Mbj july19 2013

www.msbusiness.com

July 19, 2013 • Vol. 35, No. 29 • $1 • 28 pages

Can the chicken cross the road?

Poultry industry petitions for road, bridge work — Page 2

MBJ FOCUS: EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TRAINING

Connecting education, needs Mississippi colleges work on multiple levels to solve the workforce puzzle — begins on Page 11

2 I Mississippi Business Journal I July 19, 2013 INFRASTRUCTURE

POLITICS

Can the chicken cross the road?

How much influence would Bennie Thompson have in an election to replace him?

» Poultry industry petitions for road, bridge work

By CLAY CHANDLER I STAFF WRITER clay.chandler@msbusiness.com

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

It is a common complaint heard from county supervisors — chicken trucks are tearing up their roads and bridges, outstripping the resources at hand to maintain them.

Last week, the poultry industry had a chance to face its accusers and offer its point of view, though it shied away from the finger pointing.

“We don’t need to get in a blame game here,” said Mark Leggett, president of the Mississippi Poultry Association who presented last week at the State Capitol to the Senate study group looking into the growing problem of the state’s crumbling roadways and bridges. “We don’t need to think blame.

We need to think economics.”

Leggett, whose presentation included concerns of the agriculture community as a whole, did just that during his testimony, looking to quantify what farming and the poultry industry mean to the state’s economy, and showing what just one bad bridge can cost over the course of one year.

Leggett began by pointing out that agriculture represents nearly a quarter of the state’s total economy, and the sector is led by poultry. In 2012, poultry production in Mississippi rang in at $2.53 billion, more than double that of the second-largest commodity, soybeans. Some 758 broilers were raised on 1,478 farms and were served by 41 feed mills, hatcheries and processing plants.

“To move (chickens) we need roads and bridges that can handle the loads,” Leggett told the task force. “Mainly, county and state aid roads, but also state highways. If we can’t get it out of the field, from the forest or the poultry house, we don’t have the jobs in towns where the processing facilities are.

“We talk a lot about economic development in this building, and that often boils down to what it costs a company to do business in Mississippi.

Moving agricultural commodities is an increasing cost.”

Using a map he obtained from Dr. Scott Samson, Extension professor at Mississippi State University, Leggett illustrated how suspect bridges surround the state’s poultry facilities. He explained that these facilities serve as a hub, with the farms representing the spokes, which puts a large volume of traffic on county roads that too often do not have the capacity.

FILE / The Mississippi Business Journal

Mississippi’s poultry industry is no. 1 among the state’s agricultural commodities.

“There can be from 50 to as many as 80 truck visits to an average four-house farm in the raising of one flock of chickens,” Leggett told the group.

Drilling that down farther, Leggett shared information he got from four of his members. Each one of these facilities is being impacted by a bridge that requires re-routing of its trucks.

According to Leggett’s figures, the vehicles of those four facilities combined, over the course of one year, are having to travel an extra 18,533 miles, requiring more than 4,250 additional gallons of diesel. Tops was a broiler farm in New Hebron that was traveling more than additional 8,000 miles annually to service growers due detouring around one bad bridge.

This is becoming a serious economic development problem for the state, he said. In poultry as in any industry, there is competition to land new facilities.

With the escalating cost to get product to market, Mississippi is at risk of seeing the poultry industry decrease.

“Every detour in Mississippi makes Arkansas or Alabama look better,” Leggett told the group.

“Is this issue stopping commerce?

— no. Is it becoming more and more costly? — yes,” Leggett told the Missis-

sippi Business Journal. “If county supervisors think chicken trucks are tearing up the roads, then don’t support the industry. Let them die. But, then you lose the jobs and revenue. Again, I say let’s don’t think blame — let’s think economically.”

Leggett said he is encouraged by what he has heard from the Senate group last week. He participated in a ranking of possible scenarios, ranging from increasing infrastructure funding to doing nothing at all. At press time the PEER Committee was tabulating those results.

He said it appears to him that there will be a statewide fact-finding/public input period, perhaps starting in October, and information gathered will be brought back to Jackson and analyzed.

Leggett did add, however, that he was also concerned with how any funding would be used. That is yet to be determined.

“If we get funding, what are the priorities, and how will they be determined?” Leggett asked. “What will be the criteria be to determine which bridges get fixed first?

“I know this — it is getting more and more expensive every day.”

Mississippi 2nd District Congressman Bennie Thompson, D-Bolton, was one of the names floated Monday as a possibility to replace outgoing Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano.

Thompson has represented the 2nd District — which encompasses the Mississippi Delta and parts of Hinds County — since the early 1990s. His seat is considered the safest in the state; his re-election every two years is all but guaranteed.

Thompson said in a statement Monday that he has no interest in the DHS job, and will stay where he is.

Because of his tenure and string of relatively easy re-election campaigns, Thompson often holds considerable sway over municipal and county races within his district. And because of that, Thompson’s preferred candidate to replace him, should he get the DHS post, would have a built-in advantage.

Maybe.

Two Mississippi Democratic party sources were split Monday on how much influence Thompson’s endorsement would mean in an election for his old seat. If Thompson were to vacate the office he’s held for two decades, his political clout in the 2nd District would diminish, stripping his endorsement of the punch it normally carries, one source said.

The other believes there’s no chance of anybody winning the seat without Thompson making it known that’s who he wants to succeed him.

Assuming the latter notion is correct, one name to watch could be Jackson city councilman Melvin Priester Jr., who won Jackson mayor Chokwe Lumumba’s old Ward 2 seat last month. Ward 2 covers northwest Jackson and is within Thompson’s 2nd District.

Priester earned Thompson’s endorsement in the race to replace Lumumba; the congressmen even participated in a fundraiser for the new councilman. Priester is in his early 30s, has a law degree and is viewed as having solid potential. (For that matter, Lumumba earned Thompson’s endorsement in his mayoral race, but age could be an issue.

Lumumba is in his 60s.)

If Thompson’s endorsement turns out not to carry its usual weight, former state Rep. Chuck Espy, D-Clarksdale, is a possibility. Espy lost to Thompson in the 2010 Democratic primary, but not as badly as some of Thompson’s other opponents, getting 47 percent of the vote.

In May, Espy lost the Democratic primary in Clarksdale’s mayoral race to former gubernatorial candidate Bill Luckett.

Luckett, an attorney, won the general election and was sworn in as Clarksdale’s mayor earlier this month.

Former Greenville mayor Heather McTeer-Toney is another who would go without Thompson’s blessing. McTeer-Toney opposed Thompson last year, and got walloped. Thompson got 83 percent of the vote.

And as noted Monday afternoon by Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reporter Bobby Harrison, new Vicksburg mayor George Flaggs – who just resigned his state House seat to take the position – would have an interesting decision to make should Thompson’s seat become available.

The only certainties surrounding a possible election to replace Thompson is that the field would be crowded, there would be a Democratic primary runoff, and the question of how much weight Thompson’s endorsement would carry in his old district would be answered one way or another.

July 19, 2013

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

3

BANKING AND FINANCE

Renasant profits rise 26 percent in 2nd quarter TUPELO — Regional bank Renasant Corp.'s profit rose 26 percent in 2013's second quarter from the same three months of 2012, as it set aside less for bad loans and increased interest earnings.

Renasant said Tuesday it posted quarterly profit of $8.02 million, or 32 cents per share, up from $6.35 million or 25 cents per share in 2012's second quarter.

Analysts polled by FactSet had estimated 32 cents per share, on average.

"Our second quarter results reflect our continued efforts to grow net income, which increased for the sixth consecutive quarter," said chairman and CEO E. Robinson McGraw.

The bank said total loans increased to $2.85 billion, up 8 percent over a year ago. Renasant set aside $3 million for future bad loans, $1.7 million less than in 2012's second quarter.

Renasant's return on assets rose to 0.76 percent.

That key measure of profitability has been steadily rising at Renasant, but the bank has trailed statewide and national averages. In 2013's first quarter, Renasant

had return on assets of 0.73 percent, compared to 0.84 percent for all banks based in Mississippi and 1.12 percent for all banks nationwide.

The amount that the company collected in interest from borrowers, net of what it paid out to savers, rose to $34 million. However, the net interest margin, a measure of that spread divided by all loans, drifted down to 3.88 percent. Low interest rates have caused

that spread, which is the bread-and-butter of bank profits, to narrow.

Based in Tupelo, the $4.2 billion bank has offices in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia.

Renasant awaits regulatory approval to merge with First M&F Corp. of Kosciusko, Miss., after shareholders for both banks approved the $143 million stock purchase in June. The merger will create the fourth-

largest bank in Mississippi, with $5.8 billion in assets.

"Our pending merger with First M&F Corp, which we anticipate completing during the third quarter of 2013, will only enhance our strong performance potential," McGraw said.

Renasant spent $385,000 on merger expenses in the second quarter.

— from staff and MBJ wire services

AAF JACKSON

SHIPBUILDING

Ingalls seeks grant to fund classroom annex PASCAGOULA — Ingalls Shipbuilding has applied for a $1.3 million state grant to build a basic skills training annex to the nearly complete Haley Reeves Barbour Maritime Training Academy.

Jackson County has requested proposals for professional services, such as engineering, for the project.

Officials say that the 4,105-square-foot multipurpose classroom that will be able to hold 320 people. The room will be equipped with projectors and other technology needed for presentations.

The room was originally an alternate for the maritime academy project but after the bids came in, Ingalls decided not to award it.

After the county and company learned that the state had freed up some additional Hurricane Katrina community development block grants, they sent in a proposal to get the classroom back on the table.

GULF COAST

Waterfront improvements topic of public meeting D'IBERVILLE — The City of D'Iberville has developed a list of seven improvement projects at its waterfront that could be funded with RESTORE Act money from the oil spill.

Plans call for expanding and improving the marina, already a popular public recreational area. The proposed project at Fountain Park is a $4 million plan that involves buying more land to expand the park and building more public fishing piers.

— from staff and MBJ wire services

Table 100 Register now at aafjackson.org/buzz/ 3 acclaimed speakers, 3 hot topics, all in one half-day for less than one night’s stay in a hotel room!

Start thinking bigger about Social Media, Presentations, and Selling Big Ideas with scheduled speakers sharing new insights to help you grow and expand your brand right away!

Buzz Session 1: Find or Be Found: Marketing in the Age of Social Media Joe Stradinger Founder, Leadify Jackson/Palo Alto

Buzz Session 2: The No-Panic Plan for Presenters: How To Speak &RQ¿GHQWO\ DQG &RPSHOOLQJO\ Mandi Stanley &HUWL¿HG 6SHDNLQJ Professional

Buzz Session 3: Selling the Next Big Thing: The Hard is what makes it great.

Michael Young Founder, Michael Young Media Los Angeles

Questions? Contact us at: aafjackson@gmail.com

Sponsored by:

4 I Mississippi Business Journal I July 19, 2013 CONSTRUCTION

No sticker shock » Construction materials prices remain flat

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

It seems nothing is predictable in the construction industry these days. Trends and numbers do not always add up for builders who are slogging through one of the biggest construction turndowns in decades.

That is certainly the case with current construction materials prices.

According to a report from the Associated Builders and Contractors, which cited U.S. Department of Labor figures, construction materials prices decreased 0.1 percent in June.

Year over year, construction materials prices were 1.5 percent higher in June. Nonresidential construction materials prices were unchanged, rose 0.1 percent for the quarter and increased 1.2 percent during the last 12 months.

Taken as a whole, materials prices have remained flat for the last several months. However, among the various commodities, prices show wide variances — some up some down Still, given the number of current market uncertainties across the nation and world, the stable construction materials prices is a head-scratcher for many in the construction industry.

“This elevated level of price stability is somewhat unexpected given shifting monetary policies in much of the world, including in the form of substantial money supply creation, concerns regarding the U.S. fixed income and equity markets – which has rendered investors a bit more skittish of late – and a global economy positioned to expand more than 3 percent this year,” said Associated Builders and Contractors chief economist Anirban Basu in a statement back in June. “Despite those factors, commodity prices have remained relatively stable and so have nonresidential construction materials prices.”

Basu characterized nonresidential construction materials prices as “well-behaved.”

Contractors have largely been eating any cost increases in an effort to land jobs. That could be fatal for many contractors if prices were to make a sudden jump, according to Ken Simonson, chief economist with Associated General Contractors of America.

“Contractors have held the line on pricing, even as costs shoot up for some items they buy,” Simonson observed.

“The net effect of these diverse changes is that some contractors may be squeezed out of business if they are caught by an unanticipated price spike.”

Continuing on theme of uncertainty, some materials prices are up, while others have decreased. Trying to make sense of it and plan for the future is difficult, Basu said.

"With the global economy beginning to tread water, the good news is materials prices are unlikely to rise significantly during the next several months,” Basu said. “However, even as global economic growth slows, equity and certain other asset prices have been on the rise due in large measure to accommodative monetary policy.

"It is always possible that investors will begin to shift greater focus toward commodities going forward, which could drive materials prices higher even in the absence of accelerating global economic growth or significant rebound in America's nonresidential construction industry.”

UP AND DOWN » Prices go in opposite directions While the cost of some materials has risen, others have decreased over the past three months. Here is breakdown of prices: » Following an 8.2 percent drop in May, softwood lumber prices fell 5.6 percent in June and are down 11.2 percent for the quarter.

However, they remain 8 percent higher compared to the same time last year. » Iron and steel prices decreased 0.9 percent for the month, and are down 3.4 percent for the quarter and 7.2 percent on a year-over-year basis. Steel mill prices follow a similar trend: down 0.7 percent for the month, down 1.6 percent for the quarter, and 8.1 percent lower than June 2012. » Prices for concrete products, fabricated structural metal products, and plumbing fixtures and fittings were all flat for the month. Year over year, concrete product prices are up 3 percent, fabricated structural metal product prices are down 0.8 percent, and plumbing fixtures and fitting prices are up 1 percent. » Crude energy materials prices kicked off the summer with a 0.3 percent increase in June. They increased 9.2 percent for the quarter and are up 21.5 percent from one year ago. » Nonferrous wire and cable price rose 0.4 percent for the month, but were down 3.9 percent overall for the quarter and are down 2.1 percent during the last 12 months. » Prices for prepared asphalt, tar roofing and siding rose 1.7 percent in June, increased 5.5 percent in the second quarter, and are 3 percent higher than the same time last year. » Overall, the nation’s wholesale goods prices increased 0.8 percent in June, rose 0.6 percent during the second quarter, and are 2.5 percent higher than one year ago.

– By Wally Northway

SPORTS

Puckett Machinery founder to receive Hall of Fame’s Rube Award Aug. 2

By CLAY CHANDLER I STAFF WRITER clay.chandler@msbusiness.com

Jackson businessman and philanthropist Ben Puckett will receive the second-annual Rube Award at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum’s induction banquet Aug. 2.

The Rube Award, named for long-time Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum executive director Michael Rubenstein, is awarded to the person whose love and passion for — and contributions to — Mississippi sports have made a meaningful difference. The first Rube Award went to Boo Ferriss, former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and legendary former Delta State University baseball coach.

The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum’s board of directors selects the winner.

Puckett and two business partners formed Gilchrist Tractor Co. – which eventually became Puckett Machinery — in 1962 when they bought the old Stribling Bros.

Machinery Co. Puckett Machinery, which specializes in heavy equipment manufactured by

Special to the MBJ

Ben Puckett, who is the recipient of the Rube Award from the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, poses with Bianca Knight. Knight, from Ridgeland, won Gold at the 2012 Olympics as a member of the world record-breaking U.S. 4X100 relay team..

Caterpillar , has become a Mississippi business institution.

Puckett, a Mississippi State University graduate who died June 2, spearheaded Mississippi’s Olympic efforts for 26 years. He served as the United States Olympic Committee Mississippi State Chairman for 16 years and as co-chairman for another 10 years. The Ben Puckett family has spon-

sored the Olympic Room in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum since the shrine opened on July 4, 1996. In 1996, Puckett led a successful effort to have international Olympic teams come to Mississippi to train for the Atlanta Olympic Games.

Cal Wells, a Jackson attorney and longtime friend of Puckett’s, remembers Ben’s passion for life and the Olympics.

“Ben had an energy level that was unbelievable; nobody could keep up with him,” Wells said. “I think his love for the Olympics went back to the first games he attended in 1968 at Mexico City. He loved the competition. He was a competitor himself and he loved watching great athletes compete.”

Puckett was a huge supporter of Mississippi State athletics. Said long-time Mississippi State athletic director Larry Templeton, “Mississippi State was his school, and he was proud of it, and he was 100 percent behind us all the time. He was a great fan, one that never complained and always wanted to help. He made his contributions behind the scene. He didn't want publicity; he just wanted to make us better.”

Puckett also gave his time and his money to support high school sports and

the YMCA. Tickets to the August 2 induction banquet are available by calling 601 982-8264.

Joining the late Rubenstein as inductees in the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2013 will be former East Mississippi Junior College and Delta State basketball star Bill Buckner, former Alcorn State and NFL tight end Jimmie Giles, former Ole Miss and NBA basketball player Gerald Glass, , former Southern Miss athletic trainer Larry “Doc” Harrington and former Ole Miss sports information director Langston Rogers.

The Rube Award is one of several new features added to the Hall of Fame by executive director Rick Cleveland, a former sports columnist for The Clarion-Ledger who took the job a little more than a year ago. The museum’s Olympic Room has been updated to reflect additional medalists from Mississippi. The interactive kiosks have been modernized.

A display featuring the Hall of Fame’s new members has been added to its front entrance, something Cleveland told the Mississippi Business Journal recently will be updated annually.

July 19, 2013

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

5

REAL ESTATE

State’s Realtor groups set up one-stop site for house hunters » Effort grew out of frustration with dated and often incorrect listings on paid sites

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

Out-of-date, unreliable — and sometimes fraudulent — home sale websites led Realtor organizations across Mississippi to build a home listing website of their home.

With most of the development completed, the task of the 10 Realtor associations is to establish BuyInMississippi.com as the go-to site for prospective homebuyers. Along with its free-of-charge use, BuyInMississippi’s principal value is its aggregation site of real-time residential postings from the multiple listing services of each association whose chapters cover from North Mississippi to the Gulf.

Lee Garland, a broker at Re/Max Alliance in Brandon, helped with BuyInMississippi.com’s early development and continues to work with the site today. A collective frustration with the out-of-date and often unverified listings from for-profit national sites drove the effort of the state’s real estate professionals, said Garland, a member of the Jackson Board of Realtors.

“We were being bombarded with calls about bad data and the consumer assumed

CURRENT ASSOCIATIONS PUTTING LISTINGS ON BUYINMISSISSIPPI.COM: Golden Triangle Association of Realtors Gulf Coast Association of Realtors Hattiesburg Area Association of Realtors Jackson Association of Realtors Laurel Board of Realtors Meridian Board of Realtors North Central Mississippi Board of Realtors Northeast Mississippi Board of Realtors Northwest Mississippi Association of Realtors Southwest Board of Realtors FILE

we were the ones putting it out there.

“Some were charging fees for data that wasn’t any good in the first place.

“We felt like it was important for us as Realtors to provide accurate information,” he said. “The only way was for us to provide it directly.”

A two-year site-building effort ensued, according to Garland.

Putting up their own site also gave the Realtors a way to curb an illegal practice called “scraping” by which data hunters would copy the MLS listings and redistribute them across several sites.

A screen shot of buyinmississippi.com.

Still other data aggregators were getting the listings through syndication and sharing them with other sites.

While those practices are still occurring, BuyInMississippi frees the house hunter from having to guess whether the listing current and valid.

“If a property shows as available on BuyInMississippi, it is available,” Garland said, It’s a win for the sellers and a time-saver for house hunters, he noted, because the agent’s name and agency will be provided

with the web listing. “When buyers make a call on that property they get the agent who knows about it.”

Jo Usry, CEO of the Jackson Board of Realtors, said BuyInMississippi.com will help alleviate a particularly bothersome problem: The incidence of fraud from sites such as Craigslist.

House hunters, she said, are finding properties listed on Craigslist for rent when they See

REALTOR, Page 27

LODGING

Austin developer wants to compete for Jackson’s convention hotel » JRA rejects request to release development deal it executed with Tampa developer

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

Tampa’s Robinson Callen Development may soon have company in a quest to build a convention center hotel in Jackson.

While Robinson Callen has a head start with its unsolicited $60 million proposal having received an official blessing from the Jackson Redevelopment Authority’s Board of Commissioners on June 25, Austin, Texas, hotel developer Journeyman Austin wants to submit a proposal as well.

Journeyman Austin’s Jackson representative, Don Hewitt of Advanced Technologies Building Solutions, said Journeyman is preparing an unsolicited proposal to submit to Mayor Chokwe Lumumba, who received the Robinson Callen proposal from former Mayor Harvey Johnson on his way out of office. Latrice Westbrooks, interim spokeswoman for Lumumba, said the new mayor’s willingness to consider a competing proposal could hinge on the window that is in place for action on the Robinson Callen bid.

The mayor’s office made no response either last week or this week

on whether Lumumba would consider an alternative proposal.

However, at least one council member wants to review alternative proposals and would also support issuing an Request for Proposals for the hotel project. “Competition makes the world go round,” said Councilman Tony Yarber, representative from Ward 6 who served as council president last year.

“We received this one as an unsolicited proposals and anyone else is more than welcome to submit a new” unsolicited proposal,” he said.

“I’ll be interested in maybe opening it up for a new RFP.” Though Yarber has not seen the Robinson Callen development deal, he expects its first stop through council channels would be the Economic Development Committee.”That was one of the reasons I created the Economic Development Committee so that when one of these things comes to the council, we can look at it real closely,” he said, though he conceded that no longer being council president — a position now held by Councilman Charles Tillman — he can’t be entirely sure the committee will get a review.

Not much has been disclosed publicly about the Robinson Callen proposal other than the company plans to build a 12-floor hotel and surface parking lot on 14 acres across Pascagoula Street from the Jackson Convention Complex, The city regained the 14 acres from hotel developer Transcontinental Realty of Dallas after its years of trying to

get a hotel built came to naught.

Robinson Callen has also pledged to limit the city’s financial stake to $9 million in loans the company would access if room occupancies fell short of projections during the first five years of operation.

Further specifics, including the occupancy projections that would trigger the loans, have remained under lock and key at the Jackson Redevelopment Authority. The JRA’s interim executive director, Willie Mott, denied a Mississippi Business Journal Open Records law request for the development agreement with Robinson Callen the JRA governing board executed on June 25.

Mott previously said the agreement was undergoing a legal review but in a July 8 letter rejecting the open records request, he said the agreement is incomplete. However, he conceded in the same letter the JRA board has authorized “execution” of the agreement.

The MBJ views the refusal to release an agreement executed in public session a violation of the Mississippi Open Records law.

Hewitt said he suspects that “someone somewhere has taken an oath of secrecy” on the project with the aim of ensuring it goes through without competing proposals. Keeping it secret also prevents another developer such as Journeyman from knowing the proposal’s strengths and weaknesses, he added.

Though Journeyman Austin has not seen the Robinson Callen development proposal, the company thinks it can present an attractive proposal that would offer features such as a parking garage and neighboring retail, said Hewitt’s firm partnered with Journeyman Austin in November 2011 on a convention hotel proposal that competed with the See

HOTEL, Page 27

A member of the Mississippi Press Association and the Alliance of Area Business Publications www.mspress.org www.bizpubs.org

200 North Congress, Suite 400 Jackson, MS 39201-1902 Main: (601) 364-1000; Toll Free: 1-800-283-4625 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 July 19, 2013 Volume 35, Number 29

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 CLAY CHANDLER Staff Writer clay.chandler@msbusiness.com • 364-1015

MBJPERSPECTIVE July 19, 2013 • www.msbusiness.com • Page 6

OTHER VIEWS

THERE ARE SIGNS OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY

G

olding Barge Line Inc.’s plan to place a manufactured office building on its riverfront property in Vicksburg is a small step in economic recovery, but its causes and consequences are grand.

The shipping company is adding 50 to 60 jobs as it increases its towboat fleet from 14 to 20 boats, and we believe it is good news all around for Vicksburg.

A few dozen new jobs is far from an economic cure-all, but Golding and the Vicksburg Board of Zoning Appeals, which granted a zoning exception for the office space, have planted the seeds from which American capitalism springs forth and flourishes.

A new building means increased property value, which yields more property taxes and, therefore, more money for the city to spend on vital projects. Jobs create taxpayers and foster spending and economic growth within the community for the benefit of the city, county, state and nation.

The board's allowance of a zoning exception for the building is proof that it understands the implications of Golding's growth and that the city is committed to harboring economic prosperity.

The job and business growth also is indicative of international recovery from what economists call the Great Recession that has

plagued the world economy since 2007.

Golding, after all, is adding jobs to ship petroleum — a globalized product that suffered an 11 percent price decrease in 2012 because of low demand. Without the economy prospering — or beginning to prosper — around the world, Golding's expansion would not be possible.

When the manufactured building is placed on Golding's lot on Lee Street at the Mississippi River, it might not be much to look at, but it's something of which Vicksburg and the world can be proud.

— The Vicksburg Post

STEPHEN MCDILL Staff Writer stephen.mcdill@msbusiness.com • 364-1041 TAMI JONES Advertising Director tami.jones@msbusiness.com • 364-1011

» CHUCK MCINTOSH

MELISSA KILLINGSWORTH Sr. Account Executive

melissa.harrison@msbusiness.com • 364-1030 ASHLEY VARNES Account Executive ashley.varnes@msbusiness.com • 364-1013 VIRGINIA HODGES Account Executive virginia.hodges@msbusiness.com • 364-1012 TACY RAYBURN Production Manager tacy.rayburn@msbusiness.com • 364-1019 CHARINA RHODES Circulation Manager charina.rhodes@msbusiness.com • 364-1045

MBJ editor Ross Reily and bluesman T-Model Ford

MARCIA THOMPSON-KELLY Business Assistant marcia.kelly@msbusiness.com • 364-1044

» EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES (601) 364-1000 subscriptions@msbusiness.com

T-Model was a true Mississippi ambassador

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) 364-1000, 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 © 2013 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.

W

e in Mississippi talk all the time about ways we can make our state better. We talk about taxes and business and education and how we don’t have enough of one thing and too much of another.

What we don’t have is enough people like TModel Ford.

James Lewis Carter ‘‘T-Model’’ Ford, as was stated by the AP, a hard-living blues singer who taught himself to play guitar when he was 58 years old and his fifth wife left him, died Tuesday at his home in Greenville.

His age was uncertain. WashRoss Reily ington County Coroner Methel Johnson said the family told her Ford was born in 1924 and had already had his birthday this year, which would have made him 89. But a blues expert and longtime friend, Roger Stolle See REILY, Page 8

PERSPECTIVE

July 19, 2013 I Mississippi Business Journal

I

» RICKY NOBILE » MIND OVER MONEY

State legislators scared of Yankees, local municipalities

O

»FINANCIAL TIMES

Is your favorite tax break safe

H

ave you asked your senators to save your favorite tax break?

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Montana) and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) have given senators until July 26th to tell them what tax breaks need to be saved as they begin writing tax reform legislation. In a letter to colleagues late last month, the two senators announced they would begin a “blank slate” approach to tax reform, saying: “We both believe that some existing tax expenditures should be preserved in some form. But the tax code is also littered with preferences for special interests. To make sure that we clear out all the unproductive provisions and simplify in tax reform, we plan to operate from an assumption that all special provisions are out unless there is clear evidence that they: (1) help grow the economy; (2) make the tax code fairer; or, (3) effectively promote other important policy objectives.

“Today, we write to ask you to formally submit legislative language or detailed proposals for what tax expenditures meet these tests and should be included in a reformed tax code, as well as other provisions that should be added, repealed or reformed as part of tax reform. In order to give your proposals full consideration as we work to craft a bill, we request these submissions by July 26, 2013.”

Lobbyists of all sorts are inundating senators with arguments for their favorite tax breaks – wind production tax credits for green energy enthusiasts, special carried interest

tax rates for hedge fund managers and Wall Street honchos, Last-In-First-Out inventory accounting for businesses, speBill Crawford cial tax treatment for corporate jet owners, etc. They may or may not be arguing for your favorite.

“America’s tax code is broken,” said Baucus and Hatch. “The last major reform of the tax code was the Tax Reform Act of 1986, which is considered by many as the gold standard for tax reform. However, since then, the economy has changed dramatically and Congress has made more than 15,000 changes to the tax code. The result is a tax base riddled with exclusions, deductions and credits.”

Among the more popular tax breaks is the mortgage interest deduction used by most home owners. The government allows home owners to deduct up to $1 million a year in mortgage interest, including for vacation homes. This costs the U.S. Treasury about $100 billion annually. No-one, including Baucus and Hatch, expect the mortgage interest tax break to disappear, but it could be significantly changed.

Tax breaks for health care, child care and education are also on the table.

So, time’s a-wastin. Get in touch with Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker to save your favorite tax break. Or, you could just encourage them to wipe out most special interest tax breaks.

Bill Crawford (crawfolk@gmail.com) is a syndicated columnist from Meridian.

ur Legislature has been so busy passing nonsense laws, it just makes my head spin. During the last session, they passed an “Anti-Bloomberg” law. You know, because we don’t want any Yankees telling us what to do!

Legislators in Mississippi are so worried somebody will tell us what we can eat or drink, they mustered a bipartisan bill to say that nobody but THEM can tell us what to do.

Huh? Yes, even if the citizens of Madison decide to require restauNancy Anderson rants to post calorie counts on their menu, the Legislature says they’re not allowed to follow the people’s choice.

Forget about our problems with obesity and diabetes and heart problems. NObody, and I mean NOBODY, gets to tell us what to do. In fact, we can’t even tell ourselves what to do! We have to ask our legislators.

They are the only ones allowed to play dictator.

Well, I think the Legislature just got their knickers in a wad over something silly. If the people of Clinton vote to outlaw treehouses, we should be able to do so. If the folks of Biloxi decide they want to outlaw close-toed shoes, they should be able to do so. If the citizens of Tupelo declare every day “Elvis Day,” they should be allowed to do so. NObody, and I mean NOBODY, including the Legislature, gets to tell us what to do.

When it comes to the silly stuff, state representatives and senators need to leave that to municipalities. We are quite capable of being ridiculous without any help from the Capital City. Silliness should never be elevated to a state-wide level!

Just makes my head spin.

Forget about our problems with obesity and diabetes and heart problems. NObody, and I mean NOBODY gets to tell us what to do.

In fact, we can’t even tell ourselves what to do! We have to ask our legislators. They are the only ones allowed to play dictator.

Nancy Lottridge Anderson, Ph.D., CFA, is president of New Perspectives Inc. in Ridgeland — (601) 991-3158. She is also an assistant professor of finance at Mississippi College.

Her e-mail address is nanderson@newper.com, and her website is www.newper.com.

7

8 I Mississippi Business Journal I July 19, 2013

PERSPECTIVE

»FROM THE GROUND UP

» MBJ COMMENTS ONLINE

Creating effective slogans, mottos and taglines

W

hat’s in a name? Or what’s in a slogan, motto or tagline?

The answer is that it is quite a lot if the goal is to increase sales or make the organization more memorable. Slogans and mottos serve to immediately describe an organization without having to go to the “About Us” or “Mission Statement” section of a website. For example, Marketing Alliance could mean many things, but when its slogan, “dedicated to economic development marketing” appears next to its name, then it is very clear what the company does.

A slogan is defined as “a short and striking or memorable phrase used in advertising,” while a motto is defined as “a short sentence encapsulating... the beliefs or ideals” of a person or organization. For our purposes, the definitions are used interchangeably. And for those who do not think that creating the perfect slogan is difficult just watch a few episodes of AMC’s Mad Men. One way to judge an effective slogan is to listen to see how often it is used in everyday conversation. For example, “Can you hear me now?” and “Just do it” are corporate slogans that have become part of the language culture. Of course, the best way for a business to judge a slogan is whether it helped to increase the company’s sales. One corporate executive received a call from the company’s advertising agency announcing that the newly-created slogan had just won a contest for “Best New Slogan.” Having seen no increase in sales, the executive commented that the slogan brought more recognition to the advertising agency than to his company.

By their very name, many associations have no need to create a slogan or motto. Just by seeing the name, one knows what the association does or what it stands for. Nevertheless, it can be helpful to add a tagline or slogan. For example, the Animal Rescue League name clearly identifies the purpose of the organization, but adding “Help us come to their rescue” brings in an urge to get involved.

Many associations add a tagline stating that the organization is “The Voice” for a particular activity or effort. Here are a few such examples of associations in Mississippi: » “The voice of conservation in Mississippi” — Mississippi Association of Conservation Districts » “The unified voice of Mississippi’s Electric Cooperatives” — Electric Power Associations of Mississippi » “The voice of industry in Mississippi” — Mississippi Manufacturers Association » “The voice of small business” — National Federal of Independent Business Readers are now invited to take a short quiz to see how familiar they are with slogans and mottos from a variety of Mississippi organizations. Answers appear at the end of the column.

Below is a list of five associations in Mississippi, followed by their five slogans or mottos. Match the association with the

Phil Hardwick motto.

1. Mississippi Association of School Superintendents 2. Mississippi High School Activities Association 3. Mississippi Hospital Association 4. Mississippi Poultry Association 5. Mississippi Realtors Association

••• One way to judge an effechere to serve our schools.” tive slogan is to listen to see a.b. “We’re “Property Professionals — Community Champions” how often it is used in c. “The Voice of Education in Mississippi” everyday conversation. For d. “Serving those who serve us all” e. “Growing Mississippi’s Economy example, “Can you hear me Since 1937” now?” and “Just do it” are Restaurants often add a slogan or motto to their names. Sometimes they corporate slogans that have describe the restaurant, its history or its food. Match the following restaurants become part of the lanand their slogans/ taglines: Canoe, Tupelo guage culture. Of course, the 1.2.Blue High Noon Cafe, Jackson 3. Mary Mahoney’s, Biloxi 4. Table 100, Flowood best way for a business to 5. Weidmann’s, Meridian judge a slogan is whether it ••• helped to increase the com- a. “A casual Euro-American Bistro” b. “Old French House” c. “Good Mood Food” pany’s sales. d. “All organic, all vegetarian, all the time” e. “Since 1870” Now we explore the area of arts and entertainment in Mississippi. Again, match the place with its slogan.

1. Beauvoir, Biloxi 2. Mississippi Industrial Heritage Museum 3. Old Capitol Museum, Jackson 4. Pearl River Resort, Choctaw 5. Walter Anderson Museum of Art, Ocean Springs 6. Rowan Oak, Oxford ••• a. “History happened here” b. Celebrating Man’s Harmony With Nature” c. “... at historic Soule’ Steam Feed Works” d. “Vegas with sweet tea” e. “Home of William Faulkner” f. “The Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library” ANSWERS Associations: 1-c, 2-a, 3-d, 4-e, 5-b Restaurants: 1-c, 2-d, 3-b, 4-a, 5-e Arts and Entertainment: 1-f, 2-c, 3-a, 4-d, 5-b, 6-e Phil Hardwick is coordinator of capacity development at the John C. Stennis Institute of Government. Pease contact Hardwick at phil@philhardwick.com.

Time for high-speed internet RE: “Obama releases birth certificate; birthers can shut up” (Presley announces effort to bring high-speed internet to rural north Mississippi) ... We have not had any type of Internet except for dial-up since Internet began, we don’t even have cable down our road. I contacted AT&T after talking to several AT&T engineers and AT&T line repair techs, I was told that I was within the distance to get DSL and that all was needed was a single board installed in the exchange. I went up the chain of command till I spoke to a district supervisor out of Atlanta, Ga. She told me in condescending voice, & I quote, “Mr. Henson, you will get high-speed Internet, when condos on the moon are going for $99 dollars a week!” I was shocked, then she hung up on me. I called back several times no return call. I spoke to a AT&T tech (withholding name to protect him) who confirmed that my local exchange has fiber to the exchange and can easily be upgraded, for all my local neighbors to get regular or high-speed Internet, but that they only install those boards in HIGH population places or where there are big businesses in need of it. I’m not in some remote hole in the wall, I live in rural area, but we have more than enough population to support DSL or some other high-speed Internet!

Please pray that Mr. Presley can have some success.

Thanks John

REILY

Continued from Page 6

(STOW-lee), said Ford didn’t remember what year he was born and claimed to be 93.

T-Model, for all of his faults, was a great ambassador for the state of Mississippi.

He traveled the world spreading joy through his music and, in turn, showing that Mississippi can be a pretty darned good place. We should all hope to be more like TModel Ford.

He was always willing to share a little sip of whatever he might be drinking at the time, usually Jack Daniels. He was offended if you didn’t at least take a little nip.

And he played he music for the sake of playing music. Yes, he made a little money, but he was able to travel the world and make people happy, which is what he loved most.

It didn’t matter if you were 4 or 104, he loved to see tapping your toes to a great blues song. If you tapped enough, he might even bring you up on stage so that you can tap with him.

I realize that T-Model was 89 or 93 or whatever, but it’s hard to believe that he will not be at the next blues concent on the schedule. However, he does leave behind a pure joy that most of us can only dream of in our lifetimes.

T-Model, we will miss you.

Contact Mississippi Business Journal editor Ross Reily at ross.reily@msbusiness.com or (601) 364-1018.

July 19, 2013

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

9

SOCIAL MEDIA

in-sanity » Hobbyists, businesses make Pinterest world’s third-largest social network dedicate boards to a particular theme: for example “Only If you’re tired of the plain old social media website or if in Mississippi” or you have a hobby or craft that you want to really promote on- “Southern Cooking.” Pinning upline then check out Pinterest.

Founded in San Francisco in 2010 by Internet entrepre- dates can easily be integrated into neurs Ben Silbermann, Evan Sharp and Paul Sciarra, the a Twitter feed or Facebook timehousewarming gifts like wrap a cookwebsite has grown rapidly to 70 million users, becoming the line for friends and family to see. book in a kitchen towel and stick the Kristen Hermetz pins everythird-largest social media network in the world (behind wooden spoons in it. That’s what thing from decorating tips for her Facebook and Twitter) according to Experian. blows my mind.”

Pinterest is more about things than people and unlike classroom to jewelry she likes. “I Others in Mississippi are using the Facebook, users don’t have to include a ton of personal in- enjoy following Christian scripture site to grow their business or attract formation or status updates to keep their pages alive. Also and leaders, as well as fun and easy customers to their products or servarts and crafts projects and creative ices. Simply type in the word “Misways to put together outfits,” she er numb a pin sburg Click Boutique in Hattie sissippi” and Pinterest will send you says. “I have heard of girls having of its favorite retail items on its Pinterest boards to boards loaded with MississippiPinterest parties, where they each including these vintage shades, earrings and based apparel, gifts, photographs bring enough material to create that Hamptons Weekend Mini ($59, Limited). and artwork of the Magnolia State. specific craft they found interesting While the technology to track sothat week.” cial media to sales is still in development, many independent In addition to spawning Pinterest parties, the site has also help spur on the dot com trend known as life business and shop owners agree that there is definitely tons hacking: Easy tips or shortcuts for everyday life situations like of retail potential connected to the site.

Leigh Anne Lubiani handles all the social media for the lighting a hard to reach candle wick with a stick of spaghetti Mississippi Gift Company in Greenwood including their or using nail polish to identify different keys.

Anna Peeples “The inventor of Pinterest in a genius,” says Amber Lynn. popular Pinterest account.

Click Boutique “(Pinterest is) a good tool for driving customers to the “My favorite things to pin are recipes. I also use it to get ideas unlike Twitter, users won’t feel overwhelmed by information for home decorations. Pinterest is the new way to keep arti- website,” Lubiani says. “Its an affordable way to get your cles. We use to have to cut them out of magazines and hope product and your name out there.” tidbits and chatter.

The gift shop runs weekly promotions, “pin it to win it” Once new Pinterest users create an account, they can to keep up with them.”

Clinton photographer Meg Lake recently bought her last contests, quarterly drawings and keeps boards stocked with explore thousands of public feeds (known as “boards”) loaded with everything from wallpaper designs and recipes camera after researching it on Pinterest and says the website pins of their best-selling products as well as gifts for the home to do-it-yourself (DIY) tips and home decor ideas. Users is a great gift buying guide. She also uses the site to study Pho- or for college sports fans.

The store also pins wedding gift ideas year-round and spesimply browse and click the red “Pin It” button to add ideas toShop editing techniques and research different poses and cial themed products during the holidays (grilling tools for props that photographers use. to their own collection boards.

“Pinterest is just such a wide open the Fourth of July, for instance). If a product isn’t selling well They can also follow users to keep market,” Lake says. “You can find a lit- in the store often Lubiani can breath life into it after pinning up with their boards. tle bit of everything. There were really and promoting it on Pinterest.

New users can post their own Pinterest works on smartphones and tablets and that has clever ideas on unique content or simply browse and helped Lubiani find new customers. “Everybody has a smartphone these days and we realized we were missing an audience if we didn't get on the bandwagon,” she says.

Anna Peeples with Click Boutique in Hattiesburg suggests a few ground rules for businesses interested in starting a Pinterest account for their product or service.

Always include the prices as well as the store’s contact information on anything that is being pinned. “Always have your phone number available,” Peeoples says. “Even if one person sees it and comes down that’s awesome. That’s worth it."

Another thing Peeples says to remember is to keep The Mississippi Gift Company in boards “brand appropriate.” For example, don’t pin garden Greenwood pins a number of specialty tools or birdhouses on your page if you sell wedding dresses Magnolia State gift ideas on its website or bath products. including Mississippi-shaped copper “Always be consistent with what you’re posting," trays, handcrafted signs and cookware Peeples says. “We have one board that’s all about our coland Gail Pittman plates. lection and we put new styles on there... things that look like our personality."

By STEPHEN McDILL I STAFF WRITER stephen.mcdill@msbusiness.com

“Always be consistant with what you are posting.”

10 I Mississippi Business Journal I July 19, 2013 SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: The Apothecary at Brent’s Drugs

Party in the back » Old-fashioned speakeasy jazzes up Fondren nightlife

By STEPHEN McDILL I STAFF WRITER stephen.mcdill@msbusiness.com

S

omething is brewing in the back of the landmark Brent’s Drugs eatery that has the whole Fondren Arts District buzzing with a clandestine excitement not seen since the Roaring Twenties.

It is 8:30 on a warm July weeknight and the parking lot of the Woodland Hills Shopping District in Jackson is dark and mostly empty except for a few late shoppers at McDade’s Grocery.

The historic Brent’s Drugs cafe is also dark on the inside as are its neighboring merchants. To the naked eye the eatery appears closed for the day. Looks are deceiving.

The front door to the pharmacy turned retro soda shop gives way with inviting ease and music and laughter can be heard faintly through the back walls of the darkened restaurant.

After a titillating walk past the booths where Skeeter and Hilly sat in the Oscarnominated film “The Help,” visitors come to an even darker hallway.

A curtain is suddenly pulled. “Welcome to the Apothecary,” someone says.

“People like that idea of being in a place where they’re not supposed to be,” says Brad Reeves, co-owner of the Apothecary at Brent’s, one of Jackson’s newest nightspots.

“It’s a little exclusive. Not everybody knows about it.”

The idea for a Prohibition-era inspired bar began fermenting in Reeves’ head more than two years ago as he looked around the mostly empty storage room behind his famous eatery. The Brent’s soda fountain had been written up in several magazines especially after “The Help” premiered in 2011

Address: 655 Duling Avenue, Jackson Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Fri-

day-Saturday, 5 p.m.-midnight Phone: (601) 366-3427 Website: facebook.com/apothecaryjackson and the Jackson-born Reeves was ready for the next step. “We don’t want to be stale. We want to be a work in process,” he says.

“I said we should do something special with the storeroom,” co-owner Jonathan Shull said. A friend of Reeves’ since Shull high school, Shull was enlisted to use his graphic design and hospitality branding experience to turn all the elements into an experience.

The millennial alchemists quickly became nerds on Prohibition, speakeasies and cocktail Reeves bars even making trips to classic bars from Atlanta to Austin.

Inside the Apothecary, the candlelit din of happy patrons is punctured only by big band music floating from a hidden speaker.

Bartenders with black aprons and gelled hair pour, shake and stir; grasping for fruit, salt and bitters as they make the perfect cocktail. Behind them are original pharmacist shelves that have been refinished and stocked with the finest vintage adult beverages including Mississippi staples like Cathead Vodka from Gluckstadt and Southern Prohibition from Hattiesburg.

Photos by Stephen McDill / MBJ

Bartender Rob Toombs pours up a tasty prescription (left) for one patron at The Apothecary at Brent’s, a new nightspot in Jackson’s Fondren Arts District that channels the many illegal speakeasies of the Roaring Twenties.

“The experience is something unique for Jackson,” Shull says. “It’s not just a bar. It tells the story of classic cocktail bars when they were the really special place to go. It’s about having a classy, sophisticated place to be around the table with people you love.”

So much can happen over drinks from first dates to job interviews and the Apothecary has something for any occasion.

The Apothecary’s signature Doc Noble (cayenne pepper, infused rye, demerara and lemon) is named after an old Jackson druggist and has a sweet and spicy almost holiday taste.

Most men that pull up to the marbletopped bar might prefer the standard whiskey Old Fashioned while ladies gathered at a nearby table order the Pink Phosphorescent house cocktail (gin, grapefruit oleo, phosphate, lemon and creme de mure).

Teetotaling customers can still enjoy the Apothecary atmosphere while sipping on a non-alcoholic “temperance drink,” beverages that Reeves say are trending nationwide.

“I didn’t want people to say you know I used to go to Brent’s before it turned into a bar,” Reeves says. “We’re not serving cock-

tails out front. You can be a family restaurant and have a bar. You can balance those things you just have to have that distinction.”

Apothecary bartenders look for “farm to plate” organic ways to make the cocktails from homemade tonic water and pecansoaked rye to hand-squeezed fruit juice.

“Pre-Prohibition in the 19th century a bartender wasn’t just a bartender,” Reeves says. “It was a craft. You were a chef. You made everything from scratch and you didn’t tell anyone your recipes.”

Despite having no signage or advertising campaign planned, Reeves is confident that The Apothecary and upcoming hotspots like it will continue to be the toast of the town.

“We think that people may say, ‘I don’t know where I’m going to eat (or drink) but I’m going to Fondren,’’’ he says.

BACK TO THE FUTURE: Prohibition left Mississippi high and dry until 1966 and many bartenders had to find work as pharmacy soda jerks. Guests of the Apothecary at Brent’s Drugs can easily imagine what the landmark Jackson pharmacy could have looked like with an illegal speakeasy operating in the backroom.

July 19, 2013 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

AN MBJ FOCUS:

EDUCATION & WORKFORCE TRAINING

Connecting education, needs Mississippi colleges work on multiple levels to solve the workforce puzzle

By BECKY GILLETTE I CONTRIBUTOR I mbj@msbusiness.com

R

IGHT NOW, interest rates on Stafford student loans have doubled. And while there is a move afoot in Congress to reduce those interest rates, the cost of financing an education is a big enough burden that there is more than academic interest in making sure that students who graduate are going to be able to get a good job.

See COLLEGES, Page 16

12 I Mississippi Business Journal I July 19, 2013

EDUCATION & WORKFORCE TRAINING

WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD

State lends a hand in training employees » SWIB ensures college programs are meeting the needs of the workforce and that those programs match

By LYNN LOFTON I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

Seven years ago the State Workforce Investment Board was established with a mission to help ensure a viable, well-trained workforce for Mississippi. The board is made up of a diverse group representing the various private sectors and public entities, especially public education, and works in conjunction with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.

Jay Moon, president/CEO of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association, has been on the board since its inception and currently serves as chairman. “SWIB has coordinating authority over workforce education even though the education entities run their programs,” he said. “The board makes sure the programs are meeting the needs of employees and employers and that each program matches others.”

He says it’s a process that’s helped a great deal and has a lot of good things going on.

With a variety of funding sources for work-

“Workforce education has relied on general funds, but it’s now a set amount that can be rolled over from year to year, giving it additional flexibility.

Now we can make multi-year commitments.”

Jay Moon, chairman, State Workforce Investment Board

force education programs, SWIB is proud of the Workforce Enhancement Training Fund it started with private sector funds.

Moon said, “Workforce education has relied on general funds, but it’s now a set amount that can be rolled over from year to year, giving it additional flexibility. Now we can make multi-year commitments.”

Another accomplishment of SWIB is the establishment of a review and analysis mechanism to track training dollars to make sure the training resonates with the private sector. Working through Missis-

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

sippi State University, this analysis asks the crucial question: how much difference did this training make? A united effort of educators and employers provides the over sight and overall coordination to provide effective training.

“The program has expanded and that’s very good,” Moon said. “It’s important to have a diverse group on the board that includes the private sector because they are using the employees who were trained. We don’t want private employers to have to retrain employees.”

Moon, a former economic development professional, knows first hand the value of effective workforce training. He worked with the Mississippi Development Authority 13 years and is in his 12th year with the Mississippi Manufacturers Association. “Workforce training is economic development and it never stops. That’s the real challenge; not just formalized training but re-training and keeping up with changing technology,” he said. “We must keep people trained throughout their lives. It’s estimated people change careers three times in their lives. There are also returning military veterans and people losing jobs to be re-trained.”

SWIB is developing a program of dual enrollment and dual credit whereby high

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

Career, Technical and Workforce Education Short-term Career Training Industrial Safety Training Computer Skills Soft Skills

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Alan Turner, alan.turner@msbusiness.com

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

601-364-1011

school students get credit through community colleges while still in high school.

“One thing I will focus on as chairman is improving the state’s high school graduation rate, and this program will help,” Moon said. “Individuals in this program will be going to work for the private employers on our board. We now have advanced manufacturing rather than just manufacturing, and employees must have higher skills levels.”

He feels the dual enrollment/dual credit program will help state residents move along the path to higher skills. The new program has begun and SWIB hopes to see it all around the state.

“I am also hopeful this program will help decrease our state’s high school dropout rate. That’s important to me,” Moon added.

“Our average dropout rate is 33 percent.

Advanced manufacturing skills are needed; health care jobs are growing every day. With these challenges and opportunities and only three million people in Mississippi, we can’t afford for anyone to drop out.”

In addition to programs and procedures now underway, this board is looking ahead at ways to enhance early education and education through all levels.

SWIB members are planning a major event for October 29 when they will host the Governor’s Workforce Development Conference in conjunction with the Federal Reserve Board. It will be held in downtown Jackson at the meeting and convention center. “It will be very exciting as we show what’s going on around the country with the economy, economic development and workforce training,” Moon said.

careertraining.colin.edu ĨĂĐĞŬ͘ĐŽŵͬĐůĐĐǁŽƌŬĨŽƌĐĞ Žƌ ƚǁŝƩĞƌ͘ĐŽŵͬĐůĐĐǁŽƌŬĨŽƌĐĞ

Funding for this advertisement was provided by the Mississippi Community College Board.

ŽƉŝĂŚͲ>ŝŶĐŽůŶ ŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ŽůůĞŐĞ ĚŽĞƐ ŶŽƚ ĚŝƐĐƌŝŵŝŶĂƚĞ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂƐŝƐ ŽĨ ƌĂĐĞ͕ ĐŽůŽƌ͕ ƌĞůŝŐŝŽŶ͕ ŶĂƟŽŶĂů ŽƌŝŐŝŶ͕ ƐĞdž͕ ĂŐĞ͕ ĚŝƐĂďŝůŝƚLJ͕ Žƌ ŽƚŚĞƌ ĨĂĐƚŽƌƐ ƉƌŽŚŝďŝƚĞĚ ďLJ ůĂǁ ŝŶ ĂŶLJ ŽĨ ŝƚƐ ĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶĂů ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵƐ͕ ĂĐƟǀŝƟĞƐ͕ ĂĚŵŝƐƐŝŽŶƐ͕ Žƌ ĞŵƉůŽLJŵĞŶƚ ƉƌĂĐƟĐĞƐ͘

EDUCATION & WORKFORCE TRAINING

July 19, 2013

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

13

WIN JOB CENTERS

Closings haven’t stopped services  Cuts have taken a toll on centers, but people in need can get help via phone, internet or other centers

By LYNN LOFTON I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

By now most everyone is familiar with the term “sequestration,� and some people are feeling its effects. In Mississippi sequestration has led to the closing of 12 WIN Job Centers and three becoming part-time centers. However, 43 WIN Job Centers remain open full time. The job centers are staffed and operated by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.

As background, MDES executive director Mark Henry explains that although MDES is a state agency, its entire operating budget comes from the federal government. “The largest recent budget was $96 million in fiscal year 2007; this year the budget is $55.6 million,� he said. “Our next budget, which begins October 1, will be $52.2 million.�

Unless Congress changes the law, Henry expects the MDES budget will go through nine more rounds of cuts over the next nine years.

Henry “We don’t subscribe all of the job center closings to sequestration,� he said. “Obviously, those budget reductions mean MDES had to make changes to get our spending in line with the budget.�

Those changes included laying off 20 employees and reducing the hours of 78 employees in addition to the closure of 12 WIN centers and reducing the hours of three more. “The centers that were closed were chosen on the basis of a review that began in August 2012,� Henry said. “We asked if the centers had the appropriate staff level, the necessity of each job function, how busy the centers are, how close the locations are to other job centers and how many employees each center can afford to employ.�

He points out that Mississippi residents can obtain every service of the WIN Job Centers that were closed by calling toll free 888-844-3577 weekdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Services are also available 24 hours a day on the website www.mdes.ms.gov. “Through that telephone number and online, people can get anything they can get at an office,� he said. “Also, the 43 centers that remain open are spaced evenly all over the state. As far as I can tell, services have not changed.�

The department continues to work to hold down spending. For instance, landscaping costs were reduced from $70,000 a year to $17,000 each year, and it has

stopped paying dues to a number of professional organizations. “We’re finding ways that don’t affect services but do save money,� Henry said.

“We still help Mississippians get jobs and help businesses find employees.�

The WIN Job Centers going to parttime status are Iuka, Newton and Philadel-

phia. Those closed include Bay Springs, Belzoni, Fulton, Hazlehurst, Holly Springs, Kosciusko, Prentiss, Ripley, Rolling Fork, Tunica, Waveland and Yazoo City.

Your business blueprint.

Our business tools.

A Better Way to Manage Your Bottom Line.

For a location near you, call us at 1-888-797-7711 or visit our Branch Locator at BancorpSouth.com

Bank deposits are FDIC insured. BancorpSouth Investment Services, Inc., and BancorpSouth Insurance Services, Inc., are wholly owned subsidiaries of BancorpSouth Bank. Insurance products are offered by BancorpSouth Insurance 4FSWJDFT *OD *OWFTUNFOU QSPEVDUT BSF PGGFSFE CZ #BODPSQ4PVUI *OWFTUNFOU 4FSWJDFT *OD .FNCFS '*/3" 4*1$ *OTVSBODF BOE JOWFTUNFOU QSPEVDUT BSF t /PU B EFQPTJU t /PU '%*$ JOTVSFE t /PU JOTVSFE CZ BOZ GFEFSBM HPWFSONFOU BHFODZ t /PU HVBSBOUFFE CZ UIF CBOL t .BZ HP EPXO JO WBMVF

WE PUT THE IN

MBA

MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Established in 1915, fully accredited, and one of the oldest business schools in the South.

Offers programs leading to Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees .

Home to the state’s largest simulated trading room.

Complete your MBA on campus in one calendar year.

Get a quality education wherever you are with our Distance MBA program.

The distance MBA program is rated in the top 40 “Best Online Business Programs 2013” by US News and World Report.

Offers Distance Master’s Degree programs in Business Administration (MBA) or MBA Project Management and in Information Systems (MSIS).

@MSUBusiness

MSUBusiness

662.325.2580 • business@msstate.edu www.business.msstate.edu • www.distance.msstate.edu/business

EDUCATION & WORKFORCE TRAINING

16 I Mississippi Business Journal I July 19, 2013

“Businesses prefer internship as a test run before they hire you. Internship sites many times end up hiring interns.”

“We basically want to have the pulse of those people who are actually going to be hiring our graduates.”

COLLEGES

Dr. Scott Tollison

Dalvon Miller

Dean of the College of Business and Professional Studies, Mississippi University for Women

Director of Career Services and Placement, Delta State University

Continued from Page 11

Mississippi colleges and universities have a wide variety of programs designed to make sure that the instruction being provided is relevant to the need of students to get a job – and the need of the state businesses and industries to have a well-trained workforce.

Fitting that bill requires a two-way conversation with employers in the state, said Dr. Scott Tollison, dean of the College of Business and Professional Studies, Mississippi University for Women.

“One of the things we do is maintain close ties with the local industry to ensure we are creating instruction that is relevant to our local businesses,” Tollison said. “We created an electronic survey of local industry in April and May and were most pleased with the large response. We are going to use the results of that survey to inform our fu-

ture curriculum decisions. We basically want to have the pulse of those people who are actually going to be hiring our graduates.

We want to be able to understand their needs so we will be better able to prepare our students.”

Tollison said they have learned that industry is looking for students with strong work ethics and critical thinking skills. They have also found businesses are interested in more than discipline-specific courses. For example, it isn’t just business courses that prepare students to work in business, but also general education and core curriculum that help prepare students to join the workforce.

Delta State University has a Student Success Center that provides a wide range of support services, including academic support and advising.

“The SSC operates through a fourpronged approach to student success: Learning, international, focus, and experi-

ence,” said Christy Riddle, director of the SSC. “The third component, focus, is geared towards helping students develop a game plan for success throughout college and in the workforce. The experience component is key to helping prepare students for their careers. The SSC cultivates events that include campus and community involvement and financial/emotional guidance for students.”

Students also benefit from robust efforts to help students write a resume, learn interviewing skills and let students know about job opportunities.

Davlon Miller, director of Career Services and Placement, Delta State University, said there can be a disconnect between academia and the business world because markets change so often. Students are in an incubator, and may not be aware of what the hot jobs and skills are. That is where Career Services and Placement can help out.

“The past couple of years, jobs weren’t as available,” Miller said. “Now the trends are different. What employers are looking for is different. They want students with experience. Internships are very important for students to have. Businesses prefer internship as a test run before they hire you. Internship sites many times end up hiring interns. A lot of employers are moving towards that type of model.”

Scott Maynard, director of the Mississippi State University Career Center, agrees about the value of internships.

“One of the main things we push for all students is to find a way to gain practical work experience in their field of study prior to graduation,” Maynard said. “We really can’t stress that enough. The students who are the most marketable when it comes to interviewing at graduation are the ones who See

TRAINING, Page 17

2013 UPCOMING EDITORIAL FOCUS DATE

FOCUS

LIST

August 2 . . . . . . . . . . .Healthcare Ms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cancer Care Centers August 9 . . . . . . . . . . .Banking and Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Credit Unions August 16 . . . . . . . . . .Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MTA (Innovate) Hall of Fame Members August 23 . . . . . . . . . .Real Estate/Construction . . . . . . . . . . . .Community Developers August 30 . . . . . . . . . .Economic Development . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mississippi Main Street Association & Highest Paid Occupations Space Reservation 10 days in advance For advertising information please call 601-364-1011

EDUCATION & WORKFORCE TRAINING “One of the main things we push for all students is to find a way to gain practical work experience in their field of study prior to graduation.�

Scott Maynard Director, Mississippi State University Career Center

TRAINING

July 19, 2013

I

Mississippi Business Journal

“Each community college works with existing local businesses and economic developers to identify particular training and programs that are needed within an area.�

Dr. Eric Clark, Executive director, Mississippi Community College Board

Continued from Page 16

have had co-op experience, internship experience and summer jobs. They are starting head and shoulders above other students from an employer’s perspective.�

Internships for professional careers are similar to apprenticeships for trade and vocational jobs, said Dr. John D. Jones, interim provost and vice president of Academic Affairs at Mississippi Valley State University.

Beyond the theoretical knowledge garnered in the classroom, internships are the primary method used to prepare students for careers. “Each academic program at MVSU offers an internship as a component of the curriculum,� Jones said. “Internships may be paid or unpaid, and are usually understood to be temporary positions. Some academic programs require an internship while other programs simply offer the opportunity and encourage participation. Students use internships to assess their interest in a particular career, create a network of contacts or, in most cases, to gain school credit.�

Mississippi community and junior colleges offer programs that provide job specific training. In fact, there are dozens of training programs from accounting, agriculture management and aquaculture to heavy machine operators and telecommunications. “Community colleges offer short-term, non-credit workforce training in areas such as HVAC repair, computer use and applications, construction trades, drafting, furniture manufacturing, and welding,� said Dr. Eric Clark, executive director, Mississippi Community College Board. “Additionally, our community colleges offer for-credit, career and technical education programs in fields such as the healthcare industry, automotive technology, and in the energy sector. These programs offer Mississippians an opportunity to improve their job skills at an affordable cost in order to make a good living in the 21st century global economy.�

Most high-paying jobs require education beyond high school. Clark said community colleges are the primary entities that train Mississippians for these jobs. “Furthermore, each community college works with existing local businesses and economic developers to identify particular training and programs that are needed within an area,� he said. “Our community colleges are able to tailor courses that address specific needs for the employer and the employee.�

I

17

Firm Foundation.

Limitless Possibilities.

At William Carey University, we equip you with the tools you need for success.

At Carey, you are not just a long student number. Instead, you are a valued individual and a member of our family. You can expect not only a quality education but also a lot of support in your path to a degree. And, with so many opportunities available here, what a path that can be!

R5 R5 R5 R5 R5

'*/- -5#(5 ..# - /,!5 ( 5 #&)2# ,#(!65 ",#-.# (5 (0#,)(' (. ./ (.I /&.35, .#)5) 5gi9g hj5/( ,!, / . 5' $),-65hn5'#(), ( ,)/-5- ")& ,-"#*-5#(5 , -5) 5 '# -655 ." .# -65 "/, "7, & . 50) .#)(-65 ( 55 '#--#)( ,35 * ( (.

R5 km5 2., /,,# /& ,5 .#0#.# -

R5 R5 R5 R5

gf5' -. ,]-5 !, 1)5-* # &#-.]-5 !, Äť, 5 ) .), &5 !, (% 5 5^ )*5 # ,5 !#)( &5 (#0 ,-#.3_5 35." 5*, -.#!#)/-5 U.S. News & World Report

... and so much more!

g7nff7olh7koog

wmcarey.edu

COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES Institution

Address

Alcorn State University Belhaven University Blue Mountain College Coahoma Community College Copiah-Lincoln Community College Delta State University East Central Community College East Mississippi Community College Hinds Community College Holmes Community College Itawamba Community College Jackson State University Jones County Junior College Meridian Community College Millsaps College Mississippi College Mississippi Delta Community College Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Mississippi State University Mississippi University for Women Mississippi Valley State University Northeast Mississippi Community College Northwest Mississippi Community College Pearl River Community College Rust College Southwest Mississippi Community College Tougaloo College University of Mississippi University of Southern Mississippi William Carey University

1000 ASU Dr., Alcorn State, MS 39096-7500 1500 Peachtree St., Jackson, MS 39202 201 W. Main St., Blue Mountain, MS 38610 3240 Friars Point Rd., Clarksdale, MS 38614 P.O. Box 649, Wesson, MS 39191 Hwy. 8 W., Cleveland, MS 38733 275 W. Broad St., Decatur, MS 39327 1512 Kemper St., Scooba, MS 39358 P.O. Box 1100, Raymond, MS 39154 Goodman, MS 39079 2176 S. Eason Blvd., Tupelo, MS 38804 1400 John R. Lynch St., Jackson, MS 39217 900 S. Court St., Ellisville, MS 39437 910 Hwy. 19 N., Meridian, MS 39307 1701 N. State St., Jackson, MS 39210 200 S. Capitol St. Clinton, MS 39058 Hwy. 3 & Cherry St., Moorhead, MS 38761 P.O. Box 548, Perkinston, MS 39573 Mississippi State, MS 39762 1100 College St., Columbus, MS 39701 14000 Hwy. 82 W., Itta Bena, MS 38941 101 Cunningham Blvd., Booneville, MS 38829 4975 Hwy. 51 N., Senatobia, MS 38668 101 Hwy. 11 N., Poplarville, MS 39470-5760 150 Rust Ave., Holly Springs, MS 38635 1156 College Dr., Summit, MS 39666 500 W. County Line Rd., Tougaloo, MS 39174 P.O. Box 1848, University, MS 38677-1848 118 College Dr., #5166, Hattiesburg, MS 39406 498 Tuscan Ave., Hattiesburg, MS 39401

July 19, 2013

Phone (601) 877-6100 (601) 968-5940 (662) 685-4771 (662) 627-2571 (601) 643-5101 1-800-GO-TO-DSU 1-800-GO-2-ECCC (662) 476-8442 1-800-HINDSCC 1-800-465-6374 (662) 862-800 (601) 979-2121 (601) 477-4000 1-800-MCC-THE1 (601) 974-1000 (601) 925.3000 (662) 246-6322 (601) 928-5211 (662) 325-2323 (662) 329-4750 (662) 254-9041 (662) 728-7751 (662) 562-3200 (601) 403-1312 (662) 252-8000 (601) 276-2000 (601) 977-7700 (662) 915-7211 (601) 266-5000 (601) 318-6051

Website www.alcorn.edu www.belhaven.edu www.bmc.edu www.coahomacc.edu www.colin.edu http://www.deltastate.edu www.eccc.edu www.eastms.edu www.hindscc.edu www.holmescc.edu www.iccms.edu www.jsums.edu www.jcjc.edu www.meridiancc.edu www.millsaps.edu www.mc.edu www.msdelta.edu www.mgccc.edu www.msstate.edu www.muw.edu www.mvsu.edu www.nemcc.edu www.northwestms.edu www.prcc.edu www.rustcollege.edu www.smcc.edu www.tougaloo.edu www.olemiss.edu www.usm.edu www.wmcarey.edu

I

Mississippi Business Journal

Year Founded 1871 1883 1873 1949 1928 1924 1928 1927 1917 1925 1948 1877 1911 1937 1826 1826 1926 1911 1878 1884 1950 1948 1927 1908 1866 1929 1869 1848 1910 1892

I

19

President

M. Christopher Brown Roger Parrott Barbara McMillin Valmadge Towner Ronnie Nettles William "Bill" LaForge Billy W. Stewart Rick Young Clyde Muse Glenn Boyce Mike Eaton Carolyn Meyers Jesse Smith Scott D. Elliott Robert Pearigen Lee G. Royce Larry Nabors Mary S. Graham Mark Keenum Jim Borsig Alfred Rankins Jr. (acting president) Johnny L. Allen Gary Lee Spears William Lewis David L. Beckley J. Steven Bishop Beverly Wade Hogan Dan Jones Rodney D. Bennett Tommy King

Information from this list was obtained from individual institutions and other reliable sources. It does not include proprietary schools. Please send questions or comments to Wally Northway at research@msbusiness.com.

FLEXTIME FLEX

BALANCE WORK AND FAMILY ON CAMPUS OR ONLINE

MPI offers in-depth training opportunities in high-tech operations fields. These courses include the following: -

Composites Lean Enterprise Innovation Engineering Injection Molding/Extrusion

For more information, contact us at 601.266.4607.

AA/EOE/ADAI

46 Shelby Thames Drive Hattiesburg, MS 39402 www.usm.edu/mpi

F

lextime is the balance Belhaven brings to working adults so they can earn their bachelor or master degree on campus or online.

For more than 30 years we have tailored our courses for adults who want a quality degree, but with flexibility. Flextime gives you versatility for every part of your life so you don’t lose sight of your family commitments and financial priorities— W W W. B E L H AV E N . E D U | 6 0 1 - 9 6 8 - 5 9 4 0 letting you focus more on stretching YOUR PLACE. YOUR PURPOSE. your academic muscles toward a

NEWSMAKERS

20 I Mississippi Business Journal I July 19, 2013 Profiles of growing young professionals in Mississippi

Age: 30 Title: Audit Manager Company: BKD

Keeping our eye on... WIL CRAWFORD Wil Crawford’s childhood days in Holly Bluff in rural Yazoo County were filled with toy tractors and Legos. “I wanted to be either a farmer or in construction,” Crawford says.

Crawford’s first job as a bank clerk in Yazoo City put him on the path to a career in the financial industry. As an audit manager for BKD, Crawford focuses on financial and compliance audits for state and local government organizations and for non-profits.

With a passion for people and staying up to date in an evolving industry, Crawford also stays involved with on-campus recruiting and learning and development at BKD. “With Baby Boomers making up such a large percentage of CPAs, the sky is the limit for the next generation,” Crawford says.

“Cloud computing and other innovations are paving the way for

expanded services in the accounting industry.”

Crawford earned a bachelor and master of accountancy from Mississippi State University and has served as president of the Mississippi Young CPA Network and a committee vice-chair with the Mississippi Society of CPAs. Crawford also enjoys watching MSU athletics and has served as treasurer of the Central Mississippi MSU alumni chapter. He lives with his wife and two dogs in Jackson.

“If you enjoy what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life,” Crawford advises young professionals. “Get involved — whether it’s in the community or in professional organizations. Building your network is extremely valuable in today’s marketplace.”

— By Stephen McDill

Keith leading institute

Kelley-Winders retires

Jason Keith, Earnest W. Deavenport Jr. Chair and director of Mississippi State University’s Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering, is taking on an additional role with the land-grant institution. Keith will lead the MSU Energy Institute, which is administrated jointly by the Office of Research and Economic Development and the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and VeteriKeith nary Medicine.

Keith, who has been Swalm’s director since August 2011, is taking the institute’s helm from veteran faculty member and administrator W. Glenn Steele, who retired from MSU as William L. Giles Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering last year.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Akron in 1995, Keith defended his chemical engineering doctoral dissertation at the University of Notre Dame in August 2000.

That same year, he joined the faculty of Michigan Technological University as an assistant professor. He earned tenure and promotion to associate professor in 2006, and full professor status in 2011.

Keith and his wife, Salvadora, live in Starkville with their children — Andrew, Maria, Isabel and Sophia — and a chocolate Lab named Pennant.

Anna Faye Kelley-Winders, vice president of Community Campus, has retired from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College after 44 years.Kelley-Winders was honored at the 2013 commencement ceremony as the longestserving employee of the college, and was honored with a concurrent resolution from the Mississippi Legislature June 21.

A George County native, she was Kelley-Williams first introduced to MGCCC almost 50 years ago as a student at the Perkinston Campus.She attended Perkinston Junior College from 1964 to 1966 and completed her master of education degree at the University of Southern Mississippi in 1968.She began her career as a business and office technology instructor at the Perkinston Campus in fall 1969.After 18 years in the classroom, she held numerous leadership positions — collegewide self-study director, administrative assistant for academic and general instruction, administrative dean of the George County Center and vice president.

Club installs, honors members The Rotary Club of Edgewater recently gathered for the installation of the president and board of directors for 2013 – 2014 year. Rotary’s past district governor Ace Necaise, of Gautier, installed Keith Rhodes as incoming president. Other members installed to the board were Harry Piascik, Gill Miller, Pam Hall, Mike Cooper, Carl Fallo, Susan Church, Sandi Pickard, Nancy Fobes, Lori Davis and Joy Goundas.

Awards were presented for the Rotarian of the Year to Fallo. Church received the President’s Award.

And, the “Star Award went to Goundas.

The late, long-time Rotarian Tom Wall was also remembered. His wife, Arlene, accepted the Service Above Self award for his dedication to the Edgewater Rotary Club and community.

Riley, Ward promoted Kristy Irons Riley, former communications director for Mitchell Companies, has been promoted to general manager of M’Prints Promotional Products and National Scrubwear. Riley has been the communications director for Mitchell Companies since 2009.

Prior to this role, she served as the director of marketing and communication for the Division of Development and Alumni at Mississippi State University, where she also was an adjunct professor. Riley’s extensive resume also includes positions at Mississippi State as the executive assistant and programs specialist in the Office of the President as well as a transfer admissions counselor. Riley received a master of science degree in public relations from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2005. In 2004, she received a bachelor of arts degree in English with a minor in public relations from Mississippi State University. Riley currently resides in Bay Springs with her husband, Jon, and her two daughters, Emily Jayne and Elizabeth.

Also, Mitchell Companies has recently named Anna Grace Ward as the new communications manager. Ward graduated from Mississippi State University in 2011 with a bachelor of arts degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations

Ardillo

Heroes or mentors: “I have always looked up to my father’s work ethic and sense of humor.”

Favorite hangout spots: Tailgating at Mississippi State University Best Mississippi event: Football weekends and hometown festivals Favorite Mississippi food: Pimento cheese sandwiches Favorite TV show: “The Big Bang Theory” Favorite music: Jimmy Buffett Bucket List: Be a contestant on “The Amazing Race” Twitter handle: @wilkinscrawford

Brown

Luckey

Taylor

Yancey

MSPB elects officers Alwyn Luckey of Ocean Springs has been elected to serve as chairman of the Mississippi State Personnel Board for fiscal year 2014. Nick Ardillo of Columbus has been elected to serve as vice chairman of MSPB. Serving on the board with Luckey and Ardillo are Donald G. Brown of Vicksburg, Donald R. Taylor of Crystal Springs and the newly appointed Lee Yancey of Brandon. and a minor in marketing. She worked as the corporate business specialist at Vital Care Inc. before moving to Mitchell Companies. Ward also has past experience in positions at the United Way of East Mississippi, the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, and the MSU Career Center. She graduated from the Leadership Lauderdale program in 2013 and is a member of the Meridian Symphony League, Young Professionals of Meridian and the Meridian chapter of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi. She also recently became an ambassador for the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation. Ward currently resides in Meridian and is the daughter of Kim Ward and the late Jim Ward.

Hybrid appoints Ferguson Hybrid Plastics has appointed Royce Ferguson as chief commercial officer. Ferguson joins Hybrid as the senior corporate executive dedicated to sales and marketing. He has a track record of highly successful global business development with demonstrated achievement in international sales and a clear track record of effectively marketing complex technology solutions to high-level decision makers. Ferguson previously served as lead business development and managing director, Africa, for Authentix Inc., an international nano-technology firm specializing in the detection and removal of counterfeit and adulterated products for brand owners and governments worldwide.

He received a BSc from the Colorado College of Mines and an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Brown, Evers take home awards Alcorn State University president M. Christopher Brown II has earned the title of Male HBCU President of the Year from the Center for HBCU Media Advocacy. Brown, who in 2010 at the age of 39 became the youngest HBCU president in the nation, had his contract extended in 2012 by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.

Also, Myrlie Evers, a distinguished scholar-in-residence at Alcorn, was honored as Female HBCU Faculty Member of the Year. She teaches social justice seminars, advises senior research papers, and interacts individually with students, encouraging them to succeed in their studies and passion for social justice and equality. The Center also bestowed upon Evers the Lifetime Achievement Award for her dedication to our nation. Evers was born in Vicksburg in 1933 and later enrolled in what was then Alcorn A&M College where she met and fell in love with Medgar Evers.

She often has been applauded for working with Medgar, the NAACP field secretary, during the 1960s.

Evers moved her family to California where she twice ran for Congress and enjoyed a successful business career. She was also the first African-American woman to serve on the Board of Public Works in Los Angeles. Evers later served as chairwoman of the NAACP’s national board of directors.

NEWSMAKERS

July 19, 2013

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

21

Gray relocating to Jackson University of Phoenix Jackson Campus has appointed Chris Gray to associate campus director. Gray joined University of Phoenix in 2006 as an enrollment advisor at the Dallas Campus. After two years of sustained success, he was promoted to enrollment manager. In the fall of 2011, he relocated to Texas to become associate director of enrollment for University of Phoenix McAllen Campus.

Gray Gray holds a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from University of Texas at Arlington and a master’s degree in psychology from University of Phoenix.Prior to joining University of Phoenix, Gray worked as a geography teacher and basketball, football and track coach in Arlington, Texas.

Neel-Schaffer welcomes Boteler Neel-Schaffer Inc. has added Keith Boteler to its transportation group located in Jackson. Boteler recently retired after 25 years of service to the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT). While at MDOT, he was responsible for all IT/CADD related planning, development, implementation, and support for the Roadway Design Division.

Boteler received his bache- Boteler lor degree in civil engineering from Mississippi State University and is a certified supervisory manager and registered licensed engineer in the state of Mississippi.

Jones earns license Justin Jones of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Vicksburg District, recently obtained his professional civil engineer license. Jones is a native of Vicksburg, and earned his bachelor of science Degree in civil and environmental engineering from Mississippi State University.

He recently returned from a Jones deployment in Afghanistan.

Butler awarded $1.3M grant Dr. David Butler, associate professor in the International Development Doctoral Program at the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast, will begin a study on health changes following disasters using a $1.3 million grant. It is the largest grant ever received in the university’s College of Arts and Letters.

Additional researchers involved in the Southern Miss grant include Dr. Edward Sayre, associate professor of economics in the Department of Political Science, International Development and International Affairs at Southern Miss; and Dr. Roma Hanks at the University of South Alabama.

Briscoe

Brock

Coggin

Hunter

Renasant makes officer promotions Renasant Bank has made a number of officer promotions. Larry Coggin is executive vice president, corporate banking administrator in Tupelo. Coggin attended Mississippi State University, graduating with a BBA in banking and finance. He also attended the National Compliance School, Mid South School of Banking (summa cum laude) and the Graduate School of Banking at LSU. He contributes to his community through organizations such as CDF’s Jim Ingram Community Leadership Institute.

Lucius Brock is senior vice president, corporate relationship officer in Lafayette County. Brock attended Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi, graduating with a bachelor’s of business administration and MBA, respectively. Brock contributes to his community through organizations such as Rotary Club and United Way. Marshall Briscoe is first vice president and trust officer, Wealth Management Department in Tupelo. Briscoe is a graduate of the University of Mississippi, with a bachelor of arts in biology and a juris doctorate in law. He is a certified trust financial advisor in addition to his experience in corporate and private practice of the law.

Rhea

Tucker

Crystal Tucker is assistant vice president and trust officer, Trust Department in Tupelo. Tucker attended the University of Mississippi, graduating with a bachelors in business administration. She also attended Cannon Financial Institute and received certification as a certified trust and financial advisor as well as certified securities operations professional. She contributes to her community through the United Way of North Mississippi.

Kory Hunter is credit officer, Credit Department in Tupelo. Hunter attended the University of Mississippi, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts. Hunter contributes to her community through the Tupelo Young Professionals, United Way, Sanctuary Hospice Junior Auxiliary, where she has served in many capacities.

Alasha Rhea is vice president, employee benefits officer in Tupelo. Rhea graduated from Mississippi State University with a bachelors in business administration, majoring in marketing. She is a member of Priceville Baptist Church, where she teaches pre-school discipleship training.

Saundra Sims is assistant vice president, consumer underwriting in Tupelo. Sims has been with Renasant since 2001, serving in the position of credit officer in the Credit Department. Prior to joining Renasant, Sims worked in finance for 20 years.

Simpson, Pentecost earns PE Association elects McCabe Collins Simpson and Will Pentecost of Waggoner Engineering have become licensed professional engineers in the state of Mississippi. Simpson joined Waggoner in 2011 as an engineering intern and has worked on several projects with the firm thus far, including Starlanding Road, multiple state aid projects and the Short Fork Wastewater Treatment facility site design for the DeSoto County Regional Pentecost Utility Authority. Prior to joining Waggoner, Simpson worked with the MDOT project office in Senatobia, where he provided road construction inspection, communication and oversight to correct and resolve complications on job sites.

Pentecost began at Waggoner in 2008 and serves as a project Simpson engineer specializing in storm water drainage, airport design, site development and program management. His project experience includes the Mississippi Development Authority Small Rental Assistance Program and Neighborhood Home program, where he served as project engineer managing construction of residential housing associated with Hurricane Katrina Recovery.

Simpson holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Mississippi, and Pentecost holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Mississippi State University.

Sims

Patrick McCabe, CEO of Evergreen Industries in Liberty, has been elected chairman of the board of directors of the Mississippi Trucking Association. A native of Amite County, McCabe grew up working on a beef cattle and row crop farm. He attended Southwest Mississippi Community College and Southeastern Louisiana University where he played football. After completing his football eligibility, he transferred to Mis- McCabe sissippi State University, where he completed his BS degree in forest resources.

After college he worked in the timber industry for 123 years before going back into the family trucking business, EverGreen Industries, which at the time, consisted of mainly chip hauling and a small amount of local flatbed hauling. When he joined his father in 1998, they decided to grow the flatbed business and started with their first OTR truck soon thereafter. In the beginning of Patrick’s employment at Evergreen, he held a variety of positions including dispatcher, maintenance supervisor, safety manager, payroll and was on call every night with breakdowns and other problems. When Patrick’s father retired from the business a few years ago, McCabe took over the family business, which had grown immensely.

McCabe resides in Liberty with his daughter, Kalin.

Board members seated New members of the Mississippi State University Alumni Association’s national board of directors have begun one-year terms after being appointed in February. The team includes president Tommy R. Roberson of Memphis, Tenn., Ronald E. Black of Meridian, first vice president; Jackson resident Brad M. Reeves, second vice president; and, Jodi White Turner of

Montgomery, Ala., will continue her role as treasurer.

Camille Scales Young, of Madison, continues on the board as immediate former national president.

Roberson, a 1967 political science and history graduate, is retired from Kraft Foods after 34 years of service. He has served the Memphis Maroon Club as the former president, vice president and membership officer, and has served on the executive committee of the board of directors for three years, most recently in the role of national first vice president.

Black, a 1980 marketing graduate, is director of human resources for Southern Pipe and Supply Company Inc. Black has served as South 1 region director on the national board of directors, and has served on the executive committee for three years. He is active in the Lauderdale County Alumni Association.

The newest officer elected, Reeves, is a 2002 management and construction of land development alumnus. After MSU, he received a law degree from the University of Mississippi, and now is a practicing attorney with Balch and Bingham LLP. Reeves is active with the Central Mississippi Alumni Chapter, where he served as president, among other roles.

Turner received a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1997 and a master’s degree in business administration in 1999, both from Mississippi State. She serves as chief financial officer for PrimeSouth Bank in Tallassee, Ala. Young, a 1994 communication management graduate who also earned a master’s degree in agriculture and extension education in 1996, is vice president of Cornerstone Government Affairs in Jackson. She was a member of the Central Mississippi Chapter board of directors, and has served on various committees including the Evening in Maroon, Young Alumni and Central Mississippi Tennis Tournament.

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

INCORPORATIONS

22 I Mississippi Business Journal I July 19, 2013 May 2013 Incorporations

Peligate Appraisal Services DBA OTH 5/31/13 5086 Utah Street Sagan Enterprises LLC LLC 5/2/13 5007 Florida St

This is the May 2013 list of the state’s newly incorporated businesses from the Secretary of State’s Office. Listed are towns from Abbeville to Gautier. 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.

Saltwater Sportsman Outfitters LLC

Abbeville Delk Enterprises of Oxford, LLC LLC 5/28/13 768 Highway 7 North

Aberdeen

Collins TX Services LLC LLC 5/8/13 302 N Hayden St The Mississippi Emancipation Proclamation Freedom Day SocietyNP 5/20/13 606 B Silver City Lady Bird St

R&R I Q F LLC LLC 5/30/13 598 Bayview Ave Real Estate Training Institute OTH 5/21/13 2637 Park View Dr S. L. White, LLC LLC 5/16/13 2392 Carter Rd Service Experts Plumbing and Drain Service LLC LLC 5/14/13 761 Holly Hills Drive South Mississippi Numismatic Association NP 5/7/13 724 Jackson St Southern Metal Supply, LLC LLC 5/24/13 15187 Lorraine Rd Sowing Circle Incorporated NP 5/24/13 336 Rodenburg Ave Strictly Too LLC LLC 5/30/13 630 Bay Cove Drive Suite 308 Sweet Repeats LLC LLC 5/10/13 13074 Riverwalk Circle Taylor Oaks, LLC LLC 5/8/13 1966 Popps Ferry Rd. TJM Companies LLC LLC 5/16/13 630 Bay Cove Drive To The Rescue Bookkeeping LLC LLC 5/29/13 15222 Camelot Drive Unit, Inc BUS 5/9/13 759 Vieux Marche Mall (39530) Unit, Inc-Alabama BUS 5/9/13 759 Vieux Marche Mall (39530) White Lightening Enterprises, LLC LLC 5/20/13 14398 T-Bird Road Woodwind Inc BUS 5/16/13 145 Main Street

Benton

Bogue Chitto

Youniquely Yours LLC LLC 5/6/13 225 Morey Road

Davis Rentals, LLC LLC 5/1/13 2145 Bullocks Trail SE RL&A Enterprise, LLC LLC 5/8/13 1517 Brumfield Road, SW

Belden Isaiah Charles Edger DBA OTH 5/22/13 144 Brandywine Rd Isaiah’s Technical Services DBA OTH 5/22/13 144 Brandywine Rd Larry Bauer & Assoc. Inc BUS 5/7/13 34 Little Circle Southern Living Property Management Limited Liability Company LLC

5/3/13

G & T Builders, LLC LLC 5/17/13 30006 Austin Drive Happy Little Enterprises, LLC LLC 5/9/13 30010 Wren Village Dr

Amory 1214 Investment Corporation BUS 5/10/13 203 Gilmore Drive EventZ, LLC LLC 5/2/13 203 Gilmore Drive JRW Trucking, Inc. BUS 5/15/13 207B North Third Street Kirkpatrick Enterprises LLC LLC 5/16/13 60016 Walls Ln Nashland Farms, LLC LLC 5/28/13 60030 Pearson Cove Sprizzle Farms, LLC LLC 5/2/13 203 Gilmore Drive Yard Birdz LLC LLC 5/31/13 60403 Hatley Road

Ashland Angela Hopper, Inc. BUS 5/24/13 122 Church Street

1017 Chesterville Rd

Belmont Belmont Pharmacy, LLC LLC 5/20/13 338 2Nd St. G & G Real Estate Rental, LLC LLC 5/20/13 338 2Nd St

Belzoni

Bentonia Yazoo County High School Athletic Booster Club NP 5/14/13 6789 Hwy 49 Frontage Rd (Yazoo City)

Biloxi

Baldwyn 65 Roses Market Place LLC LLC 5/24/13 120 W Main St Christy Fisher, Inc. BUS 5/14/13 124 County Rd 2768 JDR Trucking, LLC LLC 5/7/13 1098 Carrollville Ave North Mississippi Auto Service LLCLLC 5/3/13 205 N Fourth St Xtreme Tan, LLC LLC 5/13/13 290 Prentiss Street

Assurance Health Education Solutions, LLC LLC 5/23/13 9194 Pinecrest Dr. Astro Powersports LLC LLC 5/8/13 2355 Pass Road Balius Properties, LLC LLC 5/31/13 1896 Popps Ferry Road Bayou Belle, LLC LLC 5/14/13 145 Main Street (39530) Biloxi Boardwalk Rentals, LLC LLC 5/3/13 200 8Th Street CCM World Visionaries, Incorporated

Bassfield Barnside Kennels, LLC LLC 5/10/13 2116 South Williamsburg Road

Batesville D. Bynum Enterprises, LLC LLC 5/3/13 127 Pin Oak Drive Fast Fitness Development, LLC LLC 5/31/13 4699 Mt. Olivet Rd, Batesville, MS 38606 Insight Eyecare, Inc. BUS 5/14/13 205 House-Carlson Dr Rotenberry Truckingm, LLC LLC 5/3/13 76 Musgrove Rd Sledge and Sons Trucking LLC LLC 5/22/13 151 A Pegues Circle Young Men & Women on a Mission NP 5/16/13 126 Martinez St

Bay Springs HBB Energy Services LLC LLC 5/1/13 534 CR 102 Lawnworks of Louisiana, LLC LLC 5/10/13 1 County Rd 293

Bay St. Louis Bay Event Staffing and Security LLC

LLC

5/2/13 218 Felicity St Woah Band LLC LLC 5/23/13 2159 Washington Street

LLC

5/22/13 544 Main Street GHN, LLC LLC 5/15/13 626 Highway 90 Hayden Square LLC LLC 5/14/13 10051 Cain Rd John F. Hodges DBA OTH 5/31/13 5086 Utah Street KCR Contractors, L.L.C. LLC 5/20/13 4143 Ireland St MJR Financial Services LLC LLC 5/22/13 117 Oaks Blvd.

Pass Christian Bottle Shoppe LLC LLC 5/14/13 10051 Cain Rd

NP

5/1/13 334 Fairview Drive Coast Firearms, LLC LLC 5/22/13 2554 Beach Blvd, Suite D Culbertson Family Enterprises, LLCLLC 5/8/13 2355 Pass Road Custom Hardwood Solutions LLC LLC 5/6/13 14812 Nassau Dr Delta Exploration of Mississippi, LLC

LLC

5/6/13 2355 Pass Road FJ McNeil Enterprises, LLC LLC 5/3/13 248 Debuys Rd Apt 46 Give The Poor, Corp NP 5/28/13 1120 Beach Blvd.

Island Style Caribbean Marketplace L.L.C. LLC 5/3/13 1655 Irish Hill Dr Apt 61 Jeremy W. Parker, DMD, PLLC PLLC 5/23/13 14920 Cook Rd Joachim Design, LLC LLC 5/8/13 12559 Village Avenue West Karen L Randall Consultant LLC LLC 5/3/13 3561 Lickskillet Rd Kentwood T.D., Inc. BUS 5/23/13 1290 Kenington Drive L & M Companies LLC LLC 5/16/13 630 Bay Cove Drive Louis James, LLC LLC 5/17/13 835 Vieux Marche Mall Magnetic Arrow LLC LLC 5/6/13 158 Bilmarsan Dr MM Charters, LLC LLC 5/10/13 16204 Cook Rd New Guys In Town LLC LLC 5/14/13 6327 Cumberland Way Prestige Management Services, LLC

LLC

5/29/13 2668 Beach Blvd Pride & Groom, LLC LLC 5/1/13 313 B Saint Mary Blvd.

Property Depot OTH 5/8/13 2637 Park View Dr Puro Vida Cigars LLC 5/9/13 2615 LeJuene Dr. #2207

Bolton Chiles Ag, LLC 5/1/13

LLC 3310 East Cox Ferry

Booneville Booneville Industrial Coatings, Inc. BUS 5/14/13 100 West Veterans Drive Martin Creek Farming Inc BUS 5/10/13 109 North College Street MCPC Enterprises, Inc BUS 5/16/13 201 West Market Street

Brandon A Complete Home Source, Inc. BUS 5/15/13 135 Cypress Ridge Dr Aksharpurushottam Edwards, LLC LLC 5/24/13 2004 Asbury Cove Alarco Fund 1, LLC LLC 5/20/13 20 Eastgate Drive Suite G Aleph Enterprises, LLC LLC 5/29/13 111 Terrapin Dr Allison Palmer Inc BUS 5/7/13 2101 Courtside Drive AMPM Consulting Inc BUS 5/9/13 409 Northwind Drive Ascension Fitness LLC LLC 5/30/13 470 Pinebrook Circle Athenafit 1, LLC LLC 5/31/13 403 Port Arbor B.A.L. Sports LLC LLC 5/8/13 150 Pleasant Grove Dr Baker Medical LLC LLC 5/7/13 115 Buckingham Pl Banks Peach Farms LLC LLC 5/14/13 3690 Hwy 80 E Berry Construction & Renovation LLC

LLC

5/22/13 322 Red Cedar Dr. Black Diamond Roofing-DBA OTH 5/10/13 1490 West Government St Suite 7 Bluewater LLC LLC 5/30/13 142 Gateway Dr Burns Law, PLLC PLLC 5/8/13 203 Allen Dr Calera Technology, LLC LLC 5/17/13 100 Covewood Road Clark Homes LLC LLC 5/8/13 115 Whippoorwill Road Clyde and Maries LLC LLC 5/10/13 301 Fawnwood Drive Dalton Continuous Improvement Solutions LLC LLC 5/3/13 102 Stonington Court DeRuiter Sykes & Steen LLC LLC 5/10/13 115 Builders Square Doodleville Media Group, LLC LLC 5/30/13 111 Copperridge Drive

Dorsey Lawn Care, LLC LLC 5/6/13 324 Wood Duck Circle Double Deuce Tree Farm, L.L.C. LLC 5/20/13 304 Huntington Cove Drax Biomax International Inc BUS 5/21/13 20 Eastgate Drive, Suite D Eagles Ridge, LLC LLC 5/28/13 200 Pinnacle Overlook Forever in Stone, LLC LLC 5/3/13 2602 Highwat 80 E Glen Arbor Phase II - IV, LLC LLC 5/24/13 1029 Windrose Dr Graceful Living Residental Home NP 5/1/13 605 Bradford Drive Greater Works Revival Ministry NP 5/2/13 863 Trickham Bridge Road IMPACT Home School Association NP 5/17/13 618 Providence Cove J.A.R. Enterprises LLC LLC 5/9/13 246 Penny Lane JLW Contractors, LLC LLC 5/1/13 157 Cumberland RD A Joe Burnes-Dba OTH 5/10/13 1490 West Government St Suite 7 Lawrence Holdings, LLC LLC 5/9/13 304 Afton Drive Laxin Jackson LLC LLC 5/9/13 123 Sara Dr LDD Enterprise & Holding, LLC LLC 5/31/13221 Sweet Home Church Rd ( Pearl 39208) LHHOUSTON Inc BUS 5/14/13 210 Huntington Hollow Malone Services, LLC. LLC 5/13/13 619 Rockhill Road Mary Ann Roper, Inc BUS 5/7/13 2101 Courtside Drive McB’s of Ms Inc. BUS 5/7/13 111 Huntington View Mississippi Association of Healthcare Plans NP 5/21/13 708 Stillwood Court Mississippi Fabric Stash LLC LLC 5/9/13 6480 Highway 18 MMP Enterprises LLC LLC 5/14/13 115 Fox Meadow Dr MS Small Farmers Rural Water & Sewage Association NP 5/24/13 134 Mattie Burnett Cir New Life Credit Rehab LLC LLC 5/30/13 368 Baker Lane New Progressions of Mississippi LLC

LLC

5/6/13 1490 W Government St Ste 7-263 Newman Enterprises LLC LLC 5/15/13 535 Turtle Lane NuSouth Construction LLC NP 5/30/13 107 Post Oak Drive Oasis Consulting, LLC LLC 5/17/13 121 Cody Lane Old Fannin Road Farmer’s Market, LLC

5/24/13

LLC

1307 Old Fannin Rd

Precision Landscape Management Inc BUS

5/22/13 96 Easthaven Dr Reservoir Consultants LLC LLC 5/29/13 102 Marblehead Drive Rez Realty LLC LLC 5/15/13 111 Huntington View Rock on Industries, LLC. LLC 5/3/13 116 Sunline Dr Russell Construction Company of Mississippi LLC LLC 5/1/13 302 Red Cedar Dr. Sandfield Christian Community Outreach NP 5/9/13 409 Northwind Drive Sassafras Hill Publishing & Entertainment LLC LLC 5/7/13 231 Magnolia Trail Shellie V. Breland, D.D.S., P.L.L.C.PLLC 5/6/13 240 Pimlico Dr Southern CAT, Inc. BUS 5/24/13 413 Julee Circle Southern Notions, LLC LLC 5/17/13 104 Waverly Court Southern Strings Guitar Instruction, LLC LLC

5/17/13 107 Diamondback Lane SPO Properties LLC LLC 5/21/13 494 Creekstone Drive Spruce, LLC LLC 5/20/13 1091 Old Fannin Road Ste D Stanley’s Investments, LLC LLC 5/22/13 1030 C Lake Village Circle Sweet Pickin LLC LLC 5/31/13 188 Amethyst Drive T. Shaw Associates Inc BUS 5/10/13 303 Swan Dr. TB Trading, LLC LLC 5/20/13 164 Gulde-Shiloh Road Thai Tasty LLC LLC 5/24/13 767 Benwick Dr. The Dental Wellness Group, P.A. PA 5/31/13 14 Woodgate Drive

The Roof Factory of Ms, LLC LLC 5/2/13 1490 W Gov St Tile Teks LLC LLC 5/23/13 106 Brendalwood Ln Apt B Top Attractions, LLC LLC 5/1/13 142 Holmar Dr. TRP Insurance Agency LLC LLC 5/14/13 368 Baker Lane True Vine LLC LLC 5/17/13 3772 Mudline Road Washington Agents LLC LLC 5/21/13 201 Apple Blossom Circle

Brookhaven J & V 211 Enterprises LLC LLC 5/10/13 211 Natchez Avenue Kumar’s Trucking, LLC LLC 5/6/13 97 Oak Hill DR NE KVCC Energy, LLC LLC 5/7/13 1070 Highway 84 W Michaels’ All Pro Mobile Home Movers, LLC LLC 5/30/13 1901 Palmetto Trail NW Onsite Audio of Brookhaven LLC LLC 5/17/13 2120 Zetus Rd. NW S&T Boswell Trucking LLC LLC 5/24/13 734 Zetus Rd NW TruFit365 LLC LLC 5/9/13 931 South Church Street Wallace Plumbing & Service LLC LLC 5/16/13 2218 New Sight Drive NE

Bruce Bruce Tobacco for Less LLC LLC 5/17/13 100 S. Pontotoc Rd Ecru Express LLC LLC 5/10/13 234 S. Pontotoc Road

Burnsville Glenn Properties and Development, LLC LLC

5/29/13

21 Cr 211

Byhalia At Home Contractors, LLC LLC 5/16/13 141 Surrey Loop Better Lifestyle Construction LLC LLC 5/29/13 141 Surrey Loop World Water Foundation NP 5/8/13 13135 Fairview Rd

Calhoun City

Carthage

Automotive Consultants, LLC LLC 5/7/13 109 E Gore Street

Burkes Consulting, LLC LLC 5/20/13 223 Lovorn Road Code Red Paintball LLC LLC 5/16/13 1541 Hwy 35 North Crossroad Provision, Inc NP 5/10/13 700 Highland Street Johnson’s Quality Renovation, LLC LLC 5/21/13 505 Old Canton Supreme Hair LLC LLC 5/21/13 1191 Roberts Road

Canton Andrea M. Patrick Photography LLC

Fresh Market Grill at Waynesboro LLC

Affinity Healthcare & Consulting LLC

LLC

5/6/13 2013 Cypress Cove Beauty Max, Inc. BUS 5/24/13 350 Byram Drive, Apt 513 Burns Grill Inc BUS 5/14/13 837 Windward Dr. Byram Tan, Inc. BUS 5/28/13 136 Byram Business Center Byram Tools and More LLC LLC 5/21/13 5547 I-55 South Compassionate Care Nursing LLC LLC 5/2/13 231 Forbes Cv Cook Exteriors Inc BUS 5/20/13 136 Byram Business Center Executives Choice Cleaning Service LLC LLC

5/2/13 141 Carl Circle Five Mile Lake Hunting Lodge LLC LLC 5/15/13 6767 S Siwell Rd Suite B Grace & Mercy Baptist Church NP 5/20/13 404 Huntington Dr Hoge Properties, LLC LLC 5/30/13 117 Brampton Cove Mount Hope Investment Group Incorporated BUS 5/14/13 609 Willow Bay Dr NGJ LLC LLC 5/7/13 508 Wellington Drive OMJ LLC LLC 5/7/13 508 Wellington Drive Our Loved Ones Assisted & Retirement Living LLC LLC 5/14/136989 Hwy 51 Goodman, Ms 39079 Precision Pest Management, Inc BUS 5/23/13 136 Byram Business Center Sanders1 Professional Lawn Maintenance LLC LLC 5/14/13 505 Wellington Dr Tan, Inc. BUS 5/28/13 136 Byram Business Center True Nails & Tan, LLC LLC 5/20/13 136 Byram Business Center Watkins Radiator & Welding, Inc BUS 5/20/13 136 Byram Business Center

Platinum Roofing & Restoration, LLC

LLC

5/15/13 114 Bear Creek Ct Poplar Creek Timber, LLC LLC 5/29/13 151 W. Peace Street LLC

5/28/13 101 Middlefield Drive R&T Tax Service, Inc. BUS 5/31/13 712 East Peace Street RR Wholesale, LLC LLC 5/24/13 3390 N. Liberty Street S. Hooks Consulting, LLC LLC 5/2/13 3390 North Liberty St Sledge Holdings, LLC LLC 5/6/13 151 W. Peace Street Sugar Shack Cafe, LLC LLC 5/30/13 118 W Center St Sweet Oblivions LLC LLC 5/16/13 147 Links Dr Apt 30g The Brockade, LLC LLC 5/1/13 118 Canton One Drive

Carriere Capital Surgical Solutions, LLC LLC 5/21/13 103 Marina Circle JBS Holdings LLC LLC 5/10/13 122 Lynne Drive Joie De Vivre Transport LLC LLC 5/14/13 1027 W Union Rd Marie Philip Group, LLC LLC 5/6/13 90 Augusta Dr Rapid Transportation LLC LLC 5/29/13 223 Hilltop Drive Repair Stop DBA LLC 5/6/13 90 Augusta Dr Sones Trucking, LLC LLC 5/15/13 16 Faye Lane Southern Grace Recovery Center Inc

NP

5/24/13 126 7Th Ave Wanna Be Lane LLC LLC 5/15/13 43 Matthew Road

Carrollton Delta Southern Vending, LLC LLC 5/20/13 261 Cr 193 Teoc Investments LLC LLC 5/14/13 1492 Cr 126

Carson CBS Truck Brokerage Inc BUS 5/17/13 28 Champ Drive

Caledonia Southern Soul LLC 5/29/13

LLC

5/13/13 1554 West Peace Street Johnson Recreational, Learning and Fitness Center NP 5/9/13 941 George Washington Avenue Juanita C. Martin LLC LLC 5/1/13 116 Sagefield Square Kings of Screens LLC LLC 5/17/13 121 Trailbridge Crossing Mevo Solutions, LLC LLC 5/17/13 199 Windward Acres Road MnM Transportation LLC LLC 5/29/13 1854 Robinson Rd Morris4 Properties, LLC LLC 5/1/13 118 Canton One Drive North Canton Detail & Body LLC LLC 5/29/13 227 Brown Rd East O’Connor Heating & Cooling, LLC LLC 5/2/13 103 Meadow Woods Ct Our Kids, Our Future, LLC LLC 5/13/13 941 George Washington Ave Patrick and Son Transportation LLCLLC 5/24/13 322 Millville Rd

R&R Janitorial and Lawn Service LLC

Byram

LLC

5/30/13 127 Bainbridge Crossing Back In Time Antiques and Art, LLCLLC 5/1/13 352 Robinson Road Barr Corp BUS 5/29/13 105 Windward Way BM Inc BUS 5/3/13 414 W Peace St Cameo’s Used Cars LLC LLC 5/13/13 1237 Sharon Rd DeChamp Records, LLC LLC 5/13/13 151 West Peace Street Energizer Entertainment, LLC LLC 5/8/13 941 George Washington Ave Express Janitorial Services LLC LLC 5/22/13 1415 Hwy. 16W Apt. 37 Faux Real Designs LLC LLC 5/22/13 147 Links Drive Apt 13J

LLC 1345 Seed Tick Rd

Centerville Unsnatchable Treasure Hair Salon LLC

LLC

5/16/13 210 Rolling Hills Dr Blackstone Services LLC LLC 5/9/13 1796 Rifle Range Lane Brian Development, LLC LLC 5/24/13 3407 Highway 33 South NBG Enterprise LLC LLC 5/14/13 201 Old Hwy 33 No Land Holdings, LLC LLC 5/10/13 2300 Lower Centreville Rd Norwood Trucking Expo LLC LLC 5/14/13 851 Henry Baker Rd

Charleston 2Allure, LLC 5/20/13 Lily~Rose LLC 5/10/13

LLC 5 South Square St LLC 105 North Laffayette St

Clarksdale Conglomerate Frankelein LLC LLC 5/2/13 318 Delta Ave Cornerstone Counseling Services, LLC

LLC

5/6/13 630 Friars Point Rd Ste E DDDH, LLC LLC 5/20/13 320 West Lee Drive Freebyrd, Inc. BUS 5/16/13 152 Delta Avenue Gold Mynd Enterprize LLC LLC 5/2/13 829 Magnolia St Gold Mynd Foundation NP 5/2/13 829 Magnolia St Ground Zero Blues Club Licensing, LLC

LLC

5/14/13 143 Yazoo Ave Mo’ Better Christian Center NP 5/28/13 710 Lincoln Place Senatobia Building Materials, Inc. BUS 5/24/13 861 South State St Washington Ink OTH 5/23/13 229 Alida ST

Cleveland American Farm Group, Inc BUS 5/20/13 215 North Pearman Avenue Da’Andrea Kelly DBA OTH 5/1/13 111 Parkway Ave Gainspoletti Financial Services LLCLLC 5/16/13 805 West Sunflower Road Janoush Family Holdings, LP LP 5/21/13 1105 Farmer Street Janoush Management, Inc BUS 5/30/13 1105 Farmer Street Personal Home Cleaning DBA OTH 5/7/13 1196 Old Highway 61 Prime-21 LLC LLC 5/28/13 513 S. Victoria Ave Radiology Solutions, PLLC LLC 5/1/13 494 Hillcrest Circle Rosie Cooper Thomas DBA OTH 5/7/13 1196 Old Highway 61 Solo LLC LLC 5/29/13 5 Oak St Superior Cleaning Services LLC OTH 5/1/13 111 Parkway Ave Superior Cleaning Services LLC LLC 5/1/13 111 Parkway Ave. Tax Tyme, LLC LLC 5/17/13 212 N Commerce Ave Suite G The Medical Technology Institute LLC

LLC

5/9/13 810 East Sunflower Road Thinc Design LLC LLC 5/30/13 301 N Sharpe Ave Apt 6

Clinton Ashley Tose Enterprises, LLC. LLC 5/7/13 1219 Rockingham Dr. BAOBAB Nation NP 5/17/13 1150 West Northside Dr BAW Research Consultants LLC LLC 5/23/13 200 Kirkwood Drive BND Ventures, LLC LLC 5/24/13 901 Reserve Dr. Compassionate Sitter Services LLC 5/23/13 109 Glendale ST

INCORPORATIONS Copper Creek Energy Company, LLC

LLC

5/2/13 112 Copper Creek Dr. Family Matters Ministries, Inc. NP 5/20/13 107 Cynthia St. Far Blue LLC LLC 5/23/13 106 Scotland Road Fat Boy Mart Inc. BUS 5/17/13 801 East Northside Drive Five Star Food Retail, LLC LLC 5/24/13 1301 Laurelwood Drive Go Amusement Rentals DBA OTH 5/7/13 102 Brook Cove Hatfield Land Holdings, LLC LLC 5/6/13 120 Misty Morning Lane HKA of MS LLC LLC 5/7/13 137 Cambridge Cv Honor Bands DBA LLC 5/24/13 901 Reserve Dr. JP Food Mart 2 LLC LLC 5/28/13 702 Reserve Dr JW Auto Transport LLC LLC 5/7/13 123A Hwy. 80E Suite 110 Lar Transportation, Inc BUS 5/3/13 1003 Dogwood Drive Moxley Properties LLC LLC 5/16/13 113 Thornwood Dr Patricia C Whitton LLC LLC 5/3/13 314 Warwick Rd Purposed Life Ministries Inc NP 5/29/13 325 Hwy 80 # 107 R & I LLC LLC 5/3/13 101 Johnston Place Robert Tucker DBA OTH 5/7/13 102 Brook Cove SK Food LLC LLC 5/24/13 205 Brighton Drive Teri Oat Inc BUS 5/21/13 122 Rockbridge Xing

Coffeeville Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church of Coffeeville, Ms NP 5/29/13 421 Tennessee

Coldwater Southern Sisters Gourmet LLC LLC 5/14/13 5377 Highway 306

Collins Carpenter Group, LLC LLC 5/2/13 8 Grand View Drive A Chest & Co., LLC LLC 5/24/13 311 Main Street Garcia Roofing, LLC LLC 5/24/13 601 South 2nd Street SRT Properties, LLC LLC 5/15/13 56 Dewitt Faler Rd

Collinsville Brandon Maxwell, LLC LLC 5/8/13 13121 Rocky Ridge Rd C & Y Construction, LLC LLC 5/1/13 10180 Highway 19 North Daniel Shane Hegwood Agency LLC

LLC

5/2/13 9182 Highway 19 N S & Y Construction, LLC LLC 5/1/13 10180 Highway 19 North

Columbia BKK Group, LLC LLC 5/14/13 89 Boone Lane Conerly Road Farms, LLC LLC 5/13/13 536 Conerly Road Hough Tree Farm, LLC LLC 5/31/13 810 Magnolia Avenue My Home In-Home Provider Care Service, LLC LLC 5/1/13 967 Highway 13 South NR International Enterprises, LLC LLC 5/13/13 1378 Broad St Varnado Construction Management, LLC LLC

5/31/13

177 Thompson Creek Ln.

Columbus A 2 Z Childcare Learning Center LLC

LLC

5/16/13 114 Tabatha Lane Chalk Creek Development LLC LLC 5/13/13 1508 Forest Hill Dr Dean Investment Properties, LLC LLC 5/13/13 508 2Nd Avenue North Dismuke Rentals LLC LLC 5/2/13 251 Pickersville RD Dismukes Development Group, LLCLLC 5/1/13 521 Airline RD Dream 365 NP 5/8/13 114 Hunnington Drive Eastside Cutz LLC LLC 5/8/13 2461 Robinson Rd.

Fifth Street Real Estate LLC LLC 5/8/13 410 Main Street, Columbus, Ms 39701 Friendly City Life Center, Inc. NP 5/2/13 1115 15Th St S Hollis Creek Canyon, LLC LLC 5/23/13 710 Main Street, 3rd Floor J2 Enterprises LLC LLC 5/22/13 710 Main Street, 3rd Floor JackieExum Jewerly LLC LLC 5/9/13 200 6Th Street North Suite 700 Kennedy’s Real Deal Grocery, LLC LLC 5/9/13 120 Tuscaloosa Road Lindsey Roofing, LLC LLC 5/3/13 215 5Th Street North Lmm, Inc. BUS 5/2/13 2346 McIntyre Rd Major Design Studio, PLLC PLLC 5/3/13 1328 Shady Street Martha Degraffenried NP 5/29/13 2798 Lake Lowndes Rd Outcold Nurse Anesthesia, LLC LLC 5/23/13 410 Main Street P.M. 40 Investment Group, LLC LLC 5/1/13 521 Airline RD Party Shots Photo Booths LLC LLC 5/15/13 414 Main St Apt C PdM Associates, Inc. BUS 5/29/13 93 Sierra Lane Performing Arts of Columbus LLC LLC 5/24/13 356 Merry Valley Petty Property 300 Alabama Street, LLC LLC

5/24/13 1615 6Th Ave. South Quality Assurance Unlimited LLC LLC 5/29/13 1309 Beersheba Road R & J Laundries LLC LLC 5/8/13 115 Donna Lane Russell Street Development, LLC LLC 5/2/13 410 Main Street Rwill LLC LLC 5/17/13 422 Jess Lyons Road Shipp Family Dentistry LLC LLC 5/8/13 410 Main Street (39701) Shipp Family Dentistry, Inc. BUS 5/30/13 410 Main Street Shipp Property, LLC LLC 5/8/13 410 Main Street (39701) Southern Cathodic Protection Co. BUS 5/28/13 300 Airline Road, Suite D-14 The Mill, LLC LLC 5/2/13 410 Main Street The Mill: Design + Home, LLC LLC 5/31/13 410 Main Street United Support Services LLC LLC 5/30/13 3402 5Th St. North W & K Farms LLC LLC 5/17/13 61 Prichard Lane

Como Crockett Construction, LLC LLC 5/28/13 26781 Highway 310 E Southern Flooring Solutions L.L.C. LLC 5/2/13 511 Coleman St

Corinth Avectus Healthcare Solutions, LLC LLC 5/30/13 503 Cruise Street Bickerts Orthotics & Prosthetics, LLC

LLC

5/20/13 511 Franklin Street Big Bang Trading Company LLC LLC 5/7/13 3809 Hwy 72 West Bogan Upholstery Shop LLC LLC 5/17/13 2149 Hwy 72 East Annex Copharma, Inc. BUS 5/29/13 127 Pratt Drive David E Wallin Garage Inc BUS 5/13/13 15 County Road 113 Oaklawn Memorial Park, LLC LLC 5/16/13 660 Cr 500 Pace Pac A Poe Inc BUS 5/20/13 1407A Harper Rd Three J’s Rental, LLC LLC 5/16/13 1150 Pine Lake Drive

July 19, 2013

Crenshaw

Enterprise

Hutch Barber and Beauty Salon LLC

5/2/13

LLC

1080A highway 3

J & P Rentals, LLC LLC 5/1/13 826 County Road 330

Cruger

Escatawpa

Cruger Apostolic Family Worship Center (Church) NP 5/17/13 185 Brantley Street

Saycro, LLC 5/6/13

LLC 8201 Hwy. 63

Eupora

Crystal Springs L & M Jones Trucking LLC LLC 5/9/13 219 N Jackson St NLN Partnership, LLP LLP 5/22/13 100 E. Marion Ave

D’lberville Art Can Change Everything NP 5/23/13 10317 Boney Ave. Ste A Crazy Crabbers Seafood LLC LLC 5/14/13 10158 Central Ave. EH Pascagoula Holdings, LLC LLC 5/14/13 3179 Mallet Road Suite 4 Freedom Transport USA, LLC LLC 5/21/13 3459 Riverbend Cove Krewe of Neptune NP 5/7/13 356 Ginger Drive La-Ri Liquor, LLC LLC 5/21/13 20204 Belle Vue Circle Lindseys Quick Stop, LLC LLC 5/31/13 570 Meadow Dr Mumford Insurance Group, LLC LLC 5/7/13 1601 Arbor View Circle Plus Energy LLC LLC 5/21/13 3515 S River Ridge Drive SPI Services, LLC LLC 5/6/13 4000 Riverview Dr. Treehouse Development CompanyBUS 5/31/13 3586 Sangani Blvd Suite L.

Decatur SMS Screen & Stitch LLC LLC 5/2/13 851 Decatur Stratton Rd The Trading Post Company, Inc BUS 5/21/13 117 West Broad Street TTPC Properties, LLC LLC 5/24/13 117 West Broad Street

Red Hills Technology, LLC LLC 5/6/13 42 North Joliff

Fayette Angelshine Floorcleaning & Janitorial Services, Inc BUS 5/3/13 1005 Main Street Suite B Jefferson County Chapter Alcorn State University Alumni Association

NP

5/9/13 3472 Hwy 28 McGarry Farms, LLC LLC 5/2/13 5082 River Rd Powhatan Properties LLC LLC 5/13/13 248 Harriston Rd Shree Hari Inc BUS 5/16/13 211 Highway 33 Ste D

Florence Auction 18, LLC LLC 5/20/13 108 Magnolia Springs Foster Fence & Iron Works, Inc. BUS 5/21/13 125 E Main Street Innovative Business Essentials, LLCLLC 5/21/13 531 RT Braddy RD R&R Properties LLC LLC 5/21/13 675 Southern Oaks Dr Red Cent Properties, LLC LLC 5/23/13 759 White Rd Sanderford Realty, Inc. BUS 5/30/13 125 E Main Street T and T Contracting LLC LLC 5/1/13 528 Roxbury Pl. The Cupcake Courthouse, LLC LLC 5/8/13 203 E Main St Tree Care Services LLC LLC 5/7/13 103 Hendrix Lane

Flowood

Dekalb C3 Marine, Equipment and Consulting LLC LLC

5/20/13

Construction Management Services, Inc BUS

446 Houston Road

Diamondhead D B G LLC LLC 5/20/13 84114 Op La Way Fullcloud.net LLC LLC 5/7/13 724 Dunbar Ave Bay St. Louis Ms G-Flight III, LLC LLC 5/9/13 4410 Leisure Time Drive Jaquaters LLC LLC 5/14/13 8512 Kimo Place John Fletcher for Mayor Committee LLC NP

5/10/13 898 Hapuna Place SMLI-Blackline Corp BUS 5/30/13 669 Alii Pl

Drew Hambrick Farm LLC LLC 5/14/13 105 S. Main Street Wailing Women International Ministries LLC 5/7/13 379 South Blvd #4

Durant

100 Rainwater Street, LLC LLC 5/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 3525 Holdings, LLC LLC 5/2/13 645 Lakeland Drive, Suite 101 A World of Smiling Hearts NP 5/10/13 1227 Pin Oak Dr P-11 ABG Caulking & Waterproofing of Morristown, Inc BUS 5/1/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Accusured Management LLC LLC 5/30/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Apex Mechanical Services, Inc BUS 5/16/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 ARCCO Company Services, Inc BUS 5/20/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Beach Colony East LLC LLC 5/17/13 105 Acacia Court Belle Terre Development Company LLC LLC

5/14/13 2950 Layfair Drive Suite 101 Bluewater Retreats, LLC LLC 5/30/13 108 Lineage Lane Brady Contracting & Consulting Inc.

5/31/13 4209 Lakeland Dr. #349 Bridger Transfer Services, LLC LLC 5/23/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Britain Martinez Inc BUS 5/7/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 C J Mahan Construction Company LLC

H & K Drywall Finishing LLC LLC 5/1/13 343 E Mulberry St H & K Drywall Services, LLC LLC 5/1/13 343 E Mulberry St

Courtland

Edwards

AJ & L Trucking LLC LLC 5/28/13 60 Fowler Road Jeremiah’s Trucking LLC LLC 5/21/13 1721 B Shiloh RD

Kc Ltc Geriatric Specialty PLLC PLLC 5/21/13 10060 Old Port Gibson Rd My Cake Ladies LLC LLC 5/16/13 9461 Old Point Gibson Rd

BUS

LLC

5/1/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 C.C. Owen Tile Company, Inc. BUS 5/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Cabernet Get Away, LLC LLC 5/1/13 2950 Layfair Drive, Suite 101 Cadence Investment Services, Inc.BUS 5/2/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Capitol Dough Inc BUS 5/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 CareFusion 203 Inc BUS 5/20/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Carrington Real Estate Services (US), LLCLLC

Crawford

Ellisville

Holtcamp Boys, LLC LLC 5/8/13 2402 Fairport Road

JR & Son Auto Upholstery & Tint, LLC

Crawford Holtcamp Quartet, LLC LLC 5/8/13 852 Seitz Road

5/14/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 LLC

5/1/13 105 Jessamine St K.L.P. Management Group LLC LLC 5/30/13 446 Currie Road Tater Enterprises, LLC LLC 5/3/13 34 Oleta Drive

CenterPoint Energy Field Services LP

LP

5/28/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Certified Financial Services LLC LLC 5/9/13645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Cna Warranty Services, Inc BUS 5/23/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Comfort Medical, LLC LLC 5/23/13 232 Market Street

5/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Crane Construction Company BUS 5/17/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Crane Construction Company of Missouri BUS 5/17/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Crossroads L LLC LLC 5/7/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 CS Mississippi State Associates LP LP 5/29/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 CSL South, Inc. BUS 5/2/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Curriculum Associates LLC LLC 5/6/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 CWI, Inc. BUS 5/1/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Deep South Dish LLC LLC 5/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Delmet Services, LLC LLC 5/22/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Delta Water Management, LLC LLC 5/6/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Divine and Service LTD BUS 5/17/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Eco-Energy, LLC LLC 5/9/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 ExquisitExchange LLC LLC 5/10/13 1227 Pin Oak Dr P-11 Fastline Publications, LLC LLC 5/22/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Foster Wheeler Yonkers Industries, Inc BUS

5/16/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Fresh Fund I, LLC LLC 5/8/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Fresh Fund II, LLC LLC 5/22/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 G & G Barn Rental LLC LLC 5/9/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Gilsbar, L.L.C. LLC 5/8/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Green House Publishing LLC LLC 5/17/13 232 Market Street.

GreenStract LLC LLC 5/14/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 GrubHub, Inc. BUS 5/28/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 HagerCare LLC LLC 5/15/13 903 Laurel Dr. Harkand Gulf Services LLC LLC 5/31/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 HC3 LLC LLC 5/23/13 C/o Blair & Bondurant, P. A. Hers and His Plumbing LLC LLC 5/1/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 HTP Floors Inc. BUS 5/6/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 InnerCity Life Holdings, LLC LLC 5/17/13 2506 Lakeland Dr., Suite 203 InnerCity Life of Mississippi, LLC LLC 5/17/13 2506 Lakeland Dr., Suite 203 Integrity Outsource LLC LLC 5/20/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 JAMCO Ventures, LLC LLC 5/3/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Jasper Resources LLC LLC 5/2/13 2616 Southerland St, Jackson MS 39216 Julia X. Brito DBA OTH 5/1/13 232 Market St JV Associates LLC LLC 5/29/13 506 Jasper Circle Kennedy/Jenks Consultants, Inc. BUS 5/6/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Legacy Cabinets, Inc BUS 5/15/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Lexi-Comp, Inc. BUS 5/24/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Lil Brown Smoke Shack, Inc BUS 5/3/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Livingston Springs LLC LLC 5/15/13 2950 Layfair Drive Suite 101 LPH Properties LLC LLC 5/21/13 497 Keywood Circle Suite A Lululemon USA Inc 5/16/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Lululemon USA Inc BUS 5/16/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 M & R Properties, L.P. LP 5/2/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 M & R Properties, L.P.-Tennessee LP 5/2/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Madison River oaks Physicians Center 1, LLC LLC 5/14/13645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Medical Electro-Therapeutics, Inc BUS 5/7/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Meridian Staffing Services, Inc. BUS 5/24/13645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Millcreek Crossing Owners’ Association, Inc. NP 5/31/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

I

Mississippi Business Journal

Milled Innovations LLC LLC 5/9/13 720 Hwy 80 E MRGM, LLC LLC 5/15/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 MS Surface Cleaners, Inc. BUS 5/9/13 1000 Underwood Drive MSPEC LTD BUS 5/16/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 N&R Roofing, LLC LLC 5/16/13 232 Market Street Nation View LLC LLC 5/14/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 National Urgent Care Holdings, Inc.

BUS

5/24/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 New South Construction Company, Inc. BUS

5/28/13 645 LAKELAND EAST DR #101 Next Generation Sims P & O, LLC LLC 5/7/13 1050 North Flowood Drive, Suite C-1 Nexus Technology Solutions LLC LLC 5/29/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Nimble Storage Inc BUS 5/28/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 O’Rourke Wrecking Company BUS 5/10/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Olive Branch Urgent Care # 1, LLC LLC 5/24/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Online Shipping Insurance Services Inc BUS

5/2/13 10 Canebrake Blvd #200 Paragon 360, LLC LLC 5/30/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Park Lane Construction LLC LLC 5/9/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Park Lane Construction LLC of Alabama LLC 5/9/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Peaceful Beginnings LLC LLC 5/9/13 3723 Flowood Dr. Perl Mortgage, Inc. BUS 5/15/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 PHH Oxford, LLC LLC 5/24/13 120 Stone Creek Boulevard, Suite 100 Pooley Holdings, LLC LLC 5/8/13 2950 Layfair Drive, Suite 101 Power Line Energy Services, Inc. BUS 5/29/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Precision Exterior DBA OTH 5/1/13 232 Market St Premier Hospitality Holdings, LLC LLC 5/24/13 120 Stone Creek Boulevard, Suite 100 ProComm Services LLC LLC 5/23/13 232 Market Street.

Professional Facilities Management, Inc. BUS 5/31/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Property Masters Inc. BUS 5/10/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Protein Matrix, LLC LLC 5/14/13 645 LAKELAND EAST DR #101 QCO Veneer, Inc. BUS 5/6/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Quality Labor Management LLC LLC 5/9/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Quality Traffic Systems, LLC LLC 5/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc BUS 5/10/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 RCO Legal, P.C. BUS 5/9/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 RCO Legal, P.S. BUS 5/9/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Regis University NP 5/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Ricochet Fuel Distributors, Inc BUS 5/3/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Rising Son of Mississippi, LLC LLC 5/22/13 711 White Oak Circle RREF RB-MS SMG, LLC LLC 5/8/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Russell Cellular Inc BUS 5/20/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 RV & Bus Repair and Care LLC LLC 5/16/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 SecurCare Value Properties R, LLC LLC 5/23/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Selman Geo Services Inc BUS 5/9/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Siran Inc BUS 5/17/13 2506 Lakeland Dr., Suite 203 Some Day, LLC LLC 5/10/13 105 Acacia Court Southern Dropout Prevention Alliance

NP

5/8/13 4209 Lakeland Dr Ste #367 Store Master Funding III, LLC LLC 5/20/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Superhero Fire Protection, LLC LLC 5/23/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 SWCA Incorporated BUS 5/24/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Ted Hebert LLC LLC 5/30/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

I

23

TEG Engineering, LLC LLC 5/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 The Ayco Services Agency, L.P. LP 5/23/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 The Landmark at Grand Parkway LLC

LLC

5/16/13 113 Park Circle Dr The Seaport Group LLC LLC 5/21/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 The Sol Group, Corp BUS 5/6/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 The University of Charleston, Inc. NP 5/15/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 The Vestige LLC LLC 5/7/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Thirkettle Corporation BUS 5/29/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Tiptop Oil & Gas US LLC LLC 5/16/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Tire Mobile Express LLC LLC 5/20/13 1703 Old Fannin Rd Apt L-10 TNS Payment Services Corp BUS 5/7/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 TNS Telecommunication Services Corp. BUS

5/7/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Todd Associates, Inc. BUS 5/24/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Triad Insurance, Inc. BUS 5/22/13 232 Market Street Trinity Reverse Mortgage BUS 5/16/13 10 Canebrake Blvd #200 Trinity Reverse Mortgage, Inc. BUS 5/16/13 10 Canebrake Blvd #200 Triton, L.P. LP 5/2/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Triton, L.P.-Tennessee LP 5/2/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Tupelo Business Center Investors, LLC

LLC

5/1/13 511 Keywood Circle Turner Industrial Maintenance, LLCLLC 5/29/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Union Privilege NP 5/23/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Urgent Care by Saint Francis Hospital DBALLC

5/24/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 UROMED, Inc. BUS 5/31/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Valeant Pharmaceuticals North America LLC LLC 5/9/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Valrico Ventures, Inc BUS 5/15/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Wholesale Electric Supply Company, Inc.BUS

5/14/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Woods Cove III, LLC LLC 5/21/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Zenta Recoveries, Inc. BUS 5/14/13 232 Market Street

Forest Boutwell Properties LLC LLC 5/7/13 1407 Melwood Drive Generation Vape LLC LLC 5/30/13 760 Salem Road L & S Rental Properties LLC LLC 5/10/13 1217 Jimmie Dr La Colombiana, Inc. BUS 5/28/13 983 W Third Street Pope’s Waterline Repair, LLC LLC 5/7/13 110 Pope Rd

Foxworth L & B Quick Stop LLC 5/29/13

LLC 2855 Hwy 35 S

Friday Harbor RLG International Inc 5/9/13 175 Second Street North

Fulton Flurry Enterprises, LLC LLC 5/29/13 1555 Peppertown Rd Mobile Ultrasound Solutions, LLC LLC 5/13/13 1809 South Adams St Wilson Truck and Trailer Repair, Inc

5/13/13

BUS

2575 Otto Forrest Road

Gautier Aquatech of Mississippi, LLC LLC 5/20/13 8623 Bayou Castelle Drive Business Information Solutions Office Systems LLC LLC 5/21/13 1525 Highway 90 Coastal Holdings, L.L.C. LLC 5/14/13 1212 Hwy 90 DM&P LLC LLC 5/28/13 1313 Ladnier Rd Eplin Management LLC LLC 5/9/13 8920 Ferry Point Rd

24 I Mississippi Business Journal I July 19, 2013 HEALTHCARE

Blue Cross to cut ties to two hospital systems

By JEFF AMY / Associated Press JACKSON — Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi has told the state's second-largest hospital owner that it will end its contract with the company's 10 Mississippi hospitals at the end of August.

The insurer sent the termination notice to Health Management Associates hospitals statewide on June 25. Naples, Fla.-based HMA had sued Blue Cross for $13 million a week earlier, claiming the Flowood insurer is breaking contract terms by underpaying for a number of procedures.

At the same time, Blue Cross and Jackson's University of Mississippi Medical Center continue talks over payment rates, with the chance that the insurer will no longer contract for treatment at the state's largest hospital. The deadline for that contract to end was Wednesday, but it was extended this week and now would end Aug. 28, barring an agreement or extension.

If Blue Cross no longer has contracts, hospitals would be reimbursed at lower out-of-network rates, meaning patients could face higher outof-pocket costs. Changes would not apply to patients covered by the State and School Employees' Health Insurance Plan. The state government is self-insured and Blue Cross only administers its plan.

It's a clash between three of the largest economic entities in Mississippi's health care market. Blue Cross & Blue Shield, which is owned by its policyholders, had 54 percent of the health insurance market in Mississippi in 2012, according to the American Medical Association.

UMMC cares for the most inpatients in Mississippi, with about 10.7 percent of the average daily patient count statewide in 2012, according to state Health Department figures. HMA's 10 hospitals combined had about 10.4 percent of the average patient count statewide, the second-largest share.

HMA's 10 Mississippi facilities are Biloxi Regional Medical Center, River Oaks Hospital and Woman's Hospital in Flowood, Crossgates River Oaks Hospital in Brandon, Madison River Oaks Medical Center in Canton, Central Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Natchez Community Hospital, Gilmore Regional Medical Center in Amory, Northwest Mississippi Medical Center in Clarksdale and Tri-Lakes Medical Center in Batesville.

Blue Cross has had disputes with large Mississippi hospitals before. Tupelo's North Mississippi Medical Center was out-of-network from 2003 into 2005 before reaching an agreement, while Memorial Hospital at Gulfport was out-of-network for a period that included part of 1999.

HMA's dispute with Blue Cross runs back about two years, said Kace Ragan, spokeswoman for the hospital company. She said the company has been trying to negotiate issues surrounding what HMA sees as unilateral payment cuts that violate contracts with the company's hospitals. Ragan said Blue Cross did not respond to HMA's requests, and the company decided to sue the insurer. The suit, filed June 18 in Hinds County Circuit Court, seeks $13 million in damages for 2012 and 2013, plus interest and punitive damages.

A week later, Blue Cross sent HMA a letter terminating contracts. Ragan said that under the terms of its contracts, HMA says Blue Cross will cut network coverage of its hospitals at the end of August.

"We believe that it is the goal of HMA to maximize profits," Blue Cross chief medical officer Dr. Tom Fentner said in a statement. "We believe that such a goal is inconsistent with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi's goal of managing health care costs for our members. This difference in

philosophies is why we cancelled their network agreements."

The university began negotiating with Blue Cross earlier this year, spokesman Jack Mazurak said, seeking higher reimbursement rates. As part of that negotiation, UMMC set a termination date of June 28, which has now been extended twice.�

been, and will continue to be, to manage the cost of health care and ensure our members receive the medically necessary care they need with the value of being covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield," he said.

Insurance brokers are telling employers statewide, who in turn are

If Blue Cross no longer has contracts, hospitals would be reimbursed at lower out-of-network rates, meaning patients could face higher out-of-pocket costs. Changes would not apply to patients covered by the State and School Employees' Health Insurance Plan. The state government is self-insured and Blue Cross only administers its plan.

"We came to see that we are substantially underpaid as compared to other academic health science centers," Mazurak said. "We're providing acute care, the state's only Level 1 trauma center, the state's only children's hospital, the state's only organ transplant center..

MazuraksaidUMMCalsohasconcernsthatBlueCrossischangingpayments "We also have similar concerns we're addressing in negotiations about midstream changes to the contract," he said.

Fentner said it's "unfortunate" that Blue Cross hasn't been able to reach an agreement with UMMC. "In our network relationships with all of our providers, our priority has

informing their employees. Some patients with procedures scheduled after cutoff dates are switching to other physicians or hospitals.

Fentner said Blue Cross will make sure services that only UMMC provides will still be covered at in-network rates, including emergency services. Meanwhile, Ragan said HMA is considering, at least on a caseby-case basis, cutting or waiving higher out-of-network expenses.

Memorial at Gulfport took the same tack while it was out-of-network.

"We don't want them to automatically say, 'We're not going to go to one of those hospitals,'" Ragan said. "We will do what we can to take that burden away from them."

July 19, 2013

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

25

WASHINGTON

Flood insurance changes hit resistance, face delay Blues guitarist, singer 'T-Model' Ford dies

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS / Associated Press JACKSON — James Lewis Carter "T-Model" Ford, a hard-living blues singer who taught himself to play guitar when he was 58 years old and his fifth wife left him, died Tuesday at his home in Greenville.

His age was uncertain. Washington County Coroner Methel Johnson said the family told her Ford was born in 1924 and had already had his birthday this year, which would have made him 89. But a blues expert and longtime friend, Roger Stolle (STOH-lee), said Ford didn't remember what year he was born and claimed to be 93.

Johnson told The Associated Press that Ford had been under hospice care and died of respiratory failure shortly after 10 a.m. CDT Tuesday. She said he was at home with several relatives, including his wife, Estella Ford.

Stolle, who owns a Clarksdale store called Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art, accompanied Ford and other blues men when they toured Europe in 2009.

He also traveled with Ford to gigs in New York.

"He was known as one of the last really authentic Mississippi blues men," Stolle told AP on Tuesday.

"He has a story and could back it up."

When Ford was young, he served two years of a 10-year prison sentence for killing a man in selfdefense, and he had scars on his ankles from serving on a prison chain gang, Stolle said.

Ford had six wives and 26 children, Stolle said.

When Ford's fifth wife left him, she gave him a guitar as a parting gift.

"He stayed up all night drinking white whiskey," or moonshine, "and playing the guitar," Stolle said. "He kind of went on from there."

Ford started his blues career by playing at private parties and at juke joints in Greenville.

"He'd play late, then he'd spray himself with a bunch of mosquito spray and sleep in his van," Stolle said.

Stolle said Ford recorded seven albums with three labels, including three albums with Fat Possum Records in Oxford, Miss.

Clarksdale Mayor Bill Luckett, who co-owns the city's Ground Zero Blues Club with actor Morgan Freeman, said Ford was "a master of old-school blues" with an international following.

"His music would take you right back to the heart and soul of the Delta, back in the day," Luckett said.

Ford would show up for gigs early and often play longer than expected, even when he started experiencing heart problems in recent years, Stolle said. Ford would also swig Jack Daniels on stage and chat with the audience. Often, he'd pick out a happylooking couple that included an attractive woman and would talk directly to the man.

"He'd say, 'You'd better put your stamp on her because if she flags my train, I'm going to let her ride,'" Stolle said. "He'd do it with a gleam in his eye and a smile. He could get away with a lot."

Hundreds of thousands of homeowners facing higher federal flood insurance premiums under reforms passed last year would win a temporary one-year reprieve under a measure that began its advance through the Senate on Tuesday.

The relief would go to homeowners in low-lying areas of Louisiana, Florida and other states where new government surveys could produce flood insurance premium increases so big that they might be no longer able to afford their homes.

At issue are homeowners whose flood insurance bills have historically been "grandfathered" at lower rates since they followed the rules in place at the time they bought or built their home. Under last year's bipartisan overhaul, many of these homeowners face higher premiums when new flood maps are issued.

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the measure as part of a $39 billion spending bill funding the Department of Homeland Security. The legislation has already passed the House as part of its version of the spending bill.

The overhaul of the flood insurance program passed last year with sweeping bipartisan support.

The program has required more than $24 billion in bailouts since being established in 1968, with

billions of dollars in additional costs from Superstorm Sandy still being tallied. Most of the losses came because of subsidized insurance rates and losses from repeat claims on homes and businesses flooded every few years.

Reforms like requiring higher rates for second homes are going ahead. In October, rates on businesses in flood zones and homes that have been severely or repeatedly flooded will go up 25 percent a year until the rates represent the "true risk" of flooding. And subsidized rates will lapse when a home is sold or flooded repeatedly.

Tuesday's legislation, however, would provide relief to people whose older homes were built to the flood code in previous years or decades ago but would be judged to be at greater risk under new flood maps. Higher rates on these grandfathered homeowners would otherwise start taking effect late next year and some homeowners face multifold premium increases that could make their monthly payments unaffordable.

"These home and business owners played by the rules, purchased properties that were up to code and are now facing exorbitant rate hikes," said Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., author of the provision. "Flood protection is not just about business and commerce

or numbers on a table. It is about a culture and a unique and treasured way of life that is certainly worth preserving."

One of the complaints from those living in coastal areas like Louisiana is that the Federal Emergency Management Agency doesn't take into account flood prevention steps like locally-built levees when assessing flood risks. The legislation directs an additional $10 million to FEMA to help the agency take such factors into account when remapping flood areas.

Supporters of last year's changes say delaying the premium increases means people whose homes are at lower risk of being flooded will have to pay higher premiums to subsidize those living in flood zones.

"Delaying risk-based flood insurance rates doesn't delay homeowners vulnerability or delay the insolvency of the program," said Steve Ellis of Taxpayers for Common Sense, a Washington-based watchdog group. "Lower-risk homeowners will see their rates increase disproportionately to offset the revenue lost from delayed rate increases on higher risk properties."

— staff and MBJ wire services

GULF COAST

County. Rich Westfall, a commissioner from Jackson County, was elected secretary and Jimmy Ladner, Hancock County's tax assessor, will be treasurer.

They set up committees to oversee bylaws, audit and the budget and finance.

Among the committee's first tasks will be to draw up a code of ethics and conflict of interest statements that will apply to each commissioner, the staff and the executive director regarding their outside activities.

ENERGY

Miss. DMR receives 26 bids on boats in Biloxi BILOXI — The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources received 26 bids for two recreational fishing boats it wants to sell.

The bids were opened Tuesday. The high bid for the 42-foot Californian was $86,600; the high big for the 36-foot Topaz was $38,614.

Officials will review the bids for about a week and could sell the boats as early as next week.

The DMR received the boats from a foundation started by former Executive Director Bill Walker.

DMR leased the boats from the Mississippi Marine Resources Foundation for several years and spent more than $1.4 million for equipment and repairs on the boats.

A lot of the equipment — all of the electronics — has been removed from the boats.

The boats were valued at $350,000 and $280,000 for insurance purposes.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

New South Miss. tourism commission begins work BILOXI — Representatives from the three Coast counties arrived ready to work at the first meeting of the new Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Tourism Commission.

On Tuesday, the commission began by establishing accountability and setting goals to increase visitors to South Mississippi resorts.

Duncan McKenzie was elected president and Kim Fritz vice president. Both represent Harrison

GOLDEN TRIANGLE

Burkhalter Rigging expands Texas office COLUMBUS — Burkhalter Rigging Inc. expanded its Houston, Texas, branch to include operations and sales teams as well as the establishment of a local operating facility.

Joining Burkhalter at the Houston location are Mark Bell as director of Houston Operations and Doug Allen as project development manager. They collectively bring over 60 years of heavy lifting, rigging and transport experience to Burkhalter.

This expansion will allow Burkhalter to further service clients in the Houston, Gulf Coast and Southwest region. The creation of an operating facility in Houston, to include heavy lift cranes, selfpropelled modular transporters and dual lane transporters, will allow Burkhalter clients to take advantage of reduced equipment mobilization costs.

Burkhalter is a heavy lift, engineered rigging and transport provider servicing power, petrochemical, civil, offshore and marine industries throughout North and South America. Burkhalter is headquartered in Columbus with offices throughout the Southeast and Midwest United States.

Atmos gets approval to buy natural gas system ARTESIA — Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley has signed an order approving the sale and transfer of the Town of Artesia’s natural gas system to Atmos Energy Corporation.

Terms were not disclosed.

According to a press release from Presley’s office, the Mississippi Public Service Commission action will result in a 49 percent rate reduction for residents of the Lowndes County town. A typical Artesia residential customer will see their bill drop from $35.65 monthly to $18.16 while commercial customers’ bills will drop from $111.15 to $46.58.

Large users of natural gas will also see a reduction from a typical $452.61 to $336.01.

“Anytime you can cut customers’ rates, you need to do it. This is a win-win situation for the Town of Artesia, its residents and Atmos Energy.” Presley said.

ENVIRONMENT

Company uses ‘bridge plug’ on Gulf gas well GULF OF MEXICO — A well that seeped natural gas for several days last week has been temporarily plugged, with work still needed to plug it permanently, federal regulators say.

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said today that Energy Resource Technology, LLC used a “bridge plug” to isolate the lower part of the well about 75 miles off Louisiana’s coast.

— from staff and MBJ wire services

26 I Mississippi Business Journal I July 19, 2013

» MISSISSIPPI LEADERS by Martin Willoughby

Meeting of minds Sturdivant leading MMI

O

ne of the things that I encourage leaders to do is have a “Mastermind Mind” group of 8-12 people who meet regularly to sharpen their skills. It is said that it is “lonely at the top,” and I have found that to be true for most leaders. These small groups provide a forum for leaders to share in private about their challenges and ambitions.In my book Zoom Entrepreneur, I encourage readers to become involved in a group like this in order to have your own personal board of advisors and to create accountability for your professional goals. Over a year ago, I spoke at one of these small groups organized by some young business leaders in Jackson. I was impressed by their ambition and commitment to being their very best.

Many of these young leaders were balancing the demands of career and family yet they were taking the time to grow personally and professionally.

One of these leaders I met in that group was Micajah Sturdivant. Sturdivant was recently named president of MMI Hotel Group, which owns and operates hotels across the Southeast serving thousands of guests daily. A native of Itta Bena, Sturdivant grew up on a family farm and earned his undergraduate degree at Ole Miss. He then went on follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and earned his MBA from Harvard Business School.

Sturdivant shared,“From an early age, a goal was to continue the tradition as the

Up Close With ... Micajah Sturdivant Title: President, MMI Hotel Group First Job: ”Chopping cotton for my father… I made sure to find another job the next summer.”

Favorite Books: 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Work Place (Drs. Chapman and White); The Advantage (Patrick Lencioni) Proudest Moment as a Leader: “I am most proud of continuing the legacy as the third generation to lead as president of MMI Hotel Group (Mississippi Management, Inc.). Mr. Earle Jones and my grandfather founded MMI on principles of family culture — not only creating jobs and paychecks, but also as a way to positively impact the lives of their employees. Today, I stand alongside our 750 associates, striving to serve in such a way that honors these admirable ‘founding fathers.’”

Hobbies/Interests: Running, architecture and design, and civic service

third Sturdivant generation to attend HBS. I am thankful to Chancellor Robert Khayat for recommending that I remain in-state and attend undergrad at Ole Miss.

The experiences and relationships I developed there are invaluable to me today.”

Sturdivant emphasized to me a realization he had about leadership while at Harvard under the mentoring of Professor Nitin Nohria (who is now the dean of the business school). Nohria shared that every few years, the school invited several young,

Fortune 100 CEOs to meet together and discuss their roles and responsibilities overseeing tens of thousands of employees and billions of dollars in sales. In this setting, the executives were encouraged to be “real” about their challenges. In this environment, the chiefs of their respective industries could openly admit that they didn’t know everything about everything.

Their humanness was revealed and in doing so, they found that they shared many of the same concerns.

“We are all human and can rely on others.”

Micajah Sturdivant

Sturdivant shared, “I was relieved when Dean Nohria told me that I didn’t have to know everything about everything. As a leader, your job is to provide the resources to allow those you Martin Willoughby have appropriately selected to excel. You just need to know enough about the subject to move them forward.” He also believes that the key responsibilities of a leader are to set the pace, remember the goals, and communicate. Sturdivant credits the strong leaders in his family as developing his leadership ability. He learned that successful leadership is a result of sincere service to others and the importance of treating each experience as an opportunity and obligation to move yourself and others forward. Sturdivant also said, “I believe it is important to model good work habits and commitment to those you lead.”

Sturdivant and his fellow colleagues I met with represent tomorrow’s leadership. I am encouraged by their passion for excellence and the investments they are making in their future. I would keep an eye on Sturdivant, as I believe he will be an impactful leader in our state for years to come.

Sturdivant said, “We, as strivers, can eventually lead; but leadership doesn’t mean that we have to be best at everything.

We are all human and can rely on others.

We must set the pace, remember the goal, and communicate.”

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.

President, MMI Hotel Group

Red Azalea candidly describes living in Mao’s China

W » Red Azalea

By Anchee Min Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group $15.00 paperback

hen asked if she has any hobbies, Kim Compton answers without hesitation that she has an addiction to books. I must say I’ve never heard a love of reading expressed that way, but I sure like it. That’s why book recommendations from Compton are taken seriously.

Compton, economic development director for the Hancock County Port & Harbor Commission, says she’s “totally addicted” to author Anchee Min, and Red Azalea is her favorite of Min’s books. “It is semi-auto biographical of her (Min) life as a young person growing up in communist China,” Compton said.

“It really made me understand why socially and economically communism and socialism don’t work although theoretically they seem like a good idea — the idea of everyone having enough.”

Red Azalea is Min’s celebrated memoir of growing up in the final years of Mao’s China. As a child, she was asked to publicly humiliate a teacher. At 17, she was sent to work at a labor collective. Forbidden to speak, dress, read, write or love as she

“We all like to know where we stand...”

Kim Compton pleased, Min found a lifeline in a secret love affair with another woman. She was miraculously selected for the film version of

one of Madame Mao’s political operas and her life changed overnight. Then Chairman Mao suddenly died, taking with him an entire world.

Min’s book is a revelatory and disturbing portrait of China.

It has candor, poignancy, courage and evocative prose. “It really demonstrates how humans are naturally more comfortable with social/economic classifications,” Compton said. “ We all like to know where we stand and what we’re supposed to do. Plus, we are simply born with ambition – or lack of it. I think her story is so fascinating because it is so different from what we all experienced growing up.”

Min was born in Shanghai in 1957 and came to America in 1984. While attending English as a Second Language classes, she worked as a waitress, house cleaner, fabric painter and model. In 1990 she received a master’s of fine arts degree from the Art Institute of Chicago. Red Azalea won the Carl Sandburg Literary Award and was a New York Times Notable Book.

— Lynn Lofton, mbj@msbusiness.com

SALES MOVES

July 19, 2013

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

27

» JEFFREY GITOMER

The POWER of Sales Success is 100% in Your Control E

very salesperson wants to think of him or herself as powerful but, if asked, would have no idea where their power actually comes from.

Most salespeople fail to understand their own power. The reason they don’t is that there is a heavy concentration on what cannot be controlled or what is not being done.

This manifests itself in complaints about: price, unreturned phone calls, bidding, loyalty to others, and other various excuses about why a sale does not take place and the relationship isn’t being built.

As a salesperson, you have all the power in the world to make your own success happen. It’s not market conditions; it’s you’re mental conditions. It’s not customer conditions; it’s your failure to perform in a powerful way. And it’s certainly not the competition’s conditions; it’s your inability to prove value beyond doubt and risk.

Let me share with you the 20.5 powers that you do possess and how you might be able to use them and take advantage of them to build sales, build relationships, build referrals, earn testimonials, and achieve the sales success that you are striving for…

1. The power of a positive attitude. The way you dedicate yourself to the way you think creates the foundation for your entire life. Sales is part of your life and requires a positive attitude as fundamental and foundational to success.

REALTOR

Continued from Page 5

are really for sale.

“A scammer wants the consumer to send money over the internet to obtain the house keys to the house they think they have rented,” Usry said. “This is just the tip of the iceberg about why consumers need to use the Realtors’ broker-neutral website when they are not yet ready to actually contact a Realtor for information.”

Meanwhile, residential real estate organizations around the country are watching to see how the site does, Garland said. “We’re leading the way on this.”

Ahead for the site are additions such as

HOTEL

Continued from Page 5

Transcontinental Realty proposal. The City Council later shelved both proposals but promised Journeyman Austin it could submit a new proposal once the city revived the project.

Robert Gallup, vice president of Journeyman Austin, said in a late June interview that he was “taken aback” by the city’s dropping of its previous pledge of issuing a new Request for Proposals.

“It’s frustrating,” Gallup said. “We would love to respond.”

Gallup said his company could get a proposal ready within 14 days. “We’re ready to go,” he said.

2. The power of daily attitude actions.

These are actions that you take both in your favor and in the favor of others. They’re not just positive; they’re powerful. Attitude actions create sales actions.

3. The power of belief. Belief in who you work for, what you’re selling, your ability to differentiate yourself from your competitor, and belief in yourself create the four cornerstones that enable your belief to be transferred to the customer.

4. The power of self-confidence. The power of self-confidence comes from thinking about past wins, and thinking about past accomplishments.

Those thoughts become your inner confidence builder and manifest themselves in the self-confident appearance.

5. The power of thinking YES! The difference between thinking you can and thinking you cannot, will determine outcome and fate. KEY: Think yes to get yes.

6. The power of keeping conversational control. Salespeople have very little idea about what it takes to keep control of the sales conversation. The answer is in one word: ASK. When you ask you’re in control of the conversation. When the customer asks you, you have given up control. Control keeps you on the path to the sale. Want more control? Easy! Ask more questions.

7. The power of preparation. Most salespeo-

tips on staging your house for sale, remodeling and the like. “We’ll be continuing to make it more user friendly for the public,” he said.

Garland said he expects the number of Realtor associations listing on the website will increase significantly. “We’re growing by leaps and bounds.

“We’ve got the north; we’ve got the Gulf coast; we’ve got Meridian on board. We don’t have Vicksburg yet, but I think they are coming.”

The site is actually an LLC owned jointly by the Jackson Association of Realtors and DeSoto County’s Northwest Mississippi Association of Realtors with 10 participating MLSs in the state.

ple make the fatal mistake of only preparing in terms of themselves, when in fact the customer only cares about him or herself. They want ideas, value, and answers — not your canned slide show. They want to know how THEY win. Why Jeffrey Gitomer not spend twice as much time preparing in terms of the customer? Preparation determines outcome.

8. The power of creativity. Creativity is a science, and you can learn it. It’s based on the perspective from which you see things. And once you begin to see things a little bit differently than others, you’ll become more creative. Your customer wants to know why and how you’re different from your competition. Creativity makes it evident.

9. The power of being memorable. For years I have said, “Find something personal. Do something memorable.” It’s all about a random act of kindness that has a direct emotional trigger to the heart of the customer. Whatever it is, it must relate to the customer and their passion. Whatever it is, it has to have a WOW impact.

10. The power of value. My mantra is, “Give value first.” That way the customer forms an impression of you that’s both positive and powerful.

The more value you provide, the more powerful you will become, and the more sales you will make. And just so we understand the word value, it’s preceded by the word “perceived.” If the customer perceives value, then it is.

That’s the first 10 powers of sales success. Study them to get a better understanding of your sales power sources. Implement them into your sales process, start to feel the boost, and get ready for the next 10.5 next week.

I have created a page of ideas to get your attitude rolling in the right direction. If you’d like them, go to www.gitomer.com and enter the words ATTITUDE STARTERS in the GitBit box.

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.

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 Hewitt could not say for certain that the Journeyman’s cost for building the hotel complete with a parking structure and retail would come in at or close to Robinson Callen’s $60 million estimate.

“We’re going to leave the final cost numbers up to Journeyman,” he said, acknowledging that like Robinson Callen’s, Journeyman’s proposal would require some public dollars.

Hewitt said he has received no indications from Mayor Lumumba’s office that a Journeyman proposal would get a look. “I have no real expectations,” he said. “I would love for them to consider what we are offering. We are not asking for preferential treatment. We just want to be allowed to submit a bid.”

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” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$125 601-364-1044 Fax: (601) 364-1007 WAYS TO ORDER » Call: Fax or mail: Mississippi Business Journal Attn: Marcia 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

/LHS[O *HYL RLLWZ NL[[PUN IL[[LY PU 4PZZPZZPWWP 5VTPUH[L @V\Y /LHS[O *HYL /LYV Mississippi Business Journal is looking for nominations to identify and honor outstanding men and women in the health care industry whose contributions have increased the well-being of the community.

Nominations can be e-mailed to events@msbusiness.com or mailed to Mississippi Business Journal 200 N. Congress Street, Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201.

Submitting multiple nominations for one nominee is not necessary, as the selection committee will not decide based on show of support but rather on quality and thoroughness of supporting information.

/,(3;/ *(9, /,96,: :<9=,@ Honorees will be recognized in six categories: Animal Care: Honors an individual from the veterinary field whose treatment of pets and other animals is above and beyond normal care.

First Responder: Honors individuals such as the military, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters and police for their professional achievement and community involvement in their line of duty.

Nurse: Honors individuals from the nursing field whose performance is considered exemplary by patients and doctors and provides a model of professionalism to peers.

Physician: Honors doctors who work to discover new medicine or practices that can save lives or improve the quality of life for a large number of people. These honorees are also involved in community organizations and outreach programs that focus on improving the community’s health.

Professional: Honors health care workers other than doctors and nurses. Examples include administrators, researchers, technicians and professors.

Volunteer: Honors nonpayroll individuals who reach out with time or skills to help patients or health care providers.

Category: Nominee:

Title:

Company: Address: Phone Number: E-mail: Reasons (Please be as specific as possible for us to make our selection):

Nominator: Nominator’s phone number: Nominator’s e-mail address: Date:

Deadline for nomination submissions is August 2, 2013.

(601) 364-1000 • Fax (601) 364-1007 Download form at: www.msbusiness.com (click on Events and scroll down to Health Care Heroes for link to form)