Business Journal 20160701

BUSINESS JOURNAL BIZBUZZ.DJOURNAL.COM

BIZ SPOTLIGHT: HOOKS DIABETES CLINIC, page 7

JULY

FEATURE: Five years and more than 10,000 students later, the Northeast Mississippi tuition guarantee programs are still going strong.

page 5 COLUMN: Gary Matthews of Tishomingo Economic Development Foundation looks into recent economic growth.

page 4 CAREER: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in Fulton gives applicants workforce training skills and job opportunities.

page 6

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STORY BY DENNIS SEID | PHOTOS BY ADAM ROBISON

AMT PROGRAM CREATES PIPELINE OF SKILLED WORKERS

T

hree years ago, Toyota Mississippi joined forces with Itawamba Community College to develop the Advanced Manufacturing Technician program.

Skilled maintenance positions are in high demand in manufacturing, and Toyota and ICC wanted to help build a pipeline that could serve not only the needs of the automaker, but other companies

looking for such workers.

The program is generating results. “Since 2013 we've had 52 start the program, and 33 have completed it, and we have 11 who are entering their second year,� said Bethanie Humphries, Training & Development Specialist at Toyota Mississippi.

The other eight dropped either because of grades or attendance.

Fifteen of the participants

who have graduated from the program are working at Toyota Mississippi in Blue Springs and five have gotten jobs at suppliers like APMM (Auto Parts Manufacturing Mississippi) in Baldwyn. Others have gone to other manufacturers like MTD in Verona. Two have gone on to pursue bachelor's degrees at Mississippi State University.

The AMT program, which follows the industrial maintenance track at ICC, is limited to 10-12

people every fall.

Humphries said the program is now at the point she hoped it would be.

"We're graduating the numbers we need to fill our current openings in skilled maintenance," she said. "Our next step is to work our suppliers so they'll start sponsoring students rather than getting the graduates here, so they'll be more involved throughout," she said.

TURN TO AMT, 3

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THE NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI

JULY 2016

Workforce training works, is ongoing need

I

n a few months, Toyota Mississippi will mark the fifth anniversary of the start of production.

After a delayed launch because of the Great Recession, things finally got going at the plant in October 2011 with official production of the Corolla.

Like every new venture, the trek to build cars for the first time had its fair share of issues, but things seem to have settled nicely.

The next-generation Corolla was launched less than two years later, a major change that isn’t easy even for the most experienced of plants.

Last March, Toyota Mississippi built its 500,000th car, the first Toyota plant to reach the milestone so quickly. To date,

it’s built more than 700,000 Corollas, which remains the best-selling DENNIS SEID car of all time.

Mike Botkin, the vice president of administration at Toyota Mississippi, said the growth and development of the team members – Toyota’s term for employees – has been phenomenal over the years..

He was working at the headquarters of Toyota Motor Manufacturing and Engineering North America when the plant launched.

“In my role at headquarters ,we did a lot of support at the launch of this plant, and also

to get them ready for their first major model change,” he said.

I was dispatched here so I was here frequently and just to see them grow. It wasn’t a case of them not having the capabilities or the skills. It was just the experience factor. By us sharing the types of things we thought would help them, they executed flawlessly. Of course they had their own experiences and failures, but it only made them stronger. It’s amazing how far they’ve come.

“From this next change we’re going to have, we’re more prepared for that change than many others were for their first major change.”

The training and development of the 2,000 team members at Toyota has been critical

to the plant’s success. The process is ongoing – there is no stopping point in a manufacturing setting like Toyota.

But workforce and training needs remain at Toyota and other manufacturers and businesses.

The findings of an ICC District Workforce Council study last fall showed we still have work to do.

Among the soft-skill issues employers find applicants lacked were time management, dependability, communication and motivation.

Applicants also were found lacking in hard skills like critical/analytical thinking. In other words, while many are “book-smart,” when it came to practical knowledge and know-

WestPark Project on West Main Street in Tupelo

ing what to do in a dynamic situation, people just weren’t prepared. Applicants also are lacking in computer literacy and project management skills.

Our workforce isn’t a hopeless case at all, but educators, businesses and community leaders must remain focused on providing training and development whenever possible.

When today’s workers leave or retire, what are your plans to replace them? What are you doing to make sure they’re ready?

We need to act now, not worry about it later.

Contact DENNIS SEID at (662) 678-1578 or dennis.seid@journalinc.com.

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BUSINESS JOURNAL

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AMT: Graduates in program receive manufacturing degree FROM 1 The Toyota suppliers would model their programs after the AMT program.

"So we're in an expansion mode," Humphries said, "which is a good thing."

And others want to know more about it as well.

Recently, she was at the Southern Automotive Workforce Summit to talk about the AMT program, where automotive manufacturers, suppliers and other industry representatives from Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina attended.

LEARN AND WORK

The AMT program spans five semesters and includes training in electrici t y, s a f e t y, motor maintenance, welding, hydraulics, fabrication, pneumatics and robotics.

Participants attend classes two days a week at ICC and work at Toyota Mississippi three days a week.

Students in the program start at $16.50 an hour.

After completing the program, they’re eligible for any skilled industrial maintenance position at

the plant. Pay increases to about $24 an hour within five years.

Graduates of the AMT program receive a manufacturi n g d e g re e, a n d during the time they're i n HILBERT school and working at Toyota, they can earn as much as $36,000 to help cover education expenses.

A freshman at ICC would go to campus on Mondays and Wednesdays, then work at Toyota on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Sophomores’ schedules have them working on Mondays and Wednesdays and doing course work on Tuesdays and Thursday.

Everyone works at the plant on Fridays.

M.J. Hilbert is in his second year of the program, applying for it after graduating from high school.

His brother was in the program first, which led to his interest.

"He told me a lot about the program and had

nothing but good things to say," said Hilbert, who does maintenance in the body weld department at Toyota, working on AGVs (automated guided vehicles) and robots.

"If a machine or robot goes down, I use tools and other things to get them working again," he explained.

The AMT program isn't only for newcomers to Toyota.

Dalton Ott signed onto the AMT program – after previously working on the assembly line in 2011.

His group leader told him about the program, which he couldn't join while already working in production. So h e saved s o m e m o n e y, left Toyota to enroll at ICC and OTT successfully applied to the AMT program in 2014.

He's back on the assembly line, but now works on the final line, making sure all the machines continue running as vehicles roll off about every 71 seconds.

Ott said the move was worth it.

"It's a great opportunity to learn a lot," he said. "In production, you do the same thing over and over, but in maintenance, you're always doing something different every day."

Said Hilbert, "It's a good program because you get to go to school and you get your degree, but you also get the work experience and exposure to the plant and everything."

James Williams, who is executive director of the State Workforce Investment Board, had strong praise for the AMT program. He was ICC's vice president of economic and community services when the program started. The AMT program shows students not only how to do something, they're also learning why they're doing it, he said.

“With this program, they can make that connection. … and they also have multiple skills; they may be stronger in some areas, but they'll have good working knowledge of all of them, and that makes them more valuable. It’s not just developing the skills, it’s also developing that individual.”

ADAM ROBISON | BUY AT PHOTOS.DJOURNAL.COM

Toyota workers Dalton Ott and MJ Hilbert work on an automatic piece of equipment in the assembly line at Toyota Mississippi in Blue Springs.

ADAM ROBISON | BUY AT PHOTOS.DJOURNAL.COM

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BUSINESS JOURNAL

JULY 2016

JULY 2016

NEMCC expansion into Tishomingo well-received T ishomingo County supervisors and others recently toured Northeast Mississippi Community College’s new branch campus at Tri-State Commerce Park that will offer workforce training for businesses and industries in Tishomingo County.

Greg Collier, president of the Tishomingo County Board of Supervisors, said “one of the best things that has happened in Tishomingo County for a long time is the location of a Northeast Mississippi Community College branch campus in our county.

T h e availability of qualified workers is the GARY MATTHEWS most serious issue facing Tishomingo County as well as the U.S. as a whole.

NEMCC also has training that is free to individuals as well as employees of business or industry. It has never been more important for young and not so young to learn new skills required by business and industry.”

District 1 supervisor Brandon Grissom added, “In the past peo-

ple could find a job based on who they knew; nowadays, you must find a job based on what you know. Sixty-six percent of the jobs in Mississippi don’t require a four-year college degree but do require more than a high school diploma. Only 30 percent of workers in the state have the educational requirements to fill those jobs.

We appreciate Northeast Mississippi Community College in stepping up to meet the needs of business and industry.”

panding into the former Furniture Fabrics & More building in Burnsville. The 70,000 squarefoot-building is being renovated by the company and will be used for manufacturing of subassemblies and warehousing for fifth wheel RV’s.Vanleigh RV started operations in the 88,000-square -foot New River Homes building in mid-2015 and shortly thereafter set up a cabinet manufacturing operation in a 34,000- square-foot building at Tri-State Commerce Park. VanECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT leigh RV currently em• Vanleigh RV is ex- ploys 130.

• Mississippi Silicon in Burnsville is doing well and continues to hire additional workers. It now employs approximately 140.

• The expansion at Comfort Revolution in Belmont is proceeding on schedule. Fifty new jobs will be created.

• In addition to Comfort Revolution, another company will announce an 89,000-square-foot expansion in Belmont soon, and Southeast CNC is currently expanding its operations in Belmont.

• BMSI, an industrial general contractor based in Decatur, Alabama, is investing $6 million in a new manufacturing operation in Burnsville, creating 100 jobs in the process. BMSI Inc. is expected top open in the third quarter of this year in an existing 20,000-square-foot spec building at Yellow Creek Port South, with plans to expand it to 30,000

One of the best things that has happened in Tishomingo County for a long time is the location of a Northeast Mississippi Community College branch campus in our community.

GREG COLLIER

President of tishomingo CBS

square feet.

• Hago Automotive is adding 80 jobs at Yellow Creek Port. As a supplier to companies like BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Volkswagen and Bugatti, Hago Automotive looked at 20 locations in South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama before choosing Iuka.

District 4 supervisor Jeff Holt stressed that “the board of supervisors wants to keep the momentum going. I am working on the District 4 Industrial Park at Tishomingo to get it ready for development. Our goal is to create jobs in every part of Tishomingo County. Most industrial prospects are seeking existing buildings and we are studying ways to meet those needs. We are looking at ways to create different types of jobs to diversify our

economy, especially in the tourism industry.”

As for Tri-State Commerce Park, Grissom said improvements are being made there as well.

“We have installed new fencing, painted and repaired water damage at Building 1000, and are working on other improvements.

We have some exciting projects in the works at Tri-State and we are hoping for at least one industry announcement and one industry expansion at Tri-State in the next few months.”

Mike Montgomery, chairman of the Tishomingo County Development Foundation, said “Tishomingo County has been fortunate to create over 1,800 new manufacturing jobs and over $360 million in private investment over the past few years, a record that few rural counties in the South can match.

Barring a recession, 2016 may be the best year that we have seen in a decade as far as job creation. The presence of Northeast Mississippi Community College in Tishomingo County is a harbinger of good things to come. We appreciate the board of supervisors and all of our economic development partners.

We applaud the vision of the supervisors in working to create more jobs in the tourism industry and diversifying our economy.”

GARY MATTHEWS is the executive director of the Tishomingo County Development Foundation.

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BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Tuition guarantee program aims for growth

BY EMMA CRAWFORD KENT BUSINESS JOURNAL

TUPELO – Five years and more than 10,000 students later, the Northeast Mississippi tuition guarantee programs are still going strong.

The programs, the first of which was launched in Monroe County in 2008, but for years, it was only an idea for Northeast Mississippi leaders.

The project began under the Commission on the Future of Northeast Mississippi, which was founded in 1995, but has evolved into more of a coalition between the 17 counties in the region and the community colleges.

Lewis Whitfield, senior vice president at the CREATE Foundation, said he is proud of how the program as a whole has grown over the years.

“It’s really a coalition that has come together around this issue to try to provide better access for community college students,” Whitfield said.

A better educated and trained workforce is needed to compete in a global economy, and the tuition guarantee program is a giant stepping stone toward that end.

In a District Workforce Council study last year, 75 percent of the employers surveyed said they gave preference to job applicants that obtained an academic certificate or certification of some kind.

Finances are often a barrier to continued education, but the tuition guarantee programs help remove that block.

The programs require students to apply for and accept all other possible sources of financial aid in-

cluding state, federal and local or private aid.

Expenses that are left after aid is applied are then covered by the programs, so the student’s tuition is 100 percent paid for by a combination of financial aid and funding from their tuition guar- WHITFIELD a n t e e program.

There is no grade requirement for students applying for the program but they must maintain a “C” average to stay in the program once they are at community college.

During the last academic year, the program covered around 2,600 students.

Northeast Mississippi Community College, Itawamba Community College, East Mississippi Community College Before its inception, commission members did not believe the program was financially feasible until community partners began getting involved.

The Gilmore Foundation announced it would cover students from Monroe County, and The Pierce Foundation stepped up to cover students from Then, the CREATE Foundation, Three Rivers Planning and Development District and the Lee County Board of Supervisors joined in to cover nine more counties between them.

Both the Lee County Board of Supervisors and CREATE pledged $150,000 per year toward the program.

Three Rivers pledged $25,000 per year each to

eight counties for ten years and asked that each county match the amount.

County programs are funded by local county boards of supervisors, development districts, foundations and private donors.

REQUIREMENTS, COSTS VARY

The exact requirements and costs covered for the program vary by county.

Some counties provide it only to immediate high school graduates, while others allow for GED graduates or even high school graduates from previous years.

In Clay and Lowndes counties, the SOAR Foundation covers students going to East Mississippi Community College.

Also, many counties across the state outside of CREATE’s 17-county coverage area have similar programs in place.

Whitfield estimates 25-30 counties total across the state have a tuition guarantee program.

Whitfield said there has been a desire to turn the program over to the state, but it hasn’t happened yet.

The measure passed the House several years ago, but it has never passed the Senate.

“That would make a statement to the world that 14 years of school is a minimum requirement for today’s job market,” Whitfield said.

Whitfield said the state of Tennessee has a staterun tuition guarantee program funded be excess lottery funds.

The tuition guarantee programs in Northeast Mississippi could see some changes this year.

The per-semester

course load requirement to said he would like to see a qualify for state financial mentoring program deaid and be considered a velop to help low-income full-time student has in- students navigate the procreased gram and from 12 to financial 15 hours.

It's really a coalition that aid proStudents cess. must be has come together to try Mentors full-time to to provide better acess would help qualify for for community college low-inthe tuition come stustudents. guarantee d e n t s p r o g r a m , LEWIS WHITFIELD apply for so Whitcollege and field said the programs' complete the federal and definitions will likely state financial aid forms. change as well.

“I think that is a compo“That change has been nent that perhaps is missmade this summer and the ing here in Mississippi,” implementation of that Whitfield said. will be up to the commuYearly tuition increases nity colleges,” Whitfield could potentially affect the said. tuition guarantee program In the future, Whitfield moving forward.

Tuition has been steadily climbing for the past several years, with average increases for the upcoming academic year coming in around seven percent.

“I think we’ve just got to be mindful of the fact that that’s an issue and make sure the sources of funding are going to continue to be there,” Whitfield said.

In Lee County, students covered by the program also receive a $300 per semester book allowance.

However, as tuition costs continue to rise, Whitfield said that allowance may have to be reduced or eliminated.

“Right now, it’s still available, and I think that’s a nice benefit,” Whitfield said.

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BUSINESS JOURNAL

JULY 2016

JULY 2016

Lost job leads to new SNAP program

BY DONNA THOMAS FOR THE BUSINESS JOURNAL

FULTON – Jesse Melcher of Fulton had a job for almost four years. And then, one day, it was gone.

OK, he thought, “I’ll just find another job, since it didn’t take me long to find the one I had.”

After a month of searching with no success, Melcher and his brother decided to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

And that led him to Itawamba Community College’s Belden Center, where he was one of the first participants in the new SNAP E&T pilot pro-

F

gram, designed to match those ages 18-49, who don’t have dependents, with workforce training and job opportunities.

So far, he has completed the OSWALT four-week Career Assessment Program, which focuses on career development, job attainment, modification of each participant’s minimal individual career plan and survival in the workforce and includes “intrusive” counseling designed to motivate participants. He’s also

worked on his individualized career plan goals, received a Gold one Career Readiness Certificate and been accepted into the Pharmacy Technician program that begins in August.

In addition, Jesse is receiving high marks from his work-site employer,” said SNAP grant director Lee Oswalt.

When Melcher entered ICC’s SNAP E&T program, he had a high school diploma, two semesters from Auburn University and two from Mississippi State University. He had also attained a Modern Multi-Skill Manufacturing M3 credential and Manufacturing

Skills Basic Gold Certification and Gold Career Readiness Certification.

In the ICC program, Melcher said that “we went over a lot of things that I had seen bvefore but hadn’t dealt with much in years, so I knew I needed the help when we started.

It really put into perspective what employers are looking for now in the workforce. It also gave very helpful instructions on interviews, time management and money management.”

Melcher said that the mock interviews, study time for the WorkKeys test and resume’ building were also extremely beneficial.

“The WorkKeys test costs money to take, and with the lack of a job, I wasn’t financially in a place where I could just pay to take the test,” he said. “They thankfully covered the cost of the test every time I needed to take it. I know that if I would have tried to do all these things by myself, I wouldn’t have been able to get it all done within the time frame that I now had completed, and when looking for a new job, time is really everything because your bills and life costs just don’t stop because you lost your job.”

Melcher credits the program with not only finding new employment, but also

what will most likely be a future that he never expected the day he lost his job.

“I must say that I’m very lucky to have gone through the SNAP E&T pilot program because if I hadn’t, I don’t believe that I would have found a new and better job.”

Not only has Melcher found a new job to replace the one that was unexpectedly gone, but he’s embarking on a new direction in his life in working toward becoming a pharmacy technician, an opportunity that may not have been possible without his participation in the SNAP E&T pilot program at ICC.

Check maturity date on savings bonds

or many years, one of the most popular savings instruments has been U.S. Savings Bonds.

These direct obligations of the U.S. government have been used by individuals to save due to their security

and ease of investment.

They were very popular in the 1940s as World War II was raging and many Americans believed it to be a good way to save and be patriotic at the same time.

Savings Bonds are issued

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in face value denominations ranging from $50 to $10,000. From 1941 to 1979, the government issued Series E bonds. tarting in 1980, Series EE and Series HH bonds were issued. Series EE bonds are

issued at half of their face value and earn interest for 30 years. Series HH bonds, that were discontinued in 2004, earned interest for 20 years. What made these bonds attractive to investors was that the interest earned was exempt from state and local taxes, and deferred from federal taxes until redeemed.

Contrary to a popular belief, U.S. savings bonds stop earning interest after reaching maturity. Since matured savings bonds no longer earn any interest, there is no financial reason to continue holding them.

If you have paper bonds, you can redeem them at most financial institutions such as a bank or credit union. You also can mail

them to the Treasury Ret a i l Securities Site, P.O. Box 214, CHRIS COLE Minneapolis, MN 55480. Proceeds from redeemed bonds can be directly deposited into a checking, savings or money market account.

Another reason to redeem your matured savings bonds is even though the interest on savings bonds is tax deferred, the taxes on the accumulated interest are due at maturity. Even if you do not redeem them, you must report the interest at maturity and pay all the taxes due. One notable excep-

tion to this is if you use the proceeds from redemption of the bonds to pay higher education expenses. There are some specific requirements that must be met in order to qualify, so it is important to consult with one’s tax adviser to see if you qualify.

Savings Bonds remain a safe and simple investment that investors can use to help build their nest egg or save for other important events in their lives. However, it is important to not forget they have a certain date in the future when they no longer earn interest.

CHRIS COLE is a Chartered Wealth Advisor and vice president of Hilliard Lyons in Tupelo.

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BUSINESS JOURNAL

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ADAM ROBISON | BUY AT PHOTOS.DJOURNAL.COM

Ashley McKinney, front office coordinator, runs on a treadmill in the indoor gym while Nancy Hooks changes a record in the music room at Hooks Diabetes and Medicine Clinic.

Hooks Diabetes and Medicine Clinic wants to curb diabetes

BY ZACK ORSBORN BUSINESS JOURNAL

TUPELO – Growing up, both of Nancy Hooks' parents lived with diabetes, piquing her interest to open her own diabetes management clinic three months ago.

Her mother had controlled diabetes, but her father passed away from the disease. Hooks learned the importance of better eating habits by avoiding starchy foods. For dinner, her mother mainly cooked vegetables.

Since the era her parents lived in, Hooks has seen the diabetes management business evolve.

“There are now more drugs to treat diabetes than there were 20 years ago,” she said. “We have an array of insulins or medications that can be utilized to help control the disease.”

After Hooks received her doctorate in nursing practice, she felt the need the serve Northeast Mississippi to help eradicate diabetes and open her own business.

She contacted the Minority PUL Alliance in 2013 where she received advice on how to form a business plan.

“The MPUL Alliance was a big push behind me,” Hooks said. “They helped get my finances organized and led me to people w h o helped in many different aspects.

I HOOKS made a lot of good connections.”

Hooks opened her clinic, located on Traceland Drive, in April with two employees.

To set herself apart from other diabetes clinics, Hooks opened an indoor exercise facility with treadmills that patients can use anytime during operating hours.

“It’s too hot for some people to be exercising outside, or they don’t have the money for gym membership fees,” she said.

She also adds themes to her three patient rooms: the Music Room complete with a record player and classic albums like Prince’s “Purple Rain,” the Jungle Room with live plants and animal art and the House Divided Room with Ole Miss and Mississippi State University memorabilia.

The clinic features an inEventually, Hooks plans sippi, which has one of the about healthy eating and house lab that allows three to organize a quarterly dia- highest obesity and diabe- exercise,” she said. “If we lab results within three betic lunch where patients tes rates in the country. can educate the commuminutes. can sample the meal and “To decrease diabetes in nity and get the parents get the ingredients.

Mississippi, we have to and grandparents on TRICKLE DOWN It’s one step in her vision start educating the chil- board, then it kind of just Once a patient is diag- to see a healthier Missis- dren at a younger age trickles down.” nosed with diabetes, Hooks spend a lot of time educating them on the disease and starts them on a medicine regimen suitable for that person.

“The first weeks of that diagnosis is important,” she said. “Their impression is inevitable at that point because we have to makes F R E ET E S A S sure we give them good inE TIM formation and follow up and make sure we are available to answer questions.”

She’s found that praising patients for even the littlest per achievements helps curb month diabetes. She lives by a motto: “Using my hands and heart to heal in healthcare.”

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BUSINESS JOURNAL

JULY 2016

JULY 2016

SMART ideas benefit every business "W

here do you get your ideas? How do you come up with ads?”

The best creative comes from a relationship with the client. This starts with research. I have to know as much about the client’s business as possible.

Just to come up with an idea isn’t very difficult.

Making sure the idea fits the client is very important. It takes focus and understanding the business.

I’ve taken several management courses that taught SMART goals. Ideas must be able to meet all the requirements for a SMART goal: specific, mea-

surable, attainable, rele v a n t a n d t i m e based. In TY ROBINSON the beginning, however, it’s important to list all the ideas before putting them to the SMART test. It’s possible that an idea can be molded to fit the SMART model.

In our agency sessions of exploring ideas, the only rule we have is to stay positive. Negativity stifles creativity. In the initial phase of idea discovery, examination of the idea will come in the next step. All staff

members are encouraged to be part of the idea process. A good idea is not limited to a job title or hierarchy within the agency.

We also encourage clients to be part of this process. A positive outlook and energy is what makes a good brainstorming session.

Good ideas are like cream in milk: The really good ideas rise to the top.

I was recently at a personal appointment near a client’s office. When I was finished with my appointment, I stopped by the client’s office just to give greetings. I was invited in. I thought this would take about five minutes. Then

we started talking. We started batting ideas around.

When brainstorming, I try to never ask “Why?” but to focus on “Why not?” My job is to come up with “How.” We spoke of several different projects. The client explained the vision behind the projects. We starting talking about steps to take to make it all happen. We were excited about the ideas as they freely flowed. Some will happen; some will not. It was a great session. I thought it was a 30-minute conversation, but it turned out to be a 90-minute conversation.

That’s the mark of a good

creative session.

I read a lot. Mostly what I read these days are articles - magazine, newspaper, blogs, etc. I am constantly on the lookout for information that I can take to my clients. And my job is to connect my client to their customers. There’s the “How” I mentioned. Sometimes how I get from point A to point B might not be very orthodox. “How” can be creative too.

I dislike the phrase “Think outside the box.”

For one thing, it is cliche.

For another, it is limiting.

What’s really being said is, “Be more creative” or “come up with an original

idea.” Comedienne Jeannie Robertson says that left-brained people, like her husband, like to measure the box while rightbrained people don’t know there is a box. I believe that we all carry traits of both. I like the Casey Kasem signoff “Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.”

Ideas turn visions and dreams into reality. It is the job of marketing to turn visions and dreams into reality. We just have to be SMART about it.

TY ROBINSON is president and COO of Robinson and Associates, a marketing agency in Tupelo.

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Air Force Recruiting Office

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

AMBASSADOR OF THE MONTH

Jenifer Bond, digital marketing consultant with Dex Media, was awarded CDF's May Ambassador of the month. Serving her first term as ambassador, Jennifer attended six ribbon cuttings and events and contacted 19 CDF members through the member to mentor program. Congratulations, Jenifer.

The Air Force Recruiting Office celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon. Located at 3885 N. Gloster St. in Tupelo, the U.S. Air Force is the world’s preeminent force in air, space and cyberspace. For more information, contact (662) 8421840 or visit airforce.com.com.

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BUSINESS JOURNAL

JULY 2016

JULY 2016

Cheers Wine and Spirits

After celebrating its grand opening with a ribbon cutting, Cheers Wine and Spirits is now open. For a great selection and good deals, stop by 775 E Main St. in Tupelo. Cheers Wine and Spirits can be contacted at (662) 260-4801 or on Facebook.

We Keep Your Business Going.

• Serving Tupelo & North Mississippi Since 1988 • Local Sales, Service, Parts, Supplies & Billing • In House Lease Program

Authorized dealer for

Cindy Sappington

Talmadge Ray

Konica Minolta

and their award winning Bizhub products.

Tupelo- 662-842-9410 | Columbus 662-687-0689

Talmadge Ray, Tupelo Cindy Sappington, Tupelo Chris Carter, Columbus

jtrayco.com

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A PAR TMENTS

Apartment Homes 1, 2, & 3 Bedrooms

MILITARY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, & FIREFIGHTER DISCOUNT Ask about our Military & Law Enforcement Discount

ART SUPPLIES

A PAR TMENTS

Affordable Luxury Apartment Homes 1, 2 & 3 Bedroom

111 Grand Ole Oaks Drive Belden, MS 38826 Carey Wilson Manager

Call 662-891-5000

office: 662.823.1470 • fax: 662.823.1474 • cell:662.231.7508

3260 Hwy 145 N. • Tupelo, MS 38804

www.GrandOleOaks.com

AUTOMOTIVE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

BANK

662-841-8743 rbarnett@trustmark.com

Whether you’re hauling or delivering...Call

ART SUPPLIES AND PAINT-YOUR-OWN POTTERY SHOP.

HANDMADE GIFTS ARE THE BEST GIFTS.

Located at 107 North 13th Street

(behind Something Southern on the square)

236-9798

BANK

Call Robin Barnett today!

DWAYNE BLACKMON CHEVROLET

Bank Of Okolona Okolona

Houston Banking Center

P.O. Box 306 • Okolona, Mississippi 38860

321 W. Madison St. • Houston, Mississippi

Bank of Mantee

Calhoun Banking Center

(662) 447-5403

54 1st Street • Mantee, Mississippi

(662) 456-5341

for your commercial vehicle needs!

(662) 456-3347

200 S. Pontotoc Rd. • Bruce, Mississippi

(662) 983-3700

www.bankofokolona.com

1410 SOUTH GLOSTER / TUPELO / 842-3611

BLINDS

B ATH R EMODELING

BANK

12

Bath Remodeling Shower Remodeling Tub-To-Shower Conversion Bathroom Accessories Handicap Accessible

“The Sign of Service” Baldwyn • Booneville • Marietta Mantachie • Mooreville • Tupelo

Your Financial Cornerstone.

www.bathfitter.com Give Us One Day… We’ll Give You A Beautiful New Bathroom!

FREE IN HOME ESTIMATE Licensed And Insured

662-350-3175

www.fmbms.com

2015 McCullough Blvd. • Tupelo, MS 38801

BUILDING SUPPLIES

BUILDING SUPPLIES

Rex & Diannah Coggins, Owners

Ph: (662) 365-7021

N H A R Fax: (662) 365-8902 Y DW W & AR LD A E SUPPLY, INC. B • Full Service • Hardware • Building Supplies • Plumbing • Hydraulic Hoses

• Electrical • Glass • Valspar Paints • Welding Supplies • Portable Carports

1187 North 4th St. • Baldwyn, MS 38824

C O L L I S I O N R E PA I R

Lumbe ville r Boone Company Full Line of Lumber, Hardware, Plumbing and Electrical Supplies 2300 E. Chambers Dr. • Booneville • 728-0094

Booneville Hardware & Supply 403 Church St. • Booneville • 728-0032 "For all your hardware needs"

24 Hour Wrecker Service

Junior Burns - Cell 662-728-0524 David Denson - Cell 662-416-5591 100 W. Veterans Drive • Booneville, MS 38829

Phone 662-728-4459 • Fax (662) 728-4150

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BUSINESS JOURNAL Business Directory

JULY 2016

COMMERCIAL CLEANING SERVICES

C ONCRETE

C OMMERCIAL P LUMBING

RH PLUMBING, INC. 224 Starlyn Ave. New Albany, MS 38652

662-534-4448

Commercial Plumbing, Gas & Industrial Piping RICHARD HANLON (662) 447-3213

Thank you for choosing RH Plumbing. We appreciate your business

401 Elizabeth St. • Tupelo 662-842-7305

FURNITURE

FURNITURE

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

589 N. Coley Rd. Tupelo, MS

www.careers.asurion.com Great Employment Opportunities

G IFTS

formerly Okolona Drug Co. • Tab Boren Pottery • Collegiate Items • Hobo Purses • Ronaldo • Baby Gifts & More

210 W. Main Street • Okolona, MS • (662)447-3711

P.O. BOX 417 Okolona, MS 38860

We’ve got all your

home furnishings

903 Varsity Dr. Tupelo, MS

7540 Veterans Hwy. West • Pontotoc, MS 38863

GLASS & OVERHEAD DOORS

H E AT I N G & C O O L N G

Serving Tupelo for 3 Generations

24 Hour Emergency Service

662-844-4540

“Serving Tupelo for 3 Generations”

711 ROBERT E. LEE DR. • TUPELO, MS

“Experience Is The Difference”

FAX:662-620-7754

INSURANCE INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES

662-844-1306

ATV • Life • Health Annuities • RV • Automobile Motorcycle • Home Mobile Home Medicare Supplements

Scott Hancock

Allen Hancock

Monthly Rates Available

HEATER ON THE FRITZ?

Store Fronts • Mirrors Shower Doors • Garage Doors Commercial Doors Hollow Metal Doors

Hancock Insurance Agency

3166 West Jackson, Tupelo, MS

662-489-1176

Fine Furniture, Fabric, & Flooring

I N S U L AT I O N

Member of the QCN Network. Saving You Money And Making You More Comfortable For Over 38 Years Residential & Commercial Insulation, Installation Blown-In Attic Insulation - Blown-in Wall Insulation - Batting www.nsul8or@att.net www.nsul8or.com

at affordable prices.

Mon.-Fri. 9am - 5pm

662-534-2661 720 W. Bankhead St. New Albany

Are You SURE It Can’t Be Fixed?

$ 1255 Nelle Street Tupelo, MS

8 4 4 - 0 2 70

25

OFF

Heating or Cooling System Repair Please present coupon at the time of service. Expires 5/30/16

KENNELS

$

250

OFF

Complete Heat & Air System 15 Seer or Higher

Please present coupon at the time of billing. Expires 5/30/16

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Business Directory

L OCKSMITH

arber Printing, Inc.

NEW & USED SAFES

(662) 842-7720

1219 1⁄2 NELLE STREET • TUPELO

R E A L E S TAT E

PRINTING

MILLER’S SAFE & LOCK SERVICE, INC.

• Safes Serviced & Installed • Locks Installed • Locksets • Combinations Changed • Locks Rekeyed • Lost Keys Replaced • Master Key Systems • High Security Keys AUTO RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL

JULY 2016

PRINTING • GRAPHIC DESIGN • SIGNS BANNERS • BLACK & WHITE/COLOR COPIES

Thinking of Selling Your Home or Property?

We Have Six Full-Time Agents Pontotoc Ridge Realty, Ltd. Who Call MOSSY OAK PROPERTIES OFFICE Pontotoc Home. ISEACH INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

811 A Varsity Dr. • Tupelo, MS • 662.841.1584 8am - 4:30pm • goodimpressions@barberprinting.com

Call Us Today 662-489-2848

R E S TA U R A N T

R E S TA U R A N T

R E S TA U R A N T

Party Trays for all Occasions!

1101 W. Main • Tupelo 842-3774

Ecigs, Mechanical Mods, Vapor Smokes, Tanks/Cartomizers, Ejuice, Blu, V2, Century 21 Ecigs

365-7059

499 Gloster Creek Village, Tupelo, MS 38801 Phone: (662) 844-4888 Fax: (662) 844-3006

R E TA I L

Alternatives to Cigarettes

• Pizza Spaghetti • Salad Bar • Sandwich • Pasta Special Every Thursday

709 S 4th St. • Baldwyn, MS

Mon.-Thurs. 11-10 • Fri.-Sat. 11-11 • Sun. 12-10

ROOFING

W

E E H

R E L

RO

INC.

TECHNOLOGY

OF

Achieve greater network per for mance with less.

ING

“A Family Business Since 1946”

• Residential • Commercial • Industrial FREE Estimates LICENSED & INSURED

411 CLARK ST. ❖ TUPELO ❖ 844-4481

T RUCKING

3637 Peppertown Road Fulton, MS 38834 (662) 862-6497

It's time to get more performance from your network with far less. As in less bandwidth utilization, fewer resources, and less cost.

Y OUR B USINESS C ATERGORY

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE EACH WEEK

CIRCADENCE R&D FACILITY

CDF BUILDING • 398 EAST MAIN ST., 2ND FLOOR • TUPELO, MS 38804 662-821-2500 • www.circadence.com

JOURNAL PUBLISHING COMPANY PRINT

ONLINE

INTERACTIVE

PHILLIP WILBURN

Multimedia/Inside Sales Consultant phillip.wilburn@journalinc.com PO Box 909 Tupelo, MS | 38802-0909 1242 South Green Street Tupelo, MS | 38804

Phone 662.678.1530 or 1.800.270.2614 ext.530 Fax 662.620.8301

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JULY 2016

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JULY 2016

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