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INSIDE — Kemper saga appears headed for ﬁnal chapter — Page 6 MIXED-USE

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February 2, 2018 • Vo. 40 No. 5 • 24 pages

FOCUS: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

‘New urban’ community for Flowood MBJ FOCUS

Helping innovators grow and Glo

Economic Development {Section begins P12}

Page 12

— Page 5

» New CEO for coast tourism looking to grow

{The List P16-17}

» Economic Development Organizations

East, West (Capitol) move toward meeting {P3}

» Art Lofts ﬁnally arrive and sell out quickly » East Capitol gets its turn on the revival wheel

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February 2, 2018

Mississippi Business Journal

DOWNTOWN JACKSON

East and West (Capitol) move toward meeting in middle

» Art Lofts ﬁnally arrive, and sell out quickly

EAST END GETS ITS TURN ON THE REVIVAL WHEEL

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

By the time this is published, all 31 apartments in the Capitol Art Lofts may well have been taken. The first unit was leased in November, and most of the rest have gone since then. As of Tuesday only two were available. The lofts attracted more than 300 inquiries and 100-plus actual applications, according to Nicole Lockhart, general manager for HRI Properties in downtown Jackson, which also include the Hotel King Edward apartments and the Standard Life Building Flats. The Capitol Art Lofts, which were funded in part by federal tax credits (as were the King Edward and Standard Life), give preference to military veterans, the disabled, artists and those in the medical field. First announced in 2013, the Capitol Art Lofts struggled with financing because of the unavailability of Mississippi Historic Tax Credits. Eventually, the Legislature raised the cap on the credits, providing HRI Properties of New Orleans with $2 million. Also, Mississippi Home Corp. increased its Low Income Housing Tax Credit, originally $6.66 million, by an additional $741,000 to allow the $10.4 million project to proceed. The sleek Capitol Arts Lofts hold their own in style, and hold down the rent. Twenty-six of the lofts were set aside for those whose income is no more than 60 percent of the area’s median income. They cost $642 a month for a one-bedroom unit and $766 for a two-bedroom. The other five are for those whose income is no more than 30 percent of the area median income. Four of them are one-bedroom units and cost $292. The two-bedroom unit costs $346. Tenants sign a one-year lease. Across the street, the King Edward includes the 186-room Hilton Garden Inn hotel. The top four floors house 56

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

JACK WEATHERLY/MBJ

Top: Marvin Toney, manager of 114 Lounge. Left: West-facing apartment opens to view of Amtrak station. Above: Charles King, artist and educator.

upscale apartments that start at about $1,000. The Standard Life Flats at 127 S. Roach St. also start at about $1,000. The Capitol Art Lofts residents include two in the medical ﬁeld, ﬁve who are disabled and four veterans, according to Marlita Pollard, assistant property manager. Two former homeless people are among the tenants, she said. The artistic trend runs through the new residents. Those who were interviewed for this article gave their new residences high marks. “I love it,” Charles King says of his one-bedroom, street-level apartment. I’ve met some of the other artists. The atmosphere is great.” To the person, they all noted how

quiet the apartments are, even with traffic, both motorized and pedestrian, as well as trains. The central gallery is the hub of the apartments. Off it is the workout room with the latest in ﬁtness equipment. A business room will soon be in operation. King, 68, who is an artist, ran his Smarty Pants educational services program in the Jackson Public Schools. The motto of the program is “If a child can’t learn the way I teach, then I must ‘learn’ to teach the way he can learn.” Born in Memphis, King worked for years with Kellogg’s in Battle Creek, Mich., where in down time he started See ART LOFTS, Page 4

East Capitol Street had been left out of the downtown revival. The west end of the street has drawn all the attention and capital. That’s changing. “This end of Capitol hasn’t gotten any attention,” said E. J. “Kip” Gibert of Metairie, La., who bought the six-story Heritage Building at 401 E. Capitol in the fall of 2016 along with three smaller buildings on that side of the street. Gibert (pronounced gee-bear) said he bought a half-dozen buildings across the street last month to improve them because he sees them as an impediment to development. He expects that work on all the buildings will be completed by the end of the year and that the investment will range from $5 million to $10 million. The Heritage, as the name suggests, has a lot of history in its bricks and mortar. Built in 1904 for Jones Dry Goods and with later expansions for Jones-Kennington Department Store and then McRae’s Department Store, the 95,000-square-foot structure is undergoing an overhaul, as reported by the Mississippi Business Journal earlier – new elevators, heating and cooling systems, a new roof and renovation of restrooms. In the same block, three smaller buildings – two of which are the former homes of Deville Camera and ASAP Printing – are undergoing changes. One two-story structure will get two more ﬂoors and will accommodate four apartments – ranging from 575 square feet to 750 square feet. See REVIVAL, Page 4

JACK WEATHERLY/MBJ

Jeff Speed (left) and Kip Gibert discuss the project.

4 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 2, 2018

ART LOFTS Continued from, Page 3

doodling and discovered his talent for art. He moved to Mississippi in 1982 to take care of his grandparents, as he continued to produce art, working for the Mississippi Museum of Art for 16 years, and starting and running his nonproﬁt, Smarty Pants. Plas Lindsey is disabled. He lost the sight in one of his eyes, he said, thus ending his career with KLLM Truck Services. Lindsey, who moved in Dec. 28, said, “It’s a nice, affordable place to live.” The urban setting reminds him of New York City and Chicago. “I think I’m going to love it,” he said. Jeremyka Williams, 25, served in the U.S. Army for two years and has been in sales for T-Mobile for about six months, he said. With artistic skills – he dances, plays piano and writes poetry – the Canton High School graduate who attended Mississippi College is weighing his life options. “For downtown Jackson, this is great,” he said of the lofts. He and the rest of the tenants have a paved, fenced and secured parking lot behind the apartments. That’s where he parks the ﬁrst car he’s ever owned. On the other end of the age scale is

William Easley, 76, an Army retiree, who served in the 82nd and 101st Airborne visions in Vietnam. He was an over-theroad truck driver for 25 years. Services and entertainment for those who live downtown are beginning to return. The Downtown Snack Shop, which opened in 2015 AT 205 W. Capitol, has seen an uptick in business since the lofts opened, said owner Lyquita Smith. The shop is a combination convenience store and short-order eatery, offering a variety of hot sandwiches, chicken and ﬁsh. Smith has engaged Waitr, the delivery service, which she said has been very successful. She noted that several other businesses opened on West Capitol in the past year – Cowboy’s Lounge, the 114 Lounge and Sugar Ray’s candy shop. Sugar Ray’s opened last Valentine’s Day. A call to Cowboy’s Lounge was not returned. The 114 Lounge opened Dec. 1. Located on the second ﬂoor above Fashion Corner, the lounge and restaurant offers a cityscape view of Capitol between Farish Street and Mill Street. Manager Marvin Toney said the 114 Lounge has had to battle the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, plus bad weather and loss of water service due to broken mains.

The lounge serves home-style plate lunches for $10 Tuesday through Friday. (One visitor tried it and was raving about it.) Another enticement is happy hour from 6 p.m. till 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday with an array of drinks ranging from $5 to $7. Dinner is offered Friday and Saturday evenings. Toney said the lounge will begin a blues night on Sundays starting Feb. 11. HRI Properties of New Orleans carved the loft-style apartments out of seven buildings dating from 1885 and 1929 are what the name suggests – people with a creative bent. HRI partnered with local developer David Watkins on the renovation of the Hotel King Edward and the Standard Life building to lead the resurrection of the west end of Capitol where it intersects with Mill Street. The buildings that now comprise Capitol Art Lofts had long been an eyesore, said Ben Allen, president of Downtown Jackson Partners, a business improvement district. As much as anything, HRI was motivated to protect its $125 million investment in the King Edward !.$Ǵ Standard Life, Allen said. “We’ve really are seeing the corner being turned,” Allen said, noting that some more big things were in the offing.

REVIVAL Continued from, Page 3

Another will give up space for a two-story courtyard, which will be an ambient light source for the building on the east and also the Heritage. Gibert bought five buildings across the street and another facing President Street behind them last month. Jeff Speed, president of Speed Commercial Real Estate, said he would “clean out” those buildings and put new roofs on them, “just to not have them boarded up.” Speed, who has a longtime management relationship with Gibert, said several “really good” potential retail tenants have showed interest in that side of the street. “I think we’re on the verge here of finally turning the corner” in downtown Jackson, Speed said. Gibert owns commercial properties on the Mississippi Coast, metro Jackson and elsewhere. Gibert has gotten an approval for eligibility for historic tax credits for the buildings on the south side of Capitol from the state Department of Archives and History and the U.S. Interior Department, though they would not be received until final approval after the work is completed. The six buildings on the north side of Capitol do not qualify for the credits, he said. On west Capitol at its intersection with Mills Street at the Union Station, the $10.4 million Capitol Arts Lofts project across from the historic King Edward Hotel (operated under the Hilton Garden Inn flag) is accepting tenants.

February 2, 2018

Mississippi Business Journal

MIXED-USE

Waterton development to add ‘new urban’ community to Flowood

The 20-acre lake at Waterton will have two wharfstyle restaurants.

» Plans for 240 acres to cost around $240 million By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com Flowood will get a “traditional Southern town” dropped into its midst when the $400 million, 240-acre Waterton is built. Southern Lifestyle Development of Lafayette, La., will commence work on the 50-acre ﬁrst phase (not including a 20acre lake), in the summer, according to Kevin Blanchard, chief operating officer. Completion of that phase, with about 150 homes of the more than 500 on the drawing board as well as commercial structures, will be about a year later, Blanchard said in an interview. The project is to be located near the intersection of the East Metro Parkway and Lakeland Drive. “It’s beautiful [land]; it’s got a nice topography,” Blanchard said. The target price is about $160 per square foot for the houses, Blanchard said, adding that styles and sizes will vary, ranging from cottage-size to estate size. All are under a “strict architectural code,” he said. Traditional neighborhood developments are “walkable” new urban style, harking back to the days before suburban sprawl. The mixed-use development should be totally built out in 10 to 15 years, he said. Community Bank will build its new headquarters in the town center. The bank sold the 240 acres to Southern Lifestyle. The existing 20-acre lake – left over from a failed effort by another developer in 2008 during the recession –will accommodate two wharf-style restaurants as part of the small-town approach, with walking trails, bicycle trails, parks and a waterfront events area.

Courtesy of www.watertonlife.com/Special to the MBJ

A gazebo signals its time to gather and have fun at Waterton.

Courtesy of www.watertonlife.com/Special to the MBJ

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» INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

Cuts put state health-care infrastructure at risk

ur politicians these days seem to look only at the costs of health care when making policy decisions. Thus, it is no surprise legislative leaders are proposing to cut already low Medicaid reimbursements by 5 percent while Congressional leaders look to slash health care spending wherever they can. People with health crises have a different view. During this flu epidemic, mothers with sick babies on Medicaid have trouble getting timely access to providers. Clinics are backed up, hospital emergency rooms are on patient diversion, and too many children are really sick. More cuts to Medicaid will likely cause more private clinics to quit accepting Medicaid. Already too many clinics do not since Mississippi Medicaid reimbursements are among the lowest in the nation. More cuts to Medicaid will put more rural hospitals at risk of closure, or at least their emergency rooms. They can’t stay open when costs continually exceed revenues. More cuts to Medicaid will make it hard to recruit and retain physicians in Mississippi. It’s already hard. It will get harder. Seriously ill rural residents needing specialty care travel farther and farther to receive services. That will just get

Bill Crawford

worse as more communities and hospitals lose specialty physicians. Meanwhile, as hospital emergency room usage soars, Medicaid and Medicare continue to reduce payments for uncompensated emergency room care. And, while Congress finally reauthorized and sustained funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program through Medicaid, federal funding for community health centers remains uncertain. These health centers provide essential medical services for large and growing numbers of uninsured and Medicaid patients. And, the President and Congress look to reduce subsidies for low-income families with Affordable Care Act exchange health insurance. These tend to be mostly working families without employer or dependent coverage. As families drop these policies due to increased premiums, the burden on community health centers and emergency rooms will only grow and grow. Rural communities will suffer most. Residents there already have few choices. As one with family members currently suffering from flu, heart conditions, dementia, and pancreatic cancer, I am thankful for the precious access See CRAWFORD, Page 7

t’s better, but not gone. That’s the consensus among health officials regarding a recent drop in flu activity from a significant peak in late December. On the statewide level, reports from the Mississippi State Department of Health show that flu activity still remains high even if the levels have dropped off in the last few weeks. The continued presence of the influenza virus is why statewide and local officials are urging residents to not lower their guards when it comes to common sense precautions and even vaccinations. It’s too soon to count the flu season down for the count, as flu season in Mississippi historically peaks in January and February. After flu activity dropped for two weeks, it trended back up in the the most recent data available. Flu activity levels remain below the peak set for the week ending Dec. 23, but are much higher than last winter’s flu season. Although medical experts say they have seen patients who received the vaccine and still became ill with the flu, those patients generally had less severe cases. In addition to getting vaccinated, experts encourage people to take common sense precautions with thorough hand washing, following good cough etiquette, staying home when they are ill and seeking medical care during the early stages of the flu. The significantly high flu activity throughout the region last month resulted in several hospitals imposing visitation restrictions for safety reasons. In early January, many hopsitals had asked families and friends of patients to limit visitors to one person at a time, preferably one designated family caregiver because of very high flu activity. It closed public waiting rooms to limit spaces where large groups could congregate to reduce the risk of flu transmission. Some have now lifted the restrictions on visitors implemented earlier this month because of flu activity and returned to normal visitation policies. Individuals who are ill, especially with flu symptoms, are still asked not to visit hospitalized patients to prevent harm to those who are most vulnerable. Thorough hand washing, use of hand sanitizer and good cough etiquette is still encouraged. Patients seeking treatment at the hospital and clinics are still asked to wear a mask if they have flu-like symptoms. Across the country, the flu remains widespread in 49 states, and reports of flu-like illnesses continued to rise through the third week of January, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday. While it might appear things are getting better, the same precautions should be taken now more than ever to help keep everyone safe and healthy for the rest of the flu season. — Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

PERSPECTIVE

February 2, 2018

» RICKY NOBILE

Mississippi Business Journal

CRAWFORD

Continued from Page 6

we have to health care in America. Seems like this is something we would want to strengthen and provide to all, not tear down. Yes, Obamacare went too far, but Republicans don’t need to go too far the other way. For example, protecting the escalating, and often obscene, profits for giant pharmaceutical companies while not protecting the wellbeing of the working poor, e.g. leaving them without coverage and access, is not conservative, it’s diabolical. The Associated Press reported that Mississippi’s population fell for the third year in a row, “as more people moved away from the Magnolia State than moved in.” The AP also reported that John Green, director of the University of Mississippi Center for Population Studies, said, “If I had to argue one prevailing reason for net outmigration from Mississippi, I would focus on the search for socio-economic opportunities and wellbeing.” A state whose mantra is cut Medicaid, cut public health, and cut mental health not only puts its health care infrastructure at risk but also will find it hard to keep and attract talent. Bill Crawford (crawfolk@gmail.com) is a syndicated columnist from Meridian.

»INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

Incentives to attract individual families not so far-fetched

ear Mayor: I’m writing to let you know that my spouse and I have recently decided to relocate to another community. We are in our mid-50’s and have income over $200,000 per year. We plan on buying a house in the city. It will be in the $600,000 range. We are in excellent health and have no children. We travel around the world presenting seminars to leading technology companies. We are considering doing two seminars per year in the city that we move to. These seminars will bring in approximately 100 business leaders for three days. The city that we will move to will have the following attributes: » A first-class conference hotel; » Good medical facilities; » An airport with connections to an international airport; » A college or university within 30 miles; and » Ubiquitous high speed internet access. If your city meets the above qualifications and you are interested in having us as residents, please forward the amount and type of your financial incentives by the deadline stated in the attached data sheet by close of business 90 days from today. We will consider your bid and that of other cities within 30 days of the deadline referenced above and let you know if we select your city. Very truly yours, Prospective Residents

••••

Sounds pretty silly, doesn’t it? A high-income couple asking cities to offer them incentives to move there. But wait. If you’re the mayor of a city that met the qualifications, wouldn’t you want these residents? They don’t have children that have to be educated in your schools. They don’t add much to required city services. The property taxes on their

house will add to the city’s revenue. They will bring in visitors who will spend money and stay in hotels that probably have an additional tourism tax. Wouldn’t it be worth offering them something to move to your city? Let’s say that you do want these residents and that you have a policy of offering incentives to individuals. How much would your incentive be? Without going through the numbers, one way to determine such an incentive, as a minimum, would be to figure out what their contribution to the city’s revenue minus the city’s cost. If the number is positive, then determine a rate of return on the city’s offering, or investment. If the return on investment meets the city’s desired return, then the prospective residents could be offered that amount in incentives, which could be cash, reduced taxes for a certain period of time or maybe a requirement that they bring a certain about of hotel revenue from out-of-town visitors. The reason this subject is on my mind right now is – you guessed it – Amazon’s procedure for selecting its second city headquarters, aka HQ2. It invited cities to bid on its final selection, or winner. It says on its website that it expects to “invest over $5 billion in construction and grow this second headquarters to include as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs.” Amazon received 238 proposals from cities, some of which offered incentives in the billions. It then narrowed the list to 20 cities. Check out Amazon’s HQ2 webpage for more a list of the 20 cities and more information – https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=17044620011 The process has not without controversy. In a January 28, 2018 Wall Street Journal article entitled, “Mayors, Say No to Amazon,” Richard Florida, professor at the University of Toronto and author of several books, including The Urban

Phil Hardwick

Crisis, writes: “At heart the HQ2 competition is a ruse. Amazon without a doubt already has a very good idea of where it wants to put its new headquarters… If the mayors on Amazon’s short list want to stay true to their progressive roots, they should stand together instead of allowing Amazon to divide and conquer.” The economic development incentives game has changed over the years. Here’s the way it used to be when it came to economic development incentives: The company will locate a facility in the community if given the requested incentives. Here’s the way it is now: The company invites several communities to offer incentives and the company will then decide where to locate the facility. Meanwhile, back to the silly letter above. Mayor, before offering incentives, make sure that there will be a return on investment. Be careful when incentives are not justified. Is there a case for incentives that do not meet this requirement? The answer is yes. If landing a facility that results in image improvement and long term benefits it may be worth it. One nearby state paid more per job than it would ever receive in benefits. However, it did so knowingly because its strategy was to land an international company that would improve the image of the state and lure other companies to the area. And it worked. We talk a lot about these big projects, but let us not forget that sometimes one household at a time is rather good economic development for a community. Just something to think about.

» Phil Hardwick is a regular Mississippi Business Journal columnist and can be reached at phil@philhardwick. com.

8 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 2, 2018 ANALYSIS

Clash of ideology on health care regulation A clash of ideology was on display last week in the Mississippi Legislature. On one side were free-market conservatives who want to overturn the state’s longtime system of limiting new medical facilities and services. On the other side are defenders of the current system who fear that changes could harm ﬁnancially fragile parts of the state’s current health care system. The debate is over what are called cer-

tiﬁcates of need. Now, if someone wants to build a new hospital, buy an expensive piece of equipment, or offer a new medical service, they have to get approval from the state Health Department. It was once a federal requirement that all states use such a system, aiming to create a statewide plan for a health system and cut costs by reducing duplication. But the federal government repealed its mandate in 1987, and since then 14 states have repealed

their laws, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures . Mississippi has not ended its system, despite conservative criticisms that the licensing system gets abused by existing providers seeking to prevent competition and has not reduced costs. Some Republicans are trying to change that, though. House Medicaid Chairman Chris Brown last week sought to move House Bill 1174 to the full House. It would

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have removed major parts of the certificate system, no longer requiring approval before spending more than $1.5 million on medical equipment or before adding services such as heart surgery or cancer Jeff Amy radiation treatments. It also would have removed the requirement that new outpatient surgery centers or kidney dialysis facilities get a state license. The bill would have left the licensing requirement in place for other facilities, including hospitals and nursing homes. “We think it will add competition into this market,” Brown said. “We think it will increase access to health care and bring down the cost like it has in other states where they have a less restrictive process.” The measure would also stop tracking ownership of some facilities and no longer require state approval for a facility to be sold. Brown asserted that the change would increase service in underserved areas, but many members of the committee scoffed at that idea. State Rep. Steve Holland, a longtime Plantersville Democrat who led Medicaid oversight when Democrats were in power, suggested that people would seek to provide more services in relatively affluent urban areas, but not in poor or rural areas. “I think you’re riding on a philosophy of freedom, which sounds good,” Holland said. “Freedom does not always equal access to health care in Mississippi.” Holland also suggested that Mississippi, with a poor and rural population, might not be suited to plans that have been tried elsewhere. “Health care and markets don’t fit the typical definition of markets and free enterprise,” he said. Outpatient surgery centers have been a particular sore point. When first created, they threatened hospital revenue by providing a cheaper location for surgery that doesn’t require an overnight stay. In some places, hospitals now own the surgery centers, though, and Brown said he hoped his bill would encourage more physicians to compete with hospitals. Lawmakers already have tried to expedite the certificate of need process, with a law that took effect in 2016 mandating time limits on how long health officials could take to review and rule on an application. Not surprisingly, though, there’s a clash on whether those changes have gone far enough. “It takes too long to get the certificate,” Brown said. “It’s too expensive to get the certificate.” Holland, though, saw it differently. “It’s a lot better now than it’s ever been in history,” he said.

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

February 2, 2018

Mississippi Business Journal

ENERGY

Kemper saga appears headed for ﬁnal chapter By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

The saga of the Mississippi Power Co. “clean-coal” plant in Kemper County appears ready for its final chapter to be written on Feb. 6. The plant, whose original projected cost was $2.9 billion, but which swelled to $7.5 billion, will most likely end on that date when the three-member Mississippi Public Service Commission votes on the settlement reached by the company, the independent state Public Utilities Staff, the attorney general and business intervenors. Commission Chairman Brandon Presley said on last week that the settlement on the plant would mean at least a 2 percent reduction on the current rate for the company’s residential customers. Early in the project, double-digit increases were projected by various parties. During the continuing negotiations with the commission, the company had wanted to receive about $126 million in annual revenue from the plant, but agreed to $112.6 million. Then with the corporate taxation reduced from 35 percent to 21 percent by President Trump, the figure fell to $99.3 million, Presley said. Mississippi Power Chief Financial Officer Moses Feagin agreed with the latest figure. The commission will meet Feb. 6 to vote on the matter. The commissioners, including Central District Commissioner Cecil Brown, a Democrat, and the Southern District’s Sam Britton, a Republican, have appeared to be in lockstep with Presley about the matter. Neither man was on panel when it voted 2-1 in 2010 in favor building the plant. Presley, a Democrat, voted against it. Construction lagged three years behind schedule because of problems with the gasification process. “Yesterday was to hear any new information,” Presley said of testimony that had been filed with the commission electronically. There were no substantive changes, including the opposition of Hattiesburg oilman Thomas Blanton, who had strongly opposed the project to start with and had run for the southern district seat, losing to Republican Britton. Under pressure from the PSC, the utility suspended operation of its gasified-coal generated electricity last summer and continued to produce electricity from natural gas.

The “clean-coal” operation was designed to rely on a cheaper source of energy, but the price of natural gas dropped to historic lows because of advances in production, primarily hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. The plant has produced power relying

on natural gas since August 2014. The gasiﬁcation operation never achieved commercial reliability. Presley said during the Monday hearing that if the company decided in the future that it wanted to use the syngas process to produce electricity, its customers would

not be liable for paying for any of those gasiﬁcation assets used in production. Feagin told Presley that the company agrees with that stipulation.

Newsmakers

10 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 2, 2018

2 join Terracon in Ridgeland Terracon Consultants, Inc., recently added two project managers to its Ridgeland office. Brad McKnight has joined Terracon’s environmental staff as an industrial hygienist, and Tony Oberhausen has transferred from Terracon’s Louisville, Ky., office McKnight as a senior project manager for materials testing services. McKnight is a Certified Environmental Scientist with more than 26 years of consulting experience. He serves clients from a wide range of industries with varied environmental needs, such as environmental site assessments and remediation, compliance Oberhausen audits, natural resources surveys, and asbestos, lead and mold inspections. Oberhausen has over 20 years of experience and extensive certifications in construction materials testing. In addition to industrial and commercial developments, he has provided field and laboratory testing services for transportation projects from roadways to airport runways. Both will assist clients throughout the state, being responsible for field services and overall project management.

Reunion adds Bishop Linda Bishop has been named Fitness Director and personal trainer at the Reunion Golf & Country Club in Madison. Bishop is a nationally certiﬁed personal trainer, nutrition specialist and group ﬁtness instructor through ISSA, IFTA, Fit Tour, World Spin, Balanced Body, Yoga-Fit, and Precision Nutrition.

Bishop

IP Casino recognizes staff

IP Casino Resort Spa in Biloxi recently recognized several team members for their service, dedication and work ethic for the Month for October and November. October’s honorees included team members Lyn Blocker (Food & Beverage), Tanya Schoniwitz (Housekeeping), Raquael Shidler (Retail), Karen Gillis (Receiving), Kevin McIntosh (Facilities) and Thora Owens (Hotel). November’s honorees included Mary Montgomery (Security), Angela Nelson (Environmental Services), Chin Tran (Table Games), Doris Blaylock (Hotel), Norma Crespo (Food & Beverage) and Buddy West (Facilities).

Beau promotes Chatham

Sara Chatham has been promoted to Director of Spa, Salon and Pool Operations at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi. Chatham is a long-term Beau Rivage team member, having worked as a licensed cosmetologist in the salon. Prior to joining Chatham MGM Resorts International, Chatham served as hospitality professional holding positions of Rooms Division Manager at the Battle House Hotel and Spa, and Director

State hospital workers recognized

Smith is also a graduate of Alcorn State University in Lorman, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. At Sanderson Farms’ Kinston, N.C., production facility, David Hill has been named Feed Mill Manager. As Feed Mill Manager, Hill will be responsible for milling and the delivery of feed for all of Sanderson Farms’ North Carolina poultry operations.

White Construction honors White Construction Company’s recently recognized its top subcontractors, based on essential performance criteria: compliance with safety standards, complete and accurate estimating, ﬁeld and office project management, administration of project subcontract/accounting, and ﬁnal product quality. From the Ridgeland office, WCC employees honored Ivey Mechanical, Masonry Ventures, Inc., McInnis Electric Co., T&M Tilt-Up, Inc., and Willmar Electric Service.

Frazier retiring from bank

Courtesy of Mississippi State Hospital

Mississippi State Hospital at Whitﬁeld recently honored employees with January anniversaries for their years of service to the hospital. Recipients include: Front Row, from left: Sherri Proctor (Brandon), 20 years; Paula Usry (Brandon), 5 years, Melanie Coleman (Brandon), 1 year; Travis Crain (Mendenhall), 1 year; Ella Thomas (Bolton), 20 years; LaShondra Willis (Mendenhall), 1 year; Middle Row: Renee Todd (Clinton), 20 years; Carnelia McAllister (Brandon), 35 years; Debbie Jenkins (Pearl), 25 years; Back Row: Cynthia Neese (Whitﬁeld), 1 year; Travis Williams (Raymond), 1 year; Greg Bryant (Byram), 1 year., of Front Office at the Renaissance Riverview Plaza in Mobile, Ala., and Guest Services Manager at the JW Marriot in New Orleans. She has won many leadership awards and her departments were recognized for their high performance and guest satisfaction. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from the University of Southern Mississippi.

JSU names new CFO Howard E. Merlin, CPA, has been appointed by Jackson State University as vice president for business and finance/chief financial officer (CFO). Merlin joins JSU with over 40 years of experience in business, finance, IT, accounting, human resources, facilities Merlin management, procurement and various other disciplines. Merlin holds an MBA from The Wharton School of Business and a Master of Science from the University of Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh native also has an undergraduate degree in physics from the University of Virginia. Merlin replaces interim CFO Dr. Marvel Turner, CPA. Prior to joining Jackson State, Merlin founded RampUp Consulting, where he has assisted several organizations, from startups to firms with $75 million in revenue with IT, finance, organizational and procurement-related issues. For example, at RampUp, he assisted in creating a business plan that resulted in a six-year interest-free loan for a social entrepreneurial startup bringing a new textile industry to Kenya. Additionally, Merlin became CFO of SPHM Enterprises, a business management, advising and strategic planning

ﬁrm that provides services to for-proﬁt organizations. Previously, Merlin spent 10 years at Lincoln University as the Vice President for Fiscal Affairs and Treasurer.

TEC appoints Jordan Barry Jordan has been appointed to TEC in Bay Springs, and will responsible for maintaining and monitoring inventory of incoming and outgoing materials. Jordan has several years of experience in purchasing and inventory management. Jordan Jordan lives in Louin with his wife, Shelley. Jordan has three daughters, Molly Grace, Meredith and Jill.

Changes at Sanderson Sanderson Farms, Inc. has announced two management changes within the company’s live production side of the business. Nicholas “Nick” Smith has been promoted to Breeder-Hatchery Manager at Sanderson Farms’ Hazlehurst production division. Smith will provide leadership and direct strategic operational plans for hatching eggs and chick production. Smith began his career with Sanderson Farms in 2010 as a Beginning Trainee. Since then, Smith has held positions throughout the live production side of the business including Broiler Flock Supervisor, Breeder Flock Supervisor and, most recently, Advanced Trainee. A graduate of Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson, Smith received an Associate of Arts degree.

Willis Fraizer in the Clarksdale office of Planters Bank is retiring after a 45-year career, most of it in banking. Frazier is a native of Clarksdale and has spent most of his life in the Mississippi Delta. He graduated from Clarksdale High School Frazier and received his BBA degree in accounting from Ole Miss in 1973. He furthered his studies by receiving his CPA in 1976. Frazier’s career started as a CPA, but became a community banker, following in the footsteps of his father, William H. Frazer, Jr., also a long-time Clarksdale banker. Frazier had early stints in banking at First Tennessee Bank and United Southern Bank, but in 2000, he and banker Freddie Britt formed a new bank, Covenant Bank, in Clarksdale, where he was Chairman and CEO. In 2016, Covenant merged with Planters Bank. Frazier is past president of the Clarksdale Rotary Club, Past Director of the Coahoma County Chamber of Commerce, Past President of the Coahoma County Industrial Foundation, Past Director of the Clarksdale Community Theater, Past Director of the Lula Rich Foundation and the Delta State University Foundation, Past Director of the University of Mississippi School of Accountancy, Past Director of the Ole Miss M Club, Past Director of the Mississippi Bankers Association, Past Director and Officer of Delta Council, and a Past Director of the Chickasaw Council of the Boy Scouts. He received the Distinguished Service Award from the BSA for his leadership in 2016. Willis has also been active at First Presbyterian Church as an Elder,a Deacon andserved for 10 years on the PCA Foundation Board. Frazier is married to the former Jodie Mohead also of Clarksdale and they are the parents of three children, Mary Randolph, Willis, and Benjamin and three granddaughters.

Magnuson joins Butler Snow Lori Magnuson has joined Butler Snow as an insurance claims specialist. Magnuson, who will be a part of both Butler Snow’s insurance defense practice and its catastrophic events and major claims team, has more than two decades of insurance and claim litigation experience. She will work from the ﬁrm’s Denver office.

Magnuson

Newsmakers

February 2, 2018

Community Banks makes 7 changes across the state Sellers

Dotson

Hegwood

Neel-Shaffer names officers Neel-Schaffer, Inc., has announced promotions for nine leaders in the company. Chris Sellers was named Senior Vice President. He joined Neel-Schaffer in 1999 and now oversees the firm’s operations in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. Based in the firm’s Birmingham (AL) office, he markets Neel-Schaffer services across the Southeast. Named Vice Presidents were: » Greg Dotson, PE, joined Neel-Schaffer in 2015 and has 20 years of transportation engineering experience, from design to project management. He serves as Engineer Manager of Neel-Schaffer’s Memphis (TN) office. » Mandy Hegwood, PE, joined Neel-Schaffer in 1997 and has more than 20 years of experience in civil engineering and project development and management. She serves as Engineer Manager for the firm’s Laurel (MS) office.

Lancaster

Lee

Lifsey

» Don Lancaster, PE, joined Neel-Schaffer in 2006 and has more than 30 years of civil engineering and project management experience. He serves as Engineer Manager for the firm’s Mandeville (LA) and New Orleans offices. » Jeffery Lee, PE, joined Neel-Schaffer in 1986 and has over 30 years of experience on design and construction management for roads, storm water management, wastewater collection, treatment facilities, and utilities. He is based in the firm’s Hattiesburg (MS) office. » Matt Lifsey, PE, joined Neel-Schaffer in 2016 and has nearly 30 years of experience as a transportation engineer, including 24 with the South Carolina Department of Transportation. He leads Neel-Schaffer’s South Carolina operations, based out of the firm’s Columbia office.

Mohammadi

Murphy

Rudolph

» Karen Mohammadi, PE, PTOE, AICP, joined Neel-Schaffer in 2010 and has more than 30 years of experience in traffic engineering and transportation planning. She serves as Engineer Manager for the ﬁrm’s Louisville office and leads Neel-Schaffer’s Kentucky operations. » John Murphy, PE, joined Neel-Schaffer in 2013 and has more than 40 years of engineering design,

Community Bank recently made staff changes across the state: » Randy T. Harris recently joined Community Bank’s Tupelo office as Senior Vice President. In his new role, Harris will focus on commercial and retail lending in the Tupelo market. Harris, a Tupelo resident for the last 15 years, is a graduate Harris of Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration. He then went on to complete The Southeastern School of Commercial Lending. Harris is on the Board of Directors for Northeast Mississippi Habitat for Humanity. He is President of Exchange Club of Tupelo; Co-Chair of New Beginnings 100 Holes of Golf Tournament. He and his wife, along with their two children attend the Orchard Church Tupelo. » Tina Gadd has recently been named Vice President of Deposit Administration at Community Bank. A native of Slidell, La., Gadd has been a part of the Community Bank family for over 20 years. She most recently was Assistant Gadd Vice President of Deposit Administration. Gadd will continue to provide support to the company’s 47 bank offices. She will work with the deposit administration teams to coordinate the deposit function between the local bank offices and Community Bank’s Operations Center. Gadd lives in Laurel with her husband, David. She has a daughter, Brianna, and son, Nate. » Blake Ainsworth has recently been named Assistant Vice President in Community Bank’s Brandon office. With over two years experience, Ainsworth will continue to manage and grow his portfolio with his new position. A native of Madison, Ainsworth Ainsworth is a graduate of Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Real Estate. Ainsworth is active in the local Kiwanis Club and with Ignite Sports Camp. » Casey Wyatt has been named Assistant Vice President of Deposit Operations for Community Bank. Wyatt has been in the banking industry over 17 years, with the last 11 of those being with Community Bank. In her new role, she will continue to work with Wyatt the 4|sight/Check21 system, branch capture processing, teller balancing, mobile deposit, lockbox, and processing statements/ notices.

A graduate of Brandon High School, Wyatt when on to receive her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Mississippi College. She has proudly served as a committee member for the American Cancer Society’s Strides Against Breast Cancer for 15 years. Wyatt and her husband, Mark, and daughter Brooklyn live in Brandon. They attend Brandon Baptist Church. » Christie Moore has been named Assistant Vice President of Deposit Operations for Community Bank. Moore has been with Community Bank for nearly 16 years, previously serving as Operations Officer. In her new role, Moore will Moore continue to reconcile various bank GL accounts. She will also continue to be responsible for the Research and Unposted Departments, as well as Online Account opening. A native of Forest, Moore is a graduate of Scott Central High School. She then went on to attend East Central Community College. Moore and her husband Chris, and daughter, Maggie, live in Brandon. » Nicki Hudson has recently joined Community Bank as Business Development Specialist in the Laurel office. Hudson has over seven years of banking experience. Hudson will focus on generating new deposit relationships and strengthening current Hudson relationships with Community Bank Customers. A native of Magee, Hudson is a graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor of Business Administration with major in Marketing. Prior to USM, she received her Associates Degree from Jones County Junior College. Hudson is active in First Baptist Church of Laurel, where she sings in choir, serves on the preschool committee, and as the Sunday School class activities coordinator. » Tim Pickett was recently named Loan Officer in the Pearl office. Pickett joined Community Bank in early 2017 as a credit analyst. In his new role, he will be responsible for both managing and growing a loan portfolio. Pickett A native of Florence, Pickett received his Bachelor of Science in Managerial Finance, with a minor in Accounting from The University of Missisippi. Pickett is a U.S. Army Combat Veteran and serves in the Army National Guard as a Combat Engineer. He is a member of the Non-Commissioned Officer Association, Kiwanis Club, and the Rankin County Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of Jackson First Church.

Mississippi Business Journal

planning, and management experience, including 36 years as an Assistant County Engineer for Mobile (AL) County. He is the Senior Engineer Manager for Neel-Schaffer’s Mobile office. » Alicia Rudolph, PE, joined Neel-Schaffer in 2015 and has almost 25 years of experience in the ﬁelds of transportation and aviation engineering. She currently serves as Engineer Manager for Neel-Schaffer’s Tuscaloosa (AL) office.

Williams on Memorial board

The City of Gulfport has appointed Ric Williams to serve on Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees, replacing Linda Sherman. Williams is the Gulfport Market President for BancorpSouth Bank. He is a graduate of the ABA National Commercial Lending and Graduate Banking Schools at Williams Southern Methodist University, William Carey University (MBA), Mississippi State University (BBA), and Leadership Gulf Coast. He also holds the Certiﬁed Financial Planner professional designation. Williams was the Gulfport Chamber of Commerce President in 2010, and is football and baseball coach for the Gulfport Youth Sports Association. He is an Elder and Sunday school teacher at Westminster Presbyterian Church and is on the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce Foundation Board-and the Governing Board for the Gulf Coast Open Doors Homeless Coalition. He has been a resident of Gulfport for more than 20 years.

TEC appoints Ingram Brian Ingram has been appointed a Technician at TEC in Bay Springs. In this role, Ingram will be responsible for the installation and repair of company products and services. Ingram has several years of experience, and lives in White Oak with his three children, Logan, Laney and Lindsey.

Ingram

Vaughn is MDLA president

R. Douglas Vaughn of Deutsch Kerrigan LLP has been named President of the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association. Vaughn defends claims of medical malpractice, commercial litigation, and transportation matters. He also has experience handling insurance ﬁrst party claims including Vaughn bad faith and fraud investigation, commercial transactions including forming business entities, drafting wills and trusts, and closing real estate transactions. Vaughn is head of the ﬁrm’s Gulfport office and was named to the 2017 “The Best Lawyers in America” list for his work in Insurance Law. The Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association is a statewide association of attorneys who practice primarily in the defense of civil litigation. The purpose of this association is to bring together lawyers of Mississippi who devote a substantial amount of their professional time to the handling of litigated cases primarily for the defense, to exchange information and ideas. Founded in 1965, MDLA has over 600 members. Deutsch Kerrigan has offices in New Orleans and Gulfport.

AN MBJ FOCUS: ECONOMIC DEVELOPME

CHEERS!

... to keeping innovation job » MSU incubates innovative student businesses at CEO By BECKY GILLETTE mbj@msbusiness.com

ven though there are about 20,000 students at Mississippi State University, it is common for students to leave the area after graduating in search of greener pastures.

“They often leave the state,” said Jeffrey B. Rupp, MSU director of outreach in the College of Business. “So, there is a gap in the post-college age group from between 24-30. They tend to leave. We are trying to keep them here now and to do that have Rupp established MSU’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, known as the CEO, in cooperation with the Greater Starkville Development Partnership to provide space to migrate student businesses downtown.” Rupp said beneﬁts to the city are seeing new businesses pop up downtown, which

creates jobs and economic growth while retaining more young people to live and work in Starkville. “We started with the company called Glo that sells a plastic ice cube that lights up, glows different colors and ﬂavors drinks,” Rupp said. “When the drink is empty, the ice cube puts out a signal that another drink is needed. This was featured on Facebook by a guy called the Tipsy bartender. After he featured them, their site in Starkville got 5 million hits. They were invited to host a party at the Academy Awards.” Rupp said the owners of Glo were thinking of moving out of state to New Orleans, or Birmingham, but MSU President Mark Keenam encouraged them to stay by provid-

ing them with a beautiful office downtown. Since th graduated from the CEO formerly empty building “They have left the nes in town,” Rupp said. “We to continue migrate stude town. We couldn’t do it o couldn’t do it on its own, interesting town-gown re After Glo moved out, t with CampusKnot, which aerospace engineering un an MBA, Rahul Gopal. T interactive educational so for educators and student currently has about a half

February 2, 2018 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

ENT Glo, which makes a plastic cube that lights up drinks with different colors, was the ﬁrst innovator to use the Mississuppi State incubator.

» Segarra says his priority is to understand the culture and inner workings of the Gulf Coast By JULIA MILLER mbj@msbusiness.com

bs in Mississippi

l, rent free corner hen the company has O and expanded into a downtown. st, but are staying e want to continue ent business downourselves, and the city so we think it is an elationship.” they were replaced h was started by an ndergraduate with The company has an ocial media platform ts. CampusKnot f-dozen employees,

New CEO for coast tourism looking to grow

Courtesy of Glo

and reports that sales grew 600 percent yearover-year from 2016-2017. Gopal said having the business incubator space lends legitimacy to the startup business. “It’s nice to have space where people can stop by and we can host meetings,” he said. The CEO has been open for almost two years now. Rupp said it is a unique center designed in part by the students who use it. “You can see it isn’t like anything else on campus,” he said. “It is virtually all glass. We have neon colored markers and participants are encouraged to write all over the glass idea walls. It is very futuristic. We had different architecture planned and the students though it was a little too traditional. They did their own CAD drawings and the dean decided to

adopt the student recommendations.” Rupp said they also designed areas to encourage synergy. For example, you might have an engineer sitting at a table working on something and right beside [him] someone in marketing. The engineer might have a great business idea and could beneﬁt from working with marketing expert to help bring that to market.” Rupp said the city has also been a tremendous partner. “It is a really good relationship,” he said. “The office of the mayor has been a tremendous help. Another beneﬁt from the city is that they give me office space and I have See CEO, Page 14

ississippi’s beaches have long attracted tourists to the area, but with a new face at the helm of the Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast, the tourism office is looking to grow its reach. “The Mississippi Gulf Coast offers an incredibly vast array of things to see and do,” said Milton Segarra, the new CEO of Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast. “The region’s temperate climate, along with its astounding natural beauty, makes for the perfect year-round destination, and there is always something exciting and new to experience.” Segarra brings with him more than 30 years of experience in hospitality and destination marketing and management, with hotel and casino experience Segarra at Hyatt Hotels, Sands Hotels & Casinos and Hilton Hotels and Resorts. His experience in governmental organizations include the position of executive director of The Puerto Rico Tourism Company, as well as secretary of commerce and economic development. He spent over four years as CEO of Meet Puerto Rico, the destination marketing organization responsible for promoting unique group and convention experiences in Puerto Rico, before moving to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in January. Segarra said his team is starting by making sure that they maximize and provide continuity to several ongoing initiatives. He said the community can expect changes in our business model, brand, and new and enhanced strategic partnerships. He has committed himself and Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast to a collaborative approach involving all industry partners and the local government. “I am from Puerto Rico, and was living there when I was contacted regarding the opportunity to work with Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast,” he said. “I visited the region twice before making the decision to move permanently with my family. From the moment I arrived, I felt extremely com-

See SEGARRA, Page 14

Economic Development

14 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 2, 2018

Courtesy of Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach

Courtesy of Glo

The Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach is almost all glass, and it participants are encouraged to write on the glass “idea walls” with neon colored markers.

After getting its start at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, Glo chose to stay in Mississippi and moved into an office in Starkville.

CEO

collaboration the “perfect” town and gown partnership. His hope is that it will help create an explosion of business activity. “Entrepreneurs become tenants who become long-term tenants and residents of the community and a major part of the fabric of our overall town,” Spruill said. MSU students are launching about 80 new businesses a year. Rupp thinks the model works well in a college town, but could also be replicated in areas that don’t

have a major university. Scott Maynard, GSDP president and CEO, said as entrepreneurs have moved into the CEO downtown, it indicated there is a need for more space. The longterm goal is to expand. They know it is working and want to grow. Rupp said faculty advisers are an essential piece of the puzzle. Faculty advisers from across disciplines coach students on everything from technology issues

to ﬁnances. An executive-in-residence program makes senior business leaders throughout the region accessible to budding entrepreneurs seeking advice and encouragement. Learn more about how MSU supports student entrepreneurship at http:// www.weringtrue.msstate.edu/ecenter/ index.html. The GSDP is online at www. starkville.org.

timent, combined with the vast array of activities, attractions and experiences that the area has to offer, made the move to the Mississippi Gulf Coast an easy decision to make.” And though Segarra’s decision to move

was easy, he realizes his initial effort needs to focus on becoming an expert in the region’s culture. “First and foremost, truly understanding the culture and inner workings of the Mississippi Gulf Coast is not a challenge, but

a priority of mine,” he said. “I am determined to influence and adjust this region’s path and its outcomes in the tourism industry, and create the necessary disruption that will ultimately lead to growth and increased economic impact.” The culture may take longer to understand, but he has already identified the unique qualities of Mississippi’s coast. From outdoor activities, such as kayaking, boating, fishing, birding and hiking, to world-class gaming and 62 miles of shoreline, the area offers something for everyone. “Visitors can discover the true essence of the Mississippi Coast life at our unique attractions and museums, and dine at truly local eateries, from quaint coastal seafood spots, to fine dining establishments,” he said. “Each of our 12 coastal communities has something different to offer: from our harbor towns and beautiful, walkable downtown areas shaded with live oaks, to world-renowned shows and casino headliner entertainment.” Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast’s mission centers on attracting ever-increasing numbers of leisure, convention, sports and business visitors to the area. It is dedicated to maximizing the travel and tourism industry for South Mississippi. For more information, visit gulfcoast.org to learn more.

Continued from Page 13

meetings down there and can mentor regular mom-and-pops, not student-related. It hard to get people on campus because of parking and other issues. I can go downtown and meet with anyone who has a business idea. That is a really nice beneﬁt, as well.” Mayor Lynn Spruill has referred to the

SEGARRA Continued from Page 13

fortable and welcomed, which is largely due to the incredibly warm and hospitable people I encountered. This initial sen-

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Economic Development

16 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 2, 2018

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Economic Development

February 2, 2018

Mississippi Business Journal

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601-364-1044 Fax: (601) 364-1007 WAYS TO ORDER Âť Call: Fax or mail: Mississippi Business Journal Attn: Marcia Thompson-Kelly 200 North Congress St, Ste 400, Jackson 39201 Email: marcia.kelly@msbusiness.com or submit a request online at http://msbusiness.com/mbj-article-request/

New Businesses

18 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 2, 2018

CARLTON AND COMPANY: The Alliance recently helped celebrate the grand opening of Carlton and Company, formerly Nail McKinney PA (Corinth office), 306 Foote St. Owner, Renee Carlton, cut the ribbon along with family, friends and staff — Sharon Woodruff and Sandra Dobbins. Mayor Tommy Irwin assisted, along with other city and county officials and The Alliance Ambassadors.

Courtesy of The Alliance

Courtesy of Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce

OXFORD WINE & SPIRITS: The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon-cutting for Oxford Wine and Spirits, 800 College Road, Suite 6101.

Courtesy of Flowood Chamber of Commerce

MAXFIT SPORTS NUTRITION: The Flowood Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon-cutting for Maxﬁt Sports Nutrition, 270 Dogwood Blvd. in Flowood. The owner is Brett Jones.

STELLA: The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber recently held a ribbon-cutting for Stella, Oxford’s newest restaurant. It is owned by Cindy and Johnny Kirk.

Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce

New Businesses

February 2, 2018

Mississippi Business Journal

WRIGHT & FERGUSON: The Chamber of Flowood recently held a ribbon-cutting for Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home, 114 Burney Drive in Flowood.

Courtesy of The Chamber of Flowood

CAPITAL ORTHOPEDIC: The Chamber of Flowood recently held a ribbon-cutting for the Capital Orthopedic topping off ceremony on Burney Drive in Flowood.

Courtesy of The Chamber of Flowood

ST. DOMINIC’S FAMILY MEDICINE: The Chamber of Flowood recently held a ribbon-cutting for St. Dominic’s Family Medicine-Flowood, 2015 Belle Meade Pointe in Flowood.

CAMPUSKNOT: The Greater Starkville Development Partnership recently held a ribbon cutting for Campusknot, 101 S. Lafayette St., Suite 31 in Starkville.

Courtesy of Greater Starkville Development Partnership

New Businesses

20 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 2, 2018

FRESENIUS KIDNEY CARE: The East Mississippi Business Development Corporation recently held a ribbon cutting for Fresenius Kidney Care, 1300 38th Ave. East in Meridian.

Courtesy of EMBDC

Courtesy of The Chamber of Flowood

CHARLOTTE SMITH REAL ESTATE-KATHERINE BARKETT BYRD: The Chamber of Flowood recently held a ribbon-cutting for Charlotte Smith Real Estate-Katherine Barkett Byrd, 1411 Old Square Road in Jackson.

Courtesy of The Chamber of Flowood

FLOWOOD NAILS & SPA: The Chamber of Flowood recently held a ribbon-cutting for Flowood Nails & Spa, 1679 Old Fannin Road, Suite G in Flowood.

Courtesy of The Chamber of Flowood

SOUTHERN LIFE CHIROPRACTIC: The Chamber of Flowood recently held a ribbon-cutting for Southern Life Chiropractic, 215 Woodline Drive, Suite A, in Flowood.

Courtesy of The Chamber of Flowood

FAMILIES FIRST: The Chamber of Flowood recently held a ribbon-cutting for Families First Resource Center â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Nissan Parkway, 276 Nissan Parkway, Building B, Suites 200 & 300, in Canton.

December 2017

22 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q February 2, 2018

DeSoto 3.3

Mississippi 4.5 U.S. 3.9

Tunica 5.2

MISSISSIPPI’S DEC. UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES

UNITED STATES Labor Force Data Civilian Labor Force Unemployed Unemployment Rate Employed STATE OF MISSISSIPPI Unemployment Insurance Data •• Initial UI Claims Continued Claims Beneﬁts Paid Weeks Paid First Payments Final Payments Average Weekly Beneﬁt

Tate 4.5

Dec ‘17 159,880,000 6,278,000 3.9 153,602,000

Nov ‘17 1,276,800 57,300 4.5 1,219,500

Nov ‘17 160,466,000 6,286,000 3.9 154,180,000

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

Dec ‘16 1,289,300 73,200 5.7 1,216,100

Dec ‘16 158,968,000 7,170,000 4.5 151,798,000

Nov 2017 5,800 38,685 $5,437,426 26,756 1,760 616 $203.22

‘16 Avg. 1,280,500 74,700 5.8 1,205,800

‘16 Avg. 159,187,000 7,751,000 4.9 151,436,000

Lafayette 3.6

Yalobusha 4.9

Bolivar 5.6

Calhoun 3.8

Tishomingo 4.3

Leflore 7.3

Carroll 6.0

Montgomery 5.1

Humphreys 8.2 Sharkey 7.4

Moving Avg.** 160,320,000 6,982,000 4.4 153,337,000

Holmes 8.5

Lowndes 4.6

Oktibbeha 4.1

Choctaw 5.0

Noxubee 6.4

Winston 5.7

Attala 6.0

Yazoo 5.1

Issaquena 10.2

Monroe 4.3

Clay 5.8

Webster 4.9

Washington 7.1

Itawamba 3.5

Chickasaw 4.7

Grenada 4.1

Sunflower 8.4

Lee 3.4

Pontotoc 3.4

Quitman 8.1

Coahoma 6.7

Moving Avg.** 1,286,000 64,700 5.0 1,221,300

Dec 2016 8,891 50,907 $6,777,792 33,385 2,389 772 $203.02

Alcorn 4.0

Tippah 4.0

Union 3.2

Tallahatchie 4.6

Dec ‘17 1,271,000 57,000 4.5 1,214,000

Benton 5.0

Prentiss 4.0

Panola 5.9

Labor force and employment security data STATE OF MISSISSIPPI Labor Force Data Civilian Labor Force Unemployed Unemployment Rate Employed

Marshall 4.5

Leake 5.0

Neshoba 4.7

Scott 3.5

Newton 5.0

Kemper 6.9

Madison 3.4 Warren 5.1 Rankin 3.2

Hinds 4.2

Claiborne 8.5

Copiah 5.1

Jefferson 11.8 Adams 6.1

Franklin 6.4

Wilkinson 8.1

Amite 5.7

Lincoln 4.8

Pike 5.4

Covington Jones 4.4 4.5

Walthall 5.7

Marion 4.4

Unemployment Rates

7.6 - 11.8

5.1 - 7.5 7.6 - 11.8

Lamar 3.2

Pearl River 4.5

Hancock 4.7

Clarke 5.6

Wayne 5.3

Lawrence Jeff Davis 5.8 5.7

** Average for most recent twelve months, including current month Rates •• Unemployment Insurance amounts presented in this section only represent regular UI benefits, federal program amounts areUnemployment not included. 3.2 - 3.5 3.2 - 3.5 Labor force amounts are produced in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 3.6 - 5.0 3.6 - 5.0 Note: Unless indicated state and county data presented are not seasonally adjusted.

— Mississippi Department of Employment Security5.1 - 7.5

Jasper 5.8

Smith 4.3

Simpson 4.4

Lauderdale 4.8

Forrest 4.0

Perry 5.8

Stone 5.1

Harrison 4.2

Greene 7.5

George 6.9

Jackson 5.3

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

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February 2, 2018

Mississippi Business Journal

THE SPIN CYCLE

Trust in U.S. institutions plunges in Edelman survey T

rust in the government, media, business and nonprofits in the U.S. declined more rapidly in the past year than after the global financial crash in 2008, driven by lack of faith in government, according to the Edelman PR firm’s annual trust barometer. Globally, trust in journalism rose to its highest level in more than five years. A decline in faith in search engines and social media platforms led to “media” being the least-trusted of the four institutions reviewed in the Edelmen study. That lack of trust is also affecting perceptions of companies and brands more generally. “Misinformation has become the seminal issue of our day,” according to the report, and it’s a topic marketers can’t ignore. The annual Edelman Trust Barometer showed overall trust in the four institutions it measures - the government, media, business and nonprofit organizations - falling more steeply in the United States than in any of the 28 countries surveyed. Donald Trump has broken with presidential tradition and repeatedly denounced the media and judiciary - attacks his critics say risk undermining public confidence in those institutions. By contrast, the country that saw the biggest trust gains among its own citizens was China, after a year in which President Xi Jinping cemented his hold on power at a triumphal party congress. Faith in the Chinese government jumped 8 points to 84 percent. In the United States it fell 14 points to 33 percent. “The United States is enduring an unprecedented crisis of trust,” said Richard Edelman, head of the communications marketing firm that commissioned the research. Pointing to the steep erosion in trust in the United States, Edelman said it was the first time since the survey began 18 years ago that such a precipitous drop was not linked to a specific event, such as an economic crisis or catastrophe, like the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. Instead it comes at a time when the U.S. economy is showing robust growth and stock markets are at record highs. “Normally when things are going well, trust is pretty good,” Edelman said. “Increasingly there is a disconnect between trust and economic outcomes.”

Fake news He attributed this to a politicization of the public discourse in the United States and elsewhere that has left many people confused about what is fact and what is ﬁction The survey showed nearly two in three

people are unable to distinguish reliable news from rumors and falsehoods. While trust in journalism rose to its highest level in years, faith in search engines and social media platforms like Google, Twitter and Facebook fell in 21 of the 28 countries, making such media the least trusted of the four institutions globally. The Edelman survey, based on the opinions of over 33,000 people and conducted between Oct. 28 and Nov. 20 of last year, showed an even deeper lack of trust in U.S. institutions among the “informed public” - people who are college educated, earn above-average incomes and consume news regularly. Among this group, trust declined a whopping 23 points, putting the United States in last place among the 28 countries surveyed, below Russia and South Africa. In 2017 it ranked sixth. In the broader U.S. population, faith in the government was equally low among respondents who said they voted for Trump and those who supported his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. But trust in the media was significantly higher among Clinton backers. The survey also showed that Americans’ trust in their own companies fell more steeply than in any other country, with Switzerland and Canada registering the highest levels of trust in their homegrown brands. It showed a revival of faith in “experts,” including academics and businessmen. What the Facebook News Feed changes mean Nearly 45 percent of Americans get their news from Facebook according to Pew Research Center. For publishers, Facebook’s plans to shake up its news feed may mean a dramatic change in traffic from the platform. The social media company has said its new algorithm will prioritize what it calls “meaningful social interactions” – posts, photos and videos that users share and discuss. Content directly from publishers won’t perform as well unless people engage with it. “The potential impact on publishers will depend on the extent to which traffic from Facebook is a significant percentage of a publisher’s traffic and, more significantly, its revenue,” says Nicco Mele of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University. Yet Facebook also has said that it will surface content from “reputable publishers,” ranking news sources based on user evaluations of credibility. Experience has shown, though, that users are more likely to comment on and share sensational articles than dry, fact-based news. Publishers

who have built their businesses on virality may do better, at least relative to their more staid peers. That also raises a risk that the changes will amplify fake news, which could draw renewed criticism for the company. Publishers that invest in reducing their dependency on Facebook will be best positioned to weather social media’s shifting tides. Many already have begun to do so, as traffic from Facebook has steadily declined over the past year. Parse.ly, which tracks digital engagement, reported a 25 percent decline from February to October 2017 for 600 publications that it tracks. In the long run, ﬁnding ways to engage with consumers directly, rather than through a third party, will be better for publishers. Now, it’s up to the publishers to discover news ways to reach its key audiences.

Finger Lickin’ Good Mic: Reba becomes frst female Colonel Sanders Call it Kentucky Fried Reba! Country music legend Reba McEntire has become the ﬁrst female celebrity to don the iconic white suit, mustache and goatee to play KFC’s Colonel Sanders. McEntire stars in a campaign for the launch of KFC’s latest permanent menu item: Smoky Mountain BBQ Chicken, crispy fried chicken based on recipes from Memphis and the Carolinas.

The country star was a perfect ﬁt for this product launch because of her southern roots and entrepreneurial spirit, Andrea Zahumensky, who became chief marketing officer Todd Smith of KFC U.S. in December, told The Wall Street Journal. McEntire debuts as the Colonel in a 60-second TV ad set in a honky tonk, performing an original ode to the Colonel and the new chicken variety that was written by the brand’s creative team. (The “real” Reba also makes a cameo, in the audience.) A 30-second version began airing during CBS’ broadcast of the Grammy Awards last Sunday night. The team has produced four different spots featuring McEntire, the most recent Colonel in a string of nearly a dozen introduced since 2015. KFC’s strategy calls for continuing to introduce innovative new products, backed both by “even more exciting” new “Colonels,” and “new and unexpected” social media-driven campaigns according to the Wall Street Journal. Each week, The Spin Cycle will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exempliﬁes the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t. Stay tuned – and step-up to the mic! And remember … Amplify Your Brand!

Todd Smith is president and chief communications officer of Deane, Smith & Partners, a full-service branding, PR, marketing and advertising firm with offices in Jackson. The firm — based in Nashville, Tenn. — is also affiliated with Mad Genius. Contact him at todd@deanesmithpartners.com, and follow him @ spinsurgeon.

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