SPONSORS
LOOKING BACK
Rosemary Smith 2015 Woman of the Year CANDIDATES: Meet the 2015 class vying for next year’s top business honor
Special event of the
The Mississippi Economic Council is proud to congratulate the “Top 50 Women in Business!”
Special Congratulations to All of the “Top 50 Women in Business” for 2015! Thank you for being an inspiration to us and the rest of Mississippi. The contributions made by women who are leaders within the business community throughout Mississippi have brought about positive change in our state’s economic competitiveness, educational achievement and quality of life. Your involvement helps ensure a brighter future for Mississippi.
www.mec.ms
MEC … a proud sponsor of “Top 50 Women in Business” for 17 years. P.O. Box 23276 Jackson, MS 39225-3276 (601) 969-0022 1-800-748-7626 Fax: (601) 353-0247 or 1-888-717-2809
Rosemary Smith
Owner & President R&R Rentals & Hotshots, Inc.
INSIDE LOOKING BACK: 2015 Business Woman of the Year – Rosemary Smith .............................4-5 PHOTO PAGES: Announcement celebration ...................................................................... 8-11 ALUMNI: Past 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi ............................................. 54-55
SPONSORS
CONTENTS
ON THE COVER
2015 CLASS LOOKING BACK
ith Rosemary Sm the Year 2015 Woman of
Special event of
CANDIDATES:
the
for Meet the 2015 class vying honor next year’s top business
Photo by Stegall
Imagery
MBJ Staff ALAN TURNER Publisher alan.turner@msbusiness.com • 601-364-1021 ROSS REILY Editor ross.reily@msbusiness.com • 601-364-1018 FRANK BROWN Staff Writer/Special Projects frank.brown@msbusiness.com • 601-364-1022 TED CARTER Staff Writer ted.carter@msbusiness.com • 601-364-1017 JACK WEATHERLY Staff Writer jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com • 601-364-1015 LISA MONTI Contributing Writer mbj@msbusiness.com • 601-364-1018 TAMI JONES Advertising Director tami.jones@msbusiness.com • 601-364-1011 MELISSA KILLINGSWORTH Sr. Account Executive melissa.harrison@msbusiness.com • 601-364-1030 VIRGINIA HODGES Account Executive virginia.hodges@msbusiness.com • 601-364-1012 TACY RAYBURN Production Manager tacy.rayburn@msbusiness.com • 601-364-1019 CHARINA RHODES Circulation Manager charina.rhodes@msbusiness.com • 601-364-1045 MARCIA THOMPSON-KELLY Business Assistant marcia.kelly@msbusiness.com • 601-364-1044 Subscription Services 601-364-1000 charina.rhodes@msbusiness.com
50 WOMETSN ARTICLE REPRIN Call 601-364-1044
request online at
or submit ticle-request/ http://msbusiness.com/mbj-ar
www.msbusiness.com
LOLLY BARNES, Mississippi Heritage Trust .............................................. 12 JOCELYN CHISHOLM CARTER, United Healthcare Community Plan of Mississippi ...........14 KAREN CHAIN, Community Trust Bank ..................................................16 LISA COCHRAN, The Studio ....................................................................18 PAMELA CONFER, Nissan North America, Inc. ........................................... 20 AMANDA RASBERRY CRAWFORD, Veterans Outreach of Mississippi .................................... 21 VANDA N. CROWE, BancorpSouth ............................................................... 21 MARISA S. DAVIDSON, Mississippi Health Partners ............................................22 LIZ HOGUE DENSMORE, LEC, Incorporated ..........................................................23 TAHYA DOBBS, Hometown Magazines................................................... 24 LINDSAY THOMAS DOWDLE, Jones Walker ................................................................ 25 PATTY DUNN, Alzheimer’s Association ................................................ 26 MACEY LYND EDMONDSON, The University of Mississippi School of Law ....................27 STEPHANIE EDWARDS, Edison Chouest Offshore .............................................. 28 KATHY W. FREEMAN, Butler Snow ................................................................. 29 DONNA M. GARDNER, Camellia Healthcare ...................................................... 30 FELICIA D. GAVIN, DiamondJacks Casino .................................................... 31 ALISON KETNER GOODMAN, Goodman Law Firm,LLC .................................................32 JENNIFER G. HALL, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC ......33 KRISTI HENDERSON, University of Mississippi Medical Center ........................ 34 JAMIE HIGDON, Tempstaff ......................................................................35 LEIGH G. JAUNSEN, Dale Partners Architects................................................ 36 KIMBERLA M. LITTLE, Regions Bank ................................................................37 BRIDGET M. LOWERY, BankPlus ...................................................................... 38 MACIE MALONE, Mostly Macie’s.............................................................. 39
LORI HILL MARSHALL, Premier Pain Care .........................................................40 AMELIA McGOWAN, The Law Offices of Amelia S. McGowan, PLLC ................41 GAYLENE M. McHALE, Huntington Ingalls ........................................................ 42 KELLY MCQUAIG, The Yates Companies, Inc. ............................................ 42 JAN MILLER, Mississippi Main Street Association ............................... 43 MELANIE S. NORTH, Associated General Contractors (AGC) ........................... 43 KATHLEEN SHIELDS O’BEIRNE, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP ...............................44 MISTI MUNROE PREZIOSI, Office of the State Treasurer of Mississippi .................... 45 WEATHERLY ROSE, Newk’s Eatery ............................................................... 45 RYANNE DUFFIE SAUCIER, Mississippi Public Broadcasting ..................................... 46 CHARLOTTE HARNESS SEALS, Madison County Schools/President Jr. League ............... 46 AMY W. SMITH, Ross & Yerger Ins. Inc. .................................................. 47 CAMILLE ALLEN SNYDER, Allen Financial Group .................................................... 47 MANDI STANLEY, CSP Mandi Stanley Consultants............................................48 SUSAN K. STEADMAN, The Law Offices of Susan K. Steadman, PLLC ...............48 T. MCCALL STERN, McCall Stern, PLLC ....................................................... 49 ADDIE L. JOHNSON-STOVER, Stover Developments .................................................... 49 AMANDA D. VILLERET, Mississippi National Guard ............................................ 50 STEPHANIE SAGO VIVIANS, Neel-Schaffer, Inc......................................................... 50 CHRISTIE D. WALTERS, Covington County Hospital............................................. 51 PAMELA P. WARE, Metropolitan Bank ......................................................... 51 CAROL WARREN, Magnolia Federal Credit Union ...................................... 52 LA’KEYLAH WHITE, City of Hattiesburg ....................................................... 52 SARAH BETH WILSON, Copeland Cook Taylor Bush ............................................53 JAKLYN WRIGLEY, Fisher & Phillips L.L.P. .................................................. 53
2015 Fifty Leading Business Women – 3
2015 BWOY
MEET THE MBJ’S 2015 BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
T
Rosemary Smith, a business hotshot By Ted Carter
The oil field is a rugged proving ground for any individual. But a young Rosemary Smith just out of the Army found it a high-stakes terrain she relished traveling. And, boy, did she travel it. Night, day, dusk, dawn – the Raleigh, native pushed her start-up company’s lone three-quarter-ton pickup truck from Alabama to Texas in her quest to become a top notch “hotshot.” “When they call, you go right then,” says Smith, referring to oil producers who phone up “hotshots” to bring parts and equipment to their rigs. Drillers locate the part. It’s up to the hotshot to pick it up and get it out to the oil field, even if the part is in Alabama and the oil well is in Texas or Oklahoma, Smith says, and notes that today, hotshot work makes up 40 percent of R&R Rentals and Hotshot’s business.
Do it well and you stay in business. Cause the driller to endure shutdowns and you won’t. More than 30 years later, Smith is still in business. Her company, R&R Rentals and Hotshot Inc., has expanded to include trucking services and an inventory of everything from mobile homes to forklifts for rent to oil field companies. She started the hotshot part of the company in 1982, earning $56,000 in revenues that year. Last year, her R&R Rentals and Hotshot Inc. took in $6.4 million, up from $3.2 million in 2012. So far this year, she has kept her customers despite a near 50 percent drop in the price of crude oil. “I’m not really concerned at this point,” she says. “I may be later, but we’re not facing some of the tough times other companies are faced with.” Even in the economically miserable 2009, Smith kept her workforce intact and used the slowdown to research opportunities and gain new customers. “We kept everything going,” Smith says. Such success in a sector dominated by men and her day-to-day operational role in the Sandersonville-based business (she spent last weekend on call for hotshot orders) led the Mississippi Business Journal to recognize Smith as 2015 Woman of the Year. She accepted the award Feb. 18 at a luncheon to honor the newspaper’s 50 Leading Business Women for 2015. Nearly 500 guests joined the honorees at the awards luncheon at the Jackson Hilton on County Line Road.
Out on her own
Photo by Stegall Imagery
4 – 2015 Fifty Leading Business Women
It was the drillers themselves who advised Smith, a rookie in the oil filed business as a sales representative for a Laurel equipment supplier, to start her own operation. “I was working for Exxon, Texaco – the big companies. I had built a good relationship with them,” Smith says. The producers told her they had a big need for reliable hotshot service and urged her to buy a truck. “They convinced me I could be successful with it,” she recalls
www.msbusiness.com
2015 BYOY Photo by Stegall Imagery
In the months and years that followed, she says she showed her customers “if they called me I was going to get it to them. I was very dependable,” she says, remembering stops at drilling sites where the ground was so cold “your feet would freeze to the ground.” By 1984, Smith began adding workers and moved her office from the cab of her truck to her home. Today, her company has 38 fulltime employees and a couple of part timers. Staff includes several of her seven siblings. Husband Rodney Smith, a former Halliburton employee, helps out as well. “He does a lot but I run the show,” Smith says. She recently moved R&R Rentals and Hotshot from Laurel to a 12-acre site in Sandersonville, where the company has a 5,800 square-foot building, a mechanics shop and warehouse. “As far as I know, I’m the only (oil field) rental company in Mississippi. I do probably 80 percent of the rentals in Alabama and Mississippi.”
Homes in the oil field Oil producers don’t want their crews too far removed from the drilling rigs. That’s where R&R Rentals and Hotshot comes in, Smith says. “When they go in to do a drill, we furnish their living quarters,” she adds. These “are fully furnished mobile homes down to the TV and bath towels,” complete with portable water and sewage systems and trailers for trash disposal. “We also do their communications,” she says of services to oil producers. These include satellite phones and
www.msbusiness.com
intercom systems throughout a drilling site. “We are hands down something they have to have.”
Senior year hardship The death of her father her senior year of high school forced Smith to leave school for a full-time job to help support the large family. She joined the Army in 1978 to help further secure her family’s financial wellbeing, serving as a chaplain’s assistant. Today, her success has given her the luxury of thinking about selling the business and heading into retirement sometime in the next 10 years. In 2013, she briefly added women’s apparel shop owner to her work day. The high-end clothing boutique Quarter Century in Laurel thrived but the work it required overwhelmed her, Smith says. “I couldn’t handle both of them,” she says of the boutique and oil field business. The buyer of the shop on Carroll Gartin Boulevard is doing well with the business, according to Smith. The shop, she says, represented the part of her that “loves pretty things.” But toughness is the bigger part of her makeup, she concedes. “I knew I had a lot of mountains to climb. If you’re a woman working in a man’s world, you know things aren’t always going to be good. “When a problem arose, I would say: ‘If I am going to work here, I better get tough.’ “I didn’t go home to cry about it.”
2015 Fifty Leading Business Women – 5
NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY!
Please nominate women from our state who need to be recognized... Your mother, your daughter, your co-worker, your neighbor, your friend, your sister,…or just someone whom you admire.
A Special Publication of the
NOMINATION FORM I nominate as one of Mississippi’s 50 Leading Business Women. She is currently employed with
Business address: City: Work phone:
State:
Zip: Fax:
Email*: Nominated by:
Phone:
Email: *valid email address is very important, as this is our primary method of communication. All information is confidential. Once all nominations are received, a follow up packet will be sent to each nominee.
Email: events@msbusiness.com MAIL TO MBJ, 200 N. CONGRESS ST., SUITE 400, JACKSON, MS 39201 OR FAX (601) 364-1007 Rules: Nominee must be a resident or employed in Mississippi; self-nominated or by someone else; an owner, partner, president, CEO, CFO, COO, board chair, senior executive manager, or a woman with significant authority for the decision making in either a for-profit or non-profit organization. Nominees who hold political office will not be considered solely on the basis of political achievements. Age is not an issue. Nominee may not be an employee or company member of MBJ. Women who have been previous recipients of this award are not eligible. Judges recuse themselves from evaluating associates in their own companies.
LUNCHEON Eagle Ridge Conference Center in Raymond
PHOTOS BY DERYLL STEGALL| STEGALL IMAGERY
8 – 2015 Fifty Leading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
PHOTOS BY DERYLL STEGALL| STEGALL IMAGERY
www.msbusiness.com
2015 Fifty Leading Business Women – 9
PHOTOS BY DERYLL STEGALL| STEGALL IMAGERY
10 – 2015 Fifty Leading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
GIRLS NIGHT OUT Governor’s Mansion & Old Capitol Inn
www.msbusiness.com
2015 Fifty Leading Business Women – 11
Lolly Barnes
L
Mississippi Heritage Trust Lolly Barnes played many games of hide-and-seek on the stage of the historic Saenger Theatre when her mother was director of arts and history for the City of Biloxi. Those blood lines led the Mississippi Gulf Coast native to a career in historic preservation. After earning her Bachelor’s degree in history from Louisiana State University and a Master’s from the University of Southern Mississippi, Barnes returned to Biloxi. Barnes soon became the ďŹ rst-ever collections manager for the city’s museums and later as historical administrator. In 2004, she left to develop a revitalization plan for the historic White House Hotel in Biloxi. Following Hurricane Katrina, Barnes worked for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. A former Fellow with the Knight Program in Community Building, Barnes underwent intensive culinary training to join the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center as an assistant director with the facility’s cafĂŠ in 2010.
12 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
One of Mississippi’s 50 Leading Women in Business
Dr. Felicia Gavin Congratulations on your outstanding accomplishment of being selected.
Jocelyn Chisholm Carter
M
United Healthcare Community Plan of Mississippi
© UMMC 2015. All rights reserved.
Managing healthcare benefits for more than 100,000 people while being an attentive wife and mother might be challenging for some. But for Jocelyn Carter, the ability to balance her professional and personal life keeps the Georgia native grounded. Carter serves as Chief Executive Officer for United Healthcare and is responsible for all aspects of Medicaid-managed care programs, including Mississippi CAN (Coordinated Access Network) and CHIP (Child Health Insurance Program). In the last three years, Carter has overseen a 270 percent participation increase in the Medicaid-managed programs. Prior to joining United, Carter graduated cum laude from the University of Baltimore School of Law, and maintained her own law practice in Scotch Plains, New Jersey before moving to Mississippi. When Carter is not watching her daughter swim for the Madison Central High swim team, she is often curled up with a good book.
Congratulations!
Carol Warren
VP Human Resources/Administration
Kristi Henderson, DNP, CFNP, CACNP, FAEN Director, Center for Telehealth Chief Telehealth & Innovation Officer
Honored as one of the 50 leading business women in Mississippi class of 2015 by the Mississippi Business Journal. 14 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
Thank you for improving access to healthcare in Mississippi.
www.msbusiness.com
Mississippi Premier Plastic Surgery would like to congratulate
Marisa Songcharoen Davidson on being named one of the 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi for 2015. Dr. Somprasong Songcharoen Dr. G. Eli Howell, II Dr.William Dotie Jackson Dr. Emile A. Picarella Reconstructive Surgery - Cosmetic and Aesthetic Surgery - Surgery of the Hand St. Dominic East Medical Tower - 971 Lakeland Drive, Suite 315 • Jackson, MS Colonnades at Baptist - 501 Marshall Street, Suite 502 • Jackson, MS 601-981-2525 • www.mspremierplasticsurgery.com
Karen Chain
A
Community Trust Bank A New Orleans native, Karen Chain is the manager of the Oxford Banking Center for Community Trust Bank. Prior to joining Community Trust, the mother of two sons began her banking career with Gateway Bank in Desoto County. Chain has more than 25 years banking experience and previously worked for First National Bank of Oxford and Merchants & Farmers. In addition to her career, Chain spends many hours serving the Oxford community. She spent a decade serving on the board of the Oxford Endowment for Public Education, and was a founding member of the Oxford High School Theatre Arts Guild. Chain also serves on the Oxford-Lafayette United Way board of directors and is treasurer of the Oxford-Lafayette Humane Society. In her spare time, Chan enjoys her involvement with mission teams in Haiti, working as an education team member with Living Waters of the World.
Congratulations to our own Weatherly Rose for being selected as one of Mississippi’s 50 Leading Business Women!
newks.com 16 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
UnitedHealthcare U nit d Community Plan congratulates
Jocelyn J oce Chisholm Carter forr being fo bei selected as one of Mississippi’s Business Women in 2015. 5 Leading 50 Le
Jocelyn is a dynamic health care executive and health plan CEO. Because of her fearless leadership and innovative ideas, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Mississippi remains the top coordinated care organization in the hospitality state. Under her administration, the Mississippi Plan has grown from 19,000 members to over 285,000. Her commitment to our company’s mission has helped thousands of Mississippians live healthier lives. Jocelyn Chisholm Carter Chief Executive Officer UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Mississippi
Helping People Live Healthier Lives, right here in Mississippi. To learn more, visit us at: UHCCommunityPlan.com
©2015 United Healthcare Services, Inc. All rights reserved. CST8794 9/15
Lisa Cochran
A
The Studio As the “Chief Inspirational Officer” for The Studio Aveda Salon in Hattiesburg, Lisa Cochran can be found visiting with guests, teaching a haircut, supporting in a color consultation or leading a morning huddle. The Laurel native is fond of saying she “gets” to go to work instead of “I have” to go to work. Cochran has spent more than 32 years in the beauty care industry, including 27 years as the owner of The Studio Aveda Salon and three years as a business coach for Strategies Salon and Spa Consulting Company. A three-time winner of Salon Today’s Top 200 Fastest Growing Salons in America, Cochran’s shop also was awarded the 2006 Charitable Outreach Award by the Professional Beauty Association. Active in Pine Belt charities, Cochran sent 10 semi-trucks loaded with supplies to tornado-ravaged Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 2012. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and hopes to develop a line of gourmet salad dressings one day.
Congratulates our Members ... Karen Chain Pamela Confer Vanda N. Crowe Marisa S. Davidson Kathy W. Freeman Jennifer G. Hall Jamie Higdon Leigh G. Jaunsen Kimberla M. Little
Bridget M. Lowery Kelly McQuaig Kathleen Shields O'Beirne Charlotte Harness Seals Stephanie Sago Vivians Pamela P. Ware Sarah Beth Wilson
18 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
Proudly Congratulates
Patty Dunn On being chosen as one of Mississippi's
50 Leading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
The City of Kosciusko would like to congratulate Amanda Patton for being selected as one of the 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi. We appreciate your hard work, dedication, and service to the Kosciusko Business Community. We would also like to thank Amanda, who helped us secure the $25,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield Healthy Hometown award. Jimmy Cockroft, Mayor Tim Kyle, Alderman-at-Large Marvin “Pop� Lawrence, Ward 1 Henry Daniel, Ward 2 Robert Ellis, Ward 3 Jeffery Woods, Ward 4
Pamela Confer
P
Nissan North America, Inc. Pam Confer is the director of community and public relations for Nissan North America, Canton, the second largest employer in Mississippi with approximately 6,000 employees. In this capacity, she serves as the face of Nissan in the Mississippi market, and manages the corporation’s outreach efforts. She also directs the highly-acclaimed Nissan Canton Gospel Choir, the only choir in auto-manufacturing in the Country. Confer is an accomplished, award-winning jazz artist, and an international, award-winning motivational speaker. She explodes with confidence, teaching everyone how a simple smile can move the world. Confer has a testimony of how set-backs in life can become a set-up for success. Her favorite quote is, “Don’t be afraid that your life will end. Be afraid it will never begin.— Grace Hansen
A Banking
ctbonline.com
(601) 856-3380
20 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
Original Since 1912 www.msbusiness.com
Amanda Rasberry Crawford
G
Veterans Outreach of Mississippi Growing up on a small Attala County farm taught Amanda Crawford many lessons, including confidence. In addition to her farm chores, Crawford competed regularly with males in equestrian events. Today, the Kosciusko native puts many of those life lessons to work as an administrator for the Veterans Outreach of Mississippi. Crawford’s responsibilities as a volunteer include oversight and guidance over the Veterans Outreach program for the State Veterans Home in her hometown. Prior to joining the VO, Crawford served as state manager for the Mississippi chapters of the American Cancer Society. For a role model, she looks no further than her 87-year old grandmother, who taught Crawford to always put others above self and remain resilient in her faith. When she’s not cheering on her two sons in football and baseball, Crawford enjoys riding horses with her family.
Vanda N. Crowe
W BancorpSouth
When she’s not conducting high level bank transactions, you will find Vanda Crowe on the regional drag racing circuit. A Hazlehurst native, Crowe maintains her own car and not only races the vehicle but has earned competition awards for “Best in Show” and “Best Paint Job.” A vice-president for BancorpSouth’s Jackson office, Crowe generates prospects and develops new deposit and loan relationships to increase the bank’s market share. Prior to joining BancorpSouth, she worked for Trustmark and the Mississippi Bank. Organized and self-motivated, Crowe prides herself in making a difference for her clients and the community. She’s active in several professional organizations, including the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, Women Information Networking and the Ambassadors Council, where Crowe serves as chairwoman. Married with two sons, Crowe enjoys working with her husband on the couple’s Kentucky farm.
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 21
Marisa S. Davidson
A
Mississippi Health Partners Although Marisa Davidson was born in Detroit, she considers herself a Mississippian, through and through. Davidson, who earned her MBA from the Millsaps College Else School of Business, currently serves as president and CEO of Mississippi Health Partners. Over a 20-year span at MHP, she has been instrumental in the development of exemplary provider relations, customer service and PPO claim repricing operations. As president and CEO, Davidson leads the company’s initiative to leverage technology to build a local health information exchange. Active in her children’s school, Davidson serves as a fourth grade room mother at Madison-Ridgeland Academy. Additionally, she is a member of the Rotary Club of North Jackson and a past board director of the Arthritis Foundation of Mississippi. A member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Davidson enjoys cooking, fitness activities and saltwater fishing.
Ryanne Duffie Saucier
from your family and friends at Television Advertising & Professional Video Services
22 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
Terry Duffie
David “Mit” Kirkland
President/CEO
V.P. of Operations
Dothan, Alabama
www.msbusiness.com
Liz Hogue Densmore
A
LEC, Incorporated A self-described eternal optimist, Liz Hogue Densmore always strives to take away the positives in life. Whether she’s tackling demanding CrossFit classes or implementing unique marketing strategies for Pearl-based LEC, Inc. the Jackson native buys into any endeavor with a ‘glass is half-full’ state of mind. The director of marketing and human resources for LEC, Densmore wears several hats and leads the process of determining the firm’s target audience. She formerly served as communications campaign manager for the Mississippi State Department of Health and morning news anchor for Greenville television station WXVT Channel 15. A single mother, Densmore describes rearing her son Noah as her most significant personal accomplishment. Chairwoman of the Young Professional Alzheimer Association of Mississippi, she also serves as an ambassador for the Rankin County Chamber of Commerce. In her leisure time, Densmore enjoys running and attending her son’s sporting events.
Congratulations to a caring leader. Camellia Healthcare is proud to congratulate tulate Donna Don nna Gardner, our Regional Director of Operations, on beingg named na ed one of o Mississippi’s 50 leading women men in n business.
www.camellia.com a.com
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 23
Tahya Dobbs
L
Hometown Magazines North Carolina native Tahya Dobbs is the publisher of the Hometown Magazine franchises in Brandon, Clinton, Brookhaven, Madison and Rankin County. Though launching five magazines in one year was a risk for Dobbs, promoting local businesses and communities has become job one for her. Selected as the 2014 Rankin County Chamber Entrepreneur of the Year, Dobbs formerly owned High Cotton Taste, a local catering business. One of her greatest accomplishments was serving as a foster mother for four brothers from social services, and continues to be involved in the children’s lives on occasional weekend visits. A current board member of Merit Health Rankin Hospital, Dobbs also is a member of the Brandon B Club, Rankin County Chamber, Clinton Chamber of Commerce and the Madison Chamber of Commerce. In her spare time, Dobbs enjoys reading and event planning.
The Law Offices of Susan K. Steadman congratulates
SUSAN K. STEADMAN for being named to the Mississippi Business Journal’s 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi
24 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
Lindsay Thomas Dowdle
M Jones Walker
Mississippi Delta native Lindsay Dowdle appreciates the value of hard work. An associate with Jackson law firm Jones Walker, Dowdle serves as counsel in litigation of employment and commercial disputes at both the trial and appellate levels. Additionally, she provides advice to employers on a widerange of labor and employment issues. Prior to joining Jones Walker in 2011, the Mississippi College School of Law graduate worked with Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis. Dowdle’s advice to young lawyers is to volunteer for projects, produce excellent work for clients and work persistently on goals. An avid community volunteer, she is active in the Junior League of Jackson, Book Buddies for Power APAC and Stewpot Legal Services. Former Mississippi Gov. William Winter serves as Dowdle’s biggest role model based on his work for racial reconciliation. In her leisure time, Dowdle enjoys practicing yoga and spending time with her book club.
Impressive IQ. Powerful Performance. The 2016 E-Class.
THE 2016 E-CLASS STARTING AT
$
53,100*
The best of both worlds — the skills to outmaneuver traffic and the smarts to outthink trouble. Eleven intelligent driver-assist systems read everything from your attention level to the movements of the vehicles all around you. The 2016 E-Class — as intelligent as it is exhilarating. MBUSA.com/E-Class
Mercedes-Benz of Jackson 5397 I-55 North Jackson, MS (601)956-4211
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 25
Patty Dunn
I
Alzheimer’s Association If there was a word to describe Patty Dunn, versatile might come to mind. After all, the executive director for the Mississippi chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association has formerly held positions with WorldCom, MobileComm and Unity Communications. In her current role with the Alzheimer’s Association, Dunn works closely with community groups, the chapter’s board of directors, and serves as spokesperson for the organization. A passionate community volunteer, the Jackson native is a current member of several organizations, including the Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce, Area Development Partnership and P.E.O. International, a philanthropic group of women helping other women. A graduate of Texas Christian University, Dunn received her MBA from Millsaps College in 1991. Addicted to Netflix, Dunn enjoys watching the House of Cards series, playing tennis, cooking and coaching youth soccer.
AMONG THE NATION’S BEST LAWYERS
26 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
Macey Lynd Edmondson
M
The University of Mississippi School of Law Macey Edmonson admits that she’s not particularly fast, but she loves running, particularly after a hard day at the office. As the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at the University of Mississippi School of Law, Edmonson plans and implements law school orientation and graduation for students, and serves as the advisor for the law school’s Student Body Honor Council. Formerly, the Biloxi native served as a public services law librarian, where she developed the “Lawyer in the Library” speakers program. Edmonson earned her law degree, Master’s and doctorate all at Ole Miss after graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1998. Three years ago, she was chosen by the Ole Miss student body as the recipient of the Joan K. Murphy Outstanding Law School Staff Member Memorial Award. An active member of St. John’s Catholic Church, Edmonson also is a member of the Oxford Runners.
“Congratulations Patty, we are proud of you!” Patty Dunn
Chris Irby Ins Agency Inc
CONGRATULATIONS AMY! ROSS & YERGER CONGRATULATES AMY W. SMITH FOR BEING CHOSEN AS ONE OF THE 50 LEADING BUSINESS WOMEN IN MISSISSIPPI FOR 2015
Chris Irby,
Agent 401 Cross Park Drive, Suite F Pearl, MS 39208-8970 Bus. 601.939.4224 Fax 601.932.2526 chris.irby.m04i@statefarm.com
Stephanie Sago Vivians
We are so proud of you! Love, Mom & Dad www.msbusiness.com
200 S. LAMAR ST., STE 700 S | JACKSON, MS 39201 601-948-2900 | WWW.ROSSANDYERGER.COM JACKSON | TUPELO | BATON ROUGE | NEW ORLEANS
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 27
Stephanie Edwards
W
Edison Chouest Offshore Working from the Louisiana-based oil and gas giant’s Gulfport shipyard, Stephanie Edwards serves as ECO’s Workforce Development, Projects and Incentives Manager. A Pascagoula native and lifelong resident, she literally grew up in the industry as her father served for decades as a shipyard manager for Halter and Chouest. Previously employed by Congressman Gene Taylor, the Department of Human Services, Ingalls Shipbuilding, and shipyard craft training facility for dislocated and displaced workers, Edwards joined Chouest upon the opening of their Gulf Ship facility in 2006. Her efforts on behalf of various Chouest affiliate companies has led to Gulf Ship capturing the “Employer of the Year” award from the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services in 2012, and ECO’s Tampa Ship honored as the Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance Business of the Year. Edwards has placed hundreds of displaced and dislocated workers in On-the-Job Training programs and secured close to $5 million in Work Opportunity Tax Credits over the past several years for Chouest companies.
Congratulations to Marisa Songcharoen Davidson for being chosen as one of the “2015 Mississippi Business Journal’s 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi”! Suthin Songcharoen, M.D., FACP, FACR Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Treatment & Research Center, PLLC 2550 Flowood Drive, Suite 300 Flowood, Mississippi 39232 (601) 420-0034 - phone (601) 420-5482 – fax
28 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
Kathy W. Freeman
K
Butler Snow Kathy Freeman serves as Director of Human Resources for Ridgeland law firm Butler Snow, a full-service legal shop with more than 300 attorneys representing clients in 17 U.S. offices and one in London, England. During her tenure with Butler Snow, Freeman previously served roles as Training and Process Designer and Employee Relations Manager. She has implemented a number of innovative programs, including the launch of an in-house learning and development entity, known as Butler Snow Institute. Fully operational since 2005, the Institute ensures that Butler Snow personnel are trained in the latest technology and other business-related skills. Freeman also developed a progressive approach to secretarial support, as well as Support Services, a central hub of more advanced projects. A strong advocate for health and fitness, Freeman designed the firm’s health and wellness program, Balanced Lives.
ALLEN FINANCIAL GROUP CONGRATULATES
CAMILLE SNYDER on her selection as one
Camille Allen Snyder joined Allen Financial Group in 2012 and is a Managing Director of the Firm. In her practice, Camille provides timetested strategies and products necessary for risk management and wealth management for businesses, individuals, and families. She is active with the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors on both the local and state level serving as Secretary/Treasurer for Mississippi, Chair of the Young Advisors Team for Mississippi, and the Immediate Past President for the Jackson association. She is a member of the General Agents and Managers Association International and Women in Insurance and Financial Services.
5898 Ridgewood Road, Suite A Jackson, Mississippi 39211 Cell: 202.739.1411 Tel: 601.956.6656 Fax: 601.956.3884 www.AFGNetwork.com www.GuardianLife.com www.AR.GuardianLife.com 2015-10802 Exp. 9/17
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 29
Donna M. Gardner
A
Camellia Healthcare As regional director for Camellia Home Health and Hospice, Donna Gardner stays busy. She oversees ten company branches, nine Mississippi offices and one in Louisiana. Acting as a liaison with community business and medical leaders, the Marion County native ensures that the interest of patients is always first priority. Prior to joining Camellia in 1996, Gardner served as an emergency room RN for Hattiesburg’s Forrest General Hospital and Conroe, Texas Medical Center. A frequent volunteer, the Harley-Davidson motorcycle enthusiast is active with Camellia Ministries, American Cancer Society, Cystic Fibrosis Association and the American Heart Association. Her advice to women who wish to make a difference is simple: find your vision in life and build upon your strengths. Married with three sons and five grandchildren, Gardner enjoys traveling, fishing and spending time with family.
KENNETH D. FARMER
Business Law, Commercial Real Estate & Contracts
SHARON PLUNKETT
Real Estate Closing Services
FROM YOUNG WELLS
Gaylene McHale
Congratulates Pam Ware
on being chosen as one of the
www.Youngwells.com • 601.948.6100 www.Youngwells.com • 601.948.6100
30 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
Felicia D. Gavin
F
DiamondJacks Casino For Felicia Gavin, a good leader should also be a great person. In her role as executive vice-president and general manager for Diamondjacks Casino & Hotel in Vicksburg, Gavin likes to practice what she preaches. She manages 25 departments consisting of more than 350 team members and an annual budget of $50 million. Additionally, Gavin serves as regional vice-president of finance and is responsible for the overall financial reporting of the casino. A Bastrop, Louisiana native, Gavin received her doctorate from Jackson State University and an MBA from Mississippi College. Prior to joining Diamondjacks, she served the Office of the Governor as Director of Administration and Fiscal Policy. Gavin is an active member of the Anderson United Methodist Church and serves as a board member for the Pigs In Flight Children’s Museum. Married with one daughter, Gavin enjoys reading, shopping and cooking on the grill in her spare time.
Stephanie Vivians We are happy that you were one of the top 50 business women! Love, Tim, Muriel, Maysa and Tybrea Vivians
Congratulations TAHYA DOBBS We Applaud You, Pam! Sincerely, Buckley Security & Staff
from your Hometown Team
On being chosen as one of the 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi
Pam Ware
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 31
Alison Ketner Goodman
A
Goodman Law Firm,LLC Alison Ketner Goodman, a native of Hernando, is a member of the Mississippi Bar. She represents both self-insured employers and insurance companies in the area of worker’s compensation and auto and premises liability. Additionally, she practices in the area of intellectual property, specifically in copyright and trademark law. She works as a Guardian ad Litem and is on the Community Advisory Board of the Autism Center of North Mississippi and is the immediate past President of the Board of Directors of the Montessori School of Tupelo. Goodman speaks fluent Japanese and helps the Japanese community in the Tupelo area due to the arrival of the Toyota plant. She has worked in insurance defense firms as a shareholder in Tupelo, and as an associate attorney in Jackson. While in law school, she clerked for a Tokyo-based firm and worked as a Research Assistant for Temple University Law School in Japan. Goodman resides in Tupelo with her husband, Taylor Goodman, Esq., and her two daughters, Lila Ann “Lila” and Camille Claire “CeCe”. She is the daughter of Jane and Kenny Ketner of Hernando.
Congratulations Kelly McQuaig Thank You for your service as President of the Philadelphia-Neshoba County Chamber of Commerce.
Congratulations Tahya on being selected as one of the 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi.
32 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
Jennifer G. Hall
A
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC A shareholder for Ridgeland law firm Baker Donelson, Jennifer Hall concentrates her practice in the area of labor and employment. Licensed in both Mississippi and Tennessee, Hall assists clients in several disciplines, including multi-plaintiff discrimination defense, employee classification issues, and wage and hour matters. She frequently represents employers before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Labor and the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, and in federal and state courts. An active member of the Junior League of Jackson, Hall also coordinates Baker Donelson’s Third Thursday Labor & Employment Breakfast Briefing series and is a frequent speaker and author on employment issues. The University of Mississippi School of Law graduate also serves the firm on the Pro Bono and Recruiting committees.
CONGRATULATIONS TO
SUSAN K. STEADMAN & AMELIA S. MCGOWEN
who have been selected in this year’s 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi.
Love, Your Family
Some succeed because they’re destined to; most because they’re determined to. We believe your determination unveiled your destiny.
Congratulations Pam Confer for your designation as one of the 2015 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi! Your Family.
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 33
Kristi Henderson
M
University of Mississippi Medical Center Making an impact in the field of tele-health is quite gratifying for Kristi Henderson, who serves as Chief Telehealth & Innovation Officer for the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Under Henderson’s leadership, Mississippi is recognized as a model in the field of tele-health, which facilitates the delivery of personalized healthcare. Her career trajectory has taken Henderson from positions with local influence to her current position that has system design implications. In 2015, the Huntsville, Alabama native received the American Telemedicine Association President’s Award for Health Delivery, Quality and Transformation in Los Angeles. An active member of Broadmoor Baptist Church, Henderson also is active with the Junior League of Jackson and Greater Jackson Leadership. She enjoys exercising as part of her work/life balance, and regularly participates in an early morning fitness class at the Fitness Factory.
20 15
CO ONG GRA ATULA ATIO ONS TO O LEADING BUSINESS
WOMEN in Mississippi “Jazz Beautiful” fans congratulate Pam Confer for being one of MBJ’s Top 50 Leading Businesswomen. She sings. She speaks. She soars. Jackson Free Press’ 2012 and 2013 “Best Jazz Artist” Jackson Music Awards’ 2013 and 2015 “Jazz Group of the Year” Mississippi Jazz Foundation’s 2015 “Jazz Ambassador Award”
engineers | planners | environmental scientists | landscape architects | structural designers www.neel-schaffer.com
34 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
Jamie Higdon
H Tempstaff
Having launched her career with Tempstaff as a child watering plants and emptying trash, Jamie Higdon can honestly say she’s worked for the Jackson staffing agency virtually her entire life. Today, the Jackson native serves the family business as vice-president of operations. On any given day, Higdon might start her morning at a chamber committee meeting, and by lunch, move on to monitoring Tempstaff ’s budget or conducting an internal audit of worker’s compensation financials. The Mississippi College MBA recipient also edits the company’s bi-monthly magazine that’s distributed to clients. A Top 10 finalist for the Mississippi Business Journal’s 2015 Top 50 Under 40 class, Higdon is active with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mississippi, Steen’s Creek Elementary School PTO and First Baptist Church of Richland. When she’s not traveling in her spare time, Higdon can be found at the local youth soccer fields.
PWA
Professional Women’s Association proudly congratulates our member
Lori Hill Marshall, M.D.
Melanie North (601) 359-2659 2015 Fifty Leading Business Women in Mississippi
on being selected as one of Mississippi Business Journal’s
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 35
Leigh G. Jaunsen
A
Dale Partners Architects As an architect, Leigh Jaunsen believes the industry has a duty to design buildings or space that benefits communities, both economically and esthetically. Juansen, who has been with Dale Partners Architects for a decade, is an Atlanta native who earned her Master’s and B.S. at Georgia Tech. Now an Ocean Springs resident, she enjoys the carefree living found on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Jaunsen is LEED-accredited and her areas of expertise include project and construction management. Among her rebuilding projects after Hurricane Katrina were the Biloxi Civic Center and Library, Lighthouse Park, People’s Bank and Bay St. Louis Harbor. Jaunsen also served as project manager for the new Biloxi Shuckers minor league baseball park. A fan of television game shows, Jaunsen once appeared on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” and walked away with $125,000. She enjoys reading, gardening and practicing yoga in her leisure time.
A celebrated partner.
congratulates
Baird salutes Misti Preziosi from the Office of the State Treasurer for being recognized for her many business accomplishments along with all the women on the Mississippi Business Journal’s 2015 list of 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi. 800-RW-BAIRD rwbaird.com
Weatherly Rose for being chosen as one of the top 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi for 2015. ©2015 Robert W. Baird & Co. Member SIPC. MC-45819.
36 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
Kimberla M. Little
M Regions Bank
Make no mistake, Kimberla Little loves football. Whether it’s cheering for the Callaway High Chargers, Jackson State Tigers or Pittsburgh Steelers, Little is in her happy place during the football season. When she’s not watching football, the Jackson native serves as Assistant Vice President of Human Resources for Regions Financial Corporation. With 462 employees in the south Mississippi region, Little stays plenty busy with recruiting, employee relations and compensation matters. Prior to joining Regions in 2005, she served as a senior recruiter for Maxim Staffing Solutions in Jackson. A member of the 2014 Mississippi Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 class, Little earned the Regions Financial Discretionary Merit Award in 2007. She feels her most valuable personal skills are her ability to adapt in any situation and connect with people so that they can perform at the highest level. Little enjoys traveling in her spare time.
Congratulations
MISTI!
Congratula ons to
Jamie Higdon
We are so proud of you!
Vice President of Opera ons
Scott & Brandi Lewis
Pam Ware
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 37
Bridget M. Lowery
B
BankPlus Bridget Lowery serves as Vice-President with BankPlus in the downtown Brandon office. Formerly associated with Trustmark National Bank, Lowery has more than 17 years in the banking industry. A Pearl native, she attended Mississippi College and the Mississippi School of Banking. In the community, Lowery serves as a board member of the Rankin Chamber of Commerce and the Pearl Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Lowery is a member of the Pearl Kiwanis Club, and a member and former board member of Keep Pearl Beautiful and Friends of Mississippi State Hospital, where she received the 2011 Volunteer of the Year award. Lowery and her husband Lynn have two children, Bailey and Cole.
Congratulations to Jaklyn Wrigley
Congratulations,
One of the 2015 Mississippi Business Journal’s 50 Leading Business Women in Mississippi
Ryanne Duffie Saucier!
Jaklyn represents employers throughout Mississippi and the Panhandle of Florida in state and federal courts, as well as claims pending with state and federal agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
From Your Family, Mom and Dad, Skip, Tara and Dan Jaklyn Wrigley jwrigley@laborlawyers.com • (228) 822-1440 2505 14th Street • Suite 300 • Gulfport, MS 39501 www.laborlawyers.com | 31 Locations Nationwide
38 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
Macie Malone
M Mostly Macie’s
Macie Malone launched her entrepreneurial dreams while still in college. At the tender age of 23, Malone opened Mostly Macie’s, a high-end fashion boutique in Hattiesburg. In addition to the latest styles in women’s fashion, Malone carries resale items as well. In early 2015, the Hattiesburg native created her own fashion/lifestyle blog focusing primarily on style but also health, beauty and fitness. Eager to give back to the Pine Belt region, Malone frequently donates clothing to the needy. After the devastating 2013 tornado, people who were victimized by the storm were allowed to shop Mostly Macie’s for free. Malone’s shop has been listed in Mississippi Magazine as the state’s “Best Consignment Shop” since 2013. Active in The Helping Hands of Mississippi as a board member, Malone promotes the group’s events and often donates 50 percent of special street sales to the organization. She enjoys fitness activities in her leisure time.
The Jimmie Rodgers Foundation in Meridian salutes our valued board member
Kelly McQuaig. Congratulations, Kelly for well deserved recognition!
CONGRATULATIONS TO
BRIDGET LOWERY ON BEING NAMED TO
50LEADING BUSINESS WOMEN MIX, Jackson’s oldest leading business marketing exchange group, would like to congratulate one of its members:
Melanie North
As a Vice President and loan officer at BankPlus, Bridget is one of our finest. So we’re proud, but not surprised, that she has been chosen for this honor. Bridget’s service to the community has been recognized by many. We take our hats off to Bridget.
BankPlus.net
© Copyright 2015 BankPlus. Member FDIC.
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 39
Lori Hill Marshall
L
Premier Pain Care Dr. Lori Marshall maintains a pain management practice with Jackson’s Premier Health Care. Her special areas of interest include cancer pain, oral and maxillofacial pain, and complex regional pain syndrome. Marshall is a member of the American Board of Anesthesiology and is Board Certified in both Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine. Prior to joining Premier, Marshall served as assistant professor for the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She received her M.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine after earning her undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Southern Mississippi. An active member of the Junior League of Jackson, Marshall also is a member of Saint Richard Catholic Church and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, playing tennis, reading and playing the harp.
LEIGH GRIMES JAUNSEN, AIA, LEED AP
Congratulations to our Leading Business Woman
Mississippi Health Partners Congratulates MARISA DAVIDSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO of MISSISSIPPI HEALTH PARTNERS
on being one of Mississippi’s Leading Business Women
www.mhpartners.com
40 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
50 2015
LEADING BUSINESS
WOMEN
in Mississippi
Bay St. Louis Municipal Pier and Harbor
www.msbusiness.com
Amelia McGowan
A
The Law Offices of Amelia S. McGowan, PLLC
A former staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi, Amelia McGowan is now sole proprietor of her own law firm. Located in Vicksburg, the Law Offices of Amelia McGowan serves clients in the areas of commercial law and immigration. Her immigration law experience includes representing clients in removal and asylum proceedings, preparing employment and family-based petitions, Violence Again Women’s Act self-petitions and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals petitions. While with the ACLU of Mississippi, McGowan litigated cases involving a number of constitutional issues, including the assurance of healthcare for inmates at Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, and wrote demand letters to address alleged constitutional violations throughout the state. McGowan earned her law degree from the Tulane Law School, and is Spanish-fluent and proficient in Portuguese.
Lori Hill Marshall, M.D.
Congratulations to Vanda Crowe! Vanda Crowe, Medical Center Branch Manager, has been chosen as one of the 2015 Top 50 Business Women in the Jackson area. We applaud Vanda’s efforts and contributions to enriching the lives and opportunities of those within our community.
Call on us for everything financial. We’re proud to be Right Where You Are. Medical Center Branch 2710 N State St | Jackson, MS 39216 | (601) 968-1545
We are very proud of this accomplishment and wish you continued success! We love you! Mom, Dad, Derek, and William Benjamin www.msbusiness.com
Bank deposits are FDIC insured. Investment products are not a deposit, not FDIC insured, not insured by any Federal Agency, not guaranteed by the bank and may go down in value.
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 41
Gaylene M. McHale
S
Huntington Ingalls
Shipbuilding is in Gaylene McHale’s blood. In fact, her entire career has been spent in the industry, from engineering to post-delivery support. Currently, McHale serves as the director of Process Excellence & Production Engineering for Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula. In the past, she’s been vice-president of Large Deck Amphibious programs for Ingalls, and as a program manager for Bath Iron Works, a shipbuilding company in her native Maine. In 2015, McHale was honored to receive the Ingalls President Award for Excellence for leading the company’s “Shipyard of the Future” efforts. An active member of the Elks and Animal Protection & Education Association, McHale feels she has an obligation to make life better for those less fortunate. In addition to her intensity for shipbuilding, she also has a passion for family and outside work activities. In her leisure time, McHale enjoys boating and sports with her family.
Kelly McQuaig
F
The Yates Companies, Inc. For Kelly McQuaig, working at The Yates Companies is enjoyable because its core values of safety, integrity, passion and commitment are aligned with hers. For the past 15 years as Senior Executive Assistant, McQuaig has managed the office and schedule for William Yates, Jr., President and CEO of The Yates Companies. The Meridian native wears additional hats, also serving as the Assistant Corporate Secretary and Assistant Facility Security Officer for the company. Because of her many roles at Yates, McQuaig is actively engaged in the business community through economic development and civic programs. Though she graduated with honors from high school, McQuaig chose to pursue a vocational track of study during her college-age years. Active in the east Mississippi community, she serves as treasurer for the Jimmie Rodgers Foundation and is a board member for the State Games of Mississippi. McQuaig enjoys following the NHL Nashville Predators hockey team.
42 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
Jan Miller
I
Mississippi Main Street Association If you meet Jan Miller for the first time, you know immediately she loves to laugh. But don’t be fooled by the Birmingham native’s humorous side. Miller handles her business, whether serving as Mississippi Main Street’s Northern District director or with her own company, Mississippi Maven Consulting. With Mississippi Main Street, Miller manages 21 communities throughout the northern part of the state, providing resources and training to cities and towns to help maintain downtown areas. Prior to joining Main Street, she served as a public relations specialist for the Columbus Municipal School District. A Mississippi University for Women graduate, Miller has earned a plethora of awards over the years, including the President’s Choice and Service awards from Main Street Columbus. She also serves as a board member for the Mississippi Heritage Trust and Town & Tower. In her spare time, Miller enjoys boating with her husband.
Melanie S. North
M
Associated General Contractors (AGC) Melanie North serves as the Director of Membership and Communications with Associate General Contractors of Mississippi. She joined the organization in March 2013 and exceeded membership goals established by the AGC Board of Directors by 66 percent within the first nine months of her employment. Prior to joining AGC, the Madison resident spent 16 years working in marketing, sales and media throughout Mississippi, including advertising sales manager with the Northside Sun weekly newspaper. With the Sun, North helped the publication launch a new magazine product that grossed over $600,000 annually. She graduated cum laude from Belhaven College, where North was the recipient of the James W. Park Academic Achievement Award. Experienced and knowledgeable in public relations, North has extensively promoted fundraising and awareness efforts of the Susan G. Koman Foundation.
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 43
Kathleen Shields O’Beirne
L
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
Looking on the bright side of things is a mantra Kathleen Shields O’Bierne swears by. A partner with Jackson law firm Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, O’Beirne practices in the firm’s litigation group as a member of the financial services, insurance and professional liability teams. She represents companies and individuals against a wide variety of claims, including the Fair Debt Collection Practice Act. Active in the Jackson area community, O’Beirne serves as Chair-elect of the board of directors for the Women’s Fund of Mississippi, an advocacy organization dedicated to improving the lives of families in the state. Before attending law school at the University of Mississippi, the Greenwood native worked as a paralegal in North Carolina and as program director at the Foundation for the Mid-South. Married to a lawyer, O’Beirne is the mother of two children and enjoys spending time with family.
Technically Speaking, You Are the Best! As our Director of Marketing and Human Resources you keep us connected to our industry and our clients. Thank you for being such E WXVSRK ERH MRƥ YIRXMEP JSVGI 'SRKVEXYPEXMSRW 0M^ ,SKYI (IRWQSVI
LECINC.COM | CELLDATASOLUTIONS.COM ©2015 LEC, INC.
44 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
Misti Munroe Preziosi
M
Office of the State Treasurer of Mississippi
Misti Preziosi became fascinated with the Spanish language while a kindergartner in Texas. Learning Spanish paid off upon meeting her husband, who is from Venezuela. Preziosi believes her determination to become fluent in the language helped her overcome many obstacles in her career. The Chief Investment Officer for the Office of the State Treasurer of Mississippi, Preziosi actively manages the investment strategy and trading for the State of Mississippi’s general/special fund portfolio. Prior to joining the office, the Fort Worth native served as portfolio manager for the state’s Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS). Preziosi’s most significant professional accomplishment was getting legislation passed to improve a statute that governs the allowable investment options for the state’s general fund. A member of the National Association of State Treasurers, Preziosi enjoys playing tennis and spending time with her husband.
Weatherly Rose
I
Newk’s Eatery In her early 20s, Weatherly Rose moved to Jackson for her dream job as a procurement manager with Saks Fifth Avenue. Eight months later, the Virginia native was unemployed after Saks downsized. But Rose’s story didn’t end there. She soon interviewed with Newk’s Eatery and was selected as the new Area Catering Sales Manager. Since Rose’s hiring, the restaurant franchise was named one of Franchise Times “Top 40 Smartest Growing Brands.” Her restaurants have exceeded sales expectations and she’s looking forward to more. A graduate of North Carolina State University, Rose has a strong passion for working with children. She serves on the board of directors as vice-chair for the Youth Enrichment Center and as an outreach volunteer with Youth Villages. Additionally, Rose is an active member with the Junior League of Jackson and several area Chambers. In her spare time, she enjoys playing kickball.
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 45
Ryanne Duffie Saucier
R
Mississippi Public Broadcasting Ryanne Duffie Saucier is a licensed intellectual property and entertainment attorney who serves as the Deputy Executive Director for Mississippi Public Broadcasting. Saucier hails from Southeast Alabama and has worked in the entertainment/media industry for nearly 20 years in the areas of broadcasting, artist management, radio programming, concert planning, artist promotion and film production. Prior to joining MPB, she exclusively practiced entertainment law working with musicians, writers, filmmakers, and broadcasters in the areas of music licensing, music publishing as well as copyright, trademark and media law. Saucier is a 2015 graduate from the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcast Leadership Training program. In 2011, Ryanne was published by the American Bar Association in the book titled Entertainment Law for the General Practitioner. She is a Birmingham-Southern College and cum laude graduate from Mississippi College School of Law. A recognized expert in her area of the law, Ryanne lectures regularly to attorneys and non-attorneys. She writes a weekly blog on intellectual property issues at www.StatuteofRyanne.com. She is married to Dan Saucier, and they attend St. Andrews Cathedral.
Charlotte Harness Seals
B
Madison County Schools/President Jr. League Becoming the first-ever African-American to assume the presidency of the Junior League of Jackson isn’t something Charlotte Seals spends a lot of time thinking about. She’s more focused on the organization’s work, and that the membership has placed its trust in her. Her focus remains on the celebration of JLJ’s upcoming 75th anniversary and the group’s popular Mistletoe Marketplace extravaganza held each year in Jackson. Promoting volunteerism is one of Seal’s platforms, along with issues such as early literacy and teen pregnancy prevention. An associate superintendent with the Madison County School District, Seals also is a member of the Junior Auxiliary of Madison County and is a past president of the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries. Mother to two children, Seals and her husband Calvin live in the Gluckstadt area. Both are active members of Holy Family Catholic Church.
46 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
Amy W. Smith
F
Ross & Yerger Ins. Inc. Family comes first for Amy Smith. When she’s not performing as a principal and executive vice-president for Jackson insurance agency Ross & Yerger, Smith can be found making memories with her husband Alan and their three sons. At Ross & Yerger, the Jacksonville, Florida native is responsible for the commercial, surety and personal lines. Smith also develops and maintains all carrier relationships for the agency. One of her favorite duties each year is speaking to a group of University of Mississippi students about careers in the insurance industry. Prior to joining Ross & Yerger, Smith worked for Zurich Insurance as an underwriter. In 2005, Smith was recognized as the Insurance Woman of the Year for Jackson. Active in her community, she serves as a monthly driver for Meals on Meals and volunteer with St. Francis Catholic Church. Smith enjoys running and staying involved with her sons’ Cub Scouts activities.
Camille Allen Snyder
S
Allen Financial Group Surviving a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis drastically changed the life and career trajectory of Camille Snyder. Through her two-year battle with the disease, Snyder was unable to work. But after the doctors approved her return to work, software and stock options seemed no longer important. Today, the Jackson native is the managing director for Allen Financial Group, a business dedicated to helping people understand the importance of risk management. Snyder leads a team of eight financial advisors and assists new associates in the development of their individual practice. A magna cum laude graduate of Washington & Lee University, she also serves as president of the Jackson chapter of NAIFA, and is a member of Women in Insurance and Financial Services (WIFS). An avid tennis enthusiast, Snyder plays often at Parham Bridges, and enjoys spending time with her husband at Carroll County’s Lake Traderhorn.
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 47
Mandi Stanley, CSP
T
Mandi Stanley Consultants Mandi Stanley, CSP, works with business leaders who want to be better speakers and writers. She has traveled throughout North America entertaining and educating more than 46,000 seminar participants. Some of her repeat clients include: Campbell’s Soup, the U.S. Air Force, McDonald’s USA, Southern Farm Bureau, Godiva Chocolate, and the NFL. In 2003, Stanley was designated a Certified Speaking Professional. Fewer than 9 percent of all worldwide speakers have earned this designation, and she is the first Mississippian in history to receive this honor through the NSA. Stanley is the award-winning business author of The No-Panic Plan for Presenters: An A-to-Z Guide for Speaking Confidently and Compellingly Anywhere, Anytime. Stanley serves on the boards of the Madison-Ridgeland Rotary Club, Mississippi Christian Living magazine, and the Shackouls Honors College Alumni at Mississippi State University. At Broadmoor Baptist Church, Stanley works on the Vision 2020 team. She and her husband Bob celebrate 23 years of marriage and are parents to 12-year-old and 9-year-old sons.
Susan K. Steadman
B
The Law Offices of Susan K. Steadman, PLLC Born to a career Air Force father and a teacher mother, Susan K. Steadman grew up throughout the United States. When her father retired they made Lucedale home, helping her grandparents operate the Palestinian Gardens, a living map of the Holy Land. Steadman graduated from George County High School and then attended Mississippi Gulf Coast Jr. College at Perkinston, Delta State University, and the University of Mississippi School of Law. Steadman practiced law with Eugene L. Fair in Hattiesburg for nearly 30 years. She now operates the Law Offices of Susan K. Steadman, PLLC, practice limited to commercial law. Steadman is a charter member of the Pine Belt Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association, serving as its charter President, and was honored as its Woman of the Year in 1990. She was also honored by Strong Women of Wesley Medical Center in 2011 for her work as a foster care advocate. Steadman is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association and the South Central Mississippi Bar Association. She enjoys travel, reading, gardening, and needlework.
48 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
T. McCall Stern
M
McCall Stern, PLLC Most would agree that T. McCall Stern isn’t your stereotypical attorney. Sure, she owns her practice, McCall Stern, PLLC, but the Jackson native maintains a strong civic focus – Stern splits her time 50/50 between providing legal services and community service. Prior to starting her own firm, Stern worked with Jackson law firm Glover Russell where her areas of concentration were elder and corporate law. But the Mississippi College School of Law graduate is mostly passionate for her community. An active member of the Flowood Rotary Club and Rankin County Chamber, Stern also stays involved with the Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi and the Friends of the Flowood Library. The willingness to serve is what makes a great leader, according to Stern. The mother of a boy and a girl, she loves to read and write poetry. In her leisure time, Stern enjoys gardening and taking trips to the mountains and beach.
Addie L. Johnson-Stover
A
Stover Developments
Addie Stover is the president and CEO at Stover Developments. A prolific grant writer and manager, she has garnered more than $100 million in total funding while providing project management for CDBG and HOME programs. For over a decade, Stover has supported clients with an array of training and technical assistance, K-12 educational administration and human resources consulting. Additionally, Stover is certified as a minority business with the Mississippi Development Authority, Mississippi Department of Transportation and the City of Jackson. The University of Southern Mississippi graduate also served as director of grant development for the Jackson Public Schools and the Hinds County Sheriff ’s Office. Stover earned designation as a Certified Workforce Trainer in 2008 at the Dr. Jack & Patti Phillips Workplace Learning and Performance Institute at USM’s Long Beach campus.
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 49
Amanda D. Villeret
G
Mississippi National Guard
Growing up in a military family, Amanda Villeret knew at an early age that she wanted to serve her country in some capacity. In 2014, the North Carolina native realized one of her goals, attaining the rank of Major with the Mississippi National Guard at the age of 35. As the MNG’s State Partnership Program Director, Villeret is responsible for planning and coordinating the partnership program through representatives in the Office of Military Cooperation. She earned the position over 10 other candidates, all who outranked her. Prior to her current role, Villeret served the Army National Guard as a contracting officer. A University of Southern Mississippi graduate, she received her MBA from Mississippi State University in 2007. Villeret is a member of the 2015 Leadership Mississippi class and a lifetime member of the National Guard Association of the United States. In her spare time, Villeret enjoys traveling and spending time with family.
Stephanie Sago Vivians
I
Neel-Schaffer, Inc. Instilling the importance of giving to her daughters is a personal mission for Stephanie Vivians. That’s why one of her projects is giving birthday parties for children staying in central Mississippi homeless shelters. An engineer with Neel-Shafer, Vivians works on a variety of transportation and construction engineering projects. Prior to joining the firm, the Natchez native worked as a cooperative education student at Grand Gulf and the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s Bridge Division. Active in her community, Vivians is a member of the National Veteran Caregiver Association and Parent Teacher Student associations at Jim Hill High School and Northwest Jackson Middle School. Vivians is a graduate of Mississippi State University with a B.S. in civil engineering. She is active with several professional organizations, including the National Society of Professional Engineers. Vivians enjoys singing, dancing and listening to music.
50 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
Christie D. Walters
M
Covington County Hospital Making others feel at ease is a personal trait that serves Christie Walters very well. As the director of communications for Covington County Hospital, Walters not only oversees public relations and marketing, she also manages employee and patient satisfaction initiatives. A Forrest County native, Walters formerly worked for the Hattiesburg Clinic as an advertising manager. Over the span of her career, the Mississippi State University graduate has garnered several awards, including the Community Volunteer Award by the American Cancer Society, and the Mississippi Hospital Association’s 2012 Maggie Award. Walters is active civically in the Pine Belt, and serves as the publicity chairperson for the Collins Rotary Club. She also serves as team captain for Relay for Life in Covington County. Though she and her husband are childless, Walters enjoys spoiling her dog Penny, and going to the beach in her spare time.
Pamela P. Ware
F
Metropolitan Bank For Pamela Ware, there is no ‘I’ in ‘team’. Her philosophy is that a team is always more powerful than any one individual. As Chief Operations and Information Technology Officer for Metropolitan Bank, Ware feels particularly blessed to be a part of the bank’s corporate team. Before joining the newly-founded bank in 2007, Ware worked for Union Planters Bank following her graduation magna cum laude from Mississippi State University. Current Metropolitan CEO Curt Gabardi gave Ware her first branch while both were at Union Planters, and she’s forever indebted to him for the opportunity. On the personal side, Ware says giving birth to daughter Holly in 2011 is her most significant accomplishment, making her realize what “life is all about.” A member-elect of the Junior Auxiliary of Madison County, Ware also served as co-chair for the 2014 March of Dimes campaign. She enjoys traveling and riding horses.
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 51
Carol Warren
C
Magnolia Federal Credit Union Carol Warren is vice-president of Human Resources and Administration for Magnolia Federal Credit Union. She joined the financial institution in 1996, previously serving as an administrative assistant. Warren is currently responsible for providing administrative and human resource services for the credit union, with primary emphasis in the areas of facilities administration, human resource policy development, and wage and salary administration. A graduate of Hinds Community College, Warren has over 35 years administrative and employee relations experience. Since 1990, she has served as the president of the Hi-Stepper Alumni Chapter with the Hinds Community College Alumni Association. She is actively involved with the Miss America Organization at the local level, including judging preliminary competitions. Other community activities she is involved with include March of Dimes, Credit Unions for Kids and the Walk for MS to name just a few.
La’Keylah White
G
City of Hattiesburg Given the opportunity to serve her hometown, LaKeylah White has made the most of it. Appointed by Hattiesburg mayor Johnny Dupree, White serves as director of federal and state programs and has direct supervision over four division managers. Before returning to the Hub City in 2014, she served as grant administrator for the North Central Planning and Development District in Winona and as housing coordinator with the City of Hattiesburg. White’s work has been recognized with several awards, including the Mississippi Municipal League’s 2013 Excellence Award for Planning & Economic Development. An active member of New Seasons Family Worship Center, the University of Southern Mississippi graduate also is a member of the Pine Belt Coalition for Homelessness and Thames Elementary PTA. In her leisure time, White enjoys writing, snorkeling and being pampered.
52 – 2015 FiftyLeading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
Sarah Beth Wilson
A
Copeland Cook Taylor Bush
As a bankruptcy and creditor’s rights attorney, Sarah Beth Wilson often finds herself the only female in the courtroom. However, Wilson accepts the challenge and prides herself on being strong, but always fair and reasonable when she takes on a case. An attorney with Ridgeland law firm Copeland Cook Taylor & Bush, the New Orleans native graduated cum laude from Millsaps College and earned her law degree magna cum laude from the Mississippi College School of Law. Additionally, Wilson serves as an adjunct professor of appellate at MC Law. Mentoring law students, she believes, is the most valuable contribution she can make to the world. Balancing family life with a career in law can be tenuous at times, but Wilson deftly handles both with determination and a smile. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the Jackson Young Lawyers. In her spare time, Wilson enjoys repurposing antiques and yoga.
Jaklyn Wrigley
T
Fisher & Phillips L.L.P. To work smarter, not harder, is a philosophy that Jaklyn Wrigley espouses with vigor. Representing clients throughout Mississippi and Florida, the Pascagoula attorney litigates mostly employment-related disputes, including wrongful discharge and Title VII. A member of the Fisher & Phillips law firm, Wrigley formerly practiced with Jones Walker. She received her law degree summa cum lauder from the University of Mississippi School of Law after graduation from Ole Miss. A strong legal writer, Wrigley frequently submits briefs and other filings with a high success rate. Outside the legal community, she is a member of the Ocean Springs Economic Development Council and the city’s Film Task Force. Additionally, Wrigley sits on the Walter Anderson Museum of Art board of trustees and is president of the Harrison County Young Lawyers. Married with one child, Wrigley enjoys running, practicing yoga and reading.
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 53
PAST WINNERS
For the list of winners dating back to 50 Women’s inagural year, please visit us online at: http://msbusiness.com/past-event-winners/
2011
2012
Heather M. Aby .........................................Biggs, Ingram, Solop & Carlson, PLLC Ivye L. Allen ....................................................The Foundation for the Mid South Jennifer Wages Anderson ...................................Flowood Chamber of Commerce Nuria Arias ............................................................ Digital Opportunity Trust USA Celia Barrett ...................................................................Celia Barrett Design, LLC Tamika R. Bradley............................................................................Jackson State Haley Necaise Broom ................................. Dukes, Dukes, Keating & Faneca, P.A. Jill Conner Browne.........................................Sweet Potato Queens Website, LLC Amy Lewis Champagne ................Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Jackson Stacy L. Cobbins..................................................... The Source of Mississippi Inc. Jan Coulter Collins ............................................Madison County Business League Gretchen W. Cook...........................................................Parents & Kids Magazine Pamela Cotton ......................................................................... Saks Fifth Avenue Renee R. Cotton ...................................................... Madison River Oaks Hospital Lane Lawson Craft.....................................................................WHOA Ministries Sherri Davis-Garner ....................................................................................AARP Cecilia Dobbs.....................................................................................City of Biloxi Ginger Mott Edwards...........................................Gingersnaps of Highland Village Jan Farve .................................................................................. Elmwood Staffing Eula Rodgers Forte ...............................................................................WAPT-TV Laura Limerick Gibbes ...........................Watkins, Ludlam, Winter & Stennis, P.A. Teresa B. Gillespie ....................................................... Batson Children’s Hospital Pamela E. Gunter ....................................................Anderson, Crawley and Burke Bethany Reed Hairston.....................................................The Dermatology Clinic Dana E. Harbers ...................................................................University Physicians Janna Hughes.........................................................................Hughes Advertising Karen Lindsey-Lloyd ...............................................................Mississippi College Marlynn K. Martin .............................................................................Power APAC Dodie McElmurray...................................University of Mississippi Medical Center Wendy R. Mullins ..................................................... Arant Boult Cummings, LLP Gail W. Muse .............................................................Holmes Community College Kim Griffing Porter ........................................................... Griffing and Associates Katja Russell................................................................................... Youth Villages Amy Griffin Schrock ...............................................................................Latitudes Kathleen Shaughnessy ................................................................................AT&T Paula Shelton ................................................. Genesis Training and Development Sheramie Shore......................................................New York Southern Style, LLC Elaine Stevens ...............................................................IP Casino Resort and Spa Mary McDaniel Swoope.............................................................. Watkins & Eager Helen Rose Taylor ........................................................................Brickfire Project Becky Traweek ...................................................Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi Liza Vaughn........................................................................ Delta State University Lisa Wade .................................................... Southern Thunder Harley-Davidson Linda Wagner ...............................................................Mississippi Blood Services Christina Nelson Walls .................................................Hinds Community College Kathryn Walsh..........................................................Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Patti Ware ................................................................. Intentional Friends Ministry Rhea Williams-Bishop ........................................Center for Education Innovation Sharen Willis ..........................................................Department of Transportation Janet Zito ............................................................................. Maris, West & Baker
Amy Ainsworth .............................................................Terracon Consultants Inc. Mende Malouf Alford ...........................................Old Capitol Inn Boutique Hotel Penny Bowen .................................... Bella Interiors & Penny Bowen Designs Inc. Scotta Brady...................................................................................Butterfly Yoga Cindy Brinson .................................................................................Hilton Jackson Gwendolyn Caples .......................................................... Jackson State University Tammra Cascio................................................... Gulf Guaranty Life Insurance Co. Sherry Chance .............................................. Tulane University-Madison Campus Wilma Clopton ...................The Negro in Mississippi Historical Society Unlimited Bethany Cooper.................................... University of Mississippi Business School Deirdre Danahar ......................................In Motion Consulting and Coaching LLC Monica Daniels .....................................................United Way of the Capital Area Danielle Davis.................................Mangia Bene Restaurant Management Group Carolyn DuPre’ ................................................................. Alcorn State University Lise Foy .............................. Canton Chamber of Commerce & Main Street Assoc. Wendi Garrison ............................................................................ A Fluent Vision Cheri Gatlin ...........................................................................Burr & Forman, LLP Susan Graves...................................................................................GodwinGroup Tonyatta Hairston.....................................................................EnVision Eye Care Janet Young Harris .......................................University of Mississippi Health Care Gina Haug .......................................................Mississippi Association of Realtors Kourtney Hollingsworth ...................................... Governor’s Broadband Initiative Debbie Hudson ..........................Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce Nicole Kemp.............................................................................Levi Strauss & Co. Janice Knight ...............................................St. Dominic Hospital Health Services Angela Ladner ........................................................Changing History Promotions Mary Ellen Landry ..................................................................Ethos Staffing, LLC Samantha Lofton ................................................................. Barnett’s Body Shop Stephanie Mayfield ...................................................................Jones Companies Melinda McGrath..................................Mississippi Department of Transportation LaToya Merritt ....................................................................... Phelps Dunbar, LLP Sharon Moulder ..................................................Lighthouse / Sanders CPA Firm Yuki Northington.......................................... Social Chair and Yuki Art & Interiors Bonnie Nowell ............................................................................B&B Distributors Jocelyn Pritchett ................................................Pritchett Engineering & Planning Carolyn Redd..........................................................................................16 WAPT Martha Saunders ............................................University of Southern Mississippi Bonnie Smith ........................................................Bridgers Smith Law Firm PLLC Cathy Smith .................................................University of Mississippi Health Care Meredith Stringfellow ................................................................The Blue Rooster Cindy Tauchar.............................................................................................. Ricoh Cynthia Thompson ........................................................ Trustmark National Bank Penny Walker ............................................................................UnitedHealthcare Wendy Walker ..................................................................Stuart C. Irby Company Christi Webb ............................. Family Resource Center of Northeast Mississippi Lydia Weisser ...................................................Mississippi Department of Health Cathy Wesson ..................................................................Metlife Financial Group Donna Williams.......................................................................Haynes Electric Co. Karma Williams......................................................................................BankPlus Bonnie Wilson.............................................. Jackson Municipal Airport Authority
Previous 50 women winners are listed by where they worked at the time of their selection.
54 – 2015 Fifty Leading Business Women
www.msbusiness.com
2013
2014
Chief Phyliss Anderson.................................Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Debbie Bailey ................................................................. Jimmy Portable Building Sabrena Bartley ............................................................................City of Natchez Deidra Bell.................................................................St. Dominic Health Services Lisa Bell..........................................................................BancorpSouth Mortgage Mary Allen Bennett ...............................................................................Table 100 Tasha Bibb ............................................................................Innovate Mississippi Barbara Bluntson........................................................................... City of Jackson Krista Bower........................................................ Yazoo City School of Dance LLC Stephanie J. Boyette..........................Mississippi State Board of Physical Therapy Talamieka Brice ..................................................................................Brice Media Liz Brister ..............................................................................Entergy Corporation Cynthia Buchanan......................................Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership Chrissy Cullinane ...............................................BancorpSouth Insurance Services C. Rochelle Culp .................................The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi / Ro-on-the-Go Health & Wellness Consultants Tracy Die Mississippi World Trade Center & MDA Michele Escudé ............................................................Circa Urban Artisan Living Portia Ballard Espy ..........................................................Children’s Defense Fund Katie Feibelman...................................................................May & Company, LLP Keri Haralson..................................................................... Keri T. Haralson, PLLC Julia Ann Harrison ..........................................................................Homestar LLC Sandy Havard .....................................Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum Rosalyn Smith Howard ..........................................Mississippi Nurses Foundation Paige Hunt ............................................Greenwood Convention & Visitor Bureau Mary M. Jackson...........................................................Comcast Cable - Madison Nicole Johns .............................................................. A Community Bank - Coast Willie Jones .............................................Dependable Source Corp. of Mississippi Mary Kelly ............................................................................Mint The Restaurant Kiffany Lee ...................................................................Mississippi Blood Services Mary Morgan........................................................Bradley Arant Boult Cummings Kamesha Mumford.........................................................................USAssets, LLC Katrina Myricks ........................................................ Holmes Community College Kimberly Walker Nailor................................Law Office of Kimberly Walker Nailor Mindi Phillips ....................................................Corporate Apparel & Promotions Lauren Rutland....................Hardy Wilson Hospital / Mississippi Dance Company Candie L. Simmons ..................................................................................Regions Allison Carter Simpson...................................Copeland Cook Taylor & Bush, P.A. Becky Smith ...............................................................Mississippi State University Lisa Stutzman ..........................................................................Comcast Spotlight Selena Swartzfager ............................ Mississippi Council on Economic Education Pat Thomasson .................................................................. Thomasson Company Alexe van Beuren.................................................The BTC Old Fashioned Grocery Edie Varnado........................................................Cap Topisaw & Rose Gate Farm Amy Lampton Walker ................................................Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions Suzanne Walters ....................................................................Performance Rehab Jane Sanders Waugh ..........................................Professional Staffing Group, LLC Virginia Todd Weaver..........Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC Becky White ..........................................................Eubank Betts Hirn Wood PLLC Mary Wolverton.............................................................................................. DIG Jenny Woodruff..........................................Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership
Kristie Aylett .............................................................................The KARD Group Rachel Beech.............................................................................................WDAM Julie Polk Breazeale ......................................................Polk’s Meat Products, Inc. Hilary Burroughs ................................................................Sanderson Farms, Inc. Linda Bynum ..................................The City of Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce Emily Chance..........................................................................................BankPlus Karen Jones de Kock.........................................................................Protea Dekor Shane E. Dubois ........................................................................Community Bank Charlotte W. Dupré.......................................... Central Mississippi Medical Center Jennie A. Eichelberger .............................................Southern Poverty Law Center Karen Galyon Flowers .......................................Mississippi College School of Law Trina N. George ..................U.S. Department of Agriculture - Rural Development Monica Gilmore-Love..............................................................................Terracon Mary S. Graham ..................................Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Pam Files Gregory .............................................. Fisher Brown Bottrell Insurance. Lori Harper.............................................................................Ingalls Shipbuilding Donna Harvey ..................................................................................CF Industries Mary Martha Henson ........................Mississippi Economic Development Council Shelia C. Jackson .............................................................................Regions Bank Beth Kellogg...............................................................................Creative Partners Susan Floyd King......................................................................Jones Walker, LLP Lenita Knight.........................Madison County Economic Development Authority Kelly Kyzar................................................................................Comcast Spotlight Keri Herrington Ladner......................Covenant Health & Rehab of Picayune, LLC Cheryl J. Lee ..................................................................................... Haddox Reid Renee Simon Lee ..........................................................................Reeds Jewelers Lanet McCrary .......................................................Magnolia Federal Credit Union Stephanie S. McCrary .............................Southern Bone and Joint Specialist, P.A. Bethany Boone McNease ............................................................ M.G. Dyess, Inc. Tonya Nations ............................................................................. Millsaps College Dr. Ruth R. Nichols........................................................... Alcorn State University Cathy L. Northington...............................................Mississippi Economic Council Sally Williams O’Callaghan ......................University of Mississippi Medical Center Stephanie Patton...................................................................The Leland Progress Melissa Peters .................................................................. Community Trust Bank Elizabeth J. Randall .....................................................Randall Commercial Group Cindy Rich ...............................................................................Neel-Schaffer, Inc. Pat Robertson ....................................................................... PERS of Mississippi Debbie Rubisoff ............................................................ Legislative Budget Office Kassi Rushing....................................................................................HORNE LLP Emily Sanders ....................................................................................Fairview Inn Kelly Scrivner................................................Office of First Lady Deborah Bryant. Rosemary Smith...................................................R&R Rentals and Hotshot, Inc. Amy Tate.................................................................... Tennessee Valley Authority Shirley R. Tucker......................................Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce Anne Ligman Turner...........Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC Chan Brewer Vessell ...................... First American Home Buyers Protection Corp. Evelyn Ricks Walker....................................Office of Health Disparity Elimination Office of Preventive Health Mississippi State Department of Health Marlana Walters ................................................................The Everyday Gourmet Rebecca Lee Wiggs..................................................................Watkins and Eager
PAST WINNERS
For the list of winners dating back to 50 Women’s inagural year, please visit us online at: http://msbusiness.com/past-event-winners/
Previous 50 women winners are listed by where they worked at the time of their selection.
www.msbusiness.com
2015 FiftyLeading Business Women – 55
Kimberla Little
Congratulations to Kimberla Little. Regions Bank is pleased to congratulate Kimberla Little on being named among Mississippi Business Journal ’s 50 Leading Business Women. Kimberla has been with Regions for 10 years and is currently Assistant Vice President of Human Resources. She received her bachelor’s degree in childcare and family education from Jackson State University in 2005, and in 2012 she received a master’s degree in leadership from Belhaven University. Kimberla is a member of the Junior League of Jackson, Leadership Greater Jackson’s class of 20122013 and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and serves on the board of directors for Jobs for Mississippi Graduates, Dress for Success Metro Jackson and Destination Jackson. She has also served as a volunteer with the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and March of Dimes. In addition to her philanthropic work, Kimberla is an online adjunct instructor in the banking and finance department of Hinds Community College, Jackson Campus. She has also served her community as a volunteer with Young Leaders in Philanthropy and as an advisory board member for business and office technology programs at Hinds Community College. In 2014, Kimberla was honored as one of Mississippi Business Journal ’s Top 40 Under 40.
1.800.regions | regions.com © 2015 Regions Bank. Regions and the Regions logo are registered trademarks of Regions Bank. The LifeGreen color is a trademark of Regions Bank.