MBJ_Apr11_2014

INSIDE — Venture Technologies merging with and acquiring companies

35 YEARS

1979

www.msbusiness.com

April 11, 2014 • Vol. 36, No. 15 • $1 • 28 pages

ENTREPRENEURS

A lesson in hard work from Trudy Higginbotham Moody

2014

Cooking on the Coast

ASSESSMENT OF RURAL HOSPITALS WARNS OF FISCAL TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS AHEAD » New thinking, more resourcefulness needed as cuts in Medicare, Medicaid and other reimbursements arrive, report says

Running luxury car dealerships has come naturally in the Higginbotham family.

By TED CARTER I STAFF WRITER ted.carter@msbusiness.com

More, P 10

Many of Mississippi’s rural public hospitals owe their existence to the Hill-Burton Act, a post-World War 11 initiative that provided grants and loans to build the hospitals.

Today, their futures are increasingly tied to the resourcefulness of public officials and medical managers. Can they adjust to changes in delivery of services, reimbursements for services and the pressures of treating more and more patients who have neither money nor insurance?

Banking, Finance {P 2} » Keesler Credit Union gaining stake in Jackson with MDOT CU acquisition

» Page 4

See RURAL HOSPITALS, Page 5

TRANSPORTATION / MONEY

Jackson-Evers delaying security and concourse upgrades after bond rating drop Health Care Focus {P 12}

» UMMC doctor looks back — and ahead — at HIV discovery » $16M healthplex in Madison gets huge response List {P 19} » Largest Hospitals

By TED CARTER I STAFF WRITER ted.carter@msbusiness.com

Fitch Rating Service’s downgrading of $39.4 million of Jackson Municipal Airport Authority revenue bonds will force a yearlong delay of security checkpoint upgrades and improvements to the terminal building of Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport.

The drop to BBB+ from A- came largely from Southwest Airlines’ decision to stop nearly two decades of service on June 7. Fitch says the loss of the airport’s second-largest carrier will likely lead to “measurable and potentially permanent declines in the airport's small enplanement base.”

See

http://msbusiness.com/events/health-care-heroes-nomination-form/

AIRPORT, Page 9

2 I Mississippi Business Journal I April 11 2014 FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

Keesler Credit Union gaining stake in Jackson with MDOT CU acquisition » State's largest credit union to recruit new business employee groups, CEO says

By TED CARTER I STAFF WRITER ted.carter@msbusiness.com

Keesler Federal Credit Union, a $2.1 billion Biloxi-based member institution, has set the stage for entry into the metro Jackson market with acquisition of the $4.8 million Mississippi Department of Transportation Federal Credit Union.

The deal closed March 31. Convergence of the operations is to be completed by June 30.

Both non-profit entities were among Mississippi’s earliest credit unions, with MDOT starting its operation in 1941 and Keesler in 1947. Keesler began as a CU for military personnel at Keesler Air Force Base but has since grown to just at 187,000 members and recently expanded into Slidell, La., near New Orleans.

The growth has made Keesler CU Mississippi’s largest credit union and gained it a 2010 federal government designation as the nation’s 63rd largest credit union.

The approximately 1,000-member MDOT credit union limited membership to agency employees.

Jeff Gerard, COO of Keesler CU, said the MDOT takeover will be a springboard for establishing several branch operations in the metro market.

Initial members will be MDOT employees and retires as well as “anyone else we can get to sign up,” Gerard said.

“We’ll be active in signing up new busi-

Keesler to open Gautier branch in fall » Keesler Federal Credit Union has broken ground on its 4,600 square-foot Gautier location at 3501 Dolphin Drive. » The branch will have four teller stations, a walk-up ATM and a drive-up ATM with 4 drive-up lanes. The branch opening is scheduled for the fall. that members of the MDOT Federal Credit Union will see a significant increase in service offerings.

A strong part of Keesler’s appeal, he said, is that the one-time membership gets a member free checking with no minimum balance, debit cards and a roster of financial services similar to those offered by forprofit banks.

Services include home mortgages, auto loans, online and mobile banking, remote deposit capture and wire transfers.

Keesler will also do indirect lending with

“We’ll be active in signing up new businesses.”

Jeff Gerard Keesler Federal Credit Union

nesses,” he said, and noted Keesler recruits its members in a business-to-business fashion instead of seeking individual members. Individuals can join, however, through paying a $5 membership fee.

In addition to business groups, Keesler in the months ahead will be looking at other groups for membership, including school systems and churches.

The acquisition, Gerard said, ensures

auto dealers in Central Mississippi, a practice that Gerard said has brought it increased business along the Mississippi coast and Slidell.

Credit union advocates say the acquisition of small credit unions by large ones can lead to better value for the customer.

The larger the credit union, the greater the ability to pass lower loan rates and higher dividend rates for the benefit of the mem-

bership, advocates say.

What’s more, as a credit union grows, economies of scale bring down its net operating expense load, they note.

Gerard said Keesler has had an important part in helping to bring financial services to the state’s un-banked and under-banked populations. That effort will continue in the metro Jackson market, he said.

“I think the services we provide, competitively priced, allow us to understand the needs of those who may not be the best credit” candidates, Gerard added.

Some may only qualify for a savings account, but: “We welcome the opportunity to serve those members and to work them into a more traditional account.”

Both Keesler CU and MDOT CU are highly rated by Bauer Financial, an independent financial services rating agency based in Coral Gables, Fla. Bauer awarded Keesler CU five stars at the close of the fourth quarter of 2013, a designation that denotes “superior.” MDOT CU received four stars, a designation denoting “excellent.” Institutions that received the five and four-star designations go on Bauer’s “recommended” list.

The merger required the approval of the National Credit Union Administration, the federal regulatory agency and provider of deposit insurance of up to $250,000 per account.

Gerard said the merger began developing in late November after MDOT Federal Credit Union encountered capital difficulties and approached Keesler. “We reviewed their loans and their similarities” with Keesler, he said.

“We did not see much in the way of cultural differences. We decided this would be a great way to serve their members who work across the state and give us an option for building new employer groups” in metro Jackson.

Nationally, the number of credit unions has declined but assets have grown, the National Credit Union Administration says. From 2006 to 2010, federally insured credit unions went from 8,362 to 7,339. For the same period, assets grew from $710 billion to $914.5 billion.

As the decline in credit unions shows, small credit unions have had an especially See

KEESLER, Page 6

CREDIT UNION ASSETS GROW TO OVER $1 TRILLION BUT FEWER CUs SURVIVING

By TED CARTER I STAFF WRITER ted.carter@msbusiness.com Credit union numbers have declined steadily in Mississippi and across the country in the last 25 years. But money is flowing into the surviving ones at increasing amounts.

From 2006 to 2010, the number of federally insured credit unions nationally went from 8,362 to 7,339. At the same time, assets ballooned from $710 billion to $914.5 billion.

In 2012, the financial services sector Web site Financial Brands summed it up thusly: “The big are getting bigger, while small Smith credit unions are shrinking. If current trends hold, half the credit unions around today will be gone in the next 20 years.”

The Financial Brands report put the average loss at 233 credit unions per year, a little less than one per day.

With fewer credit unions competing for members, credit union assets surpassed $1 trillion by 2012, according to Financial Brands.

A quarter century ago, Mississippi had more than 200 credit unions. With Keesler Federal Credit Union’s acquisition of Mississippi Department of Transportation Federal Credit Union, the number of CUs will go to 83, said Jimmy Smith, president & CEO of Singing River Federal Credit Union in Moss Point and chairman of the Mississippi Credit Union Association.

Mississippi's credit unions have about 7 percent of the deposit-and-lending markets, with traditional banks holding the rest. The division of market share has remained consistent over the years, according to Smith.

The state's credit unions average assets of $20 million and have strong capitalization of “well over 10.5 percent,” Smith said, calling the ratio an object of envy for the credit union sector's banking competitors.

But the cost of doing business lately has begun depleting capital, he added. He cited the range of services and conveniences credit union members have come to expect. “Some are experiencing negative income and that is eating away at their capital,” Smith noted.

As this trend continues, look for Mississippi's credit union numbers to dwindle even further, Smith predicted.

The Credit Union Way “It's simple what we do,” Smith said.

Like banks, credit unions take in deposits and lend money on them. What's different, Smith noted, is that capital comes from members, See

ASSETS, Page 6

April 11, 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

POLITICS

Start-up bringing 40 jobs to Smithville

Yarber, Lumumba headed to an April 22 runoff for Jackson mayor

» Announcement comes as 3-year anniversary of deadly tornado nears

By TED CARTER I STAFF WRITER ted.carter@msbusiness.com

SMITHVILLE — This tiny Northeast Mississippi community that knows tragedy and misfortune first hand had something to celebrate Friday with the announcement of 80 new jobs over three with the arrival of start-up furniture company Behold Home Inc. The good news comes just as Smithville heads toward the third anniversary of a E5 tornado that demolished most of the town’s businesses, many of its homes and killed 16 residents. The town is slowly rebuilding and has opened a new K-12 school, gym, new church buildings and businesses since the April 27, 2011, tornado. Town leaders have also adopted a comprehensive land-use plan to help guide the growth Monroe County community hopes to achieve.

Smithville lost a furniture maker last year with the closing of TownHouse Furniture. That plant will be the new home of Behold Home Inc., a Tupelo-based motion furniture manufacturing company started by veteran Northeast Mississippi furniture manufacturers Lyle Harris and Larry Todd. Harris is president and CEO; Todd is VP and COO. Bo Russell, a Tupelo accountant and attorney, is

treasurer and CFO. Harris is the former president of American Furniture.

Todd is a a co-founder of Southern Motion.

Behold Home bought two former TownHouse buildings, a 76,000-square foot main plant plus a 60,000square-foot warehouse. It also has options on land in Smithville for future expansion.

Behold Home isn’t manufacturing yet, but it has made some prototypes to show potential customers, business editor Dennis Seid of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported Friday.

Behold will employ about 40 people as it plans to begin operations in June. It expects to grow to 80 employees or more within three years.

Harris said Smithville “felt like home” and said choosing the city and the facility “was an easy decision,” the NE Daily Journal reported.

Behold will initially manufacture motion furniture (reclining chairs, sofas and sectionals) but plans to expand into stationary furniture later, Todd said.

The company aims to find a niche in the mid-priced category, and Harris is headed to High Point, N.C., to network at its furniture market this week.

JACKSON — City Council member Tony Yarber and Chokwe Antar Lumumba, son of the late Mayor Chokwe Lumumba, will be in an April 22 runoff to see who will become Jackson’s next mayor.

Complete, but unofficial, returns showed only 10 votes separate the two. Affidavit and absentee ballots are still to be counted.

Thirteen candidates were on the ballot, including former Mayor Harvey Johnson and two other city council members and state Sen. John Horhn. The election came one month after the funeral of the elder Lumumba, who was elected last June and died Feb. 25.

The candidates ran without party affiliation. The winner will complete late mayor’s term.

ELECTIONS

Report ranks state last again WASHINGTON — Mississippi remains on the bottom of yet another national ranking.

Between 2008 and 2012, state election performance overall improved by 4.4 percentage points, according to The Pew Charitable Trusts’ latest Elections Performance Index. The expanded index makes it possible for all 50 states and the District of Columbia to measure how well they conducted elections compared not only with other states, but also over time.

This annual study allows states to measure election administration by looking at such indicators as wait times at polling locations, availability of voting information tools online, rejection of voter registrations, problems with registration or absentee ballots, rejection of military and overseas ballots, voter turnout, and accuracy of voting technology.

— from staff and MBJ wire reports

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4 I Mississippi Business Journal I April 11 2014 RESTAURANTS

Cooking on the Coast » Sal & Mookie’s strikes licensing deal with RKBM

Photo from http://www.salandmookies.com

Jeff Good and Dan Blumenthal (below) see the new Sal & Mookie’s licensing agreement with RKBM Restaurant Group as a potential first step to taking the concept to more parts of the state and beyond.

BY WALLY NORTHWAY I STAFF WRITER wally.northway@msbusiness.com

In the spring of 2007 when Jackson restaurateurs Jeff Good and Dan Blumenthal opened Sal & Mookie’s New York Pizza & Ice Cream Joint, the men said their decision to launch the new eatery was driven largely by their desire to be a part of the revival of Jackson’s Fondren District.

Now the leaders of RKBM Restaurant Group are looking to do the same for a resurging, post-Katrina downtown Biloxi after entering into the first licensing agreement in Sal & Mookie’s history.

The agreement provides RKBM with all the intellectual property, recipes, branding elements and trade secrets with which to design, build and operate their own location under the Sal & Mookie's masthead. RKBM is led by the husband and wife team of Bruce and Rebecca Lacey, alongside business partners Matt and Kandi Helms.

Good said, “What a wonderful way to celebrate our seventh anniversary with the announcement of our agreement to work with Bruce and Rebecca and their team as they bring our ideas to the heart of the Gulf Coast.”

Bruce Lacey said he and his wife, as well as the Helms, had become fans of Sal & Mookie’s before they began to discuss the possibility of any agreement. In addition to the food and ambiance, they appreciated the focus on community that Good and Blumenthal exhibited when they opened in Fondren.

“We are taking all of the unique and wonderful elements of the Sal & Mookie’s in Jackson — the painted wooden

“With the licensing of Sal & Mookie’s to the Laceys we can clearly see the path to provide more ... ‘eatertainment’ to the rest of the state and perhaps beyond”.

— Jeff Good exterior, the wrap around deck, the big exhibition kitchen, the kid-friendly viewing area of the pizza ovens, the ice cream scoop shop in the dining room and all the classic New York images and touch points — and are bringing them into a newly constructed building built to post-Katrina code and designed to enhance the business corridor where we will be located,” he added The new Sal & Mookie’s will be located at 110 Lameuse

Street, an area that has seen a flurry of new activity. In addition to new construction at nearby Hard Rock Casino and the coming of the Half Shell Oyster House, the site is just a couple of blocks from the new minor league baseball stadium, which is under construction and slated to open next year.

“We already had a lease on the site before the baseball stadium was announced,” Bruce Lacey said. “That was a plus.”

When the principals of RKBM approached Good and Blumenthal about bringing a Sal & Mookie’s to their site, they got a receptive audience.

Rebecca Lacey said, “When we decided to expand our food service business, the decision was easy. We approached Dan and Jeff and they have been nothing but gracious and supportive. We want Sal & Mookie's to be an integral part of every Gulf Coast family's history.”

It is not surprising that RKBM found support from Sal & Mookie’s. Good and Blumenthal had already tasted success with their other Jackson restaurants — Bravo! Italian Restaurant and Bar (which is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary) and Broad Street Bakery — when they hatched the idea for Sal & Mookie’s. Still, they took their time. They made a trip to New York to sample some of the city’s best pizza establishments, then spent the better part of a year perfecting the dough and sauce recipes.

They also did their homework on the site for the new restaurant, which was seen as something of a gamble.

While the Fondren area was growing, the common perception was that the area’s crime could hurt traffic. Indeed, when they were constructing the flagship Sal & Mookie’s, Good and Blumenthal would visit the site often to find that it had been compromised — sometimes homeless people were found sleeping on the grounds.

However, the men, whose motto is “do the right thing,” were convinced that crime was manageable and the location was perfect for the new concept. It’s offering of highquality, often handmade ingredients, large selection of beers and its ambiance was an immediate hit.

With that background, Good said he and Blumenthal were eager to help RKBM. “The Laceys found us, and we worked out a license agreement to allow them to replicate without some of the constraints and costs of franchising,” he said.

With the RKBM agreement in place, the door is now open for more Sal & Mookie’s expansion, according to Good.

“Will we be open to other development opportunities?

Of course,” Good said, adding that RKBM has a protected territory on the Coast. “With the licensing of Sal & Mookie’s to the Laceys we can clearly see the path to provide more of our culinary and ‘eatertainment’ to the rest of the state and perhaps beyond. By partnering with quality business people who share the same beliefs in customer service, product excellence and ‘doing the right thing,’ perhaps we can indeed grow Sal & Mookie’s into a regional success story. I guess time will tell.”

April 11 2014

RURAL HOSPITALS

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Mississippi Business Journal

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Without some help…

Continued from Page 1

If not, the landscape of the future is going to look mighty rugged for them, according to an April 2 report issued by Mississippi State Auditor Stacey Pickering titled “The Financial Health of Publicly Owned Rural Mississippi Hospitals.”

By way of history, Pickering notes that the fiscal health of Mississippi’s rural hospitals built under HillBurton eventually became closely tied to reimbursement payments for Medicare and Medicaid services. “As those payments decline, new management and funding models need to be examined, developed, and/or modified,” Pickering writes in his executive summary.

Pickering says the Performance Audit Division did the assessment of years 2009 through 2012 to help prepare the state’s rural communities as well as state leaders to address dramatic changes ahead in the healthcare sector.

Some good news from Pickering’s audit: Fifteen of Mississippi’s 25 publicly owned rural hospitals exceeded national standards for fiscal soundness while a half dozen met the standards.

Some not-so-good news: Four rural hospitals fell short of national financial standards and have been designated for a “Watchline.” They are Tallahatchie County General Hospital, Tippah County Hospital, Natchez Regional Medical Center in Adams County and Montfort Jones Memorial Hospital in Attala County.

“While the study seems to provide the very good news that most of Mississippi’s rural, publicly owned hospitals appear to be well managed financially, there are some that face downward financial pressures, including the federal government’s cuts in the reimbursement rates for medical services,” Pickering says in the executive summary.

Thus, new management and funding models must be examined, developed or modified, he says. <bf>In light of changing conditions…<bf> The Center for Mississippi Health Policy sees the Pickering assessment as a possible springboard for further study, says Therese Hanna, the Center’s executive director.

“I think it is important,” she says of the auditor’s report. “They looked at the current financial status. I think there is a need for more research.

“We are considering a study on what the future holds. We’ll ask, ‘What are some of the options for these hospitals in light of the changing conditions?’”

The study would address any changes in policy that could help rural hospitals survive, according to Hanna.

Over the last decade, some of Mississippi’s public rural hospitals have partnered with larger regional hospitals to achieve economies, gain management expertise and maintain or even increase services.

“These larger hospitals can run the smaller hospitals and provide the backup support and use them as feeders” to bring patients into the mother hospital, Hanna says.

In some instances, the smaller rural hospital is getting an expansion, renovation or an entirely new facility, says Mendal Kemp, director of the Mississippi Hospital Association’s Center for Rural Health.

“These old Hill-Burton hospitals are needing replacement. They are insisting on getting a replacement out of it.”

For instance, in negotiations with Jackson’s Baptist

The 15 publicly owned rural hospitals deemed above average in fiscal soundness: » Jasper County General Hospital » South Sunflower County Hospital » Tyler Holmes Memorial Hospital (Montgomery County) » North Sunflower Medical Center (Sunflower County) » Neshoba County General Hospital » Field Memorial Community Hospital (Wilkinson County) » Hardy Wilson Memorial Hospital (Copiah County)’ » Calhoun County Health Services » George County Regional Hospital » Magnolia Regional Health Center (Alcorn County) » Yalobusha County General Hospital » South Central Regional Medical Center (Jones County) » Southwest MS Regional Medical Center (Pike County) » Grenada Lake Medical Center (Grenada County) » Covington County Hospital

Health Systems to sell Leake Memorial Hospital/Extended Care and Clinic facilities, Leake County officials received a pledge of renovations of the facilities, more long-term care and specialty services and more physician recruitment, Kemp notes.

One of Pickering’s “Watchline” hospitals, Montfort Jones Memorial in Kosciusko, has had interest from potential partners, says John Dawson, administrator.

“The (Attala County) Board of Supervisors has been looking for a larger facility to affiliate with,” he says, with the idea being to gain the benefits of being leased or owned by a bigger hospital.

“We know our position relative to other hospitals.

We have been dealing with the fact we are financially distressed for some time.”

Kemp, meanwhile, says it is important for a rural hospital to look closely at its service area and determine “what people need.”

Some may see a need for more out-patient services and others may conclude more specialty services are needed, he says.

Donald Eicher III assesses hospital needs throughout Mississippi as director of the state Department of Health’s Office of Health Policy and Planning. He says it is important for publicly owned rural hospitals to be realistic. For instance, Eicher says, they must examine whether it is genuinely cost effective to concentrate on in-patient admissions when the hospital has only two or three a day. “Could it be eliminated or drawn back further than it is now? Eicher says hospitals must ask themselves.

Others have successfully carved out specialty niches that serve a community need, he notes.

North Sunflower in Ruleville, for instance, has turned itself around by assessing what its communities need and marketing itself in that direction, Eicher says.

The process can begin with some “window dressing” which can be as simple as enhancing the hospital’s outside appearances, he says, emphasizing the need to get the public involved.

“The next step is determining what services are needed and what services can we provide to make money or at least break even.”

That process led North Sunflower to add a wellness center, a sleep apnea center and a state-of-the art surgery suite to the Ruleville facility. Surgeons from out of town now come to perform surgeries there, Eicher says.

Kemp of the MHA’s Center for Rural Health says the hospitals addressed in the Pickering Report are safety net facilities for their communities. Even the ones deemed financially strong in the 2009-to-2012 period face threats all around, he says.

“Things are not going to be like that next year,” he says of their fiscal future.

Chiefly, the current threats are coming from reduced Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. But large on the horizon is the federal government’s promise to begin diverting tens of millions of dollars from Mississippi that now goes to help reimburse hospitals for treating the uninsured. The federal Affordable Care Act mandates that the money, more than $150 million a year in Mississippi’s case, must go to pay for expansion of Medicaid in other states since Mississippi refused to expand Medicaid to the state’s working poor.

Gov. Phil Bryant and legislative leaders refused the expansion knowing the risk of losing the money but have indicated they do not believe the federal government will ultimately remove the money. They cite the Obama administration’s two-year extension of a deadline to begin lowering the Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments.

Kemp and others say the threat of losing DSH payments is real and should be seen as a promise that the ACA requires the government to keep.

“Year two is going to surprise a lot of folks,” says Kemp, referring to the end of the two-year extension of the close of the federal government’s 2015 fiscal year.

“Without some help… I see the future looking very bleak.”

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6 I Mississippi Business Journal I April 11 2014

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

‘Just the beginning’ » Venture Technologies merging, acquiring companies

BY WALLY NORTHWAY I STAFF WRITER wally.northway@msbusiness.com

In 1986 when Gerard Gibert was looking to grow his business that would become Venture Technologies, he was dismayed when a local banker told him that he thought everyone had all the computers they needed. The banker saw no future for Gibert’s new enterprise.

Gibert can laugh about that now.

Gibert Just this month, Venture announced a pending merger with Colorado-based technology solution provider Integrated Systems Consulting Inc. (ISC), as well as the acquisition of another provider, Strategic Allied Technologies (SAT), which is based in Alabama.

Both transactions are scheduled to close next month. Terms were not disclosed.

After the merger with ISC and the acquisition of SAT, Venture, a privately held information technology solutions provider headquartered in Ridgeland, will be comprised of 205 members, including

KEESLER

Continued from Page 2

difficult time surviving during and after the nation’s banking crisis. “The regulatory environment has become increasingly difficult for smaller credit unions to keep up,” Keesler’s Gerard said, echoing a lament often made by community bankers about their sectors.

Regulatory complexities and the time and money needed to address them can force smaller credit unions to consider acquisition options as an alternative to shutting down, said Jimmy Smith, president &CEO of the $195 million Singing River Federal Credit Union in Moss Point and chairman of the Mississippi Credit Union Association.

“They don't have the expertise, money or staff to keep up with the regulatory burden,” Smith said.

Nor, in many instances, do they have the resources to compete on the services front

14 executives, 61 account managers, 11 technical architects, 101 engineers and 18 operational staff. In addition to its current locations in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee, this merger adds physical locations in Denver, Colo., and Casper, Wyo. “This is just the beginning,” said Gibert, who co-founded Venture with Norman Katool. “Change is one of the exciting parts of our industry — you never know what tomorrow will bring. Five years from now, we’ll be offering solutions that are just a twinkle in someone’s eye today. That’s why we are merging with ISC and acquiring SAT.” ISC is a provider of advanced technology solutions, specializing in the design, deployment and ongoing management of those solutions for customers in commercial enterprises, education, banking and finance, city, county and state government entities and health care institutions.

Founded in 1998 in Casper, Wyo., and

with their larger counterparts, he added.

“Consumers are demanding the technological advances. Without them you're not going to be relevant in this market.”

On the other hand, a small credit union can't go short on the services front, not if it intends to keep the portion of its membership that has become accustomed to personal service, Smith said.

Achieving that balance is expensive, he noted.

Single-sponsor credit unions such as MDOT said Charles Elliot, executive director of the Mississippi Credit Union Association, said some smaller credit unions have sought to survive by recruiting new business employee groups into their ranks.

“But it is hard to do that when you don’t have a lot of services to offer,” Elliot said.

Ultimately, the members of MDOT Federal CU are the winners here, Smith said. “The membership of MDOT will be far better served.”

headquartered in Denver, ISC operates in Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Idaho, California and Utah.

The combined companies will operate as Venture Technologies. Gibert and Katool will remain in their positions as CEO and CFO, respectively. Gibert will now serve as chairman of the board, and ISC founder and CEO Win Farnsworth will assume the position of president.

“By combining resources with ISC, Venture will not only expand our footprint, but our financial and technical resources, as well,” said Gibert. “Additionally, ISC shares similar business values, including respect for all individuals, unwavering integrity, superior technical proficiency and the highest standards of customer service. The Venture brand will remain and will be greatly enhanced by ISC's capabilities and legacy in the Rocky Mountain region.”

Farmsworth said, “This merger creates an outstanding platform to continue our strategy to expand on a national level

ASSETS

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with the rare exception being secondary capital available to CUs that serve low-and-moderateincome populations.

A loan-to-share ratio of around 45 percent is typical in the industry, but a ratio of 100 percent can be achieved, according to Smith, who said Singing River loaned out 100 percent of its member deposits last year.

Those loans went out at an average rate of 6.5 percent.

Most credit union loans go to members for residential mortgages and signature loans.

More credit unions are finding willing borrowers through indirect lending. Some, such as Smith's Singing River's CU, provide loans to member businesses. “We're looking at commercial loans in the $150,000 range or less,” Smith said of Singing River.

Business lending has potential for growth industrywide, according to Smith, who said his credit union is

through strategic acquisitions. We have several firms that we have engaged in discussions, and we will work through them to find those that share our vision and values as we continue to expand our national presence.”

SAT, which is headquartered in Hoover, Ala., creates customized IT solutions.

Bill Valentz, the founder and CEO of SAT, said, “We have known the Venture Technologies team for many years, and really respect their vision and effort in scaling the organization. By joining with Venture, our team will have access to new core competencies, technical credentials and operational tools that will enable us to significantly grow our business in existing accounts and penetrate new ones. I am excited to get started.”

Venture is anxious to get started, too.

When Gibert and Katool founded Venture, they budgeted monthly revenues at roughly $40,000. With the ISC merger and SAT acquisition, Venture’s revenues are expected to be approximately $12.5 million per month.

When asked about the future, Gibert again said he didn’t know where the industry was headed, only that Venture would be there to take part. He said when he started, he envisioned a $1-billion company, but he doesn’t want to be governed by even that figure.

“Our objective is to scale Venture to a much larger organization with expanded capabilities that will enable us to offer new solutions, serve a broader market and continuously enhance the world-class 'Venture Experience,’” said Gibert.

For more on Venture Technologies, visit www.ventech.com.

consulting with smaller ones on establishing business lending operations.

“We're helping those small business members succeed by putting money out there.”

The money credit unions make on loans goes back into the capital pool after deductions for operating expenses.

The trick is not to grow the capital too fast. “That can strain the net income with the deposit rates we offer,” Smith said.

The job is made easier by freedom from earnings pressure, he noted. “Our focus is member driven.

We're not driven to keep the stockholders happy.”

While banks endured a crisis of near-historic proportions late in the last decade, credit unions fared much better by having stayed away from the sort of risky loans and investments their banking counterparts traded in, according to Smith.

“While the Feds were bailing the banks out, we never took a penny,” he said.

Credit unions, in fact, kept lending, Smith noted.

“We put up a sign that said we 'have $24 million to lend, so come see us.'”

A member of the Mississippi Press Association www.mspress.org

200 North Congress, Suite 400 Jackson, MS 39201-1902 Main: (601) 364-1000 Faxes: Advertising (601) 364-1007; Circulation (601) 364-1035 E-mails: mbj@msbusiness.com, ads@msbusiness.com, photos@msbusiness.com, research@msbusiness.com, events@msbusiness.com

MBJPERSPECTIVE April 11, 2014 • www.msbusiness.com • Page 7

OTHER VIEWS

Last-minute cold feet kills texting ban

Website: www.msbusiness.com April 11, 2014 Volume 36, Number 15

ALAN TURNER Publisher alan.turner@msbusiness.com • 364-1021 ROSS REILY Editor ross.reily@msbusiness.com • 364-1018 WALLY NORTHWAY Senior Writer wally.northway@msbusiness.com • 364-1016 FRANK BROWN Staff Writer/Special Projects frank.brown@msbusiness.com • 364-1022 TED CARTER Staff Writer ted.carter@msbusiness.com • 364-1017 LISA MONTI Contributing Writer mbj@msbusiness.com • 364-1018

M

ississippi’s texting-while-driving ban died in an unfathomable lastminute reversal by the House after its overwhelming passage of the legislation the day before.

The 26-year Republican legislator Bill Denny of Jackson moved to reconsider the bill, which led to an unrecorded voice vote that ensured its death on the calendar as the Legislature adjourned.

Denny, angering and bewildering some of his colleagues who had worked all session to pass the texting ban as a life-saving safety measure, said he didn’t know the ban was for everybody. The bill’s language had been

changed, but Denny and others should have been aware of the contents.

Transportation Committee member Rep. Tom Miles was angered by Denny’s move, and said many people had worked hard to pass a texting ban to improve safety.

Denny’s motion to reconsider, upheld on the voice vote, means the proven deadly drivers’ indulgence created by the age of wireless communication will continue without penalty.

Ours is one of only seven states without texting-driving bans for all drivers in the face of convincing statistics about its dangers and its link to fatalities.

BOBBY HARRISON Contributing Writer mbj@msbusiness.com • 364-1018 TAMI JONES Advertising Director tami.jones@msbusiness.com • 364-1011

» THE OUTSIDE WORLD

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Ubiquitous text messaging by drivers of all ages makes roads, streets and highways more dangerous everywhere, creating a scourge called “distracted driving” that’s often compared to drunk driving in the degree of hazards it creates. Mississippi, which will continue with no punitive disincentive to texting and driving, can expect to reap the grim harvest of driver irresponsibility supported by outright legislative failure to act.

Gov. Phil Bryant was ready to sign a texting ban on arrival in his office, and legislative majorities supported it.

This issue shouldn’t and won’t die.

— Northeast Miss. Daily Journal

» ANALYSIS

Justice, teacher pay top session issues

M

ississippi lawmakers used their 2014 session to enact substantial changes to the state’s criminal justice system, give pay raises to teachers and a few thousand lower-paid state employees and put more money into training new state troopers.

They passed bills to limit union activities and to make it harder for the state to try to collect a higher share of taxes from multistate corporations.

In this third year of a four-year term, the Republican-controlled House and Senate also passed bills to appeal to social conservatives — banning abortion at the midpoint of a full-term pregnancy and doing drug testing of some welfare recipients.

They enacted a new law that adds “In God We Trust” to the state seal and says government can’t put a substantial burden on

religious practices, a measure that supporters say will protect the unfettered practice of reliEmily Pettus gion and opponents say could let people cite religious beliefs in discriminating against gays and lesbians.

Budget writers say they met their goal of setting a $6 billion spending plan that puts millions more dollars into financial reserves and dramatically reduces the use of “one-time money,” such as lawsuit settlements, to pay for state expenses that carry from one budget year to the next, such as salaries.

“I am very proud of what we have accomplished this year,” Republican Gov. Phil Bryant said in a statement after the threeSee PETTUS, Page 8

PERSPECTIVE

8 I Mississippi Business Journal I April 11, 2014 » RICKY NOBILE

PETTUS

»OPINION

Highway system an afterthought

C

ompetent leaders seeking to sustain quality of life and spur economic growth appreciate the importance of physical infrastructure.

The American Society of Civil Engineers grades physical infrastructure in each state annually. In 2012, Mississippi grades were: dams and levees – D; drinking water – C-; roads and bridges – C; wastewater – C. Hold on, a C in roads and bridges?

Why, it was just two years ago that Blueprint Mississippi touted Mississippi’s highway system as No. 1 in the MidSouth: “The success of Mississippi’s roadways system is due in part to Mississippi’s Four-Lane Highway Program, which was enacted in 1987 to provide intrastate mobility.” That status was based on a report looking at the period 1984 to 2008.

What has happened since 2008 to turn things around?

The civil engineers’ report said, “Recent MDOT studies show only 51 percent of the necessary revenue is available to maintain Mississippi’s road and bridge system.”

“There is a serious threat to the State’s economy and the residents’ livelihood,” continued the report. “If funding levels are not addressed in the very near future, roads and bridges as well as jobs and population centers will see a decline.”

Legislative studies agreed.

A PEER Committee report in January said, “Studies show that the funding available for transportation is not sufficient to meet Mississippi’s highway, road, and bridge needs.”

PEER said MDOT needs $1 billion to repair pavement to an acceptable condition and $400 million annually to maintain pavement in good condition, but only gets about $150 million annually. PEER said MDOT needs $2.7 billion to re-

pair or replace bridges and $200 million to replace all currently deficient bridges in a timely manner, but only gets $50 to $80 Bill Crawford million annually.

A special Senate task force headed by Sen. Willie Simmons, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, also found funding to be inadequate. “We found information that supports the need to improve our roads and bridges, and we also found the need for more funds,” Simmons told the Daily Journal’s Bobby Harrison after the task force’s final meeting in January.

Given this serious state of affairs, what did our legislators do?

Find ways to significantly increase MDOT funding?

No. They continued to ignore and neglect mounting road and bridge needs.

The bills they considered provided only minimal increases. But, even those did not pass. They died over a silly spat between House and Senate leaders over prioritization of road projects.

A commonsensical Gov. Phil Bryant saved the day by adding MDOT funding to the special session he called to fund new assistant district attorneys. Legislators finally agreed to fund MDOT with a 2.5 percent increase, far below the established need.

“Competent” would not be the right word to describe leaders able to turn a Mississippi infrastructure strength into a weakness so quickly.

Bill Crawford (crawfolk@gmail.com) is a syndicated columnist from Meridian.

Continued from Page 7

month session ended. “From adopting policies that require violent criminals to serve at least 50 percent of their sentences to reaching our goal of training more troopers to protect lives and investigate crimes, I believe we have taken strong steps to protect Mississippi communities.”

Mississippi Democratic Party chairman Rickey Cole said Republicans, including Bryant and House Speaker Philip Gunn, are making the state lose billions of federal dollars by opting not to expand Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of working-poor residents. Expansion is an option under the federal health overhaul that President Barack Obama signed in 2010, but Bryant, Gunn and Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves say Mississippi can’t afford to spend more on Medicaid, even with the federal government paying most of the cost.

“Mississippi’s third legislative session under Phil Bryant and Philip Gunn is over and, as expected, was more of the same nonsense,” Cole wrote in a post-session fundraising letter for the Democratic Party. “They remain focused on side issues that appeal to their base but do nothing to address unemployment, public education, or our quality of life. We remain first in poverty and last in education, but Phil’s number one priority is to appease the fringe.”

Bryant signed the criminal justice measure, House Bill 585, on March 31 and it becomes law July 1. It says anyone convicted of a violent offense will be required to serve at least 50 percent of a sentence, and anyone convicted of a nonviolent offense will have to serve at least 25 percent. It gives judges more flexibility to impose alternate sentences, such as ordering treatment for drug users.

Circuit courts will be authorized to establish treatment programs for military veterans who might have traumatic brain injuries, depression or drug and alcohol problems. For the first time, Mississippi law will specify which crimes are classified as violent, for sentencing purposes.

The governor signed the religious-practices bill, Senate Bill 2681 (http://bit.ly/1hheTXI ), in a private ceremony Thursday, joined by a few lawmakers, lobbyists for the state’s Southern Baptist convention and the president of the Washingtonbased Family Research Council. A day before the bill signing, Bryant said he was not surprised by the criticism the measure received.

“I think these are the types of things that get attention anywhere in the United States when you start talking about religion in the public square — it brings a lot of debate, in one way or the other,” Bryant said. “I think that’s healthy for those of us who have to make decisions about religious freedoms.”

About the time Bryant was signing the bill, more than 75 gay rights supporters were protesting it on the Capitol steps. Nathan Tipton, 48, who lives in the north Mississippi city of Hernando, said he believes it could aggravate hostility that he already experiences as a gay man by giving people license to discriminate.

“The GOP keeps on talking about small government,” Tipton said. “Well, this is direct government interference in my life.”

Emily Wagster Pettus covers government, among other things, for The Associated Press.

April 11, 2014

AIRPORT

Continued from Page 1

The result, Fitch says, could be higher fees to airlines and higher costs to passengers. This is already occurring, Fitch said, citing the airport's increase of landing fees by 18 percent and parking fees 8 percent at the beginning of FY2014 and its implementing of an additional 15 percent landing fee increase effective in May to offset future declines in revenue caused by Southwest's departure.

Passenger declines can severely damage airport revenues by causing the loss of dollars from non-airline sources such as parking and rental car activities — both of which account for much of the airport's revenues.

Nearly two-thirds of the Authority's operating revenues of $17.6 million come from non-airline sources. Parking revenues alone count for approximately $6.1 million, Fitch said.

Dirk Vanderleest, Airport Authority executive director, said Fitch's designation of a “stable” credit outlook for the Authority assures borrowing costs won't go up on the $39.4 million bond issue “at this time.”

“We're still investment grade,” Vanderleest said. “We have the capacity for timely payments.”

Fitch said as much in its reporting on the downgrade, noting the airport “historically maintains strong financial metrics.”

The security and terminal improvements would require issuing more debt. The projects are part of the airport's $88 million five-year capital improvement plan. In addition to terminal concourse and security checkpoint upgrades, the capital plan includes design and construction of a new quick-turnaround car rental facility.

The airport expects to issue $20 million in bonds and a $3 million-$5 million subordinate loan to finance a portion of these projects, Fitch said.

The debt had been expected to be issued in late fiscal 2015, but delaying the projects by up to 12 months keeps the debt off the books as Fitch Ratings makes further evaluations of the Municipal Airport Authority's credit worthiness, Vanderleest said.

Debt is among a host of factors bond raters weigh in making or changing a credit rating, according to Airports Council International North America. Other factors can include overall finances, use and lease agreements with airlines, market share of airlines serving an airport, capital improvement projects, passenger counts and competition.

Vanderleest said to adjust to the departure of Southwest – which represents 27 percent of available seats and a loss of direct service to Houston Hobby, Orlando and Chicago Midway airports – airport officials are looking at the “whole budget itself” and are trying to get other carriers at Jackson-Evers to increase service levels.

A determination will have to be made on what the Southwest loss translates to in terms of “the overall cost per passenger”

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

9

Construction & Planning For inquiries please email jmaa.info@jmaa.com Jackson Medgar-Wiley Evers International Airport UNDER DESIGN » Runway, Taxiway, and Ramp Marking Maintenance » Aircraft Parking Aprons Assessment and Repair » Automated Access Control System Upgrade » Runway 16R/34L and Taxiways Alpha, Bravo and Charlie Assessment and Repair » Storm Water Improvements » Structured Cable System » Terminal Renovation » Exterior Lighting (garage, pole lighting) Assessment and Evaluation UNDER CONSTRUCTION » Power Resources and Airfield Lighting Vault Improvements » Boiler Replacement » Federal Aviation Administration Site Drainage and Building Stabilization

after June 7, Vanderleest said.

It will take at least six months of enplanement totals to gain a fix on the financial consequences of the loss of Southwest, he said.

Meanwhile, the Airport Authority has made strides in getting other airlines to increase their services to Medgar Wiley Evers International, according to the airport chief.

He said Delta Airlines has agreed to increase its seat offerings by at least 10 percent in July when it replaces its regional jets at Jackson-Evers with 7/17 aircraft.

United will bump up total seat availability by 35 percent by adding a daily direct flight to Chicago O'Hare and 1.5 flights a day to Houston's George H. Bush International.

The loss of Southwest leaves the airport without a direct flight to Orlando, a popular vacation destination for Central Mississippians. “We are talking to some other carriers about that direct service,” Vanderleest said.

Even with the increased service of Delta and United, forecasts are for a net reduction of 15 percent of scheduled monthly seats after Southwest leaves, according to Fitch.

That drop would come on top of a 1.3 percent decline in seats in fiscal 2013.

Seats are down 10 percent from October 2013 to February compared to the same period last year, while enplanements are down an additional 7.6 percent, Fitch said.

The Airport Authority selected Fitch over other ratings services to assess the revenue bonds. Fitch typically requires an airport to have annual enplanements of one million before it agrees to do a revenue bond rating. “We are basically at 600,000 enplanements,” Vanderleest said. “That tells me had good credit quality and low risk.”

For its part, Fitch said it will continue to monitor the Airport Authority's “cost con-

PROPOSED PROJECTS » Landscaping Enhancements » South Parking Lot Re-pavement » International Drive Re-pavement » 5th Floor Heating Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) Replacement » Re-Roofing of Existing Maintenance Equipment Building » Upper Level Roadway Repair

Hawkins Field Airport UNDER DESIGN » HKS Roofing Project/Hail Damage Repair » Pavement Assessment and Overlay of Runway 16/34 » Northwest Ramp Pavement Repair at Hawkins

tainment actions, successes to replace lost service and revenue elasticity in light of increasing costs.”

In explaining Southwest's departure, airline industry professionals say Jackson became ill-suited from a cost standpoint to be part of the Dallas-based carrier's future after the acquisition of Atlanta’s AirTran.

As Southwest began merging the operations, it moved away from life as a discount carrier serving a handful of large cities and a roster full of mid-cities. Now its ambition is to be a national carrier concentrating on the largest markets, industry observers say.

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10 I Mississippi Business Journal I April 11 2014 The Mississippi Business Journal

Trudy Higginbotham Moody, who owns a Mercedes dealership in Jackson, stands in front of her newest dealership in Collierville, Tenn.

A lesson in hard work » Running luxury car dealerships comes naturally to Trudy Higginbotham Moody

By BECKY GILLETTE I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

Trudy Higginbotham Moody comes by her interest in car dealerships naturally. She grew up working at dealerships in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., owned by her father, Dennis Higginbotham.

Moody started out with menial cleaning jobs and answering the telephone before she graduated to tasks like delivering parts when she was old enough to have a driver’s license. She worked organizing the parts department, man- Trudy Higginbothom aging the loaner fleet for Moody the body shop, writing service, and selling cars before she went into managing sales and finances.

“I grew up doing all the different positions,” Moody said. “I loved it.”

Moody got a degree in psychology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and then went to a one-year advanced degree program offered by the National Automotive Dealers Association. That program prepared her well for what has turned into a series of success stories that include the family purchasing the Mer-

cedes-Benz dealership in Jackson, and most recently opening a new MercedesBenz dealership near Memphis in Collierville, Tenn.

Moody was general manager of her dad’s Mercedes-Benz dealership in Daytona Beach, Fla., for a number of years. After the family sold their group of dealerships to Sonic Automotive, she stayed as manager for several years.

“That was a great experience for me,” Moody said. “I was on my own, not associated with my father. But at the same time, I wanted to get back into business with my dad, and specifically with a Mercedes-Benz dealership. After searching and searching, we found a Mercedes-Benz in Jackson that we purchased from the Blackwell family, which had owned it a long time.”

They bought that dealership in 2001, and Moody and her husband moved to Jackson about five years later. That came right before the recession that could have been had a major impact on sales. But the family had purchased a property two doors down and opened a separate dealership for Porsche, smart Car and pre-owned vehicles.

“That turned out to be a really great move for us because when the economy did get tough, with that extra space for pre-owned cars, we were able to stock a lower-priced inventory,” she said. “Customers who previ-

ously might have been purchasing a twoyear-old Mercedes might have to buy a fouryear-old Mercedes. We were actually able to increase sales during the downturn.

“We had a plan, thought it would work, and it is great to see that it did. We didn’t have to lay off anyone. Since then, we have kept the business going, and have picked up more pre-owned Mercedes’ vehicles to stock a larger selection of less expensive, luxury pre-owned cars.”

Moody said she has never faced discrimination in the business due to being a woman. While it used to be that women were rare in car sales, that is changing. Currently she has three female sales people who are very successful.

Instead of selling cars, Moody works to manage their people, assets and processes.

“I don’t think it matters if you are a woman,” she said. “I’m real competitive.

My goal always to been to be not just the best female Mercedes dealer, but the best Mercedes dealer. We’ve always been very successful. Whether you are a man or woman, you get respect if you are successful and do business the right way. We continually win the Best of the Best Award from Mercedes, which goes to the top 30 dealers in the country. With Porsche, we have consistently won their Premier Dealer Award, which recognizes the top 20

dealers in the country.”

Moody is also excited about being chosen to expand Mercedes-Benz in the Memphis market. The dealership at 4651 S. Houston Levee Road located at Carriage Crossing in Collierville, Tenn, that opened recently will service north Mississippi counties, as well as the Memphis area. The new dealership has a service and parts department with 27 service bays, a 16,000-square-foot showroom with a lounge area, gift shop, children’s playroom, a full-service automated carwash and even a fitness center.

The family also owns the MercedesBenz and BMW dealership in Myrtle Beach, S.C., which is run by her brother, Wallis Higginbotham.

Moody manages the two car dealerships in addition to putting a priority on time with her three daughters who are in preschool. The family lives out in the country, and enjoys bird dogs, quail hunting and other outdoor pursuits.

Moody’s husband, Ed Moody, has also seen considerable business success. He is vice president for product development for Costa and Native sunglasses. He was one of the original founders of Costa sunglasses.

“It has grown tremendously,” Trudy said.

“It sold to a public company and then another large company, Essilor, purchased them. This acquisition should give them the resources to grow exponentially from here.”

The Moody family and the dealership have been very involved with Mississippi Animal Rescue League, and with supporting Batson Children’s Hospital.

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April 11, 2014 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

AN MBJ FOCUS:

HEALTH CARE

Dr. Hannah Gay: One year later » UMMC doctor looks back — and ahead — at breakthrough HIV treatment

By LYNN LOFTON I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

I

T HAS BEEN a busy, full year since Hannah Gay, M.D. at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and her colleagues first discussed publicly the case of the Mississippi baby HIV case.

The child is now 3 years old and still free of HIV. “We’re excited and feel the longer she (the baby) goes without a rebound it’s less likely a rebound will happen,” Gay said.

“Early aggressive therapy and increased awareness from the case are likely helping other remission cases surface.”

The excitement began in March 2013 when Gay, a UMC associate professor of pediatrics, and her colleagues presented

the case at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Atlanta.

“We were totally overwhelmed by the publicity. We had no idea it would be so big with the lay press,” she said, “and it is still getting attention. The interest was renewed recently with the announcement about a second baby — this one in California — having the same results.”

Looking back at the case of the Mississippi baby, Gay says she felt it was a run-ofthe-mill case when she treated the baby with triple medications as a newborn. The baby was infected in utero.

“We were thinking she would be on the medications all her life,” she said. “The mom stopped giving the medications when the baby was 18 months old. She brought her back to the clinic at age 2 years, and we

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fully expected that the virus had come roaring back. It hadn’t. I called my colleagues in other places, and we were all definitely surprised.”

Her colleagues are Deborah Persaud, M.D. and Johns Hopkins Children’s Center virologist, and Katherine Luzuriaga, M.D. and University of Massachusetts Medical School immunologist.

The child has been off the therapy two years now. Gay says there are two big questions: Does this child have the virus hidden somewhere that may show its ugly head later? And what exactly happened with this child? “We want to test to see if we can duplicate this outcome with other babies,” she said. “By treating this baby very early (at 30 hours of age), we were able to prevent the virus from getting into hiding places and multiplying and getting into the blood stream.”

Gay explained that viruses can hide in viral reservoir cells and live for many years, later spreading the disease. Treating this baby very early and aggressively may have prevented that scenario from happening. A California baby being treated similarly to the Mississippi baby remains on therapy but will have to be taken off to test Gay’s theory.

“That’s the scary part,” she says. “Some others are being treated the same way. We hope clinical trials will open this treatment to international scrutiny. It can have far reaching positive results.”

Although fewer than 200 babies are born with HIV each year in the United States, the situation is different in developing countries around the world where 200,000 to 300,000 babies are born with it each year.

Going forward in Mississippi, Gay says prevention is still number one.

“Our mantra remains that all women who are pregnant get tested and those who test positive get into treatment,” she said.

“It’s far better to prevent the infection and not have to worry about transmitting it to the baby.”

The mother of the Mississippi baby has elected to keep their identities and other personal information private. Gay continues to carefully follow the baby and is thrilled that she continues to do so well. “I wasn’t doing anything unusual with this baby in the beginning. I was just treating her the best way I could,” she recalls. “When I’m asked why this happened in Mississippi, I answer, ‘why wouldn’t it happen in Missis-

“There are some advantages in being a rural state. If moms stop coming to clinic, we go find them and get them back. That wouldn’t happen in larger places.”

Dr. Hannah Gay, University of Mississippi Medical Center

sippi?’ There are some advantages in being a rural state. If moms stop coming to clinic, we go find them and get them back. That wouldn’t happen in larger places.”

Gay, the mother of four children, began working at UMC in 1994 after living overseas six years. At that time her children were young and she wanted to work part time. The position she took in UMC's HIV clinic was part time for two months before becoming full time and Gay became involved with national HIV trials. Then, as is often said, the rest is history, plus another first for UMC.

“On a farm, every season is a TURNING POINT. The right partner is the difference between surviving and thriving.”

Teddy Schneider

Schneider Farming Partnership

Get the whole story at regions.com/turningpoints

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Having a banker stand by him during the hard times – now that was a turning point. Regions Banker Tripp Shepherd understands the unique needs of Teddy’s business, so Tripp is constantly bringing him solutions that help him move forward. Like when he introduced Teddy to Regions’ commodity hedging product. Being able to book the price for crops 24 months in advance was another turning point for Schneider Farming Partnership, one that not only reduced Teddy’s overall risk and stress, but also helped him to streamline, optimize and, most importantly, continue to move forward. To see how we can help your business move forward when it’s at a turning point, turn to Regions.

Loans | Treasury Management | Can-Do Attitude © 2014 Regions Bank. All loans and lines subject to credit approval.

HEALTH CARE

14 I Mississippi Business Journal I April 11, 2014

EXCEEDING EXPECT

Courtesy of Madison Healthplex Performance Training Center

The new performance training center in Madison offers the latest in exercise equipment.

The Madison Healthplex Performance Training Center has both indoor and out

HEALTH CARE

April 11, 2014

CTATIONS

I

Mississippi Business Journal

$16M healthplex in Madison gets huge response

By BECKY GILLETTE I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

HE $16 MILLION Madison Healthplex Performance Training Center is planning a ribbon cutting soon. Since its soft opening March 1, the facility has quickly gained a loyal following including professional, collegiate and high school athletes, both athletes and non-athletes who need rehabilitation, and area residents who just want to be as healthy as possible.

“The facility has been overwhelmingly received in a positive manner,” said David Carpenter, who is executive director of the Madison Healthplex Performance Training Center. “The community has really supported us. Our membership levels have greatly exceeded our initial expectations. We’re extremely busy.”

A lot of typical gyms or exercise clubs cater to one specific audience. That might be dedicated body builders, a young crowd or seniors.

Some facilities are for women only. The Healthplex Performance Training Center is an interesting dynamic because it is a facility that has something to offer for everyone.

“Our theme is, ‘What is your goal?’ Whatever your goal is, we can help you achieve it,” Carpenter said. “This is a very unique concept. It is unlike anything in the Southeast in the fact you have so many components under one roof.

Whether you’re looking to stay healthy, get in shape or improve athletic performance, our world-class fitness facility has the latest, most advanced fitness equipment available, whether it be for cardio or strength training. There are a variety of group exercise classes including, spin, Zumba, CrossFit, Body Pump, suspension training and group resistance circuit training.

And, of course, access to the aquatics center is very popular.”

Feedback has been that membership fees for the facility are reasonable considering the fact that the facility has the latest in exercise equipment and covers 96,000 feet. It costs $200 for an individual to join, $50 for a spouse and $25 for a child with a maximum per family limit of $250.

Seniors can join for $125. Monthly rates are $69 for an individual and $55 for seniors.

Their performance training component offers athletes of all age and skill levels programs to

T

Photos courtesy of Madison Healthplex Performance Training Center

outdoor (See page 18) turf fields, and an outdoor sprint track. The facility covers 96,000 square feet.

See

HEALTHPLEX, Page 18

I

15

16 I Mississippi Business Journal I April 11, 2014

HEALTH CARE

JEFF SEABOLD ON RUNNING

The ‘bug’ has changed me — for the better

Y

EARS AGO, I was bitten by this bug.

It wasn’t serious, but it definitely had an effect on my life. I was in a spot where I was pretty — okay fine, I was very unhealthy and overweight. My former self of an athlete in my youth and high school years was long behind me.

College did its best to help me gain as much weight as I could. As I was heading off to college, Mom said find one thing and do it well. Who was I to judge what she really meant.

So after years of inactivity and latenight pizza-eating, I started working out again. It was incredibly hard at first, but I hit the gym like it was a job. I started out running really slow and short distances.

But the distance kept picking up and so did my speed.

It was pretty amazing to track my progress. I ran a 5K, and famously stated to some friend talking about training for their first marathon, “I will never run farther than a 10k. I would never want to run a marathon.”

Well, those words came back to haunt Jeff Seabold me as later that year.

I ran my first one.

And since that year, I have logged thousands of miles on my feet running marathons and races across the country, and have coached and inspired hundreds to run their first full or half marathon.

Yes, the running bug had bitten me.

It is often asked of me: “Where do you run in Mississippi?” My typical answer is anywhere I can. I take my running shoes with me most places and log miles whenever I can fit them in. I can honestly say I have run all over the state in organized and unorganized events.

Mississippi is a great place to run. You can run on almost any terrain you can imagine, well short of running through the Rockies. Do you want some hills? We have hills. Do you want pancake flat? We have that, too. We have some great trails and all the mud you can handle, as well.

I love a good race, and Mississippi has some great races. It will also surprise no one that Mississippi also has some great hospitality. You combine the two of those things, and you will have some events that will rival that of any race event in any major city.

Photo courtesy of Mississippi River Marathon

See

SEABOLD, Page 23

The Mississippi River Marathon is run every February across the U.S. 82 bridge that connects Greenville with Lake Village, Ark.

TOMORROW HOLDS HOPE. But today, over half of Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s counties donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the doctors needed to care for their communities. As Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only Academic Medical Center, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re teaching the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next generation of doctors, nurses, dentists and medical

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Tomorrow. Every day.

HEALTH CARE

18 I Mississippi Business Journal I April 11, 2014

HEALTHPLEX

Photos courtesy of Madison Healthplex Performance Training Center

The Madison Healthplex Performance Training Center also has an outdoor turf fields.

Get back your life.

Introducing our new Spine Center.

At North Mississippi Medical Center, we know there’s nothing worse than chronic or severe back and neck pain that keeps you from doing the things you love. That’s why we’re proud to introduce our new Spine Center. Our neurosurgeons focus on minimallyinvasive surgery, pain management, rehabilitation and non-surgical treatment options to help you recover faster than you thought possible. So you can get back to living your life to the fullest.

Consult your primary care physician or call us at (662) 377-BACK to schedule an assessment. Visit our website, nmhs.net/spine_center.php and follow us on Twitter @NMMC_news.

Continued from Page 15

enhance their performance in whatever sport they participate. Athletes have access to professional trainers like Dave “Hap” Hudson, who has trained pro athletes from all over the world for 30 years. The former athletic trainer for the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals and, most recently, the Toronto Blue Jays works with high school and college athletes, and professional athletes who come to the facility to train with him and their team.

“Our team is the best in the business,”

Carpenter said. “They have worked with and helped develop many professional athletes. We also have an entire physical therapy unit that can be used by non-athletes and athletes alike. Hap and others bring to the table what we are calling performance rehabilitation. It is kind of the next step after you have completed traditional physical therapy. It gets you game ready. For example, an athlete who has had some type of injury may complete standard physical therapy, but may not be performing at their optimal level.”

The facility includes the latest in exercise equipment and amenities like steam rooms, swimming pools, hot and cold therapy pools, and a HydroRX therapy pool that includes an underwater camera to monitor exercise of athletes or other persons using the pool, which is primarily designed for rehabilitation purposes.

The facility has both indoor and outdoor turf fields, and an outdoor sprint track that is 70 yards long. Carpenter said the beauty of indoor and outdoor facilities is being able to utilize both. While most of the year athletes can train outside, if the weather is extreme, athletic training can continue inside.

In addition to the exercise facilities, 20,000 square feet of medical offices opened April 11. The medical offices provide space for the Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, and the Eye Group of Mississippi.

Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center Administrator Bob Lodes said having physical therapy available right at their offices is going to be a major advantage. Lodes said in addition to area athletes who need rehabilitation after surgery or an injury, the facility will also be a draw for people from out of state.

“This will become a destination for people who have surgery,” Lodes said. “Hopefully, some hotels will have an interest in building up. This is the first step of a tenyear strategy.”

Lodes said some of the feedback they’ve gotten from people in the Southeast is that the closest comparison to the Madison Healthplex is the Andrews Institute in Gulf Breeze, Fla. “Our facility is really unique from the standpoint that it combines a wellness fitness center with performance training,” Lodes said. “We have mainstream popular programs, and more elite training, as well.”

Lodes said now that the fitness facilities are open, the results have been beyond their expectations.

“It is great to hear the actual feedback from patrons that participate,” Lodes said.

“The comments have been outstanding.

We have been really pleased.”

Children are also welcome at the facility.

Parents can be in the Healthplex fitness area participating in a class or doing cardio training, and the children can be on the sports side doing sports performance training.

For more information, visit the website www.healthplexperformance.com.

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NEWSMAKERS Community Bank promotes workers Community Bank has promoted four of its staffers.

Anna Stovall has been promoted to loan assistant and customer service representative at Community Bank‘s Pearl office. She joined Community Bank in 2013 working as a teller in the Flowood office. Stovall is a recent graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor of science in apparel studies. Active in the community, Stovall is a member Edwards of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the chambers of commerce in both Pearl and Flowood. She is also an active alumnus in her sorority, Pi Beta Phi. Stovall is married to attorney David Stovall, and the couple resides in Jackson.

Elizabeth Wells has been promoted to loan assistant and Gillis customer service representative for Community Bank‘s Flowood office. She joined Community Bank in 2013 as a teller. Wells, a Hattiesburg native, is a home school graduate and has years of experience in sales with different companies. She is married to Flowood firefighter Brian Wells and the couple has one infant daughter, Morgan Ruth. Stovall Lindsey Edwards has been promoted to loan assistant at Community Bank‘s Forest office.

Edwards lives in Lake with her husband and son, Kason.

Natalie Gillis has been promoted to customer service representative at Community Bank‘s Pearl office. She joined Community Bank in 2009 working as a Wells teller, then most recently as head teller. Gillis lives in Pearl with her husband, Chad, and their children, Joshua and Ella Claire. She is also a member of the Pearl Lower Elementary PTSO.

Zephyr welcomes Gibson Zephyr has added Rusty Gibson as the new regional sales manager. Formerly with Viking Range, LLC, Gibson brings more than 34 years of sales experience and a proven track record of success in appliance sales and marketing.

Gibson began is career in sales with a small family owned automotive, appliance and home goods store in Winona, where he eventually became a partner. He later joined Viking Range where Gibson Gibson spent 18 years climbing the ladder as national service manager, regional sales manager and vice president, sales.

USM honors employees The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park campus celebrated the university’s Founders’ Day with a reception honoring employees for continuous

service of 10, 20 and 30 years to Southern Miss. Tenyear pin recipients are Dr. John Harris, associate professor of mathematics; Eunice Scott, events specialist; Susan Mullican, instructor of philosophy; Suzy Robinson, administrative and logistics coordinator; Dr. Karen Rich, associate professor of nursing.

The 20-year pin recipient is Edward McCormack, associate dean and professor for Gulf Coast Libraries.

Thirty-year pin recipients are Allisa Beck, collection management librarian and associate professor; David Graham, carpenter shop foreman for Physical Plant; Dr. Douglas Bristol, associate professor of history; Charlotte Gore, instructor of nursing; and Dr. Fujun Lai, professor of management.

Kelley tenders resignation James Kelley, the president and COO of BancorpSouth since 2000, is retiring from the company on Aug. 15. Clark, the president and CEO of CC Clark, a holding company for several beverage distributors, has been on BancorpSouth's board since 1996. Clark also is president and CEO of Gulf States Canners, a bottler of soft drinks, namely Coca-Cola.

Cal-Maine elevates Webb Cal-Maine Foods Inc. has promoted Wil Webb to vice president of operations. Webb will have responsibility for all of Cal-Maine Foods’ production and processing facilities located in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. He will report directly to Sherman Miller, chief operating officer of Cal-Maine Foods.

Webb has been employed with Cal-Maine Foods since 1997. He most recently served as general manager of the company’s operations in Edwards. Previously, he served as the director of production at this location, and he was also a production manager for the company’s operations in Greensburg, La. Webb graduated from Mississippi State University in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics.

Firm adds Storey The accounting firm of Franks, Franks, Jarrell & Wilemon, P.A., has added Beth K. Storey as a staff accountant. A native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Storey graduated from the University of Alabama with a B.S. in commerce and business administration and a master's degree in accounting. She has served as staff accountant at firms in Memphis and Tupelo.

Storey and her husband, Storey Michael, live in Tupelo with their two sons.

Jefferson named best F. Janelle Hannah Jefferson of Jackson State University was recently recognized as the “Best of State” recipient for Mississippi at the Region 4 National Academic Advising Association Conference.

Jefferson served as the lead presenter for the presentation titled “The iTeam; Advisement, Assessment, Transition, and Retention” at the fall 2013 Mississippi Advisor’s Meeting. She will be recognized by the region during the conference awards luncheon.

Jefferson is beginning her ninth year as a professional academic advisor and instructor of university success in undergraduate studies.

April 11, 2014

Planters makes staff moves Planters Bank has promoted Ann Williford to assistant vice president for the Leland office. Williford is a native of Leland and attended Leland schools and Mississippi Delta Community College. She has 34 years of banking experiBaldwin ence and 15 years with Planters.

Williford is a member of the Leland Chamber of Commerce and Leland Deer Creek Garden Club. She is married to David Williford, and they have two children, Grayson Adams and Tyler Williford.

Also, Planters Bank has Purvis promoted Melissa Purvis to branch officer for the Louise office. Purvis has four years of banking experience and has been with Planters Bank for one year.

She is a graduate of Mississippi Delta Community College. She has two children, Madelyn and Cason.

Finally, Brandon Bald- Williford win was recently named a loan officer for Planters Bank’s Cleveland office.

Baldwin is a native of Cleveland, and received his B.A. from Delta State University. Baldwin is a member of the Cleveland Noon Lion’s Club and alumni chair for Delta State’s Ducks Unlimited.

TEC chooses Timlake, Bolstad TEC has appointed Aaron Timlake as switch technician at TEC of Jackson. Timlake attended Hinds Community College in Ridgeland where he received an associates’ degree in computer network support technology. He currently resides in Jackson.

Also, TEC has appointed Kelli Bolstad as human resources/payroll representative.

Bolstad received a degree in business administration from Parkland College in Champaign, Ill. She brings with her over 15 years of experience in the human resources industry. Bolstad currently resides in the Gluckstadt area with her husband, James, and children Haley and Chase.

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Mississippi Business Journal

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Monfils made sales director Carolyn Monfils was recently named director of sales for the Hilton Garden Inn Jackson/Madison located in Madison.

Monfils brings over 20 years of hospitality experience to this position. Her primary duties include achieving hotel revenue, profit and customer satisfaction goals by developing and implementing Monfils successful sales strategies, account management, business development and team leadership.

Firm hires Penn Sledge&Company Financial has hired Murray Ann Penn as the new director of operations. Penn earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama. She then went on to study law at Mississippi College, where she earned her J.D. Her position will entail overseeing client plans, and maintaining a proficient understanding in estate, business and financial strategies. She Penn will also have direct involvement in the creation and management of each client's plan.

Penn resides in Canton with her husband, Les.

Thomas named year’s best Madison River Oaks Medical Center has named Rhonda Thomas as 2013 Employee of the Year. This award is the highest honor bestowed on a hospital employee each year, and Thomas was chosen from among 375 employees for the honor.

Thomas is the chief medical technologist of the laboratory and has worked for Madison River Oaks Medical Center since January 2006.

EarthCon welcomes Clarke

Bolstad

Timlake

EarthCon’s Gulf Coast Operations has expanded with the addition of J. Ryan Clarke, a project environmental scientist. In his new role, Clarke will continue to perform inspections, assessments and monitoring for schools, governmental agencies, financial institutions and industrial facilities throughout the Gulf Coast. In addition to his industrial hygiene experience, he has conducted and coordinated environmental Clarke and geotechnical drilling services for limited soil investigations, groundwater monitoring and soil compaction.

Clarke holds a B.S. in construction engineering technology from the University of Southern Mississippi and an A.A. in architectural engineering technology from Holmes Community College.

NEWSMAKERS

22 I Mississippi Business Journal I April 11, 2014 Walton retires from the Corps

Peets made CAO

Lee added to staff

Grambling chooses Hayes

Alton J. Walters, chief engineer on the U.S. Army Corps-Vicksburg District's Motor Vessel Benyaurd, has retired with over 39 years of service. Walters first began working for the Corps in 1974 as a tying tool mechanic on the Mat Sinking Unit where he also served as a diesel electric striker and a tying tool repairer leader. He then held the positions of striker, second assistant engineer, first assistant engineer and chief engineer, diesel towboat, on the Benyaurd.

Col. John W. Cross, commander of the Vicksburg District, presented Walters the Commander's Award for Civilian Service for exceptionally meritorious service with the Vicksburg District throughout his 39-year career.

Walters received an associate of arts degree from Copiah Lincoln Community College in heavy equipment mechanics. He is a native of Crystal Springs where he resides with his wife, the former Erny Redfern of Star. They are the parents of four children and have one grandchild.

Jason Peets has been named chief administrative officer of Morgan-White Group Inc. (MWG). In this capacity, Peets will assume responsibility of the company’s third-party administrator (TPA) and continue his role as manager of the Special Markets Division.

Peets began his career with MWG in 2006 as an agent for MWG employer services. In 2008, he was named manager of the Special Markets Division. Peets After progressing to vice president of MWG later that same year, Peets was added to the boards of directors and named vice president for both AmFirst Insurance Company and Monitor Life Insurance Company of New York.

Peets, a native of Greenville, holds a bachelor of science degree from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Mississippi State University.

Rowdy C. Lee, PA-C, recently joined Hattiesburg Clinic’s Immediate Care-Carriere as a physician assistant. He earned his bachelor of science in biology from William Carey University in Hattiesburg and his master of health sciences from the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Ala. Lee is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and is a member of the American Acad- Lee emy of Physician Assistants.

Grambling State University has hired Clarence Lavon Hayes, a graduation coach from Clarksdale High School, as its new director of admissions and recruitment. Hayes has more than 16 years of education experience at Jackson State University, Hinds Community College, Coahoma Community College and the Clarksdale Municipal School District. He holds master's and doctoral degrees from Jackson State.

At Clarksdale High School, Hayes has worked to monitor student progress and help school staff to incorporate ACT standards into the curriculum. As a consultant, he has been a member of a team developing admissions strategies for Jackson State.

Ideal adds Mire, Brown

Mad Genius adds to staff

Scott Mire has joined Ideal Software Systems as director of development, Amusement Division, while Alvin Brown has been selected as director of engineering. Mire brings a diversified background to Ideal Software that includes experience in software development, support, marketing and product management earned while creating successful products and experiences for world-renowned organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution and Peavey Electronics Corporation as well as Voxeo and Parts.com.

Brown, a longtime member of the Ideal Software leadership team, will oversee the company's design research initiatives, the strategic deployment of software systems and the development of applicationspecific hardware.

Advertising/creative production firm Mad Genius recently welcomed two new employees — Jay Earwood as web developer and Ash Taylor as senior video producer. A graduate with honors from the University of Mississippi with a BS in electrical engineering, Earwood spent 10 years as an engineer in the defense industry. Seeking an outlet for his creative side, he transitioned into the world of web design and development in 2009 and hasn’t looked back.

A graduate of University of Southern Mississippi, Taylor is a producer, cinematographer, writer, postproduction editor and talented actor. His career on both sides of the camera spans over two decades.

Flowers, Townsend confirmed

le B Bu ss un si th dl nes an es s $ 75 for /m o.

The Mississippi Senate has confirmed two members of the state Parole Board. Nehemiah Flowers Jr. and Butch Townsend were nominated to the five-member board last year by Gov. Phil Bryant. The two Brandon residents have been serving while awaiting confirmation.

Flowers is a former U.S. marshal for the southern half of Mississippi, and Townsend is a former Pearl police chief.

Emerson earns new title Darrell S. Emerson of Florence has been named director of respiratory care at Madison River Oaks Medical Center. Emerson is a registered respiratory therapist with over 15 years in the health care field and has served in a leadership capacity for the last decade.

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SALES MOVES

April 11, 2014

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Mississippi Business Journal

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» JEFFREY GITOMER

It’s not failure. It’s failure to do your best.

I’

m often asked, “Why do salespeople fail?”

The answer is: They don’t fail.

They fail to be their best. They fail to do their best. They fail to think their best.

And they fail to take the best actions to help them succeed.

There are symptoms that allow either a sales leader or the salesperson to recognize that failure is on its way. Most salespeople blame circumstances rather than take responsibility.

Blame is its own form of failure. But that’s a story for another day.

I want to talk about the salesperson who’s out there every day, who’s trying to make his or her quota, who’s trying to achieve their sales plan or hit the numbers that were arbitrarily given to him or her by the boss.

Add to that, that most salespeople are both inadequately trained and inadequately supported. Add to that, that the salesperson is generally half-prepared. They prepare in terms of themselves, but very little in terms of the customer.

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Jeffrey this does not apply to me. I prepare, and I hit my quota, and I’m doing pretty well for myself, if I must say so.” My response to that thought is a challenge to you. After reading this list, self-evaluate your present circumstance related to each symptom — it might give you some insight that can lead to additional income.

Even if you’re hitting your numbers, even if you believe you’re well prepared, here are 11.5 symptoms of why most salespeople hit a wall, and can’t

climb above it: Symptom 1. Your inability to set an initial appointment with the real decision maker.

Symptom 2. Beyond price, your inability to uncover the real buying motive of the customer.

Symptom 3. Believing that competition forces price reduction.

Symptom 4. Shallow relationships that force both proposals and bidding.

Symptom 5. Poor social media participation that results in low or no personal branding and low or no personal reputation.

Symptom 6. Poor follow-up after the initial meeting or initial sales meeting.

Symptom 7. Long sales cycle based on presentations to low-level decision makers.

Symptom 8. Prospects going dark or disappearing after the first sales presentation.

Symptom 9. Prospects not returning your phone calls.

Symptom 10. Blaming inside circumstances for the loss of a customer.

Symptom 11. Blaming customers and prospects for the loss of a sale.

Symptom 11.5 Failure to take responsibility for the circumstances you create.

I find it most interesting that when salespeople face one of these 11.5 situations, they rarely (if ever) take responsibility for creating them. If customers are not returning your calls, there has to be a pretty good reason. Rather than blame the customer, why not find out “why” the customer isn't returning your call. The answer to that “why” will

get all your calls returned.

If you are continually fighting price, it's obvious you haven't proven value.

It's obvious that the customer perceives little or no difference between you and a competitive product.

Salespeople in general, Jeffrey Gitomer probably including you, need to take more control of the selling situation, by creating definitive next steps. If you give a proposal, and you don't have a firm appointment at a given time to reconnect, then you will chase that prospect and almost seem desperate to get a next meeting.

Here are a few things you can do that will help your prospective customers decide to buy: 1. Prepare in terms of them, not just you.

The customer must perceive that there is a value in doing business with you, rather than your competition. Customers only want to know how they win.

Focus on ownership, and focus on outcome after purchase as you’re making your presentation. Too many salespeople focus on what it “is” rather than what it “does” after the customer takes possession.

2. Prove it, don't just say it. It amazes me how many salespeople do not use testimonials.

Video proof of everything you claim so that a prospective customer can feel comfort can eliminate the feeling of risk and justify value over price – all based on the words of other customers.

2.5 Be there after the sale to prove your

worth and earn a referral. The biggest lost opportunity in any relationship is the absence of the salesperson after the sale has taken place. Help the customer install. Help the customer get started.

Help the customer understand and take advantage of “best use.” Transfer your wisdom, transfer your experience, transfer all your help, and the result will be an earned referral (not an “asked for” one).

Stop worrying about failing, and start offering value…

• At your highest and best level • With your highest and best effort • With your highest and best preparation • With the emotional passion that becomes transferable to a point where the customer will buy from you.

This represents harder work than you're used to, but it sure beats losing the sale.

SEABOLD

But what is predictable is an A-Class marathon with one of the best finishes I have ever seen. The food, the entertainment, the cheers, tears and beers are all flowing at the finish line making for a highly enjoyable post race party. It is well worth the training and dedication to be a part of this event which runs all through our great capital city showing off all that it has to offer.

The city of Jackson benefits from this great event too. Not only do the city and local businesses benefit from the hotel rooms and extra meals, but there is also all the production of the race that includes advertising, equipment, food vendors and entertainment. All of that comes back to the city and local businesses. The economic impact is estimated to be well over $1 million, according to Noblin. Seeing all the fans out on the course cheering the runners on makes for a great day in the city. People really come together that day to support the athletes taking their all to run through our city. It is a great day for sure in Jackson.

So you’ve seen the surprising hills of

Jackson and you want something a little flatter. Well, we have that, too.

Newer to the Mississippi running scene is the Mississippi River Marathon in Greenville. This winter event is held in the first week of February. Again, you can’t predict the weather, so this past year they had a light dusting of snow for the race, but that did not stop participants who took in the breathtaking views running over the Mississippi River Bridge. This race is smaller than the Blues, but getting to run over the Mississippi River is worth the price of admission alone. You just don’t have the option to do that very often.

This is a point-to-point race, which means you are taken by shuttle bus to the starting line and run to the finish line.

This is similar to the Boston Marathon where they do the same or Atlanta’s 10K Peachtree Road Race. The race actually begins in Arkansas, and outside of climbing the Mississippi River Bridge, it is a predictable pancake flat course through the Mississippi Delta. You can expect the same great Delta hospitality throughout the race as you get here in Jackson.

Despite what race you pick you are likely to find the same hospitality that — frankly — we just know how to do really well in the South. We have great races all over the state at all times of the year. You can take your pick. Rod’s Racers tracks a lot of these events across the state. You can find them and many other groups all online. In fact, most major cities in the state have an organized or unofficial running group. You don’t have to look far to find someone to run with.

That pesky running bug has changed me in to a healthier and better person. It is changing many other Mississippians too by getting us a little healthier by moving a little more. I look forward to running into some other fellow running bug victims in the future at some of our great races.

Continued from Page 16

That’s right, there is nothing like a Mississippi race. You can run through the surprisingly hilly capital city, the famously flat Mississippi Delta, in the salt-water air of the Mississippi Coast, through your favorite SEC college town, or in most cities in between. Much to our credit, we do a lot of things well in Mississippi; after running, of course, we have the blues and our great food.

That leads me to Mississippi’s premier and largest running event, the Mississippi Blues Marathon. Race Director, John Noblin has created a challenging race course that attracts thousands from across the state, the country, and even some international talent.

Runners gather in what has traditionally been the first weekend of January in Jackson to run the challenging 13.1 or 26.2-mile course. The weather for the race is hard to predict. Some years it has been in the 60’s and others in the teens. (I got the frostbite to prove it, but that is another story.)

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of “The Sales Bible”, “Customer Satisfaction is Worthless” “Customer Loyalty is Priceless”, “The Little Red Book of Selling”, “The Little Red Book of Sales Answers”, “The Little Black Book of Connections”, “The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude”, “The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way”, “The Little Platinum Book of ChaChing”, “The Little Teal Book of Trust”, “The Little Book of Leadership”, and “Social BOOM!” His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at salesman@gitomer.com.

Jeff Seabold is the Principal Architect at Seabold Architectural Studio (www.seabold-studio.com) and frequent contributor to the Mississippi Business Journal. When he is not drawing, he is hopefully outside running. He can be reached at Jeff@seaboldstudio for further comment.

24 I Mississippi Business Journal I April 11 2014 THE SPIN CYCLE

Taco Bell and McDonalds take breakfast war viral; how to write killer news releases and more veryone loves some good, oldfashioned brand rivalry. That’s why it’s no surprise that the little back and forth between Taco Bell and McDonald’s has now turned into “The Breakfast Wars” — and has gone viral.

Recently, Taco Bell unveiled its new breakfast menu, which, as Taco Bell CMO Chris Brandt explained to Digiday, was about seven years in the making. Along with fun marketing stunts leading up to the breakfast launch, like its burner phone campaign, Taco Bell couldn’t resist creating even more buzz for itself by taking a jab at McDonald’s — the No. 1 fast food brand, according to the QSR 50, and the reigning fast food breakfast destination with about 25 percent of the fast food breakfast market share.

In three TV spots, Taco Bell trots out real-life humans named Ronald McDonald to give rave reviews of its breakfast items. All of the spots end with the line, “Delicious new breakfast everyone can love, even Ronald McDonald.” The main Ronald McDonald Taco Bell spot already has more than 1.6 million views on YouTube.

In many ways, this is a new era of brandon-brand social media action — look no further than this year’s Super Bowl, when brands spent most of the evening interacting with each other on Twitter in the hopes of getting consumers’ attention. Naturally, McDonald’s couldn’t just let this potential marketing moment pass without coming up with the right social media response.

The day after Taco Bell released its Ronald McDonald ads, McDonald’s took to Facebook to post its comeback: an image of McDonald’s mascot Ronald McDonald crouching down and petting a chihuahua — a reference to the old Taco Bell mascot — along with the copy, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” and a link to the McDonald’s breakfast menu.

McDonald’s also ran its own breakfast promotion, offering free coffee during breakfast hours. Facebook posts about this promotion have gotten even more engagement than its response to Taco Bell. For example, a Facebook post about the breakfast coffee promotion on March 30 got more than 66,300 likes and more than 6,350 shares.

Both brands have benefited from this socalled “Breakfast War.” According to Topsy, Taco Bell experienced a big spike in Twitter mentions the day of its breakfast menu launch (March 27) and its “Ronald McDonald” ads. And McDonald’s saw a bit of a bump following its comeback post (March 28.)

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President Obama should have been flagged for excessive celebration recently when he held a Rose Garden news conference...

Tips on Writing Killer News Releases Think of a husband whose wife asks him to tighten a loosened screw or jump into a new project around the house.

Rather than go down to the basement to rummage about in the toolkit, the guy would use a butter knife from the cutlery drawer.

The knives got dinged, the screw was never tight enough, and mom was unhappy.

“The news release is basically the butter knife of the PR writers' toolkit,” said Michael Long, who is director of writing at MPS/PRCC at Georgetown University. “They end up dragging it out for everything in the world, and most of the time it's a poor choice.”

In a Ragan video titled, “Press releases: Create a killer pitch that grabs the media every time,” Long offers a format that he says works for every organization: government, political campaigns, corporations, celebrity publicity, nonprofits. “You name it, this will work,” he said.

There's a catch, though. You can't use the news release like a broom to sweep all ideas off your desk and get your boss or client off your back. These catch-all announcements are part of why these type news releases have such a bad reputation among reporters and bloggers.

Here are some tips: 1. Remember that nobody cares.

“I always imagine that the idea I'm pitching is the least attractive for an obscure organization on a topic that nobody wants to hear,” Long said.

It's a good mental exercise. It forces you to strive to find an interesting angle. Long used to ghostwrite, and most clients were way more interested in themselves than everybody else could ever be. The same is true for your news release.

Face it – journalists aren't nearly as impressed in your new hair gel/toboggan wax as your bosses are. They seldom are moved to tears by the golden phrases that trip from your tongue. Just tell them what your product, event, or service has to offer the reader.

2. Keep your goal in mind.

The purpose of a news release isn't to

make your executives happy by touting minor product developments that no reporter would ever cover. You should treat a news release as a purposeful document with a single goal: to elicit interest or a call back from a reporter.

“I want someone to read this ... and then I want them to pick up the phone or send me an email and say, 'Tell me more,'” Long said.

3. Consider 'do' vs. 'applaud' news releases.

There are two styles of news release, which Long labels “Do vs. Applaud.” Either your organization did something and is bragging about it, or you are applauding something – possibly someone else's achievement – so you can “bask in reflected glory.” Think of a nonprofit's endorsement of a bill offered in Congress.

So as you do your pre-writing thinking, also consider which kind of news release this is, and how it resonates with the intended audience.

4. Fit it all on one page.

Every news release should fit on an 8 1/2 -by-11 sheet of paper, according to Long.

Better yet, don't fill the sheet, unless there is important news to share. This is not a place for an essay on your event or product. Write short paragraphs – four lines maximum.

Use lots of white space.

The point of a news release isn't to give them everything. It’s a hook to lure them into a story, trend piece or social media post.

5. List real contacts up top.

Long offers a helpful template for a news release. Some of it may seem like common sense, but a reminder is needed, given the number of organizations that distribute badly structured news releases.

Start with a contact name, phone number, and e-mail address. This is not the place for the name of your narcissistic CEO, unless he plans to field reporters' calls personally.

“The reporter just wants to know who to talk to,” Long said.

6. Be direct in your headline.

Consider: “Headline: Client Does Something.”

The client usually wants its name up front. This solves that problem. Also, this

style of headline deals right away with the “Guess what” aspect.

Obscure your message with wordplay or a witty surprise, and you're only delaying the moment when Todd Smith journalists find out what this is all about.

Tell them up front and immediately.

7. Remember the long game.

The pitch is a long game. If you begin to deliver straightforward news releases, journalists “will understand that's how you do business,” Long said. “You're an honest broker. You talk directly to them. Over time, that adds up.” It’s all about cultivating solid relationships so that when a journalist is working on a story, they will think of you as a needed expert source.

Broken Mic| President Obama’s Touchdown Dance On Obamacare President Obama should have been flagged for excessive celebration recently when he held a Rose Garden news conference to announce that there were 7.1 million enrollees for Obamacare. In the midst of all the pomp and circumstance, and patting on the back, the President missed one important point, and engaged in some very fuzzy – and suspect – math. Yes, more than 7 million enrollees is an impressive number, but what was left out of all the rah-rah and cheering was that 6 million people lost their coverage and were forced onto the exchanges. That’s not triumph – its message manipulation. It’s like putting a band-aid on a hemorrhaging wound. In fact there are so many Band-Aid moments to this health care mess that it’s troubling at best. For this most recent celebration, President Obama gets this week’s Broken Mic. Each week, The Spin Cycle will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t. Stay tuned – and step-up to the mic!

And remember … Amplify Your Brand!

Todd Smith is president and chief communications officer of Deane, Smith & Partners, a fullservice 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, and follow him @spinsurgeon.

April 11 2014

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Mississippi Business Journal

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» MISSISSIPPI LEADERS by Martin Willoughby

Healing words Darden combines medicine with writing

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few years ago, authors Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers) and Geoff Colvin (Talent is Overrated) brought to the public’s attention the 10,000 hour rule for becoming an expert. They were citing the research of psychology professor Dr. K. Anders Ericsson in which he concluded that it takes about 10,000 hours of “deliberate practice” to truly become a master at your chosen endeavor. I bring this up because, as leaders, it is important to strive for excellence and mastery in your organizational setting. I was reminded of this research when I was thinking about my interviewee this week, Darden H. North, MD. Dr. North has not only enjoyed a long and productive career as a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist with Jackson Healthcare for Women, but he also has established himself as a bestselling murder mystery and medical thriller author.

North, a native of Cleveland, Miss., graduated from Ole Miss where he was editor of the yearbook (The Ole Miss) and vice president of the Associated Student Body. He went on to get his medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine where he also completed his residency.

Up Close With ... Darden H. North, MD Title: Partner, Jackson Healthcare for Women, P.A. Favorite Books: Contemporary mystery and thriller novels First Job: Manager of the concession stand at the Cleveland Recreation Association in the 9th grade.

Proudest Moment as a Leader: Seeing the success of others, serving as editor of the 1978 Ole Miss yearbook and serving as national chairman of the Junior Fellows of the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) Hobbies/Interests: Working in the yard (ornamental garden), Playing with the two dogs he shares with wife Sally North. Walking for exercise, and writing as a professional hobby.

North has served in leadership roles in his profession including serving as secretary of the Mississippi Obstetrics and Gynecology Society, chairman of the National ACOG Junior Fellow Advisory Council and chief of the medical staff of both River Oaks Hospital and Woman’s Hospital.

Well into his medical career, North hung up his golf clubs and decided to pursue professionally the hobby of writing. His first three novels, available in print and e-book, have been awarded nationally, most notably Points of Origin in Southern Fiction by the Independent Publishers Book Association (IPPY) Awards. Fresh Frozen is in film devel-

opment by Frank Vitolo and Scott Alvaraz, screenplay adaptation by Amy Taylor. Darden’s fourth novel Wiggle Room was published also in print and e-book by Sartoris Literary Group in summer 2013. North’s books have sold over 17,000 copies. Today, North still maintains a full-time medical and surgical practice while also writing and participating in panels with other writers.

North shared that he was inspired by his mother who taught him to believe in himself and that he could accomplish anything if he set his mind to it. This is a powerful thought to sow into the life of someone. One of my mentors often reminds me that “What I

“I look for new opportunities and encourage others to do the same.”

Can Conceive and Believe - I Can Achieve.” Not surprisingly, North emphasized that he believes it is important to have faith and find strength in God when reaching forward and “to never Martin Willoughby become complacent with the status quo.”

North has tried to be an innovator both in his medical practice and as a writer. He was a pioneer in the use of robotic surgery in both multi- and single-site techniques and is a national instructional proctor for Intuitive Surgical Gynecological Robotics.

Like other effective leaders, North recognizes that we always have more to learn. He said, “I look for new opportunities and encourage others to do the same.” He advocates actively seeking advice from others and having the courage to listen for the kernels of truth that lie in complaints and criticisms.

As a leader, he tries to acknowledge the potential in others and encourage them to achieve to the best of their ability.

As I learned more about Dr. North and his accomplishments, I came away with great respect for his ability to master not just one craft, but two. I also appreciate the courage it takes to “create” and to put your work product out into the marketplace. As North enters a season where he is delivering second generation babies, I also expect he will continue to be a prolific writer and contributor to the state.

Martin Willoughby is a business consultant and regular contributing columnist for the Mississippi Business Journal. He serves as Chief Operating Officer of Butler Snow Advisory Services, LLC and can be reached at martin.willoughby@ butlersnow.com.

An old literary form gets new life from a writer on the rise

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or many of us, the word “essay” conjures up thoughts of college application essays or the essay portions from exams in middle school and beyond.

Or, perhaps we remember the assigned readings of essays by thinkers like Frenchman Michel de Montaigne (who was the first person to describe his writing as essays back in the mid-1500s), John Locke, Thomas Malthus or Francis Bacon.

Though they’ve been around a long time, and might remind us initially of their use in education, the essay in its modern form is still very much alive and well. Writers as diverse as Joan Didion, John Jeremiah Sullivan, David Sedaris, Jonathan Franzen, and the late David Foster Wallace all have employed essays in their bodies of work to great effect. » This Is Running for Your Life The definition of an “essay” is hard to pin down exactly, as

By Michelle Orange there are as many different kinds and expressions of the form Published by Farrar, Strauss and Giroux as there are people writing them, but perhaps the easiest defi$16.00 softback

nition is simply, “a short piece of writing on a particular subject.”

What differentiates an essay from memoir is that typically an essay will link or tie personal reflections or stories from the author’s life to a bigger theme or idea. Essays also may require research and need to be supported with facts. Done well, essays provide a way for a writer to explore a topic in a unique way, and for readers, they can be like getting an inside look into someone’s mind and thought processes.

Author Michelle Orange’s book of essays, This Is Running for Your Life, is an excellent example of the power of the essay

form from an up-and-coming writer. I hadn’t heard of her or her book, but just stumbled across it in a bookstore and was intrigued. She’s quick-witted and wry, and is as comfortable exploring our culture’s fascination with famous people who die young (and the way that the definition of “famous” has changed for many to now encompass reality television stars and the like) to her Canadian family’s various quirks and history to the way we all get stuck at some point in nostalgia for the music and movies of our youth.

For me, an essay is successful if I finish it feeling like I both learned something about the author and his or her life and I learned about something else, too. Bonus points for essays that really challenge my own viewpoints and thinking. I found those qualities repeatedly in Orange’s book, which made it a pleasure to read.

— LouAnn Lofton, mbj@msbusiness.com

26 I Mississippi Business Journal I April 11 2014 »MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS PROFILES: McCLAIN LODGE

An entrepreneurial family affair

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oni and Buddy McClain are a great Mississippi success story. When we met recently at their property, the McClain Lodge (located on Clark Creek Road in Brandon), we discussed their various business ventures and how they came to be so successful.

For those who might not know, Buddy owns over 60 Sonic locations throughout Mississippi, Alabama, and parts of Florida.

He’s currently looking at adding more locations. In total, he employs over 1,600 people, and his company is one of the top 50 in Mississippi on the Mississippi Business Journal’s list of the top 100 privately owned businesses in Mississippi, with annual sales topping $100 million.

The great thing about the company is how it all started. Buddy began his career with Sonic as a manager trainee, and worked his way up from there. The day came when he decided he wanted to own his own business, but there was just one problem: he lacked the capital to do so. Not one to be discouraged, he presented his case

ALAN TURNER / The Mississippi Business Journal

Joni and Buddy McClain are tested, successful entrepreneurs after forming a company operating more than 60 Sonic locations and opening the McClain Lodge.

to Troy Smith, CEO of Sonic. He offered to “resurrect” a Sonic location that had previously failed not once, but twice. In short, he

reopened that location and made it go.

Two years later, he owned 4 locations.

Today, he owns over 60, with 23 locations in the Jackson market and more to come in other areas.

“It’s all about hard

Alan Turner

“In many ways, Mississippi is the most positive of our states to do business in.”

Buddy McClain

work,” Buddy said. “I was willing to put in 70 hours a week to make my business go and grow.”

These days, he has other business interests as well, including real estate and the popular Sway’s Bistro on Old Fannin Road in Brandon.

One might think that with all of that success under their belts, Buddy and Joni

would have been content to simply enjoy the fruits of their labors. Not so. In 2012, they acquired the former Luckett Lodge in Brandon and changed the name to McClain Lodge.

In part, this became Joni’s venture, “with lots of moral support from Buddy,” said Joni.

“We have a board meeting every morning at breakfast,” she said.

Since acquiring the property, they’ve invested over $1 million in new lodging facilities, and they have a banquet hall, a chapel for weddings and other events, and other facilities, surrounded by over 800 acres of beautiful rural beauty. In fact, they also have a collection of exotic animals including antelope on the property.

For Joni, the secret to success is not only hard work, but also to deliver the best possible service. Joni often takes calls herself and loves to deal with customers. She particularly loves weddings and corporate events. Before she met and married Buddy in 2007, she had her own successful event company, and was named one of Mississipi’s 50 Leading Businesswomen by the Mississippi Business Journal.

The McClains love Mississippi, and although their business extends to several states, their hearts are firmly planted in the Magnolia State.

“In many ways, Mississippi is the most positive of our states to do business in,” Buddy said, pointing to a pro-business climate and “lots of great people.” Asked what his main concerns as the owner of a large enterprise, Buddy said that in his view, “Jackson needs to be fixed. It’s truly important to our state.” He’d also like to see some reduction in the growth of federal business regulation. “These kinds of rules and regs have definitely resulted in reducing our profit margins,” he said.

Whatever the future holds, Buddy and Joni do not seem in the least inclined to slow down and take life easy. They have plans to open a “general store” at the corner of Holly Bush and Clark Creek, and they are currently selling brown eggs from almost 200 hens on their property.

One thing is clear: Buddy and Joni McClain are a great family team, and they love what they do. They represent not only a great Mississippi success story, but a great American success story, as well.

Contact Mississippi Business Journal publisher Alan Turner at alan.turner@msbusiness.com or (601) 364-1021.

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