July 10, 2020 MBJ E-EDITION

• Meetings & Conventions • Big Business MSBUSINESS.COM | July 10 - July 23, 2020 | Vo. 43 • No. 3 • 24 pages

{Section begins P12} » Casinos back open for business, but not quite back to normal yet » Tourism, CVBs respond to pandemic

{Section begins P16} » Employment currently remaining steady as universities prepare to open for fall semester

TOURISM, CVBs RESPOND TO PANDEMIC » Page 13

Pages 14-15, 18

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July 10 - July 23, 2020

Intense state lobbying efforts persuade legislators to change the Mississippi flag

By BECKY GILLETTE mbj@msbusiness.com

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n the middle of a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has hit Mississippi particularly hard, the Mississippi Legislature took up one of the most divisive issues in the state’s history. Just a week before an historic vote on Sunday, June 28, to remove the Mississippi state flag—the last state flag in the U.S. that included the racially divisive Confederate battle emblem—it looked unlikely to pass.

Then came an intense lobbying effort the likes of which has rarely been seen with business, industry, religious, educational and athletic leaders from throughout the state petitioning in the final days of the 2020 legislative session to vote to remove the flag. At first, Gov. Tate Reeves supported putting the issue on the November ballot. But Reeves changed his mind after intense lobbying including from one of the state’s most successful businessmen, Joe Frank Sanderson, board chairman of Sanderson Farms based in Laurel.

Sanderson predicted that if lawmakers put the issue on the ballot, there would be all kind of demonstrations and boycotts of conventions, casinos, athletic events and Mississippi products.

In a rare Sunday vote, the Senate approved a bill to replace the flag by a vote of 37-14 and the House approved the bill by a vote of 91-23. The bill requires the current state flag to be officially retired by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History within 15 days of the bill being signed by the governor. The governor has indicated he will sign the bill.

Speaking during the proceedings, Sen. John Horhn said changing the flag won’t magically solve poverty, health disparities, economic strife or violence. But he said it is a big step in the journey to recognize every person’s God-given humanity and self-worth.

The vote was considered a historic transition for Mississippi. Sen. Angela Turner Ford, chairwoman of the Legislative Black Caucus, said people in Mississippi can be proud to move forward to adopt a symbol that is inclusive and that all can rally behind.

The bill gives the authority for three

elected officials, Gov. Reeves, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and Speaker Philip Gunn, to each appoint three people to a commission that will make a recommendation for the new flag that will replace

Current

Hospitality

Proposition B

the flag that has flown in the state for 126 years.

The flag vote was precipitated by worldwide protests over the death of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minn. Groups that supported the change include the Mississippi Bankers Association, the Mississippi Baptist Convention, the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges, the Mississippi Manufacturers Association, Delta Council, and athletic directors from most of the state’s public colleges and universities.

In the 2001 statewide referendum, changing the flag failed by a two-to-one margin. At the time, some people said they weren’t opposed to changing the flag, but didn’t like the design of the pro-

posed new flag. Some called it “the pizza flag.” This time, the old flag is gone while a commission will be formed to make recommendations for a new flag.

Three alternatives that could be under

Seal

Magnolia

Bonnie Blue

consideration are the Hospitality Flag, the Seal Flag and the Magnolia Flag.

Timothy Mask, president, Maris West & Baker, Jackson, said he doesn’t have a favorite out of the current designs.

“I just think it is important that whatever that symbol is, it is reflective of our population and our values for all of Mask the people in our state,” Mask said.

“Most importantly, nothing about the new design should be in conflict with our values or something that would alienate any community.”

Mask said this is a good day for Mississippi, and enhances the state’s image.

“The thing about symbols is they do matter because, by their very nature, a symbol is representative of the people behind the symbol,” Mask said. “When those two things aren’t in alignment anymore, it is time to change the symbol.”

Mask said changing the flag goes deeper than just rebranding. He said that, in general, people in Mississippi are more accepting of diversity and inclusion than is often recognized outside of the state.

“We have different communities that work together, live together and play together,” he said. “We are one of the most inclusive states in the country. That is not to say we don’t have our issues, but so does everyone else.”

Reed Guice, CEO, Guice & Guice, Biloxi, said he has long believed the present flag is a barrier to bringing in all people.

Guice “In fact, it seemed to me that flying of that flag actually said ‘keep out’ to tens of thousands of people who would ordinarily feel comfortable on the Gulf Coast,” said Guice, who has promoted Gulf Coast tourism for more than 30 years.

“Changing the flag is not only for tourism, but industry in general and jobs. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for a major corporation to bring talent from outside into the state. More importantly to my heart, failure to change the flag could have caused our children to leave this state. It is not just for existing but for future generations for which the old flag must come down.”

Guice was very pleased that the legislature didn’t put the issue to a vote.

“That would have been the worst possible thing that could have happened,” Guice said.

Like Reeves, Hosemann also earlier supported a voter referendum. But he changed his mind. Hosemann said in a written statement that he, like a majority of Mississippians, was open to changing the flag.

“Now we must look to a flag for our collective future to be flown over our collective assets,” Hosemann said.

News about Mississippi’s historic flag vote was covered by major news outlets across the country and the world.

July 10 - July 23, 2020

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MSU stargazers Tanner, Geneser part of new planet discovery

Mississippi State physics and astronomy faculty member and graduate student are among authors of a paper published in the journal Nature today [June 24] announcing their discovery of a new planet orbiting a nearby star 31.9 light-years away. The discovery positions astronomers to increase their understanding of how stars and planets form and evolve.

A research team that includes MSU Associate Professor Angelle Geneser Tanner and MSU physics doctoral student Claire Geneser of Argenta, Illinois, utilized NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, known as TESS, and the recently retired Spitzer Space Telescope to find the Neptune-sized planet.

Named AU Mic b, the planet is orbiting AU Microscopii, a nearby cool red dwarf star surrounded by a disk of debris. The researchers, led by Peter Plavchan, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, also made observations from the NASA’s InfraRed Telescope Facility and the W. M. Keck Observatory, both in Hawaii, and the European Southern Observatory in Chile. More than a dozen universities, research institutes and observatories worldwide are part of the effort.

Tanner said that a transit event helped scientists to reliably confirm the planet in the southern constellation Microscopium. A transit occurs when a planet crosses in front of its star, which from the Earth’s perspective causes a distinct decrease in the star’s brightness.

“We have been using new observing techniques at InfraRed to try to discover more planets around young stars so we can study the formation and evolution of planetary systems over millions of years. We had been

collecting spectra of AU Mic for quite a few years to detect the wobble of the star, which then let us infer the presence of a planet. However, the fact that the star is a young, red dwarf means that it has lots of flares and starspots, which complicates our measurements. Before the transit discovery, we thought this star might have a planet but could not be certain,” Tanner explained.

“Not only is AU Mic a young star, which will help us understand the formation of planetary systems, but this is the first transiting planet discovered in a system with a known young planetary disk. This is significant since disks contain the building blocks for planets and planets help shape the disk. Finding a system with both allows us to study this interplay,” she continued.

“While, AU Mic b has been one of the most notable discoveries, our observations are helping to confirm a variety of TESS detected transiting systems,” she said.

At an estimated age of 20 million to 30 million years, AU Microscopii is much younger than the Earth’s Sun,

AU Mic b

NEPTUNE

AU Mic b is about 8% larger than Neptune

» MSU Associate Professor Angelle Tanner

estimated at 5 billion years old. The newly discovered planet orbits the star every 8.5 days and is about 8% larger than Neptune.

Tanner said the research team still is collecting data on the AU Mic system to see if other planets may be detected and to measure the orientation of the spin and orbital axes of the star and planets.

“It has been an exhilarating time, and I have been lucky to get to enjoy a discovery like this right now,” Tanner said. “I am reinvigorated to push the boundaries of these observations and find more Earth-like planets to better appreciate where we come from and if we are alone.”

Tanner holds a bachelor’s degree in astronomy and physics from the University of Arizona, and master’s and doctoral degrees in astronomy from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her research focuses on multiple methods of extrasolar planet detection, including using radial velocities, astrometry and direct imaging. Tanner previously has published articles in The Astrophysical Journal, The Astronomical Journal and Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.

– MBJ Newswire

Vicksburg District to open Muddy Bayou Control Structure

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he U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District notified local authorities and emergency management personnel of the need to open the gates of the Muddy Bayou Control Structure, located 13 miles northwest of Vicksburg in the Yazoo River Basin, within the next four-to-five days.

Once conditions allow, the gates at Muddy Bayou will be operated to begin a controlled fall of stages at Eagle Lake, located approximately 10 miles north of Vicksburg. As

stages at Steele Bayou continue to fall, gates will be opened more to allow the lake to fall at a rate of 0.1-0.2 feet per day. This rate will ensure that minimal damage occurs to saturated banks as the lake level falls.

Fisheries biologists with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks do not anticipate any negative impacts on fish populations or aquatic vegetation as the lake level falls. The slow fall rate will also minimize the likelihood for a fish kill caused by low dissolved oxygen levels.

The Muddy Bayou Control Structure regulates water flowing into or out of Eagle Lake through Muddy Bayou, a tributary of Steele Bayou. The drainage structure, which was constructed as a fish and wildlife mitigation feature of the Yazoo Backwater Project, is used by USACE during periods of high water in the Yazoo River Basin to reduce the risk of damage to the Muddy Bayou Control Structure and to prevent scour or further damage to roads and homes surrounding the lake.

Eagle Lake’s stage is allowed to fluctuate between 7576.9 feet during certain seasons in an effort to improve

the lake’s fisheries. The rates of rise and fall of Eagle Lake water levels are dependent on the stages of Steele Bayou and inflow from rainfall and runoff over the Eagle Lake watershed. If stages permit regulation of the structure, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks establishes the desired rates of rise and fall in accordance with the Eagle Lake Water Level Management Agreement.

The agreement was signed in 2000 by representatives of the USACE Vicksburg District; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries; the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks; the Warren County Board of Supervisors; and the Madison Parish Police Jury.

The USACE Vicksburg District is engineering solutions to the nation’s toughest challenges. The Vicksburg District encompasses a 68,000-square-mile area across portions of Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana that holds seven major river basins and incorporates approximately 460 miles of mainline Mississippi River levees. The district is engaged in hundreds of projects and employs approximately 1,100 personnel.

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» reporter's notebook

Trouble in Paradise, but 30A smooths the bumps

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riving from Jackson, shut down freestanding bars we pass through and also restaurants that make Bankhead Tunnel more than 50 percent of their beneath the Mobile Bay revenue from liquor sales.

That included the Havana with the U.S.S. Alabama Beach Bar and Grill at The and its World War II guns Pearl hotel on Main Street in standing guard above us.

Rosemary Beach. A few diners We’ve been on the road a JACK WEATHERLY were at tables at the Havana Beach No couple of hours and notice a vague one was at the bar. color on the mid-day horizon.

All 50 rooms at the white Spanish-style We keep an eye out for a coronavirus Pearl were booked, manager David Merrycheckpoint soon after we enter Florida via man said.

Interstate 10.

The herky-jerky life of the pandemic But we didn’t see it because it had been plays no favorites. dismantled.

And while the Sahara Desert dust cloud Gov. Ron DeSantis had reopened busi- carried across the Atlantic and into the nesses on May 4 and things in late June Gulf by the trade winds added a certain were continuing to look up. exotic atmosphere, it might have been of But on June 26 because of a spike in concern for some.

The first two days we were there, a haze coronavirus cases DeSantis immediately

» A view down the Florida beach near Rosemary Beach. Photo by Jack Weatherly

» The Pearl Hotel at Rosemary Beach along 30A in the panhandle of Florida. Photo by Jack Weatherly

filtered the sun and softened the summer heat. It was hard to tell whether it was moisture or dust or a combination.

The charm of the area overcomes such bumps.

Tourists on fat-tired rental bicycles keep the paths humming, and keep you on your pedestrian toes after dark.

Beachgoers can flip through books by the area’s own mystery writer, Deborah Rine, perhaps “The Girl on 30A.” Talk about a book tailored for the beach reading.

Perfect for peeking over the pages to see a seagull snagging a Cheeto out of the sand or a tall skinny teenage girl with long, thin legs failing and failing again to master a paddleboard in the pale-green surf.

The Florida Panhandle is tucked beneath Alabama and Georgia, and 30A attracts successful country performers who have a place here.

And it has the annual 30A Songwriters Festival, which was headlined in January by Brian Wilson, founder of the Beach Boys, John Prine, and many more performed at venues up and down the 18-mile stretch.

The area even has its own namesake brew, 30A Beach Blonde Ale, one of its many beers produced by the Grayton Beach Brewery.

The seed for what was to become a long, low loop of pearls along the highway was Seaside back in 1982. The very American-style community with porches and picket fences was designed by Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, an Ivy League-trained husband and wife team.

Duany and Plater-Zyberk in 1995 created Rosemary Beach, which is equally historic in inspiration but reflects more of New Orleans and the Caribbean, in 1995 on the west end of the alternate route dangling from U.S. Highway 98.

The string of pearls that is 30A lies between Fort Walton-Destin and Panama City, which were established long ago as the go-to spots.

Back in those days, we took a family vacation in Santa Rosa Beach, when it was barely developed, and rented a humble cottage, never dreaming what was in the future.

FAA selects MSU’s Raspet Flight Research Lab to lead UAS safety efforts

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ississippi State University once again is leading a major federal unmanned aircraft systems research, testing and development

initiative.

MSU’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory was recently designated as the Federal Aviation Administration’s UAS Safety Research Facility, placing the research center as the helm of studying and developing safety and certification standards as UAS become increasingly integrated in the U.S. airspace.

“Mississippi State University is a national research leader in many fields, and our foundational work with unmanned aircraft has positioned us, as this selection demonstrates, to help write the flight safety plan for

this potentially transformational aspect of the aviation industry,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum.

“This designation further solidifies MSU and the state of Mississippi as a leader in » Raspet Flight Research Laboratory personnel prepare to fly a TigerShark Block 3 XP unmanned aircraft unmanned aircraft systems, system as part of UAS research at Greenwood-LeFlore Airport earlier this month. Raspet was recently desigwhich will bring more aca- nated as the Federal Aviation Administration's UAS Safety Research Facility. (Photo by Megan Bean) demic, research and econom“Raspet has a rich heritage of aviation development ic opportunities to our state.” and testing, and we’re building upon that foundation The U.S. Congress earlier charged the FAA with deby providing the FAA with research needed to quickly, veloping safety rules regulating UAS, commonly known See RASPET, Page 5 as drones.

July 10 - July 23, 2020

MSU ranks fourth in U.S. academia for supercomputing power

By MBJ Staff

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ississippi State University is again among the nation’s elite in supercomputing power.

MSU’s Orion supercomputer is the fourth most powerful academic data center in the U.S., according to rankings released

by Top500.org. Orion is ranked at No. 68 on Top500’s list of the world’s most powerful computing systems. Managed by MSU’s High Performance Computing Collaboratory, Orion was installed on campus last summer with the support of $22 million in grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Capable of processing five » MSU President Mark E. Keenum, right, speaks with NOAA Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric thousand trillion calculations Research Craig McLean after MSU and NOAA marked another research partnership in December with a ribbon-cutting (five petaFLOPS) per second, for the Orion supercomputer at MSU. Orion is the fourth most powerful academic data center in the U.S. The comOrion is powering research and puting power at MSU is a key asset for economic development in the state and positions MSU to continue to develop development advancements in critical research partnerships with federal agencies. (Photo by Megan Bean) weather and climate modeling, autonomous systems, materials, cybersecurity, computational Keenum noted that MSU’s High Only the University of Texas at Ausmodeling and more.

Performance Computing Collabora- tin, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in “MSU has a longstanding history of tory works with existing industry in New York and Massachusetts Institute of being a leader in high performance com- the state to help companies gain valu- Technology house systems on academic puting, and I am proud that we continue able insights and stay at the forefront campuses that rank ahead of MSU’s Orito be ranked among the best in the coun- of their fields. The computing power on. The supercomputer is a Dell-EMC try and the world in this area,” MSU at MSU is also an invaluable system consisting of 28 computer cabPresident Mark E. Keenum said. “More economic development asset inets, each approximately the size of an importantly, I’m proud that our worldand is playing a leadership industrial refrigerator, 72,000 processing class researchers, along with numerous role in helping recruit new cores and 350 terabytes of Random Acdistinguished scientists in the national companies and advanced cess Memory. government, are using Orion to drive technology jobs to MississipMSU has been a leader in computing innovation, solve critical problems and pi, strengthening key econom- research for decades, having a supercomcreate new opportunities in our state as ic sectors such as automotive, puter appear on 28 of the last 49 Top500 we collaborate with government and inagriculture, healthcare and de- lists, dating back to 1996. dustry partners. I’m so very pleased that fense.

Orion supports research operations for high performance computing is an area With eight systems list- several MSU centers and institutes, such where Mississippi excels.” ed in the Top500 rankings as the Center for Computational SciencIn addition to NOAA, MSU’s combining for over 29 es, Center for Cyber Innovation, Geohigh performance computing million megaFLOPS of systems Research Institute, Center for capabilities have led to critical processing capability, Advanced Vehicular Systems, Institute partnerships and research opthe state of Missis- for Genomics, Biocomputing and Bioportunities with the United sippi is ranked No. technology, the Northern Gulf Institute States Department of Agri5 nationally for its and the FAA Alliance for System Safeculture, NASA, the National s u p e r c o m p u t i n g ty of UAS through Research Excellence Science Foundation, Departpower. Mississippi (ASSURE). These centers use high-perment of Defense, Departtrails only Cali- formance computing to model and simment of Homeland Security fornia, Tennes- ulate real-world phenomena, generating and the Department of Ensee, Texas and insights that would be impossible or proergy, among other state and New Mexico in hibitively expensive to obtain otherwise. federal agencies. this area.

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Continued from, Page 4

safely and efficiently integrate UAS into the National Airspace System,” said Dallas Brooks, Raspet director. “We’re proud the FAA has selected us as their UAS Safety Research Facility, and we’re looking forward to working together to ensure the benefits of this amazing technology are realized without compromising safety.”

Along with its partner universities in the FAA’s UAS Center of Excellence, Raspet already conducts the vast majority of safety-related UAS research for civil use. Known as the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence, or ASSURE, the Center of Excellence is a leading research coalition of 25 universities and more than 100 government and industry partners.

Integrating UAS into the National Airspace System would enable manned and unmanned aircraft to safely operate side by side using many of the same air traffic management systems and procedures.

Issues Raspet has been and will be addressing in its role as the UAS Safety Research Facility include: • Validating and verifying results, recommendations and conclusions of UAS safety research from around the world.

• Developing safety-based recommendations to inform FAA decisions on UAS policy, regulation and safety guidance.

• Investigating technologies that enable UAS to accurately and reliably detect other aircraft and adjust the course of the UAS to maintain safe distances; successful implementation of these detect-and-avoid systems would permit UAS to safely operate beyond visual line of sight – a critical threshold for UAS to reach full potential.

• Serving as a performance evaluation testbed for emerging UAS technologies.

MSU’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory is the nation’s leading academic research center dedicated exclusively to the advancement of Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Raspet is the only institute in the world designated both as the FAA’s UAS Safety Research Facility and as official UAS Test Sites for both the FAA and the Department of Homeland Security.

Home to a fleet of the largest and most capable unmanned aircraft in academic use, Raspet conducts UAS research on behalf of federal agencies and commercial industry alike, and it remains a world leader in composite materials research.

PERSPECTIVE July 10 - July 23, 2020 • www.msbusiness.com • Page 6

» INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

Mandate masks to avoid another lock-down and school closures

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www.mspress.org

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June 27 - July 10, 2020 | Volume 43, Number 2

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ack in the day you could and certainly follow the rules.” tell the bad guys by Many young people are the masks they wore. among the bad actors. They How ironic that these days go out socializing in groups, it seems to be the other way get the coronavirus, and take around. Those not wearing it back home to their parents masks are becoming the bad or grandparents, Dobbs said. guys.

Since Reeves re-started MisBILL CRAWFORD Back then the masked guys were sissippi’s economy on May 28 and let outlaws. Maybe it’s time for today’s un- his Safer at Home executive order expire masked to be called outlaws too. on June 1, the state’s main line of defense Time and again Gov. Tate Reeves and against COVID-19 has been voluntary, state health officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs “personal responsibility” to wear masks, have urged, cautioned, and pleaded with us social distance, and avoid crowds. to wear masks, social distance, and avoid “There is no government replacement crowds to help the state cope with the for your personal responsibility and wisCOVID-19 coronavirus. dom,” said Reeves.

“It is important that when you go out in That line of defense has not worked public that you wear a mask,” said Reeves. very well.

“Please do it. It protects not only yourself, Mississippi is one of 17 states that has but it shows that you care enough to pro- seen increases in the number of people tect your fellow Mississippians.” hospitalized by the virus, reported WAPT. But, “people are not complying,” Dobbs This is happening during the summer said as reported by the Associated Press, months, when health leaders thought the adding that the real problem is a lack of case numbers would be dropping.

The Wall Street Journal ranked Missisconcern for safety guidelines.

“My head is sore from banging it on the sippi as the number three hot spot in the wall,” Dobbs told WLBT. “Wear masks, country as both daily new cases and tosocial distance, don’t do mass gatherings tal deaths topped 1,000 last week. Only

A member of the Mississippi Press Association

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Florida and Arizona had higher ratios of positive test results.

Dobbs told the Sun-Herald that hospitals may be overrun this fall at the rate COVID-19 is spreading “because so many Mississippians fail to follow simple public health guidelines.” The state’s hospitalization rate has surged to the second-highest level in the country.

“We are not in good shape,” Dobbs said.

It’s time, if not past time, for Mississippi to join 17 other states and outlaw risky behavior by mandating that masks be worn in indoor public spaces and outdoors where social distancing can’t be maintained.

Failure to take strong action now risks another economy-disrupting shelter-inplace lock down and parent-disrupting school closures this fall.

“Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin,” James 4:17. » BILL CRAWFORD is a syndicated columnist from Jackson.

Reflections on flag vote

he story of how Mississippi came to change egy for Change.” His advice was prescient and well-prethe state flag is a classic case of paradigm sented. It can be found on the Chism Strategies website shift. at http://chismstrategies.com/news/the-mississipIn his book, “Paradigms: The Business of Discovpi-flag-debate-updating-the-strategy-for-change. ering the Future,” Joel Barker defines a paradigm Then came the chaos. On May 25, 2020, George as, “a framework of rules within which problems are Floyd, a Black man, was killed by a white police officer solved.” It is, in short, the way we do things. For exin Minneapolis, Minnesota. Protests erupted across the ample, this morning I received an email article about country, bringing attention to racist symbols, including the phil hardwick flag etiquette. I also send this column to my editor via Confederate battle flag. Mississippi’s state flag was taken down email. Those are paradigms. by come cities, businesses, and schools. Pressure to change the state Barker points out that paradigms are hard to change. After all, if flag came from every direction: business leaders, religious instituwe’ve been doing something for a while and its works, why change? tions, educational institutions, and even sports figures.

And for there to be fundamental change, there must be chaos. The

By June 2020, polling revealed a statistical tie. Still, it would not impetus for change will most often come from the outside. be easy to change.

Why was it so hard to change Mississippi’s flag, i.e. remove the Why was it so hard? One reason is that everyone is right from Confederate battle flag emblem from the flag? For starters, it had their perspective. been attempted in 2001 and failed by a 2-1 margin. A Chism StratMalcolm Gladwell’s latest book, “Talking to Strangers: What We egies poll in 2017 revealed that 49 percent would keep the flag, and Should Know about the People We Don’t Know,” opens with the 41 percent would replace it. Change was in the air, but the state was case of a white police officer stopping a Black female and the renot quite ready, according to Chism Strategies CEO Brad Chism in See REFLECTIONS, Page 7 his commentary, “The Mississippi Flag Debate: Updating the Strat-

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» Analysis

REFLECTIONS

Continued from, Page 6

sulting conflict. “One side saw a forest, but no trees. The other side saw trees and no forest. Each side was right in its own way.”

Individual perspectives ran the gamut from racism, belief in heritage, just not wanting to be told what to do, and removing offensive symbols. From their perspectives, all are correct.

Attempts were made to change minds.

That’s a difficult thing to do. What about showing compelling facts?

“This model where people just take facts and draw conclusions is completely wrong.” said Dr. Francis Fukuyama, Stanford University professor and author of “Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment,” on a recent Freakonomics Radio broadcast.

What then is the best way to change opinions or beliefs?

Research and this writer’s own experiences indicate that the best way is to listen to understand. That’s another way of saying stand in the shoes of the other person.

Listening to understand will not necessarily change one’s own opinion, but it will go a long way to understand why the other person has the opinion they do. For those who want to learn more about this subject, it is recommended to listen to Freakonomics radio episode 379, “How to change your mind.”

This was the perfect storm for a paradigm shift. This would not have happened if we were not in the stage of racial reconciliation, pandemic, protests, etc.

Kudos to the Mississippi Legislature

» RICKy NOBLE

for its action. For some members, it was an emotional, stressful event, especially those who voted to change the flag, but represent districts that might have wanted to keep things as they are. The leadership exercised by Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann and House Speaker Philip Gunn will also be a case study in leadership.

The big question of course is whether this is the beginning of a fundamental change in Mississippi culture, i.e. values, opinions, and beliefs. We shall see.

What we should not assume is that things will change overnight. Out-of-state companies are not going to come rushing to the Magnolia State with economic development projects. Perhaps one analogy would be that of an automobile transmission. The vehicle has been shifted from “reverse” to “neutral.” It will be shifted into “drive” in the days and months ahead.

Finally, what are the lessons and takeaways for Mississippi businesses? What are the business paradigms that need changing? How would they change? Remote workforce? Social distancing? Will the change come from the outside? One only has to look at Facebook to see how its paradigm is changing because of pressure coming from outside.

The paradigms are changing. The businesses, organizations, and others that don’t recognize and react may find themselves losing out to those that do. » PHIL HARDWICK is a regular Mississippi Business Journal columnist. His email is phil@philhardwick.com.

Ex Rep. Henry set path to Mississippi flag change

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omentum built in 1906, sections describing the rapidly in the flag were not carried forward. past month for A commission held contenMississippi to decommistious public hearings about sion the last state flag in the flag in 2000, and the Legthe U.S. with the Confedislature punted the issue onto erate battle emblem. a statewide ballot in 2001. By Marching toward change a wide margin, people voted to EMILY WAGSTER took decades, and it took work keep the old design rather than PETTUS by thousands. An important adreplace the Confederate canton with vocate was the late Democratic state Rep. a blue field topped by stars representing Aaron Henry of Clarksdale.

Mississippi as the 20th state.

“He deserves credit,” said current DemThe flag issue was still broadly considered ocratic Rep. Bryant Clark of Pickens. too volatile for legislators to touch, until the As part of a long effort by the Legislative May 25 police custody death of an African Black Caucus, Clark researched bills that American man in Minneapolis, George sought to change the flag. The earliest he Floyd. That killing sparked international found was filed by Henry in 1988. protests against racial injustice, including Henry was elected to the 122-member calls to remove Confederate symbols.

House in 1979, joining a small number A groundswell of young activists, college of other African Americans — includ- athletes and leaders from business, religion, ing Clark’s father, Rep. Robert Clark of education and sports called on Mississippi Ebenezer, who had been elected in 1967 to change the flag, providing momentum.

Legislators passed a bill June 28 to retire the old flag. A commission will design a new one without the Confederate symbol and with the phrase “In God We Trust.” That solo design will go on the Nov. 3 ballot. If voters reject it, the commission will draw a new design with the same guidelines.

Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed the bill June 30, immediately removing the old flag as state symbol. On July 1, as required by the new law, the flag was retired in a “prompt, dignified and respectful” ceremony. » Henry at the 1964 Democratic National Convention The last two flags that flew over the as Mississippi’s first Black lawmaker of the Capitol and the last one that flew on a pole 20th century. by it were folded and presented to House Henry was deeply engaged in politics Speaker Philip Gunn, Lt. Gov. Delbert before arriving at the Capitol, having Hosemann and Department of Archives served as state NAACP president. and History director Katie Blount.

In 1963, Henry ran for governor in an unWith a police escort, the three officials official “freedom” election to demonstrate were driven to the two Mississippi history that Black people were interested in voting, museums, where they presented the flags even as the state suppressed their rights. In to Reuben Anderson, president of the 1964, Henry was a founder of the Missis- Archives and History board of trustees. sippi Freedom Democratic Party that chal- Anderson was the first African American lenged Mississippi’s all-white delegation to justice on the Mississippi Supreme Court, the Democratic National Convention. serving from 1985 to 1991.

“It is the thrill of my life to accept these Court-ordered redistricting in the early 1990s increased African American repre- flags,” Anderson said.

He praised Gunn and Hosemann. sentation in the Legislature, bringing more “What they went through to get this voices for change in a state where nearly 40 percent of residents are Black. Henry was done is remarkable,” Anderson said. ”As I defeated in 1995 and died in 1997. Other look around, I think of the Legislature and the struggle that they went to, to get this lawmakers continued filing flag bills.

In response to a lawsuit filed by Afri- done, particularly the Black Caucus, who can American plaintiffs, the state Supreme started this generations ago.”

Court ruled in 2000 that the flag lacked official status. The design was put into law by » EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS has has covered Mississippi white supremacist legislators in 1894. Jus- government and politics for the Associated Press since 1994. tices said that when state laws were updated Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus.

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PERSPECTIVE

July 10 - July 23, 2020

» spin cycle

Mississippi breaks shackles from its racist past by changing the state flag

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it handcuffed economic development for one ississippi has broken the shackles of the poorest states in America. from its racist past by removing The bill passed by the state legislature the state flag and its outdatrequires the current flag to come down in ed confederate battle symbol that has the next couple of weeks and charges a state weighed the state down for far too long, agency with devising a plan for a “prompt, costing the state far too much. dignified and respectful” removal. The meaIn the wake of defiant voices and comsure would also create a nine-member commismon sense from major businesses, the sports todd smith sion to design a replacement that can’t include the world, music stars and the public, and with the Confederate symbol and must include the words, “In God backdrop of continued racial injustice and police brutality, the Mississippi legislature did the right thing – low- We Trust.”

I’ve seen several flag designs including the Stennis flag ering for the last time a flag that hurt more than it helped, caused more pain than pride and kept down my home featuring 19 blue stars in a circle around a larger 20th star state that has so much more to offer, so much more to be (a nod to Mississippi being the 20th state to join the U.S.), and another that contains the state seal, the popular choice proud of.

The flag – the only state banner with a Confederate of Lt. Gov. Delbert Hoseman, House Speaker Philip Gunn symbol that has flown for more than 125 years and inflict- and other state leaders.

From a branding perspective, the Spin Cycle would like ed deep racial scars through the years – will be no more.

Lawmakers were confronted by a wave of calls from across to see a new identity that plays on a different, beautiful and the state and nation as opposition gained momentum span- uniting symbol, one that is steeped in history: a Magnolia

ning racial, religious, partisan and cultural divides. Football and basketball coaches paraded through the Capitol urging a change. A varied assortment that included country music stars, the state’s Black and White Baptist conventions, civil rights organizations and associations of bankers, manufacturers and librarians also indicated their opposition.

A Black Lives Matter protest in front of the Mississippi Governor’s Mansion in June brought cheers to distance from Confederate symbols. The Mississippi Baptist Convention intoned that removing the rebel image from the state flag was a moral move. Business organizations argued

flower on a background of cobalt blue. Much like the immensely popular – and noncontroversial – South Carolina state flag that boasts a Palmetto tree (the state tree) and a crescent moon. That would forge a proud new identity to inspire hope, cultivate unity and signal a blossoming future for the state that has so much going for it. That would be iconic and strong!

The final design, due by Sept. 14, must be approved by voters in November, or else the commission would have to go back to the drawing board. Voters would get a second chance to weigh in on a different design a year later,

in November 2021.

Business groups, Black activists and others have pushed for years to remove the Confederate battle emblem – white stars set on a blue X against a red background. Some see it as a symbol of slavery and segregation, while others argue it makes businesses reluctant to locate in state.

The current flag’s supporters consider the banner a tribute to ancestors who fought in the Civil War. They point to a 2001 state referendum that saw voters overwhelmingly choose to keep the flag.

However, across the U.S., statues with Confederate symbolism have come down recently, either toppled by protesters or removed by officials. Last Saturday, Princeton University said it would remove Woodrow Wilson’s name from its public-policy school because of the former president’s “racist thinking and policies.”

Mississippi began grappling with the flag once again this spring as a result of the death of George Floyd in the custody of the Minneapolis police, which rapidly evolved into a sprawling expression of fury and exasperation over the countless manifestations of the nation’s tangled racial history.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association said earlier this month it wouldn’t hold championship events in states where the Confederate emblem “has a prominent presence.” The NCAA Board of Governors said the ban would mainly affect Mississippi.

Also, the Southeastern Conference’s commissioner said Mississippi had to remove the emblem from its flag if it wanted to keep hosting championships. That would bar the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State from hosting the most important conference games, which are big money-makers for universities.

We remember the unsuccessful efforts in the past to settle the flag debate. Two years ago, a top Republican in the state House of Representatives proposed a compromise in which Mississippi would have two state flags, one with the Confederate emblem and one without it.

The flag with the Confederate emblem became Mississippi’s official flag in 1894, nearly three decades after the end of the Civil War. The state’s governor at the time, a Confederate veteran and former colonel of the Second Mississippi Infantry Regiment, noted that the state lacked an official flag and urged lawmakers to adopt one, according to the state historical society.

Mississippi is writing a new legacy, a story of positive progress, removing a divisive symbol that has sewn hatred and hurt for more than a century. A new flag will help heal the state’s – and South’s – soul.

Now, as we emerge from the smoldering embers of racism, we stand on the precipice of possibility, a bold new future together, freer than before, breaking the chains of an inhumane past that has held us back far too long! It’s our time, Mississippi! » 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.

July 10 - July 23, 2020

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Singing River Health System and Ochsner Health sign strategic partnership agreement

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inging River Health System and Ochsner Health have signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement to expand access to high-quality, cost effective care in the communities the organizations serve.

“We have worked with Ochsner on a number of successful clinical and operational initiatives, and this strengthened partnership is a natural next step,” said Singing River Health System CEO, Lee Bond. “We have a lot of things in common, including strong repBond utations as leaders in providing high-quality, compassionate care.

Ochsner is also leading the way in technology and care advancements that we are excited to bring here. This is truly a win-win for our communities and the patients we serve.

We are better and stronger together.”

Singing River and Ochsner have worked together successfully for a number of years on several initiatives to enhance patient care in Pascagoula and Ocean Springs.

Ochsner’s Telestroke program has provided life-saving treatment for nearly 100 patients at Singing River’s two campuses since 2016, allowing them to receive the critical care they need close to home. Last year, Ochsner and Singing River established a Physician Leadership Advisory Council with the goals to network, determine where clinical collaboration could benefit patients, and work together on existing clinical protocols to improve quality. Most recently, Ochsner has worked with Singing River throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to share education tools and best practices. This strengthened partnership will allow the systems to work together in new and exciting ways with a focus on expanding access to critical services and advanced technology.

“We have tremendous respect for Singing River Health System, its Board of Trustees and CEO Lee Bond. We admire what they have done to advance healthcare in coastal Mississippi, and we are honored and excited to work together to expand services and improve the health and wellness of the communities along the Gulf Coast. This partnership is a natural progression of Ochsner’s relationship with Singing River, and we look forward to enhancing access to high-quality, cost-effective and innovative

care,” said Warner Thomas, President and CEO of Ochsner Health.

Through the strategic partnership, the organizations will focus on:

nizations to explore how to lower costs for patients while continuing to deliver high-quality care.

• Providing a more coordinated experience and ensuring continuity of care for our patients. Both health systems use the Epic electronic health record platform and will be able to share information seamlessly. Singing River will coordinate with Ochsner on Epic optimization, further improving care coordination and creating a more streamlined patient experience among the two systems.

• Developing a robust pipeline of clinical talent and providing new opportunities to train the next generation of clinical and administrative healthcare leaders.

• Expanding access to clinical research trials and clinical education, helping the organizations stay on the forefront of bringing life-saving, innovative advances to our communities.

Singing River will work with Ochsner to provide patients with access to even more digital medicine services, including virtual and digital medicine consults for patients with cardiovascular, orthopedic, neurology and chronic illnesses. These expanded capabilities will help providers deliver more personalized care, with digital programs that will help patients to manage their chronic conditions from the comfort of their own homes. They will also provide medical teams with real-time data, such as blood pressure readings or weights, allowing providers to spot warning signs and make necessary treatment adjustments.

• Building on a shared commitment to quality patient care. Ochsner is recognized as a national leader in quality, having earned recognition by U.S. News & World Report in the top 50 for many specialties, including Ochsner Hospital for Children being recognized most recently as a top 50 children’s hospital for cardiology and heart surgery in the new 2020-21 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings, the only children’s hospital in Louisiana or Mississippi to receive this honor.

In addition, most Ochsner hospitals and both Singing River locations have earned an “A” rating by the Leapfrog Group, a nationally renowned rating agency recognizing healthcare organizations committed to outstanding quality and Thomas patient safety.

• Expanding services for patients across the Gulf Coast and exploring further regional growth together, so that more patients can receive the care they need closer to home.

• Fostering innovation in healthcare delivery through Ochsner’s expanded technological and digital capabilities, including expansions in telehealth, digital monitoring and artificial intelligence.

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July 10 - July 23, 2020

» LAW ELEVATED

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Trump administration issues executive order barring issuance of new foreign work visas

ecently, President Trump signed a • Those entering the U.S. that would be proclamation suspending the issudeemed to be in the country’s national inance of new employment-based terest. visas in an effort to limit the entry of Much uncertainty remains regardimmigrants into the country. The ban reing the specific exceptions listed above, stricts the issuance of certain H-1B, H-2B, as well as how the proclamation would J trainee, and L intracompany visas. ultimately be interpreted and applied by The proclamation suspends entry into the agents at the border, as well as by consular ofTodd Photopolus U.S. by certain H-1B, H-2B, J and L visa-holdficers when U.S. Consulates start to resume norers, as well as those family members seeking to join them mal operations. For instance, the proclamation fails to in the States. The suspension and limitation of entry, address the impact on Canadian citizens who are exempt however, is limited to those applicants who: from visa stamping requirements. As written, it appears Are outside of the U.S. as of June 24, 2020, the effective that the proclamation would not impact Canadian travdate of the proclamation; el, although that remains to be seen. The proclamation • Do not already have a non-immigrant visa valid on also fails to address beneficiaries of Blanket L petitions. the effective date; and Also, there is no precise definition of who would be • Do not have an official travel document other than a visa, deemed to be in the country’s national interest. Rather, like a transportation letter, boarding foil, or advance parole. the proclamation directs the Departments of State, La• So, the good news is that if you are an international bor and Homeland Security to establish relevant stancurrently in the U.S., you should be fine, at least for now. dards. The proclamation did provide some guidance that The proclamation’s suspension and limitation of entry this category would include those who are: • Critical to the defense, law enforcement, diplomacy or into the U.S. also exempts certain applicants, including: • Permanent residents of the U.S.; national security of the U.S.; • Spouses and children of U.S. citizens; • Are involved in providing medical care to currently • H-2B visa-holders entering the U.S. to work in tem- hospitalized COVID-19 patients; • Are involved in COVID-19 research; or, porary labor positions for the U.S. food supply chain; and, • Are necessary to facilitate the continued economic recovery of the U.S. The ultimate standards will have significant impact on the types of individuals who will be granted visa stamps TAGGART, RIMES & GRAHAM, PLLC IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE and allowed entry into the U.S. For instance, if the standard of admisHAS JOINED THE FIRM sion of health care pracAS SENIOR COUNSEL titioners is limited to those treating patients in the hospital, then many workers to be employed in clinics or other preventive care settings may be kept out of the U.S. even though their presence is sorely needed.

Also, the Proclamation fails to address an unintended consequence on our health care system: COVID-19 has resulted in many procedures being delayed as “non-essential” in anticipation Former Chancery Court Judge, First Chancery District of a COVID surge that, 100 Renaissance Building in many areas, thankful1022 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 101 | Ridgeland, MS ly did not materialize. www.trglawyers.com Many other patients Main: 601.898.8400 | Fax: 601.898.8420 avoided or delayed treatment for the past few

John Andrew Hatcher, Jr.

months out of fear of exposure. The result now is a tremendous backlog of care, with patients often arriving much sicker than they would have prior to the pandemic. Limiting the entry of health care workers at this time could have a

dramatically negative ripple effect on the U.S. health care system, which relies significantly on international talent, particularly in federally designated shortage areas.

While it is laudable of course to seek to protect U.S. jobs, particularly given the sudden and unexpected spike in unemployment rates due to the pandemic, the ban on entry of H-1B workers in the IT sector may have a particularly negative impact on U.S. businesses. The demand for IT workers during the pandemic has increased, due in large part to the switch to remote work where possible. While the overall U.S. unemployment rate has surged to north of 13%, the unemployment rate in the IT sector has actually decreased from 3% pre-pandemic to 2.5% currently, according to reports from the National Foundation for American Policy.

The proclamation also asks the Department of Labor to consider new prevailing wage regulations that would likely raise the floor wage for visa and permanent residency sponsorship. The Trump administration is also calling for large-scale changes to the H-1B visa program outside of this temporary ban to further decrease the flow of international talent.

Further adding to the uncertainty in the business community, the proclamation states that the Departments of Homeland Security, State and Labor must recommend any modifications to this process within 30 days of the effective date, and then continue to do so on a 60-day basis until the end of the year.

This proclamation primarily targets those who “won” a spot in this year’s H-1B lottery with applicants residing outside the U.S. Companies that were awarded H-1B visa slots in the most recently lottery are left with the question of what to do with the offers they have already extended to foreign workers. Many in the business community, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, have argued against these types of restrictions, contending that decreasing the flow of international talent could stifle U.S. job growth. In the meantime, universities, technology companies, health systems and others who utilize H-1B, H-2B, J trainee, and L intracompany visas should continually review their options with counsel and urge lawmakers to institute further exemptions for positions they’re unable to fill from the U.S. workforce. » TODD P. PHOTOPULOS is an attorney in Butler Snow’s Memphis office. He practices with the firm’s Labor and Employment group and focuses his practice on immigration.

July 10 - July 23, 2020

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Lyric Hotel to open in Cleveland on Aug. 4

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

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he Lyric Hotel in the West End District in Cleveland will open on Aug. 4, developer and owner Dinesh Chawla said in a release issued late Sunday.

The opening had been pegged to July 27, but “we cannot compete with the generous offer by the federal government of $600 a week on top of regular unemployment.

That is ending, and folks know the gravy train leads to a dead end, whereas hard work is available to those who sign up now with us,” Chawla said.

“We have major event bookings throughout August, some in September, and another ‘boomlet’ in October.

“The property will open with little fanfare or promotion in August. There is a phase 3 of building that I would like to start in August or September that will take us to the next level.

The 17-acre, $20 million District at West End will include approximately 100 rooms, suites and extended-stay accommodations; a 6,000-square-foot spa and fitness center; a 5,000-square-foot event hall; two acres of outdoor festival space and multiple entertainment outlets including two full-service restaurants.

The project was to be first Scion hotel in a chain operated by the Trump Organization and run by President Don-

» Lyric Hotel in the West End District of Cleveland.

ald Trump’s sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, though the Trumps announced in January 2019 the projected chain was going to be abandoned, while they praised the Chawlas.

“We’re building something that literally has never been

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done before in the Delta, in Mississippi, and most places I know in the whole USA. Nothing wrong with being an original. That’s what makes America a nifty place to live and dream in,” Chawla said.

EVERYDAY HEROES

meetings & conventions July 10 - July 23, 2020 • Mississippi Business Journal • www.msbusiness.com

Casinos back open for business, but not quite back to normal yet

By LISA MONTI mbj@msbusiness.com

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amblers eagerly returned to play their favorite games when most Mississippi casinos reopened May 21 after weeks of a mandated shutdown due to the coronavirus.

Their enthusiasm carried over through the Memorial Day and July 4 holiday weekends, though new health guidelines and restrictions may have toned things down a bit.

Still, casino operators and tourism officials say they are pleased with what they’ve seen so far in the all important summer season and are hopeful about how the rest of the year plays out.

At Silver Slipper casino in Hancock County, general manager John Ferrucci said he saw pent up demand among guests when the doors reopened May 21.

“People hadn’t been able to come here for nine and a half weeks so they were looking for a chance to get out of the house and come here to see us and they did. Things have leveled off a bit, but he said business is “still very good.” in the casino as well as the hotel which has been full on weekends. That’s in spite of fewer casino games available due to social distancing rules and restrictions on restaurant service.

Silver Slipper owner Full House Resorts said in a press release that even with limitations set out by the Mississippi Gaming Commission, “total casino win increased 12.3 percent despite a 15.9 percent decrease in guest counts.”

Ferrucci saw another positive aspect since the reopening. “We’re seeing a lot

of new faces, folks who were coming through this part of the world maybe staying on coast for a few days and had a chance to stop by and see us. So that’s

opened to the public on June 1 and officials say response has been “extremely positive.” Of the casino resort’s more than 1,800 slot machines, 925 are avail-

been encouraging,” he said.

Ferrucci said Silver Slipper and the other casinos share one major obstacle during the pandemic and it’s staffing, especially in housekeeping and environmental services.

“We have the same problem everybody else does, that the unemployment benefits are so rich that it’s tough to get people to return to work. But we’re getting by with what we can. We’re outsourcing some of the things we can’t staff personally and we’re getting it done.” Guests, he said, shouldn't notice.

Ferrucci said he expects business at Silver Slipper during the month of July to “stay strong,” with August continuing to be strong depending on back to school schedules.

Beau Rivage in Biloxi re-

able to guests. Beau Rivage has 82 table games and currently has 50 of those games open.

“We are doing better than projected and numbers demonstrate a pent-up demand, as well as confidence in our health and safety protocols, said Travis Lunn, Beau Rivage president and COO. In addition to following all health and safety regulations, Beau Rivage implemented MGM Resorts’ Seven-Point Safety Plan, which is a multi-layered set of protocols and procedures designed in conjunction with medical and scientific experts, according to the company.

Following Mississippi Gaming Commission regulations the property is being reopened in phases. “Entertainment and some of the other amenities will lag behind in part because some entertainers themselves have postponed tours until next year,” Lunn said.

In addition to the regional drive market, Beau Rivage flies guests in from all over the country on scheduled charter service. Lunn said Beau Rivage’s charter air service and all-inclusive vacation packages will resume July 19.

Flights are on board a Boeing 737800 Sun Country Airlines aircraft with what Beau Rivage described as enhanced health and safety protocols.

Last year, Beau Rivage flew in more than 90,000 passengers from 90 markets.

Current cities include Clearwater/St. Petersburg, Fla., Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Ft. Myers, Sarasota, Detroit, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbus, Green Bay, Dallas, Memphis, Daytona Beach and Oklahoma City.

“We continue to be the second largest carrier at Gulfport-Biloxi Airport,” Lunn said.

In the Tunica market, where the convention business has been halted temporarily, the six casino reopenings have been a bright spot.

Webster Franklin, president and CEO of the Tunica Convention and Visitors Bureau, said, “We’ve been very pleased not only with the number of visitors to our six casino properties since reopening but also with the average customer spend that has been higher than pre-pandemic spending.

That’s a great sign for the Tunica economy and will go a long way in assisting the overall Mississippi economic turnaround.”

The majority of Tunica visitors come from Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri and Alabama, he said. "The largest number of visitors can be attributed to those four states but our market far exceeds these states with visitors having easy access to the market via Interstate See CASINOS, Page 15

MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS

July 10 - July 23, 2020

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» The Biloxi Lighthouse was erected in 1848 and was one of the first cast-iron lighthouses in the South. It is the city’s signature landmark and has become a post-Katrina symbol of the city’s resolve and resilience.

Tourism, CVBs respond to pandemic

By LYNN LOFTON mbj@msbusiness.com

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ourism is a major economic factor in Mississippi.

So, how in the age of COVID-19 are convention and visitors bureaus around the state faring? Tupelo, Ridgeland, Jackson and the Gulf Coast are among the state's CVBs that are back in business while following CDC guidelines.

“Tupelo’s tourism industry has been significantly impacted by COVID-19 and we continue to see lower numbers as we enter our peak season,” says Executive Director Neal McCoy. “Youth sports are driving recovery, yet it will be much longer before our business travel market and Elvis consumers return to pre-COVID-19 visitation numbers.”

All of the city’s hotels, the Elvis Presley Birthplace, Tupelo Visitors Center, Oren Dunn City Museum, and the Tupelo Veterans Museum are open. There are also outdoor experiences such as the Elvis’ Tupelo Self-Guided Bicycle Tour, the Music Bend Nature Trail to Veterans Park and the Natchez Trace Parkway.

“The Virtual Tupelo Elvis Festival was the first of its kind this year and proved to be a great success,” McCoy said. “Viewers from 45 different countries and nearly every state in the U.S. were able to participate, exposing thousands of new people to Tupelo’s signature festival. The event organizers are excited to use this momentum to grow next year’s festival, which will be held June 9-13, 2021.”

Chris R. Chapman, president and CEO of the Ridgeland Tourism Commission, says her area is also stressing the abundance of outdoor activities with the Natchez Trace Parkway in their back yard. “Visit Ridgeland's brand is Inside + Out, meaning we have just as many assets outdoors as we do indoors and it's one of the primary motivations for coming here,” she said. “Ridgeland is a bronze

level cycling community and we have a BMX track, nine miles of cycling lanes, and a 15-mile multi-use trail which includes cycling friendly lanes. Many of these areas connect to restaurants and shopping centers along the way.”

Chapman says Ridgeland is not seeing events back yet, but baseball tournaments have resumed activities which brings families into the area.

“Our hotels never closed during Covid and they have continued to offer the highest standards of cleanliness and best practices for accommodations,” she said. “We are grateful they reacted so quickly and responded with excellent protocols in place. Unfortunately we had to cancel our annual Ridgeland Fine Arts Festival and Arts, Wine, and Wheels weekend in April. Several events are planned in the months ahead, and we will work with promoters to insure that best decisions are made for continuing an event

» The legendary Crossroads at the intersection of Routes 49 and 61 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, was made famous by blues and rock musicians.

before the start up.”

These upcoming events include the Magnolia Crappie Club Championship at the Barnett Reservoir; the Ridgeland Weeknight Cyclocross & Mountain Bike Short Track Racing Series; Bike Your Park Day; KidFest; and the Sanderson Farms Championship PGA Event with a limited capacity rule.

“We are seeing that travel is primarily by automobile among family members and locations of interest are those where families can be socially distanced and enjoy spending time together,” Chapman said. “No music or arts festivals for us this summer, but we will make up for lost time when we can.”

Kim Lewis, communications and destination development manager with the Jackson CVB, says the capital is doing very well. “As with all areas of the tourism/hospitality industry, Visit Jackson took a hard hit with Covid-19, but as we have seen with many of our partners, we redirected our efforts,” she said. “Instead of focusing on visitors and booking conventions, we used our time to build relationships with our community. We became a source of information for them, sharing info, and providing informative and educational material on their capital city, including virtual tours of local museums and attractions, interviews with chefs of local restaurants, and providing outdoor activity suggestions for individuals and families alike.”

Several of Jackson's museums have recently reopened or are in the process of opening soon. “They are all taking the safety of their guests seriously and are trying to make sure they have met all of the recommended guidelines,” Lewis said.

Jackson's sales department has continued communicating with event and conference planners throughout the pandemic hoping to make any necessary adjustments to the scheduled events or to rebook at a later date. “We will continue to book events, of course, leaving room for modifications See TOURISM, Page 14

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casinos

Casinos Rank

Casino Address

MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS

July 10 - July 23, 2020

Telephone Website

Parent Company General Manager

Amenities

Employees

Gaming Sq. Ft.

2,000

160,000

1,840

126,000

3,000

85,000

1,500

81,733

600

72,210

1,274

63,000

850

60,445

350

56,985

560

56,300

815

54,728

470

54,000

Hotel, pool, RV park, escape rooms, sports wagering

425

53,000

Restaurants; gift shops; showroom; lounges; hotel, sports wagering

980

50,984

32-story resort, 1,133 rooms, sports betting, Bar & Grill, Topgolf Swing Suite, Chicago Steakhouse, buffet, Pickle & Jam dining, theater, pool, spa, convention center

1,250

50,000

1

Pearl River Resort 13541 Hwy 16 W. , Choctaw, MS 39530

866-447-3275 pearlriverresort.com

Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians William "Sonny" Johnson

2 casinos, 2 hotels, 2 golf courses, water theme park, restaurants, spa, sports wagering

2

Island View Casino Resort 3300 W. Beach Blvd, Gulfport, MS 39501

877-774-8439 islandviewcasino.com

Gulfside Casino Partnership Lindsey Inman

3

Beau Rivage Resort & Casino 875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, MS 39530

888-567-6667 beaurivage.com

MGM Resorts International Travis Lunn

IP Casino Resort Spa 850 Bayview Ave., Biloxi, MS 39530 Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg 4116 Washington St., Vicksburg, MS 39180 Horseshoe Tunica 1021 Casino Center Dr., Robinsonville, MS 38664 Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort 9380 Central Ave., D’Iberville, MS 39540 Isle of Capri Entertainment Resort Lula 777 Isle of Capri Pkwy., Lula, MS 38644 Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast 711 Hollywood Blvd., Bay St. Louis, MS 39520

888-946-2847 ipbiloxi.com 601-638-1000 ameristar.com 800-303-7463 horseshoetunica.com 228-392-1889 scarletpearlcasino.com 800-843-4753 isleofcaprilula.com 866-758-2591 hollywoodgulfcoast.com

Boyd Gaming Corporation Duncan McKenzie Penn National Gaming Inc. Gerad Hardy Caesars Entertainment R. Scott Barber Land Holdings I LuAnn Pappas Eldorado Resorts, Inc. Derrick Madison Penn National Gaming Inc. Bernadette Hanson

Golden Nugget Biloxi 151 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, MS 39530

800-777-7568 goldennugget.com/biloxi/

Landry's Inc Chett Harrison

Hollywood Casino Tunica 1150 Casino Strip Resort Blvd., Robinsonville, MS 38664 Sam's Town Hotel & Gambling Hall 1477 Casino Strip Resorts Blvd., Tunica Resorts, MS 38664

800-871-0711 hollywoodcasinotunica.com 800-456-0711 samstowntunica.com

13

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi 777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, MS 39530

877-877-6256 hardrockbiloxi.com

Penn National Gaming Inc. Maureen Wasloski Boyd Gaming Corp.

Toni Burns Premier Entertainment Biloxi, LLC Todd Raziano

Restaurants, two casinos, one is smoke-free, 2 pools, retail, coffee shop, bars, limo, showroom, banquet facilities, Windance Golf Course, sports wagering.

1,740-room hotel, non-smoking area, poker room, sports wagering, bar & grill, Topgolf Swing Suite, Black Clover Lounge, 9 dining outlets, 12 retail shops, spa & salon, pool, Fallen Oak golf course, tropical pool, arcade, theater Hotel, live entertainment, restaurants, spa, sports wagering, retail, convention center.

Deli, buffet, steakhouse, blues bar, entertainment, RV park, hotel, lounge; poker room, sports wagering Restaurants, conference rooms, pool, spa, fitness center, bars, lounges, sports betting Miniature golf, hotel, cafe, steakhouse, buffet, entertainment center, boutique, sports wagering Dining, concerts, gift shop, RV park, Hotel, sports wagering Golf course, RV park, ballrooms, 4 restaurants, hotel, sports wagering Lounges, hotel, pools, spa, sports bar & grill, steakhouse, marina, live entertainment, sports wagering RV park, hotel, restaurants, indoor pool, sports wagering

14

Gold Strike Casino Resort 1010 Casino Center Dr., Tunica Resorts, MS 38664

888-245-7829 goldstrike.com

MGM Resorts International Brandon Dardeau

1st Jackpot Casino 1450 Jackpot Blvd., Tunica Resorts, MS 38664 Silver Slipper Casino 5000 S. Beach Blvd., Lakeshore, MS 39558 Fitzgerald's Casino & Hotel Tunica 711 Lucky Lane, Tunica Resorts, MS 38664 Palace Casino Resort 158 Howard Ave., Biloxi, MS 39530 Boomtown Biloxi 676 Bayview Ave., Biloxi, MS 39530 Harrah's Gulf Coast 265 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, MS 39530 Lady Luck Casino Vicksburg 1350 Warrentown Rd., Vicksburg, MS 39180 Harlow's Casino Resort & Spa 4280 Harlows Blvd., Greenville, MS 38701

866-422-5597 1stjackpot.com 866-775-4773 silverslipper-ms.com 800-766-5825 fitzgeraldstunica.com 800-725-2239 palacecasinoresort.com 800-627-0777 boomtownbiloxi.com 800-946-2946 harrahsgulfcoast.com 800-503-3777 ladyluckvicksburg.com 866-524-5825 harlowscasino.com

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Penn National Gaming Inc. Gift shop, steakhouse, buffet, sports wagering 250 40,000 Maureen Wasloski Full House Resorts Hotel, restaurants, live entertainment, general store, 16 550 38,926 John N. Ferrucci fishing, pool, sports wagering Majestic Star Casino, LLC 17 Steakhouse, buffet, cafe, hotel, sports wagering.

350 38,457 Tony Scudiero Palace Casino, LLC Hotel, restaurants, pool, bars, retail, spa, non18 680 38,000 Keith Crosby smoking, sports wagering.

Penn National Gaming Inc. Restaurant, grill, buffet, event center, RV Park, sports 19 350 37,891 Bernadette Hanson wagering Caesars Entertainment Golf, hotel, buffet, fine dining, cafe, pool, spa, sports 20 700 35,000 Jonathan Jones wagering, gift shop Eldorado Resorts, Inc. Buffet, hotel, bar & grill 200 35,000 Paul Avery Churchill Downs Inc. Hotel, snack bar, buffet, spa entertainment center, 22 375 33,000 Roscoe Greene coffee shop, sports wagering Foundation Gaming & WaterView Casino & Hotel 877-711-0677 23 Entertainment Buffet, deli, fine dining, hotel, sports wagering 287 30,000 waterviewcasino.com 3990 Washington St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 Penny Bankston Treasure Bay Casino & Hotel 800-747-2839 Treasure Bay, LLC 3 restaurants; lounge; pool bar; gift shop; hotel, sports 650 28,140 24 treasurebay.com Susan Varnes wagering 1980 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, MS 39535 Bok Homa Casino 866-447-3275 Pearl River Resort Event center; quick serve eatery, sports wagering 220 27,000 25 pearlriverresort.com William "Sonny" Johnson 1 Choctaw Road, Heidelberg, MS 39439 Riverwalk Casino Hotel 866-615-9125 Churchill Downs Inc. Casino & Hotel, restaurant, buffet, gift shop, sports 348 25,000 26 riverwalkvicksburg.com Ginny Tzotzolas wagering 1046 Warrenton Rd., Vicksburg, MS 39182 Trop Casino Greenville 800-878-1777 Eldorado Resorts, Inc. Grill, restaurant, sport wagering 220 22,822 27 tropgreenville.com Derrick Madison 199 Lakefront Rd., Greenville, MS 38701 Magnolia Bluffs Casino 888-505-5777 Premier Gaming Group Hotel, buffet, restaurant, gift shop, sports wagering 275 16,032 28 magnoliabluffscasino.com Kevin Preston 7 Roth Hill Road, Natchez, MS 39121 Information provided by Mississippi Gaming Commission, casino representatives, MBJ research. Ranked by gaming square footage. Direct comments to frank.brown@msbusiness.com.

15

TOURISM

Continued from Page 13

if needed,” Lewis said. “The current situation is so fluid we have to be flexible, but we must continue to do our part in helping the city’s economy recover. The tourism/ hospitality industry employs more than 7,000 Hinds County residents, so every event we book helps them directly.”

Milton Segarra, CEO of Coastal Mississippi, said, “As Coastal Mississippi began to

reopen, we realized there was an organic, pent-up demand to explore our region. We are seeing increased visitation of 'ready-togo' travelers who feel more comfortable exploring our region, due to the wide-open spaces and array of outdoor activities that The Secret Coast has to offer.

“However, these visitors are predominantly last-minute bookings. We are not seeing advanced bookings picking up as we should for this time of year and our concern is that

this business model will not be sustainable.”

The Coast CVB is currently working on a comprehensive report, which will be complete by the end of the summer, to track the number of visitors to the area and number of hotel rooms booked.

“Hotels, restaurants, attractions, and excursions are open and implementing all necessary precautions to protect visitors and hospitality industry employees,” Segarra said. “Coastal Mississippi is actively working

with regional healthcare authorities to ensure the best practices in health and safety are provided to our industry partners.

“The launching of an official Coastal Mississippi Promise has not only reinforced the importance of the vital steps that our industry partners are taking to ensure employee and visitor safety, but also allows for potential visitors to make informed decisions when planning their visit to The Secret Coast.”

MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS

July 10 - July 23, 2020

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Mississippi Business Journal

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Largest Hotels

Largest Hotels Rank

largest hotels

Company

Address

Phone

Website

Beau Rivage Resort & Casino 875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi 888-567-6667 beaurivage.com Gold Strike Casino Resort 1010 Casino Center Dr., Tunica Resorts 888-245-7829 goldstrike.com IP Casino Resort Spa 850 Bayview Ave., Biloxi 888-946-2847 ipbiloxi.com Pearl River Resort 13541 Hwy 16 W. , Choctaw 866-447-3275 pearlriverresort.com Island View Casino Resort 3300 W. Beach Blvd, Gulfport 877-774-8439 islandviewcasino.com Golden Nugget Biloxi 151 Beach Blvd., Biloxi 800-777-7568 goldennugget.com/biloxi/ Sam's Town Hotel & Gambling Hall 1477 Casino Strip Resorts Blvd., Tunica Resorts 800-456-0711 samstowntunica.com Horseshoe Tunica 1021 Casino Center Dr., Robinsonville 800-303-7463 horseshoetunica.com Fitzgerald's Casino & Hotel Tunica 711 Lucky Lane, Tunica Resorts 800-766-5825 fitzgeraldstunica.com Harrah's Gulf Coast 265 Beach Blvd., Biloxi 800-946-2946 harrahsgulfcoast.com Hollywood Casino Tunica 1150 Casino Strip Resort Blvd., Robinsonville 800-871-0711 hollywoodcasinotunica.com Isle of Capri Entertainment Resort Lula 777 Isle of Capri Pkwy., Lula 800-843-4753 isleofcaprilula.com Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi 777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi 877-877-6256 hardrockbiloxi.com Margaritaville Resort Biloxi 195 Beach Blvd, Biloxi 228-271-6377 margaritavilleresortbiloxi.com Jackson Marriott 200 E. Amite St., Jackson 800-256-9194 mariott.com/janmc Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort 9380 Central Ave., D’Iberville 228-392-1889 scarletpearlcasino.com Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast 711 Hollywood Blvd., Bay St. Louis 866-758-2591 hollywoodgulfcoast.com Hilton Jackson Hotel 1001 E. County Line Road, Jackson 601-957-2800 hiltonjackson.com Palace Casino Resort 158 Howard Ave., Biloxi 800-725-2239 palacecasinoresort.com The Westin Jackson 407 S. Congress St., Jackson 601-968-8200 westonjackson.com Treasure Bay Casino & Hotel 1980 Beach Blvd., Biloxi 800-747-2839 treasurebay.com DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Biloxi 940 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi 228-546-3100 hilton.com/en/doubletree Hilton Garden Inn Jackson Downtown 23 235 W. Capitol Street, Jackson 601-353-5464 hilton.com Drury Inn & Suites Meridian 24 112 Highway 11, Meridian 601-483-5570 druryhotels.com Drury Inn & Suites- Jackson/Ridgeland 25 610 E. County Line Road, Jackson 601-956-6100 druryhotels.com Information provided by company representatives and MBJ research. Ranked by number of guest rooms. Direct comments to frank.brown@msbusiness.com.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

CASINOS

Continued from Page 12

40 and Interstate 55."

Visitors, he said, are glad to get away from home for two or three days “and enjoy all that we have to offer here in the destination. Our two golf courses have remained open during the pandemic and overall play has been good during this time as well. So we’re very pleased that the casino industry is open for business and our visitors can come back to enjoy all that we have to offer.

We’re back open for business but not quite back to normal yet. I’m not sure we’ll ever get back to normal but it’s

good to have people back in the area to enjoy what we have here in Northwest Mississippi.”

Franklin said the next big things for his market will be the return of concerts and other live entertainment at local venues and the restart of major league sports.

“Once we get entertainment and sportsbooks reopened, we will begin to see another increase that will be good for the overall market,” he said.

Meet & Eat

Meeting space (square footage)

Rooms

50,000 39,346 41,178 39,762 14,000 22,000 14,280 12,000 8,000 1,800 14,000 9,000 13,000 2,500 35,000 10,000 14,000 30,000 1,800 11,326 3,600 2,340 3,120 3,400 1,794

1,740 1,133 1,088 1,075 970 706 700 507 506 499 494 486 479 371 303 300 291 276 234 203 195 195 186 180 174

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big business July 10 - July 23, 2020 • Mississippi Business Journal • www.msbusiness.com

Employment currently remaining steady as universities prepare to open for fall semester

By BECKY GILLETTE mbj@msbusiness.com

T

he Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) have long been major economic engines for the state and the communities where they are located. In addition to bringing in large research grants, the IHL directly employs about 28,000, including the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic upended the academic year when colleges and universities were closed beginning in late April. Students were able to finish the semester primarily with a shift to online instruction. The coronavirus continues to spread rapidly in Mississippi with 1,111 deaths in early July. But colleges and universities are making plans to open safely in the fall, and thus far no layoffs have been announced, said Caron Blanton, spokesperson for IHL.

“The legislature just passed the appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2021, so the universities are working on their budgets now and identifying where adjustments can be made,” Blanton said.

The IHL Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning passed a resolution at its May meeting stating the Board’s intention that the campuses of all eight public universities make plans to resume traditional operations on their campuses in the fall of 2020.

“Providing a safe environment for all students and employees is paramount,” said Dr. Ford Dye, president of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. “We urge the universities to take prudent precautions in planning for resuming traditional operations and make adjustments as needed, based on recommendations from health experts.”

The resolution guides universities to plan to offer as many in-person classes as possible, while taking into con-

sideration guidance from the federal government and the Mississippi Department of Health and complying with any executive order from the governor then in effect.

Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Alfred Rankins Jr., said the universities are developing a system-level plan for starting and completing the fall 2020 semester in the safest and most effective way.

“While this is a fluid situation and there are many unknowns at this point, our goal is to provide the best academic experience in the safest manner possible,” Rankin said.

The reopening plans are vital considering the economic impact of the colleges and universities. A 2017 study conducted by the University Research Center found that, for every $1 the state invests in Mississippi’s public universities, there is a $3.21 return to Mississippi’s economy, and that expenditures of Mississippi public universities genSee UNIVERSITIES, Page 17

BIG BUSINESS

UNIVERSITIES

July 10 - July 23, 2020

Continued from Page 16

erate $2.46 billion in economic impacts around the state.

Blanton said they are concerned that the downturn in the economy may continue to impact state revenue, which will in turn impact state appropriations to the universities.

“Losses in state revenue and state appropriations to our universities ultimately place more financial burden on parents and students to pay for college,” Blanton said.

“Although tuition at our universities is lower than tuition in surrounding states, continued affordability is always a major concern for our system.”

Mississippi State University (MSU) Chief Communications Officer Sid Salter said the current pandemic interjects uncertainty into every facet of the core mission of learning, research, and service.

“Despite that uncertainty, MSU has continued delivering a quality education to our students, continued conducting vital research activities as the state’s largest research enterprise, and continued serving the people of Mississippi through our boots-on-the-ground support of the state’s most vital economic engines – agriculture and industry,” Salter said. “Without knowing the depth and duration of the pandemic, it is difficult to project employment impacts. We are committed to following the guidance of the State College Board, the Mississippi Legislature and federal and state public health officials in all matters related to our dedicated faculty and staff as they guide and educate tomorrow’s leaders.”

In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, MSU had 4,915 employees earning a payroll totaling $339,234,767.

Jamie Rutledge, vice president for finance and administration, Delta State University, said while the school has not yet decreased its number of employees because of COVID-19, because of budget restraints anticipated for the 2020-21 fiscal year, it has deleted approximately 12 vacant positions.

DSU has approximately 424 employees with estimated salaries totaling about $26 million.

Rutledge said the biggest concern for DSU is the loss of revenue that the pandemic has caused and could cause over the next fiscal year. He said tuition, student housing, Bologna Performing Arts Rutledge Center, and athletics revenues could all be reduced.

The University of Mississippi recently put out a Return to Campus plan for the fall 2020 semester. Ole Miss is the state’s Flagship University with the largest student enrollment. There are about 23,000 students and 4,594 full-time and part-time staff (not including research and about 10,477 employees at the University of Mississippi Medical Center).

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 while returning to in-person operations, the university is implement-

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ing new protocols and expectations for everyone on campus, a modified academic calendar, forms of in-person and remote course delivery, mandatory training for employees and students, daily symptom checks and COVID-19 testing and tracing.

“The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus,” Chancellor Glenn F. Boyce said in a letter to the Ole Miss campus community. “To that end, we have redesigned fundamental aspects of campus life in an effort to mitigate the risk of virus spread and help us all keep each other healthy.”

Boyce said everyone is eager to return and regain their sense of community and connections to one another. He said fall will be here before we know it, and it will require everyone working collectively and in alignment to limit the spread of the virus and bring people back to campus.

Another area outlined in the plan is testing and tracing.

Any student, faculty or staff member who develops symptoms of COVID-19 or has been exposed to someone suspected of or confirmed to have COVID-19 is expected to notify University Health Services or their medical provider immediately.

University Health Services will provide testing and ask anyone who has been tested to quarantine until they receive their results. All positive tests must be reported to UHS, which will communicate with the Mississippi State Department of Health and the appropriate campus departments to conduct contact tracing.

» Students gathered on the campus grounds of the University of Mississippi.

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BIG BUSINESS

July 10 - July 23, 2020

Largest Employers

Largest Employerslargest employers Rank

Name Address

Phone

Website

Top Officer Year Founded

Keesler Air Force Base Col. Heather Blackwell 228-377-2783 keesler.af.mil 1941 Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, MS 39534 Huntington Ingalls Industries Brian Cuccias 2 228-935-1122 huntingtoningalls.com 1938 1000 Jerry St. Pe Hwy., Pascagoula, MS 39568 University Hospitals & Health System LouAnn Woodward 3 601-984-1000 umc.edu 1955 2500 N. State St., Jackson, MS 39216 Baptist Memorial Health Care Jason Little 4 800-422-7847 baptistonline.org 1912 350 N. Humphreys Blvd., Memphis, TN 38120 North Mississippi Health Services Shane Spees 5 662-377-3000 nmhs.net 1937 N/A, Tupelo, MS 38801 Sanderson Farms, Inc. Joe Sanderson, Jr. 6 601-649-4030 sandersonfarms.com 1947 127 Flynt Rd., Laurel, MS 39443 John C. Stennis Space Center Richard Gilbrech 7 228-688-3333 nasa.gov/centers/stennis 1961 NASA Stennis Space Center, Hancock County, MS 39529 Nissan North America - Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant Erik Fields 8 601-855-6000 nissanusa.com 2003 300 Nissan Dr., Canton, MS 39046 Merit Health Steve Dobbs 9 601-932-1030 MyMeritHealth.com 2015 1030 River Oaks Drive, Flowood, MS 39157 BancorpSouth Bank James Rollins, III 10 662-680-2000 bancorpsouth.com 1876 One Mississippi Plaza, Tupelo, MS 38804 Mississippi State University Mark Keenum 11 662-325-2224 msstate.edu 1878 233 Lee Blvd., Starkville, MS 39762 Howard Industries Inc. Billy Howard, Sr. 12 601-425-3151 howard.com 1968 3225 Pendorff Road, Laurel, MS 39440 St. Dominic Hospital Lester Diamond 601-200-2000 stdom.com 1946 969 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, MS 39216 Tyson Foods Inc. Noel White 14 601-298-5300 tyson.com 1948 3865 Hwy. 35 N., Carthage, MS 39051 UFI/Lane Larry George 15 662-447-4000 LaneFurniture.com 2000 5380 Hwy 145 S, Tupelo, MS 38801 Forrest General Hospital (Forrest Health) Andy Woodard 16 601-288-7000 forrestgeneral.com 1952 6051 U.S. 49, Hattiesburg, MS 39402 Ashley Furniture Industries Earnie Gates 17 662-489-5655 ashleyfurniture.com 1945 447 Hwy. 346, Ecru, MS 38841 Memorial Hospital at Gulfport Kent Nicaud 18 228-867-4000 WeAreMemorial.com 1946 4500 13th St., Gulfport, MS 39501 University of Mississippi Glenn Boyce 19 662-915-7211 olemiss.edu 1848 P.O. Box 1848, University, MS 38677 Koch Foods Ed Fletcher 20 601-732-8911 kochfoods.com 2001 1080 River Oaks Dr., Flowood, MS 39232 Beau Rivage Resort & Casino Travis Lunn 21 888-567-6667 beaurivage.com 1999 875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, MS 39530 Singing River Health System Lee Bond 22 228-809-5000 singingriverhealthsystem.com 1931 2809 Denny Ave., Pascagoula, MS 39581 Renasant Corp./Renasant Bank C. Mitchell Waycaster 23 662-680-1601 renasantbank.com 1904 209 Troy St., Tupelo, MS 38804 Milwaukee Tool 24 662-451-5545 milwaukeetool.com C.J. Allen, Jack Bilotta 1003 Sycamore Ave., Greenwood, MS 38930 AT&T Mississippi Mayo Flynt 25 601-592-6580 att.com/local/mississippi 1885 4266 I-55 North, Jackson, MS 39201 The University of Southern Mississippi Rodney Bennett 26 601-266-5000 usm.edu 1910 118 College Dr., Hattiesburg, MS 39406 South Central Regional Medical Center G. Higginbotham 27 601-426-4000 scrmc.com 1952 1220 Jefferson Street, Laurel, MS 39440 Hattiesburg Clinic, P.A. Tommy Thornton 601-264-6000 hattiesburgclinic.com 28 1963 415 S. 28th Ave., Hattiesburg, MS 39401 Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians 601-656-5251 choctaw.org Cyrus Ben 29 101 Industrial Road, Choctaw, MS 39350 Pearl River Resort William "Sonny" Johnson 866-447-3275 pearlriverresort.com 30 1994 13541 Hwy. 16 W., Choctaw, MS 39530 Caesars Entertainment Scott Barber 800-303-7463 horseshoetunica.com 31 1995 1021 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, MS 38664 Anderson Regional Health System John Anderson 601-553-6000 andersonregional.org 32 1928 2124 14th St., Meridian, MS 39301 Trustmark Corp./Trustmark National Bank Gerard Host 800-243-2524 trustmark.com 33 1889 248 E. Capitol St., Jackson, MS 39201 Island View Casino Resort Lindsey Inman 877-774-8439 islandviewcasino.com 34 2006 3300 W. Beach Blvd. , Gulfport, MS 39501 Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi, Inc. Sean Suggs 662-317-3000 toyota.com 35 2007 1200 Magnolia Way, Blue Springs, MS 38828 G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center Dr. David Walker 601-362-4471 jackson.va.gov 1957 1500 E. Woodrow Wilson Ave., Jackson, MS 39216 U.S. Army Engineer Research & Development Center Dr. David Pittman 601-636-3111 erdc.usace.army.mil 37 1929 3909 Halls Ferry Rd., Vicksburg, MS 39180-6199 Georgia-Pacific LLC 404-652-4000 gp.com 1927 38 133 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30303 Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center Col. Bobby Ginn, Jr. 601-582-0801 campshelby.org 39 1917 U.S. 49, Hattiesburg, MS 39401 Chevron Pascagoula Refinery Chris Cavote 228-938-4600 chevronpascagoula.com 40 1963 250 Industrial Road, Pascagoula, MS 39581 Information provided by company representatives and MBJ research. Direct questions to frank.brown@msbusiness.com.

1

Type of Business

Full-time MS employees

Military

11,500

Shipbuilding

11,354

Academic medical center and health system

8,923

Hospitals/Health Care System

6,300

Health care

5,712

Poultry

5,500

NASA Space Exploration

5,200

Automotive

5,000

Hospital/Health System

4,900

Financial services

4,750

Higher Education (university)

4,685

Transformers; computers; lighting; transportation

4,000

Health care

4,000

Poultry/offices also in Forest and Vicksburg

3,800

Furniture Manufacturing

3,600

Health care

3,200

Furniture

3,150

Health care

3,129

Education

3,028

Intergrate Poultry Processor

3,020

Gaming

3,000

Community Health System

2,600

Banking, Wealth Management, Trust and Insurance

2,500

Tool-maker

2,400

Video, broadband internet, and voice services- mobile and fixed.

2,300

Education

2,203

Public not-for-profit health system

2,200

Health care

2,151

Tribal Government

2,140

Gaming resort

2,100

Harrah's Gulf Coast, Horseshoe Tunica casinos

1,974

Hospital

1,900

Financial services

1,882

Casino

1,840

Automotive

1,800

V.A. Hospital

1,800

Military and Civil Works R&D

1,675

Cellulose, lumber, chemicals, containerboard and corrugated

1,650

Military training base

1,600

Energy, refining, oil & gas

1,598

NEWSMAKERS

July 10 - July 23, 2020

Jackson State engineers improvise slopes made of Yazoo Clay

Jackson State University ranks in the top 10 among 50 HBCUs

Jackson State University is a top ten Historically Black Colleges and Universities, according to a recent report by Collegeconsensus.com.

The site describes itself as an essential tool for students in search of a college or university that best fits a variety of needs, i.e., support and inclusion, inspirational and challenging academic environment, or networking opportunities.

Of the 50 HBCUs listed, JSU is firmly cemented in the No. 7 spot.

With regard to methodology, College Consensus pools data from a variety of college ranking sites, including U.S. News & World Report, WalletHub and the Wall Street Journal, among others. The results are combined with the “most reputable student reviews” from sites such as Niche, My Plan and Unigo. College Consensus then creates a publisher rating and a student review rating. The combination of the two ratings creates a “comprehensive meta-ranking.”

Jackson State is the fifth-largest HBCU in the nation. Highly distinguished, the university has been recognized for a multitude of accomplishments on the local and national level. JSU is home to the Magnolia state’s only School of Public Health.

Memorial Hospital names Director of Human Resources

Memorial Hospital in Gulfport has named Sandra Vincent, as Senior Director, Human Resources.

Vincent joined Memorial in 2017 with more than 20 years’ experience. In her role, as Senior Director, she will provide leadership and direction to the Talent Acquisition, Workforce Readiness, Performance Management and Employee Relations teams.

Vincent received her Master’s in Business Administration from WP Carey School of Business at the Arizona State University; as well as her Bachelor of Science in Business Management/Human Resources, from Arizona State University. She holds certifications as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) from the Human Resources Certification Institute, Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) from the Society of Human Resources Management, and Management and Strategy Institute – Diversity Management.

Vincent came to Memorial from Dignity HealthHealth System, fifth largest health system in the nation with over 60,000 caregivers that provides care for diverse communities in 21 states. As a key member of the HR Leadership team, Vincent will be responsible for leading the implementation of strategic HR plans to support the operational priorities.

Two Jackson State University civil engineers, along with graduate students, from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering have been working on Mississippi highway slopes with notorious Yazoo clay.

Dr. Sadik Khan and Dr. Farshad Amini from the College of Science, Engineering and Technology have been leading a project funded by the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT). They’re

studying six highway slopes made of Yazoo clay.

The study involves the use of advanced moisture sensors, water potential probes, rain gauge and temperature sensors. Each provides continuous monitoring of the impact of the rainfall and temperature changes that cause slopes to fail.

The JSU team is also simulating the behavior of the slopes under different climatological conditions of Mississippi. They are also evaluating the critical scenario that causes highway slopes to fail.

The study will help MDOT better manage slope failures and avoid costly repairs from landslides that range in the millions of dollars.

The outcome from the study have been shared with various professional sources. Also, results were expected to be forwarded to the 2020 Transportation Research Board Meeting and GeoCongress 2020.

As well, findings from the study were slated to be published in prestigious journals from ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) to Elsevier, a global information analytics company.

Baker Donelson Winner of 2nd Annual USA Middle Market M&A Atlas Awards

Baker Donelson was named a winner in the 2nd Annual USA Middle Market Atlas Awards. The awards, presented by the Global M&A Network, recognize the achievements of influential dealmakers and leaders, outstanding firms and the best growth-delivering transactions.

Baker Donelson was honored in the “Deal of the Year” category for its work in the acquisition of STR, Inc. by CoStar Group, Inc., the leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics and online marketplaces. The Firm served as legal adviser to STR, Inc. in the October 2019 transaction, valued at $450 million, which was the largest hotel industry transaction for 2019.

JSU facilities leader earns 2nd scholarship

La’Kitha Hughes, associate director for Jackson State University’s Facilities and Construction Management has been awarded a scholarship to attend the Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA) Institute for Facilities Management Leadership Academy. This is her second consecutive award from the APPA. “When I received the email notification that I had been selected as a recipient for a scholarship from SRAPPA (Southeastern Regional Hughes Association of Physical Plant Administrators), I was overwhelmed with gratefulness and excitement especially during these times of uncertainty due to COVID-19,” Hughes said.

SRAPPA is one of the six regional organizations under APPA. Members include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Others are Virginia, West Virginia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Mexican states of Campeche, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Tabasco and Yucatan.

“Being chosen as one of the scholarship recipients from a large pool of applicants across the country is truly an honor,” Hughes said. “As a 15-year employee with JSU, my experience in the Department of Facilities and Construction Management has equipped me with the necessary knowledge and skills in this area. Working with a great team has been rewarding, and we are able to learn from each other daily.”

The SRAPPA Board voted on the successful recipients based on the following criteria: • Background • Special achievements, awards or career-related volunteer work • Career and educational goals • Leadership • Potential for upward mobility “This scholarship award will allow me to attend Level II of the Leadership Academy through APPA University. I was able to complete Level I of the Leadership Academy in January 2019. It is my hope to graduate from the Leadership Academy by completing all four levels that focus on different leadership approaches within an organization as well as personal leadership/management styles,” Hughes said.

She continued. “This award will strengthen my knowledge about facility best practices as well as team concepts within the unit that will produce positive results for the facility unit as well as our faculty, staff and students.”

In an effort to distribute scholarships evenly over the SRAPPA region, only one successful applicant per institution is awarded each year. SRAPPA will pay the cost of tuition and reimburse $1,000 toward travel expenses.

For full versions of Newsmakers visit www.msbusiness.com

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Memorial names Pierce and Juzang as VPs

Memorial Hospital at Gulfport recently promoted Chas Pierce, MPH, to Vice President, System Development, and Angie Juzang to Vice President of Marketing and Community Relations.

In his new role, Pierce will grow Memorial market share by developing relationships with external entities, as well as expanding the telehealth program. He has 14 years of healthcare management experience in revenue cycle, outpatient clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, and operations.

Pierce most recently served as Pierce Senior Director, System Development. He received his Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training, and his Master of Public Health, with an emphasis in Healthcare Administration, from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Juzang joined Memorial in September 2019 as Director of Marketing and Communications with an extensive background in marketing, public relations and community outreach.

As vice president, she is responsible for managing internal, external and media-specific communications, Juzang implementation of various advertising platforms, coordination of corporate and community relations, as well as administrative oversight of Memorial ‘s gift shop, and serves as public information officer.

Juzang’s 19-year marketing career includes broadcast television advertising sales and production, healthcare marketing and business development, volunteering for organizations such as The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast, Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce and Goodwill of South Mississippi. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Georgia State University.

Monti named vice president at Community Bank

Amanda Monti has recently joined Community Bank’s Downtown Gulfport office as Vice President.

Monti, a native of Bay St. Louis, has been in banking for twelve years. In her new role, Monti will be responsible for management, business development and lending in the Hancock County area.

Monti is a graduate of Spring Hill College with a Bachelor in Finance and Economics. She is also a graduate of Mississippi School of Banking at The University of Mississippi and Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. Monti Active in her community, Monti serves as a member of Junior Auxiliary of Hancock County, Board member for Hancock County Food Pantry and Board member for Hancock County Community Development Foundation. She has two children, Jimmy & Hannah, and currently resides in Bay St. Louis, where they attend Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church.

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NEWSMAKERS

July 10 - July 23, 2020

MSU’s Fred Carl Jr. Small Town Center gains architect

Mississippi State’s Fred Carl Jr. Small Town Center is welcoming Architect and Community Planner Fran Pharis to its team.

A 2008 Mississippi State University School of Architecture alumna and licensed architect in Mississippi, Pharis previously worked at several private architecture firms, as well as for a company specializing in water purification systems and with Pharis a government contractor. She recently assisted in teaching an MSU landscape architecture design studio course.

Pharis officially began her new role as the research center’s architect in March.

While a student in MSU’s School of Architecture, Pharis worked at the Carl Small Town Center and volunteered there after graduating.

“My time as a student worker impacted how I thought about communities and their need for good, thoughtful design,” she said. “Design should be accessible to everyone and every community regardless of socioeconomic status, history and life circumstances.”

Pharis said she is excited to be back working at the center and helping to further its mission.

“I wholeheartedly believe in the center’s mission to bring good design to small communities in an effort to solve specific problems through education and implementation. All small towns—and the citizens within—have potential to thrive, and I look forward to igniting the necessary

Memorial names Senior National Black College Director, Human Resources Alumni Hall of Fame Memorial Hospital in Gulfport has named Sandra Foundation will induct 2 Vincent, as Senior Director, Human Resources.

Vincent joined Memorial in 2017 with more than notable Jackson State alums 20 years’ experience. In her role, as Senior Director,

Gore

MSU’s Gore appointed to Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities federal advisory committee

Mississippi State University research professor Jeffrey Gore was recently appointed to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee. He is one of 33 new committee members.

Gore, an entomologist with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and MSU Extension, is based at Mississippi State’s Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville. Established in 2008, the FRRCC provides independent policy advice, information, and recommendations to the EPA administrator on a range of environmental issues and policies that are of importance to agriculture and rural communities.

MSU’s Breen named president of Consortium of University Public Service Organizations

passion within citizens and leaders and working toward the goal of creating thriving communities,” Pharis said.

Fred E. Carl Jr., a major Mississippi State benefactor and the center’s namesake, is a Greenwood resident who founded and served as the first president and CEO of nationally recognized Viking Range Corp. A one-time architecture major at MSU, he endowed the university’s statewide community design outreach program in 2004.

A research center housed in the College of Architecture, Art and Design, the center provides planning and design services, seeking to provide solutions to problems faced by communities across the nation. Read more about MSU’s Fred Carl Jr. Small Town Center at www.smalltowncenter.msstate.edu and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @smalltowncenter.

Dallas Breen, executive director of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State, has been named president of the Consortium of University Public Service Organizations.

Breen will serve a one-year term as president of the organization known as CUPSO, which supports university-based public service institutes in their efforts to assist state and local governments Breen on a range of contemporary issues and challenges.

In addition to leading the Stennis Institute, Breen serves as an assistant research professor in MSU’s Department of Political Science and Public Administration. He is also an honorary research fellow with the university’s Social Science Research Center. Breen uses his expertise in local and state government, human resources management, demography, survey research, methodology, and statistics to promote the health and well-being of Mississippi’s citizens. Breen is a three-time graduate of MSU, earning a doctorate in public policy and administration from the university in 2014.

she will provide leadership and direction to the Talent Acquisition, Workforce Readiness, Performance Management and Employee Relations teams.

Vincent received her Master’s in Business Administration from WP Carey School of Business from Arizona State University; as well as her Vincent Bachelor of Science in Business Management/Human Resources, from Arizona State University. She holds certifications as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) from the Human Resources Certification Institute, Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) from the Society of Human Resources Management, and Management and Strategy Institute – Diversity Management.

Vincent came to Memorial from Dignity HealthHealth System, fifth largest health system in the nation with over 60,000 caregivers that provides care for diverse communities in 21 states. As a key member of the HR Leadership team, Vincent will be responsible for leading the implementation of strategic HR plans to support the operational priorities.

Business and innovation leader named director of MSU Advanced Composites Institute

Christopher Bounds, a polymer scientist with extensive training and experience in business, marketing, leadership and innovation, is the new director of Mississippi State’s Advanced Composites Institute.

The unit is part of MSU’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory, the nation’s leading academic research institute dedicated exclusively to the advancement of Unmanned Bounds Aircraft Systems.

Bounds joins MSU from Albemarle Corp., headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., where he served in positions of increasing technical and leadership responsibility for the past eight years. Most recently, Bounds led global innovation and business development efforts within the chemical giant’s Bromine Specialties Business Unit.

He began his career with Albemarle as a senior chemist and soon was promoted to supervisor of the XPERT Analysis Group where he built and led a team of scientists. Prior to joining Albemarle, Bounds directed research teams and laboratories at multiple academic institutions including Louisiana State University and the University of Southern Mississippi.

A native of Newton, Bounds holds both a doctorate in polymer chemistry and a Master of Business Administration from LSU and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from USM.

Jackson State University alums Dr. Walter L. Reed and actress Mara Hall have been selected as honorees for the upcoming 2020 National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. Both Reed and Hall will be officially inducted during the 35th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Sept. 25 in Atlanta.

Reed’s multifaceted career as an educator, coach, Hall athletic director and administrator included a position at Lawrence Elementary School (Miss); N.H.Pilate High School (Miss); Jackson State University, Mississippi State University; Greater Miami Legal Services; Florida International University; Florida A&M University and Reed the University of Miami (Fla).

Also, he heen been involved at all levels of athletics from elementary school to college. At the collegiate level, he served on several NCAA and NAIA committees, (SWAC and MEAC) committees, and chaired the NCAA I-AA Football Committee.

Hall is best known for her recent co-star roles in the ABC hit show “Scandal” and the BET popular television series “The Quad.” She’s had supporting role in “A Question of Faith” (Silver Lining Entertainment), lead role in the comedic film “Loqueesa,” and her role as nurse Kathleen on the award-winning ABC series “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Bank of Kilmichael promotes Mortimer to EVP

The Bank of Kilmichael recently announced that Kent Mortimer has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer. Mortimer has 17 years of banking experience, the last 10 at Bank of Kilmichael.

In 2017, Mortimer was President of the Mississippi Young Bankers and was selected a Top 50 Under Mortimer 40 by the Mississippi Business Journal. He is a graduate of Mississippi State University where he earned a Bachelor’s and MBA. He is also a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. He is a member of the Mississippi Bankers Association’s Lending Committee.

NEWSMAKERS Trustmark Promotes Kinkade to Senior Vice President

Trustmark recently announce that Kevin Kinkade has been promoted to Senior Vice President at its Ridgeland office where he currently serves as Residential Real Estate Consumer Construction Manager.

Kinkade joined Trustmark in 1997 and has over 30 years of banking experience. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a double major in Marketing and General Business from the University of Mississippi Kinkade and is a graduate of the Mississippi School of Banking and the Graduate School of Banking at LSU. Kinkade is a member of the Home Builders Association of Mississippi and the Home Builders Association of Jackson, where he has served as a member of the Executive Board, Member Services Committee, Finance Committee, Parade of Homes Committee and recognized as Associate of the Year.

He has also volunteered with the Salvation Army, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and Habitat for Humanity.

Kinkade is a past board member for the Madison “The City” Chamber of Commerce, where he served as Chair of the Ambassador Program. He is a past coordinator for Partners in Education for Trustmark and Madison Station Elementary and has served as a coach for various Madison County Athletic Programs including Upward Basketball, Madison-Ridgeland Youth Baseball and South Madison County Soccer.

MSU’s Truax elected to lead national civil engineering organization

Dennis Truax, head of Mississippi State University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has been elected to serve as the president of the American Society of Civil Engineering, the nation's leading civil engineering organization.

Truax will be inaugurated as president-elect of the American Society of Civil Engineers at the organization’s annual meeting this fall. He will serve as president-elect of ASCE in 2021 before Truax becoming president in 2022.

In addition to his role as the civil and environmental engineering department head, Truax holds the James T. White Endowed Chair. He is director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s Transportation Research Center, located at Mississippi State, and was responsible for launching

July 10 - July 23, 2020

the Mississippi State Engineering Without Borders student chapter.

Truax has served multiple stints on the ASCE Board of Directors and was twice selected as the organization’s treasurer. He is currently the chair of the ASCE’s Committee on Technical Advancement and a member of the Committee on Licensure. He also holds positions on the Engineer Tomorrow Review Task Committee and Student Competitions Task Force.

Truax also served as president of the ASCE Mississippi Section from 1991-1992.

Truax completed a master’s degree in civil engineering from Mississippi State in 1978 before finishing his Ph.D. at MSU in 1986. He earned his undergraduate degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech in 1976.

The American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 150,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America’s oldest national engineering society.

NMMC nurses attain five emergency nursing certifications

Lifelong learning is key to staying on top of one’s chosen field. In Mississippi, only two nurses have successfully completed all five emergency nursing certification exams, and both work for North Mississippi Medical Center.

Among their credentials, Bill Malone and Javier Tiscareno include Certified Emergency Nurse, Certified Flight Registered Nurse, Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse, Certified Transport Emergency Nurse and Trauma Certified Emergency Nurse.

In addition to these five certifications issued by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing, Malone and Tiscareno are also certified in Neonatal Pediatric Transport by the National Certification Corporation.

Malone, who lives in Ingomar, joined the NMMC staff in 2004 as a respiratory therapist. He earned his associate degree in nursing from Northeast Mississippi Community College in 2011.

Malone works in the Critical Care Unit, Pediatric Intensive Malone Care Unit, Critical Care Transport and CareFlight.

Tiscareno, who lives in Tupelo, earned his associate degree from NEMCC in 2010 and joined the NMMC staff that year. He works in the Emergency Department, Critical Care Transport and CareFlight.

Holding multiple certifica- Tiscareno tions is a rarity. In Mississippi, 247 nurses hold one of these certifications; 30 hold two certifications, 13 hold three certifications and three hold four certifications. Worldwide, only 35 nurses hold all five certifications.

For full versions of Newsmakers visit www.msbusiness.com

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MSU recognized by Council for Advancement and Support of Education for outstanding development, fundraising efforts

As Mississippi State University nears the end of the most successful educational capital campaign in the state’s history, the institution is being recognized by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) for outstanding efforts in fundraising and development.

Selected to receive a 2020 CASE Educational Fundraising Award for Overall Improvement, MSU was one of only five universities nationwide to be named in the Public Research/Doctoral Institutions with Endowments Over $215 Million category.

The Educational Fundraising Awards annually recognize exemplary development programs based on a blind review by a committee of experienced fundraisers.

In recent years, the MSU Foundation has made significant progress toward the $1 billion goal in the historic Infinite Impact campaign.

Such efforts are highlighted by the recent award selection, which specifically distinguishes significant program growth demonstrated across three years of data. Beyond total amount of funds raised, winners were selected based on a diverse range of factors including patterns

of growth, impact of giving, and student and alumni participation, among others.

“We look for much more than the total amount of funds raised. Breadth and depth matters,” said Sue Cunningham, CASE president and CEO. “We also look for institutions that ‘punch above their weight’—institutions that rank lower in their categories like budgets and enrollment, but who rank higher in terms of funds raised in various categories, such as funds raised per FTE enrollment.”

CASE Educational Fundraising Awards demonstrate the highest level of professionalism and best practice in fundraising. However, MSU Foundation President and CEO John Rush said that such achievements in educational advancement require more than just hard work—they take heart too.

“This award is a reflection not only of the dedication of our development staff, but also of the unwavering loyalty and support of our alumni and friends who continue to invest in the progress and betterment of our university,” said Rush.

“We are passionate about what we do here and it’s inspiring to know that those who give toward MSU do so because they believe in the future of this great institution.”

CASE is an international professional association serving educational institutions and advancement professionals in alumni relations, communications and marketing, and development.

Forrest General employees debut new scrubs The more than 2,000 Forrest General Hospital employees who wear scrubs debuted a new look this month.

Department employees will all wear the same color of scrubs to help patients, their families and other staff members identify the different services, according to Melita Miller, executive director of Nursing/Patient Care Services Administration.

There are a wide range of colors, about 12 in all, which range from wine, Caribbean, eggplant and black, to galaxy blue, ceil blue, navy, pink, teal, hunter green, and several shades of gray, grape/ khaki, light blue/khaki/black, olive green. The scrubs also feature the monogrammed Forrest General logo on the front.

Fittings for the scrubs were held in March, but

COVID-19 delayed the delivery date.

Miller said that moving forward her department will be working with Highland Community Hospital in Picayune and Forrest Health’s other outlying hospitals to begin the fitting process for scrubs at those facilities also.

“We know through empirical evidence patients are likely to recover more quickly if placed in a healthy environment and receiving high-quality nursing care,” said Chief Nursing Officer Phyllis Chambers-Berry, DNP, RN, NE-BC, VP/CNO. “We felt the opportunity to implement color-coded scrubs for the hospital’s disciplines, while enhancing our environment, was a no-brainer. We are excited to assist our patients in identifying their care team as we identify their patient needs.”

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July 10 - July 23, 2020

George A. Gammon, III joins the Citizens Bank as Metro Jackson president

The Citizens Bank has announced that George A. Gammon, III has joined the bank and will serve as Metro Jackson President.

Gammon has 30 years of banking experience and prior to joining the bank he previously served as Regional Executive and Metro Jackson President at State Bank & Trust Company.

He received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Mississippi in

Banking and Finance and a Master of Business Administration degree from Loyola University. He also received a scholarship from the School of Innovation in Estes Park, Colorado.

Gammon is active in the local community, and currently serves on the Advisory Board and Finance Committee of Habitat for Humanity, is a member of the Homebuilders Association of Jackson, was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Jackson and is a Paul Harris Fellow.

He serves on the Board of Directors of FIHOP and is Treasurer of the Coastal Conservation Association Jackson Chapter. He was elected to the Madison Ridgeland Academy Board of Trustees & Finance

Committee and was awarded The Mississippi Business Journal’s “Top 40 under 40” award for the State of Mississippi.

He has served as an adjunct professor with Tulane University and Belhaven University, and has been published in The Journal of Commercial Lending. He also served as past President of the RMA Mid-Mississippi Chapter.

Gammon and his wife Tamara along with their children, Russell and Virginia Kate reside in Madison.

He enjoys spending time with his family, saltwater fishing, hunting, and exercising.

Panelists include:

MOLLY BRASFIELD

University of Mississippi Medical Center

LINDSAY THOMAS DOWDLE Jones Walker LLP

CAROL HARRIS

Mississippi Development Authority

And:

Date: August 25, 2020 Location: Virtual Time: 11:30am-12:30pm

ANNA WOLFE Mississippi Today

To purchase tickets or sponsorships, or for more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2NnWAa0

The Ramey Agency hires digital marketing strategist Emily Jones

The Ramey Agency, a nationally recognized marketing firm, recently hired Emily Jones as digital marketing strategist, where she will lead digital marketing initiatives backed by sound research and analysis.

Jones received her Master of Business Administration at Loyola University New Orleans. She started her career with NOLA Media Jones Group (NMG), which is where Ramey first crossed paths with Jones, partnering with her on digital campaigns for FactNotFiction, a project of The Women’s Foundation of Mississippi and the Mississippi State Department of Health. Her wisdom and collaboration proved invaluable. After more than two years at NMG, Jones continued to hone in on digital insights and strategies with experiences at True Media Services in St. Louis, MO, and Zehnder Communications in New Orleans.

“The digital ecosystem is an interesting space undergoing constant evolution,” said Jones. “An evolution that has transformed our lives, changing everything from how we interact with friends and family to how we buy our groceries. We as marketers tap into those insights to understand the target consumer, craft a specific message and track all outcomes.”

While at Zehnder Communications, Jones was heavily focused on creating, placing, reporting and invoicing effective digital media campaigns. She uses everything at her disposal to predict traffic patterns for both short- and long-term goals, while using layered key performance indicators to establish growth, retention and engagement. This expertise will allow Ramey to optimize client budgets while expanding their reach, as well as harvesting crucial end-of-campaign data and analysis.

“I believe in the ever-changing human and staying well-read on emerging marketing strategies, data, platforms and research,” said Jones. She knows how to get the right message in front of the right audience at the right time, driving short-term sales while upholding long-term brand affinity.

Treadwell named loan officer for Community Bank

Cameron Treadwell has recently been named Loan Officer for Community Bank. A native of Brandon, Treadwell recently served as Management Trainee and has been in banking for almost a year.

In his new role, Treadwell will focus on managing and growing a portfolio of loans and deposits.

Treadwell is a graduate of Mississippi College with a Treadwell Master of Business Administration in Finance and Bachelor of Science in Political Science.

He and his wife, Kelsey, are members of Pinelake Church.

NEWSMAKERS Origin Bank President Lance Hall promoted to CEO

Origin Bank has announced that it has promoted President Lance Hall to the role of bank Chief Executive Officer.

Hall has served the organization for over 20 years in various roles including Louisiana State President, Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Operating Officer, managing the bank’s operations, technology, strategic planning and brand teams.

Hall “Lance has done a tremendous job as President of Origin Bank and is very deserving of his expanded role as President and Chief Executive Officer,” said Drake Mills, chairman, president and CEO of Origin Bancorp, Inc. “His commitment to our culture and his deep passion for our employees, customers and communities positions our company for long-term success.”

In his expanded role as bank CEO, Hall will manage the day-to-day operations and growth strategy of the bank, and support the commercial, private and retail teams across the bank’s markets in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi.

“I am honored to continue to work side-by-side with Drake and all of our team members in building a company that is transformative in the way we combine relationships and technology to benefit our clients and communities,” Hall said. “Origin’s long history of success is directly attributable to our employees, leadership and unwavering focus on the clients and communities we serve. I look forward to continuing those traditions while also driving innovation across our full range of services.”

Hall has a Bachelor of Business Administration in managerial finance from the University of Mississippi and is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. He is the past chairman of the Ruston-Lincoln Community Foundation, and a past two-term director for the North Louisiana Economic Partnership. He is married to Katie Cochran Hall, and together they have four children. He maintains an office at the bank’s Ruston Financial Center at 1511 Trenton Street in Ruston, Louisiana.

Robinson named FCS ADA president; first AfricanAmerican to assume role

The Division I Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) has selected Ashley Robinson, vice president and director of athletics at Jackson State University (JSU), to serve as President for the 2020-21 membership year.

“It’s an honor to serve as the President of the FCS ADA for the upcoming year,” said Robinson, who begins his second year at the helm at JSU. “Our highest Robinson

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priorities remain giving voice to our members while supporting both the incredible sport of football and the FCS brand. We are dedicated to building upon the outstanding work of the FCS ADA and ensuring our student-athletes have the first-class academic and athletics experiences they so deserve.”

Robinson is the first African American to serve as FCS ADA President. He takes over for Kent Haslam, director of athletics at the University of Montana, who served for the 2019-20 year and will transition to Immediate Past President. In addition to Robinson, the following athletics directors will serve as FCS ADA Officers for the 2020-21 membership year: 1st Vice President Nicki Moore, director of athletics at Colgate University; 2nd Vice President Tom Michael, director of athletics at Eastern Illinois University and 3rd Vice President Milton Overton, director of athletics at Kennesaw State University.

In addition to the 2020-21 Officers, the following directors of athletics will serve on the FCS ADA Executive Committee: Mark Orr, Sacramento State (Big Sky); Chris King, Robert Morris University (Big South); Mark Benson, University at Albany (Colonial); Vicky Chun, Yale University (Ivy); Ed Scott, Morgan State University (MEAC); David Herbster, University of South Dakota (Missouri Valley); Jeremy Gibson, Merrimack College (Northeast); Kurt McGuffin, University of Tennessee at Martin (Ohio Valley); Jeff Altier, Stetson University (Pioneer); Ryan Ivey, Stephen F. Austin State University (Southland); and Derek Horne, Alcorn State University (SWAC).

Entergy’s Brister earns certificate in public affairs management

Liz Martin Brister, manager of low-income initiatives for Entergy, has earned a Certificate in Public Affairs Management from the Public Affairs Council.

The certificate is geared toward current and rising leaders in public affairs.

The program is designed to strengthen knowledge of best practices in public affairs management, while also enhancing expertise in leading an integrated, collab- Brister orative and strategic public affairs function.

To complete the multi-year program, participants must earn 30 credits in the following areas: • Core public affairs management topics • Integration and leadership electives • Compliance management • Leadership in the public affairs community “It is a challenging program that provides an exceptional level of preparation for the public affairs professional,” said Brister. “As I navigate the unchartered waters of the current health and economic crisis, I am thankful for the experience.”

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» As the oldest college of business in the State of Mississippi and among the oldest in the SEC, the College of Business at Mississippi State University boasts more than 34,000 alumni from all 50 states and 142 countries.

MSU places first in nationwide banking case study competition Mississippi State University placed first in the Conference of State Bank Supervisors 2020 Community Bank Case Study Competition. Mississippi State University, along with 37 teams from 33 colleges and universities in 18 states studied the impact of the Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering (BSA-AML) requirements of community banks. Student teams partnered with a local community bank to examine challenges, associated time and costs and identify potential regulatory reforms.

MSU team members included spring finance graduates Juan Benavides of Greenville; Liam Benson of Auburn, Maine; Byron McClendon of Brandon; Jake Mlsna of Starkville; and senior finance major Kirk Wright of Crystal Springs.

Their faculty adviser was MSU Assistant Clinical Professor of Finance Matthew Whitledge. Citizens National Bank, based in Meridian, Miss., was the team’s community bank partner. Other university finalists included Concordia College, James Madison University, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, and Purdue University.

This competition is open to undergraduate students in all fields of study as an opportunity to gain valuable first-hand knowledge of the banking industry. By participating in this competition, these students contribute feedback vital to public policy and the national conversation regarding the importance of community banks.

Each student member and faculty adviser of the MSU Team will receive a $1,000 scholarship and be invited to present at the CSBS-Federal Reserve-FDIC Community Banking in the 21st Century Research and Policy Conference.

Their work will be published in the annual

CSBS Journal of Community Bank Case Studies.

“Mississippi is No. 1 in the nation once again, thanks to our talented and hardworking students,” said Gov. Tate Reeves. “By our students joining forces with the banking industry to continue improving our community banks, Mississippi wins every time. I am proud of these Mississippi students for competing on the national stage and winning for themselves and their state.”

“This exemplary recognition of our students from bank regulators and the banking industry is a testament to both the knowledge and ability of our students and the quality and dedication of our faculty and administration in the MSU College of Business,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. “I heartily congratulate them on winning this prestigious competition.”

MSU College of Business Dean Sharon Oswald said: “I am so proud of our MSU College of Business Finance students and their advisor Dr. Matthew Whitledge. Our students have brought great recognition to our state and have proven that they can compete with the best across the country.”

Acting Commissioner Rhoshunda Kelly of Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance, the financial regulator of Mississippi state-chartered banks, commends the winning team stating, “Community banks play a vital role in towns and communities across Mississippi. This competition provides a nationwide platform to create awareness and establish a dialogue between university students and community bankers.”

The Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) is the nationwide organization of banking regulators from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information, visit www.csbs.org.

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