MBJ_Mar31_2017

INSIDE — Groundbreaking held for $35M Hattiesburg mixed-use development — Page 5 TOURISM

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March 31, 2017 • Vo. 39. No. 13 • 32 pages

MBJ SPECIAL SECTION

Downtown Jackson hotel shows shape of future — Page 4

MBJ FOCUS Women & Minorities in Business {Section begins P22}

» Women have yet to reach parity in the legal profession » Teaching others the way to success » Thriving on community challenges » BankPlus lends support to women

{The Lists} » Women-owned businesses » Minority-owned businesses

DINING {P11}

5

boutique hotels we think you’ll like Page 12

» Saint Leo of Oxford ‘on fire’

http://msbusiness.com/ceo-awards-of-mississippi/

2 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 31, 2017

Courtesy of Bliss Aeronautics/MBJ

Gene Chambliss demonstrates the basics of operating a small drone aircraft.

Remote controlled aircraft now much more than toys

By BECKY GILLETTE Hattiesburg Business Today

Gene Chambliss first became interested in remote controlled aircraft about 35 years ago when his par-ents bought him a gas-powered, remote controlled Cessna 172.

“After that I was pretty much hooked on remote control aircraft of one type or another,” Chambliss said. “When I was a kid, my friends and I would go to the local hobby store in Hattiesburg and look at all the remote control aircraft hanging from the ceiling that were for sale. Basically, we were kids drooling at all the nice toys that were available. Now they are way more than toys.”

Chambliss got interested in drone aircraft five years ago. He followed the market as he saw the commercial side of it being developed. He is also an avid photographer. So he combined the two interests to develop a business called Bliss Aeronautics (www.blissaeronautics.com), which specializes in taking aerial photographs for business applications like real estate sales.

“Drones that can take photos are just getting better and better,” Chambliss said.

“In order to make it a business, I had to get the Part 107 FAA drone pilot’s license.

That legally allows me to do it commercially and make a living at it. This is a side business. It is not my main business. I’m a ship’s captain.”

Chambliss provides promotional photos and videos for real estate agents to sell their listings. He said it makes it more attractive to have an aerial video or photographs

rather than just ground-based photos. It is more interesting for customers shopping from home, and can result in higher sales for real estate agents.

One of his customers is Big Bay Lake near Lumberton, which is the largest privately-owned lake in Mississippi, and a certified Bill Dance Signature Lake, a ranking based on providing excellent habitat for fishing. The aerial shots put the lake properties in the best light.

Aircraft drones are also now able to do agricultural work. Chambliss said they are becoming much more popular for moni-

with a ground-based survey. When you have a large section of agricultural land, it takes some time to cover that property.”

He also is very interested in orthomosaic photography or drone mapping where a drone flies Chambliss over a property and takes hundreds of photographs later uploaded to a server. The computer combines the digital imagines to make one large photo of that property, whether it is

“With drone photography, you can read letters on a manhole cover. ” Gene Chambliss

toring plant health.

“You can see a large section of crop area and analyze it through online software to see what plants need more fertilization or watering,” Chambliss said. “That is much more economical to do from the air than

five or thousands of acres.

“That can be changed into a 3D digital model to see how all the features work together,” Chambliss said. “It is useful for things like planning a subdivision. It is very interesting and exciting to look at.”

Google Earth is available which has images from the air of places all over the world. But Chambliss said the drones provide photographs on demand. You could use the drone photograph to show updates on the progress of construction, whereas Google Earth would only show older images of the site.

“Also, the resolution is much higher than you would find with Google Earth,” Chambliss said. “With drone photography, you can read letters on a manhole cover.

We offer different packages based on what resolution the customer wants. The higher the resolution, the more flights are needed at a lower altitude.”

Any drone photography contemplated for commercial uses can only be provided by a licensed drone pilot.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a lot of regulations for certified drone pilots. Drones can’t exceed a speed of more than 100 miles per hour, are limited to an elevation of 400 feet, and must yield to any manned aircraft. Pilots aren’t allowed to fly drones over people or fly at night unless they get special waivers from the FAA. Drones must be registered by the FAA, and there must be an identification number on the drone aircraft.

“There are lots of rules in place to keep people safe,” Chambliss said.

There has been some bad publicity around drones including cases where they have spooked animals and the drone that crashed near the White House. Chambliss See DRONES, Page 9

March 31, 2017

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AGRIBUSINESS

Avian flu confirmed in Alabama near Mississippi line

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

Avian flu has been confirmed in two commercial poultry flocks in Pickens County, Ala., near the Mississippi line, a week after three commercial breeders had to kill more than 70,000 chickens in Lincoln County, Tenn., near the border with Alabama.

The Alabama state veterinarian announced that the Pickens County birds are under quarantine after testing positive for the disease at a commercial breeding operation, according to the Associated Press.

Dr. Tom Tabler, poultry science professor at the Mississippi State Extension Service, said last week that the strain is what is known as low-pathoMORE genic, which means it is not as deadly as Cal-Maine the high-pathogenic earnings strain that was found in Lincoln County, affected by Tenn.

Nevertheless, Ta2015 effects bler said, the birds will be destroyed. AviPage 9 an flu can mutate, and so some low-pathogen strains, such as the ones discovered in Alabama, can become the deadlier strain, which usually kills 95 percent to 100 percent of the infected fowl.

No signs of the flu have been detected in Mississippi, Tabler said. But he added that the low-pathogenic strain is harder to detect because it does not necessarily kill the birds. They are tested, however, when it is suspected they are sick, Tabler said.

State labs can detect the disease, but only the federal lab in Ames, Ia., can make the official confirmation, he said.

Mississippi’s $2.9 billion poultry industry dodged the 2015 outbreak of avian flu, which forced the destruction of 50 million birds in the Midwest. The disease is brought into the region by wild geese and ducks, which are unaffected by it, Tabler said. Agriculture officials say avian flu poses no risk to humans.

The industry learned from the 2015 catastrophe but which has weathered the disruption.

As states get what they are, unofficially, sure is avian influenza, they can make initial steps. “Tennessee had a pretty good idea that there was a high-path influenza.” The state lab had a “positive hit” and the fowl were dying.

Two years ago, “everybody had to wait for confirmation from the lab in Iowa.” Now, steps can be taken to destroy the infected birds, he said.

“We’ve got equipment in place, we’ve got people in place.”

Biosecurity has improved since 2015, Tabler said. For example, anyone entering a chicken house must not wear boots worn outside, he said. “People cannot be too careful.”

There are six processors in the state $2.9 billion poultry industry: Laurel-based Sanderson Farms, third-largest producer in the United States; Tyson Foods, based in Springdale, Ark., and the largest producer in the country; Koch Foods; Peco Foods, Wayne Farms and Mar-Jac Poultry. CalMaine Foods, which is based in Jackson, is the nation’s largest in-shell fresh eggs.

Frank Singleton, spokesman for Oakwood, Ga.-based Wayne Foods, said the

company has tightened security at all of its facilities in five states, including a processing plant and hatchery in Laurel. One thing it has done is limited visits to grower facilities to essential personnel only, Singleton said.

Phil Stayer, corporate veterinarian for Sanderson, said, “The closer it gets, the more we do.” The processor started increasing communication within the company and with contract growers even before the Pickens County discovery, Stayer said.

Stayer said the 2015 outbreak was more of an export concern for Sanderson because the Laurel-based company specializes in broilers and the virus decimated laying hen and turkey flocks.

Tabler, the poultry scientist, said a 20,000-chicken flock had to be destroyed earlier this week in western Kentucky, indicating perhaps that the migratory birds are carrying the disease northward.

Warmer temperatures, 85 degrees and higher, will kill the virus, which is not a hardy variety, Tabler said.

It’s Business as Usual

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That’s because our hands-on, businessfocused approach has proven to be highly rewarding for scores of area customers eager to work with a bank where business is personal.

We invite you to contact Renee today to discuss how she might lend you a hand.

RENEE RICE Senior Vice President, Ridgeland Office

RIDGELAND: 600 Concourse, Suite 150, 1076 Highland Colony Parkway • Ridgeland, MS 39157 • 601-790-2770 JACKSON: 1300 Meadowbrook Rd. • Jackson, MS 39211 • 601-709-7777 HORN LAKE: 6040 Highway 51 North • Horn Lake, MS 38637 • 662-393-3277 SOUTHAVEN: 5740 Getwell Rd., Bldg. 13, Suite D • Southaven, MS 38672 • 662-349-6333 www.firstcommercialbk.com • Member FDIC © 2017 First Commercial Bank. All rights reserved.

4 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 31, 2017 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Construction tour of downtown Jackson hotel shows shape of future

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

Mike Burton loves to point out the subtleties of the Jackson Westin as he conducts a walking tour of the hotel under construction.

Such as the walls of the ground-floor passage from the east-facing lobby that are on a slight angle for a few paces, then an inset and another angled wall and so on, till the ballroom area is reached.

Outside the 7,000-square-foot ballroom is a sunlit space that wraps around the meeting area, which can be divided into four sections.

The light is fed from an oversized pergola, which offers an outside-in or inside-out flow.

Out through the vestibule, there’s the Mississippi Museum of Art and Thalia Mara Hall across the street, and the Jackson Convention Complex in the next block of Tombigbee.

Back to the lobby and to south is the bistro and wine bar, whose name was not pulled from a hat of chic-sounding names.

“Estelle” was chosen after MORE much thought and discussion because it sounded right, it sounded Five choice Southern, Burton said. boutique There’s nothing subtle about Burton’s enthusiasm for the hotels around nine-story 203-guest-room hotel that will open Aug. 3 at 315 the state Tombigbee St. in the heart of Page 12 downtown.

“It’s the nicest hotel in Jackson, for sure, and probably all of Mississippi,” he said. And it will employ about 140, he added.

Before coming to Jackson as general manager, Burton was manager of the Sheraton Dallas Hotel, the largest hotel in Starwood chain. He oversaw a $12 million renovation at the Sheraton and led the hotel to its first AAA Four Diamond rating.

The Westin chain was owned by Starwood till Septem-

Photos byJACK WEATHERLY/MBJ

Clockwise from top left: General Manager Mike Burton points out the design elements of the Westin from the lobby, looking toward the ballroom; workers put finishing exterior touches on Estelle, and the view from the ninth floor looking westward across the cityscape.

ber, Marriott bought Starwood for $13 billion, making it the world’s largest hotel chain, with 30 brands, 5,700 properties and 1.1 million rooms in more than 110 countries.

A big selling point in the Starwood deal was its guest loyalty program — Starwood Preferred Guest, according to Arne Sorenson, president and chief executive of Marriott.

Members of the program are deeply loyal to it, have generally higher incomes and tend to spend many nights on the road, Sorenson said in an Associated Press article.

Joseph Simpson, speaking on behalf of the investment group Capital Hotel Associates LLC, of which he is a manager, told the Mississippi Business Journal, that he is sticking with his previously stated average daily rate of around

$145, though he said that might be a bit on the low side.

It would be similar to that of the Hilton Garden Inn in the old King Edward hotel at 235 Capitol St., whose rates for two nights in the middle of next week for one adult would be $144, and the 24-guest-room Old Capitol Inn at 226 North State St., a boutique hotel whose rate was $141 for those same dates. The Jackson Marriott at 200 East Amite St., with 303 guest rooms, advertised rooms for about $225 for those dates.

The $60 million project received $10 million in urban renewal bonds issued by the Jackson Redevelopment Authority and backed by the city, $20M in bonds backed by Hinds County and $7 million in tax rebates through a Tax Increment Financing District.

March 31, 2017

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Mississippi Business Journal

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HATTIESBURG

Courtesy of Albert & Associates/Special to the MBJ

Groundbreaking held for $35-million Midtown mixed-use development

By BECKY GILLETTE Hattiesburg Business Today

HATTIESBURG — Ground was broken March 23 on the $35-million District at Midtown mixed-used development that will take up an entire block at Hardy Street and 31st Avenue across from the University of Southern Mississippi.

While this isn’t a new industrial devel- Tatum opment, it still packs a whammy when it comes to job creation. It is estimated that 200 people will be employed in the seven-acre development that will include a 100-room Indigo Hotel, seven restaurants, 14 luxury apartments, retail shops and service industries that will be within walking distance of the 7,500 medical professionals and USM staff employed in the area, plus 14,552 students.

Gov. Phil Bryant, who spoke at the groundbreaking, said modernizing communities to make them more livable is a key component of local economic development.

“I am confident the District at Midtown will do exactly that for Hattiesburg, and I am grateful to everyone involved for making the project a reality,” Bryant said.

Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree said the District at Midtown is a game changer that is a critical first step in the redevelopment of the entire Midtown.

The project located on the site of the former Elam Arms dormitory and parking lot has been in the planning for a decade, said Todd Jackson, vice president of economic development for the Area Development Partnership (ADP).

“The overarching goal is to create a walkable, workable, livable mixed-use community that connects people to living, shopping, dining and the like,” Jackson

Courtesy of CRroperties LLC/Special to the MBJ

Rendering of Hotel Indigo patio view.

said. “Especially for college students and medical professionals, we really believe Midtown will allow people who are at work or in class to take a break to get a good meal or do some quick shopping. New development is exciting, but this is especially exciting because it is such an important part of the city. It is one of the first dominos to fall in Midtown. We believe there will be much more redevelopment or new development in that area. The groundbreaking was a great opportunity to capitalize on the momentum and spur more interest in the area.”

Jackson said the developers spent a lot of time working with the city and county to make the development a reality.

Rob Tatum, principal, CR Properties, LLC, said they started work on the project in August 2014 after submitting a Request For Proposals (RFP) to purchase the land from USM. “We are elated to be breaking ground on a project that brings in a unique boutique hotel and adds restaurants and retailers that will be well received in the marketplace,” Tatum said. “Along with our many

partnering entities, we are thrilled to be making such a strategic investment in the core of Hattiesburg.”

Tatum said a lot goes into working on a type of form-based planning and zoning that hasn’t been used before in Hattiesburg.

“The Midtown zoning district is new to Hattiesburg,” Tatum said. “We are the first major project that had to meet the new zoning code. They have a special review committee for projects at Midtown.”

Because the land was public property, there were a lot of government approvals that had to be signed off on by all layers of government including the Institutions for Higher Learning because of it being university land, the Department of Finance and Administration and ultimately the governor.

“We also ran into some surveying issues that required approval of the legislature,” Tatum said. “Sounds easy, but it was very time consuming.”

Tatum and his brother, Craig, are partners in CR Properties. The Tatums and David Oliver partnered with Luke Cham-

Rendering of The District at Midtown.

blee on the Indigo Hotel, and partnered with Allen Hawkins on the retail. Larry Albert is the architect for the retail portion of the property.

“We brought in people on the team with experience in that type of real estate development,” Tatum said. “What has been great about this project is the public-private partnership that has made it come about.

Putting all those puzzle pieces together to make it work is not easy. I have done projects in other areas where roadblocks were put in the way. Living in a city that is pro economic development, it is fun to do a project when everyone wants the project to happen. The city, the state, USM, Forrest General and Hattiesburg Clinic all worked together to make it happen.”

No two Hotel Indigo are the same. According to the Hotel Indigo website, each draws on the story of its local area to inspire every aspect of the hotel, from intriguing design to distinctive local ingredients in their menus. So visitors can expect hotel rooms that are personalized to Hattiesburg with décor representing USM, the timber industry and railroads.

Jackson said the retail and restaurant storefronts will line Hardy Street on the northern end of the project and along 31st Avenue. These will include Fuzzy’s Tacos, Newk’s Eatery, Pyro’s Pizza, Chicken Salad Chick, 5-Star Nutrition, AT&T and Hancock Bank locations, and The Midtowner , which is a brunch concept restaurant by local chef Robert St. John.

CR Properties is also the developer of The Claiborne at Hattiesburg, a senior living community that offers independent living, assisted living, and memory care.

CR Properties also was the developer for the Hub City Lofts restoration of the Carter Building and the America Building in Hattiesburg’s Downtown District.

The City of Hattiesburg and Forrest County came together to approve a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District to help finance infrastructure improvements for the area that will be repaid by tax revenues.

Construction for the projects are expected to last 12-14 months.

A member of the Mississippi Press Association www.mspress.org

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

MBJPERSPECTIVE March 31, 2017 • www.msbusiness.com • Page 6

OTHER VIEWS

» THE OUTSIDE WORLD

Campaign finance reform beneficial for leaders, voters

Website: www.msbusiness.com March 31, 2017 Volume 39, Number 13

ALAN TURNER Publisher alan.turner@msbusiness.com • 364-1021 TAMI JONES Associate Publisher tami.jones@msbusiness.com • 364-1011 ROSS REILY Editor ross.reily@msbusiness.com • 364-1018

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

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

egislation that would provide significant reform to Mississippi’s campaign finance laws is heading to the desk of Gov. Phil Bryant following nearly a year of conversations regarding the need for more oversight after similar measures were defeated during last year’s session.

The reforms being proposed are a welcome sign that legislators recognize the need for more oversight and accountability when it comes to how dollars raised during the political process should be spent.

The issue of campaign finance reform has come to the forefront in recent years following various media reports of politicians using campaign finance funds for various purposes, ranging from clothing to automobiles to home repairs, as well of politicians converting campaign finance funds to their personal accounts upon leaving public office.

The way some legislators were using these funds brought about serious questions regarding the priorities and ethical compasses of some of our elected leaders, but at the end of the day, most were simply following the laws.

That’s why reform at the highest level was absolutely necessary to ensure stricter accountability measures were required and some sort of oversight component was implemented.

The bill defines personal use as any use of the campaign finance funds that would have to be reported to the Internal Revenue Service as gross income.

The bill would allow the funds to be spent only on campaignrelated expenses or activities related to their office. For instance, a politician could use campaign funds to pay for gas to drive to another town to give a speech to a civics club.

Politicians can garner opinions from the Ethics Commission if they have questions about the proper use of campaign finance funds. The opinions would be public, though the names of the politicians requesting the opinions would be confidential.

Credit card expenditures of more than $200 would have to be itemized on the campaign finance report.

A key piece of the legislation would prevent politicians from converting campaign finance funds to their personal use upon retirement.

The Ethics Commission also would be responsible for enforcement of campaign finance reporting laws. The misuse of campaign finance funds would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and an amount equal to the misappropriated funds.

A $5,000 fine could be imposed for not filing correct campaign finance information and a $50 per day fine for up to 10 days could be imposed for not filing a report.

These reform measures present a great tool to ensuring our elected representatives are properly spending campaign dollars.

We encourage legislators to view this as meaningful progress toward more open and transparent communication with their constituents.

L

FRANK BROWN Staff Writer/Special Projects frank.brown@msbusiness.com • 364-1022

» INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

Stores closed by online competition impact community finances

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C. Penney announced it will close five stores in Mississippi communities – Columbus, Corinth, Greenville, Meridian, and Oxford. Earlier Sears announced three closures in Columbus, Jackson, and McComb, with more to come. Even WalMart has closed stores, in Belmont, Mantachie, Sardis, Walnut, Derma and Nettleton.

Two years ago Radio Shack closed 20 stores in Mississippi, in Jackson, Hattiesburg, Meridian, Cleveland, Biloxi, Gulfport, Ocean Springs, Waveland, Vicksburg, Tupelo, West Point, Grenada, Greenville, Corinth, Greenwood, Laurel and Natchez.

“Brick-and-mortar stores are suffering due to competition from online sales, and the closures just keeping coming,” reads a March headline at TheMotleyFool.com. “Last year took a devastating toll on the retail industry, and the carnage will continue in 2017,” the story reported. “A number of chains will likely not survive the year, and many that do will finish 2017 smaller than before.”

“Sporting goods stores are down for the count,” begins a story in USA Today. “The scourge of insolvency is sweeping through the sector as online sellers gain the upper hand over yet

Bill Crawford another corner of retail just recently dominated by bigbox chains, specialty stores and momand-pop shops.”

As if individual store closings aren’t enough, “Store closures will push 30% of US malls to the brink of death,” Business Insider reported. “Since the start of the year, more than 1,500 store closures have been announced by retailers including JCPenney, Macy’s, Sears, American Apparel, The Limited, and Abercrombie & Fitch. Most of the closures will happen over the next several months.

Guess what all these brick-andmortar Mississippi stores have in common? They all charge and collect sales taxes. While their closing reduces state sales tax collections, it really impacts tax revenues in affected municipalities…especially when you add in lost property taxes.

Local communities could at least recoup taxes lost to Internet sales if the state collected taxes on sales from online vendors and shared them with communities. They do in Alabama.

Alabama passed a bill to collect taxes on online sales in 2015. It provides strong incentives for online vendors to voluntarily collect taxes. Today, See CRAWFORD, Page 7

— Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

PERSPECTIVE » RICKY NOBILE

March 31, 2017 I Mississippi Business Journal

CRAWFORD

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Continued from Page 6

85 retailers with no stores or physical presence in Alabama have signed up for the “Simplified Sellers Use Tax” program, according to AL.com.

As this session of the Legislature winds down, Mississippi communities still can’t count on any similar legislation to help them out.

But, mayors in communities affected by stores closings shouldn’t worry, because their legislators clearly don’t… at least that’s what many mayors have come to believe. “They don’t (unprintable language),” said one.

Not only do legislators not pass most revenue proposals mayors request, they continue to make decisions that push costs down to the local level.

“I am not sure anyone in the legislature understands the feelings of numerous mayors and supervisors as to concerns facing them on a daily basis,” said another mayor.

Online sales driving brick-and-mortar stores out of business is just one of several systemic changes impacting community finances.

The number of perturbed mayors and other local officials mounts.

Will they finally get legislators’ attention? Or will it take election challenges?

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

»MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Automotive industry is driving job creation

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little more than a decade ago, Mississippi had never produced a commercial vehicle.

Today, about 4 million vehicles assembled in the state are on the road around the world, and production is showing no signs of slowing

down.

For Mississippians, more significant than production milestones are the contributions Toyota and Nissan have made to the state and local economy. These automotive manufacturers are responsible for the creation of thousands of careers and the investment of billions of dollars in the state.

This year, Toyota celebrates 10 years since the announce-

ment it would locate in Blue Springs. Today, a Corolla, one of the world’s top-selling vehicle models, rolls off the assembly line every 71 seconds thanks to the Toyota Mississippi team.

This team of Mississippi men and women assembled 500,000 vehicles faster than any other Toyota plan in North America, proving once again the extraordinary quality of our workforce.

Nissan’s Canton assembly plant produces eight models and is the global source for the Murano. The more than 3 million vehicles assembled at the Canton, Miss., facility solidifies the state’s position as a leader in the Southern Automotive Corridor.

More important than the number of vehicles assembled in the state is the economic impact companies like Toyota, Nissan and almost 200 automotive suppliers have on their local communities and to the state.

In a study published in 2016 by national think tank The Center for Automotive Research, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi is responsible for a payroll of approximately $307 million, creating $235 million in disposable income.

Additionally, the report also estimates Toyota supports 6,700 direct and indirect jobs. Toyota’s Mississippi-made work force also is responsible for assembling more than 850,000 vehicles, and the company expects to produce the 1 million mark by the end of 2017.

Mississippi State University’s National Strategic Planning

& Analysis Research center also recently published a study highlighting Nissan’s contribution to the state’s economy.

Glenn McCullough NSPARC estimates the presence of Nissan in Mississippi contributes $2.9 billion to the annual state gross domestic product. The automotive giant is responsible for 25,000 direct and indirect jobs in the state.

Combined, Mississippi’s two original equipment manufacturers are responsible for an estimated 31,700 direct and indirect careers for hard-working people of our state. These careers create disposable income which is reinvested in our communities.

A vital component of the Mississippi Development Authority’s mission is to build stronger communities. In addition to our aggressive recruitment of global companies to the state like Continental Tire and Yokohama Tire, MDA is committed to developing local leaders. Strong leaders initiate community development, which leads to economic development. Successful communities are often the result of focused and forward-thinking leaders who create an environment where businesses can thrive. It is leadership at the state and local levels which resulted in Toyota and Nissan deciding Mississippi is the right location for their operations.

Today, Mississippi reaps the benefits of Toyota and Nissan’s investment in our state and our people. We all share the responsibility to ensure we position more Mississippi communities for success. Investing in the infrastructure of people means every Mississippian wins. Together, Mississippi, Toyota, Nissan and the many automotive suppliers are part of the winning team responsible for revving up Mississippi’s automotive industry.

Glenn McCullough is director of the Mississippi Development Authority.

8 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 31, 2017 February 2017 sales tax receipts/year to date, July 1 MISSISSIPPI STATE TAX COMMISSION Here are cities’ earnings through sales tax collections. Sales tax has a three-month cycle.

Month 1 — Tax is collected by the retailer. Month 2 — Tax is reported/paid to the Tax Commission by the retailer. Month 3 — Sales tax diversion is paid by the Tax Commission to the cities.

This report is based on the month the tax is collected at the Tax Commission (Month 2).

February February Year to date YTD CITY 2017 2016 2017 2016 ABBEVILLE $5,739.28 $4,136.05 $39,384.40 $39,431.50 ABERDEEN 60,440.59 59,527.03 545,790.44 522,823.65 ACKERMAN 21,924.96 20,254.35 190,077.66 184,354.63 ALCORN STATE U 359.20 696.38 3,288.34 13,303.04 ALGOMA 2,596.25 2,157.72 20,273.48 20,188.79 ALLIGATOR 390.17 303.60 3,586.75 4,060.07 AMORY 142,911.14 142,347.16 1,300,510.02 1,279,872.77 ANGUILLA 1,519.30 2,595.61 20,654.67 21,912.52 ARCOLA 1,186.30 1,202.13 10,794.80 11,581.69 ARTESIA 807.94 714.46 6,654.81 7,083.83 ASHLAND 12,628.90 11,937.50 106,186.04 106,754.30 BALDWYN 54,857.75 37,616.63 362,514.84 337,835.82 BASSFIELD 11,696.23 12,035.63 96,219.06 92,327.51 BATESVILLE 309,897.70 307,676.39 2,961,430.18 2,910,052.95 BAY SPRINGS 52,771.28 50,538.82 440,660.55 439,525.80 BAY ST LOUIS 109,074.30 95,640.79 976,750.99 966,594.68 BEAUMONT 7,710.82 4,894.78 66,581.99 45,433.80 BEAUREGARD 256.44 280.13 1,858.55 2,070.60 BELMONT 24,695.12 25,625.11 209,986.23 224,258.30 BELZONI 36,155.08 36,311.76 315,234.74 322,400.45 BENOIT 2,002.27 5,558.13 22,048.11 48,127.35 BENTONIA 11,524.04 14,711.62 93,515.93 127,284.28 BEULAH 327.07 169.46 2,549.29 2,721.42 BIG CREEK 222.86 389.88 2,253.80 3,908.57 BILOXI 812,866.54 705,673.14 8,311,056.63 7,602,585.71 BLUE MOUNTAIN 9,734.27 8,742.69 90,941.33 86,243.75 BLUE SPRINGS 2,422.41 1,228.45 20,271.57 18,988.95 BOLTON 10,705.04 7,636.27 99,431.89 84,687.58 BOONEVILLE 138,340.64 134,708.98 1,261,383.05 1,226,351.03 BOYLE 13,720.30 8,341.21 131,903.54 98,978.52 BRANDON 380,303.32 363,903.84 3,758,225.89 3,523,092.48 BRAXTON 1,641.27 372.16 12,740.67 9,970.20 BROOKHAVEN 463,780.20 406,784.15 3,827,695.35 3,730,041.65 BROOKSVILLE 9,921.98 9,097.56 82,296.98 84,208.52 BRUCE 37,873.11 43,734.45 340,146.71 345,786.13 BUDE 10,871.50 11,039.80 91,594.96 90,057.09 BURNSVILLE 12,996.03 12,728.31 114,276.85 117,057.69 BYHALIA 53,872.23 44,035.56 479,719.02 515,224.74 BYRAM 195,814.75 165,481.49 1,764,922.69 1,369,884.57 CALEDONIA 13,434.17 12,200.68 113,344.36 112,657.18 CALHOUN CITY 22,281.23 23,612.02 201,500.73 207,398.25 CANTON 211,040.52 205,553.70 1,953,078.07 1,884,927.79 CARROLLTON 7,892.69 5,538.60 54,394.72 54,100.40 CARTHAGE 130,201.30 119,464.46 1,168,083.68 1,126,617.55 CARY 760.15 957.73 8,443.30 9,082.63 CENTREVILLE 19,923.47 18,960.18 156,806.27 156,869.54 CHARLESTON 27,844.47 26,340.88 226,769.20 226,360.07 CHUNKY 556.30 213.26 5,397.99 5,075.94 CLARKSDALE 198,335.58 184,313.16 1,833,877.15 1,728,212.52 CLEVELAND 270,229.66 262,047.96 2,449,017.87 2,439,739.44 CLINTON 346,220.82 357,010.35 3,062,194.95 3,145,733.06 COAHOMA 629.04 406.59 4,789.85 5,301.63 COAHOMA COLLEGE 655.21 890.49 2,363.78 3,072.88 COFFEEVILLE 10,110.03 9,231.19 85,042.78 85,529.49 COLDWATER 19,967.31 11,988.94 177,273.56 148,903.82 COLLINS 117,701.18 110,214.73 1,005,402.02 1,014,377.64 COLUMBIA 235,224.37 224,474.95 2,082,526.93 2,066,430.45 COLUMBUS 695,014.23 708,432.77 6,491,415.43 6,441,971.52 COMO 20,343.70 10,116.15 127,647.16 101,885.08 CORINTH 441,478.00 462,425.60 4,129,266.10 4,178,475.33 COURTLAND 1,578.42 1,126.50 13,059.00 13,062.04 CRAWFORD 1,344.84 983.83 12,448.83 11,189.33 CRENSHAW 4,933.33 5,129.24 40,802.82 46,523.33 CROSBY 1,063.54 1,228.92 6,078.45 7,742.00 CROWDER 1,891.37 2,010.02 16,920.94 15,216.76 CRUGER 335.08 229.21 3,201.27 3,377.92 CRYSTAL SPRINGS 56,371.57 53,905.14 487,777.84 485,028.18 D LO 1,916.99 2,494.96 18,047.49 21,934.20 D’IBERVILLE 532,580.36 586,717.38 4,841,821.88 4,834,342.94 DECATUR 11,662.67 11,128.65 98,993.08 98,930.30 DEKALB 18,000.58 16,790.38 141,428.03 144,815.68 DERMA 9,535.37 11,011.03 66,151.30 84,932.28 DIAMONDHEAD 42,679.56 41,532.65 371,927.42 362,288.45 DODDSVILLE 654.47 439.04 5,684.78 6,255.19 DREW 5,523.50 8,118.22 61,578.04 81,386.21 DUCK HILL 3,610.72 2,807.29 31,485.83 32,141.45 DUMAS 1,176.07 947.50 9,863.04 12,196.88 DUNCAN 482.72 482.90 3,987.69 4,559.17 DURANT 35,765.66 33,507.83 339,196.43 227,973.37 EAST MS COLLEGE 604.92 399.09 2,302.65 1,646.13 ECRU 11,112.40 26,680.32 109,874.63 200,556.82 EDEN 81.88 54.42 571.91 574.72 EDWARDS 5,892.48 4,398.77 43,684.36 49,324.41 ELLISVILLE 69,361.24 67,009.48 645,754.85 587,528.24 ENTERPRISE 5,825.77 4,525.68 48,873.49 48,284.63 ETHEL 2,457.35 1,231.90 18,582.65 10,372.90 EUPORA 34,141.38 31,261.53 289,955.74 287,013.51 FALCON 151.91 88.98 1,022.00 891.93 FALKNER 5,573.41 5,370.06 49,498.66 42,617.07 FARMINGTON 2,183.04 2,583.50 22,660.47 34,986.11 FAYETTE 18,017.24 15,234.48 143,030.02 139,010.71 FLORA 28,083.23 21,346.34 237,992.32 214,752.35 FLORENCE 63,605.34 61,990.10 571,882.90 571,331.37 FLOWOOD 836,754.93 785,360.23 7,749,905.42 7,805,421.96 FOREST 170,599.48 159,593.91 1,529,748.78 1,502,003.24 FRENCH CAMP 1,181.71 988.53 11,851.43 10,584.53 FRIARS POINT 2,143.13 1,823.32 25,307.33 15,659.81 FULTON 116,626.68 113,787.64 1,054,486.17 1,011,262.94

GATTMAN GAUTIER GEORGETOWN GLEN GLENDORA GLOSTER GOLDEN GOODMAN GREENVILLE GREENWOOD GRENADA GULFPORT GUNNISON GUNTOWN HATLEY HATTIESBURG HAZLEHURST HEIDELBERG HERNANDO HICKORY HICKORY FLAT HINDS COMMUNITY HOLLANDALE HOLLY SPRINGS HORN LAKE HOULKA HOUSTON INDIANOLA INVERNESS ISOLA ITTA BENA IUKA JACKSON JONESTOWN JUMPERTOWN KILMICHAEL KOSCIUSKO KOSSUTH LAKE LAMBERT LAUREL LEAKESVILLE LEARNED LELAND LENA LEXINGTON LIBERTY LONG BEACH LOUIN LOUISE LOUISVILLE LUCEDALE LULA LUMBERTON LYON MABEN MACON MADISON MAGEE MAGNOLIA MANTACHIE MANTEE MARIETTA MARION MARKS MATHISTON MAYERSVILLE MCCOMB MCCOOL MCLAIN MEADVILLE MENDENHALL MERIDIAN MERIGOLD METCALFE MIZE MONTICELLO MONTROSE MOORHEAD MORGAN CITY MORTON MOSS POINT MOUND BAYOU MS GULFCOAST MS STATE UNIV MS VALLEY ST MT OLIVE MYRTLE NATCHEZ NETTLETON NEW ALBANY NEW AUGUSTA NEW HEBRON NEWTON NO. CARROLLTON NOXAPATER OAKLAND OCEAN SPRINGS OKOLONA OLIVE BRANCH OSYKA OXFORD PACE PACHUTA PADEN PASCAGOULA

176.42 164,267.73 3,507.29 2,117.47 283.49 11,144.88 4,403.33 6,719.33 619,637.97 334,868.61 326,331.57 1,485,431.43 823.63 17,365.25 285.21 1,596,164.14 96,058.87 15,696.64 248,506.06 5,164.81 5,743.03 391.19 13,000.03 95,951.97 356,859.97 9,160.64 80,734.49 143,931.18 5,510.24 2,115.01 11,735.23 73,366.52 2,118,498.79 1,906.74 290.64 5,613.37 152,035.51 3,346.01 12,692.21 2,660.66 625,778.27 24,243.00 665.00 33,878.13 1,804.91 29,458.31 20,298.61 107,262.07 2,124.44 1,056.06 140,223.04 160,916.42 2,758.77 12,460.04 1,983.92 7,742.79 44,839.47 605,378.21 151,339.17 34,962.21 17,421.67 1,959.20 4,833.35 19,362.27 15,382.00 14,152.98 900.96 419,762.02 654.45 4,159.03 12,388.30 43,188.25 1,005,536.31 5,173.44 767.94 8,540.18 40,927.97 146.95 8,231.45 434.86 41,075.32 138,781.94 3,116.73 958.59 23,570.74 1,392.50 9,920.35 4,861.12 370,376.58 28,606.28 239,754.99 11,472.42 7,483.92 76,867.48 2,375.98 9,049.91 6,240.38 375,198.02 20,682.82 725,650.17 5,401.43 686,903.55 750.55 1,796.40 53.95 394,499.48

66.90 153,168.35 2,923.07 1,374.27 316.08 9,995.11 3,905.48 3,039.28 443,660.55 328,257.85 309,698.19 1,278,347.48 622.96 15,257.75 320.42 1,509,971.81 97,725.69 15,367.36 228,009.36 4,719.07 4,887.75 448.91 12,005.06 105,534.16 348,631.67 6,448.85 75,705.12 144,541.29 4,964.76 1,971.79 10,125.17 54,879.65 2,264,486.11 2,671.48 272.28 4,871.69 150,745.38 2,500.82 4,810.70 2,019.28 604,246.56 23,356.91 604.05 31,778.36 864.46 30,673.42 17,399.82 91,374.67 1,790.50 1,521.35 138,102.43 145,367.76 2,627.76 9,615.69 1,162.53 7,117.19 43,788.89 556,009.00 152,173.09 29,887.24 21,053.87 1,941.22 3,772.44 16,045.50 16,214.23 12,718.38 746.84 400,705.40 1,609.72 3,965.61 10,501.69 48,164.32 953,679.55 4,516.02 1,027.22 6,533.72 36,701.24 62.17 7,305.08 385.70 38,251.61 128,539.32 3,596.66 860.24 25,723.62 1,349.76 8,664.19 3,527.19 384,876.60 28,466.99 236,035.44 11,258.95 6,295.09 75,925.03 3,133.77 6,956.71 5,337.84 344,416.28 22,281.95 680,326.58 3,975.68 608,581.57 524.04 2,174.05 120.76 368,039.93

918.50 1,452,145.23 26,679.64 16,322.40 2,395.25 102,530.05 40,313.40 31,185.23 4,169,117.04 3,047,990.59 2,941,068.78 13,810,250.20 6,788.32 143,208.63 2,448.97 14,680,916.21 855,049.88 149,425.71 2,276,443.05 49,834.28 47,709.25 5,400.67 121,315.80 896,451.54 3,105,255.39 68,196.72 726,397.28 1,299,927.37 39,523.04 18,110.73 95,528.03 594,777.58 19,668,392.57 23,498.10 2,816.50 45,098.69 1,400,275.18 26,277.84 81,482.72 20,682.17 5,273,125.05 201,528.86 5,534.60 346,091.81 14,492.39 272,435.77 177,189.50 928,448.63 19,743.03 9,923.58 1,247,144.75 1,455,668.67 22,969.29 112,629.92 18,142.27 63,572.96 402,099.95 5,425,856.68 1,370,613.59 280,805.85 148,028.08 21,032.02 38,297.62 155,555.17 136,353.69 122,677.57 7,100.02 3,877,615.85 9,852.49 36,288.98 96,110.50 414,140.94 9,355,645.44 56,737.82 7,402.21 60,471.16 332,268.81 1,299.37 64,864.58 4,104.37 337,785.88 1,212,396.69 31,143.29 4,671.98 236,746.87 6,535.63 82,634.10 39,108.72 3,570,527.12 232,952.02 2,156,085.89 96,086.26 55,887.70 678,596.93 24,274.72 68,855.04 50,976.94 3,310,051.39 188,484.73 6,567,652.78 42,069.46 6,348,375.51 4,231.58 14,265.08 501.82 3,435,890.85

1,038.44 1,465,463.44 28,615.61 16,699.35 3,946.71 97,395.71 39,708.60 26,615.25 4,264,203.28 2,893,935.09 2,816,205.29 13,371,235.26 7,048.27 135,681.24 2,895.12 14,753,271.81 894,069.37 159,873.22 2,157,320.52 41,154.16 43,243.44 5,146.38 112,538.52 907,254.60 2,792,474.98 61,183.15 702,057.65 1,297,117.02 40,003.14 23,116.68 93,388.22 532,732.68 20,579,278.09 23,036.94 4,704.32 49,927.42 1,359,570.60 28,332.33 48,980.62 13,759.94 5,697,475.17 199,113.95 4,780.01 342,013.16 13,010.13 277,977.88 172,419.06 882,772.05 19,004.99 10,569.97 1,286,131.94 1,413,972.47 23,068.47 106,786.15 17,239.70 62,900.22 399,065.06 4,867,723.89 1,397,941.33 261,006.84 166,032.30 20,925.99 35,315.76 146,615.32 157,707.69 117,031.74 7,843.66 3,785,176.09 13,093.91 42,767.18 97,106.06 418,390.06 9,560,851.50 55,078.28 8,921.61 71,430.95 334,811.40 3,323.78 66,687.41 4,502.93 330,632.22 1,187,962.09 34,055.75 4,457.37 238,998.62 6,287.02 76,715.73 37,756.38 3,619,105.05 249,970.18 2,132,277.18 107,323.13 57,590.21 656,993.32 26,975.62 64,611.62 50,993.82 3,252,589.17 190,631.12 6,324,301.19 41,557.79 5,783,755.24 4,485.94 14,356.01 1,693.02 3,471,312.79

PASS CHRISTIAN PAULDING PEARL PELAHATCHIE PETAL PHILADELPHIA PICAYUNE PICKENS PITTSBORO PLANTERSVILLE POLKVILLE PONTOTOC POPE POPLARVILLE PORT GIBSON POTTS CAMP PRENTISS PUCKETT PURVIS QUITMAN RALEIGH RAYMOND RENOVA RICHLAND RICHTON RIDGELAND RIENZI RIPLEY ROLLING FORK ROSEDALE ROXIE RULEVILLE SALLIS SALTILLO SANDERSVILLE SARDIS SATARTIA SCHLATER SCOOBA SEBASTOPOL SEMINARY SENATOBIA SHANNON SHAW SHELBY SHERMAN SHUBUTA SHUQUALAK SIDON SILVER CITY SILVER CREEK SLATE SPRINGS SLEDGE SMITHVILLE SNOWLAKESHORES SOSO SOUTHAVEN SOUTHWEST COMM STARKVILLE STATE LINE STONEWALL STURGIS SUMMIT SUMNER SUMRALL SUNFLOWER SYLVARENA TAYLOR TAYLORSVILLE TCHULA TERRY THAXTON TISHOMINGO TOCCOPOLA TOWN OF WALLS TREMONT TUNICA TUPELO TUTWILER TYLERTOWN UNION UNIV OF MISS UTICA VAIDEN VARDAMAN VERONA VICKSBURG WALNUT WALNUT GROVE WALTHALL WATER VALLEY WAVELAND WAYNESBORO WEBB WEIR WESSON WEST WEST POINT WIGGINS WINONA WINSTONVILLE WOODLAND WOODVILLE YAZOO CITY TOTAL

99,158.05 86,351.33 217.57 92.12 761,384.03 729,469.95 28,531.13 24,977.15 186,630.55 185,725.90 282,416.50 296,398.75 372,932.85 329,648.05 7,377.00 6,441.32 1,806.83 1,255.58 4,709.01 3,531.80 1,183.87 111.48 180,215.93 176,236.06 3,089.94 2,191.64 55,860.45 48,322.15 27,190.89 17,470.29 6,829.72 6,010.63 31,520.40 30,317.22 6,474.03 7,045.19 84,391.90 60,487.28 46,703.10 36,572.74 15,590.92 15,108.34 23,084.04 21,815.46 2,231.07 1,860.90 412,554.17 412,548.21 27,390.66 23,216.92 988,723.24 1,035,538.76 4,678.08 3,272.85 99,273.41 100,844.27 28,175.50 24,778.82 10,254.49 8,601.56 1,621.79 880.69 18,307.24 18,218.90 1,648.81 1,534.53 51,603.29 65,478.69 15,769.69 8,479.77 22,633.68 24,925.40 391.92 371.94 789.72 696.50 7,604.12 6,629.68 14,835.94 14,962.54 12,730.25 9,870.56 168,188.72 168,106.38 11,490.40 9,601.00 7,177.20 5,446.97 9,022.75 7,855.91 27,358.02 25,428.05 4,056.07 2,508.00 2,957.55 1,247.34 478.25 402.18 447.46 396.75 2,618.97 1,561.69 117.14 170.44 1,514.89 1,432.17 5,881.98 5,620.18 105.59 125.61 9,160.22 12,119.55 996,413.04 1,054,924.57 76.20 81.02 527,063.09 508,082.59 11,652.43 8,922.56 7,946.00 4,679.63 2,242.53 2,089.81 32,043.64 29,260.24 3,346.95 2,461.02 45,733.30 35,716.60 2,991.76 1,924.86 162.91 197.27 1,701.59 844.03 27,612.32 23,906.22 6,542.12 5,750.46 27,102.41 21,418.93 3,755.60 2,657.72 11,220.02 8,616.85 277.97 224.90 7,115.25 4,743.95 1,449.39 1,006.09 23,463.27 41,067.68 1,462,952.17 1,378,466.23 4,162.00 4,109.28 51,239.91 47,477.65 23,533.20 26,170.50 7,837.05 8,287.36 8,375.79 6,376.67 8,382.72 8,264.33 10,378.69 8,831.83 12,587.03 17,026.16 552,064.79 569,128.53 16,777.36 22,526.69 5,616.76 5,645.87 1,055.95 1,703.06 36,139.04 35,898.09 215,936.38 163,827.01 159,270.59 144,233.37 6,821.71 5,089.67 3,367.16 949.62 12,899.36 10,567.04 730.35 2,295.13 179,032.70 147,238.98 129,805.36 74,557.29 70,606.83 245.96 230.87 3,239.86 2,928.84 28,166.99 27,151.12 123,708.14 120,928.42 $31,692,629.94 $30,491,612.31

921,428.54 826,648.07 1,585.30 1,482.08 6,647,693.19 6,638,343.23 254,453.45 244,552.17 1,676,467.86 1,651,271.32 2,742,859.82 2,819,101.11 3,159,684.96 3,026,568.91 51,533.42 54,614.60 13,464.30 9,685.12 37,563.89 36,737.55 9,373.63 3,054.37 1,595,355.63 1,601,259.55 26,049.20 24,822.79 511,038.96 488,233.49 228,742.66 157,009.94 60,818.61 56,328.46 275,702.54 299,658.19 65,110.06 75,443.76 696,959.14 554,856.35 361,999.50 355,941.81 127,559.86 130,680.58 159,345.32 157,960.38 15,895.64 18,119.99 3,726,316.38 3,759,563.67 235,797.35 225,228.95 9,022,507.45 10,781,270.01 36,609.35 37,241.03 892,817.43 851,226.05 272,021.96 252,752.09 83,354.36 82,496.43 13,403.72 12,080.38 154,305.84 148,866.41 13,917.19 13,670.07 527,176.67 587,661.28 275,078.50 108,633.93 200,794.46 227,642.24 3,119.09 2,672.37 7,636.91 7,111.28 62,815.04 56,798.65 125,743.94 131,584.83 107,158.68 104,823.83 1,480,284.18 1,472,208.14 97,766.78 93,053.49 56,201.74 70,466.36 75,939.28 74,217.66 232,846.17 193,606.53 31,707.79 30,186.52 22,342.84 15,718.64 4,383.80 5,105.73 3,474.60 3,703.29 20,475.00 22,514.18 1,373.61 2,267.40 12,364.82 13,400.89 46,822.47 50,075.85 954.53 3,387.56 86,192.89 104,553.51 9,674,744.15 9,597,283.42 644.63 737.61 4,637,631.47 4,471,784.37 95,264.00 86,317.73 48,039.44 46,147.71 22,442.36 22,997.07 293,539.56 282,213.00 30,753.24 28,905.53 365,544.24 341,260.64 26,448.05 22,062.76 2,157.28 2,391.51 18,611.47 13,165.69 217,864.49 214,827.57 55,983.70 61,340.05 239,438.08 222,476.68 29,154.38 28,429.65 94,155.50 79,713.93 2,433.72 2,184.97 60,318.63 61,570.92 11,249.95 10,929.64 216,184.51 309,965.44 13,758,369.09 12,919,548.16 34,773.00 34,112.06 458,390.94 435,632.54 219,469.84 270,805.49 367,460.13 120,885.51 70,582.65 71,565.94 71,544.70 84,311.70 95,540.07 82,074.35 131,460.21 148,225.22 5,203,959.62 5,241,203.69 149,854.61 189,858.72 46,607.71 44,176.74 10,558.59 14,237.47 345,386.26 349,478.19 1,622,954.16 1,550,405.67 1,396,438.99 1,350,808.45 57,994.42 58,371.03 24,839.60 15,139.22 103,799.70 103,754.59 8,714.32 12,002.53 1,380,882.24 1,616,266.32 1,280,579.25 1,221,120.74 700,712.75 634,322.38 2,189.45 2,153.29 39,491.62 38,330.84 246,817.86 250,107.60 1,130,214.20 1,135,229.84 $288,810,869.12 $285,916,701.54

DISTRIBUTION

March 31, 2017

Q

Mississippi Business Journal

Q

9

AGRIBUSINESS

McCormick & Company locating in Marshall County, creating 48 jobs

McCormick & Company is locating warehousing and distribution operations in Marshall County., Miss., investing $6 million and creating 48 jobs.

“I am pleased to welcome McCormick as the newest member of the state’s thriving warehousing and distribution industry. The 48 jobs being created by the company will positively benefit the local community and economy for years to come,” Gov. Phil Bryant said in a release.

McCormick, manufacturer of spices, herbs and flavorings, is locating in a 615,000-square-foot spec building in the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park.

“Our new distribution center in Mississippi will create space for growth and allow us to optimize our distribution network in the U.S.” said Vice President Americas Supply Chain for McCormick Scott Simmons. “With this new location, we expect to improve service delivery to our customer base and build additional capabilities to meet the future needs of our business.”

The Mississippi Development Authority and Marshall County are providing assistance for sewer improvements.

“In Marshall County, Mississippi, McCormick found the workforce, positive business climate and spec building location proved to be advantageous for their

Cal-Maine still struggling against market effects of 2015 flu outbreak new operations,” said MDA Executive Director Glenn McCullough, Jr. “We salute the teamwork of the Marshall County Board of Supervisors and the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority for working effectively together to bring exciting new career opportunities to the people of North Mississippi.”

Mississippi competed with one other state for the project. McCormick expects to begin operations in Marshall County in mid-2017.

— MBJ Staff and Wire reports

GAMING

PENN NATIONAL GAMING TO BUY 2 TUNICA CO. CASINOS FOR $44M Bally’s Casino Tunica and Resorts Casino Tunica are changing hands.

Penn National Gaming of Wyomissing, Pa., said Tuesday that it will pay $44 million to buy the two Mississippi gambling halls, which had been handed over to creditors after bankruptcy.

The company already owns three Mississippi casinos, including Hollywood Casino Tunica.

Penn National CEO Timothy Wilmott says it will centrally manage the three Tunica County casinos. He says Penn National will

make “modest” improvements and implement the company’s guest loyalty program.

The three casinos have about 1,000 employees, according to Mississippi Gaming Commission data. Bally’s has 947 slot machines and 16 table games, but no hotel. Resorts have 800 slot machines, 9 table games and a 201-room hotel.

The purchase is expected to close by June, pending Gaming Commission approval.

— MBJ Staff and Wire reports

DRONES Continued from, Page 2

cringes wherever he reads a report where a drone has caused a problem.

“Usually it is a hobbyist, not a commercial pilot, who has some kind of accident with drones,” he said. “Those who are reckless make it harder for those of us who are stewards of aerial safety and proper drone use. For those hobbyists flying drones, enjoy yourself, but do so responsibly. When flying at a site, keep people at a safe distance.

Put up signs saying you are running

a commercial drone. After it lands, people like to come ask questions. I enjoy talking to people because it is important to have positive, wordof-mouth information spread about the benefits of drone usage.”

Before any flight, they always go through a long checklist of all their systems to make sure they will perform correctly in the area.

“Safety in the air starts on the ground is our motto,” Chambliss said. “Drones have just begun to be introduced. People have no idea how much drones are going to affect their lives. We are only in the beginning stages. This industry is

going to bloom dramatically in the coming years. Some of the things drones are being used for include delivering medical supplies to remote areas of Canada and Africa, and searching for survivors after natural disasters. We provided video to the television station after the tornado in Hattiesburg in January.”

Chambliss wants people to understand drones are a business and people are trying to do it the right way.

“There is no reason to be afraid of new technology,” he said. “It has some wonderful uses.”

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

Cal-Maine Foods Inc. reported on Monday that net sales for the quarter ending Feb. 25 were $306.5 million – a 31.8 percent decrease compared with $449.8 million for the year-earlier period.

That in part is because of the lingering market effects of the outbreak of avian influenza in 2015, which hurt U.S. exports of eggs, including those of Cal-Maine, the nation’s largest producer of in-shell eggs, the Jackson-based firm said in a release.

“Over the past month, there have been reported outbreaks of [avian influenza] in certain poultry operations located in southeastern states. None of these outbreaks has affected the commercial table egg layer flock, and there have been no positive tests for AI at any Cal-Maine Foods locations,” Dolph Baker, chairman, president and chief executive officer, said.

“Since the spring 2015 AI outbreaks, Cal-Maine Foods significantly enhanced its biosecurity measures at all of its locations, and its flocks are being monitored and tested according to state and federal guidelines.”

Fifty million birds, primarily laying hens, had to be destroyed in the Midwest two years ago, but Cal-Maine was able to avoid the virus.

Cal-Maine reported net income for the quarter of $4.1 million, or nine cents per share, compared with net income of $64.2 million, or $1.33 per share of the corresponding period in fiscal 2016. Analysts had forecast earnings of 20 cents per share on revenue of $325 million, according to TheStreet.

The company will not pay a dividend for the fourth consecutive quarter.

Shares were up 15 cents, closing at $37.50 on the NasdaqGS market on Monday. Earnings were released before the opening of the market.

“Our results . . . were affected by lower market prices and weaker demand trends compared with the third quarter last year,” said Baker. “Our average customer selling prices for the third quarter of fiscal 2017 were down 27.9 percent from the same period a year ago.”

“The USDA reports that egg export demand has improved since the beginning of fiscal 2017,” Baker said. “However, it has still not fully recovered to levels prior to the AI outbreak. Additionally, we have experienced reduced demand for egg products, as many of our commercial customers reformulated their products to use fewer eggs when prices spiked and have been slow to resume previous egg usage.

For the thirty-nine weeks ended Feb. 25, net sales were $799.9 million compared with $1.6 billion for the prior-year period. The company reported a net loss of $49.8 million, or $1.03 per share, for the thirty-nine-week period, compared with net income of $316.4 million, or $6.54 per share, for the year-earlier period.

“The egg markets have remained under pressure, and we do not expect to see any meaningful improvement until there is a better balance of supply and demand.

During the third quarter, Cal-Maine completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Happy Hen Egg Farms, Inc in Texas.

10 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 31, 2017

All in the Family: Dr. Catherine Sledge

A

s an entrepreneur married to an entrepreneur, as well as partnering in a dental practice with her father, Dr. Catherine Sledge has had to learn to juggle her personal and professional lives with all of the skill, tact, and discretion she can summon.

In addition to an entrepreneurial husband, she also has two small kids, boys ages 2.5 and 5 years old, and she says she is “always attuned to their needs” as well. As busy as her life may be, she says she “wouldn’t want it any other way”, and finds great fulfillment in both her work and her home life.

“Well, I’ve known my dad all my life,” she said with a smile, “and I’ve also known my husband since the seventh grade, so I had plenty of time to get things right.”

From childhood, she always saw herself in a health-care role of some sort, and after working part time for an oral surgeon, she knew that dentistry was for her. With encouragement and support from her father, she moved ahead on her dreams and found them as a business partner in her dad’s practice.

Today, their practice is thriving, and in addition to her father and herself, the practice also has 7 other employees. Some of the reasons for the success are the willingness to invest in innovative technology.

“Among other things, we can now do a

crown in just over an hour, within our office,” she said.

“And we believe the quality is equal to any lab-made crowns.”

While any number of dentists may now offer the CEREC crowns, Dr. Sledge Alan Turner says there is one new enhancement they are undertaking for the practice that very few others have….namely, the addition of a SOLEA laser.

And what is that, I asked.

“Well, unless typical medical lasers, this one will enable us to do work, such as fillings and crowns, with no drilling, and no vibration, and best of all, and for 80 percent of patients, there will be no anesthetic required,” she explained.

For the legions of us who “dread the drill”, that sounds like a winning scenario.

In addition to her work in general dentisty, Sledge also specializes in the treatment of ankyloglossia (often referred to as “tongue-tie,” in babies and children, generally utilizing laser work. She finds this work to be among the most rewarding and fulfilling of her responsibilities.

Asked how it feels to be in partnership with her father, she replied with a laugh.

“Well, I’d have to say that 99 days out of 100, it’s really great. On the other day, we nearly kill each other sometimes, she said.

She says that generally, she and her father “communicate very well and respect one another.” Except for that one day, of course.

As a woman in business, she said firmly that she “wouldn’t’ want to do anything else,” and intends to carry on the practice after her father finally chooses to retire, which she “hopes won’t be anytime soon.”

Dr. Cathering Sledge

Contact Mississippi Business Journal publisher Alan Turner at alan.turner@msbusiness.com or (601) 364-1021.

“...this one will enable us to do work, such as fillings and crowns, with no drilling, and no vibration, and best of all, and for 80% of patients, there will be no anesthetic required.”

Dr. Catherine Sledge

REAL ESTATE

Colonial Highlands manager breaks silence, says plan just taking longer

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com It’s taken longer for the Colonial Highlands traditional neighborhood project to gain traction than anticipated, Bo Lockard said in an interview last week.

Lockard, managing partner of Colonial Jackson LLC, sought to clear the air on the project in northeast Jackson expected to cost $250 million.

In recent months, Lockard, other partners and local brokers had not returned numerous calls from the Mississippi Business Journal.

But Lockard said, “We’re not hiding or running.”

“We’d rather go slow and very methodically, than willy-nilly. And if that takes another month, six months or a year, we’re going to continue to push that ball until we get all of components proper to do what we’ve been approved to do.”

He conceded that things had not gone as fast as they

had hoped. Last July, he said in an interview that “we are working toward negotiating contracts by the end of the summer.”

Lockard said the group is is sticking with Traditional Neighborhood Development master plan approved by the city, which calls for 636 living units, most of which will be free-standing homes, along with attached homes as well as apartments for sale or lease.

“We’re the master planning guys. We buy and repurpose dirt,” he said. “We’re not speculative builders.”

The group is trying to line up builders and must work within those companies’ lineup of projects, and that means waiting to see how that can be worked out, he said.

“It’s a big project with a lot of parts.”

Talks of more than a year with Walmart about putting in a Neighborhood Market store looked promising, but fell through as the giant retailer started cutting back on expansion.

So, Lockard said, the group is talking with other grocers

and retailers for the commercial aspect of the project.

Of the recent interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve, he said: “It’s more about the demand than it is the rate.”

An extensive study by Zimmerman/Volk Associates Inc. of Clinton, N.J. filed with the master plan found that the living units could be sold, or in the case of some apartments, leased, in a six-year period.

Lockard, who is based in Shreveport, La., called the project a boon to property values in the vicinity and tax coffers for the city and county.

The opportunity presented itself when the Colonial Country Club closed in 2014, and Lockard and associates bought the property.

The Zimmerman/Volk study says the plan is “a rare infill opportunity” that “has the potential to attract target households that are relatively affluent.”

The effort to redevelop the 152-acre plot had a stormy beginning.

Initially, in 2015, the group sought to have the city change its zoning code to allow mixed-use development on land zoned for special use, such as parks, hospitals, churches and golf courses. That would have allowed commercial development in those lands without pubic hearings.

But that approach was dropped after a showdown at City Hall when an angry crowd of area residents convinced the City Council that was not a good approach.

March 31, 2017

Q

Mississippi Business Journal

Q

11

DINING

Saint Leo of Oxford ‘on fire’

» Young restaurant nominated for James Beard Award less than one year after opening

By ALEX JACKS mbj@msbusiness.com

Emily Blount combined her love for the big city and small town life when she established Saint Leo of Oxford less than a year ago.

Blount opened her wood-fired Italian restaurant after settlling in Oxford. Never did she believe her vision would influence so many people in such a short amount of time.

Saint Leo was nominated for a 2017 James Beard Award. The James Beard Foundation presents annual awards to United States restaurants, chefs and writers for excellence in cuisine, culinary writing and culinary education.

“We were nominated, along with 25 restaurant across the country, for the best new restaurant in the United States,” Blount Blount said. “The awards are announced at the beginning of May. When I found out, I was blindsided.”

Blount generally does not use awards as incentives to fuel her endeavors.

“This was not my intention,” she said. “I didn’t have it in my head that this is what I would be going after. When I found out, I was shocked and amazed. Even if we do not make it any farther, it has lit a fire underneath me to continue to do well. We are just at the beginning.”

Saint Leo opened its doors for business on June 30, 2016.

“My husband is originally from Jackson, and I am from California,” Blount said.

“We met in New York, where I worked as an actress. After getting married and having our kids, we decided we did not want to raise them there. When we moved to Oxford, I knew I wanted to do something in the hospitality industry. I have a passion for hospitality and food.”

While getting established in her new town, Blount began to notice how receptive the Oxford community was to food.

When she realized how well a new restaurant would be welcomed, she made up her mind to open one. After homing in on the idea of establishing a restaurant, Blount began researching.

“At some point, I homed in on woodfired pizza,” she said. “I grew up eating Italian food a lot, and I love it. I love food.

Once I decided on the concept, I got very

Photos by Erin Austen Abbott /Special to the MBJ

ABOVE Saint Leo of Oxford is housed in a shotgun style building and decorated in a modern style, with a rustic flair. BELOW Wood-fired pizzas are the main food staple Saint Leo was built around, after restaurant owner Emily Blount fell in love with the taste of food cooked in a wood-fired oven.

serious.”

Although she is not the chef at Saint Leo, Blount attended school at Verace Pizza Neapolitan in order to understand the concepts behind Italian food. It took her several years, with the help of friends and family, to establish the menu and atmosphere she wanted for her restaurant.

“One day I struck up a conversation with a friend of my husband, Dan Latham, who was a former Oxford restaurant owner, about my business venture,” she said.

“That conversation began a collaboration between the two of us. He actually is a restaurant consultant, which I didn’t know at the time. But he helped me figure out a lot of aspects of Saint Leo.” “We traveled to different places across the United States together to figure out the taste profile,” Blount continued.

Every item of the Saint Leo menu is based on the principal of Italian food, she said.

options that spoke to different people.

Healthy eating is also so important to me.

I wanted delicious options that would not limit people. We focus on vegan, gluten-free, organic and local ingredients.”

Although most of the meals coming out of the Saint Leo kitchen are pasta and pizza, the eatery also offers dishes without the main two staples, such as the spicy seafood stew, Blount said. The restaurant also has an in-house bakery, where all of the deserts served are made fresh, she said.

In addition to providing wholesome food, Saint Leo offers a comfortable modern atmosphere with a little rustic flair.

“Saint Leo is housed in a shotgun style building on Jackson Ave.,” Blount said. “I had a very particular idea of how I wanted it to look. I am a very aesthetic, detail-oriented person. I wanted the restaurant to be welcoming to all.”

Blount believes she has had a strong economic impact on the community of Oxford by employing more than 60 people.

“I defiantly have a sense of pride and excitement about the jobs I was able to bring here,” she said. “I did not understand the impact until I was in it. The responsibility of employing people is important to me.

It’s taught me a lot.”

In the future, Blount would like to see Saint Leo continue to progress.

“I want to see us continuing to get better at our craft,” she said. “I want to continue bringing hospitality and great food to the forefront of our community.”

Saint Leo is open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information or to view the full menu, visit www.eatsaintleo.com.

“Not all of the food is strictly Italian, but the where we got the idea and base of the food is,” Blount said. “We wanted enough

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12 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 31, 2017 TECHNOLOGY

Cyber security for the road warrior I

n my previous columns, I’ve been describing the benefits of having offense-oriented testing performed on your company’s network. This time around, I want to give some advice for the road warriors among you. Many of you have to travel for work, and present an attractive target to cyber criminals that want to steal trade secrets, customer information, or even infect your system in a way that puts your network at risk when you return to the office. You can, however, work on the road in a much more secure way, armed with some basic precautions and awareness.

There’s a cottage industry in devices that attackers can use to target peoples’ laptops and phones in public spaces.

These devices are purchased and used by legitimate security professionals to test networks, but also by criminal attackers.

Open wireless network connections can be intercepted and manipulated, and physical access to computers and phones can be used to install malicious software that allows for remote control and theft of data. These attacks can happen quickly and leave little physical evidence. In target-rich environments like airports and

hotels, a single criminal can compromise many potential victims at once. Targeted attacks against specific individuals and organizations can be even easier.

Here are a few pieces of advice for remaining secure and protecting yourself and your organization: 1. Protecting yourself begins with situational awareness and physical control over your devices. It pays to have your head “on a swivel.” Be aware that people behind you, or cameras above you, may be able to watch you type in your passwords or see the contents of your screen.

Dual-factor authentication that makes use of a physical token or a fingerprint scanner, in addition to your password can reduce the usefulness of observing your password alone. Be aware of the information you’re viewing on your screen in public spaces, and consider investing in a privacy screen for your laptop that reduces possible viewing angles. Even with a privacy screen, understand that those directly behind you will still be able to read over your shoulder.

2. Never allow your system to leave your line of sight in a public space. In a matter of moments, an attacker can in-

sert a device into a USB port on your computer that will infect your system and begin extracting sensitive data. This can occur even if you have “locked” your laptop to require a password to log back in. Mobile devices can be easily stolen, so have your IT staff implement full-disk encryption on any systems that travel.

While it is more convenient to simply close the lid on your laptop, the most secure state for an encrypted system is to be completely “shut down”.

3. When on the road, avoid Wi-Fi networks that are not managed by your IT staff. Wireless networks in public spaces are targets for data collection, and it can often be done completely passively. Active attacks may also pose as secure access points you may be conditioned to connect to out of habit. Make use of cellular networks when possible (using cellular hotspot devices for your laptop), and make a connection back to your office network via Virtual Private Networking (VPN) for an additional layer of security.

Ultimately, much like you should be performing offense-oriented testing of your company’s networks, you should also have a third party take a look at your

traveling workers’ operational security. A team that is qualified to conduct penetration tests and red teaming engagements can be tasked with examining common remote work Wesley McGrew scenarios that you and your employees will engage in. It may surprise you what clever tricks they will use to compromise your mobile devices, and will help you harden your technology and practices to allow you to confidently work from anywhere.

Dr. Wesley McGrew is the Director of Cyber Operations at HORNE Cyber. Understanding that businesses are under constant cyberattack, and simultaneously held ultimately responsible for their own victimization, Wes stepped away from academic research in order to develop talent and services that help organizations improve their resilience. He has made a career out of studying attacker techniques and applying them in offense-oriented services like penetration testing that identify vulnerabilities before they are successfully exploited by real criminals.

March 31, 2017

Q

Mississippi Business Journal

Q

13

TRADE

Mississippi businesses see potential for trade with Cuba

By LISA MONTI mbj@msbusiness.com

Biloxi businessman Mike Alise was among a delegation from Mississippi who traveled to Cuba in February to look for trade opportunities.

Alise, the owner and operator of Gulf Coast Produce, said he was struck by the lack of available food on the island and the fact that Cuba has to import the most basic commodities from Vietnam and other distant sources.

Alise “I met with the minister of agriculture and he said they need food they can buy from the states,” Alise said. With his business connections and distribution network, Alise said he could help fill the gap. “I get rice from Crowley, La., 600 miles away, and (Cuba) is buying it from Vietnam,” he said.

Another item readily available in the U.S. but in short supply in Cuba is fresh milk.

“I’d send a truck to Miami full of milk. It’s 90 miles away by ship”to Cuba he said.

Gulf Coast Produce, owned by Alise and wife Christi, has two warehouses in Biloxi and Foley, Ala., and had $40 million in sales last year.

The trade trip Alise and other business people took Feb.19-22 was arranged by the Mississippi Development Authority. It dovetailed with a visit by Sen. Thad Cochran and officials representing Mississippi ports and other interests.

MDA officials said interest in doing business with Cuba is high among state businesses, including wood products, industrial machinery, construction products and shipping.

“The areas holding the most potential for doing business with Cuba are for food products such as produce, poultry, rice and other agricultural products and for logistics in the case of our two deep water ports, Gulfport and Pascagoula,” said Rose Boxx, director of MDA’s International Trade Division.

“Cuba imports most of the commodities they consume and use on a daily basis.”

She said the ports signed a memorandum of understanding with the Cuba National Port Administration during the recent trade mission.

“Tourism and foreign direct investment have also increased tremendously in Cuba over the past two years, creating the need for more goods to support the hospitality industry and the infrastructure improvements to the island from foreign capital,” Boxx said.

Alise said there are opportunities for everything from hotels to restaurants. “It’s incredible,” he said.

MDA hosted a seminar in October on doing business with Cuba to help businesses learn how to capitalize on the changing Cu-

ban market. “In addition to our recent educational seminar and trade mission, we speak and meet one-on-one regularly with companies interested in Cuba regarding the current regulations, business environment and opportunities,” Boxx said. “We are also in regular communication with our trade contacts at the Cuba Embassy in Washington, D.C., in order to stay informed and continue to enhance Mississippi’s trade with Cuba.”

Alise said the first trip was a “meet and greet” exchange and that he would like to return to Cuba in a couple of months to build and maintain contacts there. “They like building relationships. I want to go back and get out to the farms, see what they’re growing and do some fact finding. I’ve done that for years with Panama and Colombia,” he said.

Alise said he’s interested in bringing in

farmers to teach Cubans how to grow garlic and other products to diversify their crops.

He in turn would buy the excess crops to sell in the U.S., much like distributors do now with countries such as Honduras. “It lets them be self sufficient,” he said. “They are hard working people but they just need some help and we’re the closest to them.

And Cubans like to do business in the southern U.S. region, which makes sense” because of the proximity and access.

Alise said the state has a lot to gain from trade with Cuba. “It’s exciting for Mississippi if we wrap our heads around it,” he said.

The 2017 class of the Mississippi Business Journal’s Top 50 Under 40 honorees.

Abumere F. Akinwale, M.D. Jason Bailey Carlos Bell Chase Blankenship Kelly A. Boutwell Christy B. Bridges Jason M. Brown Todd Butler Ashley eley Cannady Amanda Carraway Chris Champion William Lusk Coppage Kristy M. Daniels Jerry B. DeFatta Jr. Liz Hogue Densmore Lindsay Thomas Dowdle Greg L. Durrell Dr. Lee Gary Sara Elizabeth Stockton Christin Grissom Megan Hall Mark F. Hinton Ryan A. Holmes Aa’Keela L. S. Hudnall Bradley W. Joyner, CMB

Jhai’Obes C. Keeton Dr. Wendy Lewis Justin Javarus Mathis Alan P. McCormick Alison O’Neal McMinn Shenika Kelly- Moore Kent Mortimer Amy Oliver John W. Ridgeway Jr. Scott Rives Chris Roberts Carl Sandberg Dr. Mitchell M. Shears Anne Marie Smith Stephen Daniel Smith Lucien Smith Angie Stallings Selena Lajean Standifer Laura Beth Strickland Scott Tollison Jonathan Varney Robert F. Walker Pamela P. Ware Bryan Williams LaFarra Young-Gaylor, M.D.

This magazine will profile all AWARD RECIPIENTS and pay tribute to their excellence in business and community achievements. » Your ad will be seen by all MBJ subscribers. » The Top 50 Under 40 recipients will know that you supported them at this special time in their lives.

Advertising Opportunities: Net Advertising Rates

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PUBLICATION DATE: May 2017 AD RESERVATION DEADLINE: Thursday, May 4, 2017 ARTWORK DEADLINE: Thursday, May 11, 2017

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Tami Jones, Associate Publisher Virginia Hodges, Account Exec

(601) 364-1011 (601) 364-1012

tami.jones@msbusiness.com virginia.hodges@msbusiness.com

Newsmakers

14 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 31, 2017

NMHS names new CFO

Sharon Nobles has joined North Mississippi Health Services as chief financial officer.

Nobles joins NMHS from Baptist Health Care Corp.in Pensacola, Fla., where she was vice president and chief financial officer for Acute Care Services and led financial Nobles operations for three acute care hospitals and two joint venture ambulatory surgery centers. During her 23-year tenure with Baptist, she has served in various financial leadership roles, including system CFO for two years.

She is a certified public accountant, designated as a certified treasury professional with the Association for Financial Professionals and a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association. A graduate of the University of West Florida, Nobles was involved in community organizations, including Leadership Pensacola, Florida 4-H and several charitable organizations.

Nobles will be joined in Tupelo by her husband, Gene. Her hobbies include riding and showing hunter jumper horses, as well as boating and camping.

Silver Em winner announced

Dennis Moore, whose career in journalism has led him back to Jackson as co-editor of Mississippi Today, has been tapped as this year’s Samuel Talbert Silver Em recipient by the Meek School of Journalism and New Media at Ole Miss.

Moore The award, named for an early department chairman and leader in journalism education, is the most prestigious journalism honor the university bestows. Moore is the 58th honoree in the recognition limited to native Mississippians or journalists who have spent a significant part of their careers in the state. Selection is based on careers exemplifying the highest ideals of American journalism.

Moore, who studied journalism at the University of Mississippi, began his reporting career at The Clarion-Ledger, after working at The Germantown (Tenn.)

Newsj and interning with Southern Living.

When Jackson landed the International Ballet Competition, Moore was assigned to provide coverage, gaining more exposure and experience to writing about the arts and entertainment.

His success took him to The Orlando Sentinel to direct its arts coverage and edit the newspaper’s Sunday magazine. He later became managing editor of the USA Today Life section, before moving to Mississippi Today.

MDOT taps Smith for post

The Mississippi Department of Transportation recently named Cindy Smith, P.E., State Research Engineer. She will oversee state and national research efforts, pavement management, data collection, nondestructive testing and MDOT’s research library.

Smith Smith received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston (1995) and began working with MDOT as an Engineer in Training (EIT)

Pinebelt Foundation’s new board

Courtesy of Greater PineBelt Community Foundation

The Greater PineBelt Community Foundation recently named its 2017 officers and board of directors. They are, front row, from left: Treasurer, David Burckel, CEO, Southern Bone & Joint Specialists; Executive Director, Theresa Erickson; Returning member Gigi Dillard; President, Terri Bell, President, B Communications; Director, Susan Thompson Eaves; Returning member Patty Munn, Retired, USM Instructor-College of Business; Office manager Khristinia Brown, Greater PineBelt Community Foundation; Back row: Returning member Kris Powell, Attorney, Bryan Nelson, P.A.; Vice President, Brady Raanes, CFP, CFA, Financial Advisor, Raanes Capital Advisors; Director, Sean Priebe, CFP, Citizens National Bank; Returning member Lou Mapp, Realtor, London and Stetelman; Director, Kent Oliver, Client Director, Owens & Minor; Returning member Dr. Steve Ramp, Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church; Returning member Kent McCarty, Owner, Java Moe’s Coffee Co. New board members not pictured: Secretary, Paul Laughlin; Past President, David Fortenberry, Producer, Stewart Sneed Hewes; Director, Jim Wild, VP of Commercial Banking, Regions Bank. in the Planning Division in 1996. In 1998, she began working in the Research Division and became the Assistant State Research Engineer in 2009 before being promoted to her new position this year.

Smith is a member of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Research Advisory Committee and Transportation Research Board Technology Transfer and General and Emerging Pavement Design committees, as well as the Mississippi Engineering Society.

Park joins Hattiesburg Clinic Stacie M. Park, CNP, recently joined Hattiesburg Clinic Hospital Care Service.

She received a Master of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of South Alabama.

Park is board certified in adult and gerontological health by the Park American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She is a member of the Society of Hospital Medicine and has special practice interests in hospital medicine and geriatrics.

Phillips-Gaines ranked Lynn Phillips-Gaines, CFP, at Phillips Financial, was recently named to Barron’s list of “The Top 1,200 Advisors” in the country.

The 2017 list, ranked 1,200 advisors from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This marks the third consecutive year for Phillips-Gaines to earn placement on the list.

Phillips-Gaines

Barron’s, a weekly financial newspaper published

by Dow Jones & Co., produced the listing of distinguished advisors after weighing criteria such as assets under management, revenue produced for the firm, regulatory record, quality of practice and philanthropic work assets under management, revenue generated, and the overall quality of the advisor’s practice.

USM ‘Crab Lady’ honored University of Southern Mississippi Senior Research Scientist Harriet Perry was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Mississippi Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.

Perry’s career spans 50 years at USM’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory where she filled the role of graduate student, biologist, faculty member, and ultimately Director of the Center for Fisheries Research and Development.

Perry is known for her work with blue crabs. She is affectionately known as “The Crab Lady” and is the acknowledged expert on blue crabs in the Gulf of Mexico, having studied this highly valued species’ biology, population dynamics and aquaculture capacity.

She has also developed an exceptionally close working relationship with coastal fishers.

Perry has authored or co-authored more than 100 scientific papers and journal articles and has edited/ co-edited or authored 10 book chapters on fisheries management plans of both regional and national importance.

Over the years, Perry has served in numerous leadership roles within the marine fisheries scientific community as member, chair and co-chair on fisheries committees, workshops, task forces and fishery management planning teams.

Perry retired from GCRL in 2011 but continues to direct research projects in the University’s Center for Fisheries Research and Development and Thad Co-

chran Marine Aquaculture Center as a senior research scientist and professor emerita.

Sisk is Magnolia Health CEO Magnolia Health, a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corp. and a Mississippi-based Coordinated Care Organization, has promoted Aaron Sisk to president and CEO to position the company for future growth.

Sisk – an experienced health care and health insurance execu- Sisk tive, as well as an attorney – previously served as chief operating officer of Magnolia.

He joined the company in 2013 as vice president of operations.

Other key executive positions have also been announced: Trip Peeples has been named senior vice president of operations; Michael Ruffin, vice president of finance, Dr. Becky Waterer, vice president of medical affairs and Dr. Jeremy Erwin, chief medical director. Dr. Jason B. Dees, former president and CEO of Magnolia, has been promoted to an executive position with Centene.

Prior to joining Magnolia, Sisk served as senior attorney for the Mississippi Department of Insurance and director of the department’s life and health actuarial division. In that role, he was intricately involved in monitoring market reforms associated with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and managing the department’s effort to implement a state-based health insurance marketplace for Mississippi.

Sisk received his Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law, and is an active member of the Mississippi Bar Association. He earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a certificate in criminal justice from Mississippi State University.

New Businesses

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Boston Fish Supreme: The Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership recently held a ribbon-cutting for Boston Fish Supreme, 2230 John R. Lynch St. in Jackson.

Courtesy of Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership

Courtesy of Greater Starkville Development Partnership

East Mississippi Lumber: The Greater Starkville Development Partnership recently held a grand re-opening for East Mississippi Lumber Co., 300 Russell St. in Starkville.

Courtesy of The Chamber of Flowood

Lost Pizza Co.: The Chamber of Flowood recently held a ribbon cutting for Lost Pizza Co., 144 Friendly & Fresh Drive in Flowood.

Courtesy of Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber

missinoxford: Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber recently held a ribbon-cutting for missinoxford, a service offering shopping, artwork and gifts that Oxford has to offer

AN MBJ FOCUS: MEETINGS, CONVENTIO

5 boutique hotels we think yo » A trend is growing among travelers for more intimate lodging with a bit of surprise

By LYNN LOFTON mbj@msbusiness.com

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Courtesy of Old Capitol Inn

Each room at the Old Capitol Inn is decorated differently, such as this Elvis Sleeps room.

OLD CAPITOL INN 226 North State St., Jackson, MS 39201; 601-359-9000; 888-359-9001; oldcapitolinn.com The Old Capitol Inn offers luxury accommodations with typical hotel amenities, including hair dryer, ironing board, cable TV, high-speed Internet, but toiletries are high-end and housekeeping cleans twice a day. Each room is decorated differently and boast names such as Elvis Sleeps and Magnolia Vale. Jacuzzi/ Honeymoon suites, one-bedroom suites and standard rooms are available, and feature views of the city or the garden.

arge hotels and chain lodgings sell consistency so travelers know what to expect. However, an increasing number of travelers prefer intimacy and an element of surprise which have fueled the popularity of boutique hotels.

Generally defined as a small hotel with 10 to 100 rooms, boutique hotels are not part of a chain and each one is different.

They began appearing in major world cities in the 1980s and the trend continues.

Mississippi has several boutique hotels scattered about the state.

Rickie Lillian, manager of Jackson’s Old Capitol Inn, thinks the more personable feel and service of boutique hotels contribute to the growing popularity.

“It’s like staying in someone’s home. It’s not generic,” she said.

“Our guests return and we know who they are and what they like. We develop relationships with them, and they tell us if they see anything that needs to be done.”

She describes the Old Capitol Inn — now in its 20th year — as a full-service boutique hotel with amenities that include a garden, meeting and reception rooms, and a recently opened rooftop bar with live music that’s open to the public.

Sukie Mollendor, who with her husband David owns Hotel Chester in Starkville, shares Lillian’s sentiments.

“A boutique hotel is bigger than a B&B but not like a cookie cutter chain hotel,” she said. “The Art Deco Hotel Chester was built during the Gilded Age and has a sense of history. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey said it reminds him of hotels in Europe.”

A brief tour of five of Mississippi’s boutique hotels includes the Alluvian in Greenwood, Hotel Chester, Hotel Whiskey in Pass Christian, Old Capitol Inn and the White House Hotel in Biloxi.

The Alluvian displays artwork by state a

THE ALLUVIAN

318 Howard St., Greenwood, MS 38930 The Alluvian features 45 guest rooms the heritage of Mississippi with works by guests who want to stay longer, the Alluv speed Internet and more.

Hotel Whiskey, one of the state’s newe

HOTEL WHISKEY

115 Davis Ave., Pass Christian, MS 3957 The state’s newest boutique hotel is lo rious 1,000-square-foot suite. Specialty se on property. Other amenities include free shops are within a short walk.

March 31, 2017 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

ONS & TOURISM

ou’ll like Courtesy of The Alluvian

artists as well as a library with films, books and music by Southern creators.

Special to the MBJ

Hotel Chester in Starkville is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

HOTEL CHESTER

0; 866-600-5201; thealluvian.com and five suites with decor inspired by the Mississippi Delta. The hotel honors state artists, as well as a library with films, books and music by Southerners. For vian Lofts offer two-week minimum stays. The lofts feature Viking kitchens, high

Courtesy of Hotel Whiskey

est boutique hotels, is located in Pass Christian.

Y

71; 228-493-6200; hotelwhiskey.biz. cated on the picturesque Gulf and has 11 beautifully appointed rooms, including a luxuelected cocktails are complimentary at check in. There is a bar and fine dining restaurant e parking and WiFi, non-smoking rooms and mini refrigerators. The beach, harbor and

101 North Jackson St., Starkville, MS 39759; 866-325-5005; historichotelchester.com Historic Hotel Chester is two blocks from Old Highway 82 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The hotel features 37 rooms and suites and offers high speed Internet, luxury bathroom amenities, cable TV and Sealy mattresses. It has two dining options for guests, but is located within walking distance of other restaurants, bars, shops and attractions.

Courtesy of White House Hotel

The White House Hotel reopened in 2014 after renovation, and sits across U.S. 90 from the Gulf Coast beaches.

THE WHITE HOUSE HOTEL 1230 Beach Blvd., Biloxi; 228-233-1230; whitehousebiloxi.com This historic property was renovated and opened in 2014 with 76 spacious rooms — 16 of which are suites. Guests may use the swimming pool which is complete with a pool bar, fire pits, hot tub and stylish outdoor furniture. In a picture-postcard setting, the hotel sits on a rise among lush grounds and huge oak trees with a commanding view of the Mississippi Sound. Included in the amenities are a lobby bar and Cora’s restaurant.

18 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 31, 2017

Meetings, Conventions, Tourism

Ship Island: A coast tradition

By LYNN LOFTON | mbj@msbusiness.com

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hink Gulf Coast family vacation and Ship Island Excursions will probably come to mind.

Since 1926, Ship Island Excursions has been a part of the Mississippi Gulf Coast experience with members of the Skrmetta family running this ferry service from the mainland to Ship Island for relaxation, recreation and history.

See SHIP ISLAND, Page 19 Special to the MBJ

Dear Visitor, There’s a magical time each day when the sun sets over the Tombigbee River.

The soft light dances on the water, inviting anyone who’s strolling along the beautiful Riverwalk that begins in Columbus’ historic downtown to pause and savor the moment.

In fact, savoring the moment is what we do best here in Columbus. This is a place where slowing down is rewarded with a cold mint julep or an architectural tour of centuries-old homes. Our revitalized downtown area is alive with charming shops and Southern food hotspots. Catfish Alley harks back to an African-American hub at the turn of the 20th century, while Mississippi University for Women has been an important destination for education since 1884. And right here at the Riverwalk, we love to celebrate with special events from races to festivals to concerts. Nope, there’s no need to rush through Columbus—unless, of course, you’re aboard one of the supersonic jet trainers at Columbus Air Force Base, in which case, you might be moving at more than 800 miles per hour!

We invite you to explore this place we call home, to savor your own special moments and make some new memories with us. VisitColumbusMS.org for a complete list of attractions and events, and we hope to see you soon!

Sincerely, Nancy Carpenter , CEO Visit Columbus

Meetings, Conventions, Tourism SHIP ISLAND Continued from Page 18

If you look closely, you may see dolphins playing in the boat’s wake or feeding on mullet and menhaden near the island beaches. This year marks the 90th year that the Pan American Clipper has carried people to Ship Island.

Marketing Director Kevin Buckle has been with the company 20 years and says the biggest attraction for those taking the excursion is the clear Gulf water around Ship Island, unlike the brackish water of the Mississippi Sound.

“People just love it out there,” he said.

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“Another big thing that people enjoy is seeing dolphins on the ride to the island.

We see them just about every day.”

Once visitors are on Ship Island, they like the high quality beaches that are ideal for sun bathing and playing in the clear water.

“People also appreciate that we try to keep prices down for families by letting them bring their own food and drinks,” Buckle said.

“However, there is a snack bar on the island if that’s what they want.”

Ship Island is unspoiled with blue water, surf, and tranquil stretches of shore. The See SHIP ISLAND, Page 20

THE ALLU VI A N H O T EL • T H E A L L UVI A N S P A VIK ING CO O KI N G SC H O O L • G I A R D I N A ’ S A cosmopolitan boutique hotel deep in the Delta 318 Howard Street Greenwood, MS 662.453.2114 thealluvian.com

Courtesy of Ship Island Excursions

2017 marks the 90th year that the Pan American Clipper has carried people to and from Ship Island.

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MCT

SHIP ISLAND Continued from Page 19

National Park Service provides a designated swim area with lifeguards on duty in summer. Beach chair and umbrella rentals are available.

Historic Fort Massachusetts is a special attraction and can be toured on your own or with a guided tour by a park ranger.

“Most people do the fort tour first and then park it on the beach under an umbrella or go swimming or shelling or just walking along the beach,” Buckle said.

The service was established by Croatian immigrant and Biloxi fisherman Captain Pete Skrmetta. His two sons and six daughters grew up working on the ferry and the island. The maritime tradition continues in the form of a U.S. Coast Guard inspected boat company that’s under contract with the National Park Service to take passengers to Ship Island.

The ferry is docked at the small craft harbor in Gulfport and offers passengers the popular half-day island visit of four and a half hours or the all-day sun-seeker visit of seven hours. For a shorter excursion option, passengers can depart on the noon boat and return from the island on the 2:30 p.m. boat. The cruise to the island takes about one hour each way.

The Biloxi mayor and city council have expressed interest in establishing a dock in Biloxi for Ship Island Excursions to give Coast visitors more boarding

Courtesy of Ship Island Excursions

Fort Massachusetts is a popular historic site for Ship Island visitors.

SHIP ISLAND EXCURSIONS Phone: 228.864.1014 Web: msshipisland.com 2017 FERRY SCHEDULES Spring: March 18 – May 12 Good Friday April 14; two departures at 9 a.m. and noon Summer: May 13 – August 13 Summer Saturdays are very busy, visit weekdays to avoid large crowds.

Fall: August 16 – October 29 Labor Day, September 4, two departures at 9 a.m. and noon

options. At press time an agreement had not been reached between the city and the company.

DOWNTOWN JACKSON

OFFICES AVAILABLE

Near Capitol Private offices Reception Conference room Storage Kitchen FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:

Alan Turner, alan.turner@msbusiness.com 601-364-1021

March 31, 2017 • MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL • www.msbusiness.com

MBJ FOCUS: WOMEN, MINORITIES IN BUSINESS

Gaining ground, but ... » Women have yet to reach parity in the legal profession

By BECKY GILLETTE mbj@msbusiness.com

A

lthough women now make up about 50 percent of law school students, women still lag behind considerably when it comes to being named partners at law firms. According to a report by the American Bar Association, only about 22 percent of law firm partners in the U.S. are female. ABA statistics show women represent 27 percent of federal judgeships and state judgeships.

Two women recently named as new partners with Jones Walker LLP in Jackson, Kaytie M. Pickett and Lindsay Thomas Dowdle, say that climbing the ladders of success in the legal profession is still

challenging for many women.

“Select women have broken through the glass ceiling,” Pickett said. “There are women on our board of directors and at all other levels of leadership at Jones Walker. However, I believe we’ve yet to reach parity in the legal profession Pickett as a whole.”

“Unfortunately, women continue to confront specific challenges, not only in the legal profession, but across the board,” said Dowdle. “I am, however, fortunate to be surrounded by women in the legal profession who have already broken through, and many others who are actively striving to make the glass ceiling a thing of the past.”

Both recently attended a conference of women judges where one judge shared that she had to work twice as hard as a man to be treated with the same respect.

“That may be hyperbole, but I think going the

extra mile to establish trustworthiness and reliability is necessary to overcome the implicit biases that still exist,” Pickett said. “I believe that is important to have a network of colleagues who support you, and I am grateful to have a supportive network in my firm and beyond.”

Dowdle Dowdle said women bring a distinct perspective to the practice of law, and she believes that it is important to embrace that perspective.

“I think it is important to engage with other women lawyers to both give and receive support and mentorship,” said Dowdle, a member of the Labor & Employment Practice Group in the Jackson office. “A strong network of family, friends and colleagues is vital.”

Pickett’s advice for women it to think hard about See LEGAL, Page 27

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24 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 31, 2017

Women & Minorities in Business

Teaching others the way to success » MSU professors empower African-American women to succeed in higher education

By BECKY GILLETTE mbj@msbusiness.com

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enure at universities is often highly political. White males still receive promotions and tenure more than any other

group.

Four Mississippi State University faculty members received a $57,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to help create programs to even the odds. That included a conference last month in Atlanta, “Preparing Black Female Faculty for Prominence, Power and Presence in the Academy.”

The four professors are Linda T. Coats, principal investigator for the grant who is a professor of educational leadership; Dr. Melody Fisher, co-principal investigator, who is an assistant professor of communications; Dr. C. LaShan Simpson, co-principal investigator, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering; and Dr. Pamela

Scott-Bracey, co-principal investigator, assistant professor, instructional technology.

The goal is to help minority women better navigate the tenure and promotion processes at Coats predomininantly white institutions.

“Recognizing that higher education has been and still is largely dominated by white males, our goal was to establish a safe space where messages of awareness, empowerment, value, and success could be transmit- Fisher ted to our participants,” Coats said.

Coats said insight was conveyed that related to self-definition—not allowing others to define who they are as black intelligent women. They also focused on understanding the culture of their institutions and maximizing the challenges faced, with a focus on viewing challenges as opportunities. And they discussed the nuances of being successful at publishing and obtaining grant funding.

“As a junior faculty member, the advice

received at the conference was invaluable,” said Fisher. “Not only did attendees receive theoretical evidence, but tangible advice on navigating the tenure process. One such piece of advice was finding Simpson accountability partners for work. These are other faculty members who will hold you accountable for productivity.”

Simpson said that tenure is difficult for everyone, but women and minorities often feel isoScott-Bracey lated at their institutions, which leads to a more difficult experience for them.

“Women and minorities also have responsibilities outside of work that add more stress to gaining tenure,” Simpson said. “We advised the women to remain true to themselves throughout their career and be mindful of sacrifices they may need to make along the way.”

One element of the work is to help create a social network to link tenured African-American female faculty with their

graduate and undergraduates students to facilitate the sharing of experiences.

Simpson has had the experience of sometimes seemingly speaking a different language from men.

“That’s why networks like the one we are trying to create are so necessary,’ Simpson said. “It is important that we have a community that we can relate to in our professional settings for networking.

I was very empowered by the networking opportunities at this meeting.”

It can be particularly difficult for women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields to fit into an academic network.

“I recommend African-American women in STEM fields to find their tribe,” Simpson said. “Create your own network and look to them for support. Your tribe may be spread across the country, but social media and video chat capabilities you can easily keep in contact with that tribe.

You cannot expect to find everything you need in a mentor in your home department at your institution. You have to be proactive.”

Simpson loved the movie “Hidden

See MSU, Page 27

The Source is a network for women in business. More than a network, The Source is a resource for women at any given stage of their careers.

BankPlus created this program to support all Mississippi women in business at all levels, across varied industries, business sizes and professions. The Source will uniquely empower each woman to meet her goals, through opportunities to learn, network and connect with industry experts.

Sign up today!

A Network for women in business.

Member FDIC.

thesource.net

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Thriving on community challenges » ADP’s Williamson a key innovative cog in Hattiesburg area development programs

By BECKY GILLETTE mbj@msbusiness.com

V

alencia Williamson has overseen the creation of innovative new programs including those designed to improve the work-force preparedness of high school graduates since she was hired six years ago to head the Area Development Partnership Chamber of Commerce Division as executive vice president.

“Valencia is a leading minority executive in Greater Hattiesburg and serves as a shining star for women in the workplace,” said ADP President Chad Newell. “She is a loyal leader with a wonderful array of skills. Valencia has developed numerous programs during her tenure at the ADP, including a multi-pronged K-12 initiative that encompasses JumpStart, Mission Possible, and Teachers in the Workplace.

JumpStart is an interactive Career Fair for 9th graders, Mission Possible teaches

various soft skills for juniors and seniors including how to dress for success, cover letter and resume writing, interviewing skills, etc.

Teachers in the Workplace exposes teachers to workplace realities in order to help guide their classroom Williamson initiatives. This is a team effort with Daniel Jayroe, our community development director.”

Newell said Williamson has also recently helped launch diversity programs in an effort to encourage women and minorities to become even more engaged in the chamber and give them an opportunity network for success.

The Chamber of Commerce Division encompasses membership recruitment and retention, membership development, marketing/communications, retiree and physician recruitment, leadership programs, and education initiatives. Their education programs are designed to help connect K-12 students to workplace realities, thus preparing them for post-graduate success.

“A few years ago we commissioned a study to show us where the gaps were with regards to K-12 schools and meeting the

needs of the business community. What we found is while there are great programs at the K-12 level, there is a disconnect between students making choices that best suit their plans for the future regarding their path after high school. We discovered that students often didn’t know all of the available options.”

Williamson said it is important to have education and business communities working in synergy.

One effort to address that issue is the JumpStart to Success program for 9th graders that exposes students to various opportunities available to them in the region with regards to needs of the workforce. Thirteen business sectors ranging from health care to manufacturing are represented in the program that involves doing hands-on activities with students.

“We want to better prepare students to make the right choices based on what is best for them,” she said. “There are many options out there in addition to attending a two-year college or a four-year university.

One of the things we found through this study is voc-tech programs have gotten a bad rap for being the alternative school, and that is not the case. Those programs help prepare students and give them an

idea what they want to do. If a student is really good at a certain skill, and has an interest in something offered on the vocation level, they can get certification and go into the work force after graduation.”

The 11th grade program called Mission Possible that started with 50 students participating is now up to 500 students. It is done in partnership with the University of Southern Mississippi and William Carey University, with students spending one day on each campus.

A newer program is Launching Diversity in Business, a series of opportunities for business professionals to bridge gender and ethnicity gaps in leadership.

“ADP’s leadership brought it to our attention that we need to diversity the board as there are not as many women or minorities as we would like to see,” Williamson said. “One of the challenges we quickly discovered is there aren’t a lot of women and\or minorities in high level executive leadership positions. We are trying to identify potential leaders who have talent. Our role at ADP to connect them to the resources they need. Recently we partnered with the First, a National

See WILLIAMSON, Page 27

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26 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 31, 2017

Women & Minorities in Business

BankPlus lends support to women » The Source initiativeũ will provide mentoring,ũ network opportunities Special to the MBJ

BankPlus recently announced the launch of The Source, an initiative designed to provide Mississippi women in business with access to capital, mentoring support and networking opportunities to succeed in business.

The Source will launch with the goal to ,%.$ $50 million from BankPlus to women seeking to start a business, grow a business or for any other business purpose.

This in-vestment further demonstrates the bank’s continued commitment to the communi-ties it serves.

“We are extremely excited to launch The Source as a community-wide initiative for all women in business,” said Bill Ray, 0resident and CEO of BankPlus.

“Many of our state’s great businesses were started by women and many of our business leaders are female. We believe that if we can provide critical information to help all women succeed in business, our

THE SOURCE ADVISORY PANEL Alyson Jones, attorney, Butler Snow Carolyn Boteler, owner, TempStaff Hilary Burroughs, director of marketing, Sanderson Farms Jan Coulter Collins, executive director, Madison County Business League Dr. Barbara Craft, medical oncology, University of Mississippi Medical Center Cherry Deddens, owner/broker, Cherry T. Deddens Realty Jennifer Emerson, owner, CAET, Local 463 Urban Kitchen, Walker’s Drive In Amy Head, owner, Amy Head Cosmetics Marlo Kirkpatrick, partner, Kirkpatrick & Porch Creative Kristen Ley, founder & owner, Thimblepress

communities will thrive.”

The Source launches with Mississippi business women on the initiative’s Founding Advisory Panel. Members of The Source Advisory Panel will act as a resource to participants in The Source

Jude Muse, owner, Treehouse Boutique Gee Gee Patridge, chief operations officer, BankPlus Leigh Reeves, publisher, Snapshot Publishing Liz Spratlin, owner, Blithe and Vine Kelli Stabbs, business relations manager, St. Dominic’s Hospital Mandi Stanley, certified professional speaker, Mandi Stanley Seminars Janita Stewart, district director, SBA Mississippi Elizabeth Upchurch, owner, Fresh Ink Marlana Walters, proprietor, The Everyday Gourmet Ashley Wicks, attorney, Butler Snow Ashley Willson, office managing partner, KPMG

network.

“I am excited to be a part of The Source program and give back to the community,” said Founding Advisory Panel Member Marlo Kirkpatrick of Kirkpatrick & Porch Creative.

“Plus I know I have so many things to still learn, both from other women with more experience and from today’s generation of women who can help keep my skills up-to-date.”

“The BankPlus workǴforce is 74 percent female and we represent all levels of management, many in senior leadership roles.

Our bank understands there is a direct correlation between a successful female and a successful community,” said Katy Hedglin, Director of The Source.

This initiative draws on the bank’s resources to create programming relevant to women in business.

Programs for The Source include educational and networking events, mentoring opportunities and business planning meetings. Educational events for The Source will cover topics such as management, human resources, growth, marketing, technology, business planning, personal finance, sales, social media and more.

Already scheduled sessions include How to Speak Confidently (April 7), Maximizing Your First Impression (April 25)Ǵand Women Investing Now (May 3).Ǵ The program is designed for all women inǴ business. For more, visit www.thesource.Ǵ net.

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Women & Minorities in Business WILLIAMSON

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Continued from Page 25

Banking Association, and Hattiesburg Tourism and Convention Commission on a diversity exchange to bring folks together to build relationships and share referrals.”

She also tries to build overall chamber membership.

“Chambers nationally face the challenge of innovating and remaining relevant, especially in the new age of technology and convenience,” she said. “I once heard someone use the phrase, ‘innovate or die’ with regards to longevity amongst chambers. Long gone are the days when the local chamber could simply conduct a ribbon cutting and provide a business with its first dollar. Today, members require value-added proposition. Advocating, educating, informing, recruiting and retaining are just a few of the benefits a chamber must offer to maintain its relevancy. The ADP is unique in that through the resources of public and private sector investors, we’re able to continuously find ways to evolve and withstand the ever-changing climate of the business community, and as a result we’ve set ourselves apart as the premier regional chamber of commerce and economic development organization in South Mississippi.

The ADP has long been considered to have one of the state’s best retiree recruitment programs. Greater Hattiesburg was recently named as a top retirement destination, and one of eight tax-friendly towns in the nation by Where to Retire Magazine in its January issue.

“We’re continuing that momentum by partnering with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at USM to host a Creative Retirement Exploratory Weekend for adults 50 plus who are planning for the next phase of their lives,” Williamson said. “With great partners and a product that essentially sells itself, Hattiesburg is poised for a boon.”

With two major hospitals and the largest multi-specialty clinic in the state, Hattiesburg’s health-care community directly accounts for more than 9,000 employees.

As part of their economic development action plan, ADP works alongside healthcare providers and universities to help recruit the best and brightest talent.

“Our role at the ADP is to support these efforts by providing resources that help them succeed,” she said.

Membership recruitment takes a concerted effort across both divisions.

“We have a membership team dedicated to managing membership recruitment and retention as part of their primary responsibilities,” she said. “However the job doesn’t stop with them. Everyone on the staff is plugged-in to membership, and actively helps recruit new businesses; it’s a part of our culture. Last year we added an investor relations coordinator position which has helped to broaden our reach. We’re now focused on providing value-added services and benefits to our members, by connecting their specific needs to the various resources we offer. The results have been phenomenal.”

Figures” that has gotten great reviews for revealing the key role of African-American women mathematicians in the space program.

“I could relate to so many different scenes in that movie,” Simpson said.

“There are still so many women and African-American women in STEM, but because we are all isolated at different institutions and companies, we do appear to be hidden. Networks like the one we are trying to create allow us to not be ‘hidden’ anymore and come together to empower each other. I think the popularity of the movie will help to make society more aware of the impact African American women have made in science

LEGAL Continued from Page 22

what “success” means to them. For some, it may mean helping the most people; for others, it may mean being elected; and for others, making partner at a big law firm might define success.

“Everyone’s path is different, and there is no one right path,” Pickett said.

Dowdle suggests seeking out a variety of lawyers whom you admire and talking to them as much as you can.

“Take bits and pieces from other’s advice, but make your own path and try not to be afraid to follow the twists and turns in it,” Dowdle said. “When it comes to your work, always be prepared.”

The two women work at one of the 120 largest law firms in the country with more than 390 attorneys. Pickett said an advantage of the firm’s size is the variety of talent and skills brought to the table.

“I can almost always find an expert within the firm when I encounter a new

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and hopefully make them acknowledge the “hidden” figures around them.”

Coats said interacting with those with whom you work within and outside of the workplace is essential to developing relationships.

“Establishing positive and meaningful relationships, with your colleagues usually leads toward understanding, accepting, and valuing others’ uniquenesses,” Coats said. “Leaders who are concerned about building a diverse workforce and those leaders who recognize the importance of building relationships usually model the way or set the tone for others to follow.”

Fisher said it is important to be assertive and diplomatic in the way you build networks within your department and the university.

“Being collegial speaks volumes towards

character,” Fisher said. “As a black woman, it is many times assumed that you have nothing in common with your colleagues (especially if you are single without children). Sometimes you must invite colleagues out instead of waiting on an invitation.”

Men often do business networking while playing golf, or watching collegiate or professional sports. Fisher said while she doesn’t golf, she enjoys attending sporting events.

“It is here that I’ve made the most connections with colleagues, by attending games and tailgating,” Fisher said.

As part of the grant, the MSU professors are compiling a formal report for the NSF that synthesizes current research and suggests what future research should entail.

area of law,” she said. “It’s satisfying to work with a team of talented and smart people.”

Dowdle agrees.

“I can pick up the phone and find someone in the firm who can handle virtually anything,” Dowdle said. “I am also grateful to be surrounded by so many talented lawyers who have mentored me throughout my career.”

Dowdle’s favorite part of her work is solving problems.

“I love interviewing witnesses, putting together the puzzle pieces of a case, and carrying out a strategy in litigation,” Dowdle said. “I also really enjoy working with clients to develop and implement the best workplace policies for them.”

Pickett, a partner in the firm’s Business & Commercial Litigation Practice Group, has a passion for writing as evidenced by having a large number of publications in legal journals under her belt.

“Every brief and every letter I write presents a challenge to communicate in

the clearest, most effective way possible,” Pickett said. “I find it very gratifying when a judge gains a deep understanding of my client’s issues and needs from something I’ve written. And I learn something new every time I write an article.”

Pickett said she keeps hearing that the future of law is specialization. But she I find so many areas interesting that it’s hard to narrow her practice.

Despite a busy schedule, Dowdle said it is important to be involved in her community whether through volunteer work and leadership roles. Dowdle has served as president and in several other positions with the Jackson Young Lawyers Association, regularly volunteers as a Book Buddy with Power APAC School and has served as a volunteer attorney for the Stewpot Community Services Legal Clinic.

“I have found that when you believe in the work an organization does, you will make time to be involved, and you will benefit from it,” she said.

28 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 31, 2017

Women & Minorities in Business

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30 Q Mississippi Business Journal Q March 31, 2017

Women & Minorities in Business

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March 31, 2017

Q

Mississippi Business Journal

Q

31

THE SPIN CYCLE

How Americans decide what news to trust on social media

W

hen we encounter news on social media, how much we trust the content is determined less by who creates the news than by who shares it, according to a new study from the Media Insight Project, a collaboration between the American Press Institute and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Todd Smith Whether readers trust the sharer, indeed, matters more than who produces the article – or even whether the story is produced by a real news organization or a fictional one, the study finds.

As social platforms such as Facebook or Twitter become major platforms for news, the news organization that does the original reporting still matters. But the study demonstrates that who shares an article on a social media site like Facebook has an even bigger influence on whether people trust what they see.

The results show that people who see an article from a trusted sharer, but one written by an unknown media source, have much more trust in the information than people who see the same article that appears to come from a reputable media source shared by a person they do not trust.

The identity of the sharer even has an impact on consumers’ impressions of the news brand. The study demonstrates that when people see a post from a trusted person rather than an untrusted person, they feel more likely to recommend the news source to friends, follow the source on social media, and sign up for news alerts from the source.

All of this suggests that a news organization’s credibility both as a brand and for individual stories is significantly affected by what kinds of people are sharing it on social media sites such as Facebook. The sharers act as unofficial ambassadors for the brand, and the sharers’ credibility can influence readers’ opinions about the reporting source.

This new research by the Media Insight Project is part of an effort to discover the elements of trust in news at a time of turbulence in the media. The results offer important new insights to publishers whose digital content increasingly is reaching people outside of their own websites and apps. Indeed, the findings suggest that publishers increasingly need to think of their consumers as brand ambassadors. The findings also carry implications for people concerned about so-called fake news and for advocates of “news literacy,” the spread of consumer critical thinking skills. The findings also have implications for social networks that might be able to alter the presentation of content to give consumers more information about the source of the news.

In an earlier era, the platform by which people got their news and the news brand were the same thing. As a consumer, you watched the evening news from a particular network or read a particular newspaper. Trust was simply determined by the news outlet’s own credibility.

Today, as people increasingly get news via social media, news often comes from other sources.

In a 2016 Media Insight Project national survey about trust and news, people reported that in social media the news organization brand that originally reported the story influenced whether they trusted the content, more so than who shared it. For example, 66 percent of Americans who received news from Facebook said their trust in the original news source had a lot of effect on their trust in the content, while only 48 percent said the same when it

comes to the effect of trusting the person sharing the news.

To do so, researchers designed an online survey experiment. They created a simulated Facebook post about health news and presented it to an online sample of 1,489 U.S. adults who are part of AmeriSpeak, NORC’s nationally representative survey panel.

Each person saw a health news post from one of eight public figures who often share information about health, a list that ranged from Oprah and Dr. Oz to the Surgeon General of the United States. Half the people were randomly assigned a sharer they had earlier identified as a person they trusted. The other half were randomly shown a sharer they had earlier said they didn’t trust.

After viewing the post, everyone saw the accompanying health article headlined: “Don’t let the scale fool you: Why you could still be at risk for diabetes.” This article was originally a piece written by a professor that appeared on The Associated Press (AP) website through an AP partnership. For half the sample, the article was labeled as coming from The AP. For the other half, the article was labeled as coming from a fictional source, something called the DailyNewsReview.com.

Who shared the article has a major impact on various trust indicators The experiment shows that who shares the article has a major impact on what people think of it.

When people see news from a person they trust, they are more likely to think it got the facts right, contains diverse points of view, and is well reported than if the same article is shared by someone they view with skepticism.

Results These findings shed new light on how journalists and news organizations should address credibility, and how news is perceived on social networks. Among the compelling implications and inferences from the study: » To publishers and journalists: Readers and followers are not just consumers to monetize, instead they may be social ambassadors whose own credibility with their friends impacts your brand’s reputation. It is the sharer’s credibility, more than your own, which determines others’ willingness to believe you and engage with you. This underscores the importance of news organizations creating strong communities of followers who evangelize the organization to others. » To news-literacy advocates: In light of growing concerns about “fake news” spreading on social media, this study confirms that people make little distinction between known and unknown (even made-up) sources when it comes to trusting and sharing news. Even 19 percent of people who saw the fictional news source would have been willing to recommend it to a friend. » To Facebook and other social networks: Facebook and other social networks could do more to emphasize and provide information about the original sources for news articles.

The fact that only 2 in 10 people in the study could recall the news reporting source accurately after seeing a Facebook-style post suggests that basic brand awareness has a long way to go.

Researchers found that sharers affect perceptions more than the original news reporting source – but might that change if Facebook made the reporting source label more prominent?

Dropped Mic | Republican leaders, President Trump stumble, drop American Health Care Act Republicans’ failure to overhaul the U.S. health care industry ushered in a round of internal finger-pointing that

threatens to deepen the very rifts that doomed the deal — and carve new ones that are likely to complicate the GOP’s collaboration during the Trump era.

Recriminations have been underway for weeks, but they intensified in wake of a breakdown that led Speaker Paul D. Ryan to pull the American Health Care Act from the House floor, after it became clear to him and President Trump that they did not have enough Republican votes to pass it.

Some top Republicans singled out Ryan for blame, arguing that he did not sufficiently represent the views of conservative lawmakers or interest groups, who had pressed for a fuller repeal of the law. But some blamed Trump or his aides for not smoothing out the differences, a sentiment that has been stronger privately than in public. Still others found fault with various GOP factions and interest groups, on the right and in the middle, who opposed the bill.

All of this puts pressure on Trump, Ryan, the hard-right House Freedom Caucus and the moderate Republicans who voted against the bill to shore up their relationships and show the nation that they can achieve real successes together.

Trump and some Republicans have sought to blame Democrats for not joining their effort. And they have embraced another potential path forward on health care reform, predicting that Obamacare will collapse under its own weight and that some Democrats finally will join their calls for repeal.

To say the first major act by the Trump administration has failed is an epic understatement – and signals more trepidation, disdain and gnashing of teeth on perhaps the biggest issue facing our time. For that, the Republicans and President Trump missed a major opportunity to bring collaboration to the Beltway … and get a thudding Dropped Mic! Each week, The Spin Cycle will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t.

Stay tuned – and step-up to the mic! And remember …

Amplify Your Brand!

Todd Smith is president and chief communications officer of Deane, Smith & Partners, a full-service branding, PR, marketing and advertising firm with offices in Jackson. The firm — based in Nashville, Tenn. — is also affiliated with Mad Genius. Contact him at todd@deanesmithpartners.com, and follow him @spinsurgeon.

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