MBJ March 06, 2020 E-Edition by Journal Inc

INSIDE — Tupelo No. 2 'micropolitan' area in one survey, No. 102 in another, Page 9 DINING

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Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020 • Vo. 42 No.5 • 40 pages

Few businesses untouched by concerns about COVID-19 virus MBJ FOCUS

Small Business

{Section begins P12} » “And the Grammy (Museum) goes to…Cleveland… Mississippi.” » Elvis Presley Museum

Agri-Business/ Made in Mississippi {Section begins P16} » MSU experts gather research, educational needs from producers

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Special Section

Begins page 22

Naming the people, businesses of the decade will be no small task -Page 6

Mississippi Business Journal

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Few businesses untouched by concerns about COVID-19 virus By BECKY GILLETTE mbj@msbusiness.com As of Feb. 26, only 15 people in the U.S. had tested positive for the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) and there had been no deaths. No cases had been reported in Mississippi. So far, the virus has had its biggest impact on the stock markets, not the health of Americans. Concerns about a worldwide pandemic stoked emotional fears that caused U.S. stock markets this week to experience the biggest one-week decline since the Great Recession in 2008. The potential public health threat posed by COVID-19 is high, both globally and to the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “But individual risk is dependent on exposure,” the CDC said. “For the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus at this time, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 is considered low.” Currently the biggest risk in Mississippi may be economic. John McKay, president and CEO, Mis-

sissippi Manufacturers Association, said it has had no reports yet of Mississippi manufacturers being impacted by not being able to receive supply chain components from China and South Korea where many factories have been shuttered to restrain the spread of COVID-19. “Manufacturers have months of lead time for supply chains,” McKay said. “But the fear is the longer this crisis continues, the impacts of supply chain disruption could be real and felt not just in America, but Mississippi, as well. The inventory management process is very critical to manufacturers, and any disruption of that chain can disrupt production schedules and impact costs. We are most concerned with the disruption of the supply chain for electronic and automotive components.”

McKay said manufacturers have redundancies built into the supply chain for events like natural disasters. The tsunami in Japan is an example. But there has never before been a disruption across the entire world. “It is not to that level yet, but if reports of new infections continue on the current trajectory, there could be a global impact scenario,” McKay said. “The trends do not look great at this point. While supply chain and production schedules are vitally important, there is also a human element. Employees at our companies are the backbone of what we do. We are monPage 4 itoring their safety and well-being to make sure they are able to continue to work.” If COVID-19 becomes widespread, even workers who remain healthy could need time off to care for loved ones who

STOCKS AND CORONAVIRUS

are sick. The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is recommending people be calm. “The main message is folks should not panic, but need to practice strong hygiene and stay educated,” said Liz Sharlot, director, Office of Communications, MSDH. “We are in peak season for flu – please get the flu shot. Stay home if you are ill.” MSDH is working with hospitals, building up laboratory capacity, informing the public and working with other agencies (see HealthyMS.com/coronavirus). CDC protocols will be followed and the public notified if a case is reported in Mississippi. “MSDH has plans in place and has worked in other public health situations similar to this one,” Sharlot said. “Mississippians can go to our Website (HealthyMS.com/coronavirus), sign up for our social media pages and definitely download our free MS Ready app (available in both android and Apple).” Those at the biggest risk are healthcare workers. Hospitals are currently training workers and stocking up on supplies. See CORONAVIRUS, Page 3

» How health-care

organizations and businesses are preparing for Covid-19. CDC says it is not a matter of “if” but “when” it spreads in the U.S.

CORONAVIRUS

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Continued from, Page 2

“Through our state’s Healthcare Preparedness Program (HPP), health-care workers receive ongoing training on how to prepare for emergencies and disasters of all kinds, from hurricanes to the coronavirus,” said Joyce Pearson, RN-BC, MSN, director, Office of Healthcare Emergency Preparedness, Mississippi Hospital Association Health, Research & Education Foundation. “Healthcare Pearson workers are trained in best practices for prevention of infectious disease and continue to implement these practices. This month, HPP provided training around the state on best practices for healthcare workers to respond to a surge of patients with medical needs. Our state’s hospitals are also following CDC guidelines and are working closely with the MSDH. Pearson said hospitals are monitoring and observing current recommendations for maximizing use of available supplies and equipment. The University of Mississippi Medical Center has processes in place to identify who should be screened for COVID-19, as well as to answer questions from patients, families and friends, said Dr. Jason Parham, director of the Department of Medicine’s Division of Infectious Diseases. The Medical Center is actively preparing should it receive a patient with COVID-19, said Dr. Bhagyashri Navalkele, medical director of Infection Prevention. “Infection Prevention, along with the Mississippi Center for Emergency Services and other key leaders, are making sure that if we identify a case, we will take the proper steps to minimize risk to other patients and staff,” she said. There is no specific antiviral treatment for COVID-19, which has symptoms that include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Most sufferers experience mild illness and recover with supportive care, Parham said. “There have been cases with severe respiratory illness, mostly pneumonia, requiring hospitalization,” he said. “Severe illness appears to be most frequently seen in those with underlying chronic conditions.” If you have had a cold or cough, it could have been caused by a coronavirus– just not the COVID-19 strain. “Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses,” Parham said. “Some cause respiratory illness in humans. Numerous other coronaviruses circulate among animals, including camels, cats and bats. And in rare situations, animal coronaviruses can evolve and infect people and then spread from person to person, he said. That was the case with the coronaviruses Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, in 2003

and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS, in 2012. The earliest patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Wuhan City reportedly had a link to a large seafood and animal market, suggesting animal-to-person spread.” Currently in the U.S., only the CDC is conducting testing, using multiple specimens from sites including lower respiratory, upper respiratory and blood serum. MSDH is expected to be equipped for laboratory testing for COVID-19 in coming weeks. McKay At present screenings have only been recommended only for someone with a history of travel from Hubei Province, China (where the virus

“Doctors at the University of California, Davis Medical Center, where the patient is being treated, said testing was delayed for nearly a week because the patient didn’t fit restrictive federal criteria, which limits tests only to symptomatic patients who recently traveled to China,” according to an article in ProPublica titled “Key Missteps at the CDC Have Set Back Its Ability to Detect the Potential Spread of Coronavirus, The CDC designed a flawed test for COVID-19, then took weeks to figure out a fix so state and local labs could use it. New York still doesn’t trust the test’s accuracy.” The article by the non-profit news organization said many public health experts believe that without wider testing, the true number of infected Americans remains hidden.

Mississippi Business Journal

the coming days, including more cases in the United States. It’s also likely that person-to-person spread will continue to occur, including in the United States. “Widespread transmission of COVID-19 in the United States would translate into large numbers of people needing medical care at the same time. Schools, childcare centers, workplaces, and other places for mass gatherings may experience more absenteeism. Public health and healthcare systems may become overloaded, with elevated rates of hospitalizations and deaths. Other critical infrastructure, such as law enforcement, emergency medical services, and transportation industry may also be affected. Healthcare providers and hospitals may be overwhelmed. At this time, there is no vaccine to protect against COVID-19 and

no medications approved to treat it. Nonpharmaceutical interventions would be the most important response strategy.” The CDC emphasizes that this virus is NOT currently spreading in the community in the United States. originated), a required hospitalization and a history of travel to mainland China, or close contact with a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patient while not wearing person protective equipment. Those recommendations apparently led to a delay of several days testing a patient in California who has tested positive for COVID-19 without having any history of travel to China or known contact with someone with COVID-19.

CDC states it’s important to note that current global circumstances suggest it is likely that this virus will cause a pandemic. “The potential public health threat posed by COVID-19 is high, both globally and to the United States,” CDC said. “More cases are likely to be identified in

Mississippi Business Journal

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Stocks and coronavirus — Could this be a time to buy rather than panic?

Street repairs: Study, then borrow? Or borrow, then study? Leaders of a city in eastern Mississippi are debating how to pay for street paving and other infrastructure projects. Meridian public works director Hugh Smith is looking for city leaders to approve $12 million in bonds, the Meridian Star reported.. “Right now, we don’t have funds in place to do any paving next year,” Smith said Tuesday. Leaders have discussed conducting a study of Meridian’s streets. “Based on the condition of the street, you select the best technology or method to extend the life of that,” Smith said. Councilman George Thomas said he’s doesn’t think the city should on debt until that study is complete. “I don’t want to borrow money, then decide how to spend it,” Thomas said. “I want to decide how to spend it, then borrow the money.” Mayor Percy Bland told the city council he did not think the study had to come first. “The bottom line is, we need the funding source,” Bland said. One source of money for infrastructure improvements could be Mississippi’s new internet sales tax, which can only be used for roads, bridges, water and sewers, according to Nnamdi Thompson of Government Consultants, Inc. Meridian has already received half of about $336,000 expected to come from the tax this year, Thompson said.

By BECKY GILLETTE mbj@msbusiness.com While the steep declines in the stock market in the past week have been scary, they aren’t unprecedented, said Stacey Wall, CEO of Pinnacle Trust in Madison. Usually the markets bounce back quickly. “In fact, in the past six day-to-day declines of 3 percent or greater, the market rebounded higher a month later,” Wall said. “Times like this are when investors most need a trusted financial professional. During periods of market volatility, having a plan and sticking with it almost always proves to be the best course of action.”

Risk-appropriate, properly diversified portfolios are crucial. Wall said if you have a long-term outlook and can handle market volatility, this could represent a buying opportunity. “The economy has remained strong, and all indications from Washington are that a pro-economic environment will continue,” Wall said. “With unemployment at all-time lows, the consumer (which represents 70 percent of economic spending) has been the backbone of this economy. Interest rates remain historically low and the Federal Reserve has given no indication of increasing rates in 2020.

Low interest rates are a tail-wind for equi-E ty valuations and a deterrent for investing money in the bond market.” However, some economists are concerned the fears of the COVID-19 could lead to more people forgoing vacations, eating out, attending large gatherings such as sporting events or even going to school. Some Asian businesses including restaurants and stores in the U.S. have reported serious declines in business. An article on CNN is headlined: “What’s spreading faster than coronavirus in the US? Racist assaults and ignorant attacks against Asians.”

O r

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Mississippi Business Journal

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Oxford maintains high ranking on economic strength poll By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

xford maintained its high standing in economic strength among “micropolitan” economic areas, edging up to No. 8 this year from ninth place among 542 such areas in the United States, according to the Policom Corp. Policom defines economic strength as “rapid, consistent growth in both size and quality for an extended period. The lowest ranked areas have been in decline for an extended period, according to Policom. Policom uses a rigorous methodology to determine rankings among micropolitan areas, which have populations between 10,000 and 50,000. To examine the methodology go to policom.com/wp-content/uploads/2020-STRENGTH-RANKINGS.pdf and do a control left click. The next-highest ranking among Southern micropolitan areas is Key West, Fla., 29th, followed by Cookeville, Tenn., 32nd and Tullahoma, Tenn., 37th. “Holding our ranking in the top ten means that we are doing something special Tupelo No. 2 'micropolitan' in Oxford,” Jon Page 9 Maynard, president and chief executive of the Oxford-Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation, said in a release. “We are taking care of business in a long-term, sustainable way.”

Oxford Square. Photo courtesy of Visit Oxford

Bozeman, Mont., is ranked No. 1. Rounding out the top 10 in order are: Vineyard Haven, Mass.; Heber, Utah; Lewisburg, Pa.; Hood River, Ore.; Breckenridge, Colo.; Wooster, Ohio; Oxford; Astoria, Ore., and Kallispell, Mont. The next highest ranking among Mississippi cities is Columbus, at No. 99, followed by Tupelo at 102, Starkville, 202; Corinth, 335; Brookhaven, 347; Vicksburg,

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387; Laurel, 404; West Point, 436; Grenada, 434; Picayune, 435; Cleveland, 516; Greenville, 522; Indianola, 540; Clarksdale, 541. Oxford and Starkville are rival communities, primarily because they are home to the state’s two largest universities: The University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University, respectively. The gap between Oxford and Starkville is because of the surrounding counties, Lafayette and Oktibbeha, respectively. The latter has much more poverty outside Starkville than the population outside Ole Miss in Lafayette County, according to William Fruth, president of Policom. Hattiesburg, which is located primarily in Forrest County, is home to the third-largest public university in the state, but its statistical area puts it in the 50,000-and-above category, in which is ranks 240th of 384 metropolitan areas. Ranked No. 1 among all U.S. metropolitan statistical areas in economic strength is Nashville. Memphis is No 136. Jackson is No. 208.

THE NEXT HIGHEST RANKING AMONG MISSISSIPPI CITIES: Columbus Tupelo Starkville Corinth Brookhaven Vicksburg Laurel West Point Grenada Picayune Cleveland Greenville Indianola Clarksdale

99 102 202 335 347 387 404 436 434 435 516 522 540 541

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MBJ PERSPECTIVE

Feb. 22- Mar. 7, 2020 • www.msbusiness.com • Page 6

» OUTSIDE WORLD

Feb. 22- Mar. 7, 2020 Volume 42, Number 5

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» INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

Could Republican meddling impact Democratic primary?

he Republican primary set for March 10 offers few real contests. President Donald Trump will easily overwhelm Bill Weld and Roque De La Fuente in the presidential primary. Rep. Trent Kelly is unopposed in the 1st Congressional District. It doesn’t matter who wins the 2nd District primary among Thomas Carey, Brian Flowers, and B.C. Hammond since incumbent Rep. Bennie Thompson will win easily in November. Rep. Michael Guest should have little trouble with challenger James Tulp in the 3rd District. While the 4th District ballot has four choices, Rep. Steven Palazzo should readily handle Carl Boyanton, Robert Deming, and Samuel Hickman. The Democratic primary is another story. Ten names are on the ballot in the presidential primary – former Vice President Joe Biden, former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, entrepreneur Tom Steyer, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and

entrepreneur Andrew Yang. While on the ballot, Yang and Patrick have pulled out of the race. Then there is the Democratic primary for U.S. BILL CRAWFORD Senate featuring Mike Espy, Tobey Bartee, and Jensen Bohren. Espy is the heavy favorite to win the nomination to once again take on Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in November. Remember, Mississippi does not register voters by party. Consequently, voters are free to choose each year which party primary they want to vote in. So, given the lackluster races on the GOP ballot, will voters who usually vote Republican choose instead to meddle in the Democratic races? Those who want to boost the Democrat least likely to beat Trump will be tempted. Many could vote for Bernie Sanders thinking Trump will clobber a self-proclaimed socialist. (There were reports of such from South Carolina plus Trump oriented PACs supporting Sanders.) Those who fear any Democrat, but especially Sanders, might See CRAWFORD, Page 7

Naming the people, businesses of the decade will be no small task

t the Mississippi Business Journal, we have been the leader in recognizing business professionals in the state for more than 25 years. Our events recognize everyone from health professionals to lawyers to CEOs and the top businesswomen in the state. We recognize the safest workplaces in Mississippi, the top nonprofits, the best places to work, the top 50 under 40 and the top entrepreneurs. ROSS REILY In all, the Mississippi Business Journal has 13 events to recognize businesses and people throughout the state. Now, we are going to take a look back at the last 10 years and award the Business People of the Decade. We will recognize 20 individuals and 20 businesses that have gone above and beyond and have made Mississippi a better place to live, work and prosper. We will consider traits like audacity, innovation, disruption, and social responsibility. 2020 marks a new decade. Let's see who rises to the top. Anyone who has ever won an award from the MBJ as well as anyone that should have been recognized by our publication is eligible to be nominated. The MBJ will begin accepting nominations immediately with an event scheduled for the Fall. Once nominations have been secured, a selected panel of business professionals along with the staff of the MBJ will help select the final winners. Please send all nominations to tami.jones@msbusiness.com. Good luck to everyone and we look forward to seeing who will ultimately become the Business People of the Decade as well as the Businesses of the Decade. » ROSS REILY is the editor of the Mississippi Business Journal. He can be reached at ross.reily@msbusiness.com.

Perspective » RICKY NOBILE

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

CRAWFORD

Mississippi Business Journal

Continued from, Page 6

beat Trump will be sorely tempted help the candidate they think would make the least horrible president. Many could vote for Mike Bloomberg thinking the former Republican Mayor of New York City would be the most business friendly of the group. While Mississippi Democrats will not have many delegates to award, as Mississippi Republicans remember from 1976, every delegate can count when there is a closely contested national convention. The Democratic primary will award 36 pledged delegates on a proportional basis. To receive any delegates a candidate must score 15% or more of the vote at either the congressional district or statewide level. An additional five unpledged delegates are allocated to party leaders and elected officials – one to Rep. Bennie Thompson and four to members of the Democratic National Committee. Actual delegates will be chosen at district and state conventions to be held in April and May. Significant meddling could also impact the Senate primary should crossover Republicans vote against Mike Espy. It will be interesting to take a close look at vote results by precinct to see if much meddling does occur. “Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears” – Proverbs 26:17. » Bill Crawford (crawfolk@gmail.com) is a syndicated columnist from Meridian.

» FROM THE GROUND UP

Keep colleagues involved and part of the process “Did you get the memo?” “Which memo?” “The one about the new policy?” “What policy?” New policies or procedures are often implemented and announced with just an email memo to employees. That’s fine when the policy is a relatively minor one such as changing the hours of a particular department or introducing a new form. However, some new policies require more employee involvement and employee buy-in before the policy is announced, especially if the change is a major one. The big mistake is to simply announce a major policy or procedure without regard to how employees and those affected will react. The NBA (National Basketball Association) discovered that the hard way. Given that March Madness is upon us, let’s look at two cases that involve basketballs. We begin with what happened when the NBA introduced a new basketball. The year was 2006. NBA partner Spalding had been testing a microfiber composite ball to replace the traditional leather-covered basketball. Most high schools and colleges were already using synthetic balls. Also, most kids playing pick-up games were using synthetic balls so the time was right to bring the NBA into the modern age of basketballs. Spalding had already spent years researching, using technology and field testing to develop the best basketball. The New Ball, as the NBA would call it, was also known as the Cross Traxxion game ball. The NBA did its part. Well, sort of its part. It used the ball in the development league the year before, used the ball in the

NBA All-Star weekends, and had several well-known retired players test it. Every NBA player was even shipped a New Ball during the summer of the upcoming season. Before the season began, the NBA announced at a press conference that it would be making the change to the NEW Ball. Commissioner David Stern said, “The advancements that Spalding has made to the new game ball ensure that the best basketball players in the world will be playing with the best basketball in the world.” It did not take long after the start of the season for player reaction. Here’s what some of the players had to say: “It feels like one of those cheap balls you buy at the toy store…. I look for shooting percentages to be way down and turnovers to be way up because when the ball gets wet you can’t really control it. Whoever did that needs to be fired. It was terrible, a terrible decision. Awful.” – Shaquille O’Neal, Miami Heat. “Right off the rim when I first started gripping it, I didn’t like it. It felt like plastic.” – Stephen Jackson, Indiana Pacers “I hate it.” – DeShawn Stevenson, Washington Wizards Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns summed it up well when he said the following: “I’m disappointed that they didn’t seek more input from us before they introduced the new ball and I’m disappointed that we’re changing the ball during the season. It’s still tearing up my fingers, but after three months … it’s too late. I’m telling you, the [two] balls feel totally different. There’s a different feel, a different weight, a different texture.” The resulting negative reaction was so bad that on December 1 of that year the NBA Players Association filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board. So was the ball really that bad?

Scoring actually went up by 2.5 points on average. The main problem, according to the attorney who filed the complaint, was that the players had not been consulted before the change had been made. So what does an organization do when the employees or users reject the PHIL HARDWICK change? The three alternatives are to (1) go back to the original policy, (2) start over and develop a better policy or (3) stick with the new policy regardless of how everyone feels about it. In the NBA’s new basketball case, the league went back to the old ball. Even so, the incident left a bad taste in many mouths. That was 2006. This is 2020. Implementing a new policy and basketballs again are in the news. This time the balls are made by Nike. Only this time, shooting percentages fell sharply. The basketball league is the NCAA’s Mountain West Conference. Utah State began playing with new balls manufactured by Nike, with technology supplied by ShotTracker. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal by Laine Higgins, entitled “Miss the NCAA Tournament? Blame the Ball,” “Players complained that the Nike balls felt greasy and appeared to have shallower grooves that made them difficult to handle. Some also reported an inconsistent bounce due to what they described as a dead spot on the ball.” There is a lot more basketball to this story, and I encourage interested readers to check out the Wall Street Journal story. To summarize, make sure that those affected by the implementation of a new policy or procedure are part of the process prior to implementation. And now, prepare for March Madness.

» Phil Hardwick is a regular Mississippi Business Journal columnist. His email is phil@philhardwick. com.

Mississippi Business Journal

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Twitter to begin labeling misinformation T witter is experimenting with adding brightly colored labels directly beneath lies and misinformation posted by politicians and other public figures, according to a leaked demo of new features shared with NBC News. Twitter confirmed that the leaked demo, which was accessible on a publicly available site, is one Todd Smith possible iteration of a new policy to target misinformation. The social media platform doesn’t yet have a roll out date for the new misinformation functions. In the demo version, disinformation or misleading information posted by public figures would be corrected directly beneath a tweet by fact-checkers and journalists who are verified on the platform and possibly by other users who would participate in a new “community reports” feature, which the demo claims is “like Wikipedia.” The demo features bright red and orange badges for tweets that are deemed “harmfully misleading” in nearly the same size as the tweet itself displayed prominently directly below the tweet that contains the harmful misinformation. Examples of misinformation included a false tweet about whistleblowers by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a tweet about gun background checks by Sen. Bernie Sanders, and a tweet by an unverified account posting a doctored video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The leaked demo also shows an example of medical misinformation, including an example about the new coronavirus by a verified Twitter account. The impending policy rollout comes as the 2020 election season is ramping up, with Twitter playing a central role in some of the daily discourse among the candidates. Recently, former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s campaign posted an edited video that made it seem as if there had been a long pause when he asked during the Democratic presidential debate whether the other candidates had ever started a business. Last month, Twitter announced a policy to ban tweets that “deceptively share synthetic or manipulated media that are likely to cause harm,” such as deep fakes. Twitter reiterated to NBC News that the community reporting feature is one of several possibilities that may be rolled out in the next several weeks.

» Amazon advertisers to boost spending on platform

Eighty-one percent of current Amazon advertisers plan to increase their ad spend on the platform in the coming year, according to a Marketing Land survey of digital advertisers released recently. Of those planning to increase their Amazon ad budgets, 41% said they plan to spend as much as 25% more than the previous six to 12 months; 22% plan increases of 25% to 50%; and 10% expect Amazon budgets to increase by 50% or more. These growth expectations are in line with the trends forming in the last survey of Amazon advertisers in 2018. Amazon’s ad business grew 40% year-over-year in 2019, to roughly $14 billion, but it is still very early days for the platform. Google notched $135

billion in ad revenue last year, for example, although that growth has slowed. Highlights from the survey, representing responses from the 155 marketers who said they’re currently running Amazon ad campaigns, were presented at a recent marketing conference. » Incremental budget increases More than half of the advertisers planning to increase their Amazon advertising budgets said the increases will come from incremental sources, followed by 31% who said the additional funding will be pulled from non-digital advertising budgets. Paid social and search budgets are affected, but less so, with 21% expecting to pull from paid social budgets and 17% from paid search. » Potential for growth The majority of the Amazon advertisers surveyed (66%) dedicate less than a quarter of their annual digital advertising budgets to Amazon, and 34% spend less than 10% of their digital ad budgets on Amazon.

» Most popular ad products

Amazon’s search ad formats continue to be the most popular, which is no surprise. Nearly 90% of advertisers are running Sponsored Products (87%), while 68% are running Sponsored Brands. Video is certainly an area for potential growth. Video has the lowest adoption among Amazon’s ad products, via either self-service (31%) or managed service (28%). » Who is managing Amazon advertising campaigns?

Nearly 40% of those running Amazon campaigns — whether at an agency or inhouse — said the campaigns are managed by a dedicated Amazon marketer or team. Twenty-eight percent said paid search marketers manage their Amazon cam-

paigns, while 18% are managed by e-commerce marketers. » Measuring ad effectiveness When it comes to measuring the effectiveness of Sponsored Products ads, 61% said they look at Amazon’s advertising cost of sale (ACoS) metric (ad spend/sales) and 58% look at sales. One-third evaluate the effectiveness of these ads based on overall profit lift. However, when asked about challenges, a quarter of respondents said proving their campaigns are working was among their biggest obstacles. » Challenges Optimization tactics, inadequate reporting and getting support from Amazon client services ranked as the top three challenges advertisers said they have with running campaigns on the platform. And though Amazon has worked to streamline its ad offerings, 25% also said navigating the advertising options is a challenge.

» Rocket Mic: NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson was out of this world!

Katherine Johnson, a mathematician who calculated rocket trajectories and earth orbits for NASA’s early space missions and was later portrayed in the 2016 hit film “Hidden Figures,” about pioneering African American female aerospace workers, died earlier this week at age 101. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a media statement that Johnson “helped our nation enlarge the frontiers of space even as she made huge strides that also opened doors for women and people of color.” Johnson was one of the “computers” who solved equations by hand during NASA’s formative years and those of its precursor organization, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Johnson and other African American women initially worked in a racially segregated computing unit in Hampton, Va. that wasn’t officially dissolved until NACA became NASA in 1958. Early in her career, Johnson focused on airplanes and other research. But her work at NASA’s Langley Research Center eventually shifted to Project Mercury, the nation’s first human space program. In 1961, Johnson conducted trajectory analysis for Alan Shepard’s Freedom 7 Mission, the first to carry an American into space. The following year, she manually verified the calculations of an early NASA computer, an IBM, which plotted John Glenn’s orbits around the earth. She considered her work on the Apollo moon missions to be her greatest contribution to space exploration – and her insightful calculations helped land the lunar lander rendezvous with orbiting command service modules. Johnson also did enterprising work on the Space Shuttle program before retiring in 1986. Johnson will always be remembered as a legend and hero – who shattered the race barrier while helping America rocket to the front in space exploration. Her brilliant expertise and pinpoint accuracy made our nation great! Each week, The Spin Cycle will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t. Stay tuned – and step-up to the mic! And remember … Amplify Your Brand!

» TODD SMITH is co-founder, president and chief executive

officer of Deane | Smith, a full-service branding, PR, marketing and advertising firm with offices in Jackson. The firm – based in Nashville, Tenn. – is also affiliated with Mad Genius. Contact him at todd@deanesmithpartners.com, follow him @spinsurgeon and like the ageny on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/deanesmithpartners, and join us on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/company/deane-smith-&-partners.

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Mississippi Business Journal

Tupelo No. 2 'micropolitan' area in one survey, No. 102 in another

n d

By JACK WEATHERLY 6jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com e Two recent reports on “micropolitan” areas are markedly different because of how they measure economic strength. Oxford ranked No. 8 among 542 areas whose populations range from 10,000 to 50,000 in a report from the Policom Corp. o Oxford is not even mentioned in a sranking of such areas in a report from Site rSelection magazine. Tupelo was ranked 102nd in the Policom survey. Site Selection taps Tupelo as No. 2. n “You're comparing apples to cattle,” -said William Fruth, president of Policom. Site Selection bases its rankings on the Anumber of new or expanded businesses in the most-recent calendar year, referred to nby the magazine as “projects.” k Tupelo, for example, counted 10 in -2019, trailing only Findlay, Ohio, which reported 17. Also by contrast in the two surveys, Natchez was ranked No. 520 by Policom m n y d

o -

but was tied with Clarksdale at No. 59 by Site Selection. Clarksdale was in the Policom 541st place, only one from the bottom. Policom defines economic strength as

“rapid, consistent growth in both size and quality for an extended period.” Policom uses a rigorous methodology to determine rankings among micropolitan areas. To examine the methodology

go to policom.com/wp-content/uploads/2020-STRENGTH-RANKINGS. pdf and do a control left click Towns and cities use favorable mention in Site Selection, as the name of the publication suggests, to promote the town or city to attract investors. “The success of 2019 is yet another step in Tupelo and Lee County’s longterm strategy for economic growth," Lee County Board of Supervisors President Tommy Lee Ivy is quoted as saying in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. The magazine called Tupelo a “Top 10 stalwart,” matching its second-place finish in 2008. Site Selection's parent, Conway Inc., states on its website that it “has connected corporate investors and economic development organizations for more than 65 years.” “At Conway we have a passion for promoting and growing economies. We specialize in creating tailored communication campaigns that put your community on the map!”

VIP Cinema files for Chapter 11, plans to preserve jobs

dBy DENNIS SEID - Daily Journal m NEW ALBANY – VIP Cinema Seating, the largest maker of luxury reclining -seats for movie theaters, filed for Chaptter 11 bankruptcy protection, Reuters reported. The move will help preserve 373 jobs, the company said. It hopes to emerge from bankruptcy by mid-April. VIP, which was founded in 2008, has grown to become the largest provider of the chairs, with 70% of the market. But it said it had been hurt by a slowdown in the number of screens, a drop-in box office sales and a longer replacement cycle of the chairs. VIP chairs are familiar to northeast Mississippi moviegoers. The company replaced the seating in the Malco and . Cinemark theaters in Tupelo in 2017 and 2018. The Malco project alone was valued at nearly $1 million, as it replaced 1,745 seats to 1,012 reclining seats in its 10 auditoriums. Cinemark replaced 1,384 seats to

613 for its eight auditoriums. Replacing seating at theaters costs around $500,000 or more, depending on the size of the facility. H.I.G. Capital, a Miami-based private equity firm, invested $62.5 million in VIP in 2017 and bought out its former owners. The company said it had sold more than 1 million chairs. h the growth of luxury theater seating, VIP added manufacturing capacity and workers, adding another 160,000 square feet of manufacturing space in 2016, and its total footprint is now 900,000 square feet. The company at its peak employed more than 550 people in New Albany, where they could produce up to 1,000 chairs a day. But according to Reuters, Chief Restructuring Officer Stephen Spitzer said the premium recliner market had by 2017 “reached a near saturation point” following theater upgrades, and the number of new screens has since remained “relatively flat.” Spitzer also said the company’s belief

Photo by Thomas Wells

that theaters would replace chairs sold and installed in 2012 and 2013 was incorrect, as movie attendance has fallen and theater companies would extend the replacement cycle.

Domestic box office sales fell to $11.45 billion last year, down from a record $11.88 billion in 2018. H.I.G. manages more than $35 billion in equity capital, according to its website.

10 n

Mississippi Business Journal

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Manufacturer to invest $4 million and create 30 jobs in Brookhaven MBJ Staff

Keystone Electrical Manufacturing Co. is expanding to Brookhaven, investing $4 million and creating 30 jobs, with hiring to start the first week of March. Headquartered in Des Moines, Ia., Keystone manufactures protection and control relay panels, medium voltage switchgear and turnkey control centers used in the generation, transmission and distribution of electric power. The company is purchasing the 54,000-square-foot Agracel building located in the Linbrook Business Park. Keystone President Fred Buie said in an interview that he bought Keystone in Sept. 1998 from Bill Milliman, who founded the company in 1964, according to Buie. There are approximately 90 employees in Des Moines, Buie said. Most of the hires in Brookhaven will be production workers, whose pay will start at

$15 an hour, Buie said. Other positions will be engineers and the like. “Keystone is very pleased to be expanding to Brookhaven. The work force, operating costs and proximity to customers were key factors in our decision,” Buie said in a news release. “All the agencies involved were very responsive and had the information we needed at their fingertips. Additionally, the opportunity to bring jobs and investments to my hometown is very special. It was an easy decision.” Buie is a graduate of Brookhaven High School and Mississippi State University. Although his professional career has kept him outside of Mississippi, he has maintained a close connection with the state as a long-time member of MSU’s Industrial Engineering Advisory Board, and he was recently named to the Foundation Board. He also maintains a second home in Brookhaven and is a local timber farmer.

The Mississippi Development Authority is providing a $300,000 grant for building improvements. The Brookhaven Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce, Cooperative Energy, Southwest Mississippi Electric Power Association and the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Workforce Development Center also are assisting with the project.

“MDA is pleased to support Keystone as it prepares to begin operations in Brookhaven,” said MDA Deputy Director Mike McGrevey. “The collaboration of all parties involved in bringing Keystone to our great state is building a stronger community and economy by securing this economic development win for the people of Brookhaven and Lincoln County.”

Ingalls Shipbuilding successfully completes second builder’s trials for guided missile destroyer Huntington Ingalls Industries announced that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has successfully completed the second builder’s sea trials of guided missile destroyer Delbert D. Black (DDG 119). The Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyer spent more than three days in the Gulf of Mexico testing the ship’s main propulsion, combat and other ship systems. “It truly takes a team to accomplish what we did during this set of trials,” said George Nungesser, Ingalls DDG 51 program manager. “Our shipbuilders, test and trials personnel, and the Supervisor of Shipbuilding team showed tremendous dedication to the program while at sea. Our team will continue to prepare DDG 119 for the next set of trials and its future as a state-of-the-art Navy destroyer.” DDG 119 is the first ship named in honor of Navy veteran Delbert D. Black, who served as a gunner’s mate and was aboard the battleship USS Maryland (BB 46) during the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Ingalls has delivered 31 Arleigh Burkeclass destroyers to the Navy. The shipyard currently has four DDGs under construction, including Delbert D. Black (DDG 119), Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121), Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123)

and Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125) the first Flight III ship, which started fabrication in May 2018. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are highly capable, multi-mission ships and can conduct a variety of operations, from

peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection, all in support of the United States’ military strategy. The guided missile destroyers are capable of simultaneously fighting air, surface and subsurface battles. The

ship contains myriad offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense needs well into the 21st century. Photo by Lance Davis/HII

»The Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyer Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) spent more than three days in the Gulf of Mexico testing the ship’s main propulsion, combat and other ship systems.

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Former Jones County Supervisor Jerome Wyatt found guilty of embezzlement

State Auditor Shad White announced former Jones County Supervisor Jerome Wyatt has been convicted of embezzlement in Judge Dal Williamson’s chamber of Jones County Circuit Court. The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Anthony J. Buckley. Wyatt was arrested by Special Agents from the State Auditor’s office in October 2018 after being indicted. He used “The Gentlemen’s Club” – a Laurel Middle School mentoring program he founded – to embezzle nearly $2,000 from children in Jones County schools by submitting fraudulent reimburse-

ment requests. Wyatt also embezzled public money by taking cash when he directed a county-owned vehicle to a metal scrap yard outside Jones County. “This plea should send a message to elected officials and others around the state that no one has the right to steal taxpayer money,” said Auditor White. “I want to thank investigators in the Auditor’s office for their work in proving this case and making the arrest, and I want to thank the prosecutors in District Attorney Buckley’s office and DA Buckley for their work in obtaining this felony plea.”

Mississippi Business Journal

— Associated Press

Women Taking the Lead: Championing Women in International Business Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 | 2:30-4:00PM The Railroad District | 824 S. State Street | Jackson, MS

SWAC baseball is coming to Jackson. Smith Wills Stadium will play host to the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship baseball tournament this spring. A three-year deal was signed for the stadium to host the SWAC championship, WLBT-TV reported. The tournament will be played May 1317, with the championship game airing on an ESPN network. “This solidifies the decision made to welcome KSG-Overtime Sports back into our community and to manage Smith Wills Stadium,” Mayor Chokwe Lumumba said. “As the Capital City, we look forward to rolling out the red carpet for the Southwestern Athletic Conference, its fans, students, athletes, staff and the millions of dollars in direct spending and economic impact that this championship tournament will bring to ours and surrounding cities.” — Associated Press

Judge Williamson sentenced Wyatt to spend at least 5 years under the supervision of the department of corrections and complete 200 hours of community service. The Mississippi Office of the State Auditor has already recovered the full amount of the demand issued to Wyatt when he was arrested and returned it to Jones County taxpayers. Wyatt was not reelected as a County Supervisor in Fall 2019, but he will not be eligible to hold any future public office after this felony conviction.

-The Port of Gulfport and the MS DEC present-

SWAC baseball tournament coming to Mississippi

(Reception to follow)

Featuring: Ashley Wilson, VP of Congressional Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This dynamic event will champion women committed to removing barriers and making a global impact. Panel discussion from women leading in industry and a networking event to follow.

Tickets - $25 Learn more and Register at: https://www.mississippidec.org/news-events #mswomentakingthelead

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

AN MBJ FOCUS: Small Business » The announcement stunned the entertainment world nine years ago

“And the Grammy (Museum) goes to…Cleveland… Mississippi.”

By NASH NUNNERY mbj@msbusiness.com The second and only official Grammy Museum outside of Los Angeles, Grammy Museum Mississippi opened but a stone’s throw from the Delta State University campus in 2016. Organizers said they chose Cleveland because the Mississippi Delta is considered the bedrock of American music. It also didn’t hurt that Mississippi claims the most Grammy winners per capita in the world.

The $20 million, 28,000-square-foot museum is a smaller but updated version of the California museum and features high definition touchscreens and interactive technology that chronicle American music history. Not unlike Mississippi Delta native and blues legend John Lee Hooker’s lyrics for one of his signature songs, the economic impact of Grammy Museum Mississippi for Cleveland and the region has been boom, boom, boom…

Consider: n Sales tax revenues in the city have increased steadily from 2014 to 2019, up from $3.36 million to $3.80 million n In June 2014, tourism tax revenue in Cleveland was $712,202. Five years later, tourism tax revenue increased nearly 34 percent to $952,557 n Additionally, sales tax diversion to the city increased to $3,804,378 in 2019, up $434,389 from 2014’s figure of $3,369,989

Cleveland city alderman Gary Gainspoletti points directly towardz Grammy Museum Mississippi as the impetus for the growth. “When the Grammy Museum project started construction in 2014, that growth escalated,” said Gainspoletti, who also owns Gainspoletti Financial Services near downtown. “In spite of the decline of the economy in the Delta, Cleveland’s has experienced steady growth. See GRAMMY, Page 13

Small Business GRAMMY

Continued from, Page 12

“I don’t think that’s an accident. Though people are leaving the Delta, we’re blessed in Cleveland.” A native Clevelander, Judson Thigpen serves as executive director for the Cleveland-Bolivar County Chamber of Commerce. He believes the Grammy Museum has had a profound effect on jump-starting the local economy. But Thigpen attributes other factors, as well. “When we were discussing the Museum coming here, we knew we needed more hotel rooms with the projected increase in tourism,” he said. “The Cotton House (boutique hotel) opened last year and we’re expecting the new West Side development to open this spring. Plus, our downtown shopping (Cotton Row) is a huge draw.” Cotton Row in downtown overflows with small boutiques and diverse dining opportunities. Businesses with names like H-squared, Heidi’s, Punkin’ Patch, Hey Joes and Mosquito Burrito flourish. The Cotton House hotel, located in the heart of Cotton Row, has earned rave reviews “The base that we have, however, is Delta State University. It continues to be the anchor for Cleveland and the Delta, in general,” Thigpen said. Gainspoletti agrees.

“We are fortunate to have Delta State and the university itself creates activities that draw people to Cleveland and contributes to the influx of people,” he said. Gainspoletti said the city is considering other future projects in the coming months to take advantage of the museum’s presence. “These projects will focus on our connection with the music industry and how they might further expand our music outreach.”, he added. Richard Tremmel, interim director for the Delta Music Institute at Delta State, said Grammy Museum Mississippi is a huge draw and might pay dividends for the program down the road. “We get individuals and groups who are directed over to our facility from the (museum). Members of the DMI faculty have conducted seminars/lessons for middle school and high school students as part of Grammy Museum programming,” Tremmel said. “It’s too early for us to tell if we have gotten anyone enrolled in our degree program as a result, but it helps with drawing attention to and creating awareness of our program.” According to Thigpen, capitalizing on the momentum created by the Grammy Museum is paramount. “We are working to come up with a longtime strategy to keep the ball rolling,” he said. “I think the last thing to do is wallow in success. “Cleveland can be a destination city – we’re real close.”

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Mississippi Business Journal

Small Business

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Mississippi Business Journal

Elvis Presley Museum

By LYNN LOFTON mbj@msbusiness.com He’s been deceased 43 years but Elvis Presley is still making money for Tupelo, his hometown. The Lee County city is about all things Elvis — his birthplace and museum, a festival and sites around town such as the hardware store where he purchased his first guitar and the restored Lyric Theater where he saw movies and might have had his first romantic kiss. There are direct and indirect revenue steams flowing into the city. “When visitors experience the birthplace and take time to explore the Elvis’ Tupelo Driving Tour, it extends their stay, so they eat in one or more of Tupelo’s over 160 restaurants, shop in the city’s three distinct shopping districts, and spend the night in one of our myriad accommodating hotels,” says Neal McCoy, executive director of the Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Tupelo also boasts 13 live music venues, so no visit to the birthplace of the King of Rock ‘N’ Roll is complete without finishing out the night with great live music.” The Elvis Presley Birthplace & Museum is composed of the original home where Elvis was born, a museum that chronicles his life, and the Assembly of God church where he was influenced by gospel music. While these three exhibits require a ticket, there are more than 15 other free exhibits to explore on the grounds of the Birthplace, McCoy explained. “Tupelo also has the Elvis’ Tupelo Driving Tour and Elvis’ Tupelo Self-Guided Bicycle Tour that takes you to 14 places, including the Birthplace, that were influential in Elvis’ childhood growing up in Tupelo. Dick Guyton, executive director of the Birthplace & Museum, estimates the facility has 80,000 visitors each year. “About half are international visitors. We’ve had people from Tibet, Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Japan and all over the world,” he said. “Anywhere you go in the world and mention Elvis Presley people know that name and where he’s from. We’re seeing third generation fans now.” He adds that he would like to see more Mississippians visit this state treasure. Guyton, who’s been with the Birthplace & Museum 18 years, notes the growth in the attraction during that time. Elvis’ childhood church was moved to the property; 10,000 square feet was added to the event space along with an expanded story

wall and statures on the back; and a lake on the property was upgraded. He and others in Tupelo’s tourism sector are trying to get more people to spend nights in the city’s approximate 1,700 lodging rooms. “We’re adding things such as a dinner theater and there are many restaurants here.”

Overnight stays will be plentiful for the annual Tupelo Elvis Festival taking place June 3-7. According to Dalton Russell with the Tupelo Main Street program, sponsors of the event, rooms are already scarce and package tickets have sold out. Individual tickets went on sale March 2. “Anyone wanting to come and stay should definitely book early,” he said. “At the end of this year’s festival, many people will book their rooms for next year.” He says organizers are expecting another big year for the event that began in 1998. “It kick started with a New Year’s Eve event and a celebration of Elvis’ 85th birthday on January 8.” The festival takes place throughout downtown Tupelo and includes live music, Elvis Tribute Artist concerts and competitions, living history demonstrations, Food Truck Friday at the CVB, Running with the King 5K at Veterans’ Park, Fling with the King, Elvis Look-A-Like Pet Parade, and more. One music event with different

bands takes place at Fair Park where Elvis’ 1956 homecoming concert took place. The Elvis Tribute competition will be at the BancorpSouth Arena, and a smaller event will take place at the Lyric Theater, which was built in 1900 and where Elvis saw movies and it’s said he had his first kiss in the balcony there.

“We try to cater to younger and older fans,” Russell said. “Last year we started a Youth Day with an educational session that was well received.” For more information, visit tupeloelvisfestival.com.

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

AN MBJ FOCUS: Agri-Business

MSU experts gather research, educational needs from producers » Marshall County beef cattle farmer Bill Fitts

was one of more than 200 attendees at the North Mississippi Producer Advisory Council meeting Feb. 20 in Verona, Miss.

(Photo by MSU Extension Service/Kevin Hudson)

agri-business/made in ms By ROBERT NATHAN GREGORY mbj@msbusiness.com VERONA — 2020 marked Bill Fitts’ 27th consecutive appearance at the annual North Mississippi Producer Advisory Council meeting. The Marshall County beef cattle farmer and timber producer said he returns each year because it gives him an opportunity to share requests for research and educational programming with personnel from the Mississippi State University Extension Service and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. “I pick up something every time I come,” Fitts said. “I like networking, one-on-one interaction, and I enjoy learning and being challenged.” More than 200 growers across 16 commodity groups in 27 counties in north Mississippi joined Fitts in providing input for the next year of educational and research projects from MSU Extension and the Experiment Station. The meeting was held Feb. 20 at the MSU North Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Verona. Jane Parish said each Producer Advisory Council meeting is an example of growers and researchers engaging and working with one another to achieve common goals. “We’re looking for that discovery that is going to help you make a better decision, such as planting a better variety based on something that’s been tested in local conditions,” Parish told growers. “You may be the one to say something that a scientist at MSU takes and does something we’re standing here talking about

next year or several years down the line. Your suggestion could lead us to new knowledge that is then shared through Extension to help not only you but others in the community.” MSU Extension Director Gary Jackson shared an update with growers on Extension activities, noting that the organization provided more than 200 organized statewide educational initiatives in 2019. More than 700,000 Mississippians participated in Extension seminars, short courses and certification programs last year, he said. “At $48 billion, the agricultural and natural resources industry is No.1 in the state, and it’s been number one. You’re sitting here today because of that,” Jackson told producers. “MSU Extension and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station exist to support that industry, as well as to support our communities and young people through the 4-H program.” The 16 commodities represented were apiculture, aquaculture, beef, cotton, dairy, equine, forestry, small ruminants, grain crops, ornamentals, peanuts, poultry, sweetpotatoes, swine, turf, and vegetables, fruits and nuts.

Manufacturers and Producers

18 n

Mississippi Business Journal

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Manufacturers andand Producers Manufacturers Producers Rank

Company Address

Telephone Website

Top Officer Founded

Products

Huntington Ingalls Industries 228-935-1122 Brian Cuccias U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard ships huntingtoningalls.com 1938 1000 Jerry St. Pe Hwy, Pascagoula, MS 39568 Nissan North America - Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant 601-855-6000 Erik Fields Altima, Murano, Frontier, TITAN, TITAN XD, NV Passenger 2 nissanusa.com 2003 van, NV Cargo van 300 Nissan Dr., Canton, MS 39046 Sanderson Farms, Inc. 601-649-4030 Joe F. Sanderson 3 Poultry processing sandersonfarms.com 1947 127 Flynt Rd., Laurel, MS 39441 Howard Industries Inc. 601-425-3151 Billy W. Howard Distribution & Power Transformers; Lighting Products; 4 howard.com 1968 Technology Products, Medical Carts, Kiosks. 3225 Pendorff Rd., Laurel, MS 39440 Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. 601-948-6813 Dolph Baker 5 Eggs calmainefoods.com 1969 3320 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave., Jackson, MS 39209 Koch Foods 601-732-8911 David White 6 Poultry kochfoods.com 2001 1080 River Oaks Dr. A100, Flowood, MS 39232 Milwaukee Tool 662-451-5545 Power and hand tools; facilities also in Olive Branch and 7 C.J. Allen, Jack Bilotta milwaukeetool.com Jackson 1003 Sycamore Ave, Greenwood, MS 38930 Ashley Furniture Industries 662-489-5655 Earnie Gates Upholstered furniture; commercial & industrial furniture; 8 ashleyfurniture.com 1945 workstations & office packages. 447 Hwy. 346, Ecru, MS 38841 Southern Motion Inc 662-488-4007 Roger Bland 9 Furniture southernmotion.com 1996 298 Henry Southern Drive, Pontotoc, MS 38863 United Furniture Industries 662-447-4000 Larry George 10 Furniture maker LaneFurniture.com 2000 5380 Hwy 145 South, Tupelo, MS 38801 Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi, Inc. 662-317-3000 Sean Suggs Vehicle production Toyota Corolla toyota.com 2007 1200 Magnolia Way, Blue Springs, MS 38828 Chevron Pascagoula Refinery 228-938-4600 Chris Cavote 12 Petroleum refining chevronpascagoula.com 1963 250 Industrial Rd., Pascagoula, MS 39581 Tyson Foods Inc.-Carthage 601-298-5300 Mike Smith 13 Poultry processing TysonFoods.com 1948 3865 Old Hwy. 35, Carthage, MS 39051 Olin Winchester, LLC 662-513-2002 Kevin Watson Winchester rimfire operations; Centerfire and Military 14 olin.com 2004 Packaging operations 411 County Road 101, Oxford, MS 38655 Cooper Tire & Rubber Company 662-842-2200 Jim Pritchett 15 Tires coopertire.com 1984 1689 S. Green St., Tupelo, MS 38802 Caterpillar Inc. 662-286-5511 Jeff Belcher 16 Re-manufactured engines, parts and accessories caterpillar.com 1925 501 Cardinal Dr., Corinth, MS 38834 H.M. Richards 662-365-9485 Joey Tarrant 17 Upholstered furniture hmrichards.com 1997 414 CR 2790, Baldwyn, MS 38824 Franklin Corporation 662-456-4286 Hassell H. Franklin Upholstered furniture franklincorp.com 1970 600 Franklin Dr., Houston, MS 38851 Peco Foods - Canton West Fulton 601-855-5001 Shannon Hendry Poultry processing pecofoods.com 1039 W. Fulton St., Canton , MS 39046 Peco Foods - Sebastopol 601-625-7432 Josh Walsworth Poultry processing pecofoods.com P.O. Box 319, Sebastopol, MS 39359 Tyson Foods Inc.-Forest 601-469-1712 21 Mike Smith Poultry TysonFoods.com 1225 Jack Lee Dr., Forest, MS 39074 Modine Manufacturing Co. 662-229-2000 Thomas Burke 22 Heating transfer products modine.com 1955 3984 Hwy. 51 S., Grenada, MS 38901 MTD Products-Tupelo 662-566-2332 Barry Smith Outdoor power equipment; off-highway transmissions; mtdproducts.com 1962 consumer goods 5484 Hwy. 145, Tupelo, MS 38879 Mar-Jac Poultry 601-544-3141 Joe Colee Fresh and frozen poultry marjac.com 1935 1301 James St., Hattiesburg, MS 39401 Taylor Machine Works Inc. 662-773-3421 W.A. "Lex" Taylor, III 25 Industrial lift trucks taylorbigred.com 1927 3960 N. Church Ave., Louisville, MS 39339 Ashley Furniture Company-Ripley 662-837-3511 Earnie Gates 26 Case goods, Motion Furniture ashleyfurniture.com 1945 15900 Hwy 15 N., Ripley, MS 38663 VT Halter Marine 228-696-6888 Ronald Baczkowski 27 Shipbuilding and repair vthaltermarine.com 1951 900 Bayou Casotte Parkway, Pascagoula, MS 39581 Steel Dynamics 662-245-4200 Madhu Ranade 28 Steel www.steeldynamics.com 2005 1945 Airport Rd., Columbus, MS 39701 Peco Foods - Bay Springs 601-764-4392 Ronnie Tolbert 29 Poultry processing, fresh chill-packed poultry pecofoods.com 1968 95 Commerce Dr., Bay Springs, MS 39422 Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi, LLC 800-423-4544 Hikomitsu Noji 30 Truck and Bus Tires yokohamatire.com 2013 1 Yokohama Blvd., West Point, MS 39773 Vertex Aerospace 601-856-2274 John "Ed" Boyington Aircraft maintenance, systems integration and logistics 31 vtxaero.com 1975 solutions 555 Industrial Dr. S., Madison, MS 39110 Advanced Distributor Products 662-229-3000 1992 Equipment for HVAC market adpnow.com 1995 Air Industrial Park Rd., Grenada, MS 38901 Viking Range, LLC 662-455-1200 Kevin Brown High-end kitchen appliances vikingrange.com 1987 111 Front St, Greenwood, MS 38930 Consolidated Catfish Producers, LLC (662) 962-3101 Richard Stevens 34 Farm raised catfish/Country Select and Delta Pride www.countryselect.com 1967 299 South St., Isola, MS 38754 Hunter Engineering Co. 662-653-3194 Wayne Bowling Wheel alignment, balancing, tire changers, service 35 hunter.com 1976 equipment 33814 Hunter Blvd., Durant, MS 39063 Baxter Healthcare Corporation 662-843-9421 Sandra Golden Medical device manufacturer baxter.com 1949 911 N. Davis Ave., Cleveland, MS 38732 Hol-Mac Corporation 601-764-4121 Jamie V. Holder Steel fabrications, cylinders, off-road bumpers, recycle and hol-mac.com 1963 refuse products, forklifts and tanks P.O. Box 349, Bay Springs, MS 39422 Tyson Foods - Vicksburg 601-631-3600 38 Kemal Beach Poultry TysonFoods.com 1785 Interplex Circle, Vicksburg, MS 39183 ACCO Brands 662-480-3400 Jeff Almasian School, office and consumer products maker and print 39 accobrands.com 2005 finishing solutions. 300 Quartet Ave, Booneville, MS 38829 Data from businesses, economic development agencies and MBJ research. Ranked by employees. Direct questions to frank.brown@msbusiness.com. 1 estimate 1

Mississippi Employees 11,500 5,700 5,542 4,000 3,500 3,100 2,400 2,250 2,100 2,000 2,000 1,600 1,478 1,440 1,400 1,300 1,100 1,1001 1,100 1,100 1,029 1,0001 1,0001 1,0001 980 900 870 851 800 702 700 7001 700 610 600 600 6001 550 525

Small Business Development Centers

Small Development Centers SmallBusiness Business Development Centers

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Mississippi Business Journal

Center & Address

Phone / Email

Contact Person

Services Offered

City of Jackson MSBDC 200 S. President St., Jackson, MS N/A ECCC Workforce Development Center/MSBDC 52 9th Street, Decatur, MS 39327 Gulf Coast MSBDC - The Innovation Center 1636 Popps Ferry Rd, Ste 207, Biloxi, MS 39532 Hinds Community College MSBDC - Business Assistance Center 3805 U.S. 80 East, Pearl, MS 39208 Hinds Community College MSBDC/International Trade Center - Eagle Ridge 1500 Raymond Lake Rd, Raymond, MS 39154 Jackson State University – College of Business 1400 J.R. Lynch St., Jackson, MS 39217

601-960-1638 mdavis@city.jackson.ms.us 601-635-6297 sbdc@eccu.edu 228-396-8661 gcsbdc@olemiss.edu

Michael A. Davis

Counseling by Appointment

Ronald Westbrook Connie Whitt

Counseling by appointment for existing, start-ups and pre-venture businesses. Online Request for Counseling for Jasper, Leake, Newton, Neshoba, Scott, Smith and Winston counties. Counseling by appointment for existing, start-ups and pre-venture businesses. Online Request for Counseling for George, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River and Stone counties

601-936-1817 jgbennett@hindscc.edu

James Bennett

Rankin Campus. Counseling by appointment for existing, start-ups and pre-venture businesses. Online Request for Counseling

601-857-3536 sbdc@hindscc.edu

Jim Harper

601-979-1100 infosbdc@jsums.edu

Rickey Jones

Mississippi State University MSBDC 60 Technology Blvd, Starkville, MS 39759

662-325-8684 ctempleton@business.msstate.edu

Chip Templeton

601-696-2286 kkimberl@business.msstate.edu

Karen Kimberl

662-915-5001 msbdc@olemiss.edu

Sharon Nichols

Southern Miss SBDC - Trent Lott National Center 6197 U.S. 49 S., Room 215, Hattiesburg, MS 39406

601-266-5892 sbdc@usm.edu

Rita Mitchell

Univ. of Miss. SBDC-Business Assistant Center-Southaven 1150 Church Road W. Ste Q, Southaven, MS 38671

662-915-1291 rjschne1@olemiss.edu

Rick Schneider

Counseling by appointment for pre-venture start-ups and existing businesses.

University of Mississippi MSBDC 122 Jeannette Phillips Dr, University, MS 38677

662-915-5001 umsbdc@olemiss.edu

Nancy McKee, Jon Zieren

Counseling by appointment for existing, start-ups and pre-venture businesses. Online Request for Counseling for Alcorn, Benton, Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Coahoma, Desoto, Grenada, Humphreys, Issaquena, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Leflore, Marshall, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica, Union, Washington and Yalobusha counties

Mississippi State University MSBDC – Business Assistance Center 2212 5th St., No. 202, Meridian, MS 39301 MSBDC State Office 122 Jeanette Phillips Dr., University, MS 38677

Counseling by appointment for existing, start-ups and pre-venture businesses. Online Request for Counseling for Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Copiah, Franklin, Hinds (In the County), Jefferson, Lawrence, Lincoln, Pike, Rankin, Simpson, Walthall, Warren, and International Trade. Counseling by appointment for existing, start-ups and pre-venture businesses. Online Request for Counseling for Attala, Hinds (City of Jackson), Holmes, Madison, and Yazoo. Part of the Thad Cochran Research, Technology & Economic Development Park; Counseling by appointment for existing, start-ups and pre-venture businesses. Online Request for Counseling for Choctaw, Clay, Lauderdale, Lowndes, Kemper, Monroe, Montgomery, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, and Webster counties A secondary location of Mississippi State University MSBDC Main Office. Appointments on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Inventor and Technology Assistance. Counseling by appointment for existing, start-ups and preventure businesses. Online Request for Counseling. Counseling by appointment for existing, start-ups and pre-venture businesses. Online Request for Counseling for Clarke, Covington, Forrest, Greene, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Marion, Perry, and Wayne counties.

University of Mississippi MSBDC — Business Assistant 662-680-6988 Center — Renasant Center for Ideas Derek Stephens A secondary location of University of Mississippi MSBDC - Main Office umsbdc@olemiss.edu 398 E. Main St., Tupelo, MS 38801 Information for this list was provided by the Mississippi Small Business Development Center. Direct questions to frank.brown@msbusiness.com.

Gordmans opening three stores in Mississippi March 17 Off-price apparel and home decor retailer Gordmans is opening three new stores in Mississippi on March 17. The retailer, “where big brands meet everyday low prices” according to the company, kicks off festivities with ribbon cuttings at the stores, with a $1,000 donation presented to a local high school in each new store location. Merchandise selection at the stores includes apparel and footwear for the family, home décor, accent furniture, wall décor, bedding & bath, kitchen gadgets, fashion jewelry, designer fragrances, toys and pet accessories. Gordmans is part of the Stage community of stores “that is delivering a whole new shopping experience, with everyone’s favorite brands at prices way lower than department stores,” according to company literature. In addition, customers can ship their Amazon orders to the in-store Amazon Counter. “At Gordmans, we’ve put the fun back

on social media,” said Michael Glazer, president and CEO of Stage Stores.

into shopping by creating an exciting store with terrific deals, fun finds and popular brands at every turn. This means exceptional values on merchandise for

all ages and on-trend décor for the home. New shipments arrive weekly, creating the thrill of a great find. In fact, the finds are so good, our guests often share them

The three Mississippi stores are: • Kosciusko Gordmans: 200 Veterans Memorial Drive, Suite A–Kosciusko High School • Starkville Gordmans: 844 Highway 12 West in Starkville Crossings – Starkville High School • Yazoo City Gordmans: 110 North Jerry Clower Boulevard – Yazoo City High School Gordmans is part of the Stage community of stores. In 2020, Stage is converting over 500 department stores (Bealls, Goody’s, Palais Royal and Stage) to Gord mans. Once the conversion is complete, Stage will be operating approximately 700 Gordmans store locations, making Gordmans one of the prominent off-price retail chains in the U.S.

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Newsmakers

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Hederman Brothers Printing acquires Service Printers

Hederman Brothers has become the largest privately owned printing, direct mail, and large format signage company in Mississippi Doug Hederman, president and CEO of Hederman Brothers Printing, LLC announced the acquisition of Service Printers, Inc. The companies have been transitioning over the last couple of months to form one company, Hederman Hederman Brothers Printing located in Madison County. Hederman said, “We’ve seen a lot of consolidation in our industry recently and by merging together, we can continue to deliver nearly 170 combined years of the best service and quality in the state and region. Our companies share similar values and are both customer centric. I believe this is a great partnership between two companies that creates excellent synergy.” Last May, Hederman Brothers expanded its offering to include large format signage, graphics, banners, and vehicle wraps. Brad Stevens, who joined the company as president of this division, has nearly 11 years of experience in large digital printing. He and his staff bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to complement Hederman’s extensive printing capabilities. Stevens said, “I’ve worked with both Hederman Brothers and Service Printers for years. I have the utmost respect for both companies. They have great reputations, and I am very excited about our future as one.” Hederman agrees, “With the experience and new equipment that has been purchased to fit today’s trends and technology, we are able to focus on the quality, size, and frequency of our customers’ needs. As our customers’ needs change, we will continue to build our business around those needs.” Locally owned and operated, Hederman Brothers, founded in 1898, located in Madison, specializes in commercial offset and digital print, direct mail, and large format signage and graphics. It is the only ISO 9001-2008 Quality Certified printing company in the state of Mississippi and was the first to install a KBA UV LED press of its type in North America.

Former Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality executive director rejoins Butler Snow

Gary C. Rikard has rejoined Butler Snow after a fiveyear stint as executive director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). Rikard will practice with the firm’s regulatory and government group in Ridgeland, Miss. Rikard began his career as an environmental engineer at the MDEQ. After earning his Juris Rikard Doctor, he worked as a staff attorney for MDEQ. Rikard then joined Butler Snow in 2008, practicing environmental law in the firm’s Memphis, Tenn. office, before returning to lead the MDEQ as executive director. He also served as an assistant staff judge advocate in the

Mississippi Army National Guard. “We are delighted to welcome Gary back to Butler Snow,” said Christopher R. Maddux, chair of Butler Snow. “His experience as executive director of MDEQ gives him a unique perspective that will benefit our clients facing complex environmental matters.” Rikard will focus his practice on environmental law, environmental litigation, oil and gas law and government relations. Rikard is a member of the American and Tennessee Bar Associations, The Mississippi Bar, Environmental Council of States and the Air and Waste Management Association. He received his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Christian Brothers University, completed graduate studies in environmental engineering at the University of Mississippi School of Engineering and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law. Butler Snow’s regulatory and government group practices across a variety of industries and practice areas. The group advocates for and counsels public entities and private clients on legislative and regulatory matters involving energy and environmental issues, public utility regulations, administrative law and economic development matters. They have represented clients before public service commissions and state and federal environmental agencies.

Former chief financial officer of the Mississippi Department of Revenue joins Cornerstone Government Affairs

Cornerstone Government Affairs has announced the addition of Drew Maddox as a vice president to the firm’s Jackson office. Maddox joins Cornerstone from the Mississippi Department of Revenue, where he had served as chief financial officer since 2018. As CFO, he oversaw all administrative divisions of the department, including account- Maddox ing, communications, processing, information technologies, and logistics, while also working closely with legislators to guide tax policy decisions, liquor laws, and revenue generating activities. “As our work expands in the state, adding Drew to the team will allow us to continue exceptional client service while diversifying into other key policy areas,” Campbell Kaufman, Cornerstone’s managing director for state government relations said. “We are excited about the capabilities he brings to the firm.” Prior to his time at the Department of Revenue, Maddox worked as the director of state engagement for EdBuild, a nonprofit organization that raises awareness on issues related to public school funding at the state level. Throughout this role, he utilized his deep knowledge of political and governmental structures to strategically place educational reform proposals in the best positions for success in state legislatures across the country. With nearly 10 years of experience in finance and education policy, Maddox also served as the Senate budget officer at the Mississippi Legislative Budget Office, where he worked closely with leadership to craft and pass balanced budgets. Maddox joins a well-established Cornerstone team

in Mississippi that includes Camille Scales Young, Joe Sims, and Elliott Flaggs in Jackson, as well as Hunt Shipman, Susan Sweat, Marty Fuller, and Will Todd in Washington, DC. “I am excited and honored to be joining the Cornerstone team,” Drew said. “I look forward to building upon established relationships and creating new ones in Mississippi and beyond.”

Neel-Schaffer names Chris Sellers East Region Director of Business Development

Neel-Schaffer, Inc., is pleased to announce that Chris Sellers, PE, has been promoted to fill the new role of Director of Business Development for the firm’s East Region. Sellers joined Neel-Schaffer in 1999 and has more than 20 years of experience as a Project Engineer, Project Manager and Business Development leader. He Sellers was named a Senior Vice President in 2018 and most recently served as Operations Manager for the firm’s Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina offices. In his new role, Sellers will focus primarily on business development in Neel-Schaffer’s six-state East Region, which includes offices in Birmingham, Mobile and Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Atlanta, Georgia; Columbia, South Carolina; Maitland and Sanford, Florida; Louisville, Kentucky; and Nashville, Murfreesboro and Memphis, Tennessee. “We have great opportunities for growth in our region,” said Craig Hanchey, PE, Executive Vice President for the firm’s East Region. “Chris’s proven understanding of the market landscape and his ability to develop relationships with clients will greatly assist us in qualifying for and capturing new pursuits.” Sellers holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Auburn University.

Cook named vice president at Community Bank

Monica Cook has recently been named Vice President. A native of Carthage, Cook recently served as Assistant Vice President and has been in banking for ten years. In her new role, Cook will continue to process and underwrite SBA loans while providing lenders guidance. Cook is a graduate of Mississippi State University with a MasCook ter of Business Administration and is a graduate of University of Mississippi School of Banking at Ole Miss. She has two daughters, Ava June and Emery, together they attend Pinelake Church.

Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport announces new director of finance

Kim Banisch has joined the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport as Director of Finance. Banisch is responsible for directing and managing all airport financial and administrative activities.

Banisch holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in accounting from the University of Southern Mississippi. She previously served as a Certified Public Accountant for Alexander, Van Loon, Sloan, Levens & Favre, PLLC in Gulfport, where she was a member of their tax department and IT team. Banisch Banisch has over 27 years of accounting experience in other industries such as healthcare, education and music entertainment. Banisch is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Mississippi Society of CPAs and 2019 Gulf Coast Business Council Masters Class. She serves as President of the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Mississippi Society of CPAs and a member of the University of Southern Mississippi School of Accountancy’s Advisory Board.

Delta Regional Medical Center names Team Member of the Month

Lisa McIntire has been named, Delta Regional Medical Center Team member for January 2020. McIntire, Director of Radiology, has been employed at Delta Regional Medical Center for 30 years. According to the source of nomination, “Lisa comes in to work and the first thing she Mcintire does is speak to all of us and also checks to make sure no one needs anything. She has a great attitude and is very positive. Lisa inspires us to stay positive and works extremely hard in the radiology department. She is there for everyone and listens to what we have to say. Lisa cares for her staff, is a great leaders and a great addition to Delta Regional Medical Center.” “Lisa has been a devoted team member and Delta Regional Medical Center is fortunate to have her as one of our leaders. Her caring and dedicated demeanor exemplifies patient care and she is a most positive example for all to follow, says Amy Walker, Chief Clinical Officer.

Butler Snow’s Hairston selected for Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellows Program

Butler Snow attorney Tray Hairston has been selected to participate in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Fellows program. Hairston is the fourth Butler Snow attorney to be selected for the program. LCLD is an organization of more than 320 corporate chief legal officers and law firm Hairston managing partners who have dedicated themselves to creating a diverse U.S. legal profession. The organization carries out its mission by implementing action programs designed to attract,

Newsmakers inspire and nurture diverse talent within their member organizations, thereby helping a new and more diverse generation of attorneys ascend to leadership positions. Launched in 2011, LCLD’s fellows program selects high-potential, mid-career attorneys from diverse backgrounds and sets them on the path to leadership of their organizations. Participants will embark on a year-long professional development regimen that includes in-person conferences, training in the fine points of legal practice, peer-group projects to foster collaboration and building relationships and extensive contact with LCLD’s top leadership. “Tray’s dedication and commitment to making an impact on our profession and the clients we serve is reinforced by this prestigious recognition,” said Christopher R. Maddux, chair of Butler Snow. “We applaud him as he joins a select group of accomplished attorneys from diverse backgrounds who have been recognized for their efforts to promote inclusivity in their organizations.” Hairston is a member of Butler Snow’s public finance, tax incentives and credit markets group. He concentrates his practice on public finance and economic development matters, including all types of municipal bond issues, serving as bond counsel for both taxable and tax-exempt financings. He has served as bond counsel for various cities and counties and has worked on transactions totaling more than $100 million. Prior to his legal career, Hairston served as counsel and economic development policy adviser to Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant. He was also a member of the Global Business Division at the Mississippi Development Authority where he provided project management assistance to companies and consultants looking to locate new businesses in Mississippi. He also previously served as an adjunct law professor at the Mississippi College School of Law. Hairston regularly publishes scholarly legal articles, with his most recently published paper titled “The Future of Economic Development, 35 Miss. C.L. Rev. 370 (2017)”. Hairston has also served as a lecturer at the Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship at The University of Southern Mississippi in the school’s Masters of Economic Development Program. The Bond Buyer has also recognized Hairston as a Rising Star. The publication’s Rising Stars program honors 28 municipal finance professionals under the age of 40 throughout the country whose leadership, collaborative spirit and innovative work with issuers has positively impacted their communities. Rising Stars are nominated by their peers, and submissions are judged by a panel of municipal finance leaders throughout the country and The Bond Buyer’s editorial leadership team. Additional accolades include being recognized by Mid-South Super Lawyers for Government Finance (2016-2019), Mississippi College School of Law as Young Lawyer of the Year (2013) and Mississippi Business Journal as one of its Top 40 under 40 (2012-2013). Hairston is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers, International Economic Development Council, Southern Economic Development Council, Mississippi Economic Development Council and Mississippi Bar Association. He received his undergraduate degree from Tougaloo College, his MBA from Belhaven College and his Juris Doctor from the Mississippi College School of Law. Butler Snow attorneys Gadson William (Will) Perry, Ashley N. Wicks and Kathleen Ingram Carrington are also fellows of LCLD.

Pine Belt PRAM recognizes best in PR

The region’s best public relations professionals were recently honored for their achievements by the Pine Belt Chapter of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi (PRAM).

The awards, bestowed annually at Pine Belt PRAM’s Chapter Awards Banquet, recognize outstanding work in the field of public relations and celebrate select individuals for their contributions to the profession. “Public relations practitioners work tirelessly behind-the-scenes helping their organizations thrive,” said PRAM Awards Chair Brittney Dykes. “These awards allow us to recognize their efforts and the skills required to achieve success, but also reward the technical proficiency in the four-step process that is the foundation of any productive campaign.” Matt Martin, owner of MightyPenguin Design, received PRAM’s highest honor as he was named the 2019 Bud Kirkpatrick Practitioner of the Year. He was also presented with the Chapter’s President’s Award recognizing service to the Association. “Matt is a renaissance communicator able to design, construct messaging, photograph and manage social media, earning his work the highest-level awards both locally and regionally,” his nomination read. “He is always available to assist students and peers in any way and is the epitome of a servant leader, just like the namesake for this award.” Marissa Landon, communications specialist for Sanderson Farms, was honored with the 2019 Burlian O’Neal Walker Professional Promise Award recognizing practitioners with less than five years experience in the field. “Marissa has made a significant impact on our company and the Pine Belt PRAM Public Relations Association in a very short time,” read her nomination, which noted several awards and leadership positions Landon has earned or served in. “I believe these accolades are just the beginning of her bright career in public relations.” Southern Prohibition Brewery (SoPro) was awarded the 2019 Pine Belt Image Award, recognizing a Pine Belt area business or individual for an achievement in public relations, which significantly improves the image of the greater Hattiesburg area on a regional or national scale. “In the growing segment of beer tourism, SoPro has become a cottage industry. Since opening in 2013, SoPro quickly had products make several of the ‘best of’ lists across the country,” the nomination said. “With every mention in national publications such as Beer Advocate, Men’s Journal, Popular Mechanics, The Atlantic, and Beer Connoisseur, the reputation of the brewery grows, as does the promotion of Hattiesburg. Representatives are proud to tell the story of ‘The Hub’ and how the region’s identity helps craft their distinctive flavor.” Jessica Moore, a senior public relations major at The University of Southern Mississippi, received the William E. “Bud” Kirkpatrick Student Scholarship. Practitioners were also recognized with SPARK

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Awards for their individual achievement. Top awards were presented to The Foundation at The University of Southern Mississippi, Dixie Electric Power Company, and Jessica Breazeale. Additionally, Breazeale was singled out for the highest recognition for individual work product receiving the 2019 Judges’ Award, for her “2019 Safety Campaign.” Pine Belt PRAM is an affiliate of the statewide Public Relations Association of Mississippi, serving practitioners and students in the Hattiesburg-Laurel area with professional development opportunities aimed at enhancing and growing individual skill sets, contributing to the expanding science of public relations policies and practices.

Pickett named a vice president at Community Bank Tim Pickett has recently been named Vice President. A native of Florence, Pickett recently served as Assistant Vice President and has been in banking for three years. In his new role, Pickett will manage the Brandon office, as well as, continue to grow and maintain a loan and deposit portfolio. Pickett is a graduate of University of Mississippi with a Pickett Bachelor of Science Managerial Finance minoring in Accounting and is a graduate of Mississippi School of Banking at Ole Miss. Active in his community, Pickett is a member of Kiwanis Club of Pearl, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Rankin County Chamber of Commerce, volunteer for the Florence Fire Department and is a Veteran of the United States Army. He is married to Lana, together they attend Jackson First Church.

CPSD welcomes new Public Information Officer

Clinton’s public schools will soon have a new spokesperson. Lifelong Clintonian and Clinton High School graduate Robert Chapman is the Clinton Public School District’s new public information officer. He replaces Sandi Beason, who is leaving the district to work in another industry. “Sandi has taken our district Chapman to amazing new heights over the past 12 years in our public relations program and we are forever grateful for her hard work and sacrifice in spreading the good news of Clinton’s public schools over our city, state and nation,” said Dr. Tim Martin, superintendent of schools. “We congratulate her on this new opportunity, and we look forward to working with Mr. Chapman in our PR role.” Chapman is a native of Clinton and a 2003 graduate of Clinton High School. After attending the University of Mississippi where he wrote for the campus newspaper The Daily Mississippian, Chapman graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. He completed his Master of Arts in English from Mississippi College in 2016. Following graduation from the University of Mississippi, he took a position at the Clarion Ledger as a page designer and copy editor where he expanded

Mississippi Business Journal

his writing, photography and design skills. In 2009 he entered into the education field as an English and Social Studies teacher in Jackson Public Schools. After accepting an English position at Clinton Junior High School in 2011, Chapman’s professional life centered around Clinton Public Schools where he served as a teacher, coach, yearbook sponsor and most recently Sports Information Director. He has overseen Clinton’s live stream for the previous five years showcasing various boys and girls sports as well as other district events. Chapman has been involved with various community events and service groups, serving on the Clinton Main Street Association’s BBQ on the Boulevard committee and assisting in the promotion of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce music and arts festival, Red Brick Roads. Chapman is a graduating member of the Leadership Clinton class of 2019 and serves in various forms at First Baptist Church of Clinton. He looks to bring his communication, photography and interpersonal skills to his new role. Robert is married to fellow 2003 CHS graduate Megan McGuire Chapman. His daughter Charlotte and son John both attend Clinton schools as third generation Arrows.

Heartland Media names Danny Walker new GM at WTVA-TV

Danny Walker, Director of Sales for NBC TV Affiliate WTVA in Tupelo, has been promoted to general manager. Walker is responsible for station operations and compliance. Before joining Heartland Media in 2015, the former advertising agency owner also served 11 years for Hearst Television at WAPT in Jackson. Walker The Starkville native is a 1988 graduate of Mississippi State University where he met his wife of 33 years, Pam Mills-Walker. They have 2 children, Lauren-in her final year at Ole Miss School of Law and Hayes-in his first year at University of Mississippi School of Medicine.

Ainsworth named vice president at Community Bank Blake Ainsworth has recently been named vice president at Community Bank. A native of Brandon, Ainsworth recently served as Assistant Vice President and has been in banking for six years. In his new role, Ainsworth will continue to grow and maintain a loan and deposit portfolio. Ainsworth is a graduate of Mississippi State University with Ainsworth a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Real Estate. Active in his community, Ainsworth is President of Rankin County Kiwanis Club and a member of Leadership Rankin with the Rankin County Chamber of Commerce. He is married to Courtney, together they attend Pinelake Church.

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Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2020 CLASS

JOHN ANDERSON Anderson Regional ........................................................................................................................ 24

JEFFREY JOHNSON Zavation .............................................................................................................................................30

ROBERT BARNES Priority One Bank............................................................................................................................ 24

ARTHUR “BUD” JONES AGJ Systems .....................................................................................................................................30

DRAKE BASSETT Palmer Home For Children ...........................................................................................................25

KIA JONES Brown Girls Inc.................................................................................................................................30

DANIEL BOGGS Greater Greenville............................................................................................................................25

ROBERT MARSHALL Bolivar Medical Center...................................................................................................................32

LEE BOND Singing River Health System....................................................................................................... 26

JEFF MCCOY Great Southern Bank ......................................................................................................................32

BILL BROWN Brown Bottling................................................................................................................................. 26

GREG MCNEELY McNeely Plastics..............................................................................................................................33

WILLIAM BYNUMN Hope Federal Credit Union........................................................................................................... 26

KENT NICAUD Memorial Hospital at Gulfport....................................................................................................33

RAY “HOPPY” COLE The First Bancshares...................................................................................................................... 26

JOHN POPE, III Mississippi Firefighters Association ........................................................................................ 34

MARGARET CUPPLES Bradley.................................................................................................................................................27

BERNARD REED Reed’s Metals................................................................................................................................... 34

GUY GIESECKE Batson Children’s Hospital............................................................................................................27

STEVEN SMITH Mississippi Municipal Service Company ................................................................................35

TODD GOODEN The Solutions Team........................................................................................................................28

CHRISTOPHER SOLOP Biggs Ingram .....................................................................................................................................35

MOAK GRIFFIN BankFirst.............................................................................................................................................28

PAT THOMASSON Thomasson Company.....................................................................................................................35

TRIPP HAMMETT Hammet Gravel Company........................................................................................................... 29

SHELLEY WALKER Delta Lodging Group...................................................................................................................... 36

ANGELA HOWZE Financial Literacy Institute........................................................................................................... 29

BOBBIE K. WARE Mississippi Baptist Medical Center.......................................................................................... 36

To nominate for future classes please go online

msbusiness.com/ceo-awards-of-mississippi

ceo awards

Photos provided by Stegall Imagery

Dec. 14 - 27, 2019

Mississippi Business Journal

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Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

John G. Anderson

Robert “Robbie” Barnes

Anderson Regional

ohn G. Anderson is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Anderson Regional Hospital in Meridian. Anderson served as Interim CEO prior to his selection. Anderson was first named as a Vice President in 1990, with additional responsibilities as Vice President of Operations from 20082011. In 2011, Anderson was named Vice President and Administrator of Anderson Regional Medical CenterSouth, roles he continued to fulfill during his time as Interim CEO. Prior to joining the Anderson system in 1990, Anderson served as Assistant Administrator of Tift Regional Medical Center and CEO of Tift Regional Foundation, Tifton, Georgia, as well as Assistant Administrator, Brookwood Medical Center, Homewood, Alabama. Anderson is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He is a graduate of the University of Mississippi and has a Master’s of Science in Health Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Anderson and his wife, Debra, have four children, Kristen, John, Casey, and Jen, and seven grandchildren.

Priority One Bank

obert Barnes is president and CEO of PriorityOne Bank, was recently elected to the Independent Community Bankers of America’s Federal Delegate Board. In addition to helping shape and advocate ICBA’s national policy positions and programs, Barnes’s duties include being a liaison between independent community bankers in Mississippi and ICBA staff and leadership in Washington, D.C. He will also work to recruit new members to ICBA. When Barnes became president and CEO of Priority Bank in Magee in 2011, he was determined to make the community bank more competitive in a market served by 27 other banks, all with 103 branch offices. Barnes, a 32-year veteran employee at the bank, focused as CEO first on streamlining its existing services, by paring seven varieties of consumer checking and consumer savings accounts down to four types. From PriorityOne’s side, the pipeline connects product referrals to the appropriate department, and the system can reassign a business record should an employee leave or retire. Right now, potential account prospects total $25 million to $30 million, with $30 million to $35 million for loans.

ceo awards

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Drake Bassett

Daniel Boggs

Palmer Home For Children almer Home CEO Drake Bassett is driven to impact the lives of as many vulnerable children as possible throughout the state of Mississippi and beyond. Drake has developed the Whole Child Initiative, which looks at how organizations can impact a child physically, emotionally, spiritually and educationally. Under his leadership, Jonah’s Journey, a foster care ministry to women in state prison’s, has become a valuable ministry of Palmer Home. During Drake’s tenure, Palmer Home has increased its capacity to serve more children with 3 new homes on its Hernando Campus, has developed a school on its Columbus campus, increased its donor base and had the pleasure of serving last year alone 163 children. His leadership and vision drives Palmer Home to provide the highest level of care for our vulnerable children of Mississippi and throughout the United States.

Mississippi Business Journal

Greater Greenville

aniel Boggs is the Chief Executive Officer for Greater Greenville Housing and Revitalization Association, Inc., Greater Greenville Development Foundation, Inc., and Main Street Greenville. All three organizations are Mississippi based 501(c)(3) Community Development Corporations which focus on a variety of relevant issues and/or projects that promote and increase the quality of life for Delta residents. Boggs’s entire professional career has been dedicated to community, residential and commercial planning and development in the public, for-profit and non-profit sectors. Prior to coming to Greenville in 2012, Boggs served as an original team member in the Office of Recovery for the state of Mississippi which developed and implemented housing programs in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Over the past 15 years, Boggs has managed over $538 Million Dollars in federal, state and private funding for various types of community enhancement projects. He is a 2004 graduate of Mississippi State University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Landscape Architecture.

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Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Lee Bond

Bill Brown

William J. Bynum

M. Ray (Hoppy) Cole

Singing River Health System ee Bond, Chief Executive Officer at Singing River Health System, where he recently served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer and was instrumental in helping lead the financial turnaround over the last few years. Prior to joining Singing River, Lee served as the Vice President of Property Operations at IP Casino in Biloxi, starting in 2005, helping lead it from last in the market to becoming first in the market, in overall guest counts. Prior to this service, he served as the Chief Financial Officer for Grand Casino Biloxi. He is a Certified Public Accountant and has used his accounting and financial skills in various roles since beginning his career in 1992. Bond has held community leadership roles in both Jackson and Harrison County. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, among many other positions. He is also a licensed General Contractor and was the President of a small contracting company, L.L. Bond & Company, Inc. Bond has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of South Alabama, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.

Hope Federal Credit Union

or more than three decades, Bill Bynum, Chief Executive Officer of Hope Federal Credit Union. has worked to advance economic opportunity for disenfranchised populations. He began his career in North Carolina, organizing nationally-recognized programs at Self-Help and at the NC Rural Center. In 1994, he moved to Mississippi to launch Enterprise Corporation of the Delta, and in 1995, organized Hope Community Credit Union. Today, HOPE provides financial services; aggregates resources; and engages in advocacy to mitigate the extent to which factors such as race, gender, birthplace and wealth limit one’s ability to prosper. Since 1994, HOPE has generated more than $2.5 billion in financing that has benefitted more than one million people in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Bynum’s board service includes the Aspen Institute, Bank of America National Community Advisory Council, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Prosperity Now, and William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation.

Brown Bottling

ill Brown joined his father’s company as Vice President in 1980. A graduate of the University of Mississippi, Bill had been uniquely prepared to join the company. During his high school and college summers, Bill had worked in all aspects of the business, learning it from the ground up. Bill became president of the company in 1988. To better position the company for growth, Bill reorganized operations and changed the name of the company from Southern Mississippi Bottling Company to Brown Bottling Group. Growth continued in 1989 when Brown Bottling Group purchased the franchise rights for McComb and Natchez, adding 16 more counties to the company’s service area. Under Bill’s leadership, the company continued to grow and has undergone an unprecedented building and expansion plan. In December 2007, the Jackson area BBG Sales facility relocated to a state-of-theart facility with more than 100,000 square feet of office and warehouse space located on 35 acres in Brandon.

The First Bancshares, Inc.

oppy Cole currently serves as President and CEO of The First Bancshares, Inc. and the The First, A National Banking Association and serves as the Vice Chairman of both Boards of Directors. Prior to joining the Bank in September 2002, Mr. Cole was Secretary/Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the Headrick Companies, Inc. for eleven years. Mr. Cole began his career with The First National Bank of Commerce in New Orleans and held the position of Corporate Banking Officer from 1985-1988. In December of 1988, Cole joined Sunburst Bank in Laurel, Mississippi serving as Senior Lender and later as President of the Laurel office. Cole graduated from the University of Mississippi where he earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Business Administration. Cole attended the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Delaware. He serves as the Vice Chairman of the Area Development Partnership and also serves as Treasurer of the Mississippi Bankers Association. He is a member of Venture Church. He and his wife, Cindy, have four sons and three granddaughters and currently reside in Ellisville.

ceo awards

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Margaret Cupples

Guy Giesecke

Bradley

argaret Cupples focuses on civil appeals and commercial litigation. Her practice centers on asbestos, benzene and silica mass-tort and products liability cases, and also includes insurance sales practices, consumer finance, and general commercial litigation. She has participated in more than two dozen appeals in Mississippi’s Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, and in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Margaret is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the field of Appellate Law and Products Liability Litigation, and in Benchmark Litigation as a Litigation Star and one of the Top 250 Business Women in Litigation. Margaret serves as the managing partner of Bradley’s Jackson office.

Mississippi Business Journal

Baton’s Children’s Hospital uy Giesecke is CEO of Batson Children’s Hospital. A native Texan, Giesecke earned master’s degrees in business administration and healthcare administration at the University of Houston, and he spent six years at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas. Prior to coming to UMMC, Giesecke served as Chief Operating Officer of Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas from 2006-2010 and vice president of East Texas Medical Center in Tyler, Texas, from 2003-2006. He is a graduate of Leadership Mississippi and a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

28 n

Mississippi Business Journal

ceo awards

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Todd Gooden

Moak Griffin

The Solutions Team, Inc. odd Gooden is driven. He always has been. In 1996, he received the Mississippi Business Journal’s “Top 40 under 40” distinction. At the time, he was the youngest person to ever receive the award: Gooden was twenty-four. Two decades and three companies later, he received the prestigious award of The Most Successful Entrepreneurs of 2018 by Beyond Exclamation Magazine. In 1995, Gooden founded Consultrix Technologies, a technology services firm in Jackson, Mississippi. Under his leadership as the President and CEO, the company was named in Mississippi Business Journal’s list of “40 Fastest Growing Businesses” five years in a row. The Solutions Team has been included the MBJ’s Best Places To Work In Mississippi in 2017 and 2018, and most recently was named to the Pioneer 250 of CRN’s 2019 Managed Service Provider 500 list. Driven at work, driven at play: Todd is an avid white tail hunter. He enjoys all things outdoors, including: boating, camping, golf, and football. He lives in Brandon with his wife, Brandi. They have four children.

BankFirst

oak Griffin is president and CEO of BankFirst Capital Corporation and BankFirst Financial Services in Columbus. He has served in that position since 2012. Prior to that, Griffin was executive vice president and CEO Elect in 2010 and 2011. Griffin is a 1991 graduate of Mississippi State University and then went on to work at the Chicago Board of Trade in various positions for nearly nine years. He has been with the BankFirst organization since then. Griffin has served in the community with Mississippi Bankers Association, Columbus Rotary Club, the Frank P. Phillips YMCA, the United Way of Lowndes County, the Lowndes County Habitat for Humanity, the Mississippi Economic Council as well as serving on the Mississippi State University Department of Finance & Economics Advisory Board

ceo awards Tripp Hammett

Hammett Gravel Company, Inc.

ripp Hammett is the president and part owner of Hammett Gravel Company where he has worked for 15 years. He received his business degree from the University of Mississippi in 2004. Hammett is also a board member of the National Stone Sand and Gravel Association. He has been a board member of MCA for several years and has served in various roles. Hammett has been twice selected as the president of the Mississippi Concrete Association, once in 2015 and again in 2019. Hammett Gravel Company is a family owned business and has been serving central Mississippi and the surrounding areas for more than 70 years.

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Mississippi Business Journal

Angela Howze

Financial Literacy Institute, Inc.

ngela Howze, Financial Aid Strategist “Coined Student Loan Expert” received her Master’s in Economic Workforce Development from the University of Southern Mississippi. She is a Certified Financial Literacy Instructor, CFAA 2020, Consultant for Student Loan Borrowers, Author, Mother and Wife. Angela believes that empowering communities with financial stability will provide Mississippi with a stronger level of playing field for economic growth. In 2019 She taught ACT Preparation and Financial Literacy to Hattiesburg School District, Session Leader at Operation Hope, and she received the Financial Literacy Proclamation from Mayor Toby Barker. Angela enjoys research and development while creating fruitful strategies. Angela grew passionate about student loan debt and its impact on borrowers’ lack of economic growth. Her newest Book, Breaking Free From Financial Aid Prison, was written to improve financial health and is due to be released this month. Grab your pre-copy today @https://financialaidstrategist.com/ breaking-free

30 n

Mississippi Business Journal

ceo awards

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Jeffrey Johnson

Arthur “Bud” Jones

Zavation

effrey Johnson has spent 20-plus years within the healthcare industry across various roles to include executive management, product development, sales and marketing, FDA regulatory compliance, and business development. He has been previously honored as a member of the Mississippi Business Journal’s 2009 “Top 40 Under 40” for his achievements. He boasts an outstanding track record, having founded Spinal USA in 2005. Jeffrey started Zavation in Flowood which was later acquired by Longvue Capital, a private equity firm based in New Orleans and became Zavation Medical Products. The company designs, develops and manufactures a portfolio of spinal hardware. Johnson joined Stryker Corporation after being within the Chicago White Sox minor league baseball organization. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox after four years at Ole Miss where he received his degree in business/marketing. He is a native of Clinton. He is active within the Flowood area with youth baseball activities and serves as a volunteer high school baseball coach at Hartfield Academy, where his four children attend. He and his family are active members of Pinelake Baptist Church.

Congratulations Greg McNeely on being selected as a 2020 Top CEO.

mcneelyplastics.com

AGJ Systems & Networks

ud Jones serves as the CEO and Company Visionary of AGJ Systems & Networks, Inc. The son of an Air Force Officer and High School Teacher, he moved to Biloxi in 1981. Jones majored in Geographical Information Systems and History at Southern Miss. After college, Jones served in the Navy for eight years before returning to the civilian world where he found work as an electro mechanic at Keesler Air Force Base and later as a consultant headquartered out of Atlanta. In 2002, he and partners formed AGJ Systems & Networks and opened an office located at the Gulf Coast Business Technology Center (now the Innovation Center). AGJ has received numerous awards and recognition at the Local, State and National levels and quickly grew to be one of the largest information technology companies on the Coast. Jones is active in the community and currently serves on boards across the region and state. He was named as one of the Top 10 under 40 by the Sun Herald and one of the Top 40 under 40 by the Mississippi Business Journal. He is also a graduate of the Gulf Coast Business Council’s Masters Class.

Kia Jones For Brown Girls

ia Jones is the Founder/Chief Executive Officer of For Brown Girls, Inc. in Jackson. It is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and state tax-exempt organization in Mississippi. Its mission is to uplift, motivate, and cultivate the minds of women of color in Jackson and surrounding areas. Empowering them to fulfill their dreams and promote positive change in their communities by displaying leadership to our disadvantaged youth. It also provides philanthropy and community service efforts in the Jackson Metropolitan Area. The main focus is strengthening marginalized communities. Jones Graduated from Jackson State University in pre-med in 2012 and then earned her Master’s of Public Administration from Belhaven University in 2015. She is currently working toward a doctorate of public health in epidemiology at Jackson State. She certified in psychological first aid mental health, HIPAA compliance and is a certified Phlebotomist. Jones is a member Leadership Greater Jackson, Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society, American Public Health Association, Mississippi Public Health Association, Society for Public Health Education and the Golden Key National Honor Society, among many more.

32 n

Mississippi Business Journal

Robert Marshall Bolivar Medical Center

ceo awards

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

obert Marshall is the Chief Executive Officer at Bolivar Medical Center. Under Marshall’s leadership, Bolivar Medical Center has implemented innovative employee engagement programs, created a culture of safety and quality, and improved the overall patient satisfaction. In 2016, Marshall led Bolivar Medical Center to receiving the High Five Award, LifePoint Health’s highest honor. Since his appointment in 2014, BMC has received seven “A” ratings by the Leapfrog Safety Group. Marshall serves his community in Rotary International and as a Board Member for the Cleveland-Bolivar County Chamber of Commerce, as well as many other things. He has over 30 years of leadership experience in healthcare. He earned his master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University. Marshall resides in Cleveland with his wife of 31 years, and they have three children and three grandchildren.

Jeff McCoy

Great Southern Bank

native of DeKalb, Jeff McCoy has been in banking in Mississippi for over forty years. He joined Great Southern Bank in 2012 as President and Chief Operating Officer. In 2013 he was named President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. McCoy also serves as Chairman of the bank’s loan committee. McCoy presently serves as a member of the Mississippi Bankers Association. He has been involved in community and civic organizations such as the East Mississippi Business Development Corp.(EMBDC), East Central Planning & Development District(ECPDD) loan committee, Board member of Aldersgate Retirement Community, Meridian Community College Foundation, and Choctaw Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. McCoy and his wife, Ethel Ann, are members of Central United Methodist Church. They are the parents of two adult children and four grandchildren.

ceo awards

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Greg McNeely

Kent Nicaud

McNeely Plastics

reg McNeely, owner and CEO of McNeely Plastics, has committed his team to learning the habits of success. McNeely Plastics, based in Clinton, is in its 37th year of business, and manufacturers plastics and film for food and industrial packaging. The business was founded by Greg’s father, Earl McNeely, and Greg took over the company at age 32 in 2001 upon his father’s death. Greg is a lifelong learner and is committed to training and developing his team of 90 employees. Utilizing training materials from consultant and author Chet Holmes, Greg has achieved significant results in training his team on the habits of success. McNeely Plastics has grown to be one of Mississippi’s top 100 private companies and serves over 250 customers throughout the United States, including Mississippi companies like Peavey Electronics, Simmons Catfish, Sanderson Farms and Cal-Maine Foods.

Mississippi Business Journal

Memorial Hospital at Gulfport emorial Hospital of Gulfport CEO Kent Nicaud has changed the health-care landscape on the Gulf Coast. He has expanded health-care services, bringing care close to home in the local communities to serve it’s patients in the lower six counties. Nicaud has continued to recruit and retain physician specialties to better serve the needs of its patients. His continued focus to build a healthier community has been felt throughout the counties and has undeniably established community trust and respect. His efforts have been recognized around the state as he has been named to several boards to serve within the community as well as holding several seats appointed at the state level to help lead decision makers in the Medicaid and Disproportionate Share programs. Under his direction, Memorial has received “Get with The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award”, and Memorial Hospital at Gulfport has been recognized as Best Regional Hospital for Coastal Mississippi, as well as High Performing in abdominal aortic aneurism repair, heart failure, COPD and knee replacement for 201920 by U.S. News & World Report.

34 n

Mississippi Business Journal

ceo awards

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

John B. Pope, III

Bernard T. Reed

Mississippi Firefighters Association hief John Pope is one of the longest serving presidents of the Mississippi Firefighters Association in the more than 96year history of the organization. First elected to his position as President in 2012, he has been re-elected to his post for 4 terms. This places him as the second-longest serving President of the MFFA since World War II. He is a very driven individual, and has a passion to make the fire and emergency services of the State of Mississippi better and safer for its responders, as well as the citizens they serve. Under his leadership, the association has nearly doubled in membership, and its annual conferences are some of the most highly attended on record to date. Pope has worked closely with the state legislature and key state officials to implement and enhance many key projects and programs that continue to keep the State of Mississippi in the vanguard of public safety.

Reed’s Metals

ernard T. "Bernie" Reed, understands the mindset of today’s consumer, and he has built a thriving business based on meeting his customers’ needs. Reed is the owner of Reed’s Metals Inc. based in Brookhaven, which provides metal roofing and metal buildings direct to consumers. Reed is originally from Florida, but he grew up around the country as his family worked in a seasonal agricultural business. As an adult, Reed planted his roots in Monticello and started a pine tree reforestation business; however, the business was seasonal so he wanted to find something else to do in the off season. In 1998, at the age of 28 he decided to start Reed’s Metals with a pair of hand shears and a forklift. From that humble beginning, the company quickly grew and today Reed’s Metals has over 160 employees in five locations: Brookhaven; Tupelo; Benton, Arkansas; Lake Charles, Louisiana; and Jackson, Tennessee.

ceo awards Steven D. Smith

Mississippi Municipal Service Company

teven D. Smith is President and CEO of the Mississippi Municipal Service Company. Smith has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, including the last 13 years with the Service Company. He began his career with Sedgwick Claims Management Services. In 2000, he was promoted to Claims Supervisor. In 2002 he was promoted to Operations Management with Sedgwick CMS in Jackson Mississippi and continuing in that position from 2002 to 2006 in Dallas, Texas, where he provided claims and risk management solutions to numerous Fortune 500 companies throughout the United States. After a successful career with Sedgwick CMS, Smith answered the call to return to his home State of Mississippi and accepted the Director of Claims Administration position for the Mississippi Municipal Service Company in 2006. He was named as the new President and Chief Executive Officer of the Service Company in 2015. Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Arkansas State University. He and his wife, Amy, live in Vicksburg with their sons, Will, John Tyler and Miller.

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Mississippi Business Journal

Christopher Solop Biggs Ingram

hristopher Solop leads the firm’s Construction Litigation and Government Contracts sections. Chris has extensive experience representing clients in all areas of construction and government contracts, including pre- and post award protests, equitable adjustment and claim preparation, and litigation. Chris’ practice also includes arbitration and mediation of complex construction claims. Solop’s public procurement experience extends to services contracts with federal, state, and local governments, including: contracts for military food service, Randolph Sheppard Act vendor litigation and arbitration, and military family housing maintenance. He represents owners, prime contractors, and subcontractors. He has arbitrated, mediated, and tried numerous construction and commercial disputes. He is also General Counsel for the Associated General Contractors of Mississippi. Solop is an Arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and a certified mediator and arbitrator on the Mississippi State Bar’s List.

Patricia Thomasson Thomasson Company

ecoming the leader of a company her parents built, Patricia was rather humbling for Thomasson. The Thomasson Company provides pressure-treated utility poles of varying lengths and specifications for use by utility companies of all types. Depending on specific climate, Thomasson provides varying degrees of treatment designed to delay the decaying process and ensure pole longevity. As CEO of the Thomasson Company in Neshoba County, she’s increased the company’s sales by more than 50 percent. An active member of the Women’s Business Enterprise Council South, Thomasson is a strong advocate for other women in business and passionate about issues surrounding the business community. In 2010, she was elected president of the Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association. Thomasson was the first female to achieve this position. She was also the Mississippi Business Journal’s 2014 Businesswoman of the Year. A breast cancer survivor, Thomasson is also a graduate of the University of Mississippi and is founder and director of the Neshoba County Rebel Club, and serves as secretary of the Rotary Club of Philadelphia.

36 n

Mississippi Business Journal

ceo awards

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Shelley Cresswell Walker Delta Lodging Group LLC

S helley Cresswell Walker is the CEO of

Delta Lodging Group, LLC which is the largest privately-owned hotel company in the Mississippi Delta Region with a Corporate Office located in Greenwood. In her role she is responsible for working with hotel ownership to oversee and lead a management team for 12 properties consisting of a diverse portfolio of Hilton, IHG and Choice Hotels. Walker is responsible for managing day to day business operations and providing leadership and support to all company functions and departments including hotel operations, human resources, guest relations, maintenance, sales, marketing, public relations, training and development, and continuous improvement initiatives. Walker is a graduate of Mississippi State University where she holds a Master of Science degree in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education and a Bachelor of Science degree in Educational Psychology. Shelley is a Certified John Maxwell Team Business Coach, Trainer, and Professional Public Speaker. She has been actively involved in her profession and state through being selected to be a part of the 2019 Leadership Mississippi Class through Mississippi Economic Council, selected as one of the Top 50 Leading Business Women and one of the Top 50 Under 40 Business Leaders by the Mississippi Business Journal. In her spare time, she is known for and enjoys facilitating Leadership Development Training for various businesses and organizations nationwide.

Bobbie K. Ware Baptist Medical

obbie K. Ware is Chief Executive Officer of Baptist Medical Center in Jackson, where she oversees all operations at the hospital with more than 2,800 employees. The Oxford native and registered nurse began her career as a nurse in the ICU and Operating Room, and advanced through the years before being named CEO last year. In 2017, Mississippi Baptist Medical Center was designated a Magnet Hospital. The recognition was the result of a 10-year process, led by Ware. Ware received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Health Services Administration degrees from Mississippi College. Ware received a Six-Sigma Greenbelt Healthcare Certificate of Achievement from Villanova University. Ware was one of Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top 40 Under 40 Women Business Leaders in 2004, a Mississippi Business Journal Health Hero in 2015 and the Mississippi Nurses Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2010 Nursing Administrator of the Year Award. Bobbie and her husband, Robert, have two children and three grandchildren.

ceo awards

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Mississippi Business Journal

Photos provided by Stegall Imagery

38 n

Mississippi Business Journal

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

ceo awards

Photos provided by Stegall Imagery

ceo awards

Feb. 22 - Mar. 7, 2020

Mississippi Business Journal

Photos provided by Stegall Imagery