MBJ_June06_2014

INSIDE — Delta Council fears new delay in Asian catfish inspections

35

Dreams & Oysters

YEARS

1979

www.msbusiness.com

2014

June 6, 2014 • Vol. 36, No. 23 • $1 • 32 pages

OXFORD » Jesse and Rachel Horn Houston’s new oyster bar, Saltine, will combine Jesse’s cooking skills and Rachel’s design expertise.

Where the elite meet to compete

More P 2

MBJ Focus 1 {P 13} REAL ESTATE

» Breaking ground Lists {P 14} » Commercial Real Estate

MBJ Focus 2 {P 18} CONSTRUCTION

» The recovery challenge » Construction booming on college campuses » Building code welcomed

» Oxford’s state-of-the-art complex of 4 ball fields, 6 soccer fields making bid to become destination for high-level youth sports competition STORY PAGE 6 Photos courtesy of Oxford-Lafayette County Sportsplex

http://msbusiness.com/events/leadership-law-nomination-form/

2 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 6 2014 RESTAURANT

DREAMS AND OYSTERS Photo credit Aaron Phillips / Special to the MBJ

» Houstons to open Saltines in August

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

A husband-and-wife team will see a lifelong dream realized and one of the city of Jackson's most eclectic areas will add another unique venue in August.

Chef Jesse Houston and Rachel Horn Houston are bringing a new oyster bar dubbed Saltine to the historic Duling School building in Jackson's Fondren neighborhood. Saltine, named for the cracker commonly eaten with oysters, promises to offer a menu of creative oyster and seafood dishes with a bright, modern ambiance that also pays tribute to the history of the area and facility.

"We looked all over Jackson for a site for our restaurant, but we couldn't find anything," Rachel remembered. "We wanted to put the restaurant in Fondren — we felt it was the perfect fit for us — but there was nothing available. Then, the space came open in the Duling School. We finally found our place, and it was where we always wanted to be."

For both Houstons, Saltine is the culmination of career plans.

Jesse is a native of Texas, who first began cooking as boy.

"My parents divorced, and I went to live with my dad," Jesse said. "He wasn't very good at cooking. A lot of meals went straight in the garbage." He added with a laugh, "I started cooking to keep from starving to death."

Finding his place in the kitchen, Jesse went on to culinary school in LET’S DEAL! Texas where Lease expiring? he would Need new space? meet MisBetter Location? sissippian 2400sf-9200sf C r a i g Office/Retail Noone.

42,000 ADT N o o n e Lakeland Dr. often mentioned that Dogwood area, his goal was Flowood, MS to return to Also 1 acre Mississippi Commercial at and open his the entrance to own restauMarket Street. rant, and Thomas Jesse told (601)624-1321 him that if

Jesse and Rachel Horn Houston might be new at entrepreneurship, but they are veterans of the restaurant industry. Their new oyster bar, Saltine, will combine Jesse’s cooking skills and Rachel’s design expertise.

ever realized that dream, he wanted to cook for him.

"One day, he called. I packed up and came to Jackson. I had never been here; didn't know anything about the city," Jesse said.

Working at Noone's Parlor Market in Jackson, Jesse began a love affair with oysters, researching their local history and studying the differences in their flavor and preparation from one area to another.

He would subsequently go to Oxford to cook at John Currence's City Grocery before returning to Jackson to begin work on Saltine.

By that time, Jesse had already met Rachel, who has a wide educational and career background including front-of-house

management and design. A native of Jackson, Rachel showed early on that she had diverse interests, earning three undergraduate degrees from Mississippi State University. She originally worked in the banking industry, but feeling unfulfilled joined her mother's kitchen and bath business. She went from handling payroll to becoming a certified designer before the economy forced the business' closure.

However, Rachel had been working on and off in the restaurant industry, waiting tables and gaining experience in management. She relocated to Nashville, Tenn., working in design and moonlighting in restaurants, before moving back to Jackson to be with Jesse and work on the Saltine concept. (The couple will soon celebrate

their second anniversary.)

The Houstons ran into a challenge that threatened to derail Saltine before it even got past the conceptual stage. Because Duling School is an historic site, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History has requirements for the space that the Houstons had not expected. Negotiations and new plans cost the couple time and money, but in the end both said the changes were a plus.

For instance, the Houstons are bringing back many of Duling’s features, such as restoring the vintage lockers. They are also incorporating themes from “Moby Dick” and “treasure Island” and using file folders and clipboards to enhance the school atmosphere.

All of this has not hindered the Houston’s vision. In fact, it has grown. Originally envisioned at 3,000 square feet, Saltine, which is expected to employ approximately 50 workers, will be closer to 3,300 square feet, and the number of seats has increased from 100 to 140.

Oysters will be sourced from the Gulf of Mexico as well as both coasts and Canada.

Menu items will include oyster backs with pickle juice and bourbon, salt-crusted trout, smoked catfish pate with caviar and broiled tune collar.

Work on Saltine continues, and the Houstons said they are confident the restaurant will open in August.

For more on Saltine, visit www.SaltineRestaurant.com.

June 6, 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

3

FROM THE GROUND UP by Phil Hardwick

Commercial real estate leases — pros and cons

T

here are three basic categories of commercial real estate leases. In this column we will explore the pros and cons of each to help you decide which one is right for you and your business.

Let’s begin by pointing out that a lease is a contract.

In general, all contacts involving the sale of real estate or contracts that take over a year to complete must be in writing to be enforceable. The main point here is that you should make certain that all agreements with the landlord are in writing. Otherwise, it may be difficult to prove that you were told that 20 parking spaces were reserved for your company, for example, when the landlord says you were promised only 15 spaces.

Almost all leases are negotiable. Nevertheless, I have seen some retail space leases that are not negotiable. For example, some upscale shopping center developers tell prospective tenants that if they want to have a store in their shopping center then they must abide by their leases or go somewhere else.

These type leases are few in number, but some retail space is in such demand that the developer/landlord has that much control.

For discussion purposes, let’s use an example to illustrate how the different types of leases might be used. The tenant in this case is the owner of an art gallery. She wants to lease 4,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor of a 10-story commercial building near the downtown area. The building has 8,000 square feet on each floor. There is a total of 12,000 square feet of common area in the building.

There are 100 parking spaces at street level adjacent to the building and a four-story parking garage. The average rent for the building is $20 per square foot.

The landlord has offered to lease her the space she desires for $25 per square foot as a flat rate or something less depending on negotiation. Some of her alternatives are listed below.

THE GROSS LEASE. This is a type of lease in which the tenant pays only one amount for the space, the utilities, etc. The landlord is responsible for all expenses. The pros of this type lease are that the owner knows what the rent will be every month and can budget accordingly. There are no concerns about increases in utilities or other operating expenses of the property. The cons are that the owner may be able to save money by being able to control some of those expenses better than the landlord, who is building in a cushion for rising or unexpected expenses.

THE NET LEASE. In a net lease the tenant pays for some of the expenses. In this case, let’s say that the tenant has a separate electric meter and believes that she can control her utility bill better than the landlord.

She may want to negotiate a lower rate in exchange for paying the utilities herself. The owner would then not have to worry about how the tenant controls utility costs. A variation on this lease would be one where a base rate is established and the tenant pays only for the increase in the utility bill. Such leases can be troublesome for landlords if the base rate is manipulated by the tenant. Nevertheless, the point here is that all leases are negotiable.

Some retail leases base part of the lease payment on the sales or profit of the tenant. For example, our art gallery owner might reach an agreement with the landlord to pay only $18 per square foot, plus five

percent of sales. If she had no sales during the year her rent would be only $76,000. In order to equal the same rent amount as a gross lease she would need to have $480,000 in sales. This is certainly and advantage to a tenant who may have a bad year in sales. On the other hand, if sales are really good, then the tenant may have overpaid. Obviously, these type leases pose the greatest risk for both parties.

THE MODIFIED NET LEASE. In some markets, you will hear the terms net, double net and triple net.

Generally, that refers to who pays the expenses of taxes, insurance and maintenance. A triple net lease is one in which the tenant pays all of the expenses of the property. This type lease is more common where there is only one parcel of real estate instead of multiple tenants such as our example above. The pros of such a lease for the tenant is that they have more control

over the expenses, are assured that the property Phil Hardwick expenses are being paid and usually pay a lower rate. The cons for the tenant is that they have more administrative work and therefore less time to run their own business.

These examples serve to only scratch the surface of See HARDWICK, Page 9

4 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 6 2014 AGRICULTURE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Delta Council fears new delay in Asian catfish inspections in works Âť Leaders attribute possible postponement of USDA inspections to lobbying by Vietnam, U.S. importers

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

CLEVELAND – Delta Council officials are worried that U.S. Department of Agriculture inspections of imported catfish may be delayed two years beyond next year's expected start of USDA inspections of domestically produced catfish.

Council officials relayed concerns over the possible inspection delays to U.S. Deputy Agriculture Secretary Krysta Harden during her visit here to deliver the keynote address to the 79th annual meeting of the Delta Council last Friday. Delta officials are especially disturbed that another delay would mark a continuation of a series of delays in an inspection mandate

2014

ent, m e ur Proc cial and n Fina ource Res ions t Solu

Ă•Â˜i £™] { U ™ ‡ ĂŽ *

TED CARTER / The Mississippi Business Journal

Deputy U.S. Agriculture Secretary Krysta Harden talked — and listened — during the meeting.

by the current inspection authority, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Bottom line, Morgan said: “We want equivalent standards to be administered at the same time.�

He said the message to Deputy Secretary Harden was that without the equal treatment, “We are going to have to vigorously oppose the final rule.�

Domestic producers for years prodded Congress to transfer the job of doing the inspections from the FDA to the USDA, citing the low percentage of actual inspections compared to the volume of imports. The FDA, they argued, did not have the resources to do a thorough and effective job.

After Congress agreed to the switch in 2008, years of delays followed as various interests wrangled over the definition of the word “catfish.�

See

DELTA, Page 7

Lake Terrace Convention Center ÂŁ ÂœÂ˜Ă›iÂ˜ĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜ iÂ˜ĂŒiĂ€ *Â?>â> >ĂŒĂŒÂˆiĂƒLĂ•Ă€}] - Ι{ä£

NO FEES for attendance or as a vendor/exhibitor For more info call

initially enacted in the 2008 Farm Bill.

Council officials also raised concerns about the shape rules for awarding commodity price protections will take. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has significant latitude in designating which members of a family farming operation can receive price protections, said Chip Morgan, president & CEO of the Stonevillebased organization created to advocate for economic development in the Mississippi Delta, especially within an agriculture sector that employs 30,000 people in the 18county region.

The catfish inspections schedule and the commodity price protections are addressed in separate titles of the 2014 Farm Bill.

Rule writing for the titles has been com-

pleted and is under review by the Office of Management and Budget.

While the form the rules will take won't be known until the OMB releases them for public comment, Morgan said the Delta Council's “intelligence� on the USDA catfish inspections indicates a possible delay to 2018, while inspections for catfish produced in Mississippi and elsewhere in the United States would begin undergoing the inspections at in 2016.

Morgan attributed the possible inspection delays to intensive lobbying from Vietnam and China, both exporters of huge numbers of pond-raised “pangasius� catfish. U.S. importers of Asian catfish also are exerting strong influence, Morgan said.

Justification for any disparity in the inspection timetables is a mystery, according to Morgan. But the result is hardly a mystery, he said. “If one is going to be inspected in 2016 and other not until 2018, that means one must meet different food safety standards than the other.�

Domestic producers are eager for the inspections to start, believing that the USDA seals of approval on their products will boost their market share, Morgan said.

But the U.S. industry worries about the safety of the imported catfish and cite evidence that the imported fish are receiving antibiotics that are outlawed in the U.S.. food chain.

Still others cite high levels of contamination found in imported catfish inspected

Â˜Ă›ÂˆĂŒi` iĂ?…ˆLÂˆĂŒÂœĂ€Ăƒ ˆ˜VÂ?Ă•`i\

- - ˜}>Â?Â?Ăƒ ÂˆĂƒĂƒÂˆĂƒĂƒÂˆÂŤÂŤÂˆ *ÂœĂœiĂ€ ϡ *ÂœĂ€ĂŒ Âœv Ă•Â?vÂŤÂœĂ€ĂŒ

ÂœĂ€ÂŤÂ° Âœv ˜}ˆ˜iiĂ€Ăƒ Chevron ,ÂœĂž ˜`iĂ€ĂƒÂœÂ˜ ÂœĂ€ÂŤÂ° Yates Construction >˜` “>Â˜Ăž Â“ÂœĂ€i°°°

1-888-601-8214 Register now at: http://www.ptassist.com/services/ ptac_register.php?id=6D0AE42483

TED CARTER / The Mississippi Business Journal

Hosted by: Strategic Systems, Inc., South Mississippi Contract Procurement Center and the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology

Meeting attendees included Tybreisha Trotter, Yazoo City High School honor graduate; Delta Council president/CEO Chip Morgan; Yazoo City Mayor Diane Delaware; and DeMarcus McGee, Yazoo City High School honor graduate.

June 6 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

5

GOLF

Playing through

» New ownership saves Deerfield Golf Course from closure

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

The new owners of Deerfield Golf Course in Madison County are working long hours after saving what was once one of Mississippi's top-ranked golf courses from becoming a casualty of bankruptcy. Everywhere they look, the ownership team and 22-person staff sees challenges and needs.

However, they also see opportunities and feel good that they are saving not only a golf club and its staff, but an entire community, as well.

"This is home for me," said Leigh Brannan, a resident of the Deerfield community as well as longtime employee and now co-owner of Deerfield Golf Course. "I was the fifth member of the club in 1979, and I've lived here since 1984.

Over that time, I've been everything from bartender to head golf pro.

"If we had not been able to work out a deal and purchase the club, it would have been devastating, not only for the golf course, but for the Deerfield homeowners, too. If we had not opened in May, it might have been the end of the Deerfield Golf Course forever — it might not have ever reopened — and homeowners would have seen their property values fall by maybe 20 percent or more. So, we feel good about helping save the community and the golf course."

"I just love the golf course," said Trey Denton, a member of the new ownership team who was born and raised in Deerfield and has been working as an unpaid staff member at the club since the Deerfield acquisition. Like Brannan, Denton had a noted amateur and professional golf career and has fond memories of playing the challenging Deerfield course. He, too, has his heart at Deerfield.

"We have so many things to fix; so much to do," Denton

said, "but we're already right at break-even (in membership) now, and we should be full by the end of the month. I feel good about where we are."

Denton's optimism is in sharp contrast to the cloud that hung over Deerfield for the past few years. Colonial Country Club of Jackson opened the Deerfield Golf Course, located between Madison and Canton near Gluckstadt, in 1980 to better serve its growing membership. Deerfield was unique from conception — it is one of only eight golf courses in the world to be designed by legendary golfer Byron Nelson, and noted golf architect J.D. Finger built it.

Upon opening, Deerfield quickly became one of the state's highest-rated courses (it still ranked as the state's #2 course just a handful of years ago). The par-72, 6,900-yard championship course proved challenging with its tree-lined fairways, numerous water hazards and large, undulating, slick greens.

Over its history, it has played host to nine Mississippi Opens, four Mississippi men's and two women's amateur championships and 12 PGA Tour qualifying tournaments.

Unfortunately, Colonial Country Club did not fair as well.

Once boasting more than 1,000 members, Colonial's membership began a steady decline to a mere 300 individuals.

Struggling financially, Colonial, which would subsequently declare bankruptcy, started cutting costs at Deerfield, and the course's playability and attractiveness suffered.

Hoping to reverse the bad fortunes, Brannan was part of a group that made an offer to Colonial for Deerfield about four years ago, but they couldn't work a deal. Retired from the club but still working part-time to help offset staff cuts, Brannan had given up on owning Deerfield when Colonial came calling about eight months ago to see if Brannan was still interested.

With that, a new ownership team was organized consist-

Trey Denton / The Mississippi Business Journal

The new owners of Deerfield hope to see more golfers trying to squeak out par on the course’s signature 16th hole.

ing of Brannan; Denton; greens superintendent Bryan Deweese; and club members Phil Pollack, Stacy Hughes and Ed Grantham. The members approved the proposed transaction and the team thought they had a deal when the bank suddenly rejected the offer as too low. It was then March, and without a deal the owners could not hit their deadline of an early-May opening.

"We all thought it was over," Brannan said remembering that day. "The staff had all gone home thinking they were unemployed. I was just sick — so disappointed. Then, my phone rang at 4:30 that afternoon and I heard we had a verbal agreement. I couldn't believe it."

Since then, there has been a flurry of activity to get the course back in top form after years of neglect. Denton said the fairways are in great shape, and retaining Deweese means Deerfield's tricky greens remain a challenge. However, there are a myriad of problems, from silted-up water hazards and cart path issues to lack of chemicals/fertilizer and equipment for course upkeep.

The clubhouse is even a bigger challenge. Now 35 years old, the 26,000-square-foot facility is in bad need of renovations. The building has air conditioning problems, bathrooms with holes in the walls, dated furnishings and a pro shop that Brannan calls "embarrassing."

Still, there is optimism. Deerfield, which will operate as a private club, has already landed more than 250 members, boosted by a special membership fee of $250 per month, no joining fee and no minimum food/beverage requirement.

The new owners have set the membership limit at 400, which they expect to meet this month.

With the infusion of capital, Brannan and Denton said they can begin the repairs needed to return Deerfield to prominence.

"Our goal is to get Deerfield back in the top five, top 10 in the state," Brannan said. "We are going to restore it to its prestigious position in Mississippi golf. Actually, we're going to make it better than it has ever been."

“Our goal is to get Deerfield back in the top five, top 10 in the state.”

Leigh Brannan, co-owner of Deerfield Golf Course

6 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 6 2014 ATHLETICS

Oxford's new Sportsplex....

Where the elite meet to compete » State-of-the-art complex of 4 ball fields, 6 soccer fields making bid to become destination for high-level youth sports competition

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

The Oxford-Lafayette Sportsplex — Mississippi's newest venue for elite level youth team sports — is wrapping up a tryout of its own this spring.

The newly opened 73-acre complex of four fields for baseball and softball as well as a half-dozen combination soccer/football/lacrosse fields has moved slowly into the growing business of “select” youth sports with just a handful of events so far.

But with the arrival of spring 2015, the multi-million dollar complex built by Oxford dentist and Brandon native Dr. Michael Perry should be ready to host a full roster of tournaments and other competitions, said Greg Lewis of P360 Performance Sports, a Ridgeland company Perry hired to line up and schedule team competitions.

“We're still in the process of putting them altogether,” said Lewis, whose main responsibility for the Sportsplex involves scheduling baseball and softball tournaments.

The Sportsplex situated just off Mississippi Hwy. 7 South will host the U.S. Fastpitch Association's Oxford Sizzlin Summer Blast June 20-June 22. By mid July, “We'll pretty much shut down,” Lewis said. “That will give us time to get the grass going.”

The grass that will be growing includes about 40,000 yards of sod Lewis said some fall tourneys likely will be scheduled on the ball fields, all of which have synthetic infield grass designed to allow or year-round play and help avoid rain-outs.

Also in the interim, installation will begin on a six-tunnel hitting and pitching facility.

Meanwhile, as the new complex ramps up for more intensive use, there's much Perry, Lewis and the rest of the Sportsplex crew must get right. After all, expectations are high for any facility that puts on tournaments and competitions for the best up-

and-comers in Mississippi youth sports.

The Sportsplex will be joining the publicly owned FNC Park in Oxford and sports complexes in Southaven, Tupelo, Ridgeland, Pearl and Gulfport as destinations for youngsters who have Perry developed skills sufficient to land them on “travel” teams, which in baseball are categorized by skill levels from Single A to Majors Chris Snopek, principal of P360 Performance Sports and former infielder for 'Ole Miss and the Chicago White Sox, has the task of persuading the “select” teams from around the state, region and nation to play at the Oxford-Lafayette Sportsplex.

Snopek said the complex won't be hard to sell as a tournament venue.

“It's a beautiful place,” he said, and added that combined with FNC Park, Oxford is destined to become a notable destination for elite youth sports competition.

That is just what Perry says he had in mind in investing his time and money in getting the Sportsplex built.

With Oxford already a destination for high profile cultural, academic and athletic events, Perry saw the potential to add another reason to visit Oxford.

Along with the bricks and mortars of new facilities, Perry's plan required creation of baseball, softball, soccer and football teams made up of youngsters with highest of skill levels. You can't be a travel league fixture without the competitive teams, Perry said in a recent interview.

Many of the youngsters come from Northeast Mississippi towns whose sports leagues lack sufficient numbers of elitelevel players to form travel teams. So they come from as far an hour or so away to participate in the “clubs” that have been cre-

Photos courtesy of Oxford-Lafayette County Sportsplex

Officials are counting on a return on their investment from the Oxford-Lafayette Sportsplex, which encompasses 73 acres and was built to serve select youth sports teams.

ated as part of the Sportsplex plan.

“In today's sports world, there are many kids who want to play at a higher level than recreation sports provide,” Perry said.

The complex has separate managers for each sport and licensed coaches for each team, according to Perry. “The most important aspect of competitive sports is coaching. It is no different than having a great piano player,” he said.

Clubs participating at the Sportsplex “have an abundance of experience in coaching” to guide and mentor them, he added.

The youngsters practice several times a week and typically play tournaments over the weekend during baseball and softball seasons that run from early spring through the end of June.

More than 125 kids participate on the baseball side and an additional 200 or so take part in the Sportsplex's soccer offerings.

The Yalobusha Giants, a team of 12year-olds ranked 10th nationally in U.S. Specialty Sports Association baseball, are among the clubs that practice and play at the faculty.

“We're working to have a softball travel

club as well,” Perry said. “We'll see how that goes.”

For football, the full-contact Lafayette Dolphins use the Sportsplex's converted soccer fields for practices and jamborees.

On the soccer side, the Sportsplex hosts the Mississippi Flood Futbol Club, whose teams often draw college recruiters looking for scholarship prospects. “This is where the college coaches come to do their evaluations,” Perry said. “College soccer coaches don't usually evaluate in school play.”

Until now, a lack of opportunity for high-level play has caused a lot of North Mississippi's talented prep soccer players to be overlooked by recruiters, according to Perry.

“We can do the showcase tournaments” that will attract college coaches, he noted.

Building It “I'm doing this myself,” Perry said of the entire Sportsplex.

He added he is not looking for partners See

SPORTSPLEX, Page 10

June 6 2014

EDUCATION

Jackson arts icon Jack Kyle joins Belhaven University JACKSON — Jack L. Kyle, the man who brought the cultures of Russia, Versailles, Spain and Dresden to Jackson, has joined Belhaven University as senior director of arts development and chair of arts administration. Kyle is nationally recognized for his services to the arts and international cultural exchange.

He served as chairman of the Mississippi Commission for International Cultural Exchange Inc. Kyle organized four international exhibitions: Palaces of St. Petersburg: Russian Imperial Style, Splendors of Versailles, The Majesty of Spain: Royal Collections from the Museo del Prado & Patrimonio Nacional and The Glory of Baroque Dresden. These exhibitions attracted 1.3 million visitors and generated nearly $175 million in economic impact.

Dr. Ulrich Pietsch, director of the Royal Porcelain Collection of the Dresden State Art Collections, said, “Thanks to Jack’s brilliant understanding of the arts, ability to bring different people and organizations together and talent to manage such a big project, the Glory of Baroque Dresden in Jackson, Mississippi became the most important overseas exhibition the State Art Collection of Dresden ever did.�

Kyle said in a news release from Belhaven: “I want to pass along to the students and these outstanding cultural departments my passion for quality in all areas of the arts and to share the many experiences which have been so meaningful to me in the arts over the past thirty years.

The ability to create things of beauty is a blessing to society, and the students who come to Belhaven to study in these disciplines are deserving of our best to assist in preparing them for their life’s mission.�

His international influence has lead to accolades such as a knighthood by the Republic of France, a decoration

by King Juan Carlos I of Spain and the President of the Federal Republic of Germany. Kane Ditto, owner of StateStreet Group, LLC and former Jackson mayor, said, “Jack Kyle has a unique set of abilities — a wide and deep knowledge of the arts, a keen eye which allows him to develop art exhibitions with broad audience appeal and the ability to gain the confidence and respect of museum directors, art collectors and other art experts.� “Jack spent a lifetime presenting to the public the highest quality of both visual and preforming arts, so we

DELTA

are especially proud that someone of his caliber is joining our faculty at Belhaven,� said Dr. Roger Parrott, president of Belhaven University. “As a leading Christian university, preparing students for careers in the arts, Jack’s remarkable track record, commitment to education and unique expertise will give our arts administration majors the opportunity to learn from the very best.�

His experience in the development of international exhibitions dates back to his work in Memphis, Tenn. with the development of such exhibitions as Rameses the Great, Catherine the Great, Splendors of the Ottoman Sultans and Napoleon.

Two of the exhibitions organized by Kyle received the prestigious “Top Event in the United States� award by the American Bus Association. House Beautiful magazine selected Kyle to receive its Giants of Design Award as an

Arts Ambassador, and the Daughters of the American Revolution awarded him its Medal of Honor. Kyle has been a guest panelist for the American Association of Art Museum Directors and has appeared on national television and radio in conjunction with the exhibitions including “Good Morning America,� CBS News and National Public Radio.

His exhibitions have been featured in major articles in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and leading magazines including Veranda, Architectural Digest and Town & Country. “Jack has an amazing talent for bringing people together through his energy and passion for the arts and arts education,� said Lucy M. Buchanan, Owner of LMB Consulting, LLC. “Jack is a ‘rain-maker’ and can bring great things to the university-family. Jack is well

I

Mississippi Business Journal

— from staff and MBJ wire services

s !CRES OF TERMINAL SPACE WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO MULTIPLE BERTHS

Continued from Page 4

s SQUARE FEET OF COVERED WAREHOUSE SPACE On the commodities price protections, Delta Council leaders want the rules to specify that family members eligible for the protections have an actual stake in the family farm operations.

The council position is that the protection should not go to family members who merely join in on a family conference call once a month, Morgan said.

The protections which could come into play instances of commodities dumping by foreign countries should be limited to family members with an actual stake in the farming operation, Morgan said. “In Mississippi you have got to have land, labor or capital. That's pretty simple to me.

That means you're at risk. The Delta Council thinks that certainly makes you eligible.�

7

connected internationally and is a passionate spokesperson and advocate for the arts and the influence they can have on the quality of our lives. Jack will bring a new energy to the University and to the entire community.�

Kyle holds a bachelor of vocal music education from Delta State University where he received both the Distinguished Alumnus Award and Outstanding Alumnus Award and was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame.

He served in the United States Navy and on the staffs in Washington, D.C., of Mississippi Congressman G.V. “Sonny� Montgomery and California Congressman John H. Rousselot.

Your Port of Opportunity.

Your Harbor for Success.

Now Marketing

I

s %XPANDED AND IMPROVED ON DOCK RAIL SERVICE

When it comes to maritime bulk and

Key Advantages

the Mississippi River; and an airport

break bulk cargo stufďŹ ng, stripping,

The Port offers quicker access to

within ďŹ ve miles. Plus competitive

consolidating and deconsolidating,

deep water than any other Port in the

rates, no air draft restrictions, and the

there’s no better import/export partner

Gulf; proximity to major markets via

availability of state tax credits.

than the Port of Gulfport, Mississippi.

high-speed rail, Interstate 10, and

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

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

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

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

Website: www.msbusiness.com June 6, 2014 Volume 36, Number 23

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

MBJPERSPECTIVE June 6, 2014 • www.msbusiness.com • Page 8

OTHER VIEWS

Hot air and hurricanes are not a good mix

L

uckily, the hot air of this political season has been figurative and not literal. But real higher temperatures will soon warm the waters of the Gulf and once again we will track weather systems south of the horizon.

Hurricane season has officially arrived and it is time to re-examine the supplies and contingency plans.

As always, we remind readers that the

only thing certain about hurricane season is the uncertainty.

Forecasts are interesting fodder for conversations, but regardless of how active or inactive the months ahead may be, it takes only one direct hit to alter lives and landscapes.

We do hope more residents near and along the shorelines of the Sound and the rivers and the bayous and the bays will take more heed of flood warnings. Water is still by

far the deadliest element of a tropical storm system. So don't be lulled into a false sense of security by a lower category storm based on its wind speed.

Listen to the experts and prepare for the storm system that is approaching. It may be far different for anything you have coped with in the past. That was, of course, the costly lesson of Katrina for many of us.

— The (Biloxi) Sun Herald

LISA MONTI Contributing Writer mbj@msbusiness.com • 364-1018 BOBBY HARRISON Contributing Writer mbj@msbusiness.com • 364-1018

» THE OUTSIDE WORLD

» INSIDE POLITICS

TAMI JONES Advertising Director tami.jones@msbusiness.com • 364-1011

So, what is the price for a vote? Find out

MELISSA KILLINGSWORTH Sr. Account Executive

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

By BILL BARROW

T

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

he 2014 political spending spree continues, but it’s not exactly a bargain for investors.

Mississippi’s Republican Senate primary between six-term incumbent Thad Cochran and challenger Chris McDaniel attracted massive sums of campaign cash that could come to more than $40 per vote amid low primary turnout in the relatively small state.

That’s at least a third more than the $29 per vote spent on a high-profile Republican Senate primary in Georgia last month, and it more than doubles the 2012 presidential election cost of $17.27 per general election ballot.

Going into Tuesday’s voting, the total spending in Mississippi exceeded $12.4 million. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, it appeared the total ballot count would fall short of 300,000.

That would mean a per-vote rate no cheaper than $41. It comes to about $4.14 for each of Mississippi’s 3 million residents.

As a comparison, the 2012 presidential contest between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney cost $7.13 per U.S. resident.

That Georgia race involved five major candidates.

In Mississippi, Cochran and McDaniel are the only major players, but the race is a national proxy war between tea party conservatives backing McDaniel and tea party conservatives backing Cochran. McDaniel hails from the unofficial tea party caucus of the Mississippi Legislature. Cochran is the former Senate Appropriations chairman who likes to remind voters how much federal largesse he’s brought back home during his 41 years on Capitol Hill, more than 35 of it in the Senate.

By the time polls opened in Mississippi, thirdparty groups — the Super PACs that spend money See VOTE, Page 9

PERSPECTIVE

June 6, 2014 I Mississippi Business Journal

» RICKY NOBILE

VOTE

I

9

Continued from Page 8

Going into Tuesday’s voting, the total spending in Mississippi exceeded $12.4 million.

With 99 percent of precincts reporting, it appeared the total ballot count would fall short of 300,000.

That would mean a per-vote rate no cheaper than $41. It comes to about $4.14 for each of Mississippi’s 3 million residents. »INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

Leadership recipes can improve communities

E

ver messed up a recipe? Worked hard. Did most everything right. But, your final result was…well, you can remember the words they used.

Community projects can have the same results. People work hard. They do most everything right. But, the outcome is not what they expected. More importantly, the community view is nobody cooked up much of anything worthwhile.

That happens less often when community leaders do follow a good recipe.

Oh, so now there’s a recipe for effective community leadership? Like baking a delicious pie or cooking scrumptious jambalaya?

Well, that’s a pretty good analogy. There are different recipes for different results. Just like with cooking, though, mixing the ingredients exactly right and adding them at just the right time is more art than science, and more practice than smarts.

With community challenges mounting, good leadership recipes are needed more than ever.

Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a great recipe for preparing citizens to lead. It doesn’t teach them to lead, but it teaches them methods and skills to prepare them to lead. Too many “leaders” fail to prepare themselves for leadership and, then, fail to lead effectively.

Community leadership programs can be great recipes for providing citizens knowledge needed to lead effectively plus useful leadership skills. Too many leaders fail to develop sufficient knowledge about their communities, then fail to provide followers with appropriate information to do effective work.

Too few of our communities have leadership programs.

Another great recipe for effective community leadership

Bill Crawford

is teambuilding, and learning how and when to hand off leadership to a team.

You see, effective community leadership rarely comes from single individuals. It most often comes from teams that bring together individuals with multiple leadership talents, skills, knowledge, and practices.

Too few communities are willing to turn leadership over to diverse, multi-tal-

ented teams.

Here is a recipe for using highly effective teams to do good work in communities. It comes from Grassroots Leaders for a New Economy by Douglas Henton, John Melville, and Kimberly Walesh.

First, hand off leadership to those who can get things started, motivate others, and bring skeptics into the project.

Next, transition leadership to those who can incubate the project, teach participants what they need to know, and get all participants engaged and on the same page.

Then, give leadership to those who can drive implementation, get the work done, and make sure the work stays on track with the project plan.

Finally, entrust leadership to those who can mentor new leaders and new participants and push for continuous improvement.

Leadership guru Ron Heifetz says learning when to hand off leadership and the willingness to hand off leadership is seasoning you see in only the finest community leadership recipes.

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

independent of the campaigns — had pumped about $8.4 million into the race — $7 million of it on television advertising. That’s on top of $3 million spent by Cochran’s campaign and $1 million from McDaniel.

According to Federal Election Commission records, only Senate races in Massachusetts (with more than 6.5 million residents and an expensive media market in Boston) and North Carolina (about 9.5 million residents) have attracted more independent spending than the Cochran-McDaniel race.

The list in Mississippi is a Who’s Who of the national battle lines between the tea party and traditional Washington powers.

Club for Growth was the biggest spender, pumping in at least $2.24 million — $1.17 per registered voter — on McDaniel’s behalf. He also got more than $1 million from the Senate Conservatives Fund and its political action committee, $650,000 from Tea Party Patriots and a combined $570,000 from FreedomWorks and Citizens United.

Cochran’s largest benefactor was the "Mississippi Conservatives" SuperPAC started especially for his tough re-election battle. Run by Henry Barbour, the nephew of former national GOP chairman and two-term Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, the PAC spent more than $1.6 million. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is spending millions nationally fighting tea party candidates, chipped in $500,000 for an ad opposing McDaniel.

The race wasn’t all big spenders, though.

The Human Society reported four separate expenditures of staff time on Cochran’s behalf. The grand total came to $99.67 — or about a penny for every 300 Mississippi residents.

10 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 6 2014

SPORTSPLEX

Continued from Page 6

but would not “turn away a discussion.� He is actively seeking corporate sponsorships.

He gets “an amazing� amount of help from parents and volunteers in maintaining the complex, Perry said.

But most evenings after he leaves his dental practice, he heads to the Sportsplex to take care of whatever needs done. “First you have to build it, then manage it and market it,� he said.

While he wouldn't say how much money he has invested in the complex, it would not be inaccurate to put the sum at more than $5 million, he said.

The Lighting Emitting Diode, or LED lighting, alone ran $2 million, Perry noted.

He said he got the money he needed through Mechanics Bank of Water Valley.

Choosing LED lighting provided by Philadelphia, Pa.based OEM Lighting for each of the fields was among the savviest decisions he has made on the project, according to Perry. “These lights are unreal,� he said.

He estimated conventional lighting for so many fields would run from $3,000 to $4,000 a month. “My bills have been $160 or below,� Perry said. One came in at $93, he noted.

Perry shaved project costs in other areas as well, including an irrigation system that relies on water from wells that draw from nearby ponds The LED lighting, synthetic grass and creative irrigation cost more money going in but will save substantially in the future, he said. “I know there is not another complex in the state that has the synthetic turf, and I know there is not one that has the LED lights.�

Photos courtesy of Oxford-Lafayette County Sportsplex

The sports complex is state-of-the-art, including its LED lighting system that by itself cost $2 million.

Deciding to make the commitment, in terms of both money and time, did not come easy, Perry said. “My wife and I had some long discussions about this,� he said. “I feel like it is a great way to give back to the kids of North Mississippi.�

And bring dollars into Oxford, he added.

A recent soccer tournaments drew thousands of visitors from all parts of Mississippi as well as Tennessee cities such as Memphis, Bartlett and Murpheesboro and Huntsville,

Ala., he said. “These people stayed in our hotels, spent time on Oxford Square, and enjoyed seeing the university.�

The early success of the Sportsplex has not gone unnoticed elsewhere in Mississippi. “Some people from Jackson called and asked would I be open to doing some consulting� on a similar project for the metro area. “They said we like your idea.�

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY FOR SALE

Lee Middle School was built in 1953. This 105,000 sq.ft. property is conveniently located less than a mile from the Highway 82 bypass on Military Road in Columbus, Mississippi. This is a two story multi building complex that sits on a 14.4 acre lot and includes a 50 ft. x 75 ft. facility previously used as a bus shop.

Price: Highest Bidder Listing Type: For Sale Property Type: Commercial Lot Size: 14.4 AC Year Built: 1953 Additional classrooms added in 1996 with elevator.

Gymnasium

Bus shop measures 50’ x 75’ with D œ [ œ RI¿FH DGGLWLRQ KDV 14' wide x 12' tall roll up doors, also has overhead electric hoist.

The lot (fenced in area) is approx.

2 acres.

Property Address: 1815 Military Road Columbus, MS 39701

Brandon Central Services 2630 McArthur Drive Columbus, MS 39705 Edna McGill, Interim Superintendent

For more information call:

RU

( 0DLO LeeMiddle@columbus.k12.ms.us

June 6, 2014

CONSTRUCTION

Work is complete on Healthplex Performance MADISON — General contractor Brasfield & Gorrie has completed the $16-million Healthplex Performance Center in Madison.

The two-story, 100,000-square-foot sportsplex and medical office building includes a training floor with strength and cardio equipment, indoor walking track, indoor pool, therapy pools, indoor field house and athletic field, among other amenities. The facility also features medical office clinics for the Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, the Eye Group of Mississippi, Image Optical and Mon Ami Spa & Laser Center.

The healthplex is a result of a partnership among Mississippi Baptist Health Systems and Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center as well as SouthStar, LLC and Performance Healthcare Systems, both of Franklin, Tenn. The facility provides training, treatment and therapy under one roof.

Birmingham, Ala.-based Brasfield & Gorrie served as general contractor and Oswell + Nitishin served as architect for this project, which began in November 2012.

ENERGY

PSC passes anti-nuclear storage resolution JACKSON — The Public Service Commission has become the first state agency to go on record to oppose storage of the nation’s nuclear waste in Mississippi, according to Northern District Commissioner Brandon Presley.

With a unanimous vote, the Commission passed a resolution calling on the federal government to cease consideration of any area in the state as a potential site for a national repository. The resolution cites Mississippi’s longstanding, official policy objecting to waste storage in the state and demands reconsideration of the originally developed site at Yucca Mountain, Nev. “I was proud to sponsor these resolutions that clearly say ‘no’ to the plans of the U.S. Department of Energy and others to make Mississippi the nation’s nuclear waste dump. Mississippians have paid $80 million to send nuclear waste to Nevada, and that’s

HARDWICK

Continued from Page 3

commercial real estate leases. And because leases are contracts it is always advisable to have an attorney review any lease prior to signing.

Another resource worth mentioning is the Mississippi Commercial Association of Realtors, an organization comprised of commercial real estate agents who are Realtors and who specialize or have commercial real estate as a significant part of their practices. Remember, not all agents are Realtors, meaning that in addition to the usual license law requirements these practitioners subscribe to a code of ethics. More information can be found on the association’s website at www.mcar.ms.

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

where it should go, period. I am shocked that the Department of Energy recently said that they have continued a dialogue with officials in Mississippi related to this absurd idea,� Presley said.

The action comes after word that Peter Lyons, an assistant secretary for nuclear energy at the U.S. Energy Department, placed Mississippi on a short-list of potential hosts, noting that the interest from some state actors has been very public. Presley says that the majority of Mississippians oppose bringing waste to the state.

The federal Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 mandated the designation of a permanent repository for the nation’s nuclear waste, funded through fees collected ultimately from ratepayers of utility

companies that serve customers with electricity generated from nuclear reactors. Since 1987, Yucca Mountain was the sole site studied and developed, funded by the fees. In 2010, the Department of Energy unilaterally cancelled the site’s development in which, to date, Mississippians have invested over $80 million.

EMPLOYMENT

Report: U.S. small business hiring soared in May U.S. small businesses added 35,000 jobs in May, the largest monthly increase in more than a year, according to Intuit Inc.

I

Mississippi Business Journal

YOU’RE NOT MOVING

FAST ENOUGH.

In a world that moves exponentially faster, you don’t have time for legal representation that’s divided and delayed by the pursuit of personal credit. At Butler

with collaborative and seamless service. So you get solutions that get you ahead and keep you there.

LAW ELEVATED TEAMWORK

FOCUS

INNOVATION

SERVICE

VALUE

EXPERIENCE

11

The increase is triple the average of 12,000 new jobs per month that have been added since the small business recovery began in April 2010.

In addition, employees worked longer hours and made more money during the month. Small businesses also made more money in April, with overall revenue per business across all industries increasing by nearly a quarter of one percent. Intuit’s Small Business Employment and Revenue Indexes revealed that small businesses added 35,000 jobs, which brings total jobs added to 575,000 since March 2010, the beginning of the recovery in small business employment. — from staff and MBJ wire services

“KEEPING UP� MEANS

butlersnow.com

I

RESPONSIVENESS

This ad authorized by Donald Clark, Jr., Chairman, FREE BACKGROUND INFORMATION AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

12 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 6, 2014 INSURANCE

GOLF

MDA to sponsor ISPS Handa Cup at Old Waverly One of Mississippi’s most venerable golf courses will soon play host to legends, and the state is throwing in its support.

The Mississippi Development Authority will help sponsor the ISPS Handa Cup, the longest-running tournament on The Legends Tour, at Old Waverly Golf Club, which was recently named Mississippi Best Golf Course by the Mississippi Business Journal.

Pitting a team of 12 U.S.-born LPGA Legends against a team of 12 internationally-born LPGA Legends in 36 holes of head-to-head stroke-play competition, the ISPS Handa Cup will make its Mississippi debut Sept. 25-28.

USA Captain Nancy Lopez leads Juli Inkster, Beth Daniel, Meg Mallon, Pat Bradley, Rosie Jones and more vs. World Captain Sally Little, Laura Davies, Liselotte Neumann, Lorie Kane, Alison Nicholas, Trish Johnson and their teammates.

The ISPS Handa Cup, named for Japanese philanthropist and golf enthusiast Dr. Haruhisa Handa, is a tournament previously dominated by Team USA before the World Team won its first championship trophy in 2013. The Handa Foundation, Dr. Handa’s foundation providing opportunities for blind and disabled golfers worldwide, is the main beneficiary of the event. Information about tickets to the 2014 Handa Cup at Old Waverly can be found at www.thelegendstour.com.

Designed by Bob Cupp and Jerry Pate, Old Waverly Golf Club dates back to 1988 and is no stranger to hosting major events. The 18-hole, 7,018 yard championship course hosted the 1999 U.S. Women’s Open (won by Inkster), the 2006 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship and multiple SEC Championships.

LAW

Jim Rosenblatt elected fellow of Bar Foundation Dean James H. Rosenblatt of Ridgeland was elected as Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. He was inducted into membership at the Foundation’s Annual Meeting and Fellows Induction Ceremony held at the Old Capitol Inn in Jackson in April.

Dean Rosenblatt was raised on the Rosenblatt family farm in Fort Adams, Mississippi, and attended school in Woodville. He is a cum laude graduate of Vanderbilt University where he was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa and served as the president of his senior class.

He graduated from Cornell Law School and received an Army commission in The Judge Advocate General’s Corps. following his admission to the New York Bar. Eighteen years of his Army career were in senior legal leadership positions such as Commander and Staff Judge Advocate.

Rosenblatt retired after 30 years of service to become the Dean of Mississippi College School of Law. During his eleven years of service at Mississippi College School of Law, Dean Rosenblatt has overseen the construction of a modern downtown law school campus.

— from staff and MBJ wire services

Hub International acquires Fox/Everett JACKSON — The Gulf South Division of Hub International Limited, a global insurance brokerage, risk advisory and employee benefits firm, has acquired the assets of Fox/Everett, Inc., one of the largest independently owned insurance agencies in Mississippi.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Fox/Everett is a leader in commercial and personal property & casualty insurance brokerage with industry specialists in healthcare, construction, financial services and transportation. Fox/Everett is also recognized as a specialist and leader in employee benefits, third party administration and retirement plan consulting & administration.

Fox/Everett’s four Mississippi and Louisiana locations complement Hub Gulf South’s nine established locations throughout Mississippi,

Louisiana and Alabama that specialize in many of the same industries, as well as marine and energy.

“Hub Gulf South’s combining with Fox/Everett broadens our service offerings for middle market companies, local market specialization and industry expertise,” Steve Terry, president of Hub Gulf South said in a news release. “Our combined client base throughout the Gulf South region and into Texas and the rest of the Southeast significantly increases our ability to service a larger and more diverse middle market customer base.”

Fox/Everett president Larry Vance will serve as president of Hub Gulf South’s newly combined Mississippi operations, which include existing offices in Ridgeland, Hattiesburg and Oxford.

Vance will also serve on the Hub Gulf South regional executive management team.

AUTOMOTIVE

EDUCATION

Nissan sales in May set records

MC to offer business degree online

CANTON, Mississippi — Nissan set a national sales records in May, and those results were reflected in production at its plant in Mississippi.

Nissan Group in a news release today announced total U.S. sales for May of 135,934 units, an increase of 18.8 percent over last year and a May record.

Sales of the Mississippi-built Altima set a record at 36,053, up 12.9 percent. Year-to-date, Altima has the largest sales increase of any car in the midsize category. Sales of the Nissan Frontier increased 1.4 percent to 6,662 units, and sales of the Nissan NV jumped 51.9 percent to 1,475 units. The Frontier and NV are also built in Mississippi.

“Nissan started the month with strong momentum and rode an outstanding Memorial Day weekend to capture our best May sales performance in the history of Nissan in the U.S.,” said Fred Diaz, senior vice president, Nissan Sales & Marketing and Operations. “With records for many of Nissan’s top models, along with the best-ever month for LEAF, it’s clear that our products are resonating with the public and car sales are heating up as we head into summer.”

Other highlights from the May sales new release: » May was the best-ever month for Nissan LEAF with 3,117 sales, an increase of 45.8 percent over the prior year. In May, LEAF passed 50,000 total U.S. sales since launch, further establishing it as the leader among electric vehicles. » Nissan Sentra also set a May sales record at 21,932, breaking the previous mark set in 1984 when Sentra was Nissan’s top-selling model. Sentra sales were up 75.4 percent for the month. » Sales of the Nissan Rogue crossover set a May record with 18,722, an increase of 8 percent. » Nissan Versa sales increased 30.5 percent to 11,243 in May, also a record for the month. » Juke crossover sales also set a May record at 3,825, an increase of 33.4 percent over the prior year.

Vance said: “Joining the Hub Gulf South team is an exciting step in our nearly 70 years of doing business in Mississippi. Together, we bring an unmatched local market expertise with the strength and resources of Hub’s global capabilities. I’m excited to lead the Mississippi operations to further growth and acquisition in our region.”

The Fox/Everett transaction represents Hub’s 12th completed acquisition in 2014. Hub is dedicated to building a network of local insurance and risk management experts throughout North America.

Headquartered in Chicago, HUB International Limited provides services in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Brazil.

— from staff and MBJ wire services

Beginning in August, the Mississippi College School of Business will begin offering its bachelor’s in business administration in a variety of formats, including online. The school joins other areas of the Clinton college that have already moved courses online.

“The expectations for all classes regardless of their format will be the same and provide our students with the quality business education over which we have built our strong reputation,” says Marcelo Eduardo, dean of the School of Business, a graduate of Delta State University.

School of Business courses will be offered in the Accelerated Degree Program format, hybrid programs mixing in-class and online, and traditional lectures in Self Hall.

Nationwide, online classes conveniently fit the lifestyles of many college students and Eduardo are seeing dramatic growth.

There were more than 6.7 million college students taking at least one online class in Fall 2011 or one-third of the enrollment, reports the Babson Survey Research Group in Massachusetts. That’s up by 560,000 students over 2010. The numbers have surged since 1.6 million college students enrolled in on-line classes in 2002.

“I am very excited about our online degree program development,” says MC Graduate School Dean Debbie Norris. “We are providing students exposure to the quality programs at Mississippi College from areas they may not have known about us otherwise.”

MC students are already receiving digital instruction in degrees such as nursing, communications, homeland security, teaching arts, health services administration, loss prevention and paralegal studies.

Master’s programs in athletic administration and higher education are among the others.

MC Health Services Administration Director Melanie Fortenberry reports 56 students are enrolled in her programs this summer.

— from staff and MBJ wire services

TRANSPORTATION

Airport lands grant for ‘touchdown zones’ While the news hasn’t been all good recently for Mississippi’s airports, one has landed two separate grants to rework its runways.

The Gulfport-Biloxi Airport Authority has received two grants worth $5.5 million from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program for the reconstruction of the runway touchdown zones at the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport.

The reconstruction of the concrete touchdown zones at both ends of the main runway is part of a $12 million project to improve the airport for

commercial, general aviation and military flights at the Gulfport-Biloxi Airport.

“The touchdown zones are where aircraft make contact with the runway on landing and receive the most wear and tear of any pavement on the airfield,” said executive director Clay Williams in describing the importance of the project.

In addition to the FAA funding, the National Guard Bureau is contributing $6 million toward completion of the $12 million project. Military operations at Gulfport-Biloxi Airport account for 43 percent of landings and take-offs at the airport.

The contracts for construction are expected to be awarded in June. The construction will begin in July and is expected to be complete by the end of 2014.

— from staff and MBJ wire services

June 6, 2014 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

AN MBJ FOCUS:

REAL ESTATE

Breaking records breaking ground

Courtesy of Mississippi State University Extension Service

» Mississippi Land Bank sees growth in rural lending

By LISA MONTI I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

Business has been booming at Mississippi Land Bank, the 90-plus-year-old financial services provider whose staff specializes in lending for rural living and agricultural customers across the northern part of the state.

Mississippi Land Bank is a private cooperative, owned by its borrowers through the purchase of stock. the amount of stock is determined by the size of the loan.

Stockholders receive an annual dividend

based on the profitability of the Association. From 2004 through 2009, Mississippi Land Bank has returned $15,052,995 to its member-borrowers.

The bank makes loans to buy land, refinance mortgages and other debts, build homes, make property improvements, construct or improve agribusiness facilities, and purchase equipment. It is supervised by a board of directors elected by the borrowers of the association “The last several years for us have been record years as far as growth in loans, said Ben Beavers, vice president and branch

manager of the Mississippi Land Bank’s Tupelo office. “Loan growth remained steady while loan volume increased. Business has been great.”

The bank is part of the nationwide Farm Credit System, created by Congress nearly 100 years ago to help farmers get loans. It is affiliated with the Farm Credit Bank of Texas, in Austin, Texas. The Farm Credit Bank provides funding for the association by selling bonds to investors in See

LAND BANK, Page 31

14 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 6, 2014

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FIRMS

SURIHVVLRQDO RIÀFHV ZLWK ÀUVW FODVV DPHQLWLHV

201 northlake drive, suite 109, ridgeland 601-707-3270 • sales@townshipexecutivesuites.com W W W . T OW N S H I P E X E C U T I V E S U I T E S . C OM

F OR OR S LE AL AS E E

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FIRMS

June 6, 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

IT’S TIME FOR A BUILDING THAT TELLS A

BETTER STORY ABOUT YOU. 476 HIGHLAND COLONY PARKWAY RIDGELAND, MS 39157

Everyone judges a book by its cover. So make sure it’s a good one.

With 3-stories, approximately 54,000 square feet, executive suites, gated access, and other Class A amenities, you’ll be more than proud to call this prestigious office building your new business HQ.

Learn more at ErgonProperties.com CONTACT Jim DeFoe: 601- 933- 3344 (o) © 601-842-1228 (c) Keith Clair: 601- 933-3304 (o) © 601-842-1225 (c) P.O. Box 1639 © Jackson, MS 39215-1639 OFFERED AND PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED BY

Natche z Trace Pkw y

Ridgeland yP lon kw y Highlan Co d

220

55

15

16 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 6, 2014

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FIRMS

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FIRMS

INTERCHANGE BUSINESS PARK Office/Warehouse Space for Lease

June 6, 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

17

OfďŹ ce Space for Rent in downtown Jackson Approximately 1800 sq. ft., includes 2 private ofďŹ ces

Located just south of I-20 and east of I-55 on Highway 49.

Modern construction offering both dock-high and grade-level loading.

LINDSEY

KELLY FARANCOIS GENT

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

Alan Turner, alan.turner@msbusiness.com

601-364-1021 P

R

O

P

E

R

T

I

E

190 E. Capitol 400

$

"(%$ # Street, * Suite

&!)%# )' Jackson, MS 39201 "(%$

S )

Tami Jones, tami.jones@msbusiness.com

601-364-1011

June 6, 2014 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

AN MBJ FOCUS:

CONSTRUCTION

THE RECOVERY CHALLENGE

Thomas Wells / Daily Journal

A tornado passes near Barnes Crossing Mall in Tupelo during the statewide outbreak of April 28. Recovery and rebuilding has begun, but will likely take years to complete.

» Labor shortage could have impact on rebuilding after April 28 tornadoes

By LISA MONTI I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

Contractors are slowly starting to get to work repairing and rebuilding structures that were damaged or destroyed in the April 28 tornadoes that hit the Louisville and Tupelo areas particularly hard.

“A few folks are already working,” said Kenneth Estes, owner of Estes Building and Remodeling in Saltillo and president of the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Northeast Mississippi. “A lot of it now is still dealing with the insurance companies.”

The association has about 100 members in Lee, Itawamba, Chickasaw, Union and Pontotoc counties.

Estes said he expects work in the storm damaged counties to start picking up soon.

“It’s still going to be a couple more weeks,”

he said. The first rebuilding is being done by people who don’t have to wait for insurance checks to get the work started.

The tornadoes damaged more homes than businesses, Estes said, and many residents are living in rental properties or hotels while they wait for repairs.

“A lot of people are now in the situation of trying to get roofs in the dry,” he said.

“There are still a lot of tarps on now.”

Estes said local Tupelo officials have predicted it will take three to five years for all the work to be completed. “I’m sure it can be that long on some of it, but I’m thinking a year and a half probably to get most houses back where they need to be,” he said.

Some contractors already had work lined up before the tornadoes but now See

TORNADOES, Page 22

Business area may get a new look

By ROBBIE WARD I DAILY JOURNAL robbie.ward@journalinc.com

TUPELO – North Gloster Street business owners gathered on Tuesday and decided to explore opportunities to rebuild better, smarter and more attractively.

They will likely meet in the next month or so for a formal brainstorming session with planners, architects and engineers.

Tuesday’s meeting, organized by the Community Development Foundation and the city of Tupelo, opened discussions between public and private sector leaders related to the blank property canvases soon to appear after remnants

of destroyed businesses are cleared out in the next few months.

Many business owners along the North Gloster area hard hit by the EF3 tornado appeared willing to pay a little more to improve the looks of businesses operating prior to the April 28 storm that caused millions of dollars in property damage.

Randy Groover, owner of the Havoline Xpress Lube, entered the meeting at the CDF building interested only in how soon the business with 10 employSee

GLOSTER, Page 22

CONSTRUCTION

20 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 6, 2014 LEGISLATURE

Are you in or are you out? » Statewide building code welcomed, but some jurisdictions may opt out

By BECKY GILLETTE I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

The Mississippi Legislature’s enactment of a statewide building code received a lot of support from the insurance industry, as well as the construction community in the state. But the legislation includes an optout clause allowing counties and cities to decline to participate, and that is a possibility for rural areas of the state that have traditionally opposed building codes.

After the building code legislation goes into effect Aug. 1, counties or cities have 120 days to adopt a resolution to choose not to be subject to the code requirements.

“I don’t know how many will opt out,” said Derrick Surrette, executive director, Mississippi Association of Supervisors.

“Through the legislative session, we wanted to make sure there was some discretion in there for counties. We like local

“Every person deserves to have a home built to a building code standard regardless of where they are in Mississippi.”

Marty Milstead Executive vice president, Home Builders Association of Mississippi

authority. We think the board of supervisors know their people and taxpayers the best, and we would like for them to make that decision.”

Buddy Edens, president and CEO, Mississippi Association of Builders & Contractors, said it would be a big benefit to have the same building codes across the state.

“We have tried for a long time to get a building code that is uniform across the

state so our contractors, when they go from one part of state to another, are dealing with the same building code and understand exactly what the rules are,” Edens said.

“Some of the more rural counties are resistant, and we understand that. But we think it is very important we are all on the same standard. It is a win-win for the state and a win-win for the people across the state because it would bring about stronger

and more disaster resistant housing both on the commercial and residential side. It will improve the quality of construction across the board.”

Marty Milstead, executive vice president, Home Builders Association of Mississippi, said building codes are good for the state.

“Every person deserves to have a home built to a building code standard regardless of where they are in Mississippi,” Milstead said.

Milstead isn’t overly concerned that rural cities and counties may opt out.

He said there is not a lot of building going on in the rural areas to start with; most of the construction is in more populated areas.

He also thinks that probably most homes being constructed in rural areas are being See

CODES, Page 26

CONSTRUCTION

June 6, 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

21

Making the grade Âť Construction booming at state universities

By LYNN LOFTON I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

Construction is on the upswing at the state’s universities. Some have major projects under way after a dry spell of several years.

Currently there are six projects in construction or just finishing at Mississippi Valley State University. Director for Physical Facilities Management and Campus Planning Tommy Verdell Jr. is busy as the work continues to update existing facilities. “We want to invigorate the campus to aid in the recruitment and retention of students,� he said.

Several of the buildings were constructed in the 1970s and were in need of facelifts.

One of those is the R.W. Harrison Complex, an athletic facility receiving a complete renCourtesy of Mississippi Valley State University

See

UNIVERSITIES, Page 27

Perspective. Passion. Innovation.

The R.W. Harrison Complex at Mississippi Valley State University is receiving a complete renovation and an addition.

THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

Over thirty-five years of proven success has given us the perspective to help you achieve your goals.

Civil Engineering Aviation Disaster Recovery Economic Development Environmental & Coastal Restoration Strategic Services Planning Program Management Surveying & Mapping Transportation Water Resources 800.661.3733 I WWW.WAGGONERENG.COM

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS. DELIVERING EXCELLENCE. At BancorpSouth Insurance Services, Inc., our goal is to reduce the cost of doing business for our clients in the construction industry. By focusing on the full spectrum of risks – financial, strategic, operational, hazard and human capital – we can provide resources and solutions for reducing these risks and positively impacting your bottom through our Real Cost of RiskŽ consultation. Let us help you manage the risk ris facing your business.

BUSINESS INSURANCE I SURETY I RISK MANAGEMENT I SAFETY Bay St. Louis 228-467-9330 Biloxi 228-374-2000 Gulfport 228-863-5362 Hattiesburg 601-544-7300 Jackson 601-366-3436 Moss Point 228-475-3861 Pascagoula 228-696-8634 Tupelo 662-678-8340

www.bxsi.com #BODPSQ4PVUI *OTVSBODF 4FSWJDFT *OD JT B XIPMMZ PXOFE TVCTJEJBSZ PG #BODPSQ4PVUI #BOL *OTVSBODF 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 4FSWJDFT provided by BancorpSouth Insurance Services, Inc. are supplemental to the insurance carrier and your legal counsel

CONSTRUCTION

22 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 6, 2014

TORNADOES

Continued from Page 18

they all are faced with major rebuilding projects that will continue for several months.

“I’ve got about 14 jobs that I’m looking at now, all related to the tornado,” Estes said.

Now the challenge for all the contractors is to find enough people to handle all that work.

“The labor shortage we had from the construction industry slowing down is going to come into play on this,” Estes said of the storm damage.

“I can see there being a delay because of the labor shortage.”

Estes said he doesn’t have enough people working with his company right now. “No, not even close,” he said. “I’ve got one more guy working right now and I could easily use another two more experienced carpenters as full time employees on top of my subcontractors. My subs are the same way; they can't keep up either.”

Estes said the volume of work for construction companies including his own will overwhelm the subcontractors. “My painter works for about three or four different contractors and every one of us has got multiple jobs for him,“ he said.

The same is true for the roofer and

the gutter installer he and other contractors rely on to finish their jobs. He said they will be “at the sub’s mercy getting the work done.”

Estes is using social media to try to hire more workers but hasn’t had much success. “I put a post on our Facebook page looking for help and not one person contacted me,” he said.

Estes has been in business since 1994 and said he has never seen anything like the millions of dollars of damage resulting from the tornadoes.

He said the association members met after the tornadoes struck to discuss insurance and other issues including the labor shortage.

“Everybody you talk to can't find enough help,“ he said.

During difficult times like those following the tornado outbreak, the pressure to satisfy customers can become uncomfortable for contractors.

“It’s hard to make some folks understand that there are people who don’t have a home and they come in front of people building a new house. That makes some folks mad when your employees are pulled off their new house to work on storm damage. It does happen sometimes.”

So what’s a contractor to do? “You do what you can do and try to get people back as quickly as you can. That’s all you can do,” he said.

GLOSTER

Continued from Page 18

ees could reopen. It reached a 20-year milestone two weeks before the tornado ripped away nearly all but the building’s frame.

Listening to other business owners, CDF and city leaders, the oil change entrepreneur agreed to rebuild with aesthetics in mind, even if it costs more.

“The idea of a new design, a new look could be a lot better for the area,” he said.

Ideas for the North Gloster Street area include adding more sidewalks, crosswalks and possibly a new overlay district that could bring tax breaks to businesses.

“I don’t think there’s any reason we couldn’t designate a district specifically for areas with storm damage,” Tupelo city planner Pat Falkner said.

Pryor & Morrow architect Rud Robison proposed a day-long design charette, a formal brainstorming session of business owners and planning professionals to imagine new possibilities for the commercial corridor from McCullough Boulevard north to

Green Street.

“I think it can generate a lot of energy for envisioning what can be the new look for the area,” Robison said.

“It can establish some common ground for a new beginning.”

Voz Vanelli, whose Greek and Italian restaurant has been a Tupelo staple since 1978, supports plans to encourage North Gloster to develop a deeper sense of character and personality.

“This may be the worst personal tragedy I’ve ever been through,” said Vanelli, who huddled with employees in the restaurant cooler as the tornado passed. “But I’m not over. I feed people.”

Mayor Jason Shelton said he had no intention of using a natural disaster to create extra regulations and red tape for businesses; however, he wanted business owners and other stakeholders in the area to consider the unlocked potential Daily Journal along one of the most heavily trafficked streets in Northeast Mississippi.

“I’d love to see it as a destination within the city in and of itself,” he told the group of 40 or so attendees. “If you want it, we can do these things.”

Tupelo tornado path

800.688.4003 | RAC.COM OFFICES IN GULFPORT, JACKSON AND NEW ORLEANS

INNOVATION. INTELLECT. INTEGRITY.

Electrical solutions for all commercial, industrial and utility jobs...since 1926.

Electrical Distributor

800-844-1811 www.irby.com

POWER SYSTEMS, INC.

NEWSMAKERS

24 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 6, 2014

Schools recognize Mossing Nine elected to board

Governor chooses Langton

Mike Mossing is the Oxford School District’s (OSD) 2013-2014 Citizen of the Year. An associate professor of biochemistry at the University of Mississippi, Mossing is an active advocate for increasing bike safety awareness in the Oxford community and throughout the state of Mississippi. His dedication to helping students advance academically, such as mentoring the high school’s Robotics Team, is one reason why the school district recognized him as Citizen of the Year. Mossing serves as board president for Bike Walk Mississippi, and also serves on the Committee for the Oxford Pathways Commission and as an active member of Oxford Cycling.

Edward J. “Ed” Langton, CEO and chairman of the board of Grand Bank in Hattiesburg, has been appointed by Gov. Phil Bryant to the State Board of Health. Langton holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern Mississippi and has served as past president of The USM Foundation and the university’s Alumni Association.

Langton is a military veteran who served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He has more than 40 years of experience in banking and finance and is founder, chairman and CEO of Mortgage Funding Corporation.

His multi-faceted career includes experience in real estate development and investment, magazine publishing and the automotive and construction industries.

For his service to the university, Langton was inducted into its Alumni Hall of Fame in 2001, received its Continuous Service Award in 2006 and the Moran Pope Meritorius Service Award in 2012. He is also active in his community, having served on numerous boards of local non-profit organizations, including on the advisory board for the DuBard School for Language Disorders at Southern Miss. Langton is also founder and chairman of IF-I Foundation, a non-profit charitable foundation.

Foresters chooses Garcia Anthony (Tony) Garcia has been named president and CEO of Toronto, Canada-based Foresters.

Garcia succeeds current president and CEO George Mohacsi, who will retire from the organization on June 30.

With more than 26 years of executive management and leadership experience in the US life and annuity industry, Garcia was most recently president of Western and Southern Agency Garcia Group in Cincinnati, Ohio. Previously, he was president and CEO of TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company. Other financial services industry experience includes positions with Allstate, HSBC and the HealthMarkets life and health subsidiaries.

Garcia currently serves on the board of trustees for the American College and the Center of Ethics for the American College. Formerly, he served on the board of directors for the American Council of Life Insurers.

Garcia and his family will be relocating to Toronto.

Firm adds Madison HORNE Wealth Advisors welcomes Chris Madison, CPA, CFE, to its advisory team as its newest wealth advisor. Madison joined HORNE Wealth Advisors from HORNE LLP’s government services team where he led the firm’s BP settlement team and also served as a technical advisor during the design and implementation of nationally-recognized grant compliance processes for Mis- Madison sissippi’s Hurricane Katrina response team.

Madison provides wealth planning strategies and creates customized investment plans designed to integrate and enhance aspects of clients’ financial lives.

He will focus in the areas of investment management, retirement planning, estate planning, business succession planning and risk management.

Madison holds both bachelor of accountancy and master of accountancy degrees from Mississippi State University. He is a licensed certified public accountant in the states of Texas and Mississippi and a certified fraud examiner specializing in forensic accounting.

Nine community leaders were recently selected to serve on the board of directors for United Way of Southeast Mississippi. The new board members are Samantha Andrus, Hattiesburg Clinic; Temple Bennett, community volunteer; Bernard Green, Allstate Insurance; Shawn Harris, Trustmark Bank; Cassie Hicks, the University of Southern Mississippi; Greg Hodges, Hancock Bank; Leahne Lightsey, Petal Education Foundation; Marcia Line, community volunteer; and Benny Waddle, BancorpSouth.

The board’s executive committee is made up of Russ Hendley of Hattiesburg Coca-Cola Bottling Company, board chairman; Billy Browning of Mississippi Power Company, campaign chair; Tracie Fowler of Hattiesburg American, Pacesetter/Assistant campaign chair; Karen Griffis of Regions Mortgage, secretary/treasurer and finance chair; Shawn Harris of Trustmark Bank, funds distribution committee chair; Samantha Andrus of Hattiesburg Clinic, communications chair; Jason Lee of Mississippi Power Company, community impact chair; Richard Topp of Nicholson and Company, audit committee chair; Troy Daniels of Forrest General Hospital, personnel committee chair; and Susan Slaughter of Hattiesburg Clinic, past board chairman.

Other members currently serving on the board are Allen Anderson, Anderson Design Center; James Bacchus, Hattiesburg Public Schools; Jana Bryant, Georgia-Pacific Leaf River Cellulose; Sam Buchanan, Mississippi Center for Legal Services; Dave Bush, The First; Nancy Carpenter, Forrest General Hospital Home Care and Hospice; Mary Moore Conville, attorney; Roman Galey, SouthGroup Insurance; Bill Granberry, Richton Bank and Trust; Mary Dayne Gregg, retired; Terrell Grindle, Nicholson and Company; Wren Hood, Hood Companies; Dr. Scott Hummel, William Carey University; Nicole Jones, After School Academics and Arts Program; Mike Neuendorf, Wesley Medical Center; Sarah Newton, Albert and Associates; Gene Owens, Owens Business Machines; Mike Ratliff, Johnson, Hall and Ratliff law firm; Janice Robinson, Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative; Marcus Robinson, Magnolia State Bank; Wes Rouse, BancorpSouth; Willie B. Sims Jr., CPA; Joe Stevens, Wise, Carter, Child & Carraway law firm; Greg Thrash, Johnson Controls Inc.; Leigh Ann Underwood, Southern Bone and Joint Specialists; Dave Ware, Southern Anesthesia and Walthall Development; Jim Wild, Regions Bank; Valencia Williamson, Area Development Partnership; Dora Willis, community volunteer; and Susan Yarrow, Hattiesburg Clinic.

Community Bank welcomes Harrison Lindsay Burt Harrison has joined Community Bank in the mortgage office.

Harrison was previously employed as a mortgage loan originator with over four years of experience. She is a 2010 graduate of the University of Mississippi with a degree in Marketing Communications.

Active in the community, Harrison loves to play golf and is an Harrison avid Ole Miss fan. She resides in Brandon with her husband, Nathan.

Taylor promoted to VP Dr. Ladd Taylor is the new vice president of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Perkinston Campus and George County Center.

Taylor, an MGCCC alumnus, has served as interim vice president since January. Working at MGCCC since 2002, Taylor most recently served as dean of athletics for six years. His previous positions at the college included student activities supervisor (2002-2006), Hayden Hall resident hall supervi- Taylor sor (2003-2007) and director of Admissions and Records at the Perkinston Campus. He was named MGCCC’s athletic director in 2008 and college dean of athletics in 2011. He served as department chair of the HPR department from 2009 to 2014 and also held a two-year term as NJCAA Region 23 director for women’s athletics.

Taylor was a member of the Bulldog football team in 1993-94. After receiving his associate degree from MGCCC in May 1994, he received a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2000, a master’s degree in adult education from USM in 2005, a specialist degree in education from William Carey University in 2012 and a doctorate in higher education from WCU in May 2014.

Taylor and his wife, Robin, have two daughters, RiAnne, 15, and Sayla, 12.

President chooses Walker Dr. Royal P. Walker Jr., executive director of the University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies, has been appointed by President Barack Obama to the National Council on Disability (NCD). Walker is one of three new members appointed to the agency who will begin work with NCD immediately. Walker will serve a four-year term with the NCD, which includes a team of 15 Presidential appointees.

As IDS executive and associate director, Walker has served on the Governor’s Interagency Coordinating Council for Children with Special Needs, the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities, the American Task Force for the Homeless and chaired

the Mississippi March of Dimes. He joined the IDS staff as associate director and instructor in 1992.

Walker is a past president of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities. He received a bachelor of arts degree from Jackson State University and his juris doctor degree from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University.

Colbert, Castiglione promoted Thomas W. Colbert Jr. has been promoted to senior vice president of Community Bancshares of Mississippi Inc., where he also serves on the board of directors. Colbert, a Forest native, is a graduate of Millsaps College with a bachelors of arts in history.

Continuing his education, he also received an undergraduate degree in English literature from Belhaven University and a graduate degree in education from the University of Mississippi, specializing in teaching English as a sec- Castiglione ondary language.

He is also a graduate of the Mississippi School of Banking in Oxford and the University of Colorado School of Marketing. Colbert holds a certification as a real estate appraiser and has attended Yon Sei University in Seoul, South Korea.

Before joining the bank holdColbert ing company, Colbert taught English at Shandong Foreign Trade College in Qingdao, China, and Xinjiang Vocational University in Urumqi, China. There, he provided English instruction for Han, Uighar, Kazak, Hui, Xibe and Mongol university students.

Colbert resides in Madison with his wife, Ming, and their daughter, Anna Chris.

Also, Elizabeth Castiglione has been promoted to assistant vice president for Community Bank’s holding company in the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and Fraud Department. In her new role, she will manage the Fraud Department and continue overseeing the BSA/AntiMoney Laundering Program and OFAC Program. Castiglione joined Community Bank in 2007, and has served as the BSA officer for the majority of that time.

She is a graduate of Keiser University with a degree in criminal justice and has received the designation of a certified anti-money laundering specialist from ACAMS. Castiglione and her husband, Dominic, live in Pearl with their three children — Catarina, Brianna and Nicolas.

Dinardo comes to Neel-Schaffer Neel-Schaffer has added Janis Dinardo, PE, as a project manager, and she will work out of Neel-Schaffer’s Biloxi office. Dinardo has nearly 13 years of experience as an environmental and civil engineer. She has worked in the Gulf Coast area for nearly 10 years, moving to Mississippi in September of 2005 to assist her former employer with Hurricane Katrina damage assessments and other assignments.

Dinardo’s area of expertise is environmental engineering, with a focus on water and sewer projects. She has designed many major infrastructure projects for cities across the Mississippi Gulf Coast and will handle the same kind of assignments for Neel-Schaffer.

Dinardo holds a bachelor of science degree in environmental engineering from the University of New Hampshire and a master of science in civil engineering from Northeastern University in Boston.

NEWSMAKERS

June 6, 2014

MBA elects Marx

Walker retires from IDS

George Marx of Hazlehurst has been elected vice chairman of the Mississippi Bankers Association. As vice chairman, Marx will serve as a member of the board of directors. He serves as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Copiah Bank, N.A., Hazlehurst. He has been with the bank for 39 years. Marx joined Copiah Bank in 1975 after working for Deposit Guaranty National Bank Marx for six years.

Marx graduated from Mississippi State University with a bachelor's degree in banking and finance.

He has been very active in the MBA, previously serving as treasurer and a three-year term on the MBA board of directors. Also, he is a past chairman of the MBA Legislative Committee and the MBA Lending Committee. He represented Mississippi as a member of the American Bankers Association’s Community Banker Council for six years, with three years on the administrative committee.

Active in his community, he has served as president of the Hazlehurst Chamber of Commerce, Copiah County Heart Association, Copiah Educational Foundation Inc., the Copiah County Chapter of the Mississippi State University Alumni Association and the Copiah Academy Athletic Booster Club. He has also served as treasurer of Hazlehurst Youth Sports Inc. for over 20 years. He is a member of the executive board of the Copiah Endowment Corporation, board of Hardy Wilson Memorial hospital and board of the Copiah County Economic Development District.

Marx lives in Hazlehurst with his wife, the former Diane Denton of Oxford. They attend Hazlehurst United Methodist Church, where he serves as assistant treasurer. They have three children and eight grandchildren.

After more than 20 years of service to the Institute of Disability Studies (IDS) at the University of Southern Mississippi, including the past six as executive director, Dr. Royal P. Walker Jr. has retired. As executive director for the Institute, Walker was responsible for the daily operations of its Hattiesburg, Jackson and Long Beach offices. He joined IDS as associate director and instructor in 1992, and served as co-director from 2007 to 2008.

Walker was appointed by President Barack Obama on May 1 to serve a four-year term on the National Council on Disability, an independent federal agency

Yeatman, Conerly earn promotions BankFirst Financial Services has promoted Luke Yeatman to vice president. Yeatman was hired by BankFirst in April 2012 as an accounting and credit officer. In February 2013, he was promoted to assistant vice president. Yeatman brings almost eight years of experience in the financial services industry. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Mississippi State University. He is also enrolled in the Stonier Conerly Graduate School of Banking/Wharton Leadership Program. Yeatman and his wife have one daughter.

Also, BankFirst has promoted Rhonda Conerly to vice president. She has over 25 years of experience in banking and finance including credit card operations, special collecYeatman tions, consumer/commercial real estate operations, mortgage banking and loan compliance. She attended Hinds Community College and the University of Southern Mississippi.

that recommends disability policy to the Administration, Congress and other federal agencies.

During his tenure with IDS, Walker has served on the Governor’s Interagency Coordinating Council for Children with Special Needs, the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities, the American Task Force for the Homeless and chaired the Mississippi March of Dimes. He is a past president of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD).

Walker received a B.A. from Jackson State University and a J.D. from Texas Southern University.

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

25

Houston to join faculty Ridgeland Police Chief Jimmy Houston will resign July 24 to join the faculty at Holmes Community College. Houston has accepted a position to teach criminal justice and help build the program. Houston has been police chief for 12 years. He began his career in law enforcement in 1973, became a chief in 1997 for the Flowood Police Department and also served with the Jackson Police Department. Houston has previous teaching experience at the college level, and ran for Madison County sheriff in 2011.

Congratulations

2014 class of Best Places to Work honorees from the

This magazine will profile all AWARD RECIPIENTS and pay tribute to their excellence in business and community achievements.

Adams and Reese, LLP All American Check Cashing Atmos Energy Corporation Baker Donelson Business Communications Inc. Camellia Healthcare CF Industries Inc. Community Bank Fast Enterprises, LLC Gilmore Memorial Regional Medical Center

Haddox Reid Eubank Betts, PLLC Harrah’s Gulf Coast Hol-Mac Corporation Jackson Municipal Airport Authority KeyStaff Source May & Company, LLP Metropolitian Bank Navigator Credit Union NewSouth NeuroSpine Ross & Yerger Insurance Inc.

Rushing & Guice, PLLC Southern Pipe & Supply Company Inc. State Street Group, LLC Synergetics Diversified Computer Services Inc. Tempstaff Inc. Think Anew, LLC Tower Loan Venture Technologies Viking Range, LLC

2014 SPONSORS

For more information on Best Places to Work and other events please visit www.msbusiness.com/events or call Tami Jones at (601) 364-1011

26 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 6, 2014

CODES

Continued from Page 20

built with up-to-date construction techniques and technologies.

Enforcement is an important issue. The codes may have little value if there isn’t an effective inspection and enforcement program. Milstead said for areas with a small population, it won’t make sense to hire a full-time building inspector because there isn’t enough building going on.

State Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney was the major force behind lobbying the legislature to adopt statewide building codes.

Chaney said many cities and most counties in Mississippi have little or no building code requirements in place, and this contributes to higher death and injury rates in natural disasters, and higher economic losses, as well.

“Studies show that properly enforced building codes saves lives and property,” Chaney said.

“Studies by Louisiana State University have also shown that if effective building codes had been in place prior to Hurricane Katrina, the economic loss in Mississippi would have been reduced by $3.1 billion and almost 40,000 buildings would have been spared major wind damage.

“It is also noted that, according to the International Code Council, every dollar

CONSTRUCTION

“The legislation clearly exempts non-residential farm structures, manufactured homes, industrial manufacturing facilities in areas where they are not already regulated, utilities, non-public fairgrounds, hunting and fishing camps and many other structures already exempted by Mississippi law.”

Mike Chaney State Insurance Commissioner

spent building to code reduces losses from wind, flood, earthquake and other disasters by $4. Also, strong codes can reduce losses from fire and other natural disasters, saving lives in the process and making economic recovery from disasters easier and quicker.”

Chaney said statewide building codes were strongly supported by many groups and organizations including the construction industry. Supporters included the HBAM, the Mississippi Building Codes Council, the Fire Chief ’s Association, the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the insurance industry. Support also came from many realtor organizations, mortgage lenders, architects and city and county code officials, emergency planners and economic developers.

Chaney said it is not much of an additional expense to build to code in new construction. And it is estimated that counties with mandatory building codes may see more than a 10 percent drop in homeowner insurance rates.

Depending on the number of buildings being constructed in an area, the governing authority can contract with an independent, third-party inspector to do the required inspections.

“That cost can be recouped through the building permit process as an additional fee for issuing a building permit,” Chaney said.

“Counties can utilize the county fire coordinators for enforcement of the codes in the counties. This makes the county cost of code enforcement almost cost neutral. The

governing authorities may also assign an existing member of their staff to carry out the duties of code enforcement and the State of Mississippi will provide free training for the code officials. So there will be little cost to the governing bodies for training or continuing education.”

If there are not a sufficient number of buildings being built in an area to justify a full-time code official, various governing authorities can join together, most likely through a memorandum of understanding, to share the costs associated with code enforcement in that area.

“For example, neighboring counties or communities could all join together to hire and provide pay and benefits to a code official for all those governing bodies, thus keeping the cost for any one entity to a minimum,” Chaney said. “Several counties could likewise join together to operate a code enforcement office.”

The codes apply only to residential and commercial structures. Building codes will not affect landowners wanting to build a barn or a chicken house.

“The legislation clearly exempts non-residential farm structures, manufactured homes, industrial manufacturing facilities in areas where they are not already regulated, utilities, non-public fairgrounds, hunting and fishing camps and many other structures already exempted by Mississippi law,” Chaney said.

CONSTRUCTION UNIVERSITIES

June 6, 2014

Continued from Page 21

ovation along with an addition. It’s the location of the health, physical education and recreation department, athletic administrative offices and the location for convocation and graduation ceremonies. “With a budget of $17.5 million, this is one of our largest projects,” Verdell said. “It will be complete in the spring of 2016.”

James Residence Hall, built in 1964, is getting a $3.4 million makeover, and plans are in the works to renovate and modernize another existing residence hall. The J.H. White Library, which had nothing done to it since it was built in 1971, has received a $12.5 million makeover and now has stateof-the-art technology and operating systems. Roofing renovations were recently completed for six buildings.

“We’re also wrapping up construction of a new $864,000 home for the president,” Verdell said. “It’s a modern home built in a traditional style.”

Public Affairs Director Danny Blanton lists a number of projects under way at the University of Mississippi. “Construction on a new multi-purpose basketball arena, which includes a food court, academic areas and the basketball facility, began in spring 2014, with the opening expected during the first quarter of 2016,” he said. “It will seat approximately 9,500 fans, and include a number of first-class amenities to serve stu-

Courtesy of Mississippi Valley State University

Mississippi Valley State University is building a new president’s home with a $864,000 price tag.

dents, student-athletes and fans. The arena will take the place of the West Stadium Parking Lot and the Rebel Shop.”

The university broke ground on its first parking garage, a five-story facility slated to open in fall 2014, and on an addition and renovation to the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College.

“The addition will add 15,695 square feet to the facility. When the project is completed, the honors college will include several new classrooms, study nooks, and administrative offices, as well as a new large conference room and a new lounge/reception area where the current dean’s office suite is located,” Blanton said.

The west wing of the Music Building is currently under a $4.3 million renovation; Coulter Hall is getting a $15-16 million addition; and the School of Pharmacy is constructing Phase II of its Thad Cochran Research Center, which will nearly double the school’s available research space and is

scheduled for completion late this year.

Funded by several federal grants, this portion will complete the two-building National Center for Natural Products Research complex.

“The new building will include several cutting-edge facilities such as an area for clinical trials, an expanded botanical-specimen repository, laboratories for scaling-up synthesis of naturally derived compounds and laboratories for expanding efforts to discover natural products,” Blanton said.

There’s a lot of construction under way at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, much of it due to damage caused by the Feb. 10, 2013 tornado. There are six ongoing roofing projects and two out to bid, along with some tornado-related projects just finishing, according to Dr. Chris Crenshaw, director of physical plant and assistant vice president for facilities planning and management. “I’ve been here 20 years and we’ve never had this much con-

I

Mississippi Business Journal

– Oscar Wilde Working capital is one of the key components of bonding capacity, so we help you stay several moves ahead and maximize this number for year-end.

Choose CRI, where our experience with 800+ construction clients is

your checkmate.

construction@cricpa.com CRIcpa.com | blog.CRIcpa.com

27

struction going on,” he said. “After the tornado, everyone pulled together and we’re doing things to brighten the future. We’ve completed the landscape renovation around Lake Byron and renovations to the Ogletree Alumni House, the iconic building that was on television after the tornado. This is the completion of the first major restoration and we’re excited about it.”

Work on the fine arts project — consisting of Marsh Hall, the Performing Arts Building and George Hurst Building — will be complete next month. Construction on the Chuck Scianna Hall for the College of Business will be complete in the spring of next year. “This $23 million project is our most visible project and will be state of the art in terms of technology,” Crenshaw said.

“Our students will be thrilled. It was funded by private giving and legislative funds.”

Century Park South is Southern Miss’ largest project ever undertaken. It includes a residence hall, Moffitt Health Center and the Lucky Day Scholarship Program offices.

A $55 million project, it will house 954 students and will be finished in January 2015.

Work began last week on Asbury Hall, a $24 million project to house the College of Nursing, and it’s hoped completion will come in two years.

“Much of our building has been fueled by the generosity of those who gave to our tornado restoration fund,” Crenshaw said. “We could not have done it so quickly without that help and we are grateful for it.”

Experience is one thing you can’t get for nothing.”

282 Commerce Park Drive Ridgeland, MS 39157 (601) 853-7050

I

800+ construction clients with annual revenues totaling $4 billion and 1,400+ years of construction partner experience

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | TAX | STATE LICENSING | SUCCESSION PLANNING | BUSINESS VALUATIONS | CONSULTING

28 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 6 2014

ÂťINVESTMENTS

Is the market rigged?

I’ ve been asked this question more this year than in my past twenty five years in the financial services industry. Presumably, the question arises because of Michael Lewis’ book Flash Boys, in which he makes the claim that the stock market is, in fact, rigged. His premise is that trading technology has “advanced� to the point that unscrupulous flash traders can now see your trade and get ahead of it, forcing you to buy higher or sell lower than you would have otherwise, thus allowing the flash trader to pocket the difference. Numerous commentators have argued against Lewis’ premise, rightly pointing out that the differences in transaction prices are not significant in terms of the overall returns of the markets. With that said, though, I’d like to take a contrary opinion and point out that stock markets are rigged — just not in the way that Mr. Lewis presents.

We understand that casinos are “rigged,� in the sense that the averages are stacked in

favor of the house. One gambler may hit the jackpot, causing the house to lose in the short-term, but as more gamblers play and more time passes, the averages and the economic “law of large numbers� eventually take over and the casino makes money. A system in which the time-tested averages assure a gain for the house is obviously rigged against gamblers as a group, although individually each has a chance of coming out ahead. If that system assured the reverse outcome, that the average participant would be more likely to make money the longer he or she played, we would have to conclude that system is rigged, as well. And that is my point, as that is exactly how the averages have worked out for the stock market.

J.P. Morgan maintains a rolling quarterly study in which they evaluate the best and worst returns of various holding periods for stocks since 1950 and the likelihood of a profit or loss. In their most recent publication of this data, they found that a one-year holding period resulted in

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

Mark Blackwell is the Mississippi Area Executive for

Regions Private Wealth Management.

Plaque - 9�x12� or 8�x10� - $125

Articles are reformatted to ďŹ t 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

a loss almost one third of the time, but 10year holding periods made money about 97 percent of the time (only 2008 and 2009 ended 10-year holding periods with losses) and every 20-year holding period resulted in a gain. And to further develop the point, the worst loss in a 10-year holding period was less than 1 percent annually and the worst 20-year holding period didn’t just make money, it provided a 6 percent annual rate of return! Granted, the next 64 years could look a lot different than the past sixty four, but the study period had its share of crises, too (multiple wars, financial disruption, political conflict, etc.). Within the context of the mar-

kets’ historical reMark Blackwell turns over a very long time period, the greater likelihood of a reasonable gain versus the slight risk of loss for long holding periods is a compelling argument for a diversified portfolio of equities for investors with reasonably extended time horizons.

One further note of caution in the study, however, relates to the actual returns of investors versus the returns of hypothetical portfolios. Looking at the twenty years from 1993 to 2012, J.P. Morgan found that, although the S&P 500 returned 8.2 percent annually, the average investor made only 2.3 percent. To put that in perspective, $100,000 grows to $483,665 in 20 years at 8.2 percent, but only $157,584 at 2.3 percent, so the first investor made almost seven times the return on her investment than the second investor. Again, we can’t be sure that those returns are what we’ll experience in the next twenty years, but this study, like others, confirms the relative benefit of getting in and staying in equity markets.

There are numerous reasons that the average investor has failed to achieve the higher returns of the stock markets, but a major contributor to the poor performance was making emotional decisions based upon short-term economic or market conditions.

History, on the other hand, suggests the markets are “rigged� to reward the diversified, long-term equity investor.

Framed articles take approximately one month to complete.

Not a subscriber?

Become one today to receive instant savings on print and online access $ " % !

!" #

Introductory Offer $199

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

R Framed Article 14� x 16.5� cherry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$199

" # $ %& ' %(

! !

& !% ! '

() * + !

"

#

$%&

' ( )

A %

R Framed Article 23� x 16.5� cherry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $250

! "# $

! % && '

( & ")! %

23 % (

% 4

"1 ,). ( (#( % 0

$ # 1

* +

, !"#

$

!% -

%

&

) %# *%

)& %(*

+

& %- , 45% % 6 6& % " &768 6' 4; <7 7;7&: -%597' ' %& 76&:

&

#

& %-

/

R Plaque 8â&#x20AC;? x 10â&#x20AC;? or 9â&#x20AC;? x 12â&#x20AC;? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$125 Call: 601-364-1044 Fax: (601) 364-1007 WAYS TO ORDER Âť Fax or mail: Mississippi Business Journal Attn: Marcia Thompson-Kelly 200 North Congress St, Ste 400, Jackson 39201 Email: marcia.kelly@msbusiness.com or print off form at http://msbusiness.com/wp-ďŹ les/forms/article-request-form-web.pdf

/,#39,

, '

- '

Go to www.msbusiness.com/summer-random or call (601) 364-1000 and mention the code â&#x20AC;&#x153;summer randomâ&#x20AC;? to receive special savings.

J^_i e\\[h _i edbo lWb_Z \eh d[m ikXiYh_X[hi

(&& Dehj^ 9ed]h[ii Ijh[[j" Ik_j[ *&& Â&#x161; @WYaied" CI )/(&'

June 6 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

29

» MISSISSIPPI LEADERS by Martin Willoughby

Profiles of risk-takers Dement writes Mississippi Entrepreneurs

W

hen I first began writing this column, my goal was to uplift and inspire leaders and entrepreneurs around the state. By interviewing successful Mississippians and sharing their stories, I hoped to make a positive impact. For those who enjoying learning from the experiences of outstanding Mississippians, I am excited to share with you about Mississippi Entrepreneurs by Polly Dement, which was recently published

by Cat Island Books, LLC with University Press of Mississippi. I caught up with Polly to visit about the book in a recent interview: MW: Tell me a little bit about the book.

PD: The book profiles outstanding entrepreneurs from around the state including legends who have passed on and up-andcomers.I interviewed over 100 people for the book which contains 70 profiles of 85 Mississippi entrepreneurs.

MW: How did you become involved in this project?

PD: I grew up in Vicksburg and graduated from Millsaps College before pursuing

a career in Washington D.C. I would regularly come back to the state and had always hoped to one day work on a project back in Mississippi. My conversations started with Tim Medley, who had been inspired by a book he saw while in New Orleans postHurricane Katrina on entrepreneurs in New Orleans. He began to think about how to do a similar book on Mississippi entrepreneurs. He formed Cat Island Books along with Paul Calhoun, David Martin, Mike McRee and Rowan Taylor to make that dream a reality. They asked me to conduct the interviews and write the articles on the Mississippi entrepreneurs.

MW: Tell me a little more your career and travels.

PD: After Millsaps, I moved briefly to Atlanta and then found my home in Washington D.C. My husband, John Mayer, and I have spent most of our careers based in D.C. I have always been interested in communications, and I have worked both in the public and private sector over the years.

One of my first jobs in Washington was working for the Senate Watergate Committee where I wrote profiles of the wit-

nesses who testified. I had the opportunity to write profiles on entrepreneurs for over a decade beginning in 1981 for the National Association of Investment Companies. I also worked for the National Commission on Children and Hager Sharp Inc., a communications firm in Washington, DC. n 2005, my husband and I decided to take a career “time out,” and we traveled the country for three years in a mobile home before relocating to Sante Fe in 2008.

MW: What was it like working with the Cat Island Group?

“I interviewed over 100 people for the book...”

Polly Dement

PD: I have tremendous respect for these gentlemen who shared a passion for trying to encourage entrepreneurs and Mississippians around the state. They had never published a Martin Willoughby book before, but they were entrepreneurs in their own right who had the vision, figured it out, took risks and enabled this book to be written. They carefully considered who to feature in the book as they wanted to make sure that the entrepreneurs represented the state geographically and a diverse mix of business and social entrepreneurs.

MW: I understand that you will be doing some book signings.

PD: We launch the book in Jackson on June 3 at Lemuria then we will be traveling around the state for other book signings.

Many of the entrepreneurs will be joining locally as well and there are some special celebratory events. People who would like more information on these events can follows us on facebook at www.facebook.com/Mississippi Entrepreneurs.

MW: How did this project impact you?

PD: I had an incredible opportunity to personally interview each of the entrepreneurs or those who knew them if they were deceased. I came away inspired by each of their stories in unique ways. Mississippians have much to be proud of, and I hope these stories will encourage people to reach for their dreams.

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.

Author, Mississippi Entrepreneurs

Mississippi author writes haunting story of family's WWII secrets

I

» In My Mother's House

By Margaret McMullan Published by Picador $16.00 softback

was not familiar with Margaret McMullan, so it was a surprise to find her in the Mississippi section at the newly re-opened Pass Christian Books. The book's cover, title and brief synopsis intrigued me. Why is she a Mississippi writer? First, let's discuss the book.

The author spent five years researching and writing In My Mother's House. The book is fiction but was inspired by McMullan's maternal great grandmother. The story is an interwoven narrative between a young woman and her mother and moves from pre-World War II Vienna, Austria, to the United States a generation later. The theme is a daughter's (Elizabeth) desire to understand her mother's (Jenny) silence about their family's experiences during the war.

The cover of my copy of the book features two silver spoons of ornate, old-fashioned patterns. They represent the few heirlooms the family was able to save in their flight to escape Nazi-

dominated Vienna. Jenny's grandmother mails pieces of this silver flatware to her as her life is ending in a Washington, D.C., nursing home. Piece by piece, Jenny's memories are awakened: the large, beautiful home in Vienna; her uncle's viola d'amore lessons; the smell of the wood floors; the friends left behind; and the family's secrets.

Jenny is haunted by the family's secrets and committed to

remaining silent about them. Elizabeth wants to know her mother's family's true identity and the extent of their war time experiences. It's a haunting story; a journey beautifully told as it moves between the generations.

McMullan was born in 1960 in Newton, but moved at age 10 with her family to Chicago. She earned a degree in religious studies at Grinnell College and a master's of fine arts in fiction at the University of Arkansas.

There are numerous references made to Mississippi in the book. McMullan served as the Eudora Welty Visiting Writer at Millsaps College and in 2005 was honored with the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Award for Fiction. She currently is an English professor at the University of Evansville in Indiana. She is also the author of When Warhol Was Still Alive and the young adult novel How I Found the Strong.

— Lynn Lofton, mbj@msbusiness.com

30 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 6 2014 THE SPIN CYCLE

How journalists use social media to report the news, pinterest branding campaigns new report from the Indiana University School of Journalism shows how U.S. journalists are using social media to report the news. Based on online interviews with 1,080 U.S. journalists conducted last fall, the new report updates previous findings and adds new ones concerning the role of social media in journalism.

Key findings: » 78 percent of US journalists check social media for breaking news » 56.2 percent use it to find additional information about a topic » 54.1 percent use social media to find sources for stories » 40 percent of U.S. journalists said that social media are very important to their work. » 34.6 percent spent between 30 to 60 minutes every day on social networking sites. » 53.8 percent regularly use microblogs such as Twitter for gathering information and reporting their stories » 23.6 percent visit blogs maintained by other journalists. » 22.2 percent use Wikipedia » 20.2 percent use YouTube More than 80 percent say that social media does help to promote their work. Almost 70 percent say because of social media they are more engaged with their audiences. Sixty two percent say that social media allows them to do faster reporting of news.

A

The Need for Digital and Visual Media Training Many U.S. journalists (68.1 percent) said that they would like additional training to cope with new job expectations.

The largest group (30.5 percent) sought video shooting and editing skills, followed by 28.4 percent who wanted skills to improve social media engagement. The Spin Cycle thinks PR practitioners should follow suit! This lack of skill in the newsroom opens the door to providing visual content with your news stories. Digital skills and visual content training are some of the most valuable skills to master, whether you are a journalist or a PR pro.

5 Brand Campaigns That Bring Pinterest Into Real World Pinterest, aka the Internet’s mood board, has become the standard bearer for brands that want to express themselves visually while simultaneously giving people content to use socially. Often this content has no connection to a brand’s brick-and-mortar business, so the Spin Cycle has rounded up five examples of retailers that are using the platform to tie the digital world back to the physical.

1. Kate Spade uses Place Pins feature to create city guides For Kate Spade shoppers who worry that once they’re all dressed up they’ll have nowhere to go, the brand enlisted the new “place pins” feature. With the pins, they created city guides offering users places to check out in a number of socially acceptable locales in the U.S., Europe and Japan.

The program includes a partnership with Fathom Guides, a digital resource for those seeking travel advice through itineraries with names like “It’s My First Time,” “Here on Business,” “Best Day Ever” and “With the Kids.” Culture and fashion newbies will appreciate these guides for their lack of tourist traps and focus on places the brand’s name-

Sometimes connecting digital to physical is simpler than you think. sake might actually check out herself. Urban Outfitters created a similar place pin set called “The Fresh List,” which is essentially the same thing, just more hipstery.

2. Caribou Coffee asks mall shoppers to inspire a new blend Sometimes connecting digital to physical is simpler than you think. Take Caribou’s recent campaign that literally rebuilt a Pinterest board in the Mall of America. The 64-foottall board included things that inspired actual people (i.e., “summer” and “my kids”) and was billed as an inspiration for a new blend, aptly named the “Real Inspiration Blend.”

How the brand translated user submissions into the “bold, silky, bright and wild” blend that their brewers created from the campaign we’ll never know. But that giant board and the real coffee that resulted represent a new stage in, ahem, “phygital” brand work.

3. A “Backyard adventures with REI” REI has since its inception had a section in every store where shoppers and employees would post pictures from their various adventures. Usually, these were 5×7 photos pinned to an old corkboard. The company has recently taken that notion to the Web with “Backyard adventures with REI,” a partnership with power pinner Jennifer Chong, who travels to national parks around the country and takes pictures with her favorite products. It’s a subtle twist on the print magazine sent to REI members each month, which includes — you guessed it — photos of products being used in the wild. The difference between old media and new is palpable: Chong’s images have gotten thousands of repins, while most of those magazines end up in trash bins. By the way, REI got into the place pin game as well with “Adventure Destinations.”

4. NBC, Lowe’s and the Ultimate Dream Builders Here’s one that brings TV, the real world and the Internet together in an epic design-porn apotheosis. NBC’s Ultimate Dream Builders is a contest of 12 designers hosted by Nate Berkus. You’ve probably watched it and drooled. This effort follows the show’s template that pits a team red against team blue, only this time they serve up their vision in the same format that makes Pinterest pop in the first place. But in this case, the content here could very well translate to your actual home, resulting in real prize money for the winners. It’s also a great way for Lowe’s to show off the brands they carry: All of the images are from lowes.com.

5. Target collaborates with top pinners for party purposes This ad sums up Target’s “Party with Pinners” campaign, which brought together top pinners to create custom partyplanning collections. The Pinterest board dedicated to this campaign includes products that fit into the collection as well as inspiration from the pinners. In-store, customers can

Todd Smith

find special sections with the products.

It’s a digital extension of the brand’s partnerships with top designers, meant to give customers the feeling that they can put on well-designed parties without spending a ton.

Golden Mic | Maya Angelou’s Voice Always Gave Flight To Caged Birds Maya Angelou, a modern Renaissance woman who survived the harshest of childhoods to become a force on stage, screen, the printed page and the inaugural dais, gave voice to so many audiences in so many ways. Her recent death gave The Spin Cycle reason to pause and reflect on what an impact she has made on society.

Tall and regal, with a deep, majestic voice, Angelou defied all probability and category, becoming one of the first African American women to enjoy mainstream success as an author and thriving in virtually every artistic medium.

The young single mother who performed at strip clubs to earn a living later wrote and recited the most popular presidential inaugural poem in history. Angelou wrote a millionselling memoir, befriended Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela and the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and performed on stages around the world.

An actress, singer and dancer in the 1950s and 1960s, she broke through as an author in 1970 with "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," which became standard reading, and was the first of a multipart autobiography that continued through the decades. In 1993, she was a sensation reading her cautiously hopeful "On the Pulse of the Morning" at former President Bill Clinton's first inauguration. Her confident performance openly delighted Clinton and made the poem a best-seller, if not a critical favorite. For former President George W. Bush, she read another poem, "Amazing Peace," at the 2005 Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the White House. Her poetry, prose and presence gave voice to the generations and hope flight to the masses. For that, she takes the Golden Mic. Each week, The Spin Cycle will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t. Stay tuned – and step-up to the mic! And remember … Amplify Your Brand!

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

SALES MOVES

June 6, 2014

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

31

» JEFFREY GITOMER

A penny saved is a penny earned. Or is it?

B

en Franklin sought to cultivate his character by a plan of 13 virtues, which he developed at age 20 (in 1726), and continued to practice in some form for the rest of his life.

His autobiography lists his 13 virtues as: 1. Temperance. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

2. Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.

3. Order. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

4. Resolution. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

5. Frugality. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.

6. Industry. Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.

7. Sincerity. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. Justice. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

9. Moderation. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. Cleanliness. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths (sic), or habitation.

11. Tranquility. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

12. Chastity. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.

LAND BANK

Continued from Page 13

the nation’s money markets.

Mississippi Land Bank is headquartered in Senatobia and has offices in Clarksdale, Cleveland, Corinth, Indianola, Kosciusko, Louisville, New Albany, Starkville and Tupelo. “We serve 32 counties, from the Alabama line to the Mississippi River and up to the Tennessee line,” Beavers said. His office covers seven of the counties.

“Our territory is very diverse,” Beavers said. “It stretches from the Delta to the Hill section of Mississippi.” The banks offer loans to rural customers who want to plant crops or build a cabin in the country. “We can make loans to folks in any state in the United States,” he said. “It’s all based on where the borrower lives. If you live in one of our 32 counties, we can help you buy land pretty much anywhere.”

Because of a combination of factors, crop land is in high demand and so is the demand for land suitable for hunting and other recreational activities.

“The overall health of the state of agriculture in Mississippi has been tremendous in the last five years in particular with good commodity prices, favorable weather and growing conditions,” Beavers said. “We’re seeing record prices on farm land in our area. The demand for what we call recreational investment type properties and timber tracts is steady. Business has been great.”

13. Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Franklin didn’t try to work on them all at once. Instead, he would work on one and only one each week, leaving all others to their ordinary chance.

While Ben did not live completely by his virtues, and by his own admission fell short of them many times, he believed the attempt at living them made him a better man. He believed these virtues contributed greatly to his success and happiness.

In his autobiography, Franklin listed and wrote about the virtues, “I hope, therefore, that some of my descendants may follow the example and reap the benefit.”

His list is certainly no be-all end-all list of virtuous characteristics, BUT it gets you thinking about yourself and your virtues. Impossible not to.

Not wanting to in any way infringe on the genius of what was Ben Franklin, I’d like to offer some of today’s characteristics of virtue and add to Ben’s list.

I’ll add a few words of definition to each, but more important, think about each of these virtues as it relates to you, your self-disciplines, your actions, and your ethics. Maybe even RATE YOURSELF on each one as you read.

Were he alive today, Ben’s virtues might have also included: • Truth. Your ability to be truthful to others and truthful to yourself.

• Honesty. Take honest actions you can be proud of.

“It’s all based on where the borrower lives. If you live in one of our 32 counties, we can help you buy land pretty much anywhere.”

Ben Beavers Vice president and branch manager of the Mississippi Land Bank’s Tupelo office

• Trust. Be trustworthy and trusting. Trust others until proven otherwise. Be trustworthy by example.

• Ethics. The right way you conduct yourself in business and life.

• Speed. Response it today’s world is immediate. How immediate are you?

• Reliable. People want to deal with reliable people. How reliable are you?

• Loyal. Getting loyalty because you earned it.

Giving loyalty because it’s your philosophy.

• Responsible. Not just responsible to others, but both to yourself and for yourself.

• Observant. Having value based peripheral vision, both of others and yourself.

• Consistent. Making the highest and best decision — all the time.

• Independent. Not a follower to be “safe,” but a self-ruler of your time and fate.

• Faith. Not just religion, faith in people, faith in family, and spirituality of self.

• Self-belief. Belief in company, product, customer, and especially in yourself. Be a believer.

• Confidence. Confidence is evident often without saying a word. Radiate yours.

• Enthusiasm. Generate the inner spark of selfinduced energy that lights up a room and the people in it.

• Study/Student. Learning more leads to earning more. Resolve to learn something new every day.

• Respect. Things and people deserve initial re-

spect. Give it to get it.

• Kindness. Every ounce of kindness is worth a fortune to those on the receiving end of yours.

• Forgive. Until you forgive the past – both actions and people – you are likely to repeat it.

• Thoughtful. Expressing both thanks and feelings. Remembering events and people.

• Open-minded. Willing to accept new things.

Willing to encounter at “change” and see it as “opportunity.”

• Appreciate. Art and life. Look and see the beauty that abounds, the opportunity life affords, and appreciate your ability to choose the values you represent.

• Grateful. For health and happiness. Saying grace. Counting blessings, daily.

• Loving. Give love to get love. Give love to be loved.

Wow! Those are some values. How many are yours?

Why not tackle one a week? I’ve given you a sixmonth supply.

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 Cha-Ching”, “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.

http://www.msbusiness.com

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

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

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

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

PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES

Because the market is strong, Beavers said, if land is suitable for growing a crop or raising cattle, it’s been utilized. “The way the market and commodity prices have been, there are a lot of folks who have plowed up pastures and turned it into farm lands. Cattle prices are at an all time high so you’ve got all available pastures being used for cattle production. Agriculture is the number one industry in the state so it’s been good the last few years for all our farmers in Mississippi.”

Beavers said Mississippi Land Bank gives customers specialized, local services. “We feel we have the best rates and terms available,” he said.

“This is what we do day in and day out as an agricultural lender. Our knowledge of agriculture and land in general sets us apart from a commercial lender.”

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

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

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

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

WEBSITE DESIGNERS Q U.S. NEXT....................................................................................................................... www.usnx.com

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