MBJ_Feb01_2019

INSIDE — Coast Episcopal adding middle school to Long Beach campus — Page 3

40 YEARS

1979

www.msbusiness.com

Developers propose upscale lodge, conference center for Franklin County

February 1, 2019 • Vo. 41 No. 5 • 24 pages

AN MBJ FOCUS

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Old ice plant to turn back pages of downtown Jackson

— Page 2

MBJ FOCUS

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

Economic Development {Section begins P00}

» Boxx: State fares well at internet trading

{The List P16-17}

» Economic Development Organizations

COLUMN {P4}

» BEN WILLIAMS – Update: PowerScoring Trump’s judicial appointments at year 2

2019

Many jobs at Amazon Fulfillment Centers are physically demanding

Jack Pickering worked in Charleston, S.C. for a while, which gave him a perspective and an entrepreneurial vision on Jackson.

He was taken by the South Carolina city known for its charming historical downtown that is a major tourist Pickering attraction.

After he landed a job as manager of a new retail shop in Charleston, Circle Seven Outpost & Provisions, a joint effort with Garden & Gun magazine, he turned his eyes back to the capital of his home state.

He plans to convert the old Morris Ice Co. on Commerce Street into a restaurant and music venue and further invest in downtown as an entertainment destination.

“I want to help Jackson thrive, specifically downtown” by redevelopment with “a sense of community.”

In the past decade, downtown has seen many new public and private developments totaling nearly $1 billion.

Slightly more than one-quarter of that See ICE PLANT, Page 18

PAGE 11

http://msbusiness.com/mississippis-top-tech-awards/

2 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 1, 2019 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

FROM THE DOWELL GROUP

Developers propose upscale lodge, conference center for Franklin County

5 mistakes to avoid in retirement

A public-private consortium on Friday announced a proposal for a 200-room lodge, 1,000-person conference center and related amenities on 150 acres in the Homochitto National Forest near Lake Okhissa in southwest Mississippi.

The land purchase was authorized following Congress’ passage of the farm bill last month and gives the Scenic Rivers Development Alliance, a coalition of local governments in five counties, the opportunity to acquire and develop the property into a destination location for outdoor recreation enthusiasts, clubs, businesses and regional organizations.

“The 2018 Farm Bill sets the stage for us to pursue the full potential of this wonderful asset. There are many steps to go, and it will take everyone working together to make it a reality,” said U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. The Mississippi Republican inserted language into the bill to authorize the acquisition.

Representatives from the alliance, educators, business groups a lauded plans to jump-start the project.

“This region has some of the best natural and economic assets in the state, but we are sometimes overlooked because of our sparse population,” said Joseph Parker, executive director of the alliance, an independent state entity started several years ago as a branch of the Pike County Economic Development District. “That’s all about to change dramatically with this project.”

Parker said supporters are planning to complete the land purchase and fund the project, which includes a lodge, conference center, swimming pool, marina, boardwalk and overlook, through a variety of public and private sources, including state and federal funds and private donations.

Architectural plans and renderings for the project already have been completed

by Jack Allin, a principal with the Jackson-based architectural firm of Wier, Boerner and Allin Architects. Neel-Schaffer, an engineering firm, has completed preliminary work on water and sewer services.

Organizers hope to use the development to expand statewide an award-winning chess program begun in Franklin County in 2015 that has won national acclaim as one of the most successful elementary school recreational and educational programs of its kind in the country.

Chess teaches critical thinking, analytical

A

fter a lifetime of planning and saving, you’re finally on the verge of retirement. However, retirement planning doesn’t stop just because you’re beginning to draw income from your investments.

As you embark on this exciting new chapter of your life, keep your retirement goals on track by avoiding these common pitfalls:

Wier Boerner Allin Architecture/Special to the MBJ

and problem-solving skills that can be applied in education and business.

The project also promises to jump start efforts to determine how the facilities could be used in conjunction with higher education research and development programs and workforce development initiatives tied to software development and information technology job training efforts.

“There are efforts underway by the public and private sectors in our state to close the skills gap and get more workers into the pipeline for sorely-needed coding and information technology related jobs,” said Co-Lin Community College President Dr. Jane Hulon. “We are excited to be a part of this project and look forward to working to strengthen our workforce development infrastructure.”

Meadville Mayor Lane Reed said the region has many assets besides its natural beauty, including the award-winning chess program. “We’re very proud of our community and are grateful for the rich quality of life we enjoy. That’s why we want to share it with the rest of the state,” he said.

Reed’s perspective is shared by James L. Cummins, executive director of Wildlife Mississippi, who believes the project could help boost workforce development and natural resource-based jobs.

“Mississippi is a global leader in the production, design, and manufacture of products, and the providing of services, related to the outdoors. We produce a va-

riety of wood products, camouflage, game calls, boats, ammunition, guided hunting and fishing trips, and the list goes on.

Growth in these economic sectors is creating a demand for highly skilled workers. This conference center will be in the perfect location – the heart of one of the most scenic and resource-rich areas of our nation – to facilitate workforce training for natural resource-based jobs. All of Mississippi, but especially the Southwest part of our state, has a great opportunity to help improve upon Mississippi’s excellent climate for outdoor-related businesses, and put Mississippians to work doing what they love,” Cummins said.

One critical element tied to the success of the project, which is in a sparsely populated area next to a national forest, will be a robust telecommunications infrastructure. C Spire CEO Hu Meena said his company is committed to continue its efforts to aggressively deploy broadband infrastructure throughout the state, including the southwest region, to support efforts to improve economic development, education, jobs and quality of life for everyone.

For more information about the Scenic Rivers Development Alliance, visit www.visitscenicrivers.com. To learn more about the Franklin Chess Center and the Southwest Mississippi Chess Foundation, visit www.franklinchess.com.

— MBJ Staff & Wire Reports

1. Claiming Social Security Justin Kelly Too Early It may be tempting to apply for Social Security benefits when you’re first eligible at age 62. But, doing so may be costly. Choosing to receive your benefits before your full retirement age (which varies depending on the year you were born, but is around 66 for most people nearing retirement) could reduce your monthly benefit by 25% or more. And if you continue working, for every $2 you earn above a specific threshold—$17,040 in 2018, $17,640 in 2019—your benefit is withheld by $1 until you reach full retirement age.1 Conversely, every year you wait to claim benefits beyond full retirement age, the benefit you receive increases by 8% annually until age 70.2 So, unless you really need the money, you may want to consider waiting to apply.

2. Taking on Too Much Risk When time is on your side, you may be able to afford to take on riskier investments for greater growth. However, as you begin retirement, the assets you’ve accumulated to meet your day-to-day expenses become harder to recoup if you suffer an investment loss. So, it’s important to make sure you’re not taking on too much risk. However, as retirement can last a very long time, you may want to consider maintaining some exposure to stocks, especially in the early years of your retirement.

3. Spending Too Much The assets you have accumulated over a lifetime may seem like an enormous financial resource you can tap into whenever you like. However, those investments may need to last 30 years or more. Create a list of all your likely expenses, compare it against your income sources, and develop a spending strategy to help you maintain your retirement lifestyle for as long as possible.

See RETIREMENT, Page 3

February 1, 2019

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Mississippi Business Journal

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EDUCATION

Coast Episcopal School announces addition of middle school to Long Beach campus

By LISA MONTI mbj@msbusiness.com

After five years of fact-finding and research, Coast Episcopal School in Long Beach announced the addition of a middle school that will extend the student body from toddlers through seventh and eighth graders. The two new grades will be housed in an existing building on the school’s 24acre campus.

CES officials used the occasion to announce the construction of an innovative Makerspace facility to foster creativity learning and a new school mission which was unveiled by alumna and two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward, whose two children attend Coast Episcopal. “This school has been instrumental in my development. If I hadn’t gone to Coast Episcopal, I wouldn’t be here,” Ward said.

The school’s new mission says, “Coast Episcopal School is dedicated to a life-long love of learning by developing the whole child and providing a joyful, unique, and nurturing community that inspires its stu-

Special to the MBJ

This rendering shows the new Coast Episcopal School Makerspace facility at right and the Middle School at left.

dents to imagine and create a better world.”

Melissa Brown, director of development for Coast Episcopal School, said, “This is a dynamic and exciting time at CES. Not only did we just announce the addition of a middle school and a Makerspace, we also unveiled our new mission.

And what that means for independent schools, is that every decision we make as teachers, faculty, staff, board is guided by this mission. So, with the addition of any new program to our curriculum, we always ask ourselves: is this going to foster a life long love of learning, is it going to develop the whole child, not just intellectu-ally, but creatively, emotionally, socially, spiritually? It is a true an honor to see this mission come to life everyday.”

The campus, built on an old pecan orchard, has three main buildings for classrooms, seven buildings housing arts programs, four playgrounds, athletic fields and hiking trails. The new William and Wynn Seemann Makerspace will join two other major support facilities: the Gail Keenan

RETIREMENT Continued from, Page 2

4. Miscalculating Required Minimum Distributions Generally, once you reach age 70½, you must take annual distributions—called required minimum distributions (RMDs)—from your 401(k), IRA or other qualified plan, whether you need the money or not. (Roth IRAs and some employer-sponsored qualified retirement plan investors are exempt from this requirement.3) Properly planning your minimum distributions is essential. They are usually taxable at your individual tax rate and failure to take them could subject you to a penalty—50% of the RMD or whatever portion of it you neglected to take.

Given the complexity of the requirement and the potential for penalties, it’s a good idea to seek RMD guidance from your accountant or tax advisor.

5. Ignoring Health Care Expenses Overlooking health care costs is another area where retirees can face unwelcome surprises. A 2017 survey by the Nationwide Retirement Institute found that health issues often happened sooner than retirees expected and

Art Center and the Raiders Gymnasium.

The school, founded in 1950 on the Bay St. Louis beachfront, was originally named Christ Episcopal Day School. Plans to expand to Pass Christian were set back by Hurricane Camille in 1969. Finally in August 2002, all of Coast Episcopal School’s students, from toddlers to sixth graders, were together at the Espy Avenue campus.

Since Hurricane Katrina is 2005, the school restructured and continued to grow, along with the coastal community’s comeback. Demand for the middle school classes prompted the Board of Trustees to form a committee to look into expanding Coast Episcopal’s expanded classes.

The new Makerspace, the first of its kind on the Mississippi Coast, will allow students to explore their own interests.

Head of School Daren M. Houck said, “The maker movement at Coast Episcopal School is and will be about teaching and learning that is focused on student-centered inquiry. Students will still need to

interfered with their ability to afford to do the things they want to do.4 A couple with high prescription drug expenses throughout retirement could need roughly $350,000 in savings to have a 90% chance of having enough money saved to cover their health care costs, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute.5 Long-term care insurance can help protect and preserve assets meant for your loved ones, while relieving them of full-time caregiving responsibilities by providing more options for your care.

With many options available and decisions to make as you approach this important milestone, a Financial Advisor who is familiar with your individual circumstances can help you create a strategy tailored to your goals and the retirement you envision.

FOOTNOTES 1 Social Security Administration Fact Sheet, “2019 Social Security Changes.” Retrieved from: https:// www.ssa.gov/news/press/factsheets/colafacts2019.pdf 2 Social Security Administration Benefits Planner: Retirement, Increase for Delayed Retirement section. Retrieved from: https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/delayret.html 3 Note: If you are still working for a company where you hold a workplace retirement plan and you don’t own more than 5% of the company, you may be able to delay your required distribution date to April 1 of the year following the year you retire.

4 Nationwide Retirement Institute, “The Nationwide Retirement Institute Consumer Social Security

use the information abundantly avail-able to them on the internet but now must do something with it. They must create.”

Using the educational “constructivist approach,” he said, “Students use prior knowledge to solve a presented problem or complete a task using a variety of resources provided and gain new knowledge from that experience.”

The school intends the Makerspace to become a learning hub for the community as well as its students. It will host visiting artisans, craftsmen and craftswomen, engi-neers, carpenters, hobbyists and others who can interact with students and the area residents.

The Coast Episcopal School Middle School will begin accepting applications for the seventh grade in the spring for the 2019-2020 academic school year. Applica-tions for an eighth grade will be accepted in spring 2020 for the 2020-2021 school year.

PR Study 2017,” August 2017. Retrieved from: https://nationwidefinancial.com/media/pdf/NFM16829AO.pdf?_ga=2.11555895.207418086.1524007905-449381559.1524007905 5 Employee Benefits Research Institute, “Savings Medicare Beneficiaries Need for Health Expenses Some Couples Could Need as Much as $350,000” January 2017. Retrieved from: https://www.ebri org/publications/notes/index.cfm?fa=notesDisp&content_id=5527

DISCLOSURES Article by Morgan Stanley and provided courtesy of Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor.

Justin Kelly is a Financial Advisor in Jackson, MS at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”). He can be reached by email at justin.kelly@morganstanley.com or by telephone at (601) 321-7713.

This article has been prepared for informational purposes only. The information and data in the article has been obtained from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley makes no representations or guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of the information or data from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. It does not provide individually tailored investment advice and has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it. The strategies and/or investments discussed in this article may not be suitable for al investors. Morgan Stanley recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments and strategies, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor. The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) and its Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide any tax/legal advice. Consult your own tax/legal advisor before making any tax or legal-related investment decisions.

Justin Kelly may only transact business, follow-up with individualized responses, or render personalized investment advice for compensation, in states where he is registered or excluded or exempted from registration, https://brokercheck.finra.org/individual/summary/6201796

4 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 1, 2019 GOVERNMENT/POLITICS

Update: PowerScoring Trump’s judicial appointments at year 2

Ben Williams

A

s of January 19, 2019 – the two-year watermark of his term – President Trump had placed 85 lifetime Article III judges on the federal bench. Is that a lot?

The Legal Editor for U.S. Law Week, reporting at Bloomberg Law on January 16, 2019, erroneously claimed Trump’s 85 confirmations set “a record for a president’s first two years in office.” The headline for a January 14, 2019 column by NPR’s Justice Correspondent bellowed “Trump’s Judicial Appointments Were Confirmed At Historic Pace In 2018.” A Senior Politics Reporter at the Huffington Post (1/3/19) lamented that “Republicans have already put record numbers of Trump’s judges onto the federal bench.” Are these reports accurate?

To answer these questions, and update our 18 month analysis, we provide a twotiered assessment of Trump’s judicial fingerprints as of Day 730 vis-à-vis other U.S. Presidents boasting significant numbers of judicial appointments.

The Federal Bench The federal Article III judiciary is composed of 9 Supreme Court justices, 179 appellate judges, 663 district judges, 9 international trade judges, 10 temporary district court judges and over 600 “senior status” federal judges. Ignoring the senior status judges, there are 870 positions. On January 19, 2019, Trump’s appointees occupied 9.77% [85/870] of those positions.

Drama ad nauseam From inauguration through January 19, 2019, Trump’s appointments included two Supreme Court justices, 30 appellate judges, 53 district court judges, and no international trade judges. The ballyhooed divisive confirmation of Justice Neil Gorsuch on Day 88 of the Trump Reign paled in comparison to the drama, showmanship, and parliamentary maneuvers accompanying the Senate proceedings that culminated in Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s Day 625 confirmation.

As 2018 meandered toward Christmas recess, lame duck Republican Senator Flake degraded a 51-49 Republican-majority Senate into a 50-50 split, triggering the first ever confirmation of a federal judge by a 51-50 Vice-President-tie-breaking vote. In

FORD WILLIAMS

a last minute lackluster show of bipartisan spirt, the Senate approved 77 non-Article III nominations on January 3, 2019 (the last day of the 115th U.S. Congress), but allowed all pending 71 Article III judicial nominations to expire.

The first days of the 116th Congress saw no judicial action, and Trump’s Day 730 in office ended on January 19, 2019, with only 85 judicial confirmations.

Comparing the Trump Confirmations to other U.S. Presidents We first compare the sheer number of Trump’s confirmations in his first 730 days to the confirmations of the four U.S. Presidents who made the most judicial appointments over the course of their presidencies - George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan. Using that See WILLIAMS, Page 5

WILLIAMS Continued from, Page 4

simple gauge, the rankings are: Ranking

President Judicial Confirmations (as of Day 730 in office)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Clinton Geo. W. Bush Reagan Trump Obama

128 100 88 85 62

Trump doesn’t even make the top three in this facile comparison. This ranking refutes the cited articles’ portrayal of a historic and record-breaking pace of judicial appointments.

PowerScoring the Judicial Confirmations Still, a review of the sheer numbers leads to a numerically accurate but dubious conclusion. Using the same weighting in our 18-month analysis, we assume that a Supreme Court and appellate confirmation are “worth,” respectively, 50 and 10 times that of a district and international trade judge confirmation. This subjective weighting spectacularly shuffles the rankings.

Ranking/President PowerScore Calculation (confirmations/Day 730) 1. Trump 453 (50 x 2) + (10 x 30) + (1 x 53) + (1 x 0) 2. Clinton 397 (50 x 2) + (10 x 19) + (1 x 107) + (1 x 0) 3. Reagan 308 (50 x 1) + (10 x 19) + (1 x 68) + (1 x 0) 4. Obama 304 (50 x 2) + (10 x 16) + (1 x 44) + (1 x 0) 5. Bush (W) 253 (50 x 0) + (10 x 17) + (1 x 83) + (1 x 0) Using this formula, Trump leaps from 4th to 1st place. Clinton drops from 1st to 2nd place due to a heavy component of lower-weighted district judges. Bush (W) falls dramatically due to the lack of even a single Supreme Court appointment during the relevant period.

Readers are free to dispute my subjective factoring (50-10-1). Take note, however, that toying with the Supreme Court multiple doesn’t change the PowerScore ranking.

I readily concede that a more robust evaluation might consider other relevant variables, such as the average age of new judges, confirmations to the prominent D.C. Circuit, a ranking of the circuits, and an ideology shift with an appointment.

The wrap-up Trump’s laudable PowerScore ranking benefited greatly from (i) the continued tactical emphasis by Senate Republicans on confirmation of appellate judges over district judges and (ii) two Supreme Court

confirmations. Even with Republicans controlling the Senate, his high score would not have been likely but for the Democratic-majority Senate’s November 2013 decision to trigger the nuclear option and allow a simple majority vote to confirm Obama’s stalled federal district and circuit court nominations. The Republicans would not only seize that new rule in 2017 for their own use, but expand it to include Supreme Court nominations.

This Day 730 PowerScore represents an early evaluation. Sports fans recognize there is a lot of time left on the clock. For Trump,

February 1, 2019

the final tally and legacy will be heavily influenced by a host of wildcards, which include, as examples, possible House impeachment proceedings, RBG’s health, likely amendment of Senate cloture rules, and the 2020 Presidential campaign.

In my previous assessment of Trump’s lasting impact on the federal judiciary, I observed that not only was the jury not yet out, it hadn’t even been picked. The jury was subsequently picked in the mid-term elections. With the opening of the 116th U.S. Congress, the jury has now been sworn and seated.

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Mississippi Business Journal

40 Fox 49 Tire & Auto Allstate, Steven James Agency Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Bancorp South BKD, LLC CenterPoint Energy Century 21 Citizens National Bank City of Clinton City of Crystal Springs City of Madison City of Ridgeland Community Bank CrossFit JXN Department of Human Services Dickey’s BBQ Division of Medicaid Edward Jones Locations Fountain Construction Hallmark Cleaners Haddox, Reid, Eubanks & Betts Hancock Law Firm Holmes Community College iHeart Media Jackson Heart Study Kendra Scott Lampton-Love Gas Company Lee Michaels Jewelers- Wearing Red LEVIS Corporation Madison County Board of Supervisors MEA Clinics

5

Using the enhanced 53-47 Republican-majority Senate, Trump will spend the next two years of his first term packing the judicial bench.

Ben Williams the author, is a Mississippi attorney.

Email Ben at MBWJ@aol.com. Ford Williams the artist, is a junior at the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD)..

Metro Jackson American Heart Association thanks the businesses and organizations below who went red in 2018 in support of women’s heart health. We’d like to remind everyone to join us again this year on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 for National Wear Red Day! Baptist Hospital CenterPoint Energy Families First for MS Centers Girl Scouts of Greater MS Hall’s Towing Jackson Convention Center New South Equipment New Summit School New Learning Resources, Inc. New Learning Resources Online Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum Mississippi Coliseum Mississippi Dyslexia Centers Merit Health Madison County Economic Development Authority Prime Care Nursing Renaissance Mall Sanderson Farms Corporate St. Dominic Hospital Specialty Healthcare Spectrum Academy Jackson Fire Department TempStaff The Governor’s Mansion The Westin Think Webstore Trustcare Clinics University of Mississippi Medical Center 12 WJTV 16 WAPT 3 WLBT

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Mississippi Board of Nursing Mississippi Business Journal Mississippi Division of Medicaid Mississippi Home Care Mississippi Insurance Department Mississippi State University Pan-Hellenic Council Mississippi Tobacco Coalition Mississippi Veteran’s Hospital Mississippi Welcome Centers No Drip Roofing PMO Pharmacy Portico Magazine Poter’s Insurance Pruet Oil Regions Bank Renasant Bank Results Physiotherapy Brandon Results Physiotherapy- Brandon Results Physiotherapy Ridgeland Results PhysiotherapyRidgeland Reunion Country Club Richland Upper Elementary and PTO Social South Southern Farm Bureau Sta-Home Health Agency TeleSouth TempStaff The Clarion-Ledger UnitedHeatlhcare

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» INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

Moving to market based testing in high schools makes sense

R

ep. Tom Miles of Forest is on to something. With regard to tests required for high school graduation, he wants to move from an education bureaucracy based approach to a market based approach.

A little background.

The federal No Child Left Behind Act was replaced by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Both have required public schools to implement intensive testing from the early grades through high school to track student progress. At the high school level, ESSA requires states to administer end-of-course exams in reading/language arts, mathematics, and science.

It’s up to the various states to decide if passing these tests is required to earn a high school diploma. Mississippi added a history exam and made passing the tests a requirement for graduation.

After lots of complaints, in 2015, the Mississippi State Board of Education began allowing students who fail the subject matter tests to take the relevant sections of the ACT as an alternative.

Miles wants to abandon the state developed subject matter tests and go strictly with the ACT. Such a move would begin to align high school testing with actual market opportunities for graduating students,

oday’s media environment has amplified the pressure on publishing stories instantly.

The rise of online news platforms, social media, and cable news networks has created a 24-7 news hole and a rush to post a story minutes before a competitor. After all, the initial version of a hot news story likely will draw the most clicks and the most eyeballs.

What must not be forgotten is the more meaningful principle of accuracy. After all, that is and should be our most important priority.

This tension was brought back into focus by a pair of recent national stories.

First came the Jan. 16 report by Buzzfeed News that President Donald Trump had ordered his former attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about a Moscow real estate project. The story, which based its allegations on two anonymous federal law enforcement officials, was quickly fanned by cable news networks and even led to reports of a possible congressional investigation. That was squelched by a statement from special counsel Robert Mueller’s office disputing the accuracy of parts of the story.

Then came the quick rush to judgment — including by members of the news media — of a group of students from Kentucky’s Covington Catholic High School. When a viral video clip showed one of the students staring silently as a Native American activist stood in front of him chanting and banging a drum, people immediately assumed the student’s motives. When subsequent reporting revealed a more complicated narrative, many were forced to retract previous statements. Had members of the media — and so many others — delayed their rush to judgment until they had more details, reputations would not have been improperly smeared.

These incidents should serve as an important reminder that getting it right must always supersede getting it first.

It’s a principle we’re committed to following at the Mississippi Business Journal.

It’s important to be fast with our reporting and to quickly get you the most up-to-date information. But there also are times when we need to slow the process down, independently verify tips and carefully report. And while there may be some very rare instances that call for anonymous sources, they should be avoided in nearly all cases.

What’s most important, after all, is that we remain responsible in our reporting and that our readers can always trust the accuracy of what we print.

Bill Crawford

i.e., going to college or getting a job.

The ACT is the ticket to college admission as well as to financial aid.

Christine Davidson, a teacher and mother of a college bound student, explained to the Clarion-Ledger, “No college is saying here’s $1,500 for what you’ve earned (on a state test). No college is saying, ‘here’s $2,000 for your advanced score.’ But a difference of two points on the ACT can amount to $2,000 more.”

Missing from Miles’ approach is the equivalent ticket to getting a job, since not all high school graduates go to college.

More and more industries and college technical training programs require employees to take the national WorkKeys test which assesses a person’s readiness for employment in different types of jobs. In response to this demand, more and more communities are moving to become “work ready” communities.

For example, the Daily Journal reported Axiall, Tronox, Kemira, NauticStar, True Temper, Mueller, Yokohama, and Toyota in its region use WorkKeys to find potential employees. East Mississippi Community College now requires a Silver Level WorkKeys score See CRAWFORD, Page 7

PERSPECTIVE

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for admission into its manufacturing technology programs.

“Work ready” communities provide WorkKeys to high school students. Twenty Mississippi counties are now certified Work Ready communities. Another 19 are in process, with more signing up every day.

“Part of our sector strategy plan is to give WorkKeys to seniors in all 89 high schools in the 27 counties composing the Mississippi Partnership Workforce Development Area,” said Bill Renick WIOA Division Director.

Regrettably, the market rejects many Mississippi high school graduates. Too many are not prepared for university, community college, or middle skill jobs. We need far more 21 and up ACT scores and Silver Level and higher WorkKeys scores if our students are to succeed and gin up our economy.

Replacing current subject matter tests with the ACT and WorkKeys tests, not adding them on, would give high schools time and resources to remediate low scoring children. Letting students, along with teachers and family members, know where they stand well before graduation is only fair and would help them with career planning.

Moving to market based testing in high schools makes too much sense for the Legislature to ignore Miles’ bill.

Bill Crawford is a syndicated columnist from Meridian.

»INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

COURTS STILL FACE QUESTIONS ON LIFE FOR JUVENILES

O

ne man sentenced to life in prison without parole as a juvenile will get a shot at a new sentence, but larger changes to how Mississippi courts are handling such cases appear unlikely for now.

That’s the upshot of two recent court decisions, as legal fights continue after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2012 ruling that juveniles can’t automatically be sentenced to life without parole. The nation’s highest court later ordered all juvenile offenders held without possibility of parole to be resentenced, including 87 Mississippi inmates.

The Supreme Court ruled that such lifetime sentences should be “rare,” and that only juvenile offenders who show no chance of rehabilitation should be locked up forever. Of 44 Mississippi offenders resentenced as of August, according to the Office of the State Public Defender, 13 had been resentenced to life without parole.

One of those was Stephen McGilberry , who was convicted in 1996 of four counts of capital murder for the baseball bat beating deaths of his mother, stepfather, half-sister and his half-sister’s son. A 14-year-old accomplice helped.

Jackson County Circuit Judge Robert Krebs in 2017 resentenced McGilberry to life without parole, saying McGilberry had expressed no remorse, had masterminded the plot and had a history of rules violations in prison.

McGilberry is one of five people resentenced to life without parole in Jackson County, a hot spot for such sentences. One man was given the possibility of parole, while a seventh resentencing is still pending.

McGilberry was originally sentenced to death, but was resentenced to life without parole after the U.S. Supreme Court found the death penalty unconstitutional for those

under 18.

Now 40, McGilberry is imprisoned at Wilkinson County Correctional Facility, where relatives of victims have said they want him to stay. The Mississippi Court of Appeals, though, voted 7-0 earlier this month to send McGilberry back for a sentencing hearing before a jury to decide whether he should be sentenced to life with possibility or without possibility of parole. This will be his fourth sentencing.

Both the McGilberry case and a 2018 ruling hinge on whether the defendant was convicted by a jury instead of pleading guilty before a judge. In the earlier case involving Darren Lee Wharton, convicted of capital murder in a 1994 convenience store robbery in Harrison County, the court decided that a defendant convicted by a jury should be resentenced by a jury.

This is a small universe of defendants, and Attorney General Jim Hood’s office is asking the Mississippi Supreme Court to rehear the Wharton case. More importantly, state courts continue to reject arguments that they’re not following U.S. Supreme Court rulings correctly. Mississippi doesn’t require formal findings about a person’s ability to be rehabilitated, and defense lawyers say that violates standards set by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Jeff Amy

That was the main issue that Joey Chandler, convicted of murder for shooting his cousin to death outside a Clay County nightclub in 2003, wanted the U.S. Supreme Court to hear. The justices declined on Jan. 7 to take the appeal.

“They got the interpretation of the state statute correct, but they’re still failing to enforce federal law.”

— Jacob Howard “It’s my position that that’s irreconcilable with the Supreme Court’s holding … that only permanently incorrigible juveniles can be sentenced to life without parole,” said Jacob Howard, a lawyer for the MacArthur Justice Center who represents Chandler.

Howard applauds the McGilberry ruling but says it won’t help many defendants who may have pleaded guilty to capital murder, which carried a mandatory life without parole sentence for juveniles after the Supreme Court outlawed the death penalty for them.

“They got the interpretation of the state statute correct, but they’re still failing to enforce federal law,” Howard said.

JEFF AMY has covered politics and government for The Associated Press in Mississippi since 2011. Follow him at http://twitter.com/jeffamy .

8 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 1, 2019 MISSISSIPPI PROFILES

CANOPY CHILDREN’S SOLUTIONS » Serving the needs of Mississippi kids and families for over 100 years

I

talked recently with Dr. John Damon, CEO of Canopy Children’s Solutions, about Canopy and its mission. The organization has a long history of helping kids and familes deal with behavioral health issues, having been founded in 1912 as the Mississippi Children’s Home.

John first joined Canopy as a therapist in 1993, and through the years, served as their CARES Center Director and COO before his appointment as CEO in 2013.

He has served in a number of important roles outside Mississippi as well, including past president of the National Association for Children’s Behavioral Health in Washington, D.C. John and his wife have 5 kids of their own and reside in Madison.

From that beginning, until today as Canopy, the folks at Canopy have never

looked back on their commitment to help families and children, and today, there is a greater need than ever before for the work they do.

John told me that depression and anxiety are probably the greatest issues faced by many kids and families nowadays, and this crosses all socio-economic groups.

“We focus on a full spectrum of services, including behavioral, social services, and education, in our interaction with kids and their needs,” he said. “We provide both residential and non-residential services in our facilities, and we’ve seen some great success stories through the years.”

Among those are a really impressive

97% success rate at keeping kids out of state custody, resulting in positive outcomes for the kids and families, and providing a massive savings to the state as well.

Alan Turner In addition to the ongoing work with depression, anxiety, and other behavioral and mental health issues, one of John’s great concerns is the growth of the rate of autism among hids.

“In just a few decades, we’ve seen the rate of autism go from one in a thousand to one in 59 kids,” he said. “That’s truly a chilling number and a call to action for all of of us in this field!”

He told me that there is still no solid See PROFILES, Page 9

CANOPY CHILDREN’S SOLUTIONS » Founded 1912 » # Employees: approximately 500 » Key personnel: John Damon, CEO; Terry Hight, COO; Angela Sumrall, CFO

resulting in loss of productivity and poor morale. The better their needs can be met, the more productive they become.”

Canopy works closely with pediatricians throughout Mississippi, and of course, many referrals come from the physicians. John sees that as a vital partnership in providing the support and care that the kids need.

What are Canopy’s needs?

“Well, we always need support from communities, whether volunteers or financial support. We know we are meeting

the needs of many thousands of kids and families every year in Mississippi, but that does cost money, far beyond the grants and public support we receive”, he said.

How does someone get involved as a volunteer?

“We really need people with big hearts,” he said. “Just call us at one of our main numbers, tell us about your interest and we’ll direct you to the appropriate people who can discuss how you can get involved.” (The numbers are listed in the sidebar.)

» Locations: 19, throughout Mississippi; Corporate HQ – Jackson

Q

Mississippi Business Journal

2019

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Harold B. Ingram

Sponsored by:

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

these CEOs whom have helped their companies achieve strong growth and success, and have made a profound impact on their company and community.

PROFILES

Q

Through the years, I’ve gotten to know many great people who work tirelessly to make Mississippi a better place to live, work, and raise families. The folks at Canopy are certainly proof positive of that care and concern.

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» Contact Information: Corporate Office 1465 Lakeland Drive, Jackson, MS 39216 Phone (601) 352-7784 or (800) 388-6247 www.mycanopy.org

research on the reason for this growth in the autism rate, but that from all indications, “it’s to be found in some interactive link between biology and environment”.

Despite those challenges, John said that they’ve had great success working with autistic kids, and he stressed the importance of early intervention as playing a major role in helping kids to lead normal and productive lives.

John believes that Mississippi needs a Center of Excellence that will focus on autism issues. The closest center is in Atlanta, and it does incredible work.

“We can accomplish great things here, with a Center of Excellence. There are so many kids who need the help and support, and we can give it to them. Mississippians are truly caring people, and we’re delighted to have so many volunteers who work with us to make life better for kids and families,” he said.

John pointed out that the work done at Canopy is also very beneficial to the state and to businesses.

“Think of it this way,” he said. “One of the greatest challenges for working families with behavioral issues is that parents must take time away from work to deal with the problems. And they are understandably distressed by those problems,

February 1, 2019

tami.jones@msbusiness.com

10 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 1, 2019 REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

Carlson book torpedoes the opposition

T

ucker Carlson is the star of the network that dominates the cable world.

His ascendancy coincides with the election of Donald Trump as president.

Aha! Lacky for the madman.

Not so fast, my friend, as football commentator Lee Corso likes to say.

Carlson is a member of an endangered species: rational man. He knows logical arguments, and fallacies.

And therefore he traps foes with their own words weeknights on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” on the Fox network.

And now he has written a book, “Ship of Fools: How a Selfish Ruling Carlson Class Is Bringing America to the Brink of Revolution.”

In it he reviews major political and cultural trends during the past two years or so, with all-important historical context.

Trump stunned the nation and world by being elected president. The nation and the world have not regained their equilibrium.

Trump doesn’t help. The real estate magnate simply does not – and will never -- see the difference between the board room and the Oval Office.

Carlson doesn’t disagree.

“Virtually nobody thought that Trump could become president. Trump himself had no idea,” Carlson writes. “For much of the race, his critics dismissed Trump’s campaign as a marketing ploy. Initially, it probably was.

“Yet somehow Trump won. Why? Donald Trump isn’t the sort of candidate you’d vote for lightly. His voters meant it. Were they endorsing Trump as a man? His personal decency? His command of policy?

His hairstyle? Did millions of Americans see his Access Hollywood tape and think, ‘Finally, a candidate who speaks for me’?

Probably not.”

“Donald Trump was in many ways an unappealing figure. He never hid that. Voters knew it. They just concluded that the options were worse . . . .”

The opposition has kept throwing punches after the final bell.

They seek to unseat him, hoping the dots between the initial E and the terminal T of entrapment will be connected at the end of the “Russian investigation,” which has dragged on for two years.

Meantime, there has been plenty of mischief of the highest order. The Democratic Party, for instance, unloaded its bag of dirty tricks to try to block Trump’s choice for the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh.

And in the process trampled all over the Constitution’s provision for due process protection while waving the flag of the #MeToo movement, which has a legitimacy as a political movement but certainly not unbridled authority. Only our founding document has that.

“The Democratic Party is now the party of the rich,” Carlson writes. Eight of America’s ten most affluent counties voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, in most cases by a large margin.”

Trump’s message of America First resonated with those on the fringes of what used to be a strong middle class. Hillary Clinton put half of them in what she called “a basket of deplorables.”

Her penchant for such rhetoric has not changed since the siege days of the Clinton White House when she blamed “a vast right-wing conspiracy” for their troubles, which included, in fact, impeachment.

Such inflated rhetoric is hard, if not impossible, to refute because of its sheer size.

In Carlson, she has more than met her

match, though he takes on the other side, one person at a time. It’s the difference between politics and journalism, demagoguery and truth.

The “permanent ruling class in Washington [has] worked to sabotage [the Trump] administration,” Carlson writes of the notso-sub rosa component of the “Resistance.”

Since the November 2016 election, the Democratic Party has developed an antipathy toward the Electoral College, which, under the provisions of the U.S. Constitution, awarded the election to Trump, while Clinton won the popular vote.

Her husband did not get a majority the 1992 election, but defeated George H.W. Bush.

Not a peep out of her when Bill won, based merely on Electoral College tabulation.

Social media have insinuated themselves into the arena by becoming our universal encyclopedia (Google) and Facebook, our global telephone party line (where everyone, it seems, can listen in on your call). And, of course, Trump has exploited Twitter.

In Carlson’s “Tech Tyranny” feature, he regularly takes Google and other titans to task for spying on their customers.

College campuses, meantime, too often sell out the First Amendment guarantee of free speech, when it does not bow to the latest sophistry.

Carlson is a throwback to the wordsmiths of the past, who cut their teeth on newspapers. A small complaint about the book. There is no index. No excuse for that, especially for one that is eminently worth its sources.

His editorials are sterling pieces that reflect the fact, no doubt, that he was mentored by Pulitzer-winning Paul Greenberg on the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette editorial staff for a few years.

I am fortunate to claim Greenberg – a great writer, not merely a prize winner -- as a friend with whom I worked on two different newspapers in Arkansas.

I can assure you he did not win that prize because it was “his turn,” as so many these days squawk as they demand their “share”

based on specious reasoning that Thomas Sowell debunked a generation ago.

(Did you notice? I did. Hillary was lost in the crowd of onlookers with her former presJack Weatherly ident-husband at the inauguration of Donald Trump. Her admission ticket? She was with – humiliation of humiliations – her husband. One of Hillary’s bumper stickers was, of course, I’M WITH HER.) Oh, maybe the next generation Clinton.

Been keeping up with former First Daughter Chelsea? She has made a career of jumping from one high and quite lucrative position to the next. With no evidence of having the credentials for any of those jobs.

How so?

“In Chelsea Clinton’s world, nobody tells her she’s wrong,” Carlson writes. They just let her prattle on.

Prior to finding his home at Fox, Carlson worked for MSNBC, CNN and PBS, along with sojourns in print.

He and Fox are lined up against the traditional power players in the Fourth Estate – The New York Times, Washington Post and the old TV networks – as well as other cable news stations, which are not doing so well in covering up their premature dementia (especially CNN) as they fall in lockstep with the new elite, as Carlson calls them.

For me, he’s such a joy to watch. What a persona. The headmaster-looking guy (who did shed that bow tie and is pushing 50) with the floppy hairdo and spontaneous laugh when his eyebrows aren’t straight-line serious as he focuses politely (and lethally) on what his victims are saying before he dispatches them.

His brilliant interviews and commentaries are as good as any I’ve heard (usually read) in my 45 years of journalism during which I have worked with the best and some of the best.

And he found time to write an important book.

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

February 1, 2019 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

AN MBJ FOCUS: Economic Development

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Amazon_locations

Amazon fufillment warehouse in Madrid, Spain.

Many jobs at Amazon Fulfillment Centers are physically demanding

By BECKY GILLETTE mbj@msbusiness.com In late December, Amazon announced that it will be locating its first Amazon Fulfillment Center in Mississippi in Marshall County creating 850 full-time jobs paying a minimum of $15 per hour plus benefits. The fulfillment center will cover 554,000 square feet of space that will be used to store, pick, pack and ship items such as lawn and garden products, toiletries, and other household consumer goods.

Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Glenn McCullough, Jr. said Mississippi’s teamwork at the federal, state and local levels, Marshall County’s proximity to a distribution hub and the region’s skilled workforce were instru-

mental in Amazon’s decision to locate its new fulfillment center at the Chickasaw Trails Industrial Park, which is located about 27 miles from the Memphis International Airport.

Currently there is no timeline for opening the facility.

“At this time, we do not have specific information to share regarding positions at the fulfillment center,” said Brenda Alfred, the PR manager supporting Amazon operations in Mississippi.

“However, anyone interested in opportunities in Marshall County and elsewhere should visit amazondelivers.jobs in the future to see available jobs.”

Benefits include comprehensive healthcare insurance, a 401(k) savings program with a 50 percent match, and up to 20 weeks paid parental

leave. Amazon’s also has a Career Choice program, which pre-pays 95 percent of tuition for courses in high-demand fields.

Alfred said the new fulfillment center in Marshall County will not be a robotic center. It will depend on employees to collect goods and deliver them to packaging and shipping areas.

Some of the jobs are pretty physically demanding.

“The physical aspect of jobs in our fulfilment centers vary based on the role and the type of building,” Alfred said. “Generally, fulfillment center jobs are active jobs. Some roles require walking and physical activity, but others are stationary such as working in receiving or on a pack line. We See AMAZON, Page 12

12 Q MBJ Q February 1, 2019

AMAZON Continued from, Page 11

work with employees to ensure they are in a role that suits them.”

Stephen Harrison of Ocean Springs is a former Amazon employee. Three years ago, he drove his RV up to Murfreesboro, Tenn., to work during the busy holiday season.

“I was in the camper force,” said Harrison, who came out of retirement to take the temporary job. “We were provided space at an RV park. They hire a lot of temps during heavy season.

Overall, it was a positive experience.

I’m glad I did it. I think if I had to do it again, I might not do the job I volunteered for before because it was the most physically demanding job. I was a picker.”

He said picking involves walking, bending over, stooping and lifting working in an area about the size of a football field. The computer routes workers where to pick items. When people order multiple items, Amazon tries to send it in one shipment. One item may be in one area and another far across the building.

“Picking those kinds of units, you might be all over the place,” Harrison said. “In a way it was kind of good because after picking and bending, it feels good to go from one end of the building to the other.”

Harrison said regular Amazon workers were supposed to pick 100 items an hour. He said that was difficult to achieve, and the camper force was asked to pick 75 items an hour.

“They knew we were older and couldn’t compete with the younger ones,” Harrison said. “The camper force average age was about 55. It was set up for people who RV full-time and work on the road. The camper force workers were responsible, showed up when we were supposed to, and didn’t call in sick.”

However, he said if a temporary employee wanted to be considered for permanent hire, then they really have to work hard and meet their quotas to be considered.

Before taking the job, he had the idea that Amazon was this high-tech operation that was very automated.

“But you pull curtain back and you see all of these hundreds and hundreds of worker ants doing the manual picking and sorting,” he said. “Out of the whole operation, the only thing I saw that was automatic was the conveyer belt.”

A downside he didn’t like were breaks and lunches. He had to punch out on the time clock, go eat and then have to punch back in 30 minutes.

Often there were long waiting lines to clock in and out.

“Breaks were a big sore point with

me because you are supposed to take 15 minutes from the time you stop scanning before you start to scan again,” he said. “You have to walk all the way to the lunchroom, there are a mass number of people, and then you have to go back and eat. It really seemed a little inhumane to me the way they had that. But no one ever said anything to me about taking an extra few minutes on break or not picking enough.”

Another job at the fulfillment centers is packing.

“A neighbor of mine really liked it,” Harrison said. “The conveyer has a constant stream of products. You just pick up items, pack them in boxes and seal it up. Everything is bar coded. It is one heck of a system. It really is.”

He was surprised how the warehouse was arranged. Similar types of goods were not grouped together.

“They put these items in whatever bin had enough room,” Harrison said.

“People who would stow this stuff go down aisles and put the items in whatever bin had room in for the particular items. They would barcode the bins and the items. Bins might have 20 or 40 different items. The computer knows where each item is, directs you to the closest bin, and you have to dig through to find the item. They have hundreds of thousands of items, so it would be impossible to have a different bin for each item.”

Harrison thinks it is great that Amazon is putting a fulfillment center in Mississippi.

“Mississippi needs the jobs,” Harrison said. “It is not something most people are going to consider for their entire career although there is career advancement, team leaders, and middle management. It is a very demanding job no matter what you are doing.

For me, coming from my generation, I have a high work ethic. It was just a job as far as I was concerned. For young people, it might not be what they want to do long term. Amazon overall is a good company to work for. They like to reward workers. They were all the time giving bonuses and having contests to see who could pick the most in an hour. During peak season you were even given a $100 bonus if you worked all the hours you were asked to work.

You go in and do something as simple as doing your job and you get another hundred bucks.”

The job appealed to Harrison’s sense of adventure. He enjoyed making friends and earning the extra money.

“Customer service is number one in Amazon,” he said. “I met some really nice people and learned a lot about working on the road. It was a good bunch. I felt like it was a positive thing in my life at the time.”

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Economic Development

14 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 1, 2019

Boxx: State fares well at Internet trading

» She has been with the MDA for nearly 20 years

“Every foreign official we welcome in Mississippi is amazed at the products and technology the state has to offer. We must show off the accomplishments made by our state from all angles and perspectives, relentlessly.

After all, there is a big world out there with more than 95 percent of population and consumers outside of the U.S.”

By CALLIE DANIELS BRYANT mbj@msbusiness.com Mississippi exports around $11 billion internationally, and the Mississippi Development Authority’s International Trade Office director Rose Boxx wants to increase those numbers.

“In my opinion,” she said, “Mississippi has fared very well internationally. We have a very aggressive trade promotion program in our state, especially considering the size of Mississippi in comparison to other Southern states.

Our administration’s leadership and support have been very instruBoxx mental in growing our programs and expansion globally. We have one shared vision and that is to tell our story around the world.

“Every foreign official we welcome in

Rose Boxx

Mississippi is amazed at the products and technology the state has to offer. We must show off the accomplishments made by our state from all angles and perspectives, relentlessly. After all, there is a big world out there with more than 95 percent of

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population and consumers outside of the U.S.” Now with MDA for 19 years, Boxx oversees the development and implementation of the agency’s international business programs and services. She has traveled to over 50 countries with Mississippian businesses and government officials, and has worked with her team to host at least 10 international trips annually. She and her team also regularly organize educational summits and seminars on trade as well as customized consultations with Mississippian businesses.

Boxx described an average work day as either in office, traveling across Mississippi or abroad.

“If I’m in the office,” she said, “I’m usually supervising operations in the international trade office, overseeing our financial resources for potential exporters via our STEP Grant, managing our team of trade managers and preparing for the next business trip.

She added that preparing for upcoming trips on behalf of Mississippi takes a large part of her workdays.

“Much planning is required when leading officials and businessmen and women on trade missions around the globe to meet with prospective buyers, distributors, and governmental organizations in order to increase their company’s sales and Mississippi exports,” Boxx said.

She also conducts international conference calls with foreign diplomatic offices, government entities, and business consultants in various parts of the world. She has welcomed a number of international delegates to Mississippi.

“Trade,” she said, “to be successful must be mutual and bilateral. Sometimes we go to them, sometimes they come to us.”

“Each trade mission is an opportunity

to establish collaborative trade initiatives, to promote the state as a trade partner, an investment destination and logistical hub,” Boxx said, “—an opportunity to understand the market needs and consumption trends which always lead to trade.”

She and her team are the first to assist many companies in international marketing for both new and established exporters.

“We, this office, has developed a series of contacts around the world that connect our sellers to the buyers almost anywhere in the world, and I mean everywhere.

We have facilitators who can do this on every continent: Africa, South America, Australia, Mexico, Canada (North America), Asia, the Middle East. If a company says, ‘We have a product and I want to export this – what can you do for me?’

We will do the research, advise and locate facilitators in those countries to connect our companies to buyers. That’s the most valuable piece in our program because you might have small companies that wouldn’t or couldn’t know where to begin since 95 percent of the world lives outside of the U.S. so how do we sell to them? Let us do the research and find the marketing tools, contacts, and so on to help you sell your products abroad or at least introduce your products to those markets,” she said.

Her proudest accomplishment is her President’s E Award for excellence in trade services which she received alongside her “extremely active and aggressive” trade team.

“This is a reflection not only of the remarkable companies and products we have in Mississippi, but a reflection of our team: hardworking passionate individuals with extensive international expertise,” See BOXX, Page 15

Economic Development BOXX Continued from Page 14

she said.

Her goal for 2019 is to lead a yearly trade mission to at least one new international market.

“Visiting a new market benefits not only our exporters, but increases the visibility of our state in general. In 2019, we will lead a trade mission for the first time to Belgium and the Netherlands; both markets are presently in Mississippi’s top 10 trading partners.”

Canada leads as Mississippi’s first importer, followed by Panama, Mexico, China, Belgium, Netherlands, Guatemala, Honduras, and Japan.

Boxx said the biggest challenges to her work is that the world is constantly evolving, requiring her to keep track while advising Mississippi businesses on new domestic and international trade tariffs, regulations, and policies so she can recommend which exports for the state to pursue annually. She remains informed through international news, keenly aware that political conditions affect economies.

“Our office is a member of several trade-related entities whose main goal is to inform trade professions in the U.S. and abroad on trade news and discuss trade issues. I serve on the board of some of those entities. I also attend trade events in D.C. on a regular basis,” Boxx said.

She added, “The topic of tariffs is, of course, the most discussed topic currently and has an effect not only on Mississippi and our businesses locally, but globally as well. Our office stays on top of daily updates from the federal government in order to provide guidance to exporters.”

Currently, Mississippi exports to nearly 170 countries and Boxx said her department currently works with 200 companies. Among those companies are manufacturers, service providers, and industry sections like machinery, aerospace, defense, agriculture, automotive, and construction to name a few. According to Boxx, Mississippi’s biggest exports are oil, gas and machinery.

When asked what the state should export more of, Boxx replied: “services and technology.”

She said, “Services is different than manufactured goods, which are a tangible piece of equipment compared to a service such as a software service, perhaps engineered services. Europe is a competitive and advanced market, (exported) technology and services will benefit from this a lot.”

Rose Boxx comes to this position naturally from her childhood traveling across the world because of her father’s position with Bristol Meyers Squibb, a multinational pharmacy company that relocated the family every few years.

Her first country was Peru, then Venezuela, and Columbia, then Chile. The traveling marked the beginning of her international aspirations.

“It was in Chile that I decided I wanted

to learn a second language,” Boxx said.

“I thought I’d to go the States and that it would help with my international career path. I came to Mississippi in 1990 to enroll at University of Southern Mississippi. I came to study English as a second language and after a year I fell in love with the States – the hospitality, the people, just the small-medium sized environment I really enjoyed because I lived in all the capitals of the countries with millions of people. Coming to Mississippi was very becoming for me. I stayed for my degree, then I moved to Tupelo, got married, and I stayed. I’ve made a home here.”

February 1, 2019

Boxx holds an undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi as well as MBA from Belhaven University.

She wanted to utilize her language skills and knowledge of other cultures for business purposes. A position with MDA as the South American trade manager opened, and she applied.

“Having a second language and travel experience helped me get the position,” Boxx said. “During my tenure with MDA, I’ve had various positions in the International Trade Office. It has been a blast; to say that I love my job is an understate-

Q

Mississippi Business Journal

Publish Date: February 15

DOUBLE FOCUS: Real Estate & Construction » The Mississippi Business Journal keeps its readers informed – and does so with quality. » HOUSING MARKET — What is ahead for the MS Housing market in 2019? Will the state continue to see a growing » In 5 of the last 7 years, the MBJ printed product was awarded the state’s overall “General Excellence” number of buyers and a fewer sellers? award in its category.

Real Estate this week:

» INTEREST RATES — How have rising interest rates affected buying/construction? ** NOTE — All stories are subject to change

15

ment!”

She has worked as a bureau manager in the Trade Office and as a senior trade specialist for Latin America and Caribbean, and prior to international trade, Boxx was a community assistance specialist in the Community Services Division of MDA. Boxx said, “As a public servant, it has been a privilege to serve Mississippi in this capacity. I often say we are the bridge between our local businesses and government and the world.”

Lists: Property Management Firms; Shopping Centers; General Contractors

Construction this week:

Q

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For More Information contact Tami Jones, Associate Publisher at (601) 364-1011 or email: tami.jones@msbusiness.com

Economic Development

16 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 1, 2019

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Economic Development

February 1, 2019

Mississippi Business Journal

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December 2018 DeSoto 3.7

MISSISSIPPIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DEC. UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES

Mississippi 4.7 U.S. 3.7

Tunica 5.3

Labor force and employment security data STATE OF MISSISSIPPI Labor Force Data Civilian Labor Force Unemployed Unemployment Rate Employed UNITED STATES Labor Force Data Civilian Labor Force Unemployed Unemployment Rate Employed STATE OF MISSISSIPPI Unemployment Insurance Data â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘ Initial UI Claims Continued Claims BeneďŹ ts Paid Weeks Paid First Payments Final Payments Average Weekly BeneďŹ t

Dec â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;18 1,273,900 60,500 4.7 1,213,400

Nov â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;18 1,275,300 52,900 4.1 1,222,400

Dec â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;17 1,277,300 56,300 4.4 1,221,000

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;17 Avg. 1,280,000 64,900 5.1 1,215,100

Marshall 4.7

Tate 4.6

Nov â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;18 162,665,000 5,650,000 3.5 157,015,000

Dec â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;17 159,880,000 6,278,000 3.9 153,602,000

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;17 Avg. 160,320,000 6,982,000 4.4 153,337,000

Nov 2018 4,977 27,420 $4,021,457 19,477 1,374 456 $206.47

Yalobusha 4.8

Tallahatchie 5.0 Bolivar 6.3

Calhoun 4.4

Leflore 7.3

Carroll 5.5

Montgomery 5.3

Moving Avg.** 162,075,000 6,314,000 3.9 155,761,000

Humphreys 9.3

Holmes 8.7

Yazoo 5.3

Issaquena 10.5

Lowndes 4.7

Oktibbeha 4.5

Choctaw 4.7

Winston 5.8

Leake 5.3

Neshoba 5.0

Scott 3.8

Newton 4.9

Noxubee 6.4

Kemper 7.1

Madison 3.6

Rankin 3.4

Hinds 4.5

Claiborne 8.3

Copiah 6.0

Adams 6.2

Wilkinson 7.9

Franklin 6.5

Amite 6.2

Lincoln 5.1

Pike 5.7

Covington Jones 4.4 4.9

Walthall 6.4

5.3 - 8.3 8.4 - 12.1 8.4 - 12.1

Marion 4.8

Lamar 3.6

Pearl River 4.8

Hancock 4.9

Lauderdale 4.9

Clarke 5.4

Wayne 5.4

Lawrence Jeff Davis 6.4 5.9

Unemployment Rates 3.9 - 5.2

Jasper 6.1

Smith 4.7

Simpson 4.5

Jefferson 12.1

** Average for most recent twelve months, including current month â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;&#x201A;Unemployment Insurance amounts presented in this section only represent regular UI benefits, federal program amounts are not included.

Unemployment Rates Labor force amounts are produced in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

3.4 - 3.8 3.4 - 3.8 Note: Unless indicated state and county data presented are not seasonally adjusted.

3.9 - 5.2

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Mississippi Department of Employment Security

Monroe 4.9

Clay 5.7

Webster 4.7

Attala 6.0

Sharkey 8.0

Tishomingo 4.8

Itawamba 4.3

Chickasaw 4.9

Grenada 4.2

Sunflower 8.5

Lee 3.9

Pontotoc 3.9

Quitman 7.6

Coahoma 7.1

Moving Avg.** 1,280,300 59,900 4.7 1,220,400ww

Dec 2017 6,530 43,800 $5,475,057 26,923 1,758 642 $203.36

Prentiss 4.6

Lafayette 3.9

Warren 5.2

Dec 2018 5,494 34,602 $4,790,637 23,117 1,686 466 $207.23

Alcorn 4.0

Tippah 4.4

Union 3.5 Panola 5.6

Washington 7.5

Dec â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;18 162,510,000 6,029,000 3.7 156,481,000

Benton 5.3

Forrest 4.3

Perry 6.0

Stone 5.6

Harrison 4.5

Greene 6.7

George 7.1

Jackson 5.6

5.3 - 8.3

Source: Labor Market Data Publication Design: Labor Market Information Department, MDES

18 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 1, 2019 TECHNOLOGY

C Spire, Phazr launch first 5G millimeter wave service in Mississippi C Spire, in Mississippi launched the first 5G millimeter wave fixed wireless service last month with the deployment of super-fast broadband internet service to residents in a Harrison County subdivision near the city of Gulfport.

C Spire’s support for broadband deployment, including 5G millimeter wave fixed wireless service, is part of its Tech Movement initiative launched in 2017 and designed to use the firm’s technology investments to help transform its service areas and improve the quality of life for everyone. Other elements include tech workforce development and investments in tech innovation to stimulate economic growth and broader societal impact in the 21st century.

The 5G millimeter wave fixed wireless service, launched in early December, is being offered in the 84-home Landon Place subdivision and served by a nearby C Spire cell site using 28 GHz equipment from the company’s partner and 5G millimeter wave innovator, Phazr, a JMA Wireless company.

Results have been successful with residents connected to the service enjoying download speeds of up to 750 Megabits per second (Mbps), upload speeds of up to 600 Mbps according to C Spire President Stephen Bye. “We use areas like this residential subdivision to continue our efforts to deliver on the promise of moving Mississippi forward with

ground-breaking internet access for consumers and businesses,” Bye said. “In our state, broadband technology is the path to a stronger economy, more jobs and a healthier lifestyle.”

Bye said the company plans to deploy fixed wireless internet service to thousands of consumers and businesses across the state over the next several years as part of the Tech Movement initiative and to meet the growing needs for high-quality, fast internet access and to boost the Magnolia State’s $108.5 billion economy.

C Spire, a Mississippi-based technology and telecommunications services company, operates the nation’s 7th largest wireless communications unit and is one of the nation’s leading broadband and cloud service providers. In addition to fixed wireless broadband, the firm offers consumers and businesses voice, video, home, internet, wireless, business services, cloud and managed IT solutions.

Phazr is partnering with C Spire to develop affordable 5G millimeter wave solutions using 5G client devices and base stations to extend the Mississippi company’s extensive 8,700 route miles of fiber infrastructure across its network, much of it at the edge of many neighborhoods, towns, cities and counties.

“5G RAN technology is the engine behind C Spire’s fixed wireless deployment and provides them with a new, flexible option that can be offered across any part of their footprint, including the many hard to

reach, less accessible areas,” said Farooq Khan, president of the Phazr unit at JMA Wireless.

— MBJ Staff & Wire Reports

ICE PLANT Continued from, Page 1

amount came from the private sector, aided by government tax incentives and loans.

The turnaround, mostly along Capitol Street, includes several hundred apartments already open, in some stage of development or on the drawing board.

The King Edward hotel, long abandoned, was saved from the wrecking ball and converted into an upscale hotel and apartments and a Westin hotel was built.

Into that mix comes Pickering, a 2016 graduate of Ole Miss with his plan.

Pickering said he is talking with a lender about the project and is working with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History about getting a historic designation for the plant, a step toward possible tax credits.

Pickering has deep family roots in Mississippi. His father, Chip, was a six-term U.S. representative for the Third District after he served as a staff member for U.S. Sen. Trent Lott. Jack Pickering’s grandfather, Charles W. Pickering, was a federal judge.

But it is the multigenerational history of Morris Ice Co. that is on the agenda for the 25-year-old Pickering.

He conducted a tour of the building at 652 Commerce St. that was erected in 1924 and abandoned at the end of the block-ice age, which for this company was 1988.

It was the second incarnation of the company, which opened initially in 1880 on the Pearl River, where it produced clean, if slightly brown ice from the river, according to “Cooling the South: The Block Ice Era,” a book by Elli Morris, great-granddaughter of founder Joseph Morris. That plant burned in 1923. The second Morris plant opened in 1924.

The plant appears to be as it was when it ceased operations in 1988.

Giant flywheels stand ghostly still in the production space where the ice was made in 300-pound blocks that were sized to fit the needs of customer, whether for household deliveries for “iceboxes” or to commercial customers.

Special to the MBJ

Pickering (left) and Gary Watts tour the production room of the old ice plant that will become a dining and entertainment venue.

In the ground-level space where the restaurant, bar and entertainment space will be sits a 1964 baby-blue Cadillac covered in the dust of history. Pickering plans to get it up and running and bearing the name of the new business.

It will be a rolling bluesmobile for the nightspot featuring Mississippi’s native music.

“I’m going to get it,” he said of the old sedan.

It is part of an inventory of personal items in the facility, whether in the upstairs offices or in the mammoth 50-foot cube that was the storage room for ice or on the grounds of the four-acre site.

In it is a Dickensian jumble of things, some of which

would be at home at Miss Havisham’s forlorn house.

The family has given the new owner broad freedom to choose what he wants, he said.

“I really think this [the ice plant] could be a catalyst for Commerce Street,” he said.

The business will simply use the name that has been around for nearly 140 years, the Morris Ice Co. Pickering’s vision goes well beyond the four-acre property that he bought.

He sees Commerce Street as a corridor of entertainment and other arts, even connected by a trolley that would run on an abandoned rail spur.

Something of that scope would take others to make it happen, he said. For that reason, he’s in the process of

forming a “team.”

On his side already is Nancy Bell, director of the Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation, who has written a letter to the National Register for Historic Places.

“It is historically . . . [and] architecturally important to the city of Jackson,” Bell said in a telephone interview.

“I’ve been in this for 36 years and It’s the coolest building I’ve been in,” she said, “mostly because everything is there. It’s the last historic ice house in Jackson.”

“We do consulting anywhere in Mississippi” for a fee, Bell said.

She said there is money available in Mississippi to fund such projects, as well as federal money.

Newsmakers Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce elects Stringer Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, Inc. has announced Kathy Pizzetta Springer, Chief Executive Officer at United Way of South Mississippi will serve as the 2019 President of the Board of Directors.

Prior to joining the United Way, Springer was the Assistant Hospital Administrator at Merit Health Biloxi, working in Compliance and Privacy. Throughout her career, she has served the United Way of South Mississippi as a Loaned Executive, Campaign Division Chair, Board Member and Harrison County Campaign Chairman. Springer is a twenty-nine year member of the Rotary Club of Biloxi, serving as President in 1997 and is a three time Rotarian of the Year and a Paul Harris Fellow. She is a 1996 graduate of Leadership Gulf Coast, and she is a graduate of the Gulf Coast Business Councils Masters Leadership Program – Inaugural Class.

The Biloxi Lions Club named Springer “Outstanding Citizen of the Year” in 2012 and was the City of Biloxi’s “Volunteer of the Year” in 2008. She is a member of the St. Patrick Catholic High School Advisory Board and the Diocese of Biloxi’s Diocesan School Board.

She also serves as a Board Member for the St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy. Springer is a graduate of Biloxi High Schooland the University of Southern Mississippi.

Others serving on the 2019 Board of Directors are: Dorothy Wilson: President Elect, D. Wilson Associates/Gulf Coast Women’s Magazine Ryan Giles: Immediate Past President, Traction Strong Adele Lyons: Chief Executive Officer, Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, Inc. David Duhe: Attorney, Balch & Bingham LLP Sam Sandoz: Treasurer, Hancock Whitney Bank Christen Duhe: Chair, Biloxi Chamber of Commerce, MS Gulf Coast Community College Dr. Jonathan Woodward: Chair, Gulfport Chamber of Commerce, MS Gulf Coast Community College Jennifer Glenn: Chair, Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, The First, A National Banking Association Cindy Lamb: Chair, Pass Christian Chamber of Commerce, Pickering, Inc. Chris Loposser: Chair, Leadership Gulf Coast, Mississippi Power Shay Smith: Chair, Coast Young Professionals, Harrah’s Gulf Coast Kimberly Rasmussen: Chair, Coast Centurion Association, MS Department of Marine Resources Cindy Duvall: Board of Directors, Mississippi Power Emily Burke: Board of Directors, IP Casino Resort Spa Dr. Steve Miller: Board of Directors, University of Southern Mississippi -Gulf Park Campus Brooke Robbins: Board of Directors, Harrah’s Gulf Coast Eric Chambless: Board of Directors, Community Bank Bud Jones: Board of Directors, AGJ Systems & Networks Kady Beaoui Pietz: Board of Directors, MS Gulf Coast Community College Alyson Smith: Board of Directors, Beau Rivage Resort & Casino Amber Olsen: Board of Directors, United MSD Foundation Leslie Henderson: Board of Directors, Lazy Magnolia Brewery

Randy Rogers: Board of Directors, Garden Park Medical Center Julie Gresham: Board of Directors, Huntington Ingalls Trey Hough: Board of Directors, The First, A National Banking Association Anita Clarke: Board of Directors, C Spire Clay Wagner: Chair, MGCCC Foundation, Hancock Whitney Bank Chris Fowler: Chair, Chamber Champions, Cable One

Wofford joins new Cushman & Wakefield office Tracy Wofford, MAI, AI-GRS has been selected to direct the new office of global real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield in Madison. She has experience in the appraisal of retail, industrial, and office assets. Prior to joining Cushman & Wakefield, she was the Managing member of Wofford Consulting, LLC.

Wofford

Henry appointed to Workers’ Compensation Commission Gov. Phil Bryant has appointed Mark Henry to a six-year term on the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission, replacing Thomas A. Webb, whose term expired. Henry is the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES).

Henry The Commission reviews decisions made by administrative law judges, decides certain medical fee disputes, and regulates individual and group self-insurers.

Henry was appointed as Executive Director of MDES in 2012 by Bryant. He is also presently the Chairman of the State Workforce Investment Board and the Chairman of the State Longitudinal Data System.

Previously, Henry served as former Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant’s Chief of Staff from 2008-2012.

In 2000, former Gov. Kirk Fordice appointed Henry as an Administrative Judge at the Workers’ Compensation Commission where he served until 2008.

Prior to the appointment, Henry worked on Fordice’s staff as Chief Legal Counsel and later as Chief of Staff.

He is also a past President of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies.

Henry holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Mississippi State University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi School of Law. He and his wife, Kathy, reside in Brandon and attend First Baptist Church of Jackson.

Blackwell inducted into 2019 Law Alumni Hall of Fame Leonard A. Blackwell, II a partner at Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC, will be inducted into The Law Alumni Chapter of the Alumni Association of the University of Mississippi 2019 Law Alumni Hall of Fame at an Alumni Banquet held on March 30, 2019.

Leonard A. Blackwell, II, a graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law, was nominated along

February 1, 2019

with four others for the 2019 Law Alumni Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding alumni of the law school who have, through their professional achievements and/or service to the school, brought honor to the law school.

Brunini’s Blackwell has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America® for Gaming Law, Land Use and Zoning Law and by Mid-South Super Lawyers® for Environmental Law. He was recognized as South Mississippi’s Top 10 Outstanding Community Leaders in 2012. Blackwell’s practice areas include construction, environmental law, gaming, governmental relations and real estate

Pine Belt PRAM announces 2019 Board of Directors The Pine Belt chapter of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi elected its 2019 board of directors during the chapter’s monthly meeting on Nov. 20.

Directors re-elected to their positions include President Joshua Wilson, art and marketing director at Munn Enterprises and Munn Outdoor Advertising; Vice President of Programs Karelia Pitts, manager of communications at the University of Southern Mississippi Foundation; Vice President of Membership April Jordan, marketing and public relations coordinator at USM Campus Recreation; Director of Communication and State Board Representative Ashley Rea, manager of communication at Sanderson Farms; and Past President and Professional Development Chair Matt Martin, creative director for MightyPenguin Design.

Returning directors elected to new board positions include Treasurer Marissa Landon, communication specialist at Sanderson Farms; Director of Social Media and Website Will Harvey, outreach marketing coordinator at Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative; Director of Workshop Planning Shuntasia Coleman, public relations coordinator for the Hattiesburg Convention Commission; Community Action Chair Tonya Williams, communications facilitator at Cooperative Energy; and Scholarship Chair Stacy Ahua, director of Volunteer Southeast Mississippi.

Newly-elected directors include Secretary Arlicia Jordan, communications specialist for the USM Office of University Communications; Awards Chair Brittney Dykes, communications coordinator for the DuBard School for Language Disorders; Member-at-Large for Programs and Publicity Jennifer Clark, owner of Emerge Events; and Member-at-Large for Awards and Students Amber Sumrall, sales and marketing manager for USM Conference Services.

The new board was installed at the chapter’s January meeting.

The chapter, established in 1996, provides public relations practitioners and students in the Pine Belt with professional development, networking and recognition opportunities locally, statewide through the parent organization and regionally through the Southern Public Relations Federation. Members meet on the third Tuesday of each month at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.

Madison County achieves certification as ACT Work Ready Community The Madison County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA) announced that Madison County has met all criteria to become a certified ACT Work Ready

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Community. This achievement caps the two-year engagement process and begins a two-year growth and maintenance phase to retain certification.

The ACT Work Ready Communities initiative is designed to assist a particular area, region or state in developing its workforce pipeline to provide skilled workers for employers. The framework allows each participating community to quantify and improve the skill levels of its workforce through a standardized workforce skill credential—the ACT WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate™—supported by data updated online by ACT on a monthly basis.

“We are proud of Madison County’s designation as a Work Ready Community, which recognizes successful efforts by the community, education and business leaders to strengthen workforce training and development in order to meet the economic development needs of our community,” said Joseph P. Deason, Executive Director of MCEDA. “This certification proves that Madison County citizens are highly-educated and skilled across all industry segments.”

The initiative was led by the Madison County Economic Development Authority and Holmes Community College, along with the Madison County Business League and Foundation, Madison County Community Trust, WIN Job Center, Madison County Public School District and Canton Public School District. Each entity played an important role by promoting the initiative, investing in testing, and paving the way for Madison County’s emerging, current and transitioning workforce to be identified in the local talent pipeline.

Memorial Physician Clinics welcomes Tucker Memorial Physician Clinics welcomes Melissa Wilson Tucker, MD, in the practice of Family Medicine at 5120 Beatline Road, Suite B, Long Beach.

Tucker earned her medical degree from University of Mississippi School of Medicine.

She completed her residency in Family Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Florida. She is board certified in Family Medicine.

Tucker

Forrest Health president assumes additional role Andy Woodard, president of Forrest Health in Hattiesburg, has added chief executive officer to his title, replacing CEO Evan Dillard who retired.

Woodard has worked in various leadership positions at Forrest Health since 2001. Along with his role as chief financial Woodard officer, Woodard has been instrumental in leading the Forrest Health team’s strategic plan for many years. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and a certified public accountant.

Dillard, who has also served in healthcare leadership roles in Alabama and Florida, first began his tenure at Forrest Health in 2008. Under Dillard’s leadership, Forrest Health grew from a single county hospital to a regional health system with six hospital campuses, three specialty hospitals and numerous patient clinics.

Newsmakers

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MacKenzie commemorates 25 years with Ameriprise Robert Stuart MacKenzie, CFP®, CRPC®, a private wealth advisor with MacKenzie & Associates, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. celebrated 25 years with Ameriprise Financial. MacKenzie has served residents of the Kosciusko area since 1993.

“I am thankful for the career MacKenzie I’ve had in financial planning,” said MacKenzie. “I’ve enjoyed each day over the last 25 years because of my clients. It’s rewarding to help others reach their financial goals.”

As a Private Wealth Advisor, MacKenzie provides financial advice that is anchored in a solid understanding of client needs and expectations,and provided in one-on-one relationships with his clients. For more information, please contact Robert S. MacKenzie at (662)-289-1013.Their office is located at 106 E. Washington Street, Kosciusko.

Biloxi Chamber announces Leadership class Junior Leadership Biloxi is a program designed to produce students of outstanding character that are more sensitive to the needs of the community and are better able to contribute to society.

Biloxi Chamber of Commerce’s Junior Leadership Biloxi program is pleased to announce the 2019 class of outstanding students: Laney Barton, London O’Keefe, Ann Lauren Schmidt, McKenzie Maxwell, Kaylee Roch, Hannah Pahl, Joelle Smith, Jocelynn Sengsiry, Madeline Pitre, Layk Roundtree, Joseph Agler, August Eakes, Adelaide Martin, Greyson Seymour, Anabelle Lawson, Emily Delano, Lam Nguyen, Tiara Harris, Grace Belk, Megan Marie, Victoria Trosclair, Ashton Boudreaux, Patrick Galle, Brandon King, Raeed Kabik.

PriorityOne Bank announces promotion of Winford Robert J. Barnes, President and CEO, PriorityOne Bank, announces the promotion of Barry Scott Winford. Winford will be serving as chief credit officer for PriorityOne. Barnes stated, “We are so pleased to have Barry join our team at PriorityOne Bank, his previous banking experience and Barnes his commitment to the Rankin County community make him a valuable asset to our institution.”

Winford who graduated from Woodland Hills Baptist Academy in Jackson holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Mississippi State University and completed the Executive Development Program at The Wharton School of Business. He has over 25 years of banking experience.

Winford has also served his community in multiple leadership roles. He currently serves on the board of the Central Region for The Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is an ordained deacon at First Baptist Church of Jackson. Barry and his wife, Christy live in Madison and have two adult daughters that reside in Nashville, TN.

PriorityOne Bank, based in Magee, Mississippi, operates fifteen offices in twelve Mississippi communities: Collins, Seminary, Hattiesburg, Magee, Mendenhall, Richland, Brandon, Ridgeland, Pearl, Pelahatchie, Flowood, and Morton. The bank has assets of approximately $650 million.

Neel-Schaffer announces promotions Neel-Schaffer, Inc., has announced that Sonny Smoak, PE, has been promoted to a Senior Vice President role, and Steve Cockerham, PE, Richard Sullivan, PE, and Stan Wright, PE, are now Vice Presidents with the firm.

Smoak first joined Neel-Schaffer in 1999 and now manages the firm’s office in Houston, Texas. He has nearly 20 years of experience, including 17 with Neel-Schaffer in two stints of service. Smoak manages transportation and environmental projects and works in business development for the firm throughout the South Texas area. Smoak holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Psychology, and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, both from Louisiana State University.

Cockerham serves as the Engineer Manager for Neel-Schaffer’s office in Maitland, Florida, marketing the firm throughout Central Florida. He joined the firm in 1992 and has 25 years of experience, including 20 years as a Project Manager for civil, environmental and water resources projects. Cockerham holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Mississippi.

Sullivan joined Neel-Schaffer in 2017 and has more than 20 years of experience. He serves as Tennessee Operations Manager, overseeing the Nashville, Murfreesboro and Memphis offices. He provides business development services throughout Tennessee and serves on the firm’s Design-Build Advisory Group.

Sullivan holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Tennessee Tech.

Wright joined Neel-Schaffer in 2016 and serves as the Engineer Manager in the firm’s office in Madison, Mississippi. He has more than 20 years of experience in the design, management, and marketing of transportation and roadway projects. Wright holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Mississippi State University.

Nikita S. McMillian joins Butler Snow in Ridgeland Butler Snow has announced that Nikita S. McMillian has joined the firm’s Ridgeland office.

McMillian will practice with the firm’s pharmaceutical, medical device and health care litigation group.

McMillian previously focused her practice on labor and employment law defending private McMillian and public employers against discrimination, retaliation, sexual harassment and hostile work environment claims. She also represented governmental entities and public officials in the defense of constitutional claims brought under section 1983 of the Civil Rights Act. McMillian received her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Mississippi College School of Law where she was the executive editor of Mississippi College Law Review and a member of the Moot Court Board and the National Order of Barristers. Following law

school, she served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Carlton W. Reeves, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Mississippi.

McMillian is a member of the American and Mississippi Women Lawyers Associations, the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association and The Mississippi Bar. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Jones named senior vice president Joshua Jones has been named senior vice president for Community Bank’s Pine Belt Region. A native of Jones County, Mississippi, Jones recently served as Vice President and has been in banking for nine years, all of those being with Community Bank. In his new role, Jones will continue to grow loans and Jones deposits in Ellisville and manage the daily operations of the branch.

Jones is a graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor in Finance. He is also a graduate of The Mississippi School of Banking at Ole Miss.

Active in his community, Jones is a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Laurel, where he serves as a deacon.

Jones is married to Bret, together they have two daughters, Morgan and Mackenzie.

Chamber of Commerce announces 2019 class of Leadership Lafayette The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce kicked off its 2019 class of the Leadership Lafayette program with its opening session at Coleman Funeral Home. The program began in 1988 and celebrates 31 years of Leadership Lafayette with this year’s class.

The Chamber is excited to announce a new partnership with Your Extra Closet as the program’s presenting sponsor for the 2019 class. President and CEO of Your Extra Closet Floyd Hubbell spoke to the class at the opening session on “leadership and Success.” For more information go to www.yourextraclosetoxford.com The 2019 class includes: Rachel Alcorn, Communicare; Celesia Blackmon; Kurt Brummett, United Way of Oxford & Lafayette County; Chase Buchanan, BancorpSouth; Anginita Butler, Next Gear Solutions; Edy Dingus, Magnolia Montessori School; Alison Doyle, MSDH: Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); Hunter Haney, North Mississippi Regional Center; Blake Horton, Oxford Police Department; Danielle King, Grantham Poole; Katie Krouse, Oxford Newsmedia, LLC.; Daniel Lenard, Baptist Memorial Hospital - North Mississippi; Jessica Lynch, Visit Oxford; Katrenia Meeks, Family Crisis Services of Northwest Mississippi, Inc.; John Melton, Communicare; Michael Newsom, University of Mississippi Office of Communications; Bess Nichols, The University of Mississippi- Office of Admissions; Tanya Nichols, University of Mississippi; Clifton Odom, Chancellors House Hotel; Doug Odom, mTrade; Wendy Pfrenger, University of Mississippi; Joel Reeves, Charter Road Hospitality; Andrew Reynolds, A2H; Nishanth Rodrigues, The University of

Mississippi; Hunter Taylor, The University of Mississippi; and Amy Woodward, American Addiction Centers/ Oxford Treatment Center.

This eight-month Leadership Lafayette course is designed to ensure the continuity of leadership in the Lafayette-Oxford-University community. The class training builds community leaders through shared knowledge, skills and experience. The program emphasizes developing leadership skills through activities promoting community awareness, team building and project development.

Objectives of the Leadership Lafayette Program are to: (1) Identify potential community leaders; (2) Develop individual leadership potential; (3) Acquire knowledge about community and current issues in Lafayette County; (4) Create dialogue and rapport among participants and current community leaders; (5) Provide opportunities to network with alumni of prior Leadership Lafayette programs; and (6) Promote a sense of “community” through shared efforts benefiting the local community.

Andy North elected to ACHE Council of Regents Andy North, FACHE, director of marketing and communications for St. Dominic’s, has been appointed to the Council of Regents, the legislative body of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE).

The Council of Regents serves as the vital link between ACHE North and members of approving governance and membership regulations and promoting ACHE programs, services and activities within their respective areas. As a Regent, North will represent ACHE’s membership in Mississippi.

North will take office at the Council of Regents meeting March 2, 2019, during ACHE’s 62nd Congress on Healthcare Leadership at the Hilton Chicago.

North, of Madison, Mississippi, has served in various health care marketing roles for nearly two decades. He has been in his current role at St. Dominic’s for eight years. Prior to that, he led the marketing, communications and government affairs efforts for the Dignity Health System in the Southern Nevada (Las Vegas) market. Before entering health care, North worked in public relations roles for an international automation technology company and a scholarly group whose focus was on deciphering and publishing research on ancient religious texts including the Dead Sea Scrolls.

North has served on the Mississippi Healthcare Executives Board since 2016 and was recently selected as a new board member for Mississippi Hospital Association’s Society for Healthcare Marketing and Public Relations. In addition, North, who is fluent in Spanish, was the first non-Latino individual ever elected to the highly influential Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce where he served for several years before moving to Mississippi.

North received a master of business administration degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. North and his wife Meghan (who is a native Mississippian) are the proud parents of four energetic and accomplished children.

Newsmakers

February 1, 2019

Tindell appointed to Board of Trustees

Reunion GCC names Jackson County Chamber assistant event coordinator president Voda to retire

Claire Tindell was appointed by the City of Gulfport to serve on Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees effective Jan. 1, replacing former board member Ric Williams.

Tindell is a resident of Gulfport and is employed with Tindell Investments and Properties, Tindell LLC. She is a member of the Gulf Coast Carnival Association and a member of Gulf Gardeners.

Other members of Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees include: Carlos Bell, Dr. Thad Carter, Gary Fredericks, Carrolyn Hamilton, A.J.M. “Butch” Oustalet, III, and David White.

Reunion Golf & Country Club named Jamie Foster as its assistant events coordinator.

Foster joins Reunion after a tenure as Head Pastry Chef at Jackson’s Manship’s Wood Fired Kitchen. The Jackson native attended Chicago’s French Pastry School where she completed the Foster L’Art de la Patisserie program.

While in Chicago Foster worked under Chef Jessica Ellington at downtown’s Epic Restaurant.

Phelps elects 2019 partnership class

The offices of Bryan Nelson P.A. in Hattiesburg have announced Ann Griffin’s recent promotion to partner. Griffin concentrates her practice in the areas of wills and estates, guardianships and conservatorships, family law, and automobile liability litigation.

Griffin Griffin joined Bryan Nelson P.A. in 2015. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2006. Griffin received her Juris Doctor cum laude from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where she was a member of Phi Delta Phi, Dean’s Leadership Council, and the Business Law Network.

She is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association, Mississippi Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, South Central Mississippi Bar Association, Mississippi Women Lawyers Association and the Hattiesburg Area Young Lawyers Association.

Griffin is married to William Russell Griffin, Market President of Bancorpsouth. They are active members of First United Methodist Church in Laurel. Griffin is also a member of both the Laurel Arts League and Jones County Republican Women.

Phelps Dunbar has announced that Andrew Garner and Jason Marsh have been elected to partnership effective January 1, 2019.

“These new partners are poised to move to the next level of client service and we congratulate them on this career milestone,” said Firm Managing Partner, Michael D. Hunt.

The 2019 partners include: > Andrew V. Garner – Tupelo: Business, Taxation > Jason T. Marsh – Jackson: Labor & Employment, Employment Litigation

Garner

Marsh

Columbus chamber announces promotion, certification The Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce named Eason Black as Director of Programs and Events. Black has worked for the CLCC since May as an intern, assisting with planning events, social media, email marketing, and upkeep of the Chamber website. A native Black of Columbus, Black graduated from Heritage Academy and Mississippi State University.

In her new capacity, Black will plan and execute existing programs currently produced by the CLCC ranging in focus on education, youth leadership, military affairs and community development. The previous CLCC Director of Programs and Events, Meryl Fisackerly, is now Golden Triangle Development LINK Project Manager.

Also, CLCC President, Lisa James, has completed her fourth and final year at the Institute of Organizational Management, a program for chamber and association professionals that awards the IOM certification upon the completion of the four-year course.

Ann Griffin promoted to partner at Bryan Nelson P.A.

USM recognized as leading research university The University of Southern Mississippi has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading research institutions by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, the pre-eminent classification of top doctoral research universities.

USM’s inclusion in the “R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity” category places it in the company of institutions like Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, and others. Only 130 institutions in the nation are classified as R1, which represents the highest level of research activity for universities.

USM’s research enterprise includes continued expansion of programs supporting the Blue Economy along the Mississippi Gulf Coast through the School of Ocean Science and Engineering; growing capabilities in polymer science and engineering, including the Mississippi Polymer Institute; and USM’s position as an international expert in sport venue safety and security through our National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security.

Carla Todd Voda, IOM, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce for 18 years, has announced her plans to retire to retire after the Chamber Executive Board finds a successor.

A native of Biloxi, Voda graduated from high school Voda and joined the United States Air Force. While in the Air Force, she worked in the Foreign Training Office and later was employed by the Judge Advocate General’s Office and was honored with U.S. Commendation Medal for Outstanding Performance.

She earned her Bachelors Degree in Business Administration and Masters Degree in Business from the University.

In 2001, she joined the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce as Director for Membership. She was appointed Interim President and CEO in 2004 and permanent President and CEO in 2004.

She has served on the Board of Directors for the United Way for Jackson & George Counties, Gulf Coast Business Council, Forever Changed, Singing River Health Systems Community Needs Assessment Committee, Gulf Coast Tourism Partnership, and the Bacot McCarty Foundation. She presently is on the Mississippi Gulf Coast Tourism Commission, Explosion of Excellence Steering Committee and Leadership Jackson County. She is a member of the Mississippi Economic Council, Mississippi Economic Development Council and the Gulf Coast Legislative Committee.

She is a graduate of Leadership Jackson County, Chevron’s Management Institute, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management and the Master’s Leadership Class sponsored by the Gulf Coast Business Council and Leadership Mississippi.

She also received the South Mississippi Outstanding Community Leaders Award in 2008, presented by the Sun Herald and the Journal of South Mississippi Business. She was inducted into the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Hall of Fame in 2018.

Wessel promoted to CEO, president at Quality Steel Sean Wessel has been promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer of Quality Steel Corporation, a manufacturer of pressure vessels based in Cleveland with production facilities located in Mississippi, Ohio and Utah. Wessel succeeds Jim Tims, who recently assumed the role of Chairman of the Board for LT Corporation, the parent company to Quality Steel.

Wessel

Table 100 co-founders become full owners of restaurant Table 100 co-founders Bill Latham and Al Roberts are pleased to announce they have now assumed full ownership of the recently remodeled restaurant, buying it from parent company Eat Here Brands on Dec. 31. Latham and Roberts also co-founded Eat

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Here Brands and Babalu, which has eight restaurant locations, including the original in Jackson.

Abe Ruiz, CEO of Eat Here Brands, adds, “As creators of Table 100 and outstanding restaurateurs, Bill and Al were the logical buyers. We are delighted they are assuming ownership. Under their stewardship, I am confident that Table 100 will continue to flourish.”

Founded in 2011, Table 100 boasts a menu of Euro-American bistro favorites like its double-cut pork chop, Ashley Farms chicken breast, braised beef short rib and the popular Table 100 burger. It’s all served in an elegant setting that conjures turn-of-the-century New Orleans with a piano bar, craft cocktails and a can’t-miss Sunday jazz brunch.

The sale is part of Eat Here’s strategy to shift its focus to growing Babalu, its core asset. Latham and Roberts remain actively involved on Eat Here’s board of managers. “Along with Table 100, we are also excited about the prospects for Eat Here Brands and Babalu. We look forward to helping all continue to grow and thrive in the coming years,” Latham and Roberts said.

Heather Verret joins Ridgeland-based CPA firm Heather Verret has joined Matthews, Cutrer and Lindsay, certified public accountants in Ridgeland, as a staff accountant. Her experience with the firm began in 2017 as an audit intern and will continue as she provides audit and attestation services with a primary emphasis on multi-family housing and nonprofit organizations.

Verret earned her bachelor’s degree in Accountancy from Mississippi College and is a resident of Clinton.

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

Entergy Mississippi promotes Turnipseed, Irby Two Entergy Mississippi leaders have been promoted.

Lea Turnipseed, CPA, is Entergy Mississippi’s vice president of customer service. She leads a new organization focused solely on customer service. Turnipseed joined Entergy in 1997 and has served as director of Entergy Irby Mississippi finance since June 2012. She is a 1994 graduate of Millsaps College, has been a certified public accountant since 1995 and has also attended the Wharton School Entergy Executive Program.

Clarence Irby is director of distribution operations for the central region. He is responsible for the delivery of safe, reliable Turnipseed distribution of power to Entergy Mississippi’s central area. He most recently served as senior manager, distribution operations for the southern region. Irby joined the company in 1987. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Jackson State University and is pursuing an MBA through Louisiana State University.

22 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 1, 2019 Dec. 2018 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).

December December Year to date YTD CITY 2018 2017 2018 2017 Abbeville $4,218.58 $4,351.09 $28,498.21 $28,313.32 Aberdeen 65,467.95 68,345.56 417,282.97 407,892.91 Ackerman 23,452.55 23,941.55 146,586.68 141,987.75 Alcorn State University 834.77 3,123.50 Algoma 3,288.09 2,035.56 16,405.31 13,806.84 Alligator 373.03 365.72 2,008.71 2,256.14 Amory 171,950.58 158,173.77 994,877.32 949,617.14 Anguilla 1,728.00 1,224.87 10,601.74 13,780.84 Arcola 640.38 1,123.25 4,648.65 7,828.10 Artesia 713.29 1,000.45 4,245.92 4,710.88 Ashland 12,761.83 11,780.54 74,934.67 80,185.37 Baldwyn 41,192.19 42,348.47 260,011.42 264,656.87 Bassfield 12,622.13 13,042.33 80,121.82 78,328.85 Batesville 369,635.88 378,792.15 2,269,119.14 2,278,139.33 Bay Springs 59,020.84 55,214.26 339,839.48 335,142.03 Bay St. Louis 126,487.42 119,430.07 836,458.69 803,437.90 Beaumont 8,245.20 8,649.07 55,084.56 53,628.12 Beauregard 197.13 206.39 1,360.38 1,193.15 Belmont 26,646.41 26,149.15 165,791.64 161,210.96 Belzoni 31,935.46 34,741.89 205,111.31 216,302.99 Benoit 1,399.48 2,087.99 14,627.14 14,066.48 Bentonia 14,311.70 11,693.92 70,022.73 84,334.33 Beulah 278.35 303.27 1,986.79 2,059.55 Big Creek 287.10 295.54 1,833.00 1,995.77 Biloxi 945,475.79 882,135.94 6,520,513.26 6,089,033.94 Blue Mountain 9,308.57 10,718.89 60,847.99 64,634.35 Blue Springs 1,770.92 2,109.95 12,230.74 13,631.44 Bolton 10,869.56 11,087.11 83,912.86 82,308.25 Booneville 164,776.95 160,468.94 967,194.46 941,810.90 Boyle 17,903.37 12,801.88 131,768.47 101,425.04 Brandon 443,458.14 452,573.19 2,989,977.79 2,879,568.26 Braxton 1,248.94 1,504.72 8,570.27 9,310.72 Brookhaven 497,177.40 462,076.84 2,857,447.70 2,842,606.88 Brooksville 7,816.84 9,829.76 54,421.48 59,606.37 Bruce 34,129.68 43,602.08 235,663.25 257,070.65 Bude 11,750.26 13,208.67 68,240.42 74,901.83 Burnsville 14,375.86 13,034.57 88,171.65 87,408.51 Byhalia 68,334.61 55,352.79 391,715.41 375,324.94 Byram 224,010.51 213,681.81 1,408,948.57 1,271,108.95 Caledonia 14,534.05 13,458.95 90,302.63 88,558.49 Calhoun City 21,862.55 24,259.09 138,186.95 146,406.80 Canton 237,907.94 241,992.65 1,518,233.12 1,529,171.30 Carrollton 6,027.14 6,841.62 39,406.35 39,260.59 Carthage 139,268.64 140,353.48 867,694.68 852,691.98 Cary 1,322.28 1,036.53 9,142.82 6,593.60 Centreville 18,529.79 18,735.02 112,836.04 113,799.04 Charleston 29,791.34 28,469.01 176,857.05 169,392.31 Chunky 619.61 554.81 4,131.14 4,514.48 Clarksdale 196,875.42 209,319.45 1,263,866.87 1,292,437.79 Cleveland 310,699.70 302,259.03 1,854,299.45 1,868,014.69 Clinton 382,556.96 370,284.18 2,321,198.21 2,238,289.31 Coahoma 446.29 569.52 2,796.39 3,767.66 Coahoma Community College 126.75 13.68 1,021.49 1,233.90 Coffeeville 10,078.21 9,423.05 63,276.90 61,056.49 Coldwater 18,899.37 18,179.04 126,890.22 112,133.17 Collins 136,477.01 133,382.03 848,330.62 808,385.13 Columbia 262,176.72 258,899.25 1,590,940.37 1,556,531.19 Columbus 792,432.30 781,279.46 4,721,539.26 4,766,835.52 Como 14,097.78 15,787.43 97,530.48 97,649.28 Corinth 527,648.42 521,691.51 3,080,234.88 2,992,007.87 Courtland 1,246.67 1,340.37 8,002.37 9,040.61 Crawford 1,243.39 1,379.58 8,791.15 9,012.26 Crenshaw 4,297.50 4,547.92 31,528.44 29,031.82 Crosby 433.36 844.69 5,786.87 7,831.11 Crowder 1,979.70 2,448.38 12,247.10 11,566.22 Cruger 399.15 398.35 2,187.63 2,472.00 Crystal Springs 61,362.03 61,903.90 387,241.21 388,665.28 D’Iberville 704,849.87 634,773.00 3,884,123.38 3,605,414.25 D’Lo 1,512.01 1,427.09 45,408.76 10,011.99 Decatur 11,740.73 10,763.76 77,794.95 69,876.21 Dekalb 16,231.57 18,373.20 110,036.53 123,025.85 Derma 7,209.10 8,054.02 53,278.67 52,274.05 Diamondhead 51,660.73 49,407.39 350,262.30 294,505.85 Doddsville 937.30 616.91 4,179.24 4,255.54 Drew 5,988.28 5,932.14 39,866.05 45,330.92 Duck Hill 3,730.78 4,097.53 24,909.63 23,907.94 Dumas 886.43 944.90 5,752.95 6,538.31 Duncan 765.03 477.81 5,004.58 3,091.45 Durant 33,609.01 31,423.64 230,808.46 213,380.00 East Mississippi Community College 60.14 64.28 1,474.01 1,600.80 Ecru 11,554.55 10,568.11 62,242.95 61,227.59 Eden 73.47 90.69 497.11 463.69 Edwards 6,143.19 6,545.29 37,686.77 39,860.21 Ellisville 84,285.47 73,806.87 480,531.95 462,174.04 Enterprise 4,498.74 6,289.10 32,080.17 35,358.29 Ethel 2,120.13 2,337.88 13,715.54 14,443.75 Eupora 35,250.93 35,804.18 210,302.91 217,079.55 Falcon 47.84 227.98 986.90 1,450.78 Falkner 5,051.59 5,243.57 32,371.17 34,047.83 Farmington 5,409.55 2,131.11 33,780.74 14,621.40 Fayette 15,480.10 16,498.72 94,054.94 103,305.62 Flora 27,981.78 28,987.99 188,674.75 181,088.77 Florence 67,707.67 68,125.54 441,060.66 422,457.58 Flowood 967,720.84 990,772.60 5,923,410.77 5,674,913.22 Forest 185,753.63 190,425.95 1,135,211.90 1,132,708.31 French Camp 970.40 1,382.90 7,638.52 7,504.71 Friars Point 2,591.75 6,107.78 21,355.49 17,490.15

Fulton 136,076.55 128,775.35 Gattman 116.22 148.77 Gautier 172,824.60 173,486.85 Georgetown 3,746.75 3,708.15 Glen 4,810.90 3,056.91 Glendora 335.08 399.98 Gloster 12,758.43 11,173.79 Golden 3,735.69 4,465.38 Goodman 2,932.20 3,069.89 Greenville 484,122.67 478,564.20 Greenwood 380,735.87 359,638.24 Grenada 328,645.98 360,525.86 Gulfport 1,816,778.74 1,948,520.83 Gunnison 782.23 868.01 Guntown 16,182.24 15,010.54 Hatley 1,576.98 1,240.74 Hattiesburg 1,914,925.88 1,840,776.46 Hazlehurst 119,847.87 115,099.35 Heidelberg 14,109.91 16,336.29 Hernando 300,719.06 288,361.69 Hickory 8,388.04 6,724.01 Hickory Flat 6,077.82 5,872.62 Hinds Community College 375.42 493.09 Hollandale 14,190.13 13,693.30 Holly Springs 112,152.44 109,182.34 Horn Lake 414,017.13 391,590.48 Houlka 7,990.42 9,031.97 Houston 88,903.85 92,747.03 Indianola 147,985.56 151,270.06 Inverness 3,047.39 4,463.91 Isola 1,778.84 1,990.07 Itta Bena 10,695.74 10,190.47 Iuka 80,423.79 65,485.68 Jackson 2,371,934.84 2,361,404.39 Jonestown 3,013.50 1,682.84 Jumpertown 1,481.99 259.66 Kilmichael 6,112.63 5,585.21 Kosciusko 184,458.99 171,757.15 Kossuth 5,133.58 4,046.05 Lake 22,577.89 19,217.52 Lambert 1,954.65 2,135.33 Laurel 771,962.16 718,793.76 Leakesville 26,543.27 24,612.79 Learned 372.55 524.93 Leland 42,262.92 35,533.44 Lena 2,065.16 2,153.65 Lexington 28,648.01 30,503.99 Liberty 20,045.21 21,057.81 Long Beach 112,185.63 107,796.27 Louin 3,001.66 1,932.14 Louise 2,854.20 1,434.58 Louisville 143,496.25 154,028.03 Lucedale 198,498.03 185,948.46 Lula 1,183.54 789.58 Lumberton 13,406.70 12,655.41 Lyon 2,032.81 2,986.45 Maben 7,549.19 7,844.65 Macon 47,795.43 47,865.66 Madison 758,374.84 709,136.21 Magee 186,665.09 172,406.96 Magnolia 40,998.01 43,595.16 Mantachie 16,220.17 18,115.09 Mantee 2,107.26 2,024.15 Marietta 4,431.14 4,155.22 Marion 19,536.18 17,872.99 Marks 15,059.36 13,893.04 Mathiston 52,620.44 14,727.50 Mayersville 505.38 717.59 McComb 472,663.85 481,451.20 McCool 553.75 747.15 McLain 3,470.69 3,493.85 Meadville 9,777.25 11,608.23 Mendenhall 49,708.25 52,395.84 Meridian 1,169,818.68 1,128,298.47 Merigold 7,378.74 7,079.26 Metcalfe 853.56 870.71 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College 0.00 Mississippi State University 36,832.59 42,587.62 Mississippi Valley State University 537.71 313.47 Mize 10,223.55 9,840.69 Monticello 41,660.62 39,696.04 Montrose 123.59 369.22 Moorhead 6,608.64 6,855.13 Morgan City 500.14 529.98 Morton 38,678.94 32,703.26 Moss Point 165,877.61 160,317.52 Mound Bayou 5,402.10 3,989.09 Mt. Olive 8,055.85 8,654.54 Myrtle 3,913.79 4,371.05 Natchez 442,419.63 436,326.60 Nettleton 29,604.90 28,460.86 New Albany 329,820.72 286,226.27 New Augusta 10,305.38 11,784.46 New Hebron 5,813.80 6,727.23 Newton 81,451.55 78,254.45 North Carrollton 1,907.11 2,762.06 Noxapater 7,469.54 7,106.83 Oakland 6,446.25 6,505.08 Ocean Springs 423,276.57 429,756.75 Okolona 24,460.40 23,536.90 Olive Branch 891,712.09 875,689.59 Osyka 4,949.66 4,337.01 Oxford 880,847.51 814,935.21 Pace 347.48 449.85 Pachuta 3,301.81 3,387.31 Paden 63.14 61.86

774,722.54 777.19 1,112,587.16 22,305.36 32,534.41 2,293.65 70,649.30 23,678.90 20,137.42 2,952,649.37 2,255,544.67 2,206,786.04 11,196,309.09 4,623.56 103,503.10 10,193.63 11,277,999.69 679,784.09 102,023.23 1,840,170.81 48,632.62 39,852.03 4,432.86 88,376.48 683,825.11 2,617,603.04 49,475.81 535,019.38 901,407.17 26,785.90 11,381.50 70,023.63 464,762.10 14,435,020.38 17,516.76 9,937.22 35,462.41 1,080,040.26 28,780.48 132,871.45 12,322.20 4,491,006.20 158,561.58 4,860.45 299,728.38 13,477.72 186,655.04 127,361.31 742,572.78 14,672.42 9,323.03 887,388.89 1,128,038.51 6,668.30 81,574.03 11,105.66 45,567.32 285,495.65 4,324,018.20 1,091,788.60 256,211.53 108,243.01 12,814.80 27,161.13 114,777.39 93,348.01 132,144.76 4,196.95 2,751,001.83 3,353.94 23,048.29 66,045.05 334,052.33 6,924,643.43 41,930.24 5,711.64 308.51 193,395.00 4,883.05 66,593.33 243,437.42 1,072.39 43,755.71 3,154.49 237,752.99 1,057,594.72 25,008.05 51,118.46 25,336.74 2,579,035.42 183,031.98 1,764,481.50 69,733.29 36,341.03 485,627.27 18,706.37 48,979.50 40,971.62 2,579,568.36 144,152.02 5,336,600.48 30,928.45 4,965,660.99 2,599.56 20,032.32 387.51

769,755.44 818.94 1,080,661.31 22,792.60 19,748.75 2,243.56 70,914.55 26,491.97 20,533.03 2,946,279.30 2,244,120.92 2,177,035.41 10,751,291.93 5,238.36 100,661.46 9,518.25 10,961,710.95 661,965.57 103,225.61 1,758,584.16 41,771.70 39,081.01 4,563.69 90,364.82 674,054.31 2,417,401.95 51,215.38 536,196.24 915,720.07 25,165.03 12,744.77 67,145.40 409,983.85 14,330,665.96 11,353.61 2,088.15 34,040.61 1,035,752.82 23,896.58 111,030.36 14,745.74 4,292,006.35 151,866.91 3,718.18 246,167.10 12,704.84 198,002.28 129,005.83 719,166.51 7,850.75 6,788.75 906,152.17 1,079,211.67 6,837.00 80,805.23 12,767.50 46,123.01 289,750.57 3,977,130.23 1,047,150.07 248,312.86 114,549.74 11,626.31 27,372.77 113,264.27 92,675.44 93,213.51 4,531.50 2,792,692.05 4,239.04 23,249.51 70,677.53 316,622.36 6,757,196.76 40,941.48 5,241.82 3,275.02237,657.

288,886.21 4,604.85 56,524.24 239,640.42 4,939.58 45,299.75 3,205.56 234,939.60 977,769.21 22,071.39 54,572.62 27,727.05 2,578,042.52 183,857.30 1,682,332.16 70,166.22 39,609.39 484,888.55 19,271.20 43,822.12 40,339.60 2,471,876.71 138,850.51 5,180,512.92 28,443.05 4,945,667.19 2,717.25 11,239.89 471.68

Pascagoula 449,928.83 422,576.97 Pass Christian 128,952.60 112,846.26 Paulding 96.67 119.11 Pearl 827,990.78 823,497.68 Pelahatchie 28,672.76 27,104.25 Petal 231,607.47 215,539.41 Philadelphia 356,121.66 362,004.56 Picayune 410,003.95 383,078.82 Pickens 5,590.44 5,760.81 Pittsboro 1,865.33 1,597.66 Plantersville 4,194.25 3,454.36 Polkville 1,242.82 1,196.56 Pontotoc 206,266.29 206,479.18 Pope 4,325.79 2,819.47 Poplarville 76,308.46 68,350.08 Port Gibson 41,425.48 28,216.97 Potts Camp 5,758.47 6,315.40 Prentiss 30,746.22 32,677.87 Puckett 7,417.99 7,684.47 Purvis 66,006.23 70,122.30 Quitman 46,352.18 42,791.05 Raleigh 18,267.17 18,083.24 Raymond 18,379.60 20,966.89 Renova 5,351.05 1,886.55 Richland 489,615.92 413,034.32 Richton 28,414.25 29,088.06 Ridgeland 1,071,702.12 1,176,383.88 Rienzi 3,336.63 3,844.64 Ripley 124,998.76 112,538.68 Rolling Fork 27,304.42 28,427.52 Rosedale 9,061.22 9,448.13 Roxie 6,479.53 1,694.03 Ruleville 18,530.06 19,008.61 Sallis 1,199.45 1,695.07 Saltillo 69,441.64 73,034.27 Sandersville 27,337.32 15,224.55 Sardis 26,747.34 24,184.75 Satartia 200.13 521.21 Schlater 971.73 942.60 Scooba 7,328.43 8,502.87 Sebastopol 16,059.58 14,523.90 Seminary 13,409.70 12,662.29 Senatobia 189,061.69 187,846.11 Shannon 9,863.59 11,066.33 Shaw 7,038.48 5,876.14 Shelby 8,971.09 8,996.86 Sherman 34,912.42 31,568.40 Shubuta 3,304.61 3,542.98 Shuqualak 1,854.15 2,177.85 Sidon 397.47 444.15 Silver City 343.26 354.72 Silver Creek 2,318.90 2,663.09 Slate Springs 196.68 123.33 Sledge 1,690.51 1,414.88 Smithville 5,415.72 5,287.23 Snow Lake Shores 146.41 108.71 Soso 9,170.17 9,025.86 Southaven 1,270,904.31 1,193,095.11 Southwest Mississippi Community College 62.22 Starkville 608,757.52 559,308.97 State Line 8,415.39 9,598.07 Stonewall 5,069.78 5,412.38 Sturgis 3,980.80 3,269.40 Summit 31,462.30 34,603.84 Sumner 2,088.88 3,264.19 Sumrall 45,301.91 45,385.21 Sunflower 2,430.17 2,724.67 Sylvarena 163.55 247.64 Taylor 2,872.49 2,107.96 Taylorsville 22,669.45 25,417.11 Tchula 6,163.36 5,665.24 Terry 28,623.96 25,210.76 Thaxton 3,354.45 3,279.52 Tishomingo 12,986.95 59,301.59 Toccopola 625.24 640.87 Tremont 2,056.34 1,146.60 Tunica 33,364.56 31,270.69 Tupelo 1,748,055.92 1,755,511.48 Tutwiler 5,079.49 3,905.43 Tylertown 53,514.21 51,925.59 Union 22,503.52 23,624.13 University Of Mississippi 16,187.51 18,337.03 Utica 6,990.99 8,130.22 Vaiden 9,416.47 9,513.70 Vardaman 11,052.58 11,032.40 Verona 19,304.04 19,261.44 Vicksburg 622,625.94 642,666.78 Walls 6,940.22 7,317.47 Walnut 19,965.57 18,686.40 Walnut Grove 4,997.67 5,097.43 Walthall 15,607.03 1,350.98 Water Valley 41,697.40 44,657.16 Waveland 210,262.82 195,498.45 Waynesboro 190,186.00 170,333.44 Webb 5,328.11 6,351.17 Weir 3,067.61 3,094.68 Wesson 13,690.53 12,900.05 West 909.30 956.21 West Point 165,945.65 165,769.54 Wiggins 157,574.71 166,901.56 Winona 74,780.27 93,179.26 Winstonville 227.90 221.40 Woodland 4,513.80 6,847.19 Woodville 26,759.81 30,931.93 Yazoo City 190,876.44 150,134.01 Total $36,719,251.18 $35,955,167.00

2,677,879.60 2,617,619.55 764,674.15 686,896.34 661.86 792.55 5,085,880.51 4,954,385.94 194,976.44 191,838.30 1,354,463.22 1,282,086.19 2,085,679.37 2,184,033.52 2,403,025.46 2,345,501.00 39,660.56 35,883.62 10,318.29 9,901.17 43,466.08 33,765.40 7,979.74 7,558.64 1,233,107.19 1,222,542.45 29,136.71 18,466.65 486,735.14 443,597.69 182,165.74 169,785.58 42,217.36 44,104.55 193,687.56 202,869.75 50,607.54 49,339.21 408,131.40 439,152.06 278,499.93 273,048.69 106,021.49 99,132.53 119,873.86 116,877.74 25,329.95 12,368.36 3,015,373.21 2,877,893.34 170,447.02 171,501.93 6,549,413.82 6,576,765.10 23,784.56 24,714.82 732,150.52 687,776.82 195,324.10 194,576.58 59,599.79 63,095.40 22,040.55 9,683.37 121,144.88 116,280.17 8,416.79 10,098.92 435,924.18 428,246.40 108,462.18 119,808.66 163,243.16 154,331.82 1,443.86 1,917.65 6,715.53 6,461.19 46,669.59 50,182.23 98,480.72 91,550.09 83,983.28 79,797.25 1,144,668.52 1,090,819.95 65,272.06 68,559.06 38,569.54 40,375.21 58,980.62 56,305.56 233,515.45 218,872.93 20,540.20 22,871.58 10,826.86 14,234.22 4,055.56 3,043.01 2,128.92 2,289.99 14,704.91 15,807.53 1,433.86 891.77 9,077.34 8,602.01 35,056.17 34,780.73 837.21 593.96 62,277.77 54,751.91 7,461,015.93 7,008,988.62 36.91 639.606802.

3,698,269.54 3,472,445.74 58,244.35 64,356.04 33,171.53 35,263.60 21,202.61 16,188.26 219,876.02 228,795.97 20,171.21 23,531.45 298,442.51 289,261.56 16,105.98 18,210.61 1,542.67 1,326.90 13,593.24 14,121.37 143,070.23 154,531.42 38,257.92 34,871.90 158,988.11 163,155.42 23,581.34 20,942.98 82,280.63 118,594.47 4,165.51 14,216.03 11,807.12 8,106.88 204,766.76 217,156.11 10,475,624.31 10,085,043.39 28,830.92 24,867.18 323,364.52 332,070.37 140,948.64 149,788.07 69,377.98 161,609.21 47,348.62 50,125.52 51,684.01 58,812.68 69,453.40 68,325.37 119,279.19 180,879.72 3,884,563.93 3,906,969.22 49,054.33 49,384.57 128,404.78 120,349.80 30,654.56 30,958.96 22,469.22 7,159.16 260,362.30 263,036.42 1,281,217.63 1,171,818.51 1,095,022.03 1,007,024.00 42,239.82 44,406.81 20,289.68 20,311.66 82,077.74 81,630.23 5,719.62 5,912.35 1,015,484.66 993,438.90 950,001.65 943,273.56 461,163.46 556,007.41 1,367.20 1,366.64 34,219.74 35,656.93 173,921.55 179,807.99 1,028,197.68 950,784.75 $221,638,929.34 $215,699,834.19

February 1, 2019

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Mississippi Business Journal

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23

THE SPIN CYCLE

Trust in institutions rose in 2018 according to new survey

T

rust in institutions, such as businesses, NGOs, and government, rose in the U.S. and globally, according to Edelman’s 2019 Trust Barometer.

The public’s overall trust in the U.S. increased six points year-over-year to 49 percent on Edelman’s Trust Index, teetering on a neutral rating (50 percent to 59 percent). Trust for the informed public jumped 15 points to 60 percent, putting it on the lower end of Trust on the index (60 percent to 100 percent).

Despite distrust remaining high in 15 countries, down by three in 2018, the general population inched up three points year-over-year to 52 percent on a global basis. The global informed public gained four points year-over-year to 63 percent.

Recent events that would shake people’s trust occurred after the period of Edelman’s research, David Bersoff, SVP and head of global thought leadership research at Edelman, told PRWeek.

Bersoff cited the stock market’s drop and the government shutdown as examples, which would have probably diminished trust in the U.S. In the U.K., Prime Minister Theresa May’s failed Brexit plan would have had a similar impact.

“It is quite likely that if we fielded the survey now, the numbers would be lower in certain markets,” Bersoff said.

The “trust-depressing volatility and uncertainty” in Edelman’s 2018 Trust Barometer was new or recently exacerbated, he explained.

“In response, some people may have assumed a worst-case scenario,” Bersoff told PRWeek. “Fast forward a year and while things have not gotten better in many cases, the sky has not fallen and the other shoe has yet to drop. We may be seeing a sense of moderate relief uptick.”

He added that any trust gains seen in the 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer do “nothing to ameliorate the fact that belief in the system is languishing at 20 percent.”

This year’s Trust Barometer also found people trust the relationship they have with their employer. Edelman’s research claims this is the most trusted relationship people have with any institution, with 75 percent of respondents saying they trust their employer, beating NGOs (57 percent), businesses (56 percent), government (48 percent), and media (47 percent).

The Trust Barometer was conducted via online survey, with 1,150 respondents from each of the 27 markets it examined. This year’s survey wanted to focus on the employer-employee relationship, so 55 percent of the survey’s global general population sample are full or part-time employees and from each market, 500 multinational employees participated.

Employers led all institutions because “trust is local,” said Edelman’s global chair of reputation Stephen Kehoe. People trust an institution if it’s familiar to them and if they have leverage -- qualities a solid em-

ployee-employer relationship has.

Employer-employee trust pays dividends across a number of variables. Respondents that trust their employer are more likely to advocate on their behalf (78 percent), show loyalty (74 percent), be engaged (71 percent), and be committed (83 percent).

“When you’re in a situation where you’re worried, or you’ve lost faith in the system or you have a desire for change but have no way to make it come about, that employer-employee relationship is the island in the storm,” Bersoff said. “That is the one relationship that’s trusting and personal and local where they think they can have an effect and it’s a relationship with an entity where they can get something done.”

Meeting employees’ expectations is imperative. Those include employees’ work having a social impact, opportunities at work, and personal empowerment.

Employees are already taking the matter into their own hands, the study noted. For examples, it cited the Google walkout, in which 20,000 employees participated as a protest against several policies around how the company handles sexual assault.

Edelman’s own report said 67 percent of employees expect their employer to actively join them in advocating on social issues; and 76 percent want CEOs to lead on change instead of being forced to by the government.

Additional Insights For the second time ever, the trust gap between the informed public and general public reached 16 points. By region, the U.K. experienced the steepest discrepancy with a 24-point difference. The U.S. had a 13-point difference.

Only one-in-five people in the mass population and informed public believe the system is “working for me,” while 34 percent of the general public and 40 percent of the informed public said they weren’t sure how the system was affecting them. Additionally, 46 percent of the mass population and 39 percent of the informed public said it was failing them.

Far more people are consuming and engaging with news content. Forty percent said they consume news at least once a week, and share or post content several times a month or more. Only 26 percent could say the same thing last year.

Thirty-two percent said they consume news at least once a week, an eight-point gain over last year. Only 28 percent said they consume news less than once a week, a 21-point slide from the previous year.

Facebook commits $300M to local news emphasis

It was a challenging year for both Facebook and the local news industry – albeit on vastly different levels.

In early 2018, shifted its News Feed algorithm towards more “meaningful interactions” and less Page/news content, according to NiemanLab. That evolved to include focuses on trusted news, local news,

and informative news. Some viral-focused publishers folded from the loss of traffic.

This year, the platform is pivoting to further support local news — off-platform.

Facebook recently announcing it will spend $300 million through the next three years on news partnerships and programming.

(That’s the same amount the Google News Initiative has earmarked for the same period.) So far, Facebook allotted $20 million to expanding its local news membership and subscription accelerators piloted last year and $16 million distributed among various journalism support nonprofits and organizations including: o Pulitzer Center o Report for America o Knight-Lenfest News Transformation Fund, o Local Media Association o Local Media Consortium, o American Journalism Project o Community News Project.

Campbell Brown, Facebook’s news partnerships director, told NiemanLab the platform spent 2018 reminding publishers that Facebook “is not about us trying to make everybody happy…I don’t see us as the answer to the problem.”

Shaved Mic| Gillette cuts ‘The Best a Man Can Get’ Campaign After more than 30 years of great memories, Gillette has shaved “The Best a Man Can Get” ad campaign in favor of a “We Believe” campaign that challenges the very image of masculinity it once promoted.

So, it’s out with the individual, assertive and acquisitive identity in favor of a more clean-shaven face in wake of the shifting seas of family and relationships in the #MeToo era.

Gillette’s macho masculinity ad positioning debuted in 1989 during the Super Bowl – in the early days of the George H.W. Bush administration and the waning stage of the Cold War. It was all about “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”

Those ads promoted a new top-of-theline Atra razor in 60-second spots that

highlighted different versions of a single theme: a white man scoring, whether at the office, on an athletic Todd Smith field or with a woman.

The one specific location it invoked was Wall Street, the arena of the ultimate alpha male.

Today’s Gillette men are more about community and who they are rather than about boundless acquisitions and conquests.

Apparently it has nicked some of the brand’s more brash former stars.

Actor Piers Morgan blasted the ad, writing, “This absurd virtue-signaling PC guff may drive me away to a company less eager to fuel the current pathetic global assault on masculinity.”

Gillette is the latest major global brand that has cut both ways in public opinion.

You’ll recall that Nike stock soared last year after it unveiled an advertising campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick, the NFL star whose protest of police violence drew the ire of some who decried his decision to kneel during the national anthem.

With this bold move, Gillette has turned a more closely-shaven, softer, more conscious cheek to a public that demands more from their leading brands – and men!

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 Fully Furnished Studio & him at todd@ 1 Bedroom Apartments. deanesmithFREE utilities and FREE partners.com, and follow him cable. Bad Credit OK. Weekly and monthly @spinsurgeon.

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