Mbj june14 2013

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June 14, 2013 • Vol. 35, No. 24 • $2 • 32 pages

STILL VACANT MBJ FOCUS:

Eight years after Katrina, insurance costs contribute to slow residential growth along Gulf Coast — Page 18

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Limits on bridges limits state’s economic development ... Page 14

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June 14, 2013

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Mississippi Business Journal

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INSIDE MONEY

Several important post-April tax musings

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s another year's tax day filing deadline came and went, several interesting, and potentially significant, tax-related developments surfaced that have a direct or indirect impact on us here in Mississippi. One development took place next door in Louisiana, another here, while the third emanates from Washington, D.C. First, in Baton Rouge in early April, Gov. Bobby Jindal reversed course on a full court press to eliminate the state income tax and various corporate taxes.

Under his proposal, the revenue would have been made up by increasing the sales tax rate and expanding its reach.

While still supporting the concept, Jindal wanted the Louisiana legislature to devise its own plan.

Recently, legislative leaders killed the idea entirely for this year's session.

Many states annually consider changes to their tax codes. However, for the Louisiana plan to replace the lost income tax revenue, the sales tax rate would have to increase significantly, and many exemptions would have to be removed. This created backlash from both the left and the right.

On the one hand, some said that the regressive nature of the sales tax would result in an additional undue burden on those least able to pay. On the other hand, business leaders decried a "new tax,� such as taxation of business services previously exempt. The end result was no change, but lots of acrimony.

Here in Mississippi, our own tax structure is like Louisiana's in certain respects, and we compete with Louisiana for new business all the time. However, there is no major move for a complete revamp of our tax code. Instead, our statewide leaders, from Gov. Phil Bryant and the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) down, deserve great credit for designing a fiscal package of tax breaks and incentives (but with real clawbacks) to land the new Yokohama tire plant for West Point.

This approach of economic development and job creation by partnering with established companies to produce more, and higher-paying, Mississippi jobs (and taxpayers) is a tried-and true approach with a good return on investment. Just ask the more than 40 states that reportedly fought for and lost out on Yokohama, including perhaps our friends next door.

Finally, in Washington, D.C., the "Marketplace Fairness Act" is gaining traction. This bill, just passed by the U.S. Senate, would allow states to collect sales tax from large online retailers just as they do from local brick-and-mortar stores.

While estimates vary widely, one study suggested

Many states annually consider changes to their tax codes.

However, for the Louisiana plan to replace the lost income tax revenue, the sales tax rate would have to increase significantly...

that up to $23 billion in annual sales taxes are uncollected by the states from e-commerce. Whether Mississippi's share is $20 million or $200 million, those are real dollars that could be used for education, health care, transportation or a host of other needs.

Significantly, and importantly, this is not a new tax.

Technically, use tax is due on these purchases anyway,

but the enforcement is very difficult. Also, the bill before Congress has an exemption for small online businesses (less than $1 million in online, out-of-state sales) so as not to deter smalls and start-ups.

This is legislation whose time may have finally come.

Who says tax season ends on April 15th?

John Scott John Scott, CPA, is tax partner at HORNE LLP who has more than 20 years of public accounting experience serving as a tax advisor to corporate, flowthrough and individual clients. Sign up for HORNE Tax Alerts at www.horne-llp.com

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4 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 14, 2013

DISASTER RECOVERY

DERYLL STEGALL / Mississippi Business Journal

Emily Duncan, right, watches as Ashley Norman of Amory puts the finishing touches on a welcome sign leading into Smithville. A federal grant helped pay for new signage in the town, much of which was damaged or destroyed by an EF-5 tornado in April 2011.

Re-election of Smithville mayor signals support for planned growth

By TED CARTER I STAFF WRITER ted.carter@msbusiness.com

SMITHVILLE — The question of whether this tiny community ravaged two years ago by a killer tornado is ready for land-use controls and an annexation strategy received an affirmative answer from voters last Tuesday.

In a campaign seen as an up-or-down vote on his call for comprehensive land-use planning and the annexation of nearby unincorporated parts of Monroe County, incumbent Smithville Mayor Gregg Kennedy defeated opponent Holly Cooley with 161 votes to Cooley’s 49 in the town’s general election.

The victory gave Kennedy his fourth term as mayor. He has previously served three terms as an alderman and has been overseeing the rebuilding of the town after the tornado of April 27, 2011.

“We’ve got the blueprints and the funding to where we want to go,” Kennedy told the Monroe Journal after the vote counting, referring to the rebuilding.

“A lot of decisions had to be made and now we have to put all of our hard work into place. With all the federal and state agencies knowing what this election meant, everyone across the state was watching,” he told Amory-based Journal, Monroe County’s main newspaper.

“We’ve got the blueprints and the funding to where we want to go” Gregg Kennedy Smithville Mayor

DERYLL STEGALL /Mississippi Business Journal

Smithville Mayor Gregg Kennedy.

Elected to the board of aldermen were Earl Wayne Cowley, 155 votes; Jimmy Dabbs, 131 votes; Johnny Snow, 131 votes;

Jim Herren, 120 votes and incumbent Joyce Avery, 114 votes.

Others receiving votes were: incumbent Ruth Whitehead, 89 votes; Kim Johnson, 84 votes; Richard Alred, 66 votes; Byron Coker, 62 votes; and, Sherrell C. Clark, 54 votes.

Smithville’s elected officials are expected to be sworn in at 2 p.m. June 27.

Kennedy received encouragement early in last Tuesday’s voting when turnout in the morning and noon hours matched that typically seen between 3 p.m. and the 7 p.m. poll closings. Kennedy took the turnout as a clear indication he was headed for victory in his first election since an EF-5 tornado swept down Main Street, killing 16 people, destroying nearly half its homes and all but two of its businesses.

Kennedy, who works an early-morningto-afternoon shift at a nearby factory, has led the town’s rebuilding efforts and has steered the town toward implementing a comprehensive land-use plan. He said he sees the election as a “yes-or-no” vote on his hopes for guided growth, including zoning regulations that for the first time would set rules on where buildings can go and what uses for them would be allowed.

In an election day interview, Kennedy said opponent Colley’s promise was to seek to return Smithville to what it was before the EF-5 tornado. Kennedy called that approach a likely death sentence for the onetime town of 850 whose population dwindled by a couple hundred residents after the tornado.

The town still lacks a grocery store but is home to a gleaming new K-12 school that will open in August. The school and the town’s new water well will position Smithville for growth, say the mayor and others involved in the long-range planning.

In the meantime, Kennedy and other town leaders are looking nearly 20 years ahead at the Smithville of 2030. A comprehensive land-use plan adopted for the one-time trading post in February is a blueprint of how land will be used over the next two decades.

The plan has not been without resistance in a region where the same land has customarily passed undisturbed from one generation to the next. The prospect of designating land uses can be unsettling for the folks who own the land, land planners say. Equally unsettling, they say, can be the prospect of encroachment of incompatible land uses.

Mayor Kennedy saw the adoption of the 20-year comprehensive land-use plan as a key accomplishment of a third term in which a slow revival has been underway since the tornado, with new houses and businesses replacing ones claimed that awful ay in late April 2011.

“It’s basically a road map to our future,” Kennedy said early this year.

Kennedy said the town wanted to create a comprehensive land-use plan for years but could not afford the cost of the professional planning help it would require. That changed with a post-tornado grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission that covered the nearly $70,000 cost, he said.

While the plan will remain a loose blueprint until the town adopts a zoning map and ordinance based on the land-use features, it offers the immediate benefit of making Smithville eligible for infrastructure grants and for expansion through annexation.

The State of Mississippi requires incorporated communities to prepare and adopt comprehensive plans that address goals and objectives, housing, land use and public facilities. However, the state has not aggressively enforced the mandate, according to Craig High, a municipal planner with the regional engineering and strategic planning firm of Neel Schafer & Co.

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6 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 14, 2013

CONSUMER PROTECTION

U.S. Supreme Court agrees to settle venue for Hood’s LCD price fixing litigation

By CLAY CHANDLER I STAFF WRITER clay.chandler@msbusiness.com

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed recently to hear a case originating in Mississippi that could determine where future consumer protection litigation is heard.

Attorney General Jim Hood sued in 2011 manufacturers of liquid crystal display screens, accusing them of price-fixing from April 2001 to December 2006. He accused the companies of forcing consumers to pay too much for their products, in violation of the Mississippi Consumer Protection Act. LCD screens are used in computers and televisions.

Hood brought the action in Hinds County Chancery Court, under the parens patriae theory, which allows a state’s top law enforcement officer to sue on behalf of his constituents.

The defendants removed the case from chancery court to Mississippi’s Southern District federal court. In court filings, defendants argued that the Class Action Fairness Act, passed by Congress in 2005, allowed the change in venue because the plaintiffs were the people of Mississippi, not Hood.

The CAFA defines as a “mass action” litigation with a lot of plaintiffs, similar to class action lawsuits. The law allows for the removal of mass actions to federal court.

Hood countered that the case, since it arose out of the parens patriae theory, belonged in federal court. Federal judge Carlton Reeves of Jackson agreed with Hood, and sent the case back to chancery court.

The defendants appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that the case belonged in federal court. The Fifth Circuit is the only federal appeals court to rule that consumer protection litigation brought on behalf of a state belongs in federal court, and not state court.

The appeals court issued a similar ruling relating to consumer protection litigation brought by Louisiana’s attorney general against Allstate Insurance Co. Due to the split, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on May 28 that it would hear the case.

That court had not set a briefing schedule as of Tuesday.

Oral argument will likely occur this fall, since the case is listed is part of the court’s October sitting.

The justices will determine who the actual plaintiff is – Hood, or the people he sued LCD manufacturers on behalf of. Their ruling will likely determine the venue of fu-

ture consumer protection litigation brought under the parens patriae theory.

“We are pleased that the court granted the state’s petition and look forward to having the case heard on the merits,” Hood said Monday in an email to the Mississippi Business Journal. “Corporations have abused federal jurisdiction by using the Class Action Fairness Act to remove consumer actions from state court to federal court. During Senate debate on the Class Action Fairness Act, even the senators supporting the act stated on the record that it would not apply to actions brought by attorneys general. I anticipate a vast majority of attorneys general joining in an amicus brief supporting our position, which three Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals upheld.”

Consumer interest group Public Citizen has filed an amicus brief in support of Hood’s position. The Washington, D.C.-based group was active in the process to pass the CAFA. In the brief, Public Citizen says the removal of parens patriae cases to federal “departs from the plain language and intent” of the law.

Public Citizen’s was only amicus brief listed on the supreme court’s website. The case name is Mississippi ex rel. Hood v. AU Optronics.

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MBJPERSPECTIVE June 14, 2013 • www.msbusiness.com • Page 7

OUR VIEW

At last, funding for roads and bridges are getting their due

Website: www.msbusiness.com June 14, 2013 Volume 35, Number 24

ALAN TURNER Publisher alan.turner@msbusiness.com • 364-1021 ROSS REILY Editor ross.reily@msbusiness.com • 364-1018 WALLY NORTHWAY Senior Writer wally.northway@msbusiness.com • 364-1016 FRANK BROWN Staff Writer/Special Projects frank.brown@msbusiness.com • 364-1022 TED CARTER Staff Writer ted.carter@msbusiness.com • 364-1017 CLAY CHANDLER Staff Writer clay.chandler@msbusiness.com • 364-1015

I

f you’re drawing up a list of “Most Important Things That Occurred in Mississippi’s 2013 Legislature,” save a spot for the Senate leadership’s creation of a task force to explore ways to fix the nearly one-out-ofthree state highways deemed to be in poor or mediocre shape and the one-out-of-four state bridges deemed structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.

The task force decision came as an encouraging offset to the disappointment created by the refusal of key Senate and House committees to allow full consideration of measures designed to help pay for road and bridge upkeep. Spiked were proposals by House Transportation Com-

mittee Chairman Robert Johnson III to add to the state’s 26-year-old 18-cents-a-gallon fuel tax and Sen. Joey Fillingane to tie taxes on casino payouts to the highway fund.

Sen. Fillingane’s bill died in the Senate Finance Committee, a panel chaired by the attorney and 14-year Republican lawmaker from Sumrall.

Rep. Johnson, an attorney and 20-year Democratic legislator from Natchez, proposed adding an amount equal to 6 percent of the wholesale price of gasoline, starting in January 2014. The new tax would’ve been recalculated every six months. In the weeks since the House and Ways and Means Committee killed his bill,

Rep. Johnson has settled on a new revenue source: a sales tax on Internet retail sales.

Though Rep. Johnson and Sen, Fillingane fell short this year, their efforts do show that leaders in both parties see transportation maintenance worthy of expending political capital on.

We won’t know until much later this year what remedies the Senate task force headed by Sen. Willie Simmons, chair of the Senate Highways and Transportation Committee, will propose. When the panel convenes in Jackson on See VIEW, Page 9

STEPHEN MCDILL Staff Writer stephen.mcdill@msbusiness.com • 364-1041 TAMI JONES Advertising Director tami.jones@msbusiness.com • 364-1011

» WORLD VIEW

» OTHER VIEWS

Some good news on Mississippi’s economy

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Because of our high poverty and low educational attainment rates, Mississippi faces greater economic challenges than most states.

We still have the lowest per capita income and lowest per capita economic output of any state, as well as the highest poverty rate.

So when signs of progress are evident, they ought to be celebrated.

Here’s some encouraging news: Our state’s economy grew 2.4 percent in 2012. Not great, but much better than 2011 and nearly even with the nation’s 2.5 percent.

Even more significant, Mississippi was 17th among the 50 states in rate of growth last year. In 2011, by contrast, the state’s economy shrank 1.1 percent, making it one of only five states to be in recession that year.

Since we begin by comparing ourselves with neighboring states, it’s noteworthy also that Mississippi’s growth in 2012 outpaced Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana — all our adjoining neighbors except Tennessee, which grew 3.3 percent.

“We began to see some pretty significant growth for the first time since the recession,” said Darrin Webb, Mississippi’s state economist.

In Northeast Mississippi, as reported at the recent State of the Region meeting, the decline of manufacturing jobs in the region — half were lost between 1995-2010 — has begun to abate. Toyota and its suppliers are partly responsible, but there are other positive developments as well.

It’s clear that the jobs that will make Mississippi a fullfledged participant in a sustained national economic recovery and economically competitive over the long term are those that require higher-level skills. That’s a mantra that can’t be repeated often enough.

It also points to the foundation of whatever economic strength Mississippi will have in the future: our educational system and the educational levels of our people.

Progress on the latter is evident. But as Northeast Mississippi and the rest of the state raise the percentage of the adult populaSee ECONOMY, Page 9

PERSPECTIVE

8 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 14, 2013 » RICKY NOBILE

» MIND OVER MONEY

Hey Guv, maybe it’s old men that’re ruining our kids’ education

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»PERCOLATING

Medicaid funding is not the issue

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s we take this time between Memorial Day and Independence Day to remember “one nation indivisible” and ponder how to salvage that ideal, issues of the day interrupt. Viewing them through the lens of “we the people” might be enlightening.

Medicaid funding in Mississippi is a big issue.

But the wrong focus. Not Medicaid funding but how Mississippi’s working poor can access health care is the real issue, one that lies in the area the Preamble to the Constitution calls “the general Welfare.” As long as we allow leaders to couch this simply as a money issue, the powers that seek to divide us will win out.

Statistics show much of our population to be obese, generally unhealthy, and poor. These statistics apply to large numbers of our working population. Research shows an unhealthy workforce is unproductive, unattractive to industry, and harmful to the state’s economy, a truth public policy in this state has long recognized.

Since 1948 the Workers Compensation Law has required coverage for workers hurt on the job. Since the early 1970s Mississippi has provided Medicaid coverage for the very poor.

And for decades state and local government and schools have provided health insurance for public employees and teachers.

On the other hand, only half of workers in the private sector employer provided health insurance, down from 60 percent in 2000. Most of those without coverage work in low paying jobs.

When uninsured low-wage workers get sick and go to emergency rooms for care, they don’t get free service like the

destitute. They get charged the full rate.

For some, hospitals do work out longterm payouts, but many have their wages garnished or resort to bankruptcy.

This broken process provides a huge incentive for low wage workers to quit and stay home. Many can be better off with no income, instead qualifying for benefits such as rent subsidies, food Bill Crawford stamps, and Medicaid. That’s opposite what our public policy should encourage.

Expanding Medicaid to cover the working poor, as Obamacare proposes, is not the only solution. Mitt Romney built a universal coverage plan for Massachusetts. California, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Illinois, Oregon, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Maine, Vermont, and Pennsylvania pursued other options prior to Obamacare.

It was encouraging to see Gov. Phil Bryant move off his money focus recently and begin to look at non-Medicaid options. At the same time, it was encouraging to see Democrat leaders propose an Arkansas-type Medicaid expansion.

Identifying and researching other options is a first step towards finding common ground. There’s time to do more.

Both sides should agree to hold a special session to reauthorize Medicaid for one year, then work hard together to find a solution to the real issue. That’s the kind of enlightened leadership our founders envisioned.

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

y daughter will be 32 this summer, but she’s still my baby. I’m just so proud of her. Recently, she let me read a proposal she had written for academic research. I was astounded by her command of the English language and her ability to communicate an idea… especially since she had the disadvantage of a working mother most of her growing up years. Poor baby! It’s a wonder she can read at all.

Nancy Anderson All last week, I listened to allmale panels discussing the latest Pew poll about working women and using it to justify their outdated, simplistic views. They make it sound like women are plotting the downfall of society.

No, bubba. All we’re trying to do is get by. Most women who work have little choice in the matter. That was certainly my case when I was faced with a terminally ill husband. And if women improve their lot and make more money than their husbands, more power to them! Most families must contend with rearing children and working to provide for them at the same time. These days, it’s all hands on deck to get the job done.

Now Gov. Bryant suggests our education problems in Mississippi are because women fled the home in droves for the workforce. Well, I guess that lets him off the hook for underfunding education and for failing to find ways to help children and families succeed. If he’s right, then all we need to do is “git” those women back in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant, and magically, our children will regain genius status.

Poverty, undereducated parents, poor family structures, addiction, poorly funded schools, poor quality educators… these are just some of the issues that are part of the complex puzzle of why our education system in Mississippi is so bad.

My daughter is a stable and successful contributing member of society. That is due, in large part, because of the example I set through my own work life. To suggest that working women undermine the education of their children is simple-minded and just plain ignorant. We’ve come a long way, baby! And our baby daughters have come a long way.

Governor, I’d like to propose another reason for the poor education of our children. Old men. Specifically, old men in leadership positions who can’t adjust to a new world. If we could just get more women in office leading the charge for our children, for our families, for our country, what a wonderful world it would be.

Educated children. Stable families. Who knows? Maybe even peace on earth.

Nancy Lottridge Anderson, Ph.D., CFA, is president of New Perspectives Inc. in Ridgeland — (601) 991-3158. She is also an assistant professor of finance at Mississippi College.

Her e-mail address is nanderson@newper.com, and her website is www.newper.com.

PERSPECTIVE

June 14, 2013 I Mississippi Business Journal

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»VIEW FROM THE STENNIS INSTITUTE

» RESPONSE TO PICKERING

Partisanship in municipal elections

Good Jobs First calls Pickering’s statement on Nissan subsidies ‘false and misleading’

T

he 2013 round of municipal elections is behind us and they provided some very interesting scenarios to be considered in greater detail. If there was a story of statewide interest in the elections it would have to be the vigorous and highly orchestrated effort of the Mississippi Republican Party to weigh in on some carefully targeted municipal campaigns.

In the interest of full disclosure, it is appropriate to point out that although I am considered an expert on politics, I am also the father of the mayor of Starkville, Miss.

For “pointy headed academics” in the field of political science one of the scarce components of scientific research is that of highly structured field experiments similar to those that take place in the laboratories of the “hard sciences.” It can be said that in the recent municipal elections that the Republican Party came as close as one can get to providing just such an experimental opportunity.

In an effort to broaden and strengthen party support at the “grassroots,” Republican Party leadership selected four cities to mount an all-out effort to elect Republican mayors in those cities. The four cities chosen were Ocean Springs, Meridian, Starkville and Tupelo.

The Republican project was not a secret; the party widely publicized the effort from the outset. During the respective campaigns the Republicans held fundraisers, put out the call for volunteers from all over the state to come to Jackson and join phone banks, created and sent direct mail pieces, and perhaps most significantly of all, dispatched the governor, lieutenant governor, and members of Congress to the four targeted cities to join in the campaigns.

There is much to be gleaned from this experiment in bringing partisan politics to the municipal level. Before speculating on some of the potential lessons learned from this effort it should be noted that the Democratic Party candidate won in each of the targeted cities. A number of curiosities can be associated with these outcomes.

First, the question arises as to whether it was indeed advisable for the Republicans to attempt such a highly publicized effort at bringing the partisan divide into prominence at the level of municipalities. From the perspective of party-building, the Republican efforts were entirely legitimate. While the Republican Party has done quite well in capturing the legislative branch and statewide elected offices, Democratic Party viability still exists at the county and municipal level. Thus, it is only logical that Republican Party chairman and crew target municipal elections as the next battleground for party politics in Mississippi.

A second lesson learned has to do with the perceived place for hyper-partisan politics in the fabric of municipal elections. These elections are fought, sometimes fiercely, over the array, quality and cost of services that contribute to or detract from the quality of life in

VIEW

Continued from Page 7

June 12 and June 13, its membership will include chairs of key Senate committees, key state department and agency heads and representatives of such organizations as the Mississippi Economic Council, Farm Bureau Federation, Manufacturing Association and Truckers Association.

Rep. Johnson won’t be there, however. He says he declined an invitation from Chairman Simmons to serve, having become convinced the task force ultimately will ask the Legislature to put any new dedicated revenue sources to a statewide referendum.

“That’s the easy way out,” Rep. Johnson says.

He is correct, of course. Such a route would give legislators elected to make tough decisions a plausible way to avoid that responsibility.

In two decades in the Legislature, Rep. Johnson has most likely learned some pre-emptive strategies. We hope that is what he is doing here, knowing well that predicting such an outcome could steer the task force away from fulfilling his prediction.

Our impression, too, is that Chairman Simmons is far too

a community. Water, sewers, police, fire, streets, and recreation among many others are not issues readily able to be affected by Republican Marty Wiseman or Democratic solutions. Indeed, in every city these and related issues manifest themselves in vastly different and unique ways, and thus are not subject to “patent medicine” policy positions of the respective political parties.

A third lesson expressed quite frequently was one of resentment of outside efforts to influence local government. Municipal government and the requisite elections take place among friends and neighbors who often share the same church pew. Republicans and Democrats alike have been heard to object to intrusion of outsiders into elections that would decide the direction taken by a municipality for four years after the party operatives left town.

A fourth, and perhaps unexpected and certainly unintended, consequence of the Republican plan was an answer to a “call to arms” by a heretofore somewhat anemic Democratic Party. Democrats in the four targeted cities became organized and hit the streets and telephones in numbers that have not been seen in many years. The oft-spoken sentiment among Democrats is that there may be some significant grassroots Democratic support in this state after all. At the state level both the Democratic Party and the Democratic Trust contributed significantly to the publicity and fundraising efforts in the targeted cities.

In the end it is hard to see that the efforts to introduce an increased level of partisan politics at the municipal level took hold. In Tupelo where 37-year old Democrat Jason Shelton became the first Democrat in 28 years to win the office of mayor a number of notable Republicans prominently crossed party lines to vote for Shelton. By contrast, in Starkville three African-American Democratic elected officials actively campaigned for the Republican mayoral candidate and participated in a Republican fundraiser featuring Gov. Phil Bryant. Indeed, it would come as little surprise if one or all three of these officials announced their decisions to switch from the Democratic to the Republican Party in the next few weeks.

In summary, the efforts of the Republican Party to bifurcate local issues by party, while logical as a party building strategy, nevertheless demonstrated that municipalities are perhaps not quite ready for partisan politics to steer the course of municipal services. The next round of municipal elections will tell us a great deal as to whether the Republican and Democratic Party hierarchies are indeed fixtures in grassroots municipal elections.

Dr. William Martin WisemanisdirectoroftheJohnC.StennisInstituteofGovernmentandprofessorofpoliticalscienceatMississippiStateUniversity.Contacthimat marty@sig.msstate.edu.

passionate about this issue to punt it away. The Cleveland senator talks in detail about the transportation changes that have occurred in the two-and-a-half decades since the 18-cents levy went into place. Among them: More cars, heavier loads, vehicles with better fuel consumption and a dwindling of federal dollars.

Those changes have assuredly rendered the funding status quo inadequate, he says.

Further, Sen. Simmons makes clear he has set a priority on finding a way to increase investment in maintaining one of the state’s major economic engines – the four-lane highways that crisscross Mississippi today.

We have those highways today thanks to the foresight of legislators in 1987 who passed the gasoline levy over a gubernatorial veto and the ones who voted in 1994 to renew it to an openended status.

Those lawmakers set the bar. The question is whether their current-day counterparts can rise up to meet it. Creation of the task force gives us cause to think they just might.

The department’s standard maintenance policy of completing systemwide overlays every 10 years – 10 percent per year –

A Response to Stacey Pickering: “We were surprised to read Stacey Pickering’s attack on our report about the $1.3 billion in subsidies made available to Nissan in connection with its assembly operations in Mississippi. The surprise was both at who wrote the article and what it said. Why is the Mississippi State Auditor responding to a report that criticized a private corporation and said nothing negative about his office?

“Pickering takes pains to point out that his office has been auditing Nissan’s employment figures since the plant opened and that the company has met the minimum requirements mandated by its agreement with the state.” » Read complete response at www.msbusiness.com

» CORRECTION The final two paragraphs of a story in the May 31, 2013, issue headlined “Internet retail sales tax seen as option for road, bridge maintenance” misidentified state Rep. Robert Johnson, chairman of the House Transportation Committee.

The Mississippi Business Journal takes seriously its responsibility to provide accurate information, and will correct or clarify articles produced by the editorial department if we have made an error or published misleading information. The correction will be placed in the perspective section.

If you see inaccuracies in Mississippi Business Journal news stories, please report the mistake via e-mail at editor@msbusiness.com.

ECONOMY

Continued from Page 7

tion with a high school diploma and some college, so does the nation, and we still trail.

As for the education system itself, new rigor, a higher degree of accountability and the coming Common Core curriculum hold out hope that signs of progress will be sustained.

The chief reason Mississippi still lags economically, in spite of progress, is its legacy of undervaluing education until the last few decades. The only way to catch up is to value it as much — or more — than anybody else.

has fallen to 3 percent per year because higher per-mile costs are overwhelming available revenue.

The cost is $250,000 or more per mile, compared to about $75,000 per mile in 1987, MDOT Tupelo District engineer Bill Jamieson said last week.

Changing the numbers is not up to staff member but falls to the Legislature and elected officials from the governor down through the Transportation Commission.

As some longtime highway advocates have said, the essential element that hasn’t come forward as in 1987 is the statewide business community. Its support must be visible and vocal.

In the 1913 budget (this fiscal year) MDOT asked for $181 million for highway maintenance and is asking for $190 million in the 2014 budget.

The cost sounds daunting but it is a drop in the bucket compared to where costs could rise if adequate maintenance is indefinitely delayed.

The 1987 program was a big bullet for the Legislature to bite, but it saw the need and exercised its will, to extraordinary effect.

That story must continue to save the investment.

NEWSMAKERS

10 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 14, 2013 Profiles of growing young professionals in Mississippi

Age: 23 Marketing and Community Outreach Coordinator, The Face & Body Center

Keeping our eye on... CAROLINE FOX Hattiesburg native Caroline Fox moved to Jackson the day after graduating from the University of Mississippi with a degree in hospitality management.

Interested in social and referral marketing, Fox has already gained experience at Capitol City institutions like The Country Club of Jackson and the Fairview Inn. Co-workers call Fox the Face & Body Center’s “cheerleader.” Her work at the Flowood cosmetic and reconstructive surgery clinic includes handling in-bound referrals from other doctors and hospitals and traveling the state to promote the business. She also oversees the clinic’s community involvement and cross-promotes its full-service spa.

“Staying connected within the community is one of the

best ways to maintain success in any business,” Fox says.

Fox also volunteers for the Tackle-A-Cure breast cancer awareness campaign and enjoys playing singles and doubles tennis on several USTA teams.

“When I first moved to Jackson, getting involved in tennis leagues was the best way to meet people in the area so I joined as many teams as possible,” Fox says.

“Be persistent,” Fox advises young professionals. “Don’t give up on what you have set to accomplish. It may take time to find that dream job but hard work will pay off.”

MC honors Tipton, Miller

trict 30 Coach of the Year three times, GCAC Coach of the Year five times, and has been named Clarion Ledger Mississippi Coach of the Year twice. In 20022003, he served his coaching colleagues as president of the NABC-NAIA Men's Basketball Coaches Association. He was also named the GCAC Athletics Director of the Year four times, selected as the NAIA Region XIII Athletic Director of the Year in 20032004, and as General Sports Turf Systems Athletics Director of the Year - NAIA Southeast Region.

Knight earned his B.S. from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1979 and his M.Ed. from Carey in 1982. Since 1996 Knight has served as an assistant professor for physical education at Carey. He has been married to wife, Regina, for 32 years, and they have two daughters, Shanna and Lindsay, and three grandsons, Christian, Brayden and Jackson.

Shirley Tipton, executive secretary to the dean in Mississippi College’s School of Education, is the newest recipient of the university’s Van “Doc” Quick Outstanding Staff Award. A 1987 Mississippi College graduate, Tipton, who grew up in Jackson, worked for the state’s vocational rehabilitation program and was active with the Mississippi Coalition of Citizens for Disabilities. She’s written grants to help Miller people with learning disabilities.

Tipton’s talents have been utilized on vital university committees. She served as the staff representative on the Quality Enhancement Plan Steering Committee. In her spare time, the MC graduate enjoys quilting, needlework and traveling is another one of her passions.

Tipton Also, David Miller, an English teacher at Mississippi College for more than two decades, is MC’s Distinguished Professor of the Year.

Miller graduated summa cum laude from Nyack College. The Mississippi resident also received a master’s degree and doctorate from Baylor University. Traveling, cooking, writing and reading are some of the things he truly enjoys doing in his spare time.

Conference honors Knight Steve Knight, athletics director and head men’s basketball coach at William Carey University, was named the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) Athletic Director of the Year at the annual SSAC awards banquet. Knight, who began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Carey in the spring of 1981 and became head men’s basketball coach in 1982, just completed his 31st season at WCU. In 1987, Knight took on dual responsibilities as WCU athletics director. In 2010, Knight earned the honor as the state of Mississippi's all-time winningest coach at the same four-year institution. He currently is ranked 16th among NAIA all-time active coaches with 537 career wins. Knight’s Crusader teams have compiled 14 20-plus win seasons, captured six GCAC championships, six District 30 championships, one SSAC divisional title and have competed in seven NAIA national tournaments. Knight was named NAIA Dis-

Best thing about Mississippi: Warm weather Best Mississippi event: Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford Favorite Mississippi food: Fried chicken and mashed potatoes Favorite hangouts: Julep, Ely’s and Lake Caroline Childhood dream job: Dolphin trainer First job ever: Lifeguard at Canebrake Country Club in Hattiesburg Favorite TV show: “The Voice” Favorite movie: All Disney movies Favorite music: Country and pop Bucket List: “I would love to go skydiving one day and stay at the Monte Carlo Hotel in Monaco.”

Twitter handle: @foxcaroline

— By Stephen McDill

Thriffiley named director-liaison Lhay Browning Thriffiley has been chosen as the new director-liaison for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Thriffiley is a graduate of the master of science in economic development program at Southern Miss, where she excelled in graduate level classes in grant writing, nonprofit leadership and administration studies. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with an emphasis in arts-based program development, creating a children’s summer camp program as her senior capstone. She was previously employed with the university as a special projects coordinator, developing funding and organizing activities for the Hattiesburg Concert Association and the Symphony Orchestra. While in graduate school, she worked as a freelance writer for Mississippi Legends magazine, later completing community development and research-related projects for the Mississippi Main Street Program, Mississippi Arts Commission and Mississippi Development Authority.

Thriffiley is a Mississippi native who has lived in Hattiesburg for nearly 20 years. Prior to pursuing a career in non-profit work, she worked as a professional musician, songwriter and actress as well as a custom drapery designer. She is actively involved with the Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood Association, and volunteers with local musicians and artists to help them reach career development goals.

Rosenblatt gets appointment Trustmark names VPs TEC has appointed John Rosenblatt as systems engineer at LecNet Inc. in Jackson. In this role, Rosenblatt will be responsible for the provisioning and maintenance of broadband communication services and systems. Rosenblatt brings with him several years of experience in the technology industry.

He currently resides in Madison with his wife, Megan, and Rosenblatt daughters, Ada and Ihrie.

Taylor given extension The Greenville School Board has given a three-year extension to for Superintendent Leeson Taylor II. The Delta Democrat Times reports Taylor's salary will be $140,000 a year. Taylor's contract will now run through June 30, 2016.

Last June, Taylor was appointed to the position and given a one-year contract. He had served as interim superintendent after Harvey Franklin resigned in May.

MSU advisors recognized Two Mississippi State academic advisors are being recognized by the National Academic Advising Association for significant contributions to the improvement of academic advising. Tim Fancher, an academic coordinator with the University Academic Advising Center, and Caroline Cooper, academic records assistant in the art department, are selections for 2013 NACADA Certificates of Merit. They and other honorees will be recognized formally later this year at the organization's annual conference in Salt Lake City.

Fancher, a 1990 MSU history graduate, has worked with undeclared majors for more than a decade. The Kosciusko resident is being recognized for his achievements in the primary advising award category.

Earlier this year, Fancher was recognized with MSU's Irvin Atly Jefcoat Excellence in Advising Staff Award.

Achievements by Cooper, who joined the university in 2010, were recognized in the competition's new advisor category. A native of Ayden, N.C., she is a 2004 interior design graduate of East Carolina University. She said her background in art and design has helped her work with students as they plan professional careers in the arts.

Foster Kennedy has joined Trustmark National Bank as vice president of corporate banking where he serves as a commercial relationship manager. Kennedy is a native of Jackson and currently resides in Madison. He earned a bachelor of accountancy and a master’s of taxation from Mississippi State University. He is a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and Stewpot Ministry Services. Kennedy and his wife, Helveston Brandon, have two children.

Also, Campbell Helveston has been named senior vice president at Trustmark National Bank in Meridian. With over 10 years of experience in the financial industry, he is a commercial relationship manager. A native of West Point, Helveston earned a bachelor of arts degree in jour- Kennedy nalism with an emphasis in public relations from the University of Mississippi. He is currently attending the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. Helveston is a board member for United Way, finance chairman and executive board member for the Meridian Little Theatre and is a board member and past president for the Meridian Ole Miss Club. He is married to the former Suzanne Herron, and they have two children.

Simpson earns award Dr. Kimberly Simpson, a neuroscientist and associate professor of neurobiology and anatomical sciences at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, has received UMMC’s inaugural Regions Bank TEACH Prize. The Toward Educational Advancement in Care and Health Prize includes a $10,000 check and recognizes a faculty member who engages students, challenges them intellectually and demonstrates dedication to the craft of education.

Simpson holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience and lives with her husband and two children in Brandon.

For announcements in Newsmakers; Contact: Wally Northway (601) 364-1016 • wally.northway@msbusiness.com

June 14, 2013

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Photos by Stephen McDill / MBJ

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: Pentimento Books Pentimento Books Address: 302 Jefferson Street, Clinton Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 AM - 6 PM Phone: (601) 924-2665 Website: pentimentobooks.com

“A SENTENCE OF DEATH” » Madison doctor explores JFK assassination in chilling thriller

LEFT: Pentimento’s staff includes (left to right) Tammy Smith, Tillman, and Moriah Chitwood. Tillman credits her neighboring business owners and the city’s Main Street program for keeping the street alive.

From Faulkner to ‘Goodnight Moon’ » Clinton book retailer is a must-visit for Mississippi readers

By STEPHEN McDILL I STAFF WRITER stephen.mcdill@msbusiness.com

W

hen Debbie Amacker Tillman was growing up in small town Mississippi, one of her favorite things to do was read.

“We had a bookmobile which was the thrill of the week in Pelahatchie,” Tillman says. After her family moved to Natchez, not a week went by when she couldn’t be found reading at the downtown public library.

As the owner of Pentimento Books in Clinton’s historic Old Towne shopping district, Tillman says she still gets excited when discovering a first-edition book.

“A lady came in and had a 15-volume set of Harvard Classics from 1917,” she says, her voice brimming with anticipation. The popular liberal arts anthology includes

11

works by Plato, Dante, Machiavelli and many other classical history authors.

Named after an Italian word describing when an artist “repents” and makes an alteration to his work, Pentimento specializes in out-of-print, first edition, and vintage books.

The store was opened in 2005 near the corner of Leake and Jefferson streets by Toni Wall and Tillman said the entire block has grown ever since.

Tillman, a Millsaps College graduate with a background in advertising, says when Wall decided to scale back and spend more time with her family, she sold her inventory to Tillman and arranged a turn-key ownership so the book store could stay in operation.

“She was just a great book buyer,” Tillman says. “She knew children’s literature and Southern writers. I hated to see that part of Old Towne disappear.”

The Pentimento shelves are stocked with children’s classics like “Goodnight Moon” and first editions by John Grisham, Greg Iles, Willie Morris and Eudora Welty. Other varieties range from classics in literature to world history.

Recent books that Tillman has discovered include quirky and interesting subjects like Chinese foot binding, birding, organ playing and the chemical properties of concrete.

While Tillman admits she has a long way to go as a book dealer, her background in marketing helped keep business churning for the store’s niche customers.

Tillman expanded the store’s hours to include Monday, a day when most of eclectic Old Towne is closed. She also tries to promote the store as a great place to buy books for families with young readers (“That’s probably 20 percent of our business.”) as well as the town’s thriving Mississippi College population. MC student Moriah Chitwood is currently growing Pentimento’s presence online through social media websites.

“The biggest challenge is obvi-

By STEPHEN McDILL I STAFF WRITER stephen.mcdill@msbusiness.com

Everyone remembers where they were the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated, November 22, 1963.

Robert Shows says his junior high chemistry class in south Mississippi partially erupted in cheers when the intercom announced that the president had been shot in Dallas.

“Kennedy was really hated in the South, especially in Mississippi,” Shows says. “The reaction was jubilation with some students. Some were crying. Most were cheering.”

More interested in sports than politics at the time, Shows says he neither cheered nor cried as he wondered whether he would make the basketball team that semester.

After earning his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Mississippi, the Madison physician practiced in the medical corps of the U.S. Army First Cavalry Division and currently specializes in primary and urgent care with MEA Medical Clinics in Byram.

As the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination approaches, Shows revisits the event in his new novel “A Sentence of Death: Words that Killed a President.”

A writer and history buff for more than 20 years, Shows’ offers a “what might have been” scenario that while fictitious is certainly plausible at least to more than 70 percent of Americans who think that a conspiracy at some level led to the killing of President Kennedy.

“What I did is take the points of historical fact, the events before, during and after the assassination and connect those for a plausible scenario for a possible conspiracy,” he says.

Shows tells the story of three FBI agents who share a terrible secret, one that involves the Mafia, the presidential motorcade route through Dallas and a Communist activist named Lee Harvey Oswald.

See

See

PENTIMENTO, Page 26

JFK, Page 26

12 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 14, 2013

CONSTRUCTION and MANUFACTURING

Parade of new plants, expansions point to building materials rebound » Growing demand seen bringing suppliers back into Mississippi

By TED CARTER I STAFF WRITER ted.carter@msbusiness.com

Brickyard executive Ed Thebaud hasn’t seen much to signal a rebound in the brick and tile business in Mississippi and other Southeastern states. But he says he is encouraged to see some of the lingering gloom of Mississippi’s construction materials sector erased by new companies ready to set up shop here, expand here or even restart operations shut down amid the building slump four years ago.

“I don’t know exactly what they’re looking at,” said Thebaud, general manager of Columbus Brick Co. He theorized, however, that “so much has gone away that they now are seeing an opportunity to replace capacity.”

A most likely driver, Thebaud said, is multi-family residential construction, a sector that he noted is up 26 percent nationally.

“In Mississippi, we’re seeing the same thing.”

Next year, multi-family is expected to climb 36 percent nationally, he said.

Unfortunately for Columbus Brick Co., Mississippi’s last remaining brick and tile manufacturer, multi-family builders are prone to product switching and increasingly rely on stucco and wood, he said, though he is confident his sector at some point will thrive again.

“We like to think brick is timeless.”

As 2013 got underway, commercial construction economist Anirban Basu predicted much of the construction expansion nationally will be associated with private financing. Signs are some of that is occurring in Mississippi, according to Buddy Edens, president AND CEO of Mississippi Associated Builders and Contractors.

“It’s been really interesting that we have seen some small private projects go out,” said Edens, whose organization in Mississippi and nationally represents non-union “open shop” contractors and builders.

“Not only the banks but the private investors are starting to do some stuff.”

In a welcome change, he said, “There seems to be more projects out to bid right now.”

Looking at increases of around 5 percent in overall building materials costs, Edens said he is hardly surprised in the new interest in Mississippi from building-supply companies. “This is to be expected as demand grows,” he said. “I think it is why suppliers are coming back into the state.”

Above all, Edens added, “This is a good indicator for the Mississippi economy.”

Thebaud said he thinks prolonged production slowdowns have led to a decline in capacity that companies plan to fill by starting operations in Mississippi. Among them are plywood panel maker Natron Wood Products and fiber-based insulation maker Roxul Inc. “I don’t know exactly what they’re looking at,” Thebaud said, though he theorized that “so much has gone away that they now are see-

ing an opportunity to replace capacity.”

Oregon-based Natron Wood Products is making a $10million investment in setting up operations in a vacant 250,000-square-foot building in Louisville. It plans to hire 200 workers as it begins making plywood panels.

Todd Alberts, attorney for Natron Woods, said in an interview last week that the company, which operates as Jasper Wood Products in Jasper, Ore., had been looking at Mississippi for a while. A combination of persuasiveness on the part of the Mississippi Development Authority and a belated rise in demand led Natron Woods to make the investment, Alberts said.

Roxul Inc., subsidiary of Denmark-based Rockwool International and a manufacturer of stone wool insulation products, recently announced a $130-million investment to build and equip a plant in Byhalia, where it plans to put 150 people to work.

The plant in the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park in Marshall County will be Roxul’s first in the United States.

Trent Ogilvie, president of Roxul, attributed the expansion to double-digit sales growth throughout North America. “The new facility will will ensure we can meet our customers' growing demands in North America,” he said in a press statement.

Meanwhile, Shamrock Plank Flooring, a division of Shannon Lumber, has been in the state since 1983 and is expanding manufacturing operations into a 62,900square-foot facility formerly occupied by Stylecraft Lamps in Hernando. The manufacturer of high-end hardwood

flooring plans to hire 25 workers for the new plant. Its main Mississippi operation is in Horn Lake, where the company has 140 employees.

Shamrock’s need to meet rising demand for hardwood boards brought about the decision to invest $1 million in the Hernando expansion, said Jennie Brown, administrative officer.

“We’re sending it all around the country,” she said in an interview. “Our customers are large distributors.”

This week, ceiling tile maker CertainTeed announced a revival of operations in Meridian at a plant it shut down in 2009 after commercial orders dropped off significantly.

The restart and $24-million upgrade of the plant’s equipment will put 110 people to work over the next three years.

The company says it hopes to resume operations in the second quarter of 2014.

CertainTeed, based in Valley Forge, Pa., is a division of French building supply conglomerate Saint-Gobain. It decided to invest in reopening and modernizing the Meridian plant after increased product demands created a tightening of capacity at the other plant in L’Anse, Mich, said Skip Skaggs, director of existing business for the Mississippi Development Authority “That gave them the signal that this recovery does have legs,” he said.

While not directly related to construction materials, the furniture and home furnishing sector is making investments in Mississippi, a circumstance Skaggs attributes at least partly to increased building.

Mississippi expansions in the sector announced this year include Advanced Innovations East, a subsidiary of Sleep Innovations. It said last month it will invest $4 million on a 108,000-square-foot expansion in the Martin North Lee Industrial Complex in Baldwyn. The company expects to hire 50 workers.

The new expansion includes a warehouse and distribution facility, and will focus on the development of new products using the company’s memory foam technology, the MDA says.

United Furniture Industries said in late May that it will expand operations at its manufacturing facility in Nettleton. The project represents an investment of $277,000 and will add 100 jobs to its workforce of 400 employees.

The company makes upholstered furniture including chairs, recliners, sofas and loveseats, sectionals and more. It is the exclusive U.S. manufacturer of Simmons Upholstery.

The company also has two manufacturing facilities in Okolona, and one manufacturing facility and a distribution center in Amory.

Ashley Furniture is adding a new location with a move into a 275,000-square-foot facility on a 35-acre site in the Tupelo-Lee Industrial Park South in Verona. The company will use its new Verona plant, formerly occupied by Morgan Fabrics, to manufacture sleepers and mattresses. It expects to hire 60 workers.

Ashley also maintains manufacturing operations in Ecru and Ripley that employ more than 3,000 people.

The MDA’s Skaggs said his agency will continue to focus on industries that are in some fashion complementary to the state and region’s timber industry, The string of new plant announcements and expansions developed slowly over the past few years.

Skaggs said the first indications of a change came when companies ceased layoffs, followed by adding a lot of overtime. “Then we heard from companies that they were considering capital investments,” he said.

Before long, companies such as Natron Wood Products began expressing interest in a new plant. In this instance, Natron settled on the former Georgia-Pacific plant in Louisville.

June 14, 2013

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TECHNOLOGY

Digital digits » Woman-owned Brandon firm merges biometrics and smartphone technology

By STEPHEN McDILL I STAFF WRITER stephen.mcdill@msbusiness.com

Fingerprints probably haven’t changed much over the years but the technology that collects and stores them sure has.

Long gone are the days when “getting printed” meant rolling fingers through messy ink onto cards and watching as the prints are carefully dried and filed away in a large binder or metal drawer.

Today, childcare facilities, hospitals and law enforcement agencies use biomet- Rains ric mobile applications that work on popular smartphones to scan fingerprints and immediately search massive online databases for the print’s proper identification and any potential criminal records.

“The real identification of a person is found in biometrics,” says Carolyn Rains, president of Automation Designs & Solutions (AD&S).

The Brandon biometrics company specializes in identity management by selling software that captures and sends fingerprints to the state Crime Information Center, a database managed by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.

Rains’ interest in computers began in the 1980s when she was developing investment modeling software for Lamar Life Insurance for the then revolutionary personal computer. Along with her husband, Rains also worked as a consultant for public schools, healthcare providers and municipalities helping them transform their offices from paper to computer.

“One of the first pieces we developed was for municipal courts,” Rains says.

“Back then there was only a paper trail.

(Someone) could have had a hundred parking tickets but you wouldn’t have known that.” There was also no state repository for criminal background checks; if local police really needed something they usually turned to the FBI. Mississippi didn’t get its first criminal background system until 1996, according to Rains.

When it came to fingerprints, Rains says she suggested early on that state agencies look at the Internet for encryption and transcription solutions. “I got laughed out of the office from Information Technology Services to the Attorney General’s office,” she

What is biometrics?

Think of the last James Bond or James Bourne movie you saw. It probably had the clichéd retinal or thumbprint scan scene that’s common in most spy movies. Such scans are referred to in the security industry as biometrics: The use of physical features to authenticate an identity and match it with corresponding data records.

There are five principal biometric systems or modalities that can be verified through scanning — fingerprints, retinal scans, palm scans, voice recognition and facial recognition.

Biometric hardware and software is often used in banks, data centers and public utility and military installations.

Revenues for the industry have reportedly doubled in the last five years according to the International Biometrics Group with the largest share going to conventional and automated live-scan fingerprinting.

Kathleen Erickson with San Antoniobased Fulcrum Biometrics says the biometrics distributor recently won a grant to develop a next-generation mobile device that is “hardware agnostic” and will work on Apple iOS, Android and Windows Mobile.

“Our idea was the product could be used where mobile ID is important,” Erickson says. Such low-cost solutions could help law enforcement identity fugitives, replace ticket systems at amusement parks and assist microfinance groups in identifying illiterate people groups around of the world. says. “It was hilarious to them.”

With the advent of biometrics in the late 1990s and its later infusion into pop culture via successful crime shows like “CSI” and “NCIS,” industries started warming to the potentials of the technology.

“One of the first areas was the childcare facilities,” Rains said. Fingerprints were needed to do criminal background checks on all employees and it was a big inconven-

STEPHEN MCDILL / The Mississippi Business Journal

ABOVE: The i3digID Mini live-scanner is replacing standard ink and card fingerprinting kits in criminal background checks. Job applicants can simply roll their fingers onto the glass and the prints are digitized, compressed and checked against a secure database.

AD&S has sent them to school districts, healthcare facilities and childcare facilities where background checks are needed.

LEFT: The Fulcrum FbF MobileOne Cradle is a lightweight, portable biometric thumb scanner that works with iPhone and iPod Touch mobile devices.

Brandon biometrics company AD&S is currently promoting an FBI-endorsed pilot program that would deploy several of the scanners free of charge to local law enforcement.

ience waiting for results since cards were inked or rolled by hand and mailed off to various agencies “Before we had to fingerprint them and send the health department the card and let them scan them in,” says Julie Weeks, assistant director the Crossgates Methodist Children’s Center in Brandon. “It was a two to four week process to get the letter back that says they are cleared. It took forever.” Rains sold the facility specially-designed software called FingerPro ID that digitizes fingerprint cards and sends them off more efficiently.

Health care facilities have also taken advantage of AD&S biometrics. “There was a felon working in a major hospital that had a 12-page rap sheet including sexual and aggravation assault,” Rains says. “The health department notified the FBI and the police arrested him.”

Retired Harrison County deputy sheriff Marie Lizana performs background checks on all employees of Gulfport Memorial Hospital using the AD&S-supplied i3 digID Mini live-scanner. The device does a complete ten-point scan of a job applicant’s fingerprints using glass and built-in cameras.

“This is working quite well. We see a lot of people over the year and this little machine we have is doing a great job for us,” Lizana says. “It’s fast, easy, no mess and accurate.”

AD&S provides biometric machines for companies ranging from defense contractors like Northrop Grumman Corp. to a small Atlanta airliner to more than 40 schools districts. In one district, a school cafeteria manager was discovered to have been guilty of embezzlement while in a separate case a cafeteria worker had a murder charge in their file.

The most obvious application for biometrics is of course law enforcement. “In Mississippi, we have so much property crime from car theft to burglary and crime scene investigators can lift the prints and process them in their smartphones,” Rains says.

The latest biometrics project on the horizon for AD&S is a proposed pilot program that would make Fulcrum FbF mobileOne thumb scanners available to law officers across Mississippi. The devices normally retail between $500-600 but would be deployed free of charge by AD&S under a program managed by the FBI and the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.

“Fulcrum is working with us. We will furnish the devices,” Rains says. “The FBI is pushing the program with all the states.”

14 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 14, 2013

TRANSPORTATION / ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

POSTED!

• SR 178 over John’s Creek (Bridge no. 11735) • SR 178 over relief slough (Bridge no. 11736) • SR 178 over unnamed stream (Bridge no. 11737) • SR 178 over Tombigbee River (Bridge no. 11768) • SR 178 over Tombigbee River relief (Bridge no. 11771) • SR 178 over Tombigbee River relief (Bridge no. 11772) • SR 363 over Mantachie Creek (Bridge no. 11775)

» State has more than 200 weight-limited bridges

Jackson County • SR 57 over Red Creek (Bridge no. 11831) Jasper County • SR 513 over Souinlovie Creek relief (Bridge no.

11900) • SR 513 over Souinlovie Creek (Bridge no. 11901) • SR 513 over unnamed stream (Bridge no. 11902) • SR 513 over Algood Creek (Bridge no. 11909) • SR 528 over Bogue Homa Creek (Bridge no. 11914)

BY WALLY NORTHWAY I STAFF WRITER wally.northway@msbusiness.com

Motorists hardly notice them, but posted bridges are a concern for commercial vehicles and can be a hindrance to economic development and a transportation safety issue.

Posted bridges are not structurally deficient or obsolete. However, they have a limit to their weight-bearing capacity, and vehicles exceeding that limit can cause structural damage.

While posted bridges are scattered across the state, the majority are in the north. As example, there are only two posted bridges in the three coastal counties of Hancock, Harrison and Jackson combined, while Chickasaw County alone has more than a dozen.

Below is a list of all of Mississippi’s 200plus posted bridges per the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

Amite County • SR 571 over unnamed stream (Bridge no. 10160) • SR 571 over Miller Creek (Bridge no. 10161) Attala County • SR 12 over Indian Creek (Bridge no. 10176) Benton County • SR 7 over Indian Creek (Bridge no. 10277) • SR 7 over Gray’s Creek tributary (Bridge no. 10279) • SR 7 over Gray’s Creek (Bridge no. 10280) • SR 7 over Wolf River (Bridge no. 10281) • SR 178 over Peachahalee Creek (Bridge no. 10248) • SR 178 over Cox Branch (Bridge no. 10255) • SR 178 over Oaklimeter Creek (Bridge no. 10256) • SR 704 over Gray’s Creek (Bridge no. 10283) Bolivar County • SR 32 over Bogue Phalia (Bridge no. 10310) • SR 448 over Clear Creek (Bridge no. 10319) • SR 448 over Stillwater Bayou (Bridge no. 10322) • SR 448 over Pecan Bayou (Bridge no. 10339) Coahoma County • U.S. 278 over Cassidy Bayou (Bridge no. 10785) Carroll County • U.S. 51 over relief opening (Bridge no. 10439) • U.S. 51 over relief opening (Bridge no. 10440) • U.S. 51 over unnamed creek (Bridge no. 10445) • U.S. 51 over relief opening (Bridge no. 10446) • U.S. 51 over relief opening (Bridge no. 10447) • U.S. 51 over Peachahala Creek (Bridge no. 10448) Chickasaw County • SR 8 over Houlka Creek (Bridge no. 10512) • SR 8 over Houlka Creek relief (Bridge no. 10513)

This map of posted bridges, taken from the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s website, shows all of Mississippi’s posted bridges. While they are scattered across the state, the map clearly illustrates that most of these capacity-limited structures are located in North Mississippi.

• SR 8 over Houlka Creek relief (Bridge no. 10515) • SR 8 over Sand Creek (Bridge no. 10518) • SR 8 over Long Creek (Bridge no. 10519) • SR 245 over Tallabinnela Creek tributary (Bridge no.

10496) • SR 245 over Tallabinnela Creek tributary (Bridge no.

10497) • SR 245 over Tallabinnela Creek tributary (Bridge no.

10498) • SR 245 over Tallabinnela Creek tributary (Bridge no.

10499) • SR 245 over Tallabinnela Creek (Bridge no. 10500) • SR 245 over Tallabinnela Creek relief (Bridge no.

10501) • SR 245 over Willgo Creek (Bridge no. 10502) • SR 389 over Chewawah Creek (Bridge no. 10563) • SR 389 over Cane Creek (Bridge no. 10568)

Choctaw County • SR 415 over Fannie Bowie Creek (Bridge no. 10606) Clarke County • SR 18 over Archusa Creek (Bridge no. 10692) • SR 145 over Rockey Creek (Bridge no. 10678) • SR 512 over unnamed stream (Bridge no. 10697) • U.S. 11 over unnamed stream (Bridge no. 10662) Clay County • SR 50 over Bluff Creek (Bridge no. 10751) Copiah County • SR 18 over Bayou Pierre (Bridge no. 10824) • SR 18 over Bayou Pierre relief (Bridge no. 10825)

Jefferson Davis County • SR 184 over White Sand Creek (Bridge no. 11938) Jones Creek • SR 184 over Dry Swamp Creek (Bridge no. 12018) • U.S. 11 over Country Club-tributary # 1 (Bridge no.

12003) Lafayette County • SR 7 over Tallahatchie River (Bridge no. 12174) • SR 328 over Splinter Creek (Bridge no. 12195) • SR 328 over Jones Creek (Bridge no. 12196) • SR 328 over Davis Creek (Bridge no. 12203) • SR 328 over unnamed stream (Bridge no. 12204) • SR 328 over Taylor Creek (Bridge no. 12209) • SR 328 over Morris Creek (Bridge no. 12211)

Greene County • SR 42 over Piney Woods Creek (Bridge no. 11149) • SR 42 over Sand Hill Creek (Bridge no. 11150) • SR 42 over Bee Tree Creek (Bridge no. 11151) Grenada County • U.S. 51 over Jackson Creek (Bridge no. 11203) Hancock County • U.S. 90 over Pearl River (Bridge no. 16247) Hinds County • SR 18 over White Oak Creek (Bridge no. 11521) • SR 22 over I-20 (Bridge no. 11533) • SR 27 over Little White Oak Creek (Bridge no. 11542) • SR 27 over Maxie Creek (Bridge no. 11547) • SR 473 over Vaughn Creek (Bridge no. 11555) Holmes County • SR 12 over Fannegusha Creek (Bridge no. 11635) • SR 14 over Cypress Creek relief (Bridge no. 11643) • SR 14 over Cypress Creek (Bridge no. 11644) • SR 14 over ditch (Bridge no. 11645) • SR 14 over ditch (Bridge no. 11646) • SR 17 over Bophumpa Creek (Bridge no. 11659) • SR 17 over Foney Bush Creek (Bridge no. 11660) • SR 17 over Chicopa Creek (Bridge no. 11661) • SR 433 over unnamed stream (Bridge no. 11664) Itawamba County • SR 178 over Gum Creek (Bridge no. 11718) • SR 178 over Cypress Creek (Bridge no. 11719) • SR 178 over Bull Mountain Creek (Bridge no. 11720) • SR 178 over unnamed stream (Bridge no. 11724) • SR 178 over Lick Skillet Creek (Bridge no. 11731)

Lauderdale County • SR 493 over unnamed creek (Bridge no. 12423) • SR 493 over unnamed creek (Bridge no. 12425) • SR 895 over Toomsuba Creek (Bridge no. 12434) • SR 895 over unnamed creek (Bridge no. 12435) Lawrence County • SR 184 over Pearl River relief (Bridge no. 12458) • SR 184 over Pearl River (Bridge no. 12459) Leake County • SR 35 over Tuscolameta Creek (Bridge no. 12521) • SR 429 over Yockanookany River (Bridge no. 12538) • SR 487 over Old Tuscolameta Creek (Bridge no.

12544) • SR 487 over relief (Bridge no. 12545) • SR 487 over Tuscolameta Canal North (Bridge no.

12548) • SR 488 over Standing Pine Creek (Bridge no. 12542) Lee County • SR 178 over Boguefala Creek (Bridge no. 12684) • SR 245 over Tubbulubba Creek (Bridge no. 126453) • U.S. 278 over Coonewah Creek (Bridge no. 12666) Leflore County • SR 7 over relief ditch (Bridge no. 12747) • SR 7 over relief ditch (Bridge no. 12749) • SR 7 over relief ditch (Bridge no. 12750) • SR 7 over Beckham Bayou (Bridge no. 12755) • SR 442 over Pecan Bayou (Bridge no. 12763) • SR 442 over Pecan Bayou (Bridge no. 12764) • SR 442 over Quiver River (Bridge no. 12765) • SR 442 over McNutt Lake (Bridge no. 12766) • SR 442 over Ashland Break (Bridge no. 12767)

See

BRIDGES, Page 15

June 14, 2013

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE

River trade centers form alliance

By CLAY CHANDLER I STAFF WRITER clay.chandler@msbusiness.com

The Mississippi World Trade Center has entered into a new alliance with other world trade centers along the Mississippi River.

The group will says in a press release that its mission will be “promoting the stakeholder interests of the world’s greatest waterway.”

The World Trade Center of New Orleans will lead the alliance. Ten states within the Mississippi River Basin are represented in the alliance. They are Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Kansas, Illinois, Montana, Wisconsin and Colorado. The WTC MSRA will represent thousands of U.S. businesses, farmers and stakeholders who rely on the Mississippi River for commodities, including petroleum and coal products, agriculture, marine and wood products, chemicals, minerals and ores, paper, plastics and rubber products and textiles & fabric.

The Mississippi River Basin connects 31 states and two Canadian provinces through the third largest river basin in the world. The cargo shipped on the river has an approximately

BRIDGES

Continued from Page 14

Madison County • U.S. 51 over relief (Bridge no. 13018) Marion County • SR 198 over Lya’s Lake (Bridge no. 15349) • U.S. 98 over Silver Creek (Bridge no. 13091) Marshall County • SR 4 over Cuffawa Creek (Bridge no. 13191) • SR 4 over Burlington Northern Railroad (Bridge no.

13197) • SR 7 over Coldwater River (Bridge no. 13203) • SR 7 over Coldwater River relief (Bridge no. 13204) • SR 7 over Little Coldwater River (Bridge no. 13207) • SR 178 over Spring Creek (Bridge no. 13164) • SR 178 over Spring Creek relief (Bridge no. 13165) • SR 178 over Spring Creek (Bridge no. 13166) • SR 178 over Chewalla Creek/Burlington Northern Railroad (Bridge no. 13177) • SR 178 over Tippah River relief (Bridge no. 13180) • SR 178 over Tippah River (Bridge no. 13183) • SR 178 over Spring Creek (Bridge no. 13213) • SR 309 over Byhalia Creek (Bridge no. 13216) • SR 309 over Pigeon Roost Canal (Bridge no. 13217) • SR 309 over Coldwater River relief (bridge no. 13218) • SR 309 over unnamed stream (bridge no. 13229) • SR 313 over unnamed stream (Bridge no. 13239) Monroe County • SR 25 over Weaver Creek (Bridge no. 13342) Montgomery County • SR 404 over Big Bogue Creek (Bridge no. 13399) • SR 404 over Jackson Creek (Bridge no. 13405) Neshoba County • SR 19 over ditch (Bridge no. 13447) • SR 19 over Cushtusia Creek (Bridge no. 13467)

“This is truly an innovative regional endeavor, and the World Trade Center of New Orleans has demonstrated excellent leadership in coordinating this worthwhile project.”

Barbara Travis Executive Director, WTC Mississippi

$115 billion annual impact on the nation’s economy each year, according to figures from the new alliance.

“The World Trade Center of New Orleans is excited to have founded and is proud to assume the responsibility of leading the Mississippi River Alliance. I am looking forward to working with our fellow WTCs to promote a healthy and active river. This coalition is essential to ensure the growth of all

stakeholders along our nation’s most important waterway and it will improve trade and communication for all parties involved,” said Dominik Knoll, CEO, WTC New Orleans.

The purpose of the Alliance is to unite key stakeholders and decision makers along the river and establish a clear channel of communication in order to share region-specific, river-related information that impacts the collective regions and companies represented by the WTC MSRA. The shared information will include factors which impact the flow of goods through the Mississippi River and its ports as well as issues related to river conditions, depth, funding, access, or other environmental issues. This, the alliance says, will establish a unified conduit for the distribution of information among involved parties and local and federal government.

“World Trade Center Mississippi is delighted to join forces with our sister WTC’s in promoting and facilitating business growth along the Mississippi River. This is truly an innovative regional endeavor, and the World Trade Center of New Orleans has demonstrated excellent leadership in coordinating this worthwhile project. We are pleased to be included and look forward to active participation,” Barbara Travis, executive director, WTC Mississippi, said.

• SR 395 over unnamed creek (Bridge no. 13474) • SR 395 over unnamed creek (Bridge no. 13475)

• U.S. 278 over unnamed canal (Bridge no. 14161) • U.S. 278 over Bobo Bayou (Bridge no. 14167)

Oktibbeha County • SR 12 over Boughenia Creek (Bridge no. 13657) • SR 12 over Cypress Creek (Bridge no. 13659) • SR 12 over Big Creek relief (Bridge no. 13660) • SR 12 over Big Creek (Bridge no. 13662)

Rankin County • Old Brandon Road over Conway Slough (Bridge no.

14237) • U.S. 80 over Pelahatchie Creek relief (Bridge no.

14248 • U.S. 80 over Pelahatchie Creek (Bridge no. 14250) • U.S. 80 over Kansas City Southern Railroad (Bridge no. 14251)

Panola County • SR 310 over Mattie Creek (Bridge no. 15488) • SR 310 over Nelson Creek (Bridge no. 15489) • SR 315 over Indian Creek (Bridge no. 13762) • U.S. 51 over unnamed stream (Bridge no. 13726) • U.S. 51 over Long Creek (Bridge no. 13727) • U.S. 278 over Tallahatchie River relief (Bridge no.

13734) • U.S. 278 over Tallahatchie River (Bridge no. 13735) Pearl River County • SR 26 over Wolf Creek (Bridge no. 13840) Pontotoc County • SR 334 over unnamed stream (Bridge no. 14047) Prentiss County • SR 4 over Big Brown Creek (Bridge no. 14101) • SR 145 over Twenty Mile Creek (Bridge no. 14078) • SR 145 over King’s Creek (Bridge no. 14080) • SR 145 over King’s Creek (Bridge no. 14096) Quitman County • SR 315 over Pompey Drain (Bridge no. 14171) • U.S. 278 over Cassidy Oxbow Bayou (Bridge no.

14152) • U.S. 278 over Cassidy Oxbow Bayou (Bridge no.

14153) • U.S. 278 over One Mile Bayou (Bridge no. 14155) • U.S. 278 over Buck Bayou (Bridge no. 14156) • U.S. 278 over unnamed canal (Bridge no. 14158) • U.S. 278 over Ash Log Bayou (Bridge no. 14159) • U.S. 278 over unnamed canal (Bridge no. 14160)

Scott County • SR 35 over Tuscolameta Canal (bridge no. 14378) • SR 501 over Leaf River (Bridge no. 14387) Sunflower County • SR 8 over Quiver River (Bridge no. 14563) Tallahatchie County • SR 32 over unnamed slough (Bridge no. 14586) • SR 32 over relief opening (Bridge no. 14588) • SR 32 over relief opening (Bridge no. 14591) • SR 32 over relief opening (Bridge no. 14593) • SR 32 over relief opening (Bridge no. 14594) • SR 32 over ditch (Bridge no. 14595) • SR 32 over Williams Lake (Bridge no. 14597) • SR 32 over Blue Slough (Bridge no. 14598) • SR 32 over relief opening (Bridge no. 14599) • SR 32 over relief opening (Bridge no. 14600) • SR 32 over McQuirter Bayou (Bridge no. 14601) • SR 32 over Tippo Bayou (Bridge no. 14602) • SR 35 over Tillatoba Creek-North Fork (Bridge no.

14607) • U.S. 49E over Black Bayou (Bridge no. 14572) Tate County • SR 3 over Strayhorn Canal (Bridge no. 14632) • SR 305 over Hickahala Creek tributary #1 (Bridge no. 14645) • U.S. 51 over Coldwater River relief opening (Bridge no. 14623)

• U.S. 51 over Coldwater River relief opening (Bridge no. 14624) • U.S. 51 over Coldwater River relief opening (Bridge no. 14626) • U.S. 51 over Coldwater River relief opening (Bridge no. 14627) • U.S. 51 over Coldwater River relief opening (Bridge no. 14628) • U.S. 51 over Coldwater River (Bridge no. 14630)

Tishomingo County • SR 172 over Little Yellow Creek (Bridge no. 14732) Tunica County • SR 4 over White Oak Bayou (Bridge no. 14764) Union County • SR 178 over Okannatie Creek-West Branch (Bridge no. 1483) • County road connector over ditch (Bridge no.

14846) Warren County • Bovina Road over I-20 (Bridge no. 14958) • SR 465 over Muddy Bayou (Bridge no. 14953) Wayne County • SR 184 over relief (Bridge no. 15026) Winston County • SR 14 over Lobutcha Creek (Bridge no. 15097) Yalobusha County • U.S. 51 over Tillatoba Creek (Bridge no. 15166) • U.S. 51 over Yocona River (Bridge no. 15171) Yazoo County • SR 433 over Bluff Creek (Bridge no. 15293) • SR 433 over Indian Creek (Bridge no. 15294) • SR 433 over Walesheba Creek (Bridge no. 15295)

16 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 14, 2013 BANKING AND FINANCE

Out among the stars: Mississippi banks show strength with top Bauer ratings

BY TED CARTER I STAFF WRITER ted.carter@msbusiness.com Highlighting the strong stability of Mississippi’s banks, Bauer Financial has awarded five-star “Superior” ratings to over half of the state’s banks for their first-quarter performance, including two of the largest banks — Hancock Bank and Trustmark Bank.

Two other major banking Mississippi banking entities — Birmingham-based Regions Bank and Tupelo’s BancorpSouth — received the three-and-a-half star ranking of “Good” from the Coral Gables-based financial services rating firm.

Bauer weighs each bank’s level of tier 1 risk-based capital and total risk-based capital ratio, as well as any profitability-and-loss trend. It also evaluates the level of delinquent loans, charge-offs and repossessed assets, the market versus book value of the investment portfolio, regulatory supervisory agreements, the community reinvestment rating (CRA), historical data and liquidity.

The bulk of the banks that fell short of achieving five stars won either four-star “Excellent” or three-and-a-half star ratings from the Coral Gables-based financial services rating firm.

Fewer than a half dozen banks received the three-star grade of “Adequate,” while one — SouthBank FSB of Corinth — ended the quarter with a two-star rating of “troubled.”

OmniBank of Bay Springs was the lone single-star entry, a designation Bauer reserves for “Problematic” banks. The FDIC-regulated bank’s assets fell from $75 million in the first quarter last year to $48.5 million in this year’s first quarter, according to the FDIC. The bank, which has three locations and 30 employees, had overdue loans and leases of $3.8 million at the close of the quarter.

SouthBank FSB of Corinth is a full savings bank owned by Huntsville, Ala.-based SouthBank, which ended the first quarter with $194 million in assets and $5.5 million in overdue loans and leases.

In assessing the national banking sector at the close of the quarter, the FDIC says downward pressure on net interest margins is a principal reason revenue has been nearly flat—growing just 1.6 percent from a year ago.

Martin J. Gruenberg, FDIC chairman, said in his first quarter national banking profile that insured institutions added more than $500 billion in interest-earning assets to their balance sheets over the past year. “Yet, the interest income produced by these assets fell by $6 billion. This is because older, higher-yielding assets are maturing off bank balance sheets and are being replaced by lower-yielding assets,” he said.

The Federal Reserve’s Board of Governor’s Beige Book report on June 5 said the Atlanta region, which covers the southern half of Mississippi, saw weak overall demand for new loans “as banks faced significant pressure to improve net interest margins and increased competition from non-bank providers of capital, such as private equity groups.”

Bankers noted that businesses in the Atlanta Fed region were taking on debt where necessary to maintain and refurbish equipment to meet current demand rather than making capital investment aimed at future growth.

The St. Louis Fed district, which covers central and northern Mississippi, noted in the June 5 report that credit standards and demand for consumer loans remained mostly unchanged. Demand for auto loans ranged from moderately stronger to moderately weaker, while demand for other consumer loans was unchanged, the Beige Book report said.

The report noted that economic implications could arise from late planting of row crops in Mississippi and elsewhere in the region. “Because of persistent rains, district farmers are behind their average planting schedules. Planting progress for cotton, rice, and soybeans in Mississippi was approximately half the five-year average,” the Fed report said..

Banks 5-star ratings: » Bank of Anguilla: Anguilla » Bank of Benoit: Benoit » Bank of Bolivar County: Shelby » Bank of Brookhaven: Brookhaven » Bank of Commerce: Greenwood » Bank of Forest: Forest » Bank of Jones County: Laurel » Bank of Morton: Morton » Bank of Walnut Grove: Walnut Grove » Bank of Yazoo City: Yazoo City » BankFirst Financial Services: Macon » Charter Bank: Biloxi » Citizens Bank: Byhalia » Citizens Bank: Columbia » Cleveland State Bank: Cleveland » Commerce National Bank: Corinth » Covington County Bank: Collins » Farmers and Merchants Bank: Baldwyn » First American National Bank: Iuka » First Bank: McComb » First Federal Savings and Loan: Aberdeen » First Federal Savings and Loan: Pascagoula » First National Bank of Clarksdale: Clarksdale » First National Bank of Oxford: Oxford » First National Bank of Pontotoc: Pontotoc » First Southern Bank: Columbia » First State Bank: Waynesboro » Great Southern National Bank: Meridian » Hancock Bank: Gulfport » Jefferson Bank: Fayette » Magnolia State Bank: Bay Springs » Merchants and Marine Bank: Pascagoula » Newton County Bank: Newton » Oxford University Bank: Oxford » Peoples Bank: Ripley » Peoples Bank and Trust: North Carrollton » Planters Bank and Trust: Indianola » Richton Bank and Trust: Richton » Sycamore Bank: Senatobia » Tallahatchie County Bank: Charleston » Trustmark National Bank: Jackson » United Mississippi Bank: Natchez

Biloxi group trying to force vote on proposed baseball stadium

BY FRANK BROWN I STAFF WRITER frank.brown@msbusiness.com The STEPS Coalition is in the process of attempting to gather signatures of 1,500 registered voters to possibly force a public vote on the proposed minor league stadium in Biloxi.

“So many of us here are baseball fans,” Roberta Avila, executive director of the STEPS Coalition, told the Sun-Herald at a news conference last Tuesday. But she said the group wants a public hearing to address the pros and cons of the stadium and a special election to determine if the public supports the bond.

Vincent Creel, public affairs manager for the City of Biloxi, said a special election could cause a 90-day delay in stadium construction. The stadium plan calls for it to be completed in April for the 2014 season.

WLOX-TV said it has learned an investor has committed to spend $14.5 million to purchase a team and move it to Biloxi, as long as the stadium is ready for the start of the 2014 season. The Double-A minor league would compete in the Southern League.

The stadium is planned for the intersection of U.S. 90 and Interstate 110, on land leased free to the city by Beau Rivage Resort and Casino. The land is an employee parking lot across the street from Beau Rivage casino. The city plans to borrow $21 million, and the state is pitching in $15 million in BP oil spill settlement money to pay for the stadium.

Biloxi attorney Ron Peresich, who is consulting the city on the baseball deal, told WLOX a forced-vote could likely kill the deal.

Creel also said the council will consider a measure to add the stadium project to its Urban Renewal Plan. “This just gives us more flexibility about adjoining developments on the same site,” Creel said.

June 14, 2013

STATE ECONOMY

Jackson has some of the U.S.’s lowest gas prices According to a fuel price map on GasBuddy.com, the city of Jackson and surrounding Hinds County has some of the lowest gas prices in the entire nation.

The USA National Gas Price Heat Map has most of Mississippi in the light green to dark green range with an average gas price of $3.09-3.22 per gallon.

Other low price areas in Mississippi include DeSoto, Itawamba and Washington counties.

Grenada and Tunica counties reportedly have a slightly higher average price of $3.36-3.50 per gallon.

Some of the nation’s worst places to buy gas are in northern California, Illinois and Michigan where the average price is more than four dollars a gallon.

The national average is currently $3.64 a gallon.

— Stephen McDill / MBJ staff

TECHNOLOGY / SOCIAL MEDIA

New-look ms.gov launches, goes mobile JACKSON — The state of Mississippi has launched a new-look website. The 2013 launch of ms.gov was inspired by the growing tablet and smartphone markets.

“Listening to users of ms.gov was a very important aspect in this design process,” said Deanna Gronlie, general manager of Mississippi IOnteractive (MSI). “Citizens are more mobile today and it’s our job to continue to evolve and focus on how Mississippians want to interact with Government.”

Among the many new features is a fully responsive design that allows it to be optimally displayed to the end user.

LOCAL POLITCS

Commissioners coin toss decides alderman election RIENZI — Harold W. Palmer has won a coin toss and the election to an alderman’s post in Rienzi.

Town officials learned this past week from the Secretary of State’s Office that the tie vote between Palmer, with 45 votes, and Melissa Bearden Morgan, 45 votes, had to be decided by a coin toss or a straw pull. A June 18 runoff election was canceled.

The town election commissioners held a coin toss, with two town citizens conducting the toss.

— from staff and MBJ wire services

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AUTOMOTIVE

Toyota unveils redesigned Corolla

BY CLAY CHANDLER I STAFF WRITER clay.chandler@msbusiness.com Toyota unveiled the redesigned 2014 Corolla at an event in Santa Monica, Calif., last week.

It will include elements of the Corolla Furia concept car that debuted earlier this year at the North American Auto International Auto Show. The wheelbase will be extended by nearly four inches, with the wheels pushed farther out to the corners.

The front of the compact sedan will look more like its counterparts, the midsize Camry and the fullsize Avalon. During last night’s reveal, company executives said the new Corolla was heavy on rounded corners and more precisely sculpted surfaces. LED headlamps are also new, making the Corolla the first compact sedan to offer them as a standard feature.

This will be the Corolla’s 47th year on the market.

Its popularity has played a large part in making Toyota the world’s top automotive retail

manufacturer. More than 40 million of them have been sold since 1966.

In the U.S, the Corolla is built in Blue Springs, whose facility started production in late 2011. Toyota

MEDIA

EDUCATION

WAPT-TV wins Best Newscast again

Ole Miss, MSU to hold minority vendor job fair

JACKSON — WAPT-TV was awarded a regional Emmy Award for Best Newscast by The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. It’s the second year in a row 16 WAPT News has won the Emmy for Best Newscast, and the fourth Emmy Award ever won by 16 WAPT News, capping off a big year of awards for the station. 16 WAPT News competed for the award against television stations in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Mississippi.

Earlier this year, 16 WAPT News also won the Associated Press Award for Best Newscast, Best Weathercast and Best Sportscast in Mississippi. It’s the third year in a row 16 WAPT News was honored with Best Newscast. In 2011, 16 WAPT News also won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Continuing Coverage of the Yazoo City tornadoes.

AGRICULTURE

Senate passes Farm Bill; Cochran touts $4B savings WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate has passed a new farm bill.

The Senate last week approved the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013 (S.954), major legislation that reforms and extends programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through 2018. The bill was approved on a bipartisan 66-27 vote.

U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, ranking Republican on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, said, “American agriculture producers deserve the certainty that comes with a strong fiveyear farm bill. I’m pleased that we’ve come up with a bill that will meet that need.”

The Senate-passed bill eliminates almost 100

also has a Corolla plant in Ontario, Canada. Only about five percent are imported from the company’s production facilities in Japan.

BY CLAY CHANDLER I STAFF WRITER clay.chandler@msbusiness.com Ole Miss and Mississippi State will hold a minority vendor fair June 18 in Oxford.

Minority Business Expo: Making The University Connection begins at 1 p.m. in the Jackson Avenue Center Multipurpose Room near the Ole Miss campus. Online registration is available through www.Where2Go411.com and early registration is encouraged.

The event is the part of the IHL’s push to increase the number of minority-owned businesses that land the agency’s contracts.

Other institutions expects participating in the initiative include Alcorn State University, Delta State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi University for Women, Mississippi Valley State University and the University of Southern Mississippi.

IHL has contracted with Where2Go411.com, a Web-based platform that connects vendors to buyers through its quote feature. Minority companies post information about their business and the goods and services they provide. Universities send and receive quotes, proposals and subcontracting opportunities through the online system. This benefits minority businesses with awareness of opportunities and enables them to respond using the website’s easy-to-use method.

While any business can be listed on the site, minority businesses are recruited for inclusion in the featured listing section, which provides access to the quote, RFP, subcontracting opportunity solicitations.

Procurement officers at each of Mississippi’s public universities have been trained how to post opportunities to the site and retrieve quotes and information from the vendors.

“MSU is constantly seeking out new suppliers so we can expand the number of companies participating in the public procurement process,” said Don Buffum, MSU director of procurement and contracts. “We do this by urging departments to seek additional quotes or to try new vendors, actively seeking out new vendors at trade shows, conducting ‘Doing Business With MSU’ seminars, and by maintaining an open-door policy to meet with new vendors.

“Co-hosting the minority vendor fair with Ole Miss on June 18 provides us a great opportunity to implement all those strategies in a single venue,” Buffum continued. “By locating small and minority vendors, we are able to provide our departments with more potential sources while also making a valuable contribution to the economy.”

federal programs and saves $24 billion relative to the extension of the 2008 farm bill baseline, according to a release from Cochran’s office. Overall, it addresses farm income support, land conservation, trade promotion, rural development, research, forestry, energy, horticulture, credit, crop insurance and food and nutrition.

The Senate farm bill eliminates direct payments to farmers, reforms crop insurance, and limits payments to producers. The bill achieves $4 billion in savings by addressing waste, fraud, and abuse in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

— from staff and MBJ wire services

June 14, 2013 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

AN MBJ FOCUS:

INSURANCE & EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Vincent Creel / City of Biloxi file photo

Hurricane Katrina destroyed most of the homes along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and many lots remain empty, partly because of the high coast to insure homes.

Rates, rebuilding don’t mix on Coast » Eight years after Katrina, insurance costs contribute to slow residential growth along Gulf Coast

By LYNN LOFTON I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

A drive along coastal U.S. 90 reveals many vacant lots where homes and businesses sat before Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Eight years after the devastating storm, rebuilding is scarce along the beach and on nearby streets. While reasons vary, the high cost of insurance is heard more than any other reason. For full coverage, property owners near the water need three types of insurance to cover fire and hazard, wind and hail, and flood. An often-heard lament by home-

owners is that the cost of insurance and taxes is equal to or more than the amount of their mortgage.

According to State Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney, depending on where property is located, rates in the coastal counties have increased Mike Chaney from 20 to 65 percent since Hurricane Katrina. “Some specific companies have gone up more than 150 percent, but their market share has de-

creased by 50 percent,” he said. “The Mississippi Insurance Department encourages consumers to shop around and know what their coverage is.”

Pascagoula State Farm Insurance agent Brenda Simkins says it’s not just hurricanes that have Cynthia Joachim driven up insurance costs on the Coast. “The cost of homeowners insurance began to rise significantly in response to the multitude of hurricanes that

made landfall in 2004 and 2005. Second, the housing crisis hit, reducing property values and stagnating the real estate market, bringing building almost to a halt,” she said.

“Both of these actions in combination were devastating to the residents of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Not only were rates unaffordable for some, they could not sell or refinance to alleviate the burden.

Building new homes or businesses close to the Gulf is nearly non existent at this point unless it is higher-end homes or buildings that rely upon proximity to the Gulf such as restaurants and hotels.”

Veteran realtor/broker Cynthia Joachim of Biloxi adds the BP oil spill to Katrina and the recession as foes of rebuilding. “We’ve had such tremendous hits to the Coast.

Most communities couldn’t take one, and we’ve had three,” she said. “These things have affected our ability to recover, rebuild and move forward. Job growth drives the housing market, and that’s complicated with economic issues in an economically challenged state.”

An active member of the National Association of Realtors, Joachim recently completed a term as vice president of region five, the largest of the association’s regions.

She has joined other realtors in pushing for an all-perils insurance bill in the U.S. Congress. Such a program would be similar to the National Flood Insurance Program and would cover all natural disasters. So far, they have not been successful.

Many coastal residents — including all who received Mississippi Development Authority grants after Hurricane Katrina — are required to carry flood insurance.

See

COAST, Page 31

INSURANCE & EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

June 14, 2013

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

19

BUSINESS PROFILE

SouthGroup builds on tradition » Mergers 12 years ago created the largest privately owned insurance agency in Mississippi Creating SouthGroup Twelve agencies merged to form SouthGroup in 2002: » Montague Sigler & Ferrell, Hattiesburg » Galey Agency, Hattiesburg » Graves Lindsey McLaurin & Jones, Laurel » Warner Wells Insurance, Greenwood » Barry & Brewer Agency, Greenwood » Bolivar Insurance Agency, Cleveland » Capps Insurance Agency, Cleveland » Mississippi Insurance Services, Greenville » J.H. Johnson Agency, Clarksdale » McClain Insurance Agency, Columbia » Gage Agency, Port Gibson » Bourne Insurance Agency, Sumner » Since 2002, three other agencies have joined: » Brown & Haynes Insurance, Southaven » Angelyn S. Treutel Insurance, Bay St. Louis » Joe Lee Insurance, Magee » Lighthouse Insurance, Biloxi

Board of Directors » John Ferrell » Glenn Galey » Rex Haynes » Charles Kent » Shaw Johnson III » Ned Mitchell » Angelyn Treutel » Ronnie Tubertini » Warner Wells III » Sam Young

By LISA MONTI I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

The folks at SouthGroup Insurance Services are fond of a saying that sums up the company’s complex beginnings.

“We like to say we’re an 11-year-old company with a 115-year history,” said Ronnie Tubertini, president and CEO. Tubertini was one of the founders of SouthGroup, which was formed Jan. 1, 2002, when 12 “successful, old and respected agencies” from across Mississippi merged.

Tubertini recalled that the headline of a story in a national trade publication likened the multi-agency merger to herding cats.

The company leaders faced the challenge of melding all those agencies and their individual cultures into one new culture.

Tubertini said a Supreme Court ruling that allowed bank holding companies to get into the insurance and stock brokerage businesses prompted the idea of a large merger. Insurance agency executives felt the new rules would have a significant impact on the marketplace and he said, “That started us on the path to a merger.”

Starting in the summer of 2000, officials from two or three agencies spent about 18 months meeting and designing the new agency. Others followed.

“We felt that we should do something as local agents to put ourselves in a position to be as competitive as the larger agencies being formed by banks or acquired by brokers,” Tubertini said. “We had a duty to our customers to be able to provide the same or better services and the same or better pricing than our customers would be able to get from larger agencies that were forming.”

The agencies that merged into SouthGroup range in age from 50 years old to several that are more than 100 years old.

“So where we had the traditional local insurance agency flavor we were able to add strength of size and resources and that’s what we have been adding all along,” he said. The newest agency joined SouthGroup on Jan. 1.

Today, Tubertini said, SouthGroup is the largest privately owned agency in Mississippi with about 165 employees in 22 locations from the Coast to Southaven. The company writes more than $100 million a year in premiums. A 10-member board of directors gives oversight to its operations.

“It’s what we wanted to do and hope that we’ve done: be able to blend that local hometown service with the resources of a

“So where we had the traditional local insurance agency flavor we were able to add strength of size and resources and that’s what we have been adding all along.”

Ronnie Tubertini President and CEO, SouthGroup

large insurance agency.”

SouthGroup’s product line includes homeowners, auto and commercial insurance, financial planning and life insurance, workers compensation, group and employee sponsored health care plans.

Tubertini said in the decade-plus since SouthGroup was formed, the industry has undergone more changes. “We don’t just sell insurance policies like we did,” he said.

“Today an agency like ours is involved with risk management in helping our clients identify the risks they’re exposed to and evaluating those risks and providing solutions for those risks.”

SouthGroup is open to more expansion, Tubertini said, but any potential partner has to be compatible with the company’s core values and they way it operates.

“While we are not actively pursuing any acquisitions today, we are always interested in a potential acquisition that will fit our

philosophy,” he said.

Tubertini said SouthGroup has passed on some merger offers. “We have had numerous opportunities that we have had to decline in Mississippi and some surrounding states because we just didn’t feel it was a cultural fit,” he said. “The values of integrity and excellence are just part of our being today. Sometimes it is hard to find businesses that are going to fit that same mold.”

Still, Tubertini said, SouthGroup continues to evolve.

“When I started in the business in 1974, it was much simpler. I called it the ‘easy era.’ We sold insurance policies to fill the needs of people that needed them and they were fairly simple. There wasn’t nearly as many types of policies or contracts as there are today.

“So it has continues to evolve and we have with it,” he said.

Uncharted Territory For business owners the new

HEALTHCARE REFORMS

are an uncharted course.

Aberdeen 662-369-8681 Amory 662-256-1100 Columbus 662-328-0492 West Point 662-494-4781 Starkville 662-323-3332

The experienced professionals at GallowayChandler-McKinney Insurance can assist you in steering your business forward. Let us consult with you and your team of legal and financial advisors to develop a plan that will navigate this murky and evolving environment.

Please feel free to contact us at any of our locations. We’re here to serve you.

www.gcminsurance.com

20 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 14, 2013

INSURANCE & EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

HUMAN RESOURCES

Recruitment pays off for Tupelo hospital

By BECKY GILLETTE I CONTRIBUTOR mbj@msbusiness.com

TUPELO â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Rodger Brown, vice president for human resources, North Mississippi Health Services, is proud to head up HR for an organization with 6,200 employees that is one of the top three largest

private sector employers in the state. He is even more proud of the crowning achievement of NMHS in winning the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards in 2012.

There are only four such awards given each year in the U.S., and NMHS won in the health care category. The award given out by the U.S. Commerce Department is

â&#x20AC;&#x153;the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest Presidential honor for performance excellence through innovation, improvement and visionary leadership.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the things that we do that is part of the Baldrige criteria is a five-year HR recruitment plan,â&#x20AC;? Brown said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We try to project the number of employees and the skill sets needed over the next five years so

Health Care keeps getting better in Mississippi...

Nominate Your Health Care Hero!

Mississippi Business Journal is looking for nominations to identify and honor outstanding men and women in the health care industry whose contributions have increased the well-being of the community.

Nominations can be e-mailed to events@msbusiness.com or mailed to Mississippi Business Journal 200 N. Congress Street, Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201.

Submitting multiple nominations for one nominee is not necessary, as the selection committee will not decide based on show of support but rather on quality and thoroughness of supporting information.

HEALTH CARE HEROES SURVEY Honorees will be recognized in six categories: Animal Care: +RQRUV DQ LQGLYLGXDO IURP WKH YHWHULQDU\ Ă&#x20AC;HOG ZKRVH WUHDWPHQW RI SHWV DQG RWKHU DQLPDOV LV DERYH DQG EH\RQG QRUPDO FDUH First Responder: +RQRUV LQGLYLGXDOV VXFK DV WKH PLOLWDU\ HPHUJHQF\ PHGLFDO WHFKQLFLDQV SDUDPHGLFV Ă&#x20AC;UHĂ&#x20AC;JKWHUV DQG SROLFH IRU WKHLU SURIHVVLRQDO DFKLHYHPHQW DQG FRPPXQLW\ LQYROYHPHQW LQ WKHLU OLQH RI GXW\ Nurse: +RQRUV LQGLYLGXDOV IURP WKH QXUVLQJ Ă&#x20AC;HOG ZKRVH SHUIRUPDQFH LV FRQVLGHUHG H[HPSODU\ E\ SDWLHQWV DQG GRFWRUV DQG SURYLGHV D PRGHO RI SURIHVVLRQDOLVP WR SHHUV Physician: +RQRUV GRFWRUV ZKR ZRUN WR GLVFRYHU QHZ PHGLFLQH RU SUDFWLFHV WKDW FDQ VDYH OLYHV RU LPSURYH WKH TXDOLW\ RI OLIH IRU D ODUJH QXPEHU RI SHRSOH 7KHVH KRQRUHHV DUH DOVR LQYROYHG LQ FRPPXQLW\ RUJDQL]DWLRQV DQG RXWUHDFK SURJUDPV WKDW IRFXV RQ LPSURYLQJ WKH FRPPXQLW\¡V KHDOWK Professional: +RQRUV KHDOWK FDUH ZRUNHUV RWKHU WKDQ GRFWRUV DQG QXUVHV ([DPSOHV LQFOXGH DGPLQLVWUDWRUV UHVHDUFKHUV WHFKQLFLDQV DQG SURIHVVRUV Volunteer: +RQRUV QRQSD\UROO LQGLYLGXDOV ZKR UHDFK RXW ZLWK WLPH RU VNLOOV WR KHOS SDWLHQWV RU KHDOWK FDUH SURYLGHUV

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we can develop a recruitment plan to meet demands of various departments. We factor in turnover, new services and growth.

We are constantly looking at nursing, pathology, pharmacy, clerical and support services, as well as other key areas. It is vitally important to do that so we have the right staff at the right time to meet the needs of patients.â&#x20AC;?

NMHS, which owns and operates multiple hospitals including the North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, has a staff retention rate of 93 percent. A retention and recruitment committee helps foster an environment that makes people want to stay with the organization. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Retention is very important to us,â&#x20AC;?

Brown said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our turnover is seven percent. Our retention and recruitment committee looks at employee engagement and employee satisfaction to insure we do have a great workforce.â&#x20AC;?

NMHS does local, regional and national recruitment. It works with all the educational institutions in the state, and especially with Itawamba Community College, the Mississippi University for Women and the University of Mississippi. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We partner with key colleges to make sure we have adequate staff graduating,â&#x20AC;?

Brown said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are the clinical and administration training site for more than 300 programs nationwide. On any given year, we have about 1,200 students in our facility. We know if we can get someone to come to a clinical rotation here, it tremendously increases our opportunity to recruit him or her. It gives students a chance to look at us, and us a chance to look at the students.â&#x20AC;?

NMHS has a physician residency program for family practice, and is about to start a nurse practitioner residency plan in partnership with MUW. There are shortages for health care professionals across the nation, so recruitment is an important issue. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Physician recruitment is certainly a challenge just due to the national demand put on healthcare right now,â&#x20AC;? Brown said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have two full-time physician recruiters, and are in a constant state of recruiting physicians. A number of years ago, we created our own physician residency program â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a three-year program with eight physicians each year, giving us a total of 24 here at any moment in time. Most of them stay in our service area, which certainly helps meet our needs. But we also have to do a lot more recruiting than that.â&#x20AC;?

Before coming to health care, Brown did HR work in the furniture business. In some ways the work is very similar. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yet it is different because the mission of the organization is trying to improve the See

NMHS, Page 31

PROPERTY CASUALTY INSURANCE CO.

June 14, 2013

I

Mississippi Business Journal

I

21

Premiums Written

Market Share

Losses Paid

Premiums Earned

Losses Incurred

Direct Defense and Cost Containment Expense Incurred

State Farm Fire and Casualty Company

226,632,620

26.92%

98,335,798

218,917,001

99,376,624

2,283,143

45.40%

46.40%

Mississippi Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company

145,657,602

17.30%

73,770,429

139,196,893

75,222,722

1,697,553

54.00%

55.30%

Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company

55,966,154

6.65%

25,447,769

55,753,900

25,394,956

673,174

45.50%

46.80%

Nationwide Property and Casualty Insurance Company

41,341,852

4.91%

21,523,697

40,620,339

22,740,543

601,796

56.00%

57.50%

SAFECO Insurance Company of America

35,450,359

4.21%

16,486,161

34,002,941

14,604,520

685,735

43.00%

45.00%

Foremost Insurance Company Grand Rapids, Michigan

31,328,555

3.72%

13,467,912

28,320,449

13,093,558

133,851

46.20%

46.70%

Nationwide Mutual Fire Insurance Company

25,744,918

3.06%

10,466,240

26,772,408

11,507,452

413,895

43.00%

44.50%

Allstate Insurance Company

23,446,975

2.78%

8,436,088

23,754,003

6,372,412

82,003

26.80%

27.20%

Shelter Mutual Insurance Company

18,324,150

2.18%

10,270,528

18,016,355

9,503,943

190,618

52.80%

53.80%

United Services Automobile Association

18,278,561

2.17%

8,897,360

17,363,798

-8,956,384

235,991

-51.60%

-50.20%

Company

Alfa Insurance Corporation

Loss Ratio w/o LAE *

Loss Ratio with LAE **

17,751,177

2.11%

8,359,143

17,294,062

8,175,574

377,555

47.30%

49.50%

14,686,849

1.74%

6,758,316

16,572,990

6,564,263

48,956

39.60%

39.90%

Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company

12,631,935

1.50%

6,692,003

12,094,280

6,154,095

32,781

50.90%

51.20%

American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida

11,582,820

1.38%

3,981,686

9,211,441

4,482,425

-28

48.70%

48.70%

Automobile Insurance Company of Hartford, Connecticut, The

American Family Home Insurance Company

10,458,109

1.24%

4,204,441

10,903,267

3,889,015

75,029

35.70%

36.40%

Economy Premier Assurance Company

9,274,676

1.10%

3,644,980

9,258,173

3,160,023

36,778

34.10%

34.50%

Lexington Insurance Company

8,991,261

1.07%

2,124,654

8,963,789

2,468,052

-36,192

27.50%

27.10%

Travelers Home and Marine Insurance Company, The

8,848,251

1.05%

4,575,430

8,197,687

4,762,718

264,522

58.10%

61.30%

GuideOne Mutual Insurance Company

7,993,508

0.95%

3,626,634

7,813,370

3,066,195

100,109

39.20%

40.50%

USAA Casualty Insurance Company

6,373,658

0.76%

3,314,806

5,947,241

-598,123

60,716

-10.10%

-9.00%

Alfa General Insurance Corporation

6,334,573

0.75%

4,095,577

6,200,811

4,454,940

264,523

71.80%

76.10%

Farmers Insurance Exchange

6,015,198

0.71%

2,840,089

6,501,100

1,915,799

65,142

29.50%

30.50%

State Auto Property & Casualty Insurance Company

5,992,582

0.71%

2,616,617

5,236,668

2,480,894

48,564

47.40%

48.30%

North Light Specialty Insurance Company

5,966,925

0.71%

846,239

4,830,902

1,776,601

26,624

36.80%

37.30%

Allstate Indemnity Company

5,711,484

0.68%

2,700,677

5,823,441

1,643,177

43,699

28.20%

29.00%

Republic Underwriters Insurance Company

5,702,978

0.68%

3,284,156

5,910,999

1,947,412

102,016

32.90%

34.70%

Vigilant Insurance Company

5,480,685

0.65%

1,472,182

5,557,144

1,504,616

12,767

27.10%

27.30%

Truck Insurance Exchange

5,464,524

0.65%

3,977,650

5,760,381

4,006,580

131,149

69.60%

71.80%

Coastal American Insurance Company

4,292,847

0.51%

435,912

3,185,127

535,112

37,565

16.80%

18.00%

National Security Fire and Casualty Company

4,136,969

0.49%

2,074,811

4,204,779

2,027,441

74,608

48.20%

50.00%

Homesite Insurance Company

4,132,261

0.49%

4,773,579

5,291,521

4,449,041

-31,594

84.10%

83.50%

Property and Casualty Insurance Company of Hartford

3,822,972

0.45%

1,315,238

3,945,270

1,365,897

20,589

34.60%

35.10%

Scottsdale Insurance Company

3,822,600

0.45%

1,358,271

3,500,704

3,449,821

78,305

98.50%

100.80%

Federal Insurance Company

3,461,974

0.41%

455,138

3,514,770

411,861

-20,075

11.70%

11.10%

Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Company

3,165,001

0.38%

1,607,418

3,250,117

1,941,054

55,387

59.70%

61.40%

Unitrin Auto and Home Insurance Company

3,102,928

0.37%

2,318,511

3,170,503

2,071,340

85,679

65.30%

68.00%

USAA General Indemnity Company

3,085,644

0.37%

1,632,611

2,628,137

1,485,566

27,232

56.50%

57.60%

Foremost Property and Casualty Insurance Company

3,040,444

0.36%

1,698,763

2,984,672

1,727,122

8,207

57.90%

58.10%

American National Property and Casualty Company

3,007,469

0.36%

2,291,190

2,985,174

1,632,152

-87,885

54.70%

51.70%

Auto Club Family Insurance Company

2,502,083

0.30%

1,288,075

2,200,790

1,236,697

93,316

56.20%

60.40%

Standard Fire Insurance Company, The

2,340,931

0.28%

670,784

2,421,162

570,241

12,366

23.60%

24.10%

Liberty Insurance Corporation

1,922,566

0.23%

1,156,193

1,463,690

1,482,623

22,707

101.30%

102.80%

1,788,117

0.21%

673,232

1,824,716

559,132

-1,785

30.60%

30.50%

American Modern Select Insurance Company

1,478,200

0.18%

1,093,028

1,314,663

1,162,312

5,233

88.40%

88.80%

American Modern Home Insurance Company

1,467,909

0.17%

442,514

1,464,307

279,046

18,257

19.10%

20.30%

Aegis Security Insurance Company

Chartis Property Casualty Company

1,120,155

0.13%

1,364,741

1,137,110

1,376,294

37,136

121.00%

124.30%

1,090,214

0.13%

383,881

932,767

331,347

11,785

35.50%

36.80%

QBE Specialty Insurance Company

1,019,213

0.12%

967

512,854

1,523

1,982

0.30%

0.70%

GuideOne America Insurance Company

865,437

0.10%

406,886

1,169,425

378,870

21,152

32.40%

34.20%

LM Insurance Corporation

759,767

0.09%

78,693

312,506

195,934

5,061

62.70%

64.30%

Garrison Property and Casualty Insurance Company

22 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 14, 2013

PROPERTY CASUALTY INSURANCE CO. Premiums Written

Market Share

Losses Paid

Premiums Earned

Losses Incurred

Direct Defense and Cost Containment Expense Incurred

Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company

733,773

0.09%

308,547

775,384

304,093

13,356

Ranchers and Farmers Insurance Company

680,658

0.08%

173,980

700,635

230,941

9,669

33.00%

34.30%

IDS Property Casualty Insurance Company

652,884

0.08%

397,074

432,696

484,726

44,598

112.00%

122.30%

American Hallmark Insurance Company of Texas

550,526

0.07%

263,204

581,205

361,366

60,205

62.20%

72.50%

Trumbull Insurance Company

520,975

0.06%

973,600

292,479

1,073,615

10,638

367.10%

370.70%

Armed Forces Insurance Exchange

510,555

0.06%

243,934

516,449

236,922

19,396

45.90%

49.60%

Markel American Insurance Company

506,327

0.06%

366,598

501,364

397,776

35,605

79.30%

86.40%

Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange

499,471

0.06%

1,500

233,196

82,779

905

35.50%

35.90%

Voyager Indemnity Insurance Company

487,084

0.06%

218,574

512,520

187,785

11,882

36.60%

39.00%

Amica Mutual Insurance Company

399,408

0.05%

125,211

385,634

138,657

1,884

36.00%

36.40%

Travelers Personal Security Insurance Company

396,060

0.05%

225,415

348,252

51,683

-1,268

14.80%

14.50%

Travelers Indemnity Company of America, The

328,124

0.04%

64,076

331,305

55,810

553

16.80%

17.00%

Nationwide General Insurance Company

318,363

0.04%

0

13,267

1,294

90

9.80%

10.40%

Empire Fire and Marine Insurance Company

288,988

0.03%

21,956

392,226

67,294

-1,829

17.20%

16.70%

American National General Insurance Company

236,994

0.03%

129,112

254,160

127,140

1,052

50.00%

50.40%

Alterra Excess & Surplus Insurance Company

223,380

0.03%

446,876

239,260

25,081

80,814

10.50%

44.30%

Company

Loss Ratio w/o LAE *

Loss Ratio with LAE **

39.20%

40.90%

Ocean Harbor Casualty Insurance Company

220,564

0.03%

56,985

213,369

54,011

299

25.30%

25.50%

State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company

184,522

0.02%

34,833

185,908

31,046

389

16.70%

16.90%

American Western Home Insurance Company

171,777

0.02%

198,889

508,634

84,452

-6,673

16.60%

15.30%

Hermitage Insurance Company

156,175

0.02%

0

24,672

6,499

722

26.30%

29.30%

Praetorian Insurance Company

106,184

0.01%

5,044

69,907

9,357

5,353

13.40%

21.00%

* Loss Ratio w/o LAE is direct losses incurred compared to direct premiums earned ** Loss Ratio with LAE is direct losses incurred plus direct defense and cost containment expense incurred (loss adjustment expense) compared to direct premiums earned Information for this List was provided by the Mississippi Department of Insurance and is a compilation of total business filings in the state for the year ended Dec. 31, 2012. For a complete listing of all P&C company filings, visit www.mid.state.ms.us, or call (601) 359-3569. Please direct MBJ list questions or comments to Wally Northway at research@msbusiness.com. This list is ranked by premiums written.

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FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Alan Turner, alan.turner@msbusiness.com

601-364-1021 Tami Jones, tami.jones@msbusiness.com

601-364-1011

INCORPORATIONS March 2013 Incorporations This is the March 2013 list of the state’s newly incorporated businesses from the Secretary of State’s Office. Listed are towns from Hattiesburg to Yazoo City. Listings include business name, type, date formed and location. Addresses reflect legal entity for service of process, not necessarily the new business entities’ operating address.

Hattiesburg Southern Toxicology Services, LLCLLC 3/21/13 309 South 40th Avenue Spruce Management, Inc. BUS 3/1/13 6504 U.S. Hwy. 98 W, #6 Sunrise Rental LLC LLC 3/11/13 6524 Us Highway 98 West Sunshine Rentals LLC LLC 3/11/13 6524 Us Highway 98 West T.A.G. DBA NP 3/18/13 111 North 33rd Ave. Apt. E7 Teaching A Generation NP 3/18/13 111 North 33rd Ave. Apt. E7 Whispering Pines Nursing Home, LLC LLC

3/25/13 16 Bellegrass Blvd.

Williams Brothers Auto Sales LLCLLC 3/27/13 810 Glenwood Dr Yamato Japan 9869 Inc. BUS 3/26/13 5040 Hardy Street

Hazlehurst Hudson’s Body Shop, LLC LLC 3/20/13 231 B Caldwell Drive Wimberly Design Landscaping LLCLLC 3/21/13 105 Gray Drive Earth Angels Hospice, LLC 3/22/13 201 Main St

Hernando Barton Education Services, LLC LLC 3/21/13 10811 Holly Springs Rd Champion Hill Farms LLC LLC 3/27/13 365 Losher St Ste 210 Comfort Items, LLC LLC 3/15/13 1448 Notting Hill South Gourmet Grillers, LLC LLC 3/19/13 1848 Grand Manor Dr. Hernando Point Farm, LLC LLC 3/6/13 4160 Wheeler Rd Integrated Systems Automation, Inc BUS

3/18/13 123 Laughter Rd South Professional Counseling PLLC PLLC 3/11/13 370 Losher Street, Suite B RKR Inc BUS 3/6/13 40 FORKED CREEK PARKWAY WJM Trucking LLC LLC 3/25/13 805 Cobblestone Ln ZOOFARI, INC. BUS 3/14/13 880 Tara Drive

Holly Bluff Southern Point Planting Company LLC LLC

3/25/13

661 Satarita Road

Holly Springs Blue Coast Energy LLC LLC 3/4/13 256 Hwy 4 West GPS MS, LLC LLC 3/28/13 126 North Spring Street HelpingUmoveForward (HUF) NP 3/4/13 1180 Highway 311 Litcool, LLC LLC 3/19/13 154 S Market Street Stewart Properties LLC LLC 3/12/13 214 South Center St

Horn Lake Elite Excavation & Demolition LLCLLC 3/6/13 5020 Longview Cove Gulf Coast Pinnacle Properties, LLCLLC 3/28/13 2154 W. Goodman Rd Marvel Floor Care & Services LLCLLC 3/27/13 5501 Adams Cir Meridian Pinnacle Properties, LLCLLC 3/28/13 2154 W. Goodman Rd Royal Blue Sapphire LLC LLC 3/1/13 7100 Tulane Rd. South Mississippi Smiles Dentistry LLCLLC

3/15/13 2154 W Goodman Rd Victory Transport LLC LLC 3/26/13 2395 Golden Cove WNL, LLC LLC 3/26/13 5842 Goodman Rd #2

Houston C & B Rentals LLC LLC 3/25/13 111 East Washington Street JACASH LLC LLC 3/7/13 115 Lakeside Dr Prices Title Loans LLC LLC 3/27/13 229 Woodland Circle The Hamliton Company, LLC LLC 3/4/13 111 East Washington Street

Indianola

Bernards Real Estate Investment Group LLC LLC 3/4/13 2725 Way Street Big Significant LLC LLC 3/6/13 506 South President Street Biloxi Springs GP, LLC LLC 3/27/13 506 South President Street BJA Investments, LLC LLC 3/15/13190 East Capitol Street, Ste. 650 (39201) Bloomfield Investments, LLC LLC 3/13/13 781 Larson Street Boardwalk Mississippi Intrastate, LLC LLC

AEA LLC LLC 3/1/13 1304 Bayou Drive BPP Global Marketing, LLC LLC 3/14/13 615 Choctaw Cir Building Bridges-Changing Communities Foundation Inc NP 3/11/13 102 Hwy 448 Kingdom International MinistriesNP 3/12/13 614- Curtis St Lakeside Enterprises LLC LLC 3/22/13 36A Sunflower Road Trinity Healthcare Services, LLC LLC 3/4/13 517 East Baker Street

Inverness SC-DNA, LLC 3/18/13

June 14, 2013

LLC 802 Third Street

Itta Bena Central MS-Delta Enterprises LLCLLC 3/15/13 1204 Schley Street

Iuka L&M Discount & Materials, LLC LLC 3/19/13 460 County Road 172 Lambert Properties, LLC LLC 3/11/13 700 N Main St RBF RP, LLC LLC 3/1/13 107 South Fulton Street

Jackson 3CLB LLC LLC 3/19/13 215 West Capitol Street 5 Star Homes & Properties LLC LLC 3/27/13 211 W Leavellwoods Drive 7th St Sweets LLC LLC 3/27/13 2313 Deer Oak Ct. A & B Construction Specialties LLCLLC 3/8/13 858 Foley Street Aaron White Holdings LLC LLC 3/13/13 220 Clubview Dr ABM Wings 1 LLC LLC 3/11/13 5145 Canton Heights Dr Achievement Initiative of Mississippi IncNP 3/8/13 735 Avignon Dr Ste. 4 Ridgeland 39157

ADC Properties LLC LLC 3/29/13 2430 Meadowbrook Road Added Pieces LLC LLC 3/20/13 1074 Davis Cove Advanced Medical Research and Design, Inc. BUS 3/12/13 5446 Executive Place Advanced Neuropsych, LLC LLC 3/1/13 460 Briarwood Dr., Suite 400 Agea Service, LLC LLC 3/25/13 506 South President Street Ambassador Homes, Inc BUS 3/21/13 5380 I-55 North, Suite 106 American Water Resources, LLC LLC 3/22/13 506 South President Street Amplify Education, Inc. BUS 3/22/13 506 South President Street Amstaff Human Resources, Inc. VIBUS 3/7/13 506 South President Street AN Corporate Management Payroll CorpBUS

3/25/13 506 South President Street Art of Hair Academy, LLC LLC 3/25/136520 Dogwood View Parkway, Suite B Artic Industrial Insulation LLC LLC 3/22/13840 Trustmark Bldg, 248 East Capitol St Assurant Services Company BUS 3/26/13 506 South President Street Atlanta International Records Company, Inc. BUS 3/26/13 1200 Meadowbrook Drive Audrey Faye Perry DBA 3/28/13 2403 Kingston Ave Aussie & Company 1770 BUS 3/27/13 1460 Rockdale Dr BAPS Charities Inc NP 3/25/13 2390 Greenway Drive Belhaven Riverview Apartments DBAOTH

3/25/13 836 Riverview Dr Belle Court GP LLC LLC 3/27/13190 East Capitol Street, Suite 100

3/4/13 506 South President Street Bonnie Herrington Burke DBA OTH 3/25/13 836 Riverview Dr Boom Boom Room LLC LLC 3/4/13 3234 Suncrest Dr Bowhead Professional Solutions LLC LLC

3/11/13 506 South President Street BP OilSpill Claims Group, LLC LLC 3/27/13125 So. Congress Street. Suite 1240 BTS Columbus Tract B, LLC LLC 3/15/13 400 East Capitol Street (39201) Buck Wheatz, LLC LLC 3/25/131400 Lakeover Rd. #100 Jackson, Ms 39213

By Any Means Entertainment IncBUS 3/4/13 1255 E County Line Rd., D2 C. Porter Installation LLC LLC 3/22/13 352 E Northside Drive C2U Transport LLC LLC 3/27/13 351 Brookwood Lake Place Candy’s Virgin Locks LLC LLC 3/1/13 49 Northtown Dr. Apt 24 D Cannon Ridge, L.L.C. LLC 3/18/13131 Robinwood Ln. Suite 200 (Ridgeland 39157) Castleton Commodities Partners LLC LLC

3/19/13 506 South President Street Castleton Commodities, LLC LLC 3/19/13 506 South President Street CDS Medical LLC LLC 3/14/13 405 Briarwood Dr. STE 103A Ceridian HCM, Inc BUS 3/25/13 506 South President Street Charter Communications, Inc BUS 3/6/13 506 South President Street Chase Commercial Real Estate Services, Inc BUS 3/13/13 405 Briarwood Dr Ste 103 A Commercial Services Inc BUS 3/19/13 1311 Terry Rd Crutchfield, McGee, LLC LLC 3/4/13 125 S Congress St. Suite 1240 Cunn LLC LLC 3/12/13 1060 Whitsett Walk Custom Mobile Detail DBA OTH 3/11/13 121 Belle Chasse Dr D2L LTD BUS 3/1/13248 East Capitol Street, Suite 840 Daughters of Truth NP 3/7/135450 Meadow Oaks Parks Dr (39211) DeForce Farms, LLC LLC 3/5/131400 Meadowbrook Road, Suite 102 Dent Perfect LLC LLC 3/27/13248 East Capitol Street, Suite 840 DLS Technical Support Services LLC

LLC

3/8/13 5125 Sedgwick Drive Docs Global, Inc. BUS 3/14/13 506 South President Street DSquared LLC LLC 3/7/131400 Meadowbrook Road, Suite 100 E 3 Vanguard NP 3/7/13 1622 Devine Street E3 Entertainment, LP LP 3/5/13 125 S Congress Street Suite 1240 Edge of Infinity Enterprises, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2534 Shepwood Dr Education Station of Jackson Inc.BUS 3/14/13 332 New Market Drive Einstein Global Energies Inc BUS 3/1/13 1155 Joanne St Jackson, MS 39204 Elektra Tech Entertainment, LLC LLC 3/6/13 506 SOUTH PRESIDENT ST Energy Operations LLC LLC 3/25/13 814 North President Street (39202) ESI Energy Services International, Inc.BUS

3/12/13 506 South President Street Everclean LLC LLC 3/12/13 5257 Suffolk Circle Evergreen Fern, LLC LLC 3/19/13 111 Poinciana Drive Every Nook & Cranny LLC LLC 3/5/13 169 Park Circle EWO Properties, LLC LLC 3/15/13 1232 Lyncrest Avenue First Family Investment Inc BUS 3/6/13 4019 Meadowlane Dr First Sight LLC LLC 3/15/13 1316 N State St Five Below, Inc. BUS 3/13/13 506 South President Street

Flamex, Inc. BUS 3/18/13 840 Trustmark Building Flora Animal Hospital Inc BUS 3/20/13 5448 I-55 North Suite A Forrest Street Lofts, LLC LLC 3/25/13 840 Trustmark Building Future Vision Publishing, LLC LLC 3/28/13 3964 Country Club Dr Garden of Eden Boutique LLC LLC 3/13/13 5148 Queen Eleanor Lane Gemstone Foods, LLC LLC 3/25/13 125 S. Congress Street, Suite 1610 Gemstone Holdings, LLC LLC 3/25/13 125 S. Congress Street, Suite 1610 Gemstone Ventures Decatur, LLCLLC 3/25/13 125 S. Congress Street, Suite 1610 General Parts and Service. LLC LLC 3/19/13 506 South President Street General Parts, L.L.C. LLC 3/19/13 506 South President Street Genesis Collaboration LLC LLC 3/15/13 506 South President Street Get A Grip Travel LLC LLC 3/20/13 1200 Meadowbrook Road, Unit #27 Glamour Girl LLC LLC 3/14/13 2676 Pinebrook Dr. GMA Garnet (USA) Corp BUS 3/11/13 506 South President Street GMHORNE Architectural Systems LLC LLC 3/11/13 135 Bounds Street Gracie South II LLC LLC 3/20/13 1920 Bellewood Dr Great River Partners, LP LP 3/4/13 125 S Congress Street Suite 1240 HAILUSA DBA LLC 3/27/13 248 East Capitol Street, Suite 840 Hall’s Used Cars & Trucks, LLC LLC 3/19/13 506 South President Street Hardee’s Restaurants LLC LLC 3/13/13 506 South President Street Harper Morgan Properties, LLC LLC 3/29/13 629 Jefferson Street Harvey Boi LLC LLC 3/21/13 6125 Brown Street Apt 18 HBND Investments, LLC LLC 3/25/13 2253 Wild Valley Drive HDS Hydro-Dynamic Swimming, LLC LLC

3/12/13 127 Roach St. Apt. 902 Helpful Hands, Inc. BUS 3/6/13 155 Abrams Ford Dr Hogan Truck Leasing, Inc BUS 3/26/13 840 Trustmark Building House of Unity, Incorporated NP 3/15/13 1735 Shady Lane Drive How You Like It Services DBA 3/28/13 2403 Kingston Ave HPM & Associates LLC LLC 3/15/13 840 Trustmark Building HYDR LLC LLC 3/29/13 120 Brighton Dr Idvantage Management Group, LLCLLC 3/14/13 506 South President Street IGBO Solidarity Association of Mississippi NP 3/14/13 4436 North State Street #B-6-3 Innovalution Technologies, Inc BUS 3/25/13 506 South President Street Intelligent Decisions, Inc. BUS 3/22/13 506 South President Street Iron Mountain Incorporated BUS 3/18/13 506 SOUTH PRESIDENT ST James D Elkin LLC LLC 3/6/13 1138 Saint Ann St. Jamie Ainsworth, LLC LLC 3/18/13 729 High Street #4 Jan-Pro Cleaning Systems DBA LLC 3/13/13 3340 Harley St. Apt. 1H Jeff Gibson DBA OTH 3/15/13 5730 Queen Mary Lane Johnson Trucking & Logistics, LLCLLC 3/12/13 506 South President Street Jurney Firearms, LLC LLC 3/28/134268 I-55 N Meadowbrook Office Park K & P International LLC LLC 3/22/13 4842 Chastain Drive K&J Consulting Services LLC LLC 3/11/13 1448 Wooddell Drive Kajun C Food LLC LLC 3/5/13 3512 Joann Dr KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation BUS 3/27/13 506 South President Street Kaz USA, Inc. BUS 3/11/13248 East Capitol Street, Suite 840 Keith Gable Construction, LLC LLC 3/14/13 506 South President Street Kids Spot DBA BUS 3/14/13 332 New Market Drive Kingdom Creations, Inc. NP 3/14/13 1866 Bienville Dr

KLOF LLC LLC 3/5/13 1604 Belmont Street Kustom Kreations Development Group LLC LLC 3/11/13 121 Belle Chase Drive Lacey Trucking Inc BUS 3/22/13 170 Blackmon Road LBS Holding LLC LLC 3/11/13 4043 Del Rosa Dr LHC Seniors Association Inc BUS 3/12/13 931 Hwy 80 West Ste 109 Lifeunlocked, LLC LLC 3/26/13 1060 Whitsett Walk Lignum-2, L.L.C. LLC 3/15/13 506 South President Street Lock and Keys Security LLC LLC 3/22/13 206 N. Sunset Terrace Loving Assisted Living Home IncBUS 3/12/13 931 Hwy 80 West Ste 109 M & A Supply Company, Inc. BUS 3/28/13 115 Briarwood Drive Madison Pharmacy Consulting, LLCLLC 3/6/13 506 South President Street Magic City Construction Ms Inc BUS 3/25/13 405 Briarwood Dr. Ste 103A Major Auto Spa LLC LLC 3/25/13 3403 Martin Luther King Dr Mark Perkins LLC LLC 3/25/13 721 North State Street Apt. B8 Mason-Michaels Services, LLC LLC 3/5/13 506 South President Street MayCee Properties LLC LLC 3/8/13 3450 Shannondale Dr. Mays Trucking, LLC LLC 3/27/13 4733 Old Lake Road McGraw-Hill School Education LLCLLC 3/15/13 840 Trustmark Building MDM Operations LLC LLC 3/7/13 1210 Poplar Blvd MedAssets Supply Chain Systems LLC LLC

3/20/13 506 South President Street Media 3000, LLC LLC 3/29/13 642 Daniel Circle Metro Dental, PLLC PLLC 3/7/13 1836 Crane Ridge Dr. Midland Funding LLC LLC 3/15/13 506 South President Street Millennium Center LLC LLC 3/7/13 5384 Cedar Park Dr Ministry Works, LLC LLC 3/1/13 506 South President Street Mississippi Consultants LLC LLC 3/5/13 308 East Pearl Street, Suite 203 Mississippi Elite Sports NP 3/13/13 4836 Chastain Dr. Mississippi Forge (PVF) Inc BUS 3/25/13 405 Briarwood Dr Ste 103 A Mississippi Prime for Life, LLC LLC 3/21/13 1955 Douglass Dr N. and H. Enterprises, Inc. BUS 3/14/13 332 Josanna Street Nanook Farms, LLC LLC 3/18/13 120 N Congress St Ste 200 Natural Oasis Urban Farm DBA OTH 3/15/13 5730 Queen Mary Lane Nexen Energy Marketing Services U.S.A. Inc BUS 3/18/13 506 SOUTH PRESIDENT ST Niblick Consulting, LLC LLC 3/4/13 1111 Meadowbrook Road Nilkanth Varni LLC LLC 3/20/13 4641 I-55 North Nixon’s Air and Heat, LLC LLC 3/1/13 4297 Will-O-Run Dr Noce, LLC LLC 3/25/13 1400 Meadowbrook Road, Suite 102 North American Bus Industries IncBUS 3/18/13 840 Trustmark Building North Delta Ducks, LLC LLC 3/22/13 14 Waterstone Place Northcoast Warranty Services IncBUS 3/15/13 506 South President Street NWAN, Inc BUS 3/11/13 506 South President Street Online Care Network II P.C. PA 3/27/13 506 South President Street Operation Taking Mississippi Back, Inc.NP

3/28/13 427 Roland Street Overtime Sports Holdings, LLC LLC 3/12/13 1400 Meadowbrook Road, Suite 100 Overtime Sports Management Biloxi, LLCLLC

3/12/13 1400 Meadowbrook Road, Suite 100 Oxford Real Estate, LLC LLC 3/28/132660 Ridgewood Road, Suite 101 Para_Dynamics LLC LLC 3/6/13 5352 Executive Place Ste 11 Paradigm Energy LLC LLC 3/20/13248 East Capitol Street, Suite 840 Paradigm Energy Mississippi, LLCLLC 3/20/13248 East Capitol Street, Suite 840

I

Mississippi Business Journal

Parallel Belle Court, LLC LLC 3/27/13190 East Capitol Street, Suite 100 Parallel Housing Inc NP 3/27/13190 East Capitol Street, Suite 100 Parallel Payton Greene, LLC LLC 3/27/13190 East Capitol Street, Suite 100 Payton Greene GP, LLC LLC 3/27/13190 East Capitol Street, Suite 100 Peachstone LLC LLC 3/7/13 781 Larson Street Phylandria Hudson, LCSW LLC LLC 3/15/13 1618 Pear Orchard Place Positudes, Inc. NP 3/18/13 506 South President Street Provision, Inc BUS 3/26/13 840 Trustmark Building PTC Raleigh, LLC LLC 3/20/13 4755 Old Canton Road Pyron Midtown Properties, LLC LLC 3/4/13 1647 Lakeland Drive Quantum Edge, LLC LLC 3/18/13 506 South President Street Racquet Dynamics LLC LLC 3/6/13 46 Northtown Dr Railserve Inc BUS 3/11/13 506 South President Street Redwood Restoration Services IncBUS 3/28/13 506 South President Street Refuse Materials, Inc BUS 3/19/13 840 Trustmark Building Reico Mineral Company - A General Partnership OTH 3/12/13 3801 Old Canton Road Reliance First Capital LLC LLC 3/15/13 506 South President Street Resort Hotel Insurance Services, Inc. NP

3/18/13 506 South President Street Rock House Properties LLC LLC 3/11/13 3093 S. McRaven Road Safety Tax Specialists LLC LLC 3/13/13 3505 Exchange Dr Sams Place LLC LLC 3/18/13 1770 Ellis Ave Suite 100 Sarmad LLC LLC 3/12/13 167 Briarwood Dr., Apt. #1G Shake Me LLC LLC 3/12/13 330 N. Mart Plaza, Suite 12 Sharps Compliance, Inc. of TexasBUS 3/14/13248 East Capitol Street, Suite 840 Siddhidhata LLC LLC 3/14/13 3101 Bailey Ave SNS Summerhill, LLC LLC 3/7/13 3838 Eastover Drive Somefa LLC LLC 3/25/13 2521 Harriotte Ave Sonic Signature LLC LLC 3/11/13 1112 Biloxi St Southern Kingz Productions LLCLLC 3/29/13500 Northpointe Parkway Apt. 202 Southern Technology and Services, Inc. dba BUS 3/12/13 506 South President Street Spectrum Senior Living, LLC LLC 3/7/13 781 Larson Street Spirit Life Training Center NP 3/11/13 102 Waywood Dr Staff Manufacturing LLC LLC 3/25/13 506 South President Street Stafford-Smith Inc. BUS 3/25/13 506 South President Street Stage 3 Separation, LLC LLC 3/13/13 506 South President Street Stand Alone Asset Management, LLC LLC 3/5/13 125 So. Congress Street. Suite 1240

Stanley Capital, LP LP 3/21/13 125 So. Congress Street. Suite 1240 Stanley Medical Management LLCLLC 3/5/13 125 So. Congress Street. Suite 1240 Starbridge Oil Investments DBALLC 3/25/13 814 North President Street (39202) Stella B LLC LLC 3/11/13 4053 Eastwood Place Story Tour LLC LLC 3/28/13 471 E Ridgeway St Stray Cat LLC LLC 3/27/13 1819 Valley Street T Stylez Hair Studio LLC LLC 3/25/13 1205 Dorgan St Tays Restaurant Inc BUS 3/20/13 302 Savanna St TBT Logistics LLC LLC 3/12/13 1880 Lakeland Drive, Suite C TCBWS, LLC LLC 3/22/13190 East Capitol St., Suite 100 (39201) TCBWS1, LLC LLC 3/22/13 190 East Capitol Street Suite 100 TCBWS2, LLC LLC 3/22/13190 East Capitol St., Suite 100 (39201) Ten Point Properties, LLC LLC 3/4/13 5448 I-55 North Suite A

I

23

The Ambassador Condominium Owners Association, Inc. NP 3/28/13 5025 Wayneland Drive The Be-N-Nu Group LLC LLC 3/22/13 4949 N State St The Broadlane Group Inc BUS 3/22/13 506 South President Street The Humane Society of the United States NP 3/18/13 506 South President Street The Lakes of Oxford Utility Company, LLCLLC

3/15/13 190 E Capitol St Ste 800 The LOGS Group, LLC LLC 3/13/13 1910 Lakeland Drive Suite B. The Memory Effect Boutique LLCLLC 3/14/13 2729 E Benwood Dr The Mountain Movers Organization

NP

3/12/13 1028 Capri Circle The Reading Clinic LLC LLC 3/12/13 51 Northtown Drive Apt 18f The Roofer Direct LLC LLC 3/11/13 405 Briarwood Dr Ste 103 A The Woda Group, Inc. BUS 3/27/13190 East Capitol Street, Suite 100 Therapeutic Exercise Products, Inc. BUS

3/8/13 928 Reaves St TNCI Operating Company LLC LLC 3/15/13 506 South President Street Top Notch Fabrications, LLC LLC 3/27/13 506 South President Street Triple J Enterprises LLC LLC 3/13/13 3340 Harley St. Apt. 1H United American Contractors, IncBUS 3/26/13 840 Trustmark Building United Rentals, Inc. BUS 3/8/13 506 South President Street Va Phaul LLC LLC 3/7/13 1206 Greenbriar St Vivacious Wear LLC LLC 3/4/13 1219 Shalimar St VMI, Inc. dba BUS 3/12/13 506 South President Street Vossloh Fastening Systems America Corporation BUS 3/4/13 506 South President Street W & W Holdings LLC LLC 3/18/13 2610 Lakeland Drive W E Capital Fund, LLC LLC 3/28/13 5557 Ridgewood Road W Salon LLC LLC 3/11/13 125 South Congress Street, Ste 1600 A W. E. Property Group, LLC LLC 3/6/13 5557 Ridgewood Road W. W. Enroughty & Son Inc BUS 3/4/13248 East Capitol Street, Suite 840 Wayne Brothers, Inc. BUS 3/15/13 506 South President Street We-R Inc BUS 3/6/13 337 W Ash St Wendell L. Reed DBA OTH 3/11/13 121 Belle Chasse Dr West Corporation BUS 3/28/13 506 South President Street Whitespike Properties, LLC LLC 3/21/13 4553 Whitehaven Drive Whitespike, LLC LLC 3/21/13 4553 Whitehaven Drive Wicken 1, Inc. BUS 3/7/13 216 Stoney Brook Cove Winder’s Trucking LLC LLC 3/27/13 195 Stratford Place Witherspoon School, LLC LLC 3/25/13 840 Trustmark Building WMS Business Service and Tax Prep LLCLLC

3/7/13 264 Allstate Dr Woda Cooper Communities, LLC LLC 3/27/13 190 East Capitol Street, Suite 100 Woda Management & Real Estate, LLCLLC 3/27/13 190 East Capitol Street, Suite 100

Woodlands Oil and Gas LLC LLC 3/27/13 1368 Old Fannin Road, Suite 300 Brandon, Ms 39047 ZENAZ, LLC. LLC 3/28/13 2534 Crestleigh Manor

Jayess J Reid Consulting Inc BUS 3/1/13 4253 583 SE TKC Transport LLC LLC 3/27/13 56 Hamp Road

Kiln Absolute Construction and Renovation, LLC LLC 3/7/13 6531 Kiln Picayune Rd Wolf River Precision LLC LLC 3/11/13 18125 Ole Joe Moran Rd

INCORPORATIONS

24 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 14, 2013 Kosciusko

Louin

Affordable Pools LLC LLC 3/15/13 6593 Highway 35 S Kellum Sr Ministry NP 3/4/13 115 Boswell Street Thorpe Consulting LLC LLC 3/18/13 13993 Hwy 12W W.C.O. Trucking LLC LLC 3/12/13 2886 Attala Road 3033

Coalition of Poultry Workers NP 3/20/13 4291 Hwy 15

Lake Cormorant A-1 Property Management, LLC LLC 3/27/13 8280 Star Landing Road

Lamar The Benton County Commission On Aging & Independent Living, LLCLLC 3/18/13 1342 Country Church Rd

Laurel First Ave Curb Store Inc BUS 3/15/13 1107 N 1st Ave Fort Knox, LLC LLC 3/20/13 281 Grafton Road J.W. Ridgeway & Company LLC LLC 3/11/13 852 Ellisville Blvd MD Tile Installations LLC LLC 3/12/13 2108 N. 6th Ave. Richard Holloway Agency LLC LLC 3/11/13 812 Laurelwood Circle Apt 8 Saw at Work NP 3/7/13 535 South 14th Ave Sleepy Sam’s Mattress Club, LLCLLC 3/5/13 531†Central†Ave†Suite†D Squeegee’ Window Cleaning LLCLLC 3/13/13 3527 Audubon Drive TwoBar, LLC LLC 3/14/13 11 Barlow Road WebSouth Innovations, LLC LLC 3/21/13 1206 Old Amy Road

D&V Services, Inc. BUS 3/7/13 501 Lafayette Avenue The Junction Enterprises, LLC LLC 3/4/13 14058 Hwy 63 N

Leland BUS 134 Lilac Drive

Lena Morgan Tree Service LLC LLC 3/26/13 56 Jim’s Road

Lexington Ephraim Transportation LLC LLC 3/15/13 808 Jones Rd

Liberty Trail’s End Trucking, LLC LLC 3/28/13 6285 Whittington Rd

Long Beach Alchemy Solutions, LLC LLC 3/15/13 20010 Patton Road Alcove, LLC LLC 3/7/13 20245 Cliff Allen Lane Castnet Seafood LLC LLC 3/11/13 720 N Nicholson Ave Chillings Heat & A/C Repair LLC LLC 3/13/13 826 E Railroad Street GC Properties LLC LLC 3/28/13 228 Boggs Circle GC Spirits LLC LLC 3/28/13 228 Boggs Circle JHG Solutions Inc BUS 3/25/13 18062 Commission Road John Lee Consultancy Inc BUS 3/28/13 5513 Paula Dr Kat5 LLC LLC 3/25/13 5352 Red Creek Road Neal E Trautman, Ph.D. Inc. BUS 3/27/13 100 Maple Cove Rish LLC LLC 3/8/13 19010 Pineville Road

Lorman 2 CuZZens LLC 3/11/13 2 CuZZuns LLC 3/11/13

Agnew Heating And Air Conditioning, Inc BUS 3/18/13 3210 Yellow Creek Road Brandon Hill GP, LLC 3/19/13 1659 Hwy 15 S Bypass Brandon Hill II, L.P. 3/19/13 1659 Hwy 15 S Bypass Central Mississippi Surveying LLCLLC 3/18/13 2542 Sims Road Dominion Holdings Inc BUS 3/12/13 109 St Charles Ave Hawthorne Apartments II, L.P. 3/19/13 1659 Hwy 15 S Bypass Hawthorne GP, LLC 3/19/13 1659 Hwy 15 S Bypass J & J Machines, LLC LLC 3/15/13 210 E Park St Jeannette’s Kitchen LLC LLC 3/27/13 524 Murry Fulton Rd Louisville Pizza Company LLC LLC 3/12/13 109 St. Charles Ave. Marion Road Apartments II, L.P. 3/19/13 1659 Hwy 15 S Marion Road GP, LLC 3/19/13 1659 Hwy 15 S Bypass MS Legal and Mediation Services PLLC PLLC 3/12/13 201 S Jones Ave River Bend Forest Services, LLC LLC 3/7/13 120 Wood St Sallys LLC LLC 3/5/13 105 N Spring Ave Sunset Hill GP, LLC 3/19/13 1659 Hwy 15 S Bypass Sunset Hill II, L.P. 3/19/13 1659 Hwy 15 S Bypass

Lucedale

Leakesville

Big Top Farm, Inc. 3/27/13

Louisville

LLC 906 Spayd Rd LLC 906 Spayd Rd

Dixie Properties, LLC LLC 3/4/13 5154 Main Street Fairley Marine OTH 3/6/13 131 Joe Fairley Rd MAL Global Solutions, LLC LLC 3/25/13 1738 Fork Road Onsite Welding Inc BUS 3/6/13 82 Richland Dr T M Remodeling LLC LLC 3/15/13 220 Winter St. Vintage Depot OTH 3/5/13 270 Landon Rd

Lumberton Brenda’s Family Hair Care LLC LLC 3/27/13 1895 Hwy 13 BSD Construction LLC LLC 3/15/13 1175 Bilbo Road Jebcan LLC LLC 3/18/13 40 Horseshoe Bend Maw Rhettas House LLC LLC 3/27/13 20 Norton Road R Turn Construction LLC LLC 3/28/13 604 Gumpond Beall Rd

Maben Diana Elderly Christian Home Incorporated BUS 3/18/13 7615 Webster Street Saved by Grace Inc NP 3/19/13 9285 Sturgis Maben Rd

Macon Phillip Eaves Logging, LLC LLC 3/20/13 4061 Monument Rd Prairie Traders LLC LLC 3/15/13 305 North Jefferson Street

Madison Abydos Plantation Holdings, LLCLLC 3/18/13 102 Bristol Cove Agape Partners II LP LP 3/1/13124 One Madison Plaza, Suite 1500 Agape Partners III LP LP 3/1/13124 One Madison Plaza, Suite 1500 Agape Partners LP LP 3/1/13124 One Madison Plaza, Suite 1500 Alter Ego Hair Extensions OTH 3/26/13 268 Hawthorne Drive Baptist Memorial Hospital Union County Wellness Center LLC LLC 3/20/13 305 Fox Hollow ( Canton)

Barnes Family, Inc. BUS 3/11/13 127 Greenfield Way Berwood Park, LLC LLC 3/1/13 124 One Madison Plaza, Suite 1500 Black River Fabrications LLC LLC 3/12/13 158 Victoria Place BMAC Holdings, LLC LLC 3/1/13 115 Homestead Drive Brandi’s Creations, LLC LLC 3/5/13 115 Homestead Drive BUNCHaMUGS LLC LLC 3/4/13 1057 Hwy 51 Chamber Another Round Firearms, LLCLLC 3/25/13 1042 GLUCKSTADT ROAD, STE C

Construction Ministries NP 3/18/13 1888 Main Street, Suite C-144 Cullen Capital Leasing LLC LLC 3/5/13 732 Magnolia Street Current Concept LLC LLC 3/29/13 103 Cherrybrook Drive Cyntek Lifesciences LLC LLC 3/11/13 147 Northlake Drive Densford-Lindsey Operating Company LLCLLC

3/6/13 7720 Old Canton Road, Suite C-1 Diversified Health International, LLC LLC 3/14/13 7736 Old Canton Rd Ste B (39110)

Downing Court Group LP LP 3/27/13 102 First Choice Drive Fastworld, LLC LLC 3/14/13 7736 Old Canton Road Suite B FDH Consulting LLC LLC 3/21/13 753 Danforth Drive Forest Avenue Partners LP LP 3/1/13 124 One Madison Plaza, Suite 1500 Harris and Harris Builders and Developers, LLC LLC 3/25/13 133 Derby Drive Highland Equity, LLC LLC 3/20/13 47 Deer Haven Dr Home Solutions, LLC LLC 3/15/13 681 Hazleton Drive Hunter Realty of MS LLC LLC 3/6/13 818 Beaumont Drive InForce Services Group LLC LLC 3/7/13 305 Northbay Drive Innovative Health Sciences LLC LLC 3/25/13 114 Bristol Way Jackson Biomedical Sciences LLCLLC 3/14/13 151 Bridge Water Dr. JRS Resources, LLC LLC 3/28/13 210 Fredricksburg Pl Kenny’s Pest Control, LLC LLC 3/19/13 225 Hawthorne Dr Keystone Estates II, LLC LLC 3/1/13 124 One Madison Plaza, Suite 1500 Keystone Estates III, LLC LLC 3/1/13 124 One Madison Plaza, Suite 1500 Keystone Estates, LLC LLC 3/1/13124 One Madison Plaza, Suite 1500 KM Holdings LLC LLC 3/6/13 100 Webster Circle, Suite 1 LAFG, Inc. BUS 3/29/13 456 Annandale Pkwy Mid-State Graphic Solutions LLCLLC 3/28/13 104 Rosebriar Common Min Sheng Healthcare, LLC LLC 3/13/13 232 Tiften Dr Mississippi Business Group on Health 3/28/13 518 Spring Hill Drive Mississippi Business Group on Health NP

3/28/13 518 Spring Hill Drive Mississippi Flood Baseball NP 3/6/13 404 West Place Mississippi Insurance Education Foundation NP 3/25/13 112 Derby Drive Morris Real Estate No VII LLC LLC 3/27/13 125 Sundown Cove MS Sixteen Section Land Lease Holders Association NP 3/12/13 123 Pembroke Circle No Limit Brandon, LLC LLC 3/1/13 115 Homestead Drive Oxford Court Group LP LP 3/27/13 102 First Choice Drive PJE Rentals, LLC LLC 3/26/13 172 Reunion Blvd Preziosi Properties, Inc. BUS 3/28/13 1300 Highway 51 Prime Group Services, LLC LLC 3/7/13 154 Annadale Pkwy East R & R Pavement Maintenance LLCLLC 3/11/13 108 Ashbrooke Trail Real Skin, LLC LLC 3/28/13 107 Glenwood Bend REZ Properties 3, LLC LLC 3/1/13 373 Kingsbridge Rd Ross Consultants, LLC LLC 3/4/13 231 Ingleside Drive SCR Enterprises, LLC LLC 3/21/13 519 Ellerslie Lane

Serenity Inc BUS 3/12/13 112 Buckhill Ln Shop Local Rewards LLC LLC 3/1/13 152 East Hill Dr Smooth Transitions, Central Mississippi, LLC LLC 3/14/13 35 Redbud Lane Southern Dwellings LLC LLC 3/29/13 103 Cherrybrook Drive Spine Stability Surgical LLC LLC 3/11/13 180 Wrights Mill Drive Strategic Advantage, LLC LLC 3/14/13 2091 Main St Ste C Madison, Ms 39110 Strategic Advantage, LLC 3/14/132091 Main St Ste C Madison, Ms 39110 Strikers Archery Team NP 3/6/13 534 Old Rice Road Taylor Court Group LP LP 3/27/13 102 First Choice Drive Thomas Medical LLC LLC 3/19/13 109 Camden Ridge United Care Prosthetics LLC LLC 3/18/13 113 Greenfield Way Vaughan Land, LLC LLC 3/22/13 164 Quail Ridge Drive Westland Coin LLC LLC 3/18/13 535 Florence Drive

Magee Jan-Pro DBA LLC 3/28/13 849 First Street NW Apt. 24 Keller Hardin Wilson LLC LLC 3/25/13 244 Old Magee Road Monica Chatman Enterprises LLCLLC 3/28/13 849 First Street NW Apt. 24 Parker Auction & Trading Company LLCLLC

3/11/13

1667 Simpson Hwy 49 Ste 2

Magnolia Critter Crossing Farm LLC LLC 3/25/13 1072 Scott Furr Rd Freaky Encounter Paranormal Investigations LLC 3/25/13 3015 Lablanc Rd

Mantachie Triple T Enterprises of MS LLC LLC 3/1/13 5255 Highway 363

Marks Ameris Acquisitions, LLC LLC 3/20/13 330 Pecan St. MKN Farms LLC LLC 3/5/13 85 Buena Vista

Mathiston B&G Products, LLC LLC 3/12/13 20869 Ms Highway 15 Oh Sew Fun, LLC LLC 3/7/13 835 Blythe Creek Rd Terry Stidham Construction Co LLCLLC 3/25/13 4760 Lagrange Road

McComb 3MB LLC LLC 3/7/13 103 North Broadway Ashley Park Homeowners’ Association, Inc NP 3/11/13 350 Rawls Drive God’s Way Group Home NP 3/11/13 1018 Pearl River Ave Hillary Hardin Ministries LLC LLC 3/27/13 324 High Street Life Apps for Families, LLC LLC 3/28/13 612 Delware Ave Ste 9 Mike’s Drum Repair LLC LLC 3/4/13 225 Peach Ave PNB Properties, Inc BUS 3/15/13 350 Rawls Drive Speed Tactical LLC LLC 3/25/13 111 Burke Avenue Tatoo’s Unlimited LLC LLC 3/1/13 102 Laurel Street Ste A The Art of Therapeutic Massage & Bodyworks LLC LLC 3/28/13 811-A Delware Ave The Bearden Place, L.L.C. LLC 3/18/13 1116 Delaware Avenue

McHenry Burgess Associates, LLC LLC 3/15/13 375 M. P. Parker Rd.

Meadville Twin Creek Farm, LLC LLC 3/15/13 936 Langford Lane NW

Mendenhall

Myrtle

Central Auto Parts of Monticello, Inc. BUS

Loops LLC 3/11/13

3/19/13 407 Airport Road Maddox Properties, LLC LLC 3/20/13 2109 Highway 541 North

Meridian ASAP Auto Group LLC LLC 3/7/13 3604 62Nd Avenue Bidgood Brothers LLC LLC 3/11/13 2507 Hwy 39 North Black Bag Interiors, L.L.C. LLC 3/6/13 7525 Forrest Drive Black Bag Interiors, L.L.C. 3/4/13 7525 Forrest Drive Clay Enterprises, LLC LLC 3/15/13 4544 Pleasant Hill Rd Cross Water, LLC LLC 3/27/13 5560 Causeyville Road Cy Development LLC LLC 3/28/13 5016 4Th Place Excel Oil Company BUS 3/6/13 730 Front St Ext Ezzy Living LLC LLC 3/25/13 216 39Th Court Greenscape Mississippi, Inc. BUS 3/14/13 2638-23Rd Avenue Harvesters Soul Winning MinistryNP 3/12/13 4550 35Th Ave Apt #a102 J.M.E. Transportation Inc BUS 3/25/13 2623 19Th St Kar Klean LLC LLC 3/12/13 8685 Hillview Drive Kidds Extreme Accuracy LLC LLC 3/4/13 6937 County Rd 350 Kingdom Harvest Church NP 3/8/13 5071 Cedar St Lava Yeti Development LLC LLC 3/28/13 9731 Mary Lake Dr. Lockhart Munitions LLC LLC 3/7/13 1250 Leo Lockhart Rd MBAS Personal Fitness Group, LLCLLC 3/29/13 3518 41St Street McKinley & Lanier Forest Resources IncBUS

3/25/13 4003-31St Ave Meridian Investment Group LLC LLC 3/7/13 3009-40Th Street MMA Calypso LLC LLC 3/1/13 100 49Th Avenue Riley Rentals, LLC LLC 3/27/13 3021 Highway 45 North Sistaz Hair & Beauty Salon LLC LLC 3/13/13 3218 11Th Place Stephens Drilling Consulting, Inc.BUS 3/19/13 5790 Winchester Place Thrive Mississippi, LLC LLC 3/21/13 1903 27Th Pl., Ste C.

Merigold Musleh Enterprises Inc BUS 3/11/13 1785 North Bayou Rd

Mooreville Canaan City Chapel Worldwide NP 3/11/13 754 Hwy 371 North Mudslangers LLC LLC 3/6/13 138 Drive 1316

Morton Sledge Truckin LLC LLC 3/11/13 6823 Highway 481 S

Moselle MSP Enterprises LLC LLC 3/12/13 683 R.V. Lindley Road

Moss Point CAW Teaching and Guidance LLCLLC 3/5/13 2735 Briarwood Circle L & D Transport, LLC LLC 3/29/13 4507 First Street Rawls Medical Service LLC LLC 3/11/13 2425 Hardy Parker Rd The Empty Vase Florist, LLC LLC 3/27/13 16801 Lily Orchard Rd The Painted Owl, “LLC” LLC 3/20/13 21413 #c Hwy 613 Wexix, LLC LLC 3/18/13 17732 Highway 63

Mound Bayou Community Comfort Hospice & Palliative Care Services Inc BUS 3/28/13114 South Edward Avenue Suite B

Cornerstone Clinical Solutions LLCLLC 3/13/13 406 McNamee Ave

LLC 3935 Bankhead Hwy

De Ja Vu Consignment Boutique LLC LLC

ATTC 7 LLC LLC 3/4/13 468 Hutchins Landing Rd ATTC8 LLC LLC 3/7/13 468 Hutchins Landing Rd

Doughboy’s Pizza of Mississippi LLC LLC

Natchez

Brown Land and Farm Management, LLCLLC

3/19/13 319 Market Street Clear Creek Housing L.P. LP 3/19/13 319 D’Evereaux Drive Clear Creek Natchez LLC LLC 3/19/13 319 Devereaux Drive Cool Frog Holdings, LLC LLC 3/5/13 45 Dunbar Rd Diplomat on Northpointe LLC LLC 3/18/13 320 Main Street Fusion Entertainment LLC LLC 3/27/13 307 North Wall Street Hunter Case Investments LLC LLC 3/15/13 107 Woodhaven Drive Kailua Bay Consultants LLC LLC 3/4/13 319 Market Street Magnolia Unique Boutique LLC LLC 3/28/13 14 Kings Lane MTAC Holdings, LLC LLC 3/28/13 20 Heather Dr Mustang Holdings, L.L.C. LLC 3/15/13 302 Donahue Lane Nana’s & My 3 Girls Cooking, LLCLLC 3/20/13 25 Wilkinson Road Plater’s Trucking, LLC LLC 3/14/13 580 Inez Street Platers Trucking LLC LLC 3/14/13 580 Inez Street Popcorn Tree Properties LLC LLC 3/11/13 3707 Edgewood Road Rankin & High, LLC LLC 3/27/13 322 Main Street Shopgirl LLC LLC 3/12/13 505 Duncan Ave SKYE ZONE, INC. BUS 3/25/13 229 Westlake Estate Upriver Boat Supply, LLC. LLC 3/15/13 207 S Commerce St Xtreme Monster Fitness, LLC LLC 3/21/13 29 Ruby Lane

Nesbit Carson Delivery Services LLC LLC 3/11/13 3260 Dean Road Convoy Services, LLC LLC 3/1/13 301 Fogg Road N. Kiss-Xpress LLC LLC 3/1/13 3371 Amy Dr Maco Transport, LLC LLC 3/21/13 2635 Pleasant Hill Road

New Albany D & B Refinishing LLC LLC 3/1/13 1057 County Rd 137 Eagle Fast Stop #2 OTH 3/11/13 1014 W. Bankhead St Martintown Construction LLC LLC 3/7/13 1368 County Rd 86 Lot 2 Morgan Coombs Photography, LLCLLC 3/22/13 1001 Cr 365 PakRat X-Change, L.L.C. LLC 3/19/13 474 West Bankhead Street Rick Lindley LLC LLC 3/25/13 1015 Evelyn Cove Thompson’s Contracting Inc BUS 3/26/13 112 East Bankhead Street, Ste. A

Newton Keepsake Images LLC LLC 3/28/13 201 Wood Street Strong Sista Community Outreach Inc NP

3/22/13

105 South Hall Avenue

Oakland The Martin Group, Inc of LouisianaBUS 3/26/13 47 County Road 179 The Martin Group, Inc. BUS 3/26/13 47 County Road 179

Ocean Springs 3Point Eco-Logical, LLC LLC 3/28/13 6216 Old Fort Bayou Road Bryan Kelly Rogers DBA OTH 3/29/13 7009 Oakhurst Drive Champaigne and Diamonds Marketing, LLC LLC 3/6/13 7016 Shore Dr

3/27/13 301 Holcomb Blvd Digital Connection Group LLC LLC 3/21/13 3108 Government Street Suite A Dom Hos, LLC LLC 3/28/13 1212 Government St 3/6/13 6512 Washington Avenue Duncan Holdings, LLC LLC 3/12/13 206 Washington Avenue Erhard Investments LLC LLC 3/20/13 13800 Paraiso Road Geraldines LLC LLC 3/25/13 1407 Calhoun St Gulf Coast Houses III, LLC LLC 3/29/13 2750 Bienville Blvd Gulf Coast Sharpening DBA OTH 3/29/13 7009 Oakhurst Drive Healthy Freeze LLC LLC 3/27/13 10404 Tucker Rd Home Time Enterprises, LLC LLC 3/7/13 105 Niagara Ave JIREI, LLC LLC 3/26/13 996 North Halstead Road JuiceFit LLC LLC 3/15/13 13701 Paraiso Rd Moontimes Investments LLC LLC 3/11/13 13601 Virginia St Ocean Springs Police Department Reserve Unit NP 3/12/13 3810 Bienville Blvd Quality Applications Painting and Refinishing LLC LLC 3/4/13 1609 Davis St Royal Homes LLC LLC 3/11/13 5501 Via Ponte Dr Strategic Nutrition Solutions LLCLLC 3/27/13 3205 N 3rd St The Instructional Resolution LLCLLC 3/4/13 6304 Mossy Oak Dr. W

Okolona Davlin, LLC LLC 3/4/13 311 Wheeler St Dulane & Jean Pannell Family LLCLLC 3/27/13 107 McDonnell Little Ducks, LLC LLC 3/15/13 327 West Main Street Okolona Deli Mart Inc BUS 3/7/13 419 South Church Street

Olive Branch AAMS Cattle, LLC LLC 3/4/13 376 Ross Road Aspire Brokerage Inc. BUS 3/20/13 8632 Ashley Dr Backyard Living Space LLC LLC 3/7/13 7731 Sunset Ridge Bennett Construction Company of Mississippi Inc BUS 3/28/13 6849 Dakota South Corporate Quarters Inc 3/28/13 7195 Hunters Forest Drive Deb’s Herbal Projects LLC LLC 3/15/13 6343 Oak Circle West DSJ Enterprises LLC LLC 3/29/13 8800 Setter Ln Excellent Construction, LLC LLC 3/27/13 5611 Hwy 305 Flavor Mavens LLC 3/27/13 5760 Polk Ln Flavor Mavens LLC LLC 3/28/13 5760 Polk Ln Full Circle Equine Services LLC LLC 3/6/13 5875 Center Hill Road Full Circle Farm LLC LLC 3/6/13 5875 Center Hill Road Harvest Church of Olive Branch NP 3/6/13 9864 Leigh Ann Drive JJFAD Company LLC LLC 3/5/13 8815 Deer Creek Lane Kreativ Qbical, LLC LLC 3/18/136515 Goodman Road, Suite 4-276 LTI Construction Co LLC LLC 3/6/13 13259 Baskins Cove West MJ Regency LLC LLC 3/18/13 10006 Keely Drive New Mount Gillian Community Outreach Foundation NP 3/20/13 7954 Alexander Road Olive Branch Printing, LLC LLC 3/6/13 9113 Highway 178 Ortho Solutions LLC LLC 3/28/13 6240 A Davidson Rd Pamela Ann Rummel DBA OTH 3/11/13 4959 Stone Park Blvd Pams Supply Source DBA OTH 3/11/13 4959 Stone Park Blvd

INCORPORATIONS Persaud Properties, LLC LLC 3/4/13 9120 Yahweh Drive Pixel Graphics LLC LLC 3/18/13 10883 Carter Lane Cove Reliable Renovations LLC LLC 3/6/13 5535 Blocker St The Caterpillar’s Closet LLC LLC 3/11/13 8560 Belmor Lakes Drive Top Shelf Reserve, Inc BUS 3/20/13 10028 Victor Drive South Wolfe Farms, LLC LLC 3/7/13 5533 Malone Rd

Oxford 3B Fitness, LLC LLC 3/20/13 135 Taylor Meadows Drive ABS Healthcare Services, Inc. BUS 3/22/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C AdmissionsQuest,Inc. BUS 3/12/13 406 Choctaw Drive Advocate Tax Relief, LLC LLC 3/7/13 405 Galleria Lane Suite C Ainsworth LLC LLC 3/22/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Alzokari LLC LLC 3/11/13 70 Highway 334 AREI, LLC LLC 3/29/13 405 Galleria Lane Suite C Austin & Holcomb LLC LLC 3/6/13 93 Highway 30 East Back to Perfection Inc BUS 3/28/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Ballston Equitites LLC LLC 3/28/13 405 Galleria Lane Suite C Best of the Best L.L.C. LLC 3/12/13 103 Luther St Blue Ox Construction LLC LLC 3/12/13 405 Galleria Lane Suite C Burketts Creek East II MM, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Burketts Creek East II, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Burketts Creek East MM, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Burketts Creek East, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue C. P. Cox Enterprises, LLC LLC 3/21/13 2084 Old Taylor Road, Suite 106 Caillavet Place MM, LLC LLC 3/25/13 2330 University Avenue Caillavet Place, LLC LLC 3/25/13 2330 University Avenue Capitol View Estates MM, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Capitol View Estates, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Cedar Grove West MM, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Cedar Grove West, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Classic Credit Systems, Inc. BUS 3/25/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C College Hill LLC LLC 3/22/13 8 Industrial Park Drive E.J.G., L.L.C. LLC 3/11/13 829 North Lamar Blvd., Ste 1 East Village Estates II, LLC LLC 3/4/13 2330 University Avenue East Village Estates, LLC LLC 3/4/13 2330 University Avenue East Village II MM, LLC LLC 3/4/13 2330 University Avenue East Village MM, LLC LLC 3/4/13 2330 University Avenue Eco Soil Technologies LLC LLC 3/11/13 1602 Grand Oaks Blvd Ella’s Light Children’s Ministry: Ella Marie Form by Memorial Foundation NP

3/8/13 307 Heritage Drive EPIC Property Solutions, LLC LLC 3/4/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Flying Jenny LLC LLC 3/1/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Fondren Place MM, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Fondren Place, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Forest Hill Estates MM, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Forest Hill Estates, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Fort Bayou Landing MM, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Freemans Grocery, LLC LLC 3/4/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Fullerton Engineering Consultants, IncBUS

3/22/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Gene Structural Engineering IncBUS 3/25/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Green Hill II-S MM, LLC LLC 3/4/13 2330 University Avenue

Green Hill II-S, LLC LLC 3/4/13 2330 University Avenue Green Hill-S MM, LLC LLC 3/4/13 2330 University Avenue Green Hill-S, LLC LLC 3/4/13 2330 University Avenue Hail Master, LLC LLC 3/28/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Hayman Ventures, LLC LLC 3/28/13 103A Courthouse Square HHI Corporation BUS 3/5/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Hole in the Hide Inc BUS 3/7/13 8 Cr 2060 Hope Spring I GP, LLC LLC 3/25/131739 University Avenue, Suite 292 Hope Spring I, LP LP 3/25/131739 University Avenue, Suite 292 Hope Spring II GP, LLC LLC 3/25/131739 University Avenue, Suite 292 Hope Spring II, LP LP 3/26/131739 University Avenue, Suite 292 Industrial Coatings Group, Inc. BUS 3/15/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Inspiring Change Counseling, LLCLLC 3/21/13 1124 N. Lamar Blvd., Ste 4 JM Madden Professional Counseling LLCLLC

3/28/13 27 Private Road 3151 Apt 8 JW Hawkins Funding CorporationBUS 3/1/13 308 Faith Cove K & D Property Investments LLCLLC 3/20/13 219 Woodland Hills Dr KMD Construction, LLC LLC 3/26/13 130-A Courthouse Square Lane McCluer Interiors LLC LLC 3/21/13 900 Muirfield Drive Lehmberg Cove MM, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Lehmberg Cove, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Levee II-FP MM, LLC LLC 3/4/13 2330 University Avenue Levee II-FP, LLC LLC 3/4/13 2330 University Avenue Lois Research, LLC LLC 3/18/13 1300 Access Road, Suite 100 LT2, LLC LLC 3/6/13 1420 North Lamar Blvd Magnolia Montessori School, LLCLLC 3/4/13 102 Oxford Creek Dr Marin Hill I GP, LLC LLC 3/25/13 1739 University Ave Suite 116 Marin Hill I, LP LP 3/25/13 1739 University Ave Suite 116 Marin Hill II GP, LLC LLC 3/25/13 1739 University Ave Suite 116 Marin Hill II, LP LP 3/25/13 1739 University Ave Suite 116 Maximum Security Alarm BUS 3/7/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Maximum Security Alarm, Inc. BUS 3/7/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C McClarty Road, LLC LLC 3/22/13 8 Industrial Park Drive MeadowView-B MM, LLC LLC 3/4/13 2330 University Avenue MeadowView-B, LLC LLC 3/4/13 2330 University Avenue Med-1 Solutions, LLC LLC 3/25/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Michael T Lewis Ira LLC LLC 3/27/13 1217 Jackson Avenue East Mill Creek Place IV MM, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Mill Creek Place IV, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Mill Creek Place V MM, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Mill Creek Place V, LLC LLC 3/18/13 2330 University Avenue Mississippi Greenery DBA LLC 3/28/13 103A Courthouse Square Mississippi Mini-Crete, LLC LLC 3/28/13 12 Cr 209 Monarch Boutique and Gifts, LLCLLC 3/14/13 1007-1 North Lamar N R Windows Inc BUS 3/12/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C National Healthcare Review LLC LLC 3/28/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Northwest Metal Solutions, LLC LLC 3/15/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Northwest Place MM, LLC LLC 3/25/13 2330 University Avenue Northwest Place, LLC LLC 3/25/13 2330 University Avenue Oxford Brokerage Company LLC LLC 3/26/13 1300 Access Road, Suite 100 P & S LLC LLC 3/22/13 1002 Van Buren

Parsons Consulting, Limited Liability Company LLC 3/27/13 467 Highway 7 North Passage Film, Inc. BUS 3/12/13 211 Vivian St Precision Knife Sharpening Service LLCLLC

3/27/13 209 County Road 143 Retreat Capital Management, IncBUS 3/13/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Russell Contracting LLC LLC 3/1/13 3151 PR 34 Apt 9 Scienomics LLC LLC 3/26/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C South 16th Square, LLC LLC 3/20/13 705 Nottingham Drive Streamline CXO, LLC LLC 3/14/13 405 Galleria Lane Suite C The Pearson Farm, LLC LLC 3/14/13 521 Cr 442 The Range of Oxford LLC LLC 3/11/13 502 Northpointe Loop Touchet Holdings Corporation BUS 3/7/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C Town and Country of Oxford LLCLLC 3/11/13 501 Donna Cove Trinity Building Contractors LLC LLC 3/6/13 405 Galleria Lane Suite C Vision Place MM, LLC LLC 3/25/13 2330 University Avenue Vision Place, LLC LLC 3/25/13 2330 University Avenue Wicker Appraisals, Inc. BUS 3/1/13 2091 Old Taylor Rd Ste 201 Wired Jewelry by Jenna LLC LLC 3/11/13 112 County Rd 213 Wise Adventure Inc BUS 3/7/13 405 Galleria Lane, Suite C WRF LLC LLC 3/8/13 103A Courthouse Square

Pascagoula Amiga’s House Cleaning, LLC LLC 3/19/13 2114 Ingalls Ave Gunz & Outdoors LLC LLC 3/25/13 1420 Ingalls Ave Nathan Hale Properties LLC LLC 3/28/13 2603 Del De Court Party Girls Invitations & Gifts, LLCLLC 3/29/13 303 Delmas Avenue, Cottage J Premier Venture Group LLC LLC 3/25/13 906 Convent Avenue Round to It LLC LLC 3/22/13 2403 King Avenue Salon Rentals, LLC LLC 3/22/13 1241 Market St

Pass Christian Dial Aviation LLC LLC 3/14/13 3516 Judy Ave J S & E, LLC LLC 3/6/13 7296 Camellia Court Second Year Captain, LLC LLC 3/28/13 22459 North Pine Extension Technical Training Institute LLC LLC 3/21/13 242 Basswood Drive The Shubert Ranch Inc BUS 3/27/13 1071 Schoenfeld Rd Veterans Construction Services, Inc. BUS 3/8/13 10125 Firetower Rd

Paulding Blackblaze Trucking LLC LLC 3/6/13 1726 County Road 39

Pearl 49 Tanker Line LLC LLC 3/5/13 3545 Old Brandon Rd Acadiana Custom Homes, LLC LLC 3/7/13 221 Village Cove C & C Nursing Company DBA OTH 3/14/13 2425 S. Pearson Rd Candace Thomas DBA OTH 3/14/13 2425 S. Pearson Rd Capital Cooling & Refrigeration LLCLLC 3/6/13 282 Reynolds Street Citiplace Phase I Partners, LP LP 3/26/13 149 Concourse Drive Citiplace Phase II Partners, LP LP 3/26/13 149 Concourse Drive D & T Hauling LLC LLC 3/11/13 3517 Longstreet Drive Exxon Mini Mart, Inc. BUS 3/27/13 510 Patrick Farms Road Flight Twenty-Four, LLC LLC 3/26/13 149 Concourse Drive Flight Twenty-One, LLC LLC 3/26/13 149 Concourse Drive

June 14, 2013 Flight Twenty-Two, LLC LLC 3/26/13 149 Concourse Drive Glenn Accounting, LLC LLC 3/14/13 472 Pemberton Drive Hands UP Outreach (CWJC & CMJC)

NP

3/29/13 200 Park Place Drive John Phillips DBA OTH 3/26/13 507 Ridgecrest Dr Krista S Buckhalter-Snell LLC LLC 3/11/13 304 Oak Park Way Livingston Partners, LP LP 3/26/13 149 Concourse Drive Mac Security of MS LLC LLC 3/6/13 2621 Old Brandon Rd Apt H72 Phillips Industrial Paint DBA OTH 3/26/13 507 Ridgecrest Dr Pine Forest Reserve LLC LLC 3/11/13 687 Spring Lake Dr Roofing Resolution, LLC LLC 3/1/13 121 Climate Dr Singh Oil LLC LLC 3/5/13 3545 Old Brandon Rd Tagom LLC LLC 3/11/13 101 Airport Road The Accolade Group LLC LLC 3/6/13 521 Patrick Farms Dr. Top Notch Lawn Service, LLC LLC 3/7/13 504 Patrick Farms Dr Valero Food Mart, Inc. BUS 3/27/13 510 Patrick Farms Road Willies Wheels LLC LLC 3/7/13 2503 Hwy 468

BUS 1842 Highway 43 N

Perkinston IsabelFLA LLC LLC 3/6/13 1192 Vestry Rd Wiggins Oil Exchange LLC LLC 3/4/13 181 Jub Hickman Rd

Petal Connect Transport LLC LLC 3/15/13 117 North Main Street Suite 200 Feel at Home Massage LLC LLC 3/20/13 189 Batson Rd Grassroots Lawn Care LLC LLC 3/26/13 627 S. George Street House of Prayer Non-Denominational Church of Wiggins NP 3/4/13 53 Trailwood Circle JKS Process Server LLC LLC 3/29/13 172 Timberlakes Drive Morgan Crafts and Woodworking LLC LLC

3/25/13 107 Barron St Pro Street Customs of Petal Mississippi, LLC LLC 3/1/13 300 McInnis St Southern Exposure Basketball IncNP 3/25/13 146 Herchenhahn Road

Philadelphia Angkor Wat Properties LLC LLC 3/12/13 432 Myrtle St Apt#4 Byars Properties LLC LLC 3/13/13 319 Byrd Avenue Divine Serenity Memorial Chapel, Inc BUS

3/15/13 912 S. Donald Avenue DS Properties of Philadelphia, LLCLLC 3/15/13 912 S. Donald Avenue Hancock Photography & Design, LLC LLC

3/25/13 423 Center Avenue Ivy Street Church of Christ NP 3/27/13 13090 Highway 16 East Matco Holdings LLC LLC 3/22/13 10531 Road 539 Pearl River Outdoor Equipment LLC

3/1/13

134 Tennyson Cove

Double-A-Home Improvements Inc. BUS

3/18/13 115 N Steele Ave Frame Masters, LLC LLC 3/18/13 104 Oaks Court Gold Coast SkySystems, LLC LLC 3/20/13 124 Kirkwood St Hollywood Nails and Spa LLC LLC 3/1/13 1409 Armand Drive K D Homes Builder LLC LLC 3/6/13 1212 Highland Drive L & M Auto Body and Collision, L.L.C. LLC

3/20/13 1309 S. Haugh Avenue Mary’s Little Gift Shop LLC LLC 3/18/13 530 Highland Parkway Necaise Trapping LLC LLC 3/6/13 28267 Berry Patch Rd Source Universe Corp BUS 3/27/13 46 Lost Creek Lane Sunday Dinner, LLC LLC 3/1/13 100 Street A, Suite A

Pickens Bug Carter’s, Inc. BUS 3/5/13 53 East Third Street

Pinola Steen Farms, LLC LLC 3/20/13 378 Robert Bush Rd

Plantersville

Pelahatchie A & B, Inc. 3/26/13

Centerlane Street Rod & Customs, LLCLLC

Mississippi State Protective Service LLC LLC 3/22/13 108 Church Ave

Pontotoc 6C LLC LLC 3/26/13 4420 Old Airport Road A Tree of Life Counseling, PLLCPLLC 3/6/13 186 Hwy 15 South CH Farms, LLC LLC 3/27/13 379 Old Airport Road South Hansberger Farms, LLC LLC 3/27/13 379 Old Airport Road South Hansberger Residential, LLC LLC 3/27/13 379 Old Airport Road South MM Enterprises LLc LLC 3/25/13 301 Lakeshore Dr Next Level Sports & Fitness, LLCLLC 3/7/13 355 Peoples Place Prime Mobile Home Transport, LLCLLC 3/18/13 351 Spur Street

Pope E & T Contracting, LLC LLC 3/11/13 1689 Snider Rd

Poplarville Jason Baker Agency, LLC LLC 3/11/13 109 Maria Street Robinson Security Service LLC LLC 3/28/13 296 Whitesand Road Silver Run Baptist Church, Inc. NP 3/6/13 2865 Silver Run Rd

Port Gibson Parker Farms LLC LLC 3/25/13 8111 Karnac Ferry Rd Perfect View LLC LLC 3/27/13 5007-A Ward Rd.

Potts Camp JAS Enterprises LLC LLC 3/25/13 1628 Brownle Road

LLC

3/27/13 326 W Main St Rush Lawn Care, LLC LLC 3/14/13 10981 Hwy 21 North Rush Lawn Care, LLC 3/12/13 10981 Hwy 21 North Second Wind Properties, LLC LLC 3/15/13 423 Center Avenue Steele’s Southern Boutique LLC LLC 3/7/13 11041 Rd 397 UpLift Designs, LLC LLC 3/25/13 423 Center Avenue

Picayune Air Commander, LLC LLC 3/29/13 24325 Rester Road Big Sisters Have Lil Sisters by the Hand Foundation NP 3/21/13 1601 6Th Ave, #2

Prentiss Emmie’s Closet, LLC LLC 3/1/13 218 McPhail Road Magnolia Anesthesia LLC LLC 3/27/13 97 Terrell Rd

Purvis B&F Morton Investments LLC LLC 3/12/13 1138 South King Road JMAR MANUFACTURING, LLC LLC 3/18/13 43 Mangum People Serving People, LLC LLC 3/15/13 4745 US Hwy 11 The Community of Life LLC LLC 3/8/13 581 Richburg Rd. TTB Consulting LLC LLC 3/12/13 40 Deep South Lane

I

Mississippi Business Journal

Quitman J.R.C. Consulting, “L.L.C.” LLC 3/21/13 417 CR 122 McKenzie S & C Properties, LLC LLC 3/27/13 118 County Rd 1582 The Curiosity Shoppe OTH 3/6/13 122 Main Street

Randolph Austin Auto & Equipment, LLC LLC 3/15/13 15 Robbs Road

Raymond About Time Camera Systems LLCLLC 3/11/13 1783 Pine Hill Drive New Beginning Community Renovations, LLC LLC 3/28/13 3693 North Midway Rd R.E. Dyer L.L.C. LLC 3/14/13 7009 Jackson Raymond Rd Raymond Community Garden NP 3/27/13 227 West Main St Youth Fitness Foundation NP 3/5/13 4 Pin Tail Cv

Richland Key Associates LLC LLC 3/25/13 627 Hwy 49 S, Suite A

Richton We R C.R.O.S.S. 3/6/13

NP 83 A Farmer Dr

Ridgeland 500 Club Beauty School NP 3/5/13 312 Buckingham Court A Plus Tire Store LLC LLC 3/28/13 321 Highway 51, Suite D Alicen Watts Skin and Hair Therapy Center PA PA 3/5/13 312 Buckingham Court Allied Construction Enterprises LLC LLC 3/14/13200 Pine Knoll Dr. Ridgeland, Ms 39157

Arbiter LLC LLC 3/13/131022 Highland Colony Parkway Suite 300 Burgess Company Inc BUS 3/7/13 218 Sawbridge Drive C & O Real Estate Holdings LLC LLC 3/8/13 587 Highland Colony Parkway C.P. & Associates LLC LLC 3/25/13 751 Avignon Drive Suite 1 Capstone Proposal Services, LLCLLC 3/18/13 125 Trace Ridge Drive Crane Apparel Company BUS 3/6/13 312 Buckingham Court CSI USA, LLC LLC 3/21/13 587 Highland Colony Parkway DASH NP 3/27/13118 Bridge Walk Dr Canton 39046 Delta Regional Land Management, LLCLLC

3/27/13 587 Highland Colony Parkway Farrow Finance, LLC LLC 3/6/13 800 Avery Blvd N Ste 101 Global Traders, LLC LLC 3/14/13 304 Inverness Cove Hulk Consulting Inc BUS 3/18/13 217 Draperton Dr Suite 100 JCB Consulting, LLC LLC 3/21/131076 Highland Colony Parkway, 600 Concourse suite 100 LAMCO Marion, L.P. LP 3/15/13 111 Rolling Meadows Road Mckee Global Trading, LLC LLC 3/21/13 108 Timbercrest Drive MWR Enterprises LLC LLC 3/12/131020 Highland Colony Pkwy, Suite 1400 Ogre Fund-I, LLC LLC 3/1/13 196 Charmant Dr Suite 2 Old Agency Transport LLC LLC 3/4/13 303 Semoia Lane Papa Consulting, LLC LLC 3/5/13 1076 Highland Colony Parkway Paramount Bayou, LLC LLC 3/20/13 400 Legacy Park, Suite B Pinehurst Brandon, L.P. LP 3/15/13 111 Rolling Meadows Road PLN LLC LLC 3/11/13 513 Sycamore Circle Red’s HVAC LLC LLC 3/14/13200 Pine Knoll Dr. Ridgeland, Ms 39157 Resurrection Construction LLC LLC 3/22/13 580 Pear Orchard Rd. Apt A 12 Studdard Capital LLC LLC 3/12/13 108 Bridgeview Cir Tease, LLC LLC 3/25/13 1970 Lincolnshire Blvd

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25

Tenax Aerospace Holdings LLC LLC 3/8/13 600 Crescent Blvd Ste B The Bike Crossing of Baton Rouge, LLCLLC

3/21/13 115 W. Jackson Street, Suite 1-D Top Drawer Consign and Design LLC LLC

3/15/1339 Avery Circle, Jackson, Ms 39211 WB Thompson Farms LLC LLC 3/29/13 217 Oxford Place Westwood Holdings LLC LLC 3/20/13617 Renaissance Way, Suite 200 Women of Royalty and Destiny Ministries NP 3/15/13 711 Lake Harbour Dr. #1180

Rienzi Circle R, LLC 3/26/13 303 County Road 513 DI Roof Seamers, Inc. BUS 3/22/13 303 County Road 513

Ripley CH Properties, LLC LLC 3/21/13 107 N Main St GD King Farm & Ranch LLC LLC 3/4/13 108 E. Jefferson St. Helping Hands2 LLC LLC 3/25/13 9900 Highway 15 South Lence Logistics, LLC LLC 3/11/13 4581 CR 500 Lence Trucking LLC LLC 3/11/13 4581 CR 500

Robinsonville FHV Real Estate Tunica LLC LLC 3/11/13 1241 Gallery Walk Drive Prichard Road Planting Company Inc BUS 3/28/13 8400 Arkabutia Dam Road

Roxie A&M Trucking & Sons LLC LLC 3/28/13 92 Willie Mae Lane NW

Ruleville EUMAC Oil, LLC 3/20/13

LLC 15 Maxwell Lane

Sallis Cain Recyclers & Demolition, LLCLLC 3/14/13 10545 Main Street J and J Enterprise 07 LLC LLC 3/27/13 7437 Hwy 12

Saltillo Amory Urgent Care LLC LLC 3/27/13 112 Windemere Circle Garden Park Estates, Phase III, LLCLLC 3/1/13 1006 CR 811

Sandersville Sticks N Stonez Survival Shop, LLCLLC 3/7/13 102 Maple St

Sandy Hook Reagan’s Forestry Service LLC LLC 3/4/13 380 Mt Carmel Church Rd

Sardis B Quick Inc BUS 3/27/13 210 Hwy 51 South Como Gravel, LLC LLC 3/25/13 266 Walnut Road Walker Wholesale Distributor LLCLLC 3/25/13 144 Hearns Circle

Saucier 4-C Farms LLC LLC 3/13/13 11429 M Broadus Rd Coastal Kayak Fishing LLC LLC 3/11/13 22356 Herman Ladner Rd Roofing Restoration, LLC LLC 3/4/13 21355 Highway 49 SPT Logistics, LLC LLC 3/5/13 23334 New Highway 67 Uplift Foundation, Inc. NP 3/18/13 22175 Silver Hawk

Scooba Nicholson Trucking LLC LLC 3/25/13 9 Griggs Rd Rebel Land Services LLC LLC 3/6/13 74 Twelfth Street

INCORPORATIONS

26 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 14, 2013 Seminary Investment Investigation, LLC LLC 3/15/13 1068 Seminary Williamsburg Rd

Senatobia 110 Orange Drive LLC LLC 3/25/13 214 S. Ward Street 236 Brownsferry Road LLC LLC 3/25/13 214 S. Ward Street Back Woods Cycle, LLC LLC 3/21/13 2402 Homeplace Rd Celebrations Wine and Liquor, LLCLLC 3/4/13 5178 Highway 51 North Elite Street LLC LLC 3/25/13 113 Nichols Blvd Flights for a Cause Inc NP 3/28/13 1684 Highway 51 South Frugal Frocks OTH 3/20/13 109 Fairway Dr Integra Software Systems LLC LLC 3/11/13 151 Sagefield Square Lift-Ur-Spirits, LLC LLC 3/7/13 101 South Front Street North Mississippi Rail Services, Inc. BUS

3/13/13 104 Sweetgum Cv Senatobia Spirits LLC LLC 3/5/13 4673 Hwy 51 N Steward Lawnscapes, Inc. BUS 3/7/13 30000 Hwy 4 East

Shannon Johnson Tree Service LLC LLC 3/1/13 515 Cr 520 White Lawn & Care LLC LLC 3/15/13 701 County Road 300

Shelby Gardner Solutions LLC LLC 3/7/13 600 Robert D Gray St

Sherman Uppercut Bat Company LLC LLC 3/5/13 299 Third Ave

Shubuta Iamcarter Enterprises LLC LLC 3/12/13 59 County Rd 119

Sledge Saved Through Christ Sports Organization NP 3/15/13 1520 Handy Road

Smithdale Barnyard Grill & BBQ LLC LLC 3/27/13 6479 1/2 Highway 570 Sunshine’s Naturals Photography LLC LLC

3/13/13

3082 S W Jordan Drive

Smithville Kennedy Chapel and Cemetery Memorial Foundation Inc NP 3/1/13 60045 Kennedy Rd

Southaven A5 Computers LLC LLC 3/20/13 885 Ferncliff Drive Suite 1 Artineli Foot Care Solutions PLLCPLLC 3/27/13 477 W.e. Ross Parkway 40-105

PENTIMENTO

Bolanos Transportation LLC LLC 3/27/13 1860 Windy Ln Brown Industries, LLC LLC 3/15/13140 Bradford Circle South Apt 265 Bruss&Sprouts DBA OTH 3/1/13 4895 Rosebrook Circle East Buford Transportation, LLC LLC 3/27/13 1533 Headin Lane EDSB Transportation, LLC LLC 3/20/13 7678 Cherry Valley Blvd Frame Price DBA OTH 3/15/131926 First Commercial Dr., Suite 114 Front Street Beer & Tobacco LLC LLC 3/29/13 4105 Jessica Drive GAHS Trucking, Inc. BUS 3/6/13 5295 Pepperchase Dr Green Energy Solutions LLC LLC 3/4/13 5740 Getwell Rd., Bldg. 10C Hayat, Inc. BUS 3/27/13 7820 Hwy 51 Hearmasters of Mississippi, Inc.BUS 3/8/13 5896 Stafford Drive Lealta Management & Promotion LLC LLC

3/11/13

7747 Mary Payton Dr

Life Bridge Church of Southaven LLC LLC

3/12/13 2109 Little Elk Cove Lincoln Enterprises, Inc BUS 3/7/13 1288 Rasco Rd West Lisa D Iaeger DBA OTH 3/15/131926 First Commercial Dr., Suite 114 Mauri Hart Photography, LLC LLC 3/15/13 3380 Woodland Trace E. Mid South Publishing, Inc. BUS 3/13/13 8071 Chesterfield Drive MidSouth Truck Shop LLC LLC 3/7/13 384 Goodman Road, Suite 254 MNM Leasing LLC LLC 3/20/13 5124 Meadow Pointe Drive North Mississippi Cheer Booster NP 3/20/13 2211 College Road North Mississippi Truck & Diesel Repair Inc BUS 3/25/13 1291 Main Street Palmetto Farms, LLC LLC 3/28/131046 Church Road West, Suite 109 Pressure Whirl DBA LLC 3/15/13140 Bradford Circle South Apt 265 RCSH Bickley LLC LLC 3/4/13 2917 Glennbury Lane Senatobia Beer & Tobacco LLC LLC 3/29/13 4105 Jessica Drive Shauna Bruss DBA OTH 3/1/13 4895 Rosebrook Circle East Sweets and Swirls Cafe LLC LLC 3/1/131046 Church Road West, Suite 109

Starkville 3 Grand Inc BUS 3/7/13 253 Perkins Dr Action Home Improvements LLCLLC 3/22/13 82 Sneed Way Action Roofing LLC LLC 3/22/13 82 Sneed Way Affordable Contracting LLC LLC 3/22/13 82 Sneed Way Affordable Contracts LLC LLC 3/21/13 82 Sneed Way Affordable Roofing LLC LLC 3/22/13 82 Sneed Way All Pro Roofing LLC LLC 3/22/13 82 Sneed Way B&K Mobile Welding & Fabrications LLC LLC 3/7/13 174 Horsely Ln Cook Rentals LLC LLC 3/27/13 408 South Jackson St

Excellent Exteriors LLC LLC 3/20/13 82 Sneed Way High Dice Farms LLC LLC 3/13/13 103 Hickory Ridge Drive Highlands Plantation Investments, LLC

3/14/13 791 St. Andrews Lane Hosford Investments, LLC LLC 3/1/13 115A South Lafayette John’s 4 him Enterprises & Service LLCLLC

3/26/13 535 Lincoln Drive Nordin Enterprises, LLC LLC 3/15/13 205 Louisville Street Pete Melby Landscape Architect LLC LLC

3/25/13 112 North Nash St Pinnix Enterprises LLC LLC 3/11/13 535 Lincoln Drive Primrose Holdings LLC LLC 3/12/13 106 N Primrose Ln PRJ Holdings LLC LLC 3/27/13 303-B MLK Drive Starkville Properties LLC LLC 3/12/13 100 Russell St Ste 19 The Maben Property LLC LLC 3/6/13 206 Greenbriar St Valley Hill Ventures, LLC LLC 3/28/13 937 Valley Hills CR

State Line William Bender Logging LLC LLC 3/1/13 1041 Woulard Bender River Rd

Summit Slonaker’s AirCare, LLC LLC 3/15/13 1006 Carpenter Lane The Mud Masters Group LLC LLC 3/20/13 740 Jolimar Trail SE The Scott Street LLC LLC 3/18/13 1058 Pinebrook Dr

Sumner Tal-Co Farms LLC LLC 3/12/13 412 East Court Street The A Team, LLC LLC 3/15/13 412 East Court Street

Sumrall N & N Construction, LLC LLC 3/28/13 178 Crossroads Church Rd Pregnancy Support Center of Hattiesburg NP 3/6/13 12 Southdown Rd Right On Racing Stables, LLC LLC 3/5/13 50 East Adam Drive TB Services, LLC LLC 3/26/13 150 Warren Lott Rd

Sunflower Garrett Self Storage-Indianola LLCLLC 3/25/13 589 Sunflower Road

Triple J Trucking of Taylorsville, LLC LLC

3/13/13

12915 Hwy 28

Tchula Oswego Land & Timber LLC LLC 3/11/13 816 Front Street

Terry Grant Automotive, LLC

ously people buying online and the convenience of shopping online,” Tillman says. “You have to keep your head in the game.” E-reader devices like the Apple iPad, Amazon Kindle, and Barnes & Noble Nook are triple threats for bookstore owners since they keep readers in front of screens and away from shelves.

Tillman says she hopes to continue turning Pentimento into an attractive and inviting environment for Old Towne visitors to gather and discuss everything from literature and philosophy to history and politics. “(Old Towne) is just a really nice community of people and has a real front porch feel to it,” she says.

Thaxton Hancock Trucking LLC LLC 3/18/13 173 Sewell Rd

Tunica Cherry Creek Quick Stop LLC LLC 3/5/13 1565 Firzgerald Blvd Apt 31

Tupelo Big Bywy Bottomland Management, LLCLLC

3/20/13 1568 Sunflower Circle Caligula Incorporated BUS 3/21/13 163 County Road 133 Currie Family Properties, LLC LLC 3/26/13499 Gloster Creek Village, Suite G1 D & M Enterprises, LLC LLC 3/21/13 124 W. Main St DG Owens & Company LLC LLC 3/4/13 1715 McCullough Blvd Ste A Downtown Properties, LLC LLC 3/18/13 645 West Jefferson Street Dream Alive, Inc NP 3/22/13470 Pritchard Circle Tupelo, Ms 38801 Georgia Cates Books, LLC LLC 3/22/13322 West Jefferson Street (38804) Glamour Enterprises, LLC LLC 3/15/13 1896 Swan Circle Gulf Southern Communications LLC

LLC

JFK

3/8/13 322 JEFFERSON ST, P O DRAWER 409 Taqueria La Familia LLC LLC 3/11/13 2810 Hwy 178e Terrence Wise DBA OTH 3/15/13 699 Nation Hill Dr., Apt. 1015 The Chocolate Box by Tina LLC LLC 3/28/13 446 Palmetto Road The Dub Brothers’ Investments, LLC LLC

3/4/13 820 Chester Avenue UP, LLC LLC 3/8/13 322 JEFFERSON ST, P O DRAWER 409 Waters Creative, LLC LLC 3/28/13 518 Robins St

Tylertown Lenoir Trucking Company “LLC” LLC 3/5/13 91 Mount Olive Road Patten Farms, LLC LLC 3/14/13 86 Flowers Road Tylertown Farm Supply, LLC LLC 3/5/13 6 Leonard Holmes Rd

Union

LLC

3/7/13 219 Lakeview Dr Hardy Brothers, Inc. BUS 3/21/13 363 North Broadway St. Ice Cream Headquartes LLC LLC 3/27/13 419 Magazine Street Jackson Leigh Administrative Services DBA OTH 3/15/13 699 Nation Hill Dr., Apt. 1015 Live from the Kitchen, LLC LLC 3/26/13 316 North Spring Street Mama Boyz Entertainment LLC LLC 3/12/13 3545 Mitchell Rd Apt 8223 MDN Laser Engraving, Inc BUS 3/15/13 1223 Nelle St Mid South Management Systems Inc BUS

Taylorsville

Continued from Page 11

3/7/13 18349 Midway Road GRP Pemberton Square, LLC LLC 3/22/13 18349 Midway Road James Wood Electric, Inc. BUS 3/14/13 18349 Midway Road JTodd LLC LLC 3/8/13 6749 Terry Rd Nagy Engineers, Inc. BUS 3/4/13 18349 Midway Road Power Purpose & Praise Church Baptist Ministries NP 3/7/13 104 East Claiborne St Simon Architectural Group, P.A. PA 3/4/13 18349 Midway Road Unequal, LLC LLC 3/15/13 337 Springhill Drive Unequal, LLC 3/15/13 337 Springhill Drive

3/8/13 510 Chesterville Rd One Church of Jackson NP 3/25/13 256 West Rd Rae Rae Gone Green, LLC LLC 3/7/13 2700 West Main St Apt #8 Rogers Property Management, LLCLLC 3/20/13 105 South Front Street Roof Recovery LLC LLC 3/11/13 435 A County Road 1325 Sheeks Computers LLC LLC 3/27/13 611 West Main St Apt 17 SWINA LLC LLC

Ballard Trucking, LLC LLC 3/7/13 11951 Rd 418 James Trucking LLC LLC 3/4/133651 Little Rock County Line Road

Vaiden Anthony Green Enterprises LLC LLC 3/8/13 40565 Highway 430

Vancleave Blog and Travel, LLC LLC 3/6/13 14200 Jericho Rd Dijon’s LLC LLC 3/27/13 13201 Fairley Rd Duarte’s Custom Cabinets, LLC LLC 3/6/13 14801 Elwood Lane Healthy Living Cowgirl LLC LLC 3/12/13 7509 Jim Ramsay Rd JessLarr Enterprises, LLC LLC 3/28/13 10701 Antioch Rd Keytac, LLC LLC 3/6/13 11300 Antioch Rd Salon GI LLC LLC 3/18/13 14085 Oakview Circle Tech Solrus LLC LLC 3/11/13 12090 Old Fort Bayou Road Wild at Heart Rescue NP 3/28/13 16020 Larue Road

Vardaman Samuel Center for Child Development NP

3/6/13

711 Hwy 8 East

Verona S P & K A Properties, LLC LLC 3/5/13 5081†Raymond†Avenue

Vicksburg Bowmar Elementary School PTO NP 3/28/13 912 Bowmar Ave Bridgers & Goodman PLLC PLLC 3/1/13 3528 Manor Drive Counseling Services LLC LLC 3/12/13 1905B Mission 66 Suite 4 D & D Wok DBA LLC 3/18/13 407 Warren St Dane & David LLC LLC 3/18/13 407 Warren St House of Jacob Community ChurchNP

3/18/13 2321 Washington Street Kenny’s Fish, LLC LLC 3/11/13 315 Douglas Road L5 Gaming, LLC LLC 3/20/13 520 Holly Ridge Drive LeatherNeck Security LLC LLC 3/29/13 1104 5Th North St. M & M Concrete Finishing LLC LLC 3/27/13 4402 Halls Ferry Road Mississippi Professional Chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Incorporated NP 3/4/13 109 Olde Trace Dr ROCKING B’S ENTERPRISES, LLCLLC 3/26/13 193 Smithhill Road TND Ventures LLC LLC 3/25/13 501 Inglewood Dr Watkins Landscaping LLC LLC 3/6/13 1990 S Frontage Rd Ste D

Wesson Brooks Akitas LLC LLC 3/4/13 1070 Williams Rd Newman’s Package Store, Inc BUS 3/20/13 1033 Church St

West Point Customwork Construction Solutions, LLCLLC

Prayosha Holdings LLC LLC 3/11/13 6821 Ranch Ridge Cove Triangle Consulting Group, Inc. NP 3/4/13 7415 Winston Cove

3/8/13 3477 Hwy 50 W Good Samaritan Transit, LLC (GST)LLC 3/27/13 103 East Broad Street J & S Rentals LLC LLC 3/27/13 1107 E Westbrook Street Lehmberg Law Office, PLLC LLC 3/28/13 1101 Lone Oak Rd Mississippi Pasture and Cattle Management LLC LLC 3/11/13 12312 Hwy 47 Mississippi Pasture and Cattle Management LLC 3/7/13 12312 Hwy 47 Ms Publishing Group LLC LLC 3/25/13 304 Tournament St

Walnut Grove

Wiggins

Walls

C and D Logging LLC LLC 3/21/13 1576 Horseshoe Road Higher Edge Consulting LLC LLC 3/4/13 1172 Hwy 487 E Play Pretties Boutique LLC LLC 3/12/13 534 Sistrunk Road

Water Valley China Star Inc BUS 3/4/13 327A S Main St Hearns Yard Sevice LLC LLC 3/27/13 5788 County Rd 118 T. G. Baker Trucking Inc. BUS 3/22/13 158 CR 220 T.G. Baker Transport, Inc BUS 3/22/13 33 Cr 372

Waveland Alexander Batlle DBA OTH 3/7/13 100 Auderer Blvd., Apt. # H1 Gulf Coast Logistic Solutions, LLCLLC 3/22/13 1549 Gwen Avenue PS - Ponder Solutions, LLC LLC 3/20/13 510 St. Anthony St. Service Experts USA DBA OTH 3/7/13 100 Auderer Blvd., Apt. # H1 Six J’s Management, LLC LLC 3/22/13 105 Us Hwy 90

PAST ENTERPRISES LLC LLC 3/25/13 319 First St. South

Wilmington American Fire Technologies, Inc. 3/28/13 2120 Capital Dr

Winona Family Rental and Sales, LLC LLC 3/27/13 609 North Applegate Street M. Purnell Transportation LLC LLC 3/7/13 617 Barron Street North Central Public Improvement Corporation NP 3/22/13 711 South Applegate

Winstonville MBM/WVC, LLC LLC 3/15/13 102 N. Greyer Avenue

Woodville Opposite Ends, L.L.C. LLC 3/7/13 1141 Pinckneyville Road Rush E Netterville Properties, L.L.C. LLC

3/7/13 3695 Buffalo Road Southern Workforce, LLC LLC 3/19/13 3237 Buffalo Road

Waynesboro

Yazoo City

Gravel Pit Blueberry Farm, LLC LLC 3/29/13 17 Gravel Pit Road J W Pump & Supply LLC LLC 3/14/13 1310 Briarwood Dr Michael Holcomb Consultant LLCLLC 3/11/13 144 Buford Gandy Rd S & W Collision LLC LLC 3/7/13 134 Mississippi Drive St John Missionary Baptist Church Incorporation NP 3/14/13104 Waynesboro - Matherville Rd

Chicago Market of Yazoo LLC LLC 3/28/13 640 West Second Street CMJ Investments, LLC LLC 3/1/13 5412 Fletcher’s Chapel Road Lucedale Marketplace, LLC LLC 3/5/13110 North Jerry Clower Boulevard, Suite W Mohamed & Son Investments, LLCLLC 3/1/13 5412 Fletcher’s Chapel Road Murphy Holdings, LLC LLC 3/21/13 2219 Wildwood Terrace Ext R & M Farms, LLC LLC 3/1/13 5412 Fletcher’s Chapel Rd

Superior Learning & Leadership, LLC LLC

3/4/13 4410 Highway 84 T & S Rental Properties, LLC LLC 3/7/13 170 South Palmer Rd

follow-up.”

Also a student of math and physics, Shows was similarly inspired by a recent cliometrics study that factored in all of the evidence The secret unites them for three decades and carries them from from the assassination and came up with a mathematical D.C. marinas to the French Quarter to abandoned Air Force hangars probability that there was a likely conspiracy by rogue elements in in New Jersey. the government with ties to the Mafia.

While Shows is quick to point out that his book is a novel, the “I’ve had no one call and say that was impossible,” Shows says. story is inspired by a 1978 U.S. congressional resolution that agreed Shows says that if Kennedy had survived the assassination he Oswald was the shooter but that the case was the result of a would have been re-elected in 1964 and would have gotten an conspiracy the members of which “cannot be identified.” early start on domestic programs like civil rights and welfare while “That’s an interesting sentence,” Shows says. “Basically the avoiding major involvement in the Vietnam War. History would U.S. government has gone on record saying the president was have been different. murdered by a conspiracy but there’s been very little if any Continued from Page 11

June 14, 2013

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Mississippi Business Journal

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THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING COMPANIES OF MISSISSIPPI

2013 Engineering Excellence Awards » Seven Mississippi firms were awarded top honors for their excellence in engineering at the 2013 Awards Gala at the Old Capitol Inn. The Awards are as follows:

Grand Conceptor Award Winner

Grand Award Winner

Grand Conceptor Award Winner: Mid-South Consulting, Inc. Murphy Engineering, Inc. & Jenkins Engineering, Inc., for the Three Rivers Regional Landfill Generator Project. Pictured left to right: Dennis Murphy, Murphy Engineering, Inc., Calvin Abernathy, Mid-South Consulting, Inc., Ronnie Bell, Governmental Functions Director, Three Rivers Planning & Development District, Inc., Dan Reese, Solid Waste Specialist, Three Rivers Planning & Development District, Inc., and Ron Cassada, President, ACEC/MS.

Neel-Schaffer, Inc. for the Golden Triangle Landfill Gas to Electricity Generation Project. Pictured left to right: John Cunningham, Neel-Schaffer, Inc., Jimmy Sloan, Executive Director, Golden Triangle Regional Wastes Management Authority, and Ron Cassada, President, ACEC/MS.

Mid-South Consulting, Inc., a consulting firm with offices in Florence, MS and Memphis, TN, is the recipient of the top award, the Grand Conceptor Award for its outstanding Waste-to-Energy project at the Three Rivers Regional Landfill in Pontotoc, MS. Other key members of the design team include Murphy Engineering, Inc. of Guntown, MS, and Jenkins Engineering, Inc. of Tupelo, MS. ACEC/MS annually recognizes the year’s most outstanding engineering accomplishments by awarding projects that demonstrate the highest degree of achievement, value, innovation, and integrity. The award was presented to Mid-South Consulting, Inc. for the unique landfill gas to energy project. The project was one of the first landfill gas to energy projects in the State of Mississippi and the only facility in the state that removes siloxanes from the biogas.

The project utilizes methane generated from solid waste decomposition within the landfill to fuel a 1 Megawatt generator. The power produced by the generator is sold to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Pontotoc Electric Power Association (PEPA) under a 10 year agreement as part of the TVA’s Green Energy Partnership Program. Power generated from the facility is capable of providing electricity to approximately 800 residential homes in the community.

This project is unique because the design, construction and operation of the facility were not mandated by any federal, state or local regulations nor subsidized by government funds.

Neel-Schaffer, Inc., received the Grand Award and served as the project engineers on the project that The Golden Triangle Regional Solid Waste Management Authority self developed at their landfill, which annually captures and destroys over 30,000 metric tonns of Carbon Dioxide equivalent green house gasses. The electricity generation project generates 1 MW of reliable green energy, enough to power 600 homes, which is sold to the Tennessee Valley Authority through the local power grid of 4-County Electric Power Association.

The Golden Triangle Regional Solid Waste Management Authority’s electricity generation facility is a renewable energy project in corporation with the Tennessee Valley Authority, 4-County Electric Power Association, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and the Mississippi Development Authority.

Golden Triangle Regional Solid Waste Management Authority’s mission is to provide the most cost effective and environmentally friendly non-hazardous solid waste disposal available to the citizens, businesses and industries of the six-county Golden Triangle region.

Neel-Schaffer, Inc.’s role as the project engineers required coordinating and/or overseeing the work of all the project team members to ensure the project was completed on time and within budget. Their work was instrumental in meeting the very short project time frame and bringing the project to a successful completion.

Honor Award Winner and People’s Choice Award Winner Neel-Schaffer, Inc., Parsons Transportation Group, Inc., Burns Cooley Dennis, Inc., and URS Corporation for the Road to Toyota— Improvements to SR9 Project. Pictured left to right: David Dennis, Burns Cooley Dennis, Inc., Robert McIvor, Parsons Transportation Group, Rodney Gray, URS Corporation, Melinda McGrath, MDOT, Keith Purvis, Neel-Schaffer, Inc., and Ron Cassada, President, ACEC/MS. The firms — Burns Cooley Dennis, Neel-Schaffer, Parsons and URS – were one of the top seven award recipients for their work on Mississippi State Route 9. The project also received the People’s Choice Award.

Construction began in July 2011 on State Route 9 to improve the existing transportation infrastructure and accommodate future growth and economic development in the area. The need for improvements became apparent after the construction of Toyota’s production plant in Belden, which called for safer and more durable roads with better access to the west and southwest areas of the plant.

The roadwork consisted of approximately 10 miles of new four-lane roads and included seven million cubic yards of earthwork, approximately 170,000 tons of asphalt, 10 bridges and one interchange.

28 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 14, 2013

Honor Award Winner

Honor Award Winner

Mississippi Engineering Group for the Flowood Wirtz Road Water Well Project. Pictured left to right: Mayor Gary Rhoads, City of Flowood, Garry Miller, Public Works Director, City of Flowood, Jim Hust, Waggoner Engineering, Inc., and Ron Cassada, President, ACEC/MS.

Compton Engineering, Inc., for the Hurricane Katrina Retaining Wall Mitigation Project at the Water Treatment Plants. Pictured left to right: Geoffrey Clemens, Compton Engineering, Joey Duggan, Compton Engineering, George Wolverton, Ward 2 Councilman, City of Pascagoula, Joe Abston, Councilman at Large, City of Pascagoula, and Ron Cassada, President, ACEC/MS.

Mississippi Engineering Group, Inc. (MSEG) was one of the top seven award winners for its innovative work on the Flowood Wirtz Road Water Well Project.

Flowood’s Wirtz Road Water Supply System creatively integrates safe new water treatment technology within the aesthetic context of surrounding neighborhoods. The project features a liquid sodium hypochlorite dosing system for water disinfection instead of the customary use of chlorine gas. It protects surrounding neighborhoods from potential risks associated with a chlorine gas leak, while blending seamlessly into the surrounding equestrian environment. The new Wirtz Road Water Well will provide water to meet the demands of a growing community safely and cost-effectively long into the future.

“Recognition by the American Council of Engineering Companies is a high honor and we are pleased not only to receive this award but also to see the dramatic impact our work has made for our valued client, the city of Flowood,’’ said Jim Hust, P.E., Executive Vice President of MSEG.

Compton Engineering, Inc. was the recipient of one of the top seven awards for providing the planning, design, construction administration, and inspection services on the “Hurricane Katrina Retaining Wall Mitigation Project at the Water Treatment Plants” located in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

This prestigious industry award is the highest recognition that an engineering firm can receive at the state level and earns the firm a slot in the ACEC 2013 National EEA Competition. Entries are accepted into one of 11 project categories and are judged on many merits including complexity, successful fulfillment of the client/owner’s needs, such as schedule and budget, perception by the public, and social, economic and sustainable development considerations. This is Compton’s third time to receive the coveted ACEC award.

Compton Engineering teamed with Montgomery, Alabama Structural Engineer, Cooper Structural Engineer, Inc. The completion of the floodwalls provides a visible reminder to our citizens, of the City of Pascagoula’s commitment to maintain essential services for them through future storm events.

Honor Award Winner

Honor Award Winner

Pickering Firm, Inc., for the Kemper County IGCC Treated Effluent Pipeline Project. Pictured left to right: Rob Manuel, Pickering Firm, Inc., and Ron Cassada, President, ACEC/MS.

Cook Coggin Engineers, Inc., for the Kimberly Clark Access Road Project. Pictured left to right: Lowell Hinton, President, Alcorn County Board of Supervisors, Kent Geno, Cook Coggin Engineers, Inc., and Ron Cassada, President, ACEC/MS.

Pickering Firm, Inc. was one of the top seven award winners for the design of a 31 mile long, 36inch diameter pipeline for Mississippi Power Company’s “clean coal” electric generating plant located in Kemper County, Mississippi. The generating plant incorporates the use of an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle design and TRIG TM coal gasification process to convert Mississippi lignite coal to synthetic gas for use as its fuel source. Proximity to the lignite was a priority siting criteria. Lack of available cooling and process waters in the area, however, presented the unique opportunity to combine the power company’s need for a water source with the City of Meridian’s need to reduce organic loads to Sowashee Creek. By constructing pumping and pipeline facilities to recycle treated effluent from the East Meridian and South Meridian Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP), Mississippi Power Company is able to secure a source for the generating facility and assist the City of Meridian in meeting their effluent discharge requirements. Normal operation of the Kemper County facility will substantially reduce or eliminate the discharge from the Meridian facilities to Sowashee Creek, which is expected to allow Sowashee Creek to meet its designated Water Quality Classification.

Cook Coggin Engineers, Inc., was one of seven top award winners for the design of the Kimberly-Clark Access Road, a $12.4 million project of 4.9 miles of newly constructed roadway planned to provide a more adept route from U.S. Highway 72 to the Kimberly-Clark plant located on Kendrick Road in Corinth, Miss. The project is expected to eliminate commercial traffic on noncommercial routes and aid in the economic and industrial growth for the Town of Farmington, the City of Corinth and of Alcorn County as a whole.

Cook Coggin Principal Kent Geno commented, “Constructing a new road through a rural area brings with it unique, project-specific challenges requiring innovative engineering planning and design.” The route consists of five intersections, including one creating a new intersection in the heart of the Town of Farmington. A bridge was constructed at each of the two railroad crossings along the route, allowing the route to cross over the tracks. The construction of two cattle passes at specific locations on each side of the roadway was also incorporated into the project to prevent disruption of the livestock populating the landscape. Finally, relocations for water and gas lines were designed for these utilities affected by the project’s layout and construction.

June 14, 2013

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Mississippi Business Journal

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29

» MISSISSIPPI LEADERS by Martin Willoughby

Putting people first CEO of The Taylor Group understands importance of employees in his organization

E

VEN THOUGH it has been quite a few years now, I remember distinctly in college reading and discussing Tom Peters’ international bestseller In Search of Excellence.

Peters and his co-author Robert Waterman were McKinsey consultants, and they based the book on their study of 43 of the best run companies in America. Ever since the book was published in 1982, Peters has been a loud and vocal voice for putting “People First” in the organization. As a moral compass for business, Peters quotes Richard Branson who said, “Business has to give people enriching, rewarding lives . . . or it’s simply not worth doing.” Peters believes that, “Organizations should first and foremost offer matchless opportunities for individual growth.” Interestingly, I recently read where Peters said, “I have shouted people first for 30-plus years, but the company that truly puts people first remains among the minority.”

William A. “Lex” Taylor III, CEO and chairman of Louisville-based The Taylor Group Inc., understands the importance of people in an organization. Taylor starting working in the family business, Taylor Machine Works, at the age of 15 and “learned all aspects of the heavy lift equipment industry before entering into the company's management trainee program.” After earning his bachelor of science degree in general business from Mississippi State University in 1977, he worked as a systems

Up Close With ... William A. “Lex” Taylor III Title: CEO and chairman, The Taylor Group Inc. Current Book: The House of Morgan by Ron Chernow First Job: ”In high school, I swept the receiving bay at the plant. “ Proudest Moment as a Leader: ”External to company — Representing our company as chairman of the AEM (Association of Equipment Manufacturers). Internal to company — The strategic decision to strive for excellence in every aspect of our company. “ Hobbies/Interests: ”Watching my children grow and be involved with their activities.”

coordinator and as the assistant to the president of manufacturing. In 1982, he was elected president, and in 2008, he was named Chairman of the Board.

Taylor shared that his father was one of the most significant influences on his leadership style. He said, “My father was a natural born leader.He had a unique way to lead; he saw the best in people and expected the best. He had faith in his people that they would complete a task.” Taylor went on to say that his father was not a micro-manager and did not look over peo-

ple’s shoulders.“He gave them the opportunity to complete the assigned task, and he always strived to look for the positive in any situation,” Taylor said.

I noted that Taylor’s core leadership tenets all revolved around people. He believes in expecting the most of his team, but he does not give them tasks that he would not do himself. Like his father, he believes in empowering his team by giving them the end goal and letting them take the journey themselves. However, he does believe in accountability and expects his

“We believe in providing our employees with a challenging and rewarding environment in which to grow and prosper” From The Taylor Group mission statement

people to explain their outcomes. Taylor is a cheerleader for his employees and believes in “giving them support, advice, and encouragement to help them on the journey ahead.” Tay- Martin Willoughby lor also is transparent with his employees and strives to have full disclosure by “giving them the details and letting them know the consequences and rewards.” The Taylor Group’s commitment to employees is reflected in part of its mission statement – “We believe in providing our employees with a challenging and rewarding environment in which to grow and prosper.”

For future leaders, Taylor encourages them to, “Don’t hesitate to come in early to work or stay late — get the job done for your superiors. You will want this one day when you are a leader and have people working for you.” He also wisely encourages young leaders to “not assume anything.”He shared one of my favorite quotes by Ronald Reagan — “Trust but verify.”

As Peters noted, Taylor and his team’s approach to putting “People First” puts them in the minority of companies, but it has paid huge dividends. The company has grown from a small machine shop in 1927 to a world-wide organization that provides stateof-the-art engineering and manufacturing resources. The Taylor Group is truly a Mississippi success story, and I hope serves as a model for other ambitious entrepreneurs.

Martin Willoughby is a business consultant and regular contributing columnist for the Mississippi Business Journal. He serves as Chief Operating Officer of Butler Snow Advisory Services, LLC and can be reached at martin.willoughby@ butlersnow.com.

A look at New Orleans charter schools may relate to state

A

NYONE INTERESTED IN THE effort to establish charter schools in Mississippi, may want to read this book written by veteran education reporter Sarah Carr about the charter schools in New Orleans. Rather than take a broad look at the whole system, she offers a look at three specific schools in the aftermath of the re-organization following Hurricane Katrina. Granted this large urban school system is different from the mostly rural school systems of Mississippi, but the book has lots of useful information.

>> Hope Against Hope: Three Schools, One City, and the Struggle to Educate America's Children

By Sarah Carr Published by Bloomsbury $27 hardcover

During this year's session of the Mississippi Legislature, House Bill 369, which allows the creation of charter schools, passed and was approved by the governor. I will admit to not knowing the provisions of this bill, but the overview seems to be that it would give failing school systems the opportunity to reorganize as a charter school.

It's important to note that New Orleans had some charter schools years before Hurricane Katrina. Two of my

grandchildren have attended one of those and still do. The big things I've observed from their experience is that the parents are actively involved and many enriching activities and experiences are provided above the basics of education. I wish all students could have these advantages. Carr points out that Katrina did not cause the shift to charter schools; it merely accelerated it.

Urban school districts just educate a broad range of students from a variety of backgrounds.

In the book, Carr makes this point by following three

individuals — a student, a teacher and a principal.

Beginning in August 2010, she follows them over the course of a tumultuous year at three schools, all of them charter schools. The trio's experiences and varied vantage points provide insight into the economic, social, racial and political currents roiling the city and reshaping public education as the neglected, high-poverty school district is mostly dismantled and replaced by charter schools. Surely there are some parallels to be found here with some Mississippi districts.

By the end of Carr's book, test scores have risen in New Orleans, especially among African-American students, and there are other signs of improvement. She adds, though, that it will take years to find out whether those changes translate into more students going on to earn college degrees and securing good jobs.

— Lynn Lofton, mbj@msbusiness.com

30 I Mississippi Business Journal I June 14, 2013

—Interview by Clay Chandler

BRADLEY LUM, President, Guardian Elite

When sports meets life Consultants provide mental tools, education for aspiring athletes

B

radley Lum is president of Guardian Elite in Jackson.

Lum is a former Ole Miss baseball player and teacher and coach.

Q — What kinds of services does Guardian Elite provide for amateur and professional athletes?

A — Our mission is to educate and equip athletes to leverage their skills and abilities into life-long success.

With that said, our primary service is consulting. We are also in the process of launching a web-based platform that will provide more in-depth tools for the user.

For the young athlete, our consulting tools deal more with the mental and emotional issues the player goes through and the relationship between athlete, parent and coach. In this market, we have customizable consulting sessions designed for all three groups.

For high school and college athletes, we continue to educate them on issues they encounter as an athlete but we also have a curriculum that is designed to help them transition into life after sport. This may sound over-simplified, but for the majority of athletes, their identities are grounded in athletics and they become “lost in translation” when that aspect of their lives no longer exists.

For professional athletes, it becomes more of an advisory role. We are not agents and don’t want to be, but we do provide advice and direction for athletes during their playing careers as third-party, objective consultants. The transition to life after sports that an amateur athlete goes through is heightened as a professional athlete because of the fame and wealth that comes with the territory. We provide continued support and transitional help (helping them understand their career interests, business plan development, interview prep, etc) for those athletes as they prepare to redefine their identity as a former athlete turned businessman so that they can leverage their network and assets into future successes.

More on Bradley Lum: Must have Mississippi food: Leatha’s Bar-B-Que Inn, Hattiesburg Favorite movie: “Courageous” Last book read: The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson Website: Guardianelite.net Twitter: @guardianelite1 Facebook: Guardianelite Contact: guardianeliteadvisors@gmail.com, 601-720-8375 or 601-487-2637

Q — When did the company start, and what gave you the idea?

A — We started the company in August of 2012 with the plan to specifically target professional athletes. Deuce McAllister, Quentin Whitwell and I determined that professional athletes need an objective, third party that could aid them in making personal and career decisions outside the scope of the agent relationship. My time spent as a college baseball player and a high school and college coach, along with the experiences that Deuce went through as a high-profile player in the NFL, led us to begin the venture.

We brought on Ted DiBiase Jr. as a partner and later rounded out our team with both local and international sports psychologists.

About six months into the venture, we realized that an approach to changing the culture of sports should be more holistic. We refocused our mission to include student-athletes, parents and coaches. This stemmed primarily from the idea that a premium had been placed on the

result of competition over the process, and that most people forget the value athletics plays in molding and shaping quality individuals who will later become contributing members of society.

As a former college athlete and coach, I noticed that there was a void in the culture of sports. Every athlete, regardless of physical skill level, has an acquired mental and emotional skill set that can be utilized after their athletic career ends.

Q — What are some of the more common problems and issues professional athletes encounter once their careers start and what are some of the common causes of those problems?

A — The answer to this question is easy to identify but the problems are much tougher to solve. Athletes face a myriad of issues once they begin receiving compensation for their athletic services. Getting paid for something you’ve been doing for “free” your entire life creates problems that the average person cannot identify with.

From a personal standpoint, the athlete is most likely not prepared to handle the large amount of money he is getting paid. He is also not prepared to make the necessary financial decisions required for him to be a good steward of his wealth. Couple that with the fact that he is attacked from all sides by people that want to “help” him with his career but, in many instances, he and his family are not prepared to make the best decisions for his future.

From a relational standpoint, the athlete is not prepared for the change in behavior he will see from friends, family, former teammates and others who now see him as personal cash flow. In many instances, the athlete will feel obligated to float the family financially because he is guilted into the feeling that he owes them for his success. This can obviously create a number of different domestic matters, as well.

Along with these issues, the athlete has now stepped into a world where everything is at his fingertips. The peer pressure within the locker room to live a certain lifestyle becomes a slippery slope for a myriad of personal and financial problems.

Q — What do you hope is the future for Guardian Elite?

A — We’ve been very specific when defining what success looks like at Guardian Elite. We believe that our company has the opportunity to make positive change within the culture of sports. We believe that athletes are special individuals, who have a special skill set, and, if equipped properly, can play a major role in affecting positive change in society.

For us to be a successful company, it will mean that the drive of sports at the youth and high school levels will be about the journey of creating individuals who are prepared for life-long success and not simply concerned about the score at the end of the contest or the performance on the field. At the professional level, it will mean we are producing responsible, prepared people who are not defined by their success as an athlete but by their overall success as an individual who is prepared for life after sports.

SALES MOVES

June 14, 2013

I

Mississippi Business Journal

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31

» JEFFREY GITOMER

How to make sales calls on social media. Kind of.

H

ello Mr. Gitomer, I read your article on LinkedIn in the Daily Herald Business Ledger here in the Chicago Suburbs. I am a fan. You make great points and observations that many people miss.

I’m in the process of retooling my profile. I can't help but to ask if you have ever made a sale through LinkedIn? Thanks, Kyle The simple answer is YES. But it ain’t that simple.

I have a business brand, a personal brand, and a social brand. All of which are interconnected. All of which are mature. All of which provide value messages. All of which create attraction. All of which generate leads. All of which make sales.

MY MARKETING MANTRA IS THE CORE OF MY SOCIAL EFFORT: I put myself

in front of people that can say “yes” to me and I deliver value first.

Long before social media, or as I prefer to refer to it business social media, my marketing mantra was the hallmark of my sales success. As a writer and speaker in the early ’90s, I built my brand in print media and created attraction through value messaging. Still do.

It was hard to create attraction (leads and sales) if you weren’t in print.

The HUGE difference (and your advantage) is that now there are a variety of additional media and social media outlets available. Most of them are free. And you can become attractive on all of them, if you choose the right path.

The value messaging path.

The path that will attract the all-important CLICK.

NMHS

CLICK means someone wants to see more.

Especially if they’re looking to buy or connect.

CLICK AROUND: There are very few “one source” sales anymore. Too many options available.

People, you included, click around before they connect, interact, and especially buy.

The omnipresence of mother Google, combined with the advent of business social media, has created new and better ways to search, find, connect, attract, and interact. And one social media outlet proves, promotes, and reinforces the other to someone that clicks around.

Everyone clicks around.

People searching do not just search one source.

They keep searching until they find comfort enough to click, and click again in the same spot. And my value messages promote multiple clicks.

ONE CLICK MEANS NOTHING. One click means you get a “look.” Two or more clicks on the same page or site gets a deeper look and maybe a connection. Especially in social media.

If I’m looking for someone or something, I click ALL their social media. Don’t you?

NOTE: Your customers, your prospects, and your potential connections are clicking you. And you can’t stop them.

NUMBERS MATTER: The number of followers and connections you have can be the difference between click and no click. Your prospect is seeking some comfort and assurance that you are safe to connect with or do business with.

COMMENTS, RATINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND ENDORSEMENTS MATTER MORE THAN NUMBERS: Especially in

Continued from Page 20

health of people,” he said. “Instead of manufacturing something, you are dealing with people’s lives and people at their most vulnerable times.”

Brown started work at NMHS in 1978 as personnel employment supervisor, and was named director of human resources in 1980. He was promoted to vice president in 1990. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration in personnel management and business administration in accounting from the University of Mississippi and a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is currently president of the Mississippi chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Brown said it is an inspiration to work for an organization that truly puts people first.

“It is just a great relationship we have with all our employees in the state,” he said. “This job allows me to truly be able to practice my profession, just like a physician being able to practice his or her profession. I’ve been able to design recruitment programs, compensation systems, recognitions system, benefits system, and training and development systems. So over the years I have been able to actually do everything I learned learn in school, and that is pretty remarkable.”

For leisure time, Brown and his wife, Diane, love to spend time with their children and six grandchildren, and enjoy travel including mission trips to other countries.

COAST

customer clicks on you and your stuff, the easier it is for them to make a buying decision in your favor.

They are more likely to click if your site is easy to navigate, your information is easy to understand, there is clear value to the possible purchaser, and you offer social and video proof that others have purchased from you and love it.

“OK, SO DID YOU MAKE A LINKEDIN SALE?” No, I made hundreds of them. I have more than 15,000 connections on LinkedIn, and EVERY DAY I post a value message.

Here’s what happens: People comment, people share the post with THEIR connections, people email me, and people call our office. EVERY DAY. And whether they want a twenty-dollar book or a fifty-thousand-dollar training program, the cost of that lead (and that sale) was ZERO. Understand it was a value message that created the attraction and the sale(s), not an ad or a selfpromoting message. Yes, I send out an occasional sales offer, but it’s less that 10% of the time. No one is gonna re-post an ad.

Next week you’ll see the detail of what my social game plan is, how one element ties into and supports the other, and how that creates attraction that leads to sales.

Stay tuned…

Building and growing your “attraction platform” is not just about what you say, post, or do; it’s all about what OTHERS think of what you say, post, and do combined with what actions THEY take as a result of it.

Do they post a favorable a comment? Do they re-tweet to their followers? Do they share with their connections? Do they “like” you or what you do?

Will they subscribe? And (of course) will they buy?

Those are the actions I seek to achieve in those who click on me.

Am I perfect at it? Heck no.

Do I work on making it better every day? Heck yes!

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of “The Sales Bible”, “Customer Satisfaction is Worthless” “Customer Loyalty is Priceless”, “The Little Red Book of Selling”, “The Little Red Book of Sales Answers”, “The Little Black Book of Connections”, “The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude”, “The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way”, “The Little Platinum Book of ChaChing”, “The Little Teal Book of Trust”, “The Little Book of Leadership”, and “Social BOOM!” His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at salesman@gitomer.com.

the business world. If you have 500 business connections on LinkedIn, it pales in comparison to who has recommended and endorsed you. Recommendations and endorsements are proof. So are positive ratings and comments. And many businesses live and die by them.

Jeffrey Gitomer

RULE OF THE MORE THE MORE: The more a prospective

FINAL POINT OF UNDERSTANDING:

Continued from Page 18

Commissioner Chaney says as of late 2012 there are approximately 75,000 flood insurance policies in force in Mississippi. “The Mississippi Insurance Department does not have any authority over the NFIP,” he said. “We do not approve rates or changes and have no authority over any aspect of the program.”

With a recent move in Congress to raise NFIP rates, Chaney’s office, insurance agents, realtors and bankers are watching developments closely. “Now Congress is demanding the NFIP be actuarially sound,” Joachim said.

“No other federal programs are sound. Why pick on one program that benefits everyone, regardless of where they live? We have heard numbers that are staggering; for instance a policy may go from $400 to $6,000 annually.”

These increases would be in addition to already-high rates for wind and hail coverage. “If this happens, it will destroy the fragile housing recovery,” Joachim said. “We’re worried about a spate of new foreclosures, and the banking association is concerned too.”

The word from Washington as of last week was that Congress is holding off on increases to the NFIP for another year. “They’re taking a second look at it now to forestall these rate increases,” Joachim said.

Even before any increases to flood insurance, she has had a lot of real estate deals fall through when perspective buyers are given insurance costs and taxes. “Sometimes the sellers drop the price of the property so the deal can go

through,” she added.

Simkins says the pain associated with an individual on a fixed income or in a difficult financial spot coming into her office to discuss how they are going to pay their bill is palpable. “It takes time for a working family to absorb many of these increases, but many individuals on fixed incomes simply can’t pay $4000 for insurance on a $32,000 income.”

However, Chaney says all is not gloom and doom. “There are more companies writing homeowner insurance on the Coast than we have ever had,” he said. “This has increased competition.”

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