MBJ_Jan24_2014

INSIDE — MC Law offering boosts state to top grade in court access

www.msbusiness.com

January 24, 2014 • Vol. 36, No. 4 • $1 • 24 pages

HOSPITALITY Adams named manager Dorothy Adams, RN, BSN, MSN, of Jackson has been named to the position of nurse manager of the 47-bed adult behavioral health unit at Central Mississippi Medical Center.

More newsmakers, P 21

Around town {P 2} » A shift in home loan market is underway Strictly Biz {P 10} » Will Tunica feel the squeeze of $34 million expansion at Southpark?

New IP chef cooking up changes for Biloxi casino » Page 3

MBJ Focus {P 11}

» Economic Development Lists {P 15-17} » Economic Dev. Organizations

Executive chef Peter D'Andrea

LOCKER DOORS OPENING FOR CLINTON INVENTOR AFTER ‘SHARK TANK’

By FRANK BROWN I STAFF WRITER frank.brown@msbusiness.com Clinton’s Greg Cronin did what any good dad would do. He used his ingenuity to help solve a problem for his daughter, Ashley.

Then he did what any smart dad would do — he took his new invention national.

After last week’s appearance on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” many doors have opened for Cronin and his partner Dr. Stephen Coachys — mainly more locker doors.

Cronin and Coachys pitched their product LockerBones, a customizable wooden shelf storage system for school lockers, hoping one of the millionaire investors — or sharks — would bite on their offer.

The two wanted $175,000 in investment capital in exchange for 10 percent of their business.

After taking verbal attacks over the lack of a solid distribution plan, which caused three of the five sharks to jump back, a joint counteroffer was pitched by QVC’s Lori Greiner and technology innovator Robert Herjavec — $175,000 in cash for 50 percent of the business.

Cronin and Coachys quickly accepted the offer.

“Fifty percent is high, but we make up for it with a much bigger pie,” said Coachys. “Robert and Lori have connections and the ability to finance growth now.”

See LOCKERBONES, Page 5

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

2 I Mississippi Business Journal I January 24 2014 REAL ESTATE

Shift in home loan market underway » Fed’s Beige Book notes standards have caused some in South to cease residential mortgage lending

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

Last fall’s conjecture from the financial services sector that new rules coming out of Washington could jeopardize certain types of home mortgage lending is proving correct.

The writing went up on the wall with last November’s Consumer Finance Protection Bureau release of new criteria for making so-called “qualified loans” that would receive legal protections against borrower default suits under federal “Ability to Repay” rules. Congress, in passing the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law, included the Ability to Pay provision and a mandate for more thorough documentation of mortgage loans.

Notable Qualified Mortgage Standards

loans, a mainstay of mortgage lending in rural Mississippi and other regions with sparse development.

The non-conforming loans are typically ones that do not meet standards for selling on the secondary market, at least initially, and often are carried as balloon loans for periods of three-five-to-seven years. The loans frequently go to borrowers whose credit standing, down payment and collateral fall short of bank guidelines.

In some instances, where a home is situated may make it impossible for a lender to issue a conforming loan to a would-bebuyer of the house.

The infrequent turnover of houses in the countryside and distances between homes make meeting the requirement for “comparable sale” appraisals nearly impos-

» The loan’s principal cannot increase. » The loan’s term cannot exceed 30 years. » Balloon payments are prohibited in most cases. » The borrower’s income and financial resources must be verified and documented. » The loan must meet pre-established guidelines for debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. » Fixed-rate loans must fully amortize. » Adjustable/ARM loans must be “underwritten based on the maximum rate permitted during the first 5 years and on a fully amortizing payment schedule.” » Lender points and fees cannot add up to more than 3 percent of the loan amount.

“Banks and credit unions have already pulled back on extending mortgage credit and have tightened underwriting standards in response to the financial crisis.”

U.S. House Financial Services Subcommittee said in a press statement As the extent of the new QM standards became better known in October, bankers, lawyers, consultants and others in the money-lending business predicted a pullback in non-conforming

sible. Such appraisals require comparisons with sales of nearby similar properties that occurred within a set time, usually the past 90 days. Lenders thus resort to non-conforming loans.

Rules for making qualified mortgage loans went into effect Jan. 10. Consequences have been quick to arrive, the Federal Reserves’ Board of Governor’s reported in a Jan. 15 release of the Fed’s Beige Book, a collection of anecdotes from economists and business executives representing the main business sectors in each of the 12 Fed districts.

Beige Book reports for the Atlanta District, which includes Central and South Mississippi, said worries over the qualified lending standards have caused some community banks in the South to swear off residential mortgage lending.

Said the Fed: “Community bank contacts expressed continued concern about the implementation of qualified mortgage See

QUALIFIED, Page 4

AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOC. SEES AMPLE MERIT IN NEW MORTGAGE RULES

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

» Editor’s Note: Next week the MBJ looks at how lenders will navigate the new qualified mortgage rules.

While individual U.S. banking members may have their hands full in coming months complying with the new federal qualified mortgage rules, the organization that represents them — the American Bankers Association — says it is pleased with the shape new lending rules took.

The ABA says it and a broad coalition of groups involved in housing strongly advocated that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau structure qualified mortgage as a legal safe harbor, rather than a less reliable “rebuttable presumption,” which would have set less clearly defined protections. With safe harbor, loans that comply with the qualified mortgage rules are “non-rebuttable” and have safe harbor against borrower lawsuits that could occur after defaults.

The ABA said the CFPB also responded well to its urging that the Bureau craft a rule that encompasses a wide range of mortSee

RULES, Page 4

MORTGAGE LENDING STANDARDS PUT CREDIT UNIONS TO THE TEST » Mississippi’s 63 credit unions designated to serve limited-income residents will be faced with lending decisions on potential borrowers who fall outside qualified mortgage rules

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

The era of “qualified mortgage” rules that began Jan. 10 has raised the bar on home lending for all segments of Mississippi’s financial services sector from large banks to community banks to mortgage brokers and credit unions.

Perhaps no part of the sector is feeling as uneasy today as the 63 Mississippi credit unions designated as loan pipelines to low-andmoderate income borrowers.

Mississippi has 85 credit unions. But it is the specially-designated ones that will be faced with lending decisions on potential borrowers who fall outside the standards set by the federal Consumer Finance and Consumer Protection Bureau in the qualified mortgage rules.

The mandate for the rules came from the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The Act requires lenders to document a borrower’s ability to repay a home mortgage loan and opens an avenue for borrowers to sue lenders that make loans without fully verifying an ability to repay.

Banking lawyers are advising their clients to thoroughly acquaint themselves with the rules before making any home loans outside the qualified mortgage standards. Already, according to a Jan. 15 Federal Reserve Beige Book report, some bankers in the Southeast are putting the brakes on any non-QM lending. Others are even halting mortgage lending altogether, the Beige Book reports.

But choices can be limited when your job is lending to less-than-ideal loan candidates. Such is the case with the dozens of credit unions designated to serve Mississippi’s low-andmoderate income borrowers. That segment makes up about 90 percent of the assets held by Mississippi credit unions and around 87 percent of members, according to Charles Elliott, president and CEO of the Mississippi Credit Union Association.

Among other criteria, the QM rules specify a relatively clean credit history and a mortgage debt-to-income ratio no higher than 43 percent.

“We’re trying to digest all of this to determine what the right thing to do is,” Elliott said.

That task includes how to treat down payments, which are a requirement for loans from the credit unions, but certain designated See

TEST, Page 4

January 24, 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

HOSPITALITY

Cooking up changes » New IP chef has big plans for Biloxi restaurants

By LISA MONTI I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

P

“We’re here to please our guests, not ourselves.”

eter D'Andrea, the new executive chef at IP Casino Resort Spa in Biloxi, checked out the other Mississippi Coast casinos since he arrived late last year and is looking to sharpen his competitive edge.

D’Andrea, who’s been in the food and beverage business for 40 years, found his way to Biloxi when he was looking to leave the restaurant consulting business and get back into the casino market.

He said he liked the progressive attitude of IP’s parent company, Boyd Gaming, and what he saw in IP’s kitchens and restaurants. “Combine all the together and the IP Biloxi was a perfect fit,” he said.

— Peter D'Andrea D’Andrea’s credentials include working as executive chef at The Fairmont San Francisco Hotel and Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, and as the corporate chef for Marriott International.

At the IP he runs all eight restaurants as well as the employee dining and catering operations. It’s a 24/7 process to keep customers and employees fed and happy at the right price point.

D’Andrea is creating new menus for all of the food operations, from the pool bar to the signature fine dining restaurant Thirty-Two on the 32nd floor.

“We are going to make sure our menus have the industry trends nationwide as well as the local trends,” he said. Healthy items and gluten-free dishes are trending now but the chef knows that some diners will always want fried seafood.

“We’re here to please our guests, not ourselves,” he said.

D’Andrea keeps the bottom line in mind. “The challenge (is) to give guests high-quality January 30, 2014, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. food at prices they’re looking for. We do a lot of market studies in the area and try to give them the highest value for the dollar. That’s important.”

The casino buffet is a magnet for gamblers but serving such a high volume of food creates challenges such as keeping food fresh and costs down. IP’s buffet has several “action stations” where staffers constantly batch cook and refresh the food. “It keeps it fresher and our cusMississippi Agriculture tomers notice that,” he said. & Forestry Museum IP also tries to give customers items they won’t find at other casinos. “And of course we Sparkman Auditorium need to price it accordingly where the guests get great value and we don't lose a ton of money.”

1150 Lakeland Drive Promotions like Friday night crab and seafood specials help to bring customers in. “Once Jackson, Mississippi they’re in the casino they gamble,” he said. “It’s a win for everybody.”

D’Andrea, who cooked for Julia Child’s 80th birthday celebration and was guest chef three Open to the Public times at the James Beard Foundation’s Town House in New York, said he spends “a good 50 NO percent of my day” in the IP kitchens. He also handles a lot of paperwork in supervising ADMISSION chef’s schedules and kitchen staffing arrangements.

FEE Other back of the house duties include tasting new products such as olive oils to find the For more information right taste at the right price. Lately, he’s looking for a new filet for one of the restaurants. “I’ll visit jobfairs.ms.gov request samples from all over the United States. It has to have the right price point, the right texture, the right size. I’ll have to cook and taste them and compare price, so there’s an awful lot of work in that.”

ADVANTAGES FOR EMPLOYERS HIRING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: When he creates a menu the chef has to write the recipes, spec out the products, cost every s Large pool of skilled ready-to-work individuals item and train the kitchen staff to prepare the dishes. “There is an awful lot more involved s A dedicated and loyal workforce with LOW turnover than what those cooking shows show on TV,” he said.

For the record D’Andrea is no fan of cooking shows. “None of that is real. I don't watch it s Tax credits are available for employers who hire people with disabilities and don't encourage my cooks and chefs to watch them. That’s just TV.” Booth space is still available for the January 30, EmployAbility Job D’Andrea isn’t much on over-the-top food trends like molecular gastronomy either. “We Fair, contact: Adam Todd at (601) 321-6154 or at atodd@mdes.ms.gov. need to stay true to the basics and to have food tasting like it’s supposed to taste like,” he said.

“I’m not looking for 15 hands on a plate to make it look good architecturally, I want some An equal opportunity height and some color but I don’t want to overwork it. When you sit down and eat our food, employer and you can close your eyes and know what you’re eating.” program, MDES has auxiliary aids and He said he has an American/Italian/Southern palate and “that’s the kind of food I like to services available upon request to those cook and the kind of food I like to eat.” with disabilities.

One of the chef’s goals this year is to start hands-on culinary training with his line cooks Those needing TTY assistance may call and supervisors. “In order to keep retention, you have to ‘home grow’ them and you have to 800-582-2233. train them,” he said.

Funded by the U.S. Department He knows that a fine tuned staff will be necessary as the South Mississippi casino market of Labor through the Mississippi grows more competitive over the next couple of years. ”With new casinos being built, it’s Department of even more important to stay competitive and that we’re delivering a great product at a great Employment Security. price at all times,” he said.

EmployAbility Job Fair

I

3

4 I Mississippi Business Journal I January 24 2014

QUALIFIED

Continued from Page 2

requirements in 2014 and the possible negative effect on mortgage lending, particularly as some mortgage lenders exit the mortgage lending business altogether or change their business models because of the added risks.”

Some lenders, according to the Federal Reserve report, indicated they are shifting their focus from residential loans to small business and commercial real estate loans.

The move away from residential lending was among the predictions longtime Mississippi banker and current chair of the Mississippi Bankers Association Odean Busby made three months ago. “Most banks aren’t going to accept the liability at that level,” Busby, chairman of Priority One Bank, said in October.

While Busby said his $510-million, Magee-based community bank and its 11 locations from Brandon to Hattiesburg would continue making mortgage loans, no longer could it make non-conforming loans.

“Those are going to be essentially eliminated,” he said, and noted Priority One’s home county of Simpson did not make the list of “under-served” counties the federal government for the time being exempted from the qualified mortgage rules.

Concern on the Potomac Flack is already starting to fly in Congress, with some lawmakers questioning whether the rules over-reach and will shut too many borrowers out of the home-buying market. Reacting to the worries, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau insisted the qualified mortgage rule “strikes a careful balance between providing bright lines to give certainty and clarity to creditors while also allowing flexibility for the mortgage market evolve and innovate in ways that encourage the provision of responsible credit.”

In a nod to lawmakers, lenders and borrowers who worried the mortgage reforms were too much too soon, the CFPB wrote in exemptions for banks with assets of $2 billion or less for mortgage lending in

RULES

under-served counties, at least for the time being. Approximately 50 of Mississippi’s 82 counties are among those exempted.

While the final rule specifies minimum requirements for creditors making good faith determinations of consumers' ability to repay their mortgages, it does not dictate that they follow particular underwriting models. In fact, the guidelines are also almost wishful in expressing hope that lenders will continue to make non-traditional loans to borrowers they deem deserving. The catch is that such loans won’t enjoy the “safe harbor,” or protection from borrower lawsuits, that the conforming variety will have.

Without safe harbor, lending executives must justify to boards of directors the added risks they are bringing aboard, lawyers and bankers say. By contrast, the protections qualified loans get from borrower lawsuits calm board jitters and also make them attractive to investors in the secondary market.

The CFPB said it wrote the safe harbor rules in following a mandate in DoddFrank to strengthen borrower protections, For instance, loans can’t have features that often have harmed consumers in the past, such as excess points and fees.

Community bankers in interviews last fall worried that courts may invoke the safe harbor rules to order banks to pay a host of costs, including punitive damages and, ultimately, having to forgive the loan without foreclosing on the property that secured it.

You can still make loans but you’re leaving your bank wide open, they said.

That’s just one of the risks, according to the American Bankers Association. It warned last fall that a single non-conforming loan deemed in violation could have a ripple effect through a bank’s loan portfolio by raising fears that other loans in the portfolio bear the same defects.

More than six months ahead of the Jan. 10 official start of QM era, the U.S. House Financial Services Subcommittee voiced fears that the mandates will reduce access to credit that qualified borrowers need to buy homes.

“Banks and credit unions have already pulled back on extending mortgage credit and have tightened underwriting standards in re-

Continued from Page 2

gage products and underwriting practices to protect credit availability. The final rule includes a “qualified mortgage” standard broad enough to encompass most current types of mortgages, the ABA said in a statement.

The ABA has less success when it joined its community banking counterpart, the Independent Community Bankers of America, and other groups back in November to seek a nine-to-12-month delay in implementing the qualified mortgage rules that went into effect Jan. 10.

The rules set a host of new loan standards, among them an income-to-debt ratio of 43 percent, limits on points and fees and bans on non-conforming loans such

TEST

we know we don’t have the ability to resell and we have to live with them.”

The loans it does pass on for resell are HUD’s Federal Housing Administration mortgages, he credit unions can offer loan programs for the said, which have underwriting standards that fall down payment as well. within the QM rules.

Most of the home mortgage loans issued by The 30-year fixed is the predominant home loan Mississippi credit unions have 15-year fixed rates, at Hope Credit, according to Bynum, and a debtElliott said. to-income ratio in the 40s has been required all Generally, loan applicants meet the 43-percent along. “We do not do balloon loans,” he said. “But debt-to-income ratio, but “a lot of the people live we do participate in several mortgage down day to day and are carrying debt loans in excess of payment assistance programs.”

43 percent of their income,” he added, referring to While Bynum is determined to maintain current debts beyond home mortgages. loan levels despite the new, more stringent The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau underwriting standards, the CEO of Orion Federal exempted non-profit lenders from the QM rules, Credit Union in Memphis is preparing to turn way but the state’s credit unions designated for lowmany credit worthy borrowers. and-moderate income lending did not get the Historically low interest rates, legal liabilities and exemption. Their lending to borrowers above the narrow profits provided by QM loans make those income levels kept them from it. them no longer worthwhile, Orion CEO Daniel Un-exempted lending entities in Mississippi Weickenand said in testimony last week to the include Hope Federal Credit Union, an arm of House Financial Services Subcommittee.

Jackson-based Hope Enterprise Corp., even “While some institutions may start charging a though 75 percent to 80 percent of its loans go to premium on their margins on the QM loans, we do low-and-moderate income borrowers. The QM not feel this is in the best interest of our credit rules raised the bar considerably, but “we are union members and our community,” he said. absolutely going to go ahead and continue to Weickenand, whose testimony was reported by lend,” said Bill Bynum, CEO of both the Hope the National Association of Federal Credit Union’s Federal Credit and Hope Enterprise Corp. website, said the decision to limit lending at He said he thinks the QM standards “are Orion’s half dozen Memphis-area locations did not absolutely on point,” but conceded the pressing come easy. “Orion takes great care in placing our need for home loans by Hope Federal Credit members with the right mortgage product, and Union’s limited-income members will make the QM standard will inevitably force us to turn operations at the more than one dozen Hope many creditworthy borrowers away,” he said.

Credit offices in Mississippi, Louisiana and More than 900 credit unions have closed since Arkansas more difficult from here on.

2009. Look for more of them to disappear, Since the Great Recession, dysfunction in the Weickenand predicted, as the pressures of the QM secondary market has forced Hope Credit to keep lending standards and other new federal around 60 percent of its loans, “We have been regulations begins to take force. very prudent about the loans we make because Continued from Page 2

sponse to the financial crisis,” the subcommittee said in a press statement. “The qualified mortgage rule may well exacerbate this reduction in access to credit.”

Similar bipartisan concern over a weakening of American home-purchasing power came at a hearing of the subcommittee Jan. 15. Rep. Spencer Bachus, an 11-term Alabama Republican, said the new regulators reflect a far too “extreme” reaction to the

as balloon mortgages.

In its pleading, the community bankers, the ABA and a coalition of other partners said they understood the CFPB’s urgency, given the past abuses that have occurred in the mortgage market leading to the financial crisis. “Nevertheless, our members have provided safe and solid mortgage loans to consumers in their communities for decades and were not responsible for the abusive mortgage practices that led to these new requirements,” they said.

The new requirements demand significant changes for community banks and the mortgage industry’s third-party participants, including the software providers on which community banks rely, the coalition said. “Extending the mandatory compliance deadline will better enable community banks to fully comply

lax mortgage underwriting that led to the collapse of the housing market near the close of the last decade.

“Making mortgage credit scarcer through a ‘one-size fits all’ regulatory policy will negatively affect the very people it allegedly purports to help,” he said. “Regulators must be careful about overreach that denies financial opportunity.”

with the requirements.”

While bankers didn’t get the delay they wanted, federal regulators did give assurances that following the more stringent underwriting standards of the qualified mortgage rules will not likely get banks in trouble over compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act, which seeks to prevent discrimination in lending.

In a December joint statement to bankers and their lawyers, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, the National Credit Union Administration and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said: “From a consumer protection perspective, the agencies responsible for conducting CRA evaluations do not anticipate that institutions’ decisions to originate only qualified mortgages, absent other factors, would adversely affect their CRA evaluations.”

January 24, 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

5

FOOD SCIENCE

New process helps remove bacteria from oysters

By LISA MONTI I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

Crystal Seas Seafood in Pass Christian is processing a small portion of their oysters with irradiation to eliminate health risks posed by the naturally occurring Vibrio bacteria in Gulf waters that is highly concentrated during summer months.

The resulting new product, dubbed the Crystal Clear Oyster, is processed live and some still in the shell at the $5 million food irradiation facility at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport. Crystal Seas is a partner in the Gateway America facility which has been operating since last spring.

“The portion we are doing as Crystal Clear is still a small portion of our business, about 10 percent,” said Crystal Seas Seafood manager Jennifer Jenkins, whose father, Joe Jenkins, owns the company. “It takes a while to develop new business.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has strict seafood regulations which are regularly tightened and, Jenkins said, “There is a need in the industry for more Vibrio free and reduced products.”

The irradiation process was reviewed by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources to make sure that all federal and state rules and regulations were met and to ensure that the product is safe for consumers, said DMR’s Joe Jewell.

He said there is an emerging market for oysters treated to reduce the Vibrio bacteria to undetectable levels.

The advantage to using the irradiation process, he said, “is the oyster is left alive and the consumer can enjoy a safe oyster product.”

The harvested oysters are washed and put into containers or sacks at Crystal Seas and trucked over to the airport facility. The oysters are placed on carts which are sealed up, dipped into a pool of water and irradiated. They are returned to the Pass Christian processor for distribution or are picked up by an outside source to be distributed.

The irradiation adds about 20 percent to the cost of processing the oysters.

Crystal Seas advertises its irradiated oysters as reef-fresh and tested to ensure quality. The process eliminates Vibrio to non-detectable levels and the oysters stay cold “from the reef to the table.” The Crystal Seas Oysters' irradiation system also prolongs shelf life.

“This product is going to sell more in the summer than in the winter,” Jenkins said. “The Vibrio levels are higher in the summer and the regulations for oyster fishing becomes more strict. The product sells all year long but more popular as a summer product.”

While there is some resistance to the irradiated oysters, some customers remain faithful to the Crystal Clear product. “We have some consistent restaurants that use them every week.” But they haven’t been an easy sell, which Jenkins said they expected. “We weren’t expecting to get off the ground easily,” she said.

Jenkins said oysters make up “99 percent of our business,” with shrimp making up the remaining 1 percent. It processes and sells about 10, 000 sacks of oysters a year to customers all over the country and export to China and other countries. Besides traditional processing, which is basically shucking and packaging the raw oysters, Crystal Seas also freezes oysters on the half shell.

The FDA is responsible for regulating the sources of radiation that are used to irradiate food, and it approves a source of radiation for use on foods only after it has determined that irradiating the food is safe, it’s website said.

According to the FDA, “Food irradiation (the application of ionizing radiation to food) is a technology that improves the safety and extends the shelf life of foods by reducing or eliminating microorganisms and insects. Like pasteurizing milk and canning fruits and vegetables, irradiation can make food safer for the consumer.”

Jenkins said she expects the company to irradiate more oysters in the future as the FDA continues to tighten food safety rules and consumers get used to the idea. “People are going to have to get used to it,” she said.

LOCKERBONES

Photo courtesy of LockerBones

LockerBones provides customizable shelfing for school lockers.

Continued from Page 1

Other members of the rotating Shark Tank pool where on this episode were billionaire Mark Cuban, owner and chairman of AXS TV and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran, and venture capitalist Kevin O'Leary. The episode was filmed in Burbank, Calif., in September, and the results were kept secret until last week’s show. Many of those involved attended a watch party hosted by marketing agency Think Webstore in Ridgeland.

During the show’s airing, the LockerBones.com website was pushed to its max, said Bryan Carter of Think Webstore, but Think Webstore technicians had set up a dedicated server just for the event.

“We set up a ‘monster’ server,” said Carter. “The next level up would be server cluster with distributed traffic like you see on sites such as Amazon, eBay and Google.

“We had nearly one million hits and served six gigabytes of page data.”

Orders are coming from individuals as well as schools that want to sell the product to students using the LockerBones fundraising program. So far, the Sharks seem happy with the response.

Even before the show aired, sharks were already

Special to The Mississippi Business Journal

Crystal Seas Seafood is expecting sales of its irradiated Crystal Clear Oysters to ratchet up in the summer.

“We set up a ‘monster’ server...we had nearly one million hits and served six gigabytes of page data.”

Bryan Carter Think Webstore moving on molding options for a colored plastic production version of the shelves. Says Coachys, “We have been in regular touch with the Sharks since the episode was taped and the deal was struck. Everything is moving forward.”

“I could not be more happy,” said Cronin. “We got the product this far as a labor of love. Working with the Sharks allows us to quickly share this product nationally.

LockerBones is designed and proven to save time and stress for students, administrators, and parents.

“It is a win for everyone involved.”

LockerBones was developed three years ago when Cronin’s daughter Ashley want an efficient way to organize her junior high school locker. To solve her

problem, Cronin used plywood and a dado blade to create a wooden shelf storage system. It became a hit, and requests from other students started arriving.

Cronin and his daughter spent months perfecting their prototypes for a customizable version and began selling to schools. After two years of field testing, Cronin received orders from six Jackson-area schools. Kits range from $29 to $39 on the LockerBones website.

Cronin set up a business, FMD Organizers (For My Daughter/From My Dad), and Think Webstore to create an online presence for orders. That’s when Coachys submitted an application to appear on Shark Tank, hoping to find investment capital and influential business partners.

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

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

Website: www.msbusiness.com January 24, 2014 Volume 36, Number 4

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

MBJPERSPECTIVE January 24, 2014 • www.msbusiness.com • Page 6

OUR VIEW

MPACT's status remains uncertain

T

he strong hope many parents and guardians placed in the Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition plan remains shaken as the college tuition plan guaranteeing the cost of tuition at today's prices for a future date remains in limbo.

MPACT was conceived, as were dozens of similar plans in other states, as a more affordable way for parents and others to afford tuition for their children, a cost that has risen steadily and inexorably for many years.

MPACT had bipartisan support, and it attracted tuition investors in many different income ranges. Its flexibility for payment was an attractive draw, and it was seemingly working

without missing a beat until the fall of 2012, when its governing board and Mississippi Treasurer Lynn Fitch suspended enrollment because questions arose about its viability for the long term.

Fitch has announced a board meeting for Jan. 27 to further discuss MPACT's future and what can or must be done to assure its longevity.

The outlook is bleak without an infusion of cash from the state.

The projections place insolvency in the early 2020s, less than decade away, with a shortfall of $82 million. If the plan is not reopened it will face a $142 million shortfall.

Among the 22,000 enrollees still in the pro-

gram is Speaker of the House Philip Gunn, RClinton, whose three children would be beneficiaries of the tuition guarantee.

Some legislators want to provide greater investment flexibility for the program, not because it would fix the problem, but to help it earn more.

All the enrollees will receive the full amount due because MPACT is backed by the full faith and credit of the state, but a more orderly process than going bellyup would be preferable.

If no clear way is found to make MPACT work on a financially sound basis then doing what's necessary to guarantee the commitments made to enrollees should be completed and the fund abolished, as has been the case in many other states.

— NE MS DAILY JOURNAL

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

» RICKY NOBILE

» FROM THE GROUND UP

The only thing there is that’s left to sell

MELISSA KILLINGSWORTH Sr. Account Executive

melissa.harrison@msbusiness.com • 364-1030 VIRGINIA HODGES Account Executive virginia.hodges@msbusiness.com • 364-1012

“T

TACY RAYBURN Production Manager tacy.rayburn@msbusiness.com • 364-1019 CHARINA RHODES Circulation Manager charina.rhodes@msbusiness.com • 364-1045 MARCIA THOMPSON-KELLY Business Assistant marcia.kelly@msbusiness.com • 364-1044 SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES (601) 364-1000 subscriptions@msbusiness.com Mississippi Business Journal (USPS 000-222) is published weekly with one annual issue by MSBJ 200 N. Congress St., Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201. Periodicals postage paid at Jackson, MS. Subscription rates: 1 year $109; 2 years $168; and 3 years $214.

To place orders, temporarily stop service, change your address or inquire about billing: Phone: (601) 3641000, Fax: (601) 364-1035, Email: charina.rhodes@msbusiness.com, Mail: MS Business Journal Subscription Services, 200 N.Congress Street, Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mississippi Business Journal, Circulation Manager, 200 North Congress Street, Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201 To submit subscription payments: Mail: MS Business Journal Subscriptions Services, 200 North Congress Street, Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201.

No material in this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written consent. Editorial and advertising material contained in this publication is derived from sources considered to be reliable, but the publication cannot guarantee their accuracy. Nothing contained herein should be construed as a solicitation for the sale or purchase of any securities.

It is the policy of this newspaper to employ people on the basis of their qualifications and with assurance of equal opportunity and treatment regardless of race, color, creed, sex, age, sexual orientation, religion, national origin or handicap.

The Mississippi Business Journal, is an affiliate of Journal Publishing Company (JPC), Inc.: Clay Foster, president and chief executive officer.

Entire contents copyrighted © 2014 by Journal Inc. All rights reserved.

» HOW TO WRITE Letters to the editor are one of the most widely read features of the Mississippi Business Journal, and they give everyone a chance to voice their opinions about current affairs. We’re interested in what you think and we welcome Letters to the Editor for publication. Here are the guidelines: >> Letters should not exceed 300 words in length as a general rule. >> All letters must bear the writer’s address and telephone number. Street addresses and telephone numbers will not be published, but may be used for verification purposes. Letters may not appear without the author’s name. >> Form letters, thank you letters and letters to third parties generally are not acceptable. >> Letters must be typed or e-mailed. >> Letters must conform to good taste, not be libelous and not involve personal attacks on other persons.

>> All letters are subject to editing, and become the property of the Mississippi Business Journal. >> Letters can be sent to The Editor, The Mississippi Business Journal, 200 North Congress, Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201, delivered to the newspaper during regular business hours or e-mailed to editor@msbusiness.com. They may also be faxed to Ross Reily at (601)-364-1007.

» CORRECTIONS The Mississippi Business Journal takes seriously its responsibility to provide accurate information, and will correct or clarify articles produced by the editorial department if we have made an error or published misleading information. The correction will be placed in the perspective section.

If you see inaccuracies in Mississippi Business Journal news stories, please report the mistake via email at editor@msbusiness.com.

he only things left to sell are convenience and an experience.”

I heard those words over 10 years ago at a conference about future trends. The idea fascinated me so I’ve been observing the market, especially the retail market, to determine if the concept played out. It turns out that there are plenty of examples to support the statement.

From a marketing standpoint, it must be asked: What is there left to sell? We consumers have practically everything we could possible need. Our food, clothing and shelter needs were met long ago. We have an incredible amount of choices for everything we need and desire. So the idea of selling convenience and experiences in our transactions goes beyond the products themPhil Hardwick selves. Examples abound.

Let us begin with Starbucks.

The company promotes the experience, not just the product. On the company’s “About us” section of the website are these words: “It happens millions of times each week — a customer receives a drink from a Starbucks barista — but each interaction is unique.” Thus, Starbucks promotes more than just the sale of coffee.

Another example is McDonald’s and drive-through fast food restaurants in general. The McDonald’s experience now includes coffee bars and children’s playgrounds, not to mention free wi-fi. Convenience is certainly the operative word. After all, such places are called fast-food restaurants for a reason. Drivethrough times and accuracy is an obsession with fastfood restaurants. Drive-through times were the subject of studies by QSR Drive-Thru Performance Study as early as 1998. Back then, Long John Silver’s got its customers through the line in 159.1 seconds, while See HARDWICK, Page 7

PERSPECTIVE

January 24, 2014 I Mississippi Business Journal

»AROUND TOWN

Ego ahead of shareholders – the unfolding Whole Foods story

D

on’t be surprised if national health care politics comes into play when Whole Foods Market opens its doors at Highland Village in Jackson Feb. 4.

The man who co-founded the retailer of natural and organic foods and is today its co-CEO started it all by equating the Affordable Care Act to fascism and reportedly encouraging people to shun the law’s offerings.

Well, actually he started it in August 2009 with an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal that described the Affordable Care Act as “the last thing” the United States needed.

“Instead, we should be trying to achieve reforms by moving in the opposite direction — toward less government control and more individual empowerment,” Mackey wrote.

In the last year, the co-boss of the $19.5 billion publicly owned company with 349 stores has turned up the volume considerably, going from calling the Obama administration’s prized legislation “socialism” to ending the year with the fascism characterization and accusing the government of seizing the health care sector’s “means of production.”

So, here we are just two weeks before Whole Foods makes its Jackson debut. You want to bet protesters won’t interrupt the wonderfulness of the grand opening of its 34,000 squarefoot store?

You’ve also got to ask why someone who has helped found an investor-owned company whose sales zoomed from $91 million in 1991 to $12.9 billion last year keeps putting his ego ahead of shareholders. Shareholders must hope he’ll take an extended stay on a far away island.

Mackey will tell anyone who will listen he is a “conscious capitalist” who believes free markets “are the best way to organize society.”

But “free markets” react when an executive’s statements and actions don’t jibe with his company’s hard-won branding as a socially conscious organization that very much cares about the health of the communities in which it markets are located.

Whole Foods’ shares on the NASDAQ closed Jan. 17 at $52.33 compared to a 52-week high of $65.59.

As the Finance Guide of DailyFinance.com reports, 2013 started out with much promise. A 2-for-1 stock split in late May that took common outstanding shares from about 185 million to 370 million won the hearts and minds of investors.

The glow soon dimmed when Whole Foods issued new shareholder guidance that put expected earnings per share at $1.65 to $1.69, down from a previous guidance of $1.69 to $1.72. The expected decline in EPS would be accompanied by

a projected revenue growth of 11 percent to 13 percent instead of the earlier estimate of 12 percent to 14 percent.

Though the change in the new guidance was hardly drastic, Whole Foods’ shares declined 11.18 percent in the next trading day. “It now sits more than 18.4 percent below its 52-week high of Ted Carter $65.59,” DailyFinance said on Jan. 15.

Amid this market decline, the California progressive group The Courage Campaign has accused co-CEO Mackey’s crusade against the federal health care law of resorting to “lies” that deter people from signing up for lifesaving health insurance.

“We must fight back against this kind of confusing misinformation, and tell John Mackey to stop misleading Americans. Statements like these confuse people about the law and scare them away from signing up for the coverage they desperately need,” Courage Campaign said in an email blast seeking petition signatures.

The irony here is that while Mackey has busied himself hammering dents in the Whole Foods brand over expanding health care coverage, few outside the company know he gives his workers some of the best benefits in the country, according to media reports.

In mid December, Mackey went on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and is reported to have boasted off air that Whole Foods stores are too popular to be harmed by his political views.

Perhaps that would be so in another market climate. Today, the entire healthy foods sector appears headed for sick bay, though Whole Foods less so than the others.

Competitor Fresh Market, which has a store in Ridgeland’s Renaissance at Colony Park among its 149 stores, racked up a sales decline of nearly 16 percent in 2013, according to DailyFinance, while Whole Foods showed a laudable 26.8 increase.

But since Nov. 6 and Mackey’s “fascism” remark, Whole Foods has joined Fresh Market in sales declines. Whole Foods from Nov. 6 to Jan. 10 had a sales drop of 18.47 percent and Fresh Market a drop of 24.46 percent.

Somewhere atop a mountain in the Himalayas, a business guru is sitting in the Lotus position and muttering to himself: “Doesn’t this Mackey fellow know that when the going gets tough the pros shut up.”

... Fresh Market, which has a store in Ridgeland's Renaissance at Colony Park among its 149 stores, racked up a sales decline of nearly 16 percent in 2013, according to DailyFinance, while Whole Foods showed a laudable 26.8 increase.

MBJ staff writer Ted Carter can be reached at 601-364-1017 or ted.carter@msbusiness.com

HARDWICK

I

7

Continued from Page 6

Whataburger led the accuracy rankings at 86.7 percent. By 2009, Wendy’s was tops in speed with 134.1 seconds, while Chick-fil-A was best in accuracy with 96.4 percent of its orders correct.

It is difficult to find any transaction that has not been improved based on these two principles of convenience and experience. Technology played — and is playing — a huge role in allowing it to happen. These days we shop online and have the product delivered to our doors in just a few days or even hours in some cities. Or we shop and research online and go to the store for the personal experience.

Take shopping for a new automobile for example. In the past, it took a trip to the dealer to learn more about the product, haggling over sales price and time off from work for service on the vehicle.

Now it’s research online, emailing back and forth with the dealer, very little negotiation and an onsite experience that is quick.

And what about residential real estate? Instead of contacting a real estate agent and touring properties, the online technology allows an interesting narrowing-down experience that is not unpleasant.

After viewing properties on our computers we then select the agent, not the other way around.

Some experiences have changed because of the convenience. For example, a man’s haircut experience meant going to a barber shop, waiting for the next chair to open and plenty of conversation with fellow customers. There was even a movie made about this type of barber shop experience. Nowadays, there are mall and strip center barber shops with more than a dozen chairs, a take-a-number experience and quick service.

Movie theaters and watching movies have undergone a metamorphosis. The movie theater sound system, seating and screen size offer an experience.

IMAX theaters are the ultimate example. Then again, for those who prefer watching movies at home there is the convenience of digital recording, Netflix and online streaming. What could be more convenient than watching when you want it? Big screen televisions have created opportunities for the added experience. Perhaps the ultimate in-home television experience is the Super Bowl party (Go Broncos!).

The list of products and services that offer more convenience, and even an experience, would be a long one. Consider Keurig coffeemakers, online banking and ATM’s, hotel/motel express checkouts, airline reservations and social media sites, just to name a few. Even government agencies are getting in the act. Many cities offer emergency alert notification systems, online auto tag renewal and more. I recently renewed my driver’s license by going to the Department of Public Safety, bypassing a long line and interacting with a machine that took my photo, my updated information, my payment, and then issued my new license on the spot. It even allowed me to change my photo until I got one that I liked.

Now that’s an experience that was convenient.

Finally, let us not forget where much of this began — convenience stores. The U.S. convenience store count increased to a record 149,220 stores as of Dec. 31, 2012, a 0.7 percent increase (1,094 stores) from the year prior, according to the latest NACS/Nielsen Convenience Industry Store Count.

The lesson in all this is that businesses must continually adapt to demands and expectations of customers who are continually responding to products and services that offer convenience and an experience.

Phil Hardwick is coordinator of capacity development at the John C. Stennis Institute of Government. Pease contact Hardwick at phil@philhardwick.com.

8 I Mississippi Business Journal I January 24 2014 LEGAL

People’s court » MC Law offering boosts state to top grade in court access

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

A recent report has Mississippi tops in the nation for public access to Mississippi Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings, boosted by the Judicial Data Project (JDP) offered through the Mississippi College School of Law. The recent ranking from Virginia Open Law titled “Public Access to the States’ Highest Courts: A Report Card” gave Mississippi an “A.” Only five other states — none in the Southeast — received an “A.” The report focuses on public access in three areas: opinions; oral arguments; and briefs.

The “A” was earned by Mississippi for

offering free online access to all three of those areas “without significant limitations or with features that stand out,” the report found.

In awarding the grade to Mississippi, Virginia Open Law further noted: “Opinions since 1996 are Waller freely available and searchable. A public domain citation format exists for cases since July 1, 1997. Live video webcasts of oral arguments, with an archive since 2004 by the Mississippi College School of Law. Briefs since late 2007 also are Rosenblatt available through the Mississippi College School of Law.” Daniel Cole, MC Law IT director who wrote all the code for the JDP, said, “From the beginning, our goal was to make the judicial project a universally accessible data-

GOOD NEWS IS WORTH REPEATING! Digital Reprint Article or list will be reformatted with Mississippi Business Journal masthead on the top of the page and be provided in PDF format.

Framed Article

Plaque - 9”x12” or 8”x10” - $125

Articles are reformatted to fit on either one or two pages with Mississippi Business Journal masthead on the top of the page.

Article size is 8.5” x 11”.

Frame size - 14” x 16.5” - $199

Framed articles take approximately one month to complete.

Introductory Offer $199

R Digital Reprint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$375

R Framed Article 14” x 16.5” cherry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$199 R Framed Article 23” x 16.5” cherry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $250 R Plaque 8” x 10” or 9” x 12” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$125 Call: 601-364-1044 Fax: (601) 364-1007 WAYS TO ORDER » Fax or mail: Mississippi Business Journal Attn: Marcia Thompson-Kelly 200 North Congress St, Ste 400, Jackson 39201 Email: marcia.kelly@msbusiness.com or print off form at http://msbusiness.com/wp-files/forms/article-request-form-web.pdf

Ranking of states in public access to court records Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky

DC+ C+ B B C C+ B+ B+ C C CC C+ C+ C+ B-

Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota

base. Anyone, regardless of what technology they are utilizing, can easily log in and begin a search. In line with that, we also made the search process fairly elementary, allowing people who do not possess a wealth of legal knowledge to find what they are looking for quickly and easily.”

In 2007, the staff of the Mississippi College School of Law Library began collecting and presenting online video files of oral arguments before the Mississippi Supreme Court and the Mississippi Court of Appeals. Prior to that time, the arguments had not been archived. Eventually, the project developed into the MC Law JDP, which launched in 2010.

The JDP provides a comprehensive view of Mississippi appellate cases by combining several sources of information. The various sources include an appellate brief archive, an appellate court video archive and weekly summaries of opinions handed down by the state appellate courts. The JDP also allows users to perform statistical analysis and retrieve specific data related to the courts, such as the number of opinions written by a specific judge, and to perform basic research of opinions by keyword or type of case.

Dean Rosenblatt, dean and professor of law at MC Law, said, “MC Law receives tremendous support from the Mississippi judicial and legal communities in furtherance of legal education. This project, which makes judicial information available to all, is a way that we can give back to these communities and show our appreciation for this support. It also allows us to showcase the work of our law librarians.”

The MC Law staff gave high marks to the courts for their support of the project.

Without their participation, the JDP would not have been possible.

Stephen Parks, MC Law research librarian who maintains the JDP, said, “The Supreme Court is a wonderful partner in this work. They provide the copies of the

C C+ BB+ B+ C A B+ A C B+ B+ C+ D+ A C+ A-

Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

A D+ B+ BD C+ C BB+ C+ C C B BA B+

Source: Open Virginia Law

“The Supreme Court is a wonderful partner in this project.”

Stephen Parks MC Law research librarian

briefs and the videos of the oral arguments, which we archive. For really significant cases they will supply the video the day after the argument. The Clerk's Office is critical in keeping the JDP current.”

Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr. said the JDP supports what he sees as the Courts’ three pillars — fairness, efficiency and independence. He said openness “supports all of those areas,” and the JDP, in turn, supports that openness.

The Virginia Open Law report was not the first recognition for the JDP. It won the American Association of Law Libraries’ Innovations in Technology Award in 2012. And the JDP will be recognized by the Mississippi Historical Society in March, earning an Award of Merit for its archival work of Mississippi case law and legislative materials.

Mary Miller, assistant dean for technology, information and legal research who oversees the work of the MC Law Library, said, “We commit our Law Library to serve the needs of our faculty and students but also the legal community and the general public. This project demonstrates how we can leverage technology to bring information to people that will make them better informed citizens.”

For more on the JDP, visit the site at www.law.mc.edu/judicial.

January 24, 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

9

FARMING

‘Made in Mississippi’ has strong future in value-added ag exports, trade group says Area/Partners of Destination And Commodities Exported (Mississippi) January – December Cumulative to date values in thousands of dollars

DERYLL STEGALL

Product Bulk Agricultural Total Consumer Oriented Agricultural Total Agricultural Related Product Total Intermediate Agricultural Total

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

The appetite for Mississippi’s packaged agricultural products overseas is expected to grow along with packaged produce from other Southern states over the next decade.

This presents potentially lucrative opportunities for Mississippi’s small specialty farmers and packagers, says Jerry Hingle, executive director of the Southern United States Trade Association, a non-profit agricultural export trade development organization comprised of the Departments of Agriculture of Mississippi and 14 other states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Various geographic regions of the United States have their own agricultural trade export association.

Cotton is king and poultry is a close second in Southern agricultural exports. But it’s hard to miss the growth in items such as packaged meats, nuts, fruits, sweet potatoes, horticulture products and even condiments, Hingle said. “We’re seeing the strongest demand in value-added (items) and (packaged) meats.”

Newly released U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts say U.S. agriculture exports in 2014 will approach the all-time record reached in 2013, with shipments forecasted to eclipse $137 billion, just shy of the $140 billion reached in 2013. Hingle attributed the lower revenue forecast to an expected drop in crop prices but noted the volume of ag exports will be higher this year than last.

The figures show particularly strong growth in exports of consumer goods, Hingle said. “This is where we've become more competitive and consumer demand is growing fastest, particularly in Asia where incomes are rising.”

Figures for Mississippi value-added ag exports show an increase in packaged goods to

2008 Value 544,636 316,140 106,150 15,598 982,523

2009 Value 309,693 425,450 84,161 21,297 840,602

2010 Value 541,464 362,579 120,446 16,507 1,040,996

2011 Value 663,427 322,031 140,432 16,406 1,142,296

2012 Value 764,801 350,949 143,326 36,288 1,295,364

Jan - Oct 2012 Value 646,468 289,818 123,621 26,535 1,086,443

Jan - Oct 2013 Value 544,954 321,299 94,005 30,860 991,118

Notes: 1. Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau Trade Data, U.S. State Export Data; 2. Product Group : BICO-HS6; 3. See the limitations of the United States State Export Data at http://www.fas.usda.gov/gats/help.htm#USState_Limitations

$19.7 million from $17.9 million in 2008.

Mississippi’s packaged goods exports rose steadily from $28.5 million in 2009, to $42.2 million in 2010 before climbing to $63.7 million in 2011.

Mississippi’s exports of processed vegetables have shown strong progress as well the past five years. They grew from $2.9 million in 2008 to $5.4 million last year.

While Mississippi’s tree nut exports have been miniscule, new markets await them in China, especially for pecans. The Southern grown pecan became a favorite in China after a 2008 walnut crop failure there forced a search for alternatives, Hingle said.

“The Chinese are coming to orchards [in the South] and just buying up the year’s production. They are snatching up as much as they can get their hands on.”

Susan Head, a staffer in the Mississippi Department of Agriculture’s marketing department, serves as the department liaison to Hingle’s trade association. Together, they work to get Mississippi’s small ag producers involved in exporting.

A key part of the effort is pre-qualifying ag producers. The signups are free, Head said, and growers simply need to be registered as a business with the Secretary of State and be able to place either “Made in U.S.A.” or “Made in Mississippi” decals on their products or packages, she said.

Co-ops can also pariticpate.

The pre-qualification enables growers to take part in inbound and outbound trade missions and meet with foreign trade groups on their visits to the South.

A branding program the Southern United States Trade Association offers reimburses the pre-qualified small producers and businesses for up to half of their international marketing expenses including advertising, in-show promotions at trade shows, Head said.

Also, the association free marketing kits and marketing plans for each country a producer or business wants to market in, she added..

Head said nothing should surprise producers in Mississippi when it comes to

products the Chinese desire. She visited the Asian country on a trade mission in November. On a trip down a super market aisle, what did she see? “Pirouline wafers made in Madison, Ms.”

http://www.msbusiness.com

AUCTIONS

Q Taylor Auction & Realty, Inc............................................................... www.taylorauction.com

BANKS Q Regions Bank....................................................................................................... www.regions.com

INTERNET SERVICES Q Comcast Business .......................................................................................... www.comcast.com Q TEC ..................................................................................................................................www.TEC.com

LAW FIRMS Q Victor W. Carmody, Jr. P.A. .............................................................. www.mississippidui.com

MARKETING Q Nuzu Net Media SEO SEM.............................................................................. http://nuzu.net/mbj

PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES Q Delta State University................................................................................... www.deltastate.edu

REAL ESTATE Q State Street Group........................................................................www.statestreetgroup.com

TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS Q Synergetics DCS, Inc. ...................................................................... www.synergeticsdcs.com

TELECOMMUNICATIONS Q AT&T................................................................................................................................... www.att.com Q Comcast Business .......................................................................................... www.comcast.com Q MegaGate Broadband................................................................................ www.megagate.com Q TEC ..................................................................................................................................www.TEC.com

WEBSITE DESIGNERS Q Nuzu Net Media Website Performance Services ................................... http://nuzu.net/mbj Q U.S. NEXT....................................................................................................................... www.usnx.com

Have your business listed here! Contact your advertising representative at 601.364.1000

10 I Mississippi Business Journal I January 24, 2014 EDUCATION

Robert Khayat to be featured as DSU’s Colloquia speaker The Delta State University Distinguished Speakers Lecture Series kicks off 2014 with an impressive leader — Dr. Robert Khayat, former chancellor of the University of Mississippi.

Khayat’s speech, titled “The Education of a Lifetime,” will begin at 6 p.m. on Wed., Jan. 29 in Jobe Hall Auditorium on campus. The event will be followed with a book signing and reception.

His speech will cover topics from his recent memoir, also Khayat titled “The Education of a Lifetime,” which will be available for purchase. The book was ranked 29th on the New York Times Top 75 Best-Selling Education Books of 2013.

Those unable to attend the event can view the livestream speech online through the university’s official uStream channel: www.ustream.tv/channel/delta-state-university.

LaForge established the Delta State University Colloquia program when taking office in 2013. The platform is an ongoing series of top-flight lectures and addresses featuring prominent speakers. Former Mississippi governor William F. Winter was honored as the first speaker.

Learn more about the series at www.deltastate.edu/president/colloquia.

ENGINEERING

Neel-Schaffer opens new Rankin County office BRANDON — The Jackson-based engineering firm Neel-Schaffer Inc. has opened an office in Brandon that will be managed by Brandon native Derick Milner.

Neel-Schaffer now has 39 offices, including 16 in Mississippi, spread throughout nine states. NeelSchaffer also has a subsidiary surveying firm, Maptech Inc. that is located in Pearl, representing an additional office in Rankin County.

The new Neel-Schaffer Brandon office is located at 20 Eastgate Drive, Suite C.

MANUFACTURING

Merchants Co. lands $12.3M military contract HATTIESBURG — The Merchants Co. of Hattiesburg has been awarded to provide food and beverage services to the U.S. military.

The contact, awarded through the Defense Logistics Agency, has a maximum value of $12.3 million. The company will provide services to the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air National Guard. Merchants says it supplies fresh and prepackaged foods to more than 6,000 customers.

— from staff and MBJ wire services

GAMING

Will Tunica feel the squeeze from Southland Park’s $34.7 million expansion?

BY FRANK BROWN I STAFF WRITER frank.brown@msbusiness.com The slumping casino industry in Tunica County may be about to take another hit.

Southland Park Gaming & Racing in West Memphis, Ark., a major competitor for gaming dollars in Memphis area, is planning a $37.4 million expansion and redesign of its operation.

The expansion will add a new 41,000-squarefoot building which will house up to 500 new gaming machines and a new themed restaurant and sports bar. When finished, the addition and the old building will look like one new complex.

The site added 200 gaming machines in a $11 million expansion in 2011 that was fueled by the

Mississippi River spring floods, which forced many Tunica casinos to close.

Southland, which is closer to Memphis than the 30-mile trek to Tunica County, then became a favorite location for many Memphis gamblers.

That, plus the increase of gaming venues nationwide, have state gaming officials concerned.

For example, gross gaming revenues for Mississippi River casinos dropped from $115.7 million in February 2012 to $99.1 million in February 2013. February, when many gamble with their income tax refunds, is usually one of biggest months of the year for casinos. In 2013, revenues were down from 2012 numbers in 10 of the reported 11 months. When December figures are release, they will like show 2013 as the

GOLDEN TRIANGLE

NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI

Starkville becomes first Miss. city to recognize equality of gay residents

Heritage Home closing furniture plants

Starkville’s City Council Tuesday passed an “inclusivity” resolution recognizing the inherent worth of all its city’s residents — including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT).

Human Rights Campaign, a civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality, said Starkville’s resolution makes it the first municipality in Mississippi to recognize the dignity of its LGBT residents. Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin said Starkville is sending a message to its residents that all people — regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity — are worthy of respect and equality.

“These are fundamental American values, and Mayor Parker Wiseman and the Starkville City Council are setting an inspiring example for their fellow lawmakers in surrounding cities and towns,” Griffin said. “While we must continue pushing for ordinances that codify these values into law across the state, the impact of this resolution on LGBT people — particularly youth — will be powerful.”

Wiseman, in a statement issued by the Human Rights Campaign, said the resolution makes it clear that Starkville is a community that “works proactively to prevent workplace discrimination before it happens.

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that ‘we must learn to live together as brothers...’ I hope the equality resolution lives up to the beliefs of Dr. King and sends a message that Starkville is a city that is intolerant of discrimination against anyone and in any form.”

Public opinion on equality in Mississippi is ahead of the law in the state, according to the Human Rights Campaign. A poll conducted last summer

weakest gaming year for the Mississippi River counties since 1995, when there were considerably fewer casinos.

“Our business keeps growing, so we want to continue the expansion and transformation of Southland Park into the unquestioned premiere gaming destination in the Mid-South,” said Troy Keeping, Southland Park’s president and general manager said in a Memphis Business Journal story. “This project will provide our guests with more space and allow us to add more of the best gaming machines on the market and another popular restaurant and entertainment spot within our complex.”

Southland Park is planning a ground breaking ceremony on Jan. 27 and anticipates completing the expansion by the end of 2014.

SALTILLO — Heritage Home Group, LLC said Wednesday that it will close furniture plants in Saltillo and Thomasville, N.C., as part of a post-bankruptcy restructuring.

Heritage told the Mississippi Department of Employment Security that it would cut 480 jobs in Saltillo by March 21. The plant near Tupelo makes upholstered reclining furniture under the Lane name.

Heritage told the North Carolina Department of Commerce it would cut 84 jobs at two plants.

Significantly, those are the last two plants owned by the company in the hometown and namesake of Thomasville Furniture, another of Heritage’s brands.

Heritage Home Group was formed after KPS Capital Partners, LP bought the assets of the former Furniture Brands International. KPS paid $280 million last year after the St. Louis-based firm filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and KPS renamed the furniture company Heritage Home Group.

New Heritage CEO Ira Glazer, who helped turn around a wire rope maker KPS previously bought, wrote in a letter on Monday that layoffs were required to improve profitability.

“These reductions are unfortunately a necessary element of our ongoing efforts to create a highly competitive organization structure,” Glazer wrote. “That said, we are proud that many jobs saved by the formation of Heritage Home and the acquisition of our brands far exceeds the number that are being let go.”

Heritage Home continues to operate Lane facilities in Belden and Verona, both near Tupelo. The former management had threatened to close the whole Lane division as part of the bankruptcy.

In the reorganization, Heritage abolished the previous structures of having different subsidiaries for all its brands, including Thomasville, Broyhill, Lane, Drexel, Hickory Chair, Henredon, Lane Venture, Maitland-Smith, Pearson and LaBarge.

Furniture employment in the United States tumbled as housing sales fell and international competition took a toll, with Mississippi and North Carolina among the hardest-hit states.

— from staff and MBJ wire services found that nearly 60 percent of Mississippians under the age of 30 support marriage equality, while 64 percent of residents back workplace nondiscrimination protections for LGBT employees, the organization said.

GULF COAST

Gulfport gives approval for microbreweries GULFPORT — Microbreweries will be able to locate in Gulfport.

The Sun Herald reports city zoning laws did not allow microbreweries until yesterday, when the

City Council agreed to add them to the list of permitted uses.

Microbreweries, where craft beer is made in small amounts, will be allowed in the same places that now permit bars or lounges. The city restricts both kinds of businesses from locating too close to schools and churches.

Urban Development director Greg Pietrangelo said the zoning change was requested after a potential microbrewery operator approached the city about locating in Gulfport. Pietrangelo said the potential business has not yet been identified, but would be located in the downtown business district.

— from staff and MBJ wire services

January 24, 2014 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

AN MBJ FOCUS:

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ‘What it’s done is ...

OPEN THE DOORWAY’

Photo special to The Mississippi Business Journal

Groundbreaking on a 185,000-square foot Walmart in Byram should occur in a few weeks on a 68-acre site at the corner of Siwell Road and Terry Road.

» Byram mayor believes new Walmart will bring more growth to Jackson suburb

By LISA MONTI I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

Besides being mayor of Byram, Richard White is also a small businessman, operating a tire and auto shop in the young suburban city south of Jackson.

But recently announced plans for Walmart to build a new store in Byram doesn’t overly concern him about his business. Despite the normal antiWalmart grumblings in the background, he believes it’s a good thing for his town.

“I’ve been in this location 21 years,” said the owner of Richard’s Front Wheel Drive and Automotive and Richard’s Auto Sales, about 1 1/2 miles from the Walmart site. “You can just about see the place from my business.

“If a small business owner is doing what he or she is supposed to be doing, it’s not likely people are going to stop doing business with somebody giving them a decent deal with good service.

They’re not going to change.”

“I felt like it was going to happen,” he said. “We’ve got a lot going on here. My business does good.”

Walmart’s upcoming arrival in Byram, announced last month, shouldn’t have been a complete surprise, given the young city’s location and growing population as well as the world’s largest retailer’s evergrowing number of stores, which includes a store that opened this month in Canton.

The planned 185,000-square-foot Walmart Supercenter will be built using the corporation’s newest designs at the southwest corner of Siwell Road and Terry Road on a 68-acre site at Byram Town Center.

Richard White Byram mayor

See

WALMART, Page 12

12 I Mississippi Business Journal I January 24, 2014

WALMART

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

“Our main focus is on the residents of any given community. Our employees take great pride in providing high levels of customer service and competitive pricing to their neighbors and friends that patronize our store.�

Continued from Page 11

The Byram store will add to Walmart’s presence nearby: There are stores operating on U.S. 49 and Mississippi 18, each about 10 miles on either side of the Byram site. “Walmart continues to focus on seeking better ways to serve our loyal customers,� the company said in a statement last month regarding the site evaluation being done at the Byram location.

Todd Vowell President, Vowell Marketplace

“This holds true in growing communities such as Byram, where access and

convenience to a full assortment of quality merchandise and healthy afford-

Your Port of Opportunity.

Your Harbor for Success.

Now Marketing

s !CRES OF TERMINAL SPACE WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO MULTIPLE BERTHS s SQUARE FEET OF COVERED WAREHOUSE SPACE s %XPANDED AND IMPROVED ON DOCK RAIL SERVICE

When it comes to maritime bulk and

Key Advantages

the Mississippi River; and an airport

break bulk cargo stufďŹ ng, stripping,

The Port offers quicker access to

within ďŹ ve miles. Plus competitive

consolidating and deconsolidating,

deep water than any other Port in the

rates, no air draft restrictions, and the

there’s no better import/export partner

Gulf; proximity to major markets via

availability of state tax credits.

than the Port of Gulfport, Mississippi.

high-speed rail, Interstate 10, and

Import. Export. Gulfport. YOUR Port. #/.4!#4 53 4/$!9 s ).&/ 3()0-30! #/- s 777 3()0-30! #/- s

0/24/&'5,&0/24

able grocery options are important to our customers.�

White said he’s had four meetings with Walmart representatives and that preliminary surveying and core sampling work have been done at the site in the last few weeks. “Probably in another month or two we’ll have a groundbreaking, I’m hoping,� he said. “It’s going to happen.�

White knows his fingers-crossed attitude about Walmart coming to town may not be shared by those who fear the big box competition. “You can do all the research on this,� he said. “If a small business owner is doing what he or she is supposed to be doing, it’s not likely people are going to stop doing business with somebody giving them a decent deal with good service. They’re not going to change.�

White has heard about some complaints on Facebook about the new Walmart but said he has had “zero� pushback directly from local critics. “Not one person has approached me.

Not one. And I get approached about a lot, but that’s not one of them.�

Vowell’s Marketplace, across from where Walmart will be built, has been open in Byram at 5777 Terry Road since October 2005.

Todd Vowell, president of company, said he wasn’t surprised by Walmart’s interest in Byram. “We knew before it hit the papers they were evaluating the site,� he said. “We’ve assumed since 2005 we would have them as a neighbor.�

The Vowell family has been in the grocery business since 1945 and has 19 stores in Mississippi and Alabama operating under the banners Vowell’s Marketplace, Cash Saver by Vowell’s and Vowell’s Fresh Market. Several are in cities including Jackson with a Walmart nearby. “Our main focus is on the residents of any given community,� Vowell said. “Our employees take great pride in providing high levels of customer service and competitive pricing to their neighbors and friends that patronize our store.�

White said Walmart is just the start for Byram, which he said already has a thriving industrial park. “Once you have a big box, it will draw other things,� he said.

He expects the new Walmart to attract the usual “side stores that follow them around� like a dollar store and sporting goods store to be developed nearby. And he’s been contacted by a bagel shop and a couple of restaurants looking at possible locations in the city. “I’m meeting with some other companies next week,� he said.

White said Walmart is helping to attract the new prospects. “What it’s done is open up the doorway,� he said. “I thought it was going to break the ice. I’m really excited.�

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

January 24, 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

Frank Brown / The Mississippi Business Journal

WAITING FOR THE PAYOFF

Cash Out

Spin

Max Bet

Projects a boost to D’Iberville » Casino approval, new retail growth adding to coast city’s economy

By LYNN LOFTON I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

T

WO LARGE PROJECTS are in the works that will add to the economic vitality of the city of D’Iberville.

A busy interchange of Interstate 10 is located in this Harrison County city and is at the hub of recent retail growth. Now another shopping complex is on the drawing board for the southwest side of the interchange.

Also near the interchange, but on a site adjacent to the Back Bay of Biloxi, a new casino, the Scarlet Pearl Casino

Resort, has been approved by the Mississippi Gaming Commission with construction expected to begin this year.

“The location of Interstate 10 and I-110 and Mississippi Highway 67 is prime property for development,” said Bill Hessell, interim executive director of the Harrison County Development Commission.

“The city of D’Iberville is committed to building and redeveloping this area.”

The Promenade, an open-air shopping center with 700,000 square feet of retail space, was built on the northern side of this interchange several years ago and has spurred additional retail devel-

opment in the surrounding area.

City officials have sought a casino for 20 years, offering gaming sites on the east and west sides of I-110. A $250million casino project on the east side of the busy interstate connector was approved by the Gaming Commission in December. Commission Chairman John Hairston says the project’s amenities and its financial backing helped sell the commission on it.

“We expected a significant enough project to move the needle,” he said.

“The commission has concluded we already have plenty of slot machines so we need more visitors. That’s beneficial

to everybody, the new venture and everybody else, and that’s why we pushed so hard for the amenities.”

Gaming Commission Executive Director Allen Godfey lists the Scarlet Pearl’s numerous amenities.

“The proposed gaming floor will be 60,445 square feet with approximately 1,350 gaming devices, 40 table games and 10 live poker tables.

Additional amenities will include a 300-room hotel, a 36-hole miniature golf course, an outdoor pool area, an event center, a 250-seat buffet, a 175See

D’IBERVILLE, Page 14

I

13

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

14 I Mississippi Business Journal I January 24, 2014

Proposed coast aquarium still in limbo

By The Associated Press

D’IBERVILLE — Dr. Moby Solangi can’t say when construction might begin on the $70 million to $80 million Ocean Expo Aquarium that was envisioned as a big tourist attraction.

The city of D’Iberville has already spent millions on the deal, but the proj-

ect is at a standstill.

On Dec. 9, 2011, when D’Iberville city officials broke ground on the Ocean Expo Aquarium and Learning Center off Interstate 10. Nothing has happened since. “The city has purchased the property; we’ve spent $4 million. The building should have been constructed by now,�

City Manager Bobby Eleuterius told

WLOX-TV in Biloxi. “We should be paying that debt service off with ticket sales, and it’s not even started.�

Eleuterius said now Solangi has asked D’Iberville to buy about $2 million worth of property so the aquarium can be moved further away from the noise of the interstate.

Though the city committed to building water lines from the bay to the aquarium,

MBJ

Daily E-BLAST

FOCUS ON: Education & Workforce Training Weeks in 2014 this topic is covered: Publish Date: February 7

Âť The Mississippi Business Journal keeps its readers informed – and does so with quality. Âť In 2010, 2011 and 2013, the MBJ printed product was awarded the state’s overall “General Excellenceâ€? award in its category.

Lists: MBA Programs

Publish Date: July 25 Lists: Colleges & Universities

Âť Our print and online edition readership 185,000 monthly.

Ad closing is 10 days before publish date.

Âť Twice a day, the 3,500 readers who subscribe to our email list receive e-alerts with links back to our website.

Deliver your message to a powerful and focused audience weekly!

Âť Our 10,000-plus Twitter followers receive tweets about stories with links to our website. Âť More than 1,500 readers “likeâ€? us on Facebook. Âť Ask about bundling print & online advertising.

" ! " ## " $ # ( ) '

' %%

&

$ # $ % %

+

! 9

,

34

)

#

#

)

-

! . %.-

#

) 2

!

#

& #

!

!"

#

.

*

) 2

(

!

%

#

/

/

#

*

8

# #

*

) !

#

#

#

!

#

(

%

# 0

#

"

+

.

1

0

0

! #

56

0

#

7

7

"

(

&

# #

0

#

7

"

9

#

# #

'

8

2

%

*

+ " ,. !

1

#

!"

&

) 2

#

.

)

+

1

!" #

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO ADVERTISE CONTACT Tami Jones, Advertising Director Melissa H. Killingsworth, Senior Account Executive Virginia Hodges, Account Executive

(601) 364-1011 (601) 364-1030 (601) 364-1012

tami.jones@msbusiness.com melissa.harrison@msbusiness.com virginia.hodges@msbusiness.com

Eleuterius said the city isn’t ready to spend more money on a project that seems to be going nowhere. “The city was committed to getting a sound barrier, additional land and a water pipe line and the project hasn’t moved because some of the infrastructure they had to provide has not been provided,� said Solangi, the executive director of Institute for Marine Mammal Studies.

The aquarium site is attractive for development. D’Iberville has turned the Interstate 10-Interstate 110 intersection into a business Mecca. Eleuterius even said the company behind the Atlanta Aquarium has contacted the city about the location.

Since D’Iberville owns the land, Eleuterius said city leaders are obligated to make sure it’s profitable. “The money that we have spent will definitely be recouped. We will not lose any money on that property,� said Eleuterius. “We definitely plan to build an aquarium. There’s no questions, ands, ifs or buts,� said Solangi. “It’s a big project. It takes a lot of time, energy and effort.�

Solangi and D’Iberville officials plan to meet to discuss the aquarium.

D’IBERVILLE

Continued from Page 13

seat gourmet restaurant, plus a cafe, bar, gift shop and other dining options.�

Hairston added, “At this point in time, you have a substantial investor who’s part of the project. As these projects go, we’ve done a lot of them that never happen. If this one did not happen, it would be a real surprise to me, given the investors involved.�

The upscale shopping complex will be built by Ramco Development Company of D’Iberville.

According to the city’s website, this project is also a $250 million endeavor. It will consist of 700,000 square feet of retail space, restaurants and a hotel.

The tentative name is The Gulf Coast Galleria and include stores not found elsewhere on the Coast. It’s expected to provide 2,500 jobs.

Hessell says the strategic locations of these two new projects will be a destination for both tourists and locals. “It’s exciting to see new businesses added to our diverse economy,� he said. “New businesses such as the proposed shopping mall and casino bring opportunities for job growth and new infrastructure. “This can only help Harrison County.�

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS

January 24, 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

15

16 I Mississippi Business Journal I January 24, 2014

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS

Office Space for Rent in downtown Jackson Approximately 1800 sq. ft., includes 2 private offices

Amenities available: I^Wh[Z a_jY^[d I^Wh[Z ijehW][ I[c_#fh_lWj[ e\ÓY[ ifWY[ FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Alan Turner, alan.turner@msbusiness.com

601-364-1021 Tami Jones, tami.jones@msbusiness.com

601-364-1011

January 24, 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

17

INCORPORATIONS

18 I Mississippi Business Journal I January 24, 2014 November 2013 Incorporations This is the November 2013 list of the state’s newly incorporated businesses from the Secretary of State’s Office. Listed are towns from Lucedale to Yazoo City. Listings include business name, type, date formed and location. Addresses reflect legal entity for service of process, not necessarily the new business entities’ operating address.

Lucedale Becky Tanner Educational Consultant and Diagnostician LLC LLC 11/18/13 152 Sandhill Cemetery Road Davidson Transcription Service LLCLLC 11/25/13 167 Hwy 63 South Double M Transport, Inc. BUS 11/19/13 123 Roy Stonecypher Rd Mi Sol Azteca LLC LLC 11/27/13 5125 Main St Wright Realty, LLC LLC 11/8/13 154 Wright Way

Lumberton MDJ Drywall & Painting LLC LLC 11/27/13 50 Barber Rd P & G Smith Timber Inc BUS 11/12/13 727 Jess Williams Rd The Line, LLC LLC 11/14/13 1918 Hwy 13

Lyon Bayou View Farms, LLC LLC 11/15/13 304 Killebrew Guardian Residences II LLC LLC 11/12/13 500 Killebrew Street SME I-Iuka LLC LLC 11/12/13 500 Killebrew Street SME II-Belmont/Golden LLC LLC 11/12/13 500 Killebrew Street

Mississippi Portfolio Partners IX, L.P.

11/22/13

Mississippi Portfolio Partners X, L.P.

11/22/13

LP

102 First Choice Drive

Mississippi Portfolio Partners XI, L.P.

11/22/13

LP

102 First Choice Drive

LP

102 First Choice Drive

Mississippi Portfolio Partners XII, L.P.

LP

11/22/13 102 First Choice Drive Mississippi Silicon QEI LLC LLC 11/13/13 1888 Main Street, Suite C, #163 MKJ Sparks Group LLC LLC 11/7/13 219 Farmers Row National Association of Pharmacognetic Testing LLC LLC 11/15/13 137 Napa Valley Circle Northcross, LLC LLC 11/5/13 138 Greens View Lane Paradigm Paralegal LLC LLC 11/20/13 367 St Augustine Drive Pepper Creek Farms, LLC LLC 11/6/13 101 Cove Lane Red and Blue Destin Condo LLC LLC 11/7/13 27 Provence RJK Enterprises, LLC LLC 11/25/13 102 Normandy Court Singh & Khinda LLC LLC 11/13/13 705 Huntington Cove Skipping Stone Productions, LLC LLC 11/7/13 161 Pembroke Circle Springfield Investments LLC LLC 11/14/13 122 Carrick Avenue Stokes Properties LLC LLC 11/4/13 100 Woodbury Park Place T & R LLC LLC 11/5/13 122 Klaas Blvd The Bippity Bobbin LLC LLC 11/6/13 133 Executive Drive, Suite F Thirty Round Outdoors LLC LLC 11/21/13 126 Grayhawk Drive TMS Consulting Group, LLC LLC 11/15/13 108 Woodbury Park Place Tupelo Country Estates LLC LLC 11/4/13 732 Magnolia Street

Magee

Maben The Vine, LLC 11/21/13

Mississippi Futbol Club NP 11/1/13 134 Oakmont Drive 39110

LLC 543 Ms Highway 50 W

Madison A & R Properties of Madison LLC LLC 11/7/13 109 Camden Ridge Academic Software Solutions LLC LLC 11/4/13 120 Village Blvd Ste B Anderson-Druey Accounting Inc BUS 11/25/13 745 Highway 51 ASP, LLC LLC 11/8/13 100 Hampton Ridge Atkinson/Berch Accounting Services, Inc. BUS 11/21/13 129 Brierfield Dr Brooks & Associates, LLC LLC 11/15/13 141 Calumet C. Lackey Bailey & Bullard, LLC LLC 11/7/13 134 Yorkshire Lane Cornerstone Energy Group, LLC LLC 11/15/13 118 Kempen Lane Cotton Mill QEI, LLC LLC 11/18/13 1888 Main Street, Suite C163 Crotty Management Company, LLCLLC 11/21/13 107 Waywood Cove Elizabeth Prestel, LLC LLC 11/5/13 105 Southampton Circle EMERAL, LLC. LLC 11/6/13 219 Carmichael Blvd EMH Properties, LLC LLC 11/6/13 101 Cove Lane Fly Creek Investments, Inc. BUS 11/7/13 805 Beaumont Drive Fowler Holdings, LLC LLC 11/27/13 131 Hartfield Drive IronPlayground, LLC LLC 11/8/13 323 Trace Harbor Rd La Carreta Mobile Food Service LLCLLC 11/25/13 140 Stillhouse Creek Dr Lift Alert, LLC LLC 11/6/13 316 Long Cove Drive Madison Meats of Mississippi, LLCLLC 11/15/13 100 E. Hill Drive Maxey & Thomas Investments LLCLLC 11/4/13 109 Camden Ridge McCool & Associates LLC LLC 11/18/13 100 Depot Dr Michele Lawrence, LLC LLC 11/12/13 314 Summer Oak Trl. Millennium Enterprise LLC LLC 11/25/13 126 Martinique Dr

Jarrod Flanagan Ministries Inc NP 11/14/13 912 Lake Circle NW McCown Land LLC LLC 11/27/13 640 Magnolia Avenue NW Smith Energy Consulting, LLC LLC 11/21/13 626 H. B. Smith Road

Magnolia Aleco LLC LLC 11/18/13 2015 Donald Dunn Rd. Bean’s Trucking Limited Liability Company LLC 11/18/13 955 Quinlivan Rd.

Mound Bayou

Nicholson

Homochitto Hideout, LLC LLC 11/25/13 29 Wildwood Trail

Taborian Urgent Care Center Project Inc NP

Shifting Gears, LLC LLC 11/15/13112 North Oceanwave Rd (Long Beach 39560)

Mendenhall

RIDDHI SIDDHI, LLC LLC 11/5/13 5441 Boxwood Lane

Marks Frances Clark Land and Timber LLCLLC 11/27/13 701 W. Main Street

McComb 61/84 Realty, LLC LLC 11/7/13 #1 Berthadale Road B & A Briggs Sr. Incorporated BUS 11/22/13 116 Fifth Avenue Infinite Spoon LLC LLC 11/20/13 1246 Bendat St JRJ Realty, LLC LLC 11/7/13 #1 Berthadale Road Liberty Road Realty, LLC LLC 11/7/13 #1 Berthadale Road Premier Hunting Lodge, LLC LLC 11/5/13 1010 Hillshire Drive Toups Ranch, L.L.C. LLC 11/5/13 1124 Airport Fernwood Rd Your Affordable Housing, LLC LLC 11/14/13 107 North Broadway Zipy Realty, LLC LLC 11/7/13 #1 Berthadale Road

McCool Clinton Timber LLC LLC 11/14/13 439 Stevenson-Kerr Road

McNeill LLC

11/6/13 73 Sweet Birch Driver ( Carriere 39426)

11/7/13 106 Green Avenue Working Angels Inc NP 11/14/13 420 West Mound Bayou Road

C & A White Enterprises LLC LLC 11/15/13 212 Downs Avenue Darling & Distressed LLC LLC 11/25/13 979 Highway 43 North Magee Metals LLC LLC 11/4/13 1284 Main Street South

Mount Olive

Meridian

Natchez

45 Liquor & Wine, LLC LLC 11/21/13 6213 - Oakland Park Street

AAA Properties, LLC LLC 11/15/13 27 Starnes Drive Adam Eyrich Clark DBA OTH 11/22/13 339 D’evereaux Drive Big E’s Steakhouse DBA OTH 11/22/13 339 D’evereaux Drive Empowerment Administrative Services LLC LLC 11/20/13 305 Artman Road Lisa Swinny LLC LLC 11/26/13 404 North Union Street Mardis Family Holdings LLC LLC 11/26/13 302 Donahue Lane Maya Jade Inc BUS 11/4/13 522 Main Street Miss Lou Pipe Inspection LLC LLC 11/6/13 83 Grove Acres Rd Nonie Minerals, LLC LLC 11/27/13 19 Dunbar Road

Anderson Anesthesia Providers, Inc.

NP

11/8/13 2124 14Th St Brickhaus, LLC LLC 11/1/13 2638 23Rd Avenue Burton Awards, Inc. BUS 11/15/13 505 Constitution Avenue Carters IT Solutions LLC LLC 11/14/13 1201 62Nd Street Edwards & Butler, LLC LLC 11/14/13 5365 Water Valley Rd Exxon Quick Mark #1 LLC LLC 11/1/13 325 Hwy 19 N Exxon Quick Mark #2 LLC LLC 11/1/13 2216 Hwy 19 Investigative & Security Services, LLC LLC

11/12/13 2103 5Th Street Meridian Community Tennis Association NP 11/13/13 5332 17Th Avenue Meridian Rental Properties LLC LLC 11/1/131902 Front St Ste 20 Meridian, MS 39301 Miles Enterprises LLC LLC 11/21/13 6272 Pinedale Road Miles of Creativity LLC LLC 11/21/13 6272 Pinedale Road Northpointe Storage, LLC LLC 11/7/13 1500 Roebuck Drive O. Lewis Estates, L.L.C. LLC 11/8/13 1004 - 24Th St OrganicRight.com, LLC LLC 11/20/13 7466 C Hwy 493 (39305) Southern Chapter of the American Dance Therapy Association NP 11/27/13 3802 44Th St Stay True 2 U, Inc. NP 11/20/13 3330 28Th Avenue Valleyflight.com LLC LLC 11/14/13 5293 Mini Farm Rd

Michigan City New “2” U Motors, LLC LLC 11/21/13 22500 Hwy 5

Caring Hands Children’s Clinic, LLCLLC 11/22/13 314 Main Street IKair Productions, LLC LLC 11/7/13 913 Bridges Street Shelton Smith Logging LLC LLC 11/14/13 348 Henry Smith Rd

Mooreville North Lee Fitness LLC LLC 11/4/13 202 Treeside Drive

Morton Shirley’s Educational Tax Service, Inc. BUS

11/4/13

Elite Tactical Security Enforcement LLC LLC

11/20/13 199 Berry Lott Rd Resolution Investments LLC LLC 11/8/13 250 Baldwin Road

Riverside Veterinary Care Services, LLC LLC

11/20/13 1054-A Lower Woodville Road Shri Nilkanth Varni Maharaj, Inc BUS 11/12/13 271-A Devereaux Drive SJ&S Enterprises, LLC LLC 11/19/13 176 Sgt. Prentiss Drive The Camp Restaurants, Inc. BUS 11/27/13 319 Market Street The Harvest Baptist Church NP 11/19/13 306 Oak Street Watchtower Petroleum, LLC LLC 11/13/13 319 Market St Watchtower Royalties, LLC LLC 11/13/13 319 Market St Wayside Lighthouse Love & Holiness Inc NP

11/13/13

23 Cottage Farm Road

Nesbit Blacks United Together B.U.T NP 11/6/13 1151 Hwy 51 Lot 145 Candace J Dial Cpa PLLC PLLC 11/21/13 3715 Meadow Trace Cv Getwell Hypnosis Center LLC LLC 11/1/13 3169 Bridge Moore Dr

Nettleton Reid Investments, LLC LLC 11/12/13 3525 Hwy 371 S

Monticello

Marion

Serendipitous, LLC

Meadville

298 Hwy 481 South

Moss Point DaMarcus Hughes LLC LLC 11/25/13 3319 Catherine Street Ellerby Law, LLC LLC 11/7/13 4125 Main Street Knight Technical Institute, LLC LLC 11/20/13 2900 Colmer Road Lotta Burger II Inc BUS 11/14/13 17003 Hwy 63 MBJB Investments, LLC LLC 11/27/13 5213 Griffin Street Rancho Los Fuentes 2 Inc BUS 11/1/13 17003 Hwy 63 RKP Construction LLC LLC 11/6/13 12908 Dixie Hill Dr RPW, Inc. BUS 11/22/13 2819 Briarwood Circle The Horn Company LLC LLC 11/5/13 5124 Arthur St

New Albany CJ’s Plumbing Service, LLC LLC 11/4/13 611 West Longview Crosslink Enterprises LLC LLC 11/27/13 1109 County Road 64 North Ecorp Industries, Inc. BUS 11/25/13 314 Hwy 15 South Inka’na, Incorporated NP 11/18/13 300 Alabama Street Lewisburg Utilities, LLC LLC 11/4/13 498 W Bankhead St Newport Frames, LLC LLC 11/20/13 104 North Camp Avenue Rick McCay’s Construction, LLC LLC 11/21/13 1095 Shady Grove Rd

New Hebron Pulse Marketing LLC LLC 11/26/13 105 Indiana Ave Vickie Nixon-dba Mimi and Me Crafts OTH

11/27/13 397 Sills Ferry Road J’s Building & Designs LLC LLC 11/13/13 174 Walker Drive

Newton Before & After Convenient Mart DBA OTH 11/21/13 499 Martin Luther King Dr DIGITEK LLC LLC 11/12/13 203 Clark Avenue Marion F. Wheaton DBA OTH 11/21/13 499 Martin Luther King Dr

Osyka

Ocean Springs Bobby’s Fireworks LLC LLC 11/19/13 13408 Arguelies Rd Coastal Cleaning LLC LLC 11/12/13 514 Rue Chateauguay Coastal Elite Outfitters, Inc. BUS 11/7/13 1520 Government St DevRETS, LLC LLC 11/15/13 1201 Washington Ave Edward Collins Ministries, Inc. NP 11/25/13 103 Grand Teton Dr Fatebreak Holdings LLC LLC 11/19/13 105 Carlsbad Place Grace Bradley LLC LLC 11/12/13 3533 Courtenay Circle Gulf Coast Houses Mini Storage, LLC

11/25/13

LLC

2750 Bienville Blvd

JK Murphy, CPA and Associates, PLLC PLLC

11/27/13 6101 Mossy Oak Dr E Johnson Educational Services, LLCLLC 11/18/13 6105 Mary Mahoney Drive Monica Taylor LLC LLC 11/22/13 14918 Unit a Stacy Street Ocean Springs 2i Fitness, LLC LLC 11/22/13 1529 Bienville Blvd Peattie Health Care, PLLC PLLC 11/26/13 3905 Government Street Peattie Medical Care, PLLC PLLC 11/26/13 3905 Government Street Pleasant Properties LLC LLC 11/15/13 1417 Government St Rivers Remodeling & Home Repair LLC. LLC

11/17/13 1409 Willow Dr South Collections, LLC LLC 11/6/13 1019 Legion Lane Southeastern Associates, L.L.C. LLC 11/12/13 2112 Bienville Blvd., Suite A Stitched, LLC LLC 11/27/13 3827 Versaillies Ct TCPG Consulting, LLC LLC 11/7/13 912 Robinson Avenue The Ocean Springs Pride of Lions Foundation Inc NP 11/21/13 9368 Ridgeway Dr Western Capital Management, L.L.C.

11/8/13

TaylorMade Development LLC LLC 11/12/13 10626 Parker Cove TRN Roofing & Renovation LLC LLC 11/14/13 5635 Camden Cove

LLC

2112 Bienville Blvd., Suite A

Okolona Coconino Production LLC LLC 11/19/13 146 C. R. 252 Deal Transportation LLC LLC 11/1/13 30009 Walker Lane Navajo Land, LLC LLC 11/19/13 146 C. R. 252 Southwest Production, LLC LLC 11/19/13 146 C. R. 252 Winslow Production, LLC LLC 11/19/13 146 C. R. 252

Olive Branch BUS Investments, LLC LLC 11/22/13 6397 Goodman Road Suite 112 Elite Storage Products LLC LLC 11/14/13 14113 Chapel Ridge Trail Ellers Automotive LLC LLC 11/25/13 10941 Highway 178 FSG Pickwick, LLC LLC 11/7/13 4562 Spring Place Cove West Gwin Farms Homeowners Association IncNP

11/13/13 8966 East Goodman Road Heartland Express Maintenance Services, Inc. BUS 11/12/13 10550 Marina Drive Heartland Express Services, Inc. BUS 11/12/13 10550 Marina Drive J. Ferguson Enterprise, Inc. BUS 11/18/13 9844 Seminole Dr Jalaram Bhandar, LLC LLC 11/21/13 10915 Business Center Dr JCW Carrier Inc BUS 11/18/13 4645 La Paloma Lane JRV, LLC LLC 11/19/13 8032 Hillside Cove LD Cuts, LLC LLC 11/6/13 4560 Stone Hollow Dr Narayan Enterprise Inc BUS 11/25/13 8839 Goodman Rd Porter Merchant Services, LLC LLC 11/14/13 9129 William Paul Dr. RTW Incorporated BUS 11/15/13 5991 Hacks Cross Rd Shree Hari Ohm Namah Shivay, LLCLLC 11/14/13 7049 Enterprise Dr

The Family Thrift Store, LLC LLC 11/18/13 2079 State Line Road

Ovett Southern Hospitality Eatery, LLC LLC 11/26/13 221 George Boutwell Rd

Oxford Abacus Service Corporation BUS 11/12/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C All About Building Systems, Inc. BUS 11/7/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Appraisal Management Services, LLC

LLC

11/22/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Arley, LLC LLC 11/25/13 1130 North Lamar Blvd Artisan Industries Inc BUS 11/12/13 13 Industrial Park Dr Benchmark Electric, LLC LLC 11/5/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Blue House Designs LLC LLC 11/18/13 108 Quail Creek Drive CBM, LLC LLC 11/4/13 429 Saint Remy Blvd Chasing Ten Figures Clothing LLC LLC 11/8/13401 Hathorn Road Campus Walk Apartment I-103D Creative Staffing, Inc. BUS 11/12/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C CTI Consultants Inc BUS 11/6/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C DEFENSEZOOM.COM, LLC LLC 11/25/13 1217 Jackson Avenue East Dwellworks Residential Services, LLC

11/18/13

LLC

405 Galleria Lane, Suite C

Eagle American Insurance Agency, LLC LLC

11/4/13 405 Galleria Lane Suite C Etabs INC BUS 11/25/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Excite Communications, LLC LLC 11/25/13 113 County Road 215 Feyen Zylstra, LLC LLC 11/12/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Freddie Ross Realty Inc BUS 11/21/13 406 Galleria Drive Green Form Construction, Inc BUS 11/22/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Hawkeye Integrated Technologies LLC LLC

11/4/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C HGI Incorporated BUS 11/14/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Hodges Group, Inc. BUS 11/14/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C HWG & Associates LLC LLC 11/12/13 4002 Sutherland Drive Larry’s Trucks, LLC 11/7/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Larry’s Trucks, LLC LLC 11/7/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Lenders Choice AMC, LLC LLC 11/26/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Lets Booth It, LLC LLC 11/19/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Lochsa Engineering of Idaho PLLCPLLC 11/22/13 405 Galleria Lane Suite C M & N Investments, LLC LLC 11/25/13 405 Galleria Lane Suite C MaintenX International Service Management Group, Inc. BUS 11/4/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C MBL Properties, LLC LLC 11/20/13 324 Jackson Avenue East, Suite A Modern Cable Technology, Inc. BUS 11/7/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C My Driver, LLC LLC 11/1/13 131 Hwy. 334 Natoya Jones Ministries International, LLC LLC 11/8/13 1100 Augusta Drive Unit 402 NHammer Enterprises, LLC LLC 11/21/13 829 North Lamar Suite 1 Orderite, Inc. BUS 11/12/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Oxford Galleria II, LLC LLC 11/12/13 2716 West Oxford Loop, Suite 180-D Oxford Property Group, LLC LLC 11/4/13 1300 Access Road, Suite 100 Park 800, LLC LLC 11/8/13 299 South 9th Street Suite 101 Peniel Ministries, Inc. NP 11/1/13 301 Ohara Dr

Pharmetrics Specialty Group of Mississippi LLC LLC 11/25/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Pharmetrics Specialty Rx DBA LLC 11/25/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Rebel Pedal, LLC LLC 11/12/13 400 S Lamar, Suite A Robin Doctor Inc. BUS 11/25/13 68 County Road 202 Ross Pharmacy Consulting LLC LLC 11/8/13 1203 Wood Duck Cove Rozier Law Firm, PLLC PLLC 11/14/13 2091 Old Taylor Road Suite 102 Shelby Hooker Rayburn Designs, L.L.C. LLC

11/7/13 307 Heritage Drive STK Oxbridge Group, LLC LLC 11/7/13 121 Heritage Drive Strack, Incorporated BUS 11/12/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Strategic Growth Insurance Associates, Inc. BUS 11/21/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Summit Brothers, LLC LLC 11/15/13 404 Olive Branch Way Sun Industries LLC LLC 11/25/13 405 Galleria Lane Suite C Symbiosis LLC LLC 11/25/13 704 Long Meadow Drive T Com LLC LLC 11/5/13 130-A Courthouse Square The 5 Twelve LLC LLC 11/22/13 512 Van Buren Ave The Depot Antique Mall LLC LLC 11/14/13 1420 North Lamar Blvd.

The Media Store LLC LLC 11/18/13 1124 North Lamar Blvd Underground Theater, Inc NP 11/8/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Williamson Pharmacy Consulting, LLC LLC

11/8/13

625 Park Drive

Pascagoula 3SI, LLC LLC 11/22/13 3103 Pascagoula Street Bridgewater Gulf Coast LLC LLC 11/14/13 525 Krebs Ave Cooper Productions LLC LLC 11/12/13 4504 Shadow Wood Circle Delatam LLC LLC 11/1/13 607 Oliver Street Delatam LLC 11/1/13 607 Oliver Street Farragut Law Firm LLC LLC 11/26/13 1934 Old Mobile Hwy Lagniappe - a Bauble Boutique LLCLLC 11/20/13 703 Buena Vista Street Madi Cooper Entertainment LLC LLC 11/12/13 4504 Shadow Wood Cir S & S Civil, Inc BUS 11/18/13 409 Hwy 90 39553 S R Answering & Dispatch, LLC LLC 11/18/13 1103 Jackson Avenue The Estate Planning Law Firm PLLC

PLLC

11/5/13 3108 Canty St Walters Properties, LLC LLC 11/15/13 3103 Pascagoula Street

Pass Christian Anita Lambert RE, LLC LLC 11/12/13 212 E. 2nd Street, Suite 202 Eubanks Construction, LLC LLC 11/21/13 9341 Edwin Ladner Rd SRSA Commercial Real Estate IncBUS 11/15/13 133 Davis Avenue Unit K

Paulding Ms Glenice Transport Express LLC LLC 11/4/13 2509 County Road 31

Pearl Andrews Concrete, Masonry & Home Repairs DBA OTH 11/1/13 209 Cloverdale Place Cars R Us Trucks Too LLC LLC 11/25/13 4205-B Highway 80 East Financial Literacy Solutions NP 11/18/13 411 N biederman rd Martin Residential, LLC LLC 11/27/13 251 Clubview Circle Wayne Charles Andrews OTH 11/1/13 209 Cloverdale Place

Pelahatchie BIA of Pelahatchie Corp BUS 11/15/13 495 Concord Road Crooked Creek Consultants LLC LLC 11/4/13 704 College Street

INCORPORATIONS Lawn Perfection, LLC LLC 11/25/13 104 Banks Street MDB Behavorial Health Services LLC

LLC

11/19/13 938 Leesburg Road Walker Construction of MS Inc BUS 11/4/13 155 Oak Drive

Poplarville Historical Preservation Society NP 11/12/13 201 North Main Street

Port Gibson

Wayne E Miller Engineering, PLLCPLLC 11/12/13 44 Breland Road

At Home Medical Supply, Inc. BUS 11/13/13 306 College Street Pallaton Protective and Disaster Services, LLC LLC 11/25/13 1127 Old Hwy 61 North

Petal

Prentiss

Command Hearing Centers LLC LLC 11/25/13 27 Woodview Dr Little Store & Deli LLC LLC 11/13/13 2082 Old Richton Rd Rigid Customs LLC LLC 11/13/13 201 Barron St Stuart Trucking LLC LLC 11/26/13 2082 Old Richton Rd Wing Joint, LLC LLC 11/18/13 114 Highway 42 Ste. 1

Southview Properties, LLC LLC 11/13/13 1430 Anna Street

Philadelphia

Gulf Coast Commercial Real Estate, Inc. BUS

Perkinston

Burnside Baptist Church NP 11/26/13 10391 Road 153 Kids N More LLC LLC 11/5/13 210 Byrd Avenue N P-Town Bullies Inc BUS 11/6/13 322 Ivy Street

Purvis Dunn Counseling, LLC LLC 11/15/13 40 Deep South Lane Fit Body by Dan LLC LLC 11/4/13 14 Hillcrest Terrace Great South Electric Motor Company LLCLLC

11/4/13

203 Manar Street

11/4/13 130 Shelby Speights Dr Infragilis, LLC LLC 11/5/13 16 Plumer Circle Nelson Bros Services Inc BUS 11/27/13 1354 Highway 589

Walnut/Evon Stone Poultry Farms LLC LLC

Quitman

11/7/13

Bartee Properties & Investments, LLC LLC

395 Evon Stone Road

Picayune Built Smart Construction LLC LLC 11/1/13 25040 Katie Dr. DG Lawn Care, LLC LLC 11/6/13 156 Pea Ridge Road Easy Money Pawn, LLC LLC 11/27/13 2324 Highway 43 South Suite B Family Auto Sales DBA OTH 11/4/13 320 E. Canal Street Gulf Coast Fabrication, Inc. 11/19/13 616 East Canal Street Gulf Coast Fabrication, Inc. BUS 11/18/13 616 East Canal Street Joey Mark DBA OTH 11/4/13 320 E. Canal Street Louisiana Iris and Lily, LLC LLC 11/8/13 27350 Road 221 Tara Kellar Tebo, PLLC PLLC 11/26/13 301 Hershel Lane Suite A Ted Musgrove Insurance Agency Inc BUS 11/26/13 509 Highway 11 North, Suite A Tom Boone Ph.D & Associates, PLLC

PLLC

11/1/13 214 N Curran Ave Ste E1 Water Blue Properties, LLC LLC 11/8/13 1200 Grice Avenue

Pittsboro ABK Trucking Inc 11/4/13

BUS 604 Cr 136

Pontotoc Algoma Gun & Forge, LLC LLC 11/14/13 1947 Macedonia Road ALTY Outdoors LLC LLC 11/14/13 1007 Kierstens Lane E H L & J Construction, LLC LLC 11/4/13 357 McGregor Chapel Road South EM Farms, LLC 662-488-5637 LLC 11/20/13 3937 Old airport Road GLB Medsurg LLC LLC 11/25/13 50 Liberty Street Huey Farms LLC LLC 11/25/13 3066 Faulkner Road ( Belden 38826)

11/19/13 351 Stonewall Road Mount Pisgah Baptist Church of Melvin NP 11/13/13 11393 County Road 511

Raleigh Carey’s Collision, Inc. BUS 11/14/13 134 Main Street Paladin Executive Consulting Services, L.L.C. LLC 11/12/13 1487 Scr 581

Raymond JustRite Boutique LLC LLC 11/7/13 1825 Seaton Road Purple Reader Project Inc NP 11/4/13 220 Trace Circle RND Mobile Transmission Service, Inc BUS 11/6/13 182 Patricia Cove Yellow Pine Investments, LLC LLC 11/1/13 2704 Wright Road

Red Banks

Pope Cook Construction & Design, Inc. BUS 11/13/13 8300 Pope Crowder Rd

Poplarville Brown Sugar LLC LLC 11/21/13 1971 Hwy 26 West Commercial Maintenance Solutions, LLC LLC 11/18/13 1104 Restertown Rd F. and D. Investments LLC LLC 11/19/13 349 Garrett McGill Dr

Sontag

Terry

Angie’s Electric Sunshine Tanning Salon, LLC LLC 11/25/13 9900-C Hwy 15 South Trade Day Mall, Inc. BUS 11/18/13 1115 City Avenue North

Safety Solutions International IncBUS 11/6/13 86 Sontag Nola Road

Cavalier Healthcare of England, LLC LLC 11/25/131076 Highway Colony Parkway, 600 Concourse, Suite 100

Sweetwater Bleu’z LLC LLC 11/18/13 474 Symonds Rd

Building Futures, LLC LLC 11/21/13 18349 Midway Road Demir’s Baklava LLC LLC 11/4/13 102 Davis Road Cove FREO Mississippi, LLC LLC 11/8/13 18349 Midway Road Interesse International Inc. BUS 11/26/13 18349 Midway Road Joi L. Owens, LLC LLC 11/4/13 3678 Jones Loop Rd Knight Consulting Group LLC LLC 11/20/13 1198 Misty Lane Maverick Funding Corp BUS 11/4/13 18349 Midway Road Medi-Copy Services, Inc. BUS 11/12/13 18349 Midway Road Oak and Acorn, LLC LLC 11/19/13 11666 Springridge Road The FaverGray Company BUS 11/13/13 18349 Midway Road WCB Farm LLC LLC 11/26/13 4060 Old Jackson Rd

CEBS, LLC LLC 11/6/13 774 Avery Blvd City Sports Services, LLC LLC 11/1/13 298 S Perkins Street Crazy Woman Farms LLC LLC 11/6/13 312 Peach Orchard Drive Cress Medical Investments, LLC LLC 11/13/13 613 Crescent Circle, Suite 200 Dog Day Afternoon, LLC LLC 11/4/13 270 Trace Colony Park Ste B Eleve NP 11/6/13 109 Pine Knoll Dr Apt 345 Esther Inc BUS 11/4/13 441 Northpark Dr. Suite A Freedom Retail Inc BUS 11/12/13 290 Commerce Park, Ste. E Freedom Wholesale Inc BUS 11/12/13 290 Commerce Park, Ste. E G & S Trees, L.L.C. LLC 11/25/13 587 Highland Colony Parkway Green Glades, LLC LLC 11/22/13 220 Hickory Road iMagineDreams, Inc NP 11/27/13 370 Towne Center Blvd 39157 International Swaminarayan Satsang Organisation Corporation NP 11/12/13 311 Highland Park Blvd Katy Enterprises, LLC LLC 11/8/13 605 Arbour Court L.E.A. of Mississippi, LLC LLC 11/20/13 580 South Pear Orchard Road #1523 Leland Mexican Restaurant, LLC LLC 11/12/131022 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 101 LSC LLC LLC 11/13/13 441 Northpark Dr Suite A Lynn Haven Land Group, LLC LLC 11/6/13 1022 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 101 Madison County Small Engine Repair & Warranty Center LLC LLC 11/21/13 204 I-55 Trace Drive, Suite B Matrix BI Solutions LLC LLC 11/22/13 715 Rice Road Apt 17d Mitchell and Associates, PLLC PLLC 11/6/132310 Highway 80 West, Ste. 1171 (Jackson 39204) Mockingbird Baywood, LLC LLC 11/4/13 351 Indian Gate Circle North American Senior Benefits, LLC

LLC

Redwood

Concourse Suite 100

Richland ADEQUATE L.L.C. LLC 11/18/13 110 Southridge Rd Camp Magnolia, Ltd. BUS 11/15/13 101 Red Street Drews Drywall Inc BUS 11/18/13 180 Bud Street Spanish Fort Farms, LLC LLC 11/8/13 130 Kettleman Drive

Richton B & T Logging, LLC LLC 11/4/13 760 Piave Church Road Johnny Smith Drilling Co Inc BUS 11/1/13 91570 Hwy 42 E MALCOLM C EDWARDS LLC LLC 11/5/13 34 Good Hope Church Road

Ridgeland 3-F Foods, LLC LLC 11/1/13 104 Adderbury Court 833 Hoop Nation, Inc NP 11/13/13 577 Hwy 51 Suite A Acuity Group of Mississippi, LLC LLC 11/25/13 613 Crescent Circle, Suite 201 AmirCo LLC LLC 11/1/13 6811 Old Canton Rd Apt 2901

Mississippi Business Journal

Ripley

11/22/13 270 Trace Colony Park Ste B Northlake Capital, LLC LLC 11/21/13 605 Crescent Boulevard, Suite 200 OSB Trucking, LLC LLC 11/25/131076 Highland Colony Parkway, 600

Ballground Wildlife Seed LLC LLC 11/26/13 300 Bell Bottom Road Panther Lake Hunting Lodge LLC LLC 11/26/13 300 Bell Bottom Road

I

Behlar Properties, LLC LLC 11/25/13625 Highland Colony Parkway Suite 104 Breamfly Real Estate, LLC LLC 11/20/13 307 Highland Park Cv Brito Roofing Inc BUS 11/18/13 142 Trace Ridge Dr Broken Creek, LLC LLC 11/4/13 368 Highland Colony Parkway

College Hill Catering, LLC LLC 11/26/13 1738 North Red Banks Road Southern Outdoors LLC LLC 11/18/13 4193 Highway 178W

Law Office of Robert C Bass, II, PLLC PLLC

11/18/13 426 Highway 15 South Scroggins Transportation LLC LLC 11/25/13 64 E Marion St Tenrag’s, LLC LLC 11/7/13 253 Lake Drive

January 24, 2014

Playful Pet Resort, LLC LLC 11/25/13625 Highland Colony Parkway Suite 104 R. H. McRae’s Electrical Contractors, Inc.BUS

11/1/13 270 Trace Colony Park Ste B Redemption Properties, LLC LLC 11/8/13 625 Highland Colony Parkway Suite 104 Regional Electric, Inc. BUS 11/7/13 270 Trace Colony Park Ste B Revenue Performance Solutions, LLC LLC 11/25/131076 Highland Colony Parkway, 600 Concourse suite 100

Safety Service Associates, LLC LLC 11/13/13 1022 Highland Colony Suite 101 Shoes 4 Ever Inc BUS 11/25/13 711 Lake Harbour Drive Apt 1049 Spread Data, LLC LLC 11/20/13 800 Woodlands Parkway, Suite 102 Sterile Armor of Mississippi, LLC LLC 11/8/13 220 W. Jackson Street Sterling McCool Auctions, LLC LLC 11/20/13 340 Arbor Dr., Suite 2315 Strategic Energy LLC LLC 11/13/13 521 Heatherstone Court Sunbelt Sterile Sentry, LLC LLC 11/18/13 855 S Pear Orchard, Building 100 Tenax TM, LLC LLC 11/22/13 600 Crescent Blvd Ste B TIME Systems LLC LLC 11/14/13 270 Trace Colony Park Ste B U.S. Lawns of Vicksburg, LLC LLC 11/20/13 690 Century Place Vidalia Hotel Group, LLC LLC 11/5/13 222 Eastpark Street Vise & Morgan LLC LLC 11/6/13 27 Breakers Lane

Rosedale Saltillo A Little Bit of Everything LLC LLC 11/8/13 2342 Barnes Crossing Rd EMI Lou’s Boutique, Inc. BUS 11/4/13 127 Town Creek Drive Payless Used Cars Inc BUS 11/12/13 1452 Cr 885 Providence Cemetery Board NP 11/22/13 111-D Town Creek Drive Snuggle Buddy Inc NP 11/12/13 102 Ben Cove Spray Ag, LLC LLC 11/14/13 241 Little Harpe Trail TM Investments LLC LLC 11/25/13 188 Union Belle Blvd

Sandersville Gray Law Firm, PLLC PLLC 11/14/13 109 South Front Street

Saucier Heart 2 Art LLC LLC 11/5/13 18575 Old Highway 49 Hope4aFuture Foundation NP 11/19/13 21813 Ridgeview Drive

Southaven Archon Homes DBA OTH 11/14/13 6928 Cobblestone Dr., Suite 100 Dashalytics, LLC LLC 11/12/133685 Bonner Dr. ( Olive Branch 38654) Encore Steel Buildings LLC LLC 11/19/13 1259-B Main Street Innovative Enterprises, L.L.C. LLC 11/12/13 2227 Linda Shore Dr Iron Man Outfitters, LLC LLC 11/25/13 5293 Getwell Road JES Services LLC LLC 11/21/13 1310 Staunton Dr John Calligeros DBA OTH 11/14/13 6928 Cobblestone Dr., Suite 100 JSS Homes, LLC LLC 11/13/13 1884 Lindsey Lane Love Liz Inc BUS 11/14/13 5499 Peachtree Cove E MBCC Associates Inc BUS 11/21/13 384 Goodman Road Ste 193 MUELLER REAL ESTATE HOLDING CO LLCLLC

11/13/13 3620 Shady Oaks Drive PH Properties, LLC LLC 11/18/13 6858 Swinnea Road, 5 Rutland Place South Lake Construction LLC LLC 11/25/13 915 Ferncliff Cv., Ste 2B Yummy Bites, LLC LLC 11/4/13 5293 Getwell Road

Starkville

Shaw

A Lifetime of Joy Photography LLCLLC 11/13/13 4126 Longview Road Ashford Design Group, LLC LLC 11/5/13 1656 Bluefield Road Autonomy Farm, LLC LLC 11/21/13 407 Mallory Ln AutonoMY Health, LLC LLC 11/12/13 407 Mallory Ln Champ’s LLC LLC 11/13/13 319 B Hwy 182 East Crane Pines LLC LLC 11/21/13 558 Southgate Drive Double Lakes LLC LLC 11/21/13 558 Southgate Drive Gates of Peace, LLC LLC 11/12/13 1248 W. Lakeshore Drive Global Status Records LLC LLC 11/26/13 107 Leflore Street GMA Investments, LLC LLC 11/25/13 449 Valley View Road Gold Ventures, LLC LLC 11/12/13 600 Shadowood Lane Hidden Valley, LLC LLC 11/15/13 27 Lucy Faye Lane Maroon & White Tree Removal and Lawn Services LLC LLC 11/18/13 500 Russell Street Suite 19 Mississippi Aviation & Learning Center, Inc. NP 11/13/13 103 Countryside Road S I Properties LLC LLC 11/26/13 103 Daffodill Drive Uncle Buck’s Brittle LLC LLC 11/20/13 712 Cypress Road

Delta Hands for Hope NP 11/12/13 200 White Oak Street

Sturgis

Sherman

Golden Spike Inspection Group LLCLLC 11/25/13 500 Smith Road

Scooba M & L -A Little of Everything, LLC LLC 11/13/13 2620 Old Hwy 45

Seminary Flag Heads, LLC 11/26/13

LLC 490 Highway 49

Okatoma Trace Mobile Home Park LLC LLC

11/26/13 490 Highway 49 RJ’s Fish and More LLC LLC 11/27/13 106 West Main

Senatobia Advanced Aviation Consulting LLCLLC 11/15/13 482 Cottonwood Cove CardioPulmonary Diagnostics LLC LLC 11/14/13 192 Gwen Road Cornelius Trucking LLC LLC 11/4/13 22093 Hwy 4 E Ed’s Light Sport Aircraft Service LLC

LLC

11/18/13 801 Buster St R & R Auto Exchange, LLC LLC 11/15/13 110C Main Street Tate County Mississippi State Alumni

NP

11/18/13 98 Pecan Drive West Point Communities, LLC LLC 11/22/13 103 Scott Street

Ironman Properties, LLC LLC 11/7/13 283 Third Avenue

Shubuta Center Ridge Baptist Church NP 11/6/13 293 County Road 260

Shuqualak HillBilly’s Spirits, LLC LLC 11/21/13 8389 Shuqualak Road

Silver Creek Mackey’s Logging LLC LLC 11/7/13 269 Hooker Road

Smithdale Gulf Coast Venture Capital, LLC LLC 11/1/13 3624 Hwy 569

Summit Eighteen-Seventeen Printing LLC LLC 11/5/13 2142 Willis Cotton Rd

Tishomingo Pounders Veterinary Services, LLCLLC 11/25/13 47-C Cr 958

Floor Specialist LLC LLC 11/15/13 574 Old Salt Road KylaSam LLC LLC 11/6/13 42 N. Mill Street Rest Assured Insurance Services BUS 11/21/13 59 Ray Lane

Taylorsville Advocare Anesthesia LLC LLC 11/7/13 191 Hwy 529 Essential Transportation, LLC LLC 11/26/13 81 Joe Hatten Rd Professional Medical LLC LLC 11/4/13 178 Payton Graves Rd

Superior Private Investigations LLC

19 LLC

11/15/13 362 S Thomas St The Underground Theatre Project NP 11/22/13 322 North Broadway Street William Clifford Properties, LLC LLC 11/25/13 336 N. Green Street (38804)

Tylertown Grainger Quality Home Renovations Inc BUS 11/6/13 20 Lowery Loop OQuin Tree Farm, LLC LLC 11/22/13 138 Johnson Smith Road P & A Farms LLC LLC 11/18/13 237 Hilton Lane Process Automation & Control IncBUS 11/13/13 672 Hwy 98 West Richard Allen Lee Trucking LLC LLC 11/21/13 1208 Meadowbrook Lane

Union Pam and Megan’s Shoppe LLC LLC 11/25/13 10620 Orad 4306 The Carpet Man LLC LLC 11/5/13 11330 Rd 505

Vancleave

Nickson’s Package Store, LLC LLC 11/14/13 1193 Main St

BoxLife Athletics LLC LLC 11/4/13 2715 Hwy 90 ( Gautier 39553) BoxLife CrossFit DBA LLC 11/4/13 2715 Hwy 90 ( Gautier 39553) BoxLife Crossfit LLC LLC 11/4/13 2715 Hwy 90 ( Gautier 39553) GMP Glass Enterprises, Inc BUS 11/18/13 12213 Jim Ramsey Road Leatherneck Contracting LLC LLC 11/18/13 13120 Old Fort Bayou Road Volunteers of America Greater Southeast, Inc. NP 11/25/13 6220 Allen Road

Tupelo

Verona

Tougaloo Global Communications Development Center, Limited Liability CompanyLLC 11/27/13350 Woodrow Wilson Drive, Suite 3140 ( Jackson 39213)

Smitty’s Food Mart LLC LLC 11/21/13 6114 N State Street

Tunica

AKR, LLC LLC 11/1/13 301 West Main Street American Car Center, LLC LLC 11/8/13 1195 S. Gloster St American Financial Inc BUS 11/26/13 1195 S. Gloster St Asset Properties LLC LLC 11/21/13 2226 Windsor Place Road Baywood Investments, LLC LLC 11/4/13 2872 Orchid Circle Birthplace Sessions, LLC LLC 11/14/13 109B S. Spring Street El Veracruz Inc. BUS 11/27/13 2810 Hwy 178 Fish Boat, LLC LLC 11/6/13 969 Debeau Drive Foushee Properties, LLC LLC 11/12/13 1421 West Bristow Avenue Furniture Brands USA, LLC LLC 11/15/13 363 North Broadway Game X Change Dba BUS 11/15/13 401 S Gloster, Suite 103 Gary Wood’s Flea Market Inc BUS 11/12/13 1612 Road 41 Goldy’s Fire Apparatus, LLC LLC 11/7/13 738 Lake Park Drive Hill’s Motorcycle Sales & Service, Inc. BUS

11/12/13 529 Daybrite Drive Hultquist Enterprises Inc BUS 11/15/13 401 S Gloster, Suite 103 JnJc Enterprises, LLC LLC 11/8/13 699 Nation Hills Dr, #315 Land Turberville, P.A. PA 11/12/13 305 North Broadway Street Lee Line Logistics, LLC LLC 11/4/13 1575 Lee Line Rd Mississippi Medical Imaging Group PLLCPLLC

Sumrall

I

11/26/13 312 N. Green Street NOFFL Football League NP 11/12/13 904 B Privet Cove North Mississippi Apartment Services, Inc. BUS 11/4/13 2301 West Main Street Suite D Pat Ramey Consulting, LLC LLC 11/22/13 926 Morning Glory Circle RedMed of Starkville, LLC LLC 11/15/13 333 W. Franklin Street RPG Medical of North Mississippi, LLC LLC

11/14/13322 West Jefferson Street (38804) Russell Brothers, LLC LLC 11/14/13322 West Jefferson Street (33804) Sake Japanese Express II Inc. BUS 11/26/13 3905 North Gloster Street Spider Jump, LLC LLC 11/18/13 2508 Confederate Ave. ST Wade Enterprises LLC LLC 11/14/13 315 North Broadway Street

Sparkle Grill Cleaning of Northeast Miss. LLC LLC 11/25/13 192 Cr 295 (Shannon 38868)

Vicksburg Beauchamp’s Lawn Care, LLC LLC 11/22/13 104 Willow Creek Dr Charging Rhino LLC LLC 11/13/13 1990 S Frontage Road Ste D Cognitive Development Center of Mississippi Company BUS 11/12/13 1713 Clay St DEB, LLC LLC 11/1/13 110 Lakewood Hills FNV Equity Members, LLC LLC 11/5/13 4223 I-20 Frontage Road Frank Crump, Jr Educational Foundation NP 11/4/13 705 Cain Ridge Road Irby Consulting Services LLC LLC 11/26/13 131 Woodstone Drive Jackson Street LLC LLC 11/8/13 1110 Jackson St. Just Better Auto Sales LLC LLC 11/15/13 550 Eagle Lake Shore Rd Katherine Marine V, LLC LLC 11/21/13 101 Lee Street Kowboy Krazee LLC LLC 11/5/13 4619 A Nailor Road Mahadev Inc BUS 11/4/13 1905 A Mission 66 Ste 2 Mayfield Investments LLC LLC 11/8/13 914 Grove Street NSD LLC LLC 11/20/13 2700 Alcorn Drive Sarah Marine V, LLC LLC 11/21/13 101 Lee Street The Law Offices of Amelia S McGowan PLLC PLLC 11/12/13 312 Pemberton Blvd., Ste. 2, #242 The Ponderosa of Vicksburg, LLC LLC 11/27/13 10518 Highway 61 South The Ware House Vicksburg, LLC LLC 11/8/13 5025 Bovina Cutoff Road Vicksburg Community Radio NP 11/6/13 4223 I-20 Frontage Rd Apt H2 Windchere, LLC LLC 11/4/13 303 Lafayette Street Wine-Oh!, LLC LLC 11/1/13 5025 Bovina Cutoff Road

See

NOV INC, Page 20

SALES MOVES

20 I Mississippi Business Journal I January 24, 2014 » JEFFREY GITOMER

Windshield time. Before and after opportunities

A

ll outside salespeople have “windshield time” — the time you spend behind the wheel, or in some form of transportation, going to and from appointments.

Windshield time is a critical time both for the anticipation of the sales call and for the aftermath of the sales call.

REALITY CHECK: How are you taking advantage of that valuable time? Here are the options: Waste it. Invest it. Your choice.

Most salespeople have a habit of doing the same thing when they get in the car. They either listen to their favorite radio station or, perhaps better, they listen to something that they can learn from.

What do you listen to?

What should you listen to?

Be prepared to learn and be inspired. All at times, have that ONE CD or that ONE SET of CDs that best resonate with you.

Here are two of my all-time favorites: 1. The Art of Exceptional Living by Jim Rohn. (I carried this set of CDs in my car for a decade, and will listen to it again this year.)

2. The Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale. Total inspiration. Listen once a month.

REALTY: Windshield time is your best time to prepare mentally and emotionally before the call

and review what happened after the call.

I have 7.5 more ideas that I'd like to share with you about windshield time: IDEA 1: On your way to the call, identify the first two or three questions you want to ask your prospect. Voice to text them to yourself. Start the mental preparation for the call. I promise when you generate two or three questions, you will also generate an idea or two.

IDEA 2: Make slides for each question before you go inside so that you are certain to ask them.

My first slide always reads, “Before we get started, I’d like to ask you a couple of questions.”

The second you generate the idea, voice to text yourself the content and then make the slide in the lobby when you arrive. (This requires getting there early, not “on time.”)

IDEA 3: Voice to text as you think of other things. This will both ensure you remember the thoughts and it will clear your mind. I cannot stress enough the importance of ZERO MENTAL CLUTTER before the sale. Get rid of excess thought, no matter how small, so your focus is 100 percent on the customer and the sale.

IDEA 4: Pump it up. Listen to your favorite music just before you enter the call. Get happy, get excited, get your rhythm, put some bounce in

your step, get your enthusiasm set on “high.” Music can do all of these things.

IDEA 5: Before the call, mentally establish your expected outcome. Think about the detail of it. Expect a “yes” before you Jeffrey Gitomer start.

IDEA 6: Listen to the recording of your sales presentation as soon as you dare. You’ll laugh and cry. It’s the biggest reality check of your life, and the best private coaching session you’ll ever receive.

IDEA 7: Record the “wish-I-woulda–crap-Ishoulda” for a minute or two immediately after it’s over. Take note of your impression of what happened, good or bad.

IDEA 7.5: Record any promises you made, especially as relates to additional info you need to send to the customer as well as deadlines for follow up.

NOTE: Never actually text while driving. If you don't have voice to text capability, pull over to the side of the road.

PRE-CALL REALITY: Once you have a few

questions prepared, a couple of ideas documented, and your favorite rock song playing in your head, your confidence level entering the sales call will triple.

POST-CALL REALITY: Once you “download” the after-the-call reality and listen to the recording, document what you should have done and document what still needs to be done so your mind will be fertile for the next call.

BIGGEST IDEA and AHA!: Win or lose the sale? Celebrate that outcome either way. Recognize that proper investment of windshield time will give you a hell of a lot more YES! celebrations.

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

INCORPORATIONS NOV INC.

Waveland Continued from pg 19

Walnut BC’s Auto Sales LLC 11/21/13

LLC 100-A Cr 127-A

Water Valley Custom Homes of Oxford LLC LLC 11/8/13 156 CR 375 Today is a Work Day LLC LLC 11/22/13 301 North Main Street, Suite #3

Mississippi Vacation Properties LLC

LLC

11/6/13 228 Coleman Avenue T G Marine Properties, L.L.C. LLC 11/21/13 138 Hartsie Drive

Waynesboro Charles Hutto, Inc BUS 11/22/13 830 Matherville Popular Springs Road Distinguished Ladies & Gentlemen, Inc. NP

11/4/13

10 Jo Land Drive

T & R Recreational Rental LLC LLC 11/22/13 42 Tommy Conner Dr

Webb Mt. Mariah MB Church NP 11/13/13 262 North First St

Wesson Precious Images Ultrasound, LLC LLC 11/8/13 2837 Elisha Lane NW

West Point 3-D’s Trucking LLC 11/27/13 514 Avalon St. BER DBA LLC 11/1/13 209 North Eshman Avenue Black Entertainment Radio, LLC LLC 11/1/13 209 North Eshman Avenue Brown One & One Cleaning Service LLC LLC

11/15/13 541 East Access Rd Cooper’s Wholesale Cars LLC LLC 11/7/13 743 East Main Street Glen Moore, LLC LLC 11/18/13 213 Commerce Street

House of Tobacco 1, LLC LLC 11/15/13 327 Commerce Street House of Tobacco 2, LLC LLC 11/15/13 327 Commerce Street Jeannetta G Edwards DBA OTH 11/12/13 457 Martin Cove JNC Transport LLC LLC 11/21/13 103 West main Street West Point Star Courier DBA OTH 11/12/13 457 Martin Cove

Wiggins

Woodville

China Inn Yang Inc BUS 11/4/13 207 Central Avenue W KN Logging LLC LLC 11/4/13 29 Monk Road

Calvert Management LLC LLC 11/21/13 2755 Hwy 24 East

Winona

Gonzales Touchstone, LLC LLC 11/13/13110 North Jerry Clower Boulevard, Suite W Jubilee Transporters, LLC LLC 11/20/13 2219 Wildwood Terrace Ext Ubons Distribution LLC LLC 11/18/13 420 East Madison St Yazoo Towing and Recovery, Inc. BUS 11/26/13 1251 Old River Rd

Pettit Home Improvement, LLC LLC 11/25/13 61 New Hope Road

Yazoo City

NEWSMAKERS Hightower earns certification Olivia Berry Hightower, MD, a medical oncologist at Memorial Medical Oncology Clinic, recently passed board certification in medical oncology through the American Board of Internal Medicine. Hightower joined the Memorial Medical Oncology Clinic after completing her residency in internal medicine and oncology fellowship at Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans. She earned her medical doctorate Hightower from the University of Mississippi Medical Center after graduating summa cum

laude from the University of Southern Mississippi.

In addition to being board certified in medical oncology, Hightower is board certified in internal medicine.

Houze named director The University of Southern Mississippi Alumni Association recently welcomed Shea Kidd Houze as the organization’s new associate director for external affairs. Houze earned a degree in speech communication from the university in 2002. Upon graduation, she was employed in the sales industry until deciding to pursue a career in higher education. Subsequently, she completed a master’s degree in college student affairs administration from the University of Georgia in 2006. In addition, Houze will complete a doctoral

degree in educational research from the University of Memphis this year.

Over the past seven years, Houze has gained experience in the areas of first year experience, new student orientation, student success and retention programming, multicultural affairs, career services and student activities. In her prior role at the University of Memphis, Houze served as the coordinator of the First Scholars Program, a four-year program for first-generation college students.

Thompson earns top honor Natchez McDonald's restaurant manager Faye Thompson recently learned she has received the 2013 Ray Kroc Award, an annual performance-based recognition of the top one percent of McDonald's restaurant managers from the company's 14,000 U.S. restaurants. Thompson will also be included in the restaurant's national manager magazine recognizing all Ray Kroc winners from around the country.

Thompson serves as general manager of the McDonald's Morgantown restaurant. She has been a McDonald's manager since 2001 and has run the Morgantown location since that time.

See

MORE NEWSMAKERS, Page 21

NEWSMAKERS

January 24, 2014

McQueen to retire

Niblett made publisher

Obama chooses McTeer Toney

Columbus Police Chief Selvain McQueen has put in his retirement papers. The retirement date was unspecified. McQueen has served as chief since December 2011. He was named interim chief after former chief Joseph St. John was fired.

McQueen, who previously served as chief of investigations for the department, has been with the CPD for 26 years.

Jason Niblett has been named publisher of The Chronicle newspaper in Laurel. Niblett, who has been with The Chronicle since it launched in April 2012. He started as news editor and later became advertising manager. Before that, Niblett served several years as a news reporter and news editor in the local newspaper market. He also worked in the marketing field in Hattiesburg for about three years.

Scaggs comes to chamber

Camp added at Terracon

William "Skip" Scaggs has been named executive director of the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce. Scaggs come to the chamber from the Mississippi Development Authority in Jackson, where he had served as director of the existing industry and business division.

He held previous positions at chambers in Meridian and in Birmingham, Ala.

Christopher L. Camp, P.E., has joined the staff of Terracon Consultants Inc. as a project engineer in their Ridgeland office. Camp has 12 years of engineering experience, with state and county highway departments and as a private consultant. He has conducted geotechnical field investigations and provided project management for roads and bridges; commercial buildings; communication towers; levees Camp and dams; and industrial sites for public and private sectors.

Camp earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Auburn University, and is a registered professional engineer in Alabama and Mississippi.

He and his wife, Sheilah, have three daughters and currently live in Ridgeland.

President Barack Obama has selected Heather McTeer Toney as administrator for EPA's regional office in Atlanta.

McTeer Toney was the first African-American and first female to serve as mayor of Greenville, holding that post from 2004-2012. She joins EPA from Mississippi Valley State University, where she is the executive director of the Center for Excellence in Student Learning. She is also the principal attorney at Heather McTeer, PLLC. McTeer Toney's privatesector success is complemented by considerable experience in local and state politics. She began her career working as a member of McTeer and Associates Law Firm. Later she served as the president of the National Conference of Black Mayors and in 2009, was nominated by former EPA administrator Lisa P. Jackson to serve as the chairwoman of the Local Government Advisory Committee.

McTeer Toney, who is active in her community and an advocate for education, women’s issues, health and wellness, is married to Dexter Toney and they have two children.

Sumrall made shareholder M. Jason Sumrall has become a shareholder in Copeland, Cook, Taylor, & Bush’s Gulf Coast office.

Sumrall, a native of Biloxi, received his J.D. from the University of Mississippi and his B.B.A. from Millsaps College. He is a member of the Mississippi Bar, Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association and Harrison County Young Lawyers.

At Copeland Cook, Sumrall Sumrall practices in the areas of insurance coverage and litigation, litigation, third-party personal injury defense and workers’ compensation.

Russell joins campaign Jordan Russell has left Congressman Alan Nunnelee’s office as communications director. Russell has moved over to Sen. Thad Cochran’s campaign.

The new communications director for Nunnelee is Elizabeth Parks.

Waggoner welcomes Ehlers Waggoner Engineering has added John Ehlers, PE, in its New Orleans office. Ehlers joins Waggoner as a project manager, bringing with him 35 years of experience in engineering design, including nuclear, aerospace and municipal and state infrastructure. Prior to joining Waggoner, Ehlers served as a project engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ hurricane protection office. Previously, he was a principal mechanical engineer for the sewerage and water board of New Orleans and mechanical engineering consultant for three of the city’s new outfall pumping stations.

Ehlers holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of New Orleans and has several years’ experience in civil engineering. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in languages from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree in languages from Tulane University.

Ehlers is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers and a licensed engineer in Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico and Pennsylvania.

Wrigley earns appointment Attorney Jaklyn Wrigley, an associate of Fisher & Phillips, LLP in Gulfport, was recently appointed to the board of trustees at the Walter Anderson Museum of Art. Wrigley practices labor and employment law at the local office of Fisher & Phillips. She is a graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law, summa cum laude, and received her bachelor of arts degree, cum laude, in Spanish from Ole Miss.

She is admitted to practice in Mississippi and Florida.

Salters recognized for service Keith and Vicki Rhodes, owners of the Floor Trader, recently honored David Salters of Ocean Springs with a special dinner and gift for his 10 years of service with the Floor Trader. Salters is vice president of operations for all three Floor Trader locations in Gulfport, Gautier and Mobile, Ala. He is a certified flooring executive with the World Floor Covering Association.

Salters Salters was also honored with 2008 Manager of the Year Award from Floor Trader National.

Lomenick receives award Pharmacist Robert Lomenick, RPh, is one of the 2013 recipients of the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations' Excellence in Innovation Award.

Forty-two pharmacists in 41 states were recognized.

Lomenick, an alumnus of the University of Mississippi (1977), is a pharmacist at Tyson Drug Store in Holly Springs.

Adams named manager Dorothy Adams, RN, BSN, MSN, of Jackson has been named to the position of nurse manager of the 47-bed adult behavioral health unit at Central Mississippi Medical Center. Adams earned a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Phoenix, a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Mississippi College and an associate in applied science degree from Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

Adams Most recently, she served as director of nursing of behavioral health services and related units at River Regional Healthcare in Vicksburg. Prior roles include nurse manager for adult, adolescent and child psychiatric units at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis and as a charge nurse at Mississippi State Hospital. In addition to behavioral health, Adams’ nursing background includes experience in infection control, quality assurance and medical/surgical care. She has also worked as a phlebotomist supervisor and medical lab technician.

Community promotes Hughes David M. Hughes of Biloxi has been promoted to the position of COO for Community Bancshares and has joined the holding company’s board of directors. Previously, Hughes held the position of CEO of the bank’s subsidiary, Community Bank, Coast. With this new role, Hughes also becomes a member of the holding company’s risk management team.

A Biloxi native, Hughes is a Hughes graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in business administration. He is also a graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Banking and the University of Oklahoma Commercial Lending School.

In 2013, Hughes was recognized as one of the Top 10 Business Leaders of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and has been installed in the Mississippi Gulf Coast Business Leaders Hall of Fame.

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

21

Active in the community, he was involved with the United Way, serving on several committees, and held leadership positions with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity and the Boys and Girls Club.

Rowzee selected for program Kimberly Rowzee, a nurse educator at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, has won acceptance to an exclusive, year-long development program that cultivates the nursing profession and advances the care of women and newborns. Rowzee, who works at UMMC’s Wiser Hospital for Women and Infants, was one of 42 candidates considered for the Emerging Leaders Program run by the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. From that nationwide pool, she was one of only 10 chosen.

A UMMC employee for almost 11 years, Rowzee coordinates programs for pregnant women and their families and supervises the breast-feeding program at Wiser. An obstetrics and gynecological nurse for 18 years, she was also a part-time UMMC faculty member in the School of Nursing in the fall.

A Meridian native, Rowzee earned her undergraduate degree at Mississippi University for Women in Columbus and her master’s at UMMC’s School of Nursing.

Bishop, Richards promoted Shea Bishop, RN, BSN, has been promoted to director of the Emergency Department and Ben Richards, NREMT-P, RN, BSN, has been named trauma program manager at Central Mississippi Medical Center. Bishop is a registered nurse and has been working at CMMC for three years, first as an Emergency Department charge nurse before being named interim director. She previously served as chief nursing Bishop officer for Pioneer Community Hospital of Newton. She earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of Southern Mississippi and an associate of science degree in nursing from Meridian Community College.

Richards is a registered nurse and paramedic with numerous Richards years of experience in the fields of emergency medicine, trauma and post-operative care. He previously served as trauma program coordinator at a Colorado hospital and worked as a flight nurse on an Arkansas AirEvac LifeTeam, responsibilities that included working with critically-ill and injured patients both at the scene and during inter-facility transports. He earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Union University, a bachelor of arts degree in management and human resources from Trevecca Nazarene University and an associate in applied science degree in emergency medical technology-paramedic from Hinds Community College.

For announcements in Newsmakers; Contact: Wally Northway (601) 364-1016 • wally.northway@msbusiness.com

22 I Mississippi Business Journal I January 24 2014

» MISSISSIPPI LEADERS by Martin Willoughby

Ginning up success Royal returns to his roots

I

n my role as a business consultant, I interview a lot of prospective employees for my clients. In addition to looking for people with the proper experience and training, I am particularly focused in on the character and attitude of the interviewee. Skills can be developed; however, it is very difficult to alter attitude. In a recent interview, the individual made a very powerful statement — “It is my responsibility to make the life of my boss easier.” This simple statement revealed a great deal. She had a servant heart and willingness to go the extra mile. She was able to consider her employer’s perspective and make sure she was delivering value.

This perspective came up in my interview with this week’s leadership focus — Robert Royal, the general manager of Midnight Gin Company based in Midnight, Miss. Royal grew up on a farm in Midnight, and he went on to graduate with a degree in agricultural economics from Mississippi State. After graduation, Royal moved to Chicago and worked on the trading floor of the Chicago Board of Trade, first as an employee of a brokerage company and later as an independent trader in the treasury-note pit.

After a few years in Chicago, he moved back to Mississippi and worked as a broker in both commodities and securities. In the mid-90’s, he began cotton farming with his father and soon after was asked to serve as general manager and oversee the day-to-day

Up Close With ... Robert Royal Title: General manager, Midnight Gin Company Favorite Books: Don Quixote (Miguel de Cervantes), The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway, and Reminiscences of a Stock Operator (Edwin Lefevre) First Job: ”My first paying job, aside from cutting grass, was at the Midnight Gin. I was only about 13, and it was a summer job helping process cucumbers. At the time, I weighed only a few more pounds than a bushel of cucumbers. “ Proudest Moment as a Leader: ”This season, our friendly competitor cotton gin up the road chose not to operate due to low cotton acreage. Rather than go to other competing gins, all their remaining farmers brought their cotton to the gin I run. Their dedication to the community and their confidence in me was humbling. “ Hobbies/Interests: ”Training my bird dogs. Now there’s a leadership role I truly enjoy. “

activities at Midnight Gin Company.

Royal is also very active in his industry. In addition to serving as a director with the Delta Council and Delta Oil Mill, Royal is the current president of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association. While cotton production in Mississippi is currently down, Royal is helping his organization and other gins navigate this cycle. He noted, “Good

producers are typically good businessmen, too. Resilience is a prerequisite because hard times will hit sooner or later.”

Royal paraphrased a statement by Al Neuharth, founder of USA Today, saying, “If you work for someone, your most important job is to make your boss’s work life easy.”

Royal not only agrees with that general philosophy, he extends that concept to his cus-

“Resilience is a prerequisite because hard times will hit sooner or later.”

Robert Royal General manager, Midnight Gin Company

tomers. He said, “I try to take it a step further as a businessman and make my customers’ life easy. Never inconvenience a customer.”

While this is a straightforward idea, it is much easier said Martin Willoughby than done. Leaders like Royal understand that to deliver on that kind of promise you truly have to put yourself in the shoes of your customer.

Royal also recognized that we are all different and “it is easy to be impressed by a good leader and think, yeah, I want to be like him or her.” Royal explained, “That’s ok, but that leader’s style may not fit your personality. Trying to overlay it on yourself can just create stress and failure. Take it easy, figure out who you are, go with that style, and most importantly, be responsible for your mistakes.”

Royal’s self-described “eclectic” leadership style has served him well. His peers have consistently recognized his leadership ability, and he is just as comfortable on the farm as well as being a public spokesperson for his industry to the media and financial community. Royal’s customer focus is allowing him to navigate the down cycle in the cotton business, but no doubt he will be poised for expansion during the next cotton growth phase. Businesses like Midnight Gin keep the economy going in rural parts of Mississippi, and I appreciate the commitment to excellence and resilience leaders like Robert Royal bring to the job.

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

Learn how local companies can make the best investments

T

» Stocks Under Rocks: How to Uncover Overlooked, Profitable Market Opportunities

By Peter Ricchiuti Published by FT Press $34.99 hardcover

hink that money-making market-beating investment opportunities are only to be found in far-off places?

Or that Wall Street’s got a lock on uncovering great companies with excellent long-term prospects? Peter Ricchiuti, who’s been teaching finance and investing at Tulane for the past 27 years, would ask you, politely, to think again.

In his new book, Stocks Under Rocks, Ricchiuti details his unique approach to identifying and researching promising publicly traded companies. To start, he’s looking where the big money and analysts on Wall Street usually aren’t, leading him to focus on smaller, underfollowed companies based in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

These companies are more likely to be undervalued, and are often so small that many big funds and money managers can’t invest in them.

Next, Ricchiuti’s Tulane students actually become the analysts themselves. They dig into businesses and create financial models, and most importantly, Ricchiuti and his students also visit the companies in person, meeting and asking questions of

management face-to-face. Through his innovative Burkenroad Reports program, his students get the valuable, real-life experience of what it means to follow, research, and understand public companies.

What’s different about this book is that Ricchiuti uses the examples of actual companies he and his students cover to explain his investing philosophy, and you’ll likely recognize many of the companies mentioned. There’s a real Mississippi connection here, too. One whole chapter details the businesses and prospects of Jackson-based Cal-Maine and Laurel-based Sanderson Farms, which have both been excellent long-term investments.

Another interesting Mississippi connection is that Hancock Bank took notice years ago of the smart work and incredible investment opportunities being uncovered by Ricchiuti and his students and created a mutual fund to track their performance.

Since its inception at the end of 2001, the fund has produced a total rate of return of 271 percent, outpacing the small-cap Russell 2000’s 132 percent and the S&P 500’s 77 percent.

(What they’re doing works!)

A believer in sensible long-term investing, and in looking at the fundamentals of a business in order to determine its value, Ricchiuti’s book is an absolute joy to read. He’s very funny — it’s easy to see why Tulane students love him. His personality shines through in his writing, making the book lively and fun.

I should also add that I happily provided a blurb for this book’s back cover. I’d recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about stock analysis and investing. You’ll look at the companies around you with different eyes after reading this one.

— LouAnn Lofton, mbj@msbusiness.com

January 24, 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

23

THE SPIN CYCLE – Pithy PRognostications From A Recovering Journalist

The Brand Is King 2. Ford Despite slipping to second place, Ford reigns as America’s best-selling vehicle brand in 2013, making it well placed to be a US Buzz leader. Annual sales increased 14 Todd Smith percent in the US on the previous year. Ford kept up its ‘And Is Better’ commercial series this year, with the October-launched ‘Nuts or Bolts’ spot advertising the 2014 Ford Fusion and the 2013 Ford Escape using the #fordand Twitter handle. Ford announced it would unveil a solar power car this year, at an electronics convention in Las Vegas. The Ford C-Max Best Brands | 2013 Each year, AdWeek ranks the best-perceived Solar Energi Concept car will be able to travel brands in the world. Buoyed by strong sales 21 miles on a full charge, keeping the carmaker of its e-readers and expansion of its free- in the headlines for 2014. shipping offering, Amazon topped the list of 3. Subway best brands of 2013 as measured by YouGov's Subway remains in third place from the BrandIndex. Rounding out the top 5 were mid-2013 rankings, having started the year Ford, Subway, History Channel and Lowe's. with a health-focused promotion, ‘Fresh Fit Last year was also the year of the bank as fi- Meals’ in a Super Bowl spot in January. The nancial institutions continued to emerge chain celebrated its 15th birthday this year, from the mire of the recession and economic and has set off its summer campaign with an meltdown. In fact, four of the five best-im- ‘Avocado Love’ commercial featuring two proved brands were banks.

Subway customers going a little over-theAmazon was the most popular brand of top in praising the ingredient. The sandwich 2013 when it cashed in on strong holiday chain continues to grow in the U.S., reaching Kindle sales and Amazon Prime, its free ship- a 40,000-outlet milestone in August. In ping service. Falling out of the Top 10 this September, Subway launched its ‘Project year were Target, which suffered an epic data SUBWAY’ campaign, an annual dress debreach and crisis communications headache sign contest hosted by Project Runway stars in late December — the ripple waves of Althea Harper and Raina Seitel, with a top which are still crashing into the shores of prize being to display the dress at a Subway public perception; and Google, which was outlet in Manhattan and free Subway Footdogged by privacy concerns related to NSA longs for a year. Subway is currently offering revelations. The rankings measure consumer $5 Footlong sandwiches for the month of perception of brands by asking customers if January in its ‘JanuANY’ promotion. they’ve felt negative or positive about them, assigning a brand perception score. So, drum 4. History roll, please as we take a gander at the Top 10 History makes it to the top five after a year best-perceived brands in the land! of big budget showings like Vikings and the Bible. Vikings was among the most popular 1. Amazon cable series of the year, snagging more than Online retailer Amazon overtook Ford as 4 million viewers per episode. Now the chanthe most favored brand in America, making nel has announced the second season will it the best-perceived retailer in the US. launch in February, with the promise that it Amazon has remained coy about revealing will bring “Crises of faith, of power, of relahard sales figures, despite strong perform- tionships. History’s Christmas viewing inance of its Kindle and Amazon prime prod- cluded The Curse of Oak Island, the story of ucts. The first weekend in December was two brothers from Michigan who attempt to the company’s strongest holiday sales period find treasure buried on the island, and a twoyet. Amazon revealed its Kindle Fire HD part series of Bonnie and Clyde remade from and the 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX were its the original 1960s movie. History also gained top selling items during the holiday season. success with The Bible, a 10-part series deAmazon, which is the world’s biggest book- buting with more than 13 million views in seller, also revealed in its sales figures that a March before wrapping up on Easter Sunday. quarter of its Kindle eBook sales in the US were from independent publishers. More 5. Lowe’s than 36.8m items were ordered worldwide In at fifth place, Lowe’s reported net earnon Cyber Monday, which is a record-break- ings of nearly $500 million for the quarter ing 426 items per second, and millions of ending Nov. 1, 2013 – a 26 percent increase customers unwrapped Kindle e-readers and on the same period the previous year. The Kindle Fire tablets this holiday season. home improvement store tapped into the

n today’s connected society, branding is much more than a campaign. It’s greater than a slick logo and cool color scheme. It’s a way of life. It’s a promise.

It’s awareness. It’s an identity. It’s a differentiator. It’s iconic. In a nod to its old West heritage, it’s a lasting impression seared into our collective minds. An effective brand cements your company or organization on the stage of public opinion.

Now — more than ever — in a world flooded with mixed messages online and off, establishing brand success is paramount to prosperity.

So, as we sail into the waters of 2014, let’s take a spin on the best brands ship of 2013.

I

social-media savvy audience by launching 12 6-second spots on its Twitter and Facebook pages featuring home improvement tips. It has stuck to its more traditional method of TV marketing to get do-it-yourselfers in store with a 'Rituals' commercial, comparing home improvement to being victorious on the sports field. During the holiday season, Lowe’s teamed up with designers including Design Mom, Little Green Notebook and Brit+Co to inspire customers into improving their homes over Christmas with a series of blogs and pictures. Lowe’s expects another strong performance for 2014, and is launching a number of YouTube spots on the theme: ‘Get a fresh start for the new year.’

Rounding out the Top 10: 6. YouTube 7. Walgreen’s 8. V8 9. Cheerios 10. Kindle Other big brands in the rankings include Samsung, Netflix, Aleve, Olive Garden, Home Depot, iPad, iPhone, Apple (the three amigos of global branding), Google, M&Ms, Target, Geico, Tide, Dawn and John Deere.

Deep Bronze Golden Mic | Target Talk about reputation repair. Target, whose reputation has taken a roller coaster ride into the depths of public opinion in the wake of a monstrous data breach, has scrambled the

MISSISSIPPI

image makers into high gear to spank some sparkle back onto its sterling brand. Days after one of the largest retail data breaches in history – where up to 110 million customers had credit cards or debit cards stolen – the iconic brand shifted into crisis-management mode, taking out full-page ads in major newspapers to apologize to its customers, issuing reassurances to the public and addressing concerns head-on by promising customers they had zero liability in the fiasco. It also released an online guide for avoiding scams in which criminals may try to use the personal information potentially compromised in the attack. Target took it another step by offering free credit monitoring to all customers – not just those affected by the breach – in a brilliant stroke of good will. So as the brand climbs the mountain back to its perch as a top global brand, it is stoking the reputation repair engine to what it hopes is a forgiving public with a short-term memory.

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 ďŹ rm with ofďŹ ces in Jackson. The ďŹ rm — based in Nashville, Tenn. — is also afďŹ liated with Mad Genius. Contact him at todd@deanesmithpartners.com, and follow him @spinsurgeon.

POLYMER

INSTITUTE

How can MPI

help you?

Economic developers across the state are our best outreach partners.

Are you still unsure of what MPI does? Call us!

Come take a tour!

CONTRACT DEVELOPMENT - 3D PRINTING TESTING SERVICES - WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Let us help you recruit and retain high-tech and manufacturing industries in Mississippi.

AA/EOE/ADAI

! # . ! $ ) (", **" ) +(

--- *! '&#.$ ("%)*"*+* &$

McGehee Cruise & Vacation, Inc.

Krazy Karaoke 4 Night Cruise to Mexico from New Orleans, LA Thursday May 22, 2014 - Monday May 26, 2014 Invite your Family & Friends to cruise with you! On the

CARNIVAL ELATION®

There’s no better way to conquer the high seas of fun than with CARNIVAL ELATION. We’re talking beautiful destination spots, award winning stage shows, swanky clubs and lounges. Plus Spa Carnival, a friendly casino, delicious dining options and more. But, enough talkin’. Onward to fun!

Call Today Space Is Limited $706* $656* Interior Cabin From

Oceanview Cabin From

DEPOSIT - BOOK NOW and the per person deposit is only $200 BALANCE DUE IN FULL ON OR BEFORE FRIDAY MARCH 7, 2014.

Call & Book Now - Prices Increase February 10, 2014

All prices are per person double occupancy. Suite prices are available on request.

Book -- Cruisin’ with Jeff Bates -- May 22 - 26, 2014 Call Crystal Black 601.519.0903 or email crystal@mcgeheecruise.com or Click

https://www.mcgeheecruise.com/kkc.html

to make an online booking!

Price Includes:

4day/4night Cruise with accommodations in your selected cabin, Meals and Entertainment while on board the ship, and Gov taxes & fees, and private events.

May 23, 2014 - Private concert by Jeff Bates, including photo & autograph session May 24, 2014 - Private concert by Jeff Bates and special guests & photo session.

Private Events require a wristband - available when cruise is booked by McGehee

Not Included:

TIPS FOR DINING STAFF AND STATEROOM ATTENDANT WHICH IS CURRENTLY $46 PER PERSON. Transportation to the ship, a valid US Passport (or certified original copy of birth certificate & valid photo ID Driver’s License). Items of a personal nature, and anything not specifically mentioned as being included.

Cruisin’ with Jeff Bates 4 Day Western Caribbean (Mexico) Day

Port

Thurs May 22

Arrive

New Orleans, LA

Fri

May 23 Fun Day At Sea

Sat

May 24 Cozumel, Mexico

Depart 4:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m.

4:00 p.m.

Sun May 25 Fun Day At Sea Mon May 26 New Orleans, LA

8:00 a.m.

Cancellation Guidelines - All Payments are immediately non refundable and non transferable.

Travel Insurance is strongly recommended. Please contact Crystal Black for details and price at 601-519-0903. “Carnival reserves the right to re-instate the fuel supplement for all guests at up to $9 per person per day if the NYMEX oil price exceeds $70 per barrel. Carnival can collect this fuel supplement up to the day of your cruise even if your cruise is paid in full.”

Cruise rates are capacity controlled in U.S. Dollars, per guest and based on double occupancy. Some restrictions (including stateroom availability) apply. Rates are subject to change without prior notice. Additional Terms & Conditions are at carnival.com and mcgeheecruise.com. Itineraries are subject to change. Restrictions apply. Ships’ Registry: The Bahamas and Panama. McGehee Cruise & Vacation, Inc. reserves the right to substitute or cancel entertainers/personalities due to unforseen circumstances beyond our control. In this case, the cruise will continue without the entertainers/personalities and no refunds will be provided