Mbj june07 2013

www.msbusiness.com

June 7, 2013 • Vol. 35, No. 23 • $2 • 28 pages

Report: State bridges not old ...

just neglected — Page 14

The I-20 Bridge in Vicksburg, connecting Mississippi and Louisiana has been rated as the bridge most in need of repair in Mississippi. With nearly 30,000 vehicles crossing the bridge every day, that is a daunting thought.

For more stories on bridges in Mississippi, go to www.msbusiness.com.

MBJ Q&A: Rusty Hampton Page 16 MBJ FOCUS: Law & Accounting Page 17

2 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 7, 2013

Q&A David Landrum, Town of Livingston

Developing a community out of nothing at all

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

Livingston Farmer’s Market kicked off its spring season on May 23 with a special concert by Grammy-winning country music star Travis Tritt.

Located at the corner of Highway 463 and 22 in Madison County the popular farmer’s market is open every Thursday from 4 p.m.-8 p.m. and has become a big draw for Madison County and the Greater Jackson area. The family-friendly event is also the premier marketing tool for the Livingston Community Foundation and the Town of Livingston as it continues its retail and residential Landrum development plans for the historic site.

Jackson financier and developer David Landrum oversees the Town of Livingston including Farmers Market and says the first round of permanent buildings will finish construction by the first quarter of next year.

For folks unfamiliar with Town of Livingston, please describe the development and its mission.

Town of Livingston is a destination that perfectly blends community, family, and history. Our Farmer’s Market started out small with a handful of people coming to buy fresh produce, arts and crafts. It has evolved into a place people come to hang out, relax, and be with friends and family. The sense of community is very apparent at our farmer’s market.

What’s the historical background of the community?

Livingston was the county seat of Madison County in the early 1800s. A courthouse stood where the farmer’s market is currently held. The town was a popular destination because of the natural spring that still flows today and feeds the beautiful lakes on the property. Livingston lost its charter in the 1940s.

Tell us about the Farmer’s Market.

The Livingston Farmer’s Market is a huge draw for our development. It would be challenging to find an atmosphere that is as warm and inviting as “the market.” We have locally grown produce, local honey, live music weekly, arts and crafts, food vendors and a wine garden for people to fellowship and relax together every Thursday night from Spring until Fall.

Our first market will be on Thursday May 16th from 4-8pm and every week after that. We are highly anticipating the 3rd year of the market. We do have a concert that will take place on May 23. We have Travis Tritt, Steel Magnolia and Samantha Landrum performing. The gates open at 5:30 p.m. and the concert kicks off at 7 p.m. The setting for the concert is in front of the spring-fed lake and, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful venues in the state of Mississippi.

The market has been a big draw for farmers and creative economists, yes?

Absolutely, we have cottage industries that have started at the market. Musee Bath Inc. is a prime example. It has been an amazing thing to witness. From an economic development standpoint it has been remarkable. Farmers have had a substantial amount of success as well. Everything that is seasonal and local has a place at Livingston Farmer’s Market. Every time I walk by the hay bales and ascend into the center of the old town square surrounded by 200-year-old cedar trees I am taken back to a much

simpler time when things were…well…simpler. It is all about community and supporting and enjoying local farmers, innovative business owners, talented craftsmen, and gifted musicians. It is something that has to be witnessed in person. The market is our mainstay, and our inspiration as well. It has evolved into something that is beyond words and needs to be experienced by everyone. Who doesn't love sitting at a picnic table with a glass of lemonade or wine with a bunch of newly made and old friends listening to live music, watching a cooking demonstration (and getting to taste it), and supporting their local economy? It is a win-win as far as I can tell.

For example, we will have CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) for our residents at the Cottages at Livingston and Chestnut Hill. CSA entails fresh produce, cage-free eggs, and even lavender that will be delivered to your door upon request. We will have farm to table restaurants as well as farm to your very own in-home kitchen/table. Things like this set Livingston apart from other developments. We are growing livestock, we have some of the best fishing around, and once again, above all else, we will have a tight knit community of residents and patrons. It is all about community, community, and more community. Obviously, this can’t be stressed enough.

Do you have any other commercial and/or retail plans for the development?

Yes. We have started construction on 25,000 square feet of space now including the Livingston Mercantile Store along with several other buildings. Meanwhile, we will preserve the history of the location. The trees will remain and the old square will be a beautiful elevated park. We will have golf cart parking on the streets for residents of the Cottages at Livingston and residents of Chestnut Hill. We look so forward to seeing all of this come together. Like I mentioned previously, the farmer’s market is the ultimate indicator of things to come. It is all about community.

What were some early challenges that had to be overcome?

What got you through it?

Any time you take you take on a project this large there are many obstacles to overcome. Everything from zoning to the recession, we have had our fair share of hurdles. The driving force for me has been my faith and the promise of a new type of community.

How are plans coming for the cottages?

We have had a great amount of interest in the cottages.

They are going rather quickly. They will have a totally different feel than most places I have seen in our great state.

Residents will be able to walk to retail, restaurants, nature, etc. We anticipate an even higher demand as the town comes out of the ground. We are incredibly excited about the cottages.

What sets Livingston apart from other residential developments in Mississippi? Was inspiration drawn from other parts of the region/country or is it a completely unique concept?

First and foremost, Livingston isn't a “development” in my eyes. It is a re-creation, and a new beginning. We are holding true to the history and heritage here. So many things set Livingston apart from other “developments” in the area.

Have there been any questions about the distance Livingston is from the Metro Jackson area? With rising fuel prices and a recovering economy, do you have healthy growth projections?

We are right in the middle of Canton, Flora, and Madison. In a five-mile radius we have one of the highest per capita incomes in the state. We averaged 1,500 people per market last season. We feel that number will rise dramatically this season. As I stated previously, we will be a destination. We want people to come and not want to leave. We feel that we are poised for amazing things at Livingston.

What has been your best day at Livingston?

To be honest, I have never had a bad day at Livingston. It really is a gorgeous piece of property, and more importantly it is an amazing piece of history. These things make it my favorite place to be at any point in time. It really would be impossible to narrow it down to one day. I have especially enjoyed everything from teaching my granddaughter how to fish, to beautiful sunsets with my family. Every day is a great day at the Town of Livingston.

Special to the MBJ

Town of Livingston developer David Landrum says he expects more than 20,000 square feet of the first buildings to be open by early 2014.

June 7, 2013

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Mississippi Business Journal

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Nissan sets May sales record, Toyota’s jump slightly

By CLAY CHANDLER I STAFF WRITER clay.chandler@msbusiness.com Nissan North America set a sales record in May, with 114,457 deliveries.

That’s a 24.7 percent increase over May 2012. The global Nissan division also set a record, with 106,558 deliveries, up 31.2 percent over last year.

In North America, sales of the Altima, Pathfinder, Sentra and Rogue led the charge. The Altima and Sentra are made in Nissan’s Canton facility, which marked 10 years of production last month.

Altima sales totaled 31,940 for the month, a 40.8 percent jump from May 2012. Sentra sales (12,504 units) were up 64.5 percent.

“We are in the midst of launching five all-new, top-selling Nissan models in 15 months, and the effort is paying off,” Jose Munoz, senior vice president for sales and marketing at Nissan Americas, said in a company press release.

“Altima, Pathfinder and Sentra, the first three of these launches, are up a combined 64.6 percent in May, which shows that our new products are hitting the sweet spot of delivering the innovation, style and value that buyers want.”

The Canton facility, using $100 million in bonds issued by the Madison

County Economic Development Authority, is expanding its supplier park.

Leases of the new buildings would pay the debt service. Lawmakers approved the bond package last legislative session.

Also on Monday, Toyota announced that its May sales were up 2.5 percent, with deliveries totaling 207,952.

“New vehicle sales are heating up along with the weather, and solid May results coupled with an excellent Memorial Day weekend provide great momentum as we move into the summer selling season,” said Bill Fay, group vice president and general manager of Toyota Division.

MSU students win start-up business competition

RED SNAPPER DISPUTE

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

GULF OF MEXICO — A federal judge says federal regulators used a false claim of emergency to cut the federal season for red snapper off of Texas and Louisiana, and did so to punish those states for setting seasons and limits beyond federal limits.

District Judge Andrew Hanen, of Brownsville, Texas, overturned the emergency rule under which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s fisheries division set one season off Mississippi and Alabama and others off Texas, Louisiana and Florida.

NOAA Fisheries says it will set a Gulf-wide season.

Officials have said the variations compensated for different state seasons to give anglers in all states equal chance at the popular fish.

Hanen called it penalizing anglers in states that choose to set longer seasons, even though Congress gave them the right to do so.

Mississippi State students have again won the Mississippi New Venture Challenge Competition.

John L. Gazzini, of Birmingham, Ala., and Olive Branch’s Read T. Sprabery took first place, with Nimbus Mobile, an app design business. Nimbus is close to launching FeatherServe, which allows pool service companies to more easily and efficiently manage their operations.

Gazzine and Sprabery both graduated from MSU in May with computer engineering degrees.

Second-place went to Sensei Mobile, LLC, founded by Matthew M. Hoelter of Collierville, Tenn., another MSU spring computer engineering graduate. He is launching a service called Chat Katana that provides an anonymous one-on-one messaging service through

a native phone application.

The annual competition is sponsored by Innovate Mississippi, a Ridgeland-based nonprofit organization that promotes statewide innovation and technology-based economic development.

“It’s gratifying to see our students continue a tradition of excellence,” said Abby Thompson, entrepreneurship program coordinator in MSU’s Office of Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer, in a school press release.

For the past three years, Mississippi State students have won eight out of nine places in the competition Overall, MSU had 11 teams compete in this year’s New Venture Challenge.

“We have taken purposeful steps to make innovation and entrepreneurship priorities. We have been building that ecosystem steadily with students, faculty and staff,” said Gerald Nelson, director, OETT.

Judge rules against NOAA

— from staff and MBJ wire services

4 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 7, 2013 MANUFACTURING

GreenTech sues government watchdog for libel

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

North Mississippi electric carmaker GreenTech Automotive is suing an online government watch dog for libel.

GreenTech manufacturers the MyCar, a small electric vehicle, in Horn Lake. It has plans to make full-size vehicles at a facility in Tunica. Terms of a loan the state made to GreenTech call for production to start there no later than Dec. 31, 2014.

In its $85 million lawsuit, filed in Mississippi’s Northern District Federal Court, the company claims that watchdog.org’s of libeling it in two online stories. The company took particular issue with one story that quoted an investment adviser as saying GreenTech was a “fraud investment” because of the company’s use of the EB-5 investment program. The EB-5 program offers foreign investors Visas in exchange for pumping capital into an economic development project.

Will Swaim, Watchdog’s managing editor, said in an interview last Monday that his news organization stands by its reporting. Swaim said one of the stories that raised GreenTech’s ire now includes a clarification, but not an admission of libel.

GreenTech’s complaint says that says the article was responsible for investors reconsidering whether to provide $25 million for the Tunica project. An attempt to raise another $60 million has been put at risk by the news organization’s stories, it said.

A GreenTech spokesperson did not return a message seeking comment.

“They were clearly upset about our reporting,” Swaim said. “It’s interesting that the adviser clarified what he meant and we clarified the story. We thought we were being rather gentlemanly about this given what’s going on with Terry McAuliffe.

(GreenTech’s) attorney said this guy had retracted his statement. He does nothing of the kind.”

Terry McAuliffe, former president of

GreenTech, is in a hotly contested gubernatorial race in which his role with GreenTech has been a hot topic. That, Swaim said, is how Watchdog initially became interested in the automaker, but only after vetting McAuliffe himself.

“It was only a tertiary interest that we started looking at GreenTech itself,” Swaim said. “Our interest in this was through the back door. It was Terry McAuliffe. He entered the gubernatorial race and was telling everybody he was a major automaker.”

McAuliffe’s campaign has since April referred questions about GreenTech to the company.

What raised Watchdog’s eyebrows, he added, was the company’s use of the EB-5 program. “It seems like a weird way to start an automaker,” Swaim said. Watchdog’s reporting on the EB-5 program related to GreenTech is another issue the company’s complaint raises, claiming most of it has been false.

Jason Stverak, president of Watchdog parent company the Franklin Institute, in

April issued a statement to a Virginia newspaper asserting that GreenTech’s lawsuit was baseless. “We are confident that GreenTech’s claims are without merit and we will continue to report on this important story,” Stverak said.

Said Swaim: “I think Terry McAuliffe thought this was a way to shut us up. He figured he’d go after a soft target. We think the stories with each passing day become more substantial. I really think because of the aggressive nature of our reporting, they’re just pissed off.”

GreenTech has until the end of 2014 to create a minimum of 350 jobs at its Tunica facility, per the terms of a $3 million loan the Mississippi Development Authority made the company.

The loan, made in September 2011, is to help the hybrid car company with site preparation and what an MDA spokesperson called in April “other project-related expenses” in Tunica. GreenTech started making the MyCar in Horn Lake last summer.

in Brandon, said Hurricane Katrina in 2005 flooded the market with storm-damaged trees causing prices to plummet. Butler said foresters advised owners to hold out for a more attractive market, only to see the housing bust/recession ruin that plan.

Robby Toombs, regions manager at Resource Management Service, LLC, and president of the Rankin County Forestry Association, has been in the industry since the 1970s, and remembers the downturn in the 1980s well. However, he said the duration of the most recent market correction makes it unique.

“It has just lasted so long – eight or nine years now,” Toombs said. “That’s why it is such a relief things are at least trending in the right direction.

Both Butler and Toombs pointed to increased mill activity, including several mills that have reopened, have announced plans to begin cutting logs again or are increasing operations.

Butler said he assisted in the recent acquisition of a 32,000-acre package. As a service, he checked with approximately a dozen mills and “all the mill owners were happy.”

Toombs said he is optimistic about new housing starts, which are projected to hit 1.5 million in the U.S. in 2015.

“We may never get back to the peak we saw (before Katrina and the housing/eco-

nomic turndown), but we are getting back to numbers we can live with, that will keep us in business.”

David Jones, assistant forest products professor with MSU’s Extension Service, said in statement that all timber products follow housing starts, and he, too, is encouraged by increased mill activity.

“Mills in Mississippi have increased production, and some that were offline are operational again,” Jones said. “The expansions are a significant change from the last five years, when most reports were closures.

“We are hearing announcements of new mills opening, such as the plywood plant in Louisville and pellet mills in south Mississippi. The Port of Pascagoula is dredging the river for barges to carry wood pellets overseas,” Jones said. “The communities closest to these mills will see a direct economic impact.”

“2013 is looking better than 2012 and much better than the last several years following the recession,” said James Henderson, assistant Extension professor of forestry at Mississippi State University.

“The recovery for Mississippi’s timber markets will take time, but everything is finally heading in the right direction.

“The composite price for framing lumber for May is up 13.6 percent from the same period last year, but stumpage prices for pine sawtimber are not rebounding as quickly. In the first quarter of 2013, Mississippi pine sawtimber average stumpage fell to $26.07 per ton. By comparison, pine sawtimber averaged $39.71 per ton in the first quarter of 2007.”

CONSTRUCTION

Not a boom, but... » Homebuilders, foresters optimistic about 2013

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

While there is still a long way to go to full recovery, two Mississippi industries – homebuilding and forestry – are expecting another bounce-back year in 2013.

“There certainly is no housing boom going on,” said Marty Milstead, executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of Mississippi. “Some of our members are very, very busy; some need more work. But, at least the trend is positive.

Don’t get me wrong – we’ll take it. We have been on the bottom, and on the bottom for a while.”

Milstead said the industry faces challenges, including a very soft spec house market and tough mortgage environment.

A healthier fix would be more job creation, he added.

But, interest rates are still attractive, and home prices continue to rise. According to the latest Residential Price Index from Oxford-based FNC Inc., U.S. home prices in March increased for the 13th consecutive time despite job market weakness and modest economic growth.

The report found signs of a freer mortgage industry, writing: “Low interest rates continue to be a key driver of rising housing demand.

The market is also gaining momentum on signs of improved credit and more availability of leverage as mortgage lenders continue to experience rising profits.”

“We’re definitely seeing an uptick,” Milstead said. He added, “When you’re trying to go from 0 to 100, at one point you’re only doing 30. But, that’s way better than 0. Quite frankly, though, there is nowhere to go but up for the state’s homebuilders.”

Perhaps the only group happier than the homebuilders about the housing market rebound is foresters. For those in the timber industry, the bottom fell out well before the housing bust and recession.

And, what is bad for foresters is bad for the rest of state’s economy. Forestry is the state’s third-largest agricultural commodity, ringing in at $1.03 billion and approximately 125,000 land owners, according to the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce.

Steve Butler, owner of TimberCorp Inc.

“We’re definitely seeing an uptick.”

Marty Milstead Home Builders Association of Mississippi

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Website: www.msbusiness.com June 7, 2013 Volume 35, Number 23

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MBJPERSPECTIVE June 7, 2013 • www.msbusiness.com • Page 5

OTHER VIEWS

It would be a huge mistake to back away from Common Core

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Conservatives can get worked up about the dangest things. Now, they are taking aim at the effort initiated years ago not by the federal government but the states themselves to standardize what's taught and what's expected of a public school education.

The so-called Common Core standards have been adopted by Mississippi and 45 other states, and they are presently integrating these educational goals into curricula and state testing. In Mississippi, Common Core will be implemented in curricula the coming school year. State tests, by which schools and

school districts are rated, will reflect the new, tougher goals the following year.

Common Core is not mandated by the federal government, even though the Obama administration does endorse the idea. Rather, the goals were developed jointly by the National Governors Association and the Council for Chief State School Officers, and each state could decide whether it wanted to voluntarily adopt them.

It was a non-issue until last year, when some Republicans began pushing back. ...

The philosophy behind Common Core is imminently sensible and reflects the global-

ization of the economy. Students from Mississippi schools now, and increasingly in the future, will be competing for jobs with those not only from other states but from other countries. Mississippi is hamstringing them by expecting less here than is expected of students elsewhere.

Another benefit of Common Core is that it requires state tests to be administered electronically. ...

Mississippi’s Board of Education was right to adopt Common Core. It would be a huge mistake to back away now.

— The Greenwood Commonwealth

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

» CHUCK MCINTOSH

» EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

Aunt Bea and Andy can’t fix our schools

MELISSA KILLINGSWORTH Sr. Account Executive

melissa.harrison@msbusiness.com • 364-1030 ASHLEY VARNES Account Executive ashley.varnes@msbusiness.com • 364-1013

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Entire contents copyrighted © 2013 by Journal Inc. All rights reserved.

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

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>> 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.

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t would be easy to pile on the comments Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant made about women and education this week in which he told an audience at a Washington Post event that America’s education mediocrity began when “the mom got in the work place.”

However, while many folks, including Bryant, may pine for a kinder, gentler time when Aunt Bea and Andy from “The Andy Griffith Show” were teaching Opie about the wrongs of killing a sparrow with a slingshot, it is important to note that “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Leave it to Beaver” were not documentaries.

The comment about women not withstanding, the fact is Mississippi is in a education fix and Ross Reily has been for some time — a fix that stay-at-home moms and dads can’t control with 20 more minutes of reading every night before bed.

In an Atlantic Monthly story not so long ago, education was presented, front and center.

Unfortunately for Mississippi, the truth was not kind. Below is part of that article: We’ve known for some time how this story ends nationwide: only 6 percent of U.S. students perform at the advanced-proficiency level in math, a share that lags behind kids in some 30 other countries, from the United Kingdom to Taiwan. But what happens when we break down the results? Do any individual U.S. states wind up near the top?

Incredibly, no. Even if we treat each state as its own country, not a single one makes it into the top dozen contenders on the list.

The best performer is Massachusetts, ringing in at No. 17. MinSee REILY, Page 7

PERSPECTIVE

June 7, 2013 I Mississippi Business Journal

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» RICKY NOBILE » MIND OVER MONEY

Report on state’s economy has poor cause, effect relations

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»FINANCIAL TIMES

Measuring economic development incentives not as easy as it sounds

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hy do we measure things?

Because it’s how we keep score. Whether it’s touchdowns, runs batted in, number of years married, interest on a certificate of deposit, length of a symphony or grades in schools. Measurements provide relativism. They allow us to study things, to learn, to compare and to critique.

Lately there has been a lot written about economic development incentives and whether they are good investments. In December of 2012 the New York Times published a series of articles regarding business incentives awarded by hundreds of cities, counties and states. It said that because there is no nationwide accounting of these incentives, it put together a database and found that local governments give up $80.4 billion in incentives each year. The article provided good fodder for discussion of the subject. It is also a good example of how there is no consistent measurement of incentives or how the return on investment of incentives is calculated.

The best way to look at economic development deals is to look at, or attempt to calculate, return on investment, which is what one gets back in return for what one spends. That is easier said than done. State Auditor Stacey Pickering recently examined the return on the Nissan project investment and pronounced that the state did indeed get a good return on investment. What his report did not calculate was, of course, the incalculable measurements.

Yes, there are some things that cannot be easily and conveniently measured. For example, what was the value of the in-

Phil Hardwick volvement in the local schools by the spouse of one of the senior executives of Nissan? What was/is the value of the memberships and involvement in local civic and leadership programs? What is the value of the image to the state to have a world class company choosing to set up operations there?

Measurements, like statistics, can be used to prove lots of different things. Some say that economic development and elected officials tend to overestimate the benefits, while the critics seem to overestimate the costs. So in a sense it is all about perspective.

It is most important to determine what to measure and how it will be measured. For some, it seems that the only measurement that matters is whether or not a community landed the project. The cost really does not matter. It is not uncommon in stories about the quest for economic development projects to hear officials from one community say that they could not afford to match the offer of incentives by another community or state. That leaves fodder for critics to allege that the winning community overpaid.

Another measurement, and the one that is most often mentioned when a project is announced, is the number of jobs. This is obviously an easy measurement. But there are closely related measurements that should be considered, and that is the types of jobs, the wages paid and who gets the jobs.

See HARDWICK, Page 7

did a double-take when I picked up my morning Clarion-Ledger. The headline read, “Mississippi’s Economic Outlook Ranks in Top 10 Nationally, Annual Report Says.”

Seriously? While I love trumpeting good news about my state, I’m no Pollyanna. Was this a Rip Van Winkle thing? Did I go to sleep for 20 years and miss the big transformation?

Then I read the report and found the variables used to come up with this list. Things like low taxes, little Nancy Anderson regulation, low union participation.

Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves was so excited about this list that he said, “The report is more proof that we are on the right track to bringing higher-skilled, higher-paying jobs to the state.” Wonder if he choked on his cornbread when he gave that quote to the reporter?

It seems there is a definite bias to this report and an erroneous connection between cause and effect.

When I think of “economic outlook,” I think of jobs, household income, education, home prices and such.

Mississippi’s unemployment rate remains stuck above the national average.

Our median household income is the lowest in the country. While we did not take the hit from the housing crisis in 2007-2008, we also have not experienced the gains as seen elsewhere.

And our education system?

Don’t get me started!

While I would love to see Mississippi making one of the good lists, I call “bunk” on this report. The only thing it measures is the stubbornness of our legislators. It is just reinforcement for bad policy. The list of red states produced by this study is verification of ideological blindness. When it comes to economic development, the only color that matters is green.

Mr. Reeves, Mississippians are begging you! Forget holding the party line. Just show us the money!

And the Clarion-Ledger’s promotion of this junk science report?

Lazy.

Mr. Reeves, Mississippians are begging you!

Forget holding the party line. Just show us the money!

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

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

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PERSPECTIVE

»PERCOLATING

» MBJ COMMENTS ONLINE

One nation, indivisible, falling apart

Andy Mullins was good for education in Mississippi

I

n between bleeding heart liberals and heartless conservatives abide ordinary Americans with heartfelt concerns about the future of our country. Those of us with deep roots — I am a Mayflower descendant — shudder at the rise of divisive politics and the decline of historic ideals that unite us.

In between Memorial Day, when we as a nation remember and celebrate those who died for our freedom, and Independence Day, when we as a nation remember and celebrate the freedoms they died for, we should remember our roots and ponder if the divided nation we are becoming is something to celebrate.

Let us remember.

“We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor,” reads the last line of the Declaration of Independence.

People who “mutually pledge” lives, fortunes, and honor do not spend fortunes and countless hours denouncing, deriding, and disrespecting each other. Their efforts focus on coming together, not driving apart. They respectfully seek common ground, not relentlessly pursue groundless battles.

In 1892 Baptist minister Francis Bellamy recaptured the concept stated in the Declaration in fewer words easier for children to recite. We now call this our Pledge of Allegiance.

“The time was ripe for a reawakening of simple Americanism,” Bellamy said of his choice of words “one nation indivisible” (the words “under God” were added later).

“One nation indivisible” does not allow itself to be torn apart from within. It sustains ties, mends frays, and forges new bonds.

REILY

People who “mutually pledge” lives, fortunes, and honor do not spend fortunes and countless hours denouncing, deriding, and disrespecting each other.

Their efforts focus on coming together, not driving apart.

Continued from Page 5

nesota also makes it into the upper-middle tier, followed by Vermont, New Jersey, and Washington. And down it goes from there, all the way to Mississippi, whose students — by this measure at least — might as well be attending school in Thailand or Serbia.

Bryant is correct about one thing. Educating a child these days is difficult. There are a lot of pressures on time and money for everyone and making sure your children get enough attention is a daunting task.

It’s daunting in Massachusetts, where the public education system is generally accepted to be the best in the country. It’s

HARDWICK

It makes diversity a strength and consensus its goal.

If, as it seems, our political leaders are inBill Crawford terminably trapped in divisive politics that weaken us as a nation and a free people, where do we turn for help?

Our founders put the answer right at the front of our Constitution, “We the People.”

We tolerate divisive politics, or we do not.

We allow it to continue or we stop it.

We find common ground and stand united, or we fall apart.

The complete Preamble to the Constitution provides perspective: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Our founders said we must do all this in a mutually agreeable way. The dividers want to leave out or greatly weaken some parts.

How do we stop them?

Tell our elected leaders we expect them to seek agreement, find common ground. And we won’t tolerate messages attacking the other side. There is no other side. America is indivisible.

Tell them we only want messages about their efforts to find common ground.

Continued from Page 6

The goals and needs of the community come into play here.

If a community has a high unemployment rate and a lowskilled workforce it may be more important to that community to have 100 new low-tech jobs.

One easy thing to measure is revenue to the local government from ad valorem tax receipts. Some critics of economic development incentives will look at the value of a parcel of real estate after the project is in operation and allege that is costing the community because it is losing money as a result of giving the new owners a tax exemption. They will say that the project is not paying taxes while a nearby company that

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

doubly so in Mississippi where the educational system, to put it nicely, isn’t recognized as the best in the country.

Education in Mississippi needs an overhaul, right now. Until we are willing to blow up the current model — from Pre-K to our universities — without regard to political consequences, we are going to be mired in the same education environment for the foreseeable future.

If we don’t, Mississippi will continue to be compared to Thailand, and not even Opie’s teacher Miss Helen will be able to fix the problem.

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

has been in business for years is paying property taxes. That criticism is accurate depending on the point in time that it is referring to. A better measure is comparison on the value of the land, and therefore the revenue to the local government, before the project was there compared to the current value.

Most large economic development projects are built on land that was previously vacant and typically had an agricultural use for tax purposes. By the way, the school tax portion of ad valorem taxes is not subject to exemption. Consequently, revenue to local school districts is almost always increased by new economic development projects.

Ask a mayor how much he or she would pay for a new job, or a hundred new jobs, in his or her city. The correct answer should be, “It all depends.” And what it depends on is the

Andy Mullins spent most of his 42-year career in education and government behind the scenes.

As a special assistant or chief of staff to two Mississippi governors, three state superintendents and three University of Mississippi chancellors, Mullins would typically be the person in the background or to the side while his bosses were at the podium and getting most of the credit.

But Mullins, who is retiring at the end of this month, had a hand in some of the most significant developments this state has seen over the past 30 years in both education reform and image reform.

He was one of the then-young men on Gov. William Winter's staff — a group that also included Ray Mabus and Dick Molpus — who helped push through the Education Reform Act of 1982, the landmark law that established statewide public kindergartens, a compulsory attendance law, school accountability measures and, most significantly, put public education at the top of the priority list at the Capitol.

Mullins also was a chief organizer of the presidential debate in 2008 at Ole Miss between Barack Obama and John McCain, an event that raised the national profile of that university and helped dispel some of the unflattering stereotypes of the school that had lingered ever since it erupted in riots over the admittance of James Meredith in 1962.

For all the historic implications of those two events, though, arguably Mullins' most significant contribution was his establishment of the Mississippi Teacher Corps at Ole Miss. Similar in concept to the better-known Teach for America program, the Mississippi Teacher Corps trains bright, idealistic college graduates from all over the country to teach who did not study education in college. They are placed in high-poverty districts for two years while working toward a master's degree on weekends and during the summer. According to The Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, in the 24 years since the program was established, it has placed about 600 teachers in some of Mississippi's poorest districts.

Their positive impact on education in this state or wherever else they've gone is part of Mullins' impressive legacy.

— The Enterprise Journal, McComb

needs and goals of the city and what the city can afford.

And what is the measure of worth of a person? In our society it is about his or her job. That is why jobs are so important. All one has to do is be without one for a while to understand its value. Try to measure the emotional distress of being unemployed. Isn’t that how we measure people?

Why do we say, “What do you do?”

In summary, the real question is whether a community is paying too much for a new project and the jobs and benefits that it will bring. That is why using the appropriate measurements is vitally important.

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

INCORPORATIONS

8 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 7, 2013 March 2013 Incorporations

Beaumont

This is the March 2013 list of the state’s newly incorporated businesses from the Secretary of State’s Office. Listed are towns from Abbeville to Gulfport. Listings include business name, type, date formed and location. Addresses reflect legal entity for service of process, not necessarily the new business entities’ operating address.

Belzoni

Abbeville

Biloxi

Mercy Medical, LLC 3/4/13

Lisa Tingle Realty, LLC LLC 3/11/13 75 Isom Jordan Rd

LLC 36 Cr 206

Aberdeen A to Z Rental Properties, LLC LLC 3/7/13 514 South Franklin St Aberdeen Economic Development Authority, Inc NP 3/19/13 301 South Locust Street Abounding Faith Pentecostal Church NP

3/27/13 AEDA DBA 3/19/13

726 Vine St NP 301 South Locust Street

Ackerman K&M Portables LLC LLC 3/11/13 1300 MS Hwy 9 Riley Commnity Place, inc.

BUS 3/28/13 149 Mc Gee Street

Amory Darden and Sons Funeral Home, LLC LLC

3/5/13 1075 F Avenue EZ Mart LLC LLC 3/29/13 60259 Cotton Gin Port Rd Parker Appraisal LLC LLC 3/11/13 1009 Mulberry St Underground Designs OTH 3/21/13 205 4Th St N

Ashland Shop for Less Now LLC LLC 3/12/13 15918 Boundary

Baldwyn Beautiful Minds Childcare and Learning Center LLC 3/21/13 114 Scales Drive Beautiful Minds Childcare and Learning Center LLC LLC 3/25/13 114 Scales Drive

Bassfield R K Trucking of Miss. LLC LLC 3/13/13 20 E. L. Hall Trail

Batesville Brown Technologies, LLC LLC 3/15/13 223 Van Voris Street Great Brothers Inc BUS 3/29/13 211 Van Voris Street Paris Health Spa for Women NP 3/27/13 41 Scott Road SKJ, LLC LLC 3/11/13 5677 Macedonia Rd Terza Satellite LLC LLC 3/7/13 22023A highway 6 E

Bay St. Louis Bay Oaks Development LP LP 3/18/13 601 Lucien Kidd Street Bay Oaks Development LP 3/11/13 601 Lucien Kidd Street Bay Oaks GP, LLC LLC 3/18/13 601 Lucien Kidd Street Fire Fly Ranch LLC LLC 3/25/13 229 Felicity Street Fitzgerald Construction LLC LLC 3/14/13 544 Main Street Gulf South Signs LLC LLC 3/11/13 214 Old Bay Lane Gulf States Title Inc BUS 3/13/13 220 Bookter St Shovel Lawn Maintenance LLC LLC 3/11/13 10 Bay Park Way Apt. 137 The Floyd Company, LLC LLC 3/15/13 303 A Dunbar Waveland Pharmaceuticals, LLC LLC 3/7/13112 Auderer Bay ( Waveland 39576)

Alison’s Restaurant, LLC LLC 3/28/13 107 Jackson Street

Benton LifeCare Solutions LLC LLC 3/13/13 1312 Niven Rd

AJBJ, LLC LLC 3/6/13 3146 Wayne Drive ALCR Enterprise of MS Inc BUS 3/19/13 14510 Lemoyne Blvd All About Clean LLC LLC 3/12/13 1636 Popps Ferry Rd Ste 110 Anchored Web Designs LLC LLC 3/4/13 1955 Popps Ferry Rd Barq Homeplace, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2575 Rue Palafox Blue Crab House Biloxi LLC LLC 3/28/13 1785 Beach Blvd BMG Stores LLC LLC 3/12/13 15000 Nassau Circle West C&M Fresh Market LLC LLC 3/28/13 1575 Lucius St CA LLC #1 LLC 3/14/13 426 Donwood Place Clauson’s Coastal Services OTH 3/7/13 2637 Park View Dr Dealer 2 Dealer LLC LLC 3/27/13 15921 Hardwood Place Fairleys Sound Reinforcement Services, LLC LLC 3/14/13 14801 Lemoyne Blvd Ste 311 Fairy Godmother’s Salon LLC LLC 3/6/13 9316 Boyette Road Fish and Reef Restoration Foundation NP

3/28/13 1635 Popps Ferry Road., Suite D Folk Mui LLC LLC 3/22/13 2355 Pass Road G C Vantage, LLC LLC 3/8/13 2306 Beau Chene Dr G C Vantage, LLC 3/7/13 2306 Beau Chene Dr Gizmo, LLC LLC 3/15/13 2514 Brighton Circle Infected, LLC LLC 3/28/13 14036 Maddie Circle KK Mui LLC LLC 3/22/13 2355- B Pas Road Louie Chan Mui LLC LLC 3/22/13 2355 Pass Road Mississippi Helath Safenet NP 3/15/13 1046 Division Street Muddy Water Sign Company, LLCLLC 3/6/13 8016 Ridgecrest Cir Mui Chan Louie LLC LLC 3/22/13 2355 Pass Road Mui Mui, LLC LLC 3/22/13 2355 Pass Road Pearlington 1, LLC LLC 3/15/13 732 Orleander Lane Prebirds LLC LLC 3/12/13 6708 Tunica Rd Southeastern Mechanical Construction Services, LLC LLC 3/27/13 11234 Shorecrest Rd. Spartan Tactical & Armament Group LLCLLC

3/7/13 16016 Lemoyne Blvd Ste 402 The Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Foundation for National and International Development Inc. NP 3/7/13 205 Keller Ave Triple DDDJ, LLC LLC 3/15/13 16252 Yaupon Berry Drive True Balance Wellness Studio, LLCLLC 3/22/13 185 St. Jude Street, #5 Val’s Hair Gallery LLC LLC 3/27/13 1698 Pass Road Suite D Your Endocrinology Specialist LLCLLC 3/7/13 17256 Coventry Estates ZooHouse Designs, LLC LLC 3/6/13 16035 Towerbridge Ave

Blue Springs Mississippi Shooters LLC LLC 3/6/13 548 Whitten Trail The Life Changing Mentor Development Foundation, Inc. NP 3/18/13 1041 CR 195

Bogue Chitto Chris Wright Consulting and Production Services Inc BUS 3/27/13 1937 Shelton Lane

Excell Childcare Ministries LLC LLC 3/11/13 2896 Lee Dr Se Southern Green Enterprises LLC LLC 3/8/13 1306 Arlington Dr. SW

Booneville Arise Family Medical Clinic LLC LLC 3/20/13 109 North Road Bryan Burns, Inc BUS 3/11/13 551 Hwy 364 Family First Medical Clinic, LLC LLC 3/20/13 109 North Road Jackson Small Engine Repair, Inc.BUS 3/19/13 319 Hwy 4 East Perfect Monogram and Gifts IncBUS 3/25/13 203 N 2nd Street Uptown Chic LLC LLC 3/25/13 100 Cr 7321

Boyle Balance Fitness Studion, LLC LLC 3/1/13 60 Redbud Rd

Brandon Adora Belles & Beaux DBA OTH 3/15/13 490 N. Brandon Blvd Akers Law Group, PLLC PLLC 3/28/13 20 Eastgate Drive, Suite D ARS Payment Solutions LLC LLC 3/27/13 144 Woodland Glen Circle Berg Cowan Development, LLC LLC 3/20/13 306 Maxey Drive, Ste D Between the Lines Striping Company LLCLLC

3/11/13

148 Speers Valley Rd.

CCore Energy Seismic Company, LLC LLC

3/25/13 2015 Highpointe Drive Charlie & Claram, LLC LLC 3/6/13 210 Terrapin Creek Road Deatra S. Brinkley DBA OTH 3/15/13 490 N. Brandon Blvd Discount Pennies and More DBAOTH 3/5/13 116 Brandy Run Rd District 4 AFG/LDC NP 3/15/13 106 Falcon Ct Dotson’s Masonry DBA LLC 3/21/13 115 Kelly Circle Dubois Property & Development LLC LLC

3/18/13 109 B West Side Cove Edwards Enterprises of MS LLC LLC 3/21/13 239 Mandarin Drive Ettom LLC LLC 3/14/13 213 East Towne Drive Foxbay Properties LLC 3/7/13 448 Ridge Circle Foxbay Properties LLC LLC 3/11/13 448 Ridge Circle Foxtop LLC LLC 3/19/13 2525 Shell Oil Rd Giggle Toes, LLC LLC 3/20/13 120 Virginia Valley GPW Enterprises LLC LLC 3/25/13 129 Chestnut Drive Harrison Farms, LLC LLC 3/15/13 3152 Hwy 43 South Hayes Technologies, LLC LLC 3/19/13 1030 Lake Village Circle, Suite A High Quality Construction LLC LLC 3/21/13 115 Kelly Circle InnovativeIT LLC LLC 3/12/13 705 Whippoonwill Drive James Lance Wilson DBA OTH 3/5/13 116 Brandy Run Rd Keystone Contractors LLC LLC 3/18/13 510 North St KJ Lawn Service LLC LLC 3/1/13 703 Wedgewood Court Magnolia Lawn Care of MS LLC LLC 3/28/13 104 Stratford Dr Maze Tower Services LLC LLC 3/21/13 250 Evergreen Drive McCaleb Wholesale LLC LLC 3/20/13 218 Matthew Drive McCorquodale & McLaurin, LLC LLC 3/4/13 200 Felicity St. MDW Properties, LLC LLC 3/13/13 200 Catherine Corner Mississippi Sports Images LLC LLC 3/6/13 331 Cherry Bark Drive N2 Sports LLC LLC 3/12/13 133 Fox Run Road Oh How Sweet Bakery, LLC LLC 3/20/13 110 Meadowview Ridge Old Lakes, LLC LLC 3/26/13 359 Fannin Landing Circle Perkins Construction & Home Improvements LLC LLC 3/5/13 780 Whippoorwill Dr Pivotal Consultants, LLC LLC 3/27/13 230 Tucker Dr

Privet Creek Properties, LLC LLC 3/19/13 306 Maxey Drive, Ste. D Quality Mobile Car Wash Inc BUS 3/18/13 126 Pine Ridge Cir R2R Remodeling Inc BUS 3/25/13 712 North Haven Place Red Line Auto Sales, Inc. BUS 3/4/13 106 Grandeur Dr Refreshing Fellowship MinistriesNP 3/8/13 806 Andrew Chapel Rd RGA Marketing Group, LLC LLC 3/21/13 111 Lakeshore Drive Apt G103 Roof Remedies LLC LLC 3/28/13 47 Sunline Dr Russell Media Consultants, Inc BUS 3/21/13 203 Pullman Cove Service Realty, LLC LLC 3/22/13 136 E. Waterwood Dr Service Solutions LLC LLC 3/8/13 122 Prescott Dr. Serving Hearts, LLC LLC 3/6/13 6 Brandy Village Cove Simpson Firearm Imports LLC LLC 3/15/13 100 Glenartney Street SLL Music Services Inc BUS 3/1/13 330 Cross Park Dr Pearl 39208 Southern Horticulture Company LLC LLC

3/14/13 169 King Collier Rd Sporty Sprouts Inc NP 3/8/13 104 Faith Way Drive Suburban Racing LLC LLC 3/4/13 105 Live Oak Lane The A & M Agency LLC LLC 3/12/13 3078 Scr 503 Raleigh, Ms 39153 The Consulting & Business Management Group, Inc. BUS 3/1/13 205 Southhampton Place The Curvy Curator, LLC LLC 3/5/13 239 Greenfield Ridge Drive The Douglas Group, LLC LLC 3/4/13 815 Willow Grande Circle The Energy & Infrastructure Group LLCLLC

3/11/13 111 Lake Forest Drive Triple B Construction, LLC LLC 3/7/13 547 Bethel Rd Walls Express Transit LLC LLC 3/15/13 201 Holmar Drive Wholesale Gems LLC LLC 3/21/13 107 Post Oak Drive Woodridge Homeowners Association NP

3/25/13 306 Maxey Drive, Ste D Yogi Krupa LLC LLC 3/4/13 1290 W Government St #N107

Braxton Ghost Rider Ranch LLC LLC 3/4/13 1761 Wade Patrick Road

Brookhaven BQA Properties LLC LLC 3/25/13 731 Greenview Trail Case’s Welding and Fabrication, LLC LLC

3/28/13 1406 Cantaloupe Lane NW Holly Slay Handmade, LLC LLC 3/1/13 510 Storm Avenue I Belong Resource & Referral Network IncNP

3/4/13 520 McCormick Court JWC Investments LLC LLC 3/7/13 733 Hwy. 583 SE KMC City Mart LLC LLC 3/25/13 900 N Jackson St Lambert Family Properties LLC LLC 3/11/13 110 Highway 51 North Magnolia Blues Bar-B-Q Company LLC LLC

3/26/13 389 New Hope Trail NW Mississippi Lions Minor League Football Team NP 3/19/13 1279 Crete Lane OEC Brookhaven Inc BUS 3/5/13 958 Brookway Blvd # G PJS Leasing, LLC LLC 3/14/13 319 Highway 550 NW Solon’s Rentals, LLC LLC 3/1/13 1631 Fairman Lane NW SS Food Mart Inc BUS 3/8/13 413 Main Street TMHJ Holdings LLC LLC 3/11/13 765 Jackson Liberty Dr Nw Tony Moore’s Rentals, LLC LLC 3/1/13 1631 Fairman Lane NW Totally Focused Firearms LLC LLC 3/7/13 737 Hwy 84 West

Brooksville Friends of The Dwelling Plce NP 3/13/13 2824 Dwelling Place Road J. Miller Roofing & Construction, Inc BUS

3/18/13 100 South Post Office Street Outlaw Express LLC LLC 3/26/13 2594 Fairview Rd

Bruce

Carthage

S & S Shine LLC LLC 3/7/13 200 East Calhoun St

CCM Wrecker and Towing, LLC LLC 3/26/13 261 Crawford Road Danny Martin Logging, LLC LLC 3/28/13 4568 Ebenezer Rd International Delight, LLC LLC 3/21/13 314 Highway 16 W

Byhalia Allen’s Lawn Service LLC LLC 3/25/13 184 Roper Cv DJ Hutchinson Brokerage Company LLCLLC

3/11/13 1883 Victoria Rd Dolan Properties Holdings LLC LLC 3/22/13 8021 Hwy 72 Good Winds Landscape and Garden Center LLC LLC 3/19/13 3767 S Red Banks Rd

Byram Byram Car Care LLC LLC 3/12/13 136 Byram Business Center Candy Cane Cupcakes and More LLC LLC

3/13/13 317 Mallory Dr Chosen International Foundation Ministries NP 3/28/13 2114 Cypress Cove Connecting Bridges Christian Learning Center LLC LLC 3/20/13 2119 Branch Creek Dr Jordon Construction, LLC LLC 3/20/13 1419 Forbes Drive Married To The Word Ministries NP 3/18/13 408 Huntington Dr. PJ’s Bed & Bath Design, LLC LLC 3/15/13 112 Byram Parkway, Suite B Stay in Your Lane Autosales LLC LLC 3/20/13 120 Brookwood Lake Pl. Stringer Transport LLC LLC 3/7/13 256 Austin Circle T & T Lawn Service LLC LLC 3/12/13 136 Byram Business Center

Caledonia Mid-East Services Inc BUS 3/25/13 169 North Church Street

Calhoun City EKH Transportation LLC LLC 3/11/13 386 Highway 9 South LP Holdings LLC LLC 3/11/13 129 Public Square

Canton Adams Contracting Services, LLCLLC 3/20/13 437 Meadowgreen Ln Bilbro Farms, LLC LLC 3/28/13 151 W. Peace Street Boutwell Limited Family Partnership LPLP

3/11/13 333 Virilillia Road Buckridge Design Build LLC LLC 3/19/13 3232 S. Liberty St Fish Net LLC LLC 3/14/13 104 Stapleton Drive Flanna’s Snack Shop LLC LLC 3/13/13 133 Dogwood Dr Greenco Lawn Service, LLC LLC 3/22/13 2902 South Liberty Street Guru Krupa of Hamilton, LLC LLC 3/27/13 3390 North Liberty St Happy Beginnings Title Search, LLC

LLC

3/18/13 159 McDougal Rd Heroes Village GP, LLC LLC 3/15/13 120 Bridgeton Way Heroes Village, LP LP 3/15/13 120 Bridgeton Way Matt Fast Golf LLC LLC 3/5/13 223 Brigade Avenue Wright’s Mobile Notary Service Inc BUS

3/19/13

1270 Highway 16 W

Carriere Co-Co’s Kitchen OTH 3/1/13 4 Logan and Mason Ln J. Wells, Inc. BUS 3/22/13 622 E. Lakeshore Dr Mississippi Sportman’s Show, LLCLLC 3/14/13 6043 Highway 43 North Mississippi Sportsmen’s Trade Show, LLCLLC

3/14/13

6043 Highway 43 North

Wet & Wild Fun Jumps & Water Slides LLCLLC

3/8/13

1315 Ceasar Rd

Carrollton Fletcher Lake Lodge LLC LLC 3/6/13 15 County Road 196 Kenneth J Ellis Realty, Inc. BUS 3/1/13 4037 Ms Hwy 35 SAND Enterprises, LLC LLC 3/13/13 16153 Highway 82, Lot 28

Minshew General Construction, LLC LLC

3/20/13 ZJ Woodwork LLC 3/25/13

1540 Hwy 35 N LLC 610 Hwy 16 W

Cedar Bluff Jump-N-Slide Rental LLC LLC 3/27/13 11130 Griffith Rd

Coldwater

Centreville Bethel, LLC LLC 3/7/13 3407 Highway 33 South Grayson Auto Sales LLC LLC 3/26/13 160 E. Howard Street

Southern Lawn & Landscaping LLCLLC 3/19/13 558 Conway Dr

Collins Windy Hill Farms Inc BUS 3/21/13 36 Ward’s Drive

Charleston John Paul Goodwin Farms LLC LLC 3/27/13 409 West Cypress Street T & G Farms of Mississippi LLC LLC 3/5/13 409 West Cypress Street T & G Lang Law Firm LLC LLC 3/25/13 28 Lang Drive

Choctaw Choctaw Ikhana Laboratory Services IncBUS

3/14/13

Lillie’s LLC LLC 3/22/13 307B Clinton Blvd.

Massey Energy Solutions LLC LLC 3/5/13 118 Woodstone Place Apt. B Mississippi Mobile Blasting LLC LLC 3/18/13 6 Pheasant Run Rustic Evolution Film Works, LLCLLC 3/19/13 1520 Hawthorne Place S & J Ventures, LLC LLC 3/7/13 202 East Main Street Apt. B Steve G Carpentry, Inc. BUS 3/4/13 913 Kent Dr SV Enterprises Inc BUS 3/14/13 323 Hunters Ridge Dr Turn Key Realty LLC LLC 3/27/13 105A Eager Street

390 Industrial Rd

Chunky Dewayne Stevens Construction LLC

LLC

3/25/13 950 Ridge Road McClelland Heating and Air, LLC LLC 3/25/13 531 Ridge Rd Natchez Magnolia, LLC LLC 3/15/13 6210 Bogue Flower Road

Clarksdale ACB Investments LLC LLC 3/7/13 108 Dogwood Cv Center Pivot Services LLC LLC 3/15/13 1329 Industrial Park Drive Colle McKinney, LLC LLC 3/21/13 123 Sharkey Avenue Delta Grains, Inc. BUS 3/27/13 2380 Reinhart Rd Duck Hollow, LLC LLC 3/6/13 152 Delta Avenue Mid-South Refurbishing LLC LLC 3/15/13 1329 Industrial Park Drive Orleans Film, LLC LLC 3/27/13 143 Yazoo Ave

Cleveland Blockett Construction Group, LLCLLC 3/14/13 624 Pearl Avenue C&M Mechanical, LLC LLC 3/15/13 408 University St Cornerstone Christian Worship Center NP

3/27/13 1312 S Davis Avenue Outlaw Pest, LLC LLC 3/20/13 444 Jefcoat-Lehr Road Sherwood Tactical, LLC LLC 3/12/13 3925 Hwy 61 North The Creole Firehouse LLC LLC 3/7/13 3513 Hwy 8 West Tiamhe Holdings Group, LLC LLC 3/14/13 624 Pearl Avenue

Clinton AM Mart LLC LLC 3/8/13 106 Brighton Dr. ARP Utility Services, LLC LLC 3/27/13 115 Rockingham Drive Bayou Communications LLC LLC 3/12/13 1102 Post Rd Clarke Brothers Construction, LLCLLC 3/20/13 112 Pinehaven Place Creative Ink Business Solutions, LLC LLC

3/27/13 126 Warrior Ln Family Quick Stop LLC LLC 3/5/13 801 East Northside Drive Franco’s LLC LLC 3/7/13 202 Casa Grande Dr. Infinity Construction Solutions LLCLLC 3/14/13 151 Broadway Street Suite J8 Ingram Land Management Inc BUS 3/19/13 546 Belle Place J.C.B. Glass, LLC LLC 3/4/13 1747 NW Linda Dr

Columbia Carbajal, LLC 3/14/13

LLC 326-B 2nd Street

Columbia Five and Dime LLC LLC 3/11/13 50 Wilks Road Ron Stuart Enterprise LLC LLC 3/27/13 325 Rocky Branch Rd Solid Solutions, LLC LLC 3/14/13 223 Armstrong Road

Columbus Ables Racing LLC LLC 3/21/13 51 Pinewood Park Amos Law Firm LLC LLC 3/4/13 710 Main Street Animal Clinic of Columbus DBA BUS 3/28/13 3157 Hwy 45 North Bread of Life Soup Kitchen NP 3/12/13 112 Dowdle St Chazown Media Group LLC LLC 3/28/13 634 31St Ave North Apt 79 Children’s Place Inc BUS 3/22/13 521 18Th Ave. N. Chops LLC LLC 3/25/13 110 Gardner Blvd Colom and Colom, LLC LLC 3/28/13200 6Th Street North, Suite 700 Crowell Gillis & Cooper, PLLC PLLC 3/1/13 710 Main Street, 3rd Floor Deep South Dental, Inc. BUS 3/1/13 508 2Nd Ave North 39701 Dutch Medical Leasing, LLC LLC 3/26/13 730 Alabama Street E & Y Inc BUS 3/29/13 2082 Yorkville Road Genesis Real Estate of Columbus LLC LLC

3/26/13 200 6Th St North Ste 700 Historical Rosedale, LLC LLC 3/25/13 124 5Th Street North Hope and Jay Dental, LLC LLC 3/1/13 508 2Nd Ave North (39705) J L Auto OTH 3/25/13 1427 Nashville Ferry Road Kerry’s Veterinary Services, Inc BUS 3/28/13 3157 Hwy 45 North LBM Business Centre LLC LLC 3/8/13 221 7Th Street North Little Tokyo Chen Inc BUS 3/19/13 1920 Highway 45 North, Suite 1 Noland and Sanders, LLC LLC 3/5/13 5666 Highway 182 East OGREBUNNY LLC LLC 3/1/13 1209 Military Rd Sonic Management, LLC LLC 3/13/13 111 Maxwell Lane Street Jumpers NP 3/4/13 215 Eastwood Dr Susan Lott Enterprises LLC LLC 3/4/13 710 Main Street, 3rd Floor Tomekia Bishop Porter DBA OTH 3/26/13 120 Reeves Drive Tomekia’s Cutesy Boutique DBAOTH 3/26/13 120 Reeves Drive Turner & Turner, LLC LLC 3/1/13 89 Azalea Dr

Como BloccSupa LLC LLC 3/25/13 231 Main Street Magnolia AMS Users Group, Inc.BUS 3/11/13 207 Main Street

INCORPORATIONS Corinth CMS MS Communities, LLC LLC 3/15/13 618 Waldron Street Ekklesia Missionary Baptist ChurchNP 3/8/13 1708 South John Street Execuserve Services Inc BUS 3/7/13 1407 A Harper Road Farmington Corinth, L.P. LP 3/29/13 618 Waldron Street Happy Days Corinth, L.P. LP 3/29/13 618 Waldron Street Jaze, LLC LLC 3/1/13 725 Shiloh Road JH Artwear & Designs, LLC LLC 3/4/13 2600 Beauregard Park Drive KMM, LLC LLC 3/15/13 199 CR 305 M2 Enterprises LLC LLC 3/5/13 2703 CR 402 Performance Consulting, LLC LLC 3/15/13 199 CR 305 Regal Ridge Plantersville, L.P. LP 3/15/13 618 Waldron Street T & L Transporters Inc BUS 3/15/13 2203 Willow Rd TeeRagePhotography LLC LLC 3/5/13 1212 Garden Lane Wisteria Plantersville, L.P. LP 3/15/13 618 Waldron Street

Courtland Sundown Investments, LLC LLC 3/27/13 2178 Fowler Road

Crawford 9610 Hwy 45 Alt S

Crystal Springs Copiah Tire LLC LLC 3/11/13 24042 Highway 51 Suite B How To DBA OTH 3/15/13 2115 Experiment Station Road JD Properties, LLC LLC 3/14/13 8184 Brushy Creek Road Lamb & Lamb LLC LLC 3/5/13 101 Founders Drive Patricia House DBA OTH 3/15/13 2115 Experiment Station Road Trendy Threads Inc. BUS 3/7/13 316 E. Railroad Ave

Darling Cajun Farm, Inc. BUS 3/27/13 5220 Charley Pride Hwy

Dayton 6555 NE Hilltop Ln.

De Kalb Adams Contracting Inc BUS 3/21/13 584 Philadelphia Rd. Sugar Farms LLC LLC 3/22/13 311 Tinsley Chisolm Road Westerfield Dirt Work, LLC LLC 3/14/13 1194 Mellen Rd Westerfield Holdings, LLC LLC 3/14/13 1194 Mellen Rd

Decatur McElhenney Hauling and Towing, LLC LLC

3/19/13

GPT Physician Services PLLC PLLC 3/14/13 14730 River Heights Dr Gulf Coast Scour Power OTH 3/15/13 481 Mose Dr

Duck Hill Coating Inspection Services, LLCLLC 3/15/13 316 East Church Street Coating Inspection Services, LLC 3/12/13 316 East Church Street

East Greenville Gold Leaf Development and Investments LLC LLC 3/13/13 1437 Hwy 82

Ecru Keys Enterprise LLC LLC 3/5/13 4900 Cairo Loop

Edwards Jag Express, LLC LLC 3/12/13 2779 Old Hwy 3 VLM Investments LLC LLC 3/1/13 7285 Smith Station Road

Ambitions LLC LLC 3/12/13 19 West Circle JHD Rental L.L.C. LLC 3/27/13 182 Sandhill Loop

Enterprise Creekside Mercantile LLC LLC 3/21/13 120 W. Bridge Street Latendress Consulting LLC LLC 3/6/13 110 Church St Play and Learn Center, LLC LLC 3/22/13 600 River Road

Eupora Azarhia LLC 3/26/13

LLC 124 N. Dunn St

Fayette Fayette Outreach Technology Organization NP 3/5/13 82 McGinty Street Knightlight Investments & Consulting LLCLLC

Domaine Serene Vineyards & Winery, Inc.

3/4/13

D’Iberville

Ellisville

JC Hawaiian Shaved Ice and Deli LLC LLC

3/28/13

The Rock Fellowship NP 3/25/13 83184 Lola Dr WRP Consulting LLC LLC 3/12/13 87119 Golf Club Drive

8179 Decatur Conehatta Rd

Diamondhead BugPro LLC LLC 3/11/13 6659 Golf Club Drive Delta CK Consulting LLC LLC 3/22/13 6422 Apelehama Court Friends of the Garden NP 3/7/13 8429 Makiki Dr Gulf Coast Petroleum Tank Services, LLCLLC

3/27/13 9512 Kale Place Hwy 90 Mini Storage LLC LLC 3/5/13 7412 Mahalo Hui Dr KB Consulting, LLC LLC 3/27/13 758 Troon Court Martin & Smith Inc BUS 3/4/13 7516 Turnberry Dr Odyssey Tax Services, LLC LLC 3/19/13 8425 Kaleki Way S & D Maxwell Enterprises LLC LLC 3/4/13 8925 Hanalei Circle The Brand Company LLC LLC 3/4/13 9977 Koloa St

3/13/13 50 Walnut St Krave LLC LLC 3/19/13 70 Gravel Hill Rd Ross Ridge Turkey Calls LLC LLC 3/15/13 6228 McNair Road Shiloh First Baptist Church NP 3/14/13 92 Fairview St Shirley Oliver DBA OTH 3/5/13 PO Box 1045 Unforgettable Events DBA OTH 3/5/13 PO Box 1045

Flora Antique Wood and Brick of Ms LLCLLC 3/26/13 735 Harris Rd No Doubt Trucking, Inc. BUS 3/26/13 311 Pecan St Sapphire Communications LLC LLC 3/21/13 248 Lep Childress Rd.

Florence Big 10 Airport Plaza LLC LLC 3/12/13 128 B South Church Street C J2, LLC LLC 3/26/13 107 Shelby Road JDCA Properties LLC LLC 3/11/13 125 E Main Street Magnolia Real Estate Holdings, LLC

LLC

3/14/13 193 Magnolia Springs NCS L.L.C. LLC 3/25/13 125 Lost Lake Paper Chaser Production DBA LLC 3/26/13 2710 West Mt Creek Rd SouthSide DreamTeam Entertainment LLCLLC

3/26/13 2710 West Mt Creek Rd T Foreman Auto Brokers Inc BUS 3/1/13 128 B South Church Street

Flowood Advanced Welding Solutions LLCLLC 3/29/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Advantage Manhole & Concrete Services Inc BUS 3/25/13 232 Market Street AIG Home Loan 1, LLC LLC 3/7/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Amega West Services LLC LLC 3/18/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 American Contractors Indemnity Company BUS 3/6/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Applied Flooring Inc BUS 3/8/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Ashton Bay Apartments, LLC LLC 3/1/13 645 LAKELAND DR #101 Ashton Bay Townhomes, LLC LLC 3/1/13 645 LAKELAND DR #101 ATIS Elevator Inspections, LLC LLC 3/11/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Atlanta Network Systems, Inc. BUS 3/4/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Atlantic-Meeco DBA LLC 3/28/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 BES Construction LLC LLC 3/14/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 BESC,LLC LLC 3/14/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Bhart, LLC LLC 3/18/13 3014 Bay Bridge Drive Big Four Companies Inc BUS 3/13/13 645 LAKELAND DR #101 Blue Stream Services, LLC LLC 3/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Boise Cascade Company BUS 3/22/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Business Centric Services Group, Inc. BUS

3/7/13 232 Market Street C2AE, Inc. BUS 3/14/13645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Camping World RV Sales DBA LLC 3/29/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Camping World RV Sales, LLC LLC 3/29/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Capital Consultants, Inc. BUS 3/14/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Carrotstick Applications, LLC LLC 3/29/135201 Lakeland Boulevard, Apartment I-95 CATC Medstaff PC PA 3/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLCLLC 3/1/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

CCAP Auto Lease Ltd BUS 3/4/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 CDA Incorporated BUS 3/26/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Checkview Corporation BUS 3/27/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Cherry Pie Buffet, LLC LLC 3/4/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Clear Link Insurance Agency, LLCLLC 3/11/13 10 Canebrake Blvd #200 College Garage Sale of TN, LLC LLC 3/7/13 206 Lapis Circle Colossus Construction, L.L.C. LLC 3/11/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Commercial Deposit Insurance Agency Inc BUS 3/18/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Comprehensive Pharmacy Services, LLCLLC 3/8/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

Connected Technologies, LLC LLC 3/25/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 CTI Towers Assets I, LLC LLC 3/14/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 D & J Enterprises LLC LLC 3/12/13 645 LAKELAND EAST DR #101 Denver Options Inc NP 3/1/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Dependable Health Services, Inc.BUS 3/4/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 DePuy Synthes Sales, Inc. BUS 3/5/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Direct Flooring Mill LLC LLC 3/12/13 232 Market Place Diversified Investors Securities Corp BUS 3/14/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

Dixie Energy Holdings (HWM), LLCLLC 3/15/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Drivers Bar Place LLC LLC 3/6/13 130 Riverview Drive, Suite A Eaton US Holdings Inc BUS 3/21/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 ECI Construction Inc. BUS 3/8/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 EE&G Management Services, LLCLLC 3/26/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Electric Avenue LLC LLC 3/28/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

June 7, 2013 Electrolux Warranty CorporationBUS 3/4/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Elk River Mechanical & Controls, LLC LLC 3/11/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

N294CS LLC LLC 3/13/13 645 LAKELAND DR #101 NAES Power Contractors Inc BUS 3/27/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

Encore Technology Group LLC LLC 3/6/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Energy Fleet Resources Inc BUS 3/14/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

National Net Lease Portfolio III Dst MBA 3/1/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 NCC Business Services of Kentucky, IncBUS 3/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

Energy Management Collaborative, LLCLLC 3/11/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

New Prospect Company BUS 3/18/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Northrop Grumman International Trading Inc BUS 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 3/8/1 NPC Land & Marine, LLC LLC 3/18/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 O. Stephen Montagnet, PA PA 3/28/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Paraph Exploration Partners-II LPLP 3/14/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Pike BioEnergy LLC LLC 3/4/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Pipeline Controls & Services, Inc.BUS 3/12/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Pipeline Supply & Service, LLC LLC 3/8/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Power Line Services, Inc BUS 3/8/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Powercomm Systems, Inc BUS 3/19/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

First Point Group, Inc BUS 3/15/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 First Stone Properties, LLC LLC 3/14/13 4209 Lakeland Drive #328 Freedom Marketing Services LLCLLC 3/15/13 232 Market Street FreedomRoads, LLC LLC 3/29/1 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Fuel Trader Supply, LLC LLC 3/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 GCHP-Sacred Heart, LLC LLC 3/18/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 GMLA Construction Services, LLCLLC 3/12/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Grant Mackay Company, Inc. BUS 3/11/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Gurley’s Azalea Garden, Inc BUS 3/1/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 GW Services, LLC LLC 3/11/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Hancock Roofing and Construction, L.L.C.LLC 3/25/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

Hart Group Inc BUS 3/14/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Hawks Creek Properties, LLC LLC 3/20/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Home Rentals LLC LLC 3/27/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 HSBC Insurance Agency (USA) IncBUS 3/29/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Hunter’s Precision Construction & Roofing Inc BUS 3/22/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 IAC Inc BUS 3/6/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Ikon Financial Group, LLC LLC 3/15/13 10 Canebrake Blvd #200 Impact Labor Solutions, LLC DBALLC 3/21/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Impact Labor, LLC LLC 3/21/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Impact Telecom Inc BUS 3/6/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Interactive Health Solutions, IncBUS 3/27/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 JGL Inc BUS 3/22/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Jinsei Sushi Oxford, LLC LLC 3/6/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 JKS LLC LLC 3/28/13 2108 Pinehaven Dr John T. Barringer, MD, A Professional Corporation PA 3/7/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Killebrew Holdings, LLC LLC 3/6/13 130 Riverview Drive, Suite A L-Con, Inc BUS 3/29/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Lifeguard Fire Protection LLC LLC 3/6/13 645 LAKELAND EAST DR #101 LMI Systems Inc. BUS 3/29/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Lonquist Risk Management Services LLCLLC 3/21/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

Lyndon Steel Company LLC LLC 3/19/13 232 Market Street M.L.E. Consulting, LLC LLC 3/20/13 963 Baytree Dr Madison Ms Lacrosse AssociationNP 3/11/13 10 Canebrake Blvd Ste 150 Marten Transport LTD BUS 3/11/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 MaxSent DBA BUS 3/26/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Media Placement Services, Inc. BUS 3/4/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 MHG Interests, LLC LLC 3/4/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 MICROF LLC LLC 3/27/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Mid-America Parts Distributors Corp BUS 3/6/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

Mississippi Magnolia CPCU Society Chapter NP 3/14/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Mitutoyo America Corporation BUS 3/11/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Modern Link Solutions, LLC LLC 3/4/13 645 LAKELAND EAST DR #101 Morton’s of Chicago/Biloxi, LLC LLC 3/27/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

Preferred Health Alliance CorporationBUS 3/7/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

Preservation LLC LLC 3/1/13 645 LAKELAND DR #101 Procare USA LLC LLC 3/26/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Professional Services of America Inc BUS 3/14/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

PSS Rental, LLC LLC 3/8/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Quadrant PHR 2, LLC LLC 3/26/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Quadrant PHR, LLC LLC 3/26/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 R H Consulting Service LLC LLC 3/14/13 6153 Wirtz Rd. RBI Solar, Inc. BUS 3/22/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 REACM Rose of Jackson Manager, LLC LLC 3/1/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Realty Title and Escrow Services, Inc. BUS 3/28/13 2050 Treetops Blvd N., Suite 100

Reveal Imaging Technologies IncBUS 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 3/7/13 Rice Place of Mississippi LLC LLC 3/6/13 130 Riverview Drive, Suite A RMAX Operating, LLC LLC 3/29/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Rocky Mountain Human Services DBA NP 3/1/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Root Hog Place of Madison County LLCLLC

3/6/13 130 Riverview Drive, Suite A Rosie’s Restoration LLC LLC 3/1/13 4209 Lakewood Dr Roundtree Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM DBALLC 3/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Roundtree Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM DBALLC 3/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

Roundtree Jackson, L.L.C. LLC 3/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 RS Funds Distributor LLC LLC 3/6/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Saigon 2 LLC LLC 3/6/13 2640 Lakeland Dr SCH Management, Inc BUS 3/25/13 120 Stone Creek Boulevard Scottmadden, Inc. BUS 3/19/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Select Insurance Markets, LP LP 3/25/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Smith and Company Renovations, Inc.BUS 3/4/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

Southeast Sleep Holdings, LLC LLC 3/29/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Southeast Sleep, LLC LLC 3/29/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Southern Ag Energy Services, LLCLLC 3/18/13 708 Baytree Drive Special Graphics & Maintenance, Inc BUS 3/15/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

Sullair, LLC LLC 3/25/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Team Medical Supply LLC LLC 3/29/13645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Team Roofing & Construction, L.L.C. LLC

3/28/13 4209 Lakeland Drive, Suite 281 Team Roofing & Construction, LLCLLC 3/29/13 4209 Lakeland Drive, Suite 281 Thacker Casket Manufacturing, Inc. BUS 3/4/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

The Garner Agency, LLC LLC 3/4/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

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Mississippi Business Journal

The Investment Seeds, LLC LLC 3/26/13 389 Hwy 51- Ridgeland, MS 39157 THRIVE Intelligence, LLC LLC 3/27/13 645 LAKELAND EAST DR #101 TNA Real Estate, LCC LLC 3/26/13 2950 Layfair Drive, Suite 101 Top Stitch Upholstery and Refinishing, LLC LLC 3/19/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Towd Point Loan Servicing, LLC LLC 3/15/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Towles Enterprises LLC LLC 3/8/13 645 LAKELAND EAST DR #101 Transamerica Investors Securities Corporation BUS 3/14/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 TransWood Inc BUS 3/25/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Turnstone Development Corporation NP 3/28/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

TWB Moore Manor LLC LLC 3/13/13645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Vangent, Inc. BUS 3/5/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Village at the Beverly, LLC LLC 3/13/13 645 LAKELAND EAST DR #101 Walkure Group LLC LLC 3/29/13 5201 Lakeland Blvd Apt 90 Wall Brothers Glass, LLC LLC 3/14/13645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Ward T. McCraney III, PA PA 3/28/13645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

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Snapper Landing Sports Bar Inc BUS 3/11/13 2707 Hwy 90 Ste A&b Trip Time Pilots DBA OTH 3/7/13 3613 Pine Needle Cr.

Glen Dixie Sales, LLC LLC 3/28/13 73 Cr 248 Pavement Restorations, Inc. BUS 3/15/13 8 Cr 252

Greenville A & J Marketing, L.L.C. LLC 3/27/13 1130 Cloverdale Drive A Southern Bazaar, LLC LLC 3/27/13 2328A VFW Road Alpha and Omega/Women MatterNP 3/28/13 1264 Fairview Ave Betty’s Country Cooking “LLC” LLC 3/14/13 2620 Broadway Ext N Bradford’s Best LLC LLC 3/7/13 2789 Highway 1 South CCC, LLC LLC 3/28/13 1024 Washington Ave Rm 202 Erica’s Eatery, LLC LLC 3/7/13 2789A Highway 1 South Express Way of Greenville LLC LLC 3/28/13 3843 Highway 82 West Lamere’s Apparel and Accessories LLC LLC

Wireline Control Systems, LLC LLC 3/21/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 YMF Media Mississippi LLC LLC 3/13/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 YP Texas Region Yellow Pages, LLCLLC 3/25/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

3/25/13 898 Jefferson Dr Mamaw’s Best, LLC LLC 3/7/13 2789A Highway 1 South MME LLC LLC 3/5/13 1572 East Pear Lane Mobile Concessions Fast Food Restaurant LLC LLC 3/6/13 411 Hunt St Schultz Trucking Ltd. BUS 3/11/13 335 Wilmot Road Sweet Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church NP 3/7/13 859 South Washington Ave Virden Technology LLC LLC 3/18/13 140 Bayou Rd

Forest

Greenwood

Cody Sorey Timber Co Inc BUS 3/6/13 702 Stroud Drive Forest Elementary School Pto NP 3/27/13 4303 Hwy 35 South K & R Holdings, LLC LLC 3/21/13 114 Oak Park Drive KLS Surveying & Mapping Inc BUS 3/6/13 1236 Pleasant Ridge Rd LA Bendicion, LLC LLC 3/7/13 612 S Main St

AT Palace, LLC LLC 3/29/13 903 Jane Lane Deerview Wine & Spirits LLC LLC 3/6/13 718 Pecan Grove Delta Emporium, LLC LLC 3/20/13 216 East Johnson St

Warren Averett TurnAround Advisors LLCLLC 3/18/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

Western Union Business Solutions (USA), LLC LLC 3/19/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101 Western Union Business Solutions DBALLC 3/19/13 645 Lakeland East Drive, Suite 101

Foxworth Southern Investments LLC LLC 3/4/13 760 Shiloh-Firetower Road

French Camp Jermaine Andre Clark Sr DBA OTH 3/11/13 680 Potts Rd Rocky Raquel’s DBA OTH 3/11/13 680 Potts Rd

Fulton Creekside Veterinary Clinic, Inc.BUS 3/13/13 602 South Adams Street Flip Flop Properties LLC LLC 3/4/13 413 East Preview Security Audio Video Solutions LLC

LLC

3/15/13 787 Moore Road SW Wallace Construction & Development, LLC LLC 3/27/13 102 Wildwood Bend

Gallman Spud Enterprises LLC LLC 3/18/13 16153 A Highway 51

Gautier Custom Woodworker and Home Remodeling, LLC LLC 3/12/13 3111 Neptune Drive Estrategies, Inc BUS 3/18/13 1216 Kings Ct Galloway Construction, LLC LLC 3/4/13 1619 Lark Dr IGB Austria, Inc BUS 3/15/13 8621 Bayou Castelle Paul Frazier DBA OTH 3/7/13 3613 Pine Needle Cr. Purposeful DIVA Enterprises LLCLLC 3/21/13 4827 Old Spanish Trail

GM Properties and Investments, LLC LLC

3/1/13 707 E Park Ave. GMB Construction LLC LLC 3/5/13 707 E Park Ave. Illusions and Accessories, LLC LLC 3/18/13 783 County Road 231 Klines Recreation Center NP 3/25/13 700 E Mlk Dr Apt. 6e LLT Eye, LLC LLC 3/12/13 1705 Hwy 82 W Magnolia Mowers LLC LLC 3/27/13 1705 Hwy 82 West PHG Energy, LLC LLC 3/12/13 1808 Hwy 82 West Tradewind Trucking LLC LLC 3/8/13 1208 Robert E. Lee William E Daves Realty, Inc. BUS 3/8/13 34 Cr 199

Grenada Grenada Management Group LLCLLC 3/1/13 234 NW Frontage Road Lyons Property Management, LLCLLC 3/14/13 849 Avenue of Pines Riverside Protection Services Inc.BUS 3/6/13 1720 Vance Rd Thomas Realty of Grenada, LLC LLC 3/14/13 140 Windmill Cove Trinity Vestment Corp BUS 3/27/13 1550 Jameson Drive, Suite F

Gulfport 3 Blue Eyed Boys LLC LLC 3/29/13 2218 18Th Street 4th & Goal LLC LLC 3/11/13 2218 18Th Street A & W Lawn Care LLC LLC 3/13/13 2218 18Th Street A 2 Properties, LLC LLC 3/27/13 2641 Palmer Drive AAAA Services, LLC LLC 3/20/13 3209 55Th Ave ABYSS LLC LLC 3/13/13 2218 18Th Street

CONTINUED, Page 27

10 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 7, 2013 BANKING AND FINANCE

AGRICULTURE

More than 200 employee’s take early retirement from BancorpSouth TUPELO — BancorpSouth Inc. has released the final results of the company’s previously announced voluntary early retirement program, which was offered to certain employees as a part of ongoing efforts to improve efficiency and operating performance. All responses were due, subject to applicable rescission rights, on or before May 23.

Of the 418 employees who were eligible to participate in the program, 227 accepted the early retirement offer. As a result, the bank holding company will record a one-time, pre-tax charge of $10.9 million, or $0.07 per share net of tax, related to the additional benefits offered under the terms of the program. The program will result in fully phased-in annual pre-tax savings of approximately $9 million, or $0.06 per share net of tax.

Dan Rollins , BancorpSouth CEO, said, “We are thankful for the contributions of each and every individual who has chosen to participate. The acceptance rate confirms the confidence management had that the program provided pension enhancements that are reflective of each individual’s value and service to our company.”

Participants were given the opportunity to elect to receive the pension plan enhancements in the form of lump-sum or annuity payments. If total lump-sum distributions from the company’s pension plan for the year, including those not related to the voluntary early retirement program, exceed a threshold of $16.7 million, an additional pre-tax non-cash charge ranging from $8 million to $10 million will be incurred in 2013 to accelerate amortization of items included in accumulated other comprehensive income related to pension assets.

Acceleration of this charge would reduce pension expense by an amount ranging from $0.7 million to $0.9 million per year over the next 11 years.

BANKING

Whitney closing eight branches in three La. cities GULFPORT — Eight Whitney Bank branches in Louisiana are set to close at the end of August.

Hancock Holding Co., the Gulfport-based parent company of Whitney Bank, announced it would close the Baton Rouge branches at 9800 Airline Highway, 2600 Citiplace Drive and 11659 Plank Road, along with a branch in Algiers, and one in LaPlace.

The Advocate reports two branches in Alexandria and one in Pineville are also slated for closing Aug. 30.

About two weeks ago, Hancock Holding Co. announced it would close 40 branches in its fivestate area by the end of the year.

Hancock president and CEO Carl Chaney had said the closures would have “little impact” on its core markets in New Orleans and along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

— from staff and MBJ wire services

Soybean producers take advantage of break in clouds ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — Many Mississippi farmers celebrated Memorial Day in their tractor seats as they took full advantage of about a week of good weather to make significant strides in planting.

A nearly unbroken string of rains kept farmers mostly out of the fields through the early-spring planting window. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s May 26 Crop Progress and Condition Report shows their efforts to catch up.

Soybeans are 46 percent planted in the state, when normally this crop would be about 88 percent planted. Cotton is still far behind the norm, with just 36 percent of the crop planted rather than the fiveyear average of 84 percent. Rice planting is farther ahead at 72 percent, compared with the normal 96 percent planted. Corn planting is all but finished.

Trent Irby, soybean specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said poor conditions also have forced growers to replant some acreage.

“The frequent rains and cooler temperatures forced a number of growers to have to replant this season, making part of an already late crop even later,” Irby said.

Some of the state’s growers had to pause planting to spray herbicides on soybean fields that had already emerged.

“Windy conditions made it difficult to catch up on herbicide applications,” Irby said. “With only a limited amount of time between rains, making timely herbicide applications has been difficult, especially in areas where producers are battling

resistant pigweed.”

Early in the season, Mississippi farmers had been expected to plant about 1.95 million acres of soybeans. Irby said he expects the statewide delay in planting all crops could increase soybean acreage by as much as 10 percent. However, lateplanted soybeans face late-season insect and disease problems.

Tom Allen, MSU Extension Service plant pathologist at the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, said later-planted crops require more vigilance, additional scouting and better management to be successful.

“One of the main reasons we adopted an early soybean production system was to prevent lateseason disease issues,” Allen said. “You get to the end of the growing season and often tropical storm systems can delay harvest and bring added moisture, which can increase the incidence of some diseases.”

Soybean rust has become a significant lateseason threat in recent years. With funding from the Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board and the United Soybean Promotion Board, MSU has again planted 25 sentinel plots across the state to monitor the arrival of this disease.

“The poor weather prevented us from planting sentinel plots as early as we wanted to, but some are far enough along to have already reached reproductive stages in the southern part of the state,” Allen said.

Last year’s appearance of frogeye leaf spot that is resistant to the fungicide strobilurin may be an even bigger threat than rust.

“We’re going to continually monitor this issue,” Allen said. “Farmers need to be aware of this resistance and know that we are actively monitoring the situation in Mississippi and adjacent states.”

If any growers treat frogeye leaf spot with strobilurin fungicide and the disease appears to worsen, they should send samples of the diseased plants to MSU. Soybeans are a desirable crop to plant because of their late planting window and good prices. Brian Williams, Extension agricultural economist, said good prices caused some producers to sell stored grain, which prevented prices from climbing quickly, but the late planting date is helping increase soybean prices.

“Old crop July soybeans are currently trading for $15.01 per bushel, while new crop September soybeans are trading for $13.31 per bushel,” Williams said.

The current planting pace for the U.S. soybean crop is at its slowest in 17 years.

“The current slow progress combined with weather reports earlier this week calling for more rain in the northern Corn Belt have caused soybean prices to continue to move upward as fears grow that the crop will not be planted on time,” he said.

— staff and MBJ wire services

June 7, 2013

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Mississippi Business Journal

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MANUFACTURING

Quality Steel acquires American Welding ENERGY

Mississippi Power against energy-efficiency rules ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — A number of utilities and consumer groups say they support proposed rules that would require Mississippi electric and gas utilities to implement programs to save energy.

However, Mississippi Power Co. says it opposes the rules because bills could rise for customers who don’t make homes or businesses more efficient.

The Public Service Commission began considering energy efficiency rules in early 2010. A number of states have adopted similar rules.

Utilities could be required to conduct energy audits, tune customer heating and air conditioning systems, weatherize homes, and incentivize builders of new homes and commercial buildings. A study says the proposals could cost utilities $90 million in the first year, in addition to $70 million customers would spend after rebates. Long-term benefits could include the need for fewer new power plants.

Quality Steel Corporation (QSC) in Cleveland, an ASME propane tank manufacturer and industry leader in value-added services to the customer, announced the acquisition of American Welding and Tank (AWT) from Taylor-Wharton International.

American Welding and Tank has been recognized as one of the leaders in the propane tank industry since 1917 and has manufacturing facilities in Fremont, Ohio and West Jordan, Utah. The acquisition gives Quality Steel the ability to increase its production capacity while utilizing strategically located facilities to better serve its customer base.

President and CEO of Quality Steel, Jim Tims, said, “Quality Steel has survived and grown by setting the industry standards for quality and customer service.

We plan to use these same standards to earn the trust and loyalty of the many faithful customers of American Welding and Tank that we will be welcoming to our customer base. We are excited about the many new relationships we will be developing within the propane gas industry.”

Virgil Mullins, COO at QSC, stated, “We are looking forward to joining two companies that have such rich histories of quality and customer service.

Our combined capacity and manufacturing expertise will allow us to better serve the future needs of the propane industry.”

QSC’s VP of Sales and Marketing, Lynn Hardin, added, “This acquisition will expand our product offerings as well as provide Quality Steel an opportunity to improve upon our delivery model.

We look forward to integrating the synergies that exist between the two companies to provide the customer with the best experience possible.”

— staff and MBJ wire services

OUTDOORS

Agency sets opening date for shrimping season GULF OF MEXICO — The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources has set the opening date of the 2013-14 shrimp season in Mississippi territorial waters for June 11 at 6 a.m.

All regulations set forth in ordinances of the MDMR will be in full force and effect and all boats engaged in catching or transporting shrimp from the waters of the State of Mississippi must be licensed or permitted by the MDMR before beginning operations.

Recreational and commercial shrimp season will close at midnight, Dec. 31, 2013, north of the Intracoastal Waterway, and at midnight, April 30, 2014, south of the Intracoastal Waterway.

RETAIL

Cowboy Maloney’s buys Persnickety Kitchens Cowboy Maloney’s Appliance, Electronics and Bedding Superstores is purchasing the appliance inventory from Persnickety Kitchens on 101 Depot Drive in Madison.

Terms were not disclosed.

There will be no change in the Persnickety Gifts and Accessory Shop in Madison on 2078 Main Street, according to a release from Jackson-based Cowboy Maloney’s.

Con Maloney said, “With the building industry improving with all the new home starts and people remodeling their homes it just made sense to purchase the Persnickety Kitchens appliance inventory.”

— from staff and MBJ wire services

POLITICS

Incumbent mayors lose in Meridian, Southaven ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — An attorney and former civil rights activist was elected Jackson’s mayor last Tuesday, while Southaven’s controversial mayor has been defeated for re-election after four terms, according to unofficial returns.

In Jackson, Councilman Chokwe Lumumba (pronounced SHOW-kway Lu-MOOM-bah) was elected mayor. The newspaper reported that with most precincts reporting, Lumumba received 85 percent of the vote against three independent candidates. He will succeed Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr., who finished third in this year’s Democratic primary.

Lumumba, an attorney and civil rights activist, was active in a black nationalist group decades ago. But he ran as a mainstream candidate who would represent all city voters, and defeated businessman Jonathan Lee in the Democratic primary runoff last month.

“Thank you, Jackson. None of this would be possible without faith and your support,” Lumumba wrote on Facebook last night. “I’ve said it before and today it is still true, this is not my victory. This is the people’s victory. Together we will make Jackson rise!”

In Southaven, Mayor Greg Davis lost his bid for a fifth term to Republican Darren Musselwhite, a

political newcomer and insurance agency owner.

Davis’ defeat ends the tenure of the longestserving and most controversial mayor in the city’s 33-year history.

Davis, an independent, faced Musselwhite and Democrat Coria Williams, a retired major from the Memphis, Tenn., Police Department. Davis was elected to the state House of Representatives in 1991 and served until he was elected mayor in 1997.

He ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the 1st District congressional seat in 2008. Davis has had legal problems, including a state auditor’s demand that he repay more than $70,000 for personal expenses charged to the city.

Most Mississippi cities were electing mayors.

Winners begin their terms on July 1.

Among the cities getting new mayors are Brookhaven, Clarksdale, Clinton, Gulfport, Pascagoula and Tupelo, where incumbents didn’t seek re-election. In Jackson and Vicksburg, mayors were defeated last month in party primaries.

Here are results from some other mayoral contests: » Biloxi. Voters returned five-term Republican Mayor A.J. Holloway to office, according to the Sun Herald. Holloway defeated Democrat Jess Kennedy,

who described himself as a Blue Dog Democrat trying to appeal to tea party voters. Holloway also defeated Kennedy in 2009. » Hattiesburg. Three-term Democratic incumbent Johnny DuPree and City Council member Dave Ware were locked in a close contest late Tuesday, according to the Hattiesburg American.

DuPree, who was the 2011 Democratic nominee for governor, was facing Ware and three other independents. » Meridian. Democratic insurance agent Percy Bland defeated Republican Mayor Cheri Barry and two independents, winning about 54 percent of the vote, WTOK-TV reported. » Ocean Springs. Democratic Mayor Connie Moran won re-election, receiving more than 60 percent of the vote against Republican challenger and Jackson County supervisor John McKay, the Sun Herald reported. » Tupelo. Attorney Jason Shelton easily won and will become the city’s first Democratic mayor in 28 years, according to the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal newspaper. With all precincts reporting, unofficial results showed Shelton defeating Republican Fred Pitts, a City Council member, by a 3-2 margin. He told supporters that he thought his “positive campaign” helped bring him victory. » Smithville. Incumbent Smithville Mayor Gregg Kennedy was elected to his fourth term as mayor Tuesday, defeating opponent Holley V. Hood Cooley with a 161 to 49 vote tally.

Kennedy’s next four years are crucial to moving the town’s reconstruction following the April 27, 2011, EF-5 tornado that leveled most of it.

“We’ve got the blueprints and the funding to where we want to go,” Kennedy said.

34

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June 7, 2013

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Trees, roads, government » Skaggs briefs foresters on economic development

Mississippi Business Journal

I

CertainTeed Ceilings putting $24M into Meridian plant restart

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

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

Skip Skaggs, director of the Mississippi Development Authority’s Existing Industry and Business Division, promised a positive message last week just before he spoke to a group of local foresters.

And, he delivered — eventually.

But, while Skaggs’ presentation was essentially a broad overview of economic development efforts in the state and the role forestry plays now and its importance in the future, attendees seemed to be more interested in discussing the condition of the state’s roads and bridges, governmental relations and regulations.

Skaggs played to a packed house during the gathering in Brandon. Attendees, who enjoyed a catfish dinner, included members of the Rankin County Forestry Association, those who have timber interest in other counties but reside in Rankin County and invited guests.

“We must focus on our natural resources,” Skaggs told the crowd, “and how to add value to them.” Mississippi cannot build its economy on labor, he added, pointing to the offshoring of jobs in the textile industry as a prime example.

“Land is not going anywhere. It’s stable,” Skaggs said. “Right now, (economic developers) are working under an inverted model — we have more competitors than customers. Because of the economy, we have fewer new or expanding business projects to go after. So, we have to look at what we have. We’re an ag state, and we have to build off of that.”

He went on to list a few of the things prospects are looking for when siteprospecting.

These include highways/transportation, labor costs, taxes, construction costs and proximity to markets.

The state’s economic development efforts are further challenged by our global economy, he said. The financial woes of Greece and the European Union, North Korean saber-rattling and China’s growing labor costs as a few of the uncertainties.

“It’s the new normal — the world’s crazy, so get used to it,” Skaggs said with a smile. He added, “The U.S. is still the safest investment going, and the world knows it.”

Skaggs added more causes for concern, including energy-related issues, changing demographics, workforce training

I

WALLY NORTHWAY / The Mississippi Business Journal

Skip Skaggs told the Rankin County Forestry Association that the state needs to bank its economic future on solid assets such as land and trees.

and integrating new technology.

He closed by turning to the positive news — housing starts are up, wood pellet facilities are coming on line, mills are ramping up or refiring, forest owners are getting better prices after a nearly-decade slump for those in the timber industry.

“I believe we’ve hit the bottom. We’re trending the right way,” Skaggs said.

Opening the floor for questions, the state’s roads and bridges immediately took center stage. Several attendees questioned why the state is not appropriating more funds for highway and bridge projects.

Rodney Toombs, region manager at Resource Management Service, LLC and president of the Rankin County Forestry Association, said he knew landowners that were trucking “50 to 60, even up to 110 miles” to market, and safe roads and bridges were essential to foresters.

Skaggs pointed out that it is the Legislature appropriates funds, and that it was Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves who decided against any bond issuances two years ago.

Tedrick Ratcliff, executive vice president of the Mississippi Forestry Association, worked on road issues during the last legislative session, and

offered a rehash of what happened — a bill to raise a fuel tax for roadwork died in the House and the Senate voted to form a study committee to look into a new funding mechanism.

Skaggs quickly added that he thought good roads and bridges would become even more of an issue in South Mississippi and its growing wood pellet industry. A covered wood pellet conveyor is being installed at the Port of Pascagoula.

Skaggs said he expects more wood pellet companies to locate near the port so they could truck in their products unless they have direct water access to Pascagoula.

“If you use rail and you have to change trains even once, the numbers just don’t work — it is no longer attractive,” he said.

Skaggs also fielded a couple of questions about governmental relations and regulations, particularly U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards that many see as a threat. He said the MDA leans on Mississippi’s delegation in Washington to deal with federal agencies and regulators.

“Unfortunately, for too many folks the words ‘taxes’ and ‘government’ are four letters long now,” Skaggs said.

MERIDIAN — In yet another sign that the building sector is coming back, CertainTeed Ceilings is restarting its manufacturing operations here after shutting down in 2009, making a $24 million investment in updating a plant that will eventually put more than 100 people to work in the next three years.

Production is expected to resume during the second quarter of 2014. The company and the Mississippi Development Authority made the announcement Monday morning in Meridian.

According to state officials, it will mean a $24 million investment at the same building the company purchased in 2005. By 2016, the company anticipates having 110 employees.

Valley Forge-based CertainTeed is a subsidiary of French building supply conglomerate Saint-Gobain.

Certain Teed manufacturers a variety of exterior and interior building supplies for the U.S. market. The Meridian plant will rejoin a sister plant the sister plant in L’Anse, Mich., in making ceiling tiles and acoustical wall panels used in commercial construction.

CertainTeed also operates a ceiling tile grid production facility in Ellenton, Fla..

The company had stopped its Meridian production in 2009 during a market downturn, laying off 120 workers at the time. The company cited sluggish commercial building in choosing to close one of its two ceiling tile plants. CertainTeed selected Meridian for the shutdown because the plant there is older than the sister plant in L’Anse, the MDA said.

Ceiling tiles have been manufactured in the Meridian facility since 1941 throughout various stages of ownership. CertainTeed took over the plant in 2005.

“When we idled the Meridian facility four years ago during the height of our country’s economic crisis, we weren’t sure when or if we’d ever be able to reopen this plant,” said John Crowe, president and CEO. In a company press statement, Crowe said, “We celebrate the rebirth of this facility with the promise of quality jobs to be filled by hard working Mississippians.”

Skip Skaggs, director of existing business for the MDA, said CertainTeed decided to invest in reopening and updating the Meridian plant after new product demands created a tightening of capacity at the other plant. “That gave them the signal that this recovery does have legs,” he said.

The re-started Meridian plant will ramp up slowly but with the $24 million investment in equipment it can expand capacity as demand grows, Skaggs said.

The MDA assisted CertainTeed with improvements to a rail spur and a water line to help increase water capacity at the plant, according to Skaggs.

13

14 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 7, 2013 CONSTRUCTION

National report: State bridges not old, just neglected MBJ services

The I-20 Bridge in Vicksburg, connecting Mississippi and Louisiana has been rated as the bridge most in need of repair in Mississippi. With nearly 30,000 vehicles crossing the bridge every day, that is a daunting thought. For more stories on bridges in Mississippi, go to www.msbusiness.com.

» Transportation for America ranks the state as the tenth worst for structurally deficient bridges

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

In terms of time, Mississippi’s bridges are on the backside of middle age. But in bridge years, that’s almost youth-like.

Mississippi’s bridges average 30.9 years in age while nationally the average bridge is 42 years old. Bridges are designed to last roughly 50 years, experts say, a statistic that tells you Mississippi’s bridges should have a lot of life left in them.

So why are commissioners of the Mississippi Department of Transportation and legislative leaders alarmed about bridges in the Magnolia State?

Upkeep, for one. The state lacks a dedicated source of funding for that.

The toll time will take, for another.

While Mississippi had just 3,065 bridges 50 or older in 2010, it is projected to have 8,405 at least a half-century old by 2030 and 14,739 reaching that age category by 2050, according to the national transportation advocacy organization Transportation for America.

Together, the state is fighting a time factor and trying to make do with a dearth of money to maintain, rehab and upgrade bridges to meet today’s user demands.

The result: A ranking by Transportation for America as the tenth worst state for structurally deficient bridges, a problem the

Mississippi Department of Transportation estimates would cost $509 million to remedy. Separately, the state has 785 functionally obsolete bridges that would cost $2.1 billion to modernize into a classification as functional, MDOT says.

“Today, one out of every six bridges that motorists in Mississippi cross every day are likely to be deteriorating to some degree; and 15.5 percent of bridges statewide are rated ‘structurally deficient’ according to government standards, compared to 11.5 percent nationwide,” a 2011 analysis by Transportation for America reported.

Each day 45.8 million motorists cross Mississippi bridges, including 29,400 a day on the structurally deficient Interstate-20 bridge from Vicksburg over the Mississippi into Louisiana, reports Transportation for America, a coalition of groups that include the National Association of Realtors, U.S. Public Interest Research Group, Reconnecting America, American Public Health Association, Smart Growth America, the Surface Transportation Policy Partnerships, National Resources Defense Council, Rails to Trails Conservancy and National Association of City Transportation Officials.

Mississippi is also confronted with a federal transportation funding policy that directs funds to new bridge construction rather than allocating money to fix up existing ones, says Transportation for Amer-

ica, citing $18 billion appropriated for new bridges in 2008 and $8.1 billion of federal funds to the states for repair and rehabilitation of bridges.

Following the federal lead, Mississippi in 2008 spent just $92 million, or 10.1 percent of its total, on bridge upkeep, Transportation for America says.

More recently, congressional renewal of the Federal Transportation Fund led to elimination of any specific requirement for state spending on bridge maintenance, with Congress deciding to leave it to the states to decide how to spend the transportation funds, Transportation for America says.

The problem with that, said Transportation for America spokesman David Goldberg, is that money for bridge maintenance “now comes into competition with everything else.”

As Mike Pepper, director of the Mississippi Road Builders Association, sees it, the federal policy combined with Mississippi’s absence of a dedicated funding source for road and bridge maintenance lead to an annual robbing of Peter to pay Paul. “When you’re on such an old funding mechanism, that’s exactly what unfolds,” he said.

Bridges maintained by counties and cities are faring even worse, with Congress putting more emphasis on federal and state highway networks and bridges and far less on local transportation networks, Goldberg said.

In Mississippi, Transportation for America reports, 2,125 of 10,896 locally maintained bridges are deficient and would cost $852 million to replace. Locally maintained functionally obsolete bridges number 444

and would cost $246 million to replace, the advocacy organization says.

Mike Tagert, MDOT commissioner for the Northern District, said he sees no easy end to the struggle of the state’s counties and municipalities to keep up their bridges, especially in the rural regions. “They need to be included in the discussion as well,” Tagert said of any movement in the Legislature to address the issue.

He said he is encouraged that the “Legislature is looking at all options on how to properly build and replace deficient bridges.”

State Sen. Willie Simmons is chairing a Senate task force on transportation that will include chairs of key Senate committees, key state department and agency heads and representatives of such organizations as the Mississippi Economic Council, Farm Bureau Federation, Manufacturing Association and Truckers Association.

Simmons, a Cleveland Democrat who chairs the Senate Highways and Transportation Committee, conceded the difficulty of gaining voter acceptance to pay more taxes or fees for road and bridge upkeep. “We aren’t proposing that at this time,” he insisted.

But he is suggesting that a change in thinking may be overdue. Without such a change, the state could be faced with deciding whether it can keep certain bridges open. “We have over 1,000 bridges that are approaching a level where we are going to have to make some serious decisions about continuing to use them,” he said in an inSee

BRIDGES, Page 15

June 7, 2013

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

15

MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT

Construction on Mill at MSU could start by end of 2013

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

The Mill at MSU has moved to the second phase of the approval process through the National Parks Service.

Golden Triangle developer Mark Castleberry took over the old CottonMill Marketplace development last fall, and has since changed its name and gotten preliminary design approval for the Cooley Center, an old textile mill that sits on the National Register of Historic Places and will serve as the development’s centerpiece.

The mixed-use development, which sits on the edge of Mississippi State University’s campus, changed ownership last year when the school allowed the contract it had with Ridgeland-based Nicholas Properties to expire without renewing it. Mark Nicholas and his partner, Mark Boutwell, had worked on the project for several years.

Since taking control of the project, Castleberry has spent the last several months wading through the first steps of the approval process for the Cooley building. That now moves to the second phase, which entails Castleberry making what he called “a more formal request” for the agency to approve the Cooley Center’s design. Castleberry hopes will be completed early this fall.

“We’re going forward with preliminary design work now that we’ve gotten design approval,” he said in an interview this week. He added that he hopes to start construction by

BRIDGES

Continued from Page 14

terview last week.

“We want to avoid the situation you had last week in another state where a bridge fell in,” he said, referring to a highway bridge collapse in Missouri. That collapse followed by only a few days the crumbling of a Washington state highway bridge into water below.

Worries over the potential for disaster drive MDOT Southern District Commissioner Tom King’s hope that something proactive comes out of the work of Simmons’ task force.

“Funding is very much needed…. Let’s not wait until a major accident occurs with fatalities.”

MDOT Central Commissioner Dick Hall waged a lonely campaign in the just-completed legislative session to secure a funding source for road and bridge upkeep. His main achievement, he said, was getting a conversation going and helping lawmakers to recognize more specifically just where the problems are.

“We know where the ones that need help are,” Hall said. “If we have a failure like Washington did, it will be because of a lack of funding -- not engineering or lack of know how.”

the end of this year. If that happens, the development could be open sometime in the second quarter of 2015.

Castleberry said his proposed design for the Cooley Building got in early January preliminary approval from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. It then moved to the National Parks Service, which will have final

“We’re going forward with preliminary design work now that we’ve gotten design approval.”

Mark Castleberry Developer

say whether the design meets the standards for historic buildings.

A lot rides on it. Castleberry said, besides the development’s look, its construction schedule would be determined by the response from the Parks Service. Castleberry said he was prepared to build the project in phases, which will be broken down in some order among the hotel, parking garage, infrastructure and the development of outparcels. The parking garage – which will have three bays and four levels – will have a parking capacity of 650 vehicles, and is being paid for by an $8 million community development block grant issued by the Mississippi Development Authority. The city of Starkville is managing that part of the project.

The Parks Service signing off on the design is crucial, because it makes the project eligible for historic and new market tax credits.

“How long that lasts will determine overall construction schedule, because that dictates historic tax credits,” Castleberry said.

Castleberry said he has “multiple” outlets interested in the credits when he’s ready to take advantage of them. “We’re in a very confident position there,” Castleberry said.

The Cooley Building will be remade into a conference center and office space. To go with the parking garage and the hotel, Castleberry said he would ideally like to include two to three restaurants in the final version of the development. The demolition of everything on the site that is not on the Historic Register, to go with restaurant and hotel construction, will likely make up the first phase. Work on the Cooley Building making up the second phase. “And the space between those phases will likely only last maybe six months,” Castleberry said.

With the preliminary approval from the National Parks Service, the phases are starting to take shape, Castleberry said. “It really is coming together. We have two teams on this project. We have the design and construction and engineering team and we have the financial team. Fortunately the pieces have come together on both sides.”

16 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 7, 2013

—Interview by Clay Chandler

RUSTY HAMPTON, marketing editor, Neel-Schaffer

Re-engineering Hampton leaves journalism after 30 years

R

usty Hampton is the marketing editor at Neel-Schaffer, a Jackson-based engineering firm. Hampton spent 30 years in the newspaper business, as a reporter and editor. He comes to Neel-Schaffer having spent the last decade-plus as sports editor of The Clarion-Ledger.

Q — As marketing editor, what’s your day-to-day like?

A — No two days are alike, which is nice.

In my role as marketing editor, I have a variety of duties, including editing copy written by others for job proposals and projects and writing stories myself. A typical day might go something like this: Spend the morning editing a key job proposal for our Kentucky office and then split my afternoon between interviewing an engineer to write a project report and talking to the head of our IT department to write a story for our company newsletter on technology changes coming to Neel-Schaffer. The next day might bring something totally different, from editing a brochure to visiting one of our subsidiary offices and meeting with engineers to write a project report.

I also edit brochures, press releases and other material produced by the marketing department.

Q — Do you have daily deadlines? If not, what’s the transition been like?

A — We have deadlines, and sometimes they are pressing, but it’s not the same as in the newspaper business, where you have a deadline every single night, 365 days a year. That includes Christmas and New Year’s Day and Thanksgiving and every other holiday.

In producing a sports section, the deadlines are especially harsh, given the number of events we would cover at The Clarion-Ledger that were played at night and would end right at deadline — or sometimes even after deadline. There’s a small part of me that misses the adrenalin rush you get from making that deadline and then watching the press run and then holding in your hand a printed copy of what you put together on the computer just minutes ago. That said, it’s been nice working “normal hours” during the day and NOT working on weekends — or holidays. I was off work for a Saturday, Sunday and Monday for the Memorial Day weekend this year. I couldn’t tell you the last time that happened — or if it ever did — when I worked as a reporter or editor.

Q — What were your feelings about leaving the newspaper business after more than 30 years?

A — I loved working in the newspaper industry. It was the only job I had after college, either as a reporter or editor.

I loved so many things about the job and the people and what we were able to accomplish over the years. But it was time for a change, a chance to do something different in a thriving industry and work for a growing, Mississippi-based company like Neel-Schaffer.

More on Hampton: Must have Mississippi food: Red Beans and Rice from Hal & Mals or anything from Lumpkins BBQ. Favorite movie: All-time — “The Sting;” recent — “Argo.”

Last book read: ‘“The Big Miss: My years coaching Tiger Woods.’ Hank Haney’s tell-all (sort of) on golf’s greatest player.

(What, you thought it’d be ‘Handbook of Technical Writing?’

That’s on my desk; just haven’t finished it yet!)”

Q — Now that you’ve been away from it for a few weeks, has your perspective on the industry changed any?

A — Not really. It’s still an industry struggling to make the transition from print to digital.

The Clarion-Ledger is owned by Gannett, the largest newspaper chain in the country. You would think that size would help The C-L be ahead of the game, but it’s really just the opposite. Gannett is a massive company moving at a snail’s pace in a quickly changing industry. It was frustrating to me and my colleagues to see corporate dismantle a once-great newspaper through layoffs and buyouts and morale-lowering budget cuts and furloughs, all the while struggling to come up with a plan to move the newspaper into the digital age.

Newspapers (and not just Gannett newspapers) really missed the boat some 15 years ago when they chose to ignore the Internet and the change that was coming. By the time they realized this change — and social media — was here to stay, the industry was woefully behind and has been playing catch-up ever since.

Despite all that, I’m still a big fan of The Clarion-Ledger and the people who work there. I want the industry to survive and thrive. I want the leaders of the industry to figure out how to make this work, because good newspapers are part of a healthy democracy.

Those who follow the industry know other companies have made drastic changes. The New Orleans Times-Picayune, Birmingham News, Mobile Press-Register and Huntsville Times all are printed only three days a week now. Those newspapers are putting more emphasis on 24/7 real-time reporting on their websites.

It would not surprise me to see most newspapers eventually go to some variation of this, cutting back on print to beef up their digital offerings for smartphones, tablets and the web. Society is changing and newspapers must change, too. Unfortunately, too many of those in charge haven’t figured out how to make that happen — yet. Here’s hoping they succeed soon.

>> See the complete unabridged interview with HAMPTON at www.msbusiness.com/blog/category/q-a/

June 7, 2013 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

AN MBJ FOCUS:

LAW & ACCOUNTING MISSISSIPPI BAR FOUNDATION

At 50, still trying to improve justice » Group cites providing legal help for the poor as one of its major accomplishments

By BECKY GILLETTE I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

The Mississippi Bar Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded 50 years ago to improve the administration of justice in Mississippi, has a bevy of accomplishments to its credit. Significant especially in a state with the lowest per capita income in the country, the Foundation has provided $12.5 million in financial support to provide legal help for the poor.

“We exist because of the efforts of attorneys 50 years ago who came together and got the organization started,” said Foundation president Ronnie Roberts, Columbus.

“What we do kind of stands on their shoulders. Of course, we are always looking for ways to improve and particularly get more funds to help more people.

“Like everyone else, we have been affected by the economic downturn. One thing we want to do is get the public more information in understanding the legal needs of people in the state who might not otherwise be able to afford a lawyer, and perhaps generate more public concern and interest.”

Good legal assistance can positively impact the economy. Roberts said examples of how the business economy is helped is assisting people who are trying to purchase a property or get a title cleared, or need help getting an estate matter settled.

Roberts said the Foundation goes through a fairly involved process every year to review applications from nonprofit legal aid organizations to make sure available funds go as far as possible helping people.

Programs supported by grant funds from the Foundation include Mission First in Jackson, Child Advocacy Law Clinic at Ole Miss, Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence, North Mississippi Rural Legal Service, Mississippi Center for Legal Services and Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project. The free legal assistance provides help on civil legal matters such as landlord/tenant issues, child custody disputes and advocacy for those with disabilities.

The Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project operates statewide by holding clinics throughout the state, including in some rural areas that have few attorneys and large numbers of low-income residents.

“We are always looking for ways to improve and particularly get more funds to help more people.”

Ronnie Roberts President, Mississippi Bar Foundation

“The Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers project is such a good organization that can really affect people’s lives,” said Karen Sawyer, immediate past president of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

“I volunteered at a clinic we had in Biloxi a couple years ago and saw people who couldn’t go on in the next phase of life until legal issues were resolved. For example, you might have a woman deserted by her husband who didn’t know where to start to get a divorce.

“People come for help because they don’t have money to pay for a lawyer, and commonly don’t even know how much it will end up costing them. Volunteer legal services allows them to get what they need to open a door to the next phase of their lives so they can move on. That is important.

The stories of how people have been helped are heartwarming. It is very rewarding for lawyers to give their time.”

Sawyer said the grant money helps the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project handle the administrative end of services to facilitate the lawyers throughout the state of Mississippi who want to be help by providing pro bono services.

“That is something that lawyers quietly do,” Sawyer said. “They are out there doing something good and maybe no one even knows about it. It is a wonderful service, and we encourage lawyers to participate in the program.”

The Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project and other programs to help the poor have largely been funded through the Foundation by a program called Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts, which is designed to increase access to justice for individuals and families living in poverty and to improve the justice system. With the IOLTA program, instead of taxing the public or de-

Roberts

pending on donations, interest from lawyer trust accounts is pooled to provide civil legal aid to the poor and support improvements to the justice system.

Lawyers who receive funds that belong to a client must place those funds in a trust account separate from the lawyer's bank account. Client funds are deposited in an IOLTA account when the funds cannot otherwise earn enough income for the client to be more than the cost of securing that income. According to the Foundation, the client — and not the IOLTA program — receives the interest if the funds are large enough or will be held for a long enough period of time to generate net interest that is sufficient to allocate directly to the client.

Lower interest rates have impacted the See

FOUNDATION, Page 19

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LAW & ACCOUNTING

18 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 7, 2013

GAMING

Lawyers willing to take a chance » Since the beginning of the casino industry in Mississippi, attorneys have been there to guide

By LISA MONTI I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

Gutsy casino entrepreneurs helped launch Mississippi into the gaming business more than 20 years, and today a new breed of entrepreneurs are buying up properties for their portfolios.

One constant in the casino market’s maturation process: lawyers. At the beginning, there were regulations to learn and transactions to clear for brand new clients. Now firms have teams of lawyers dedicated to handling gaming issues.

Tommy Shepherd, Gaming Industry Team co-leader with Jones Walker, and Danny McDaniel, chair of Baker Donelson's Gaming Industry Service Team, were among the first to learn the ropes of the new industry.

Shepherd recalled that in the early 1990s “true entrepreneurs” came to Mississippi and pioneered the gaming industry.

“After that, some of the entrepreneurs took their companies public, like Lyle Berman and his company, Grand Casinos. Then we entered a period of consolidation and acquisitions by private equity groups,” Shepherd said.

With the downturn in the economy, he said, some companies are taking stock of

their Mississippi casino holdings and are looking at whether they should keep them in their portfolios.

“That evaluation process and the bankruptcies of several Mississippi gaming com-

panies may result in sales of some properties to new entrants to the gaming industry, such as Golden Nugget Gaming in Biloxi,” Shepherd said. “In other words, we may be going back to the future with entrepreneur

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ownership of Mississippi casinos.”

They’ll still need their lawyers. So will the makers of slots and table games, casino suppliers and the banks that are involved in gaming.

“Whenever there’s a change in ownership, that triggers gaming approvals or when there is a new financing, we play a role in the transactions,” Shepherd said.

Shepherd, who spends “90 percent plus” of his practice devoted to gaming, put together a legal team that’s considered one of the state’s largest gaming practices. The law firm publishes the widely read Mississippi Gaming Law Blog at www.msgaminglaw.com.

Danny McDaniel practices exclusively in gaming law in Mississippi and Louisiana.

He has been involved with Mississippi’s casino “since day one.” He recalled the developers of the state’s early riverboat industry as “really dynamic, independent entrepreneurs like Lyle Berman and John Connolly” who became so successful “they had investment bankers throwing money at them.”

Now gambling has spread throughout the country and it’s back in the hands of independent entrepreneurs, he said. Nowadays McDaniel works mostly with wealthy See

GAMING, Page 19

LAW & ACCOUNTING GAMING

Continued from Page 18

independent entrepreneurs who are developing projects “when most publicly traded companies are facing competition and focusing on the East Coast and other places” besides Mississippi.

That’s a far cry from the early days that McDaniel describes as the build-it-andthey-will-come era.

“Back then you put up a casino and people waited in line and paid $5 for the privilege of gambling,” he said.

The new independent casino entrepreneurs aren’t bound by corporate restrictions or bureaucracy.

Shepherd “They can move quicker and more decisively,” said McDaniel.

Shepherd and McDaniel both say they, like most everybody else, had no idea that gambling would grow into such a large industry has it has in Mississippi.

Shepherd said his first gaming client in 1992 had a small project on the Coast that “didn’t go anywhere,” but it introduced him to the new statutes and the Gaming Commission members.

“I didn’t think many people except a few visionaries thought we would have anything like this in Mississippi today,” said Shep-

June 7, 2013

herd.

“We thought we would have a decent practice in it and many good clients. I don’t think any of us who do regulatory work thought it would be as much or as consistent as it is.”

The statutes and regulations have stayed substantially the same for many years, Shepherd said, but there’s some tweaking from time to time.

McDaniel had recently left a job in the U.S. Attorney’s Office civil division and joined Heidelberg and Woodliff in 1991.

Five years later he moved to Phelps Dunbar where he began its gaming practice. He’s been with Baker Donelson since 2010.

“When gaming came in, I ended up representing one of the first gaming companies on the Coast and it just went from there. I thought it was just something else I would do in my practice. But once I started doing gaming work it was hard to go back to my previous practice.“ Shepherd said the most memorable person he has met in the gaming industry was Bill Boyd, founder of Boyd Gaming.

“He was remarkable in that he is not what you might have expected a gaming executive to look and act like.,” said Shepherd.

“He is a genuine person, a kind and decent man.”

Today’s crop of entrepreneurs aren’t like Bill Boyd, who came up in the gaming industry, McDaniel said. They’re businessmen

FOUNDATION

Continued from Page 17

amount of money available through IOLTA in recent years. “The grant money has been decreasing in recent years,” Sawyer said. “All of our grant recipients are trying to do more with less, like a lot of people. Donations would be gladly accepted.”

Larry Houchins, executive director of the Mississippi Bar Association, said the Foundation also provides funding for law related public education and programs to improve the administration of justice.

Other programs administered by the Foundation include the Lawyers Emergency Assistance Funds, Lawyers and Judges Assistance Fund and Kid’s Chance Scholarship Fund.

The Fellows of the Foundation annually fund $4,000 in scholarships at the state’s two law schools. The Foundation presents two awards each year, the Lifetime Achievement Award and Law Related Public Education Award, both presented each year at the Foundation’s annual meeting in Jackson.

Until 1990, any attorney who paid a membership fee could join the Foundation.

In 1989-1990, then-president Luther Ott of Jackson recommended that the foundation be revitalized by limiting membership making it an honor to be asked to become

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a Foundation Fellow. Membership was changed to be by invitation only, and limited to 10 percent of the Bar. “Since the criteria for membership as a Fellow was changed, the honor of being selected a Fellow has been recognized within the profession,” Houchins said.

“Only 15 lawyers are selected as Fellows each year and they represent the highest level of professionalism and competence for a Mississippi lawyer.”

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“Only 15 lawyers are selected as Fellows each year, and they represent the highest level of professionalism and competence for a Mississippi lawyer.”

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LAW & ACCOUNTING

20 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 7, 2013

“The law exists to ensure the humanity of those who might otherwise be taken advantage of.�

Michelle D. Easterling, West Point attorney

Finding time for community  West Point lawyer, wife, mother stays busy — and loves it

By LYNN LOFTON I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

Law is the right career for Michelle D. Easterling. The West Point partner in the firm of Edwards, Storey, Marshall, Helveston & Easterling chose the legal profession while growing up in Pearlington and can’t imagine doing anything else. “What I’m doing now truly satisfies me,� she said. “I chose a career in law for several reasons.�

Easterling elaborates on those reasons. Her father was in law enforce-

ment in Hancock County before operating his own trucking business and saw a lot of action from his location on Old Highway 90 that connected the Gulf Coast to New Orleans. “As a child, I enjoyed hearing stories of his days as the star witness for the prosecution,� she recalls. “In fifth grade, I traveled by sheriff ’s cruiser to a federal courthouse in New Orleans where I testified on behalf of the prosecution in an interstate kidnapping case. “Later, while attending Millsaps College, I worked at the Secretary of State’s Office and developed an inter-

est in elections and voter issues. I also frequently observed the Legislature in session. Walking land patents over to the Attorney General’s Office was another link.�

She’s also had experience serving as a special master in Clay County Chancery Court, as City of West Point municipal judge and is currently serving as interim Clay County prosecuting attorney and recently qualified to run for this post in next November’s

GOOD NEWS IS WORTH REPEATING!

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EASTERLING, Page 21

Deryll Stegall / Stegall Imagery

Michelle D. Easterling is a partner in the ďŹ rm of Edwards, Storey, Marshall, Helveston & Easterling in West Point.

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LAW & ACCOUNTING EASTERLING

Continued from Page 20

special election.

As an attorney, Easterling enjoys being able to help people every day. “Whether I’m trying to help someone through the difficulties of divorce, finalizing an adoption, settling an estate, working out the details of a real estate transaction, pursuing a claim on behalf of an injured employee or defending a business owner from a trip and fall, good legal advice is always in demand and it’s a great feeling to be able to guide others through the process,” she said.

“The law exists to ensure the humanity of those who might otherwise be taken advantage of. However, the law also has to make sure those who conduct business in an honest and forthright manner aren’t made the victims of frivolous lawsuits. That’s part of the reason it means so much to me that justice is blind. It has to be applied fairly to all people in all circumstances, and there are so

“Good legal advice is always in demand and it’s a great feeling to be able to guide others through the process.”

Michelle D. Easterling

June 7, 2013

Episcopal Church in West Point is small in numbers but mighty in heart,” she says.

“The Growth Alliance is the organization that promotes economic and community development for West Point and Clay County. The Rotary Club consistently works behind the scenes to make sure local needs are addressed and local heroes get the praise they deserve.”

A graduate of Millsaps College and the University of Mississippi School of Law, Easterling is a member of numerous professional organizations and has received professional and civic awards. These accolades include Phi Beta Kappa member,

They immediately became active in their church and other organizations as a way to get to know people. “That ulterior motive notwithstanding, working with a variety of organizations has become a reflection of the kind of person I aim to be – the sort of person who truly cares about the people around her and who wants to make a difference in the community,” she said.

She says it’s impossible to choose her favorites among the organizations with which she’s involved. However, the three that have been the most rewarding for her are her church, the Community Growth Alliance and the West Point Rotary Club. “The

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many gray areas.”

This busy attorney, office holder, wife and mother finds time for community involvement. Another community leader and fellow communicant of the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, J. Dwight Dyess, says Easterling is an outstanding leader and counselor. “As a bank president and Army officer, I know good leadership,” Dyess, who serves as BancorpSouth President in West Point, said. “Michelle was critical to the reorganization of our local economic development organization, the Growth Alliance. With Michelle’s leadership and legal knowledge, she ensured that the changes to the then-existing entity were lawful and approved by the membership in accordance with our bylaws.”

Easterling and her husband, Thomas Easterling, an English teacher at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science in Columbus, moved to West Point in 1998.

13

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Mississippi Business Journal

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Columbus Air Force Base Honorary Commander and Mississippi Bar Women in the Profession Committee Trailblazer.

When not working, she enjoys playing whiffle ball in the back yard with her two sons, Grayson, 12, and Jack, 8, gardening, reading fiction and going to spin class at the gym. “I’m so proud of my family,” she said.

“Thomas is an inspiring teacher, wonderful husband and dedicated father. Grayson is currently in love with every sport he can play, and Jack is even more competitive than his brother and has a mathematical bent of mind that’s almost foreign to the rest of us in the family.”

Who is Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP?

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NEWSMAKERS

June 7, 2013

Profiles of growing young professionals in Mississippi

Mississippi Business Journal

classes.Healsofreelancesasanarchitectanddesignerandteaches digital design and media art courses at Tulane University.

Researching the algorithms, geometries and math behind design also interests Palacios and he hopes to turn it into his own business venture in the future.

“From an architect’s perspective, there will always be new buildings to design, although there is more attention now to sustainable design, historic preservation and adaptive reuse,” Palacios says. “Society and the building industry are much more conscientious about building construction costs, resource consumption, and a building’s impact on the environment and these are all great opportunities to utilize emerging design principles and technology.”

— By Stephen McDill

Read the full biography at www.msbusiness.com

Account executives hired

Firm welcomes Gates

Lee joins staff

Achille Messac, a New York higher education administrator and faculty member, is Mississippi State University's new engineering dean. The appointment of to lead the university's James Worth Bagley College of Engineering is pending formal approval by the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning. He will be MSU's first African American dean.

At Syracuse University, Mes- Messac sac has been serving as chair and distinguished professor of the mechanical and aerospace engineering department. A Massachusetts Institute of Technology doctoral graduate in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, he previously held administrative and faculty positions at the Troy, N.Y.based Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and was a faculty member at Northeastern University in Massachusetts. Messac, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Haiti and fluent in French, also holds MIT bachelor's and master's degrees in aeronautical and astronautical engineering. He began his professional career in 1981 with the internationally recognized Charles Stark Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, Mass.

Messac will succeed Sarah Rajala, who left earlier this year to accept a similar position at Iowa State University.

C Spire Business Solutions, a unit of C Spire Wireless, has made has hired four client account executives. Courtney Hooker is in the company’s Northeast Mississippi market. Hooker, who is based in Tupelo, previously worked as a senior account executive for PaeTec Communications Inc. A native of Meridian, she is a University of Mississippi graduate with a bachelor’s deDodson gree in elementary education.

Garry Dodson is in the company’s Memphis market. He previously served as a data and IP account executive and a major accounts manager for AT&T and a senior account executive for Time Warner Telecom. A native of Hialeah, Fla., Dodson is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Hooker bachelor’s degree. He has received certification in Cisco sales essentials and Burton sales skills.

Marvin R. Mitchell as Client Account Executive is also in the company’s Memphis market.

Mitchell previously owned and operated his own IT operations and service business, Mitchell IT Solutions, since 2008. A Memphis native, Mitchell is a gradu- Mitchell ate of LeMoyne Owen College with a bachelor of science degree in political science.

Rico Murray, too, is in the company’s Memphis market. HE previously worked as a territory sales representative since 2010 for Shred-It, an Oakville, Ontario-based information security company providing document Murray destruction services. A Memphis native, Murray is a graduate of the University of Memphis with a bachelor of business administration degree in finance.

The Baker Donelson law firm has added Adam H. Gates to its Jackson office. Gates, who joins as an associate and a member of Baker Donelson's Labor and Employment Group, practices labor and employment law and commercial litigation.

A 2006 magna cum laude graduate of the Mississippi College School of Law, he is a member of the Mississippi Bar, Louisiana Bar and American and Gates Capital Area Bar associations.

He has served on the Pro Bono Committee and the Child Advocacy Committee of the Young Lawyers Division of the Mississippi Bar, and regularly participates in local community service activities.

The Singing River Health System Neuroscience Center welcomes Marcus W. Lee, MD, pediatric neurologist. Lee received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi Medical Center and completed his residency in pediatrics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He is board certified in neurology with special qualification in child neurology.

Mississippi State University has named two researchers to Extension Service appointments at the Delta Research and Extension Center. Entomologist Jeff Gore and rice agronomist Tim Walker will divide their work between the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and the Extension Service. MAFES, the research arm of MSU’s agriculture division, is funded separately from Extension, MSU’s service branch.

Gore has worked as a MAFES researcher since 2007. Before joining MSU, he worked as an entomologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service in Stoneville.

Walker will continue working as a rice agronomist and researcher, which he has done since 2007.

Gore and Walker have received numerous awards for their contributions in their fields.

23

Personal hero: “My younger brother who has a classified role in the U.S. Army. It is his unwavering faith in God and commitment to his duty that motivates me to live life to the fullest.”

Best Mississippi event: Peter Anderson Festival Favorite Mississippi food: Mosaic Tapas Bar in Ocean Springs Favorite TV show: “Top Gear” Favorite movie: “Gattaca” Favorite music: Electronic dance music Favorite hangout spots: Gold Coast Skydivers in Lumberton Twitter handle: @morphingdesign

MSU chooses Messac

Researchers get new roles

I

Age: 30 Marketing & Public Relations Manager, The Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center

Keeping our eye on... HANS PALACIOS Hans Palacios says he always wanted to be an artist and, indeed, coworkers often refer to him as “The Renaissance Man.” “My professional passion encompasses the world of design, from traditional art to computer-generated designs,” he says. “I really enjoy finding opportunities to use emerging technologies for design applications.”

After studying computer art and design in community college, Palacios started applying art to architecture with degrees from the Massachusetts and Illinois Institutes of Technology followed by an internship with Eley Guild Hardy Architects. He also earned a graduate certificate in historic preservation from Savannah College of Art & Design and is currently working toward an MBA from Mississippi State University.

PalacioshelpspromotetheO’KeefeCenter’s variousclassesand eventsincluding art,pottery,drawing, printmakingandculinaryarts

I

Ranade replaces Windland Severstal North America has appointed Madhu Ranade as the new general manager for its rolled steel mill in Lowndes County. He replaces Wilbur Windland, who retired after 40 years in the steel industry.

Ranade comes to Severstal Columbus from AccelorMittal.

Company officials say he brings with him years of experience in servicing automotive, pipe and tubing industries.

Reid completes program Kelly Reid of Pearl River County recently graduated from the Mississippi Department of Mental Health’s Focus Program.

Reid is the human resource director at South Mississippi State Hospital in Purvis. She has been employed at SMSH since November 2007.

Reid

Lee

Carter goes to MDOT Wiley “Craig” Carter has joined the Mississippi Department of Transportation as assistant to Central District Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall. In his 28 years in marketing and public relations, Carter has specialized in building relationships, designing marketing strategies and navigating the political arena. Prior to Carter’s position at MDOT, he owned Carter Consulting, a full-service, integrated marketing agency and Carter was the marketing director at Burns Cooley Dennis Inc. Carter served eight years on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., as deputy director of radio services at the Republican National Committee, field coordinator at the National Republican Senatorial Committee and doorkeeper at the Office of U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms.

Carter is a Mississippi State University graduate with a bachelor of arts degree in communications with an emphasis on public relations. He is married to Felicia Farthing Carter and has two children, Chloe, 9, and Wiley, 7. They reside in Gluckstadt. In his spare time, Carter coaches children’s sports, enjoys attending Mississippi State University football games and is a color analyst for Germantown High School’s live football broadcasts.

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

24 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 7, 2013 calculated based on how many days each hunter spends afield each annual season.

Deer hunters spend about 7,206,754 mandays hunting and waterfowl hunters also spend 231,039 days. Keep in perspective that these are resident hunters. This does not count non-resident hunters, who also contribute heavily to money being spent inside the state each year. hat with the volatility The list of items upon which hunters of the American ecospend their money is long. The basic list nomic landscape amid contains 43 spending categories on everyassaults on Second thing from food, refreshments, lodging, Amendment rights, firearms, archery gear, ammunition, general hunting, shooting and hunting equipment, optics, processing and gun ownership, it makes one wonder if taxidermy costs, off-road vehicles-ATVs and states are looking at the economic impacts such, land owned primarily for hunting, land of outdoors dollars to their state revenues? leased primarily for hunting, plantings reAs some states sign into law more restriclated to hunting and everything in between. tions on private liberties and businesses Again the total expenditures exceed $38 bilalike, many outdoors companies are seeking lion, while deer hunters spend $18 billion more friendly spaces to produce their prodnationwide. That’s each year. ucts.

Spending on hunting in Mississippi goes To date, the AR magazine and accessory $1.3 billion on outdoor-related retail sales manufacturer Magpul is slated to move alone. The multiplier effect is estimated at from Colorado. Beretta is awaiting the $1,775,390,945. This is a factor of how origMaryland governor to sign anti-gun legislainal money spent is rolled over within the tion before they announce relocation. In economy time and time again.

Special to the Mississippi Business Journal Connecticut PTR Industries is preparing Salaries and wages paid within the outThere is no denying the economic impact of hunting. Here in Mississippi, whitetail deer hunting alone brings in to move leaving behind 50 high-tech jobs. doors industry in Mississippi were set at nearly $650 million annually in retail sales, with a multiplier effect of $911 million.

Undoubtedly more will come. $497 million with 22,511 jobs related to Hopefully our job-seeker guys at MDA hunting. Just hunting, too, this does not doors industries add in terms of employone’s memory of the economic impact of are fast at work seeking out these compafactor in fishing or other outdoor pursuits. ment payrolls, marketing dollars and not to nies for a possible move to Mississippi. The the various outdoor pursuits in this state.

State and local taxes paid were calculated mention the various taxes they pay.

Magnolia State is gun and hunting friendly Even when I review the latest numbers at $111,962,004. On top of that federal here it is hard to imagine just how far — so far. taxes paid equaled an additional reaching these sports and statewide outThe American hunting payback But perhaps is it time to refresh every$112,297,307. Big bucks don’t always come According to the latest available statistics with antlers. These are impressive numbers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ given up to state and federal governments 2012 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, to spend. and Wildlife Associated Recreation, there are Now let’s run some Mississippi numbers 13.7 million hunters in America aged 16 and for deer hunting alone. How about older. In 2011 they spent some $38.3 billion $643,295,510 spent on retail sales. The (with a “b”) on these pursuits. This is roughly multiplier effect is $911 million. Payroll is $2800 per hunter on average. Keep in mind $287 million for 15,018 jobs related to deer too that another two million hunters under hunting by itself. State and local taxes were the age of 16 also have gear and services $65,325,299 and federal taxes paid were $65,809,693. That’s $65 million into state bought for them by parents or others. tax coffers. Get any ideas about how imThere are estimated to be 680,000+ jobs in outdoors hunting-related industries. portant deer hunting is to this state just All this has generated $11.8 billion in taxes. from a jobs, revenue and taxes standpoint?

Migratory bird hunting adds another $49 Quite a sum for sure. This data was commillion in retail sales with $22 million in piled by Southwick Associates for the Nasalaries and wages for 969 jobs. State and tional Shooting Sports Foundation, which #SecurePrint federal taxes are slightly over $5 million each. tracks these trends on an annual basis Now, just in case you wanted to know, across America and state by state.

650,000 anglers in the state adds anThe overall trend is definitely on the upother $902 million in retail sales. Some ward move. Since 2006 hunters’ expendi11,000 jobs generate a payroll of $349 tures have increased by 55 percent. The number of hunters in America has increased million. Taxes paid are about $74 million by 9 percent between 2006 and 2011. each for state and federal. And it’s corHunters are passionate about their sport and rect, there are more people fishing in this will find a way to participate. Participation state than hunting, but together the iminsures expenditures at many levels. pact is immense.

- UT Medical Group The outdoors industry is a big deal in Mississippi numbers this country, and a huge deal in MissisAccording to the latest numbers, there sippi. It takes money to make money, but are an estimated 483,162 hunters in Missis- hunters and anglers are certainly doing sippi that pursue all types of hunting. Of their part. Let’s just hope our state govthat number an amazing 469,466 are deer ernment doesn’t forget this and continues hunters. Little wonder deer hunting is the to support our freedoms to pursue our No. 1 hunting sport here. Another 40,000 hunting heritage. hunt migratory birds, which seems to be on RJYoung.com the interest increase the past few years.

John J. Woods, Ph.D.,isvicepresidentinchargeofeconomic 601.948.2222 Participation by hunters in Mississippi is developmentandtraining,EagleRidgeConferenceandTrainflat out unreal. Days spent hunting for all ingCenter,theWorkforceDevelopmentCenterandcontract hunters is registered at 9,105,198. This is trainingservicesatHindsCommunityCollegeinRaymond.

OUTDOORS WITH DR. JOHN WOODS

Mississippi outdoors dollars

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solution is one of the best we have ever put in place. ” RJYoung.com/SecurePrint

June 31, 2013

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Mississippi Business Journal

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» MISSISSIPPI LEADERS by Martin Willoughby

Lean management Davenport finds satisfaction and success through SMS, BARInet

T

he health care industry is big business in Mississippi. The industry has over $11.9 billion in annual economic impact, provides Mississippi with more than $484 million in annual tax revenues and accounts for seven percent of the gross state product. Gov. Bryant targeted the industry as one of three key areas for economic development. In my own experience working with entrepreneurs, I have seen a number of fast-growth health care-related organizations that have created jobs and wealth in our state. Health care today is a complex and challenging environment to do business.

However, for savvy entrepreneurs, it is an incredible time of opportunity.

Don Davenport, CEO of SMS Healthcare Management, LLC, is one of those forward-thinking entrepreneurs. Davenport and his partners have teamed up to create a new company — BARInet Preferred Provider Network, LLC. They created BARInet to clinically integrate hospitals and physicians to “offer the best possible bariatric care for patients.” Davenport is passionate about utilizing their innovative integrated model to make an impact on how bariatric health care is delivered across the country.

Davenport candidly shared with me his own personal experience with the challenges of obesity. “My father suffered from morbid obesity and had a stroke related to his dis-

Up Close With ... Donald (Don) S. Davenport Title: CEO, SMS Healthcare Management, LLC; co-founder, BARInet Preferred Provider Network, LLC Favorite Books: Little Red Book (Harvey Penick); Good to Great (Jim Collins) First Job: “Delivery person-Pascagoula Auto Parts (they gave me keys to the company truck at 15 years old)” Hobbies/Interests: Family time and golf

ease in 1996,” Davenport said. He continued, “His stroke was not fatal at the time, but it forever changed the lives of our family, especially my mother, until his death 15 years later. If I had known in 1996 what I know now, I believe my father’s life would have been markedly different.” Davenport has seen the impact of morbid obesity on a first hand basis, and noted, “I’ve also seen what world-class disease management of morbid obesity can do to change lives.”

In 2004 after a successful career in banking, Davenport became CEO of SMS

Healthcare Management, a large multi-specialty clinic in South Mississippi. He said, “One of the first things I realized as an administrator was there was very limited access to bariatric surgery. Few health care plans offered the benefit, and if they did, the benefit was not very comprehensive and almost impossible for the employee to access.”

Davenport found that hundreds of patients each year would come to their clinics, but could not have surgery due to limited or no coverage in their employer benefit plans.

Based on the patient need and the desire for

“My father suffered from morbid obesity and had a stroke...”

Don Davenport CEO, SMS Healthcare Management, LLC

employers to manage health care costs, Davenport and his partners saw an opportunity to bring an innovative service to the market. For patients, BARInet provides quality Martin Willoughby management to insure that they are getting the most comprehensive medical weight management available, and for employers, BARInet offers a “bundled price” coupled with risk assurance.

Davenport is an execution-oriented leader. Managing a large multi-specialty medical clinic is no easy task. As a leader, Davenport has demonstrated the ability to get things done and focus his team on success. His new company allows him to utilize his leadership skills in combination with his passion for the subject of weight management. Other developing entrepreneurs should take note of the importance of bringing a combined skill set to run a business.

Davenport has teamed up with a nationally recognized bariatric surgeon to provide clinical oversight as medical director, a managed health care specialist, an insurance executive,and a health care benefits executive.to provide the necessary skills to bring a service like this to the market. BARInet is already expanding outside of Mississippi and will likely be having an impact soon on the way bariatric services are provided across the country in the next few years. I hope more Mississippi entrepreneurs will seize this moment in time to create visionary companies to drive the state forward.

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.

Suspenseful mountain tale hard to put down

N

» Nightwoods

By Charles Frazier Published by Random House $16.00 paperback

ightwoods is the third novel by author Charles Frazier, who won the National Book Award for the highly acclaimed Cold Mountain. His three books are entirely different, set in different eras, but share the same setting of Frazier's beloved mountains of North Carolina.

Several people have told me they didn't like Thirteen Moons and/or Nightwoods, finding them disappointing after the sweeping saga of Cold Mountain. I just finished Nightwoods, and I must say I liked all three of Frazier's books. I think it's a mistake to fall in love with the first book you read by an author and then expect — or hope — his succeeding books will follow the same theme. I like Frazier's versatility. No matter his story line, his love for the Appalachian Mountains shines through.

There are some historical notes about the land's native Cherokees included each time too.

In Nightwoods, we meet Luce, a strong and odd young woman who exhibits an intense respect for the land and its gifts to native people and settlers. The time period is the early 1960s, a turbulent national time to be sure, but outside events have little impact on Luce, who chooses to live a simple life apart from the small community around her.

Her life changes dramatically when the troubled young twins of her murdered sister come to live with her. Luce meets

the challenges and dangers — and even a suitor — head on in her own gritty, straightforward way. You'll cheer for this unlikely heroine to succeed with the children and against the odds hurled at her.

A reviewer for The Detroit News wrote, "Nightwoods is a mesmerizing cross between a rural noir and a suspense novel, with a taut plot that doesn't entirely unspool until the last page."

At only 259 pages, Nightwoods is a fast-paced, tight narrative. As is often the case with a good read, I was rushing to find out what would happen next in this suspenseful tale, but a little sorry for it to end. It will be interesting to see what type of book Frazier writes next. It's fairly certain that whatever it is, it will be finely crafted.

— Lynn Lofton, mbj@msbusiness.com

26 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 7, 2013 SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: BRUNO’S ADOBO

Not fried, not Mexican ... » ... but Latin-themed restaurant in Jackson’s Standard Life Building is certifiably green “Let the food talk itself,” he says.

Bruno draws from a medley of international influences for his sandwiches including the Shrimp Taco, the Cuban (Serrano fter stints in the kitchens of the ham, Adobo roasted pork, Manchego cheese Mississippi Museum of Art, drizzled with cilantro-roasted garlic mojo), County Line Hilton and the Governor’s Mansion, Chef Luis the Vietnamese (a choice of ginger pork, jerk chicken or baked lemongrass tofu Bruno has turned his sights on dressed with garlic, cucumber, carrots, the Standard Life Building. daikon and cilantro), burgers and wraps.

Named for Bruno’s line of seasonings, Entrees can be ordered with a salad, Bruno’s Adobo opened nearly a year ago on the ground floor of the former insurance-of- baked Adobo chips or a cup of Cuban fice-turned-residential-high-rise in Jackson. black bean soup. Bruno says he drives to “We’re definitely not Mexican,” Bruno says. Biloxi once a month to get his bread from a Vietnamese bakery.

“We’re not serving rice and beans, not south Portion control of the border.” when dining is imWhat Adobo is portant to Bruno, serving customers is who lost 200 pounds something quite revowhile working at the lutionary in Jackson Governor’s Mansion and Mississippi. and became a local It is the state’s first celebrity and advo“certified green” cate for healthier livrestaurant, a rating ing. While Bruno system developed by admits he’s a stress the Boston-based eater and has gained Green Restaurant close to 60 pounds Association. back, he doesn’t have The menu is full of Photos by Stephen McDill / MBJ to take insulin shots leafy green, veganA popular entrée is the hummus wrap with arugula, anymore and can keep friendly entrees and tomatoes and marinated artichoke. things on track. the restaurant itself is “You don’t have to eat salad or tofu for eco-friendly with its use of recyclable products and serving of chilled sparkling water in- dinner,” he tells customers. “You can eat rice and bok choy but let’s measure that rice and stead of bottled water. have four ounces of salmon not 12. Let me “There’s no fryer,” Bruno says. “We don’t keep it under 600 calories.” The ingredifry anything. It is either roasted or baked.” ents in Bruno’s packaged meals to go are Entrees ($10-$12 average price) are portioned and Bruno is working his way towards measured and all the customer has to do is go home and warm it up. localizing all of his produce. The restaurant Bruno says 80 percent of his diners are takes to-go orders and also caters. women and so far they are raving about the “It’s really different,” says Bruno, who coowns the restaurant along with business part- menu. The challenge comes with getting his name out there so people know where he is. ner Aimee Dickerson. “It’s been hard in the beginning to educate vendors on the products There’s also the ongoing negative perception that Greater Jackson residents often that we use. I’m all about being simple. Simhave of the downtown area. ple, easy and quick.”

“We have a bad rap,” Bruno says. “A city Diners can start off their Adobo expericouncilman told me it’s so hard for us to ence with appetizers like roasted garlic and bring people down here. Everyone thinks orange guacamole, smoked chili hummus or they’re going to come downtown and get shrimp and crab ceviche.

Salads are colorful and full of flavor from the shot or robbed. I haven’t seen one thing like that happen.” gluten-free Louie Tabboulie (quinoa, mango, Bruno says all the downtown restaurants grape tomatoes, parsley, green onions and lemon) to the Arugula salad (arugula, avocado, from Parlor Market and the Mayflower Cafe to the upcoming Iron Horse Grill are roma tomatoes, Manchego cheese, baked Adobo chickpeas, Spanish sherry vinaigrette). great food and great business for the area.

Bruno avoids offering mainline salad dress- “We have Wasabi sushi. We even have a freaking Smoothie King,” he says. “You just ings preferring instead his fresh seasonings need to give it a try and come on down.” and a dash of lemon or lime juice.

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

A

New York native Chef Luis Bruno started out in a pizzeria and after culinary training in Florida moved to Mississippi where he was the executive chef at the Governor’s Mansion for Govs. Kirk Fordice and Haley Barbour.

BRUNO’S ADOBO Address: Standard Life Building, 127 South Roach Street in Jackson Hours: 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Contact: (601) 944-9501 facebook.com/Adobo.ChefLuisBruno Twitter: @ChefLuisBruno

Located on the ground floor of the Standard Life Building in Jackson, Adobo’s “green and healthy” approach to dining is a concept that’s already trending in neighborhoods in New York City and Atlanta..

SALES MOVES

June 7, 2013

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

27

» JEFFREY GITOMER

Twitter thoughts and Twitter thinking. Tweet and Re-Tweet.

M

ost people reading this have never tweeted. (You included?) On the off chance that you have tweeted, my guess is you have less than 5,000 Twitter followers — maybe less than 500.

Whatever your situation is there’s no denying that Twitter is a major force in business social media. The next few paragraphs will challenge your thinking in regards to participation, specifically why you need to begin to take advantage of it today.

This is not simply a lesson. It’s also a perspective and a business building challenge. Or to put it into your language more sales NOW! I began tweeting several years ago, but I didn’t really understand the impact it could make or the opportunity it presented. I just took quotes from my books and began to post them.

What happened was very surprising to me. Not only did I gain more followers, but people also began to retweet my tweets to their followers. Cool.

That put my message in front of the followers of my followers. For free. Many of their followers then became my followers. For free. Is that cool, or what?

That was 50,000 followers ago. I now have a much more sophisticated strategy to distribute my

message, to add to my followers, and to gain new customers. For free.

Here are my Twitter actions and the thoughts behind them: » I tweet several times a day. I’m consistent.

Never miss. » I include links to my videos or promotions on less than 30 percent of my tweets. Some days none. » I tweet my own thoughts 95 percent of the time. The other tweets are profound quotes of others, or people I believe are worth following. » I only tweet what I believe my followers will benefit from. » I tweet what I believe is valuable enough to pass along.

Here are several actual examples of my tweets: » Fear of being wrong is more powerful than risk of being right. Leaders emerge as they become fearless. #gitomer #fear #power » Social media is everywhere, you may not like it, but you can’t ignore it. #gitomer » In a nuts and bolts world, there are far too many nuts, and an extreme shortage of bolts. #gitomer #greatquote » Are you a thinker beyond your business? If not you’ll wallow in mediocrity. #gitomer #think Two hours ago I tweeted: It’s no sin not to tweet

or use Twitter, it’s just a tremendous lost opportunity to sell and become known. #gitomer #twitter #opportunity. So far this tweet has been retweeted fifteen times and seven people favored it. It has already reached more than Jeffrey Gitomer 20,000 followers of other people. With my name on it. For free!

Two days ago, this tweet: The key to selling is to ask for the sale in a sincere, friendly manner. Don't push or use high pressure. #sales #gitomer had 24 retweets and 13 “favorites” within 24 hours (on a SUNDAY). This tweet reached another 20,000 people. With my name on it. For free!

Three days ago, this tweet: If you lose, ask yourself this all powerful question. Did I do my BEST? If you didn’t, you’ll blame the world for your own lack of effort got fifty-six retweets and twenty-four favorites. ON A HOLIDAY. This tweet reached another 50,000 people. With my name on it. For free.

DESIRED OUTCOME: My Twitter goals are to be re-tweeted 100 times a day, be “favored” 50 times

a day, and pick up 250 new followers a week. I usually tweet three or four times a day.

CAUTION: I have been tweeting for four years. In that time I have learned what to do and what not to do. I am far from an expert, but I have more followers than most people who claim they are.

The advice I’m offering is based on my own experience and my own strategy. The best advice that I can give you is to create your own strategy focused around what you believe will help your customers the most. Then follow that strategy consistently. Daily.

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

INCORPORATIONS Continued from Page 9

Gulfport (cont.)

AC Development LLC LLC 3/7/13 2218 18Th Street Advanced Business Technical Solutions LLC LLC 3/5/13 2218 18Th Street Amy’s Posh Pups LLC LLC 3/7/13 2218 18Th Street Anderson Tate, LLC LLC 3/15/13 84 48Th Street AP Fab LLC LLC 3/26/13 12435 Plunkett Road Ascot Ventures 1, LLC LLC 3/15/13 12206 Highway 49 Auto Executives LLC LLC 3/1/13 2218 18Th Street Babyland Studio LLC LLC 3/13/13 2218 18Th Street Batman Cleans House DBA OTH 3/15/13 918 38 Ave BBG, LLC LLC 3/6/13 1720 23Rd Avenue Blue Glide Inc. BUS 3/28/13 4708 Washington Ave Blue Leopard Virtual Inc BUS 3/5/13 12221 Ashley Drive, Suite A & B Brad Rhodes Agency, LLC LLC 3/11/13 11327 Highway 49 Braxton Properties LLC LLC 3/26/13 13676 Huntington Circle Broder & Sachse Real Estate Services of Illinois, LLC LLC 3/18/13 12435 Plunkett Road CLR Assets LLC LLC 3/5/13 2218 18Th Street Coastal Expeditions, LLC LLC 3/19/13 1225 32Nd Avenue Compass Laboratory Services LLCLLC 3/26/13 12435 Plunkett Road Cornerstone Marketing, LLC LLC 3/14/13 10365 Huntleigh Dr Creole Soul LLC LLC 3/15/13 2314 32Nd Avenue

Critical Thinkers Academy LLC LLC 3/8/13 13539 Brayton Blvd Cuties Beauty Supplys & More LLCLLC 3/5/13 2218 18Th Street D.D. Vince Enterprises LLC LLC 3/5/13 2218 18Th Street D&D Hattiesburg LLC LLC 3/12/13 12287 Highway 49 David Lee Golf LLC LLC 3/19/13 19396 Champion Circle Downing Properties II, LLC LLC 3/25/13 2510 14Th Street, Suite 1125 Duchess Boutique, LLC LLC 3/20/1313840 Robindale Road, Lot #122 Duckworth Development, LLC LLC 3/15/13 12206 Hwy 49 EC construction llc LLC 3/12/13 2218 18Th Street Enchanted BathScapes LLC LLC 3/12/13 2218 18Th Street Entertainment Now LLC LLC 3/13/139424 Three Rivers Road Gulfport, Ms 39503 ETS Oilfield Services, L.P. LP 3/7/13 12435 Plunkett Road Fisher Relocation Inc BUS 3/5/13 12221 Ashley Drive, Suite A & B Floors to Go Etc., LLC LLC 3/22/13 3120 53Rd Ave Frank Soler DBA OTH 3/15/13 918 38 Ave Garrett Holdings of MS, LLC LLC 3/20/13 1605 23Rd Avenue Garrett Holdings, L.L.C. LLC 3/20/13 1605 23Rd Avenue Godstar LLC LLC 3/8/13 907 Sweetgum Drive Gulfport Family Event CommitteeNP 3/20/13 9169 Ashburn Lane GWR, LLC LLC 3/21/13 2425 Champion Green Harris Plumbing, LLC LLC 3/18/13 12453 Canal Road Harvest Plantation, LLC LLC 3/18/13 12435 Plunkett Road Hatfield’s Discount LLC LLC 3/11/13 2218 18Th Street

Hattiesburg Firearms DBA LLC 3/12/13 2218 18Th Street Hazard Mitigation Contractors, LLCLLC 3/22/13 12435 Plunkett Road Highlands Properties LLC LLC 3/25/13 763 Courthouse Road ICC Cable Corp.

BUS 3/25/13 15005 White Rd Inman-Murphy, Inc. BUS 3/1/13 12435 Plunkett Road J & J Enterprises Commercial Cleaning LLC LLC 3/4/13 2218 18Th Street J-Tel Sims, LLC LLC 3/28/13 12287 Highway 49 Jeff Register Building & Truss LLCLLC 3/4/13 10928 Channel Side Dr JTL Enterprises LLC LLC 3/12/13 2218 18Th Street Just Plane Fun, LLC LLC 3/12/13 2218 18Th Street K Stephens Trucking LLC LLC 3/27/13 2218 18Th Street Kelly Lee, LLC LLC 3/25/13 2218 24Th Ave Kenan Family Tax, Inc BUS 3/11/13 3451 Washington Ave Kendallbrook MS, LLC LLC 3/15/13 12206 Hwy 49 Kennedy Mitchell Enterprises, IncBUS 3/28/13 14462 Dedeaux Road KLE Holdings LLC LLC 3/13/13 104 Bayou Cir Lehmann Engineering, Inc. BUS 3/25/13 12435 Plunkett Road (39503) Lexomatic LLC LLC 3/15/13 1605 23Rd Ave Life Moments Transition, LLC LLC 3/4/13 2111 25Th Ave Lovewood Handcrafts LLC LLC 3/27/13 812 Reginault Ave Miuz Inc BUS 3/7/13 11515 Hwy 49 Mookies LLC LLC 3/29/13 2218 18Th Street Morris Builders LLC LLC 3/27/13 2218 18Th Street

Mr. H Properties LLC LLC 3/4/13 2218 18Th Street Mystery South LLC LLC 3/12/13 2218 18Th Street North Alabama Team Camp LLC LLC 3/13/13 2218 18Th Street O.G. Gulf Coast Team, LLC LLC 3/15/13 14023 Gladys Street Papillon Management, LLC LLC 3/15/13 12206 Highway 49 Parke Place, LLC LLC 3/21/13 12206 Hwy 49 Pass Oaks, LLC LLC 3/15/13 12206 Hwy 49 Pearl River Trucking LLC LLC 3/12/13 2218 18Th Street Physician’s Wellness & Weight Loss LLCLLC

3/7/13 2218 18Th Street Preserve Developers 4, LLC LLC 3/15/13 12206 Hwy 49 PTW of Mississippi, Inc BUS 3/15/13 12101 Highway 49 R&Z Management LLC LLC 3/27/13 12435 Plunkett Road Rabalais Constructors, LLC LLC 3/6/13 12435 Plunkett Road Rabalais I&E Constructors LLC 3/6/13 12435 Plunkett Road Reelin ‘Em In LLC LLC 3/22/13 13745 Robindale Rd Revlis Enterprises LLC LLC 3/11/13 2218 18Th Street Rivers Edge Ventures, LLC LLC 3/15/13 12206 Hwy 49 RLCB, Inc NP 3/20/13Naval Construction Bn Center 5200 Cbc McKinney Ave, Bldg 16

SBD Holding LLC LLC 3/6/13 104 Bayou Circle Seabee Ball Fund NP 3/18/13 4902 Marvin Shields Blvd Signature Sunless LLC LLC 3/7/13 407 Magazine Circle Southern Auto Consultants LLC LLC 3/11/13 2218 18Th Street Southern Choice Consulting LLC LLC 3/8/13 1617 25Th Avenue, Second Floor

Southern Coast Safety Supply, Inc.

BUS

3/18/13 12221 Ashley Drive, Suite A & B Streeter & Son’s Enterprises LLCLLC 3/21/13 2218 18Th Street Superior Sheet Metal Fabricators LLC LLC

3/15/13 12230 Ashley Drive TDG Walker, LLC LLC 3/14/13 12287 Highway 49 The Blind Tiger of MS, LLC LLC 3/1/13 2909 13Th Street, Sixth Floor (39501) The McKinney Foundation NP 3/8/13 13539 Brayton Blvd The Sewing Studio, LLC LLC 3/19/13 2218 18Th Street The Tree Feller’s LLC LLC 3/12/13 2218 18Th Street Ticking Tri Bombs, LLC LLC 3/15/13 2501 14Th St Ste 212 TM Restorations, LLC LLC 3/4/13 14078 Gladys St TomKat LLC LLC 3/6/13 1822 23Rd Ave Treasures & More, Inc. BUS 3/14/13 2111 25Th Avenue Turner Gas Company BUS 3/28/13 12435 Plunkett Road TWTTransport, LLC LLC 3/15/13 16008 Lizana School Road United Benefits, LLC LLC 3/13/13 12435 Plunkett Road Watersolve, LLC LLC 3/1/13 12435 Plunkett Road Wealthmaster Institute Inc BUS 3/27/13 2419 13Th Ave Wiles Landscape LLC LLC 3/29/13 2218 18Th Street Wind Global Corporation BUS 3/15/13 1900 43Rd Avenue World Environmental Services LLCLLC 3/25/13 2108 23Rd Avenue Worthington Hatt, LLC LLC 3/15/13 12206 Hwy 49 XK Productions LLC LLC 3/29/13 2218 18Th Street Xpress Financial Services Inc BUS 3/19/13 13942 Gatsby Dr Yeti’s Snoballs LLC LLC 3/11/13 545 East Pass Road

Guntown Sweetwater Utilities, LLC LLC 3/27/13 166 CD 2452

Hattiesburg Alamo Pharma Services, Inc. BUS 3/7/13 311 6Th Avenue Always Welcomed, LLC LLC 3/18/13 1246 Beverly Hills Road Apt 47 Beachside Ski Lodge, LLC LLC 3/11/13 1301 West Pine Street Broomhall Auto Body, LLC LLC 3/27/13 5113 Lincoln Rd Ext Coley’s Cleaning & Custodial LLCLLC 3/14/13 108 Plantation Place Dr Apt #3 Complete Construction Contractors LLCLLC

3/11/13 211 S 29th Avenue CR Properties LLC LLC 3/11/13 16 Bellegrass Boulevard Creative Catholic Media LLC LLC 3/1/13 101 Wheeless Circle Creekwood Duval LLC LLC 3/25/13 601 Adeline Street DG Columbus 50, LLC LLC 3/27/13 2603-A Oak Grove Road DG Pricedale, LLC LLC 3/27/13 2603-A Oak Grove Road DownStage Productions, LLC LLC 3/18/13 12 Park Place Apt 184E ForesTech Hazlehurst LLC LLC 3/19/13 30 Maple Ridge Street Francis Street Manager LLC LLC 3/27/13 212 Martin Luther King Avenue Francis Street Redevelopment LLCLLC 3/27/13 212 Martin Luther King Avenue Freedom Cleaning LLC LLC 3/13/13 710 Corinne St #2 Garrett Timberlands LLC LLC 3/27/13 906 South 34th Ave Global Healthcare Consulting, LLCLLC 3/12/13 314 Romar Pl H.O.P.E. Prevention Awareness & Mentoring Services LLC LLC 3/11/13 307 Lakewood Loop Hattiesburg Parent Network NP 3/25/13 105 McSwain Street

Hub City Amateur Radio Sales LLCLLC 3/11/13 12 Wildwood Trails Inland Staffing LLC LLC 3/21/13 908 W. Pine Street IPC Wealth Management, LLC LLC 3/25/13309 S. 40th Avenue Hattiesburg, Ms 39402 IT Med Dynamics, L.L.C. LLC 3/14/13 609 S. 19th Avenue Karma, LLC LLC 3/20/13 814 Hillendale Drive KMC Rental and Management IncBUS 3/11/13 5073 Lincoln Rd Ext KS B St L Real Estate 1, LLC LLC 3/29/13 325 T Smith Road KS B St L Real Estate 2, LLC LLC 3/29/13 325 T Smith Road KS Kiln Real Estate, LLC LLC 3/29/13 325 T Smith Road KS Waveland Real Estate, LLC LLC 3/29/13 325 T Smith Road LC22 LLC LLC 3/13/13 108 Hall Avenue Life Support Cares NP 3/5/136490 Us Hwy 49 N Apt. 402 Hattiesburg, Ms 39401

Little Dog Cinema, LLC LLC 3/28/13 10 Helene Circle Magnolia Correctional Services, LLC LLC

3/29/13 10 Professional Parkway McCullum Enterprise, LLC LLC 3/12/13 163 Ralston Road MPMM LLC LLC 3/19/13 2214 Oak Grove Road Next World Technologies & Publishing LLC LLC 3/28/13 105 McSwain Street Pep’s Point Water Park & Retreat Center, L.L.C. LLC 3/1/13 382 Peps Point Road Pinebelt Electric Heating and Air LLC LLC

3/18/13 605 North Street Research Chemicals Inc BUS 3/25/13 123 Brycewood Circle Shop Monkey Garage LLC LLC 3/25/13 1008 Southeast Circle Southern Belle Boutique LLC LLC 3/28/13 3660 Hwy 589

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