Best of Pontotoc 2019

C Section | Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Business of the Year Man of the Year

Woman of the Year The Best Foods

The Best Businesses The Best People

Sponsored By:

Selected By Our Readers Pontotoc Progress

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Business of the Year

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Lindsay Clinic, PA

ometown care isn’t just a catchphrase for this year’s Business of the Year winner; it’s the cornerstone of their business model.

“We don’t have some big corporation telling us what we can and can’t do. We provide the care we see fit and treat people not as numbers, but as neighbors,” said nurse practitioner Nicole Tindall, who, along with nurse practitioner Marlana Huffstatler, handles everything from cut-stitching to diabetes management, and everything in-between.

They don’t come more hometown than Tindall. She graduated from South Pontotoc High School in 1994, and earned her degree for the University of Alabama Birmingham. Tindall did her clinical work at the Lindsay Clinic, under the business’s founder and namesake, Patricia Lindsay. When she graduated, she worked for Lindsay from 2011 until 2014.

In 2016, when Lindsay decided to retire and sell, Tindall and her husband, Benji, decided to continue the business.

The clinicians offer, physicals, blood work, and drug screenings, as well as more long-term care, for ages twomonths and older.

“We provide women’s healthcare, as well as treatment for chronic problems, like high cholesterol and diabetes,” said Tindall.

They even take x-rays.

“We have a great staff, and it’s such a privilege to serve my hometown,” said Tindall. “God blessed us with an open door, and we’ve kept our door open. We’re so pleased that people know and trust our name. That means everything.”

The Pontotoc Progress Business of the Year winner, the Lindsay Clinic, is located at 109, Hwy 15 S., in Pontotoc.

Call (662) 509-9334 or visit their page on Facebook.

Story and Photo by GALEN HOLLEY

Nicole Tindall (left), Marlana Huffstatler, and Benji Tindall

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Man of the Year

Jeremy Maxey Story and Photo by REGINA BUTLER

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ontotoc County’s Man of the Year by Pontotoc Progress readers choice grinned. “I didn’t know I was even in the running,” joked Jeremy Maxey. “I wasn’t expecting to get it.”

A full time firefighter and strength training instructor, Maxey’s hours are filled with one job or another but his favorite job is husband and dad.

He is married to Courtney Springer Maxey and they have two daughters, Kiera and Kinsley.

He smiled at the thought of the three loves of his life. “Raising those girls is a pretty good challenge,” he said of his daughters.

His career with the fire department runs back to 2003 when he started as a volunteer, “then I was hired full time in 2006.”

One of the greatest joys and toughest challenges of his life is being a firefighter. It not only means he is out there running to a danger that many would run from, but his job is also to go help rescue people who have been in automobile crashes.

“We get to see a lot of people, usually in their worst moments. In a small town you know most people.”

And what balances out those tough moments in life is the smiles and laughter of the children. He realizes the importance of establishing those friendships with the children because they will be the firefighters of tomorrow.

“We love going to the schools. The children are coming up to take our place, so I like interacting with them.”

And with a full time firefighter’s position not knowing when he needs to hop on the fire truck next, you’d think he wouldn’t need anything else to do, but the strength training job, sort of found him.

“I was training for smoke school on the state level,” Maxey said.

“It is four days of intensive training. You are in your turnouts 12 hours a day fighting structure fire after structure fire. There is very little sleep.”

Maxey knew he needed to have his mind and body ready for the test and so he prepared with ninja warrior type training to tone his body muscles up for the grueling challenge.

“Some of my friends saw how I worked out and told me I should teach it. So I started at the wellness center some years back, then went to Main Street and opened my own gym.”

Maxey’s main goal in all of his life is helping people, whether it is trying to save their memories from a fire or helping them get into shape physically.

“I’ve been blessed to have a career that puts me out there with people to help them. I’ve been put here to do a good thing and I’m very happy to be able to do it.”

Now if you want to let Maxey know how much you appreciate his service, make sure you are on Main Street on December 2 because he and the Woman of the Year will be the Grand Marshalls of the Pontotoc Christmas parade.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

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Woman of the Year

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Christy Suggs Story and Photo by REGINA BUTLER

ontotoc’s Woman of the Year for 2019 could not believe her ears.

Christy Suggs smiled broadly “I was surprised when I got the call.

I was completely caught off guard. It is a sweet honor.”

Suggs was chosen by the readers of the Pontotoc Progress as Woman of the Year by popular vote.

No stranger to literally thousands of students and parents alike, Suggs has been a part of the Pontotoc City School district for 20 years.

“I taught first grade for 14 years then got into administration.” She smiled.

“I never thought I’d be in administration, but Carolyn McGeehee, who was the principal at the elementary school at the time, encouraged me to get my degree for it.”

Today she is the alternative school and interventionist for the entire Pontotoc City School District. She was eased into administration six years ago at the Junior High.

“That same year, my husband and I started teaching the Junior High grades at West Heights Baptist Church,” she said. “That helped me to understand this age group more after spending all those other years with the younger group.”

Her current job is to help the students not get exasperated at school and keep them from quitting school.

“When they get to this point they feel everyone is done with them. If I can save them from dropping out, I have connected with them.”

However, Suggs is quick to admit her greatest challenge in life is not at school, but at home as mom to a couple of children and being a wife. She smiled broadly.

“My husband John and I have been married 20 years and our son Dawson is 15 years old and daughter Rylee Grace is 10.” She chuckled. “Rylee is my little animal lover, dogs, cats and a miniature horse are part of our family because of her.”

And Rylee is her little miracle baby. “There was a time we thought we would lose her while I was pregnant.” Tears began to trickle at the memories those words evoked. “When she got here I couldn’t hold her because she was premature and in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit).”

Once her daughter was able to come home, Suggs said she spent time rocking and rocking her little treasure. “On the wall in front of me was a canvas that had Jeremiah 29:11 etched into it. ‘For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’

“I’d look at that verse and realize that God has a plan for everybody and this verse has become my daughter’s life verse.”

And just like her daughter, God has shown his plan for Suggs. She looked back on her years of service. “My first class of students now have children.

That is so unreal. But through these years I have been forging relationships with the family, not just the children I teach.

“Now in this position, I advocate for the children, whatever their needs are, because I care, and I hope they see that.”

This December Suggs will get a chance to wave at those who voted for her, because she, along with the Man of the Year, will be the Grand Marshall for the Pontotoc Christmas parade on Monday, December 2.

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And the winners are...

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Business of the Year

Best Foods Best Baked Potato Spud’s Best Bakery Happy Day Café Best BBQ Blacksmith BBQ Best Overall Restaurant Sydnei’s Grill Best Biscuit Butcher Block Best Breakfast Butcher Block Best Buffet Seafood Junction Best Catfish Hwy 41 Fish and Steak House Best Chicken Sandwich Sydnei’s Grill Best Chinese Restaurant Old Master Restaurant Best Coffee Happy Day Café Best Deli Happy Day Café Best Desserts Happy Day Café Best Fast Food Sonic Drive-In Food Truck Polly Wangos Best Fried Chicken KFC Best Hamburger Sydnei’s Grill Best Hushpuppies Hwy 41 Fish and Steak House

Lindsay Clinic, PA

Best Ice Cream Sonic Drive-In

Best Japanese Restaurant Yamato Steak House of Japan Best Lunch Buffet Mi Pueblo Best Mexican Restaurant Mi Pueblo Best Milkshakes Sonic Drive-In Best Pizza Pizza Hut Best Ribs Blacksmith BBQ Best Salad Bar Sydnei’s Grill Best Sandwiches Subway Best Seafood Seafood Junction

Best Slaw Hwy 41 Fish and Steak House Best Steaks Outlaws Steakhouse Best Sweet Tea Sydnei’s Grill

Best Business Best AC/Heating Kevin Warren

Warren’s AC and Heat Service

Best Antique Store Antiques Downtown Best Arts & Crafts Pure Bliss Best Auto Detailing Pinson Auto Detailing

Best Auto Mechanic Brad Mayo Mayo Automotive

Man of the Year

Jeremy Maxey Best Day Care The Learning Tree Children’s Academy

Best Auto Parts NAPA - Service Supply

Best Discount Store Dollar General

Best Bedding Store Wal-Mart

Best Electronics Brad’s Electronics, Inc.

Best Baby Gift Shop The Carousel

Best Fabric Store Needleart Fabrics and Alterations

Best Body Shop Pro-Cision Collision

Best Farm Equipment Moore’s

Best Boutique Pure Bliss

Best Feed & Farm Supply Moore’s

Best Bridal Gift Shop The Red Door

Best Finance/Loan Company First Choice Bank

Best Bridal Registry The Red Door

Best Financial Institution First Choice Bank

Best Birthday Gift Shop Pure Bliss

Best Florist Flowers and Gifts of Pontotoc

by Redele

Best Building Supply Peeples Building Material Best Catering Sydnei’s Grill Best Children’s Clothing The Carousel Best Chiropractor Dr. William D. Anderson, D.C.

Best Funeral Home Tutor Memorial Funeral Home Best Furniture Manufacturer Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. Best Furniture Store Roger’s Furniture

Anderson Chiropractic

Best Gas Station Pontotoc Shell Express

Best Clothing Alterations Needleart Fabrics and Alterations

Best Garden Center Rustic Woods Garden and Gifts

Best Consignment/Thrift Shop CK Walls/ Trend To Pretend

Best Grocery Piggly Wiggly

Best Convenience Store Pontotoc Shell Express Best Cosmetics Merle Norman at Legacy Best Customer Service First Choice Bank

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Woman of the Year

Christy Suggs

Best Lawn Mower Dealer NAPA - Service Supply

Best Windshield Repair Pontotoc Auto Glass and Accessories

Best Lumber Store Peeples Building Material

Best Women’s Clothing Pure Bliss & The Experience Tanning and Boutique

Best Meat Market McCoy’s Grocery and Meat Market Best Medical Clinic Lindsay Clinic, PA Best Men’s Clothing Moore’s Most Improved Business Sydnei’s Grill Best Nursing Home Sunshine Health Care, Inc.

Best Wrecker Service Johnson’s Wrecker Service

Best People Best Bank Teller Suzanne Harlow Bank of Pontotoc

Best Boss Melissa Chavers

The Learning Tree Children’s Academy

Best Bus Driver Jessica Goggins

Best Oil Change Young’s Tire Store

The Learning Tree Children’s Academy

Best Paint Store True Value Hardware Store

Best Coach Chad Anthony

Best Pawn Shop Chunn’s Pawn Shop Best Pest Control Tri-County Pest Control Best Pet Grooming Pampered Pooch of Pontotoc Best Pharmacy Montgomery Drugs Best Plumbing Store Peeples Plumbing and Electrical Best Printing Company Image Screen Printing

North Pontotoc High School

Best Fire Fighter Jeremy Maxey

Pontotoc Fire Department

Best Grocery Sacker Colton Jenkins Piggly Wiggly

Best Hair Stylist Jade McKnight Roots Salon

Best Insurance Agent Michael Jolly Shelter Insurance

Best Law Enforcement Jake Chisholm

Best Gym/Fitness Center Friendship Fitness & The Slaughterhouse Gym

Best Produce Market Basket

Pontotoc Police Department

Best Real Estate Agency Patty Turk Properties, LLC

Best Loan Officer Greg Baker

Best Hair Salon Miss Kitty’s Salon

Best Rental Company Mills Rentals

Best Health Food Store Whole Family Nutrition

Best Screen Printer Image Awards and Gifts

Best Home Decor The Red Door

Best Shoe Dealer Shoe Show

Trent’s Portrait Design

Best Hotel America’s Best Value Inn

Best Swimming Pool Sales/Supplies The Pool Specialist

Best Plumber and Electrician David Vernon

Best Industrial Company Behold Washington, LLC

Best Tanning Salon The Experience Tanning and Boutique

Best Insurance Agency Shelter Insurance - Michael Jolly

Best Tax Preparation Connie Kidd Tax Services

Best Jewelry Store Pure Bliss

Best Tire Dealer Young’s Tire Store

Best Landscape Company Richie Turner

Best Transmission Repair Windham Transmission, Inc.

American Lawn Company

Best Used Car Dealership Bost Auto World

First Choice Bank

Best Nail Technician Christy Taylor Roots Salon

Best Photographer Trent Baker

HDS, LLC

Best Real Estate Agent Dennis Cox

Tommy Morgan, Inc., Realtors

& Jodi Forsyth

Crye-Leike Realtors

Best School Teacher Ashley Stubblefield

North Pontotoc Middle School

Best Secretary Kristy Owen D.T. Cox

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