MBJ_Nov23_2018

INSIDE — Airbnb playing increasing role in Oxford — Page 14 CONSTRUCTION

U.S. HVAC hit hard by worker shortage Industry campaign will highlight occupation’s positive aspects

— Page 2

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November 23 2018 • Vo. 40 No. 47 • 16 pages

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Northpark launches new ‘family friendly’ era

Law & Accounting {Section begins P8}

» Ole Miss brings multidisciplinary approach to addressing the opioid addiction crisis » JIM HOOD: Much action is needed to address opioid addiction problem in Mississippi

{The List P11} » Oldest CPA firms

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» Working to make things better for underserved youth

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The Northpark grand reopening drew a crowd of about 100 last week who were on hand to view changes in phase one of the mall’s reinvention.

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2 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q November 23, 2018 CONSTRUCTION

U.S. HVAC hit hard by worker shortage » Industry campaign will highlight occupation’s positive aspects

By TED CARTER mbj@msbusiness.com

Perhaps there’s no happier sight for a Mississippian with a broken air conditioner in July or kaput heating system in January than the arrival of an HVAC professional.

So why does the heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry suffer from low self-esteem and difficulties attracting new workers?

Call it the “left behind” skill set, says Erin McCollum, development director for the EGIA Foundation, a California-based non-profit created to attract McCollum and support the next generation of workers in the home. EGIA Foundation derived its name from the nearly 80-year-old Electric and Gas Industry Association.

McCollum says over the years HVAC “was seen as a lesser job or something less successful,” despite the job security, attractive pay and advancement opportunities it offered.

That notion grew partly out of the belief of the World War II generation and the baby boomers who followed that true career success came with a four-year college degree and a white-collar job, McCollum says.

“As we got rid of vocational programs in schools, more schools started teaching how to get into college,” she says.

Whatever the reason, the HVAC industry has a predicament: Demand for HVAC services has never been higher but the industry lacks the trained work force to meet it.

Today, the sector falls short about 38,000 workers annually and will need an estimated 115,000 by 2022 as more HVAC veterans retire, according to McCollum.

“Statistically, we see about 10,000 of those workers leaving through retirement or for other reasons,” she said of the yearly labor falloff.

Labor shortages are across the board but the EGIA Foundation is mostly focused on residential.

The industry created the EGIA Foundation to lead a national campaign to draw more workers into the HVAC field.

A new industry study titled “Bridging the HVAC Employment Gap” details just how dire the deficit of interest in joining the field has become. And it does so in blunt terms.

“By their own admission, 64 percent of high school students believe that HVAC is not a career that would make a parent proud,” says Weldon Long, an EGIA Foundation Trustee.

“Unfortunately, often unjustly, these careers are viewed as substandard over undervalued career choices,” he adds.

Long blames misconceptions created by those outside See HVAC, Page 3

EDUCATION

Copiah-Lincoln Community College sees steady enrollment in HVAC

By TED CARTER mbj@msbusiness.com Eighteen schools in Mississippi are giving assistance to a U.S. heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry starved for new workers.

The schools, most of which are community colleges, offer programs designed to address a skills gap that could stall commercial and resi» Copiah Lincoln Community College — Natchez dential construction in Mississippi if not filled. » Copiah Lincoln Community College — Wesson At the Wesson campus of Copiah-Lincoln » Delta Technical College — Horn Lake Community College, 20 or so HVAC students are training for the air conditioning, heating and » East Central Community College — Decatur ventilation field. Another half dozen are in the » Hinds Community College — Raymond program at the college’s Natchez campus.

They’re undergoing two years of instruction » Holmes Community College — Goodman in both academics and HVAC. The four semes» Career Training - Mississippi / HVAC ters include math, English, science and public » Career Now — Jackson, Gulfport, Southaven, Hattiesburg, speaking, says Brent Duguid, Copiah-Lincoln’s dean of Career, Technical and Workforce EduBiloxi cation. » Itawamba Community College — Tupelo Campus They learn about everything from window air conditioners all the way up to the big cooler, » Jones County Junior College — Ellisville chiller types, Duguid says. » Meridian Community College — Meridian While enrollment has not been growing, it has been steady over the past three years, according » Mississippi Delta Community College — Moorhead to Duguid. » Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College — Gulfport He says he thinks more students would be » Northeast Mississippi Community College — Booneville taking the training of they had been introduced to it in high school. “I think it has to do with the » Northwest Mississippi Community College — Senatobia education process,” Duguid says of the stalled » Pearl River Community College — Poplarville growth. “Career tech programs in high schools have gone away.” » Southwest Miss. Community College — Summit The college’s total enrollment is around » Virginia College — Jackson 3,000 students.

The typical HVAC student is a recent high school graduate, though non-traditional older students are part of the mix. “We get a lot of ex-military students,” Duguid says.

“Whether incoming freshmen or non-traditional students, they are there because they want to be here.”

If past trends hold, only 28 percent of the students will complete the program and receive their associate of applied science degrees as well as school-provided credentials that include the National Center for Construction Education and Research Core, Level 1 and Level 2.

The graduation rate is identical to the one U.S. News & World Report listed for Copiah-Lincoln in 2013.

The students undergo training with HVAC businesses in the region. “Many go to work for a company (they trained with) once they graduate,” Duguid says.

A misconception is that grads of the technical program must go into installation or repair work. However, some start in the sales side of the business, Duguid says.

“What we find,” he says, “is when students get employed, they have a lot of information they are bringing to the table. The employer is able to fine tune that for what they need.”

HVAC SCHOOLS IN MISSISSIPPI

November 23, 2018

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HVAC Continued from, Page 2

Reasons Students Enroll in an HVAC Program (According to Post-Sectondary Educators & Administrators)

EGIA FOUNDATION 2018 Bridging the HVAC Employment Gap Industry Study

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P10}

» Some see interest by the Fed as a good rate hikes » Bill Rayburn pushesthing to create jobs across the state

» Final investment decision has not been made on proposed $8 billion LNG export facility

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From Wikipedia/MBJ

The Threefoot Building, designed by Claude H.

Trucking & Transportation {Section begins P12} » Federal bill sees 18-year-olds as remedy to nationwide truck driver shortfall » MTAF awarded 38 scholarships

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Aplós opens in Highland Villa ge

Banking & Financ {Section begins e

Energy, Gas, Utilities {Section begins P10}

Lindsley and completed in 1929 in the art deco

style, is, at 16 stories, the city’s tallest building.

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com A third hotel will be built thanks significantly to the Mississippi Tourism Incentive

COlUMN

Meridian. eli- {P8} That would mean $6.9 million toward » MATTHE issued W McLAUGHLIN: gible costs, according to the certificate Be driven BusiJuly 10 and obtained by the Mississippi by relationships, not numbers ness Journal through the state Open Records Act. The Journal is seeking further informaAution from the Mississippi Development thority, about the project. proThe first hotel to take advantage of the a gram was the Scion West End in Cleveland, The $20 million project nearing completion. program. will Hotels project by Greenwood-based Chawla The state law that created the program than provide up to 30 percent of the more 1929 See THREEFOOT, Page 4 $23 million conversion of the 16-story art deco Threefoot Building in downtown

Meridian hotel third to get tourism tax rebate

Grant library notching a place for itself on Civil War trail — Page 2

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By JACK WEATHE

RLY TACY RAYBURN/MBJ usiness.com Aug. 6 by Eaton O’Neill is Mediteand business partner Steven rranean. cestry it was lex Eaton says The name Lebanese, Italian the of said Eaton, 33.

Manship Wood- cuisine at his Greek for “simple the restaurant, Aplós, “So that’s what and Greek,” is Fired Kitch.” this is.”

It’s simple. en, opened in That’s because October 2013, of a distillation But developing “Mediterranean is cultural influences, of all those the Aplós menu with Souther he says traveled Eaton, wasn’t roots.” restaura n to Lebanon, whose new nt opens San Francisco as courtyard, where onto the Highland Village Philadelphia.

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SMALL BUSINESS {Section begins P9} even » An MBA is still relevant in a tight job market takes » A Legacy’s Path: Stebly tattoo art to new heights

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the industry. Unless the misconceptions are reversed, the industry can’t develop a sustainable workforce made up of each successive up-and-coming generation, he says.

Another trustee, Drew Cameron of HVAC Selluations, detailed the Foundation’s mission in a recent address of industry leaders and businesses, saying the organization’s task is to “shine a light on the incredible, honorable, lifelong career opportunities the home services industry offers.”

The message will be direct and simple, Cameron says: “An individual can enter the trade with less time spent on education, no college debt, plus they can get a job immediately, and can earn as much as, if not more, than most college graduates.”

McCollum, the Foundation development director, says initial “bridge-the-gap” efforts will be on public awareness, specifically among high schoolers and their parents. In addition to promoting the employment demand and high wages, the effort will highlight the high-tech aspects of the job and the industry’s gender inclusivity.

A modest scholarship program providing 20 or so HVAC students $2,500 each is also planned.

The big project, according to McCollum, is creation of a career hub to guide HVAC students into additional schooling and connect them with mentoring programs.

HVAC businesses and manufacturers will be a key resource for the hub, McCollum says.

The hub is scheduled to be operational by the first quarter of 2019.

McCollum says the initiative will also seek to attract career changers but will want to know these potential HVAC workers are sincere in wanting to enter the field.

“We’re not against change of life careers,” she says. “We don’t want HVAC to be seen as a backup plan. We want the industry to be something you are proud of, something worth making an investment in.”

The study, “Bridging the HVAC Employment Gap,” says the labor shortage was foreseeable, yet “the magnitude of the problem is still shocking.”

Each year fewer individuals are “positively introduced to the trade while more tradespeople leave the work force,” the study notes.

The stakes go beyond the HVAC field itself, the study emphasizes.

“In a world without HVAC, companies can no longer hit current production levels,” it warns. “Computer systems require air conditioning to function. Employees need constant climate control throughout the seasons. Homes are opened up to environmental hazards and particulate matter with occupants experiencing high incidents of respiratory inflictions.

“Without humidity control, structures deteriorate more rapidly. Hospital-contracted infections increase and mortality rates decline.”

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MBJPERSPECTIVE November 23 2018 • www.msbusiness.com • Page 4

OTHER VIEWS

#THE OUTSIDE WORLD

Website: www.msbusiness.com November 23, 2018 Volume 40, Number 47

HOMEGROWN APPROACH BEST SOLUTION ON TEACHER SHORTAGE

ALAN TURNER Publisher alan.turner@msbusiness.com • 364-1021 TAMI JONES Associate Publisher tami.jones@msbusiness.com • 364-1011 ROSS REILY Editor ross.reily@msbusiness.com • 364-1018 FRANK BROWN Researcher frank.brown@msbusiness.com • 364-1022 JACK WEATHERLY Staff Writer jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com • 364-1016 TED CARTER Contributing Writer mbj@msbusiness.com • 364-1018 BECKY GILLETTE Contributing Writer mbj@msbusiness.com • 364-1018

I attract and retain talent – the outstanding faculty and staff required to manage complex university activities, achieve academic standing among peer universities, recruit growing numbers of students, and, of course, win in football.

4. The ability and connections to navigate the swamp in Washington to get a decent share of the billions of dollars the federal government distributes to universities yearly.

5. The ability and connections to navigate the lagoon in Jackson to hold on to as much state government support as possible and minimize political interference.

6. The ability, personality, and stamina needed to keep fractious alumni and faculty content, if not happy.

7. The ability and savvy to work cooperatively with the IHL Board and Commissioner while still achieving the university’s priorities.

In the case of Ole Miss, it also takes the ability, personality, and courage to abandon divisive vestiges of segregation and, yet, sustain the university’s cultural uniqueness and alumni allegiance.

The traditional, insular university pathway to the presidency doesn’t well

t’s not a new problem, and neither are the attempted solutions.

Programs like Teach for America, alternate route certification, and the Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program at the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University all aim to attract more people with a diversity of skill sets and experiences into the field of education.

Following along those lines is a new approach from the Mississippi Department of Education, which recently announced a $4.1-million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to fund the Mississippi Teacher Residency program, as reported by the Daily Journal’s Dillon Mullan.

The residency will pay the undergraduate tuition for 35 members of Americorps, a national network of community service. The participants will be placed in the classroom of a highly skilled or National Board Certified Teacher mentor for two years. They will then be required to teach in a Mississippi public school district for three years.

The program is an encouraging one with the potential to attract bright individuals from across the country to help in Mississippi’s classrooms. And while many of those teachers likely won’t remain long term, they will undoubtedly boost the state’s educational system.

The reality, though, is that the best way for many districts to address their teacher shortages is through homegrown approaches. That means identifying students with the potential to become great educators and encouraging them to enter the field. It means recognizing those individuals at an early age and making them aware of their potential at a time when they’re beginning to chart their futures. It means explaining to them the intrinsic benefits of being an educator and the impact they could make on the future of their state.

That’s what an innovative program at Tupelo High School aims to do.

Last Thursday, 47 members of the school’s Future Educators of America club spent the day shadowing a teacher at one of the district’s schools. They worked on art projects, taught math problems and helped students prepare for tests. Mostly, they got a feel for what it is like to teach.

For some of those students, the day spent in the classroom was merely a way to confirm something they had long considered. For others, it planted a seed.

“I was skeptical about teaching,” said Tupelo High student Kyion White. “…Shadowing a classroom did a great job of opening my mind to teaching.”

The best place for districts to find talented future educators with a vested interest in their communities is right in their own backyards.

And the more they can find ways to tap into that pool, the better the state’s future will be.

See CRAWFORD, Page 5

— Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

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» INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

Who is the right fit for Ole Miss chancellor?

T

he resignation of Ole Miss Chancellor Dr. Jeffrey S. Vitter was no surprise to insiders. A terrific academician with a stellar resume, Dr. Vitter simply was not the right fit for Ole Miss at this time. No doubt he will land another university presidency in the near future.

So, what sort of leader would fit?

While most Rebels simply want a fellow alum who can rally the troops and win in football, it takes much more than that to be a successful university president.

Two examples who could rally and win and do much more are former Chancellor Dr. Robert Khayat and current Mississippi State University President Dr. Mark Keenum. Frankly, neither was chosen for outstanding scholarship. Instead they had these more essential attributes of effective university presidents: 1. A commitment to excellence in higher education, particularly at their alma maters, and the capacity to understand and manage complex institutions.

2. The ability and personality to connect with donors and raise millions of dollars for both academics and athletics.

3. The ability and gravitas needed to

Bill Crawford

PERSPECTIVE » RICKY NOBILE

November 23, 2018 I Mississippi Business Journal

CRAWFORD

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prepare academicians for all these duties. That’s why many universities now turn to leaders who have been successful in other fields, particularly government executives, to serve as presidents. Examples include former Indiana governor Mitch Daniels, now president at Purdue University, and former Arizona governor and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, now president at the University of California.

And Mark Keenum at Mississippi State.

Among the early names floating around to become the next Ole Miss Chancellor is former Gov. Haley Barbour. Whether Haley is interested or has the gas in the tank to take this on, I don’t know, but he fits all the criteria.

Another name mentioned is former IHL Commissioner and current University of Nebraska system president Hank Bounds. Hank checks most of the criteria boxes but has limited fundraising experience (UN Foundation gifts have declined during his tenure). For the record he has an Ole Miss Ph.D. and USM undergraduate and master degrees.

Other names will soon surface. Perhaps retiring Supreme Court Chief Justice William Waller or Delta State University President Bill LaForge will emerge. Both check most boxes and have Ole Miss law degrees (but are MSU and DSU alumni, respectively).

Finding a Chancellor with the right fit for Ole Miss will test the IHL Board.

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

»INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

Lawmakers must decide on public defense overhaul

M

ississippi’s Public Defender Task Force is gone. How the Legislature reacts next year to the task force’s final report will determine whether it’s forgotten.

The group conducted an extensive study of how Mississippi provides lawyers to criminal defendants who can’t afford their own, detailing a rickety county-by-county system where low pay may incentivize public defenders in many counties to skimp on work, at the same time that defenders may fear fighting hard for their clients because that might upset judges who appoint them.

The Legislature last year didn’t extend the life of the group, meaning it dissolved on June 30. But before the task force passed out of existence after three years of work, it issued a report proposing a major overhaul of the current piecemeal system of public defense.

Right now, each county makes its own decisions about public defenders. Some, like Hinds, Washington and Pearl River, have a full-time public defender’s office. Others hire one or more lawyers on contract, usually on a part-time basis.

Yet others still appoint lawyers for individual cases.

Statewide, part-time contract lawyers dominate. Because they get a set amount no matter how much time they spend on an individual case, contract lawyers have incentives to spend as little time as possible on indigent cases to maximize income from private clients.

A report by the Sixth Amendment Center also found that public defenders in many of the 10 counties it examined were carrying too many cases, compared to national standards. The center argues for improved public defense nationwide.

Those who want changes in the system say lawmakers and citizens should care, because the state is shirking its duty to provide lawyers to those facing jail time. They warn that other counties could be sued for the failure, in the same way that Leake, Neshoba, Newton and Scott counties were.

Advocates also say that better public defenders could speed cases toward a conclusion, meaning unrepresented people who can’t pay bail wouldn’t sit in jail for months or even years. That would cut jail costs for county taxpayers.

Under the draft legislation presented by the task force, a nine-member Public Defender Oversight Council would be created. The council, in turn, would set standards for public defender caseloads and other matters and take over public defender training. The state public defender would still be appointed by the governor, but would report to the council, and would be responsible for naming a district public defender in each judicial circuit based on recommendations from a local committee. Those district defenders, in turn, could hire assistants, who would be funded by counties.

The idea is to create a public defender office that would parallel the district attorney’s office in each of the state’s 22 circuits. The proposed law would set the salary for the dis-

Jeff Amy

trict defender at 90 percent of that earned by the district attorney.

This would, of course, cost more money. The task force estimates that counties statewide are already collectively paying

Forecasts show lawmakers will have a little money to spend in the coming session ... about $15 million for indigent defense. The Legislature would have to come up with at least $4 million more to pay for the overhaul.

“You’re not going to be able to fix the problems we identified by somehow having it cost less than what it’s currently costing,” David Carroll, executive director of Sixth Amendment Center, told the task force in April.

Forecasts show lawmakers will have a little money to spend in the coming session, although competition in an election year will be sharp. In a state with many needs, paying to guarantee that poor people get fair trials could be easy to forget.

Jeff Amy has covered politics and government for The Associated Press in Mississippi since 2011. Follow him on Twitter at http://twit-

PERSPECTIVE

6 I Mississippi Business Journal I November 23 2018

»FROM THE GROUND UP

To beard or not to beard I

t’s a late October evening. The Saints are playing the Vikings on television. On another channel, the Red Sox are playing the Dodgers in what will be the final game of the World Series. As the players are introduced, photos of their faces appear in little boxes in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. Looking at those faces, it was so obvious. I couldn’t miss it. Six of the 11 starters on the Saints offense had full beards. Not those other variations of facial hair, such as stubble beards or Fu Manchus. Nope. Full beards. I counted as the Vikings defenders were introduced in a similar manner. Also six out of 11.

Switching channels to the World Series game, the screen showed a pitcher, a catcher and a batter, each with a full beard. Later, I noticed that the weather person for a local television station also was sporting a full beard. On Monday morning I attended a meeting of seven men, four of them had full beards. I also observed that late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel now sports a full beard.

Full beards have obviously gone from being a fad to being a trend. Several weeks ago my wife and I were having breakfast at Brent’s Drugs in the Fondren neighborhood in Jackson. It’s a neat place to have breakfast on a Saturday morning.

A throwback atmosphere with a basic menu. As we sipped coffee while waiting on our bacon and eggs, we discussed that many of the diners were young families. And of course – you guessed it. Many, if not most of the fathers, had beards.

I also noticed another thing. Many of the older men who

came into the restaurant were clean-shaven. Was this a millennial thing?

I decided to do some further research. I went online and checked out the full roster of the Boston Red Sox. What I found was that 17 of the 22 pictures had full beards, three of the three catchers had full beards, four of the four outfielders and five of the 11 infielders, for a total of 29 out of 40 of the players had full beards. That’s 73%. Surely 73% of the male population of the United States does not have beards. Of course not.

So I did a little even further research. Especially beards in the business world. I turned to Forbes magazine and checked out the class of 2018 New Billionaires. Eleven of the 14 new billionaires on the list are men. Only two of those 11 have full beards: Dan Kurzius, co-founder and chief customer officer of MailChimp and Drew Houston, cofounder and CEO of of Dropbox. Further research was conducted on the Mississippi Business Journal website. I found that out of the 50 Under 40 only a few men had a beard. There were a few more in the Top Entrepreneurs edition.

By now, you’re wondering if you should consider growing a beard. If so, allow me to offer some thoughts and perspective on this weighty subject.

First, what’s your organization’s policy and culture when it comes to beards? Some companies embrace beards. Lucky Town Brewing Company is a good example. It goes with the culture. On the other hand, some companies prefer the

Phil Hardwick clean-shaven look. That will be your first consideration.

Next, does a beard look good on you? Begin your beard at a time when you’re going to have some time off from work or when other people you normally see won’t be seeing you.

After your beard has reached the desired length, ask some trusted friends for their honest reaction. Listen to people’s comments whom you haven’t seen for a long time. In my case, I had various people tell me that I looked like a college professor, a Russian, and even a homeless person. The very best compliment I received was, “You’ve lost weight.” Beard stays.

Consider why you are growing a beard. Are you trying to be part of a trend, are you just trying it out to see what it will look like on you, or are you really serious about becoming a bearded person? If a full beard is not your cup of tea, consider other facial hair, such as a Fu Manchu, a mustache or a stubble beard.

There are advantages to having a full beard of course.

Shaving time is greatly reduced. All you have to do is trim around the edges.

Finally, with apologies to Shakespeare: To beard or not to beard, that is the question.

» Phil Hardwick is a regular Mississippi Business Journal columnist and owner of Hardwick & Associates, LLC, which provides strategic planning facilitation and leadership training services. His email is phil@philhardwick. com and he’s on the web at www.philhardwick.com.

Are you trying to be part of a trend, are you just trying it out to see what it will look like on you, or are you really serious about becoming a bearded person?

November 23, 2018

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Northpark launches new ‘family friendly’ era

JACK WEATHERLY/MBJ

Above left: Discovery Park is one of number of child-oriented features at the mall. Above right: Some of the major checklist items, such as the north main entrance, are still works in progress.

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

With the pomp and ceremony of a major government facility dedication, the “new” Northpark Mall was opened last week.

The 34-year-old mall is undergoing a multimillion first phase makeover that started in February.

A gathering of a 100 or so — including Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee, aldermen, chamber and auxiliary officials, including those from Rankin County and even First Lady Deborah Bryant — were on hand.

After a dedicatory prayer and the raising of the Stars and Stripes by a Marine unit and recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, many little speeches were given and names of those without speeches cited.

Fiscal contributions attributed to the mall ranged from $60 million from the “mall area,” according to McGee, to 30 to 40 percent of the tax base for the city from other sources.

The program was not without humor. Mall General Manager Kasey Dickson, who said she learned that “there are two seasons — winter and construction.”

She said in an interview after the ceremony that she hopes the major checklist items that are unfinished, including the redone main entrances, would be completed in about a month.

Pacific Capital Retail Partners of El Segundo, Calif., bought the 958,000-square-foot enclosed mall in September 2016 from Simon Properties, which had owned and operated it since the beginning.

In recent years, the mall had lost a number of prestige tenants to other shopping centers, and that fits into Pacific Capital’s business plan.

JACK WEATHERLY/MBJ

Interactive panel in The Eatery.

Its website says that Pacific Retail “has proven expertise in identifying under-managed centers with strong fundamentals and acquiring them for redevelopment into higher quality properties.”

Najla Kayeem, senior vice president for Pacific Retail, said: “Our work with local partners and key business and government leaders helps us remain committed to . . . transforming Northpark into a modernized, family-friendly gathering place.”

A colorful children’s play area called Discovery Park and the adjacent Eatery were there for the using.

Also refreshed are the floors and improved interior lighting along with redesigned major entryways, resurfacing of parking and extensive landscaping.

Additionally, the food court has been enlarged into an open space called The Eatery, which features a high-resolution media wall that streams live television, movies,

gaming tournaments and posts the latest deals and events in the mall.

A Family Lounge with private nursing rooms, diaper-changing areas with sinks and a “large child-friendly restroom” with tiny toilets for tots, the Discovery Park, a children’s play area, an interactive panel for children showing animated figures doing the latest dance craze, “the floss,” an extensive wall mural with Mississippi flora and fauna, all to create “an inviting, open imaginative garden with areas for kids to run, learn and explore.”

The owners said from the outset that they want local input. To that end, the winner of a competition to establish another cafe in the Eatery will be held Dec. 1. Twelve local chefs and restaurants are in the competition, said Dickson.

All merchants are greeting the reinvigorated mall enthusiastically, Dickson said.

American Eagle Oufitters, which has been in the mall for at least 20 years, likewise is emboldened by the renovation. “I’m really impressed with the makeover,” said Angel Owen, a manager.

Reeds Jewelry has been in the mall from Day One in 1984.

“I’m very excited. It’s very family friendly,” said Colette Eubanks, a manager for Reeds, part of a 60-plus-store independent chain based in Wilmington, N.C., and founded in 1941.

“The staff [of the mall management] has been working very diligently, and we’re just very excited about the upcoming holiday season.”

Dickson said the strategy was to be up and running smoothly before Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving and the unofficial first day of the Christmas shopping season.

AN MBJ FOCUS: LAW & ACCOUNTING

Ole Miss brings multidisciplinary appro to addressing the opioid addiction crisis

By BECKY GILLETTE mbj@msbusiness.com According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about 33,000 people in the U.S. died in 2015 as a result of an opiate overdose.

One study of areas in 45 states showed opiate overdoses increased by 30 percent between July 2016 and September 2017. The opioid problem has been referred to as the worst addiction problem in U.S. history. Its victims include people from all income levels and walks of life.

A recent symposium at the University of Mississippi targeted developing a new approach to the problem that has spiraled out of control. More than 300 law and pharmacy students attended the symposium, “An Interprofessional Approach to the Opioid Crisis in Mississippi.” The symposium included a mock trial in front of Roy Percy, magistrate judge for the Northern District of Mississippi, and a keynote speech by Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood (see accompanying column by Hood on right).

Ole Miss Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter com-

mended the schools for addressing the epidemic.

“By working together, we are more likely to understand the full breadth of this challenge and to find innovative solutions,” Vitter said.

David D. Allen, dean of the School of Pharmacy, said the symposium was an incredible way to demonstrate to future pharmacy, nursing and law professionals that together they have the power to make real contributions that can lessen or end the opioid crisis.

The symposium helped teach students the importance of collaborating with those in other disciplines. “Students in professional schools work well with each other, but it is vital for them to learn from their peers in other schools who can provide a different perspective,” said Susan Duncan, dean of the law school.

Pharmacy practice professor Kim Adcock said the interprofessional mock trial and symposium provided a springboard for students to begin working together to learn from, about and with each other. Adcock said an-

Pharmacy and law students attended a symposium on legal ramifications of fighting the opioid crisis See CRISIS, Page 10

November 23, 2018 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

PERSPECTIVE

Much action is needed to address opioid addiction problem in Mississippi I

oach s

s.

Courtesy of University of Mississippi

nterprofessional collaboration is crucial to effectively curbing our state’s addiction to opioids and adequately addressing the impact of this crisis on our families. We not only urgently need more treatment facilities, we also must address neglected and orphaned children, education of our entire community, sentencing alternatives, and generally changing the approach in pain management.

Opioids don’t pick their victims, so the greater number of diverse approaches we have to ending this epidemic the better.

Interdisciplinary work is not new to the Attorney General’s office. When Mike Moore served as Attorney General, I worked with him and a group of various professionals to review model drug laws for the state. This introduced me to the importance of working with mental health professionals and of focusing on prevention. Legal and scientific professionals can learn from each other, and both perspectives are critical to an all-inclusive approach to this type of problem.

Later, our office created model programs teaching students about domestic violence by using art, which is another example of an interdisciplinary approach. We also trained all types of professionals—hair dressers, teachers, and doctors—to recognize domestic violence. You can use the same approach for suicide prevention—we’re currently developing an app for youth that allows them to recognize the various causes of suicidal thoughts and provides an outlet that may be more comfortable than going to a counselor in person.

This same interprofessional approach can and should be used in our response to the opioid crisis. This is not a “one size fits all” problem, nor does it need that type of solution. Our office is tackling the opioid crisis in a number of ways, including litigation.

The practice of big corporations making false representations to consumers or failing to protect consumers is unfortunately not new, and the Mississippi Attorney General’s

Office and our fellow enforcers have a history of holding them accountable.

In 2011, tech giant Google entered a Non-Prosecution Agreement with the Department of Justice after authorities alleged that Google knowingly Jim Hood allowed Canadian pharmacies to illegally market prescription and counterfeit drugs in the United States. The agreement required Google to forfeit $500,000,000, which was the estimated amount of income Google earned from these illegal advertisements.

The agreement further required a two-year probationary period where the DOJ would continue to monitor Google’s activity related to the charges and the company’s remediation actions. Essentially, Google was placed on probation. During the probationary period, our own investigators went online and successfully purchased illegal drugs, including opioids, that were continuing to be advertised through Google. These buys were part of the investigation that my office conducted regarding Google’s business practices.

Those actions were just one step in combatting the illicit drug market, but the opioid crisis started long before that, from what we believe is largely due to conduct by the opioid manufacturers. Our office was the first in the country to sue multiple opioid manufacturers on behalf of a state. We argue that these companies misled consumers about the dangerous effect of opioids by marketing the drug as rarely addictive. It’s our belief these manufacturers (16 in the suit) deceived Mississippi Medicaid, doctors, and consumers in order to boost profits at the expense of innocent victims. That lawsuit was filed in Hinds County in December 2015 and is currently pending.

This fall, our office launched an awareness campaign on the dangers of e-cigarette use.

Although these devices help some people

stop smoking traditional cigarettes, we are seeing our teenagers start with vaping and get addicted to the nicotine that is packed in each pod. Unfortunately, there are no regulations on these products, so mom-and-pop shops are able to mix their own liquid nicotine to go in the e-cigarette, which opens the door to the mixing of illegal chemicals.

Just this summer, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics found the deadly opioid fentanyl mixed into a nicotine pod at a shop here in our state. That is why our state needs to find a way to require that any product shipped to a vape shop remains sealed prior to the sale, and I plan on asking the Legislature to consider this in the upcoming session as one more way to stop opioid abuse and prevent unintentional consumption of deadly drugs.

Our office has been a part of the Mississippi Opioid and Heroin Drug Summit since its inception two summers ago. This summit is a great example of partnering with non-governmental stakeholders in this fight. In order to successfully address the opioid epidemic, it will take not only government intervention, but also partnerships between the public and private sector. It is imperative that treatment be evidence-based and tailored to the best approach for each patient to overcome their particular substance abuse disorder.

Finally, I have pushed for the development of new prescribing rules for health care professionals that would curb patients’ abilities to prolong unnecessary opioid prescriptions.

These rules, which would not take away prescriptions for patients who truly need it—such as those who have terminal disease pain or are in hospice care--went into effect last month by the Board of Medical Licensure and the Board of Pharmacy. The Board of Nursing rules are in the approval process.

The new rules are intended to stop the overprescribing of long-acting opioids for those who have acute non-cancer or non-terminal pain.

The rules distinguish between chronic, acute, and terminal disease pains, and they incorporate the Mississippi Prescription Monitoring Program (MPMP). I understand that some people truly depend on opioids to deal with pain that is life altering. However, it is our responsibility to make sure our prescribing practices do not continue allowing patients, who have alternative pain management options, to have a prescription so vast that it leads to addiction or death.

Jim Hood is the Attorney General for the State of Mississippi.

Law & Accounting

10 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q November 23, 2018 PROFILE

Hairston takes the philosophical approach

By NASH NUNNERY mbj@msbusiness.com

T

ray Hairston isn’t your stereotypical attorney.

The Jackson native is a student of continental philosophy and existentialism. From Socrates to Sartre, Hairston once took every course offered in the discipline at Tougaloo College and followed up with philosophy course work at Emory University, Brown, NYU and Millsaps College.

An attorney with the Butler Snow law firm, Hairston concurs with Socrates, who wrote that the unexamined life is not worth living.

“I think my study of philosophy has helped me to think critically about certain issues in a broad cross-section of disciplines,” he said. “It’s helped me to become a better lawyer.”

A graduate of the Mississippi College School of Law, Hairston recently earned inclusion into The Bond Buyer’s 2018 Rising Stars. He also was named to the Mississippi Main Street board of directors.

But Hairston, a member of Butler Snow’s public finance, tax incentives and credit markets groups, is most passionate about economic development. Prior to joining Butler Snow, the attorney served as counsel and economic policy adviser to

Gov. Phil Bryant. Hairston also has worked in the global business division for the Mississippi Development Authority.

“Working as a project manager for MDA, I helped companies and site location consultants find the most appropriate site in Mississippi and obtain incentives,” he said. “I marveled at the work of the lawyers crafting the deal which most always involved bonds. As a result, I yearned to be on the legal side of the transaction.”

A big influence on the young lawyer was the late Frank Stimley, Mississippi’s first African-American bond attorney. Stimley died in 2004, around the time Hairston began his MDA career. Though he never met him personally, Hairston knew the trajectory of his career was changing due to Stimley’s inspiration. “(Stimley) is still lauded as one of the best bond lawyers Mississippi has ever seen,” Hairston said. “I’ve always wanted a practice that looks like his and be a trailblazer in the industry like Mr. Stimley.”

Hairston’s interest in economic development was sparked even further while working in the governor’s office. He helped draft the historic Mississippi Health Care Industry Zone Act of 2012 and worked on policy surrounding the implementation of affordable housing tax credits for workforce housing in healthcare zones.

As a professional in both the legal and

CRISIS Continued from, Page 8

other goal of the event was to provide students and future practitioners a foundation to make the best professional decisions related to pain management.

Adcock worked with law professor Larry J. Pittman for about a year preparing for the symposium. Pittman said the symposium helped pharmacy students learn how the legal system interacts with the pharmacy profession and the medical profession in general.

“In the mock trial, the law students served as the attorneys and some of the pharmacy students served as experts in the pharmacy field to give expert opinions about whether a certain drug was given properly,” Pittman said. “It was a case where a pharmacist did not properly dispense a drug to a patient and the mock trial showed them how to prepare for that kind of trial. The law students learned about prescription drugs and how to work with pharmacy students to evaluate some of the pharmacy standards used in distributing such drugs. And the pharmacy students obtained knowledge about law related issues, including how the different parts of a trial fit together. The students were involved in substantial collaboration during the entire process of preparing for and presenting the mock trial.”

Pittman said this is the second year that the law school and the pharmacy school have presented the mock

economic development arenas, Hairston sees challenges ahead for Mississippi to stay competitive. He says predicting the future has its own challenges.

“We have to be on top of changes that are occurring throughout many of the employment sectors in the country,” Hairston said. “Altering the way laborers work, innovations in technology, automation of manufacturing and artificial intelligence will change the type of jobs economic developers recruit. “(Mississippi’s) success will hinge on how innovative we are at figuring out how to adapt to change.”

He also believes equity and inclusion (economic and wealth disparities) will continue to be a challenge but not in a racial sense.

“It’s not about race, black-and-white.

The challenge is about rich and poor,” said the married father of three. “How do we build up our poorest? It soon won’t be good enough to say that we brought in billions of dollars of investment without also asking the question, ‘Who are getting the jobs?’”

Honored by his selection to the Mississippi Main Street board, Hairston suggests that site selectors looking at communities for ‘big box’ projects see ‘quality of place’ as a huge component in their decision making.

trial, and the first year for the opioid symposium. It is hoped that in the future that nursing and medical students will also get involved in the mock trial. He said another objective is for students to develop projects and learn how to go out into the community to work on various pharmaceutical and medicine-related issues.

Adcock “The end aim as far as the law school is concerned is to get law, pharmacy, medical and nursing students, as well as students in other fields, to work together while they are still in school so that they will be better able to work together once they become practicing professionals,” Pittman said.

The symposium also featured a panel discussion with Lauren Bloodworth, clinical associate professor of pharmacy Allen practice; Dr. Kenneth Cleveland, executive director of the Mississippi State Medical Board of Licensure; Julie Mitchell, an attorney at Mitchell Day Law Firm in Ridgeland; and Amanda Criswell, MSN, RN-BC, who is an instructor of nursing at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Mississippi currently has more than 40,000 registered nurses. Criswell said it is important to educate registered

“Quality of place comprises of low crime rates, good schools, affordable housing, access to quality health care, attractive and active downtowns, among other things,” he said.

“Mississippi Main Street picks up some of the slack Hairston with respect to aiding in support of the place-making components.

“I’m looking forward to helping to raise the visibility of the organization and bolster its resources through fundraising.”

Hairston grew up in Jackson but attended Madison County schools because his mother DeEtta taught at Madison Central High School. He characterizes his middle school years as “defiant, a short attention span and a lack of concern for good grades.”

Teacher/mother set young Tray straight.

Her strong influence led to Hairston earning the school’s citizenship award three of his four high school years.

“My mother let me know very early in my freshman year at Madison Central that she was the boss,” he said.

Spoken like a true philosopher.

nurses about potential abuse issues and the resources available for people with an abuse potential. She said it is also vital for nurses to know why it is important to not start with that kind of medication.

“Health care is trying to change the way we were treating pain,” Criswell said. “For years, you would just go get an opioid.

We are trying to shift to a new model. We Duncan have learned some things over the past few years. There are a lot of non-opioid medications that are available. In addition to your typical Tylenol and Motrin, there are other types of medicines that we are now learning are having an effect on pain and more specifically, chronic pain. Just as an example, they are learning there is a connection between some anticonvulsants and migraine pain. In addition to medications, there are also non-pharmaPittman cological things you can do like weight loss, yoga, mindful meditation, physical therapy, massage, TENs (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) units that send electrical impulses, and heat and ice.”

Law & Accounting

November 23, 2018

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Newsmakers

12 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q November 23, 2018 Butler Snow attorneys recognized

by U.S. News, Best Lawyers Firms included in the 2019 “Best Law Firms” list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers.

To be eligible for a ranking in a particular practice area and metropolitan region, a law firm must have at least one lawyer who is included in Best Lawyers in that particular practice area and metropolitan region.

Ranked firms, presented in tiers, are listed on a national and/or metropolitan scale.

Butler Snow received five national rankings, including a Tier 1 ranking in public finance law, a Tier 2 ranking in mass tort litigation/class actions – defendants and a Tier 3 ranking in corporate law, real estate law and tax law.

The firm’s metropolitan rankings in Mississippi were:

Gulfport Tier 1: Banking and Finance Law, Insurance Law, Litigation – Banking & Finance, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Real Estate Law

Tupelo Tier 1: Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

Jackson Tier 1: Appellate Practice, Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor, Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Commercial Finance Law, Commercial Litigation, Commercial Transactions/UCC Law, Communications Law, Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Employment Law – Management, Environmental Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, Government Relations Practice, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Banking & Finance, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – First Amendment, Litigation – Labor & Employment, Litigation – Real Estate, Litigation – Securities, Litigation – Tax, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants, Public Finance Law, Real Estate Law, Tax Law, Trademark Law, Trusts & Estates Law. Tier 2: Administrative/Regulatory Law, Copyright Law, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Economic Development Law, Energy Law, Health Care Law, Litigation – Antitrust, Media Law, Municipal Law, Natural Resources Law, Oil & Gas Law. Tier 3: Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Land Use & Zoning, Mediation, Project Finance Law, Transportation Law

Ogletree Deakins named a Law Firm of the Year for eighth consecutive year Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C., announced that the firm has been named a “Law Firm of the Year” for the eighth consecutive year. Only one law firm in each practice area receives the “Law Firm of the Year” designation. In the 2019 edition of the U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” list, Ogletree Deakins is named the “Law Firm of the Year” in the Employment Law - Management category.

Additionally, Ogletree Deakins’ Jackson office earned metropolitan “First Tier” practice area rankings in the Employment Law - Management category. Nationally, the firm earned “First Tier” practice area rankings in six categories: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; Employment Law - Management; Labor Law - Management; Litigation - ERISA; Litigation - Labor & Employment; and Construction Law.

Earlier, 228 of the firm’s attorneys were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2019.

Baker Donelson achieves high rankings in Best Law Firms list Baker Donelson has garnered 199 first-tier metropolitan rankings in the 2019 U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” list, the ninth edition of an annual analysis that includes more than 14,000 U.S. law firms. These Tier 1 rankings across 12 metropolitan markets in eight states earned Baker Donelson a spot among the top 3 firms nationally with the most first-tier metropolitan rankings.

In addition to its outstanding metropolitan rankings, Baker Donelson ranked nationally in 31 practice areas, including earning a Tier 1 national ranking in seven practice areas: Commercial Litigation Construction Law Employment Law – Management Health Care Law Litigation – Construction Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants Real Estate Law Additionally, Baker Donelson achieved 25 Tier 1 metropolitan rankings in Jackson.

The 2019 “Best Law Firms” rankings, produced by U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers, are presented in tiers both nationally and by metropolitan area or state.

Butler Snow attorneys listed in 2018 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Butler Snow announced 70 of the firm’s attorneys have been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyer’s 2018 Mid-South Super Lawyers and 26 have been selected as Mid-South Rising Stars.

Mississippi attorneys named as 2018 Mid-South Super Lawyers are: GULFPORT: Michael B. Hewes, Personal Injury–Products: Defense; Paul S. Murphy, Bankruptcy: Business.

OXFORD: Paul V. Cassisa, Jr., Personal Injury Products: Defense; Kari L. Sutherland, Personal Injury - Products: Defense.

RIDGELAND: Phil B. Abernethy, Construction Litigation; Paula Graves Ardelean, Employment & Labor; P. Ryan Beckett, Business Litigation; H. Barber Boone, Business Litigation; Fred E. (Trey) Bourn III, Personal Injury – Products: Defense; Tommie S. Cardin, Administrative Law; Donald Clark, Jr., Government Finance; Paul N. Davis, Business Litigation; Richard M. Dye, General Litigation; John F. England, Government Finance; W. Davis Frye, Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Defense; William M. Gage, Personal Injury – Products: Defense; Mark W. Garriga, Administrative Law; Charles E. Griffin, Business Litigation; Tray Hairston, Government Finance; Steven M. Hendrix, Real Estate; John C. Henegan, Business Litigation; Chad R. Hutchinson, Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Defense; Donna Brown Jacobs, Appellate; Alyson Bustamante Jones, Personal Injury – Products: Defense; Christy D. Jones, Personal Injury - Poducts: Defense; Christopher R. Maddux, Bankruptcy: Business; Michael E. McWilliams, Business Litigation; Robert A. Miller, Personal Injury – Products: Defense; Meade W. Mitchell, Class Action; Lemuel E. (Lem) Montgomery III, Personal Injury – Products: Defense; Luther T. Munford, Appellate; Orlando R. Richmond Sr., Personal Injury – Products: Defense; E. Barney Robinson III, Business Litigation; Stephen W. Rosenblatt, Bankruptcy:

Business; Phillip S. Sykes, Business Litigation; Timothy M. Threadgill, Employee Litigation: Defense; James B. Tucker, Criminal Defense: White Collar; J. Paul Varner, Tax; Thad W. Varner, Government Finance; Benjamin M. Watson, Business Litigation; Joshua J. Wiener, Business Litigation.

Mississippi attorneys selected as 2018 Mid-South Rising Stars are: RIDGELAND: Elizabeth Lambert Clark, Government Finance; John H. Dollarhide, Business Litigation; Haley Fowler Gregory, Business Litigation; Matthew H. Grenfell, Real Estate; George C. (Clay) Gunn IV, Personal Injury – Products: Defense; Kyle V. Miller, Personal Injury – Products: Defense; Samantha R. Moore, Estate & Probate; Christopher D. Morris, Personal Injury - Products: Defense; Kenneth A. Primos III, Business/Corporate; Adam J. Spicer, Personal Injury – Products: Defense; Ashley Nader Stubbs, Personal Injury – Products: Defense; William P. (Will) Thomas, Personal Injury – Products: Defense; Ashley N. Wicks, Tax.

Balch & Bingham attorneys recognized by U.S. News, Best Lawyers Balch & Bingham announced that 97 of the firm’s practices have been recognized by U.S. News and Best Lawyers in the 2019 edition of Best Law Firms. Balch received seven national designations and 66 first-tier rankings in metropolitan regions.

The Balch & Bingham practices in Mississippi recognized in the 2019 edition of Best Law Firms include: National Tier 1: Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants.

National Tier 2: Environmental Law, Public Finance Law. National Tier 3: Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law • Energy Law. Gulfport Tier 1: Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Litigation, Environmental Law, Gaming Law, Real Estate Law. Gulfport Tier 3: Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants.

Jackson Tier 1: Commercial Litigation, Copyright Law, Employment Law - Management, Gaming Law, Health Care Law, Labor Law - Management, Litigation - Real Estate.

Jackson Tier 2: Corporate Law, Environmental Law, Litigation - Labor & Employment, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants • Product Liability Litigation Defendants, Public Finance Law. Jackson Tier 3: Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants.

Baker Donelson attorneys named to 2018 Mid-South Super Lawyers, Rising Stars Eighty-six attorneys with Baker Donelson have been named to the 2018 edition of Mid-South Super Lawyers, which recognizes attorneys in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.

A total of 13 of the Firm’s Mississippi attorneys were named to the list: Sheryl Bey, Michael T. Dawkins, Brooks Eason, Robert E. Hauberg Jr., David F. Maron, Leonard C. Martin, Dan M. McDaniel Jr., J. Scott Newton, William S. Painter, William N. Reed, Frederick N. Salvo III, J. Carter Thompson Jr. and Robert F. Walker.

Sheryl Bey was also named among the top 50 females in the Mid-South and among the top 50 attorneys in Mississippi by Mid-South Super Lawyers.

The publication also honored 43 Baker Donelson attorneys in its 2018 list of Mid-South Rising Stars,

including eight attorneys in the Firm’s Jackson office: C. Tyler Ball, Brent Cole, Nakimuli Davis-Primer, Wendy Huff Ellard, Adam H. Gates, Samuel Gregory, Howard Lee Hill II and Bradley C. Moody.

Balch welcomes 6 associates Susan Scaggs recently joined Balch & Bingham in Gulfport in Environmental & Natural Resources practices. Scaggs is one of six new associates at offices throughout the Southeast.

Scaggs earned her J.D. from Vermont Law School where she completed a certificate program in Water Resources Law, served as Scaggs Articles Editor for the Vermont Law Review, and worked as a Dean’s Fellow teaching Legal Writing I. Other additions were Aria B. Allan, Litigation, Montgomery; Robert V. Baxley, Litigation, Birmingham; Sloane Bell, Litigation, Birmingham; Lindsey Catlett, Banking & Financial Services, Birmingham; and Jena Lombard, Litigation, Atlanta.

Baker Donelson Named Compass Award Winner Baker Donelson has been recognized by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) as a 2018 Compass Award winner. The award honors LCLD members who demonstrate their continued commitment to building more diverse organizations and a more inclusive legal profession through their participation in and support of LCLD’s mission and programs.

Baker Donelson and the Firm’s Chairman and CEO Ben C. Adams were honored with the recognition at the LCLD’s 2018 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. As an active member of the LCLD, Baker Donelson’s involvement in the organization includes attendance at the Annual Meeting, participation in the LCLD Fellows Program, participation in the LCLD Pathfinder Program, and participation in the LCLD Pipeline Programs, the 1L Scholars Program and the Success in Law School Mentoring Program. In March 2018, Kavita Shelat was the latest Baker Donelson attorney to be named to the LCLD Fellows Program, while Tiye Foley and Mary Wu Tullis were selected as this year’s Pathfinders Program participants from the Firm.

Founded in 2009, the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) has grown to an organization of more than 300 members, who serve as either general counsel of major corporations or managing partners of the nation’s leading law firms. United by a spirit of activism and personal commitment, LCLD members participate widely in the programs they’ve created – leading by example, taking action, and challenging the legal profession to prepare future generations of diverse talent for the highest positions of leadership.

Two at Deutsch Kerrigan named to Super Lawyers list Deutsch Kerrigan, L.L.P. announced that R. Douglas Vaughn (Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense) and Matt Quinlivan (Professional Liability: Defense) have been selected to the 2018 edition of Mid South Super Lawyers, Rising Starts Lists.

Newsmakers Edney named MC School of Law’s Distinguished Alumni Lawyer of the Year Butler Snow announced Andrea La’Verne Edney has been named Mississippi College School of Law’s 2018 Distinguished Alumni Lawyer of the Year.

Each year, Mississippi College’s Alumni Association recognizes one graduate from each of the school’s departments Edney for their Alumni of the Year awards. Honorees are chosen based on service and dedication to the school, professional achievements and leadership in their communities.

“We congratulate La’Verne on this significant accomplishment,” said Donald Clark, Jr., chairman of Butler Snow. “This recognition showcases her talent, hard work and leadership in the legal profession and in the community.”

Edney is a member of Butler Snow’s litigation department and practices in the pharmaceutical, medical device and health care litigation group. With more than 22 years of litigation experience, she has significant trial experience in state and federal courts in Mississippi and other states, and has tried to verdict numerous cases, including medical negligence, premises liability, products liability, bad faith insurance, employment disputes and legal malpractice.

Edney has been recognized by Best Lawyers® for mass torts/class actions – defendants and personal injury litigation, by Martindale-Hubbell® with an AV-Preeminent Peer Review rating, by The National Black Lawyers as a Top 100, by the Mississippi Business Journal as a Fifty Leaders of Law and by the Mississippi Women Lawyers’ Association as its Outstanding Woman Lawyer of the Year. She has also received the Distinguished Service Award from The Mississippi Bar and the Outstanding Service Award from the Capital Area Bar Association, the Magnolia Bar Association and the Black Student Law Association.

Edney is a member of the American, Capital Area, Fifth Circuit and Tennessee Bar Associations, The Mississippi Bar, the Metro Jackson Black Women Lawyers Association, the Mississippi Women Lawyers Association and currently serves as president-elect of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. She received her undergraduate degree from Alcorn State University and her Juris Doctor from Mississippi College School of Law. Honorees of the 2018 Alumni Awards were recognized at a dinner on Oct. 26.

Taylor joins Wiggins Clinic Meagan C. Taylor, DO, joined Hattiesburg Clinic Wiggins Clinic.

As a family medicine physician, Taylor provides overall care for people of all ages. She has particular interests in pediatrics and women’s wellness.

Taylor received her medical degree from William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Hattiesburg, Miss. She completed an internship and residency at Forrest General Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program in Hattiesburg. She is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

November 23, 2018

Davis named employee of the quarter

Courtesy of Hattiesburg Clinic

Pictured from left are Ann Trigg, Davis’ manager; Employee of the Quarter Melissa Davis; and Alan Hale, assistant administrator.

Melissa Davis, nursing supervisor for Hattiesburg Clinic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and Pain Management Health Center, has been named Hattiesburg Clinic’s Employee of the Quarter for the third quarter of 2018.

Davis, who was selected from more than 100 nominations, has been with the clinic since 2005. As nursing supervisor, she handles all the daily clinical operations across multiple departments and fills in for positions to ensure the departments run smoothly.

The Employee of the Quarter is selected from nominations by an employee’s peers, managers and patients and then selected by a committee of people from all levels of the clinic.

“I grew up around the health care field and developed an interest in medicine at a young age and could not imagine working in a different field,” she said. “I enjoy being able to work with a variety of people. My goal is to provide the best possible care to people of all ages.”

MCEDA welcomes new board members The Madison County Board of Supervisors have appointed two new board members to the Madison County Economic Development Authority Board.

Gerard Gibert was appointed to the at-large position, and Tracy Bailey was appointed to the District 3 slot.

“We are delighted to welcome Gerard and Tracy to the MCEDA Board of Directors,” said Joseph P. Deason, Executive Director of MCEDA. “Both individuals are well recognized business leaders, incredibly talented and bring a broad set of skills to MCEDA. We are fortunate to add such high caliber people to help us achieve our potential.”

Gibert is the CEO of Venture Technologies, a Technology Solutions Provider headquartered in Ridgeland, MS. Founded in 1986, Venture delivers a variety of IT infrastructure solutions to thousands of private and public sector customers across the United States.

Venture is currently the 33rd largest private business in Mississippi, as published by the Mississippi Business Journal.

Gerard is currently Chairman of the Board of Empower Mississippi. In October 2018, Governor Phil Bryant appointed him to the inaugural Board of Directors of the Mississippi Lottery Corporation. He holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University

of Mississippi and is married to the former Julie Gill of Biloxi, Miss. They have two children, and their family attends St. Francis of Assisi Church in Madison, MS. An instrument-rated private pilot, Gerard enjoys golf, coaching youth sports, flying, writing, broadcasting and gardening.

Bailey is the Vice President of Pre-Construction Services for White Construction Company. Throughout his career and now with White Construction Company, Tracy has acquired a robust infrastructure of clients, architects, sub-contractors and colleagues in the construction industry by sharing good advice based on solid technical experience. Tracy’s unwavering integrity and a careful eye for detail developed through 38 years of hard work have established him as a matchmaker. He matches client’s needs with the very best built options.

Tracy works in all the states that WCC operates but calls Madison County home. Tracy is a team builder who believes that the best way to achieve his clients’ goals is to gain a thorough understanding of their wants and needs at every stage of the process with attention to detail and a passion for excellence. “I love working with clients, listening to their dreams, and telling them the WCC story” Tracy says. When away from work, he likes to spend time with family, working on his tree farm and long walks on the beach with Susan, the love of his life and wife of 37 years.

Snipes elected to represent on State Board Brantley Snipes, the executive director of Main Street Greenwood, Inc., has been elected to the Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) Board

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of Directors for a two-year term, beginning in January and through 2020.

A native of Greenwood, Snipes has served for five years as the Executive Director of Main Street Greenwood, Inc., a non-profit, historic preservation organization that works to promote and preserve Greenwood’s downtown landscape.

Snipes has received multiple Mississippi Main Street Awards, completed dozens of façade rehabilitations, collected over $50,000 in grant funding, and overseen the completion of a multitude of projects to aid in downtown Greenwood’s rehabilitation.

Snipes developed the first Revolving Real Estate Program in Mississippi and developed a charrette to engage communities in economic development for downtown.

Snipes is also a licensed Landscape Architect and the owner of Brantley Snipes Landscape + Design.

Snipes has a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture from Auburn University and Master of Landscape Architecture & Master of Horticultural Science degrees from North Carolina State University.

Mississippi Association of Realtors names honorees for 2018 Hattiesburg Realtor Adam Watkins was awarded the President’s Award and recognized as the Realtor of the Year during the annual Realtors Convention in Point Clear, Ala. Watkins is now the active Mississippi Realtors President for 2019.

Among others honored were: Cleveland Realtor Libbi Logan was awarded the Mississippi Realtors Under 40 Award. Established in 2013 to honor outstanding young Realtors. Logan has been the Cleveland Board of Realtors President twice.

Northeast Realtor Kaye Ladd was inducted into the Association’s Hall of Fame, the Mississippi Realtors most prestigious award. She is an instructor for the Association’s Institute, teaching new and experienced Realtors. Ladd has served on multiple state and local committees and is active in her community and church.

James Renfroe with Renfroe & Perilloux Attorneys in Flowood was awarded the Association’s Affiliate of the Year. He has been an Affiliate member of the Central Mississippi Realtors since 2013.

Tupelo Realtor Wesley Webb was awarded the Land Realtor of the Year Award by the Mississippi Chapter of Realtor Land Institute. Webb has served the RLI chapter as President twice, is a leader in his local board, and a LeadershipMAR alumnus.

Mississippi Association of Realtors Political Action Committee (MARPAC) inducted five new members into the MARPAC Hall of Fame, joining 51 previously installed members. Inducted were: Ashley Endris of Gulfport, Don Halle of Gulfport, Stephanie Nix of Madison, Keiko Palmero of Gulfport, and Michele Rumbley of Madison.

Three were awarded the Mississippi Realtors Portraits of Professionalism Award: East Mississippi Realtor Amanda Snowden, 2017 President of East Mississippi Realtors and active in a record-breaking year in participation with MARPAC; Hattiesburg Area Association of Realtors Jim Stroo, a Realtor since 1993; and Central Mississippi Realtor Gary Parker.

14 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q November 23, 2018 FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK

The Phoenix Club: Working to make things better for underserved youth

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riginally founded in Memphis in the 1950s, the Phoenix Club has grown to include chapters in numerous cities. The Phoenix Club of Jackson was founded in 2007, and has grown to include more than 90 members who are bankers, attorneys, educators, government leaders, and more. It’s a club for professionals who are 24-35 years old, and its goal is to raise money and promote awareness for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Jackson and Canton.

I recently had a discussion about the Phoenix Club with its current President, Ross Weems.

Ross serves as a Vice President with BankPlus, Weems and is active not only in his leadership role with the Phoenix Club, but also in other community events and causes.

“I’m very fortunate to work for a company like BankPlus, which is very supportive of community service,” he told me.

I ask him to define the mission of the Phoenix Club, and he said their firm goal

Phoenix Club group shot.

is to “allow the area’s young people to grow and prosper”.

He told me that the Boys and Girls Clubs of Jackson and Canton serve over 2,400 kids, and since its founding, the Phoenix Club of Jackson has raised over $500,000 to support those clubs. In 2017, the Club raised over $80,000, and they expect to raise more than $90,000 this year. The accomplish their goals through a variety of fundraising events and activities, including an annual golf tournament, a Christmas card campaign, corporate sponsorships, and other activities.

“This is a great opportunity for young professionals to make a difference in the lives of these underserved kids,” Ross said.

“I’d say our members are very enthusiastic and committed to making things better, and we’ve seen some wonderful success stories as a result of the work done by the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs.”

Ross told me that “more than 90 percent of the kids served by the Boys and Girls Clubs in Jackson and Canton are from low income households, and over 65 percent are from single parent households.”

“It’s all about great results,” he told me. “95 percent of the kids who are involved with the Boys and Girls clubs graduate on time, and 80 percent go on to some form of further Alan Turner education. It’s all about giving them the opportunity to create a brighter future.”

The Phoenix Club of Jackson has no paid staff, and thus is a 100 percent volunteer organization.

“Our members love the opportunity to interact with the kids,” he said. “We have ice cream socials and other opportunities to get acquainted with the kids, and they always enjoy it.”

As Ross explained it, the Boys and Girls Clubs are committed both to teaching and athletics, and also to “letting the kids have some good clean fun,” as he put it.

“We know this has a major positive impact on these kids’ lives,” he said. “They learn important skills and develop abilities that will serve them well into their adult years.”

For those who would like to learn more about the Phoenix Club or possibly to get involved, visit their website at PhoenixClubofJackson.com.

Contact Mississippi Business Journal publisher Alan Turner at alan.turner@msbusiness.com or (601) 364-1021.

TOURSIM

Airbnb playing increasing role in Oxford

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com Airbnb is playing an increasing role in providing lodging for visitors and tourists in Oxford.

As a measure of that, San Francisco-based Airbnb Inc. said in a release on Monday that Oxford registered 5,700 guests and took in more than $1.1 million, during Ole Miss home games this fall.

The 2018 numbers are double what they were last year when they were 2,500 guests and $525,000 in revenue.

Jon Maynard, executive director of the Oxford-Lafayette Chamber of Commerce noted that this has been a down year for the Ole Miss football program, including no bowl game because of NCAA sanctions Plus, the city was “penalized,” with four of the seven home games starting at 11 a.m. due to television network coverage in a down year for Ole Miss.

Maynard said early games work against stayovers.

The weekend of the South Carolina game was by far the biggest B-and-B draw, with 1,760 guests and $370,000 revenue, the largest influx of Airbnb guests to Oxford ever. More than 25 percent of the Airbnb guests were from the Palmetto State.

More than 43 percent of the Airbnb guests in Oxford were from Illinois for the Southern Illinois game.

The data also indicate that fans of the opposing teams are increasingly taking the opportunity to make the trip to Oxford and experience the city.

The city is proving “otherwise attractive” to visitors, he said.

With a population of about 24,000, it has become a destination spot.

Its gentrified square sets the atmosphere, with restaurants and shops, Square Books, one of the country’s leading independent bookstores, and the writer’s colony that revolves around it; the Thacker Mountain Radio Hour, broadcast live, usually from Off Square Book; and Rowan Oak, the antebellum home of the late Nobel Literary Prize winner, William Faulkner.

“We have been adding hotel rooms . . . at a rather brisk pace because we have been losing so much lodging revenue to other communities around us,” Maynard said.

Some visitors have been forced to find lodging as far away as Memphis in addition to Tupelo and Batesville, he said.

The city has added nearly 300 hotel rooms in the past three years, bringing the total to about 1,200, according to Visit Oxford Director Mary Allyn Hedges.

Obviously, the additional rooms haven’t stemmed demand for bed and breakast lodging.

Statewide, hotels and motels are posting steadily in-

Courtesy of City of Oxford/MBJ

Oxford City Hall with Double Decker bus in front.

creasing numbers as the B-and-B segment during popular events, opens up the market to families less able to afford hotels.

Under an agreement between Airbnb and the Mississippi Department of Revenue, the company collects the state sales tax and local tourism taxes on behalf of its local hosts and remits the revenue to the state.

Airbnb recently announced that it delivered $1 million in tax revenue to the state in the first year of the agreement, far outpacing the original projection of $245,000.

November 23, 2018

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THE SPIN CYCLE

Amazon picks New York, Northern Virginia for new headquarters; Nashville gets center of excellence Todd Smith

A

s the world knows, Amazon tapped New York City and Northern Virginia – near Washington D.C. – as its much sought-after new headquarters, capping off a nearly two-year process.

Nashville – the “it” city – lived up to its name as a progressive, thriving business center, and was selected for Amazon’s new Operations Center of Excellence, essentially coming in third place in the race for the new headquarters.

Amazon will invest $5 billion and create more than 50,000 jobs in New York and Arlington, Va., evenly split between the two areas.

These new locations will join Seattle as the company’s three headquarters in North America.

The Nashville Center of Excellence will house the company’s retail operations, including customer fulfillment, transportation, supply chain, and other similar activities. It will create more than 5,000 jobs, and is the largest jobs announcement in the history of Tennessee.

These high paying jobs in all three locations will average more than $150,000 in salary – which is 50 percent more than the median household income in Williamson County, Nashville’s suburban corporate headquarters hub Amazon will become downtown Nashville’s largest private employer – two-anda-half times the size of Bridgestone and HCA Healthcare Inc., which are currently tied for that designation.

Amazon said it will invest $230 million in its forthcoming Nashville office and occupy 1 million square feet of space. In a news release, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam’s office said the Center of Excellences will be part of Nashville Yards, a 15-acre mixeduse development at the site of the former LifeWay Christian Resources campus.

Amazon currently has four distribution facilities in the Nashville area, employing nearly 3,000 people. The company is in the process of opening a fifth facility immediately north of downtown, involving roughly 500 more jobs.

These announcements capped Amazon’s continent-wide “HQ2” sweepstakes, in which the company received 238 bids for a $5 billion “second corporate headquarters” that would have involved 50,000 jobs. At the beginning of this year, Amazon named Nashville one of 20 finalists for that operation.

It also punctuated a year of attention-grabbing recruitments for Nashville.

To underscore that point, Ernst & Young announced a 600-job expansion on Music Row in a news conference at the State

Capitol just one hour before the big Amazon announcement.

Last May, global money manager Alliance Bernstein unveiled plans to move its headquarters from Manhattan to downtown Nashville.

With more than 610,000 employees worldwide, including more than 250,000 in North America, Amazon ranks No. 1 on American Customer Satisfaction Index, No. 2 on Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies, No. 1 on The Harris Poll’s Corporate Reputation survey, and No. 1 on LinkedIn’s U.S. Top Companies, a ranking recognizing the most desirable workplaces in the country.

Digital ad spending vaults to $49.5 billion in first half of 2018 Digital advertising continues to grow at breakneck speed, according to the latest report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau, a trade group for online advertisers and publishers.

According to the report, digital ad revenue in the U.S. reached $49.5 billion in the first half of 2018, up 23 percent yearover-year. And more of those ad dollars are shifting to mobile, which accounted for 63 percent of the total, compared to 54 percent during the same period last year. The report was prepared for the IAB by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The growth of mobile commerce and direct-to-consumer brands are also playing a big role, with new technologies giving digital advertisers “the ability to efficiently and effectively target consumers who are likely to be interested in a purchase, driving the cost of acquiring that customer down,” according to the study.

Also, video advertising has vaulted 35 percent to $7 billion, with mobile video taking 60 percent of the total. Digital audio ad revenue is up 31 percent to $935 million, and social media revenue is up 38 percent, to $13.1 billion.

WhatsApp gives $1 million for misinformation research WhatsApp is paying a team of researchers to investigate how misinformation spreads on its platform.

Recently, the Facebook company said it is awarding $50,000 each to 20 research projects from 11 countries, for a total of $1 million. This came after a call for research about fake news stories and rumors on WhatsApp. The research projects were selected from more than 600 proposals and will investigate misinformation in four key areas, including digital literacy and election

misinformation. Winning paper titles span from “Is correction fluid? How to make fact-checks on WhatsApp more effective” to “The use and abuse of WhatsApp in an African election: Nigeria 2019.”

WhatsApp did not provide any user data to researchers, who met at the company’s Menlo Park, California, headquarters recently for a workshop on how the platform works internally, according to a news release.

WhatsApp will not be involved in any of the study designs, which will rely on qualitative and quantitative surveys with the goal of publishing in peer-reviewed journals, the company told The Poynter Institute.

Hee Haw Mic | Roy Clark defined country music comedy, was one of genres best ambassadors A king of country music comedy – and one of its greatest ambassadors – has gone to that great cornfield in the sky!

Country Music Hall of Famer Roy Clark – best known as a star in the iconic TV show “Hee Haw” – died recently at 85 years young.

Early in his career, he was hailed as a deft instrumentalist, but he soared to stardom as co-host of the long-running country comedy show, beside Buck Owens and a rhinestone cast of characters that helped build the foundation for country music’s meteoric rise in the 1970s and 1980s.

He brought humor, zest and heart to adoring audiences across the globe. Clark guest-hosted “The Tonight Show” multiple times, worked with greats like Hank Williams and blues artist Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, and inspired countless pickers, including a young Brad Paisley, with his instructional guitar books.

Clark was born in Virginia, the oldest of

five children, and was weaned in a musical family. He perfected the banjo, mandolin and guitar, his true love.

When “Hee Haw” premiered in 1969, Clark’s role as Buck Owens’ comedic counterpart endeared him to country fans and introduced him to new audiences. Combined with hits “Thank God and Greyhound” and “Come Live with Me,” made him one of the genre’s most popular stars.

He won the Country Music Association’s Comedian of the Year Award in 1970 and the Entertainer of the Year Award in 1973.

In the late 1970s, he garnered numerous CMA Instrumentalist of the Year Awards – as a solo musician and with Buck Trent.

During the 25th annual Grammy Awards, his recording of “Alabama Jubilee” won the Best Country Instrumentalist Performance award.

When the Country Music Association celebrated the 50th annual CMA Awards in 2016, Clark, seated with a five-string banjo on his lap, and Paisley helped kick off the show. They played a clip of Buck Owens’ “Tiger by the Tail,” but it was their re-enactment of Owens and Clark’s famous “Hee Haw” lines that brought the loudest cheers!

Somewhere beyond the Pearly Gates, yonder down the dirt road and over the hay bales, the cornrows are alive with three chords and hearty laughs! Clark is at it again … a-pickin’ and a-grinnin’!

Todd Smith is president and chief communications officer of Deane, Smith & Partners, a full-service branding, PR, marketing and advertising firm with offices in Jackson. The firm — based in Nashville, Tenn.

— is also affiliated with Mad Genius. Contact him at todd@deanesmithpartners.com, and follow him @ spinsurgeon.

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