MBJ_Oct27-HWP2017

www.msbusiness.com • October 27, 2017

» Inside look at 22 businesses that go above and beyond for their employees SPONSORED BY

MORE INSIDE

SPECIAL MAGAZINE EDITION: » INCLUDES HEALTH CARE FOCUS » THIS WEEK’S TOP BUSINESS STORIES AND NEWSMAKERS

Iconic beauty of the Gulf Coast Fisackerly a steady hand on the helm of Entergy and economic development

would like to congratulate all of the winners and finalists for the

2017 Healthiest Workplace Awards ● ● ● ● ●

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Baker Donelson BorgWarner Brown Bottling Group Caterpillar, Inc Galloway-Chandler-McKinney Insurance Agency Holmes CC Ingalls Shipbuilding Levi Strauss & Co. Magnolia Health Magnolia Regional Health Center Puckett Machinery Company

P. O . B O X 2 9 7 1

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Ross & Yerger Sanderson Farms Inc Singing River Health System Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company St. Dominic Health Services, Inc Trustmark National Bank The University of Mississippi Medical Center W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company

Madison, MS 39130

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601-540-8699

Please visit our website for membership information www.msbgh.org

FROM THE EDITOR A member of the Mississippi Press Association www.mspress.org

MISSISSIPPI’S HEALTHIEST WORKPLACES

New-look magazine part of the plan I f you were thinking your Mississippi Business Journal looks a little different this week, you were correct.

This week’s edition marks a change for us that we hope you will like as we are printing a special edition magazine of the Mississippi Business Journal that focuses on the winners of Mississippi’s Healthiest Workplaces.

Mississippi’s Healthiest Workplaces is one of the many special events here at the MBJ. This one, as the name suggests, highlights businesses in Mississippi which go above and beyond to provide a happy and healthy workplace for their employees.

There are classifications for public sector, private sector, and allied business such as non-profits. Throughout the pages of this Mississippi Business Journal, you will read about the businesses that were recognized at a recent banquet at the Old Capitol Inn in Downtown Jackson.

And this is how we will be treating our publication roughly once a month after each and every one of our events, like Leaders In Law, Mississippi’s 50 Leading Business Women, Top 50 Under 40, Healthcare Heroes, Leaders in Finance and so on.

Having said all of that, Mississippi’s Healthiest Workplaces is not all you will be seeing in this edition.

We also have a regular Focus of the MBJ, which this week is Mis-

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

Website: www.msbusiness.com October 27, 2017 Volume 39, Number 43 www.msbusiness

.com • October 27,

sissippi Healthcare. This week, that information deals with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Iconic beauty of the Gulf Coast And then there is the list. One of the things the MBJ is known for is its lists. We print a business list associated with almost every Focus we print in each edition. This week, that list is Women’s Healthcare Providers in Ross Reily Mississippi.

There is also, lots going on in the typical business world and we aren’t letting that slip through the cracks.

You are still getting the best business news from the only full-time, state-wide business publication in Mississippi, This includes, stories, profiles, newsmakers, lists, ribbon cuttings, columns and m0re.

While this week’s publication is in magazine format, you are still getting the same great business journalism the MBJ has been known for nearly 40 years.

» Inside look at 22 busine sses that go above and beyond for their employees SPONSORED BY

MORE INSIDE

SPECIAL MAGAZINE EDITION:

» INCLUDES HEALTH CARE FOCUS » THIS WEEK’S TOP BUSINESS STORIE AND NEWSMAKERS S

Fisackerly a stead y hand on the helm of Entergy and economic development

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

2017

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 Staff Writer/Special Projects frank.brown@msbusiness.com • 364-1022 JACK WEATHERLY Staff Writer jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com • 364-1016 VIRGINIA HODGES Account Executive virginia.hodges@msbusiness.com • 364-1012 TACY RAYBURN Production Manager tacy.rayburn@msbusiness.com • 364-1019 CHARINA RHODES Circulation Manager charina.rhodes@msbusiness.com • 364-1045 MARCIA THOMPSON-KELLY Business Assistant marcia.kelly@msbusiness.com • 364-1044 Subscription Services (601) 364-1000 subscriptions@msbusiness.com Mississippi Business Journal (USPS 000-222) is published weekly with one annual issue by MSBJ 200 N. Congress St., Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201. Periodicals postage paid at Jackson, MS. Subscription rates: 1 year $109; 2 years $168; and 3 years $214.

To place orders, temporarily stop service, change your address or inquire about billing: Phone: (601) 364-1000, Fax: (601) 364-1035, Email: charina.rhodes@msbusiness.com, Mail: MS Business Journal Subscription Services, 200 N.Congress Street, Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mississippi Business Journal, Circulation Manager, 200 North Congress Street, Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201 To submit subscription payments: Mail: MS Business Journal Subscriptions Services, 200 North Congress Street, Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201.

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

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

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

Entire contents copyrighted © 2017 by Journal Inc. All rights reserved.

Mississippi Business Journal – 3

Mississippi Business Journal October 27, 2017 Volume 39, Number 43

TABLE OF CONTENTS HEALTHIEST WORKPLACES 2017 HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CATEGORY St. Dominic Health Services,Inc ..................................................7 Magnolia Regional Health Center.................................................7 The University of Mississippi Medical Center............................... 8 Singing River Health System ...................................................... 9 PUBLIC SECTOR CATEGORY Mississippi Development Authority ........................................... 19 Mississippi Community College Board........................................ 19 Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration.............. 20 Other finalists ......................................................................... 20 PRIVATE SMALL CATEGORY Galloway-Chandler-McKinney Insurance Agency ......................... 9 PRIVATE MEDIUM CATEGORY Ross & Yerger ...........................................................................10 Baker Donelson .........................................................................11 PRIVATE LARGE CATEGORY Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company ..........................11 Puckett Machinery Company ..................................................... 12 Magnolia Health ....................................................................... 13 BorgWarner.............................................................................. 13 Levi Strauss & Co. .................................................................... 14 Brown Bottling Group ............................................................... 15

FOCUS ON

SPONSORED BY

COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY CATEGORY Holmes Community College ......................................................18 PRIVATE MEGA-LARGE CATEGORY Trustmark National Bank........................................................... 15 Ingalls Shipbuilding .................................................................. 16 Sanderson Farms Inc................................................................. 16 W. G. Yates & Sons Construction Company ................................ 17 Caterpillar Inc ........................................................................... 17 Event Photos ...................................................................... 20-21 Past Winners ............................................................................22

HEALTH CARE

BREAST TECHNOLOGY » More funding, more options ...........................................................................................29 PROFILES: »Jana Neely1 Finding the answers among the many questions ....................................32-33 » Freda Johnson: ‘I don’t feel like I’m dying’............................................................. 34-35 » Jennifer Caldwell: A matter of life — and death ..................................................... 36-37

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

LIST » Women’s Medical Care Centers........................................................................................38

4 – Mississippi Business Journal

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THE WEEK IN BUSINESS Courtesy of Alex North - Photographer (See more pages 46-47)

» PROFILE Haley Fisackerly a steady hand on the helm of Entergy and economic development .................................................. 40-41 » NEWSMAKERS ............... 52-53 » LOOKING BACK 50 Years of Krispy Kreme ............................................... 42-43 » ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Mitchell Distributing expanded to coast market ...............44-45

» NEW BUSINESSES ....... 48-49 » THE SPIN CYCLE TODD SMITH: Facebook fights fake news with publisher info buttons ....... 50-51

» PROFILE Photographer Alex North captures coastal beauty ...........46-47 » SMALL BUSINESS Golf carts keep Bay St. Louis moving ....................................54

6 – Mississippi Business Journal

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HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CATEGORY FIRST PLACE

St. Dominic’s

S

t. Dominic’s encourages its employees to lead healthy lifestyles through its Employee Wellness Program, which focuses on engaging more than 4,000 St. Dominic Health Services employees in healthy living programs. Employees are regularly provided with educational materials, a monthly spotlight on health, physical fitness activities and healthy eating programs throughout the year.

St. Dominic’s also began to utilize the Healthy Lives program in 2013, a comprehensive health and wellness program provided as an additional benefit at no cost to employees, spouses and dependents over the age of 18 enrolled in the St. Dominic’s health plan. Employees and dependents enrolled in the program participate in yearly health screenings and can earn cash rewards for healthy behavior and

lifestyle changes.

St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital, a 571bed acute care facility in Jackson, traces its history to 1946, when the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Ill., purchased the Jackson Infirmary in the center of the city.

SECOND PLACE

Magnolia Regional Health Center

T

he Magnolia Regional Health Center’s HealthSmart Wellness Advocate Program was launched in January of 2016 as a program available to all employees with the incentive of having the $300 health insurance individual deductible waived and also being able to receive prescribed medications for chronic diseases of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and smoking cessation at no cost upon meeting certain requirements. Over 200 employees are enrolled in this program.

The HealthSmart Wellness Advocate Program provides a website portal for each participant to utilize as a partnership to help achieve their personal wellness goals. Webinars, workshops, risk advisor, progress reports, logs, meal planners and resources are available on this portal for all partic-

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ipants.

Magnolia Regional Health Center has a rich history in Corinth, beginning as Magnolia Hospital in 1965. Since then, renovating and upgrading of the facility and equipment has evolved into the health care organization it is today as Alcorn County’s No. 1 employer.

2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi – 7

HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CATEGORY THIRD PLACE

University of Mississippi Medical Center

T

he University of Mississippi Medical Center has implemented a comprehensive employee wellness program with a medical director and manager from the Department of Preventive Medicine and a 21-member Employee Wellness Committee that meets monthly to identify opportunities for improving the health of UMMC employees.

The program, “Everyday Wellness,� incorporates educational sessions, free group exercise classes, healthier food and beverage options in the cafeteria and in vending machines, recognition of walking day with an organized walk on campus, and a “Take the Stairs� campaign. It also increases awareness of resources available outside of UMMC, such as the employee assistance program and ActiveHealth Management. In June, UMMC implemented the

Employee Wellness Program ďŹ rst on-site farmer’s market and a held a center-wide wellness challenge with 227 employees enrolled.

Using the Centers for Disease Control’s online workplace health scorecard, UMMC has measured progress and showed an increase in the overall score from 170 in 2016 to 264 in 2017.

For 35 years, Caterpillar has been a proud partner of industry in North Mississippi, remanufacturing engines and large engine components. Remanufacturing is the process of returning end-of-servicelife products to same-as-when-new condition or better at a fraction-of-new cost, using state-of-theart technologies and production processes, while reducing impact on the environment. What began with 11 employees in 1982 now involves a workforce of approximately 1,500 in Corinth and %RRQHYLOOH DQG WKH 0LVVLVVLSSL RSHUDWLRQV UHPDLQ &DWHUSLOODUÂśV FRUQHUVWRQH IRU UHPDQXIDFWXULQJ With a strong history of operational excellence, Caterpillar is ready to meet the challenges of the future with a team focused on the safety and wellbeing of each individual, the quality of products delivered to customers and the sustainability of our communities. For information on career opportunities, visit www.caterpillar.com/careers.

8 – 2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi

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HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CATEGORY

Singing River Health System

A

s the second largest employer in Jackson County and a health leader for the region, Singing River Health System works to deliver on its mission to improve health and save lives. Singing River offers a number of initiatives for its 2,400 employees.

Healthy Rewards is a voluntary employee rewards program focusing obesity, cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes.

With Healthy Selection, Singing River partners with local restaurants to create a guide for employees and patients for healthier eating while enjoying a meal out.

The Healthy Partners program offers screenings to employees of local businesses, assistance in preventing workplace injuries, early detection of diseases, and risk assessments for a healthier

lifestyle — all at reduced rates.

Singing River also offers one mile walking paths for employees and guests, discounted membership to fitness centers, free flu shots for employees, free childbirth and breastfeeding classes, free CPR classes, blood drives and 5K events.

PRIVATE SMALL CATEGORY FIRST PLACE

Galloway Chandler McKinney Insurance Agency, LLC

G

alloway Chandler McKinney Insurance was founded in 1994, through the merger of Galloway-Wiggers Insurance Agency and Kyle Chandler Insurance Agency. The agency has roots dating back to 1920 and has offices in Columbus, West Point, Aberdeen, Amory and Starkville.

The agency has implemented programs in the workplace designed to help employees become healthier. The agency says these programs of nutrition, exercise, and stress guidance have increased employee moral at work and at home.

The agency has 39 total employees – there are eight partners, all of which are also producers and

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designated as Certified Insurance Counselors. Included in the staff are a Registered Health Underwriter, a Chartered Life Underwriter, and several certified insurance professionals.

2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi – 9

PRIVATE MEDIUM CATEGORY FIRST PLACE

Ross & Yerger

R

oss & Yerger’s roots date back to 1860, and the company was bought by its employees in 2002. Today, it has grown to about 115 employees and surpassed $20 million revenue. The firm offers commercial insurance products, employee benefit plans, financial institutions products and services, personal insurance products, risk management/employee benefits consulting, and executive benefits.

Ross & Yerger allows employees to exercise on company time twice a week. Time is also provided outside of sick/personal/vacation for employees to get their Healthy You. Free onsite gym access is provided for employees in the Jackson and Tupelo offices, and the company is a tobacco-free workplace. The firm provides quarterly stress management seminars, annual Health Fair, quarterly

wellness challenges, nutrition seminars, on-site flu shots, access to corporate-sponsored Employee Assistance Program, and access to discounted gym memberships. It also provides discounted on-site massage services, and year-round complimentary nutrition and training counseling.

CONGRATULATIONS TO LEVI STRAUSS & CO. ON BEING SELECTED AS ONE OF THE HEALTHIEST PLACES TO WORK IN MISSISSIPPI FOR 2017.

10 – 2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi

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PRIVATE MEDIUM CATEGORY SECOND PLACE

Baker Donelson

B

aker Donelson law firm has a company-wide initiative called BakerFit, through which the firm strives to be a partner with its employees and help them in reaching and attaining their healthy lifestyle goals.

Baker Donelson offers resources needed to make healthy choices. Through BakerFit, the Firm offers activities such as monthly Recess @ Work events and yoga at your desk. It holds a Health and Benefits fair each fall, where employees can get a Health Risk Assessment and Biometric Screening and flu shots.

Employees can qualify for incentives on their health insurance premium. Its Jackson office has workout room, which includes a treadmill, an exer-

cise bike, kettle bells, weights, medicine balls and yoga mats. It includes an interior open staircase which encourages walking, and every workspace has a sit-stand desk. It also has a Farmer’s Market at least once a month.

Baker Donelson’s Jackson office is home to more than 120 employees, including more than 60 attorneys and public policy advisors. Across the Firm’s 24 offices, Baker Donelson has nearly 1,500 employees.

PRIVATE LARGE CATEGORY FIRST PLACE

Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co.

S

outhern Farm Bureau’s WellnessWorks Program was created to provide its home office staff of 650 with healthy places, healthy communications, and healthy programs that maintain healthier people.

Company policies have been reworked to offer employees time to participate in the many healthy choices at the workplace. For example, employees can take time to visit their doctor off-site or at the company’s onsite clinic without using sick time.

Other examples include the break-time policy where employees can take time to walk using the indoor paths or outdoor trail where they have the flexibility of spending some extra time upon supervisor approval. Employees can visit with onsite health coaches, onsite massage therapists, attend onsite training classes, and other onsite events on

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company time.

The SFBLI Café, which is managed by Sodexo, is subsidized 35 percent so that prices stay low while providing healthy choices in the cafeteria, vending, and on the catering menu.

The company offers a variety of employee health and wellness benefits which includes a value-based design and premium discount incentive.

2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi – 11

PRIVATE LARGE CATEGORY SECOND PLACE

Puckett Machinery Company

P

uckett Machinery Company employs about 425 at its Flowood headquarters. The the authorized Caterpillar dealer for central and southern Mississippi was formed in 1982.

But its health and wellness journey began in 2008 with the primary long-term objective to minimize claims costs in the company’s medical insurance program. Through its implementation of education and targeted incentives, it can document how its wellness program has helped in improving the overall health of employees and has correspondingly mitigated medical claims costs. It has made improvements in the incidence of high blood

pressure, glucose, total cholesterol, and tobacco utilization among its employee population. Since 2008, Puckett has only had to implement two single-digit health insurance premium increases.

St. Dominic Health Services COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINIC • Serving Jackson’s homeless and underserved population

ST. CATHERINE’S VILLAGE

CARE-A-VAN

• Providing mobile healthcare screenings for the underserved, school children and senior adults in central Mississippi

SCHOOL NURSE PROGRAM • Providing nurses for all of Madison County’s elementary and middle schools.

• Physicians and specialists in Neurosurgery, Cardiovascular Surgery and Behavioral Health as well as Family Practice physicians and MEA Clinics

THE CLUB AT ST. DOMINIC’S

ST. DOMINIC HOSPITAL

• A full-service medical/surgical facility including Mississippi Heart and Vascular Institute, Cancer Center, Behavioral Health Services and Women’s Services

NEW DIRECTIONS FOR OVER 55 • Offering group activities, screenings, educational opportunities and discounts for members

ST. DOMINIC’S MEDICAL GROUP

• Independent Living in Apartments and Garden Homes • Assisted Living • Alzheimer’s Care Facility • Nursing Care

ST. DOMINIC’S MADISON MEDICAL IMAGING

D1 SPORTS TRAINING OF MISSISSIPPI • Provides athletic-based scholastic and adult training programs, coaching and the latest in sports therapy

• Offering a full range of state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging services. “Quality Imaging Closer to Home.”

969 LAKELAND DRIVE •

12 – 2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi

• A full-service wellness facility with state-of-the-art fitness equipment, indoor therapy and lap pool for members

JACKSON , MS 39216 •

601.200.2000 •

STDOM .COM

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PRIVATE LARGE CATEGORY THIRD PLACE

Magnolia Health

M

agnolia Health is a Coordinated Care Organization that is contracted by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid to manage the healthcare of certain categories of Medicaid beneficiaries.

Magnolia Health has 450 employees in Mississippi and a wellness program called Healthy Pathways, which provides resources to help employees reach their personal health goals and live a healthier life. Employees who participate can achieve discounts on the company health insurance as well as opportunities to earn wellness dollars. Magnolia Health encourage employees to be nicotine free by making it a requirement with the biometric screening through Healthy Pathways.

Magnolia Health also has a focus group that meets monthly, creates newsletters and keeps employees informed of upcoming races and walks.

Other benefits include free flu shots, lactation room and group participation in 5k or longer races and walks.

BorgWarner

B

orgWarner is a global product leader in clean and efficient technology solutions for combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles. Its health goal is to educate, motivate and empower employees and their families by providing a balanced and proactive wellness program. Globally it employs 27,000, with 525 in Water Valley.

The tobacco-free company offers free gym memberships to employees and their spouses. Within the facility’s clinic, a nurse practitioner is available four days a week, where services are free for employees, spouses and children 14 and over, who are enrolled in the company’s health care plan.

Over the past two years, BorgWarner has provided free Fitbit activity trackers for over 200 employees and organized team-based Walking Challenges. It also offers free annual biomet-

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ric screenings for employees and their spouses.

BorgWarner also promotes local 5 and 10K runs and pays the entrance fees for employees, as well as provides dry-fit shirts for participants. The company recently started an on-site cafeteria, which offers healthier meal and vending options and provides nutritional information. If yearly health goals are met, medical plan premiums can be free for employees and their families.

2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi – 13

PRIVATE LARGE CATEGORY

Levi Strauss & Co.

L

evi Strauss & Co. designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories under the Levi’s, Dockers, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co., and Denizen brands. Its products are sold in more than 110 countries worldwide through about 2,700 retail sites.

The company’s live well program was designed with a holistic approach that supports all facets of wellness. The core elements are health and ďŹ tness, contribution and sustainability, growth and development, and money and prosperity. It allows individuals to choose from a variety of wellness activities and offers the opportunity to earn rewards, such as opportunities to lower their plan-year contributions. Health coaching is also included as an option to earn points.

In addition to the formal program, Levi Strauss & Co. offers employees’ access to an Employee Assistance Program and various health management programs through the insurance coverage. Financial literacy classes are also offered as part of the holistic approach to wellness.

.BHOPMJB )FBMUI JT IPOPSFE UP CF TFMFDUFE BT POF PG UIF )FBMUIJFTU 1MBDFT UP 8PSL JO .JTTJTTJQQJ JO Magnolia Health’s mission is to improve the health of our members, one individual at a time. We use this same philosophy for our employees as well, by providing healthy activities and incentives to promote a healthy lifestyle.

MagnoliaHealthPlan.com

14 – 2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi

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PRIVATE LARGE CATEGORY

Brown Bottling Group

B

rown Bottling Group, established in Mississippi since 1971, is a franchise distributor for Pepsi Cola and Dr Pepper Beverages representing the top-selling products in virtually every category of the beverage industry covering soft drinks, juices, sport drinks, water, coffee and tea.

Brown Bottling feels it is important to make a commitment to its team members and the community. It lends its support in time, product and funding to diverse programs like Pepsi Pops, the Atwood Music Festival, Live at Five in Hattiesburg, Choctaw Indian Fair, the Sanderson Farms Championship and Mistletoe Marketplace. It also partners with the Sunkist Swim Team and its adopt-a-school programs to focus on bettering the environments of the children in our communities.

Brown Bottling is based in Ridgeland with ser-

vice areas in Jackson, Hattiesburg, McComb/Natchez and Meridian.

Benefit-wise, Brown Bottling offers comprehensive major medical insurance, dental care, vision care, group term life insurance, voluntary life insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance and family medical leave.

PRIVATE MEGA-LARGE CATEGORY FIRST PLACE

Trustmark Bank

J

ackson-based Trustmark Bank has recognized the need for wellness promotion and education for associates as healthcare costs have continued to increase. It partnered with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, Marathon Health and Health Lives to become a Healthy Workplace by offering services that would provide associates with health management and preventive services at lower costs.

Trustmark’s “Nutrition, Fitness and Health,” offers wellness services at no additional cost to their associates such as: an onsite health clinic, an annual health fair that includes biometrics and flu vaccinations, ongoing wellness challenges, cooking demos, wellness education presentations, a smoking cessation program, discounted rates with local fitness facilities and more.

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Trustmark also offers a $600 wellness credit towards the annual insurance premium for participating associates who complete the necessary requirements of receiving their preventive wellness visit and completing a health questionnaire.

Trustmark employs more than 2,900 associates in five states.

2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi – 15

PRIVATE MEGA-LARGE CATEGORY SECOND PLACE

Ingalls Shipbuilding

I

ngalls Shipbuilding’s health-related program is called Be Well, and it has three initiatives that fall under its umbrella.

The HII Health Center provides off-site healthcare to Ingalls’ employees and their dependents.

It has a staffed wellness team to assist physicians in helping patients create and maintain a healthy lifestyle, including nutrition and overall health counseling. The health center also has an onsite pharmacy.

The Interactive Health Onsite Wellness Program provides onsite health screenings, flu shots and facilitates physical activity challenges, urging employees to participate in the company’s annual 5K run.

The Employee Assistance Program serves employees’ mental health by providing drug and

alcohol addiction counseling among other mental health services.

Ingalls also offers Teledoc, which gives employees 24/7/365 access to non-emergency medical care with a national network of physicians for $10 co-pay per consultation.

Established in 1938, Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula has been building quality ships for 79 years.

THIRD PLACE

Sanderson Farms

S

anderson Farms offers various programs and classes at no cost to the employee to help increase health and well-being of its staff including: yearly wellness screenings, health fairs, wellness classes, flu shots, biggest loser competitions, healthy vending choices, a tobacco cessation program, weight loss management program, gym reimbursement program, walk-to-run program, and yearly 5K. Sanderson Farms recognizes that its employees face significant challenges in their efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Busy work schedules, family obligations, and church commitments leave little time for the employee to spend on their personal health and wellness.

Sanderson Farms is engaged in the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of fresh,

16 – 2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi

frozen further processed and partially cooked chicken.

Corporately, Sanderson Farms employs over 12,000 employees and contracts with over 850 independent poultry producers. The company’s Mississippi-based locations employ approximately 4,650 employees and nearly 500 independent contract growers.

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PRIVATE MEGA-LARGE CATEGORY

W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company

R

anked among the top construction services providers in the country by Engineering News Record, Yates Construction is family owned and provides a wide range of construction and building services. Founded in 1964, Yates has steadily grown to become one of the top construction providers in the nation.

Yates uses a wellness plan (Healthcheck 360) and also offers a weight loss competition, smoking cessation incentives, flu shots and publish a monthly medical newsletter. Its goal is to have every employee on the medical plan participating in its wellness plan. Yates sends out email blasts, hangs posters around job sites, bulletin boards, and offices as well as conference calls and depends on word of mouth. It has become a fit friendly workplace by the American Heart Association, and 60 percent

of those who participated in the smoking cessation program have remained tobacco free. It has upwards of 60 participation in the wellness plan.

The Yates organization is based in Philadelphia, Miss., and has more than 8,500 employees in eight states throughout its self-performance companies, engineering, and other construction services entities.

Caterpillar

C

aterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. The company’s facilities in Corinth and Booneville employ about 1,200 and re-manufacture engines and large engine components.

Caterpillar offers many benefits in addition to health coverage, including an on-site Employee Assistance Program. Wellness exams are offered beginning at age 25, and a coaching program supports eligible employees addressing specific health issues.

Employee safety is a foundational element of Caterpillar in Mississippi, and that focus includes employee health at work and at home. The Step Ahead Mississippi project offers incentives as

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positive reinforcement for healthy behaviors. A survey was conducted and statistics researched to identify employees’ most common health needs. A team was formed address changes and education in nutrition, cardiovascular/cholesterol care and physical activity.

Also, a campaign has been launched to increase the number of employees taking advantage of the wellness exams.

2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi – 17

COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY (PUBLIC OR PRIVATE) CATEGORY FIRST PLACE

Holmes Community College

H

olmes Community College is a multi-campus institution that offers Associate degrees in Arts and Applied Science, technical and career certificates and workforce training. The main campus is in Goodman, and it has branches in Grenada, Ridgeland, Yazoo City and Kosciusko.

Holmes Community College’s 374 employees are allowed 30 minutes a day for fitness. The college has fitness centers in Goodman and Ridgeland that are open to employees and students.

Employees formed a 5K walk/running team that participates in about six races a year, with entry fees paid by the college.

Holmes has an annual Fitness Day in which it offers samples of fitness classes for employees and students.

The Ridgeland Campus has an indoor / outdoor walking route through campus that is marked by paw prints. It also has a track for those with disabilities that prevent them from climbing stairs.

Holmes provides CPR training and hosts health and wellness fairs.

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18 – 2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi

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PUBLIC SECTOR CATEGORY FIRST PLACE

Mississippi Development Authority

W

ellness Champion: Shantell Clay MDA is the state’s leading economic and community development agency with approximately 232 employees engaged in providing services to businesses, communities and workers throughout Mississippi.

MDA utilizes the SEWP, ActiveHealth Management, networking with other Worksite Wellness Champions and MDA’s Employee Action Team (comprised of 7 MDA employees) to plan, develop and implement worksite wellness activities.

Worksite Wellness Highlights (May 2016-May 2017) » MDA Wellness Room available to employees (blood pressure monitor, weight scale and provision of health education materials) » Stress Management Workshops/7 Habits of Healthy People Presentation via EAP » Financial Wellness Workshop » Promotion of ActiveHealth Management Webinars

» Promotion of info about free heart screenings for employees via “National Wear Red Day” » MDA Health and Wellness Fair offered free health screenings and the ability to obtain a flu vaccine » A1C Screening Wellness Workshop and education via Diabetes Care Group » Free Yoga classes offered to MDA employees » Promotion of Picnic on the Green event to encourage camaraderie » Walking Challenge implemented encouraging employees to Eat Smart and Move More (via ActiveHealth Management) » Promotion of Shape Up at the Capitol event

SECOND PLACE

Mississippi Community College Board

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ellness Champion: Shana Hansen The Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB) is comprised of 45 employees and its mission is to advance the community college system through coordination, support, leadership, and advocacy.

MCCB utilizes a committee and key collaboration from neighboring state agencies to plan and implement worksite wellness events.

Worksite Wellness Highlights (May 2016-May 2017) » Annual Health Fair in February 2017 via collaboration from many state agencies (offered eye and hearing exams, A1C screenings, blood pressure screenings, oral health screenings, BMI screenings as well as various health education info and health-promoting vendor info) » Monthly Professional Development Sessions conducted that focused upon wellness topics including: Stretching and exercising at one’s desk, Building accident and weather safety, EAP promotion via MEA Cares for daily habits to stay happy and healthy, Team-building exercise away from the office to en-

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courage office camaraderie, General first aid presentation (snake and spider bites, etc.) as well as CPR, Drug Awareness session informing employees about common drugs, drug effects and drugs that teens may be experimenting with » Focused upon the importance of desk ergonomics by having visits from CCMSI at the office » MCCB has conducted a Fit Bit Challenge within their agency to promote physical activity » Participation and collaboration with neighboring state agencies to offer MCCB employees access to flu/ pneumonia shots, a CPR certification training and a nearby Farmers’ Market » Application to a Blue Cross and Blue Shield Wellness Grant to further bolster WW efforts at MCCB to help create a culture of health

2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi – 19

PUBLIC SECTOR CATEGORY THIRD PLACE

Mississippi Dept of Finance and Administration

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ellness Champion: Kesha Funches DFA includes 420 employees across Mississippi and utilizes a WW committee to help plan and implement a variety of activities to increase health awareness and improve the health of DFA employees.

DFA also collaborates well with neighboring state agencies to maximize the reach of health promotion activities with other state employees by extending event invites to other state agencies.

Worksite Wellness Highlights (May 2016-May 2017) » Offered onsite Farmers’ Markets to employees to purchase farm-fresh fruits and vegetables » Conducted “Know Your Numbers” campaign (height, weight, BMI, blood pressure and A1C screening) » Deferred Compensation events for financial wellness/education » Assisted in raising money for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help fund research, find cures and enable treatments for blood cancer patients » Conducted penny drive to help raise money for

autism awareness for Canopy Children’s Solutions » Offered 3 flu shot clinics to employees via MEA » Collaborated with MEA Wellness Clinic twice a year to offer employees onsite health assessments to encourage the obtainment of preventive health/wellness screenings » Collaborated with Mississippi Blood Services to offer an onsite blood drive to employees » Encouraged community engagement via accepting food donations for Stewpot Community Services » Promotion of Shape Up at the Capitol event » Provision of onsite A1C screenings for employees via Diabetes Care Group

FINALISTS EVENT PHOTOS »

Mississippi State Department of Health Boswell Regional Center Mississippi Public Broadcasting Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning

On July 27, the Mississippi Business Journal and event sponsors hosted the Healthiest Work Places luncheon at the Old Capital Inn in downtown Jackson.

More photos at msbusiness.com 20 – 2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi

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EVENT PHOTOS

Photos by Stegall Imagery www.msbusiness.com

2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi – 21

PAST WINNERS

2016

2015

PUBLIC — MUNICIPAL 1st place - City of Morton 2nd place — Magnolia Regional Health

PRIVATE SECTOR WINNERS 1st Place: Southern Farm Bureau 2nd Place: Ross & Yerger 3rd Place: Mississippi Baptist Health Systems

PUBLIC — STATE 1st place - Miss. Dept. of Human Services PRIVATE — MEGA LARGE 1st place - Ingalls Shipbuilding 2nd place — Sanderson Farms 3rd place — St. Dominic’s Yates Construction Trustmark Chevron Baptist Health Services University of Mississippi Medical Center PRIVATE — LARGE 1st place - Hol Mac Corp.

2nd place — Levi Strauss 3rd place — Magnolia Health PRIVATE MEDIUM 1st place - Ross & Yerger PRIVATE — SMALL 1st place - Miss. Hospital Association 2nd place — bfac.com 3rd place — Systems Electro Coating Tulane University Galloway Chandler McKinney Insurance COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY 1st place - University of Mississippi 2nd place — University of Southern Mississippi

22 – 2017 Healthiest Workplaces in Mississippi

PUBLIC SECTOR WINNERS 1st Place: Mississippi Department of Mental Health 2nd Place: University of Mississippi 3rd Place: Mississippi Gaming Commission SMALL EMPLOYER AWARD Public Sector: Mississippi State Fire Academy SMALL BUSINESS AWARD Private Sector: Fleet Feet PRIVATE SECTOR FINALISTS Baker Donelson BankFirst Butler Snow Camelia Healthcare Community Trust Bank GE Aviation Hol-Mac Levi Strauss Peavey Electronics St. Dominics Trustmark PUBLIC SECTOR FINALISTS Hudspeth Regional Center Mississippi Dept. of Finance and Administration Mississippi Dept. of Corrections Mississippi Dept. of Health District IX Mississippi State Hospital MorganWhite Group USDA-ARS

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ROUNDTABLE

Value-based Care programs are driving improvements in quality and people’s health Sponsored by

ROUNDTABLE

Mississippi Business Journal Executive Roundtable Thursday September 7th in the office of UnitedHealthcare at Southern Farm Bureau, 795 Woodlands Pkwy, Ridgeland, MS

UnitedHealthcare’s value-based programs are driving improvements in quality and health outcomes for Mississippi and employers such as Southern Farm Bureau Our traditional health care system is giving way to a new model, called value-based care, which creates a more personal connection for consumers who are now at the center of their care management and physician team, promoting higher quality, lower cost and better health.

ROSS REILY MODERATOR Mississippi Business Journal Editor

MEET THE PARTICIPANTS

JOE OCHIPINTI

CHRISTINE O’BRIEN

SHELBY CONWAY

BILLY SIMS

DR. DAVID DUDDLESTON

PANEL President and CEO UnitedHealthcare-Gulf States

PANEL Vice President, KA Sales and Account Management UnitedHealthcare-Gulf States

PANEL Strategic Account Executive UnitedHealthcare-Gulf States

PANEL Senior Vice President, Policy Administration Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance

PANEL Vice President/Medical Director Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance

REILY: In today’s healthcare industry everyone is talking about value-based care. How does UnitedHealthcare define value-based care and what is UnitedHealthcare trying to deliver and solve for its consumers, employers, and providers?

costs and improve outcomes, truly the triple play of healthcare benefits right here In Mississippi. This allows Southern Farm Bureau to support and manage their employees according to their needs as a client, offering services such as their onsite clinic. UnitedHealthcare manages the quality metrics reporting with the hospitals and physicians and Southern Farm Bureau employees become the benefactors of improved outcomes and savings. Value-based care is really about rewarding our clients for improving patient health. UnitedHealthcare is leading the way in value-based care by re-imagining how we collaborate with and pay doctors and connecting consumers with the tools to find the right care. At the end of the day, it’s about focusing on the overall value for the patient rather than the volume of services provided.

JOE: UnitedHealthcare’s mission is to help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone. The health care system has been organized around treating the sick and paying for volume, not value. Today, health care is shifting to a model that emphasizes the importance of keeping people healthy and rewarding physicians for coordinating care while helping employers save money and improve outcomes for their employees. This value-based care approach means creating the personal connection for the consumer—putting the patient at the center of their physician network. Value-based care can come in many different arrangements—through an Traditional Care incentive-based plan with primary care physicians, as a set of payments for bundled and episodic services, or in the form of an Accountable Complicated health care Care Organization (ACO) where high performsystem confuses and ing providers manage a population according to frustrates consumers quality metrics and outcomes, which enables us to drive costs down.

High-performing health systems, UnitedHealthcare, employers and employees can all benefit from value-based care. Today, UnitedHealthcare and Southern Farm Bureau have worked together to drive higher quality, lower

Reactive, transactional care delivered in response to an injury or illness

Value-Based Care Consumer Experience

Care Delivery

Consumers are at the center of the health care system, empowered with more information and support

Proactive, preventive care, with an emphasis on keeping people healthy

ROUNDTABLE REILY: Southern Farm Bureau switched its employee benefit service provider a few years ago to UnitedHealthcare. What played into that decision? Please also explain plan how are you driving better health outcomes and how the clinical engagement and value-based care network contracting helps support Southern Farm Bureau and your employees.

BILLY: Our previous provider did not share enough meaningful data for effective health plan cost management, including population health management and value-based care efforts. They also did not do enough to ensure providers were following evidence-based care management standards, particularly with high-cost claimants.

We have built a comprehensive employer health management strategy by leveraging a team of incredible partners, including UnitedHealthcare. The team works together to integrate efforts by sharing data, aligning communication and programs and evaluating the results.

Our population health vendor, Vigilant Health, is managing our premium incentive program and engaging our health plan members through an on-site clinic. We can now provide incentives for providers to shift to this type of care model via patient referrals.

The highest-performing providers in the network receive the majority of the referrals.

Vigilant Health targets three subgroups to align benefits and the right level of care. These include: 1) keeping healthy people healthy, 2) helping those with health risks and early-stage diseases find the right care and programs and 3) working with those with co-morbidities to engage in care management programs to optimize their health and more effectively manage their care costs.

When it comes to clinical engagement, we are still working to get our network to the next level of high-performing providers. Thus far, engagement with our on-site clinic and UnitedHealthcare on United Medical Resource, UnitedHealthcare’s third party administrator platform, has been outstanding and impactful.

REILY: How many members does UnitedHealthcare have under value-based care nationally, the Gulf States region and locally in Mississippi, and how many of these arrangements have you implemented so far? Additionally, what can Mississippi residents expect in the future, particularly in terms of enhancements around population management?

JOE: It is our mission to help people live healthier lives.

Nationally, we serve 49 million people, we serve 1.8 million in the region and just fewer than 700,000 in Mississippi.

This includes Medicaid, commercial, retiree and all our ancillary products such as dental and vision.

With regard to the value-based care population, we have 15 million UnitedHealth care members who are accessing care from a physician who has a value-based relationship with UnitedHealthcare. More than $52 billion of annual spend is part of value-based payments going to doctors and hospitals that are committed to value-based programs. In Mississippi, we have more than 100 value-based care arrangements between hospitals and physicians.

We launched our first ACO with Hattiesburg Clinic in partner-

Traditional Care Lack of technology and incentives for physicians to coordinate patient care

ship with Forest General Hospital and are targeting two additional commercial ACOs in 2018 with the goal of having all major Mississippi systems participating in an ACO program by the end of 2019.

The importance of the ACO is that it puts the primary care physician in front of the patient more consistently. The population that is part of the ACO has the opportunity to be more clinically integrated for referrals, identify gaps in care and set up preventive measures to keep people healthy. We continue to see our ACOs driving higher quality care, lowering costs and improving outcomes. We have a total of four commercial ACOs in Louisiana (Ochsner Health Network, LCMC Health, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System and Gulf South Quality Network) with several new targets in 2018. Through ACO arrangements, we have the ability to drive more people into this level of care through new benefits and product offerings, which are the focal point of the value-based care profile.

REILY: Has the implementation of Southern Farm Bureau’s onsite clinic changed your benefits experience in terms of quality, convenience, as well as cost savings? Is there anything else you would share about the results of your value-based benefits plan?

BILLY: Since launching our on-site health clinic, we have been really encouraged by the results thus far, which include a reduction in claims and absenteeism. We have also seen significant gains in employee morale and an overall healthier workplace culture.

To-date, more than 80 percent of our employees and over 60 percent of dependents on our health plan have used the on-site clinic. Our health plan members now consider and go to the clinic as their primary care facility and others use it in conjunction with their primary care provider. Our clinic and provider network work with vendors and United Medical Resource, UnitedHealthcare’s third party administrator, have enabled us to cross promote the many benefit programs and resources we offer employees, including health education, wellness programs, and on-site group training activities.

Value-Based Care Care Coordination

Physicians empowered by new technology, data and financial incentives to coordinate care

There are five key partners in the success of a strong wellness/health program: (1) brokers/consultants, (2) insurance carrier, (3) clinic vendor, (4) wellness team and (5) employees. When all of these are “paddling in the same direction,” it is very powerful and the results are phenomenal.

REILY: What is UnitedHealthcare doing to support Southern Farm Bureau and its mission to

ROUNDTABLE offer one of the top employee benefit plans?

Traditional Care

Value-Based Care

CHRISTINE: Each year, UnitedHealthcare Data trapped inside meets with Billy and his team in conjuncData can be mined to tion with their broker, Hub International, massive repositories; Data and identify patient health risks, to conduct a plan performance review lack of sophisticated improve care coordination Information from the previous year and establish goals for the analytics and enhance efficiency coming year, including how Southern Farm Bureau has performed relative to UnitedHealthcare’s book of business as well as industry data. We also discuss the goals of Southern Farm Bureau and any plan changes points stand out. We have a moderately high deductible coupled or improvements we need to make to meet our goals. with a no-charge-to-members on-site clinic in a central location.

UnitedHealthcare’s comprehensive and competitive network in Mississippi gives us a greater amount of tools and resources to meet our employee healthcare needs. We have worked with Billy and his team to collaborate on their on-site clinic programs as well as many other progressive and innovative items that Billy has put in place. It is a great partnership that is shared between UnitedHealthcare/United Medical Resource, HUB International and Southern Farm Bureau.

REILY: As Southern Farm Bureau’s medical officer, what do you expect from a partner like UnitedHealthcare? How are you engaging with your employees through the benefit plan and on-site clinic?

DR. DUDDLESTON: We have had a very responsive partner in United Medical Resource which is vital in collaborating on innovations for our health plan. UnitedHealthcare has brought us a wide network of providers, an excellent data management system and an array of product offerings to help us build an integrated program. In addition, we now have an active case management system with UnitedHealthcare, a great improvement after the non-existent case management we had with our previous carrier.

We have a unique culture at Southern Farm Bureau, built on many years of communication with our employees. This communication, and our company-wide commitment to transparency and “doing the right thing” have resulted in a feeling of trust among our employees. With this trust, there is a high level of engagement that extends to participation and broad based support to help meet our health plan goals. This engagement has evolved over time, allowing us to get buy-in and see results. These really positive engagement results were the impetus for opening the on-site clinic.

Regarding the meshing of the benefit plan and the clinic, a few

This drives care to the clinic, which is geared to primary care.

The clinic structure is unique as well, with a “nurse navigator” serving as a central point of communication and coordinator of care, who works alongside a team of experienced internal medicine doctors. The doctors serve as active teachers and clinicians, backing up the nurse practitioners. The whole system is knitted together with a very powerful population health computer system that impacts both group and individual health outcomes.

The employees, building on the established culture of trust, have embraced the clinic without hesitation and are very pleased with the quality of care there. All combined, it has provided us with excellent control of our health plan and an unprecedented three years of renewals with zero increase in total premiums.

REILY: How does UnitedHealthcare collaborate and share data with providers to Southern Farm Bureau’s employees when they are getting care?

CHRISTINE: We continue to refine the way we deliver data, making it both timely and easily translatable into specific, usable actions. UnitedHealthcare and United Medical Resource share data with Vigilant Health, which allows them to conduct risk stratification, maintain their healthy population with routine care, and manage and follow care for higher risk members. We provide their nurse navigator with real time, usable data to assist them in treating and providing the right level of support to their members.

As Joe discussed earlier, our ACO initiatives are based on the primary care physician model. We continue to put strong primary care provider requirements in place with our products as a way to encourage consumers to form a stronger relationship with those physicians. We are hoping to continue to develop those products and introduce them in the Mississippi market.

Through our clinical and provider advocate team, we continue to have a high level of physician engagement. We are aligned to promote preventative care as well as assist with the management of member’s chronic conditions.

REILY: What type of clinical engagement are you planning next within Southern Farm Bureau and UnitedHealthcare?

DR. DUDDLESTON: We are planning to leverage more data from UnitedHealthcare that predicts patient potential care needs and the population health system powered by our on-site clinic partner, Vigilant Health. One of the many fascinating features is the ability of the system to “bubble up” the health plan members with the most acute health concerns and place them at the top of the list the nurse navigator manages to track and improve performance. In the future, we would also like to promote a “culture of health” where we all feel accountable to each other in maintaining and improving our individual health. UnitedHealthcare will remain a vital part-

ROUNDTABLE Southern Farm Bureau and UnitedHealthcare?

Traditional Care Costs climb without corresponding health improvements

Value-Based Care Costs

ner in these innovations by virtue of the company’s flexibility and commitment to exploring new ideas and opportunities to further our goals.

REILY: You have been responsible for managing and servicing this employer for the past several years. Compared to other engaged employers, what is some of the “secret sauce” on why Southern Farm employees “buy in” and have been so successful in driving better outcomes?

SHELBY: Southern Farm Bureau has made significant investments in the health of their employees and their employees feel valued by that investment. Southern Farm’s strategy not only includes engaging employees in healthy behavior, but also assisting them in seeking care and following that care through the on-site clinic and Vigilant Health. They help to drive care and outcomes through targeted care plans, as well as targeted referrals.

Southern Farm Bureau is somewhat unique in that a significant portion of their employee population works in the main office in Jackson, which is where the clinic is housed. In addition to the convenience of the clinic, this also allows targeted communication and activities within the office. Southern Farm Bureau also has an on-site cafeteria with several healthy options and calorie counting assistance.

United Medical Resource shares data with Vigilant Health, which allows them to conduct risk stratification, maintaining their healthy population with routine care, as well as manage and follow care for higher risk members. We also collaborate through UnitedHealthcare’s clinical care management team on catastrophic cases as well as utilization management on hospital admissions for potential outreach as well as discharge management following an inpatient stay. Through UnitedHealthcare’s customized communication, we are able to provide direction and clarity regarding plan benefits, resources, and programs available to members.

I work with Southern Farm Bureau and HUB International to research new ideas for plan design or programs as well as implement new and innovative solutions for their health plan. I am involved in ensuring all data exchanges are set up appropriately and working for Vigilant Health. In collaborating with Vigilant Health and Leslie Arcana’s team at HUB International, we are able to use the data exchanges to collaborate on large cases and high service utilization, as well as address issues or concerns voiced by members.

Through UnitedHealthcare’s data integration, communication and collaboration with Southern Farm Bureau, HUB International and Vigilant Health, the plan is able to manage and steer care in a way that has achieved not only clinical results in improving the health of the members, but also financial results in terms of long-term plan cost. This cohesive partnership is the reason we are able to achieve these results for the employer, the employees and their families.

REILY: If you look a few years down the road, what do you see being offered in collaboration with

JOE: When we collaborate with care pro-

viders and align our interests, we improve the patient experience and positively impact the health of every population served

by UnitedHealthcare. This gives employers in Mississippi the ability to increase quality, control costs and improve their employee outcomes, something that has been missing in Mississippi. By transforming our relationships with employers such as Southern Farm Bureau, collaborating with Vigilant Health and other health systems and providers in Mississippi, together we are putting greater emphasis on paying for value and improving and simplifying the care experience for the patient.

Insurance companies and care providers are paid based on quality and patient health improvements

In the very near future we will be expanding this ACO model to be offered as a unique product option in the employers benefit plan, where health systems and employers will participate in the oversight of this joint value-based care to achieve quality improvements, control costs and health outcomes.

BILLY: We see a growing partnership with all of our vendors, like UnitedHealthcare, Mississippi Business Group on Health (Murray Harber’s leadership), HUB International and Vigilant Health, in which we help our health plan members understand the resources available to them and create a dialogue about which ones best fit their specific health issues.

We expect to see more promotion of value-based care efforts, such as the quality rating systems (UnitedHealthcare’s Premium Physician Designation tool), so members can be better consumers of care by seeking out the best providers to improve their health outcomes.

UnitedHealthcare data and clinical support is a key aspect of our program. Having partners, such as HUB International, UnitedHealthcare, Mississippi Business Group on Health and Vigilant Health working together, we now have a solid foundation to implement the most comprehensive and proactive employer care management program in the region.

In 2015 and 2017, Southern Farm Bureau was awarded Mississippi’s Healthiest Workplace in the large employer category. These awards would not have occurred if our partners and we as a company did not work together to offer a healthy workplace and integrated set of benefits that truly benefit our employees and their families.

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FOCUS ON HEALTH CARE

MORE FUNDING MORE OPTIONS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

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» More than 322,000 breast cancer deaths averted between 1989 and 2015

By BECKY GILLETTE While women in the U.S. still face the probability that one in eight will develop breast cancer, the most common cancer in American women, survival rates are improving, said Dr. Barbara Craft, a medical oncologist who is an associate professor of medicine at University of Mississippi Medical Center Division of Oncology.

The American Cancer Society has reported that from 1989 to 2015, breast cancer death rates decreased CRAFT by 39 percent. That means that an estimated 322,600 lives were saved from breast cancer deaths during that time period.

The ACS attributes the decline to increased mammogram screening combined with the decreased use of menopausal hormones after publication of the Women’s Health Initiative randomized trial results linking the use of estrogen plus progesterone menopausal hormone therapy to breast cancer and heart disease.

Craft said death rates are also declining because of new options for treatment.

“I have been on staff here for 10 years, and was treating breast cancer during my training for five years before that,” Craft said. “Today, we have more

options including more targeted therapies. We can do more individualized treatment with fewer side effects. With metastatic breast cancer, there are so many more treatments available these days that, for certain patients, we are able to treat it almost like a chronic disease such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Lots of people are living years and years with metastatic disease.”

Craft attributes a lot of the advances in treating breast cancer to patient advocates who have worked so hard to raise more money for breast cancer research. That research has led to more FDA treatments for the disease.

“Funding is a major issue,” Craft said.

“Luckily, through groups like the American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen others, more funding has been provided for breast cancer research.”

The good thing about all targeted therapies is they have fewer side effects.

But Craft said many are quite expensive.

“Some of these drugs are $10,000 a month or more,” she said. “While insurance may cover some of the cost, patients often still have co pays, so it is important to have patient financial assistance.”

A growing area for breast cancer treatment is to not attack the cancer directly, but the hormones that might be feeding it.

“There are a lot of patients who have estrogen or progesterone positive breast cancer,” Craft said. “These are treated with anti-estrogen therapy. For patients whose disease gets worse and comes back as metastatic disease, there are targeted agents that work in combination with anti-estrogenic drugs to halt See OPTIONS, Page 30

Mississippi Business Journal – 29

HEALTH CARE

OPTIONS Continued from, Page 29

the progression of cancer. Fortunately, we do have a lot of treatment options.”

Craft often tells patients that she has a backup plan.

“I encourage them to take it one day at a time and be hopeful,” Craft said.

“We try to treat them and take care of their cancer, but also improve their quality of life and keep them feeling good. We don’t want them to just stay alive. We want them to enjoy life and be able to be there for important events such as weddings, graduations, vacations and other special events, and just to spend time with their family.”

She also counsels her patients on the importance of lifestyle. Having a healthy diet, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding alcohol can be useful for prevention and help patients do better in terms of survival after their diagnosis. And those same lifestyle recommendations are good for other types of cancer, as well.

Craft said exercise is good for both

physical health and mental health. She also encourages people to continue in their job and career if they feel well enough.

“Many do,” she said. “As an employer, try to be encouraging and be a little flexible. But I think it also important after all the breast cancer treatments to have work to go back to in order to feel normal again.”

One continuing issue is that non-Hispanic black women have higher rates of breast cancer deaths than non-Hispanic white women. Mississippi’s black to white mortality rate is the second highest in the country after Louisiana with 1.62 more deaths in white women than black women.

“Improving access to care for all populations could eliminate the racial disparity in breast cancer mortality and accelerate the reduction in deaths from this malignancy nationwide,” states the ACS. The ACS has recently released new recommendations for breast cancer screening: “Women with an average risk of breast cancer – most women –

should begin yearly mammograms at age 45. Women should be able to start the screening as early as age 40, if they want to. It’s a good idea to start talking to your health care provider at age 40 about when you should begin screening.

At age 55, women should have mammograms every other year – though women who want to keep having yearly mammograms should be able to do so.

Regular mammograms should continue for as long as a woman is in good health.”

The ACS guidelines are for women at average risk for breast cancer. Women at high risk because of family history, a breast condition, or another reason need to begin screening earlier and/ or more often. Talk to your medical provider to be sure.

The ACS no longer recommends breast exams, either from a medical provider or self-exams. However, Craft still recommends doing them as she said many people find lumps in the time period between their mammograms.

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30 – Mississippi Business Journal

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HEALTH CARE

Finding the answers among the many questions

By JULIA MILLER

Since her 5 years of tamoxifen, Jana Neely has been in remission.

Her diagnosis reminded her the importance of cherishing everyday with her family, which has now grown to include a daughter-in-law and two grandsons.

A

t 37, Jana Neely stepped into her OB-GYN’s office for her annual wellness check up. “During the routine breast exam, my doctor felt a small lump,” she recalled. “It would roll back and forth, so he said not to worry.

We’ll just keep an eye on it.”

At that time, the lump was only about the size BB. Every month during her self-breast exam, she would check to see if anything had changed. Just before her check-up in 1998, she noticed it had grown to pea size, but it still rolled, a characteristic not normally associated with cancer. She chose to wait until her appointment to bring it to her doctor’s attention. He inspected the lump, and although he thought it most likely was nothing, he suggested a biopsy.

The follow-up call proved the precaution had been warranted.

“He said it was carcinoma,” she said. “It’s not malignant yet, but it’s working through the stages.”

That was in July of 1998. By the end of the month, she was sitting down with a general surgeon to discuss her options for removal. Although the cancer was only in one breast, she ultimately decided to have a double mastectomy.

“I know they may not normally recommend it,” she recalled the doctor saying, “but if you were my daughter, I’d say get both [breasts] removed.”

Meanwhile at home, her sons were 9 and 11, and questions regarding their future echoed in her head.

“Who is going to raise my children?

What if I don’t live to see them graduate high school?”

She leaned on her husband, who she described as her biggest cheerleader, and her church family.

32 – Mississippi Business Journal

fears after eely’s biggest missing One of Jana N s diagnosi was er nc ca r he g yle’s, future hearin ns, Josh and K so o tw r he out on milestones

After Jana Neely’s (left) cancer diagnosis in July 1998, she described her husband, Allen, as her biggest cheerleade r.

Photos Special to the MBJ

“In my particular case, I would not have been able to make it through without my church family and without my own family.”

Jana Neely FZkfY\i ).# )'(.

HEALTH CARE “In my particular case, I would not have been able to make it through without my church family and without my own family,” she said.

The diagnosis also made her examine her faith. Although she believed in God and His miracles, she knew He doesn’t always choose to heal people.

“Whether I made it or He called me home, I had to have peace with it,” she said. “I’m going to fight. I’m going to do everything I can, but if I don’t make it, that’s OK.” After her surgery, Neely faced another decision. She could either undergo chemo for six months or spend five years on tamoxifen. She opted for the five years of pills and, since then, has not had a recurrence.

But that was not the end of her journey.

“I felt like God was leading me,” she said, explaining how her cancer diagnosis prompted her to begin considering a career in nursing.

In 1998, she worked as an assistant

at Simpson County schools, and she decided she didn’t want to disrupt her now precious time with her children. She decided to wait on her new calling, and when her youngest son was a senior in high school, she began her prerequisites for nursing school.

Beginning from her internship in 2008 through now, she has worked in oncology her entire nursing career, first in bone marrow transplant and now in the gynecological cancer unit at UMMC. “I’ve never once regretted choosing to work with my oncology patients,” she said. “I’m so glad I feel like I am able to give back in a small part like my providers did for me.”

Although she works with people who are diagnosed with different cancers, and a lot of them are dealing with a more bleak prognosis, she can relate to them and reach them on a different level because of her history.

“A lot of the patients, we are treating from diagnosis to death,” she said. “I feel like I can make a difference in their

lives in the meantime. More than anything, it’s the spiritual and emotional side that I’ve been able to help with.”

Neely said many of her patients do not have the family support, and she tries to step into the void. She tries to share the lessons she’s learned with her patients.

“Don’t worry about the small things,” she said. “I used to be the person who would stress over every little thing. I don’t do that anymore.”

Most importantly, she urges people not to worry about cancer taking you.

“When it’s your time to go, you’re gonna go,” she said.

Neely carries these lessons with her, both in her personal life and her professional life, and she strives to cherish and enjoy every day.

“I always say cancer was the best thing that ever happened to me,” she said.

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FZkfY\i ).# )'(.

Mississippi Business Journal – 33

HEALTH CARE

’ g in y d m ’ I e k li l e e f ‘I don’t

By BECKY GILLETTE

Photos Special to the MBJ

Freda Johnson

34 – Mississippi Business Journal

FZkfY\i ).# )'(.

HEALTH CARE

» Gulfport woman living proof of success of new treatments for metastatic breast cancer

W

hen Freda Johnson was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2011 at the age of 41, what she read online was dismal.

“It was very shocking,” said Johnson.

“What I read online was that metastatic breast cancer has no cure and you die very quickly.”

When Johnson had her first mastectomy as recommended at age 40, the scans were fine. A short time later, she felt a lump in her breast. She could tell by the look on the face of the doctor who did the biopsy that the lump was cancerous. He recommended she go to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson for further testing, and that is when Johnson learned her cancer had already spread.

When she met Dr. Barbara Craft, a medical oncologist who is an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Oncology, UMMC, Johnson said, “I don’t feel like I’m dying.”

Craft told her that advances had been made in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

“Dr. Craft said, ‘We’re going to treat this as a chronic disease’,” Johnson said.

“She did, and I’m still here in 2017. I’ve had quite a lot more time than I was initially led to believe.”

Before learning she had breast cancer, Johnson had worked as a training coordinator at Slidell Memorial Hospital.

Then she was laid off. She had been working in retail and didn’t have health insurance when the breast cancer was discovered. But a social worker at UMMC helped her get signed up for Medicaid and she went on disability.

“It does take two years to get on disability,” said Johnson, whose mother had stage one breast cancer at the age of 50. “Being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, I didn’t know if I would be around in two years. The social worker at UMMC helped a lot to make it possible for me to get the cancer treatments that I needed.”

Johnson first underwent chemotherapy to reduce the tumor as much as possible. Then she had a lumpectomy

FZkfY\i ).# )'(.

followed by a unilateral mastectomy where her right breast was removed and reconstruction done during the same surgery. Since the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes, they took out four lymph nodes.

She initially had radiation treatments in addition to chemotherapy.

The chemotherapy treatments had to be changed up over time when they would stop working. The Herceptin and Taxol chemotherapy medications left her feeling very ill. But currently she is taking oral chemotherapy drugs every day, TYLERB and capecitabine, and finds those easier to tolerate.

“On the oral pills, I’m not having the nausea, but I do have cracking of the skin, especially on the hands,” she said.

“It feels like a paper cut, but deeper. I try to stay away from the sea just because of the cracks in my hands. Water has microbes that can be harmful if you have cuts. I stay away from situations like that just because I don’t want anything to harm me.”

She also does intravenous therapy once every three months with a chemotherapy drug called Zometa that targets her bone cancer.

Craft said Johnson has HER2 positive breast cancer.

“Just in the past 10 years we went from having one agent against that kind of cancer to now having five FDA-approved agents to treat HER2,” Craft said.

“And there are more in the pipeline.”

Johnson could have gotten the treatments she has received closer to home.

Craft said the reason to come to a bigger cancer hospital or academic center is the chance to participate in cancer clinical trials.

“While we do have more treatments, unfortunately some patients still progress,” Craft said. “If Freda progresses, we need other options. We always hope there is a clinical trial and that there are other options for clinical treatment.”

Some of her friends had a hard time dealing with Johnson having metastatic breast cancer.

“Maybe they didn’t want to be around the sadness,” Johnson said.

“I don’t have any ill will towards any of them, but you know who can cope and help you and who can’t. Your true friends stay with you. The ones you only thought were your friends turn into casual acquaintances. Sometimes, when people haven’t seen me for a

while, they act surprised. I tell them, ‘Yes, I’m still here’.”

In addition to feeling she gets the best care and treatment for metastatic cancer that is available, Johnson credits her attitude, yoga, Zumba, exercise and prayer with helping her cope.

“I’m never been one of those gloomy people,” Johnson said. “I’ve always had a positive attitude. That keeps me going.

I keep moving every day. I do Zumba classes and other workout routines.

Exercise is really important. It elevates the mood. I do gentle yoga which helps because cancer affects my spine.

What I want to get across to people is, yes, having metastatic breast cancer can be very painful. You have to keep moving through a little activity even if you would rather stay in bed. Yoga and Zumba also allow me to meet a lot of people, too. Some are older and have many health problems, but we are all moving and trying to live a healthier lifestyle. I never want to give up hope.

That is what gets me through it.”

She also credits the support of friends and family.

“It is very sweet and endearing because my friends will ask, “Have you taken your pills?’,” she said. “I’m happy if I had to get metastatic cancer that I got it at the age I did because these drugs didn’t used to be available. I feel like I’m able to handle the drugs a lot better than if I was older. I think cancer is a great equalizer. It doesn’t matter your social background or education. It makes everyone equal. It makes you see things through different eyes. Things that used to get me very upset, I’m like, ‘Seriously?’”

Johnson also has lymphedema, which is swollen lymph glands. Her right arm is swollen, so she has to wear a compression sleeve. It is hard to find clothing that will fit her arm. At first, she thought that people might stare.

But she has found that to rarely be an issue.

“And, at this point, I don’t care if they do stare,” Johnson said.

Another piece of advice she has is to find a good oncology team. If you are with someone you aren’t satisfied with, go to someone else.

“I’m very, very lucky I got Dr. Craft,” Johnson said. “She is wonderful.”

Mississippi Business Journal – 35

HEALTH CARE

A matter of life — and death

By CALLIE DANIELS BRYANT

S

he is a researcher. She is a wife and mother. And she has breast cancer.

Jennifer Caldwell, who lives in Senatobia, found out she had Stage Three breast cancer (ER+PR+ meaning invasive ductal) when she was 28 in 2008.

“I had just gotten off birth control so that we could try to start a family,” Caldwell said, “when we found a lump and eventually that led to the diagnosis. First in my family. I had genetic testing done; I don’t carry any gene related to it.”

A few years later, her mother discovered she also had breast cancer.

“Two random cases that just happened to be mother and daughter,” Caldwell said. “She passed away a few years later, but got to see (my son) Brinkley born and got to play with him for almost six months.”

“That was really hard, losing her and being a new mom myself. But I try to remember to be glad that she got to help me with him at first. She would so enjoy him now though – he just turned three,” Caldwell added.

From 2008 to 2009, Caldwell had eight rounds of IV Chemotherapy along with radiation as well as double mastectomy and reconstruction surgeries.

“That (chemo) is the kind you usually think of,” Caldwell said. “I lost my hair, threw up a lot, always felt tired, etc. I also had to put off trying to get pregnant for at least five years to take Tamoxifen. Horomones make my cancer grow and the Tamoxifen helps it not bind a certain way. There’s not a lot of data on getting pregnant after breast cancer treatment because more women are older and done having kids when they get diagnosed.”

On Sept. 11, 2013, Caldwell’s doctors said she could stop taking Tamoxifen to try for a baby since she was cancer-free for a while. She had her son, Oxford Brinkley Caldwell, exactly one year later to the same day.

Her son’s initials are OBC, the same as Oxford Billiard Club where she met her husband, Cody Caldwell, when she was an undergraduate psychology major at the University of Mississippi. The building doesn’t exist but their love still does.

“My husband Cody and I have been together since 1999,” she said, “We were young – 18 and 19 – and waited a long time before getting married. We got married in 2006 in the Grove. Ole Miss has always been a big part of our lives.”

She remembers working on her thesis and dissertation writing while going through chemotherapy for the first time while earning her Ph.D. in experimental psychology at the University of Mississippi.

Now she teaches three online classes at the University of

36 – Mississippi Business Journal

Special to the MBJ

Jennifer with her husband Cody and son Brinkley.

Mississippi: general psychology, abnormal psychology and cognitive psychology. She is the Senior Research Compliance Specialist with the research department at the university.

“Basically, I oversee the ethics boards that review and approve animal and human subjects’ research and I help write policies and procedures, do reports and review research,” she said.

Now nearing 40 years, Caldwell battles cancer as fiercely as she lives her life. “(The cancer) was in ‘remission’ which is a term doctors

FZkfY\i ).# )'(.

HEALTH CARE don’t like to use because they can’t promise that nothing is there,” Caldwell said. “We call it ‘NED’ or ‘No Evidence of Disease.’”

Since 2009 she had blood work done every six months. This February Caldwell’s blood work tumor markers came back as elevated and after biopsies her doctors diagnoses a recurrence.

When she had her first diagnosis in 2008 the cancer was found in lymph nodes in her armpit.

“Yes, it is now in my more ‘distant’ lymph nodes, some around my sternum and some near my clavicle. So far the scans aren’t showing any bone or organ spread. My next scan is in a few weeks,” she said.

She immediately began Lupron shots to halt her ovaries and changed from Tamoxifen to Femera, a different type of medicine that affects hormones although the patient must be menopausal to imbibe.

Then on April 20, Caldwell had a full hysterectomy with ovaries, cervix and uterus and fallopian tubes all taken out.

Now she takes Ibrance which could be described as a pill form of chemotherapy. She describes the chemo-like effects are milder now. She takes this medicine every day for three weeks then takes a week off to recover before starting over.

She doesn’t let cancer slow her down.

Caldwell said, “It can be exhausting! But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I like my jobs, I love my family, staying busy makes me feel normal if a little tired. I have joint pain with the medicines too but that and fatigue has been my biggest side effects so not really too bad.”

She lives in Senatobia, but the family is looking to move to Oxford soon. Her son attends Oxford University School and her husband works four 10-hour days with the CN Railroad.

“I’m trying to learn to do more stuff at home on the weekends like getting laundry and lunches and dinners read for the week since my weeks are so busy,” she said.

Through it all her friends and family showed endless support and one friend made t-shirts and bracelets that proclaim “Team Jenn.”

She also joined a support group in Memphis for Stage Four cancer patients, and she is becoming involved with METAvivor which is an organi-

FZkfY\i ).# )'(.

“Don’t just say, ‘Oh let me know if I can do anything,’ because we are warriors and will not take you up on it. Tell them: ‘Hey, I’m bringing dinner tonight so you don’t have to cook. What does your family like to eat?’”

Jennifer Caldwell

zation that strives to channel research funding into Stage Four breast cancer. “(It) is often very underfunded even though it’s the only stage that kills,” Caldwell said, “The ‘Meta” is short for metastasis which means when cancer has spread out of the original site.”

She has arranged a fundraiser at Chili’s with a “give-back” lunch and dinner next month where a part of the proceeds will go to METAvivor.

Caldwell also writes about her breast cancer battle in her blog: keepingabreastofchange.blogspot.com.

When asked what people should do for those with cancer, Caldwell said, “Just do stuff for people. Bring dinner over or set up a play date. Don’t wait for people to ask. Even when we are sick, we are proud and don’t ask for help. Telling people you are here if they need you is not enough; just do something you know will be helpful.

Be specific. I have a friend that just offered recently to come spend a few days and nights with me to do whatever I need. She is going to help me organize and downsize some stuff so my days will be easier. And always tell everyone you love that you love them.”

She also shares advice for those who are newly diagnosed with cancer: “Find someone who has been through it – me! – and let them answer all your questions. Vent to them. They know what it’s like; there’s no one better to talk to. And if you know someone going through it? Help them…(remember) specific things. Don’t just say, ‘Oh let me know if I can do anything,’ because we are warriors and will not take you up on it. Tell them: ‘Hey, I’m bringing dinner tonight so you don’t have to cook.

What does your family like to eat?’”

She admits her feelings on having cancer fluctuates. “The first time I went through it was more tumultuous,” she said, “I had a lot of breakdowns and it’s so unfair. But I got put on an antidepressant back then – mainly for anxiety – and that has helped a lot.

“I still have the occasional breakdown and get sad about having this, but for the most part it’s just what it is. I can say that right now, from a place of hope, because it hasn’t spread to bones or organs yet. However I feel that if or when it gets worse, I may have less of a positive attitude. Maybe I’ll still take it in stride as best as I can, I don’t know,” she said.

One thing she does know is that she loves her life, her job, her husband and her son, and her family and friends. She has battled cancer since she was 28, and she is ready to keep fighting so she can keep singing karaoke, making arts and crafts for their home and playing with her three-year-old Brinkley as she hangs out with her husband and their friends. “(All that) takes up a lot of my time,” she said with a full heart.

Mississippi Business Journal – 37

HEALTH CARE

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Left to right: Dr. LouAnn Woodward, Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs; Dr. William Daley, Associate Professor, Anatomic Pathology; Alon Bee, Regions Bank Metro Jackson City President and Chancellor Jeffrey S. Vitter, University of Mississippi

Expect more admiration.

Congratulations to Dr. William P. Daley, Associate Professor of anatomic pathology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center for being awarded the Regions Bank TEACH Prize. This award recognizes a faculty member who best exemplifies the values of student engagement, intellectual challenge and dedication to the craft of education that drive the University of Mississippi Medical Center UMMC’s educational mission. As a proud corporate citizen, Regions is always excited to support those in our community who work so tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of others. To Dr. Daley and everyone striving to improve our communities, we offer our thanks, our assistance and our commitment to making life better.

© 2017 Regions Bank. Regions and the Regions logo are registered trademarks of Regions Bank. The LifeGreen color is a trademark of Regions Bank.

THE WEEK IN BUSINESS PROFILE

Fisackerly a steady hand on the helm of Entergy and economic development

By BECKY GILLETTE

H

aley Fisackerly, president and CEO of Entergy Mississippi, Inc., doesn’t care for being stuck in the office most of the time. As the head of the largest electric utility in the state with 447,000 customers in 45 counties, he thrives on being out to interact with employees and customers.

For him, communications are far more than talking about how Entergy Mississippi is being innovative in developing advanced metering infrastructure and launching the state’s first major utility-owned solar power project. It is about listening.

“Communications isn’t just telling our story, but listening,” Fisackerly said.

“We may be a regulated utility monopoly, but we don’t have to act that way.”

Fisackerly is also on the road frequently in his role as chair of the Mississippi Partnership for Economic Development. In that role, he is helping to sell Mississippi as a location for new business development.

“The thing I admire the most about him is he is focused on trying to make Mississippi better,” said Scott Waller, interim president, Mis-

J Special to the MB

th

:yclist” Haley wi

his wife, Allison.

40 – Mississippi Business Journal

Association traveling across the state. sissippi Economic Council. “He really Then he got called by Bill LaForge (now looks at it from an overall perspective. president of Delta State University), He gets what we need to do regarding who offered him a job in Sen. Thad Coworkforce development to make sure chran’s office. While in D.C., one of his we have the skilled workforce not only roommates was Mayo Flynt, who is now for the jobs today, but the jobs of the head of AT&T Mississippi, and Fisackfuture. He is a leader not of just of erly worked alongside Mark Keenum Entergy, but the state in driving our (now president of MSU), who at the economy in a very positive way.”

Fisackerly grew up on a farm south of time was also working for Cochran.

“I have lifelong friends through Columbus.

“It taught us a lot of things: A great that job,” Fisackerly said. “I went to work ethic, ingenuity, and when someWashington thinking I wanted to be in thing broke, how to fix it,” Fisackerly said. “It was hard work, but I have some very fond memories of it as well. I remember being on tractor at the end of day with the sun setting. It was a very peaceful moment. My dad also used to say by exposing us to hard work, we wouldn’t pursue farming. It worked for one of his Special to the MBJ three boys. I just Haley and wife Allison supporting sons Reeves and Ryan at a swim meet. knew it wasn’t my cup of tea. I chose a different path.” politics. I learned so much. It was fun.

He attended elementary and high When I was 25 years old, I was asked school at Heritage Academy in Columto head up the office when Bill LaForge bus where he was heavily involved in left. It was that opportunity and expeathletics and was student body presirience that influenced the path I ended dent his senior year. He was later a stuup taking.” dent government leader at Mississippi He had some good advice from a State University (MSU), where he was colleague: “This is a very demanding on a scholarship as an athletic trainer job. It can kill you if you let it. Find an for the football and baseball teams. He issue that interests you and develop was also an orientation leader at MSU a specialty in that. It might lead to an where he learned skills such as public opportunity for you.” speaking.

Fisackerly decided energy issues inHis first job after college was workterested him. It was through that work ing for the Mississippi State Alumni that he got to know people at Entergy,

FZkfY\i ).# )'(.

THE WEEK IN BUSINESS which eventually led to them offering him a job.

“I joined Entergy in December 1995,

Haley _unting with son, Ryan. worked for them in D.C. for four years and then transferred to Little Rock, Ark, where I worked as director of regulatory strategy,” he said. “I worked on a lot of different projects.”

Fisackerly got married to Alison Lewis, a native of Washington D.C., about halfway through his time in Arkansas.

That in 2002, Carolyn Shanks, then president\CEO of Entergy Mississippi, tapped him to become vice president of customer operations for Entergy Mississippi.

“It was a new position Carolyn created that was responsible for a combination of all customer facing functions including customer service and economic and community development,” Fisackerly said. “It was a great experience. I started to learn more about operations and the challenges brought about by major events like Hurricane Katrina.”

Because of very high natural gas prices in the late 90s and early 2000s, Entergy decided to look at building a new nuclear power plant at Grand Gulf.

FZkfY\i ).# )'(.

Fisackerly became vice president of government and regulatory affairs in 2007 charged with working on regulatory mechanisms to build new nuclear reactors not only in Mississippi, but other parts of the Entergy service territory.

There hadn’t been a new nuclear power plant built in the U.S. in 30 years. So, it was almost like starting a new industry.

On the first day in office after being promoted to president and CEO of Entergy Mississippi in June 2008, he had to deliver the bad news that Entergy Special to the MBJ was having to increase rates 30 percent because of high natural gas prices. But things quickly changed.

“The recession changed growth projections across the country,” he said.

“And the greatest game changer was shale natural gas. When natural gas prices plummeted because natural gas became more plentiful, the economics changed.”

Although they had invested in excess of $50 million in working towards building a new nuclear power plant, Fisackerly said that project was put on hold when it became clear that lower natural gas prices were here to stay.

“The decision to not build a new nuclear power plant was the right decision for our customers and our owners,” Fisackerly said. “Another thing we did was join a regional transmission system called MISO. If it is cheaper to run our units, we do; if it is cheaper to buy elsewhere, we do that. As much as 30 percent of the energy we sell comes from the market. That is why our customers today see some of the lowest rates in the country. We are 25 to 30

percent below the national average.”

Today he sees more transformation ahead in the electric utility industry.

That includes the increasing cost competitive of alternative energy such as solar, combined with energy efficiency reducing customer demand for electricity.

“People are using less electricity, but are more dependent,” he said. “Because of customer expectations of being constantly connected, we have to figure out how to make sure their lives are never interrupted. The deployment of our advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) will be the foundation for this change.

After we deploy AMI, we will deploy new products and services that will change how we interact with customers and how we provide electricity to customers.”

In his role as chair of the Mississippi Partnership for Economic Development, he said it is important to direct more resources towards workforce development in order to be competitive because the state is limited in what they offer with economic development incentives.

“We hope to move to having a stronger partnership between public and private partners so we are more competitive in not just attracting industry, but retaining industry and developing our workforce,” he said.

MSU President Keenum said Fisackerly is an exceptionally dynamic leader and one who instills confidence and calm in those with whom he interacts.

“It has been my privilege to watch Haley’s work in both the public and private sectors over many years and it’s clear to me that he brings a servant’s heart to the critical leadership role he plays in a vital public utility,” Keenam said.

Bill Sones, Chairman and CEO, Bank of Brookhaven, has served with Fisackerly on a number of different boards and committee.

“I think he serves on every board in Mississippi,” Sones said. “Seriously, he is one of Mississippi’s great business leaders of this generation. He sure has put Entergy’s footprint on many of the best things that have happened in our state. Haley is thoughtful, smart, perSee FISACKERLY, Page 51

Mississippi Business Journal – 41

THE WEEK IN BUSINESS

50 Years of Krispy Kreme who havestayed in the donut business, but McAleer uncles and cousins continue to own and operate stores throughout Alabama and Georgia.

For 50 years, the sweet taste of Krispy Kreme doughnuts “What Joe McAleer did for the brand was incredible,” Dorhas infiltrated Mississippi to create warm memories and gan Jr. said. “I can’t say the word servant enough. I believe he long-lasting traditions, and the Dorgan family is making sure was a man who knew his calling was to serve people, and he to celebrate with all their loyal customers. did that through Krispy Kreme.”

On Saturday, a family-friendly and free event will be held In the 1970s after Rudolph died, Beatrice Foods purchased from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. by Krispy Kreme locations in Columthe company. Many associate owners didn’t agree with the bus, Gulfport, Hattiesburg and Ocean new direction the franchise began Springs. There will be doughnut diptaking, and McAleer helped band ping stations and face painting. With the others together to buy back the the purchase of a dozen doughnuts at company. At that point, McAleer beregular price, you get a second dozen came the president and CEO of Krispy for just 50 cents. The Hattiesburg store Kreme in Winston-Salem, North will also include a visit from Seymour, Carolina. the University of Southern Mississip“We have been tremendously blesspi’s mascot, as well as other ambassaed by the opportunity provided from dors from the school. him,” Dorgan Jr. said. “He made a very good business decision for his family.”

MAGNOLIA DOUGHNUTS BEGIN For Dorgan Jr., who operates the In 1967, Billy Dorgan Sr. made a Hattiesburg store, working in the move from Alabama to Biloxi, Missisfamily business always seemed like the sippi, to open Mississippi’s very first natural step.

Krispy Kreme.

“I remember working the drive “After returning from serving during through in Biloxi and having fun. It the Vietnam War, Joe McAleer offered didn’t feel like work,” he said. me an opportunity to work in the After playing football as a placefamily business, and we opened the kicker at Delta State University, he first location of Krispy Kreme in the returned to Krispy Kreme. state of Mississippi on the beach in “Over the last eight years, the Good Biloxi,” said Dorgan, owner of Krispy Lord has shown that this is a God-orKreme Doughnuts in Mississippi. dained ministry for me,” he said. “It’s a But Dorgan’s first experience with unique opportunity to serve the people the donut business and Krispy Kreme Billy Dorga n Jr. has fond memories of growing up and community where we live. I like went back nearly a decade earlier, when in Krispy Kreme, where he learned the value of that we’re able to create magical mohe, as a teenager, lived next door to good work ethic from his father, Billy Dorgan Sr. ments for our customers.” his future father-in-law near Mobile When you think about all the ways Bay in Point Clear, Alabama. McAleer culture and technology have changed over recruited him for the 4 a.m. shift of the past 50 years, it’s hard to imagine the same hasn’t been rolling out the doughnuts by hand. true for Krispy Kreme. Dorgan admitted that how they serve McAleer worked closely with Krispy Kreme’s found Verpeople has changed, such as the introduction of the iconic non Rudolph since the 1950s, and he eventually was able to neon “HOT” light introduced in the 1970s. open shops throughout the state of Alabama. After Dorgan’s “There’s one thing that hasn’t changed — the donut,” he returned to the U.S., that opportunity was shared by bringing said. “The Krispy Kreme original glaze recipe is the same as Krispy Kreme to Mississippi. when Vernon [Rudolph] opened Krispy Kreme 80 years ago.”

“Since that day I have seen my children and grandchildren One aspect of the donut business that has recently seen a begin working in our shops and that is something I never revival is the return to a shared cup of coffee in the store. could have imagine when we first opened our doors,” Dorgan “I can remember all those ceramic mugs, and those regulars said. would come in and talk about life,” he said. “That kind of Billy Dorgan Jr., son of Dorgan Sr. and grandson of faded for a bit, but what do we do now? We sit around, drink McAleer, grew up surrounded bydonuts. coffee, and talk about life.”

“At 10, 11, 12, I remember riding along with my dad to the This shared camaraderie has been Dorgan Jr.’s favorite trastore,” he said. “Just being taught the basic fundamentals of dition at Krispy Kreme, a tradition he hopes to see continue work ethic. I developed a passion for the iconic brand Krispy for many more years.

Kreme.”

Over the years, the Dorgan family is not the only ones

By JULIA MILLER

42 – Mississippi Business Journal

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THE WEEK IN BUSINESS

Above: Billy Dorgan Jr. in front of the One Sweet Ride bus.

Top left: Billy Dorgan Sr. and Jr. make doughnuts together when Dorgan Jr. was a boy. Left and below: The original Biloxi location opened in August of 1967. This year, Krispy Kreme is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its entrance to Mississippi.

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Mississippi Business Journal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 43

THE WEEK IN BUSINESS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

October marks one year since one of Mississippi’s largest beer distributors acquired Rex Distributing, the Mississippi Gulf Coast’s former Anheuser-Busch distributor, creating Mitchell Beverage Gulf Coast

Special to the MBJ

Mitchell Distributing expanded to coast market » Hargrove Leads Team at Mitchell Beverage Gulf Coast

By ALEXIS WILLIAMS October marks one year since one of Mississippi’s largest beer distributors acquired Rex Distributing, the Mississippi Gulf Coast’s former Anheuser-Busch distributor, creating Mitchell Beverage Gulf Coast. After the acquisition of Rex, Meridian-based Mitchell grew its presence in the state and

44 – Mississippi Business Journal

brought total counties they serve to 37, including the three coastal counties of Harrison, Hancock and Jackson as well as the cities of Picayune, Poplarville and Lucedale. Leading the Mitchell Beverage Gulf Coast team is sales manager James Hargrove who has been working in the beer distributor business since he was a teenager.

“I started out in the warehouse at

Delta Distributing the summer I was 15,” said Hargrove, a Greenwood native whose family owned Delta Distributing, another Anheuser-Busch distributor, from 1957 until Mitchell Distributing purchased the company in March 2015.

“I worked summers throughout junior high, high school and college riding on beer trucks delivering beer.”

After graduating from college and working in real estate development, Hargrove returned full-time to the family business in 2008. His responsi-

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THE WEEK IN BUSINESS

bilities grew with his family’s company and then after Mitchell purchased the business. “I’ve done almost every job in an Anheuser Busch wholesaler from the truck driver delivering beer to my current role as sales manager. I went from my own family business to another family business,” he added in regard to the family-owned Mitchell Distributing.

According to Hargrove, Mitchell Beverage Gulf Coast is the second largest beer distributorship in the state of Mississippi, second only to the Ridgeland-based Southern Beverage, which serves the Jackson metro area.

The Coast’s casinos and the tourism industry contribute to the success of the business along the Coast. Currently Mitchell Distributing employs approximately 105 people along the Gulf Coast and boasts 550 employees around the state.

The mainstay of the distributing business continues to be, of course, beer. The well-known Anheuser-Busch products, including Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Natural Light, Busch and Busch Light, top the company’s sales but Hargrove believes that the craft business is steadily growing.

“It’s mostly the local crafts that are starting to do well,” he adds. “I think it’s because it feels good to support your local community.” Mitchell Beverage Gulf Coast distributes 15 craft beer brands from all over the country including one local favorite, Gulfport-based Chandeleur Brewing Company. Mighty Miss Brewing Company of Greenville, Natchez Brewing Company and Hattiesburg’s Southern Prohibition Brewing round out the Mississippi craft beer brands.

In addition to beer products, Mitchell Gulf Coast also sells non-alcoholic products including Aquahydrate and Clear Fruit bottled waters, Everfresh juices, Electric Monkey energy drinks, Nestle Nesquick milk, Sparkling Ice and Calypso Lemonade.

Hargrove and his family have adjusted to the move from the Delta to the

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Gulf Coast. He transitioned out of his former position as sales manager at Mitchell Distributing in Leland while working 3-4 days on the Coast last fall before moving his family south, in a Budweiser truck no less, at the end of December. He says he traded in his side by side for a boat and his rifle for a fishing pole.

“This (move to the Gulf Coast) was

son, Manny. The business has grown and still keeps family at the forefront, now run by Adam Mitchell, the third generation of the family in the beer distributing business. Over the years the company has grown from it’s original Meridian territory, expanding first to Leland and then into Columbus and Tupelo. Later, it purchased what is now Chesapeake Beverage in Baltimore, Md.,

“It’s mostly the local crafts that are starting to do well.

I think it’s because it feels good to support your local community.”

James Hargrove Sales Manager

an opportunity that we as a family didn’t want to pass up,” he said. “There was some adaptation, but it was adaptation for the better. It’s a great organization to work for, and it continues to teach me a lot. Plus, the Coast has been very welcoming to us. There are a lot of great people down here, and we are having a blast.”

Mitchell Distributing began in the 1940s when two brothers, Mann and Bilbo Mitchell, began distributing Falstaff beers near their hometown of Meridian. Mann Mitchell partnered with Anheuser-Busch in 1953 and turned the business over to his

which doubled the size of the company.

Mitchell ultimately acquired Hargrove’s Delta Distributing and the Gulf Coast based Rex. Since those days working in the warehouse as a teenager, Hargrove has enjoyed selling beer for a living. “It’s always been a fun and challenging business,” he commented. “I’ve had the privilege of working with and learning from many great people. It’s a fun business to be in that often times ends in drinking cold Budweiser at the end of the day.”

Mississippi Business Journal – 45

THE WEEK IN BUSINESS PROFILE

Photographer Alex North captures coastal beauty

By LISA MONTI

A

lex North is widely known for his photos that capture the beauty of sunrises and sunsets, the drama of storm clouds and lightning strikes and the graceful movement of shorebirds on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

North considers himself an advocate for the beauty of the Mississippi Gulf Coast through his photography.

“The scenes I shoot are not mine. I am simply blessed to share these with you through the talent bestowed and the beauty provided,” he wrote on his website.

His work is collected in a book, on notecards and calendars, on restaurant and bank walls and online, where the photos are shared, with his blessing, by some of his 45,000 social media followers. “Hope you enjoy my passion for capturing and sharing God’s artwork through my lens,” he tells online viewers of his photos.

North, who as a child watched his mother develop her own photos, seems surprised at his choice of hobbies. In the About Me tab on his website, he writes, “Who would have thought a colorblind guy would become interested in making color photos.”

North, who lives in Gulfport with wife Leslie, tells students in his workshops that his foray into photography wasn’t pretty. He bought a fully loaded Nikon to take photos of his son Jacob’s high school graduation and the result was, by his own recount, a disaster.

But he was determined not to let the camera get the best of him. After a couple of months he made a discovery that changed everything. He had been shooting in auto mode, giving the camera control over settings, and realized if he switched to manual control, he could get the photos he wanted, the ones he could see through the viewfinder. (He said he knew he was onto something when his daughter Sarah let him take her high school senior pictures.)

With that profound lesson in how to

COURTESY OF ALEX NORTH/Special to the MBJ

Alex North’s photography tells the iconic story of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

46 – Mississippi Business Journal

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THE WEEK IN BUSINESS

COURTESY OF ALEX NORTH/Special to the MBJ

control light, North saw that his photography skills quickly sharpened. In six months, he had his first exhibit at a Biloxi gallery. “If you can control and understand the camera, you can really start producing some pretty nice pictures,” he said.

“It’s a learning process. It’s been seven years and I’m still learning.”

North’s career, the one he says pays the bills, is rooted not in the creative arts but in electronics, which he taught at Keesler Air Force Base, and engineering. His day job is operations manager at Bay Tech, a manufacturer of products for data centers. He’s worked for the Long Beach company for 30 years in engineering, marketing and sales.

North describes himself as an outdoors person with an appreciation for nature. “I love to see the sunrise. It’s the reason I get out,” he said. Those early morning photos are among the many landscapes in North’s portfolio. He shoots photos every day and calculates when, where and what to shoot. “I build a picture up here,” he said, pointing to his head. Before

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he takes a photo, he’s already envisioned what story he wants to tell with the shot.

North is a big fan of apps that help him figure out the best place to shoot, say, a full moon rising over a pier, and keeps a compass in the car to get him there. He’s in place several minutes before the sun rises or sets, waiting for just the right moment. Sometimes he stands on the roof of his truck to get the right vantage point.

Wildlife photography, he said, takes patience as well as experience. “I might sit and wait for up to three hours,” he said.

He has photo galleries of bald eagles and raptors, land birds and water birds. Pelicans are a favorite subject of his.

But for all the planning, things happen that can make a photo even better. When he’s shooting a beach scene, a great blue heron may sweep into the frame or a boat may sail by, adding what he calls lagniappe to an already well framed image.

“There is serendipity in what I do,” he said.

Mississippi Business Journal – 47

NEW BUSINESSES

Courtesy of Courtesy of Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership/Jackson Chamber of Commerce

GIBBS TRAVIS PLLC: The Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce recently held and open house and ribbon cutting for the new location of Gibbs Travis PLLC, 210 E. Capitol St., Suite 101 in Jackson.

Courtesy of EMBDC Courtesy of The Sunray Companies, LLC

THE PLACE AT HARBOUR CROSSING: The Sunray Companies, Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce and the Madison Chamber of Commerce recently celebrated the opening of a new event venue, The Place at Harbour Crossing, in Ridgeland with a ribbon cutting and open house

48 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mississippi Business Journal

EDWARD JONES INVESTMENTS: The East Mississippi Business Development Corporation recently held a ribbon cutting for the Edward Jones Investments at 2514 River Birch Dr. in Meridian. Lee Blackburn is the new Financial Advisor.

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NEW BUSINESSES

Courtesy of The Clinton Chamber of Commerce

WINSTEAD CLOTHING CO.: The Clinton Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Clinton recently sponsored a ribbon cutting for Winstead Clothing Co., 304 Jefferson St. in Clinton. Owner, Davis Winstead, was joined by Chamber and Main Street board members, chamber ambassadors, city officials, family and friends.

Courtesy of Greater Starkville Development Partnership

J. PARKERSON JEWELERS: The Greater Starkville Development Partnership recently held a ribbon cutting for J. Parkerson Jewelers Diamonds and Fine Jewelry, 100 Russell St., Suite 7 in Starkville.

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Mississippi Business Journal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 49

THE SPIN CYCLE

Facebook fights fake news with publisher info buttons F acebook has taken another step in fighting fake news – by showing Wikipedia entries about publishers and additional Related Articles to give more context about the links they see.

It has begun testing a new “i” button on News Feed links that opens up an informational panel. “People have told us that they want more information about what they’re reading” Facebook product manager Sara Su told TechCrunch. “They want better tools to help them understand if an article is from a

publisher they trust and evaluate if the story itself is credible.”

This box will display the start of a Wikipedia entry about the publisher and a link to the full profile, which could help people know if it’s a reputable, long-standing source of news – or a newly set up partisan or satire site. It will also display info from their Facebook Page even if that’s not who

50 – Mississippi Business Journal

posted the link, data on how the link is being shared on Facebook, and a button to follow the news outlet’s Page.

If no Wikipedia page is available, that info will be missing, which could also provide a clue to readers that the publisher may not be legitimate.

Meanwhile, the button will also unveil Related Articles on all links where Facebook can generate them, rather than only if the article is popular or suspected of being fake news as Facebook had previously tested. Trending information could also appear if the article is part of a Trending topic. Together, this could show people alternate takes on the same news bite, which might dispute the original article or provide more perspective.

Previously Facebook only showed Related Articles occasionally and immediately revealed them on links without an extra click.

The changes are part of Facebook’s ongoing initiative to improve content integrity. Whenever Facebook shows more information, it creates more potential misinformation. “This work reflects feedback from our community, including publishers who collaborated on the feature development as part of the Facebook Journalism Project” Su said.

And to avoid distributing fake news, Facebook says Related Articles will “be

about the same topic – and will be from a wide variety of publishers that regularly publish news content on Facebook that get high engagement with our community.”

Todd Smith Getting this right is especially important after the fiasco in wake of the tragic Las Vegas mass-shooting pointed people to fake news. If Facebook can’t improve trust in what’s shown in the News Feed, people might click its links less. That could hurt credible news publishers, as well as reducing clicks to Facebook’s ads, according to TechCrunch.

Facebook initially downplayed the issue of fake news after the U.S. presidential election where it was criticized for allowing pro-Trump hoaxes to proliferate. But since then, the company and Mark Zuckerberg have changed their tunes.

The company has attacked fake news from all angles, using artificial intelligence to discover it in the News Feed, working with third-party fact checkers to flag suspicious articles, helping users more easily report hoaxes, detecting news sites filled with low-quality ads, and deleting accounts suspected of spamming.

Twitter Adds ‘Happening Now’ Feature Twitter is adding a “Happening Now” feature that will group tweets by event, the company recently announced.

The feature, which will start with sports games, is yet another way the company is seeking to highlight information on its platform outside of the traditional following model.

A Twitter algorithm will chose which events to highlight, targeting them to individual users and displaying them at the tops of their timelines, according to BuzzFeed News. When an event, it

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THE SPIN CYCLE takes you into a dedicated timeline for that event, where Twitter will highlight tweets about it.

Under the leadership of CEO Jack Dorsey, Twitter has been set on making the product easier to use for new and casual users. Highlighting the best of its platform – via products like Happening Now, Moments, topic-based tweets in its Explore tab, and more – gives these users a chance to get value out of Twitter without having to build lists of people to follow in their timelines.

With Happening Now, a casual Twitter user who is a Titans fan can use the app to follow the latest Tweets about the Titans game, without having to find the dozens of sportswriters and legions of fans that may be tweeting about the game.

The tweets are sorted algorithmically. A Twitter spokesperson confirmed that the company’s prior work sorting tweets underneath live video on Twitter has helped it build the capabilities to sort tweets for live events.

Happening Now will eventually highlight tweets about live video, TV, and breaking news as well.

Stand-Up Mic: Sen. Bob Corker Uncorks on Twitterin-Chief Thank goodness for Sen. Bob Corker!

The influential senator from Tennessee typically stays above the fray when it comes to political hot air. But he also stands his ground on principles that are important to the success of America.

So when the perpetual geyser in the heart of the swamp blew yet again, the junior senator, well, came uncorked.

And rightfully so.

Perhaps President Trump learned a valuable lesson that Corker can be even

more forceful, and downright tough. It all started when Trump claimed that Corker begged for his endorsement and then decided not to run when he said no.

Corker hit back hard using the same social platform – Twitter.

“It’s a shame the White House has become an adult day care center,” he tweeted in perhaps the best political comeback in recent memory. “Someone obviously missed their shift this morning.”

Corker packed even more punch later in an interview with The New York Times, where he warned that Trump’s threats to other countries could set America “on the path to World War III.” He said the former reality show host approaches the presidency as if he were still producing “The Apprentice” and consistently tweets untruths.

This oh so public spat between Republican leaders is just the latest sign of how their relationship has soured since last year when Corker was considered a possible vice presidential running mate for Trump.

It’s also a refreshing take on how Corker will lead during his final months in office. Since he announced he won’t seek reelection to the Senate, he has boldly claimed that three of Trump’s top advisors are keeping the country from falling into shambles. He has also put his fellow Republican senators on notice that he can’t support any tax reform that adds “one penny” to the federal deficit.

Trump is not the only president to squabble with members of his own party. Franklin D. Roosevelt made a habit of warring with conservative southern Democrats who tried to stand in the way of civil rights reform.

Former senator and Reagan chief of staff Howard Baker, was a voice of reason in the Watergate investigation that led to the resignation of President Nixon.

Throughout history, past presidents have tried to keep their disagreements with those in their own party private to preserve harmony. But harmony is not in the Twitter-in-Chief’s vocabulary.

At least not now.

Trump needs Corker more than Corker needs him, however. With the slim majority in the Senate, Trump needs Corker’s important vote on issues such as health care, immigration and tax reform. And since Corker is the Senate’s foreign policy expert – Trump would be wise to listen to him and his sage viewpoint, relationships and influence with leaders around the world.

In other words, put a cork in it, Mr. President, and listen to the drawl of reason echoing from the hills of Tennessee!

Each week, The Spin Cycle will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t.

Stay tuned – and step-up to the mic!

And remember … Amplify Your Brand!

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

The firm — based in Nashville, Tenn. — is also affiliated with Mad Genius. Contact him at todd@deanesmithpartners.com, and follow him @spinsurgeon.

FISACKERLY Continued from, Page 41

sonable, and besides all that, he can dance.”

In addition to dancing, he and his wife enjoy spending time with their sons, Ryan, 13, and Reeves, 15. Fisackerly also took up cycling about 18 months ago, and is enjoying participating in this fast-growing sport.

“My favorite spot to ride is the Natchez trace,” he said.

“There is no better ride than to wake up early, get on the Natchez trace on 5:30 a.m. and catch the sun coming up over the reservoir. It is a moment of peace I really love. Seeing the sun rise and nature wake up is hard to beat. The Natchez Trace is a real treasure we have in our own back yard.”

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Mississippi Business Journal – 51

NEWSMAKERS

Reunion selects McWilliams Casey Smith, General Manager of the Reunion Golf & Country Club has named Marcus McWilliams Food & Beverage Director.

McWilliams is a 22-year veteran of the culinary industry. Much of that time was spent as a chef at the MCWILLIAMS Hilton Hotel in Jackson.

During the course of his career Marcus has also prepared meals for celebrities, from former President George W. Bush to actor/comedian Jaime Foxx.

Cascio selected as chair Tammra Cascio, an attorney with the firm of Heidelberg Steinberger, P.A., has been named as Chair of the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project.

The MVLP helps families with civil legal matters, such as guardianships, conCASCIO servatorships, adoptions, name changes and other legal services. The organization also hosts legal clinics throughout the state connecting attorneys with those who need their services.

Casio has been involved with MVLP since 2014, previously serving as co-chair of fundraising and also serving as a board member.

Cascio, who works in Heidelberg Steinberger’s Jackson office, is involved in other aspects of the legal community. She currently serves as Chair of the Business Law Section of the Mississippi Bar Association and on the Advisory Board of the Ole Miss School of Risk Management and Insurance. The Mississippi Bar Association also has honored her with the Distinguished Service Award and the Woman Lawyer Trailblazer Award.

City Line Cafe names chef Chef John David Forde of Starkville has been named chef for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s City Line Café.

The restaurant is located in the Hospitality and Resort Management Center on DeBuys Road in Biloxi.

Forde, who graduated

FORDE

52 – Mississippi Business Journal

from Le Cordon Bleu in Austin, Texas, in 2012, has worked for James Beard award-winning chefs John Besh, Stephan Pyles and Michael Sohocki.

Forde will also head up catering for the Hospitality and Resort Management Center, which is a new offering for events held at the center.

MSU names 3 to roles Mississippi State University Foundation has added a new fundraiser for the university’s Division of Student Affairs, and two veteran team members take on new roles in athletics and the business college.

Casey McGee has begun her new duties as assistant MCGEE director of development for the Division of Student Affairs. The Starkville native joins the MSU fundraising team from a successful stint with the MSU Alumni Association. Most recently, she was assistant coordinator of chapter and recruitment programs, working as a JENKINS liaison between the Alumni Association and the Office of Admissions and Scholarships. McGee received her MSU bachelor’s degree in communication with an emphasis in public relations in 2015. She joined the Alumni Association from A2H Inc. in Memphis, Tenn., HARRINGTON where she was marketing coordinator.

Also beginning a new fundraising role is Rob Jenkins. As associate athletic director for development, Jenkins will serve as a liaison between MSU Athletics and the MSU Foundation as he works to secure major gifts for both organizations. He has fundraising experience in several MSU colleges, including arts and sciences, education, and most recently, business.

Jenkins joined the MSU Foundation fundraising staff in 2006. Before that, he was at AmSouth Bank and held positions in sales with Sanderson Plumbing Products Inc. Jenkins is a 1992 business administration graduate from Starkville.

Succeeding Jenkins as lead College of Business fundraiser this month is Zack Harrington who has served as the college’s assistant direc-

tor of development since mid-2014. He works to secure major gifts for this academic unit and its Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy.

A Hattiesburg native, Harrington holds two degrees from MSU, a 2009 bachelor’s in business administration with an emphasis in real estate mortgage finance, and 2010 master’s in sport administration. As an undergraduate, he was a quarterback during the 2006 and 2007 seasons for the Bulldog football team. Before his MSU career, Harrington worked as a sales/marketing representative with SERVPRO Cleanup Services.

He received awards for top direct sales volume for his accomplishments.

Mad Genius expands staff Ridgeland-based advertising and digital agency, Mad Genius, has added three new employees to the lab.

Anasthia Johnson has been hired as Digital Marketing Director. A Google-certified digital advertising strategist, Johnson will oversee all digital advertising operations for Mad Genius’s clients.

Kim Shirley has joined the web development team as Digital Project Manager. Shirley will work with web development services for regional and national clients.

Kirk Thornton, a graphic designer, and recent graduate of University of Mississippi’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program has joined the design team as Graphic Designer, where he will use his design and photography skills.

JOHNSON

SHIRLEY

THORNTON

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THE WEEK IN BUSINESS SMALL BUSINESS

Golf carts keep Bay St. Louis moving

Special to the MBJ

Golf carts are a popular form of transportation in and around Downtown Bay St. Louis.

By LISA MONTI Given the fact that golf carts have become such a popular way to get around Bay St. Louis, especially on sunny weekends when Old Town’s bars, restaurants and shops are in full swing, the Mississippi Coast city’s motto “A Place Apart” could easily morph into “A Place of Carts.”

They’re everywhere.

People drive them to work, parents deliver kids to school in them, political candidates drive them to canvas neighborhoods and parents watch youth sporting events from their carts. There’s even a pirate-themed Mardi Gras group, the Mystic Krewe of the Seahorse, that has a parade featuring lighted and decorated golf carts as their floats.

Nobody knows for sure how many carts are on the Bay’s streets but in the last few years, a handful of golf cart sales and rental businesses have sprung up to accommodate residents and visitors.

54 – Mississippi Business Journal

Councilman Doug Seal said the golf carts add to the town’s resort atmosphere. “It’s just a different mode of transportation,” he said. A longtime member of the council and its current president, Seal has been researching golf cart rules since 2011 when the numbers of carts were rising. “We realized we needed some type of regulations on them,” he said.

Some critics of the carts point to safety issues among golf cart use, especially under-age drivers.

“The city is trying to be open and let people enjoy themselves but you have to look at the safety standpoint,” Seal said.

Seal said the rules now in place are “a little gray” and he wants something “clear and concise” to effectively regulate the golf carts. In the last couple of years, Bay officials tried unsuccessfully to get a local and private bill through the Legislature and will make another attempt in the 2018 session.

Brett Ladner, owner of Quality Custom Carts on U.S. 90, shifted from a job

in retirement planning to selling refurbished golf carts in 2012. His carts range from basic models to stretch versions that seat six and have all the extras like LED lights underneath.

Prices start around $3,700 and go up to $10,000 for a stretch with everything new from top to bottom. He also does short and long term rentals.

Ladner said his customers come from Lake Charles, La., over to Sandestin, Fla. Most customers buy the electric models rather than the gas ones, he said. Buyers use the carts for security patrolling and maintenance jobs. He said his customers’ use of the carts “ranges from the golf course to campgrounds and neighborhoods.”

Ladner believes the golf cart owners generate business for downtown merchants because parking a car on Second Saturday or any weekend is a challenge.

The carts are compact enough to fit in small spaces.

Janice Guido, owner of Bay Life Gifts where Main Street meets Beach Boulevard, said her customers find the golf carts fun. “It’s a huge attraction to draw people downtown to shop and eat and maybe move here and be a part of our community,” she said. “They definitely add a really fun vibe to our town by the bay.”

When customers see the carts, often they will ask Guido if there’s a place to rent one. She points them to Bodega Adventure Rentals & Sales on Court Street, a short walk away.

Owner Kevin Jordan rents golf carts, bikes, kayaks and paddle boards at his newly opened business. Customers include walk ups as well as visitors who rent his six vacation properties. “Everybody loves the carts,” Jordan said.

Guido said, “I”m pleasantly surprised how many shoppers notice the golf carts and smile. I’ve never heard a negative comment. We just keep setting ourselves apart with art and special events and art works and all the quirky things we do here.”

Guido’s own golf cart is navy blue and yellow and equipped with seatbelt and other safety features. She said she’s willing to follow any rules and regulations to keep her cart street legal.

“It’s so nice on a Sunday afternoon to ride down the beach. It’s really relaxing and quiet. The puppies just love to ride around.”

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