are definitely a driver in the community in terms of our economic impact.” and in surrounding counties, and will continue to roll out new services as it moves towards offering a full-range, comprehensive continuum of care on its campus, says Ronald T. Seal, chief executive officer.

“Our admissions volumes are up about 10 percent over the last year, so we’re continually looking at new opportunities to serve patients,” Seal says. “We’ve added wound care in the past year, and also have a new assistedliving center on our campus. This gives us an acute-care hospital, wellness center, home-health provider, Veteran’s Administration facility, occupational medicine programs and day care, all here on campus.”

Being able to offer just about any service to patients of every age is key to

Wesley’s ongoing business plan.

Community outreach in new programs and bricks-and-mortar facilities is in the mix, with a planned 100-bed expansion to the campus.

“We’re bringing in new physicians, so that we can continue to be a positive in the local market, but we’re also doing that so we can take care of people in our surrounding communities as well,” Seal says. “We’re becoming more of a tertiary- type provider, reaching out into the smaller communities to support them. And as new industries come into the region, we’re reaching out to them, seeing what kinds of corporate programs, like wellness centers, that they’re interested in. That’s another way that we’re helping grow the local economy.”

– Joe Morris

G R E AT E R H AT T I E S B U R G

health

State-of-the-Art Care HATTIESBURG CLINIC PROVIDES GOOD MEDICINE IN THE PINE BELT The clinic also is doing quite a bit of work at its main site, including upgrades to the imaging facilities, with a new MRI scanner and a second CT scanner, as well as additional office space, renovations to the first floor to add food service and enhanced waiting facilities for patients’ families.

“When folks move into an area for a career or to relocate a business, they want to see outstanding facilities and doctors,” Thornton says. “We’ve been able to recruit from all over the United States and the world, and we feel like we have something very special in Hattiesburg.”

– Joe Morris

BRIAN McCORD

If more is better, than things are very good indeed at Hattiesburg Clinic.

The clinic has been providing quality heath-care services in the Pine Belt since 1948, and now is housed in a 6-story, 225,000-square-foot, stateof-the-art facility.

In addition, Hattiesburg Clinic operates 19 familypractice satellite clinics, three immediate-care clinics and 12 dialysis units around southeast Mississippi. It’s that ability to reach into communities and provide convenient care that has helped the clinic grow, and will continue to be a viable model for expansion, says Tommy Thornton, chief executive officer.

“We continue to recruit good doctors, and through them we continue with our first priority, which is to meet the needs of the community throughout the Pine Belt,” Thornton says. “And we are always working to add to our sites when we can, and we should have close to 40 facilities by the end of 2009.”

Hattiesburg Clinic is the largest multi-specialty clinic in Mississippi.

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education

Where

BRIAN McCORD

Innovation is Born

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G R E AT E R H AT T I E S B U R G

Southern Miss is a knowledge leader, economic engine for the state

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t would be enough if the University of Southern Mississippi simply carried out its work of providing a highquality education to some 16,000 students at its main campus in Hattiesburg and five teaching and research sites on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The university, founded in 1910, offers 90 undergraduate degree programs in a range of studies, as well as 75 graduate and doctoral programs.

But its work is felt beyond the classroom and the campus and deep into the Pine Belt, where its knowledge assets aid area companies, its investments in numerous initiatives advance the region’s fortunes and its economic impact is felt deeply in the community.

Direct university employment alone generates a payroll of $94 million.

Coupled with secondary jobs and related income, the economic impact is almost $127 million. Sales taxes to local governments from university-connected purchases total almost $700,000.

Southern Miss is part of a deep pool of higher-education talent that includes the 2,600-student, four-year William Carey University and two standout community colleges – the 5,000-student Jones County Junior College in Ellisville and the 4,600-student Pearl River Community College in Poplarville.

Southern Miss is home to the highly regarded School of Polymers and High Performance Materials, housed in a

Scorecard SOUTHERN MISS BY THE NUMBERS

16,000 Enrollment, including 12,234 undergraduates

18:1 Student-faculty ratio

$94M Annual payroll

$500M Value of research to come to the university since 2001

$30 million facility with $20 million of the latest research instrumentation.

And university is a key backer of The Garden, a 521-acre innovation and commercialization park in Hattiesburg that will help transform ideas into marketable products.

“We are trying to build a culture of innovation,” says Dr. Cecil Burge, vice president for research and economic development at Southern Miss. “We believe in cultivating ideas and helping

turn them into viable businesses in the marketplace with products and jobs.”

Burge notes that university research in Mississippi is now considered a major business, with an equivalent of $500 million in annual revenue.

Since 2001, the Southern Miss research enterprise has brought nearly $500 million into the university, providing jobs, helping create needed infrastructure, attracting top-flight faculty and enhancing academic opportunities for students and faculty.

Several areas of university research, such as the School of Polymers, Marine Aquaculture at Gulf Coast Research Laboratory and Ocean Observation Systems at Stennis Space Center, are multimillion-dollar enterprises.

“We are trying to build an innovation continuum where we have a hand in training students to do research, starting companies and helping them expand here in Mississippi,” Burge says. Attracting more research funding, he says, allows for a participative learning environment for students and ensures the university remains competitive.

As home to a symphony orchestra, art gallery, major college sports programs and other cultural, recreational and community service offerings, the university has a broad reach.

“Southern Miss helps enhance the success of the entire region, through enhancing the quality of life,” he says.

The University of Southern Mississippi serves 16,000 students on its Hattiesburg main campus and five sites on the Gulf Coast.

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transportation & logistics

Hub of

Activity P H OTO S B Y B R I A N M C C O R D

A strong road, rail and air network moves goods from here to everywhere

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Park It Here PINE BELT PACKED WITH QUALITY INDUSTRIAL SPACE

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reater Hattiesburg sits in the south central geographic region of Mississippi – smack in the middle of what looks like a large wheel with several long spokes.

An extensive transportation network crisscrosses the region. Interstate 59 and Highways 98, 49 and 42 all pass through Hattiesburg, one of the reasons for its “Hub City” moniker.

“I think our location puts us in a unique situation,” says Annie McMillan, vice president for community development at the Area Development Partnership. “When you’re talking about shipping long distance, you want something that’s cost effective for that business or industry.”

In this department, Hattiesburg does not disappoint. Nine third-party, multiterminal ground transportation firms, including FedEx Ground, National Freight and Baldwin Transfer Co., serve the area.

Ground shipping is simplified for companies by the region’s proximity to markets such as New Orleans, Mobile and Jackson (all less than a two-hour drive).

The options for business transport extend far beyond roadways. Three Class 1 rail lines serve the region: Canadian National, Kansas City Southern and Norfolk Southern. Highways and rail also connect the Pine Belt easily to four major ports along the Gulf of Mexico.

“Hattiesburg is in a prime location, and we’re positioned so that we can serve our companies, helping them

better serve the people that they need to get their products to,” McMillan says.

“That’s very vital to the work that we do in locating industry to the area or expanding existing industry.”

Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport offers daily scheduled commercial passenger service by Northwest Airlink as well as general aviation services through U.S. Aviation Corp.

General aviation services for corporate and private aircraft include Jet-A and 100LL Avgas fueling, executive support and pilot service. Charter service for corporate and leisure travel is also available at the airport.

Hattiesburg-Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport has been the city’s general aviation airport for 75 years.

“The airport plays a major role in economic development by affording those people wishing to locate a business in this area the opportunity to fly as close to their location as possible,” says Chip Gibson, manager at Southeast Aviation, which handles refueling and hangar services at the airport.

Hattiesburg-Bobby L. Chain, which is owned by the city, is continually expanding. The most recent project was a new hangar for aircraft storage.

“Many of the businesses in Hattiesburg’s industrial park have corporate aircraft. They fly the aircraft in with personnel and conduct business, and it allows them to return home the same day,” Gibson says.

– Michaela Jackson

Greater Hattiesburg offers easy access to several major highways and rail lines.

Left: Hattiesburg-Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport is a business draw.

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When it comes to industrial parks, the Area Development Partnership has Greater Hattiesburg covered.

The ADP manages seven parks in Forrest, Lamar and Perry counties.

Two parks are still under development, while the others that are in operation are home to more than 40 companies that employ more than 2,000 people.

Grater Hattiesburg’s access to Interstate 59 and major highways make it an ideal locale for logistics and distribution operations.

While there is no specific industry for which the parks are designed, many technology and polymer-related businesses are finding their way into the region, attracted in part by the premier polymer research program at the University of Southern Mississippi.

“That brings a whole new perspective to what we do, because we are actively seeking those companies that are technologically based for this area, so as to create a more diverse group of industries in this region to stabilize the economy,” says Annie McMillan, vice president for community development at the ADP. “With new things coming on board in the polymer area, we truly believe the trend is upward for the parks.”

– Michaela Jackson

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livability

A Downtown

BRIAN MCCORD

Looking

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Up Preservation efforts give city center vibe and vitality

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ost downtown revitalization efforts focus on preserving what’s left, rather than building on what’s there.

In Hattiesburg, it’s just the opposite.

Visionary leaders over the years have kept many of downtown’s historic buildings intact, creating a vibrant city center that continues to cater to visitors and residents alike, says Betsy Rowell, executive director of the Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association.

The Hattiesburg association is part of the Mississippi Main Street Association program that was certified in the 1980s.

“Like most cities in the 1970s, when the mall was built in the suburbs, downtown retail moved,” Rowell says. “But in the 1980s, we had a mayor who was very interested in downtown revitalization, and that spurred a lot of what happened in the early days of this organization.”

Interest in downtown and keeping historic structures has remained strong, she says, with the association working with city and county governments, the Area Development Partnership, Hattiesburg Convention Commission and Hattiesburg Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Along the way, landmarks such as the Saenger Theater were restored and the Hattiesburg Depot

More Insight RESTORATION BOOSTERS Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association (HHDA) www.down townhattiesburg.com HHDA is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to revitalization and development in historic downtown Hattiesburg.

The former Hattiesburg Depot is one of many buildings with a new life in the city’s downtown.

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livability

“You can’t find this type of downtown anywhere else, and it’s very unique.” businesses to the area.

“We had some visionaries who saved our old buildings, so we’re very intact,” Rowell says. “You can’t find this type of downtown anywhere else, and it’s very unique. We’re the seat of the city and county governments, and the bulk of our financial institutions are downtown, and of course law firms and other related businesses. It’s a good mix, but at the top of our wish list is more retail.”

Working with the existing small-business community will be the association’s mandate going forward, she says, to grow that aspect of the city center.

“Most of our properties are owned by local people, and we have some very interesting stories about families that have bought one building and wound up becoming multiple property owners,” Rowell says.

“We’re telling that story,” she says, “and showing what incentives are available for investors, to get other people to come in and capture the vision as well.”

– Joe Morris

BRIAN MCCORD

was renovated to become the Hattiesburg Intermodal Center. Efforts now are under way to restore and renovate the old Hattiesburg High School, which will be used by University of Southern Mississippi College of Arts and Letters and other groups once the work is done.

While preservation is important, adaptive reuse of many landmarks has allowed them to play a part in the city’s ongoing economic development picture, Rowell says.

The downtown is host to a lively farmer’s market, art-walk events and other special activities that bring people into the center city.

“We’ve partnered with Visit Hattiesburg and the Saenger Theater for special-events programming and discounts, all to make sure that we get visiting groups to put a couple of their events in the downtown area, and to make sure both residents and visitors know that downtown is a space that welcomes them,” says Rowell.

Because downtown Hattiesburg is still buildings and not parking lots, the association is actively recruiting all types of

The historic Saenger Theater in downtown Hattiesburg opened in 1929 and underwent a $3.75 million renovation in 2000.

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Flower Community effort enhances the region’s natural beauty

S TA F F P H OTO

Power

The multipronged Pinebelt in Bloom beautification program aims to make the region even more aesthetically pleasing.

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ith its Pinebelt in Bloom program and strong partnerships with area green thumbs, the Area Development Partnership is augmenting Hattiesburg’s natural beauty one bloom at a time.

Modeled after America in Bloom, the multipronged initiative is all about creating a grassroots effort to enhance the area’s aesthetics through community planting in beds and gardens, reforestation and other initiatives.

The effort is helping to mitigate damage caused by Hurricane Katrina and other storms and pretty up some neglected corners of the region, says Dr. Angeline Godwin, president of the Area Development Partnership.

“We designed the program to be a cornerstone of our quality-of-life initiative, and the goal is to create oases throughout the community,” Godwin says. “We’re already seeing evolutions of areas that were unattractive or just plain to planted areas that have become truly beautiful.”

The Hattiesburg Area Daylily Society is certainly doing its part.

As a part of the American Hemerocallis Society, the Hattiesburg outfit is charged with taking part in such efforts as Pinebelt in Bloom and is doing so with gusto, says Bud Kirkpatrick, publicity chairman.

“That’s one of the things an accredited daylily society must do, but we’re also striving to meet

G R E AT E R H AT T I E S B U R G

all the requirements to become a designed daylily city,” Kirkpatrick says. “We’re one of the largest organizations in the nation, and we have the largest show in the nation, with more than 600 plants.”

The group has gotten the city to formally designate the daylily as Hattiesburg’s official f lower, and several beds have been created throughout the region, including near the University of Southern Mississippi and Lake Terrace Convention Center, with the society working in tandem with the landowners to ensure a smooth operation.

“The hosts prepare the beds, and then our daylily folks come out and do the planting,” Kirkpatrick says. “And then we give them instructions on how to keep the bed up and so forth.”

Efforts such as this play into the future of Pinebelt in Bloom, which may include a series of sculpture gardens and other projects that will create even more aesthetic appeal.

“This is something that every single citizen can participate in, whether they’re cleaning up a vacant lot or just doing some planting,” Godwin says. “When we initiated the concept in 2006, it was more about cleaning up some areas, but now with neighborhood associations and others we are really bringing about beautification that involves all the citizens.

– Joe Morris

More Insight PLANT MANAGERS Pinebelt in Bloom: www.Pinebelt inBloom.com Hattiesburg Area Daylily Society: www.hattiesburg daylily.com

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technology

Where

Great Ideas

Blossom Innovation is taking root at The Garden research park

BRIAN MCCORD

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I

ncubators, research centers and industrial parks are the bread and butter that the economic development world feeds on.

But the Pine Belt is going one better, turning heads with an ambitious 521acre innovation and commercialization park known as The Garden.

Spearheaded by the University of Sout hern Mississippi Resea rch Foundation, The Garden will couple growing businesses with the expertise of the university to rapidly develop and deploy up-and-coming technology and bring it to market.

“When we have good ideas and good technological developments, we should be able to transfer them into something that will help society,” says Dr. Shelby Thames, former Southern Miss president and a polymer science and engineering professor who first conceived of The Garden. “We’ll do anything we can to help businesses get ahead, help them find resources, help them with the science or the business, or marketing.”

When fully developed, The Garden will feature laboratory and research space, a business incubator and land for the development of office operations.

The Garden’s first building, the National Formulation Science Laboratory, will vastly speed the kind of small-scale research and production that is already taking place at the university’s highly regarded School of Polymers and High Performance Materials.

Formulation projects that currently take as long as a year, for example, will be possible in one day. The $27 million, 65,000-square-foot facility is on track to open in summer 2009.

Viridis Development Group has also committed to build a $25 million, 100,000-square-foot office and research building on the site.

“Companies want to locate next to the research enterprise of the university, and what we’ve been told is that they

G R E AT E R H AT T I E S B U R G

“They had a vision of how they wanted this economy to develop. There was never any discontinuity in message.” need a place to land,” says Cecil Burge, Southern Miss vice president for research and economic development.

The idea for the park was born out of experiences with upstart tech companies like Hybrid Plastics. The California transplant came to Hattiesburg because of the renowned polymer science program, and the university offered the company space in which to work while it established operations.

Hundreds of companies around the world own patents on the use of Hybrid’s revolutionary product, POSS, and it has recently doubled the manufacturing capacity at its Pine Belt operations.

POSS serves as a chemical feedstock, which means it is a basic component of other chemicals and substances, says Joseph Lichtenhan, president and CEO. A major factor in the company’s

choice of the Pine Belt was the unity of message and service between all players, from the university and local chamber to the state and federal government.

“They had a vision of how they wanted this economy to develop,” Lichtenhan says. “There was never any discontinuity in Mississippi’s message.”

Beyond the university, the city of Hattiesburg, Forrest County Industrial Park Commission and Area Development Partnership are backers.

“I am optimistic that The Garden will be the birthplace of new ideas and the realization of the same,” says Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny L. Dupree.

“It opens doors to a new horizon of occupations and development of new products that will benefit not only the Hattiesburg area, but also the world.”

– Michaela Jackson

The Garden is a 521-acre tech-oriented innovation park under development next to the University of Southern Mississippi that will include lab and incubator space.

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recreation

Walk

This Way

JEFF ADKINS

The Pine Belt makes it easy to enjoy the great outdoors

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“For instance, in 2008 the Friends noticed that water fountains at two of the stations had only warm water, so we requested refrigerated water at those two stops. A short time later, refrigerated water was installed,” she says.

Farmer says she is proud of all six municipalities for consistently providing upkeep to the trace.

“Debris that falls on Longleaf is blown off three times a week along all 41 miles,” she says. “In fact, there was a lot of major damage along the trace in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina, but the trail was back to looking great within only two months.”

Another outdoor hotspot in the Pine Belt Region is Paul B. Johnson Park, which features a 300-acre lake for activities such as paddle boating, canoeing and fishing. There is also an 18-hole disc golf course on site.

On Black Creek, adventure lovers who like to hike and canoe can enjoy this waterway, which has been designated a National Wild and Scenic River.

“For hunters, there are many opportunities around Hattiesburg to go after deer and wild turkey, while the rivers and tributaries offer good catches of bass, catfish, walleye and bream,” says Stewart Smith, marketing director for the Pat Harrison Waterway District that includes Hattiesburg.

“And with the nice weather we have here in Southern Mississippi, this is just an ideal place if you are a fan of the great outdoors.”

– Kevin Litwin

TO D D B E N N E T T

he Pine Belt offers a variety of recreational options that will move in the most inveterate couch potato to get up and go outdoors.

Everything from a host of four-season golf courses, to running and bicycling to bass fishing and deer hunting can easily be enjoyed in the community.

Bikers, walkers, runners and inline skaters are drawn to Longleaf Trace, a 41-mile recreation trail that stretches from Hattiesburg to Prentiss.

The asphalt pathway was established in 2002 after three cities and three counties decided to transform an old railroad bed into a health-and-wellness destination.

Longleaf is registered as a national trail, and it starts in Hattiesburg at the University of Southern Mississippi campus, says Leslie Farmer, president of the Friends of Longleaf Trace advocacy group.

“I like to inline skate, so I’m on Longleaf all the time,” she says. “I can’t say enough good things about it.”

The pathway is 10 to 15 feet wide, and there are eight stations along the way with bathroom facilities and drink machines. There are also several horse-riding trails that branch off from the trace.

Friends of Longleaf Trace reports requests, questions and suggestions to a formal board comprised of three overseeing cities (Hattiesburg, Prentiss, Sumrall) and three counties (Forrest, Jefferson Davis, Lamar).

Above: The Pine Belt’s weather makes golf at its numerous championship-caliber courses a year-round activity. Left: Greater Hattiesburg offers abundant opportunities for all types of water recreation including boating, canoeing and fishing.

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arts & culture

On a

High

BRIAN MCCORD

Note

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Southern Miss symphony’s reputation gains attention of big-name talent

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lacido Domingo has performed with them, as have Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma. And so have Ray Charles, Dionne Warwick and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

The University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra is the oldest symphony in the Magnolia State, with its origins dating back to 1920.

Today’s orchestra is comprised of 90 musicians – all Southern Miss students – who play a variety of wind, string and percussion instruments.

Much of the credit for attracting the renowned musicians who have performed with the symphony in recent years belongs to orchestra maestro Jay Dean, says Dr. Michael Lopinto, marketing educational outreach coordinator for the orchestra.

“Jay arrived in 1988 and honed our program to not only be important for the students who perform, but also to allow them to perform with some of the greatest artists in the world,” he says.

Lopinto says the symphony has built up such a good reputation that it has

been able to enroll top student musicians from 15 countries. The orchestra performs most of its concerts at Bennett Auditorium on campus, and averages eight major performances per year during its season, which runs from September through May. Doc Severinsen, Joshua Bell, soprano Denyce Graves and virtuoso f lautist Sir James Galway have been among the guests performing with the orchestra.

“Placido Domingo was our biggest and perhaps most exciting concert, which we performed at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in front of 10,000 avid opera fans,” Lopinto says.

Many of the big-name performers have been pleasantly surprised to see just how well the symphony can perform, Lopinto says. In fact, he says, whenever the Trans-Siberian Orchestra performs the Southern leg of its annual Christmasseason tour, it hires several Southern Miss string performers for its concerts in that part of the country.

“Itzhak Perlman and Doc Severinsen actually returned to perform at our

campus a second time, while Yo-Yo Ma spent an entire day on campus in various classroom rehearsal sessions with the students prior to his nighttime concert,” he says. “Booking agents now know about us, so we continue to attract big names to perform here on the Southern Miss campus.”

The orchestra not only performs operas and classical-music concerts, but also musicals and high-end pops concerts. That repertoire has earned the symphony a 2009 Governor’s Award for Excellence for its Leadership in the Arts.

The orchestra is in the midst of a capital campaign called Five in Five, trying to raise $5 million by 2010 for scholarship endowments that will go to every Southern Miss symphony performer on stage.

“These talented students deserve scholarships just like the sports athletes receive,” Lopinto says. “This endowment drive will make sure that it all happens.”

– Kevin Litwin

Placido Domingo is one of several international performers who have appeared with the University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. The 90-member orchestra is comprised entirely of Southern Miss student musicians.

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ECONOMIC PROFILE BUSINESS CLIMATE

MAJOR EMPLOYERS

The economic base of the Greater Hattiesburg area is very diverse.

Primary employers fall within one of four categories: health care, education, military and manufacturing/distribution.

POPULATION 2008 estimate Greater Hattiesburg, 141,000 Forrest County, 76,411 Lamar County, 47,580 Perry County, 12,054

TRANSPORTATION Commercial Airports Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport is located nine miles north of Hattiesburg. www.hlrairport.com (601) 545-3111, (601) 649-2444 Gulfport- Biloxi International Airport is located 55 miles south of Hattiesburg.

(228) 863-5951, (866) 4GPTBLX

Jackson, Mississippi International (JAN) is located 85 miles northeast of Hattiesburg. www.jmaa.com, (601) 939-5631

Forrest General Hospital

3,400

The University of Southern Mississippi

2,300

Hattiesburg Clinic

1,750

Camp Shelby

1,503

Wesley Medical Center

1,100

Lamar County School District

1,001

COST OF LIVING INDEX

Marshall Durbin Poultry

900

Second Quarter 2007 Composite Index, 90.0 Groceries, 94.3 Housing, 80.0 Utilities, 96.7 Transportation, 97.0 Health care, 87.9 Goods and services, 92.7

Hudson Salvage Inc.

850

Hattiesburg Public School District

800

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is located 100 miles southwest of Hattiesburg. www.flymsy.com (504) 464-0831

City of Hattiesburg

781

2008 CIVILIAN EMPLOYMENT BY OCCUPATION Forrest County

Lamar County

Perry County

3,176/9.44%

2,414/10.52%

740/15.57%

171/0.51%

193/0.84%

138/2.90%

Mgt., business & finance

3,168/9.42%

2,704/11.78%

372/7.83%

Production & transportation

4,746/14.11%

2,899/12.63%

1,266/26.64%

Professional & related occ.

7,041/20.93%

5,091/22.18%

712/14.98%

Sales & office

9,441/28.07%

6,547/28.52%

862/18.14%

5,891/17.52%

3,104/13.52%

662/13.93%

Construction, extraction & maint.

Farming, fishing & forestry

Service

visit our

advertisers

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Forrest General Hospital www.forrestgeneral.com

La Quinta Inn & Suites www.lq.com

Mineral Creek Landing www.mineralcreeklanding.com

Hattiesburg Clinic www.hattiesburgclinic.com

Landry & Lewis Architects www.landryandlewis.com

Shows, Dearman & Waits Inc. www.sd-w.com

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G R E AT E R H AT T I E S B U R G

Ad Index

C 2 Fo r r e s t G en er a l H os p ita l

2 H at ti e s b u r g C li n i c

6 L a Q u i n ta I n n & S u it e s

C 4 L a n d ry & L e w i s A r ch it ec ts

5 M i n e r a l C r e e k L a n d i n g

17 Sh ows , D e a r m a n & Wa its I n c .

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What makes Greater Hattiesburg such a favorable place to do business? What is it about the livability of Greater Hattiesburg that makes people who move there to work decide to stay for the long term?

Business Images Greater Hattiesburg shows you Hattiesburg like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never seen it before, thanks to the work of our awardwinning photographers and writers.

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Experience the vitality and charm of Hattiesburg from the comfort of your computer.

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