Our miss winter 2014 v7

ourMississippi WINTER 2014

“OUR STATE, OUR LIVES, OUR PEOPLE”

Rhodes Scholar

Donald “Field” Brown MSU student selected for prestigious scholarship

DONALD “FIELD” BROWN

DONALD “FIELD” BROWN

Sean Suggs Toyota’s New Main Man $4.95

Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

Mississippi officials break ground in Jackson

Mississippi Weddings

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SUBSCRIBE TODAY ourMississippi to Mississippi’s only state-wide, SummEr 2012

“Our STATE, Our LIvES, Our PEOPLE”

African-American magazine.

Subscribe to Our Mississippi Magazine and get two full years (8 issues) for just $35, or you can get a one-year subscription for just $20.

Just fill out the form below and send a check or money order to: Our Mississippi Magazine P.O. Box 1388 • Tupelo, MS 38802

“THE HELP” How it helped Mississippi embrace its history

Action in Jackson In the capital city, there’s no sitting still

Building on a Dream

Toni Cooley’s System Automotive Interiors becomes a Tier One supplier for Toyota

Forces of change

Evers, Hamer and Henry altered the course of our history

Stay in style

Almanett: A new boutique hotel on the Gulf Coast

Name____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Addressss_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City_________________________________________________________________________State_______Zip________________________

Peace, Joy and Good Tidings Peace, Joy and

At this special time of year, Toyota Mississippi wishes to give thanks to so many who do so much:

Thanksgiving

❅ Our 2,000 team members who work hard

every day to build quality into everything they do.

❅ Our suppliers, whose team members share the Toyota quality commitment and are keys to our success.

❅ Our Northeast Mississippi community that has supported us and made us feel welcome.

We are proud to call Mississippi home and aspire to show that in everything we do. We look forward to another successful year at Toyota Mississippi and strengthening the community ties that we have all worked together to build.

Toyota Holiday ad.indd 1

11/27/13 9:42 AM

Publisher’s

ourMississippi

Letter

WINTER 2014

H

ello, fellow Mississippians.

Thank you

for picking up this edition of Our Mississippi Magazine. It is hard to believe another year has come and gone. As we close out the year and usher in a new one, I hope this past year has been everything you expected. And on top of that, I wish you an even more prosperous 2014.

PUBLISHED BY Legend Publishing Company PUBLISHER Wesley Wells PHOTOGRAPHY Brinda Willis | Wesley Wells | Katie Hendricks GRAPHIC DESIGN Fran Sherman ADVERTISING SALES Paisley Boston | Wesley Wells CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tonya Smith | Cristal Cody | Patricia Neely-Dorsey | Diedra Jackson | Brinda Willis CONSULTANT Samir Husni ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dave Clark

Publishing this magazine gives me numerous opportunities to see so many beautiful things that are being done in our wonderful state. I recently got a chance to visit the Toyota plant in Blue Springs, Mississippi. It was such a wonderful experience and I was totally amazed at how they are able to build a car virtually from scratch. The precision it takes with man and machinery is incredible. I was also able to spend a little time with the plants new VP of Administration, Sean Suggs. As we toured the plant, I loved the interaction he had with the employees. It’s nice

ON THE COVER

Donald Brown, Rhodes Scholar Winner Our Mississippi Magazine is published quarterly by Legend Publishing Company, Copyright 2014, Legend Publishing Company. Reproduction without written consent from the publisher is strictly prohibited. OM is not responsible for unsolicited materials. We welcome your comments. Letters to the editor should be mailed to: Our Mississippi Magazine P.O. Box 1388 | Tupelo, MS 38802 Those interested in advertising can email us at: legendpublishing@comcast.net or call (662) 844-2602. www.ourmississippimag.com

to see a minority in such a prestigious position, and I could tell this guy got there based on his intellect and skill set. I’m hoping to get an opportunity to see the Nissan plant in Canton someday as well.

As far as this edition, I’m so thrilled to showcase (Cover photo) a Mississippi student who was awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholar. We want to congratulate him and his family for such a wonderful achievement.

I hope you enjoy this edition. Again, here’s wishing you a successful 2014. Thanks and God Bless.

Subscribe

today

Want to keep up with lifestyles in Tupelo and Northeast Mississippi? Subscribe to Our Mississippi Magazine. Get two full years (8 issues) of Our MIssissippi Magazine for just $35, or you can get a one-year subscription (4 issues) for $20.

Just fill out the form below and send your check or money order to the address above or subscribe online at: www.ourmississippimag.com Name_____________________________________________________

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contents Cover Story

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WINTER 2014

MSU STUDENT AWARDED COVETED RHODES SCHOLARSHIP

09 22

MISSISSIPPI STATE WORKING WITH

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MISSISSIPPI CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM: THESE ARE OUR STORIES

26 BUSINESSES STATEWIDE

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GEORGE FLAGGS LEAVES STATEHOUSE FOR VICKSBURG CITY HALL

28 OFFERING FASTRACK PROGRAM

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LEADERSHIP...THE TOYOTA WAY

NAMED PRESIDENT OF 30 BYNUM MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY

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CREATE: MORE THAN 40 YEARS LATER, FOUNDATION STILL SERVING NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI

AMERICANS IN MISSISSIPPI 34 AFRICAN CONGRESS

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KENNARD HONORED WITH UNVEILING OF PORTRAIT IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

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MSU STUDENT AWARDED COVETED RHODES SCHOLARSHIP

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THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI

38 13TH ANNUAL MMBA AWARDS GALA 40

A FUTURE WITH HOPE AND OPPORTUNITIES

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MAKE THIS THE YEAR TOGET FIT!

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HEALTH OFFICIALS: SERIOUS FLU COMPLICATIONS SEEN IN YOUNG ADULTS THIS YEAR

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MISSISSIPPI WEDDINGS

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MINORITY PUL ALLIANCE 1ST ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BANQUET HELD DECEMBER 6, 2013

msfame.com

Mississippi

history

Mississippi Civil Rights Museum: State Breaks Ground On Way To Tell Its Own Story

BY JACQUELINE DACE

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MISSISSIPPI OFFICIALS, INCLUDING HALEY BARBOUR, GOVERNOR PHIL BRYANT, MYRLIE EVERS-WILLIAMS, AND WILLIAM WINTER ATTENDED THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY. PHOTOS COURTESY MDAH

I

n 2011, the Mississippi State Legislature authorized initial funding for the 2Mississippi Museums project, which includes the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. Both will be located in downtown Jackson on the same block as the William F. Winter Archives and History Building. The complex is being designed by ECD—an architectural consortium composed of Eley Guild Hardy; Cooke Douglass Farr Lemons, Ltd.; and Dale Partners—in consultation with the Freelon Group.

In 2012, staff members from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) toured the state meeting with Civil Rights Movement veterans and other interested citizens. In Holly Springs, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Hattiesburg, McComb, and other communities, MDAH staff and exhibit teams (Hilferty Museum Planning and Design) listened to stories of local people who were at the forefront of the Mississippi movement. “People were thrilled when they came,” said Gayle Tart, Gulfport meeting participant.

“I am so happy that our story is going to be told. Mississippi is our history too.”

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The meetings helped the exhibit team understand how the story should be told. “By holding focus group meetings in communities around the state, we were able to get a strong sense of the values these communities want preserved,” said Dr. John Fleming, exhibit team consultant.

“We consistently heard that above all else, tell the truth.”

Myrlie Evers-Williams, former chair of the NAACP, widow of civil rights leader Medgar Evers and a member of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum Scholars Committee, said, “Medgar’s story and the stories of thousands of others will be preserved and honored in the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. By understanding what others did, future generations will be inspired to continue the hard work for equality and justice.”

On December 1, 2012 the MDAH hired Jacqueline K. Dace to serve as Project Manager for the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. With much fanfare and with participation from community members, politicians, business leaders and several veterans of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement, the Groundbreaking for the two museums was held on October 24, 2013. The museums are on schedule to

• winter 2014 •

open in time for the celebration of Mississippi’s Bicentennial in 2017.

The 2Mississippi Museums are designed under one room and will share several areas of common space, including an auditorium, a museum store, reception area, classrooms space and an underground parking garage. The structure offer approximately 50,000 square feet of permanent and temporary exhibition space. Conference rooms and administrative office space will be separate for each museum. The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum (MCRM) will consist of 17,700 square feet of permanent exhibition space and 4,000 square feet of temporary exhibition space.

The MCRM will provide background and context for the people and events that comprised the modern civil rights movement within the state. The galleries will feature Explore Mississippi sites, which will encourage people to tour other destinations throughout the state for additional information. The galleries will further feature a National Timeline to place Mississippi into context with what was happening throughout the nation. Even the site of the $90 million museum complex is part of the story being told by the museums: The buildings overlook the Mississippi state fairgrounds where civil rights activists were arrested and herded into cattle pens to await transfers to overcrowded jails during the civil rights movement.

The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum will feature eight galleries of exhibits encircling a central gallery.

This Little Light of Mine, which will serve as an entryway to the other exhibits. This central gallery will carry the theme of the entire museum:

ourMississippi

throughout Mississippi, ordinary people engaged in the extraordinary struggle to make real America’s promise of equal rights for all. The focus time-period for the MCRM is 1945 to the mid-1970s. However, a historical framework will be established within the first gallery to set the stage on how civil and human rights are constructed and applied. Visitors will explore constitutional issues and get an understanding of Mississippi through the end of slavery.

Dace stated that, “The MCRM will focus on the Mississippi story and the people who lived within the state and took action to change, not only their Civil and Human Rights, but the Civil and Human Rights of the generations to follow.”

“The MCRM will share the stories of the actual people who put their lives on the line on a daily basis,” Dace added. “The MCRM will not pull-punches with the historical record. It is critical that visitors understand that the struggle for Civil Rights was often graphic, unpleasant and will make some people uncomfortable. However, it is important that we maintain the honesty of the story and tell it in its full complexity for the visitor to completely understand the experience.” OM

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Mississippi

profile

George Flaggs

Leaves Statehouse for Vicksburg City Hall

BY BRINDA FULLER WILLIS

V

icksburg received one its own as their newly elected mayor. George Flaggs, Jr., former Mississippi State Representative, District 55, took the oath of office as the Mayor of Vicksburg on June 30, 2013.

On June 4, 2013, the citizens of Vicksburg went to the polls and voted to have their former state representative serve them as the mayor of their choice. Flaggs is a longtime political figure who has worked for more than 25 years forging legislation on behalf of the state and the Warren

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County district he represented.

Flaggs succeeds former Vicksburg Mayor Robert Walker.

“Being born in Edwards, Miss., and raised in Vicksburg, I feel I have an insider’s view of this town and its needs,” Flaggs said. “I felt I could provide the help it needs at this juncture. I uphold a very conservative perspective when it comes to fiscal responsibility and that is what Vicksburg needs to remain viable and sustain its growth. When I entered office, I was faced with a

• winter 2014 •

“Any governmental entity that is big enough to give handouts should be big enough to take them back,”

$1 million deficit and a city budget that was operating with 72% in salaries and only $8 million left to run the city,” Mayor Flaggs said in a recent interview with Our Mississippi Magazine.

Flaggs’ initial remedy for the City of Vicksburg’s financial imbalance was to invoke a freeze on all employee pay increases and hiring of new employees at the start of the fiscal year October 2013.

“Any governmental entity that is big enough to give handouts should be big enough to take them back,” he said.

Our magazine was privy to a recent survey of the number of city employees in surrounding cities that showed that Vicksburg led disproportionately with regard to its number of employees in comparable municipalities. Presently, the City of Vicksburg has no bond rating and is topheavy with salaries that previously funded 23 department heads.

Flaggs said that he “will leave this city in better shape than I found it as I have streamlined our department heads from 23 to 9 which ensures that I am aware of what is going inside the city so I can function responsibly on a 24/7 basis as mayor.”

In a final statement regarding his intent to get a handle on Vicksburg’s financial issues, Mayor Flaggs said, “I will not balance the city’s checkbook on our saving account, thusly, we will have a solid general operating fund along with con-

ourMississippi

tingency, rainy day, and emergency funds.”

Mayor Flaggs has a solid financial background built on the fact that he has served as a member of the state’s Joint Legislative Budget, Banking & Financial Services, Appropriations, and Rules committees. He also is a former member of Vicksburg’s Planning Commission & Zoning Board of Appeals.

During his mayoral bid Flaggs said, “This campaign is not about criticizing the current or past administrations, but to emphasize how I can bring both leadership and experience to Vicksburg’s future.”

The areas Flaggs is concentrating on include: • Economic development and job creation • Fiscal responsibility • Public safety • Housing • Infrastructure Other areas for improvement and concentration for the newly elected mayor of Vicksburg are: • Youth development and better education • Increased recreation and tourism • Vulnerable adult programs and handicap Mayor Flaggs invites everyone to take a virtual tour of the “Red Carpet City of the South” at www. vicksburg.org and to visit the community situatedalong the Mississippi River in person. OM

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just one of the skills valued at ole miss At the University of Mississippi, we’re happy when others recognize something uniquely special about this place… our people and their leadership skills. We know that it’s mostly through them that others experience firsthand our progressive leadership in research, academics and service, as well as our commitment to broadening opportunities for Mississippians.

Ole Miss now offers hundreds of programs of study leading to exciting careers in many different fields. It’s a university where diversity is more than race, creed or culture. It’s also about diversity of thought and action. Dr. Donald Cole is just one of the incredible leaders we are honored to work, learn and think with … every day.

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• winter 2014 •

Mississippi

profile

SEAN SUGGS

LEADERSHIP...The Toyota Way Sean Suggs ready to lead Blue Springs facility

BY TONYA SMITH

T

oyota Motor Manufacturing of Mississippi is blazing a trail of quality, economic value and leadership into the landscape of North Mississippi and the world. The company has positioned itself to be the leading manufacturer in the automotive industry.

To solidify their position and exceed their goals, Toyota reconnected with a former associate, Sean Suggs, to lead the Blue Springs facility. Suggs, an elite manager and strategist, became the Vice President of Administration in December of 2013.

ourMississippi

He is responsible for all administrative areas including human resources, general affairs, safety, accounting and finance, and production control.

Sean Suggs envisions the continued excellence that Toyota has built as its foundation. Over the last 20 years, approximately 80% of all Toyota models are still being driven, says Suggs. “This foundation will not change,” Suggs said. “We will continue the unsurpassed quality while offering a cost competitive product.”

The Toyota MMMS facility has already achieved a milestone by launching a newly designed ve-

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WORKERS INSPECT THE COROLLAS AS THEY COME OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE.

hicle in only 18 months, he said. The 2014 Toyota Corolla has been redesigned and was launched during the 50th year anniversary of its model. Toyota Mississippi soon will exceed their goals again by exporting the new Corolla to 18 countries including Latin America and Central America.

Mexico already is receiving these vehicles.

Suggs, an avid believer in the “one team” concept, says the staff members, vendors, and the community must work together as one. This will elevate the perception, expectations, and reality of the workforce required to bolster the superiority of Toyota’s products and position the Mississippi facility as a leader into the future. Toyota Mississippi sets itself apart because of its locally integrated employee staff, its commitment to the local educational system, and

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its engagement in the local economy, Suggs said. About 90% of the company’s team members live within a 60-mile radius of their facility, he said. Of those, more than 46% of their team members reside within the local counties. The investment in the workforce has produced valuable associates, a thriving internal and external community, and much needed economic growth, he said.

Building a pipeline with all of the colleges and universities is an added incentive. Toyota’s commitment to workplace training and advancement is evident through their partnership with Itawamba Community College and the University of Mississippi. They initiated a co-op program with Itawamba Community College with two days of onsite training and three days of classroom instruction.

• winter 2014 •

This advanced manufacturing technician project promotes sustainable careers for the students, Suggs said. At the completion of the two-year program, students graduate with an associate’s degree and a future they can rely on.

The program and the Center of Manufacturing Excellence at the University of Mississippi promote local education, highly skilled and qualified personnel, and profitability for the community and Toyota.

Suggs said that Toyota Mississippi has been under great leadership in the past, and he plans to continue building on the advancement of the Toyota way. Suggs currently serves on numerous external boards including the Toyota Wellspring Endowment Committee, the Community Development Foundation, and the Center for Manufactur-

ourMississippi

ing Excellence at the University of Mississippi. He has a master’s degree in Business Administration from Auburn University and a bachelor’s degree from Oakland City College in Oakland City, Ind. Sean and his wife, Janet, have six children and two grandchildren. He is fully vested in the community with two of his children enrolled as students at Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

Suggs explained that working for Toyota is not enough – it must become a way of life. “We must be brilliant at the basics,” he said.

Stepping into a new era for Toyota and Mississippi, Suggs epitomizes the leadership, integrity and motivation needed to transport the state into the leading automobile manufacturing location in the world. OM

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Mississippi

foundation

CREATE STAFF FROM LEFT: BEVERLY WILLIAMS, LEWIS WHITFIELD, MIKE CLAYBORNE, JUANITA FLOYD, AND MARY ALICE MCLAURIN

CREATE:

More than 40 years later, foundation still serving Northeast Mississippi

BY ANNA PATTERSON

I

n the heart of Tupelo lies CREATE, Northeast Mississippi’s community foundation.

The CREATE Foundation was founded in 1972 to promote community and philanthropy in Northeast Mississippi and is the oldest community foundation in the state.

A 26-member board of directors, made up of re-

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gional businessmen and community leaders, govern the management and policies of CREATE. The core values of the foundation are outlined in CREATE’s Purpose: “The Foundation unites professional advisors and their clients with the charitable needs of our region. Financial advisors provide information about CREATE and how it serves

• winter 2014 •

charitable giving needs. Clients gain maximum tax advantages while helping Northeast Mississippi communities.”

It all started with the vision of one man, George McLean, whose mission was to raise the quality of life for all Mississippians.

“I have very strong convictions and I am very free to express them,” said McLean. “I believe that it is the responsibility of educated people in Mississippi to try to help raise the level--economically, educationally, spiritually, and otherwise—of the people of Mississippi. There’s nobody else who’s going to come in here and do it for us. And I am worn out and antagonistic to the idea that we’ve got such sorry people that we’ve got to be 50th in everything.”

McLean bought the failing Tupelo Journal in 1934 and established what is now, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Under McLean’s direction, the newspaper in 1977 contributed more than $1 million over 10 years for reading aides in Lee County elementary schools.

But his contributions to the area did not stop there.

In 1972, McLean joined community leaders to establish the CREATE Foundation.

After his death in 1983, an endowment left by McLean and his wife, Anna Kiersey McLean, started the administrative operations of CREATE. Thirty years later, CREATE spans 16 counties with over 100 Special Project Funds.

McLean said it best in The Value of Public Service, “We should be trying to inspire our young people that life does not consist of the abundance of possessions, but the life you have lived, the service you have rendered.”

McLean’s legacy lives on through organizations like Saltillo Junior Women’s Club, whose members volunteer time and service to benefit the children in their community just north of Tupelo.

Saltillo Junior Women’s Club partnered with CREATE in 2005 as a Special Project, allowing the small charitable organization to do good within their community and donors to contribute with tax-free benefits.

Partnering with CREATE also provides credibility, says Hope McCoy, ex-officio of SJWC. “We had people who wanted to donate but would immediately ask if we were a non-profit. As

a small group of moms, we simply didn’t have the funds to apply for that status. People know CREATE. They know that means their money is in good hands.”

In four years of working with CREATE, the members of Saltillo Junior Women’s Club had raised the funds to buy playground equipment for Saltillo City Park. The project succeeded in beautifying the area while also giving children a safe outlet for recreation.

Other philanthropic efforts include helping underprivileged students within Saltillo schools. Each holiday season, SJWC donates Thanksgiving meals and Christmas gifts for these students and their siblings. McCoy says none of it would be possible without CREATE. “We’re so thankful for the opportunities we have through CREATE. It’s been nothing but positive.”

There are now more than 100 Special Projects throughout Northeast Mississippi, ranging both in size and purpose. CREATE offers other alternatives — including grants, scholarships, and endowment funds — to make charitable giving feasible for anyone.

“We should be trying to inspire our young people that life does not consist of the abundance of possessions, but the life you have lived, the service you have rendered.”

ourMississippi

According to Mike Clayborne, president of CREATE, the possibilities will only continue to grow.

“I want to continue the momentum we have in developing partnerships throughout the region with individuals, companies and organizations.”

Clayborne said.

Juanita Gambrell Floyd, the Vice President of Finance & Administration at CREATE, added she is proud to serve at the organization. In her twentyeight years of service, Ms. Floyd is presently responsible for the oversight of assets of the Foundation and a liaison for donors.

“I am proud to serve the people of Northeast Mississippi and be a part of an organization that provides free tuition for anyone who wants to go to college in this region,” said Floyd, who established the Bernice Gambrell Endowment Fund in honor of her mother under CREATE. “Education was so important to my mother and was a significant part of her life’s work.” OM

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Mississippi

events

FROM LEFT, GWENDOLYN ARMSTRONG, WHO ALONG WITH RAYLAWNI INTEGRATED SOUTHERN MISS IN 1965; VALENCIA WALLS, COORDINATOR OF THE OFFICE OF MULTICULTURAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AT SOUTHERN MISS; DELORES MCNAIR, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT IN THE DEAN OF STUDENTS OFFICE; AND DR. EDDIE HOLLOWAY, SOUTHERN MISS DEAN OF STUDENTS, AT THE PRESENTATION OF A PORTRAIT OF CLYDE KENNARD IN WASHINGTON, D.C. IN NOVEMBER 2013.

Kennard Honored with Unveiling of Portrait in Washington, D.C.

BY DAVID TISDALE

C

lyde Kennard, an African American who attempted to enroll at then desegregated Mississippi Southern College (now the University of Southern Mississippi) in the late 1950s was honored in November 2013 in Washington D.C. for his efforts to achieve racial justice.

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A portrait of Clyde Kennard, painted by artist Robert Shetterly, was unveiled at Busboys and Poets, a community gathering space named in honor of famed poet Langston Hughes, who worked as a busboy at the Wardman Park Hotel in the 1920s prior to gaining recognition as a poet. The unveiling was held in conjunction with Shetterly’s proj-

• winter 2014 •

ect, “Americans Who Tell the Truth,” which includes portraits and narratives of citizens who courageously engage issues of social, environmental, and economic fairness. The mission of AWTT is to inspire and empowers action for the common good, communities, and the planet through art and history.

Kennard’s portrait joins other truth tellers from the southern freedom movement such as Ella Baker, Dick Gregory, Anne Braden and John Lewis. Shetterly’s son, Aran Shetterly, serves as AWTT´s Executive Director.

The event was co-hosted along with the organization Teaching for Change, an organization committed to social justice through education, which included special guests Dorie and Joyce Ladner of Hattiesburg who were prominent in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; activist comedian Dick Gregory, the Split This Rock DC Youth Slam Team, civil rights activists Julian Bond and John Lewis, University of Southern Mississippi Dean of Students Eddie Holloway and Khyla D. Craine from the NAACP. “It was an honor to be a part of this event honoring the legacy of Clyde Kennard, and to witness the work of Robert Shetterly who through his talent and hard work brings a spotlight to those who have uplifted humanity,” Holloway said.

Kennard was denied admission to MSC and was later charged with a petty crime in Forrest County and sentenced to seven years at Parchman Penitentiary. In response to a national campaign for his freedom, he was released as he was dying of cancer in January of 1963.

Gregory arranged for his trip to Chicago for medical care where he passed away less than six months later on July 4, 1963.

Many believed Kennard was framed for the crime to stop his attempts to enroll at MSC, and he was exonerated of the charges in 2006 following efforts to clear his name by Southern Miss students, retired U.S. Circuit Judge Charles Pickering and former Gov. William Winter.

Records show that Kennard attempted to enroll at MSC in 1956, 1958 and 1959. According to an article in the Sept.

9, 1991, Clarion-Ledger, an examination of the records of the State Sovereignty Commission, a state-funded spy agency charged with undermining desegregation efforts, revealed that whiskey was planted in Kennard’s car in an effort to keep him from being the first black to enroll at MSC. The documents also cited plans to kill Kennard by placing dynamite in his car.

Kennard had previously studied at the University of Chicago and moved back to the Hattiesburg area to help his parents and work as a chicken farmer in Eatonville.

Continuing his college studies at nearby MSC would be more convenient for him than traveling farther away to attend a black college. But in the segregated Mississippi of the 1950s, his plans to enter then all-white MSC were considered intolerable.

“Clyde Kennard was overlooked by me. I had not heard of him until Deborah Menkart from Teaching for Change told me about him and suggested I paint him,” Robert Shetterly said. “It is one of my goals to find stories like Clyde’s and resurrect them --- not simply to honor them, but to inspire others, to fill in lost history.”

Shetterly said that many know about some of the people who integrated schools in the south in the 1950s and 1960s, but don’t know is who tried first and failed, were blocked and martyred.

“When one studies the life of Clyde Kennard, sees how good he was, how hard he tried to succeed through education and service, how carefully and patiently he tried to explain how his success would be good for the white community, how he refused bitterness, how deep his courage ran, one cannot but marvel at him. Knowing his story allows each of us to be a better person. There is no better teacher than courage. Clyde Kennard is a great teacher.”

Read more about Rob Shetterly here: http://www. americanswhotellthetruth.org/the-artist. OM

“It was an honor to be a part of this event honoring the legacy of Clyde Kennard, and to witness the work of Robert Shetterly who through his talent and hard work brings a spotlight to those who have uplifted humanity.”

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Mississippi

education

MSU student awarded coveted Rhodes Scholarship COURTESY MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY

A

Mississippi State English and philosophy double-major from Vicksburg has been awarded the coveted Rhodes Scholarship.

University senior Donald M. “Field” Brown received what widely is considered the world’s most celebrated and prestigious international

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fellowship. He is a 2010 Vicksburg High School graduate.

MSU President Mark E. Keenum said that Brown’s selection as a Rhodes Scholar is a source of tremendous pride to the university’s students, faculty and staff.

“First and foremost, Field Brown’s selection as

• winter 2014 •

a Rhodes Scholar is a testament to his own drive and determination and the nurturing influence of his wonderful family,” said Keenum. “But it is also a resounding testament to the quality of scholarship, intellectual rigor, and encouragement that we strive to provide each and every student. This outstanding news makes for quite a Thanksgiving at Mississippi State University. We rejoice when our students succeed.”

Each year, 32 young Americans are chosen on the basis of demonstrated scholarly achievements, character, commitment to others and the common good, and leadership potential.

Brown is MSU’s second Rhodes Scholar and the first since 1911. Other universities with Rhodes Scholars this year include: Harvard; Yale; Princeton; Villanova; Williams College; Wake Forest; Tennessee; Georgia Tech; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Wisconsin; University of Chicago; Washington University; Carnegie Mellon University and the University of California, Berkeley.

Mississippi State, Brown said, has offered him the best undergraduate experience possible.

“I couldn’t be in a better position if I had gone anywhere else,” he said. He added that his professors have given him “concrete ways to be the best in my field.

“That’s all you can ask from a college education,” he said.

Brown also has studied English literature at Christ Church College in Oxford, England. According to the Rhodes Trust, Brown’s senior thesis focuses on Ralph Ellison and argues how politically radical novelists were forced to mute their political ideas to become visible and respected.

The scholarships are provided by the Rhodes Trust, a British charity established in the will of businessman and mining magnate Cecil J. Rhodes. The goal is to promote international understanding and provide full financial support for students pursuing graduate degrees at the University of Oxford, the first of its kind in the Englishspeaking world and one of the world’s leading institutions of higher learning.

Brown, the son of Willie and Cynthia Brown, said he is particularly interested in studying post-World War II African-American literature. He said both English and philosophy are related to his love of studying ideas.

“English is the narrative form; literature deals with everyday people and how they relate to ideas,” Brown said.

“Philosophy is the systematic study of ideas, and the two

go together.”

Brown said that, while the promise of continuing his studies at Oxford is thrilling, the reality of gaining the fellowship is life changing.

“So many great minds have walked the halls of Oxford, including tons of writers and a lot of important thinkers who have shaped the western world,” Brown said.

Brown said he plans to pursue masters of studies degrees in both American literature and modern English literature. Specifically, he is interested in trans-Atlantic interactions within literature, particularly how McCarthyism scare tactics of the 1950s and the Cold War affected which books were promoted.

Chris Snyder, dean of MSU’s Shackouls Honors College, said Brown has shown a commitment to doing extra work, taking risks and putting academics first during his tenure as a Mississippi State student. “Field is a burgeoning intellectual with great humility, faith and a strong family foundation,” Snyder said.

His parents both emphasized education to Brown and his older brother Willie Brown Jr., an MSU engineering graduate who was a Distinguished Scholar--the top honor awarded to entering freshmen. He went on to earn a master’s degree in psychology from the university before joining MSU’s nationally recognized Social Science Research Center.

In addition to discussing books together, Brown said his family often enjoyed watching “Jeopardy,” the long-running television game show in which contestants are tested on general knowledge.

Brown entered MSU after graduating third in his high school class and enrolled in the university’s Shackouls Honors College. He also came as an accomplished high school athlete--a ranked tennis player.

Snyder said Brown quickly became a leader in several campus organizations. In addition to co-founding “The Streetcar,” a literary magazine, Brown served as president of the Philosophy and Religion Club, was a member of the MSU Roadrunners student recruiting team and was active in intramural sports.

Brown credited Snyder and Thomas Anderson, associate professor of English and director of the Office of Prestigious External Scholarships, for his pursuit of a Rhodes Scholarship. He said in addition to assisting him with the scholarship process, the two professors have encouraged him in many ways, as have several other English and philosophy faculty members. OM

The goal is to promote international understanding and provide full financial support for students pursuing graduate degrees at the University of Oxford

Mississippi

education

MELVIN RAY

DAVID SHAW

Mississippi State

working with businesses statewide

BY JIM LAIRD

A

new report finds Mississippi State actively engaged with a wide variety of industries that are growing local, regional and state economies, while also contributing to partnerships that foster international exchange and trade.

“Our central economic development objective is to strengthen collaborations between the university, organizations and businesses to create high-wage jobs,” said Melvin Ray, the university’s associate vice president for economic development.

In November, the MSU Office of Research and Economic Development released the “University-Industry Engage-

26

ment Report, FY2013” that details the university’s economic development-related activities and their impact.

The entire report is available at www.research.msstate. edu/ecodev.

The document provides a summary of the land-grant institution’s efforts to enhance economic opportunity in Mississippi and beyond, based on a survey of participating MSU research centers, institutes and the campus-based Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.

According to its chief research officer, the university’s commitment to help expand the state’s economy is by design.

• winter 2014 •

“...we give high marks to institutions that enroll lowincome students, help them graduate, and don’t charge them an arm and a leg to attend.”

We have taken purposeful steps to make innovation, entrepreneurship and community engagement priorities on our campus; we have been building that culture with students, faculty and staff “We have taken purposeful steps to make innovation, entrepreneurship and community engagement priorities on our campus; we have been building that culture with students, faculty and staff,” said David Shaw, vice president for research and economic development.

Among other points, the report notes that: • The highest number of completed projects was in Oktibbeha (60), Lee (29) and Hinds (28) counties.

• Sizes of companies receiving assistance in the 2013 fiscal year ranged from student-led startups to multi-national corporations.

• A neutral, third-party has estimated that, in collaborative work with a number of companies,

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the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems Extension Office had a $1 billion annual impact over the past five years.

“We deploy a wide range of tools to enhance opportunity and establish profitable connections, such as the Economic Development Assistance Network,” Ray said.

“EDAN was created as a resource for economic developers, business owners, entrepreneurs and others in business and industry, and is designed to quickly connect them with Mississippi State experts and their expertise,” he added.

For other information about MSU’s economic development efforts, please contact Ray at mray@research.msstate. edu or 662-325-3570. OM

From Washington Monthly’s College Guide and Rankings listing MSU in top 100 among national universities

“...Mississippi State University has a commitment to providing a supportive environment for military students.” from G.I. Jobs Guide listing MSU in top 20 among military-friendly schools

“...purely in financial terms, families can make smarter decisions by zooming in on factors such as net price after aid, graduation rate, job placement rates and how much you might have to borrow.” from The Wall Street Journal’s “College Costs Worksheet” listing MSU with the highest return on investment (7.8%) among Mississippi’s universities

“It is particularly important that our colleges and universities, where the leaders of the future are developing today, should be in the forefront in enhancing diversity.”

From MSU President Mark Keenum’s remarks at a recent university-sponsored diversity conference

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Mississippi

education

The University of Mississippi offering FASTrack program

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI

W

ant to get of to an early head start in college? Then get on the FASTrack! FASTrack at the University of Mississippi is a learning community program for first-year students. Students are divided into cohorts (of 20 students or less). In these cohorts, students take three classes together

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during the fall semester and three more during the spring, building a sense of community and peer support. Students in FASTrack get to know each other quickly and often study together.

FASTrack instructors track and report individual student progress so that struggling students can be identified and assistance can be offered. Extra

• winter 2014 •

“FASTrack has been invaluable, providing the structure that he needs as he grows into his new ‘job.’”

academic support, enhanced advising, and intensive mentoring are made available to all FASTrack students.

During the program’s five-year history, FASTrack students have consistently outperformed their peers. The program has positively impacted GPA and retention—and these positive results have been consistent over time. FASTrack makes our large university feel smaller to first-year students and gives them instant connections to supportive peers and teachers. Students take challenging classes and receive additional support. This leads to authentic success and beneficial confidence.

As one mom said recently, “My son was going to be in great jeopardy during his transition to university-level academic responsibilities and the requirement for greater self-discipline and priority setting. FASTrack has been invaluable, providing the structure that he needs as he grows into his new ‘job.’ His midterm grades were the best he has achieved since grammar school, and the confidence he is developing will help to carry him through the rest of his Ole Miss career.”

FASTrack continues to be very popular among students and parents alike. The demand has been consistently high, even as the program capacity has grown. Surveys and focus groups suggest that students and parents are pleased with FASTrack.

For example, in a survey conducted in December of 2010, 70% of responding parents said that FASTrack was a positive factor in the decision to attend UM. 100% of those parents indicated that they would recommend FASTrack to future students. To meet this demand, we have grown the program since 2007, when only 25 students participated in the pilot. This academic year, 330

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students are participating.

The shape and content of FASTrack have evolved, as well, with programmatic and curricular improvements being suggested by instructors, students, and program staff. We have added a service-learning component, a student advisory board, regular “study-break” social events, and online academic resources. During last academic year, we made two major additions: an optional living-learning community component and a well-structured peer mentoring program.

With a devoted team of instructors and advisors, FASTrack continues to benefit first-year students at the University of Mississippi. We have many success stories, and we are pleased to be empowering students to succeed in the first year and beyond. All of our practices have foundations in research on student success, and we are continually assessing our own performance. From those studies, we have tailored successful strategies that work for students in Mississippi. By the end of their first year, our students understand the value of FASTrack. As one student wrote in a recent survey, “My advice to an incoming freshman would be to join FASTrack, go to your classes, manage your time, and maintain a balance between fun and school.”

Such savvy students are likely to succeed in college and in life, and this success is our primary goal. To learn more about FASTrack, visit us on the web at www.fastrack.olemiss.edu. OM

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Mississippi

education

Bynum Named President of Mississippi Valley State University

COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY

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• winter 2014 •

DR. WILLIAM BYNUM, JR. MEETS WITH FACULTY MEMBERS DURING HIS FIRST WEEK AS PRESIDENT.

T

he Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning announced the unanimous decision to name Dr. William B. Bynum, Jr. as president of Mississippi Valley State University.

With more than 25 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Bynum served most recently as Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

“Dr. Bynum has extensive experience in higher education,” said Trustee Shane Hooper, chair of the Mississippi Valley State University Board Search Committee. “He understands the most pressing issues in higher education today and has the knowledge and leadership skills necessary to address them. With demonstrated leadership skills and a proven track record of increasing enrollment, he is the right person to serve as president of Mississippi Valley State University at this point in the institution’s history.”

While at Morehouse College, Dr. Bynum recruited students and implemented programs, initiatives and activities to support them and help them succeed in the classroom and beyond. In addition to serving as a faculty member in the Morehouse College Leadership Center and the Sociology Department, Dr. Bynum was responsible for 18 programmatic units, including Project Identity, a pre-college program, and the first Morehouse College Parents Council, which was formed under his leadership.

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Throughout his career, Dr. Bynum has led special projects and initiatives related to enhancing retention and graduation rates and developed academic policies to help students achieve and shorten their path to completion. Prior to joining Morehouse College, Dr. Bynum served as Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Lincoln University in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

During his tenure there, he implemented an Enrollment Management Model, recruited the four largest classes in the university’s 150-year history, and increased the overall student enrollment.

“I am humbled and honored that the Board of Trustees has selected me to lead Mississippi Valley State University,” said Dr. Bynum. “I grew up in a rural area of North Carolina that is very similar to the Mississippi Delta and understand the power that education has to change the lives of students and their families for generations to come.

I look forward to working with the campus and community to enhance opportunities for students to pursue their dreams and fulfill their potential at Mississippi Valley.”

A native of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Dr. Bynum holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Davidson College and both a master’s degree and a doctorate in sociology from Duke University, where he was a Duke Endowment Fellow. In addition, he was selected as one of the first 13 inaugural members of the National Association

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for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO)-Kellogg Leadership Fellows Program in 2003. Funded through a grant from the Kellogg Foundation, the program is designed to train the next generation of college/university presidents for minority serving institutions.

Dr. Bynum has served as the Covington Distinguished Professor of Sociology at Davidson College, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Clark Atlanta University and Assistant Dean of Students at Davidson College. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Morehouse College in the Sociology Department and the Leadership Center. The Leadership Center trains students to be global, ethical leaders by teaching them leadership concepts and theories and then providing real life experiences where they can hone their leadership skills and abilities.

“Dr. Bynum was an effective leader at Morehouse,” said Dr. John Silvanus Wilson Jr., president of Morehouse College in Atlanta. “I expect that he will be a studentfriendly president with an impressive vision and execution strategy for Mississippi Valley State University.” OM

GOAL TEAM VALLEY ONE GOAL is Student Success.

ONE TEAM is University and Community Working Together.

ONE VALLEY is students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends actively demonstrating School Pride and Spirituality that is second to none!

Office of Admissions and Recruitment 662-254-3345 | 1.800.GO2.MVSU (IN-STATE)

www.mvsu.edu

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• winter 2014 •

Tupelo Retirement Living

Has A Warm Welcome For You!

Ora W. Baldwin, Retirement Director Call: 800-488-0739 Fax: 662-840-2075 CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO: Tupelo Retirement Living P. O. Box 1485 Tupelo, Mississippi 38802-1485

E-mail Us At: retirement@ci.tupelo.ms.us Visit Us On Facebook: Tupelo Retirement Living

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Mississippi

politics

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African Americans of the Mississipp

ANGELA COCKERHAM, DIST. 96-ADAMS, AMITE, PIKE

REECY DICKSON, DIST. 42-KEMPER, LAUDERDALE, NOXUBEE

ROBERT HUDDLESTON, DIST. 30-BOLIVAR, LEFLORE, QUITMAN, SUNFLOWER, TALLAHATCHIE

ROBERT JOHNSON III, DIST. 94-ADAMS, CLAIBORNE, JEFFERSON

RUFUS STARUGHTER, DIST. 51-HUMPHREYS, ISSAQUENA, SHARKEY, WASHINGTON, YAZOO

SARA THOMAS, DIST. 31-SUNFLOWER

SONYA WILLIAMS-BARNES, DIST. 119-HARRISON

TYRONE ELLIS, DIST. 38-CLAY, LOWNDES, NOXUBEE, OKTIBBEHA

WILLIE BAILEY, DIST. 49-WASHINGTON

WILLIE PERKINS, SR., DIST. 32-LEFLORE

ESTHER HARRISON, DIST. 41-LOWNDES.JP

FERR SMITH, DIST. 27-ATTALA, LEAKE, MADISON, YAZOO

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pi State House of Representatives

GREGORY HOLLOWAY, DIST. 76-CLAIBORNE, COPIAH, HINDS

JAMES EVANS, DIST. 70-HINDS

JERAMY ANDERSON, DIST. 110-JACKSON

JOHN HINES, SR., DIST. 50-WASHINGTON

KARL GIBBS, DIST. 36-CLAY, LOWNDES, MONROE

KIMBERLY CAMPBELL, DIST. 72-HINDS, MADISON

LATAISHA JACKSON, DIST. 11-PANOLA, TATE

LINDA COLEMAN, DIST. 29-BOLIVAR

MARY COLEMAN, DIST. 65-HINDS, MADISON

OMERIA SCOTT, DIST. 80-CLARKE, JASPER, JONES

PERCY WATSON, DIST. 103-FORREST

JOHN FAULKNER, DIST. 5-BENTON, MARSHALL

NOT PICTURED: OSCAR DENTON, DIST. 55-WARREN

OSCAR DENTON, DIST. 55-WARREN

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politics

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BRYANT CLARK, DIST. 47-ATTALA, HOLMES, YAZOO

CHARLES YOUNG, JR., DIST. 82-LAUDERDALE

CHUCK ESPY, DIST. 26-COAHOMA, QUITMAN

CLARA BURNETT, DIST. 9, COAHOMA, PANOLA, QUITMAN

CREDELL CALHOUN, DIST. 68-HINDS

DAVID MYERS, DIST. 98-PIKE, WALTHALL

DEBORAH BUTLER DIXON, DIST. 63-HINDS

EARLE BANKS, DIST. 67-HINDS

EDWARD BLACKMON, JR., DIST. 57-MADISON

ADRIENNE WOOTEN, DIST. 71-HINDS, RANKIN

ALYCE CLARKE, DIST. 69-HINDS

AMERICA CHUCK MIDDLETON, DIST. 85-ADAMS, CLAIBORNE, HINDS, JEFFERSON, WARREN

• winter 2014 •

African Americans of the Mississippi State Senate

SOLLIE NORWOOD, DIST. 28-HINDS

ALBERT BUTLER, DIST. 36-CLAIBORNE, COPIAH, HINDS, JEFFERSON

ANGELA TURNER, DIST. 16-CLAY, LOWNDES, NOXUBEE, OKTIBBEHA

HILLMAN FRAZIER, DIST. 27-HINDS

JOHN HORHN, DIST. 26-HINDS, MADISON

KELVIN BUTLER, DIST. 38-ADAMS, AMITE, PIKE, WALTHALL, WILKINSON

KENNETH WAYNE JONES, DIST. 21-ATTALA, HOLMES, MADISON, YAZOO

ROBERT JACKSON, DIST. 11-COAHOMA, QUITMAN, TATE, TUNICA

DAVID JORDAN, DIST. 24-HOLMES, LEFLORE, TALLAHATCHIE

DERRICK SIMMONS, DIST. 12-BOLIVAR, WASHINGTON

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SAMPSON JACKSON II, DIST. 32-KEMPER, LAUDERDALE, NOXUBEE, WINSTON

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Mississippi

awards

13th Annual MMBA Awards GALA

Friday, October 11, 2013 Jackson Convention Complex

PHOTOS COURTESY SHELLIE MICHAEL, MMBA

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FLAME AWARD - NISSAN NORTH AMERICA INC.

MMBA MINORITY BUSINESS CHAMPION AWARD – ENTERGY CORPORATION

MASTER OF CEREMONY – SENATOR JOHN HORHN

AT&T BUSINESS ADVOCATE AWARD – MAYOR KELVIN O. BUCK, MAYOR GEORGE FLAGGS

MMBA SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS W/DR. MARY WHITE / JSU

SOUTH AWARDEE – JAMES R. TODD, M.D., NATCHEZ RURAL HEALTH CLINIC, NATCHEZ, MS (REPRESENTED BY SON)

• winter 2014 •

CENTRAL AWARDEE – MR. CHRIS PAIGE, CUSTOM CUTS & STYLES, LLC, JACKSON, MS

NORTH AWARDEE – MIKE SHIRLEY & CRAIG JONES, S & J LAWN SERVICE, HORNLAKE, MS

ZYCRON EXECUTIVE TEAM W/SENATOR KENNY WAYNE JONES

JOHN H. LEE MEMORIAL AWARD – DR. JOHN M. PERKINS (REPRESENTED BY SON)

EAST (AT-LARGE) - MR. DERRICK BURTON, BURTON CONSTRUCTION, MERIDIAN, MS

DELTA AWARDEE – LESLIE & BEULAH GREER, COMMUNITY STUDENT LEARNING CENTER, LEXINGTON, MS

MMBA CHAIRMAN AWARD – MS. PAM CONFER

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MMBA SERVICE AWARD – MRS. ANDREA D. HENDRICKS

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Mississippi

business

COURTESY PHOTO

A Future with Hope and Opportunities

BY REGINA EICHELBERGER BOYD

F

ollowing the first day of autumn, I, like many local residents, attended the Yokohama Tire Corporation Groundbreaking Ceremony on the 500-acre site located in West Point, MS, the county seat of Clay County.

In April of this year, Yokohama Tire Corporation selected West Point as the location for its new U.S. commercial truck tire manufacturing plant after researching numerous other sites. The West Point plant will be the first of Yokohama’s manufacturing

40

operations to be built from the ground up in the U. S. “Servicing approximately 5,000 truck companies through one of the largest network of on-highway service points, Yokohama offers a complete line of truck tires which lead the way in performance and durability ” (http://www.yokohamams.org/). At the groundbreaking ceremony, Mayor Robbie Robinson paralleled how he felt to a child on Christmas morning given the inception of a manufacturing plant being built in West Point.

• winter 2014 •

Throughout the years, West Point has experienced a number of job losses. In this regard, Mayor Robinson stated: “Though there was a lot of despair we never gave up hope. And I just can’t tell you – this is the biggest event that’s happened in the history of our community that I can recall.” A great deal of excitement is in the air, and Mayor Robinson’s sentiments are shared throughout the community. Without a doubt, West Point, Mississippi is a chosen location that is ripe for employment and deserving of economic growth.

A number of state leaders along with Yokohama Tire Corporation (YTC) officials shared hope and aspirations during the groundbreaking ceremony. “Today is a very exciting day as Yokohama prepares to begin construction of its very first U.S. manufacturing facility to be built from the ground up,” said Gov. Bryant. “The Golden Triangle is happy to add a manufacturer with the reputation and credentials of Yokohama. West Point and Clay County look forward to working towards the full build-out of what we expect to be the world’s preeminent tire plant,” said Joe Max Higgins, Jr., CEO of the Golden Triangle Development LINK. “This is a great day for Yokohama, Mississippi and the community of West Point,” said Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi’s (YTMM) President Tadaharu Yamamoto. “As we move forward with construction of our new tire-making facility, I’d like to personally thank Gov. Bryant, his staff, and all the people in Mississippi for their support on this incredible endeavor. There’s no question we made the right choice coming to Mississippi with this project.”

In a similar fashion, Mr. Hikomitsu Noji, President of Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd., YTC’s parent company in Japan, expressed his thoughts and sentiments in April by saying: “This is an historic day for Yokohama. The building

of a new plant in the U.S. confirms our commitment to the North American marketplace. I’d like to thank Governor Phil Bryant and the State of Mississippi for their fortitude in bringing this to fruition.” Mr. Noji also serves as CEO of all of Yokohama’s North America operations.

Yokohama Tire Corporation is a corporation with “a heart and a conscience.” This vital sentiment was emphatically expressed to Joe Max Higgins, Jr., CEO of the Golden Triangle Development LINK, in a previous meeting with Yokohama Tire Philippines, Inc. This particular sentiment rang throughout the Yokohama Tire Corporation Groundbreaking Ceremony as it was shared and echoed

by Mr. Higgins himself.

Conveyed on the road to realization, this message is to be hearkened and calls for attention. Yokohama Tire Corporation’s “heart and conscience” is further exemplified as Mr. Yamamoto pledges his commitment, “I want to be a good citizen here. We need to contribute for the local community, especially for the job and job satisfaction for this area.”

In turn, it is the obligation of the citizens and community of West Point and Clay County to pledge the same commitment. This commitment must be pledged with readiness and preparation to become a viable and committed workforce, one that is equipped with employable skills as well as training in technical and manufacturing disciplines. I believe that a workforce such as this will allow the hope of economic growth to become a reality.

So, on another autumn day in October 2015, I am quite sure I, like many, will gather to celebrate the opening of the Yokohama Tire Corporation’s new U.S. commercial truck tire manufacturing plant in West Point, MS as it comes to fruition. OM

“Servicing approximately 5,000 truck companies through one of the largest network of on-highway service points, Yokohama offers a complete line of truck tires which lead the way in performance and durability ”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: REGINA EICHELBERGER BOYD, PH.D. IS AN EDUCATION TRAINING CONSULTANT AND ADVISOR AND HAS CONSULTED ON LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVELS.

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Mississippi

health

Make this the year to

BY PHILIP RAPER

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Get Fit!

• winter 2014 •

“M

Thirty minutes of moderate intensity five days a week is optimal, but if you have been sedentary, a goal should be to simply start moving.

y New Year’s resolution is to lose weight and get fit.”

Sound familiar? Most resolutions come in the form of habit changes and often fail because they are based on willpower instead of strategy.

For your New Year’s resolution to work, you must develop a plan of action. Here are a few ways to set yourself up for success:

• First, contact your physician if you have any health problems.

Starting an exercise program is safe for many people, but depending on your age and risk factors, you may want to visit your physician before starting any vigorous activity. Exercise clearly benefits the body’s appearance, but talking with your doctor helps you focus on the internal benefits and how they contribute to longevity and quality of life.

• Start slowly. It takes time to build a habit. Thirty minutes of moderate intensity five days a week is optimal, but if you have been sedentary, a goal should be to simply start moving.

Remember, getting into shape is not a quick fix; it’s a lifestyle change commitment. Most external benefits take at least four to six weeks. However, internal changes will be noticed immediately, such as increased energy, less stress and anxiety, higher self esteem and an increased feeling of well-being. Going to the gym four times a week is great, but if you can’t do that, start with two times per week.

• Do something you enjoy. The best plan is one that you will follow. It could be swimming, tennis, riding a bike, walking, running, yoga, zumba and/or boot camp. If you absolutely hate exercise, I recommend stationary machines. You might also try running or walking on a treadmill while watching your favorite TV show.

• Schedule your workout into your daily routine. Don’t get so

busy taking care of others that you neglect to take care of yourself. A healthier lifestyle helps ensure you’re around to enjoy friends and family in the future. Once exercise becomes a part of your to-do list, the more likely you are to do it.

• Set goals. Plan small steps you will take to obtain your goal over the next year. If your goal is to lose 30 pounds, start with a goal of losing four pounds a month. Writing down the goal and placing it where you will see it every day will help you stick to your resolution.

• Find a partner or try group exercise. Social support is the single biggest predictor of success in making any change. Surround yourself with like-minded, positive and supportive people.

Group exercise allows an individual to get a whole workout in one class: cardiovascular, strength and flexibility with professional guidance.

• Hire a personal trainer to motivate, teach and hold you accountable for your goals. Always check the credentials of any personal trainer. Make sure the trainer at least has a certification that is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), which can be found on their website.

• Reward yourself for the successes you’ve obtained. If your goal is to lose weight, reward yourself with a new outfit that you can enjoy wearing because of your healthier lifestyle. Therapeutic Day Spa sessions are also a good way to reward yourself for reaching goals. Treat yourself to a pedicure or massage.

• It’s never too late to get started. An active 70-year-old is as fit as an inactive 30-year-old.

Following these simple tips will help you get on track to a healthier lifestyle. Allow yourself time to adjust to a different routine, and it will become a part of your daily life.

Good luck! OM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: PHILIP RAPER, MSHA, IS MEMBER SERVICE/THERAPEUTIC DAY SPA SUPERVISOR AT NORTH MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER’S WELLNESS CENTER IN TUPELO. RAPER IS A PERSONAL TRAINER CERTIFIED BY THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EXERCISE AND A LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPIST. HE COORDINATES NMMC’S EXERCISE IS MEDICINE PROGRAM.

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Mississippi

health

Health Officials:

Serious Flu Complications Seen In Young Adults This Year

T

he Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) has received several reports from clinical partners throughout the state of serious complications from flu in younger adults, including deaths.

“The only type of flu identified in Mississippi so far this year is the 2009 influenza A H1N1 strain, which has in past years primarily affected those under 65 years of age,” said Dr. Thomas Dobbs, MSDH State Epidemiologist. “This year, we’ve received reports of serious complications and some deaths associated with influenza infection in those under 65. During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, 80 percent of the deaths were in people younger than 65, unlike a typical flu season in which the majority of deaths occur in those 65 and older.”

The good news is that this year’s flu vaccination includes coverage for this particular strain, said Dobbs.

“It’s not too late. We are still in the early stages of our traditional flu season. It’s vital that all Mississippians – not just the very young and the very old – get vaccinated against flu,” he said.

While individual flu cases and flu-related deaths in adults are not reported to MSDH, the agency monitors flu activity through the Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) Sentinel Surveillance System, made

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up of healthcare providers in Mississippi such as family practice clinics, student health centers, pediatricians, primary care physicians, and hospital emergency departments who report the percentage of patients with flu-like symptoms to a statewide database.

Seasonal flu vaccinations are recommended for anyone age six months and older, and are available at all county health departments. Those particularly at risk for influenza complications include young children, adults 50 and older, pregnant women, and those with chronic illnesses. Vaccination of healthcare personnel and caregivers of vulnerable individuals is especially important.

Flu vaccinations are available at all county health department clinics.

Symptoms of seasonal flu include fever, cough, and often, extreme fatigue. Sore throat, headache, muscle aches, and a runny or stuffy nose are also often present. More severe symptoms and death can also occur.

While vaccination is the best protection, basic infection control measures can also reduce the spread of flu. These measures include covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing, staying at home when you or your children are sick, and washing your hands frequently. OM

• winter 2014 •

Wedding s Mississippi

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Wedding s Mississippi

TABITHA ANDERSON & CODY MORGAN Married September 28, 2013 in Jackson, Mississippi

STERLING PHOTOGRAPHY

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• winter 2014 •

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Wedding s Mississippi

AQUILA & MICHAEL MOSES Married June 29, 2013 Woodworth Chapel on Tougaloo College Campus

STERLING PHOTOGRAPHY

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• winter 2014 •

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Wedding s Mississippi

JOYCE L. PULLIAM & TRAVIS L. CUBIT Married March 24, 2013 Druid Hills United Methodist Church, Atlanta, GA. Reception: Biltmore Ballroom Atlanta, GA

PHOTOS SOPHIA BARRETT STUDIOS, ATLANTA GA

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• winter 2014 •

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Wedding s Mississippi

BRANDON & JERRILYN FRAZIER Married March 16, 2013 at Canebrake Country Club in Hattiesburg

STERLING PHOTOGRAPHY

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• winter 2014 •

Wedding s Mississippi

ANGELA & JONATHAN GIBSON Married December 21, 2013 at St. John M.B. Church in Jackson, MS.

STERLING PHOTOGRAPHY

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• winter 2014 •

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Mississippi

organizations

Minority PUL Alliance

1st annual Christmas banquet held December 6, 2013 at the Renasant Center for Ideas in Tupelo.

PHOTOS BY WESLEY WELLS

TERESA BAKER AND JERRY STUBBLEFIELD

HENRY KNOX AND TERESA BAKER

KIRK LEWIS, WENDY LEWIS, WINNIE AND LARRY CRAWFORD

MR. AND MRS. JERRY STUBBLEFIELD

ANITA KNOWLES, JAMES KNOWLES, STEPHANIE WALDROP, ORLANDO IVY AND WHITNEY IVY SJUDGE RICKEY THOMPSON, SHELIA THOMPSON, BARBARA IVY AND TOMMIE LEE IVY

56

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MIREAM AND WILLIAM ANDERSON

AUNT B’S SOUL FOOD SERVED AS CATERERS FOR THE EVENT.

FREDERICK ROSS AND LYNDA MONTGOMERY

TERESA BAKER, THIQUITA WARD, SHARELL POLK AND JENNIFER OLIVER

JENNIFER CLAY, TERRY CLAY, DENOTEE MARTIN AND GINNA DOUGLAS

EDDIE AND JEANETTE LONGSTREET

RICKEY THOMPSON, TERESA BAKER, DENOTEE MARTIN, SHARELL POLK, EDDIE LONGSTREET AND ANITA KNOWLES

ourMississippi

57

We’re more than just a bridal store.

1626 North Veterans Boulevard Tupelo, MS 38804

662.844.1704 58

• winter 2014 •

ourMississippi

59

You Know She’s Worth it

The South’s leader in Estate Jewelry and Diamond Solitaires Located in Historic Downtown New Albany, MS

1.866.VANATKINS vanatkins.com

OUR STATE, OUR LIVES, OUR PEOPLE

ourMississippi

WINTER 2014