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INSIDE — Facebook announces initiative to combat fake news — Page 15 DINING

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July 6, 2018 • Vo. 40 No. 27 • 16 pages

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

“Sweetie Pie’s” moving into downtown Jackson spot — Page 2

MBJ FOCUS

Um, no, the Supreme Court says to Costco case request — Page 6

Big Business {Section begins P8}

» Agriculture a vital cog in the economy of Mississippi » Yokohama off, running in Clay County

{The List P12} » Largest Employers

{P3}

» Auction of UA Northpark 14 building hits a snag

http://msbusiness.com/events/leadership-in-law/

2 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q July 6, 2018 DINING

‘Sweetie Pie’s” moving into downtown Jackson quarters By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

Charles Crenchaw took a break from moving old kitchen equipment out and new equipment into what will become a restaurant. But it’s not just any restaurant. After all, how many have their own television shows? If you’re a staff member at of one of the “Sweetie Pie’s” locations you very well may have been a cast member of a reality show. The show is “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s,” which just concluded its seventh and apparently ﬁnal season on OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network. Crenchaw conﬁrmed rumors that the chain would open its next eatery in Jackson, this one in the Plaza Building, an 11-story art deco structure at the corner of Congress and Amite streets in downtown. Downtown is undergoing a decade-long effort to reinvent itself – as a mixed use area with apartments, retailers and restaurants. More than a quarter of a billion dollars has been invested by the private sector, and three times that much in the public sector. “Sweetie Pie’s” will bring with it the pa-

nache of its television exposure. It will be the fourth restaurant in the soulfood chain. There are two in St. Louis and one in Houston, Crenchaw said. “We don’t know when we’re going to open up,” Montgomery Crenchaw said while sitting at a table, his work gloves off, in The former quarters of La Finestra restaurant, which closed two years ago. Efforts to reach other principals with the chain have proved unsuccessful. Crenchaw said the demographics of the show Norman tended to be 35 and older and predominantly black. “Miss Robbie” Montgomery, his aunt, is the matriarch of the show, so she attracts the older crowd, he said. When a “Sweetie Pie’s” opens, it typically is ﬂooded with crowds because of its TV-infused following, said Crenchaw, 29, who virtually grew up on the show. So the

JACK WEATHERLY/MBJ

Charles Crenchaw takes a break from moving kitchen appliances into what will become “Sweetie Pie’s.” company likes low-key openings to allow the new staff to get up to speed, he said. Aside from moving equipment, Cren-

chaw said he has been busy getting permits from the city. See SWEETIE PIE’S, Page 3

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July 6, 2018

Mississippi Business Journal

RIDGELAND

SWEETIE PIE’S Continued from, Page 2

Montgomery, 78, was born in Columbus, Miss., and her family moved to St. Louis when she was six. She became a singer and eventually was one of the Ikettes with the the legendary Ike and Tina Turner show for eight years, she said in an interview on ABC7 in Chicago earlier this year. She had to put her singing career on hold for 18 years because of a lung condition, which she has since overcome, she said in the interview. That’s when she became a restaurateur. “I tell people that music is my ﬁrst love and that chicken is my second,” said the author of “Sweetie Pie’s Cookbook.” The show has elements of a dramedy – part drama, part comedy. A major source of tension has come from the ambitions of Miss Robbie’s son, Tim Norton. With a desire to see the enterprise become a national chain, he has been at odds with his mother. In fact, she sued him to block the use of variations of the restaurant name after he opened some eateries in California and elsewhere. The mother and son worked out their differences. “We agreed to disagree,” Norton said in one of the episodes. “We ﬁght because we are a family,” Miss Robbie said.

AUCTION OF UA NORTHPARK 14 BUILDING HITS A SNAG By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com An auction of the UA Northpark 14 movie theater building last Thursday failed to draw a bid, but the owner of the property said interest was shown in the 36,000-square-foot building on the Ring Road north of Northpark Mall. William McGuire of United Development Co. of Southlake, Texas, said Monday a glitch interfered with the attempt to sell the building. The “auctioneer prematurely shut down” the auction, McGuire said. “At least two” potential buyers expressed interest in the building after the auction, which was held on the site and online. An effort to contact the auctioneer, Williams and Williams, for this article was unsuccessful. A representative of the auctioneer, Williams and Williams of Tulsa, Okla., who was at the theater for the 4 p.m. auction said there were no bids at the site or online. A flyer for the auction states that bids would be taken “on location or live online at auctionnetwork.com.” McGuire declined to identify the interested parties, but said that the owner of the Northpark Mall has first right of refusal on the property, which lies north of the mall on the Ring Road. That was part of the deal in which the mall owner, Pacific Retail Capital Partners of El Segundo, Calif., bought the 958,000-square-foot center two years ago for an undisclosed amount. Pacific bought the mall from Simon Property Group of Indianapolis, Ind., the nation’s largest retail property owner. Simon Property opened the mall in 1984. Pacific Retail is currently underway in the first phase of a multimil-

lion-dollar renovation of the property. McGuire said that the mall was near foreclosure when it was sold. A call into Pacific Retail Tuesday confirmed the company does have first right of refusal. Regal Entertainment Group notified the movie house’s owner, United Development Co. Global in early 2016 that it was not renewing the lease. But it did. Regal is still operating the theater, which is the only movie house in Jackson. Speed Commercial Realty listed the property until United Development decided to go the auction route. United Development bought the property in 2015 as part of a portfolio of properties, but decided it was not a good fit. The opening bid last week was set at $250,000, McGuire said.

FILE/MBJ

The building that houses UA Northpark 14 has been on the market for three years.

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MBJPERSPECTIVE July 6 2018 • www.msbusiness.com • Page 4

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» INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

Could tariffs and a special election cause November surprise?

o surprises in the run-off elections last week with Michael Guest easily defeating Whit Hughes in the 3rd District Republican Primary run-off and David Baria coming back to defeat upstart Howard Sherman handily in the Senate Democratic Primary run-off. Unless there are some surprises, Guest should cruise to victory and Baria should fall short in majority Republican Mississippi in November. Oh, but could there be surprises? The special election to fill the Senate seat relinquished by Thad Cochran could possibly yield surprises. If Chris McDaniel follows his 2014 blueprint, his challenge to newly appointed Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith will be down and dirty. Will that fight bring out GOP voters or hold down turnout? If polls show either candidate with a substantial lead, the other’s voters could stay home. Meanwhile, challenger Mike Espy could attract a surge in Democratic voters. Should these two happen together, surprises could occur. Don’t bet on it, but surprises could happen if one or more Mississippi relevant issues erupt. One of those issues could be tariffs. Last week newspaper publisher Wyatt Emmerich wrote eloquently about Trump tariffs costing newspaper

Bill Crawford

jobs. “In January, the Trump administration imposed a 30% import tariff on Canadian wood products, including newsprint,” Emmerich wrote. “Prices have risen accordingly, costing my newspaper company $300,000 a year.” As a result, Emmerich laid off 60 newspaper carriers and shifted delivery of his three daily newspapers to the U.S. Post Office. “Fortunately for the survival of my company, we found an option,” said Emmerich. “Thanks to a special postal regulation called Exceptional Dispatch, we will be able to use the U.S. Postal Service to get same day delivery of our three daily newspapers, saving a substantial amount of money and allowing us to leave our editorial staff intact.” Other newspapers have had to cut editorial staff along with other personnel, he said. One editorial staff member recently laid off was long-time political reporter Bobby Harrison. Now writing for Mississippi Today, Harrison penned a story last week on the impact of Trump tariffs on agriculture in Mississippi, particularly soybeans. “Earlier this month, the President announced $50 billion in tariffs on See CRAWFORD, Page 5

hursday afternoon as newsroom staff members at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, were likely writing or editing stories for Friday’s edition, a man with a gun entered and began shooting. Exit doors at the newspaper offices had been barricaded to prevent staffers from fleeing. Some hid under desks and tweeted of the horrific sounds: shots fired, shots ceasing, gun reloaded, more shots fired. Law enforcement officials arrived within seconds, but the suspect, Jarrod W. Ramos, still had time to kill five employees and injure two others. Those who lost their lives while serving their community are Windi Winters, special publications editor; Rob Hiaasen, assistant editor and columnist; Gerald Fischman, editorial page editor; John McNamara, writer; and Rebecca Smith, sales assistant. While it is true the lives of journalists are of no greater worth than those learning and teaching in our schools or those worshipping in churches or attending concerts or dancing in nightclubs, it is also true that the senseless slaying of newspaper folks hits home. Like the Daily Journal, The Capital Gazette takes pride in calling itself a community newspaper, providing seven-day-a-week coverage of local issues, people and events that affect the lives of its readers. After losing five colleagues on Thursday afternoon, the remaining staff of the Capital Gazette took a breath, put their enormous grief on hold for a time and went to work putting out Friday’s edition of their newspaper. In it they wrote the stories they had lived through hours earlier. It may have been the most difficult task ever, but that’s what journalists do. Those who chose to join the ranks as community journalists did so knowing they’d likely not get wealthy or famous. Many probably cut their teeth on small-town newspapers as kids and fell in love with the feel of newsprint in their hands. And most chose it as a career, never imagining they would need to fear for their lives sitting at their newsroom desks. Community journalism remains as important today as ever. We at the Daily Journal mourn our fallen colleagues at the Capital Gazette and we laud the courage and work ethic of those who survived last Thursday’s tragedy. We also renew our commitment to our readers that we will continue in our efforts to enlighten and inform you of the local issues that have an effect on your lives and the lives of your families – because we believe fervently a strong local newspaper plays an important role in improving the quality of life for those in the communities we serve.

— Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

PERSPECTIVE

July 2, 2018 I Mississippi Business Journal

» RICKY NOBILE

CRAWFORD

Continued from Page 4

China,” Harrison wrote. “China responded with similar tariffs, primarily on agriculture products. One of the primary agriculture products impacted by Chinese tariffs is soybeans, which is Mississippi’s top exported product.” “Any trade war between the United States and China will hit hard Mississippi farmer and the Mississippi economy,” he wrote after interviewing North Mississippi farmer Jerry Slocum. In addition to farmers, Mississippi manufacturers are concerned about tariffs too. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported two major state manufacturing companies have spoken out against tariffs. Cooper Tire joined with its industry association to vigorously oppose “the imposition of restrictions on our industry’s ability to import the high-quality steel wire rod needed to make tires in the U.S., as this vital tire component is not produced domestically.” Toyota Mississippi said, “The administration’s decision to impose substantial steel and aluminum tariffs will adversely impact automakers.” As tariffs spread to impact jobs and income in Mississippi, voters will likely take heed. The potential for November election surprises is there. We’ll have to wait and watch to see if that potential is realized. Bill Crawford can be reached at crawfolk@gmail.com.

»INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

Sherman backs Democrats after the pain of Senate loss

oward Sherman was already wondering why Mississippi Democrats seemed so unreceptive to his message before his runoff loss Tuesday. “I’m battling ‘What’s the point?’ a lot,” Sherman told The Associated Press six days before state House minority leader David Baria beat him soundly for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. “There seems to be a very entrenched interest in not changing.” Maybe that was a recognition that the brand of change Sherman was pitching wasn’t going to carry the day, as Baria’s legislative allies and others in the Democratic establishment rallied to support the person they knew. The clear implication was that Sherman couldn’t be trusted, after having been a registered Republican in California and having given money to Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi in what Sherman defended as an effort to block the ambitions of state Sen. Chris McDaniel. The tea party-backed McDaniel initially prepared to challenge Wicker this year after nearly defeating Republican U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran in 2014. Baria has long had a Republican target in his home district in Hancock County. He may have been used to the roughand-tumble of politics, but it was new for Sherman, a venture capitalist who adopted Meridian as his home after years in California. And the sting of those attacks, and getting beaten pretty handily, clearly showed on election night, as he painted Baria someone who couldn’t make a difference. “From the beginning, it was a square peg in a round hole,” Sherman said. “I thought the state was ready for something different. I thought the state was tired of being 50th. But

they voted for a shepherd of 50th.” Sherman seemed to think better of his initial sour reaction. He told the AP in a second phone call Tuesday night that “I still absolutely want to see Democrats win both seats in November,” referring not only to Baria’s race against Wicker, but also to former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy’s bid in a special election where he will face Republicans Cindy Hyde-Smith and McDaniel. Gov. Phil Bryant elevated Hyde-Smith from state agriculture commissioner to U.S. senator in April when he appointed her to fill the vacancy after Cochran retired. Last week, Sherman sent a mass email saying he would support Democrats this year and in the future and urged supporters to “donate to the state party now.” It’s unclear how Democrats will regard Sherman in the future, or if he will have any interest in running for office again. But it’s easy to imagine a scenario where Sherman is steaming toward an intriguing general election as the Democratic nominee for a different office. Sherman said that before he decided to run for Senate, he considered running for the open seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper in the 3rd Congressional District. The $850,000 that Sherman raised for his Senate campaign would have been formidable in the district, which

Jeff Amy

spans 24 counties from the state’s southwest corner through parts of Jackson and its suburbs to Meridian and Starkville. Compare that to current Democratic nominee Michael Ted Evans. It’s hard to tell how much money the state House

It’s unclear how Democrats will regard Sherman in the future, or if he will have any interest in running for office again. member and chicken farmer from Preston has raised, but it can’t be much. Evans still hadn’t filed campaign finance forms with the Federal Election Commission as of Friday. Going against Republican nominee Michael Guest, the district attorney for Madison and Rankin counties, would have been a tough race, but it wouldn’t have been harder than challenging Wicker. Sherman signed his email by saying “our potential is great. Let’s keep that hope alive.” What Sherman’s potential is in Mississippi, and whether his hopes are alive, remains to be seen. Jeff Amy has covered politics and government for The Associated Press in Mississippi since 2011. Follow him at http://twitter.com/jeffamy . Read his work at https://www.apnews.com/By%20Jeff%20Amy .

6 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q July 6, 2018 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Um, no, the Supreme Court says to Costco case request By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com The Mississippi Supreme Court last week unanimously rejected a motion by the City of Ridgeland to reconsider its April 21 ruling against a zoning change to accommodate a Costco Wholesale Store. Perhaps not surprisingly, the same seven justices who ruled against the city in the case that has captivated the attention of Ridgeland and beyond for several years were again in accord on the latest ruling, which was accompanied with no comment. Justices William Waller and Josiah Coleman did not vote, just as in the April 21 ruling. The city, however, is moving forward with an aspect of the original plan for 45 acres on the east side of Highland Colony Parkway. The Board of Aldermen voted 4-3 on June 19 to approve a site plan for a Costco fueling station across Highland Colony Parkway. The fuel station inclusion had particularly rankled opponents, who contend the presence of the wholesaler would create heavy traffic and change the

complexion of the immediate area, which includes upscale residential neighborhoods. The plan for the 45 acres that would be the so-called third phase of the Renaissance at Colony Park, which would include retail outlets including the Costco Wholesale Store, will become a reality, Mayor Gene McGee said in a public statement. Moving forward with the gas station, meantime, is a case of putting the “cart before the horse,” attorney Steve Maloney said at the June 19 meeting. Maloney, representing six of the nine residents who sued the city in Beard et al v. City of Ridgeland, accused the aldermen and mayor of attempting the same “end run” tactic that had failed before the Supreme Court. The latest lawsuit contends that the city decided against allowing a storage facility on the two acres of the nine-acre parcel only after the city fared poorly in oral arguments before a three-justice panel of the Supreme Court on Feb. 5. Previously, the city Zoning Board approved a plan for Storage Park Properties LLC to rezone the nine-acre parcel to C-3 to C-2, and grant it conditional use. But after the unfavorable Supreme Court ruling, the

board of aldermen imposed a 90-day moratorium on storage facilities, then changed the zoning ordinance, blocking storage facilities on C-3 property, according to the suit. The suit cites an interview in the Northside Sun on May 10 in which McGee said said that storage facilities would not be good “ﬁrst impressions of the city.” The suit says sarcastically: “Instead he would like [a] fuel [center] to welcome to Ridgeland.” As of Friday, the suit has not moved forward in the Madison County Circuit Court. It has been assigned to Judge William Chapman.

bringing

wellness home

July 6, 2018 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

AN MBJ FOCUS: Big Business

Agriculture a vital cog in the economy of Mississippi By BECKY GILLETTE mbj@msbusiness.com Mississippi is a very rural state with some of the best farmland in the world. “We live in a country where only about two percent of our population is involved in farming, and it is so often forgotten that these farms, most of which are family operated, touch the lives of every person by providing safe, affordable food and fiber to the world,” said Mississippi Ag Commissioner Andy Gibson. Gibson said agriculture continues to be the leading industry in Mississippi and an important economic driver. The state’s 36,200 farms produced $7.5 billion in commodities last year, farm gate value alone, contributing greatly to the economy. “Agriculture is the backbone of many of our small towns and rural communities with a significant number of jobs, both on-farm and off-farm, related to agriculture,” Gibson said. Agriculture is the number one industry in Mississippi and employs approximately 29 percent of the state’s work force either directly or indirectly, said Dr. Josh Maples, assistant professor and extension economist, Department of Agricultural Economics, Mississippi State University. “Overall, agriculture and forestry added $16.41 billion to the Mississippi economy,” Maples said. In terms of dollars of production, poultry and eggs led the way in 2017 at $2.8 billion worth of production followed by forestry at $1.4 billion. The next three are the primary row crops in the state – soybeans, cotton, and corn. Maples said combined, these three crops accounted for almost $2 billion worth of production. “Even products beyond the top five still have major impacts,” Maples said. “Cattle and catfish rank sixth and seventh and accounted for

AGRICULTURE

industry in Mississippi

amount of state’s work force employed by ag, directly or indirectly

29%

$285 million and $181 million, respectively.” Commodity prices are lower this year which will impact the total value of production. For example, soybean prices are approximately 30 percent lower than they were just four or ﬁve years ago. “The story is similar for other commodities, too,” Maples said. “This has severely tightened margins for producers and resulted in a lower

“Agriculture is the backbone of many of our small towns and rural communities with a significant number jobs, both on-farm and off-farm, related to agriculture.” Andy Gibson Mississippi Ag Commissioner

value of production even if the quantity produced is similar.” Many people aren’t aware of the importance of supporting ag in Mississippi. “Understanding and teaching others about the importance of agriculture to our everyday lives is one of the best ways to support agriculture,” Maples said. “Mississippi State University is very involved in this effort through research and extension efforts that target continually improving agricultural production practices and increasing knowledge for both producers and consumers. A strong agriculture and forestry industry in Mississippi is not only important to the lives of those directly involved, but also to Mississippi as a whole because agriculture is such an important part of the state economy.” In terms of employment, income, and gross domestic product (GDP), the size of production agriculture and/or farming in the state is relatively small compared to other sectors. “However, if indirectly related industries are considered, then the significance of agriculture increases considerably,” said Dr. Corey Miller, economic analyst, University Research Center, Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning. “In addition, for specific areas of the state such as the Delta counties and south-central counties (i.e., poultry industry) agricultural production and related occupations account for a sizable share of economic activity. Moreover, in years of relatively slow growth in economic output in Mississippi– which has characterized most years since the end of the Great Recession–agriculture can have a significant impact. The year-to-year changes in the contribution of agriculture can be more volatile than other sectors, however.” Over the past decade, the agriculture sector in Mississippi has mostly maintained its value as a share of real GDP. Miller said the share See AGRICULTURE, Page 11

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Big Business

10 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q July 6, 2018

The front entrance of the Yokohama Tire plant in West Point.

Courtesy of John Standﬁeld

Yokohama off, running in Clay County By NASH NUNNERY mbj@msbusiness.com Nearly three years ago, Yokohama Tire Corp. president Hikomitsu Noji compared his company’s relationship with Mississippi to “a marriage…and we are proud parents of our ﬁrst child.” That “child”, officially known as Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi, is

now a toddler. The $300 million commercial tire manufacturing facility, built on a 570-acre site carved out of pasture land to the northeast of downtown West Point, has brought hope to the city and Clay County residents. “It’s been all positive and we couldn’t be more pleased with having Yokohama here,” said West Point mayor Robbie Robinson. “There’s always hiccups with

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any new venture and there have been some. When they chose to build the facility here, it was like we hit the lottery. “West Point and Clay County are very happy.” Before Yokohama’s arrival, the county suffered with one of the highest unemployment rates (22 percent) in the state following the closure of the iconic Bryan Foods plant in 2007. Sara Lee, Bryan’s parent company, laid off the last 1,200 of Bryan’s shrinking workforce, with another 1,500 jobs indirectly affected. After an exhaustive year-long search of over 3,000 sites in 48 states, Yokohama selected West Point as the location for its ﬁrst ‘built from scratch’ U.S. facility in 2013. The company then engaged in an accelerated construction schedule to bring Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi’s massive plant to fruition in October 2015. The tipping point for Yokohama officials to choose West Point, according to Joe Max Higgins, involved a rented helicopter ride over the razed Bryan Foods plant during a critical stage in the selection process. Higgins, the energetic, pull-no-punches CEO of the Golden Triangle Development LINK, said Yokohama officials had narrowed their choices to Alabama, South Carolina and West Point. He related to the Yokohama team during the ﬁnal visit that four generations of West Pointers had toiled for Bryan Foods/Sara Lee. “The Yokohama president told me ‘I want to see Sara Lee’ and we loaded up in the helicopter we’d rented for the day and took three or four passes over the demolished site”, said Higgins. “After the fourth pass, the man just looked at me and nodded without a word. There was an emotional connection. “I knew at that moment that we’d landed Yokohama.” Five years later, Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi boasts 650 full-time

employees, exceeding the promised 500 workers to be hired during Phase 1. The company has invested $300 million in the project, but three additional proposed expansions would add another 1,500 jobs. Though he can’t comment on sales ﬁgures, Yokohama senior director for new plant development Alan Easome says customers are “extremely happy” that the company has a plant in the U.S. to provide truck tire needs. “The future of Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi is bright,” said Easome. “We are happy to call West Point home and look forward to many years ahead as a corporate neighbor.” Dan Funkhouser, Yokohama’s vice-president of commercial sales added that the addition of the West Point plant is critical to the company’s continued growth in North America. “The commercial tire market is very strong and growing,” he said. “Both the replacement and OEM tire markets are expanding. This ﬁts in perfectly with the Mississippi plant, which will increase our capabilities to service our OEM and replacement partners as they grow.” Higgins, who’s been credited with bringing over 6,000 jobs to the Golden Triangle and was once featured as an economic development ‘miracle worker’ on CBS news magazine ’60 Minutes’, couldn’t be happier with Yokohama and what the company has brought to the region. “There was a learning curve to start, but they’ve met all their obligations with us,” Higgins said. “Just look around West Point. There’s now a Love’s Travel Stop, Burger King, wellness center, and hotels being built. Peco Foods announced a couple of months ago they’re constructing a $40 million chicken processing plant and hiring 300 workers. “I think West Point and Clay County have turned the corner.”

Big Business AGRICULTURE Continued from, Page 8

has improved somewhat over the past five years, although the value can fluctuate from year to year. Historically, agriculture has been one of a few industries where the U.S. has maintained a trade surplus. For example, the latest forecast by USDA projects a trade surplus in U.S. agriculture for fiscal Miller 2018 of $21 billion. For about the last ten years on average 20 percent of the value of U.S. agricultural production was exported. “Compared to the late 1990s the value of agricultural products exported to Canada and Mexico has increased considerMorgan ably due to NAFTA,” Miller said. “The U.S. also exports a much larger share of its agricultural production to China than in the past because of trade liberalization and rising incomes in that country.” There are concerns about profitability in ag Stevens this year. USDA’s current forecast projects a decline in U.S. real net farm income in 2018 from the previous year. Much of this expected decline results from very good yields in each of the previous two years, leading to price decreases, while expenses remain largely flat. “Most recently, the uncertainty created by the potential tariffs China could impose on U.S. soybeans in response to U.S. duties on Chinese goods has led to decreases in futures prices for soybeans, other grains, and livestock,” Miller said. “These price declines could exacerbate profitability issues in 2018 if they persist. But the longer-term concern from tariffs is China could find sources other than the U.S. to help meet the country’s demand for soybeans and other agricultural commodities.” The Delta crop got a late start due to wet, cool planting conditions. “However, in a meeting earlier this week with cotton, soybean, corn, and rice growers, all participants from all areas of the Delta felt like we have a very good crop in the field and that it holds promise for a good harvest,” said Chip Morgan, executive vice president of the Delta Council. “We’ve got a lot of production challenges to meet between now and harvest.” Senate and House actions on the Farm Bill are their highest priority at this time and both the House and Senate are moving their bills toward floor action. While

both the House and Senate bills are good farm bills, Morgan said there are formidable challenges that must be met when the House-Senate conferees begin to reconcile their different bills. “We are grateful to Chairman Roberts (Kan.), Ranking Member Stabenow (Mich), House Chairman Conaway (Texas), and Ranking House Member Peterson (Minn) for their very good work in crafting a very solid national farm policy,” Morgan said. “The provisions proposed by Senator Grassley to restrict the eligibility of farmers to participate in the commodi-

July 6, 2018

ty programs would be extremely disruptive to farmers in the Mid-South, the Southeast, Texas, and the Far West, and we are hopeful that conferees will address this proposal during House-Senate Conference proceedings.” Beth Stevens, executive director of the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, said many people may not think of it as an industry. “But it certainly is,” Stevens said. “When you think of all the supplemental businesses that are part of the process and the supply chain for crops like cotton, you

Mississippi Business Journal

have everything from the farmer to the ginner, the warehousing, fuel, implements, shipping, banking, chemicals, water, retail and so much more. That’s a huge impact.” Stevens said their local economy certainly feels the effects of agriculture, both in terms of a good year and a not-so-good year. “It deﬁnitely has a big impact on the community either way,” she said. “Small towns, especially in Mississippi, are supported by the ag industry in many ways.”

About the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi

As the only grant making entity in Mississippi focused entirely on women and girls. We provide ﬁnancial and other resource to cultivate social change that will create longterm opportunity for personal stability and stronger families. We provide funding to community partners, commission and share credible research, and advocate for breaking systemic barriers standing between women and their economic security.

When women thrive, Mississippi thrives.

thrive.swellgives.com

Join the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi on July 31, 2018 at the Jackson Convention Center as we showcase businesses with inventive workplace policies and discuss their positive impact for employees and the employer. Hear about exciting advances in an enhanced parental leave policy, employee-focused work culture, and health and wellness program.

To purchase tickets, tables, or sponsorships, please visit thrive.swellgives.com

Lynn Fitch

Dudley Wooley

Jennifer Hall

Linda Waters

Treasurer, State of Mississippi

Ross & Yerger Insurance, Inc. CEO/COO

Baker Donelson Shareholder

Atmos Energy Manager of Public Affairs

For more information on event or organization-wide sponsorships, please contact Frances Patterson Croft: frances@womensfoundationms.org 601-487-0702

Big Business

12 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q July 6, 2018

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Newsmakers

July 6, 2018

Mississippi Business Journal

Broom joins Hattiesburg Clinic Heart & Vascular

Hairston appointed corporate chair

Lott named senior VP/deposit Butler Snow promotes administrator Rance Sapen to COO

Amanda L. Broom, CNP, recently joined the Heart Failure Clinic at Hattiesburg Clinic Heart & Vascular. Under the supervision of the department’s cardiologists, Broom provides care and education to patients with heart failure in an effort to improve outcomes Broom and quality of life. Her goal is to help expand the accessibility of care for patients with heart failure so they can be treated for their condition locally. Broom received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss., and a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Ala. She is board certiﬁed as a family nurse practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She holds memberships with a variety of professional organizations, including the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Spirit of Women. Broom said she takes pride in establishing relationships with her patients and becoming a part of their lives by teaching them how to manage their condition. “I enjoy helping patients make positive changes in their lives and seeing them improve in their health,” she said.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, announces the appointment of Tray Hairston as the 2018 JDRF One Walk Flowood Corporate Chair. The One Walk Flowood Corporate Chair leads the effort in accelerating corporate and community support for One Walk to help JDRF achieve the ultimate goal of creating a world without type one diabetes (T1D) and play a vital role in executing fundraising to beneﬁt local families and the 1.25 million Americans who live with this autoimmune disease. Hairston is a partner at Butler Snow LLP law ﬁrm in Ridgeland. Through his work at Butler Snow, Tray has involvement with The National Diabetes and Obesity Research Institute (NDORI) in Biloxi and T1D connections via his colleagues. JDRF will host its annual Community One Walk Flowood taking place on Saturday, October 20, at The Nature Park located at 4077 Flowood Drive. Organized by the Mississippi Chapter of JDRf and local volunteers, One Walk Flowood aims to raise funds for type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy. It is expected to attract more than 1,000 supporters, including teams representing local businesses, families, schools and other organizations. The walk will bring together the community for a day of inspiration and fun and to help fund JDRF’s vision of a world without T1D. T1D can strike both children and adults at any age. About 40,000 people are diagnosed each year in the U.S. It comes on suddenly, causes dependence on injected or pumped insulin for life, and carries the constant threat of devastating complications such as kidney, nerve or eye disease. JDRF is committed to advancing life-changing breakthroughs from development to the marketplace and into the hands of people with T1D.

Carolyn Lott has recently been named senior vice president/deposit administrator at Community Bank. A native of Forest, Mississippi, Lott recently served as Operations Officer and has been with Community Bank for thirty years. In her new role, Lott will oversee the wire Lott department, submit cash orders and deposits, and order foreign currency. Lott, is a graduate of Forest High School and East Central Community College. Active in her community, Lott is currently the Treasurer at Hillsboro Baptist Church and Sunday School Secretary. Lott currently lives in Hillsboro with her husband, Clayton.

Counties win Excellerator Grants from Entergy Ten Mississippi counties will share $75,000 in grants for projects to make them more competitive among companies looking to establish or expand their operations. In its second year, Entergy Mississippi’s Excellerator Competitive Communities program, awarded grants for environmental site assessments, website development, marketing and more. “When our communities win, we all win,” said Ed Gardner, Entergy Mississippi director of business and economic development. “That’s why we’re trying to make them as competitive as possible through grants that will let them address speciﬁc needs at their industrial sites or through their marketing programs.” This year’s winning counties are Claiborne, Grenada, Madison, Montgomery, Pike, Tate, Tunica, Walthall, Warren and Washington. Mississippi communities already have advantages like proximity to major waterways and interstate systems, low cost of living and low utility rates. With Entergy’s expertise and ﬁnancial support, these communities can improve their site readiness, marketing and other key areas that will help them further stand out to prospective businesses. In addition to assessments and grants, the Excellerator program offers training and workshops to all counties in Entergy’s service area. The Entergy Mississippi economic development team conducts community assessments annually so communities can prepare for the grant cycle each year. “We’re investing in our communities so our customers can have opportunities without having to leave the state,” said Gardner. “It’s about more than enhancing economic development. Through this program, we’re helping people stay and thrive in Mississippi.”

Butler Snow ranked nationally by Top Legal Counsel Review Butler Snow LLP has been ranked as a Top 10 private bond counsel firm nationally by the Thomson Reuters Top Bond Counsel rankings for their number of privately-placed bond transactions closed in the first quarter of 2018. The firm ranked fifth in the category. Butler Snow offers a comprehensive and diverse public finance practice ranging from all forms of state and municipal bonds and obligations to the full complement of techniques available to finance or refinance a wide array of projects. The group, which is made up of nearly 50 attorneys, works collaboratively to find innovative financing solutions to support governmental, health care, industrial/economic development, public-private partnerships, exempt facilities, utilities, public and private educational institutions, housing and other developments and nonprofit institutions. Thomson Reuters is the world’s leading source of news and information for professional markets. The news agency provides professionals with the intelligence, technology and human expertise they need to find trusted answers. Operating in more than 100 countries for more than 100 years, Thomson Reuters enables professionals in the financial and risk, legal, tax and accounting and media markets to make the decisions that matter most, all powered by the world’s most trusted news organization.

Neel-Schaffer’s Matt Lifsey earns DBIA certification Neel-Schaffer, Inc., announced that Matt Lifsey, PE, DBIA, has completed the Design-Build Institute of America’s comprehensive education and certification testing program and is now nationally certified as a Design-Build Professional. Lifsey manages Neel-SchafLifsey fer’s South Carolina operations and leads the firm’s 11-member Design- Build Advisory Group. He is a Vice President in the firm and has 28 years of experience, including 24 with the South Carolina Department of Transportation, where he helped develop the SCDOT’s Design-Build division in 2014. Lifsey’s experience at SCDOT, combined with his work for Neel-Schaffer, gives him a unique understanding of best practices in various phases of Design-Build project delivery, including from the owner’s perspective as well as the private sector’s perspective. According to the Design-Build Institute of America, DBIA certification “is the nation’s only measurable standard of an individual’s knowledge of the Design-Build Done Right principles vital to successful project delivery.” Lifsey is a registered Professional Engineer in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Clemson University.

MSU’s Coble elected to AAEA leadership Keith Coble from Mississippi State University has been named the incoming President-Elect for the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association’s (AAEA) Executive Board. Joining the Board of the Directors this year are Marc Bellemare from the University of Minnesota and Rodolfo Nayga from the University of Arkansas. Established in 1910, the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) is the leading professional association for agricultural and applied economists, with 2,500 members in more than 60 countries.

Butler Snow is pleased to announce that Rance Sapen has been named chief operating officer. Sapen has served as the firm’s chief financial officer for the past 14 years. As COO, Sapen will be responsible for providing administrative leadership and management to Sapen ensure the firm is positioned for further growth and long term success in the legal marketplace. Sapen joined Butler Snow in 2004 as the firm’s CFO. Previously, he served as vice president of finance and CFO of a company in the property and casualty insurance industry. Sapen began his career at Deloitte, a global audit, assurance and management consulting firm. During his tenure at Butler Snow, Sapen has helped advance the firm in multiple areas including transitions into important markets to better serve its clients. Some of those expansions include Nashville, Tenn., Memphis, Tenn., Birmingham, Ala., New York, Denver, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Austin, Europe and Asia. He has also led implementations of financial software, streamlining processes for both internal and external efficiencies. Sapen received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Southern Mississippi and his master’s in business administration from Mississippi College. He is a Certified Public Accountant and is a member of Financial Executives International, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Mississippi Credit Union Association announces board The Mississippi Credit Union Association (MSCUA) held its annual meeting and convention on May 16-19, 2018, at the Beau Rivage Resort in Biloxi, Miss. Attendance included more than 600 credit union professionals, volunteers and guests. The twelve-member MSCUA Board represents the association’s seventy-six member credit unions in Mississippi that serve more than 700,000 individuals who choose credit unions as their ﬁnancial services partner. Two MSCUA directors were re-elected to a three-year term: Katie Nelson, Eagle Express Federal Credit Union (Jackson) and Raymond Scott, Southern Mississippi Federal Credit Union (Hattiesburg). Two MSCUA directors were elected to a three-year term: Rebecca Cooper, 1st Mississippi Federal Credit Union (Meridian) and Alison Lynd, Southern Coastal Federal Credit Union (Biloxi). The MSCUA board officers are Chairman James B. Smith, Jr., Singing River Federal Credit Union (Moss Point); Vice Chairman Billy Bridges, Mutual Credit Union (Vicksburg); Treasurer Ray Scott, Southern Mississippi Federal Credit Union (Hattiesburg); and Past Chairman John Gibbons, Triangle Federal Credit Union (Columbus). Board members are Betty Barrett, Magnolia FCU (Jackson); Sheila Bridges, CommFirst FCU (Jackson); Rebecca Cooper, 1st Mississippi FCU (Meridian); Elmer Dickens, Gulf Coast Community FCU (Gulfport); Chris Hammond, Central Sunbelt FCU (Laurel); Alison Lynd, Southern Coastal FCU (Biloxi); Brig Gen Richard Moss (Retired), Keesler FCU (Biloxi); and Katie Nelson, Eagle Express FCU (Jackson).

Newsmakers

14 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q July 6, 2018

Forrest General among nation’s top hospitals for treatment of heart attacks

CPRAM selects Board of Directors

Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR ACTION Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2018. Forrest General is one of 203 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor. The award recognizes Forrest General’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

Hattiesburg Clinic Breast Center recognized Center of Excellence The Breast Center at Hattiesburg Clinic is again recognized as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. The acknowledgement, which the center has held in previous years, is awarded to facilities that have successfully received accreditation in the specialties of Mammography, Stereotactic Breast Biopsy, Breast Ultrasound, Ultrasound Guided Breast Biopsy and Breast MRI. Accreditation must be earned for each of these specialties every three years. The Breast Center performs approximately 2,500 mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, breast ultrasound and breast MRI exams every month with 20 staff members and ﬁve breast radiologists.

Murrell named Good Middling Recipient

Jamie Murrell of Arcola, First Vice-President of Marketing for Planters Bank and Trust Company, has been named the Good Middling Recipient for 2018 at the annual Delta Council Day in Cleveland. Coined after the term “good middling,” the highest grade in Murrell quality cotton production, the Good Middling Award recognizes individuals who have sustained signiﬁcant efforts to promote community and economic vitality in the Mississippi Delta. Murrell is on the Board of Directors for several

Healthcare Providers Insurance Company & HPIC RRG, sponsored by the Mississippi Hospital Association, has appointed Wendy D. Knight to the position of Chief Executive Officer. In her new position, Knight will also be involved in the management and operations of other insurance-related enterprises. Knight most recently was Vice President of Finance-Corporate Insurance Operations for Novant Health. She holds a B.A. in English from Duke University and an Master’s in Health Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a cycling and outdoor enthusiast and lives in Ridgeland.

Taylor Machine Works promotes McAdory, Hollenhead

Renasant names Godbold private banker, ﬁnancial adviser

Gabe Godbold has joined Renasant Bank as a Private Banker and Financial Advisor in Ridgeland. Godbold will be responsible for building relationships and assisting clients with their various financial needs. Godbold is a graduate of the University of Southern MissisGodbold sippi with a Bachelor of Business Administration. Godbold enjoys golfing, hunting and fishing. He and his wife, Whitney of Madison, have two boys. The Godbolds are parishioners of St. Richards Catholic Church in Jackson.

HPIC names new CEO

Courtesy of CPRAM

The College of Public Relations Association of Mississippi recently elected its board of directors for 2018-2019. They are, front row, from left: Karen Robertson of East Central Community College, awards chair; Donna Thomas of Itawamba Community College, treasurer; Mary Margaret Busby, APR, of Holmes Community College, past president; Sophie Wolf of Millsaps College, senior institutions representative; and Pam Starling of the University of Mississippi, senior institutions representative. Second row: Phillip Smith of Mississippi State University Extension Services, senior institutions representative; and Kathy McAdams of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, junior institutions representative. Third row: Kell Smith of Mississippi Community College Board, government agencies representative; Maria McLeod of East Central Community College, hospitality chair; LaJuan Tallo of Northwest Mississippi Community College, secretary; and Maxine Greenleaf of Jackson State University, president. Back row: Steve Diffey of Holmes, scholarship chair; Caron Blanton, APR, of Institutions of Higher Learning, government agencies representative; Tracy Duncan of Hinds Community College, junior institutions representative and Barin von Foregger of Holmes, vice president. Not pictured: Jamie Scrivener of Mississippi Delta Community College, junior institutions representative.

community organizations throughout the Mid-Delta including the United Way of Washington County, B.B. King Museum, Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and The Gray Center, and she has been President of the Washington School Board of Trustees, Delta Children’s Museum and Greenville Arts Council. She is also a member of the Rotary Club of Indianola, a Red Carpet Guild Member for the Grammy Museum, a Life Member of Greenville Junior Auxiliary, and has served as a Vice-President of Delta Council. She is also Race Director for the Hotter than Hades Half Marathon, which beneﬁts Special Session Camp for Camp Bratton Green, and is a Festival Coordinator for Mighty Mississippi Music Festival. She has worked with Planters Bank and Trust Company for over 10 years. She is a Mississippi State University alumna, and a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Leland where she has acted as Senior Warden and Treasurer. She is married to Carter Murrell, and they have two children, Keeton and Caroline.

Adams and Reese named in Brand Elite 2018 Adams and Reese has been included in the BTI Consulting Group’s Brand Elite 2018: Client Perceptions of the Best-Branded Law Firms. For this annual publication, BTI conducted 686 interviews of corporate counsel at the world’s largest companies to solicit unbiased, direct feedback about the law firms they consider top-of-mind. BTI’s research unveiled a list of 334 law firms that corporate counsel recommend and consider first, provide value for

the dollar, lead their markets and add value through technology or new services, among other traits BTI identiﬁes as market-leading in brand perception and performance. Adams and Reese has long received recognition in BTI publications, which are all based on feedback from corporate counsel.

Renasant promotes Dan McCrimon Dan McCrimon has been promoted to Senior Vice President and Corporate Banking Administrator in at Renasant Bank in Tupelo. McCrimon joined Renasant in 2014, having previously served as First Vice President and Commercial Relationship Manager. McCrimon McCrimon is a graduate of Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration. He is also a graduate of the Risk Management Association’s Commercial Lending Academy and is currently attending the LSU Graduate School of Banking. McCrimon is active in the Itawamba Community College Alumni Board, the Regional Rehabilitation Center Board, the United Way of Northeast Mississippi’s Funds Distribution Committee, and the Itawamba High School Foundation for Excellence.

Taylor Machine Works Inc., based in Louisville, recently promoted Paul McAdory to Quality Control Manager. McAdory has been a part of the Taylor team for over 30 years. He worked his way up from the shop ﬂoor to the position of Production Supervisor Materials Handling, which he held for the last 22 years. Hollenhead As a result of McAdory’s move, the vacant position of Production Supervisor Materials Handling has been ﬁlled by Scott Hollenhead. Hollenhead was hired earlier this year as Material Manager. In national promotions through Taylor’s sister company, Sudden Service, Inc., Keith Stafford has been named Service McAdory Center Manager at the Houston, Texas, facility, Mike Tucker is the Service Center Manager in Kenner, La., and Rob Anatra has been named Regional Sales Manager for the West Coast.

Southern AgCredit welcomes new loan officers The agricultural and rural ﬁnancing cooperative Southern AgCredit recently hired three Mississippi State University graduates. Pate DeMuth, is a loan officer in the Ridgeland branch office. DeMuth earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering, technology and business, and then went on to earn a master’s degree in agricultural business management. While a student at MSU, he worked with Crop Production Services as a sales and agronomy intern for two summers in the South Delta. He grew up in Raymond, where he helped raise sheep on the family farm. Brandon Nicholson joins Southern AgCredit’s Greenwood branch office as a loan officer. A native of nearby Greenville, Nicholson most recently served as a research farmer for Monsanto, where he conducted crop and pesticide tests on a variety of crops. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science. Colton Thomas was hired to work as a loan officer in the Greenville branch office. He joins Southern AgCredit after working for Monsanto, where he was a ﬁeld claims specialist for nine Mississippi counties. Thomas grew up working on his family’s corn and soybean farm in Hollandale, and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness.

July 6, 2018

Mississippi Business Journal

THE SPIN CYCLE

Facebook announces new fact-checking initiative to combat fake news F acebook – one of the world’s largest social networking platforms – recently announced an initiative about countering misinformation. During a Q&A session at the ﬁfth annual Global Fact-Checking Summit, Facebook gave an overview of the new fact-checking program — which allows fact-checkers to debunk hoaxes on the platform, decreasing their reach in News Feed by about 80 percent, according to The Poynter Institute. The program has grown to 25 fact-checking outlets in 14 countries. Facebook announced several new updates to the efforts Facebook is taking to weed out misinformation on its platform, where hoaxes regularly outscale fact checks. Facebook is now employing natural learning processing systems to detect duplicate fake news stories on the platform that fact-checkers have already debunked. The move is expected to decrease the volume of hoaxes, which are often copied and pasted from previous fake news stories that have been down-ranked in News Feed, according to Poynter. To test that new system, Facebook reviewed a false rating that a fact-checking project in France assigned to a story that claimed stroke victims could be helped by using a needle to prick their ﬁngers. In that case, her team found a single hoax had been shared from more than 1,000 different URLs and 20 different domains to trick Facebook’s detection systems, according to Poynter. Also Facebook said it will start taking

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more aggressive actions against pages that consistently share misinformation. The company already reduces their distribution and removes their ability to advertise and monTodd Smith etize — but now it will use machine learning to predict pages that are likely to spread financially motivated misinformation based on similar pages fact-checkers have already identified. That action, which is described in a concurrent Facebook press release as aimed to “help curb foreign interference in public discourse,” targets the types of false pages that were created in countries like Macedonia to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election, according to Poynter. In addition, Facebook will start using the Schema.org ClaimReview markup, which allows Google to surface fact checks high up in search results. That is expected to reduce the amount of manual labor that fact-checkers must do to get their ratings onto Facebook, while also getting ratings into the system faster, decreasing the amount of time it takes to limit a hoax’s spread. Now Google Maps Offers Personalized Info Google recently previewed a major update to Google Maps that promised to bring personalized restaurant recommendations and more to the company’s

mapping tool. Many of these new features started rolling out to Google Maps users, according to TechCrunch. The core Google Maps experience for getting directions has not changed, but the app now features a new “Explore” tab that allows you to learn more about what’s happening around you, as well as a “For you” tab that provides you with recommendations for restaurants, lists of up and coming venues and the ability to “follow” neighborhoods and get updates when there are new restaurants and cafes that you would probably like, according to TechCrunch. The main difference between the Explore and For you tabs is that the former is all about giving you recommendations for right now, while the latter is more about planning ahead and keeping tabs on an area in the long run. While most of the other features are rolling out to all users worldwide, the new For you tab and the content in it is only available in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and Japan currently. Content in this tab is still a bit limited, too, but Google

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promises that it’ll ramp up content over the course of this week. The new tabs feature plenty of new features, according to TechCrunch. There is the “foodie list,” for example, which highlights the hottest new restaurants in an area. Google will even keep track of which one of these places you’ve been to and which ones you’ve yet to check out. Like before, the Explore tab also features automatically curated lists of good lunch places, romantic dinner escapes and with kids. It’s not just about food and coffee though; the lists include other activities, too, and Google Maps can now also highlight local events.

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

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