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Mississippi’s Healthiest Workplaces

Aug. 10-23, 2019 • Vo. 41 No. 30 • 48 pages

TA CY

Sponsored by

Photos by Stegall Imagery

2019

UR

Special event of the Mississippi

» Mississippi gets high grade on manufacturing strength but seen weak on advanced industries

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

2 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

MIXED RESULTS » Mississippi gets high grade on manufacturing

strength but seen weak on advanced industries Yet MMA partner cites examples of sophisticated operations

By TED CARTER mbj@msbusiness.com

Mississippi has joined a short list of states that Ball State University’s Manufacturing Annual Scorecard rated as tops nationally for the health of their manufacturing sectors.

But the leading academic author of the Scorecard said Mississippi must improve the quality of its healthcare and schools to grab a larger share of 21st century advanced industries. “Mississippi does not have its fundamentals right to be a competitive for growth in advanced manufacturing,” said Dr. Michael J. Hicks, a professor at the Muncie, Ind., university and director of Ball State’s Center for Business and Economic Research, creators of the annual report card issued Aug. 13.

The “B+” Mississippi received on the Ball State Scorecard reflects manufacturing’s percentage of jobs here compared the rest of the country, according to Hicks.

Manufacturers in Mississippi account for 16.01 percent of state GDP and put nearly $18 billion into the state economy yearly, economic statistics show.

The Scorecard shows that among South-

eastern states, only South Carolina’s “A” grade for manufacturing health surpassed Mississippi’s “B+”.

Indiana and Iowa joined South Carolina at the top of the class, each pulling in an “A”.

Kansas joined Mississippi with the only other “B+” awarded.

Beyond that “B+”, the Ball State analysis contrasts Mississippi’s high grade in manufacturing strength with average, below average and failure grades for other factors related to manufacturing.

The sheer size of the Magnolia State’s manufacturing sector had a lot to do with the high grade, Hicks said.

“The state continues to have a large legacy of manufacturing,” Hicks said in an email.

“The “B+” grade reflects the growing share of employment in manufacturing relative to the nation as a whole.

“There are two problems with this.”

First, Hicks said, the growth of Mississippi’s manufacturing has been in low productivity industries. For example, he said, after adjusting for inflation, GDP per factory worker in Mississippi is less than $115,000

Mississippi

B+ — Manufacturing F — Human Capital B — Benefit Costs F — Productivity & Innovation C+ — Tax Climate

Alabama

See MANUFACTURING, Page 3

B — Manufacturing Louisiana D- — Human Capital C — Manufacturing A — Benefit Costs F — Human Capital D — Productivity & Innovation C+ — Benefit Costs D+ — Productivity & Innovation C — Tax Climate D+ — Tax Climate

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MANUFACTURING SCORECARD (SOUTHEAST STATES) State Alabama Arkansas Florida Georgia Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee Texas

Manufacturing

Logistics

B C D CC B+ C+ A B C

C C C B B C C CC+ A

Human Captial DD C+ D F F C F D D+

Beneffits Costs A A B B C+ B C C A B-

Global Position C D+ D C C C C+ A B A

Productivity Tax and Innovation Climate D C F F C A C C D+ D+ F C+ A B+ C CC C C+ D+

Diversification B C B A D A B+ B BC+

Expected Fiscal Liability Gap C C B A C D A C B B+

Source: Ball State University’s Center for Business and Economic Research Go online to www.msbusiness.com/2019/08/mississippi-gets-high-grade-on-manufacturing-strength-but-seen-weak-on-advanced-industries/ for full scorecard of entire United States

MANUFACTURING Continued from, Page 2

per worker, down from nearly $125,000 in 2012.

By contrast, Hicks said, Indiana’s is over $168,000 per worker, and the Midwest is running closer to $175,000 per worker on average.”

The second problem, Hicks said, is that “with the continued bottom of the barrel health and education statistics, advanced manufacturing firms will find Mississippi an unattractive location.”

On a more positive side, Mississippi rated an “A” in the diversity of its manufacturing and a “B” in the cost of worker benefits.

The state received a “C+” for its tax climate, a grade that considered the state’s phasing out of its inventory tax and broad cuts in business income taxes.

It followed with a “C” for logistics and a “C” global position.

Hicks and the Ball State analysts see a lot of work ahead for Mississippi to become the advanced manufacturing destination it wants to be.

Consider the “expected liability gap,” one of the categories Ball State’s Center for Business and Economic Research grades on. Bond ratings and the fiscal strength of state pension plans are key factors considered in assessing a liability gap. Mississippi rose a grade from “F” to “D” this year, a likely reflection of the increase in the funded portion of the state’s public worker pension plan to 66.8 percent. It stood at 62 percent four years ago.

A state government’s unfunded liabilities can scare off companies to relocate to Mississippi or expand here. An expected state fiscal liability gap, Muncie, Ind.-based Ball State said, is a good indicator of the direction of future taxes and public services.

Meanwhile, Mississippi’s slow progress on healthcare and education brought an “F” in the “human capital” category.

Indiana Top-ranked state on the scorecard

A — Manufacturing A — Logistics A — Benefit Costs A — Global Position A — Tax Climate It received the same failing grade in the “productivity” and “innovation” categories.

The below-average grades indicate that although Mississippi has among the nation’s strongest manufacturing bases, it is facing long odds in becoming a top destination for advanced manufacturing, said Hicks, the head of the university’s Center for Business and Economic Research.

The Mississippi Manufacturers Association did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment on the Scorecard.

The executive director of the Manufacturers Association partner organization the Manufacturing Extension Partner-

ship, or MEP, said it’s too early to proclaim Mississippi an unlikely place for advanced manufacturing.

“If that’s the case,” said James Williams, “what about…”

The MEP chief cited Airbus, American EuroCopter, Nissan, Toyota in Mississippi, Yokohama Tires and others. “These are all advanced manufacturers,” he said in an interview.

Williams said he doesn’t think the state is at the end of anything. “We are at the beginning,” insisted Williams, who described the non-profit MEP as an identifier “of solutions for small and midsize manufac-

turers in Mississippi.”

He praised the potential of a new state economic development initiative dubbed “Manufacturing 4.0.”

“It’s supported by legislation” and worker training dollars, Williams said. It is expected to guide Mississippi to higher manufacturing levels over the next 10 years, especially in workforce development, he said.

“I think,” Williams said, “we are doing great things in Mississippi.”

4 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019 GOVERNMENT/POLITICS

Summer Recess 2019: PowerScoring Trump’s Judicial Confirmations

Ben Williams

T

he U.S. Senate concluded business on Aug. 1, and the senators left town to enjoy their traditional summer recesses. To date, Congress’ upper chamber has confirmed 146 Article III federal judges nominated by President Donald Trump.

Some news outlets, including CNN, contend Trump is packing the federal bench in an unprecedented fashion. A front-page The New York Times article on Aug. 4 superficially compared the judicial confirmations of Presidents Trump and Barack Obama and alluded to a remaking of the courts. Are these assertions accurate?

Consistent with prior analyses, we provide a two-tiered assessment vis-à-vis other Presidents boasting significant numbers of judicial appointments.

The Federal bench Trump’s confirmations to date include 2 of the 9 Supreme Court justices, 43 of the 179 appellate judges, 99 of the 673 district court judges, and 2 of the 9 international trade judges. Ignoring the hundreds of senior status judges, Trump has appointed a little over 16 percent of the 870 active judges on the federal bench.

Nomination, confirmation and appointment Presidential Article III judicial NOMINATIONS are sent to the Senate for “advice and consent” and then referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for vetting.

Assuming the committee elects to act on a nomination, it could reject the nomination, or more likely, “report” the nominee with a recommendation (favorable, unfavorable, none) to the full Senate for a simple majority vote. If CONFIRMED by the Senate, the President is so notified. Absent a last-minute change in plans, the President then executes a presidential commission to cement the APPOINTMENT. The nomenclature can be tricky. On July 15, Caleb Parke, an associate editor of Fox News, mistakenly wrote that “President Trump has nominated over 125 judges to the federal courts, solidifying his judicial legacy.” Mr. Parke probably meant “confirmed” not “nominated,” as Trump had, as of that date, “nominated” 194 people to Article III judgeships; however, the Senate had confirmed only 125 and not all of them had yet been appointed. As to the “legacy,” keep reading.

Confirmations don’t come easy. Or fast.

Since Trump took office, the continuous confirmation Senate process witnessed a change in parliamentary procedure, a departure from the blue slip tradition, allegations of a stolen Supreme Court seat, a Me-TooHe-Said-She-Said televised donnybrook, and historically unprecedented numbers of

FORD WILLIAMS

a 51-50 Vice-President-tie-breaking vote.

Several unacted upon nominations expired at the end of that Congressional term and were not re-nominated in the following 116th U.S. Congress. In June 2019, during the 116th U.S. Congress, Trump formally withdrew one district judge nomination.

The process beginning to end can seem like an eternity. U.S. District Judge Kacsmaryk of Texas was first nominated

by Trump on September 7, 2017, and finally confirmed by the Senate on June 18, 2019 - 649 days later. Mary Susan McElroy, first nominated by Obama in 2015, was re-nominated by Trump in 2018 and 2019 for a federal judicial post in Rhode Island. She awaits a hoped-for Senate hearing.

My advice to nominees? Don’t quit your day jobs.

cloture, roll-call, and opposition votes.

The outnumbered Senate Democrats mounted determined resistance to confirmations with little success (other than de-

lay). During the 115th U.S. Congress, with Republican Senators and Democrats split 51-49, a Republican defection resulted in the first-ever confirmation of a federal judge by

Trump confirmations versus other presidents To add objectivity to the packing, remaking, and legacy contentions, we first compare the sheer number of Trump’s confirmations through Aug. 2 of his third year to the confirmations, for the same time window, of the four U.S. Presidents who made the most judicial appointments over the See WILIAMS, Page 5

Aug. 10-23, 2019

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TECHNOLOGY

The I-10 rocket region

» Boeing is building the heavy-lift Space Launch System rocket in New Orleans, now Relativity will build 3D printed light launch vehicles 35 miles away at Stennis Space Center.

An intriguing cluster is growing along the Interstate 10 corridor between Southeast Louisiana and South Mississippi. The Stennis-Michoud corridor in the near future will be where not one but two different launch vehicles will be built – one a heavy-lift rocket for NASA, and the other a commercial light rocket.

At the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in East New Orleans, Boeing is the prime contractor for the design, development, test and production of NASA’s Space Launch System. Boeing workers have been building the 212-foot tall core stage in the cavernous MAF facility.

When operational, the rocket will be used to launch into orbit space vehicles carrying people and cargo to the moon and Mars.

Newcomer Relativity Space of Los Angeles, in an announcement June 11, said it will build its Terran 1 rockets at Stennis Space Center (SSC), in Hancock County, using its patented 3D printing technology.

It will create 200 jobs and make an investment of $59 million.

Relativity said it secured an agreement with NASA and an incentive package from the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) to expand facilities and infrastructure at SSC, where it is already testing the engine, Aeon 1.

The agreement with NASA includes exclusive use of 220,000 square feet within building 9101 at SSC for a nine- year lease.

The agreement also includes an option to extend the lease for an additional 10 years.

The facility includes an 80-foot high bay, multiple bridge cranes, and extensive industrial infrastructure. Relativity’s partnership with the MDA is supported by a significant cost reimbursement and tax incentive package for Relativity’s employment and capital investments for advanced aerospace manufacturing and technology development in the state.

Relativity will be building out first stage assembly, engine integration and testing, and a full 3D printing and ro- botics-enabled production line at the site. The technologies developed through Relativity’s Stennis factory site are the first step toward the company’s long-term vision of 3D printing the first rocket made in Mars and expanding the human experience in space.

With this expansion at SSC, Relativity is increasing infrastructure fourfold to over 280,000 square feet of operations, production, testing, and launch facilities and is on track to reach over 350,000 square feet of space in 2019. In the past year, the company increased team size over six times from 14 to 90 employees.

“We believe this groundbreaking technology is the future of aerospace manufacturing, and we look forward to bringing this innovation to the Gulf Coast,” said Jordan Noone, CTO and co-founder of Relativity.

Continued from, Page 4

Lcourse of their presidencies - George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Ronald Reagan. Using that simple gauge, the rankings are: President

Judicial Confirmations (August 2 of 3rd year in office)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Clinton Trump Geo. W. Bush Reagan Obama

New kid on the block Relativity is one of the new kids on the block. The private aerospace manufacturer was founded in 2015 by Tim Ellis and Noone. The rocket it is developing is designed for orbital launch services. Additive manufacturing is used by Relativity because it uses less tooling and human labor.

In March 2018, Relativity Space signed a 20-year lease with NASA at SSC to test engine components and eventually test full-scale Aeon 1 engines using the E-3 test stand. That was followed in January 2019 with the announcement that Relativity won a competitive bidding process with the United States Air Force to build and operate Launch Complex 16 (LC-16 at Cape Canaveral. Plans are to launch its first rocket from the site in 2020. Relativity plans to start commercial launch service by early 2021.

Relativity has created the Stargate system, which it calls the world’s largest 3D printer of metals. It’s based on selective laser sintering, which uses laser beams to bond powdered metal, layer by layer. The company aims to 3D print at least 95 percent of its launchers, including the engines, by the end of 2020. The company plans to eventually print a complete launch vehicle

district and international trade judge.

WILLIAMS

Ranking

“This partnership will foster innovation, investment, and growth in Mississippi,” said Tobias Duschl, vice president of operations at Relativity. “The integration of our 3D printing rocket production and testing facilities at one site will also enable Relativity to offer greater flexibility to commercial and government entities needing faster, more frequent, and lower cost access to space.”

154 146 145 104 95

Numerically, Clinton maintains the lead as he did at the 18- and 24-month comparisons. Trump comes in second.

This easily verified fact seems to elude the liberal press.

PowerScoring the judicial confirmations Looking beneath raw numbers to scrutinize the actual judicial positions results in a change to the scorecard. We employ a subjective weighting that values a Supreme Court justice at 50x and an appellate court judge at 10x that of a

Ranking/ Power President Score 1. Trump 631 2. Clinton 468 3. Bush (W) 388 4. Obama 364 5.Reagan 341

Calculation (confirmations/August 2 of 3rd year)

(50 x 2) + (10 x 43) + (1 x 99) + (1 x 2) (50 x 2) + (10 x 24) + (1 x 128) + (1 x 0) (50 x 0) + (10 x 27) + (1 x 117) + (1 x 1) (50 x 2) + (10 x 19) + (1 x 74) + (1 x 0) (50 x 1) + (10 x 21) + (1 x 80) + (1 x 1)

Using this formula, Trump leaps from second place in sheer number of confirmations to a weighted first place due to the high number of appellate judges.

Readers remain free to dispute my subjective factoring (50-10-1-1). Take note, however, no variation in the Supreme Court weighting would knock Trump from the lead.

A more robust evaluation might consider other relevant variables, such as the average age of new judges, appointments to the prominent D.C. Circuit, a ranking of the circuits, and an ideology shift resulting from an appointment.

The newfangled willingness of district judges to issue nationwide injunctions merits consideration.

within 60 days.

Terran 1 is an expendable, two-stage launch vehicle. The first stage will use nine Aeon 1 engines, while the second stage will use a single, restartable Aeon 1 engine. The maximum payload will be 2,760 pounds to low Earth orbit, or high-altitude payloads of 1,500 pounds.

Some 35 miles away, a much bigger rocket is being built for NASA by Boeing at MAF. It will be the most powerful rocket ever built and will carry much larger payloads. It will be the world’s only super heavy rocket capable of transporting astronauts to deep space with landers, habitats and the Gateway elements.

The last of four structural test articles for SLS was loaded onto NASA’s Pegasus barge at MAF on June 26 for delivery of the liquid oxygen (LOX) tank test article to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., where structural testing will be performed.

The LOX tank is one of two propellant tanks in the rocket’s core stage that will produce more than 2 million pounds of thrust to help send Artemis 1, the first flight of NASA’s Orion spacecraft and SLS, to the Moon.

The nearly 70-foot-long test article is structurally identical to the flight version that is being built. SLS is being developed to send astronauts into deep space.

While the combination of Boeing’s SLS and Relativity’s Terran 1 does not put the Stennis-Michoud cluster on a level with some of the better-known centers that produce space vehicles, it’s nonetheless an important indication of possible future growth for the Southeast Louisiana-Southwest Mississippi portion of the Interstate 10 corridor.

- David Tortorano Reprinted with permission of Gulf Coast Reporters League.

Attempting a final assessment A final assessment can and must wait. With just under 18 months left in the first term, 103 existing judicial vacancies (including 4 circuit court positions) and 9 anticipated retirements (including one circuit court position), Trump has an opportunity to surpass other presidents in sheer number of appointments during a first term.

Variables include possible House impeachment proceedings, RBG’s health, the 2020 Presidential campaign, and the 45th president’s unfiltered Twitter propensity.

Media reports of Trump’s packing the federal bench with an unprecedented number of judges are inaccurate. Clinton continues to lead in sheer number of confirmed federal judges over the same period, including two Supreme Court justices (Ginsburg, Breyer). Using the PowerScoring weighted analysis, Trump overcomes the numerical deficiency and gains a decisive edge based on the composition of the confirmations.

There appears to be a remaking and legacy in the works.

Ben Williams is a Mississippi attorney. Email Ben at Ben39157@gmail. com. Ford Williams the artist, is a rising senior at the Savannah College of Art & Design.

6 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019 POLITICS

Immigration arrests at poultry plants were a disaster

By BECKY GILLETTE mbj@msbusiness.com

This past week there were the kind of emergency food drives in Central Mississippi normally reserved for disasters like tornadoes and hurricanes. In this case, the disaster was immigration raids that resulted in the arrests of 680 people while they were at work at poultry processing plants in the area.

About 600 agents from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) armed to the teeth carried out that raids that had to be terrifying for workers. The acting secretary head of Homeland Security later said that the timing of the raids was “unfortunate” coming after the mass murders in El Paso targeting Hispanics staged by an anti-immigration killer.

Even though several hundred of the workers were quickly released, they now wear ankle bracelets and are not allowed to work. Many are single parents. The national spotlight was on the raid, said to be the largest such workplace raids in a decade, and in particular on how little attention was given to the fact that many of these workers had children at home left without someone to care for them.

What will happen to these families while the breadwinner’s case winds its way through the clogged immigration courts?

How does it help the government to take these people off the payrolls onto the welfare rolls?

How many of these adults and children will go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? Rev. Mike O’Brien, pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Canton, was quoted by AP as saying: “The people are all afraid. Their doors are locked, and they won’t answer their doors.”

There are a couple of more reason to call this a disaster. One, to arrest someone at work simply because they are trying to make a living is morally reprehensive. If you want to address the problem of undocumented workers, then meet with the owners of companies employing them, and give them a deadline to provide proper documentation of workers or start facing See DISASTER, Page 7

IMMIGRATION RAIDS TO HAVE LONGTERM EFFECTS ON POULTRY TOWNS

By ASSOCIATED PRESS Effects of the largest immigration raid in at least a decade are likely to ripple for years through six Mississippi small towns that host poultry plants.

A store owner who caters to Latino poultry plant workers fears he will have to close. A school superintendent is trying to rebuild trust with the Spanish-speaking community. And the CEO of a local bank says the effects are likely to touch every business in her town.

More than 100 civil rights activists, union organizers and clergy members in Mississippi denounced the raid, but the state’s Republican Gov. Phil Bryant commended federal immigration authorities for the arrests, tweeting that anyone in the country illegally has to “bear the responsibility of that federal violation.”

Officials said 680 people were initially detained during Wednesday’s operation. U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement sent more than 300 of those people home by dawn Thursday, with notices to appear before immigration judges, said ICE spokesman Bryan Cox. In the coming months, as those people await hearings, they’re unlikely to be able to work, and local churches are gathering food and money to provide aid.

Juan Garcia and his wife own Hondumex, a grocery store and restaurant catering to Latinos in downtown Morton, a small town of roughly 3,000 people about 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of the capital of Jackson. Sales have been terrible since the raid, Garcia said Thursday, surrounded by plantains, pastries and specially butchered meat. Garcia said even those who have been released will have trouble before they go to court.

“All the workers, the people that have been taken, they’re not going to be able to spend money,” Garcia said. “They’re not going to be able to work in the plant.”

Garcia said many workers at the two raided poultry plants — Koch Foods and PH Foods — have bought houses. He questions whether they will be able to keep up their mortgage payments. Garcia said he and his wife also own a restaurant in nearby Philadelphia, Mississippi, and he may close the Morton store.

“I was thinking about shutting down my business,” Garcia said. “I don’t think

we’re going to be able to stay here.”

Martha Rogers, the chairman and CEO of the Bank of Morton, also expressed concern for the local economy. Rogers said many Spanish-speaking residents have become customers of the bank.

“Every business in town will be affected,” said Rogers, whose family has owned a controlling interest in the small bank since the 1950s.

Scott County Superintendent Tony McGee said more than 150 students were absent Thursday from the 4,100-student district, including a number of students in Morton, where the enrollment is about 30% Latino.

Parents are saying they’re afraid for their children to come back to class, McGee said. School officials have been making phone calls and visiting homes to try to coax the parents to let the students return.

“We’re just trying to reassure them that if those kids come to school, we’re going to do everything possible to make sure they come back to you,” McGee said. “We want those children at school.”

McGee said some longtime teachers told him that Wednesday “was by far the worst day they have ever spent as educators.”

ICE didn’t have much space to detain workers, even overnight, because the number of people in custody is hovering near all-time highs. The agency has been housing thousands more than its budgeted capacity of 45,274 people, largely because of an unprecedented surge of Central American families arriving at the Mexican border. Those released included 18 juveniles, with the youngest being 14 years old, said Jere Miles, special agent in charge of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations unit in New Orleans. Workers were assessed before they were released, including for whether they had any young children at home.

The companies involved could be charged with knowingly hiring workers who are in the county illegally and will be scrutinized for tax, document and wage fraud, said Matthew Albence, ICE’s acting director.

Koch Foods, one of the country’s largest poultry producers based in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, said in a statement Thursday that it follows strict proSee LONG-TERM, Page 7

DISASTER Continued from, Page 6

large fines.

You don’t have to be aggressive. These are workers, people who do a messy, tiring, difficult job most legal residents won’t do, a job that drives the entire poultry industry, which drives the entire economy of Mississippi. Poultry is the number one commodity in Mississippi with an estimated value of $2.7 billion in 2017.

If you arrested every undocumented worker in the poultry industry in Mississippi, the entire industry could collapse.

For what gain?

If someone is pushing drugs or robbing a store, by all means arrest and deport them.

But these workers are usually just going home after work, taking care of their family, and making their own tortillas. They are generally thrifty, religious and very family-oriented. We are acting like they are sex traffickers.

The average person doesn’t understand importance of these workers to industry.

If you don’t have someone to process the chicken, what happens to the grower who can’t take new chicks because the grown chickens haven’t been shipped for processing? What happens to the farmer supplying the chicks? What happens to the feed processors? What happens to the farmers growing the feed? What happens to the truck drivers involved from start to finish?

LONG-TERM Continued from, Page 6

cedures to make sure full-time employees are eligible to work in the country.

Gabriela Rosales, a six-year resident of Morton who knows some of those detained, said she understands that “there’s a process and a law” for those living in the country illegally. “But the thing that they (ICE) did is devastating,” she said. “It was very devastating to see all those kids crying, having seen their parents for the last time.”

The Rev. Mike O’Brien, pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Canton, said he waited outside the Peco Foods plant in the city until 4 a.m. Thursday for workers returning by bus. O’Brien said he visited parishioners whose relatives had been arrested. He said he also drove home someone who had hidden from authorities inside the plant.

“The people are all afraid,” he said. “Their doors are locked, and they won’t answer their doors.”

Children whose parents were detained were being cared for by other family members and friends, O’Brien said.

“They’re circling the wagons that way and taking care of each other,” he said.

What happens to the banks making the loans? What happens to tax collections?

And we know what happens to a local economy when large numbers of people are arrested and put out of work in a small town. It has a chilling effect resulting in fewer sales for stores, car dealers, restaurants, etc.

Some comments on social media are that the chicken processing companies are using “slave labor.” In fact, most of these jobs earn $10 per hour in entry pay, and include benefits such as health insurance that raise the value of the job to $15 an hour. Workers are paying payroll taxes including So-

Aug. 10-23, 2019

cial Security taxes they are likely to never collect on.

Some other questions are there were reports that workers at least one plant had their keys confiscated, and their vehicles were not returned when the workers were released. How is this right or fair?

Another troubling question is that many of those arrested have children born in the U.S. Are they going to be deported to a country they have never seen? What if one parent is a citizen and the other is not?

What good does it do to take a mother away from his husband and children?

And the issue goes far beyond the poul-

Congratulations to

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try industry. Across the county many jobs in construction, housekeeping, farming and other types of labor are being met by undocumented workers.

Yes, we need immigration reform. But the raids this past week are not the way to go about it. No wall will keep people out when they come from areas with crippling poverty and crime, and know that rich industries in the U.S. will employ them regardless of their citizenship status. If the workers are needed—which they are—give them a path to becoming a citizen.

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8 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019 BRETT KITTREDGE

RICK GILBRECH

Occupational licensing reform Stennis to play key role as has bi-partisan support, but NASA moves ‘Forward to entrenched opposition the Moon’

T

he requirements to obtain an occupational license before working is a growing problem throughout the country. And Mississippi is certainly not immune to this current situation.

There once was a time when occupational licensing was reserved for those occupations that most would agree should be licensed. This includes medical professionals, lawyers, or teachers. But those days are long passed.

Today, approximately 19 percent of Mississippians need a license to work.

On average, licensing for low and middle-income occupations in Mississippi requires an individual to complete 155 days of training, to pass two exams, and to pay nearly $200 in fees. Those numbers will vary depending on the industry. For example, a shampooer must receive 1,500 clock hours of education. A fire alarm installer must pay over $1,000 in fees.

The net result is a decrease in the number of people who can work. A study from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that occupational licensing reduces labor supply by 17 to 27 percent.

In Mississippi, the Institute for Justice estimates that licensing has cost the state 13,000 jobs. All very real numbers.

What can we do?

Mississippi has made progress. In 2017, the state adopted an occupational licensing review board to provide direct supervision over occupational licensing laws moving forward. The state has also made it easier for ex-offenders to receive licenses so they can obtain employment and restricted licensing boards from pulling the license of someone who defaults on their student loans.

All good steps, but they don’t address the underlying problems with occupational licensing. Earlier this year, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed a law that provides reciprocity for all licenses, even though those states don’t do the same for Arizona licenses. A couple other states have since followed suit. And this proposal has won the praise of a Democrat running for president, Andrew Yang. He called the current limits on reciprocity bad for those seeking new opportunities. A Democratic candidate for president praising a Republican governor. It can happen.

Because this is common sense. Imagine if we needed a different driver’s license every time we crossed state lines. An in-

dividual doesn’t forget his craft because he move. Mississippi does have limited reciprocity for military families, but generally speaking the state hasn’t been open to the idea.

A bill that was in- BRETT KITTREDGE troduced last session would’ve given out-of-state medical practitioners the right to practice in the state for charitable reasons. It didn’t make it out of committee. We can only speculate as to who is opposed to allowing out-of-state medical professionals to provide charity care in the poorest state in the nation.

At a time when few states offer reciprocity, it could be a great selling feature for Mississippi.

But despite bi-partisan support for reform, we also have entrenched opposition. Which is what licensing creates. The state of Utah recently bragged about nabbing unlicensed contractors. New Jersey was able to rid the streets of 29 unlicensed movers.

It is true that licensing leads to hire wages for those with a license, but it does so by driving up costs for the consumer. A Heritage Foundation report found that Mississippians pay an $800 hidden tax each year because of licensing. And we do this even though there isn’t a clear increase in the quality of service. Rather, it just distorts the free market. Which is why licensing boards are so determined to protect their monopoly.

Instead, we should trust consumers to make decisions for themselves, not the government or an industry lobbyist. We can do this through market competition, third-party ratings systems, such as an app like Yelp or even Facebook, or through private certifications that allow both the entrepreneur and the customer to decide if that certification is important.

Because if we really want more jobs and a smaller government footprint, it starts by creating an environment that encourages work; not one that encourages the creation of hurdles and obstacles.

Brett Kittredge is the Director of Marketing and Communications for Mississippi Center for Public Policy, the state’s non-partisan, free-market think tank.

O

n July 20, we recognized a pivotal moment in my life, the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission that landed the first humans on the Moon. It is one of the most extraordinary feats of humankind, an embodiment of ingenuity and desire for exploration. As a child of the Apollo generation, I know firsthand the excitement of the nation when at the age of seven, I witnessed Americans and the world rally together with enthusiasm for mankind’s first steps on another heavenly body. That event set my life onto a new and unalterable path to work for NASA and be part of human exploration. Stennis Space Center played a critical role in my career and in that historic accomplishment.

Stennis was built to test the very rocket stages that launched those first humans to the Moon. On April 23, 1966, the site conducted its first test of Saturn V rocket stage on the A-2 Test Stand. Mississippi had officially entered the Space Age, and our nation was on its way to the Moon.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced on July 25 that Stennis will test the Space Launch System core stage, also known as “Green Run test,” as previously planned. The agency conducted a thorough analysis of the core stage test, and Stennis weighed in on the analysis. We’re very excited about the decision to continue with the test. Our Mississippi delegations in Washington D.C. praised this decision, reinforcing Mississippi’s vital role in human space exploration. We have been preparing with upgrades and modifications to the B-2 Test Stand, high pressure industrial water system and gas facility.

With all modifications complete, Stennis is ready to test the core stage and support the agency in whatever way needed – just as we have for 58 years.

Our predecessors faced many challenges 61 years ago when they were establishing NASA and developing a space program.

They were relentless in achieving the required results for mission success. The Stennis employees were no different. Even when faced with new tasks that had never been attempted, like putting a human on the Moon for the first time in history, our employees rose to the challenge every time. Working long hours, holidays, weekends and through harsh weather conditions to ensure success demonstrated the level of tenacity of our employees. Mississippi is one of the few states that have had their footprints in the space program since the early days.

Stennis has tested NASA’s rocket engines, stages and components since that early April morning in 1966. After the Apollo Program ended, the center tested the space shuttle main engines for 34 RICK GILBRECH years, concluding in 2009. In 2015, we began testing RS-25 engines for NASA’s new Artemis Program to send humans forward to the Moon and, ultimately, carry them on to Mars. Artemis is the name of NASA’s program to return astronauts to the lunar surface by 2024, including the first woman and the next man. When they land, our American astronauts will step foot where no human has ever been before: the Moon’s South Pole. We are the Artemis generation, and everyone should be excited for our country and our spacefaring international partners.

Stennis will continue to test the RS-25 engines that will be used to power the new Space Launch System rocket on its Artemis missions. In 2020, we will be testing the SLS core stage. Working with U.S. companies and international partners, NASA will push the boundaries of human exploration forward to the Moon for this program. As a result of Artemis, NASA will be able to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon by 2028 to uncover new scientific discoveries, demonstrate new technological advancements and lay the foundation for private companies to build a lunar economy.

Once more, it is an assignment of considerable difficulty and challenge. However, Stennis employees are responding – and will continue to respond – with the commitment and ingenuity needed for mission success. Just as it did 50 years ago, this nation will travel to the Moon and deep space through south Mississippi.

Stennis continues to make history – from that first test 53 years ago to today as humans prepare to travel deeper into space than ever before. I ask you to join with us at Stennis in the enthusiasm and American spirit as we go forward to the Moon – and beyond!

Dr. Rick Gilbrech has served as director of NASA’s Stennis Space Center since 2012, after serving in the same role in 2006-7. As director, he is responsible for implementing NASA’s world-class rocket propulsion test program.

Aug. 10-23, 2019

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Sweetie Pie’s reopens after one-week shutdown Mississippi preventedplanting acreage for 2019 sets record

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com Sweetie Pie’s restaurant in downtown Jackson has reopened after a one-week shutdown.

Tim Norman, an officer in the soulfood chain, said in a telephone interview Tuesday that the restaurant will be serving only lunches for the time being.

The large commercial smoker is no longer parked in front of the restaurant at 120 S. Congress St. It is instead parked across the intersection with Amite Street on the southeast corner of Smith Park, permission for which, Norman said, was granted by the city director of business development, Mike Davis.

Efforts to get a statement from Davis on the matter were not immediately successful. The smoker is not running.

The reopening followed a shutdown that Norman blamed on management of the 12-story Plaza Building, but Rabin Michael, managing member of Capital Tower LLC in Beverly Hills, Calif., emphatically denied that.

A problem with the one-day initial opening Aug. 8 was that a throng of people jammed the building’s lobby and caused a problem with access to elevators.

The chain has a big following because of its five-year run on the Oprah Winfrey Network as a reality show called “Welcome to Sweetie’ Pie’s.”

JACK WEATHERLY/MBJ

Top: Customers line up for lunch at Sweetie Pie’s on Tuesday. Above: Tim Norman

On Tuesday of this week a line had formed outside the restaurant and a barrier was put up to guide waiting customers to its front door. The rest of the lobby and the elevators were accessible.

In the wake of the shutdown, City Zoning Director Ester Ainsworth said that that the smoker was not in compliance with municipal code, plus there are “aesthetic concerns.”

John Gomez, interim president of Downtown Jackson Partners, a business improvement district, told the Mississippi

Business Journal that no one representing the restaurant asked the city for permission to use the smoker.

Capital Tower has invested millions of dollars in the skyscraper in the past few years and wants to make that investment pay off, Michael said.

Michael said the company signed a multi-year lease with St. Louis-based Sweetie Pie’s a year ago. Norman said he couldn’t address the agreement. He reiterated that he is looking for another location in downtown.

Mississippi has set a record this year for crop acreage that was not planted because of natural causes.

Six hundred and 22 thousand acres were not planted, primarily because of heavy rains and flooding. The previous record was 450,898 in 2016, according to Dr. Josh Maples, assistant professor of agricultural economics at Mississippi State University who has been tracking prevented-planting since 2007.

Corn was the largest contributor to the total this year, with 350,569 acres.

Corn planting in Mississippi this year is 623,686 acres, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That means that about 36 percent of the corn crop was not planted.

While flooding is not necessarily the major cause of the loss of production, 250,000 crop acres were inundated in the south Delta.

With 115,479 acres planned but not planted, soybeans were distant second behind corn, according to Maples’ figures. The USDA reported that 1.6 million acres of soybeans were to be planted in Mississippi. Meaning that 7.2 percent of the crop acreage was not realized.

Cotton fared better, losing out on 70,217 acres, Maples’ figures show. Cotton planting this year in the state was put at 700,000 acres, according to a preliminary USDA report. That means that about 9 percent of the crop was not planted.

Nationwide, farmers were not able to plant crops on ore than 19.4 million acres this year, according to Delta Press.

That is 17.49 million acres more than reported a year ago, the most since the Farm Service Agency has been reporting on the matter since 2007.

Southern farmers reported more than 4 million acres of prevented planting, the publication stated.

Between Mississippi’s 622,000 acres, Arkansas’ 1.3 million and Louisiana’s 468,000, that is more than half of the Southern total.

10 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019 REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

Everywhere you turn, there’s a writer

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urns out that our trip from northeast Jackson to Yazoo City last Friday was a good warmup for the fifth annual Mississippi Book Festival the next day.

Yazoo City, of course, is the town that Willie Morris put on the map.

And while the estate sale that attracted us was rewarding in its own right, the Morris trail took over, at least for me if not my wife.

It was an impromptu thing, meaning things were missed – such as Willie’s boyhood home – and others were discovered.

Not to be overlooked was his grave, marked by a jagged stone rising out of the ground of Glenwood Cemetery and close by the “resting place” of the Witch of Yazoo, whom Willie conjured in his book “Good Old Boy” about his adventures as a lad, and according to Willie brought down her hellfire on the town, which actually did burn to the ground in 1904.

The Witch’s marker lies on the ground,riven from top to bottom.

Nearby (13 paces) is Willie’s postmodernist grave stone. Oddly, or maybe, to use the much abused word – eerily – his marker is likewise torn down the middle.

Willie’s widow, JoAnne Prichard Morris, explained that Willie’s stone was split by accident when the monument makers in Texas were shaping it, according to Karen Dunaway, librarian at Ricks Memorial Library. Time was running short for the funeral. Polish it up and send it on, his widow said.

That’s the rational explanation, anyway.

Yazoo City is the birthplace of other notables, including Jerry Clower, the famous Southern comedian, former Gov. Haley Barbour, food writer Martha Foose and inspirational speaker and writer of motivational books Zig Ziglar.

And not so widely famous, but historian and world traveler Sam Olden, for whom the Sam Olden Historical Museum is named. At 100, he still resides in the town that from its prospect high in the hills offers a spectacular view of the vast Delta below.

By the time we made it out of the estate sale, had some delicious fried Simmons catfish at Clancy’s, a converted double-wide on Highway 49, and stumbled across the Yazoo Historical Society Museum, the town that closes early was trying to tell us that it was getting late for certain things.

The intense western sun had made the iron banister leading up the museum steps hot enough to fry a slab of bacon.

At the Mississippi Book Festival the next morning we passed two stern-looking women using black umbrellas as parasols as they sat on the Capitol lawn in folding chairs, handing out religious tracts.

Later, we encountered two smiling gold-

ty in the Magnolia State.

It’s got to be a tough sell Jack Weatherly in Mississippi. But Dr. John F. Marszalek of Mississipi State was making a good effort to sell the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library at MSU. Marzalek championed the Union general’s military prowess, not a hard sell. But an attendee challenged him during question and answer with the accepted assertion that Grant was no match for Lee in battlefield tactics.

I had to leave the balcony of the Galloway Memorial Methodist Church in the next session I picked because of the poor sound system. I might as well have been trying to hear Warren Oates, the character actor, and Whitey Ford, the hall of fame pitcher, as Joyce Carol Oates, noted essayist and novelist, and Richard Ford, the Mississippi-born writer.

It was the same last year from the balcony when historian Jon Meacham, whose book “The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels” was still fresh in circulation and Karl Rove, chief adviser to former George W. Bush, discussed crises for presidents. I stuck it out because of the hoped-for fireworks regarding the current White House occupant, Donald Trump.

JACK WEATHERLY/MBJ

Top photo: The fifth annual Mississippi Book Festival attracted 9,300. Above: Willie Morris’ grave marker at Glenwood Cemetery in Yazoo City.

en retrievers on leashes. It occurred to me that the those women might benefit from such a loving presence.

Yazoo City is but one example of why our state is extraordinarily represented by

the written word, not to mention music.

There is something about the soil and soul of the state.

Which is why a library dedicated to Union General U.S. Grant is such an oddi-

Evidently U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the self-proclaimed “wise Latina,” uncharacteristically said nothing provocative, though she sold plenty of books – 130 copies of her autobiography, 130 children’s books and 50 others on different topics, according to a sales clerk for Lemuria Books, which has a tent at the festival.

The timing was right for her to hold forth on the recent arrest of 680 immigrant workers in Mississippi poultry processing plants by federal agents.

I had decided not to attend her discussion with memoirist Margaret McMullan, choosing instead to hear a panel take on “renegades in American history” in the same hour.

These renegades were not of the political stripe – Black Beard the pirate and Wild Bill Hickock.

You picks your topics and takes your chances.

The record crowd of 9,300 had plenty to chose from among 48 panels and 170 writers, not to mention the 75 hopefuls in the heat of Authors Alley waiting for their time in the cool rooms.

» Contact Mississippi Business Journal staff writer Jack Weatherly at jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com or (601) 364-1016.

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

132 Riverview Dr., Suite E • Flowood, MS 39232 Main: (601) 364-1000 • Fax: (601) 364-1007 E-mails: mbj@msbusiness.com, ads@msbusiness.com, photos@msbusiness.com, research@msbusiness.com, events@msbusiness.com

Website: www.msbusiness.com Aug. 10-23, 2019 Volume 41, Number 30

MBJ PERSPECTIVE Aug. 10-23, 2019 • www.msbusiness.com • Page 11

» OUTSIDE WORLD

» OTHER VIEWS

Lockdown drills prepare teachers and students

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» INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

BECKY GILLETTE Contributing Writer mbj@msbusiness.com • 364-1018

Are GOP candidates willing to tackle rural issues?

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tudents are back at the books throughout Mississippi and school activities are underway. While the three Rs – reading, writing and arithmetic – are the foundation of learning, they are accompanied each year by the regular practice of fire and tornado drills.

Drills date to the ’50s when the “duck-and-cover” nuclear bomb drills were conducted. Now it’s routine to have practice activities in the event of fire where everyone is evacuated from the building to the nearest fire exit and of tornados where students huddle in hallways with their hands over their heads.

No matter what drill is being done, the reason is the same – to ensure that teachers and students are prepared in the event of an emergency and to make sure they know what they need to know to keep themselves safe.

Unfortunately, random shootings continue across the country and their results will be the same unless schools take precautions. Active-shooter drills have been added to the list of safety training in schools thanks to The Mississippi School Safety Act, which requires all school districts to hold active-shooter drills twice a year, within the first 60 days of each semester, and also to have a threat assessment.

Several schools in Mississippi have already scheduled drills to make sure teachers and students are prepared if an attack did occur. School administrators, teachers, counselors, law enforcement officials, emergency responders and parent representatives should work together to develop detailed plans for these drills.

Law enforcement officials have noted that the average response time when an incident occurs is three to five minutes, which means a person only has minutes to execute a plan. Lockdown drills and practicing emergency response plans can reduce safety risks and anxiety, especially among younger children.

Parents depend on schools to keep their children safe and these drills are critical to students and teachers to know how to respond when there is an emergency. Children need to know that schools are safe.

Though regular lockdown drills can be frightening at first, having everyone working off the same game plan and equipped with the essential tools for handling these situations can bring reassurance when most needed.

Preparation and practice can save lives.

S

JACK WEATHERLY Staff Writer jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com • 364-1016

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ural Mississippians, as I wrote last week, will have a big say in the August Republican primary runoffs. Politicians who ignore their plight may be in for a big surprise.

Take, for example, Tippah County on the northern border of the state.

Republican voter turnout in the first primary was up 4,809, a 732 percent gain. A key issue in Tippah County appears to be delay after delay to four-lane Highway 15.

The future economic growth of Ripley could depend upon completion of the project, Mayor Chris Marsalis told the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. “I know of three (businesses) that passed on our initial location because access to a fourlane highway was too far away,” Marsalis said. His sentiment was echoed

by Doug Martin, the mayor of Blue Mountain.

Ashley Furniture Chairman Ron Wanek said, “Highway 15 is long overdue to be improved,” calling it hazardous, challenging, and dangerous.

Lack of funding for highways in Mississippi is why the project has been delayed, said Mike Tagert, the outgoing northern district transportation commissioner. “You’ve got to pay for the system that you want to

build and maintain,” he told the newspaper. He added that the fairest and most equitable way BILL CRAWFORD to do that “is through a fuel tax increase.”

Of the two candidates in the GOP runoff for governor, only Bill Waller has shown a willingness to do that, proposing to offset an increase in fuel taxes by reducing personal income taxes. His opponent Tate Reeves continues to reject any increase out of hand.

Similar stories can be found in rural counties with struggling hospitals, teacher shortages, and mental health challenges. Waller has put forth ideas to address these issues while Reeves has not.

Interestingly, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor Delbert Hosemann also favors addressing these issues. Hosemann has said he is committed to the construction and maintenance of our roads and bridges, wants to reform Medicaid to ensure all Mississippians have access to affordable, quality health-

— The Daily Journal See CRAWFORD, Page 12

Perspective

12 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019 » RICKY NOBILE

CRAWFORD

Continued from, Page 11

care and mental health care, and wants to increase teacher pay to deal with the teacher shortage. Hosemann hopes to pay for much of this from savings generated by “running the government better.”

Of course, these are not the only issues facing rural counties: decreasing population, particularly from the loss of young people, while the proportion of elderly residents continues to surge; opioid addiction coupled with increased drug abuse and suicides; and physician shortages now coupled with nursing shortages are among the other issues causing rural distress.

If Republicans choose candidates unwilling to do what it takes to tackle rural issues, Democrats are ready to jump in.

Jim Hood wants to expand Medicaid to strengthen rural emergency care and provide more rural mental health care, raise teacher pay to deal with the teacher shortage, raise the gas tax to fix and build new roads and bridges, and force opioid manufacturers to help pay for opioid addiction treatment.

Jay Hughes, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, wants to expand Medicaid to increase healthy outcomes and save medical jobs in rural areas, increase teacher pay to deal with the teacher shortage, and favors construction and maintenance of our roads and bridges.

Will rural voters weigh in on these issues?

The real question is when, on August 27th for Republican solutions or on November 5th for Democratic solutions. » Bill Crawford (crawfolk@gmail.com) is a syndicated columnist from Meridian.

» UNDER THE CAPITOL DOME

Republicans line up to support immigration arrests M “it is wrong to demonize

any Mississippi Republican officials see the immigration raids on seven chicken processing plants earlier this month not only as good policy, but as good politics.

The raids were maybe most a gift to Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, who lucked into a Twitter clash with Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar, currently a huge target of GOP attacks.

On the day the raids led to 680 arrests, Reeves tweeted his support, writing in part that he was “glad to see that ICE is working hard to enforce our immigration laws. 680 aliens detained in Mississippi today. We must enforce our laws, for the safety of all Americans.”

One of the many critics who fired back was Omar, writing “How dare you applaud as hundreds of children are left orphaned by ICE… This is the language of dehumanization and its only logical end is violence.”

Reeves replied that “it is wrong to demonize the brave work of our law enforcement” and that Omar’s “no-borders vision is a non-starter in Mississippi.” Reeves even ended up being interviewed on Fox News.

And while it’s unclear if Reeves swayed national opinion, that’s not the forum that matters most to him right now. Instead, he’s running to the right in the Republican runoff for the gubernatorial nomination against former Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr. With Reeves billing himself as the “only true conservative” and having spent months making culture war against “elites” and

the brave work of our law enforcement.”

Tate Reeves Republican gubernatorial hopeful “Hollywood liberals,” a fight with an actual liberal was a perfect fit.

It could be die-hard conservative base voters who make it to the polls for the Aug. 27 runoff, so going to the right on immigration could be a potent appeal to a shrunken runoff electorate.

Reeves also managed to get in a swipe at Democratic gubernatorial nominee and Attorney General Jim Hood, blaming him for failing to enforce state laws against hiring jobseekers without documents. Hood, for his part voiced concern for children on the day of the raids, but said he didn’t see it as a major issue for state government, saying it’s a federal problem.

“As a prosecutor all these years — they need to follow

the law. But there’s a human element, too, especially dealing with kids,” Hood said.

Reeves is not the only one who has lined up in support of the arrests. On Thursday U.S. Rep Steven Palazzo’s campaign sent out a one-question survey stating: “I have always believed in Jeff Amy upholding the rule of law in our nation when it comes to immigration… Do you stand with Immigration and Customs Enforcement?”

There probably won’t be a lot “no” responses there.

Both outgoing Gov. Phil Bryant and Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson last week forwarded a retweet by the White House twitter account of a Breitbart story framed around the idea that arresting immigrants was clearing the way for American citizens to apply for poultry plant jobs.

“I’m encouraged to see the continued reports of growing interest of our local jobseekers in these open poultry plant jobs,” Gipson wrote .

One group not united in support of the raids? People actually applying for jobs. Reporters asked multiple people at a job fair for Koch Foods whether they felt Latino immigrants had taken jobs away from them, and several noted that it’s not hard to get hired for the tough jobs of slaughtering and butchering chickens. Some people said they hoped chicken processors would be forced to pay more with so many workers arrested, but the dominant feeling toward immigrants was sympathy.

“They’re good people,” applicant Eddie Nicholson Jr. said last week. “Everybody’s trying to make a dollar, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

» Jeff Amy has covered politics and government for The Associated Press in Mississippi since 2011. Follow Jeff Amy him on Twitter at http:// twitter.com/jeffamy.

Perspective

Aug. 10-23, 2019

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» FROM THE GROUND UP

Lose weight and 7 other reasons to run for public office

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olitical campaign season is in high gear. This year Mississippi voters will elect candidates for statewide, county and certain district offices. Although the deadline has passed to qualify to run for those positions it is an appropriate time to broach the subject of running for political office in a future election cycle. In this column, I offer eight reasons for you to think about running for political office in the future. These are based on my own experience running for a local office quite a few years ago.

Reason 1 – You will meet movers and shakers, and they will meet you.

They are not just political influencers, they are the leaders in the community. They are the ones whom people ask, “Who is ________ supporting?” They also contribute to candidates whom they feel can make a difference. For a first-time candidate it can be intimidating to seek an appointment and the sit across from a desk and explain why you are running for office and why the influencer should support you. In my case, they had seen many aspiring candidates before, so they knew what to ask. After a few of these meetings I had my response ready. In my case, I was running for a local county office instead of a statewide office so I had to make a case for support from local influencers.

Reason 2 – You will appreciate public officials more. It’s easy to think that being a public official is easy. However, the average person doesn’t know about the phone calls, the pressure and even the threats of opposition. You must be willing to listen to all sides and then act or vote your conscience. By the way, you do know that everyone who has an opinion is right, don’t you? That is, “right” from their perspective.

Reason 3 – You will learn a lot about the political process. You think you know a lot now. Just wait. There are are forms,

ethics reports, deadlines. You will be expected to know about the registration deadlines, the maximum contribution amounts and much more.

You will learn that public officials in Mississippi must file a Statement of Economic Interest with the Mississippi Ethics Commission within 15 days from the time you qualify to run for office and every years thereafter by May 1. Failure to do so can result in a fine of up to $10,000. Be sure to study the Ethics Commission and the Secretary of State websites for more details about elections and public officials reporting requirements.

Reason 4 –You will connect and reconnect with supporters and friends. One of the more positive things about running for office is that you will hear from friends and acquaintances with whom you have lost touch with who want to support your campaign. Indeed, you will be humbled by those who will work for your campaign, make financial contributions and tell others about you.

Reason 5 – You will make a difference even if you lose. In my case, I ran for Chancery Clerk on an issue that I believed in. At the time, chancery clerks in Mississippi got to keep what they collected after paying for the operation of their office. Several chancery clerks were taking home hundreds of thousand of dollars. I thought that was something that needed changing. My issue was that chancery clerks pay should be no more than that of the governor. In case you’re wondering, I came in second in the party primary of several candidates.

Reason 6 – You will lose weight. Running (pun intended) for political office takes physical stamina. You will need to go door-to-door to ask for votes. You will need to attend countless political events. The Neshoba County Fair alone is good for five pounds of weight loss. You will not have

time for your usual meal schedule.

Reason 7 – You will learn more about communication with the media, speaking in public and face-to-face with individuals. Your words, and how you say them, have more meaning than ever. You will be questioned about what you meant when you said a certain thing. In the end, you will become an expert in communication.

Phil Hardwick Reason 8 – Finally, the best reason to consider running for public office. Your community needs and deserves good candidates in every race. These days, many people consider it unthinkable to run for public office. They think about the toll on their families, the mudslinging, the microscope that will get put on their lives. All of that is true to some extent. At the national level, it is unfathomable.

But in the lower races, the ones at the community level, things are different. More people know you personally and know your strengths and weaknesses.

Although I lost my race, in the end I came out ahead. Because I had met those influencers, and they had a chance to get to know me, I had several job offers after the campaign.

Next year, it will be election season for municipal races.

At that level, elected officials make the most difference in the lives of the everyday person. So if you’ve toyed with the idea of running for public office, consider these reasons.

Your community will thank you for considering them and offering yourself for public service. » Phil Hardwick is a regular Mississippi Business Journal columnist. His email is phil@philhardwick. com.

» UNDER THE CAPITOL DOME

Runoff candidates need to keep voters motivated

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ississippi candidates working toward Aug. 27 party primary runoffs have two important tasks: keep the base motivated and find new voters.

People that day will determine the Republican nominees for two statewide offices — governor and attorney general.

The slate of Democratic statewide nominees is set, either because candidates were unopposed or because they won a primary Aug. 6. Attorney General Jim Hood easily defeated seven candidates to win the Democratic nomination for governor, capturing about 69 percent of the primary vote.

Among the people voting for Hood was Tim Speech of Jackson, a 42-year-old public school teacher and basketball coach. Outside the New Hope Baptist Church precinct in Jackson, Speech said he believes Hood has “some good things planned” for educators.

“I look for us to become more competitive with the pay in the Southeast region,” Speech said. “I feel like we should definitely adequately fund education. I feel like we have made some strides, but we have a ways to go.”

Willie Webster, 75, of Jackson also voted for Hood.

“I really think he’ll be for everybody and not just one group,” Webster said. “Black, white, Mexican — he’ll do the right thing. Don’t push one group to try to do stuff for.”

Mary Myles, 67, was among the minority of African Americans voters at the New Hope precinct who cast a

ballot in the Republican primary. She said she backed Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves for governor because she saw him as the “most experienced” and because Bryant and the National Rifle Association had endorsed him.

At a precinct in the Jackson suburb of Ridgeland, retired teacher Sara Caldwell, 88, said she voted in the Republican primary, choosing former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Bill Waller Jr. for governor. She said Waller seems to have a more detailed plan than Reeves to pay for highway improvements: Waller has said the state should consider increasing the gasoline tax, while Reeves opposes that.

Caldwell’s daughter lives near the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and Caldwell has had to take a longer route to drive there the past two years because a bridge on a state highway has been closed. She said she’s not thrilled about paying a higher gas tax. “But, if that is what it takes, I’ll do it,” Caldwell said. “We desperately need some roads and bridges.”

Thomas Martin, 26, is a physical education teacher at a private elementary school in Jackson. He lives and votes in the Jackson suburb of Madison and said he chose Reeves for governor.

“I feel like he holds a lot of the values that we hold,” Martin said.

Martin said it’s important to him that Reeves supports President Donald Trump and that Republican Gov. Phil Bryant endorsed Reeves.

Keith Tarbutton, 65, is self-employed delivery person who lives in Madison.

He said he voted in the Republican primary for governor, selecting first-term state Rep. Robert Foster.

“He’s conservative. He’s supposedly a businessman and he doesn’t have a lot of ties to the government right now,” Tarbutton said. “He’s got a few fresh ideas.” Emily Wagster Pettus Foster was eliminated from the governor’s race after receiving about 18 percent statewide in the Republican primary. Reeves received about 49 percent and Waller received about 33 percent.

Foster received the most votes in his home county, DeSoto, and in neighboring Tate County. Waller prevailed in Lafayette County and sparsely populated Sharkey County and in the three counties in the metro Jackson area — Hinds, Madison and Rankin. Reeves won the other counties, doing especially well in the Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson counties.

Mississippi has one restriction about voting in runoffs: A person who voted in one party’s primary may not vote in the other party’s runoff.

People who did not vote on Aug. 6 may vote on Aug. 27. » Emily Wagster Pettus covers Capitol matters for the Mississippi Associated Press in Jackson.

Perspective

14 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019 » POLITICS

Will be a steward of the state’s law enforcement resources

L

ife often brings the realization that something must be done just because it is the right thing to do. Such a time arose for my wife Karen and me this past spring when I concluded that I should enter the race for Attorney General.

For nearly 150 years, Mississippi has waited for the opportunity to elect a conservative Republican to the office of Attorney General to man the post of the toughest job in state government. This year, we have that opportunity and we must get it right.

Mississippi’s Attorney General should be a genuine conservative When I served as Chief of Staff and Legal Counsel to Governor Kirk Fordice, I watched firsthand as Democrat Attorney General Mike Moore actively worked to oppose the business-friendly policies Governor Fordice was pushing, and I frequently was called upon to stand in Mike Moore’s place when he refused to carry out the responsibility of the office of Attorney General to defend the Governor’s decisions.

My opponent, instead, chose to work as Mike Moore’s assistant.

Over the past sixteen years, I have watched Jim Hood turn the office of Attorney General into a plaintiffs’ law firm, handing out lawsuits to his campaign supporters to make millions of dollars by suing businesses in the name of the State of Mississippi.

Our state has a perfectly effective civil legal system in place where plaintiffs may bring their personal claims on their own behalf without the unfair benefit of using the weight of the entire State of Mississippi as a hammer for Mr. Hood’s plaintiffs’ lawyer friends. I do not believe the Office of the Attorney General should be used as a battering ram against our state’s businesses.

My opponent, on the other hand, has accepted hundreds

of thousands of dollars in campaign support from the very plaintiffs’ lawyers who give to Jim Hood and kept him in office for the past sixteen years.

Mississippi’s Attorney General should be an experienced, actively practicing lawyer I have actively practiced law for the past 34 years. In the past two years alone, I have argued before the state’s highest appellate courts—the Mississippi Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals—as well as the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. I have tried many jury trials to verdict. I argued in favor of Voter ID before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit—the federal appellate court where constitutional challenges of Mississippi’s statutes are supposed to be argued by the Mississippi Attorney General.

For too long, our Attorney General has outsourced his cases, choosing to “manage” rather than actively protect the interests of Mississippi taxpayers. As Mississippi’s Attorney General, I will show up in the courtroom on your behalf, myself. And I have the experience to do it well.

My opponent, on the other hand, has not litigated a single case in over twenty years.

The last brief I filed with the Mississippi Supreme Court was five weeks ago. The last one my opponent filed was nearly 25 years ago.

Mississippi’s Attorney General should be a wise steward of our state’s law enforcement resources For the past six months, I have traveled our state telling Mississippians of the loss of our son to suicide and drugs, and presenting my plan for pushing the resources of the office of Attorney General—the state’s top law enforcement official—to local law enforcement officers battling the scourge of drugs on the streets.

My wife Karen and I have learned over the past seven

years since losing Brad that there is a difference between victims and predators. I have a plan for nailing the drug predators by ensuring that our law enforcement officers have every resource they need. And I also understand the need to redeem and restore victims, through tools like the drug courts that we need to put in place statewide.

ANDY TAGGART My opponent, on the other hand, offers a vague promise to be “strong on crime.”

Mississippi will elect its first Republican Attorney General this year. We have to get it right.

I knew when I stepped into this race last March that it would not be easy. People told me I started too late, that I couldn’t raise enough money, that my opponents were too strong, that people would disagree with my positions.

And yet, here we are, days away from the runoff for the Republican nomination for Attorney General.

I knew that I would have to fight and claw with every ounce of strength the Lord would give me to finish this race. But I knew that it was time to do what needed to be done because it was the right thing to do and the right time to do it.

I am ready to be the business-minded conservative, the practicing lawyer, and the wise steward of the state’s law enforcement resources that our state needs. I need your help on Aug. 27 to do it. » ANDY TAGGART is a candidate for Attorney General for the State of Mississippi.

» POLITICS

The runoff election for governor is too important to sit on the sidelines

G

ubernatorial runoffs are a rare occurrence in Mississippi’s history. In fact, the most recent was nearly three decades ago. Like so many of you, I have struggled to reach a decision on the right plan of action in this runoff election.

For months, I pitched my conservative outsider resume and platform of fresh ideas and a new perspective for our state government. While we were disappointed in the results, we saw that a majority of Mississippians are looking for more than the next-guy-in-line.

We have also seen, at this time in our history, a majority of Mississippians are not happy with the status quo and their vote proved that on Tuesday.

After days of mindful consideration, prayer and soul searching, I have decided that on Aug. 27, I will cast my ballot for Bill Waller, and I hope you will join me in doing so.

I’ve come to my decision for a variety of reasons – my conscious being one. For me, this wasn’t about who is most conservative or public opinion, but whom I trust to lead our state with integrity, character, and selfless service – traits I have witnessed first-hand in Brigadier General

Waller over the course of this election.

This Integrity matters, and it provides a significant reason to cast your ballot for Waller.

Second, policy. Even though we don’t always get what we want in a candidate, I know, without a doubt, that Waller will do what’s in the best interest of all Mississippians – NOT special interests and lobbyist.

For anyone concerned with the issues – I hope you will look at his position thoroughly instead of political sound bites or deceiving commercials. Medicaid is not a program we need to expand. It is a program we need to reform.

Third, November. Jim Hood is wholly unacceptable – by any measure. If he wins in November, our state will – without a doubt – be subjected to left-wing policies for generations to come. Justice Waller has proven time and again that he can beat Hood in November, and he is the only candidate standing in his way of turning our state BLUE. My conscience tells me to do what I can to ensure that doesn’t happen.

Fourth, solutions. For some time, our third candidate has spent a considerable amount of time discussing nation-

al issues, while ignoring the challenges we face in Mississippi – like teacher pay and shortage, a rising opioid crisis, and infrastructure. Waller, in contrast, has offered real, long-term solutions to our biggest problems facing Mississippi families, and I encourage you to do your research.

ROBERT FOSTER Instead of fighting over political ideologies, we have to come together to find common ground on the issues we face together. I am confident in the republican state legislature, who controls legislation, that, together, they will bring about conservative solutions in a way that doesn’t put taxpayers or our state budget at risk.

Finally, I have never needed approval to vote my conscience, and neither do you. I didn’t become one of the most conservative house members by selling out my convictions, and I am not going to start now.

Our shared values are too important to sit idly by on the sidelines and spectate. In December, I committed to do what’s in the best interest of all Mississippians, and I intend on keeping that commitment.

In the end, we each just have one vote, or we can stay home. But if you don’t want to see Hood win in November, I encourage you to join me in voting for Bill Waller.

» ROBERT FOSTER is a state Representative from DeSoto County and was a Republican gubernatorial candidate in the primary election.

Hi, Mississippi.

Join Google for free workshops to help you grow your skills, career, or business.

Coming to Mississippi Week of August 26 g.co/GrowMississippi

16 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019 DINING

Southern Miss is latest to sell beer at football games The University of Southern Mississippi is joining a nationwide trend of universities selling beer at football games.

The university announced Monday that it will sell beer and light wine at M.M. Roberts Stadium beginning with its Sept. 28 game against University of Texas at El Paso. USM officials say they’re waiting until the year’s second home game to get employees and concession stands ready.

Beer will be sold until the end of the third quarter.

Spectators will no longer be allowed to leave and re-enter the stadium.

If football sales are successful, USM says it may consider selling beer at other athletic events.

USM also says it’s lowering prices on some concession items and will allow students to order food online and retrieve it from a concession stand express line.

ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS

Judge rules lawsuit over oilfield waste can proceed A Mississippi judge says a lawsuit over oilfield waste can move forward.

Jones County Circuit Court Judge Dal Williamson ruled Monday that Tae and Diedra Baucum can sue a number of companies including Petro Harvester Oil & Gas. WDAM-TV reports the Baucums allege waste buried nearby has leached into the Baucum property and contaminated it.

Monday’s ruling allows the family to pursue a personal injury claim in circuit court, while seeking money for property damages from the state Oil and Gas Board.

The lawsuit claims the defendants disregarded human health and safety by dumping, drilling, pumping and burying oilfield waste.

Environmental expert Bob Bowcock says Petro Harvester’s surface water discharge ponds may have percolated into a shallow aquifer system. Petro Harvester merged into Rockall Energy in 2018.

EDUCATION

Mississippi steps toward scrapping high school history test Mississippi education officials are taking another step toward scrapping a now-required U.S. history test.

The state Commission on School Accreditation voted unanimously on Monday to recommend to the state Board of Education that Mississippi stop giving the test to high school students.

Students formerly had to pass exams in history, English, algebra and biology to graduate. Now, there are alternate routes to graduate, but some Mississippi students still don’t earn a diploma because they failed one or more tests.

EDUCATION

Head Start early education programs launching on Gulf Coast The Mississippi State University’s Extension Service is in the process of launching five Head Start early education centers on the Gulf Coast.

News outlets report extension service officials met with parents Monday in Biloxi.

A news release from the university says the goal is to create a seamless transition for children from early care to kindergarten.

This is the first time the MSU Extension Service has offered direct child care services. It’s partnered with school districts and community organizations to help with the program.

The extension service got notice Aug. 1 that it would take over the Head Start programs. It’s been working since then to get food licenses and plan renovations and transportation.

A job fair Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings this week is being hosted to fill open position.

— MBJ Staff & Wire Reports

Teacher groups and others who say students are overtested are seeking the change.

The history test also counts in Mississippi’s A-to-F grading system for high schools and districts.

The state Board of Education plans to seek public comment before voting later this year.

No changes will take place this school year

MEDIA

Journalist and political staffer Wayne Weidie dies at 78 OCEAN SPRINGS — A former Mississippi newspaper publisher and political columnist who later became a congressional aide has died.

Wayne Weidie (WEE-die) was 78 when he died Thursday at his home in Venice, Florida.

Weidie was publisher and Weidie editor of two Mississippi Gulf Coast newspapers, the Ocean Springs Record and the Gautier Independent, from 1970 to 1990, and wrote a syndicated Mississippi political column from 1972 to 1990.

He was chief of staff for Democratic U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor of Mississippi from 1990 to 2004. Weidie left that job to work as a government affairs consultant.

After retiring in 2014, he published a political blog called the Weidie Report.

An obituary published by Toale Brothers Funeral Home in Venice, Florida, says a memorial service for Weidie will be Sept. 5 in Ocean Springs.

EDUCATION

Public library receives grant to restore photos COLUMBUS — The photographic negative Mona Vance-Ali held in her hand was stiff and crinkled, tinted bright blue from chemical off-gassing.

She said it was from around the 1940s or ’50s.

Nearly 70 years after it was made, on Wednesday at the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, the image wasn’t even visible.

Vance-Ali examined one of the yellowing envelopes containing similar-looking negatives in one part of the library’s Carl Brown collection, encased in a receptacle about the size of a shoebox.

“That’s rank,” she said, smelling the envelope’s opening.

After the library was awarded a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities on Wednesday, historical photographs like those in the Carl Brown collection can hopefully be restored and preserved.

“We’re very excited,” Vance-Ali said. “This just helps us in our larger mission of preserving the history and culture of Lowndes County.”

The grant money will be split three ways.

The library will hire photograph conservator Kim Du Boise, with PhotoArts Imaging Professionals, LLC, out of Hattiesburg, to assess photographs in the library’s archive collections and make a plan for restoration.

She’ll work full-time for about a week.

Du Boise will assess photographs in the Carl Brown, Joe Sarcone and Jerry Nail collections, as well as others housed in the library. The three collections total thousands of negatives and prints and document life

in Lowndes County, through portraits and images of weddings, gatherings and public events, from around the 1940s to the 1990s, collectively.

Vance-Ali said the Joe Sarcone collection will probably need the most work after being stored in a house without air conditioning and electricity before it came to the library. Vance-Ali said photographic negatives should be stored at 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) and documents and photographs should be stored at 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius), ideally.

Storage at an improper temperature, and in a humid climate, can allow for melting and “bug issues.”

“She’s going to have to get deep into that collection and make sure there are no hidden issues,” Vance-Ali said.

Du Boise will also focus on scrapbook images in her assessment. The library has about 50 scrapbooks.

“Dealing with photographs in scrapbooks is a whole other issue,” Vance-Ali said. “When you close a scrapbook, two images are touching. Then you have transference.”

The grant will also cover storage supplies to preserve photos. For example, Kodak safety film needs to be stored between acid-free paper. Glass plate negatives need to be stored vertically. New and additional supplies, including acid-free boxes and sleeves, are needed.

“In different decades, different types of film were produced,” she said. “We have all kinds of formats.”

Webinar training in preservation through the Northeast Document Conservation Center will also be financed by the grant. Vance-Ali, and the two other people who work in the Local History Department, Brenda Durrett and Bettye Brown, will receive the training.

“It’s further educational training,” Vance-Ali said.

The entire restoration project should run September through March, Vance-Ali said.

The library received a preservation assistance grant for a smaller institution from the NEH, which awarded 45 similar grants this year, totaling $394,741.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

New Mississippi boat maker invests $1.6M and hires 75

A new company has begun making boats in northeast Mississippi and hired 75 people.

Avid Boats in Amory says it’s investing $1.6 million to make aluminum bass boats and center console bay boats. Avid plans to make 750 boats next year and 1,500 annually by 2022.

President Phillip Faulkner previously founded Amory boat maker NauticStar.

Mississippi Development Authority spokeswoman Tammy Craft says the state is giving Avid $218,000 for building improvements and $75,000 for worker training. Amory and Monroe County are giving property tax breaks estimated at $400,000 over 10 years.

Avid will be eligible for a state worker income tax rebate because average workers will earn more than $43,300 a year. Avid could collect $1.3 million over 10 years.

— MBJ Staff & Wire Reports

July 2019 sales tax receipts/year to date, July 1 MISSISSIPPI STATE TAX COMMISSION Here are cities’ earnings through sales tax collections. Sales tax has a three-month cycle.

Month 1 — Tax is collected by the retailer. Month 2 — Tax is reported/paid to the Tax Commission by the retailer. Month 3 — Sales tax diversion is paid by the Tax Commission to the cities.

This report is based on the month the tax is collected at the Tax Commission (Month 2).

July July Year to date YTD CITY 2019 2018 2019 2018 Abbeville 4813.33 4099.08 4813.33 4099.08 Aberdeen 76,783.47 75577.87 76783.47 75577.87 Ackerman 26,161.40 25255.54 26161.4 25255.54 Alcorn State University 0 0 0 0 Algoma 6,628.11 2579.13 6628.11 2579.13 Alligator 249.67 320.5 249.67 320.5 Amory 164,972.72 166075.34 164972.72 166075.34 Anguilla 1,763.38 1816.48 1763.38 1816.48 Arcola 976.81 793.56 976.81 793.56 Artesia 723.25 713.86 723.25 713.86 Ashland 12,062.22 12466 12062.22 12466 Baldwyn 51,326.24 42882.62 51326.24 42882.62 Bassfield 12,490.16 14695.55 12490.16 14695.55 Batesville 379,913.73 390246.37 379913.73 390246.37 Bay Springs 59,012.68 56153.88 59012.68 56153.88 Bay St. Louis 161,909.08 157316.21 161909.08 157316.21 Beaumont 9,132.33 10376.28 9132.33 10376.28 Beauregard 334.32 220.3 334.32 220.3 Belmont 29,128.72 28172.35 29128.72 28172.35 Belzoni 36,677.27 36102.34 36677.27 36102.34 Benoit 1,817.87 2745.36 1817.87 2745.36 Bentonia 10,784.20 10988.19 10784.2 10988.19 Beulah 255.40 330.35 255.4 330.35 Big Creek 279.76 315.71 279.76 315.71 Biloxi 1,179,986.29 1188826.38 1179986.29 1188826.38 Blue Mountain 10,894.36 9826.46 10894.36 9826.46 Blue Springs 1,633.37 2198.58 1633.37 2198.58 Bolton 14,647.67 16921.11 14647.67 16921.11 Booneville 150,467.76 161357.77 150467.76 161357.77 Boyle 17,902.49 27430.23 17902.49 27430.23 Brandon 494,860.77 506350.86 494860.77 506350.86 Braxton 1,135.05 1554.84 1135.05 1554.84 Brookhaven 482,965.74 452429.35 482965.74 452429.35 Brooksville 9,803.69 9629.66 9803.69 9629.66 Bruce 39,795.35 41723.79 39795.35 41723.79 Bude 11,989.71 12012.13 11989.71 12012.13 Burnsville 14,511.30 14161.81 14511.3 14161.81 Byhalia 72,088.66 75617.46 72088.66 75617.46 Byram 245,601.31 237717.86 245601.31 237717.86 Caledonia 15,152.24 15497.85 15152.24 15497.85 Calhoun City 21,794.84 24948.82 21794.84 24948.82 Canton 217,916.32 251392.11 217916.32 251392.11 Carrollton 6,314.68 7121.13 6314.68 7121.13 Carthage 143,264.82 146277.85 143264.82 146277.85 Cary 687.90 1891.25 687.9 1891.25 Centreville 17,990.23 20492.11 17990.23 20492.11 Charleston 28,279.57 30425.75 28279.57 30425.75 Chunky 650.81 636.71 650.81 636.71 Clarksdale 215,784.13 215359.96 215784.13 215359.96 Cleveland 293,745.80 293523.33 293745.8 293523.33 Clinton 396,543.46 357811.84 396543.46 357811.84 Coahoma 513.05 469.13 513.05 469.13 Coahoma Community College 27.53 43.25 27.53 43.25 Coffeeville 10,996.44 11678 10996.44 11678 Coldwater 19,359.10 24207.78 19359.1 24207.78 Collins 162,337.86 144756.58 162337.86 144756.58 Columbia 268,727.84 268243.19 268727.84 268243.19 Columbus 812,053.94 806897.41 812053.94 806897.41 Como 15,981.64 14935.98 15981.64 14935.98 Corinth 538,761.24 526486.09 538761.24 526486.09 Courtland 1,059.82 1327.8 1059.82 1327.8 Crawford 1,366.94 1514.13 1366.94 1514.13 Crenshaw 5,883.85 5894.11 5883.85 5894.11 Crosby 824.74 1483.42 824.74 1483.42 Crowder 1,977.70 2199.46 1977.7 2199.46 Cruger 326.14 300.21 326.14 300.21 Crystal Springs 62,820.55 68180 62820.55 68180 D’Iberville 720,340.34 680952.01 720340.34 680952.01 D’Lo 1,654.59 37209.33 1654.59 37209.33 Decatur 12,362.01 11619.75 12362.01 11619.75 Dekalb 17,020.54 20566.57 17020.54 20566.57 Derma 12,810.60 10579.39 12810.6 10579.39 Diamondhead 59,666.65 52904.62 59666.65 52904.62 Doddsville 608.48 820.88 608.48 820.88 Drew 6,895.04 7253.06 6895.04 7253.06 Duck Hill 4,001.79 4997.12 4001.79 4997.12 Dumas 2,289.66 1088.42 2289.66 1088.42 Duncan 0.00 533.66 0 533.66 Durant 34,766.53 36411.11 34766.53 36411.11 East Mississippi CC 39.05 52.79 39.05 52.79 Ecru 13,509.13 10293.26 13509.13 10293.26 Eden 232.23 89.4 232.23 89.4 Edwards 6,990.82 6842.98 6990.82 6842.98 Ellisville 86,667.85 74513.18 86667.85 74513.18 Enterprise 5,797.18 6133.2 5797.18 6133.2 Ethel 2,340.55 2575.8 2340.55 2575.8 Eupora 33,172.23 39898.91 33172.23 39898.91 Falcon 93.11 366.19 93.11 366.19 Falkner 5,909.67 5415.38 5909.67 5415.38 Farmington 6,079.98 5361.73 6079.98 5361.73 Fayette 17,566.06 15446.96 17566.06 15446.96 Flora 26,468.75 36044 26468.75 36044 Florence 64,671.85 74800.65 64671.85 74800.65 Flowood 982,385.37 1042191.23 982385.37 1042191.23 Forest 190,565.35 201837.94 190565.35 201837.94 French Camp 1,666.24 1158.29 1666.24 1158.29 Friars Point 1,683.91 3957.37 1683.91 3957.37

Fulton 127,324.46 Gattman 89.48 Gautier 216,204.58 Georgetown 4,325.96 Glen 4,189.54 Glendora 342.42 Gloster 14,063.61 Golden 3,867.80 Goodman 4,184.38 Greenville 499,317.25 Greenwood 362,564.71 Grenada 369,460.06 Gulfport 1,992,271.54 Gunnison 546.66 Guntown 16,452.81 Hatley 1,791.34 Hattiesburg 1,877,821.37 Hazlehurst 119,374.93 Heidelberg 14,862.11 Hernando 309,831.09 Hickory 10,463.37 Hickory Flat 6,271.20 Hinds Community College 607.94 Hollandale 16,345.51 Holly Springs 112,112.40 Horn Lake 473,658.82 Houlka 7,989.00 Houston 95,248.35 Indianola 150,358.11 Inverness 6,115.67 Isola 1,926.09 Itta Bena 11,729.85 Iuka 80,699.01 Jackson 2,321,829.61 Jonestown 3,235.89 Jumpertown 2,021.22 Kilmichael 6,074.05 Kosciusko 178,324.50 Kossuth 4,552.90 Lake 23,232.46 Lambert 2,194.43 Laurel 814,077.69 Leakesville 26,391.85 Learned 882.05 Leland 47,102.31 Lena 2,038.38 Lexington 37,399.92 Liberty 19,673.81 Long Beach 141,609.03 Louin 3,229.65 Louise 1,966.93 Louisville 150,952.87 Lucedale 178,840.38 Lula 1,036.78 Lumberton 14,457.31 Lyon 2,443.87 Maben 7,809.01 Macon 50,802.48 Madison 754,707.56 Magee 197,670.21 Magnolia 43,017.95 Mantachie 17,688.32 Mantee 1,817.70 Marietta 4,724.31 Marion 19,671.92 Marks 14,604.34 Mathiston 16,969.67 Mayersville 588.64 McComb 474,766.63 McCool 294.65 McLain 4,725.60 Meadville 10,047.62 Mendenhall 59,958.20 Meridian 1,202,901.29 Merigold 6,979.79 Metcalfe 839.87 Mississippi Gulf Coast CC 183.56 Mississippi State University 27,658.52 Mississippi Valley State Univ. 183.84 Mize 10,280.62 Monticello 34,486.70 Montrose 2,148.92 Moorhead 7,068.80 Morgan City 457.04 Morton 39,892.01 Moss Point 177,133.83 Mound Bayou 4,170.60 Mt. Olive 8,889.20 Myrtle 4,378.45 Natchez 438,757.50 Nettleton 36,150.67 New Albany 298,799.81 New Augusta 11,845.19 New Hebron 6,402.31 Newton 83,270.13 North Carrollton 2,915.00 Noxapater 8,295.76 Oakland 7,437.14 Ocean Springs 452,070.84 Okolona 25,513.80 Olive Branch 970,090.12 Osyka 5,464.36 Oxford 764,605.51 Pace 410.75 Pachuta 3,786.96 Paden 139.41

127664.37 145.1 200709.93 4409.03 4382.44 471.69 12409.99 4005.24 3427.22 512513.19 358409.16 390017.09 1902083.26 776.33 17857.85 2131.62 1829502.15 114857.5 18181.18 305465.08 8744.3 6672.9 821.67 17069.22 115680.81 420722.77 8720.88 91983.9 152656.92 5372.55 1814.94 11402.74 75774.02 2434223.94 3093.23 2010.93 5733.58 179328.15 4980 19696.46 2087.16 721502.98 27412.61 837.46 54167.67 2483.08 35982.56 22558.61 119943.96 1757.49 1145.84 153787.88 190539.44 831.44 14733.3 1627.48 8357.67 48254.97 705447.59 184592.67 44678.03 19370.64 2289.88 4644.9 20974.8 16671.39 17058.82 790.27 469547.99 546.19 4144.97 11936.78 56995.35 1184564.73 6871.15 1258.94 280.34 23048.66 173.66 11430.01 40575.31 147.23 7447.7 530.26 44818.83 185976.57 3571.67 9022.96 4565.75 430948.44 33461.35 308613.83 12271.09 6302.86 80496.7 4049.13 9068.87 7512.91 424878.75 25030.48 936965.4 5030.98 714533.88 445.63 3492.95 60.28

127324.46 89.48 216204.58 4325.96 4189.54 342.42 14063.61 3867.8 4184.38 499317.25 362564.71 369460.06 1992271.54 546.66 16452.81 1791.34 1877821.37 119374.93 14862.11 309831.09 10463.37 6271.2 607.94 16345.51 112112.4 473658.82 7989 95248.35 150358.11 6115.67 1926.09 11729.85 80699.01 2321829.61 3235.89 2021.22 6074.05 178324.5 4552.9 23232.46 2194.43 814077.69 26391.85 882.05 47102.31 2038.38 37399.92 19673.81 141609.03 3229.65 1966.93 150952.87 178840.38 1036.78 14457.31 2443.87 7809.01 50802.48 754707.56 197670.21 43017.95 17688.32 1817.7 4724.31 19671.92 14604.34 16969.67 588.64 474766.63 294.65 4725.6 10047.62 59958.2 1202901.29 6979.79 839.87 183.56 27658.52 183.84 10280.62 34486.7 2148.92 7068.8 457.04 39892.01 177133.83 4170.6 8889.2 4378.45 438757.5 36150.67 298799.81 11845.19 6402.31 83270.13 2915 8295.76 7437.14 452070.84 25513.8 970090.12 5464.36 764605.51 410.75 3786.96 139.41

127664.37 145.1 200709.93 4409.03 4382.44 471.69 12409.99 4005.24 3427.22 512513.19 358409.16 390017.09 1902083.26 776.33 17857.85 2131.62 1829502.15 114857.5 18181.18 305465.08 8744.3 6672.9 821.67 17069.22 115680.81 420722.77 8720.88 91983.9 152656.92 5372.55 1814.94 11402.74 75774.02 2434223.94 3093.23 2010.93 5733.58 179328.15 4980 19696.46 2087.16 721502.98 27412.61 837.46 54167.67 2483.08 35982.56 22558.61 119943.96 1757.49 1145.84 153787.88 190539.44 831.44 14733.3 1627.48 8357.67 48254.97 705447.59 184592.67 44678.03 19370.64 2289.88 4644.9 20974.8 16671.39 17058.82 790.27 469547.99 546.19 4144.97 11936.78 56995.35 1184564.73 6871.15 1258.94 280.34 23048.66 173.66 11430.01 40575.31 147.23 7447.7 530.26 44818.83 185976.57 3571.67 9022.96 4565.75 430948.44 33461.35 308613.83 12271.09 6302.86 80496.7 4049.13 9068.87 7512.91 424878.75 25030.48 936965.4 5030.98 714533.88 445.63 3492.95 60.28

Aug. 10-23, 2019

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Mississippi Business Journal

Pascagoula 446,987.89 445038.57 Pass Christian 133,470.42 125402.92 Paulding 67.59 124.52 Pearl 929,348.83 876956.14 Pelahatchie 31,914.40 39178.05 Petal 228,710.56 227029.35 Philadelphia 361,252.29 347205.65 Picayune 412,022.04 380244.44 Pickens 4,699.05 7106.21 Pittsboro 1,446.19 1639.44 Plantersville 4,601.47 5291.4 Polkville 1,594.51 1640.41 Pontotoc 206,110.19 208282.76 Pope 4,970.57 6112.91 Poplarville 86,989.87 81624.58 Port Gibson 27,829.42 28880.31 Potts Camp 6,880.11 7846.91 Prentiss 31,960.51 33085.5 Puckett 9,621.12 8662.83 Purvis 76,140.06 70384.75 Quitman 51,052.31 47871.56 Raleigh 17,339.26 16824.82 Raymond 18,377.93 16774.77 Renova 3,613.74 3665.38 Richland 780,255.36 490964.85 Richton 31,159.46 29594.39 Ridgeland 1,140,353.92 1091601.91 Rienzi 3,668.54 4490.53 Ripley 110,950.71 128628.71 Rolling Fork 31,685.80 33747.59 Rosedale 9,939.71 9879.66 Roxie 3,162.66 1483.18 Ruleville 20,253.90 20363.73 Sallis 608.15 1414.53 Saltillo 92,601.60 72825.36 Sandersville 13,699.29 15671.29 Sardis 29,044.61 29353.33 Satartia 92.47 274.51 Schlater 1,095.04 1248.42 Scooba 7,456.12 7571.64 Sebastopol 15,699.28 17134.69 Seminary 13,524.98 15339.87 Senatobia 187,643.15 192853.29 Shannon 11,902.13 11669.76 Shaw 0.00 7686.56 Shelby 9,353.63 11171.43 Sherman 44,248.56 32983.47 Shubuta 3,823.68 3800.67 Shuqualak 1,584.00 1813.47 Sidon 376.85 1341.18 Silver City 275.91 375.6 Silver Creek 2,300.10 2623.79 Slate Springs 146.69 221.28 Sledge 1,169.80 1295.24 Smithville 5,900.92 6057.54 Snow Lake Shores 112.08 136.01 Soso 10,416.58 10006.33 Southaven 1,297,102.31 1267920.34 Southwest Mississippi CC 34.77 37.8 Starkville 592,648.36 567794.86 State Line 11,159.31 9433.48 Stonewall 5,925.52 6001.22 Sturgis 3,024.04 2565.44 Summit 36,456.87 41422.03 Sumner 3,012.30 3476.08 Sumrall 51,887.70 48865.87 Sunflower 2,573.80 2863.1 Sylvarena 162.08 181.99 Taylor 1,862.92 2466.52 Taylorsville 23,165.58 25636.59 Tchula 4,993.12 7223.58 Terry 22,875.49 25616.92 Thaxton 4,494.70 4540.97 Tishomingo 15,128.83 13793.03 Toccopola 610.84 776.16 Tremont 2,413.09 1317.35 Tunica 9,058.86 36045.59 Tupelo 1,805,697.77 1764219.47 Tutwiler 5,666.24 3968.73 Tylertown 56,045.53 54082.29 Union 24,589.10 24639.56 University Of Mississippi 16,764.50 10700.44 Utica 7,781.34 7198.82 Vaiden 10,032.84 8552.49 Vardaman 11,404.57 9901.69 Verona 23,163.41 20922.5 Vicksburg 635,792.37 648197.8 Walls 8,873.69 6769.16 Walnut 22,819.69 23239.06 Walnut Grove 4,831.84 5462.7 Walthall 3,281.69 1569.4 Water Valley 42,994.83 44861.89 Waveland 231,524.95 224910.7 Waynesboro 176,307.33 176729.49 Webb 7,188.33 7566.22 Weir 3,566.17 3573.53 Wesson 14,514.22 13666.87 West 876.91 1010.94 West Point 183,526.07 167939.19 Wiggins 168,765.79 160347.79 Winona 74,522.06 81764.33 Winstonville 288.96 239.26 Woodland 5,623.10 6040.96 Woodville 31,086.25 29948.68 Yazoo City 177,305.62 178400.1 Total 38120262.47 37301885.06

446987.89 133470.42 67.59 929348.83 31914.4 228710.56 361252.29 412022.04 4699.05 1446.19 4601.47 1594.51 206110.19 4970.57 86989.87 27829.42 6880.11 31960.51 9621.12 76140.06 51052.31 17339.26 18377.93 3613.74 780255.36 31159.46 1140353.92 3668.54 110950.71 31685.8 9939.71 3162.66 20253.9 608.15 92601.6 13699.29 29044.61 92.47 1095.04 7456.12 15699.28 13524.98 187643.15 11902.13 0 9353.63 44248.56 3823.68 1584 376.85 275.91 2300.1 146.69 1169.8 5900.92 112.08 10416.58 1297102.31 34.77 592648.36 11159.31 5925.52 3024.04 36456.87 3012.3 51887.7 2573.8 162.08 1862.92 23165.58 4993.12 22875.49 4494.7 15128.83 610.84 2413.09 9058.86 1805697.77 5666.24 56045.53 24589.1 16764.5 7781.34 10032.84 11404.57 23163.41 635792.37 8873.69 22819.69 4831.84 3281.69 42994.83 231524.95 176307.33 7188.33 3566.17 14514.22 876.91 183526.07 168765.79 74522.06 288.96 5623.1 31086.25 177305.62 38120262.47

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17

445038.57 125402.92 124.52 876956.14 39178.05 227029.35 347205.65 380244.44 7106.21 1639.44 5291.4 1640.41 208282.76 6112.91 81624.58 28880.31 7846.91 33085.5 8662.83 70384.75 47871.56 16824.82 16774.77 3665.38 490964.85 29594.39 1091601.91 4490.53 128628.71 33747.59 9879.66 1483.18 20363.73 1414.53 72825.36 15671.29 29353.33 274.51 1248.42 7571.64 17134.69 15339.87 192853.29 11669.76 7686.56 11171.43 32983.47 3800.67 1813.47 1341.18 375.6 2623.79 221.28 1295.24 6057.54 136.01 10006.33 1267920.34 37.8 567794.86 9433.48 6001.22 2565.44 41422.03 3476.08 48865.87 2863.1 181.99 2466.52 25636.59 7223.58 25616.92 4540.97 13793.03 776.16 1317.35 36045.59 1764219.47 3968.73 54082.29 24639.56 10700.44 7198.82 8552.49 9901.69 20922.5 648197.8 6769.16 23239.06 5462.7 1569.4 44861.89 224910.7 176729.49 7566.22 3573.53 13666.87 1010.94 167939.19 160347.79 81764.33 239.26 6040.96 29948.68 178400.1 37301885.06

Newsmakers

18 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019

Wilson Elser hires attorneys to Jackson office National law firm Wilson Elser announced that three attorneys from Baker Donelson have joined the firm in Jackson. Partners Stephen Kennedy, Cable Frost and Robert Walker have joined the firm’s newly opened 38th office which is in Jackson. Kennedy serve as the regional managing partner Partners David Hall and William Waudby and of counsel Charles Grimes, Andrew Walsh and John Hundscheid have also have moved from Baker Donelson to Wilson Elser’s existing Birmingham office.

The team, led by Hall and Kennedy, focuses on the transportation sector, primarily handling casualty and general liability matters, commercial contracts and other business-related matters. The team’s practice also encompasses product liability and commercial matters beyond the transportation sector. It includes toxic tort in Birmingham and commercial and general litigation, construction, data breach and cybersecurity, and trusts and estates disputes in Jackson.

Kennedy serves as national and regional counsel for several trucking companies. He has significant experience defending catastrophic damages claims against motor carriers and product manufacturers in product liability suits. Kennedy’s trial practice also includes representing insurance companies in coverage and bad faith litigation, and architects and design professionals against claims of construction negligence.

Junior League of Jackson announces board of directors

Courtesy of Junior League of Jackson

The Junior League of Jackson has announced the 2019-2020 Board of Directors for the organization. The members are: Front Row (left to right): Adriane Louie, Placement Chair; Staci McNinch, President-Elect, LaKeysha Isaac, President; Ellie Word, Membership Vice President. Second Row: Allison Simpson, Operations Vice President; Missy Heidelberg, Treasurer; Katie Browning, Fund Development Vice President; Kacey Matthews, Member-at-Large; Erin Pickens, Training and Organizational Development Vice President; Beth Hansen, Sustaining Advisor. Back Row: Donna Josey, Sustaining Advisor; Melanie Hataway, Sustaining Advisor; Susan Rockoff, Community Vice President; Julia Wise, Secretary; Jaime Stein, Treasurer-Elect; Dana Wilson, Communications Vice-President; Elizabeth Paine, Nominating Chair.

Chief Judge Barnes honored as trailblazer Travis elected President of Mississippi Court of Appeals Chief Judge Donna M. Barnes, the first woman Chief Judge of the state Court MUW Alumni Association of Appeals, is the recipient of the 2019 Susie Blue Buchanan Award. The annual award, presented by the Mississippi Bar’s Women in the Profession Committee, honors an outstanding woman lawyer who has achieved professional excellence and has actively paved the way to success for other women lawyers.

The award is named for Susie Blue Buchanan of Brandon, who in 1916 became the first woman lawyer qualified to practice before the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph named Chief Judge Barnes to lead the Court of Appeals on Feb. 1. She also was the first woman Presiding Judge of the intermediate appellate court. She has served on the Court of Appeals for 15 years.

Chief Judge Barnes grew up in Natchez. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1982 from the University of Mississippi, summa cum laude, with majors in classical civilizations and English. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where she graduated magna cum laude in 1985.

She is a member of the University of Mississippi Lamar Order. She practiced law in Tupelo with the firm of Mitchell, McNutt and Sams for more than 18 years. A member of Magdalene College, she earned her Master of Law from the University of Cambridge in 1997.

Chief Judge Barnes is a member of the Mississippi Judicial College Board of Governors and the Criminal Code Revision Consulting Group. She is a fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. She is a former member of the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission and the Judicial Advisory Study Committee.

She is a member of All Saints Episcopal Church and the Mary Stuart Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, both of Tupelo.

Barbara Travis has been elected president of the Jackson Metro Chapter of the Mississippi University for Women Alumni Association.

A 1970 graduate of The W, she is a certified economic and community developer and has served in a number of local and state developmental positions, Travis including director of economic development for Rankin County and executive director of the Mississippi World Trade Center. Prior to her career in economic development, Travis taught at The W and at Delta State University.

She owns MarketLynx Consulting, which focuses on corporate and community marketing and public relations, economic and community development, and organizational effectiveness.

In addition, she serves on advisory boards for the Metro Jackson Salvation Army, Merit Health River Oaks Hospital, Mississippi Opera Association, New Day Mississippi, and Millsaps College Arts and Lecture Series. She served as the 2015-2016 Governor of Rotary District 6820. Travis also serves on the MUWAA National Board of Directors.

She and her husband, Nick, live in Flowood.

Other newly elected officers are Peggy Hampton (1972), vice president, Jenny Katool (1978), treasurer, Sue Simmons Freeman (1980), secretary, and Katy Pacelli (2000) and Symone Bounds (2012), past president advisers.

WBA Architecture welcomes Lewis and Gartman The partners of Wier Boerner Allin Architecture announces the addition of Matthew Lewis as project coordinator and Jake Gartman as project coordinator.

Lewis, a Flowood native, graduated from Mississippi State University’s School of Architecture in May. During his tenure at MSU, Lewis interned at JH&H Gartman Architects in Flowood. He also served as co-gallery coordinator for Giles Hall, where he designed gallery layouts and procured student and professional work for the gallery’s exhibitions.

Hartman, a Ocean Springs natived graduated from Mississippi State University’s School of Architecture in May. While Lewis at MSU, Gartman interned with Unabridged Architecture in Bay St. Louis in addition to WBA Architecture. He served as a Library Assistant at the MSU Architecture Library, was a member of Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society, and participated in a three-week study of site planning in New York, NY.

Will Coppage named Executive Director The Washington County Economic Alliance (WCEA) Board of Directors has announced the promotion of Will Coppage to Executive Director. In his new role,

he will spearhead industrial attraction; retention and expansion of existing industry; workforce training and development; and Chamber-based initiatives centered on small business.

Coppage, a Greenville native, replaces Cary Karlson who is retiring from the WCEA on July 31, 2019. Coppage began with the WCEA in 2015 as Project Manager and in 2018 was promoted to Deputy Director.

Coppage has been the recipient of Mississippi Top 50 Under 40 (2017), Mississippi Business Journal; Washington County Top 20 Under 40 (2017), Mississippi Development Authority Ambassador (2017); and the Ray and Jimmy Heidel Economic Development Leadership Award (2017), Mississippi Economic Development Council. Coppage holds both a Master of Fine Arts and a Master of Arts from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, LA. He is graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Economic Development Institute. Coppage is a United States Air Force veteran. Prior to joining the WCEA, he worked as Executive Assistant to the Mayor of the City of Greenville, MS. His wife, Missy, is the Director of Gymnastics at the Hodding Carter Memorial YMCA in Greenville, and his daughter, Lyla Jane, will be four years old in August.

Clay joins People Lease James Clay joined People Lease as the Business Development Manager and Licensed Insurance Agent.

Clay has been in sales and customer service for over 10 years. He has a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Mississippi State University.

Clay lives in Brandon and enjoys Clay outdoor activities, sports and spending time with friends and family.

Rural lending co-op hires new employees Southern AgCredit of Ridgeland, a rural lending cooperative, hired Bradley McDaniel as a loan officer in its Hattiesburg branch and Brittany Miller as an office administrator in its Newton branch.

McDaniel holds a BBA in managerial finance from the University of Mississippi and is McDaniel a 2017 alumnus of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. Prior to joining Southern AgCredit, he spent 10 years in community banking as a lender. A native of nearby Columbia, McDaniel grew up hunting, fishing and spending time in the outdoors. He and his wife, Beth, have two children.

Miller holds a bachelor’s Miller degree in interdisciplinary studies from Mississippi State University. She worked for BankFirst of Newton as a loan assistant prior to joining Southern AgCredit. She is married to Joe Miller of Garlandville and they have two children.

Newsmakers Murphree, Hatcher join Haddox Reid Kyle Murphree and Lauren Hatcher joined the audit division of the CPA firm of Haddox Reid Eubank Betts PLLC as audit staff members.

Murphree graduated from Mississippi State University, where he received his Bachelor of Accountancy and Masters of Taxation. He was born and raised in Fulton.

Hatcher graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi, where she received her Bachelor of Accountancy and Masters of Professional Accountancy. She was born and raised in Terry.

Hatcher

Murphree

Independent Insurance Agents of Mississippi announces new leadership Josh Smith, President of Insurance & Risk Managers in Brookhaven, was elected Chairman of the Independent Insurance Agents of Mississippi (IIAM). Josh’s election as Chairman follows an active involvement with the association that includes serving as Vice Chairman, Chairman-Elect, as a Smith Board and Executive Committee member, and as Young Agents Chairman. Smith is currently serving as IIAM-PAC Chairman.

Smith has been in the insurance industry for 21 years since earning his BBA in Risk Management from Ole Miss in 1998. He is the President of SecureRisk of MS and currently sits on advisory boards for Chubb, FCCI, Accident Fund, United Fire and Bitco Insurance.

Josh has also served on advisory boards for Summit, State Auto and Companion in the past. He is very active in his community, serving as Past President of Brookhaven Academy Educational Foundation, Brookhaven Kiwanis Club, The Tucker Tournament and past board member of Brookhaven Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce and Church of the Redeemer.

Other IIAM officers include: Tatum Brown of R. L. Brown Insurance Agency in Oxford as ChairmanElect; Scott Woods of Fisher Brown Bottrell Insurance in Jackson as Vice Chairman; Ray Collins of Collins Insurance Agency in New Albany as Treasurer; and Shaw Johnson III of SouthGroup Insurance Services in Clarksdale as National Director.

In addition to the association officers, Smith named the following agents to serve on the IIAM Executive Committee for 2019-2020: Ray Robertson of Gallagher Risk Management Services in Ridgeland, Past Chairman; Chris Rhett of Galloway Chandler McKinney Insurance Agency in Columbus, Young Agents Chairman; Terry Pendley of Old South Insurance Group in Hazlehurst; Gwen Jolly of West Central & Company in Aberdeen; John Morgan Mims of The Insurance Center Of Meridian in Meridian; Amy Smith of Ross & Yerger Insurance in Jackson; Seldon Van Cleve of Van Cleve Insurance Agency in Indianola; and Bradley Tyler of

Renasant Insurance in Kosciusko.

The following agents were also elected to serve a three-year term on the IIAM Board of Directors: Matt Lewis of Liberty Insurance in Liberty, Brett Boykin of SouthGroup Insurance Services in Cleveland, Clint Hanson of Columbus Insurance in Columbus and Josh Thompson of Insurance Solutions of MS in Meridian.

IP recognizes outstanding team members of the month IP Casino Resort Spa recognized several outstanding team members for their service, dedication and work ethic for April and May. April’s honorees included team members Dottie Clark (Reservations), Niokie Johnson (Housekeeping), Kim Le (Table Games), Brian Bean (Banquets), Nicholas Schwartz (Facilities) and Laurrencka Willard (Housekeeping).

May’s honorees included team members Tina Hamilton (Environmental Services), Juan Perez (Environmental Services), Jonathan Sheldon (Security), Jonathan Edwards (Purchasing), Amos Murrell (thirty-two) and Jonathan Whittle (IT).

Mutual Credit Union names McAlpin manager Mutual Credit Union announced the promotion of Brent McAlpin to Branch Manager of the Mutual Credit Union Raymond Branch. McAlpin began his career at Mutual in 2015 after three years in the financial industry.

McAlpin received a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology McAlpin with a concentration in Sports Management and a Minor in Public Relations from Mississippi State University. He and his wife Karri live in Pearl. In 2017, he had the 2nd highest loan production for Mutual Credit Union, and in 2018, he had the 4th highest loan production. In 2018, McAlpin was selected to CRASH the Credit Union National Association Lending Council in Anaheim, CA. McAlpin is in the current class of L.E.A.D. a program thru the Mississippi Credit Union Association for Young Leaders in the Credit Union Industry and is a Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor through Credit Union National Association.

Tollison sworn in as The Mississippi Bar president Butler Snow attorney Amanda Jones Tollison was sworn in as president of The Mississippi Bar for the 2019-2020 year. Tollison’s term began July 13.

Tollison has been an active member of The Mississippi Bar for a number of years, having served on the board of bar Tollison commissioners as second vice president and as president-elect, as president of the young lawyers division, chair of the ethics committee and The Mississippi Lawyer committee, and as a member of the bench-bar liaison committee, the Access to Justice Commission and the

Aug. 10-23, 2019

government law section. She is also a member of the American Bar Association and the Lafayette County Bar Association and a fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

Tollison focuses her practice on administrative and environmental law, election and campaign finance, and government relations. Prior to joining Butler Snow, she served as counsel to Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour.

Johnson to lead MCC’s Arts & Letters Series Susie Johnson will take the reins of Meridian Community College’s Arts & Letters Series as director of the signature entertainment program at MCC. Johnson joins the College after serving as executive director and education director of the Meridian Symphony Orchestra. She is the founding director of Stage 2, a local theater group geared to teens and the arts and was youth director for the Meridian Little Theatre.

Also, Johnson was the recipient of the statewide Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education Exemplary Arts Service Award and serves on the board of directors for MAAE as well as serving on the Community Arts Team for the Any Given Child initiative.

She graduated from Asbury University in Wilmore, KY, and received her master’s degree from Vanderbilt University. Johnson and her husband Joel are the parents of Jenna, Benjamin and K.K. The trio comprises the musical group Track 45.

Knight to lead MCC’s new workforce solutions division Joseph Knight has been named Meridian Community College’s new vice president for workforce solutions.

Knight, who holds a bachelor of business administration degree in general business and a master’s degree in workforce education leadership from Mississippi State University, has Knight served the College as dean of workforce development since joining MCC in 2013. As dean, he was responsible for managing the College’s Community and Business Development division. He also worked with companies, industrial development groups, the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, Twin Districts Workforce Investment Board and economic development representatives to help establish and maintain an environment desirable for the employment community.

Reporting to the Knight will be Dr. Lara Collum, associate vice president for nursing and healthcare education. In her purview will be the divisions of Associate Degree Nursing, Practical Nursing, Health Care Assistant and Health Education programs.

Also, Lori Smith has been named dean of workforce education and supervises the divisions of business, emergency services, industrial and career and technical education support services. As dean, she will report to Knight.

Also in Knight’s area will be Lucy Lamberth, director of workforce grants and development; Jennifer Whitlock, director of adult education; Joy Smith, coordinator of continuing education and Katrina Garett, career center director.

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Mississippi Business Journal

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19

Hill to lead MCC Foundation Meridian Community College President Dr. Thomas Huebner named Leia Hill as vice president of advancement and executive director of the MCC Foundation.

An alumna of MCC, Hill previously worked in the MCC Foundation office from 2006 to 2014 as program coordinator of the HIll College’s Arts & Letters Series and Lifetime Quest programs.

She returned to MCC in July 2018 as associate vice president for College Communications, leading the team in continuing to build the College’s presence in marketing and public relations as well as coordinating branding endeavors.

Hill will serve as vice president for Institutional Advancement, executive director of the MCC Foundation, and will continue to oversee College Communications at MCC. Hill also served the EMCC Foundation as the associate vice president before returning to MCC. While at EMCC in that position, she was responsible for overseeing the departments of public information, digital media and recruiting and worked with alumni affairs. Also, she implemented brand and integrated marketing strategies while developing and recruiting/ retention plans.

In addition to her MCC associate degree, Hill holds a master’s degree from the University of Mississippi; a master’s certificate from the University of Florida and a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi University for Women. She has served as president of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi, Meridian Chapter and is a Leadership Lauderdale graduate. Currently, she is serving as a United Way of Meridian board member.

Additional staff changes include Joy Smith as coordinator for College Communications and Laureta Chislom as coordinator for Lifelong Learning. Lauren Pratt will assume responsibility for planning and coordinating the College for Kids program and will continue in her position as social media coordinator and event specialist.

Mississippi Municipal League elects officers

The Mississippi Municipal League (MML) elected officers for 2019-2020 at its 88th Annual Conference in Biloxi.

Mayor Billy Hewes of Gulfport ascended to the office of President, and Mayor Errick D. Simmons of Greenville moved to the office of First Vice President.

Mayor Carolyn McAdams of Greenwood was elected Second Vice President of MML at the League’s annual election held on Wednesday, June 26, 2019.

MML President Mayor Billy Hewes stated, “One of the highest honors for anyone is being selected to play a leadership role on behalf of one’s peers. I am humbled by the opportunity to serve MML as President and hope my efforts will help further the mission of improving our organization’s abilities to assist cities in maximizing their potential.”

Newsmakers

20 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019

MMA names John McKay President and CEO The Executive Committee of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association (MMA) has announced that John H. McKay is the new President and CEO of the MMA. John will act as the interim President and CEO until October, at which time he will be confirmed as the full-time President and CEO by the MMA McKay Board of Directors.

“We are excited about John assuming the position of President and CEO,” said Andrew Mallinson, this year’s MMA Chairman, and CEO of Multicraft in Pelahatchie. “John has helped to pass several legislative initiatives that have improved the operating conditions of our members. He has solid administrative skills and will do a fine job as our new President and CEO.” John has worked for the MMA for 11 years as the Executive Vice President and the Deputy Director of Government Affairs. John has helped to evaluate, prepare and support legislation that impacts taxes, workforce development, environmental regulations and transportation. In addition, he has had daily supervisory responsibility for the membership, government affairs and communication activities of the association. Before he joined the MMA, John was the ICMA Management Fellow with the Sarasota County Government in Sarasota, Florida, where he supported a variety of county initiatives including public works, budget preparation, communications and financial analytics.

John holds a bachelor of arts from the University of Mississippi with a concentration in Political Science and English, and he has a Master of Public Administration degree from the College of Charleston, in Charleston, South Carolina. John is also a graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute located in Norman, Oklahoma.

John is married to the former Kasey Crumbley from Brandon. They have three daughters, Cella (11), Edie (9) and Holland (6).

Jay C. Moon, MMA’s current President and CEO will assume a new position of Senior Policy Consultant with the MMA.

Morgan joins Atmos Energy Bobby Morgan, has joined Atmos Energy Corporation as Vice President Public Affairs for the Mississippi Division. Bobby previously served Governor Phil Bryant for the past four years as Director of Public Affairs and as Governor Bryant’s Senior Economic Development Policy Advisor. He also served as the Governor’s designee for the Southern States Energy Board, the Appalachian Regional Commission, and the Delta Regional Authority. Prior to joining the governor’s office, Bobby served as Communications Director for the Mississippi Republican Party and began his career in Washington, D.C. where he served as an intern for former Congressman Chip Pickering, Senator Roger Wicker, the lobbying firm BGR Group, and the Republican Governor’s Association. Bobby is a native of Mississippi – an Air Force kid born at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi. He left Mississippi at age 6, moving to Italy for four years and then Turkey for three years before his parents retired to the Florida

Chamber awarded Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence Award

Fromleft to right starting 2nd from the left: CAFB Vice Wing Commander Col David Favenbaker, CAFB School Liaison Officer Leslie Flynn, CMSD School Board President Jason Spears, Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce Programs and Events Director Eason Black, CAFB Deputy Mission Support Group Commander Lt Col Bennet Burton.

The military and school partnership of Columbus & Lowndes County is the Second Place winner of the 2019 Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence earning an Exemplary Partnership designation in the category of Total Community Partnership. The award was presented on July 23at the Military Child Education Coalition’s Annual National Training Seminar in Washington D.C. Among the 5 total Military Instillation/Community partnerships recognized on July 23, Columbus Air Force Base/ Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce was awarded second place.

Programs and initiatives the Chamber produces that impact the military children of Columbus Air Force Base attending school in Columbus and Lowndes County include Education Awards Program, Educators Are Essential, Pilot for A Day,

panhandle. Bobby obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in English from the University of Mississippi.

Booth joins Mississippi Forestry Commission Misty Booth has joined the Mississippi Forestry Commission (MFC) as the new Urban Forestry Coordinator, announced Russell Bozeman, MFC State Forester.

As the Urban Forestry Coordinator, Booth will oversee the agency’s urban forestry program, including administration of the Urban and Community Forestry Booth Challenge Grant Program and the Tree City USA program in Mississippi.

Booth will also assist cities and private landowners with their urban forestry needs, as well as coordinate the MFC’s Urban Forest Strike Team, which analyzes damage and provides assistance in restoring urban

Lowndes Young Leaders, Lemonade Day, Education Town Hall and 2019 Senior Send-off. These programs, among other community programs, were included in the submission by Columbus Air Force Base that was awarded the 2019 Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence Award.

The Chamber produces quality and impactful programming year after year. In the Education Committee and youth leadership program, Lowndes Young Leaders, military students stationed at Columbus Air Force Base are often awarded scholarships, selected to participate, and more.

The partnership was judged by the Military Child Education Coalition for the depth, magnitude, and positive outcomes of the partnership as well as evidence of sustainability and origination of ideas.

forests following natural disasters.

“Misty brings two decades’ worth of experience in forest management to the Mississippi Forestry Commission,” Bozeman said. “This experience will be a valuable asset to the agency’s Urban Forestry Program.”

Prior to joining the MFC, Booth worked for Mississippi State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Booth, a 1999 graduate of Mississippi State University, resides in Starkville with her husband, Cade.

Board of Mental Health names chair, vice chair, new member The Mississippi Board of Mental Health has been joined by one new member, and a new chair and vice chair have been named for the 2019-2020 year that began July 1, 2019.

Dr. John Montgomery of Ocean Springs will serve as the chair of the Board of Mental Health for the

coming year, and Dr. Manda Griffin of Houlka will serve as vice chair for the year. Also joining the board is Dr. Alyssa Killebrew of Madison, who has been appointed for a seven-year term beginning July 1.

Dr. Montgomery is the Medical Director for Behavioral Health at Singing River Health Systems in Jackson County. He is also a consulting psychiatrist who works with law enforcement officials in Hancock, Pearl River and Jackson Counties, and he has a private forensic practice as well. He has been appointed to represent the psychiatrist position on the board.

Dr. Griffin is a registered respiratory therapist, a licensed social worker, and a board-certified family nurse practitioner who has worked with several hospitals in north Mississippi. She represents the social worker position on the board.

Dr. Killebrew is a clinical psychologist in private practice who has worked at Life Help Region 6 Community Mental Health Center and previously served as Mental Health Director of the Youthful Offender Unit in the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Killebrew was appointed to serve as the Third Congressional District representative on the board.

The Mississippi Board of Mental Health is composed of nine members appointed by the Governor of Mississippi and confirmed by the State Senate.

Members’ terms are staggered to ensure continuity of quality care and professional oversight of services.

By statute, the nine-member board is composed of a physician, a psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist, a social worker with experience in the field of mental health, and one citizen representative from each of Mississippi’s five congressional districts (as existed in 1974).

Steven D. Smith elected president MASI Steven D. Smith, President and CEO of the Mississippi Municipal Service Company, has been elected President of MASI, the Mississippi Association of Self-Insurers – a statewide association that represents group self-insurers and individual self-insured employers Smith responsible for thousands of Mississippi workers and millions in annualized premiums in both health and workers’ compensation insurance.

Smith, a native Mississippian with over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, 13 of which have been with the Service Company. Prior to his tenure at the Service Company, he worked for many years for Sedgwick Claims Management Services, beginning his insurance career there in 1994. In 2002 he was promoted to Operations Manager with Sedgwick CMS in Jackson, Mississippi, and continued in that position from 2002 to 2006 in Dallas, Texas, where he provided risk management and claims solutions to numerous Fortune 500 companies throughout the United States.

Smith returned home to work at the Service Company in 2006, and was named President in January, 2015.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Arkansas State University. He and his wife, Amy, live in Vicksburg with their sons, Will, John Tyler and Miller.

Newsmakers Forrest General among nation’s Prewett graduates from top performing hospitals Alabama Banking School For the fifth consecutive year, Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2019. Forrest General is one of only 225 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

The award recognizes Forrest General’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients.

Hadley elected Chair of section of State Bar of Texas Shareholder Elizabeth Ross Hadley of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP’s Austin office has been elected Chair of the Legislative and Campaign Law Section of the State Bar of Texas for 2019-20.

Hadley’s responsibilities will include carrying out initiatives that provide education and resources to Texas attorneys engaged in legislative advocacy and who advise clients on campaign finance and campaign and election law. Hadley previously served as Section Vice Chair.

Hadley represents clients before the legislature, state agencies, and the executive branch on regulatory and legislative matters, as well as in litigation and other legal matters. Before joining Greenberg Traurig, Hadley served as assistant commissioner for the Texas Department of Agriculture under Commissioner Todd Staples, and served as general counsel for former Texas State Senator Kip Averitt. Elizabeth also worked in Washington, D.C. for then Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (MS).

Hadley earned a B.A. in political science from the University of Mississippi and her law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law. In 2018, she was appointed to the advisory board of the University of Mississippi Department of Political Science.

CIS welcomes Altheeb Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) welcomes Dr. Zaid Altheeb, interventional cardiologist, to its CIS clinic in Meridian at 4909 Great River Drive. Dr. Altheeb joins the CIS Meridian team composed of nine cardiologists and six nurse practitioners who provide complete cardiovascular care to the community of Altheeb Meridian.

Dr. Altheeb studied at Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid, Jordan where he completed a bachelor’s degree in medicine and surgery. He completed his internal medicine residency and cardiovascular medicine fellowship at New York Medical College in Paterson, New Jersey, and his fellowship in interventional cardiology at Saint Joseph’s University Medical Center, also in Paterson.

Dr. Altheeb is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular medicine, echocardiography, nuclear cardiology and vascular ultrasound. He is a member of the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Physicians and the American Medical Association. He is also fluent in English and Arabic.

Additionally, he has been published in numerous publications and enjoys volunteering and community service.

Jay Prewett, Director of Technology Services with Renasant Bank, was among 59 students who graduated from the Alabama Banking School. The graduation ceremony was held at the University of South Alabama in Mobile. This was the school’s 44th session since it began in 1976. Lee Lawson of the Baldwin Prewett County Economic Development Alliance gave this year’s commencement speech, and Alabama Banking School Director, Chad Jones presented diplomas to the graduates.

The Alabama Banking School is sponsored by the Alabama Bankers Association. During a two-year period, students are taught the latest financial trends and best practices to help them become more knowledgeable bank employees.

Prewett is a graduate of Mississippi State University with a Bachelors in Computer Science. He is a member of Charity Baptist Church in Pontotoc where he serves as a Sunday school teacher, and is also involved with Imagine the Possibilities Career Expo.

Johnna Carter named employee of the quarter Johnna Carter was named South Mississippi State Hospital’s second quarter 2019 Employee of the Quarter.

She is a lifelong resident of Hattiesburg and graduated from Oak Grove High School.

Carter holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Southern Carter Mississippi and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from William Carey University. She earned Licensed Professional Counselor certification in March 2016.

Before joining SMSH as a Behavioral Health Specialist in June 2016, Carter worked as an adult clinician at Pine Belt Mental Healthcare Resources. She completed her internship at SMSH in Spring 2013.

Carter and her husband welcomed a baby girl into their family in 2018. In her spare time, she enjoys time with family and friends and listening to mystery and psychological thriller audiobooks.

She is a member of Venture Church and Friends of South Mississippi State Hospital.

Keesler Federal opens new Madison branch Keesler Federal Credit Union has opened its first branch in the city of Madison, located at 1944 Main Street.

The Madison branch is Keesler Federal’s first stand-alone branch in the Jackson area market. The 4,305 square foot building will offer a full suite of loan and deposit products, mortgage and business services as well as a drive-up ATM, three-lane drive-up teller service, a night deposit drop box, and notary services.

For member convenience, a tech bar and children’s area are available.

The Madison branch is located at the corner of

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Main Street and Welch Farms Boulevard, across from the Academy Sports and Hobby Lobby retail center.

The walk-in location will operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

The new Madison location expands Keesler Federal’s footprint in the greater Jackson market. Keesler Federal in recent months opened branches in Flowood and Ridgeland. Keesler Federal also has locations at the Junction on I-55 North and in the MDOT Building in downtown Jackson.

Although the branch is now open, a grand opening celebration event is planned for, Sept. 7.

Heather Mathis has been named manager of the new Madison branch. Mathis has worked extensively at both commercial banks and credit unions, and most recently served as manager at Keesler Federal’s Flowood branch, and also Financial Service Representative at Keesler Federal’s Junction branch in Jackson.

Kay Dowdy joins Citizens National Bank Kay Dowdy has joined Citizens National Bank’s South Region as a Mortgage Lender and her office is located at the Bank’s West Hattiesburg Banking Centre. With over 14 years of experience in the banking and real estate industry, Dowdy brings a unique skillset to the Bank. From 2004 until 2011, Dowdy she was the exclusive realtor and home consultant for AAA Homes of MS, LLC in Hattiesburg. This position provided her with a unique opportunity to learn all aspects of home construction and sales. In this role, she performed construction inspections of homes as they were being built and also wrote and negotiated contracts on homes when they were ready to be sold.

As she became an expert in the home buying and building industry, her career path led her to become a Mortgage Loan Officer at Grand Bank for Savings in Hattiesburg where she was employed from 2012 until 2016. During her employment at Grand Bank, she was promoted to serve as the Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Loans. Since November 2016, Dowdy has served as an Assistant Vice President and Mortgage Loan Officer at First Bank in Hattiesburg and she has been highly successful in helping numerous clients to achieve their dream of home ownership.

Dowdy is a 2004 graduate of the Real Estate Training Institute and her diploma represents 60 hours of professional development. She is also a 2019 graduate of the prestigious Xinnix Edge Mortgage Academy, which empowers mortgage professionals with sales and marketing strategies as well as leadership skills that enable them to realize their full potential. Through her affiliation with the Mississippi Community Financial Access Coalition, Dowdy has developed specialized skills to assist her clients in planning strategies to become more financially fit through financial goal setting, developing spending plans, and reducing debt.

An active member of the Hattiesburg Area Association of Realtors, Dowdy is a member of several committees for the Association.

Originally from Petal, Dowdy is a graduate of Petal High School.

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Hatter promoted at Citizens National Bank in Flowood Katie Hatter, Mortgage Group Lending Assistant at Citizens National Bank, has been promoted to the position of a Mortgage Originator at the Bank’s Castlewoods Banking Centre. With 19 years of mortgage lending experience in the Jackson area, Hatter joined the Bank in July 2018.

Hatter Greg Shows, Mortgage Originator at Citizens National Bank’s Madison Banking Centre, originally hired Hatter and commented as follows: “I knew from the moment of Katie’s first interview that she would be a great asset for the Bank. She has extensive knowledge and experience in the mortgage industry,” Shows said.

“Katie also brings great energy and confidence when talking to clients and realtors. I believe she is going to do a great job of growing the Bank’s mortgage lending presence in the Jackson area,” he added.

Originally from Brandon, Hatter attended both Hinds Community College and Belhaven University. At Hinds Community College, she received an Associate’s degree in Secondary Education. While at Belhaven University, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

Bennett joins Hattiesburg Clinic Pain Management Health Center Melinda “Mindi” Bennett, CNP joined Hattiesburg Clinic Pain Management Health Center.

Bennett, who has been a nurse practitioner at Hattiesburg Clinic for nearly eight years, will provide care to patients with chronic pain at Pain Management.

Bennett has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master Bennett of Science in Nursing from The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. She is board certified as a family nurse practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She holds memberships with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, American Nurses Association and Mississippi Nurses Association.

MSCPA announces officers for 2019-2020 Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants announces its officers for 2019-2020. They were elected June 22, 2019 during the MSCPA Annual Business Meeting.

The officers are: Donna Bruce, Chairman BKD, LLP, Jackson Annette Pridgen, Vice Chairman/Chairman-Elect Jackson State University (Ret.), Jackson Tom Walker, Secretary Jones Walker LLP, Jackson Kimberly Williams, Treasurer Medical Management Services, Ridgeland Beth Burgess, At-Large Board Member The Burgess Group, PA, Flowood

Newsmakers

22 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019

Williams joins The First as Harrison County president Richard “Ric” L. Williams, Jr. has joined The First, A National Banking Association, as Harrison County President. He has served in the banking industry for twenty-seven years, nineteen of which have been in the Gulfport market.

Williams is a graduate of the ABA Commercial and Graduate Williams Lending Schools, Dallas, Texas and Cannon Financial Institute Private Banking and Trust Schools, Scottsdale, Arizona. He has a Master of Business Administration from William Carey University, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance & Management) from Mississippi State University and holds the Certified Financial Planner® Professional Designation.

Williams has served on the Gulfport Chamber of Commerce as president and is a Leadership Gulf Coast graduate. He is a member of the Gulfport Rotary Club, Gulfport Mainstreet Board, National Financial Planning Association, Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber Community Foundation and Elder at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Gulfport.

Ric and his wife Heather have seven children and live in Gulfport.

Ratcliffe named credit administration officer Julie Ratcliffe has been named Credit Administration Officer. A native of Laurel, Ratcliffe recently served as Deposit Administration Officer and has been in banking for seventeen years, all of which have been with Community Bank.

In her new role, Ratcliffe will be responsible for the overall quality and accuracy of financial stability, Ratchiffe assist with monthly/quarterly reporting, coordinate and monitor foreclosures, bank owned real-estate, and other assets.

Ratcliffe is a graduate of Jones County Junior College with an Associate of Arts in Office Administration.

Active in her community, Ratcliffe is member of Oakland Grove Baptist Church, where she serves as Recording Secretary, Nursery Coordinator, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Church Secretary.

Baptist Golden Triangle receives award for treatment of heart attack patients Baptist Memorial Hospital – Golden Triangle has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Silver Performance Achievement Award for 2019. The Columbus facility is one of only 86 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

The award recognizes Baptist Golden Triangle’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that the hospital has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care

as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/ American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

To receive the award, the hospital demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain – MI Registry for four consecutive quarters and has performed at the top level of standards for specific performance measures such as door to EKG time, door to device time and post-operative medication and therapy compliance, according to Baptist Golden Triangle Director of Cardiology services Kayla Pruitt The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 700,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. A heart attack occurs when a blood clot in a coronary artery partially or completely blocks blood flow to the heart muscle. Treatment guidelines include administering aspirin upon arrival and discharge, timely restoration of blood flow to the blocker artery, smoking cessation counseling and cardiac rehabilitation, among others.

The hospital was recently awarded Chest Pain Center Accreditation with primary percutaneous coronary intervention for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients with chest pain.

The hospital earned the accreditation based on a rigorous onsite evaluation of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack.

Forrest General first in state to use new compound to illuminate brain tumors Forrest General became the first hospital in Mississippi to use Gleolan™ (aminolevulinic acid HCl) for enhanced visualization of high-grade gliomas (including glioblastomas), or tumors occurring in the glial cells of the brain. This solution causes tumor cells to glow red under blue light allowing the neurosurgeon to remove as much of the tumor as possible without affecting healthy brain cells.

Gleolan is a lyophilized powder, which is reconstituted with drinking water and administered orally to the patient. The brain selectively absorbs the gleolan into cells where the normal barrier has failed. Once the solution is taken in to the tumor, the tumor breaks it down into a second compound called protoporphyrin IX (PpIX). The surgeon then applies the blue light and views the brain using the appropriate filters, which cause the cells containing the compound to turn bright red and stand out against the blue background.

Gleolan is only FDA approved for use in high-grade brain malignancies – grade 3 and grade 4 primary brain tumor resections. According to a press release from NX Development Corp. (NXDC), “There are 4 grades of glioma, with Grades III and IV being the most aggressive. Glioblastoma, a type of Grade IV glioma, has the highest incidence of mortality with the potential to spread rapidly.”

Baker Donelson welcomes Susan Russell Baker Donelson announces the addition of Susan A. Russell to the Firm’s Intellectual Property Group. Susan will join the Atlanta office.

Russell is a trusted trademark and brand adviser, providing domestic and international trademark counseling, growth, protection, and maintenance strategies at each business phase, and throughout the lifecycle

and lifetime of a mark. She also works with clients on trademark, copyright and trade secret transactions, prosecution, enforcement, and litigation matters. She advises clients on international intellectual property law disputes, social media, online legal disputes, as well as right of publicity and advertising law.

Russell represents clients of all scale and from diverse industries, including technology, banking and finance, manufacturers, health care, government, entrepreneurs, real estate developers, energy resources, apparel and fashion companies, musicians, social media companies, food and beverage companies, and consumer retail and product companies.

She regularly works with clients on developing and implementing innovative domestic and international trademark and copyright enforcement strategies against infringement. Her extensive international experience enables her to provide comprehensive and practical strategies to efficiently and effectively resolve complex domestic and international matters.

Rodney Street appointed divisional vice president Waste Pro announced that Rodney Street, former Division Manager of Waste Pro’s Meridian Division, has been promoted to Divisional Vice President.

Street will now oversee all of Waste Pro’s Central Mississippi locations, including Jackson, Meridian, Columbus, and Street Greenwood.

Street has nearly 30 years of experience in both private and public solid waste collection and disposal. He served as Division Manager in Meridian since 2011, when he joined Waste Pro. While in that role, he supervised the daily operations of the facility and it’s more than 50 employees operating dozens of trucks, servicing thousands of customers in the Meridian area.

Coastal Mississippi hires Patrick Clay Coastal Mississippi has announced its latest addition to the Coastal Mississippi Communications and Engagement Department: Patrick Clay, Digital Content Manager.

The Coastal Mississippi Communications and Engagement Department is charged with the following: showcasing the vivid, varied character of coastal life through the development of unique and compelling content Clay that inspires action; effectively communicating the incredible economic impact of the region’s tourism industry; and engaging with community partners, media members and industry stakeholders to foster stronger relationships.

An award-winning communications professional with years of experience in television, Clay brings his videography, photography, writing and editing skills to the destination marketing organization, where he will be managing and optimizing multiple platforms to maximize the digital promotion of the region.

Moon appointed president of Coastal Mississippi Board Coastal Mississippi has announced the appointment of Nikki Moon as President of its Board of Commissioners. Moon will lead fellow Coastal Mississippi commissioners, charged with overseeing the promotion of the tri-county region as a tourism and convention destination Moon worldwide. Its mission centers on attracting ever-increasing numbers of leisure, convention, sports and business visitors to the area.

With 30 years of experience at the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau as Vice President of Sales & Service, and having served on the Board of Destinations International, Moon now owns and operates Bay Town Inn in Bay St. Louis, serves as President on the Hancock Chamber Board, and has a passion for giving back to the community and hosting visitors to Coastal Mississippi.

Floyd named to 40 & Under Hot list Benchmark Litigation has recognized Butler Snow attorney Lee Adair Floyd on its 2019 40 & Under Hot List. Floyd was also recognized in the 2018 edition.

Attorneys named to the list have proven their eligibility as individuals at the partner level of their respective firms who are of the age 40 or younger. They have Floyd also had a hand in some of their firm’s most noteworthy recent cases and have earned praise from clients and peers regarding the quality of their work.

Honorees were chosen through several phases of research. The extensive process, which encompasses six months of research into the litigators’ professional activities, as well as client feedback surveys and interviews, has culminated in the selection of the country’s most distinguished attorneys in the world of litigation.

Floyd focuses her practice on the defense of manufacturers in high exposure product liability claims pending in Virginia and across the United States. She has defended automobile, pharmaceutical and industrial manufacturers as both national and local trial counsel. In addition to her product liability practice, Floyd has substantial experience defending energy producers in mass tort litigation. Her mass tort representation ranges from catastrophic loss claims stemming from industrial explosions to environmental claims arising from alleged groundwater contamination.

Floyd is a member of the Virginia State Bar, the West Virginia State Bar, the Defense Research Institute and the Product Liability Advisory Council.

She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and her Juris Doctor from West Virginia University College of Law.

Newsmakers Matthews, Cutrer & Lindsay announce employee promotions

The Ridgeland-based accounting firm of Matthews, Cutrer and Lindsay announced the promotions of two staff members – Samantha Gill, CPA and Miya Bates.

Samantha Gill, CPA, has been promoted to senior auditor. After an internship with MCL, Gill joined the firm full-time in 2016 Gill providing audit and attestation services with a primary focus on rural development, construction, nonprofit organizations, and multi-family housing projects.

She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Accounting at the University of Southern Mississippi and became a licensed CPA 2017.

Bates Miya Bates has been promoted to senior auditor. Bates joined the firm full-time in 2014 following a spring internship with firm. She provides audit and attestation services with a primary focus on rural development, multi-family housing, nonprofit organizations, and contracts process. She earned her bachelor’s in Accounting from USM and a master’s in Accounting from Mississippi College.

Matthews, Cutrer and Lindsay has offices in Ridgeland and Yazoo City.

Edney named President of Mississippi Bar Foundation The Mississippi Bar Foundation has named Butler Snow attorney Andrea La’Verne Edney president for the 2019-2020 year. Edney’s term began Aug. 1.

Founded in 1963, the bar foundation’s purpose is two-fold: to honor attorneys who have distinguished themselves in the profesion and to administer Edney a grant making program. That project, known by its acronym “IOLTA” (Interest On Lawyers’ Trust Accounts), has awarded grants in excess of $12 million to law-related, public interest projects throughout Mississippi. The foundation has also provided scholarship assistance and support to both of the state’s law schools and has financially supported law-related public education programs, such as the statewide high school mock trial competition, to improve public understanding of the legal system.

Edney is a member of Butler Snow’s litigation department and practices in the pharmaceutical, medical device and health care litigation group. With more than 22 years of litigation experience, she has significant trial experience in state and federal courts in Mississippi and other states, and has tried to verdict numerous cases, including medical negligence, premises liability, products liability, bad faith insurance, employment disputes and legal malpractice.

Edney has been recognized by Best Lawyers for mass torts/class actions – defendants and personal injury litigation, by Martindale-Hubbell® with an AV-Preeminent Peer Review rating, by The National Black Lawyers as a Top 100, by the Mississippi Business Journal as a Fifty Leaders of Law and by

the Mississippi Women Lawyers Association as its Outstanding Woman Lawyer of the Year. She is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Lawyer of the Year Award from Mississippi College School of Law, the Distinguished Service Award from The Mississippi Bar and the Outstanding Service Award from the Capital Area Bar Association, the Magnolia Bar Association and the Black Student Law Association. She also recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Mississippi Women Lawyers Association.

Edney is a fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation, and a member of the American, Mississippi, Capital Area, Fifth Circuit and Tennessee Bar Associations, the Metro Jackson Black Women Lawyers Association and the Mississippi Women Lawyers Association.

She received her undergraduate degree from Alcorn State University and her Juris Doctor from Mississippi College School of Law.

McNeel, Clements join Renasant Community Board Renasant announced that Niles McNeel and Joel Clements have joined the Community Board in Starkville.

McNeel is a graduate of Mississippi State University College of Business and Industry, and The University of Mississippi where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree in 1972. He has served on McNeel the Board of Directors for both the Mississippi State University Alumni Association and Alumni Foundation, and has served in the U.S. Army as a 1st Lieutenant.

He was selected as a Law Clerk with the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for Judge J.P. Coleman, and was elected District Attorney in the Fifth Circuit Court District Clements of Mississippi. McNeel has also served on the Renasant Bank Corporate Board of Directors from 1999 to 2019.

Clements is a graduate of Mississippi State University and the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking. He has over forty years of banking experience. Clements has served as a Board Member for Mississippi State University Foundation, Mississippi Prison Industries Corporation, and Chairman of the Board for Mississippi Bankers’ Association. He is a member of Bulldog Club, M-Club Alumni Association, American Institute of CPA’s, Mississippi Society of CPA’s Mississippi Bankers Association, and First Baptist Church where he is a Deacon.

Jim Palmer joins Emerald Transformer Emerald Transformer welcomes Jim Palmer as the company’s new general manager of the Lexington plant. Palmer brings over 30 years of experience in organizational development, operations management and safety and environmental protection within multistate and multi-plant production. His leadership and unique skillset strengthen Emerald’s ability to continue its regional and national growth.

As general manager, Palmer is responsible for overseeing the performance, compliance, productivity, efficiency and profitability of Emerald Transformer. His hands-on, people-centric management style promotes employee engagement and reinforces the company’s

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safety standards, core values and culture.

Prior to his new role, Palmer served as director of operations of a $180 million cooking equipment company, leading the company through a series of mergers and acquisitions. He managed a complex restructuring of the company, which included consolidating five plants, centralized the corporate headquarters from several locations and combined two engineering centers. Accountable for the health and safety of over 350 personnel, Palmer is well-versed in OSHA standards, and received a Safety Excellence Award from his previous employer.

Palmer considers his extensive Naval experience to be the key to his ability to manage people and processes efficiently and effectively. He was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (NAM) twice, and received the Navy Commendation Medal twice, while leading naval boardings during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.

He received his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering technology from Savannah State College, and his Master of Science degree in manufacturing management from Kettering University. Deeply committed to putting down lasting roots in Mississippi, Palmer joins his family in Madison.

Coleman awarded St. Clair scholarship Lauren Coleman, a 2017 graduate of the Mississippi State University, has been named the 2019 recipient of the Mississippi Vision Foundation’s Helen Allison St. Clair scholarship for students of optometry.

Coleman, a third-year student at the University of Alabama at Coleman Birmingham School of Optometry, is a graduate of Kossuth High School and Mississippi State University with a BS in Biological Sciences. At MSU she was a member of Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society and Shackouls Honor College. She was also a member of Delta Gamma Fraternity and a Senator for the College of Arts and Sciences. At UABSO, she is Vice President for the Class of 2021, is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Optometrists, the American Optometric Student Association, and the Dean’s List.

The Helen Allison St. Clair Optometry Scholarship was established to honor the memory of long-time Mississippi Optometric Association (MOA) Executive Director Helen Allison St. Clair.

MVSU names Golden as Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs President Dr. Jerryl Briggs announced Dr. Kathie Stromile Golden as Mississippi Valley State University’s Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA).

Briggs extended the offer to Golden earlier this week following an extensive national search.

Golden She will officially begin in her new role on Aug. 15.

As Provost/VPAA, Golden will serve as the institution’s chief academic officer, possessing broad responsibilities for articulating an academic vision,

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which includes providing high-level leadership to all academic areas, and administering and enhancing educational programs reflective of the University’s mission.

As a member of the institution’s Executive and Extended Cabinets, Golden will also play an integral role in the overall management of the institution and will advise President Briggs on pertinent issues relating to the University, its governing board and various accrediting agencies.

Golden, who most recently served as the Director of International Programs and Special Assistant to the President’s Office at MVSU, said she is looking forward to meeting the opportunities and challenges that accompany the position.

She has more than 40 years of academic experience, has published numerous conference papers and scholarly articles and is the recipient of numerous national, state and international awards.

Golden received Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Political Science from Southern University (Baton Rouge) in 1974 and 1975, respectively. She earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Kentucky in 1987.

Ray elected Chairman of the Board for MCEE The Mississippi Council on Economic Education (MCEE) Board of Directors recently announced the election of Johnny Ray as Chairman of the Board for the 2019-20 term. Ray has over 33 years of banking experience and is Executive Vice President and Jackson Regional President Ray for BankFirst.

Ray is a Mississippi State University alumnus with a B.A. in Banking and Finance and a B.S. in Agricultural Economics graduating in 1986. He is a graduate of Louisiana State University School of Banking.

The MCEE’s mission is to increase economic and financial literacy in Mississippi by providing resources and training to public and private K-12 school teachers, empowering students to create a more prosperous future for themselves and Mississippi.

Community Bank announce regional promotions Community Bank has announced the promotion of Justin C. Martin and R. Scott Pickering.

Martin has been named Chief Executive Officer for the Metro Jackson Region. Martin joined Community Bank in 2007, where he began as Assistant Vice President in Brandon, he was later named Executive Vice President while in Tupelo, and most recently served in the Pine Belt Region as first, Chief Operating Officer then being named Chief Executive Officer.

Pickering has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer for the Pine Belt Region. Pickering has spent the entirety of his twelve year banking career with Community Bank, most recently serving as President, Jones County Division. Prior to assuming that role, Pickering served as Executive Vice President in Laurel and while on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, was able to grow from Loan Officer to Senior Vice President.

Aug. 10-23, 2019 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

AN MBJ FOCUS: Banking & Finance

Courtesy of Priority Bank

Corporate headquarters in Magee

Barnes: Brick and mortar will never replace relationships

By NASH NUNNERY mbj@msbusiness.com One of Mississippi’s oldest banks is now the state’s number one bank, according to Forbes magazine’s 2019 Best-In-State Banks and Credit Unions edition.

PriorityOne Bank was selected based on the publication’s consumer survey ratings on overall recommendations and satisfaction, including trust, terms and conditions, branch and digital services, and financial advice.

PriorityOne president and CEO Robert Barnes received news of the announcement from a colleague with the Mississippi Bankers Association.

“We have always strived to be the very best and it was a refreshing feeling to have that effort and

dedication validated by an outside source,” said Barnes. “We have a great staff and they definitely deserve this recognition and honor. It’s a testament to them and their hard work.”

Headquartered in Magee, PriorityOne boasts approximately $680 million in assets, with 15 branches in 11 Mississippi counties, and operates three mortgage loan production offices. The bank employs 210 most of whom are full-time employees.

Client support is job one at PriorityOne. The bank performs its own customer satisfaction surveys and responds accordingly, Barnes said.

“One of the things we pride ourselves on is providing a superior level of customer service to every person who chooses to bank with us,” he said. “We understand what a privilege it is to have them choose us as their financial institution and

we are grateful for the opportunity to serve them.

We also believe that we have the best staff and employees, those who believe in true relationship banking and take pride in our organization and the jobs that they do.

“PriorityOne treats customers as people and not as a number or transaction.”

The bank’s slogan, “big bank sophistication and small town values,” wasn’t a product of a slick advertising campaign but was homegrown. According to Barnes, the phrase simply means that PriorityOne offers all of the sophistication and technology of larger banking institutions while still providing a superior level of personalized customer service.

“The phrase was actually coined by one of our branch managers and we feel it describes us perSee PRIORITY, Page 25

Banking & Finance

Aug. 10-23, 2019

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PRIORITY Continued from, Page 24

fectly,” he said. “You won’t find call centers or automated response systems here. We pride ourselves on direct contact with our customers and making them feel right at home.”

Chief operating officer and executive vice-president John Mark Williams joined PriorityOne in 2013. He beams with pride of the technological advances offered by the small community bank, and how employees are encouraged to try the new services for themselves.

“Every employee hired comes through the CEO’s office and has direct interaction with him,” Williams said. “Robert (Barnes) addresses our products and services with them, and encourages our employees to take advantage so that they’re the best person to recommend those services to our customers.

We make it a point to invest in the banking technologies that are important to them and help make their lives more convenient.”

Williams added that PriorityOne offers several technology-based services rarely found in other community banking organizations, including E-Sign loans, SecurLock debit card protection, BizNow Stored Value business cards, and online mortgage loan applications and account opening.

“We also offer a wealth management diviSee RELATIONSHIPS, Page 27

Courtesy of Priority Bank

Management team from left to right, are Robert Barnes (CEO), Martha Underwood, Barry Winford and John Mark Williams.

CHECKING HERE IS FREE!

RIVERTRUSTFCU.COM | 601.664.2085

Banking & Finance

26 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019

Hancock Whitney CEO John M. Hairston took a career curve from chemical engineering

By BECKY GILLETTE mbj@msbusiness.com

When John M. Hairston was named CEO of Hancock Bank in 2008, the bank had about $4 billion in total assets. Since then, Hancock merged with Whitney Bank becoming Hancock Whitney Bank, and expects to finish 2019 at more than $30 billion in total assets.

“Regardless of how large we become, Hancock Whitney measures our success by how our clients Hairston and communities feel about us,” said Hairston, who is now is CEO of Hancock Whitney Corporation and Hancock Whitney Bank.

“Size is simply a result of doing a great job at listening to the people we exist to help.”

“I am not worried about a dramatic crisis— the people who lived through the last one are still around and can react to emerging weaknesses. But, when all those folks are gone from leadership positions, when all that knowledge is gone, it will happen again.”

John M. Haiston CEO Hancock Whitney Bank

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Hairston said a priority is to test all that they do and say against their culture.

“Our mission is to help people, businesses and communities achieve their financial goals and dreams,” Hairston said.

“Our purpose is to help create opportunities for people and the communities we serve.”

While the bank’s goal is to be one or the pre-eminent financial services institutions in the Gulf South, Hairston said they don’t look at growth for the sake of simply getting larger.

“But scale does matter when it comes to product and delivery channel offerings,” he said.

Banking is definitely changing especially with online banking that has diminished the important of bank branches.

“I expect the number to financial centers (branches) to diminish over the years, but the value the banking industry brings to Main Street USA will continue to grow,” he said.

Currently there is a concern in banking about an increase in non-bank lending to risky borrowers. Hairston said the most recent financial crisis occurred when a very few greedy organizations put common sense in a closet and lent money foolishly.

“Some of the provisions of Dodd Frank will prevent banks from doing the same thing, but there are plenty of organizations prepared to make the same mistakes again,” he said. “They are not regulated

as we banks are. I am not worried about a dramatic crisis—the people who lived through the last one are still around and can react to emerging weaknesses. But, when all those folks are gone from leadership positions, when all that knowledge is gone, it will happen again.”

Hairston grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

“It was a fantastic childhood—rebuilding old cars and shrimping with my dad, tending a garden with my mother, catching soft shell flounder and gigging flounder by the light of a Coleman lantern,” Hairston said. “I have nothing but fond memories of growing up on the water.”

Hairston started working at age 12 washing and waxing vehicles near his home. He took a job washing dishes and busing tables at a restaurant at age 13, and at 14 started working at a Pizza Hut on the night shift, along with running two or three paper routes.

After graduating from Gulfport High School in 1981, he planned to attend Mississippi State University (MSU).

“My dad suffered a very difficult illness two weeks after my graduation, so I stayed on the Coast for a year to help take care of him,” Hairston said. “We were not just father and son; we were very dear friends.

He made progress, and I left for Starkville the following fall. I paid my way through MSU, working every other semester as an engineer. I spent holidays working for my brother on a tow boat.”

He graduated in 1987 with a B.S. chemical engineering, and initially expected to spend his career in the petrochemical business. Then a friend at Arthur Andersen’s consulting group (now Accenture) persuaded him to try the consulting part of engineering.

“It did not pay nearly as well, but the idea of understanding the business aspects of the industry was intriguing,” Hairston said. “It turned out to be a life-altering choice.”

When he finished college in the ‘80s, the energy industry was in a slump. Many companies had failed, and in doing so, created a real estate crisis in Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma. Andersen landed a large contract with bank regulators to find energy-related assets at failed banks, value the assets and prepare them for liquidation.

See HAIRSTON, Page 27

Banking & Finance HAIRSTON Continued from Page 26

“The assignment became much more than that, trying to understand how the companies failed and where the banks chose a bad path leading to failure versus managing through the crisis,” Hairston said. “I love the banking industry. We are unjustly maligned by some politicians and sometimes the press. There are always bad apples, but this industry is packed with hundreds of thousands of committed bankers who spend their careers helping people realize their dreams and get through tough times. I am proud to be one of them.”

Early mentors include his parents.

“My dad quit the 9th grade to join the Navy after Pearl Harbor and married my mother while home after his ship was badly damaged at Corregidor,” Hairston said. “My parents were deeply committed to all their kids finishing college, which we did.”

Other mentors included Bill McIntyre, Alan Fioreza, his first boss Tommy Mann, and Trey Bradley, all at Andersen and all of whom took extra time to help him.

Then, Hancock’s longtime leaders Leo Seal and George Schloegel instilled in him a love of and devotion to history and the importance of prizing the soul of a company (its culture) and the team, instead of solely the next quarter.

“Jim Estabrook, retired chairman of our company, reminded me that people will almost always surprise on the positive side, so expect and even demand it,” Hairston said. “My wife is my hero. She raised two great kids while pouring her soul into caring for a terminally ill child.

When it comes to strength, Ann is the toughest person I will ever know.”

He met his wife, who is from Hollandale, at MSU. Their eldest daughter was valedictorian of her high school, graduated from MSU as a chemical engineer and is in her fourth year of medical school at William Carey.

Their second daughter was also valedictorian and graduated in May from MSU in chemical engineering. She will begin her Ph.D. in chemical engineering at Michigan (Ann Arbor) in a few weeks.

Their third daughter was stricken with illness as a child and passed away when she was six.

“She was beautiful and looked perfect, but suffered through her short life,” Hairston said. “She fought a great fight, and it was a family affair to keep her going. That fight is where our oldest daughter found her inspiration to be a physician.”

Hairston considers his work also his recreation.

“Every day in the banking business is a vacation day,” Hairston said. “When my team gets tired of me, I take a few days every year to go fishing. We also enjoy traveling as a family.”

Hairston is a past member of the American Bankers Association Board of Directors and Audit Committee.

He is past chairman of the Gulf Coast Business Council and vice chairman of the Board of Trustees for the World War II Museum in New Orleans. He is past chairman of the Mississippi Information Technology Services Board of Directors, the Mississippi Gaming Commission and the Mississippi State College of Business Advisory Board.

Aug. 10-23, 2019

Q

Mississippi Business Journal

Continued from, Page 25

sion that offers 401ks, annuities, estate planning and financial advice, among others,” he said.

Founded in 1905 as the Independent Bank of Seminary, the bank has undergone several name changes over its 114-year history. Perhaps the most important came in March 2003 when Citizens State Bank was re-branded and changed to PriorityOne Bank.

“The reason for the change was to differentiate ourselves from other banks in the market that had names similar to ours,” Barnes said. “We spent a great deal of time working with an ad agency to find a name that clearly communicated our passion for serving our customers.

“Our name PriorityOne with the attached tagline “Our One Priority Is You” is the driving force behind everything we do.”

Despite being recognized as the number one bank in Mississippi, PriorityOne continues to expand its reach. In January 2020, the bank will move into a 5,000-square-foot branch in the Horne CPA building in Ridgeland after opening a branch in Flowood Market on Lakeland Drive earlier this year.

But for Barnes, brick-and-mortar structures will never replace relationships in the banking industry.

“Our customers are our top priority, and we make it a point to empower our employees,” he said. “Every employee feels cared for and enjoys the family-friendly culture of PriorityOne Bank.”

Hiring. Firing. Accidents. Injuries. There’s plenty of risk to go around in a construction business. And for over 100 years, Fisher Brown Bottrell has been helping business owners manage those risks and leave their mark on the world through personalized service from experienced advisors.

To find out how we can help you manage your risks, call 1.800.410.8200 or visit us at fbbins.com.

Risk Management products are: Not FDIC Insured | Not Bank Guaranteed | Subject to Loss in Value Not Bank Deposits | Not Insured by any Federal Government Agency

27

RELATIONSHIPS

This isn’t the only place a construction business owner has to be really careful.

Fisher Brown Bottrell Insurance, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Trustmark National Bank.

Q

WHEN HE INTERVIEWED A REGIONS SBA SPECIALIST, he pressed us for big ideas on small business lending.

You should too.

You wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find us at a loss when it comes to suggesting ways to help your business grow.

So ask us the tough questions.

1 I understand Small Business Administration (SBA) loans require as little as 10% down.

Is that true?

2 What are the advantages of an SBA loan for a business like mine?

3 Can I get extended repayment terms with an SBA loan?

4 Is Regions a preferred SBA lender?

What makes it one?

Your Regions SBA Specialist can help you determine the best loan for your situation.

So interview a Regions SBA Specialist today to learn how we can move your business forward.

Chris Wallace | 601.790.8161 | chris.wallace@regions.com 1020 Highland Colony Pkwy. | Ridgeland, MS 39157

Š 2019 Regions Bank. All loans and lines subject to credit approval. | Regions and the Regions logo are registered trademarks of Regions Bank. The LifeGreen color is a trademark of Regions Bank.

Banking & Finance

Aug. 10-23, 2019

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Aug. 10-23, 2019 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

AN MBJ FOCUS: Technology

Stennis Space Center a “hidden wonder” home to major advanced technology developments

By BECKY GILLETTE mbj@msbusiness.com Most people traveling along Interstate 10 in coastal Mississippi have little idea of the large federal city located north of the interstate. People come out of the pine trees to the sprawling campus of Stennis Space Center, an economic powerhouse estimated to have contributed more than $917 million during the most recent fiscal year to the economies of coastal Mississippi and Louisiana.

“It is a hidden wonder,” said Randy Galloway, deputy director, Stennis Space Center. Galloway “People came out here for the first time and say they had no idea that all these things out were out here.”

Each week day you will find highly skilled engineers, marine scientists, information technology specialists and other highly skilled employees among the approximately 5,200 people who work at Stennis Space Center, a 13,800-acre federal city surrounded by a 125,000-acre noise buffer zone that allows testing of rocket engines and stages before they are shot into space.

The average salary of about $90,000 per year including benefits at Stennis is far higher than the state average.

When Sen. John Stennis announced in 1961 that Stennis Space Center was going to be built, he stood up on a log truck and said: Before the rose comes the thorn. You are going to have to give up your homes because we need to beat the Russians to the moon. If you do that, your children will have good jobs, and your children’s children will have good jobs.

At the 50th anniversary of Stennis, the Center looked at the surnames of 600 families affected

by the establishment of Stennis. Many of the surnames of the affected families are the same as the names of current employees.

“Sen. Stennis kept that promise for good jobs, and our job is to make that promise continue on for generations,” Galloway said.

Stennis, no doubt, is home to one of the largest concentrations of brain power in the region.

“We’ve got a pretty big group of people out here with very specialized knowledge,” Galloway said. “About 31 percent of our workforce is engineers and scientists. We have a large concentration of oceanographers and marine scientists, many employed by the Naval Oceanographic Office, and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Data Buoy Center. Of course, you have all of us involved in rocket testing with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Well over 100 engineers are involved in the rocket testing program.”

Currently there is a good bit of excitement about testing for the Space Launching System (SLS) that is an integral part of NASA’s plan to land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024. SLS is the only rocket that can send the Orion spacecraft, astronauts and supplies to the Moon on a single mission.

Engineers will install the core stage that will send Orion to the Moon in the B-2 Test Stand at Stennis. This is being called the “Green Run” testing with “green” referring to the new hardware that will work together to power the stage, and “run” refers to operating all the components together simultaneously for the first time.

NASA said many aspects will be carried out for the first time, such as fueling and pressurizing the stage, and the test series culminating with firing up all four RS-25 engines to demonstrate that the engines, tanks, fuel lines, valves, pressurization system, and software can all perform

together just as they will on launch day.

“The SLS core stage is an engineering feat that includes not only the largest rocket propellant tanks ever built but also sophisticated avionics and main propulsion systems,” said Lisa Bates, SLS deputy stages manager. “While the rocket is designed to evolve over time for different mission objectives, the core stage design will remain basically the same. The Green Run acceptance test gives NASA the confidence needed to know the new core stage will perform again and again as it is intended.”

See HIDDEN WONDER, Page 32

Technology

32 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019

HIDDEN WONDER Continued from Page 31

Bates said Green Run is about more than testing. “It’s the first time the stage will come to life and be fully operational from the avionics in the top of the core stage to the engines at the bottom,” she said.

Rocket testing at Stennis has gone in cycles. It is very busy when there is a lot of rocket development as is being seen at present.

“The test side of our business has been pretty steady or growing in the past several years,” Galloway said. “In addition to the SLS, there is also a lot of new development in commercial businesses. For the first time we are seeing the commercial industry come up to spend money on developing rockets.”

Private companies such as Space X (Elon Musk), Blue Origins (Jeff Bezos), and United Launch Alliance are involved in building new rockets to launch satellites into space.

“Space X is launching satellites for Internet service than can be accessed with an antenna about the size of a pizza box,” Galloway said. “There are a lot of places on Earth where you really can’t get broadband. Several companies like Space X are aiming to providing that service, but they need thousands of satellites across the world.”

Relativity Space signed a number of agreements with NASA both for testing and manufacturing rocket engines.

Galloway said thousands of satellites are being expected to be launched in the next several years.

“Their aim is to 3-D print an entire rocket,” Galloway said. “Relativity Space will be installing some manufacturing facilities at Stennis which will be a good addition to our portfolio.”

NASA has a technology transfer program that allows engineers and scientists to license their developments to commercial industry. Right now, about 1,000 patents are available to license. One example is a technology for the oil and gas industry that involves a novel design that minimizes the number of parts that could fail. Galloway said a group of local entrepreneurs is working to commercialize that technology.

Galloway, who is eligible to retire but has no plans to do so anytime soon, grew up in Kemper County and recalls watching the first space programs on a black-and-white television.

“As a kid, I always wanted to work for NASA,” Galloway said. “Looking back, I feel very lucky in my career. I could do something else, but I am excited about things that we doing in space including putting footprints on a part of the Moon that we have never been to.”

Technology

Aug. 10-23, 2019

Q

Mississippi Business Journal

Mississippi State selected to lead Homeland Security UAS test site

By Jim Laird Mississippi State University

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State University will lead a major research and development project for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after a rigorous and highly competitive review process.

The DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has selected Mississippi as the new base of operations for small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS), commonly known as drones, and a Mississippi State-led partnership will oversee the initiative.

The new DHS S&T Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Demonstration Range Facility will support homeland security operations and training by providing UAS flight and exercise support facilities that will support operational evaluation of UAS in a variety of applications and scenarios.

In a joint statement, Mississippi’s congressional delegation on [April 19] welcomed the decision.

U.S. Sens. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and U.S. Reps. Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.) and Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) strongly endorsed the proposal developed by the Mississippi Partnership.

“This is a great win for not only Mississippi State University, but our entire state, and I appreciate the support of our partners and federal, state and local officials,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum.

“Our talented faculty and the research resources we have developed are paying significant dividends to economic development, national defense and homeland security in our state and nation, and also providing our undergraduate and graduate students with wonderful research opportunities that are making a difference,” he said.

The Mississippi Partnership includes the Mississippi National Guard’s Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, the Mississippi Air National Guard’s Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center, NASA’s Stennis Space Center, the Jackson County Port Authority and the Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission.

“I can’t say enough about the outstanding effort and work our team put into our proposal, and I think it’s a terrific example of the collaborative culture we’ve developed on campus,” said David Shaw, MSU’s vice president for research and economic development.

“We work very well with others,” he said.

The university also works closely with the Mississippi Development Authority and Gov. Phil Bryant’s office to support the state’s robust aerospace sector. (See more at https://www.mississippi.org/

“Mississippi has a number of unique assets that facilitate unmanned aircraft test flights that aren’t found in many other places, and we can fly year round.”

Dallas Brooks director of MSU’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory

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“We anticipate the new DHS demonstration range facility will be an additional asset in the State of Mississippi’s overall economic development focus on advanced technology and highly-skilled jobs,” Shaw said.

The new DHS S&T demonstration range facility will utilize approximately 2,000 square miles of restricted airspace at altitudes up to 60,000 feet, primarily in southern and coastal Mississippi.

Multiple sites will play a role in the testing, including Camp Shelby, the Stennis Space Center buffer zones, and Singing River Island.

“Mississippi has a number of unique assets that facilitate unmanned aircraft test flights that aren’t found in many other places, and we can fly year round,” said Dallas Brooks, director of MSU’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory, who will lead the demonstration range team.

The partnership’s members provide facilities, expertise and personnel to conduct specialized evaluation and training for DHS agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, Secret Service, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

According to Brooks, thanks to the diversity of the Mississippi Partnership’s offerings, DHS S&T will be able to conduct exercise and training to support a wide variety of simulated scenarios, including disaster relief (flood, fire and earthquake), highway and rail accidents, border protection, and containment of hazardous materials spills.

All of the planned exercise events will incorporate small UAS to assist DHS in monitoring and assessing the simulated scenarios over both land

and water.

“Unmanned aircraft provide unmatched data that first responders and homeland defense agencies can use to make faster and better decisions across a range of critical situations,” Brooks said.

The demonstration range facility is expected to begin operations this fall, he said.

Mississippi State has a long and distinguished history in manned and unmanned aeronautics research. Raspet has a global reputation for composites research, and it has served as a start-up facility for various aerospace companies in the Gulf South’s growing Aerospace Corridor providing workspace, technical training and product assistance.

“We have a very successful track record, and are looking forward to the new opportunities the DHS facility brings,” Brooks said.

The DHS designation further enhances the state and MSU’s growing unmanned aircraft R&D portfolio. In 2015, after a similar competitive review process, the Federal Aviation Administration selected the MSU-led Alliance for System Safety of UAS Through Research Excellence (ASSURE) to operate a new national center of excellence for unmanned aircraft systems. Last fall, the State of Mississippi joined the Pan-Pacific UAS Test Range Complex — one of seven of the FAA’s UAS test sites.

“Mississippi is fast becoming the nation’s hub as public and private partners work to successfully — and safely — integrate UAS into our national airspace system, and Mississippi State is leading the way,” Brooks noted.

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Healthiest Workplaces

Aug. 10-23, 2019

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Mississippi Business Journal

2019

SPECIAL SECTION

Sponsored by

Photos by Stegall Imagery

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36 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019

Healthiest Workplaces

2019

Sponsored by

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2019 CLASS Anytime Fitness .......................................................................................40

Mississippi Public Universities (IHL) ..................................................37

Blacklidge Emulsions..............................................................................40

Northeast Mississippi Community College ..................................... 46

BorgWarner ................................................................................................42

Phi Theta Kappa .........................................................................................41

Delta Regional Medical Center............................................................ 46

Ross & Yerger .............................................................................................41

EMC Insurance..........................................................................................40

Sanderson Farms ..................................................................................... 44

Hol-Mac Corporation ............................................................................. 44

Singing River Health System ................................................................ 46

Ingalls ShipBuilding ................................................................................ 44

South Mississippi Regional Center .....................................................38

ITS .................................................................................................................37

Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company.............................42

Legislative Budget Office .......................................................................37

Southern Pipe & Supply .........................................................................45

Levi Strauss & Co. .....................................................................................42

St. Dominic Health Services ................................................................. 46

Metro YMCAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of Mississippi................................................................42

Trustmark Bank ........................................................................................ 44

Mississippi Community College Board ..............................................37

University of Mississippi Medical Center..........................................45

Mississippi Gaming Commission.........................................................38

Waggoner Engineering ..........................................................................40

Healthiest Workplaces

Aug. 10-23, 2019

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Mississippi Business Journal

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PUBLIC CATEGORY 1ST PLACE

PUBLIC CATEGORY 2ND PLACE

Legislative Budget Office

Mississippi Community College Board

T

T

he Mississippi Legislative Budget Office’s wellness mission statement is, “The Legislative Budget Office seeks to promote overall wellness not only in the workplace but at home.” It uses this statement to develop LBO’s yearly strategic wellness plan. Its wellness council develops activities, events as well as office goals that support overall well-being. It does yearly “Big Fat Loser” (BFL) and “Steps Challenges” to encourage staff to not only lose weight but maintain it. Office participants of BFL II lost a total of 117.8 lbs. Between 10 people, LBO logged 5,814,191 steps during its second annual steps challenge. It promoted healthy eating and cultivated staff member’s taste buds. For 15 weeks it had “Healthy Food Fridays.” Staff had the opportunity to taste test different food such a variety of apples with natural peanut butter, caprese salad, roasted Brussel sprouts, hummus with veggies and other healthy food. LBO collaborates with the ActiveHealth Management and Naturally Slim programs who are experts to share insight and promote overall wellbeing in the workplace and at home. Some of these initiatives have been Nutrition with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Mississippi Track Club and Get Financially Fit with a You Need a Budget (YNAB) Presentation.

he Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB) provides a variety of wellness offerings to the Research & Education Complex (R&D) as well as the surrounding community. MCCB has had proven success over the past years including participation in multiple community wellness events to the benefit of both the education complex employees and the surrounding community. It is committed to leaving a healthy footprint on the society we touch and strive to grow that footprint.

From personal testimonies, our education complex employees, have confirmed that its efforts are making an impact on the growth and development of self-awareness and individual commitment to healthier lifestyle choices.

2019

PUBLIC CATEGORY 3RD PLACE

PUBLIC CATEGORY FINALIST

Mississippi Public Universities (IHL)

ITS

T

T

he Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning is the state agency that provides staff support to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, which governs the eight public universities in Mississippi including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi.

In 2011, the Institutions of Higher Learning established a Worksite Wellness Committee (WWC), composed of employee volunteers, that leads the wellness activities, guided by an annual strategic plan developed by the committee. Another strategic partnership was developed with the Mississippi Community College Foundation and the Mississippi Community College Board regarding their “Community Challenge for Change” (C3) initiative. This initiative, which was funded through a grant from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, was established to promote health education to participants and engage employees in a variety of physical activities.

he Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services (ITS) works to cater to both the needs and interests of employees in order to better engage employees in an active and healthy lifestyle. It believes health and wellness is a group effort and we have partnerships with other state agencies, as well as community partners in order to give employees a variety of opportunities to be active, as well as to serve and engage in their communities.

Some of its partnerships include local farmers, Mississippi Blood Services, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It works to cover a variety of topics each years through trainings, activities, events, webinars, and other online resources. It strives for holistic health in order to cover a variety of topics such as stress relief, mental health, awareness, health screenings, weight loss, diet, exercise, financial planning, community involvement, and more. Employees have the opportunity to participate in AED/CPR certification with training on-campus.

Each fall ITS hosts a flu shot clinic on-campus. It has signage on its vending machines encouraging healthier snack choices. It contributes in planning and participating in a Health Fair with partner state agencies each year.

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38 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019

Healthiest Workplaces

PUBLIC CATEGORY FINALIST

PUBLIC CATEGORY FINALIST

Mississippi Gaming Commission

South Mississippi Regional Center

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S

he Mississippi Gaming Commission has been serving the citizens of Mississippi, gaming patrons, and the gaming industry since it became an independent agency in 1993. During these years, we have witnessed the growth and economic development of the gaming industry, and weathered the natural disasters of Hurricane Katrina and the Mississippi River Flood of 2011.

Through both, the MGC has held true to its mission: To guard the integrity of gaming in the State, maintain public confidence in the industry, and ensure that economic development is completed in the citizen’s best interest.

The MGC has a CrossFit team that works out daily and walking and weightlifting teams that meet several times a week.

The MGC works with MEA to provide an annual flu shot and a yearly onsite wellness exam to screen for diabetes and bring attention to the importance of monitoring blood pressure and blood sugar. Weight loss competitions, step counting competitions, quarterly nutritious potluck lunches, and an annual softball tournament are incorporated as fun ways to maintain interest and encourage participation.

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outh Mississippi Regional Center (SMRC) provides employees with health awareness information on a variety of topics within our monthly newsletter, Centerlines. This is a simple way to provide employees with educational information and prevention methods on a variety of health matters. We host an annual Employee Health Fair with a variety of vendors who promote healthy lifestyle choices. The flu vaccine is provided to all employees free of charge. A salad bar with healthy menu items is provided every day in the cafeteria. SMRC is a Tobacco Free workplace. Active Health Management Wellness Webinars and live instruction are offered regularly to employees. Health Awareness information is provided to employees via email from the Wellness Council. A partnership was established with Feeding the Gulf Coast which allows us to assist anyone who may be facing food insecurity or may need education on healthy menu choices.

SMRC is located on an expansive campus with sidewalks and trees for shade which encourages walking among employees.

www.SFBLI.com

would like to congratulate all of the winners and ďŹ nalists for the

2019 Healthiest Workplace Awards Sanderson Farms

Southern Pipe & Supply Co., Inc.

St. Dominicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital/Health Services

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society

Singing River Health SystemHealthcare Systems Ingalls Shipbuilding UMMC-Healthcare Systems Levi Strauss

EMC Insurance Hol-Mac Corporation Metro YMCAs of Mississippi Trustmark Bank

BorgWarner

Anytime Fitness

Southern Farm Bureau Ins Company

SMRC

Blacklidge Emulsions, Inc.

IHL

Delta Regional Medical Center

MS Gaming Commission

Waggoner Enginerring, Inc. Ross & Yerger Northeast Mississippi Community College

MCCB LBO ITS

P.O. BOX 2971 | Madison, MS 39130 | 601-540-8699 Please visit our website for membership information www.msbgh.org

40 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019

Healthiest Workplaces

PRIVATE, SMALL CATEGORY 1ST PLACE

PRIVATE, SMALL CATEGORY 2ND PLACE

Waggoner Engineering

EMC Insurance

W

E

aggoner has budgeted for the cost of its healthy workplace initiatives since 2008 and has substantially increased the budget during the last two years.

In 2018, management started renovation plans for its Jackson office. Management included building a state-of-the-art fitness gym with two accompanying shower rooms. It utilizes this facility by offering a variety of peer-led exercise classes almost every day of the week. It provides fresh fruits in the breakroom daily, along with healthier lunch options for company meetings.

It also has a personal wellness incentive program that helps each employee meet wellness goals. This is tracked using a personal wellness tracking spreadsheet.

Founded in 1976, Waggoner is one of the largest engineering firms in the mid- South. It employs 80 full-time and 9 parttime employees in our Gulfport, Jackson, Hernando and Vicksburg as well as New Orleans and Birmingham.

mployers Mutual Casualty Company was organized in 1911 to write workers’ compensation protection in Iowa. Today, EMC provides property and casualty insurance products and services throughout the United States and writes reinsurance contracts worldwide.

EMC distributes products solely through the independent agency system and operates under the philosophy that its partnership with independent agents brings a superior level of personalized service to the insurance process. To show its support of independent agents, EMC is part of the Trusted Choice® brand initiative.

The EMC Jackson Branch was formed in 1966 and currently serves Mississippi and Louisiana. Today, the Jackson branch employs 45 team members.

2019

PRIVATE, SMALL CATEGORY 3RD PLACE

PRIVATE, SMALL CATEGORY FINALIST

Blacklidge Emulsions

Anytime Fitness

B

A

lacklidge (Emulsions) was founded in 1990 by Ronnie Blacklidge, Sr. However, the Blacklidge family has been involved in road construction since the inception of Harrison County Sand & Gravel Company in the 1930s, which supplied concrete materials for the original construction of Highway 90 in Mississippi.

Blacklidge Emulsions’ first product was an asphalt emulsion that was used to control dust on unpaved surfaces and also as a prime coat. Blacklidge patented this asphalt emulsion and named it EPR-1 Prime. This product became the DOT standard in Mississippi and other neighboring states in the South. The success of this innovative product allowed for investment into the production of other products including SS-1 (Tack Coat) and CRS-2/2P (Chip seal emulsion).

Over the years, Blacklidge expanded its manufacturing capabilities with facilities throughout the Southeast, including a multi-million dollar asphalt testing laboratory called BETA. Today, the company continues to innovate and has been awarded multiple patents for its products.

nytime Fitness strives to provide healthy lifestyle choices without the staff receiving the opportunity to exercise during work.

Anytime Fitness originated in Minnesota in 2002, with the first Mississippi franchise opening in 2006. Anytime Fitness now serves the needs of six Mississippi communities and counting with 30 franchise locations in the Magnolia State.

There are 4,000 locations worldwide.

Anytime Fitness offers weights, cardio, training and coaching as well as group training.

In the area, there are three executive staff, 6 managers and 8 trainers.

Healthiest Workplaces

Aug. 10-23, 2019

Q

Mississippi Business Journal

PRIVATE, SMALL CATEGORY FINALIST

PRIVATE, MEDIUM CATEGORY 1ST PLACE

Phi Theta Kappa

Ross & Yerger

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R

eadquartered in Jackson, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and providing opportunities for them to grow as scholars and leaders. Founded in 1918, the Society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 nations.

Phi Theta Kappa allows employees: Time off for Healthy You! Exam – up to three hours per year, up to $100 per year reimbursement for athletic equipment, apparel, or related items, up to $75 annual reimbursement for organized Walk/Run/Marathon event, time off to participate in wellness activities - employees can take up to thirty minutes, three times a week, to exercise by arriving at work later or leaving earlier than usual. There are also onsite health screenings as Blue Cross Blue Shield provides onsite health screenings and certified wellness coaches. There are healthy workplace seminars, onsite flu shots and employee assistance program and free access to gym at Institutions of Higher Learning, located adjacent to PTK Headquarters.

oss & Yerger’s roots date to 1860, and the company was bought by its employees in 2002. Today, it has grown to about 115 employees and surpassed $20 million in revenue. The firm offers commercial insurance products, employee benefit plans, financial institutions products and services, personal insurance products, risk management/ employee benefits consulting, and executive benefits.

Ross & Yerger allows employees to exercise on company time twice a week.

Time is also provided outside of sick/personal/vacation for employees to get their Healthy You. Free onsite gym access is provided for employees in the Jackson and Tupelo offices, and the company is a tobacco-free workplace. The firm provides quarterly stress management seminars, annual Health Fair, quarterly wellness challenges, nutrition seminars, on-site flu shots, access to corporate-sponsored Employee Assistance Program, and access to discounted gym memberships. It also provides discounted on-site massage services, and year-round complimentary nutrition and training counseling.

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Care You Can Trust, Right Here At Home

1400 East Union St. • Greenville, MS www.deltaregional.com

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42 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019

Healthiest Workplaces

PRIVATE, MEDIUM CATEGORY 2ND PLACE

PRIVATE, LARGE CATEGORY 1ST PLACE

Metro YMCA’s of Mississippi

Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company

W

orking at the Metro YMCA gives you the opportunity to strengthen communities and change lives, including your own. No matter what role you take on at the Y, you’ll show up each day with the satisfaction of knowing your work helps empower young people, improve health and well-being, and inspire action in your community. Working side by side with diverse leaders with different backgrounds, perspectives and strengths, you’ll discover new ways to connect with your community, find your purpose and fuel your passion every day.

Full-time employees receive a free family membership and part-time employees also receive free memberships with the option to have a discounted family membership. This is one way the Y helps encourage whole families to become healthier together. Employees are also given discounts on Y programs like childcare, swim lessons, and sports. Employees are encouraged to take classes and engage in fitness challenges along with members. Its subsidized health insurance offers free annual wellness check-ups and an Employee Assistance Program. Its Paid Time Off program allows staff to take time away from work to maintain physical and mental health.

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outhern Farm Bureau’s WellnessWorks! program was created to provide its home office staff of 650 with healthy places, healthy communications, and healthy programs that maintain healthier people.

Company policies have been reworked to offer employees time to participate in the many healthy choices at the workplace. For example, employees can take time to visit their doctor off-site or at the company’s onsite clinic without using sick time. Other examples include the break-time policy where employees can take time to walk using the indoor paths or outdoor trail where they have the flexibility of spending some extra time upon supervisor approval. Employees can visit with onsite health coaches, onsite massage therapists, attend onsite training classes, and other onsite events on company time.

The SFBLI Café, which is managed by Sodexo, is subsidized 35 percent so that prices stay low while providing healthy choices in the cafeteria, vending, and on the catering menu.

The company offers a variety of employee health and wellness benefits which includes a value-based design and premium discount incentive.

2019

PRIVATE, LARGE CATEGORY 2NS PLACE

PRIVATE, LARGE CATEGORY 3RD PLACE

BorgWarner

Levi Strauss & Co

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orgWarner is a global product leader in clean and efficient technology solutions for combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles. Its health goal is to educate, motivate and empower employees and their families by providing a balanced and proactive wellness program. Globally it employs 27,000, with 525 in Water Valley.

The tobacco-free company offers free gym memberships to employees and their spouses. Within the facility’s clinic, a nurse practitioner is available four days a week, where services are free for employees, spouses and children 14 and over, who are enrolled in the company’s health care plan.

Over the past two years, BorgWarner has provided free Fitbit activity trackers for over 200 employees and organized teambased Walking Challenges. It also offers free annual biometric screenings for employees and their spouses. BorgWarner also promotes local 5 and 10K runs and pays the entrance fees for employees, as well as provides dry-fit shirts for participants.

The company recently started an on-site cafeteria, which offers healthier meal and vending options and provides nutritional information. If yearly health goals are met, medical plan premiums can be free for employees and their families.

evi Strauss & Co. designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories under the Levi’s, Dockers, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co., and Denizen brands. Its products are sold in more than 110 countries worldwide through about 2,700 retail sites.

The company’s live wellth program was designed with a holistic approach that supports all facets of wellness.

The core elements are health and fitness, contribution and sustainability, growth and development, and money and prosperity. It allows individuals to choose from a variety of wellness activities and offers the opportunity to earn rewards, such as opportunities to lower their plan-year contributions. Health coaching is also included as an option to earn points.

In addition to the formal program, Levi Strauss & Co. offers employees’ access to an Employee Assistance Program and various health management programs through the insurance coverage. Financial literacy classes are also offered as part of the holistic approach to wellness.

44 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019

Healthiest Workplaces

PRIVATE, MEGA-LARGE CATEGORY 1ST PLACE

PRIVATE, MEGA-LARGE CATEGORY 2ND PLACE

Ingalls Shipbuilding

Hol-Mac Corporation

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ngalls Shipbuilding continues to invest in its employees by implementing programs that focus on prevention and health maintenance. Ingalls realizes its success as a company is tied to the health and well-being of their employees and families. There are roughly 25,000 covered lives on the insurance plan. A healthy workforce and the health and welfare of the entire HII family is a primary focus for the company.

BeWell is HII’s wellness program that offers a large variety of programming, services and events to strengthen the health and well-being of HII employees and their families. The overarching theme of the robust BeWell program is healthy body, wallet and mind.

The HII Benefits strategy focuses on building a stronger and healthier workforce by encouraging employees to take greater accountability for their own health. Employees who choose not to use tobacco in any form will receive the preferred tobacco-free rate, which is $660 less annually than the standard HII medical insurance premium.

ounded in 1963 by Charles B. Holder, Jr., Hol-Mac Corporation is a major supplier of steel fabrications, cylinders and, most recently, tanks. Hol-Mac has over 50 years in steel fabrication with three manufacturing facilities in Bay Springs, one in Winona, and one in Gulfport. It employs over 750 workers at those sites.

Hol-Mac has a goal of creating a culture of wellness within the workplace. Its wellness program represents a commitment to a results-oriented lifestyle management program, and is a joint collaboration of Hol-Mac Corporation’s management team, participants, beBetter health and UMMC centers for telehealth and ACT Center.

The program involves surrounding the participant with wellness opportunities. All employees have access to the fitness center, telehealth appointments, flu shots, financial education and tobacco cessation classes. Those who participate receive health insurance premium discounts and have the opportunity to complete a few required wellness activities.

2019

PRIVATE, MEGA-LARGE CATEGORY 3RD PLACE

PRIVATE, MEGA-LARGE CATEGORY FINALIST

Trustmark Bank

Sanderson Farms

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rustmark’s partners coordinate with the onsite wellness program coordinator to maintain the vision, “Nutrition, Fitness and Health”, by offering many wellness services at no additional cost to associates such as: Virtual Health Coaching, Diabetes Self-Management Education, Well Mother Healthy Pregnancy program, Health Club Partnerships, Onsite health clinic services, an Annual health fair that includes flu vaccinations and biometric screenings as well as many more.

Trustmark implemented a Wellness Vendor Summit in 2018, which allowed all partnered vendors to have a full summit day to discuss the goals for Trustmark associates by providing data and new wellness programs for the upcoming year.

Trustmark has also implemented an outreach wellness initiative for our local communities. Our goal with this program is to promote health and wellness to our communities by partnering with local care providers to offer health information and services such as blood pressure screenings and heart risk assessments.

Trustmark’s longtime partner, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, continues to provide wellness programs.

anderson Farms offers various programs and classes at no cost to the employee to help increase health and well-being of its staff including: yearly wellness screenings, health fairs, wellness classes, flu shots, biggest loser competitions, healthy vending choices, a tobacco cessation program, weight loss management program, gym reimbursement program, walk-to-run program, and yearly 5K. Sanderson Farms recognizes that its employees face significant challenges in their efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Busy work schedules, family obligations, and church commitments leave little time for the employee to spend on their personal health and wellness.

Sanderson Farms is engaged in the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of fresh, frozen further processed and partially cooked chicken.

Corporately, Sanderson Farms employs over 12,000 employees and contracts with over 850 independent poultry producers.

The company’s Mississippi-based locations employ approximately 4,650 employees and nearly 500 independent contract growers.

Healthiest Workplaces

Aug. 10-23, 2019

Q

Mississippi Business Journal

PRIVATE, MEGA-LARGE CATEGORY FINALIST

HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS CATEGORY 1ST PLACE

Southern Pipe & Supply

University of Mississippi Medical Center

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t Southern Pipe & Supply, employees are called “family members” and offered the opportunity to “live the pipe dream”. Since 1938, the Meridian company has been redefining the plumbing supply industry’s idea of how to do business, placing its emphasis on customer service and creating opportunities for the Southern Pipe team. In fact, the company culture is rooted in relationships and doing what’s best for clients, vendors and ‘family members’. Today, Southern Pipe is one of the nation’s largest privately-held, independent wholesalers of plumbing, heating and air conditioning, water and sewer, and industrial materials. The company operates 120 branches in seven states, and its state-of-the-art Central Dis-tribution Center processes nearly four million items annually. Southern Pipe employs more than 950 “family members”, with approximately 260 of those working in Mississippi.

WE GIVE AWARDS AND LIKE GETTING THEM TOO! For more than 100 years Phi Theta Kappa has recognized the achievements of college students and provided opportunities for their growth.

We’re honored to be a 2019 Healthiest Workplace.

ptk.org

he University of Mississippi Medical Center has implemented a comprehensive employee wellness program with a medical director and manager from the Department of Preventive Medicine and a 21-member Employee Wellness Committee that meets monthly to identify opportunities for improving the health of UMMC employees.

The program, “Everyday Wellness,” incorporates educational sessions, free group exercise classes, healthier food and beverage options in the cafeteria and in vending machines, recognition of walking day with an organized walk on campus, and a “Take the Stairs” campaign. It also increases awareness of resources available outside of UMMC, such as the employee assistance program and ActiveHealth Management. In June, UMMC inplemented the first on-site farmer’s market and a held a center-wide wellness challenge with 227 employees enrolled.

Using the Centers for Disease Control’s online workplace health scorecard, UMMC has measured progress and showed an increase in the overall score from 170 in 2016 to 264 in 2017.

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45

46 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q Aug. 10-23, 2019

Healthiest Workplaces

HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS CATEGORY 2ND PLACE

HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS CATEGORY 3RD PLACE

Singing River Health System

St. Dominic Health Services

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s the second largest employer in Jackson County and a health leader for the region, Singing River Health System works to deliver on its mission to improve health and save lives. Singing River offers a number of initiatives for its 2,400 employees.

Healthy Rewards is a voluntary employee rewards program focusing obesity, cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes.

With Healthy Selection, Singing River partners with local restaurants to create a guide for employees and patients for healthier eatiing while enjoying a meal out.

The Healthy Partners program offers screenings to employees of local businesses, assistance in preventing workplace injuries, early detection of diseases, and risk assessments for a healthier lifestyle — all at reduced rates.

Singing River also offers one mile walking paths for employees and guests, discounted membership to fitness centers, free flu shots for employees, free childbirth and breastfeeding classes, free CPR classes, blood drives and 5K events.

t. Dominic’s encourages its employees to lead healthy lifestyles through its Employee Wellness program, which focuses on engaging more than 4,000 St. Dominic Health Services employees in healthy living programs. Employees are regularly provided with educational materials, a monthly spotlight on health, physical fitness activities and healthy eating programs throughout the year.

St. Dominic’s also began to utilize the Healthy Lives program in 2013, a comprehensive health and wellness program provided as an additional benefit at no cost to employees, spouses and dependents over the age of 18 enrolled in the St. Dominic’s health plan. Employees and dependents enrolled in the program participate in yearly health screenings and can earn cash rewards for healthy behavior and lifestyle changes.

St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital, a 571-bed acute care facility in Jackson, traces its history to 1946.

2019

HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS CATEGORY FINALIST

COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY CATEGORY 1ST PLACE

Delta Regional Medical Center

Northeast Mississippi Community College

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Delta Regional Medical Center offers reduced health insurance premiums for employees and their dependents who participate and each year, a biometric screening process is completed along with a wellness visit with the onside clinic physician. The Wellness Clinic, an onsite health clinic, was established for employees and dependents to receive treatment of minor illness and injury for an extremely low flat-rate. DRMC also offers an onsite retail pharmacy where employees and dependents are able to fill prescriptions at a discounted rate. Each year, the cafeteria menu is reviewed to include healthier and tastier choices for the staff as well as patients.

Employees and their families are encouraged to participate in local health events which include the Mississippi River Marathon, YMCA Cotton Classic 5K and 10K, the YMCA/DRMC Weigh to go Program, Next Level Mississippi and other community events.

Internal competitions include: “The Biggest Loser,” “Take the Stairs Campaign,” and “Step Up to Wellness.”

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ith the help of grant funds from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, the college created the fitNEss health initiative in 2015. It includes various health and fitness classes and programs held in two newly renovated facilities, Burgess Activity Center and the Northeast Community Health Center. Burgess houses 120 pieces of strength and cardio equipment.

The Community Health Center is equipped with a commercial-style kitchen and meeting space. Stations of outdoor fitness equipment and a beach volleyball court have been added to campus as well. Classes include strength training, spin, Zumba and yoga, as well as a high-energy ab workout. Special events held during the academic year include a health fair, health camps for children (ROAR Camp, CDA Health and Fitness Camp, and FitNEss Friday), Healthy Cooking Class, National Walk at Lunch Day, and Tour de Tiger, which promotes the free bike share program.

Each year employees, students, and community members are encouraged to participate in the Lighten Up Northeast Challenge, a six-week body fat loss competition. A Health and Wellness Committee was created and meets regularly to discuss new ideas and strategies for improvement. Members are incentivized for participation in events and classes in several ways such as awards and prizes.

Aug. 10-23, 2019

Q

Mississippi Business Journal

Q

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THE SPIN CYCLE

Ohio State seeks to trademark “The”

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he Buckeyes are aiming to be “The” brand in college sports!

Ohio State University is seeking to trademark the word “The” when used on items marketed for sale, according to a trademark application filed to the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The filing, made a couple of weeks ago, aims to protect the school’s formal name – The Ohio State University – from being used without permission on clothing and other merchandise.

The university has been vigorous in its efforts to protect trademarks that hold unique value to the Buckeyes, filing trademarks for phrases such as “The Shoe” and the names and likenesses of former coaches Urban Meyer and Woody Hayes.

In 2017, the aggressive efforts nearly hit a roadblock when the attempt to file a trademark for the use of “OSU” on clothing and apparel was formally opposed by Oklahoma State. Eventually, the two schools came to an agreement that allowed both OSUs to benefit financially from their acronyms.

The good news for fans of one of the most commonly used words in the English language is that Ohio State does not appear to have “the” on lockdown for uses outside of its association with the university’s name – and of course, that would be a big time fumble of the King’s English.

Future Tech Trends The Future Today Institute publishes a report of the IT trends of the future, and how it will impact the economy.

In 2019, the number of innovations mentioned in the forecast almost doubled compared with the previous year. Technologies are being developed faster than ever.

In order to keep up, consider these tech drivers for 2020 and beyond.

Artificial Intelligence Scientists at Stanford University think that by 2030, all U.S. cities will use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to ensure public safety. In their opinion, the AI will help prevent crimes and even act as an assistant in court proceedings.

Solutions based on AI have already spurred many IT trends of the future: from smart home to speech recognition, face recognition, and even imitation of emotions.

Elements of artificial intelligence – machine and deep learning – are now used frequently in robotics. And researchers at the Future Today Institute suggest that soon, artificial intelligence will become part of all modern innovations. » Voice and visual product search According to a recent forecast, by 2021, the leading trading companies will begin to introduce a visual and voice search for

User Experience User experience helps to distinguish the company from competitors. Design based on user experience will continue to develop in parallel with the latest technologies.

Traditional interfaces are transformed into voice or even neural, the so-called “brain-computer” and will also be actively used in robotics. The task of high-quality user experience will remain unchanged – to make technological innovations as convenient and understandable as possible.

goods. Using AI technology, large online stores can better understand the desires and interests of consumers. Analysts predict that as a result of innovations, the revenue of trading platforms will increase by 30%. » Individual approach to the online buyer Using AI, an online store, can display products individually for each user, depending on their behavior on the site. Thanks to technology, it will be possible to adjust the site models in real time using a continuous stream of data on visitors’ transactions.

Transportation Innovations » Autonomous vehicles Cars with autopilot is another trend of the future (based on the concept of artificial intelligence). Tesla already allows drivers to turn on the autopilot in their cars, provided they keep an eye on the road.

Uber has launched nearly 100 autonomous cars on the streets of Pittsburgh. However, while the innovation is only being tested, a company employee is constantly in the car to monitor the work of the algorithm and security.

According to the forecast, by 2030, half of all autos will be equipped with an autopilot function. And in a note for Forbes, analysts even speculate on how insurance companies will evaluate risks, based on the growing number of unmanned cars.

Autonomous cars are the wave of the future.

Logistics automation Analysts believe that the automation of cargo delivery is a very relevant topic not only for carriers but also for large online stores. When retail sales grow from 9 to 30%, companies are faced with the question of how flexible they can be in the delivery of goods. The demand for transport management systems of the supply chain will surge in the coming years. And, cloud services for logistics automation will significantly optimize the delivery of goods.

Big Data Analysis of large amounts of data is already used by companies. With the increasing amount of information and the development of AI, not only will Big Data develop, but also the field of application of this technology. Opportunities for analyzing loads of information will be applied in all areas. Big Data will be one of the tools of internet marketing. This technology allows folks to quickly process huge amounts of data based on consumer behavior.

Spammed Mic: Pumpkin spice infused meat product couldn’t be good It wasn’t enough to have pumpkin spice and foamed milk heaped into our coffee.

Now the fall fetish has invaded the world’s most popular canned meat! What’s next pumpkin spice lip-gloss?

Spam has announced it is jumping on the seasonal flavor train by offering pumpkin-flavored meat in a can. Spam, which is already-cooked pork with a slightly salty taste, will reportedly come in a new Pumpkin Spice flavor, which the brand jokingly teased back in 2017.

The Hormel subsidiary posted a mockup of the product on Facebook with the caption “Just in time for fall – SPAM® Pumpkin Spice! OK, it might not be real, but you can still put it on your holiday wish list! Would you?”

Spam’s “Pumpkin Spice combines deliciousness with creativTodd Smith ity, allowing the latest variety to be incorporated into a number of dishes, from ontrend brunch recipes to an easy, pick me-up snack,” the company said in a statement The Pumpkin Spice trend has been around for years and was seemingly launched by Starbucks when it introduced it’s wildly popular Pumpkin Spice Latte more than 15 years ago. Starbucks has since introduced its Pumpkin Spice Latte earlier and earlier each year. Dunkin’ has also introduced a line of pumpkin flavored drinks and treats. And it seems yet another iconic food has been invaded: there’s now a pumpkin spice Cheerios (for a limited time).

No amount of spin can save us now!

You can’t put lipstick on a pig, and you most certainly can’t make Spam prettier. It’s like serving pickled eggs on your finest china, pig’s feet in a champagne glass or pork rinds on yo mamma’s silver. They just don’t go together!

Spam sho nuff don’t need any pumpkin spice. Pass me the original with a side of sardines in mustard sauce – on a paper plate!

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 full-service branding, PR, marketing and advertising firm with offices in Jackson. The firm — based in Nashville, Tenn.

— is also affiliated with Mad Genius. Contact him at todd@deanesmithpartners.com, and follow him @ spinsurgeon.

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Q People Lease.........................................................................................................www.peoplelease.com

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Q Victor W. Carmody, Jr. P.A........................................................................... www.mississippidui.com

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Q People Lease.........................................................................................................www.peoplelease.com

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Q Mansell Media.................................................................................................... www.mansellmedia.net

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