Ole Miss Alumni Review - Spring 2014

Ole Miss Alumni Review SPRIN G 2014 Vol. 63 No. 2

Spring 2014

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Lab Partner

How a former UPD chief went to the dogs

Alumnus manages pop star’s career Students see ideas shape up with 3-D printing

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Spring 2014

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Vol. 63 No. 2

features

20 Maker’s Mark Students see ideas shape up with 3-D printing

By Tom Speed

26 Securing a Niche

Alumnus turns business idea in college into one of fastest growing U.S. companies

By Rebecca Lauck Cleary

36 A Roaring Success

Alumnus manages pop star’s career

By Annie Rhoades

departments 7 From the Circle

The latest on Ole Miss students, faculty, staff and friends

16 Calendar 42 sports

Football barrier breakers honored SEC Network prepares for launch

44 arts and culture 46 Rebel Traveler 50 alumni news

30 Lab Partner on the cover

How a former UPD chief went to the dogs

By Tad Wilkes

On the cover: Mike Stewart of Wildrose Kennels and a student Cover image by Nathan Latil

Ole Miss Alumni Review P ublisher TimothyL.L.Walsh Walsh(83, (83) Timothy 91) Editor Jim Urbanek II (97) jim@olemiss.edu A ssociate Editor and A dvertising dvertising Director irector Tom Speed (91) Annie Rhoades (07, 09) tom@olemiss.edu annie@olemiss.edu ontributing E Editor ditor C ontributing C Benita Benita Whitehorn Whitehorn

A ssistant Editorial A rt Director Brandon Irvine Amy Howell Designer C ontributors Eric(98), Summers Kevin Bain Rebecca Lauck Cleary (97), Mitchell Diggs (82), C orrespondents Jay Ferchaud, Robert Kevin Bain (98), TobieJordan Baker (83), (96), NathanLauck Latil, Cleary Jenny Kate (06), Rebecca (97),Luster Lexi Combs, JackMitchell Mazurak, Austin Miller (13), Sharon Diggs (82), Jay Ferchaud, Morris, Newsom, MichaelMichael Harrelson, RobertElaine JordanPugh, (83), Tom Speed (91, 03),Jack Tad Mazurak, Wilkes (94,01) Nathan Latil, Purnell (MA 02) ODeborah fficers of the University Edwin Smith (80), MattA Westerfield of M ississippi A lumni ssociation of

of Brown The University Officers Jimmy (70) M ississippipresident A lumni A ssociation

Trentice Imbler Bill May (79),(78) president president-elect Richard Noble (68), Eddie Maloney (72) president-elect vice president Larry Bryan (74), Kimsey O’Neal Cooper (94) vice president athletics committee member Mike Glenn (77), Chip Crunk (87) athletics committee member athletics committee member Sam Lane (76), athletics committee A lumni A ffairs Staffmember , O xford Timothy L. Walsh (83, 91), A ffairs Sdirector taff, O xford A lumniexecutive Timothly L. Walsh (83), executive director Will Anderson (11), Web developer Joseph Baumbaugh, systems analyst III Joseph Baumbaugh, systems analyst III Clay Cavett (86), associate director Clay Cavett (86), associate director Martha Dollarhide, systems programmer Martha Dollarhide, systems programmer II II Sheila Dossett (75), senior associate director Sheila Dossett (75), senior associate Julian Gilner (04, 07), assistant director director Port Kaigler Julian Gilner (06), (04), alumni assistantassistant director andKathryn senior club Sarah M. coordinator Hickman (03), Annette (79), assistant Kelly director for accountant marketing Steve Mullen (92), assistant director Port Kaigler (06), alumni assistant and for marketing club coordinator AnnieAnnette RhoadesKelly (07, 09), (79),publications accountant editor AnnaSpeed Smith(91), (05),publications alumni assistant Tom editor and club(97), coordinator Scott Thompson assistant director Scott (97,assistant 08), assistant director Jim Thompson Urbanek (97), director for Jim Urbanek (97), assistant director communications for communications Rusty Woods (01), assistant director for Rusty Woods (01), associate information services director information services James for Butler (53), director emeritus (60, 66),director WarnerWarner Alford Alford (60), executive executiveemeritus director emeritus The Ole Miss Alumni Review (USPS 561-870) is published published quarterly quarterly by

by The the University is University of of Mississippi Alumni Association and the Office of Alumni Affairs. Alumni Association offices are located at Triplett Alumni Center, 651 Grove Loop, University, MS 38677.

Telephone 662-915-7375.

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Chancellor Dear Alumni and Friends,

After a long and cold winter in Oxford, it seems that spring has barely begun and yet, final exams are upon us, and we’re in the thick of preparations for Commencement. This is a fast-paced and busy time of year, but it’s also one of the most joyful seasons on our campus as a brand new class of graduates prepares to start shaping the future.

We expect to hear about some members of the Class of 2014 soon. Every class has its trailblazers who move quickly to turn their dreams into reality, and this magazine includes profiles of several Ole Miss alumni who have done so. Bradford Cobb, for example, dove right into the music business after graduation in 1996 and is a partner with Direct Management Group, an internationally successful music management company. He signed pop superstar Katy Perry to the firm and has played a major role in helping her rise to the top.

Some alumni don’t even wait until graduation. William Alias helped launch Security Check from his apartment as an Ole Miss senior. The business expanded, eventually progressing into three of the fastest growing companies on the Inc. 500 list. Today, Security Holdings employs 29 Ole Miss alumni.

Others are still going strong as they enter second or even third careers. Mike Stewart enjoyed a career in law enforcement, including several years as chief of the University Police Department, before retiring to breed and train Labradors at his Wildrose Kennels. Today, the business is renowned as one of the leading trainers of diabetic alert dogs, providing an invaluable service for patients from around the world.

These success stories, and thousands more, are a testament to the work of our faculty and staff, who have worked to attract the brightest minds to campus and then mentor them and provide opportunities for growth. That dedication to providing the best possible educational experience is a major factor in a recent accolade for our university: Kiplinger’s Personal Finance ranked Ole Miss No. 16 on its listing of “25 Best College Values Under $30,000 a Year.”

It’s an honor we can all take pride in, even as we strive to improve and provide more and better opportunities.

Sincerely,

Daniel W. Jones (MD 75) Chancellor

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President

Dear Alumni and Friends,

Grownup getaway

Ole Miss continues to enjoy great success in 2014. With more than 22,000 students on our campuses and a freshman class that grew 3.5 percent over the previous year, it all starts at the top. Chancellor Jones routinely travels to talk with prospective students in person, which is even better than letter writing and phones calls!

Another reason for the university’s success is the School of Law, which is the fourth oldest state supported law school in the country. Dean Richard Gershon leads 439 students who occupy the Robert C. Khayat Law Center.

Here are impressive facts about Ole Miss Law: • Our graduates who were first-time takers of the Mississippi Bar exam in July had an 88 percent pass rate and a 90 percent pass rate in February, which is well above the state average!

• Our advocacy programs are excelling. Within three months, we had Moot Court teams bring home four national championships. This is the first time in school history we have won more than one national championship in a year.

We won the National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition, Gabrielli National Family Law Moot Court Competition, National Professional Responsibility Moot Court Competition and Transactional LawMeet competition.

• Our students have won the National Environmental Law competition three out of the past four years.

• Within nine months of graduation, 85 percent of the Class of 2012 was employed or enrolled in LL.M. programs.

• The National Jurist magazine recently ranked our law school as the 15th Best Value Law School in the nation.

• Of the 114 Ole Miss Alumni Association presidents, 52 have been lawyers, including recent past presidents Richard Noble and Bill May. I am pleased to be a member of the UM Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics, which acts as a liaison between athletics and academics. Law professor Ron Rychlak serves as chairman, and also serving on the committee is Derek Cowherd, associate athletics director for academic support. Under Derek’s leadership, our 394 student athletes have compiled a record-high 2.91 GPA against a goal of 3.00. They are true student athletes!

We have a national network of alumni clubs connecting our Ole Miss family.

In our campaign to continue to grow our alumni membership beyond the current 26,500, I encourage you as an active member to ask your friends and family to join this great network.

My best to all for a wonderful summer! I join you in your excitement about the upcoming football season. See you in Atlanta for the kickoff against Boise State.

Thank you for your continued support of your Ole Miss Alumni Association.

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The latest on Ole Miss students, faculty, staff and friends Photo by Robert Jordan

David Dorfman Dance Company choreographers Kendra Portier and Raja Kelly watch as Ole Miss dance students rehearse for their part in the performance of ‘Prophets of Funk.’

Dancing with the Stars FORD CENTER COLLABORATION PROVIDES RARE MENTORING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR DANCE, THEATRE STUDENTS

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n the world of modern dance, students rarely work directly with professional dancers to create choreography.

However, several University of Mississippi students are doing just that through a program organized by the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts.

Through a competitive grant application, the Ford Center was selected to participate in South Arts’ Dance Touring Initiative. Throughout the three-year project, the Ford Center is collaborating with 10 theatres from across the Southeast but is the only one offering such a unique experience to students.

In January, two dancers from David Dorfman Dance spent three days with UM dance and theatre students creating a 15-minute piece that was performed April 9 in conjunction with “Prophets

of Funk” at the Ford Center.

Jennifer Mizenko, UM professor of theatre arts, says the opportunity to create choreography that will be worked into a professional performance is a real first for her and her students.

“David [Dor fman] is literally including us in the artistic work he has made,” Mizenko says. “It’s an honor and something that is not typical at all in the industry. We are incredibly grateful to the Ford Center for making this program happen.”

Besides creating and rehearsing together, students received mentoring from the professional dancers.

“Hearing their stories about how they got to where they are now is super helpful because there are so many ways to go about a career,” says Kate Prendergast,

a freshman from New Orleans with a double major in theatre and exercise science. “As students, we are wondering what it takes to get there and what can we do to get ourselves there. It is nice to know we don’t have to have everything perfect and figured out now.”

Since its founding in 1985, David Dorfman Dance has performed extensively in New York City and throughout North and South America, Great Britain and Europe, most recently in St. Petersburg and Krasnoyarsk in Russia and Bytom and Cracow in Poland. Dorfman and the company’s dancers and artistic collaborators have been honored with eight New York Dance and Performance (“Bessie”) Awards. More information about David Dorfman Dance is available at www.DavidDorfmanDance.org. AR Spring 2014 7

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Circle State of the Union STUDENT UNION RENOVATION, EXPANSION BEGINS THIS SUMMER

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Ole Miss, finding many either didn’t have post offices on campus or had far fewer boxes than UM. The committee decided the best idea is to renovate the lower level of the building for other purposes and close the on-campus branch of the U.S. Postal Service. Campus mail services will continue with a new system.

They’d go to Crosby Hall and swipe their ID card at a kiosk, enter their PIN code and open a locker with their mail in it.

The new system offers better security and will be an overall upgrade for students, Maten says.

“It’s going to be a huge improvement,” he says. “The administration is Photo by Robert Jordan

he University of Mississippi will begin a four-year, $50 million renovation and expansion of its Student Union this summer, which will include a larger dining area, new student government offices, a ballroom and conference space.

A university committee spent years studying ways to upgrade the building, visiting student unions at Auburn University, Louisiana State University and others. Ultimately, the committee decided to renovate the existing Ole Miss Student Union but also to increase its size from 97,000 square feet to about 157,000 square feet, says Leslie Banahan (BA 77, MEd 92), UM assistant vice chancellor for student affairs.

“It’s going to dramatically improve what we can offer our students,” Banahan says. “There will be an incredible synergy, a large work space so students can collaborate and a dedicated space for students to meet. We’re going to have space to allow us to host a comedian’s performance, or a lecture or a musical act. It’ll be a dedicated area where we can have concerts or step shows. This renovated and expanded Student Union will become the true heart of the campus.”

The renovations call for a new Associated Student Body Senate chamber with theater-style seating that can be used for other events, she says. Plans also include an approximately 8,000-square-foot ballroom with a large prep area adjoining it. Other amenities include new student lounge areas, new administrative offices and possibly new retail space.

The project will be handled in phases over about four years, which should minimize disruption. The bookstore and food court inside the Student Union will remain open throughout construction.

While studying alternatives for the renovations, UM officials toured several schools with higher enrollments than

The Student Union will undergo renovations beginning in summer 2014.

“It’s just part of the complete renovated Union process,” says Clay Jones (BAccy 04), UM assistant vice chancellor and director of human resources and contractual services. “I think the important thing is we’re going to still have mail to the departments and mail to our students.

Those people are going to be taken care of.”

The 10,000-square-foot post office will shut down permanently June 30. UM Student Housing will still deliver mail and care packages to students who live in residence halls, and university employees will continue to receive business mail at the departments where they work.

The first floor lobby of Crosby Hall will become a mail and package center to serve students who live in residence halls. The university is in talks with Pitney Bowes about installing a system at Crosby with mail kept in secure lockers, says Lionel Maten, UM student housing director.

Students would receive a text message or email when mail arrives for them.

going to make sure students don’t see any services discontinued in the fall.”

The university will keep its 38677 ZIP code, which allows the mail to be “presorted” by U.S. Postal Service workers before being delivered to campus each day, says Jim Windham (BPA 72), UM director of procurement.

“Administrators and faculty members who receive business mail through the campus mail system will not notice any change whatsoever,” Windham said. “We will continue to sort the mail, load our delivery vans and make our mail runs.

There should be no interruption of service.”

Those UM retirees, employees and others who had a mailbox in the Student Union will have the option of getting a P.O. Box at Oxford’s post office on McElroy Drive. The boxes are expected to be available first-come, first-served.The Postal Service hasn’t released official plans, but a public hearing is expected before the post office decision becomes final. AR

UM NAMES NEW PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR Photo by Kevin Bain

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he University of Mississippi has welcomed Mike Harris as its new director of parking and transportation.

The Starkville native joined the university Feb. 24. His duties include working with UM administrators and other stakeholders to define a strategic, long-term plan.

“The University of Mississippi is a progressive and fast-growing environment,” Harris says. “I wanted to be a part of such a dynamic environment.”

Among the new director’s goals is working to maximize the parking and transportation assets available.

“This plan will need to be detailed both in scope and vision and also work within the confines of the [university’s] master plan,” Harris says.

Harris is a welcome addition to the UM family, says Clay Jones (BAccy 04), assistant vice chancellor and director of human resources and contractual services.

“Mike Harris is the person who we targeted early on in our search to fill this position,” Jones says. “He is considered an expert in the field of parking and transportation. He has a proven record

Mike Harris, new UM director of parking and transportation

of being student-oriented and great at conflict resolution, which along with his expertise, are extremely important as the university evolves into a more pedestrian-friendly campus.”

Harris previously worked at Mississippi State University for 14 years. AR

Outstanding Upperclassmen TEN SENIORS AWARDED HALL OF FAME DISTINCTION

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recognized for inclusion in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. They are to be listed in the national publication’s 2014 edition.

New Hall of Fame members are Timothy Orinaze Abram of Horn Lake, Gregory Alston of Hattiesburg, Madison Elizabeth

Coburn of Ridgeland, Katharine Halpin DeRossette of Vicksburg, Vinod Kannuthurai of Hazlehurst, Quadray Arnez Kohlhiem of Tupelo, Mary Ball Markow of Jackson, Thomas Neal McMillin of Madison, Daniel Curtis Roberts of Moss Point and Anish Sharma of Greenwood. AR Photo by Robert Jordan

en University of Mississippi seniors have earned membership in the 2013-14 Hall of Fame, one of the university’s highest honors.

Chancellor Dan Jones (MD 75) bestowed the honor on Jan. 31 in a campus ceremony at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. Recipients are chosen by a committee pursuant to Associated Student Body policy, with selections based on a student’s academic achievement, community service and potential for future success.

“Since 1930, inductees into the Hall of Fame have brought distinction to the university as leaders in government, medicine, law, journalism, business, entertainment, education, ministry and a variety of other fields,” Jones said. “The many accomplishments of these students show the meaningful and diverse community service in which these exceptional students participate, even while serving in organizations and excelling in their degree programs.”

The 10 students, along with 146 other Ole Miss seniors, were also

Ten seniors have earned membership in the University of Mississippi’s 2013-14 Hall of Fame. (Front row, left to right) Madison Elizabeth Coburn of Ridgeland, Katharine Halpin DeRossette of Vicksburg, Mary Ball Markow of Jackson and Daniel Curtis Roberts of Moss Point. (Back row, left to right) Timothy Orinaze Abram of Horn Lake, Gregory Alston of Hattiesburg, Anish Sharma of Greenwood, Quadray Arnez Kohlhiem of Tupelo, Thomas Neal McMillin of Madison and Vinod Kannuthurai of Hazlehurst.

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Circle Photo by Jay Ferchaud

Inside the hospital lobby, Medical Center executives pulled off a decorative cover to reveal a wall-mounted, backlit U logo that will greet patients, visitors and families as they come into the facility through glass double doors.

UMMC Gains Grenada NEW HEALTH CARE FACILITY JOINS MEDICAL CENTER FAMILY

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uring a noontime ceremony in Grenada, physicians, nurses, executives and leaders from the city, community, county, state and national levels braved cold temperatures to join in welcoming the area’s premier health care facility into the University of Mississippi Medical Center family.

The event formally christened the former Grenada Lake Medical Center as the University of Mississippi Medical Center Grenada.

“We’re extremely proud to be here,” said Dr. James E. Keeton (BA 61, MD 65), vice chancellor for health affairs.

“The main reason we’re all here and the main reason for the University of Mississippi Medical Center Grenada is to improve the health of people in Mississippi.

“This is a special place: Where you are, your location is critical for health care in Mississippi, right in the middle of the state.”

Dr. LouAnn Woodward (MD 91), associate vice chancellor 10 Alumni Review

for health affairs and vice dean of the School of Medicine, outlined new opportunities for medical residents and healthprofessions students to train at UMMC Grenada.

“We feel very proud and very fortunate to be in this position to partner with you, with the hospital staff, with the physicians and with the community leaders to make this medical center something that we are all very, very proud of,” said Woodward, who grew up in neighboring Carroll County.

David Putt, newly named UMMC Grenada chief executive officer, said he’s looking forward to continuing to work alongside UMMC Grenada’s dedicated staff, regional leaders and the community’s physician work force.

Putt had filled the CEO role on an interim basis since a management deal became effective last fall.

UMMC entered into a long-term lease for the Grenada facility with the Grenada County Board of Supervisors early this year. AR

Protein with Potential UMMC SCIENTISTS FIND BIOMARKER THAT COULD AFFECT PROSTATE CANCER CARE

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esearchers at the University of Mississippi Medical Center Cancer Institute identified a protein that could help doctors give a clearer prognosis to patients with high-risk prostate cancer.

“Our goal was to identify biomarkers associated with patient survival in prostate cancer,” says Dr. Christian Gomez, associate professor of pathology and Cancer Institute researcher.

Biomarkers — such as genes and their product proteins — act as flags to help identify all kinds of specimens and diseases, including subtypes of cancers.

Finding new prostate cancer biomarkers ultimately could improve patient care through better diagnostic methods, predictive models and improved therapies and drugs.

“The idea is you want to be able to tell patients very quickly whether to consider a prostatectomy, to just keep up surveillance, or to go home and forget about it,” Gomez says.

Prostate cancer, the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., killed nearly 30,000 men last year, according to American Cancer Society estimates. With about one in every six U.S. men diagnosed with prostate cancer, and likely many more cases going undetected, medicine needs better tools.

In their research, Gomez and his collaborators at UMMC and the Mayo Clinic figured that the low-oxygen environment of prostate cancer tumors might hold clues.

Low oxygen, a condition known as hypoxia, results from tumors’ ravenous need for oxygen to support their rapid growth. They hastily build rogue blood vessel networks to feed themselves, but those inefficient networks often provide less

oxygen than normal, well-built systems would.

That hypoxic environment can make gene activity go haywire. Like a set of poorly managed checkout lanes in a grocery store, production of proteins in some genes gets amped up way beyond normal, a situation known as overexpression. Production in other genes slows to an indifferent shuffle.

Gomez and his team compared gene expression in 100 prostate tumor samples and 71 normal-tissue control samples to narrow a group of more than 500 candidate genes to 24 that are significantly over- or under-expressed in hypoxia. They further whittled the field by correlating the gene candidates with patient survival and Gleason score, a standard evaluative measure in prostate cancer.

Using a Mayo Clinic database, they computer-matched 150 pairs of prostate cancer cases that had similar clinical characteristics and pathological scores but differed in outcomes — meaning patients either survived or did not. They then tested the matched pairs for levels of proteins encoded by three candidate genes.

“We found that of the three candidates, HURP, a protein encoded by the gene DLG7, had the best predictive value for good outcomes,” Gomez says.

The journal Public Library of Science One published his study in December.

Since the researchers studied samples and cases from Caucasians in Minnesota, Gomez plans to test the findings in a group of African-American patients in Mississippi, a population that suffers higher death rates from cancer.

If further testing proves HURP is a viable biomarker, it would give physicians another tool to predict a patient’s prognosis. AR

DEAN OF STUDENTS SPARKY REARDON RETIRES Photo by Robert Jordan

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niversity of Mississippi Dean of Students Thomas J. “Sparky” Reardon (BAEd 72, PhD 00), who helped countless students through disciplinary and personal issues and offered advice to those in need, is set to retire April 30 after 36 years of service to UM. The Clarksdale native, who is often seen walking around campus and chatting with students, started working at the university in August 1977 on the same day that Elvis Presley died.

He began his tenure as director of pre-admissions and served as associate dean of students from 1986 until 2000, when he became dean of students.

Reardon, who earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Ole Miss, a master’s degree in education administration from Delta State University and a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Ole Miss, plans to teach at the university after he finishes his time as dean. He also plans to go to baseball games, read, blog and take another trip to Sicily.

Thomas J. “Sparky” Reardon

For a full Q-and-A with Reardon, which includes reflections on his time at Ole Miss, visit news.olemiss.edu. AR Spring 2014 11

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Circle Dive into Learning RESEARCHERS SHARE ROBOT TECHNOLOGY WITH FOURTH-GRADERS

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Photo by Michelle Edwards

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ids tend to get excited about robots, especially when they get to build and operate them.

That’s what fourth-graders at Regents School of Oxford enjoyed recently when specialists from the National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology visited their classroom.

NIUST is a collaboration between the University of Mississippi and the University of Southern Mississippi to study the deep sea using advanced technologies. NIUST teamed up with the national RETINA educational program, which provides opportunities for students in kindergarten through sixth grade to learn about the ocean through the technologies that make these studies possible.

The activity at Regents School centered on a hands-on experience for the kids. After learning about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and deep-sea corals, the young explorers were introduced to remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs, used for undersea applications. Teams of four students built an ROV using parts supplied by NIUST. After working together on their designs, students chose parts from bins that held different lengths of PVC pipes, PVC fittings and floats for the ROV frame.

“The fourth-grade students at Regents School of Oxford had a blast working in groups creating and building remote operational vehicles,” says Tracy Knox (BSPHE 82, MEd 83), fourth-grade teacher at Regents. “Their enthusiasm in learning about the corals in the Gulf and how these filter feeders were affected by the oil spill was only the beginning of an afternoon of fun activity. The students were able to remotely operate their created vehicles in a huge tank of water, and their sense of accomplishment

Regents School fourth-graders Olivia Mogridge (left), James Leister and Natalie Prather test their model ROV in a vat of water at the school.

in watching their ROVs roam through the water was amazing.” “ We l i k e t o i n t ro d u c e k i d s t o science and engineering,” says Geoff Wheat, NIUST director. “These are two fields that need more graduates. Our approach is to get the kids involved in real-world experiences through hands-on, team-building

experiences with technology-based problems. The kids really light up with hands-on, problem-solving activities.”

For information on booking this program for a fourth-grade class, contact Michelle Edwards, NIUST assistant to the director for marketing and business development, at edwardsm@ olemiss.edu. AR

Powerful Prose ‘THE GIRLS OF ATOMIC CITY’ SELECTED FOR 2014 COMMON READING EXPERIENCE

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book recounting the story of young women lured to work on a secret project during World War II was chosen as the 2014 Common Reading Experience at the University of Mississippi.

The Girls of Atomic City, written

by Denise Kiernan, was chosen by a majority vote of the Common Reading Experience committee.

Incoming freshmen for fall 2014 will receive a copy of the book to read during the summer, and Kiernan is scheduled to speak to them Aug. 26 during fall convocation.

“The incoming freshman class at the university who will be reading The Girls of Atomic City are the same age as many of the individuals who worked on the Manhattan Project,” Kiernan says. “They, too, were leaving home, many of them for the first time. They, too, were thrust into new, unfamiliar surroundings and were forging friendships and bonds that would last a lifetime.”

Based on the true stories from women who lived it, The Girls of Atomic City tells the story of young women who, at

the height of World War II, went to work in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The town, which was home to 75,000 residents and consumed more electricity than New York City, did not exist before the war. Thousands of civilians — many of them young women from small towns across the South — were recruited to this secret city, lured by good wages and the promise of war-ending work.

They labored and lived without knowing the truth about the tasks they performed each day, until the end of the war.

“The Girls of Atomic City tells a compelling story of how young women from all parts of the nation were catapulted into positions of sacrifice and responsibility, living and working together under difficult conditions for what they could only assume was in the best interests of the war effort,” says Robert Cummings (MA 99), director of the UM Center for Writing and Rhetoric.

The book was a 2013 Goodreads Choice Awards runnerup for best history and biography and is a New York Times best-seller. AR

JOURNALISM SCHOOL OFFERS NARRATIVE-FOCUSED MASTER’S DEGREE

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he University of Mississippi’s Meek School of Journalism and New Media has developed a specialized professional master’s degree to train journalists in the art of narrative storytelling.

The new program is aimed at helping media professionals improve their narrative storytelling across multiple media platforms. The new degree comes at a time when journalism is evolving.

“Journalism is changing so much,” says Joseph B. Atkins, UM professor of journalism. “The program is not only for traditional students but professional journalists who want to raise their skills

up a notch and also have the time to do those projects they don’t have the time to do in a newsroom today.”

The new master’s program was approved by the Meek School’s Graduate Faculty Committee in March 2013 and by the UM Graduate Council in October. The school joins a growing number of universities offering the same kind of courses and programs, including the University of Texas, New York University and the University of California at Berkeley.

The core classes offered in the program are Multimedia Storytelling I a n d II , N a r r a t i ve Jo u r n a l i s m a n d

Multimedia Documentary. In addition to those 12 hours of core courses, students will take 12 hours of electives, plus 6 hours devoted to a thesis project.

The Meek School envisions four areas of emphasis within the new master’s track: media management, print media, broadcast media and branded media.

Students would take their 12 elective hours in the area they choose.

The program benefits from the rich storytelling tradition found in the UMOxford community, which offers the perfect backdrop for such a program, Atkins says. AR Spring 2014 13

fromthe

Circle Courtroom Champions LAW SCHOOL MAKES HISTORY WITH FOUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

I

t has quite literally been a banner year at the University of Mississippi School of Law as the members of the Moot Court and Negotiation boards have captured four national championships, something never accomplished by the law school in a single year.

The latest championship, coming at the hands of Brad Cook and Drew Taggart, both third-year law students, was captured at the 2014 National Transactional LawMeet competition April 4 in New York City.

Cook and Taggart, from Stonewall and Madison, respectively, beat 13 other national finalist teams including Boston College, Cornell, Emory University and University of Tennessee.

“This victory powerfully reflects the strength of the student body at the School of Law — as you can see from the quality of the other teams at the national finals in New York,” says Matthew Hall, senior associate dean and adviser to the Moot Court Board.

“It represents an enormous success for Brad and Drew, who poured hours into this competition, but it is also a product of the efforts of the entire Negotiation Board, Professor Mercer Bullard and of the team. We are so proud of all of them.”

The national rounds were hosted by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP’s New York office. The competition asked teams to represent one of two sides in drafting and negotiating an acquisition of a biotechnology company. Over the past several months, the students drafted agreements, interviewed their clients and marked up opposing teams’ drafts. The national rounds of the competition culminated with rounds of face-to-face negotiations.

Law school students have won three other championships in Moot Court this year. Caroline Shepard (2L) and Irving Jones (3L) won the National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition at Pace Law School, marking the third championship in four years in environmental law. Eric Duke (2L) and Trey Lyons (2L) won the Gabrielli National Family Law Moot Court Competition, and David Fletcher (2L), Brett Grantham (2L) and Will Widman (3L) won the National Professional Responsibility Moot Court Competition.

“This year has been a true testament to what we can accomplish when we work hard together from beginning to end,” says Irving Jones, chairman of the law school’s Moot Court Board.

“I am very proud to be a part of this organization and also very proud of how we have represented this university.” AR

From left: Irving Jones, Caroline Shepard, David Fletcher, Will Widman, Brett Grantham, Patrick Everman, Brad Cook, Drew Taggart, Eric Duke and Trey Lyons 14 Alumni Review

“Do Business with Us!”

Ole Miss Alumni Class of 1990

Ole Miss Alumni Class of 1985

— George Walker and Wayne Pierce

Wayne Pierce - President

George Walker, III - CEO

Wayne@heritageproperties.com Office: 601.707.1088

George@heritageproperties.com Office: 601.707.1086

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Lexington Pointe Apartments is a well-established apartment community in the heart of Oxford. Located less than a mile from the Ole Miss campus and just minutes from the square, our apartments have many wonderful amenities to offer and cable and internet are included! The lifestyle here appeals to people who expect exceptional quality, gracious hospitality and convenience. Visit our beautiful property so you can see first-hand what a wonderful place it is to call home.

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Photo by Nathan Latil

Calendar

Commencement May 10

May

T

hrough Dec. 12 Ongoing Exhibit: “William Faulkner’s Books: A Bibliographic Exhibit.” Open to the public. Faulkner Room, J.D. Williams Library. Email library@olemiss.edu.

1

Ole Miss Luncheon Series: Mississippi Gulf Coast, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Pascagoula Senior Center, 1912 Live Oak Ave. Call 662-915-7375 or visit www. olemissalumni.com/events.

2

Reception: Pharmacy Alumni and Friends Reception at Mississippi Black Professionals Association Convention, Beau Rivage in Biloxi, 6-8 p.m. Call 662-915-1878.

16 Alumni Review

2

-3 Reunion: 50-Year Reunion, honoring the Ole Miss classes of 1963-65.

Various times and locations.

Call 662-915-7375 or visit www.olemissalumni.com/ events.

3

Performance: Claremont Trio. Gertrude C. Ford Center, 7 p.m. Call 662-915-2787 or visit www. fordcenter.org.

5

-6 Communiversity: Public Speaking Too. $50, UM Depot, 5:30-8 p.m. Call 662-915-7847 or visit www. outreach.olemiss.edu.

8

Ole Miss Toastmasters Meeting: Open to anyone who has the desire to improve

his or her communication and leadership skills. Minor Hall, noon-1 p.m. Visit www. events.olemiss.edu.

9

Banquet: School of Education Annual Awards Banquet. Gertrude C. Ford Ballroom, The Inn at Ole Miss, 5 p.m. Call 662-915-7375 or visit www. olemissalumni.com/events.

9

-11 Baseball: Ole Miss vs. Georgia. Swayze Field, 6:30 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Visit www.olemisssports.com.

10

Commencement: Convocation with Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant.

The Grove, 9 a.m. For a full

schedule of Commencement activities, visit www.olemiss. edu/commencement.

10

Graduation Day Brunch: Gertrude C. Ford Ballroom, The Inn at Ole Miss, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Call 662-915-7375 or visit www. olemissalumni.com/events.

11

Performance: “Mamma Mia!” national Broadway tour. Gertrude C. Ford Center, 3 p.m.

Call 662-915-2787 or visit www.fordcenter.org.

12

Club Season: Atlanta Ole Miss Club meeting. Location and time TBA. Visit www.olemissalumni.com/ events or call 662-915-7375.

©iStockphoto.com

12 Communiversity: Cake decorating May 12

Club Season: Ole Miss Club of New York meeting. Location and time TBA. Visit www. olemissalumni.com/events or call 662-915-7375.

14

Sixth Annual Mississippi Picnic in the Park: Atlanta. Chastain Park, 10:30 a.m. Call 662-915-7375 or visit www.olemissalumni. com/events.

14

35th Annual Mississippi Picnic in the Park: New York. Central Park, noon-5 p.m. Call 662915-7375 or visit www. olemissalumni.com/events.

19

Club Season: Washington, D.C., Ole Miss Club meeting. Location and time TBA. Visit www. olemissalumni.com/events or call 662-915-7375.

12

22

19

JUNE

, 15, 19, 22 Communiversity: You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It Too! Cake decorating class. $60, UM Depot, 5:30-8 p.m.

Call 662-915-7847 or visit www.outreach.olemiss.edu.

Reception: Washington Law Alumni Reception. The Homer Building, 601 13th St., NW, Washington, D.C., 5:30-7:30 p.m. Call 662-915-1878 or visit www.olemissalumni. com/events.

19

Communiversity: Alter Your Own Clothes. $55, Yerby Conference Center, 6-8:30 p.m.

Call 662-915-7847 or visit www.outreach.olemiss.edu.

21

-22 LOU Ole Miss Club Golf Tournament: Cannon Motors TwoMan Scramble benefiting the LOU Ole Miss Club Scholarship Endowment. Ole Miss Golf Course, 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

Call 662-915-7375 or visit www.olemissalumni.com/ events.

21

24th Annual Mississippi on the Mall: Washington, D.C., National Mall, 3-7 p.m. Call 662-915-7375 or visit www. olemissalumni.com/events.

25

Lamar Order Dinner: Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in Destin, Fla., 7:45 p.m. Call 662-915-1878.

Ole Miss Toastmasters Meeting: Open to anyone who has the desire to improve his or her communication and leadership skills.

Minor Hall, noon-1 p.m.

Visit www.events.olemiss.edu.

8

Reception: Pharmacy Alumni and Friends Reception at Mississippi Pharmacists Association Convention, Sandestin Grand in Destin, Fla., 6:30-8 p.m. Call 662-915-1878.

9

Club Season: Central Florida Ole Miss Club meeting. Location and time TBA. Visit www. olemissalumni.com/events or call 662-915-7375.

Performance: ‘Mamma Mia!’ MAY 11

Spring 2014 17

Calendar Luncheon: UM Law Alumni Luncheon at the Annual Meeting of the Mississippi Bar, Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, 12:15 p.m. Call 662915-1878.

JULY

15

Club Season: Central Mississippi Ole Miss Rebel Club Reunion, Jackson Convention Center, time TBA. Visit www.olemissalumni.com/ events or call 662-915-7375.

18

Reception: Pharmacy Alumni and Friends Reception at Mississippi Society of Health-System Pharmacists Annual Meeting, Natchez Convention Center, 5-6 p.m.

Call 662-915-1878.

Conference: ‘Faulkner and History’ JULY 20-24

20

-24 Conference: Faulkner & Yoknapatawpha Conference: “Faulkner and History.”

Various times and locations.

Call 662-915-7283 for more information or visit www. outreach.olemiss.edu.

Photo by Robert Jordan

For more Oxford events, news and information, visit www.visitoxfordms.com or call 662-232-2477.

LOU Ole Miss Club Golf Tournament JUNE 21-22

18 Alumni Review

Photo by Robert Jordan

27

© University of Mississippi Medical Center 2014. All rights reserved.

TOMORROW HOLDS HOPE. As Mississippi’s only Academic Medical Center, we’re shaping a healthier future for our state – and, in some cases, the world. Today, the MIND Center at UMMC is leading some of the largest studies ever conducted on Alzheimer’s. As we shine more light on this disease and other dementias, we come closer to discovering treatments to slow and prevent them. We believe in tomorrow.

Because we see it today.

Tomorrow. Every day.

Photos by Robert Jordan

20 Alumni Review

Students see ideas shape up with 3-D printing

By Tom Speed Spring 2014 21

ot so long ago, engineers’ use of threedimensional modeling software to render an object viewable on a computer screen was considered novel and exciting. Today, the computer rendering is becoming fully realized as it is now possible, and increasingly commonplace, to create individual 3-D objects with the advent of 3-D printing.

At the Haley Barbour Center for Manufacturing Excellence, on the University of Mississippi’s Oxford campus, students now have the opportunity to use this exciting new technology for themselves.

The CME was founded in 2010 and combines the disciplines of engineering, business and accounting to prepare students for careers in manufacturing. The center boasts a fully functional factory floor replica, where students can acquire hands-on experience in a factory setting.

Students in the schools of Business Administration and Accountancy can obtain a minor in manufacturing through the center, and School of Engineering majors can earn an emphasis in manufacturing.

A computer-aided design (CAD) modeling course is a requirement for CME students, and now those students are able to see the physical manifestation of objects they dream up and view on the two-dimensional space of a computer monitor. That simple task is a great learning tool, helping to foster creativity and prepare students for the emerging marketplace.

“It could be something just to visualize the part and then be hands-on and touch it,” says Ellen Lackey (BE 90, MS 92, PhD 96), professor of mechanical engineering and director of composite materials research group test facilities. “Or it could be something useable.

Most recently, I had a student print a mouthpiece for a trombone. “[The course] is for the CME students who are engineering majors, and it’s required,” Lackey says. “But there’s another mechanical engineering CAD modeling course that is a technical elective course that any engineering student can take.”

The technology is moving fast. Six years ago, the center purchased a printer inscribed with a serial number of “2,” meaning it was only the second one made.

“That one has a pool of liquid. You shine a layer on it; it cures with the light,” says Jimmy Palmer (BSCS 02, MSESC 05), information technology coordinator for the CME. “You shine the next layer, it drops down, then it rises up out of the bath. It’s ABS plastic — very hard, rigid plastic.”

That machine is currently in need of maintenance, the cost of which would equal the cost of a brand new desktop printer such as the one most recently purchased and in use by Lackey’s students.

The newest machine works by taking the computer model and pouring a small tendril of heated plastic in the shape designed by the model. Then it follows with another layer, another and yet another until the object is complete. Depending on the resolution (a higher resolution prints the objects with more and smaller While previously, students could only see their creations on paper or a computer, they now can take the process from a computer rendering to an object they can hold in their hands in a matter of hours.

22 Alumni Review

tendrils), an object can be produced in a matter of hours.

“Just like with any other printer that has various resolutions, the higher [the] resolution you print at, the longer it takes to print,” Palmer says. “It depends on how thin the layer is. The thinner the layer, the better the quality is.”

3-D Advantages

Today, the implications of on-demand manufacturing in a desktop setting are far-reaching. Applications in health care, manufacturing, research and development, and military arenas are all in the works. 3-D printing has been used to create props for blockbuster movies. It’s even been used to create food products.

CME students use the printers to help them hone their 3-D modeling skills. Whereas previously they could only look at a 2-D print of their creations and rely on their imaginations to learn what any particular widget they designed would look and feel like, now they can design it, print it and, in a matter of hours, hold it in their hands.

“The students can now build prototypes of their designs that they created with CAD software,” Lackey says. “That’s beneficial.”

“It’s one thing for a student to take and generate something in a 3-D CAD program like Pro-E or TurboCAD,” Palmer says. “It’s quite another to physically see that. Historically what happened was if they wanted a physical representation, they would’ve had to take raw stock down to the floor, machine it out by hand, or put it on the CAD machine and do it that way. Here they can tell it to print, let it run overnight, and come back in the morning and it’s done.”

In the workplace, 3-D printing has clear advantages.

“Prototyping is the big thing,” Lackey says. “Does the customer like the appearance, the look and feel of [a product]?

Does it fit? Some of them, depending on the application, are strong enough to test. Some of the metal printers … you [can] manufacture with it. It might be small-scale manufacturing, but it is manufacturing.”

It’s a timesaver too.

“There are some engineering firms that are making pieces for internal and external clients, and one engineer in his office will have four of these printers,” Palmer says.

“That increases his productivity many times. Normally the way that would [work] is [the engineers] would design the piece, model the piece, make sure that it works in their virtual design. Then they would have to send it to the factory floor, to the technicians to actually manufacture it, and they might have to wait a week.

They may spend [$10,000] or $15,000 a piece on the printers.

But in the amount of time it takes five or six people to manufacture that one part, they save money in normally the first year.”

The technology isn’t new but is progressing fast enough that the cost is decreasing to make it feasible for students and small firms to use it. Home models are even coming out now that cost barely more than $1,000.

“3-D prototyping has been available for well over 20 years,” says Lackey. “It was commercial and very expensive. But getting it to the consumer prices – it’s been the past year or so.”

Part of the surging interest and use of the technology is due to other reasons.

“In 2014, a lot of patents are running out,” Palmer says. “A lot of companies are able to get in now because they don’t have to buy the patents. They’re starting to run out from 20 years ago.

There’s been a lot of industry consolidation too.”

The machines are helping students to be more creative as well as keep up with technology trends.

“Allowing them to be creative, be able to create something that they can think about is the biggest advantage,” says Jim Vaughan, interim director of the Center for Manufacturing Excellence. “They can turn their thoughts into an actual 3-D object. They can do it on a computer, and that’s all well and good, but then they can take that to the next step and actually create the object.”

Timothy Steenwyk, a freshman mechanical engineering major with an emphasis in manufacturing, took Lackey’s class and was soon producing his own objects. His first attempt, a heart-shaped keychain he made as a Valentine’s Day gift, required several attempts.

“I think the best way to learn 3-D printing is to just interact with it,” he says. “The way we imagine something is much different [from] the reality.”

Steenwyk says that holding a solid object also gives him a good idea of its scale.

“You can manipulate it with your hands, and you can see if it’s going to work. You get a good estimation. Before, you’d have to know how to input to view things and manipulate it. But in Spring 2014 23

real life, with your hands, it’s just natural. You have a solid prototype in front of you. You already know how to handle objects.”

Innovative Applications

Injecting more creativity in the engineering sector is drawing more people into it. Artists are using 3-D printers to render sculptures.

The worlds of graphic design and engineering are colliding in ways that before now were unimaginable.

For the blockbuster movie “Iron Man” and its sequels, prop masters simply printed objects such as weapons and parts of the Iron Man costume rather than individually sculpt them.

The gee-whiz, cool-gadget factor of the technology is drawing more students into engineering. A few years ago, the CME conducted a series of camps for high school students. Seeing that technology at work, many of them steered their career planning toward engineering and manufacturing.

“That was the idea behind the summer camp – to show them the cool technology and encourage them to go into areas of STEM and engineering,” Lackey says. “It’s pretty common these days, but it’s still kind of a wow factor. We were doing summer camps before the CME started. We were exposing high school and junior high kids to 3-D printing, and that was six years ago.

24 Alumni Review

Nobody had ever seen anything like it, and now people are reading about it in popular magazines.”

As for potential uses of 3-D printing in the workplace, the military is using 3-D printing in the field to replace machinery and parts on the fly.

GPS sensors, drone equipment and other technical equipment can now be replaced in the field in a matter of hours instead of days or weeks. And older, outdated equipment that previously was unable to be reconditioned due to infeasibility can now be updated, thanks to 3-D printing.

“I read about an old military plane they couldn’t get any parts for, and now they were able to just manufacture it,” Lackey says.

One of the most exciting areas is in the health care industry.

Scientists and doctors have already used 3-D printing to make artificial organs. Prosthetics is also a growing field for 3-D printing. In an industry that relies on individual fit more than perhaps any other, tailor-made limbs are now obtainable.

“Right now, we have straight-to-consumer prosthetics,” Palmer says. “Used to, it would take months and months to get correctly. Now you can print your own, and as you grow, you just print bigger ones. It’s essentially an overnight process. They scan where it’s going to attach the piece exactly the size you need it.

Yes, it’s expensive to print, but it is still cheaper than the alternative. You’re going to see this proliferate.”

The “scanning” that Palmer speaks of is the true horizon of the technology. In addition to being able to print a 3-D object, technology is emerging that will allow for objects to be scanned by a 3-D scanner, then rendered into the modeling software and printed as an exact replica. While this development will undoubtedly present a myriad of legal issues concerning copyright, the ability to physically replicate an object on a desktop machine at home seems like something out of “Star Trek,” yet it is already becoming a reality.

As with all emerging technologies, the application ranges from the critically serious to the whimsical. Chocolate 3-D printers are already on the marketplace, with chocolate and other confectionaries replacing plastics and metals. Crafting food products is constrained only by the imagination of the designer. Following Hewlett-Packard’s naming system of Inkjets and LaserJets, 3D Systems’ new line of 3-D chocolate printers is called Chefjet.

While sci-fi-sounding as well as mundane applications of 3-D printing are on the horizon, this technology is also a tool to be used now. Teaching Ole Miss students how to use it is not just a novelty; it’s a necessity.

“3-D printing is going to become the new way of making a lot of components in the next few years,” Vaughan says. “The concept of additive printing is going to make a fundamental change to manufacturing. We’re making sure students are aware of its upcoming role in manufacturing and giving them the option to do it and explore their creative ideas.” AR

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Securing a Niche

By Rebecca Lauck Cleary

Security Card Services, with locations noted here, is one of the rapidly growing companies under the Security Holdings umbrella.

26 Alumni Review

Alumnus turns business idea in college into one of fastest growing U.S. companies

Photo by Kevin Bain

William Alias III

C

ountless successful businesses began as ideas in the minds of college students in their apartments or dorm rooms, including such icons as Facebook, Yahoo and Google. William Alias III (95) of Oxford can count his business idea for Security Check, formulated in his apartment in 1995, among the successful. He collected insufficientfunds checks for local businesses and soon thereafter for businesses across the nation. The company grew to include 200 employees with 25,000 clients across the U.S., and earned Alias recognition by the Mississippi Business Journal as one of Mississippi’s “Top 40 Under 40.”

Alias grew up in Atlanta but spent much of his childhood visiting his grandparents in Clarksdale as well as attending Ole Miss football games. He credits his family’s entrepreneurial spirit for sparking his interest in starting a business.

“Since I was a little kid, I’ve always wanted to be in business for myself because I saw my dad and my uncle start businesses, so I think I was looking for something and probably wasn’t even aware I was looking for it,” Alias says.

Security Check grew to be the nation’s fourth-largest check collection company, and was purchased in 2008 by a private equity firm in Ohio after being recognized three times by Inc. magazine’s list of the 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America.

Alias has spoken to classes in the UM School of Business Administration for the past decade to offer advice to young people about becoming an entrepreneur.

“To me, there is no better time in life to start a business than when you are 23 or 24 years old,” Alias says. “There are so many obstacles that you don’t have [compared with] when you are 40 or 50 or 60. You usually don’t have a family, you don’t have Peter Ward kids, you don’t have all the expenses, you don’t have the stress of all the things that come later in life. You are at an age that if you fail, so what? It’s a great time in life to start a business.”

Today, Security Holdings LLC is the umbrella for Security Credit Services, which handles debt purchasing, and Security Card Services, which handles credit card processing. They, too, were recognized by Inc. magazine in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Security Card Services has exclusive agreements with more than 100 banks and 1,200 bank branches in more than 30 states.

William Alias Jr., CEO of Security Holdings, says the businesses’ growth can be attributed to the kinds of employees they hire.

“Our character trait has not changed, and it won’t change,” says Alias Jr. (BBA 63). “We look for employees with integrity, common sense, a great attitude, a strong work ethic and who are team players.”

Finding most of those employees is as easy as looking across town from their offices on West Oxford Loop to the University of Mississippi campus. The company has employed 29 Ole Miss alumni, most in the last three years.

Alias Jr. wants future graduates to be aware of the employment

28 Alumni Review

opportunities with Security Holdings.

“People always want to know the job description. I tell them, don’t worry about that; just get on the train. This is a fast-moving train. You get on the train, and we will find you a seat,” Alias Jr. says. “Originally, it’s not going to be the seat you want, but you just get in, and in 90 to 100 days, as fast as this company is growing, we are going to find you the seat you want.”

Joan Rasberry, Security Holdings’ chief operating officer, echoes Alias’ sentiments.

“I think you can pretty much sit down and talk to [individuals], and you know if they are the right fit pretty quickly,” she says. “When you are talking with them and they start telling you about their family and where they came from, what their parents did, you get the sense of whether there is a work ethic there, and also if their parents were creative in the things they did with their life.”

Additionally, Alias Jr. has been a member of the School of Business Administration’s advisory board since 2006, which provides support for the school and keeps him in contact with students.

“I meet a lot of the students there, and I participate as much as I can,” he says.

“What we are doing is finding the quality people who are willing to work. Ole Miss students have a lot of personality, they really do. They can get along anywhere. You can drop them off in Portland, Ore., or Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and they’ll do just fine if they are given an opportunity and someone to support them a little bit.”

The younger Alias says that communication is a key aspect to the educational component at the university.

“Ole Miss obviously has strong academic programs, but there are a lot of social skills learned at Ole Miss, and I believe that they are very valuable,” Alias III says. “What we do primarily in hiring Ole Miss students is place them in banks throughout the country.

We have to place people who are sharp, who can interact with people, and who will represent us and the bank to that bank’s customers. I think Ole Miss students are perfect for that.”

One of the employees cultivated through the business school is Peter Ward (BBA 13), a marketing major from Birmingham, Ala. Ward says he was originally thinking about entering the field of insurance, but he wasn’t necessarily sold on that idea.

“I had no clue about what Security Card was, I had never even heard of it, and I was knee-deep in interviews for insurance jobs, but I hated it,” Ward says. “I talked with Joan Rasberry and others there, and I ended up loving it. I really hit it off with them, and I had never felt that way in any other interview that I had, so I felt like this was where I needed to be.”

After getting hired, he and his wife transferred to Baltimore, Md., last August, where Ward is a regional account manager.

He says he loves his job as well as the location, being 45 minutes from Washington and a train ride away from New York City.

“The beauty of this niche market is that we partner with banks around the country, so in my case we partner with Susquehanna Bank and [its] 265 branches up here, doing the

William Alias III, Joan Rasberry and William Alias Jr. all serve on the executive team of Security Holdings.

credit card processing for Susquehanna’s businesses,” Ward says. “I think having a marketing degree was the most applicable degree for this job, but you have to be really outgoing and motivated because, in this job, it’s like you are your own boss.”

Rasberry points out that typical jobs with other companies come about because a person is replacing someone who is leaving.

“Almost [all] of our positions are growth positions. They are not replacement positions, because we are a growing company,” she says.

Alias Jr. and Rasberry realize that a company is only as strong as its employees.

“I think Joan and I try to mentor people who are going to be productive in life and help other people be productive,” says Alias Jr. “That’s what we do, and that takes time.”

An example of someone without a direct business background is Hattie Alton Steiner (BA 03). An Oxford native, she graduated from Ole Miss as an English major and decided to leave her home state of Mississippi to work at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. in Denver. She later took jobs closer to home as a pharmaceutical sales Hattie Alton Steiner representative in Memphis and as development director for the Oxford-Lafayette Humane Society.

Now in her fourth year as a regional account manager for Security Card Services in Denver, she handles the rates, equipment and day-to-day service for the Colorado Business Bank.

“It’s a great job, and I love that it is a company based out of Oxford,” Steiner says. “They offer great opportunities, and it’s

Photo by Kevin Bain

wonderful that it’s allowed me to come back to Colorado.”

Lacking business experience wasn’t a problem for Steiner.

“I interact with bankers all day, and I did have to learn some things on my own, but as long as you take care of your customers and provide customer service, it’s fine,” she says. “I remember when I took this job, I knew I didn’t have any experience in the industry, but I knew I could take care of my customers and make them happy on the sales side of things. That is actually the advice I give to new people: building relationships is the most important part, and having people skills is key.”

Alias III says that he plans to continue living in Oxford and keeping up with the changing business trends. He is also focused on his family, the outdoors and Ole Miss football.

“We constantly look for new businesses to start, and so I believe that we will be here for many years to come,” he says.

“We love what we are doing now, but we have also learned that you have to change as the businesses change, and I think we’ve been fairly proficient at adapting to the changes. I think we’ll be here for a long, long time, hopefully continuing to grow our businesses.”

Part of what is gratifying about the company’s growth is watching employees come through who progress as the years go by.

“Ole Miss and Oxford have been great to us, and it’s really fun hiring [people] and then watching them grow,” the younger Alias says. “We have had several people who have done amazing things.” AR Spring 2014 29

Lab “

30 Alumni Review

hat would you do tomorrow if you didn’t get paid for it?” is the question Mike Stewart (BPA 75, MCJ 78) of Oxford-based Wildrose Kennels challenges people to ask themselves when they want to know the secret of his success. They pick his brain because they know he pulled a complete career 180 with optimal results.

Today, Stewart, 60, certainly gets paid for what he pursued [he’s even graced the cover of Forbes magazine as the purveyor of a “recession-proof ” business], but it didn’t happen overnight.

You could say it’s been generations in the making.

“My father was a horse trainer and a really good one,” says Stewart. “But I’ve always gravitated to dogs.”

In high school, Stewart even wrote a biology paper on dog training, delving into dog behaviors.

“I think the teacher just let me get by with it because I couldn’t do anything else in biology,” he says. “I’ve always been blessed to live an outdoor lifestyle around animals. So many

Partner How a former UPD chief went to the dogs

people today were born two and three generations away from the farm, so they’ve lost a lot of aptitude for how animals think and how they work. I grew up around animals, so I always had that in my back pocket.”

The back pocket he refers to was on a pair of rigid police uniform pants. The University of Mississippi grad went into law enforcement full-time in 1974 and spent seven years with the Oxford Police Department, working up from dispatcher to captain, before going to Ole Miss’ police department as chief of police in 1981. He also graduated from the FBI National Academy in 1989 and served in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a commander.

The entire time Stewart was in law enforcement, training dogs remained a hobby for him.

“I had beagles, treeing dogs,” he recalls. “I had obedience classes in town. I lived on Sisk then, and people would bring their dogs, and we’d work ’em. So, I’ve always worked with dogs, all the way back to junior high school. The interest has always been there and always been very keen.”

Copping a New Career

In 1998, while chief of UPD, Stewart bought land east of Oxford, primarily, he says, to run beagles on. He soon ran a cattle business there and got into holistic gardening.

“I was always into the natural order of things and how crops grew, and grass-fed beef,” he says.

While dealing in cattle, he kept up his dog-training hobby, and he says these experiences with the natural way came to bear on his interest in dogs, to train them “in a more positive way — not using as much force but trying to take the natural ability of the dog, applying certain controls and then training the people to work their dogs better. It caught on.”

In the mid-’90s, Stewart found a kennel in Tennessee called Wildrose that was going out of business.

“I merged it with my operation here, and it took off fast enough that I had to get out of the cattle and get strictly into dog training,” he says.

But more than the cattle business would have to give.

By Tad Wilkes Photos by Nathan Latil

Spring 2014 31

“After that, I was faced with either cutting down on the dog side of things or retiring from Ole Miss,” says Stewart. “Most departments would open around 8 and be over at 5, whereas we ran around the clock, seven days a week. It was hard to get [the kennel business] going, so I faced leaving Ole Miss a little earlier than I anticipated. I enjoyed the work out there and the relationships, and things were going very well, but I couldn’t work all those shifts and keep up with all the manpower.”

In 2000, he made the break, and he hasn’t looked back.

His wife, Cathy, a former teacher who for 20 years directed the annual Faulkner and Yoknapatawpha Conference at Ole Miss, is his vice president of Wildrose Kennels. They live in a house within throwing distance of the Wildrose facility, on the same property. Stewart eases home for lunch or when he needs a little peace to work on what he’ll say as keynote speaker at various events for schools and groups.

The Wildrose Way

Stewart has distilled his training methodology as “the Wildrose Way” and shares it with the hunting market on two DVDs and in one book, published last year.

“It’s our unique, balanced training philosophy,” he says. “We use a lot of positive reinforcement to engrain skills in the dog that are going to endure a lifetime.”

A pup, reporting to Stewart at around 8 months old, will stay an average of six months to experience the Wildrose Way — a dynamic curriculum to be sure.

“To be able to hunt upland in one minute and go down and handle duck hunting and hand signals on the water in another, that’s a lot to cover in five months, and most of them will stay about six,” Stewart says.

Wildrose focuses on one breed: British Labradors.

“All our genetics are original and authentic, imported from England and Northern Ireland,” Stewart says. “We breed them here and raise the pups. When I started, there was virtually nobody doing that — maybe one other kennel in the country. I had the only ad in Ducks Unlimited magazine in the 1990s; now there’s 16 to 18 ads. So, we’ve created divergence in the market.

You’ve got the American Labrador and the British Labrador.

When I started, there was no difference at all.”

Decades into honing his specific angle on Labs, Stewart knows what he wants.

“What we’re looking for in our dogs is their size, their athletic ability and their natural nose,” he says. “They’re a bit smaller and more compact than the average Labrador.”

Customers have options at Wildrose. Some buy “started” pups bred there — in black, yellow, chocolate or fox red — for $1,750 to $2,000. The owners then send them back to train. Others save some money by buying pups elsewhere and enrolling them at Wildrose for their education. Still others, willing to pay $12,000 to $15,000, get the “totally finished turnkey” job — buying a Wildrose-bred pup and leaving it with Stewart’s team until it’s 2 1/2 to 3 years old.

Certainly, to put it lightly, a customer must really enjoy hunting to outlay such an investment, and it’s no surprise Stewart says it’s worth the price. In the grand scheme of the hunting world, though, it does make sense.

“These dogs are not like bird dogs that you just take out and turn loose and kill some birds with them,” Stewart says. “These 32 Alumni Review

dogs live in your home and travel with you; they are 365-day dogs. When you look at it that way and you get around 10 years of companionship, and you amortize it out, it’s probably the cheapest thing the hunter owns — when you start looking at duck leases, fuel, corn and everything to produce the duck sites and hunt. It’s a pretty expensive hobby. The dog is probably only about $1 a day when you look at it.”

Oxonian and Ole Miss alum Bradley Rayner (BBA 00, BBA 02) got his “started” fox red Lab Nella as a pup from Wildrose and sent her back at 8 months of age for training for six months.

Rayner notes that the dogs aren’t the only ones getting an education.

“The things that Mike and his crew can accomplish with a dog are amazing,” Rayner says. “I know a number of people that have sporting dogs from Wildrose Kennels, and they are among the best in the field. The trainers work closely with you and play a critical role in your understanding of how to work your dog.

The entire staff is friendly and willing to help you better your Wildrose dog, even after [the dog has] left training.”

You could say lifelong duck hunter Jeff Buckner, founder of financial planning firm Plancorp in St. Louis, is a believer in the Wildrose Way. Buckner’s gotten three Wildrose Labs — one for himself, one for his son [who went to Ole Miss] and one for his grandson,

so he’s more than qualified to be a part of a customer base he calls “the Wildrose community.” Buckner says his dog Rebel is the best duck dog at his club and swears the other members will vouch for him on that.

“Most of the non-Wildrose dogs I see in the field are pretty hyper and sometimes not very well-behaved in the blind, and that can be a problem,” says Buckner. “A big part of success in hunting is having total control over the dog.”

Buckner says Rebel has an “off switch” and can hang out at his office “with all the distractions going on without making a noise or disturbing anything, and then he’s capable of getting into the truck and going to the club and turning the switch back on in terms of high-powered performance in the field.”

Like Rayner, Buckner is a believer in the importance of the care Stewart takes to train owners.

Wildrose customers visit the Oxford facility for weekends at a time to learn how to properly handle their dogs. Stewart says being located in Oxford has worked out very well as an attractive community for folks from far away who are drawn to Wildrose.

Architect Heather Cass and her husband, Baltimore Ravens president Dick Cass, are both Yale graduates, so perhaps it’s natural that for a companion dog, they appreciate a Lab educated by the canine-training equivalent of an Ivy League professor.

Their last few dogs have been Labs, and a few years ago when her last Lab grew old, Heather Cass began contemplating how she could ever replace the beloved family member. The idea of starting over with a puppy in the home seemed daunting. That’s when she happened upon the Forbes article about Mike Stewart and Wildrose.

“I read it with interest, especially the part saying that they sell finished dogs,” Cass says. “One of the benefits of the whole investigation would be getting to come to Oxford because I’m a Faulkner fan and heard wonderful things about the town.”

About six months after the passing of her previous Lab in

2010, Cass visited Oxford and Wildrose Kennels.

She was floored by Stewart’s operation and impressed that he actually first asked her what she wanted out of a dog in her life.

He invited her to check out one of his handler workshops so Cass could get to know the Stewarts, and they could get to know her, to better begin developing a plan for the right dog for her. She used one of their dogs in a workshop to get a feel.

“A few months later, Jack arrived in our life, and the rest is history,” Cass says. “We could not be happier with him but more importantly with the whole experience.”

Breeding Business

In the mid-’90s, Stewart latched onto a succinct term: “Gentleman’s Gundog.” He picked up on it from a customer.

“I was training his dogs, and he mentioned that term one day,” Stewart says. “He was a stately gentleman with a big mustache. I thought, ‘I like that; I think I’ll keep it.’ It’s now the trademarked slogan of Wildrose Kennels, and Stewart says it helped gain his business a little more word-of-mouth.

“What kicked the can way down the road is when, in 2001, Ducks Unlimited gave us the contract for Drake, the first DU mascot,” Stewart says. “That was a huge long ball.”

The result was, Stewart says, that more people knew about Wildrose nationally in hunting circles than they did in Oxford.

Drake now shows grey hair on his chin and is joined at Wildrose

by Deke, the newer DU mascot.

“People come to Oxford and say, ‘We want to visit Wildrose,’ and people say, ‘What?’ They didn’t know where it was. Most [businesses] start locally and branch out; I did just the opposite.”

When Stewart retired from UPD in 2000, he had only one employee in his dog-training enterprise. He now has 14 to handle the many-pronged operation, including breeding puppies, training, running a full retail outfitter store on-site and an 1,800-square-foot vet-tech health care facility.

Spring 2014 33

“In the training, when we’re completely full, we manage about 100 dogs at one time,” Stewart says.

Training also isn’t limited to the Wildrose headquarters’ property in Lafayette County.

“We have now four facilities across the country. One is in northwest Arkansas on the Buffalo River, and we’re guests on a ranch in Colorado,” says Stewart. “The newest facility we just purchased … one of my partners and I are going to develop a duck-hunting operation in the Mississippi Delta. Each of those sites allows us to get realistic training for the dogs.”

In 2007, Stewart ventured outside the hunting dog paradigm, developing a training model for adventure dogs.

“That’s for people who don’t hunt that much, but the dogs complement a sporting lifestyle — hiking, biking, camping, canoeing.”

About five years ago came a third type of dog that Wildrose would produce: diabetic-alert dogs.

“We do a few of those, and it’s a nonprofit side of the company,” Stewart says of the Wildrose collaboration with the Tupelo-based CREATE Foundation.

The Other Side

“Our vet-tech staff works from 6:30 in the morning to 9:30 at night, seven days a week.”

What’s more, Wildrose raises its own flight birds for training dogs. Five trainers come from different parts of the country.

Some are Ole Miss alums, but the team includes staffers recruited from as far as Colorado and Wisconsin.

Originally, Wildrose’s scope was mostly breeding and some training, but training is now at least half of the operation.

34 Alumni Review

With all his success from what had been a lifelong hobby, Stewart offers some perspective from the other side for anyone mulling over the idea of turning a favorite hobby into a career.

“If you’re older in life and you want to follow a dream, and you have a passion — whether it’s a bicycle shop or pottery shop or whatever it is — get it going before you quit your day job,” he advises. “Do a good job there and get the other side going, and see if you can actually make a living at it. I was able to do that, and I was very fortunate.” AR Tad Wilkes (BA 94, JD 00) is a writer, lawyer and musician living in Oxford.

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Roar Roaring any think of Los Angeles as a fast-paced city full of bright lights and brighter careers, abuzz with red carpets, film and television cameras, and a thriving music scene. However, few are privy to what goes on behind the scenes to turn talented artists into stars.

Meet Bradford Cobb (BA 96), partner with Direct Management Group and manager for one of the biggest names in music, Katy Perry.

36 Alumni Review

Katy Perry and Bradford Cobb attend a Grammy party.

Spring 2014 37

“I do so many different things that it sounds ridiculous when I try to explain a typical day,” says Cobb. “It’s just all over the place, but I love it. You have to love it to be great at it, and I’m so grateful and blessed. It’s been an amazing journey so far.”

Cobb’s journey began more than a thousand miles away on the top floor of the Lyceum on the University of Mississippi campus.

my dad, who was very opposed to me being an English major, to minor in business as a compromise. I remember explaining to my dad how I was convinced that an English major was going to serve me well because it was a broad-based liberal arts education.

As a manager, you don’t need any particular unique skills, but first and foremost you have to be able to communicate the artist’s vision. My degree certainly helps me do that on a daily basis.”

The Go-Go's, pictured with manager Bradford Cobb, receive a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, August 12, 2011.

“I took an aptitude test in the Lyceum that basically asks you a bunch of questions and helps you determine the best career path for you,” Cobb says. “I was struggling with what I wanted to major in at the time and didn’t have a very clear idea of what I wanted to do. The test actually told me that I should be a flight attendant.”

While traveling on planes was not exactly on his radar at the time, Cobb took it all in stride and listened to the career counselor’s advice.

“I learned from that test that I’m going to need to travel, interact with people and constantly be doing something different because I would get really bored if my job is a repetitive job,” he says. “Those are the things that are going to interest me and keep me focused.”

As it turns out, the assessment could not have been more befitting.

Southern Roots

The son of a Mississippi Delta farmer, Cobb grew up in Tunica working alongside his father on their farm throughout high school and college.

“I came from a very small town in Mississippi and didn’t really think outside of a fairly small box at that point,” he says.

After graduating from the then Tunica Institute of Learning in 1992, Cobb enrolled at Ole Miss in the fall with an initial interest in medical school.

“I quickly realized my heart was not into that, so I jumped from that to an English major,” says Cobb. “I made a deal with

38 Alumni Review

A member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, Cobb quickly adjusted to the thriving social scene and academic rigors for which the university is known. He counts watching David Lynch movies at the Hoka Theatre, Grove concerts, intramural basketball and football games as some of his fondest memories of Ole Miss.

“I never thought of Ole Miss as a party school, and maybe I missed something, but I always thought of it as a social school, and I love that,” says Cobb. “It helps you learn how to interact with all different types of people. I found a lot of diversity at Ole Miss, and I made a lot of friends that I’m still close to today from all walks of life.”

While he met many people along the way who influenced his life, Cobb is quick to credit one professor in particular who served a key role in both his education and career path.

“Dr. Colby Kullman had a huge impact on me,” Cobb says.

“He really helped me develop writing skills and see the bigger picture just by opening my eyes to new ideas and possibilities.

You have these teachers that are willing to go the extra mile for you, and he went the extra mile for me.”

After taking several courses under Kullman, Cobb asked for his assistance in writing a resume and recommendation letters for internships.

“It was the summer before my senior year, and I was really kind of frantic, to be honest,” Cobb says. “I wanted to explore and try some things out before I ended up back on the farm. Dr. Kullman wrote over 60 recommendation letters for internships ranging from Jim Henson Productions in New York to the William Morris Agency in Los Angeles.”

LA Bound

After numerous offers, Cobb accepted the internship with the William Morris Agency — an opportunity too good to pass up.

“I was not aware at the time of sending my resume in for the internship that Sam Haskell (BA 77) had also graduated from Ole Miss and happened to be in the same fraternity,” Cobb says.

“He has that rare personality that allows him to connect with artists in a way that doesn’t come along very often,” Jensen says. “When you have someone like him who has intelligence, intuition and the ability to deal with artists’ personalities, you have the recipe for success in our business.”

Cobb added to the firm’s roster when he signed The Go-Go’s in 2003 and a little-known emerging artist, Katy Perry, the following year.

Dr. Colby Kullman had a huge impact on me.

He really helped me develop writing skills and see the bigger picture just by opening my eyes to new ideas and possibilities. You have these teachers that are willing to go the extra mile for you, and he went the extra mile for me.

—Bradford Cobb “He was worldwide head of television for William Morris, so obviously he had a lot of clout in helping get my internship.”

Haskell, chairman and CEO of the Miss America Organization and series developer at Warner Bros. Entertainment, recalls urging Cobb to follow his dreams.

“He was deciding whether or not he was going to go back into the family business or whether he was going to pursue his dreams in Hollywood,” Haskell says. “I remember sharing with him all the different people who tried to have an influence over me when I was his age and what I should and shouldn’t do. I told him he needed to go after his dream, and he did. He has done quite well, and I’m very proud of him.”

Cobb moved to LA in the summer of 1996 to complete his internship and returned to Ole Miss in the fall to finish his last semester.

His time at the William Morris Agency proved invaluable in helping him learn more about his career interests, particularly music management.

“I decided that I didn’t want to be an agent,” Cobb says.

“While television was interesting to me, my real passion was music. To me, music is the most kindred spirit to literature, and that‘s what I fell in love with at Ole Miss. I decided, rather than be an agent for musicians, I wanted to be a manager because they work more closely with the artists and handle their entire career.”

Cobb made several contacts within the music industry during his summer in LA, which led to a job offer with Direct Management Group, an international music management company that offers artistic and business services to a very select roster of artists.

Cobb began working for the firm in June 1998 as an assistant, eventually working his way up to partner alongside co-founders Steven Jensen and Martin Kirkup.

Perfect Pairing

“I started working with The B-52’s and essentially became their manager,” says Cobb. “I signed The Go-Go’s after meeting Belinda Carlyle on a trip to New Zealand with The B-52’s. Then in 2004, I met Katy Perry through Glen Ballard (BA 75), and we started working together immediately.”

Ballard, Grammy Award-winning songwriter and producer, met Perry in the early 2000s, when he signed her to his label, Java Records.

“She was turning 18 and had just signed to my label,” says Ballard. “She needed a manager. When I met Bradford, he was just starting out with his firm, and I instantly knew that he was a quality person. He was gracious, tough and smart at the same time and really believed in Katy as an artist. He’s a really effective manager who is always looking out for the artist.”

Cobb fondly recalls meeting Ballard, who needed no introduction. The two shared a strong bond to Ole Miss and got to know each other quickly.

“Glen was probably the first person who really believed in Katy Perry and her talent,” Cobb says. “He entrusted me with this prized student as he saw her, and I was so honored because Glen is incredibly successful. He actually used the words ‘pass the baton’ because he felt a responsibility to her. I think he was almost relieved to pass the management responsibilities to me so he could remain focused on artistic growth for Katy.”

Cobb will never forget the first time he met Katy in his office, when she was a young, energetic 19-year-old bursting with personality.

“She just blew past the receptionist and did cartwheels down the hallway, landing in the splits in my office,” Cobb says, laughing.

“That was her greeting on her first visit to Direct Management.

Spring 2014 39

She’s got an incredible sense of humor and personality.”

Ballard could not be more proud of the success Perry and Cobb have shared together.

“When I sort of paired him and Katy together, I thought that it could work — and boy was I right,” says Ballard. “Signing Katy and then getting him involved … if I ever did two things right, that was the two of them right there. I’m just so proud of everything that’s happening with them.”

While Cobb continues to be proud of Perry’s thriving career, he had a hunch early on that she would be a game changer.

“Perhaps I was a little naïve, but I promise you I really did believe she could be this big,” Cobb says. “I said this girl can be as big as Madonna. I’m sure some people thought I was crazy, and perhaps I was. You have to dream big, and she’s the biggest dreamer. I fell for it hook, line and sinker. Katy is incredibly savvy, and it’s definitely served her well.”

Katy surprised me on my 37th birthday on tour in Raleigh, N.C., along with my mother and father who flew in from Mississippi.

—Bradford Cobb From left: Tamra Natisin, Katy Perry, Bradford Cobb, Kim Hilton and Angela Hudson

True Talent

In an industry filled with excitement and uncertainty, the highs are as great as the lows at times.

The pressure to succeed can get to some, but for Cobb, it’s all part of the job. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“When you take on a new artist, you become very engaged,” Cobb says. “I feel a responsibility to succeed because I’m not just trying to succeed for myself — I have an artist who has dreams and ambitions. You don’t want to fail them, especially the ones who work as hard as you do and are passionate about what they do. You feel a deep sense of responsibility to do everything you can to help them succeed. That’s the only real pressure. You feel like you owe them your best.”

In a city filled with talent and creativity and artists vying for their chance to make it big, it’s important to know how to spot the “it” factor.

Fortunately for Cobb, he appears to have a sixth sense when it comes to spotting true talent.

“It’s not just the best songwriter, the best singer, the prettiest or the most poised — it’s all of that,” says Cobb. “There are intangibles such as the drive, the real hunger to succeed and the willingness to work as hard as the manager. To live, eat, sleep and breathe it if you have to. There have been more talented people, better songwriters and singers, but I wasn’t interested in managing them because they lacked that fire and intensity.”

Certainly, Perry is one of those talented artists who possesses the fire, determination and drive to succeed, having recently claimed the record for the most weeks at No. 1 in the 21-year history of Billboard’s Pop Songs radio airplay chart.

40 Alumni Review

Success Recognized

Always one to dream big, Cobb knew he had the drive to excel professionally but could never have predicted the path his career has taken.

Cobb was named to Billboard magazine’s 2013 40 Under 40 list and says he is humbled to be recognized in the company of successful executives.

“They gave it to me the very last year they possibly could,” Cobb jokes. “It’s a great group of people and a small group here in the music side of the entertainment business. I’ve developed great relationships with a lot of people, and I’m honored that they voted for me.”

In addition to professional relationships, Cobb has formed several friendships during his time in LA, many of which are with fellow Southerners such as alumnus Tate Taylor (BBA 91), director of the movie “The Help” (2011).

“He’s one of my best friends,” Cobb says. “Ironically, I met Tate, who introduced me to many of my Southern friends, at an Ole Miss football watch party on Sunset Boulevard. Those friendships have made me feel very at home.”

While he doesn’t know what the future holds, Cobb is certain he’s found his niche and plans to continue to manage artists.

“I honestly do love the music business, and I intend to stay in it for a very long time,” says Cobb. “As long as I can find [artists] I believe in who can say something positive to the world and contribute something positive — I want to manage them.” AR

Sports

Barrier Breakers MANNING CENTER FOYER NAMED FOR WILLIAMS, REED

O

le Miss Athletics is paying tribute to the contributions of Ben Williams (BBA 76) and James Reed (BPA 76), its first two African-American football student athletes, with the naming of the entrance of the Olivia and Archie Manning Athletics Performance Center in their honor.

“This is a significant and proud day for Ole Miss Athletics,” says Athletics Director Ross Bjork. “It is impossible to quantify the contributions of Ben Williams and James Reed to our university, athletics department and football program. They laid the foundation for diversity and sacrificed so much when they wore the Ole Miss uniform, and broke down the barriers on our campus and in the South as the first African-American football student athletes at the University of Mississippi.”

The Williams-Reed Football Foyer will welcome coaches, players and visitors as they enter the Manning Center.

“I could not be prouder to work in a building that will

Ben Williams 42 Alumni Review

include the names of Ben Williams and James Reed,” says Hugh Freeze, head football coach. “The contributions these men provided our great university are immeasurable. I’m thrilled they will forever be enshrined in our facility, and our student athletes can be reminded every day of the courage they displayed.”

Reed and Williams entered the Ole Miss campus in fall 1972.

Williams saw his first action as a true freshman that year, while Reed played on the Rebel freshman team and moved to varsity in 1973.

“I am so grateful to the university for this honor,” says Williams. “It is one of the greatest honors of my life and makes me proud to be an Ole Miss Rebel.”

Reed says, “My family, my friends and I are deeply honored to have the entryway of the Olivia and Archie Manning Athletics Performance Center named in our honor. It is indeed a blessing from God to receive this honor.” AR

James Reed

SEC Network Prepares for Launch FANS ENCOURAGED TO VISIT GETSECNETWORK.COM

W

ith spring football practice and spring sports in full swing, the SEC Network continues its march toward its Aug. 14 launch. The network recently added DISH as a nationwide carrier, joining AT&T U-verse, and announced Brent Musburger and Jesse Palmer as the lead college football game commentators.

“The DISH Network is a big piece,” says Chris Turner, senior director of SEC programming at ESPN. “It enables everyone to get the network at some point.

They can change their provider if they don’t already have DISH. You can say that it’s offered to a national audience.”

Fans are encouraged to sign up and inquire about the pending availability of the network at GetSECNetwork.com,

where they can punch in their ZIP codes and see whether their providers plan on carrying the channel. It will also show their provider how important it is to have access to the content on the SEC Network.

While DISH, U-Verse and National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC) are locked up, no agreements have been announced with any Mississippi cable providers at press time for this issue, further stressing the importance of signing up on the website.

The 24-hour SEC Network and its accompanying digital platform will air more than 1,000 live events during the 2014-15 athletics year, including 45-plus football games, 100 men’s basketball games, 75 baseball games, 60 women’s basketball games and 50 softball games.

“We have the benefit of being the primary rights holder for the SEC,” Turner says. “CBS is going to continue to have their selections, and they select those first.

We have the advantage that everything else falls to ESPN from that, so we have the ability to move games around and schedule them as we see fit. There is not really a pecking order. It is more a matter of making selections and placing games.”

On Aug. 28, the network will feature two football games exclusively — Texas A&M at South Carolina and Temple at Vanderbilt, as well as debut its traveling pregame show, “SEC Nation.” Similar to ESPN’s “College GameDay,” “SEC Nation” will air every Saturday during the fall but retain its own distinctive look and feel. – Austin Miller AR

Distinctive auto insurance— just because you belong.

Did you know that as a member or friend of the Ole Miss Alumni Association, you could save up to $427.96 or more on Liberty Mutual Auto Insurance?1 You could save even more if you also insure your home with us. Plus, you’ll receive quality coverage from a partner you can trust, with features and options that can include Accident Forgiveness2, New Car Replacement3, and Lifetime Repair Guarantee.4 CONTACT US TODAY TO START SAVING

This organization receives financial support for allowing Liberty Mutual to offer this auto and home insurance program.

1 Discounts are available where state laws and regulations allow, and may vary by state. Figure reflects average national savings for customers who switched to Liberty Mutual’s group auto and home program. Based on data collected between 1/1/2012 and 6/30/2012. Individual premiums and savings will vary. To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten; not all applicants may qualify. 2For qualifying customers only. Subject to terms and conditions of Liberty Mutual’s underwriting guidelines.

Not available in CA and may vary by state. 3Applies to a covered total loss. Your car must be less than one year old, have fewer than 15,000 miles and have had no previous owner. Does not apply to leased vehicles or motorcycles. Subject to applicable deductible.

Not available in NC or WY. 4Loss must be covered by your policy. Not available in AK. Coverage provided and underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliates, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA. © 2013 Liberty Mutual Insurance

(855) 353-2149

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LIBERTYMUTUAL.COM/OLEMISS VISIT YOUR LOCAL OFFICE

AUTO | HOME

Spring 2014 43

arts &

Culture has written three children’s books and has two more expected for release this year.

Ole Miss from A to Z b y Kathryn Hood, 59 pages, $23.95 (Hardcover), ISBN 9780989854825 Ole Miss from A to Z is a children’s book created to educate future Rebels about the University of Mississippi’s traditions, history, landmarks, sports, arts and academics. The indescribable mix of love, loyalty, pride and unforgettable fond memories that Ole Miss alumni feel in their hearts is communicated to children in rhyming verse and beautiful drawings.

Some letters in the book, “C” for example, express inspirational messages such as Chucky Mullins’ motto, “Never Quit!”

Others teach children about Ole Miss landmarks such as “L” for Lyceum and “G” for the Grove.

Kathryn Hood (BA 68) has a master’s degree in counseling from the College of William and Mary. She is a licensed professional counselor and a registered play therapist. Hood was in private practice as a child therapist in Mandeville, La., before returning to Oxford three years ago. She 44 Alumni Review

Receiving Grace in the Grove: A Story of Faith, Family, Financial Worries … and Some Football at Ole Miss by Fletcher Law, 136 pages, $11.99 (Paperback), ISBN: 9781462729210 Receiving Grace in the Grove shares the true story of Fletcher Law (BSPHPE 89, MEd 94), who left the University of Mississippi as a fraternity boy without a degree and went to work for his father’s Lincoln-Mercury dealership. He got married and expected a secure and prosperous future. After Law had spent just a few years of working in the family business, however, his father sold the dealership.

Law’s security was gone.

He and his wife decided to move back to Oxford so he could finish his degree at Ole Miss. The plan was that he would get his degree and then pursue his dream of being a high school head football coach.

With a baby on the way and great anxiety, the couple pressed on through great obstacles c o n c e r n i n g f a m i l y, finances and faith.

Receiving Grace in the Grove tells the story of how Law, through his journey, learned to trust in the providence of God. Law lives in his hometown of Gainesville, Ga. He earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School and has worked as a pastor, preacher, evangelist, chaplain, schoolteacher and football coach. He and his wife, Kay, have one son, Graham.

The Gossamer Nature of Random Things: A First Collection of Poems b y Howard Brown, 84 pages, $20.95 (Paperback), ISBN: 9781475952193 The Gossamer Nature of Random Things presents a collection of poems composed over 28 years by writer and poet Howard Brown (BA 65, JD 68).

These poems are based on the random observations and internal reflections of the author on a wide range of topics: from encounters with interesting people, to special places he has visited, to the unique nature of the moon and its cycles.

His poems reflect upon ever yday joys and sorrows — whether chronicling an enjoyable afternoon a t h i s d a u g h t e r ’s house listening to his grandchildren at play in “Alicia’s Backyard,” or musing over the futility of trying to hold onto the past in “Ghost.” The Gossamer Nature of Random Things provides an intimate look into the life and emotions of one man — a sort of personal journal in verse form.

Howard Brown was born in 1943 and grew up in New Albany. He spent most of his professional career practici n g e m p l oy m e n t a n d l a b o r l a w i n Memphis, Tenn. Now retired, he lives on Lookout Mountain, Tenn., with his wife, Ann. This is his first collection of poetry.

Information presented in this section is compiled from material provided by the publisher and/or author and does not necessarily represent the view of the Alumni Review or the Ole Miss Alumni Association. To present a recently published book or CD for consideration, please mail a copy with any descriptions and publishing information to: Ole Miss Alumni Review, Ole Miss Alumni Association, P.O. Box 1848, University, MS 38677. AR

OLE MISS NEEDS YOU! Do you have children or grandchildren whom you would like to attend Ole Miss? If so, help us get them here!

Students may sign up to join our mailing list by visiting www.olemiss.edu/vip.

Select “high school student,” “transfer student,” or “international student,” and complete the interest page. We will add you to our mailing list, and you will begin receiving correspondence from Ole Miss. After completing the form, you will be redirected to a webpage designed specifically for prospective students!

The University of Mississippi is committed to the core principles of a great American university: accessibility, excellence and leadership, and service.

2014

rebel

raveler T

the Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewis; the Neolithic Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae and Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands; and Edvard Grieg’s former home with private recital in Bergen. Edinburgh pre-cruise and Copenhagen post-cruise options are available. — From $3,995

Geiranger Fjord, Scottish Isles

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he Ole Miss Alumni Association is offering a number of spectacular trips for 2014.

Alumni and friends obtain group rates and discounts. All prices are per person, based on double occupancy and subject to change until booking.

Airfare is not included unless noted. For a brochure or more information, contact the Alumni office at 662-915-7375.

You also can find the most current and complete listing of trips and prices on the Ole Miss Alumni Association’s website at www.olemissalumni.com/travel.

46 Alumni Review

IN THE WAKE OF THE VIKINGS JUNE 13-21, 2014 Join us for a unique, comprehensive, nine-day journey to Scotland’s rarely visited Inner Hebridean, Orkney and Shetland islands and Norway’s majestic fjords. Cruise from Glasgow to Copenhagen aboard the exclusively chartered, five-star small ship M.S. Le Boréal. Travel in the wake of early Viking explorers, cruising into ports accessible only to small ships, and visit three UNESCO World Heritage sites. Highlights include Eilean Donan Castle on the Isle of Skye;

WATERWAYS OF RUSSIA JUNE 13-23, 2014 Join us for nine nights aboard the exclusively chartered, deluxe M.S. Volga Dream, the premier ship cruising Russia’s waterways. This carefully crafted itinerary highlights Russia’s two great cultural capitals — St. Petersburg, Czar Peter the Great’s “window on the West,” featuring a guided tour of the State Hermitage Museum, and the fabled city of Moscow, political and commercial capital of the world’s largest country. Cruise to the legendary open-air museum of Kizhi Island, the 14th-century monastery of Goritsy, medieval Yaroslavl and 10th-century Uglich, rustic remnants of old Russia.

Two-night St. Petersburg pre-cruise and two-night Moscow post-cruise options are available. — From $4,695 SAILING ALONG THE DALMATIAN COAST JUNE 18-26, 2014 Explore the Adriatic Sea’s stunning, island-dappled Dalmatian Coast on this seven-night cruise aboard the exclusively chartered, deluxe M.S. Le Soléal, which launched in 2013. Visit three countries and four UNESCO World Heritage sites on this comprehensive itinerary, including Diocletian’s Palace in Split, the medieval fortifications of Kotor in Montenegro and Dubrovnik’s perfectly restored Gothic and Romanesque

quarters. To further enhance your cruise, enjoy the exclusive Village Forum with local residents, a folk music performance on board and a specially arranged lecture on the restoration of Dubrovnik. Experience the art and romance of Venice on the two-night pre- or post-cruise options. — From $3,895 CHANGING TIDES OF HISTORY: CRUISING THE BALTIC SEA June 20-29, 2014 Experience the cultural rebirth of the Baltic States and the magnificent imperial riches of St. Petersburg on this remarkable six-country Baltic Sea program. By special arrangement, enjoy an enriching presentation by Lech Walesa, former president of Poland. Cruise for eight nights under the spectacular “White Nights of Summer” aboard the deluxe M.S. Le Boréal. Cruise from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Stockholm, Sweden, with shore excursions in Gdańsk, Poland; Tallinn, Estonia; Helsinki, Finland; and Visby, Sweden.

Spend two days in regal St. Petersburg, including an early opening tour of the Hermitage Museum and a visit to the Peter and Paul Fortress. Copenhagen pre-cruise and Stockholm post-cruise options are offered. — From $5,995

BALTIC TREASURES JUNE 20-JULY 1, 2014 Baltic treasures abound on this voyage to some of northern Europe’s most legendary ports aboard Oceania Cruises’ elegant Marina. Discover distant monarchies, Baroque palaces and stunning harbors as you cruise the Baltic Sea to Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Russia, Estonia and Sweden. Beginning in Copenhagen, sail to the delightful German port of Warnemünde and enjoy its lovely seaside promenade, or take a short drive to Berlin and view weathered remnants of the iconic Berlin Wall. Cruise to Lithuania, and stroll past charming timber-framed buildings in Klaipeda’s Old Town, and then proceed to Latvia’s capital Riga, a UNESCO World Heritage site dubbed the “Paris of the East.”

Head to the Finnish capital of Helsinki, a renowned international design mecca.

Delight in almost three full days to soak up St. Petersburg and explore its oniondomed cathedrals and fabled palaces, or head south on a day trip to Moscow, and visit famed sites such as Red Square and St. Basil’s Cathedral. Before concluding your journey in Stockholm, visit Estonia to admire Tallinn’s beautifully preserved medieval architecture. — From $3,999, including airfare

ICELAND AND THE NORTH SEA JULY 27-AUG. 8, 2014 Follow your explorer’s spirit to the rugged, mystic beauty of the North Sea. Highlights include Geiranger Fjord, the fairy islands of Shetland, Scotland and Faroe Islands in Denmark, and two ports in Iceland. Settle in with a dram of Scotch in the lively old seaport of Lerwick, then enjoy a relaxing day at sea before reaching the volcanic landscapes of Akureyri, Iceland. With an overnight stay, bask in Reykjavik’s nightlife, art scene and famous geothermal Blue Lagoon. Explore Viking lore and artifacts, and don’t miss the timber-and-stone buildings in the tiny village of Tinganes on Torshavn. You’ll also have a day in Kristiansand, a favorite Norwegian resort nicknamed “the coolest Riviera.” — From $4,399 ALASKAN FRONTIERS AND GLACIERS JULY 31-AUG. 10, 2014 Revel in the rugged, unspoiled beauty of Alaska, America’s last frontier as you sail its coastline aboard the elegant and intimate Oceania Cruises’ Regatta. Depart from Seattle, and sail through the scenic Seymour Narrows along Canada’s west coast to Alaska and the small wilderness outpost of Ketchikan, once known as the “Salmon Capital of the World.” Next is

Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska Spring 2014 47

2014 rebel

Traveler Belem Tower, Lisbon, Portugal

Alaska’s capital, Juneau, an exhilarating blend of nature and modern culture. Marvel at the spectacular Hubbard Glacier, the longest tidewater glacier in Alaska, followed by a visit to Icy Strait Point, a secluded seaport nestled in the pristine Alaskan wilderness. Continue to Sitka, an astoundingly picturesque city known for its many historic attractions, including the Sitka National Historical Park, which boasts a totem-lined forest trail, and visit Wrangell, one of the oldest settlements in Alaska. Sail south to Canada’s largest island and the lovely city of Victoria, a former British colony that has retained much of its colonial splendor, before disembarking in Vancouver. Savor the serene beauty of ancient glaciers, soaring mountains and exceptional wildlife on this Alaskan voyage. — From $2,999 TRADE ROUTES OF COASTAL IBERIA AUG. 15-23, 2014 This exclusive eight-day itinerary and small-ship voyage showcases the resplendent Iberian Peninsula and the coastal jewels of, and between, Lisbon, Portugal, and Barcelona, Spain. Cruise up Spain’s legendary Guadalquivir River, into the heart of beautiful Seville. Visit Portugal’s Algarve region and the city of Granada, Spain; see the scenic Strait of Gibraltar; and call on two of the enchanting Balearic Islands — Ibiza and Palma de Mallorca.

Visit four UNESCO World Heritage 48 Alumni Review

sites while cruising the ancient trade routes aboard the exclusively chartered, five-star, 45-stateroom M.V. Tere Moana.

A two-night Lisbon pre-cruise option and two-night Barcelona post-cruise option are offered. — From $4,995 PARIS TO PROVENCE: CRUISING THE RHONE RIVER SEPT. 1-9, 2014 This exclusive French sojourn features a two-night stay in enchanting Paris, travel aboard the famous TGV high-speed train to the Rhône Valley and a cruise through the world-famous Burgundy, Beaujolais and Provence wine regions.

Spend a day in Lyon, France’s gastronomique gateway, before embarking the exclusively chartered M.S. Amadeus Symphony, one of the finest ships to ply the waterways of Europe. Visit the Roman city of Orange, the historic Papal Palace of Avignon and the wonderfully preserved Roman Amphitheater in Arles.

A London pre-program option, with rail travel through the Chunnel to Paris, and Aix-en-Provence post-program option are offered. — From $3,995 SYMPHONY ON THE BLUE DANUBE: A CLASSICAL MUSIC CRUISE SEPT. 1-13, 2014 Visit six countries and up to eight UNESCO World Heritage sites on this exclusive journey to the cultural centers

that inspired classical music’s great masters.

This custom-designed itinerary includes three nights each in the medieval gems of Prague and Kraków and a five-night cruise on the legendary Blue Danube from Budapest, Hungary, to Passau, Germany, aboard the deluxe M.S. Amadeus Elegant.

Experience the musical heritage of Europe’s accomplished composers, including Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin. Enjoy a comprehensive schedule of exclusive expert lectures, classical music performances and guided excursions in Bratislava, Vienna, Dürnstein and Melk. A Budapest preprogram option and Warsaw post-program option are offered. — From $3,995 AUTUMN IN AMERICA’S HEARTLAND SEPT. 19-27, 2014 Experience the breathtaking beauty of autumn from Minnesota to Missouri along the Mississippi River: the brilliant red, yellow and orange foliage among limestone river bluffs, and the one-ofa-kind communities of classic riverside America. Begin with a hotel stay in St. Paul, a culturally rich city replete with fascinating museums and lovely parks, before boarding the grand American Queen, an authentic paddlewheel steamboat that brings to life the river lore of Mark Twain.

Cruise south to the picturesque town of Red Wing, and let the past come to life on a walking tour of its many historic sites.

Visit La Crosse, a Victorian architectural gem highlighted by towering bluffs and a scenic river walk. Take in a three-state fall vista in Dubuque, “Masterpiece on the Mississippi,” home to a vibrant revitalized riverfront, and revel in Davenport’s elegant parks and dynamic downtown on the banks of the Mississippi. Savor more river-town charm in Burlington, Iowa, home to Snake Alley, “the Crookedest Street in the World.” Continue to Mark Twain’s lovely boyhood home, Hannibal, Mo., a bountiful source of American lore, before Autumn in America’s Heartland concludes in St. Louis, with its famed, high-rising Gateway Arch dominating the cityscape. — From $2,549

Only YOU can help us grow higher!

Alumni Association membership has reached an all-time high. Plant the seeds for future growth by renewing your membership and encouraging your classmates, neighbors and friends to remain active.

Membership is open to graduates and non-graduates.

olemissalumni.com/join

News alumni

Welcome Aboard

2014 NEW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBERS

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he new members of the Alumni Association board of directors are involved in a wide range of careers and community organizations. One-third of the board is appointed each year by the Ole Miss Alumni Association president and serves a threeyear term.

Gary Anderson (BPA 78,

Irma Buchanan (BAEd 81) of Grenada is past president of the Grenada Junior Auxiliary, and has served as a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and co-chairman of the Joe Rowland Boys Home fundraiser. She served on the board of directors at Kirk Academy, where she cochaired the academy’s capital campaign in 2003. She serves as a board member on the Grenada Arts Partnership Association and is an active member of the Grenada Emmaus Community. She serves as secretary of the Grenada Chi Omega Alumnae Association.

Robert R. Bailess (BBA 73,

Josh Davis (BBA 99) serves as vice president of external affairs for the Delta Health Alliance. He previously worked for the University of Mississippi and was selected as the university’s Outstanding Staff Member in 2010. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Oxford Endowment for Public Education and is a past board member of the Lafayette County Literacy Council and Patricia Edwards Ashchoff Center for Victims of Domestic Violence.

MURP 80) is a financial consultant and lobbyist in Jackson. A former state chief fiscal officer and executive director of the Department of Finance and Administration for Mississippi, he has spent more than 30 years in the public and private sector in economic development and public finance. He is president of the Anderson Co. LLC and serves on the boards of One Voice Inc., Northwest Community College Foundation and the Mississippi Delta Strategic Compact.

He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity.

JD 76) is a Vicksburg attorney. He is a fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation and served as a member of the board of trustees of the foundation. He has served as a member of the Board of Bar Commissioners and the Commission on Judicial Performance. He is a past president of the Mississippi Bar Association, a member of the Lamar Order and served as a member and chairman of the Law Alumni Board. While at Ole Miss, he was a member of the football team and the M-Club.

50 Alumni Review

Darlene Gore (BAEd 74, MCD 76) is a speech-language pathologist and owner of Therapy Dynamics LLC. She lives in Grenada, where she served as president of Grenada Junior Auxiliary, Grenada Garden Club and is a board member of Grenada Arts Partnership and Joe Rowland Boys Home. She is past president of the Mississippi Speech-Language-Hearing Association. In 2011, she was selected Grenada Junior Auxiliary’s Woman of Distinction and has been honored by Grenada Business and Professional Women as Outstanding Business Woman.

Lawrence E. Hahn (JD 91) is a

partner with the law firm of McNeese & Hahn PLLC in Columbia. He is past director of the Columbia advisory board for the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club. He is currently attorney for the City of Columbia board of aldermen and attorney for the Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association board of directors.

Ryan Jones (BS 05) of Madi-

son is a pharmaceutical sales representative for Lilly USA. While at Ole Miss, he was a member of the football team and Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity. He serves on the Ole Miss M-Club board of directors and is past president of the Central Mississippi Ole Miss Rebel Club. He remains active with this group and other local community clubs.

Vicki R. Leggett (BBA 81, JD 84) is a partner in the law firm of Zachary & Leggett PLLC in Hattiesburg. She has served on the alumni board for the University of Mississippi’s School of Law, chairman of the Lamar Order and president of the South Central Mississippi Bar Association. She is a member of the A m e r i c a n B o a rd o f Tr i a l Advocates and is a fellow and trustee of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

Randy Long (BBA 79, JD 83)

is president of Long Wholes a l e Di s t r i b u t o r s In c . i n Corinth. While at Ole Miss, he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. He is a member of the Yocona Area Council Executive Committee of the Boy Scouts of America, Create board of directors and a longtime Rotarian. Current business affiliations include serving on the boards of directors for the Mississippi Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores Association, Mississippi Wholesale Distributors Association, Southern Association of Wholesale Distributors and American Wholesale Marketers Association.

Hal Moore (MD 76) is presi-

dent of Singing River Radiology Group in Pascagoula. He serves on the board of directors of the Merchants & Marine Bank and formerly served on the board of the Mississippi State Medical Association. He has served as chief of staff at Singing River Hospital. He is past president of the medical chapter of the Ole Miss Alumni Association.

Spring 2014 51

News alumni

Pam Perkins (BSB 75) is a

retired legal secretary in Moss Point. She is past president, secretary and board member of the Moss Point School District board of trustees. She is a member of the Rose Society of the Ole Miss Women’s Council for Philanthropy. While at Ole Miss, she was recipient of the Delta Sigma Pi Business Award and a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority.

John Wood Sample (BBA 69, MURP 71) is a real estate agent with Sample and Poole Properties in Oxford. He spent more than 30 years as co-owner of Sample, Hicks and Associates, a grant management consulting firm in Flowood, where he implemented numerous community and economic development projects in the state.

Micajah Sturdivant (BBA 01)

serves as president of MMI Hotel Group in Jackson. After completing his MBA at Harvard Business School in 2006, he returned to the family business serving hotel guests across the Southeast. While at Ole Miss, he was president of Phi D e l t a T h e t a Fr a t e r n i t y, inducted into the Hall of Fame, a Taylor medalist, member of the first class of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and an Associated Student Body officer.

John Wade (BBA 80, JD 83) is

a partner in the law firm of Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes in Jackson. While at Ole Miss, he was a member and officer of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. He is past president of the Central Mississippi Ole Miss Club and the Rebel Club of Jackson.

Debbie Smith (BA 74) is a

pediatrician with River Region Health System in Vicksburg. While at Ole Miss, she was a member of various academic honoraries including Phi Kappa Phi. She served as vice president of Mortar Board and received a Taylor Medal in chemistry. She has been a practicing pediatrician for more than 30 years and has served in various leadership roles. She is a past president of the River City Ole Miss Club.

52 Alumni Review

Darlene Washington (BA 80,

PhD 09) has worked as a speech-language pathologist in the public schools of Oxford and Austin, Texas, for m o re t h a n 2 0 ye a r s . Sh e served as a clinical supervisor and adjunct instructor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Ole Miss. She is presently the principal of Holly Springs Primary School and serves on the board of directors for Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi. While at Ole Miss, she was a member of the Pride of the South Marching Band, University Dancers and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

SAC students at the ASAP conference (back row, left to right) Nick Vonder Haar, Rob Pyron and Jack Hanson. (Front row, left to right) Britt Buchanan, Ana Gayle Christian and Sarah Bracy Penn

Student Alumni Council wins best external program award

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he Ole Miss Student Alumni Council (SAC) was awarded Most Outstanding External Program at the 2014 Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s (CASE) Affiliated Student Advancement Programs (ASAP) District 3 conference in Charleston, S.C., in February for its production of Bridging the Gap. Bridging the Gap is an alumni-student forum sponsored by the Ole Miss Alumni Association and SAC. Students are treated to insights and career advice from a diverse panel of successful professionals.

“This event has now been recognized with regional awards three times, which is a testament to the hard work our students put forth to hold this every year,” says Sheila Dossett, SAC adviser and senior associate director for the Alumni Association. AR Spring 2014 53

News alumni

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Sustaining Life Membership Program

he Sustaining Life Membership program is a voluntary way for current Life Members to provide additional annual support to the Ole Miss Alumni Association at one of several tax-deductible levels: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Blue and Red. These contributions are used to support necessary programs to engage Ole Miss alumni and friends and to help create future alumni leaders through student involvement, scholarship and leadership programs. For a listing of sustaining members by year, visit www.olemissalumni.com.

Fiscal Year 2014 Members Platinum $1,000+ The Hon. and Mrs. Haley R. Barbour Mr. and Mrs. Louis K. Brandt Mr. and Mrs. David E. Brevard Mr. Adam H. Broome Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin F. Burns III Mrs. Selena Burns Mr. and Mrs. Charles C. Clark Mr. W. M. Elliott Mr. and Mrs. S. Lawrence Farrington Mr. and Mrs. Roger M. Flynt Jr. Mr. Charles G. Gates Mr. and Mrs. Russell T. Harris Mr. and Mrs. Stephen D. Johnston Mr. and Mrs. David O. McCormick Mr. Matthew A. Mills Dr. and Mrs. Paul H. Moore Sr. Mr. W. Ashton Randall III Mrs. Donna Ruth Roberts Mr. and Mrs. Sean A. Tuohy Ms. Mary Virginia Watson Dr. and Mrs. Lynn K. Whittington

Gold $500-$999 Mr. and Mrs. Olen S. Akers Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Andrews Mr. and Mrs. Larry H. Bryan Ms. Angela D. Carney Mr. and Mrs. William D. Coleman Dr. Fred G. Corley Jr. Mr. William M. Dalehite Jr. Mrs. Sheila W. Dossett Mrs. Georgia McKenzie Ellison Mr. and Mrs. Charles D. Galey Mrs. Georgia J. Gatwood and Mr. Gene Gatwood Mr. and Mrs. John H. Geary Mr. and Mrs. T. Michael Glenn Mr. and Mrs. William W. Gresham III Mr. Larry J. Hardy Mrs. Patricia S. Hopson Dr. and Mrs. W. Briggs Hopson Jr. Dr. C. Hal Brunt and Mrs. Bernice H. Hussey Mr. and Mrs. Charles V. Imbler Mr. Joseph B. Lesso III Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. Maloney Mr. and Mrs. John A. McKinney Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Nance III Mr. and Mrs. Chris Newcomb Mr. Christopher Phillips Mr. and Mrs. George L. Price Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Quon Col. and Mrs. James W. Rice Jr. Mr. and Mrs. W. Marion Smith Mr. and Mrs. John B. Sneed II Dr. and Mrs. John C. Stitt

54 Alumni Review

Dr. Russell A. Stokes Mrs. Margaret J. Varshock Mr. and Mrs. Sandy Williams

Silver $250-$499 Mr. and Mrs. Samuel F. Alexander Dr. and Mrs. George L. Arrington Jr. Dr. Antrece Lynette Baggett Ms. Kathryn B. Black Mr. Walter M. Bounds Jr. Dr. Charlie H. Bridges Mr. Jason J. Cobb Ms. Pamela J. Cox Mrs. Elisabeth B. Culbertson Dr. James W. Davis Dr. and Mrs. David N. Duddleston Mr. Ernest R. Duff Mr. and Mrs. Howard T. Ferguson Jr. Lt. Col. Robert B. and Mrs. Kathleen F. Gann Mr. Tyrus Cobb Gibbs Dr. and Mrs. Walter M. Gorton Mrs. Laura L. Gradolf Mr. Kerry W. Hamilton Mr. and Mrs. George D. Hightower III Mr. and Mrs. Hardy M. Hill Mr. William H. Howard III Mr. and Mrs. Donald D. Jones Mr. and Mrs. Walker W. Jones III Mr. Carroll A. Kemp Jr. Mr. Rudolf G. Kittlitz Jr. Mrs. Amy Jarrett Lane Mr. and Mrs. Greg S. Lane Mr. and Mrs. Jon V. Lewis Dr. Scott F. Long Dr. Robert A. Magarian Mr. and Mrs. William T. Mays Jr. Mr. Charles R. Moore Mr. and Mrs. G. T. Morgan Mr. and Mrs. Mike Overstreet Mr. Brad Pittman Mr. and Mrs. Gary L. Ramsay Mr. and Mrs. Rodney A. Ray Mr. Donald B. Samuels Mr. and Mrs. Robert Seibels III Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Shaw Mr. and Mrs. Curtis L. Simon Mrs. Lisa Puckett Sinders Ms. Joan Stevens Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Stevens Mrs. Jennifer Ingram Wilkinson Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth W. Williams

Blue $100-$249 Mr. Benjamin F. Adams III Mr. Curtis B. Alexander

Mr. and Mrs. John Warner Alford Jr. Mr. Sidney P. Allen Jr. Ms. Carol T. Barnes Mr. and Mrs. Harris H. Barnes III Mr. and Mrs. Henry Beneke III Mrs. Gage M. Black Mr. Cornelius H. Block Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Boggan Mr. Edward S. Bopp Dr. John W. Bowlin Mrs. Callie S. Brandon Mrs. Cynthia Lee Brewer Mr. and Mrs. James L. Brown Mr. and Mrs. Kirk A. Brown Ms. Irma Paris Buchanan Ms. Inez O. Cameron Dr. Gary D. Carr Dr. David K. Carter Mr. Timothy J. Carter Mrs. Brenda L. Case Mr. and Mrs. John S. Case Mr. and Mrs. Mark J. Chaney Sr. Dr. Craig A. Cole Dr. Diann W. Coleman Mr. Henry D. Colotta Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Cook Mr. George P. Cossar III Mr. and Mrs. Mark J. Cowart Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Cox Mr. David A. Deterly Jr. Mr. John A. Dupps Mr. and Mrs. Hampton D. Dye The Hon. and Mrs. Robert W. Elliott Sr. Mr. Joe M. Enoch Dr. Charles Farris Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Brooke Ferris Mrs. Michelle D. Field Dr. and Mrs. Samuel E. Field Jr. Mrs. Lisa L. Gabbard Mr. Karl D. Gottschalk Mr. William F. Hagan Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Hancock Jr. Drs. Harold E. and Carole B. Haney Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Charles Harbison Mr. and Mrs. William V. Harris Jr. Mr. Ray A. Hawkins Mr. and Mrs. Mike Henry Dr. and Mrs. John E. Hill Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Hillyer Mr. Joseph M. Hinshaw III Dr. and Mrs. John C. Holder Mrs. Donna M. Holdiness Mrs. Jeannie Blair Hood Mr. and Mrs. Carson M. Hughes Dr. Calvin T. Hull Mrs. Trentice G. Imbler Mrs. Magdalena B. James Mr. and Mrs. William M. James

Mr. and Mrs. Augustus R. Jones Mrs. Judy Jones Mr. and Mrs. Ted Jones Mr. and Mrs. Michael C. Jurgensen Mr. and Mrs. Harold C. Kelly Mrs. Doris C. Landon Mr. and Mrs. John B. Laney Jr. Mr. James R. Langston Mr. and Mrs. Preston H. Lee Jr. Mrs. Barbera H. Liddon Dr. William E. Loper III Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Lusco Dr. and Mrs. Fred M. Massey Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Mattei Dr. and Mrs. Philips R. McCarty Dr. Thomas J. McDonald Sr. Mr. James L. McDowell Jr. Ms. Margaret E. McGuire Mr. Prentiss C. McLaurin Jr. Dr. Fred L. McMillan Jr. and Mrs. Loni Eustace-McMillan Mr. and Mrs. Howard L. McMillan Jr. Mr. Lattimore M. Michael Drs. Charles E. and Judy T. Moore Jr. Mr. Herbert Kirkland Moore Jr. Mrs. Joan Bat Moore Mr. and Mrs. Markeeva A. Morgan Dr. and Mrs. Lee D. Morris Mrs. Tommie Netterville-Blackmon Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Norwood Mr. and Mrs. Wayne C. Oglesby Ms. Melody C. Patterson

Mr. Edward P. Peacock III Mrs. Sue M. Pearson Dr. Thomas H. Pearson Jr. Mr. James A. Peden Jr. Mr. Howard A. Putman Mr. and Mrs. Lee W. Randall Mr. and Mrs. William M. Renovich Mr. James J. Rester Mr. and Mrs. Julius M. Ridgway Dr. Robert E. Ringer Dr. Gerald M. Robertson Mr. John M. Rylee Mrs. Beth W. Schibler Mr. Eugene R. Schnierle Mr. John R. Schwalje Mr. and Mrs. David C. Shaw Mrs. Susan P. Shaw Mr. Jimmie H. Short Dr. and Mrs. Thomas R. Singley Mr. and Mrs. Hal B. Southward Jr. Capt. Jack F. Speed Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Gordon L. Stanfield Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey B. Strouse Dr. and Mrs. John H. Sumners Mr. Lawrence D. Terrell Dr. and Mrs. Ancel C. Tipton Jr. Drs. Jackey D. and Betty H. Turner Mr. and Mrs. James A. Ventress Mrs. Marsha D. Williams Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Witty Mr. Michael W. Wright and Mrs. Vickie M. Cook Dr. and Mrs. Travis W. Yates

Red $1-$99 Mr. and Mrs. Jason V. Calvasina Dr. Neal G. Clement Mr. Johnnie Todd Dawson Mr. and Mrs. Jon Desler Ms. Janella M. Evers Col. and Mrs. John J. Franco Jr. Mr. Joseph W. Gex II Mr. and Mrs. James E. Hickman Mrs. Jean H. Holmes Mr. Charles L. Leemon III Mr. and Mrs. Michael F. Martin Mr. Marshall F. McLaughlin Dr. and Mrs. John C. McMullan Mr. and Mrs. Glen A. Murphy Mr. Oliver M. Oates Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Michael M. Perry Dr. Kenneth H. Pope Mr. Bernard L. Royce Dr. and Mrs. Dave A. Russell Mrs. Susan S. Sbarra Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Sloan Mrs. Alice J. Smith Mr. Garry L. Stanford Mr. William E. Stitt Mrs. Ashley G. Thompson CDR and Mrs. Douglas R. Thompson Mr. and Mrs. Russell D. Thompson Mrs. Anne J. Wilbourne Mr. Mark J. Wright Mr. Jerry H. Yeoman II

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Spring 2014 55

News alumni

Class Notes ’60s

Lucy Thrower (MCS 66) of Florence, S.C., received an honorary doctorate from the Frances Marion University board of trustees.

Jim Weatherly (66) of Brentwood, Tenn., was selected for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Ralph E. Young Jr. (BBA 65, JD 67) of Meridian has served on the board of trustees of Meridian Community College for 30 years and was honored by the college by having its newest campus building dedicated as the Ralph E. Young Jr. Center for Adult Basic Education.

’70s

Rear Adm. James A. Barnett Jr. (Ret.) (BA 76, JD 84) was named partner and co-chair of Venable LLP’s Telecommunications Group in Washington, D.C.

James D. Bell (BAEd 75, JD 77) of Jackson was awarded the silver medal in the Feathered Quill Book Awards for his novel Vampire Defense.

The Hon. Stephen C. Clarke (JD 73) of Cedar Falls, Iowa, received the 2013 Iowa Judges Association Award of Merit.

Jere T. Humphreys (BM 71), professor of music at Arizona State University, completed a threeyear term on the University of Michigan School of Theatre & Dance alumni governing board.

Jerry L. Levens (BBA 78) of Gulfport became a fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors. He serves as director on the board of Hancock Holding Co. The Hon. Ronnie Musgrove (BBA 78, JD 81) of Madison joined the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health as the inaugural senior policy scholar in the Department of Health Policy and Management.

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Harry M. Paslay (BA 74, MURP 76) of Dallas is serving as assistant manager of child nutrition services at CitySquare, an organization addressing homelessness and food insecurity issues in the Dallas metroplex.

’80s

Thelma Curry (BPA 81) of the University Police Department was selected the 2013 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year by the Lafayette County Law Enforcement Officers Association.

Stephen Jumper (BBA 85) of Clemmons, N.C., participated in International Commission’s (IC) mission project in Phuket, Thailand.

Henry Roop (BA 80), offensive lineman for the Jackson-based Mississippi Maddogs, was the first Mississippian to be inducted into the AAA Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is the oldest person to play/start in the AAA Semi-Pro All-Star Football game.

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56 Alumni Review

’90s

Ryan Beckett ( JD 99) was appointed to serve as chairman of the Mississippi Tort Claims Board. He practices law in the Jackson office of Butler, Snow, O’Mara, Stevens & Cannada PLLC. Bradley Best (JD 95), managing partner at Holcomb, Dunbar, Watts, Best, Masters & Golman in Oxford, was chosen the winner of the 2014 Corporate INTL magazine Global Award “Civil Trial Attorney of the Year in Mississippi.”

Hilary Burroughs (BSES 98), manager of marketing at Laurel-based Sanderson Farms Inc., joined the association’s statewide board of directors.

Melissa T. Carleton (BA 90, JD 93), deputy attorney general for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in Philadelphia, was elected to the Mississippi Bar’s board of commissioners.

Tammra Cascio (JD 95) joined the Madison office of Heidelberg Steinberger Colmer & Burrow PA. She will remain general counsel for Gulf Guaranty Life Insurance Co. Xavier Alexander Cole (BA 92) of Baltimore, Md., was selected vice president of student affairs for Washington College in Chestertown, Md. Lloyd A. Holmes (BAccy 92, MEd 93, PhD 02) was named vice president for student services at Monroe Community College in Rochester, N.Y. Lee Hon (JD 90) was re-elected to a third term as the criminal district attorney of Polk County, Texas.

Dr. Michael R. McMullan (MD 91) of Ridgeland returned to the University of Mississippi Medical Center to direct a program offering specialized care to adults with congenital heart disease.

Greg Murphey (BAccy 93), CPA, has relocated from Jackson to Baton Rouge, La., to become chief financial officer of Level Homes, a regional residential development and home building company.

Jody Neyman (BPA 93, JD 96), an attorney in the Hernando office of Smith Phillips Mitchell Scott & Nowak LLP, was elected to the Mississippi Bar’s board of commissioners.

Jason Lewis Walton (BA 96, MEd 99) was appointed the sixth head of school at Jackson Preparatory School.

’00s

Paul T. Beckmann (BBA 03, JD 06) of Mobile was named a member of Hand Arendall LLC. H. Case Embry (BBA 03, JD 06) was named a member in the Oxford office of Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan PLLC. His areas of practice include construction law, general liability, insurance coverage and defense, product liability and workers’ compensation.

Kate Mauldin Embry (BBA 04, JD 07) is an associate in the Oxford law firm of Mayo Mallette.

John Herzog (BA 04) joined the Nashville office of Butler Snow LLP as a member of the firm’s government relations group.

Rob King (BAccy 08), a shareholder with the Koerber Co. PA, in Hattiesburg, was selected as one of the Mississippi Business Journal’s 2014 “Top 40 Under 40 Business Leaders.”

Ann Marie Mayers Pate (JD 07) of Cleveland was elected a director of the Young Lawyers Division of the Mississippi Bar. Whitney C. Pegues (BBA 09) of Tupelo joined the staff of W.E. Pegues Funeral Directors.

Nicholas J. Pierotti (BA 06) joined Memphis-based Thomas Family Law Firm PLC as an attorney.

Alex Sanders (MAccy 01), CPA, was promoted to senior manager of the Oxford office of GranthamPoole CPAs.

’10s

Maranda Jordan (BSN 13) of Brookhaven launched a fundraiser, “Keep Our Kids Cool,” to purchase thermometers for the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Pediatric Emergency Department to hand out to patients.

Tyler Wilson (BSGE 13), civil designer, joined Hanson Professional Services Inc.’s St. Louis regional office, serving the firm’s railway market.

Friends and Faculty

Jim Koerber, a shareholder in the Hattiesburg CPA firm of Koerber Co. P.A., received the 2013 Accredited in Business Valuation Champion of the Year Award from the American Institute of CPAs.

Spring 2014 57

News alumni

WEDDINGS Rachel Alexandria Dillard (BSN 10) and Charles Andrew Walker (BSME 10, MBA 12), Feb. 1, 2014.

Rachael Elise Garrett (BA 08) and Carl Canfield Jr., Jan. 18, 2014.

Alaina Brooke King and William D. Anderson (BA 11), Dec. 14, 2013.

Lauren Elizabeth Walker (BBA 09) and Nicholas Paul Conway (BBA 09), Jan. 11, 2014.

BIRTHS Ernest Edgar IV, son of Margo A. Coleman (BA 98) and Ernest Coleman III (BBA 98), Oct. 29, 2013.

George Robert Hall (USAF, Ret.) (49) of Hattiesburg, Feb. 16, 2014 Robert Louis Harbour (BA 48) of Baton Rouge, La., March 7, 2014 Wanza Byron Inmon (BA 40) of Madison, Jan. 8, 2014 Fred Conner Latham (46) of Lakeland, Fla., Jan. 26, 2014 Theodore Thomas Lewis (MedCert 48) of Charleston, Jan. 6, 2014 Quitman H. McDaniel Jr. (BSPh 49) of Port Gibson, March 7, 2014 H. B. Mayes McGehee (LLB 48) of Meadville, Jan. 21, 2014 Martha Moe McQuinn (BA 48) of Jackson, Jan. 23, 2014 Floyce Lee Mounce (BBA 49) of Pontotoc, Jan. 17, 2014 Paul Melvin Newton Sr. (BBA 48, LLB 51) of Gulfport, Feb. 10, 2014

Cooper Charles, son of Amy Elizabeth Green (BA 01, MA 03) and Chad Martin Green, Sept. 23, 2013.

Emily McLendon Smith (BSC 46) of Indianola, Dec. 18, 2013

Caleb Beck, son of Katina Lee Leland (MEd 03, SpecEd 05, EdD 09) and Tejuan Tyree Leland (BSEE 08), Jan. 22, 2014.

Adelyn Gerald Stokes (48) of Greenville, Feb. 19, 2014

Lucy Thomas, daughter of Abby McGrew Manning (BSFCS 05) and Elisha Nelson Manning (BBA 03), June 17, 2013.

Annabelle Lee, daughter of Laura Hipp Mayer and Gregg Mayer (JD 06), Nov. 12, 2013.

Murphy William and Mae McCarty, twins of Kate Moran Meisenheimer (BSFCS 07) and Drew Meisenheimer (BBA 05), Nov. 23, 2013.

Patrick Davis Smith (BA 47, MA 59) of Merritt Island, Fla., Jan. 26, 2014 Bernard Leftwich Trippett (BBA 49) of Potomac, Md., Dec. 29, 2013 Wilma Pauline Sowell Wheeler (BAEd 49, MEd 58) of Golden, Jan. 29, 2014 1950s Dennis Murphree Baker (LLB 53) of Batesville, Feb. 10, 2014 Donald Ray Berry (MedCert 52) of Picayune, Jan. 17, 2014

Aaron Edward, son of Lindsey K. Meisenheimer (BSFCS 06, MA 10) and Edward Tyler Meisenheimer (BBA 06, MBA 07), Feb. 12, 2013.

Dorothy Ellen Bizzell (MEd 51) of Germantown, Tenn., Feb. 23, 2014

Jude Collins, son of Kristi E. Robison (BA 99) and Micah C. Robison, Dec. 19, 2013.

Mark W. Burdette (BBA 58) of Hayden, Ala., March 18, 2014

Mary Olive, daughter of Lauren Hughes Smith (BBA 06) and Jack William Smith (BBA 06), Feb. 11, 2014.

Edward Milton Collins (MEd 54) of Alvaton, Ky., April 14, 2013

Cedric Jermaine II, son of Keyana Renee Washington (BS 02) and Cedric Jermaine Washington (BBA 02), Jan. 21, 2014.

Allen Bodron (BSCvE 50) of Heber Springs, Ark., Jan. 9, 2014 Cyril Mantel Clay (MS 59) of Louisville, Feb. 13, 2014 Wentworth Henry Corley Jr. (BSC 57) of Jackson, Dec. 24, 2013 Joann Ray Craig (BAEd 53, MEd 60) of Florence, Jan. 8, 2014 Clinton A. Davis Jr. (BA 56, LLB 59) of Natchez, Dec. 24, 2013 Wilford Cleve Doss Jr. (MedCert 51) of Florence, Ala., March 14, 2014

IN MEMORIAM

Jesse Winston Eavenson (BBA 50, LLB 51) of Middletown, N.J., Jan. 8, 2014 Kenneth Farragut Jr. (MEd 51, BSHPE 51) of Lafayette Hill, Pa., Feb. 16, 2014

1930s Mary McLean Evans (38) of Jackson, Jan. 28, 2014

Robert Leslie Flinn (BAEd 57, MEd 61) of Hernando, Feb. 21, 2014

John Weisser Lehnhardt (BSHPE 39) of Rogue River, Ore., Jan. 17, 2014

James Joseph Gallagher (57) of Vero Beach, Fla., Feb. 1, 2014

Lucile Wright Smith (BA 34) of Horse Shoe, N.C., March 19, 2014

John Kuykendall Gordon (BBA 52) of Memphis, Tenn., Dec. 20, 2013

Jeanie Fontaine Stubblefield (MedCert 39, MCS 65) of Alexandria, Va., Jan. 18, 2014

Robert John Grady (BSGE 51) of Hot Springs Village, Ark., March 17, 2014

1940s Claude L. Austin (BA 40, BS 43, MedCert 44) of Hattiesburg, Feb. 20, 2014 Taylor D. Buntin Jr. (BA 48) of West Memphis, Ark., Jan. 10, 2014 Giles Augustus Coors Jr. (47) of Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 11, 2014 William Ephraim Cresswell (LLB 48) of Springfield, Va., Jan. 29, 2014 Effie Overbey Duke (BA 45) of Columbia, Tenn., Jan. 4, 2014 Wyndham Burton Fletcher Jr. (45) of Madison, Jan. 27, 2014 Raymond Tobias Furr Jr. (BSPh 49) of Shreveport, La., Dec. 20, 2013 Ralph Milton Garrard (BS 47) of Montgomery, Ala., Jan. 8, 2014 Joseph Webster Gary (BBA 49) of Belden, Dec. 21, 2013 Martha Kennedy Gordon (MS 40) of Morton, Jan. 11, 2014 58 Alumni Review

Lory Mayfield Frey Jr. (MEd 52) of Monroe, La., Dec. 22, 2013

William E. Harreld Jr. (BAEd 51) of Canton, Jan. 15, 2014 Burnett Royal Hickey Jr. (BA 52, BSPh 57) of Jackson, Tenn., Jan. 30, 2014 Thesta Walker Hogan (MA 59) of Denton, Texas, Dec. 30, 2013 Mary Purser Hughey (BAEd 50) of Jackson, Feb. 27, 2014 Robert Winston Jarvis (BSHPE 54, MEd 57) of Eutaw, Ala., Feb. 18, 2014 Bobbye Franks Jones (BSC 53, MBEd 55) of Tupelo, Feb. 1, 2014 L.C. Jones (BS 57) of Amory, Feb. 18, 2014 Gerald Clyde Lawrence (BSHPE 54) of Montgomery, Ala., Feb. 4, 2014 Henry Lathan Laws II (BS 54, MedCert 54) of Clanton, Ala., Feb. 25, 2014 Alice Pettis Lemons (BAEd 51) of Reno, Nev., Feb. 13, 2014 Leon Eugene Lewis Jr. (BBA 52) of Jackson, Jan. 3, 2014 Catherine Johnston Mallette (BA 52) of Ridgeland, Jan. 2, 2014

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Spring 2014 59

News alumni

Thomas John Mallette (LLB 53) of Ridgeland, Dec. 18, 2013

Benjamin Franklin Martin III (BA 60, MD 66) of Holly Springs, Feb. 23, 2014

Michael Murphy Marshall (BSChE 52) of Woodinville, Wash., Feb. 26, 2013

Mary McCarty McGuffee (MBEd 61, MLS 66) of Jackson, Feb. 12, 2014

Edwin Bernard Massey Jr. (BA 56, MA 66) of Berkeley, Calif., Dec. 26, 2013

Herbert Kirkland Moore Jr. (BA 60, LLB 62) of Senatobia, Dec. 25, 2013

Doyle Wayne McCully (BSCvE 58) of Bettendorf, Iowa, Feb. 12, 2014

William Andrew Morgan (BBA 64) of Coffeeville, Jan. 13, 2014

Julius Ransom McLaurin (MS 50) of Alexandria, La., Jan. 10, 2014

Margaret White Petrey (BA 61) of Dallas, Texas, Sept. 10, 2013

Frank Douglas Montague Jr. (LLB 50, BSCvE 51) of Hattiesburg, Dec. 22, 2013

George Clemons Pittman (MA 60, PhD 67) of Aledo, Texas, Jan. 1, 2014

Jason Adams Niles (BSPh 51) of Birmingham, Ala., Feb. 22, 2014

Duane Keith Rorie (PhD 65) of Rochester, Minn., Feb. 19, 2014

Patsy Clark Pace (MA 50, MLS 67) of Aberdeen, Jan. 29, 2014

Vernon Michael Tubbs (BBA 69) of Water Valley, Feb. 10, 2014

Rebecca Prichard Peebles (BA 50) of Horseshoe Bay, Texas, Jan. 11, 2014

Nolan Stewart Vaughan Jr. (66) of Tulsa, Okla., Jan. 12, 2014

James Emory Price Jr. (LLB 50) of Corinth, Feb. 1, 2014

Pervie Ladale Weeks (BBA 60) of Calhoun City, March 4, 2014

Oren Warren Russell (BSJ 53) of Baton Rouge, La., Feb. 4, 2014

Michael Shannon West (BBA 69) of Pensacola, Fla., Feb. 2, 2014

David Martin Sessums (MEd 54) of Jackson, March 13, 2014

Gwen Williams (BAEd 60, MEd 64) of Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 2, 2014

Kathryn Rodgers Speer (56) of Centennial, Colo., Jan. 24, 2014 James Lee Thornton (MD 59) of New Albany, Jan. 12, 2014 Sally Williams Wilson (MA 55, MBEd 67) of Goodman, Feb. 7, 2014

1970s Mary McCarty Arnold (BAEd 70) of Tupelo, March 6, 2014 Alamada Bollier Barrett (MA 72) of Cambria, Calif., Nov. 17, 2013

1960s Guntis Barenis (BFA 66, MFA 71) of Saint Petersburg, Fla., Dec. 24, 2013

Patricia Edwards Berry (Cert 74) of Columbus, Feb. 22, 2014

Paul Jonathan Barlow (MURP 69) of Clinton, Dec. 25, 2013

James V. Burnside (EdD 70) of Carthage, Dec. 22, 2013

Bernard Hess Booth III (BS 65, JD 98) of Madison, Jan. 8, 2014

Georgia Mae Callicott (BAEd 73) of Como, Dec. 30, 2013

Frank Whitty Bratt (BA 67) of Covington, Tenn., Oct. 19, 2013

Bobby Joe Clements (BBA 77) of Bruce, Jan. 4, 2014

William Thomas Caldwell (BSHPE 60) of Knoxville, Tenn., Feb. 2, 2014

Woodrow Wilson Defore Jr. (MD 72) of Oxford, Jan. 6, 2014

James Boyce Carlin (EdD 69) of Debary, Fla., Dec. 20, 2013

Ernest Levi Doty (MEd 71) of Otisco, Ind., Nov. 12, 2013

Richard Butler Carothers III (BBA 66) of Oxford, Jan. 16, 2014

John Daniel Ferguson III (MCS 78, MD 78) of Sarasota, Fla., Jan. 19, 2014

William Lee Champion (63) of Madison, March 3, 2014

William Henry Garrett III (BBA 79) of Clarksdale, Feb. 24, 2014

Harriet Cox Cockrell (BSHPE 65) of Orange Beach, Ala., March 9, 2014

Davis Goon (BBA 75) of Clarksdale, Dec. 26, 2013

Elizabeth Rebecca Conner (MEd 60) of Cutler Bay, Fla., Feb. 24, 2014

Robert Russell Haney (PhD 71) of Saint Marys, Ga., March 9, 2014

James L. Crook (BBA 65) of Owensville, Mo., Dec. 10, 2013

Dan Hodges (BA 72, JD 78) of Katy, Texas, Jan. 1, 2014

Edward Robert Daley (BSCvE 61) of Jackson, Feb. 18, 2014

Frederick Wayne Hollis (BSHPE 72) of Oxford, Ala., Jan. 27, 2014

Michael Roy Dean (BFA 66, MFA 73) of Brandon, Dec. 19, 2013

William Slater Hollis (PhD 72) of Palm Harbor, Fla., Sept. 2, 2013

Robert A. DeMetz Sr. (JD 65) of Peachtree City, Ga., Feb. 24, 2014

Garland Hamilton Holloman Jr. (PhD 70, MD 73) of Jackson, Feb. 7, 2014

Walter Terry Donaldson (BBA 63) of Pontotoc, Jan. 26, 2014

Christopher Church Holman (BBA 76) of Falls Church, Va., Feb. 12, 2014

Ned Arnold Feltenstein (BBA 68) of Tupelo, Dec. 22, 2013

Cathy Crabb Johnson (BAEd 75) of Rienzi, Feb. 13, 2014

William Percy Galbreath (69) of Germantown, Tenn., Jan. 18, 2014

Kristi Williams Kitchens (BAEd 79) of Germantown, Tenn., March 15, 2014

Joe Stanley Garzik Jr. (BS 65) of New Bern, N.C., Nov. 3, 2013

Susan Greenwell Ladner (BAEd 71) of Bay Saint Louis, Feb. 12, 2014

Douglas F. Harrington (BM 60) of Jackson, Feb. 10, 2014

James Jerry Langford (JD 70) of Madison, Dec. 27, 2013

Dorothy Turnage Hightower (62) of Oak Ridge, Tenn., Feb. 26, 2014

Susan McMillin Lawson (BSN 79) of Louisville, Feb. 13, 2014

Pearl Cullifer Hojnacki (MEd 63) of Tampa, Fla., Feb. 16, 2014

Arlene Thomas Lawver (MEd 70) of Lakeland, Fla., Jan. 8, 2014

Donald E. Holloway (BBA 60) of Water Valley, Feb. 1, 2014

Jerry Wayne Leslie (BSW 77) of Austin, Texas, Jan. 9, 2014

Roy T. Hon (MEd 68) of Poplar Bluff, Mo., June 1, 2012 Susan Shoemaker Hume (BAEd 66, MEd 68) of Fort Payne, Ala., Jan. 15, 2014

William Marlin Bost Sr. (EdD 70) of Starkville, Feb. 28, 2014

Linda Marie Lupean (Cert 75) of Carnegie, Pa., Jan. 11, 2014

Louise Mitchell James (MBEd 62) of Star City, Ark., June 19, 2013

Robert Lee Maniece (BA 78, MEd 89, SpecEd 91) of Springfield, Ill., Jan. 31, 2013

Bettye Simmons Jolly (BA 65) of Jackson, Feb. 18, 2014

Susie Mitchell Marshall (MEd 73) of Oxford, Dec. 25, 2013

David Allan Jones (BS 65) of Sebring, Ohio, March 7, 2014

Gary Allen Nelson (MD 70) of Clinton, Feb. 1, 2014

Robert Lee Kreilein (BBA 66) of Campbellsville, Ky., Jan. 29, 2014

Paul Lincoln Parker (77) of Water Valley, Feb. 9, 2014

George Dale Ladner (MD 62) of Jackson, Jan. 28, 2014

Douglas Peterson (DA 71) of Bossier City, La., Feb. 15, 2014

Philip E. Mansfield (BSPh 61) of Pass Christian, Feb. 4, 2014

Joseph Vance Pitts Jr. (MFA 71) of Lagrange, Ga., Feb. 11, 2014

60 Alumni Review

r

Jimmy Wayne Radford (BPA 74) of Southaven, Dec. 28, 2013 Margueritte Denny Ransom (MA 77) of Jackson, March 12, 2014 James Arnold Richardson (BSPh 71) of Jackson, Feb. 15, 2014 John Sidney Scales (MURP 72) of Palm Springs, Calif., Dec. 31, 2013 Virginia Bland Scott (MEd 72) of Yazoo City, Feb. 1, 2014 Harold Roy Sheely Jr. (MBA 74) of Knoxville, Tenn., Dec. 19, 2013 Mittie Jones Simms (MEd 76) of Pontotoc, March 15, 2014 Lemuel Owen Smith III (BBA 71) of Jackson, Feb. 17, 2014 Kenneth Garry Stamps (JD 79) of Edwards, March 14, 2014 Edward Earl Tollison Jr. (BSHPE 72) of Ruleville, Feb. 19, 2014

1990s Alan Wright Arrington (BSES 94) of Akron, Ohio, Dec. 23, 2013 Barbara Lewis Bibighaus (MA 93) of Tupelo, May 5, 2014 Mark Andrew Byrd (MD 93) of Ronceverte, W. Va., Feb. 14, 2014 Paul Edward Guy (JD 96) of Ruth, Jan. 31, 2014 James Oliver Hughes (BA 98) of Broussard, La., March 8, 2014 Eleanor Judith Bouchelle Jones (BA 93, MA 96) of Belden, Aug. 4, 2013 Joseph Earl Brendan Kraft (BA 90) of Hendersonville, N.C., Feb. 7, 2014 Catherine Smith Lutz (PhD 98) of Flora, Jan. 16, 2014 Alexander Davis Ruxton (BSME 94) of Cincinnati, Ohio, March 6, 2014

Thomas Michael Webb (BBA 75, MPA 83) of Brandon, Feb. 10, 2014

Daniel Dale Wallace (BA 98, JD 02) of Olive Branch, March 11, 2014

1980s Jeffrey Duane Bell (BBA 83) of Ridgeland, Feb. 21, 2014

2000s Jacob Thomas Lyons (03) of White, Ga., Feb. 28, 2014

Viacin Jones Chandler (MD 89) of Ridgeland, Jan. 4, 2014 Leon Steven Cooper (MFA 82) of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Dec. 24, 2013 Robert Allan Deville (DMD 85) of Ridgeland, Jan. 28, 2014 Gordon Eric Geiss (JD 86) of Gulfport, Jan. 22, 2014 Kay Childers Graves (MA 86) of Ripley, Feb. 28, 2014 Marilyn Brandon Hamby (BSW 81) of Lawrenceville, Ga., March 4, 2014 Phillip Wayne Jarrell (JD 85) of Gulfport, March 4, 2014 Virginia Irby Johnson (BAEd 84, MEd 91) of Senatobia, Jan. 31, 2014 David Jones Jr. (MEd 81) of Oxford, Jan. 30, 2014

Larry M. Speakes (BA 01) of Cleveland, Jan. 10, 2014 2010s Charles Dunbar King (BSGE 11) of Oxford, Jan. 5, 2014 Zacharias Herculese McClendon (13) of Gulfport, Dec. 18, 2013 Blaine Beckerle Pitzer (BGS 12) of San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 18, 2014 Andrew Joseph Repka (BAccy 11, MAccy 12) of Natchez, Jan. 30, 2014 Jordan Davidson Sledd (11) of Germantown, Tenn., Feb. 4, 2014 Kevin Gale Stauffer Jr. (BSCJ 11) of Tupelo, Dec. 23, 2013

Timothy Allen Ott (BBA 81) of Brandon, Jan. 17, 2014 Mark Maurice Porter Jr. (BBA 81) of Meridian, Dec. 30, 2013 Raymond Revis Stevens Jr. (BPA 80) of Jackson, Jan. 15, 2014

Faculty and Friends Robert Harl Alexander of Oxford, March 16, 2014

Danny Russell Stewart (BA 85) of Grand Prairie, Texas, Feb. 28, 2014

William M. Anderson Jr. of Oxford, Dec. 31, 2013

Gerald Nelson Wheatley Jr. (BBA 84) of New Albany, Dec. 20, 2013

Carlann Graham Apple of Oxford, Feb. 28, 2014 Harry Earl Bennett Jr. of Oxford, Dec. 22, 2013

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News alumni

Joseph Arthur Cimon of University, Jan. 10, 2014

Louise Bondurant Phillips of Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 9, 2014

Joe McClendon Cole of Boyle, Jan. 25, 2014

Carl Henry Privette of Jackson, Feb. 19, 2014

James Lester Copeland of Corinth, Feb. 13, 2014

Edna Maxwell Roberts of Clinton, Feb. 6, 2014

Sim C. Dulaney Jr. of Port Gibson, Dec. 28, 2013

Ann Whitten Sayle of Charleston, Dec. 29, 2013

Kathryn Taylor Eley of Cleveland, Dec. 20, 2013

Robert Lynn Tettleton of Oxford, Dec. 29, 2013

John Rutherford Fawcett Jr. of Columbia, S.C., Feb. 17, 2014

Randall Wayne Tropp of Oxford, March 2, 2014

Robert Harold Gladney of Batesville, Dec. 28, 2013

Amy Hodge Wilbourn of Water Valley, March 16, 2014

O’Jay Craig Graham of Oxford, Dec. 26, 2013

James Clinton Wilson of Banner, March 2, 2014

Cynthia J. Halliday of Grand Bay, Ala., June 6, 2014

Kearney H. Windham of Oxford, Feb. 1, 2014

Dan Wilson Henry Jr. of Newton, Jan. 19, 2014

Richard Clement Wood of Memphis, Tenn., March 4, 2014

Voncile Vaughn Hickman of Crystal Springs, Feb. 10, 2014

Richard Terry Zerbe of Cartersville, Ga., Nov. 19, 2013

Millert M. Holiday of Iuka, Feb. 9, 2014 Arlon Ray Hopkins of West Point, Feb. 19, 2014 James Robert Jackson of Oxford, March 16, 2014 Rebecca Duke Jolley of Batesville, Jan. 12, 2014 Hazel Hoffman Kinney of Oxford, Feb. 13, 2014 Mary Brewer Knight of Oxford, Jan. 24, 2014 Laura Beatrice Love of Ridgeland, Dec. 25, 2013 Kathy Tubbs Overstreet of Ocean, N.J., Feb. 2, 2014 Kathy Payne Parker of Guntown, Jan. 5, 2014

Due to space limitations, class notes are only published in the Alumni Review from active, dues-paying members of the Ole Miss Alumni Association. To submit a class note, send it to records@olemiss.edu or Alumni Records Dept., Ole Miss Alumni Association, P.O. Box 1848, University, MS 38677-1848. Class notes also may be submitted through the Association’s website at www.olemissalumni.com. The Association relies on numerous sources for class notes and is unable to verify all notes with individual alumni. AR

HERE’S YOUR LICENSE TO BRAG! Now you can sport the official University of Mississippi license plate!

For an additional $50 a year — $32.50 of which returns to Ole Miss for educational enhancement — you can purchase this “license to brag” about your alma mater. When it’s time to renew your license plate, simply tell your local tax collector you want the Ole Miss affinity license plate. It’s an easy way to help your University.

This particular tag is available to Mississippi drivers only. Some other states, however, offer an Ole Miss affinity license plate. Check with your local tax collector for availability.

62 Alumni Review

Serving Oxford, Lafayette County and the University of Mississippi

TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2010

142ND Year, No. 169 — 50 CENTS

Run-off solution sought E-Edition booming

INSIDE

Erosion problems wash away county officials’ patience

BY ALYSSA SCHNUGG Staff Writer

The Lafayette County Planning Commission has ordered the owners of Williams Equipment Co. to

produce a plan of action on how it intends to solve erosion issues once and for all at its construction site located across from the Cumberland subdivision.

“I need a schedule of how this is going to progress with a time frame I can put my hands on by June 1,” County Engineer Larry Britt said at Monday’s Planning Commission meeting.

Williams Equipment started con-

struction in the summer of 2008 on its new home for the commercial business on 4.3 acres of land located on Highway 6 West. Since construction began, neighbors have complained the runoff from the graded property has caused silt to run onto their lawns, destroying grass and bushes, as well as cause local flooding.

A year ago, a cease and desist order was issued until erosion problems were handled.

“We have had some problems with erosion out there that we’ve been dealing with for a year and a half,” Britt said.

When 3 inches of rain fell in Oxford within 30 minutes last week, the issue resurfaced when silt and water caused erosion on some of the adjoining landowners’ property.

See SOLUTION on Page 2

Oxford schools set budget hearing

GRADUATION CELEBRATION

POMERANZ HONORED Ole Miss left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz was named as the recipient of the 2010 Cellular South Ferriss Trophy given to the top collegiate baseball player in the state of Mississippi. For more details on the honor, see Page 6.

BUSINESSMAN ARRESTED A local businessman who has been on the lam from the law was arrested last week. Get the details on Page 2.

EDUCATION NEWS Turn to Pages 6 and 7 of Education to find out what’s happening with local teachers and students.

UM GRADS

ONLINE

BY MELANIE ADDINGTON

The Oxfo rd Eagle E-Edition helps you keep up w ith your home awa y from ho me Complete C o v eragework BP probe on other companies’ of Ofocuses le accepted iss Sports Report: Oversite workersM BRUCE NEWMAN

Many of the students graduating from the University of Mississippi earlier this month were from the Oxford area.

Turn to Pages 5 and 10 to read the names of the locals who picked up a diploma.

Brittney Deonna Jeffries (from left), Wesley Lane Carroll and Kimberly Annette Wilson throw their caps at the Scott Center’s graduation ceremony on Monday afternoon. Also graduating were Laura Leeann Brower and Dillon Lee Hopkins.

gifts from oil companies

INDEX

Classifieds 12-13 Local 2-3 Comics 14 Obituaries 2 Editorial 4 Sports 8-9 Education 6-7 Weather 2

One of th e top dail ies in Mississ ippi Subscribe to the E-Edit io n Only $5 p er month

BY GREG BLUESTEIN AND

MATTHEW DALY

Associated Press Writers

Guinness finds Minn. man is tallest in US ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) — Guinness World Records has recognized a Minnesota man as the tallest man in the United States.

The Guinness World Record Association measured Rochester’s Igor Vovkovinskiy (voh-kov-IN’-ski) at 7 feet, 8.33 inches tall during NBC’s “The Dr. Oz Show” on Monday. He edged out Norfolk, Va., sheriff’s deputy George Bell by a third of an inch.

The 27-year- old Vovkovinskiy is originally from Ukraine but moved to Minnesota with his mother when he was 7 years old for treatment at the Mayo Clinic for a pituitary disease that spurred his rapid growth.

Vovkovinskiy now attends the Minnesota School of Business and is pursuing a degree in paralegal studies.

Guinness says the world’s urkey’s Sultan tallest man is Turkey’s Kosen. He measures in at 8 feet, 1 inch tall.

also owned the Deepwater Horizon oil rig.

The other three areas of focus for the investigation involve the cementing and casing of the wellhead, which was Halliburton Inc.’s responsibility.

COVINGTON, La. — Oil giant BP said its internal investigation of Assessing decisions the unchecked Gulf oil spill In BP’s release, Chief is largely focused on work Executive Tony Hayward done by other companies as stopped short of assigning a new government report responsibility. President today showed workers at the Barack Obama has blasted federal agency that oversees executives from the compaoffshore drilling accepted nies for blaming each other sports tickets, lunches and during Congressional hearother gifts from oil and gas ings this month. companies.

“A number of companies BP PLC said in a release are involved, including BP, that an initial investigation and it is simfound mulply too early tiple control “...it is simply — and not mechanisms too early — and not up to us — should have to say who p r e v e n t e d up to us — to say who is at fault,” the accident is at fault.”

Hayward that started said. with an oil — TONY HAYWARD G e n e rig explosion Chief Executive, BP Beck, a April 20 off petroleum the coast engineer of Louisiana that killed 11 at Texas A&M at College workers.

Station who worked in the Seeking the cause drilling industry for two BP, the largest oil and decades, said the list of gas producer in the Gulf, Gulf problems BP is investigating listed seven areas of focus appears exhaustive. But he as it hunts for a cause. Four said the company also needs involve the blowout pre- to look at decisions made by venter, venter a massive piece of people on the rig. machinery that sits atop the “That needs to be inveswellhead and should have tigated: Why did they do acted as a safety device what they did?” Beck said. of last resort but did not.

“They need to ask themThat was manufactured selves that very very, very serious

by Cameron International question: ‘Why did we make Corp. and owned by these choices?”’

Transocean LTD, which

PATRICK SEMANSKY/AP

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar (center) speaks at a press conference in Galliano, La., Monday. Standing behind Salazar are Sen. David Vitter, R-La., and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.

Meanwhile, a new Interior Department report released today found that staffers in the Louisiana office of the Minerals Management Service violated a number of federal regulations and agency ethics rules, including accepting gifts from oil and gas companies and using government computers to view pornography. pornography The report by the department’s acting inspector general follows up on a 2007 investigation that revealed what then-Inspector General Earl Devaney called a “culture of ethical failure” and conflicts of interest at the minerals agency. agency

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar called the latest report “deeply disturbing” but stressed that it only covered a period from 2000 to 2008. He said he wants the investigation expanded to include agency actions since he took office in January 2009.

BP filed its site-specific exploration plan for the Deepwater Horizon in February 2009.

The Obama administration has come under increasing pressure as frustrations build, oil washes up in delicate Louisiana wetlands, and efforts to cap the well prove unsuccessful.

Staff Writer

Members of the Oxford School Board set a public hearing for June 14 at 5 p.m. for the public to discuss the district’s 2010-2011 budget.

Despite continued budget cuts from the state during the past several months, the Oxford School District has put together a budget for the coming school year that ensures no jobs will be cut.

The school board has a proposed $29 million budget that, while not yet finalized, won’t cut jobs and won’t raise the tax rate.

On Monday, Gov. Haley Barbour signed the FY 2011 education funding bills, House Bill 1622 and House Bill 1059, Mississippi Department of Education Superintendent Tom Burnham said.

“HB 1622 is the primary funding bill that we recommend (districts) develop the FY 2011 budget around,” Burnham said. “HB 1059 is contingent upon the passage of federal legislation that would extend the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage provided for in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.”

Worst-case scenario

City school officials are basing their budget on the funding equation that provides Oxford the lowest amount of state funds.

The board will not request any increase to the city’s tax rate, but the district still expects to experience an increase in revenue collections due to the additional taxes it projects to increase from new homes.

Revenue is expected to be up about $420,000 from 2009-2010 for a total of $29.5 million. Mississippi Adequate Education Program funding is slightly down to $12.54 million from $12.56 million the year before. Ad valorem tax collections will go up from $14.1 million to $15.4 million. With athletic admission tickets expected to be down about $10,000, the district may have to dip deeper into its reserve funds.

After the hearing, the board will vote on the budget.

In other business, the school board: — Approved salary scales for employees, teacher assistants and administrators.

— Approved a resolution in memory of the late Patricia P Aschoff SPED teacher at Aschoff, Oxford Learning Center.

Marcia Cole accepted the plaque and resolution on family behalf of the family.

—melanie@oxfordeagle.com —melanie@oxfor

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