The Mississippi Business Journal articles from February 2005

The Mississippi Business Journal archives from February 2005

MEDC winter conference on tap: 'Knowledge is Power' theme aptly fits meeting lineup.(On The Agenda)(Mississippi Economic Development Council )
February 7, 2005... Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) chairman Glenn McCullough will share tricks of the trade with economic developers at the Mississippi Economic Development Council (MEDC) annual winter conference, to be held February 9-11 at the Hilton Hotel in...

More offerings, less paperwork with SBA programs: agency helping new entrepreneurs through boot camp, startup offerings.(Small Business Administration)
February 7, 2005... The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently rolled out two new offerings to assist entrepreneurs with starting and running a business: boot camp and a no-collateral loan program. Last week, professors, former business owners and...

Executive director still not on board for commission: interim director says that economic development initiatives still going strong in Harrison County.
February 7, 2005... GULFPORT -- The Harrison County Development Commission's (HCDC) search for a new executive director has temporarily halted while the organization works to get its house in order and smooth the relationship with the Harrison County Board of...

Dzielak bridging medical research with commercialization.(A Mississippi Business Journal Q&A)(Interview)
February 7, 2005... JACKSON -- Five years ago, when David Dzielak took over the role as liaison between researchers and commercialization efforts at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMC), he could count on one hand the number of invention disclosures...

Thanks for EXPO.(Perspective)
February 7, 2005... In January, the Mississippi Business Journal hosted the 22nd-annual Mississippi Business & Technology EXPO in Jackson. The state's largest business-to-business trade show was presented by Road Runner Business Class with the Mississippi...

Mississippi dead last in lifelong learning.(As I See It)
February 7, 2005... Mississippi lags the nation in our commitment to lifelong learning. We are dead last. Our society views education as a process that is largely completed by age 24. From that point on we spend our non-working time watching TV, playing golf and...

Social Security? Time for bitter pill has come.(Musings)
February 7, 2005... This year, Social Security will celebrate its 70th birthday. My parents tell me this is the age you start to fall apart. All the excesses and abuses of your youth catch up to you, and you discover new aches and pains on a daily basis. ...

River Oaks Health System.(People to Watch)(Jeff Bedford)(Chief Financial Officer of the Year )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Jeff Bedford of Brandon has been named Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Year by Health Management Associates (HMA). Bedford has served as CFO of River Oaks Health System since March 2004. He previously served as CFO at Davis Regional...

Mississippi Petroleum Marketers Association.(People to Watch)(appointments at petroleum industries)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... The Mississippi Petroleum Marketers Association elected officers for the coming year. Serving as president will be Clifton Van Cleave, Buffalo Services, McComb; president-elect is Charles Morris, Morris Petroleum Inc., Jackson; vice president...

Imperial Palace.(People to Watch)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... The Imperial Palace recently announced its Employees of the Year for 2004. Curtis Ervin of Slidell, La., maintenance supervisor for the casino, won Supervisor of the Year. Ervin has been employed with the Imperial Palace since July 1999. Frank...

Rug Decor.(People to Watch)(Best Individual Closing Ratio)(Dixie Butler)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Dixie Butler, assistant manager of Rug Decor in Gulfport, received the 2004 Fourth Quarter "Best Individual Closing Ratio" award from Rug Decor Corporate in St. Louis, Mo. Butler was No. 1 out of all sales personnel from 25 Rug Decor outlets.

Delta and Pine Land Company.(People to Watch)(appointment of Lloyd May)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Lloyd May, long-time cotton breeder, joined Delta and Pine Land Company's (D&PL) research department at D&PL's Coastal Plains Research Station in Tifton, Ga. May worked as a public cotton breeder the last 14 years, nine of which were with the...

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC).(People to Watch )(Deborah F. Dent )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Dr. Deborah F. Dent of the ERDC in Vicksburg was recently recognized as a "2004 Technology All-Star in Government" by the Hispanic Engineer and Information Technology magazine, Women of Color magazine and IBM Corporation. Dent is the deputy...

Stuart C. Irby Co.(People to Watch)(appointment of Michael C. Wigton )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Stuart C. Irby Co. has named Michael C. Wigton as its chief operating officer. Wigton was formerly with Hughes Supply as vice president of sales and service in that company's utility division. He has also worked for Utiliserve, Thomas and Betts...

Mississippi Propane Gas Association.(People to Watch)(elections of presidents at Rusty Easterling, Lampton-Love Gas Company, Slate Spring Gas LP Gas Company and Liquid Gas Corporation)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... The Mississippi Propane Gas Association recently elected officers for the coming year. To serve are: president, Rusty Easterling, Lampton-Love Gas Company, Jackson; vice president, Pam Helms, Slate Spring Gas LP Gas Company, Slate Spring; vice...

eXpeTel Communications.(People to Watch)(appointment of Joseph "Joey" Giuffria )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... eXpeTel Communications has appointed Joseph "Joey" Giuffria to the position of director of sales. Giuffria, who has over 20 years' experience in the telecommunications industry, was previously general manager of the St. Louis, Mo., market for...

Smith Shellnut Wilson.(People to Watch)(appointment of George H. Borg and Will Johnson )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Smith Shellnut Wilson in Ridgeland announced that George H. Borg, CFA, has become a principal specializing in fixed-income investments for banks, institutions, endowments and high net worth individuals. He is a graduate of the University of...

Southern Bone and Joint.(People to Watch)(practice and qualification of Michael Stonnington and Melissa Hackbarth)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Dr. Michael Stonnington of Southern Bone and Joint Specialists, P.A., recently taught minimally-invasive total hip arthroplasties to surgeons at Keesler Air Force Base. Stonnington is currently a director of orthopaedic trauma at Forrest...

ASAP Imaging, Printing and Copying.(People to Watch)(appointment of Jeremy Westfall )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... ASAP Imaging, Printing and Copying has named Jeremy Westfall as the new vice president of operations. Westfall holds a B.S. in sociology and a B.A. in business from Mississippi State University. He has served in the Mississippi Air National...

Hattiesburg Clinic.(People to Watch)(John G. Holland)(Bradley N. Secrest)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... John G. Holland, M.D., OB/GYN physician with Hattiesburg Clinic, was recently recertified as a diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Holland received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi Medical School...

GranthamPoole, CPAs.(People to Watch)(appointments)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... GranthamPoole, CPAs, announces that Chad Miller has joined the audit team: Miller is a graduate of Mississippi College where he obtained a bachelor's degree in business administration. Henry Agent, CPA, has joined GranthamPoole. Agent is a...

BankPlus.(People to Watch)(appointment of Charles Burnett III )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... BankPlus announces that Charles Burnett III has joined the bank as president for its DeSoto County division. A native of Jackson, Burnett has over 12 years of experience in the banking industry and served as senior vice president at...

Mississippi Power Company.(People to Watch)(Frances Turnage appointed)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Frances Turnage has been named Mississippi Power's vice president of finance, treasurer and CFO. Turnage, a native of York, Ala., earned a bachelor's degree in accounting and master's degree in business administration from the University of...

Citizens National Bank.(People to Watch)(appointment of Mary Ostrander and Mike Walker)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Mary Ostrander and Mike Walker have joined Citizens National Bank in Meridian as senior vice presidents and commercial lenders for the Meridian market. Ostrander formerly served as a regional retail manager. She is a 1996 graduate of the...

Gulfport State Port Authority.(People to Watch)(John Rester appointed)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Gov. Haley Barbour has appointed John Rester of Biloxi to the Gulfport State Port Authority. Rester began his career with Emergency Medical Service (EMS) in 1965 as an ambulance driver and was also a part-time funeral home attendant. He is now...

Beau Rivage building $30m-plus championship course: Fallen Oak expected to open for play in 2006.(Strictly Business)(Beau Rivage Resort and Casino)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Beau Rivage Resort and Casino plans to build a new 18-hole championship golf course on a 510-acre tract north of the resort on Mississippi 15 in Harrison County. Costing in excess of $30 million, Fallen Oak, a par-72 layout stretching 7,516...

Unemployment steady.(Strictly Business)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Mississippi's unemployment rate remained unchanged last December at 5.9% when compared to the previous month, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. However, it was 0.8% higher than the rate recorded in December 2003....

Casinos report released.(Strictly Business)(Mississippi Department of Marine Resources)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... BILOXI -- The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (DMR) has made available copies of the report "Mississippi Gaming: Safeguarding the Future," prepared by the Mississippi ad hoc Gaming Committee. The report includes the committee's...

ASSET renovating office.(Strictly Business)(ASSET Company)
February 7, 2005... CANTON -- A groundbreaking ceremony was held recently to mark the beginning of renovation of a Canton building that will house the ASSET Company. The cost of the project was not disclosed. Once renovated, the building, located at 3260 South...

EastGroup buys biz park.(Strictly Business)(EastGroup Properties acquired Arion Business Park)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... JACKSON -- EastGroup Properties has acquired Arion Business Park in San Antonio, Texas, for a purchase price of $40 million. As part of the acquisition price, EastGroup is assuming the outstanding first mortgage balance of $20.5 million. This...

Inmate costs study released.(Strictly Business)(Mississippi Department of Corrections)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... JACKSON -- The PEER Committee has released the cost per inmate day report for fiscal year 2004. The Jackson-based accounting firm of Smith, Turner and Reeves, P.A., provided the data for the report. The Mississippi Department of...

SBA expands CIT's status.(Strictly Business)(Small Business Administration gives preferred lender program status for CIT Small Business Lending Co.)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... JACKSON -- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has expanded the Preferred Lender Program (PLP) status in Jackson of CIT Small Business Lending Corporation, a subsidiary of CIT Group Inc. The PLP was developed by the SBA to...

KCSR investing in improvements.(Strictly Business)(Kansas City Southern Railway Co. in railroad tracks)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... WARREN COUNTY -- In 2005, the Kansas City Southern Railway Company (KCSR) plans to invest $3.5 million to upgrade its track from east of Vicksburg to the Mississippi River, a distance of approximately 11 miles. The project includes inserting...

Hancock funds rated.(Strictly Business)(Hancock Bank's Hancock Horizon Burkenroad Fund and Hancock Horizon Growth Fund)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... GULFPORT -- Hancock Bank's Hancock Horizon Burkenroad Fund, inspired by a recognized educational program in equities research at Tulane University, and the Hancock Horizon Growth Fund have both received a five-star Overall Morningstar Rating...

Tech initiative underway.(Strictly Business)(Mississippi Small Town Technology Initiative launched)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... YAZOO CITY -- Yazoo City hosted a kick-off luncheon January 28, 2005, to announce the Mississippi Small Town Technology Initiative. Mayor Wardell Leach, the newly-elected president of the Mississippi Conference of Black Mayors, has made...

ALLTEL awarding HBCU scholarships this fall.(Strictly Business)(Historic Black Colleges and Universities)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... LITTLE ROCK, ARK. -- ALLTEL is supporting students currently attending historic black colleges and universities (HBCUs) this fall by awarding $2,000 scholarships in seven of the telecommunication company's wireless markets. The ALLTEL...

Antitrust money distributed.(Strictly Business)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... JACKSON -- The Attorney General's Office is distributing $781,776 in antitrust damages to state agencies, including Mississippi Division of Medicaid, the State Employee's Health Plan as part of the Department of Finance and Administration,...

Callon gives update.(Strictly Business)(Callon Petroleum Co.)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... NATCHEZ -- Callon Petroleum Company has confirmed its previous guidance for fourth quarter 2004 production and provided an update on current production and exploration activity. Callon confirmed it expects to report production for the...

Second Delta Rural Poll slated.(Strictly Business)
February 7, 2005... CLEVELAND -- For the second consecutive year, the Center for Community and Economic Development (CCED) at Delta State University (DSU) will conduct the Delta Rural Poll. Telephone surveys will be conducted surveying several key areas such as...

New hotel on Clay Street.(Strictly Business)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... VICKSBURG -- Clay Street in the "Hill City" is getting a new hotel. Hampton Inn and Suites has broken ground for a new, 122-room hotel during a ceremony attended by city, county and other community leaders. General manager Joe Liddell...

Sheldon new management.(Strictly Business)(Sheldon Laboratory Systems)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... CRYSTAL SPRINGS -- Sheldon Laboratory Systems, a manufacturer of laboratory casework, has named Eddie Adkins as its new president. Adkins joined Sheldon in 2003 as general manager, and has worked in various administrative and management...

Johnson & Johnson grant.(Strictly Business)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... WHITFIELD -- Johnson & Johnson has awarded a $10,000 grant to Mississippi State Hospital's (MSH's) Community Services Division and the Mississippi Arts Commission to create a hardback, coffee-table style book that will feature the writings and...

Posting now required.(Strictly Business)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is reminding employers that they must post a summary of the total number of job-related injuries and illnesses that occurred last year effective February 1,2005....

Williams retiring from Irby.(Strictly Business)(Liles B. Williams)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... JACKSON -- Liles B. Williams, vice president-assistant to the president of Stuart C. Irby Co., is retiring after a 42-year career with the electrical distributor. "We are grateful to Liles' outstanding service to the company. He has been...

Winning Connections earns Pollies.(Strictly Business)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... JACKSON -- Winning Connections recently won 15 awards for its phone campaigns from the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) at the premier annual event for political professionals. Winning Connections was recognized in 10 of the...

BancorpSouth's net income decreases.(Strictly Business)
February 7, 2005... TUPELO -- BancorpSouth Inc. saw net income for the fourth quarter of 2004 of $24.6 million, or $0.32 per basic and diluted share. Included in the results for the fourth quarter of 2004 is a net negative impact of $0.01 per diluted share from a...

Power line route chosen.(Strictly Business)
February 7, 2005... SCOTT COUNTY -- The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has identified a preferred route for a proposed new 5.6-mile transmission line in Scott County that is needed to maintain reliable power service in the area. The proposed new line would...

Convention center a winner.(Strictly Business)(Vicksburg Convention Center and Auditorium has won ConventionSouth magazine's inaugural Readers' Choice Award.)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... VICKSBURG -- The Vicksburg Convention Center and Auditorium has won ConventionSouth magazine's inaugural Readers' Choice Award. It has received a "Best of the Best" Plaque to put on display. Only the top vote-getters out of approximately...

Women's conference coming to Coast.(Strictly Business)(Mississippi World Trade Center)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... BILOXI -- The Mississippi World Trade Center (MSWTC) and Northrop Grumman Corporation's Ship Systems sector are teaming up for the 2005 women's business conference titled "Lighting the Way: Women in Industry and International Trade." It will be...

Quarterly wages up 3.5%.(Strictly Business)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Median weekly earnings of the nation's 101.6 million full-time wage and salary workers were $647 in the fourth quarter of 2004, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This was 3.5% higher than a year earlier, compared...

Community foundations invest contributions 'for good, for ever'.
February 7, 2005... Mississippians have consistently ranked as some of the most generous in the country when it comes to charitable donations. And while "pass-through" contributions made each year are important, community foundations that manage endowed funds...

Younger politicos playing bigger roles in state politics: new generation poised to change how game is played.
February 7, 2005... With all the attention paid to young voters in the 2004 presidential election, a new political phenomenon began taking root in Mississippi, beginning in 1999 and accelerating during the early 2000s: More and more 20- and 30-something...

Consumer confidence improves in region.(Special to the Mississippi Business Journal)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Consumer confidence has registered its largest gains in the past year in the East South Central region, according to The Conference Board. This region includes Kentucky, Tennessee. Alabama and Mississippi. The Conference Board's Consumer...

Holmes, Crosby compete for 'King of the Beads' title: once a king, always a king?(Bill Holmes of Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center and Keith Crosby of Palace Casino Resort for Gulf Coast Carnival Association's day parade)
February 7, 2005... After a late night celebrating at the coronation ball, Bill Holmes will rise at 4:30 a.m. on Fat Tuesday to prepare for the Gulf Coast Carnival Association's day parade. He'll meet a team of volunteers for a 6 a.m. breakfast to cover...

Network Streaming surpasses goals, staffs up in new space.(sales reports)
February 7, 2005... RIDGELAND -- When Network Streaming, LLC, a Ridgeland-based remote collaboration software development company, opened for business in August 2003, it was a good hunch that the founder, Joel Bomgaars, a new systems engineer for Business...

State Bank & Trust grows with old-fashioned banking ideas.(Banking & Finance)(Company Profile)
February 7, 2005... GREENWOOD -- State Bank & Trust Company is a modern bank that's growing by utilizing some old-fashioned ideas. That philosophy isn't likely to change, according to Stewart Brumfield, chairman of the bank's holding company, State Capital...

New AmSouth branch hits Madison with random acts of kindness: employees out buying coffee and colas, paying cleaning bills for people in community.(Banking & Finance)(AmSouth Bank )
February 7, 2005... MADISON -- In the bustling Madison area with exploding growth and new businesses opening daily, it might be difficult to stand out in the crowd. By committing "random acts of kindness" AmSouth Bank is drawing attention to its new branch located...

Increase in interest rates reflect an improving economy: 'the bottom line is that the economy is healthier and growing,' says bank exec.(Banking & Finance)
February 7, 2005... Interest rates were at record lows for a long time in a bid to stimulate a sluggish economy. Now that the economy is improving and rates are headed up, what is the economic impact? T.E. "Gene" Walker, chairman of the board of the...

Banks.(Directory)(Illustration)
February 7, 2005... Banks Bank Executive Address Telephone/Fax SouthTrust Bank Wallace D. Malone Jr. 420 North 20th Street, Birmingham, AL...

Celebrating a job well done ... Mardi Gras style: Mississippi Young Bankers earn national respect for financial education efforts.(Banking & Finance)
February 7, 2005... The Mississippi Young Bankers (MYB) will celebrate a job well done Mardi Gras-style at the "Krewe of Bankers" Study Conference and Convention March 16-20 at the Marriott Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Ala. About 550 members are expected to...

Strategic focus, discipline, key elements to success.(Banking & Finance)
February 7, 2005... TUPELO -- Back in the 1990s, the banking industry was seemingly mesmerized by blockbuster deals that glorified size and geographic scope. Big-city markets were "in" while smaller locales were "out," and pundits were reading obits for the...

Developing wealth management programs not always easy.(Banking Today)(Duane Dewey of Trustmark wealth Management Group shares his business perspective)
February 7, 2005... In an effort to advance their capabilities as comprehensive financial services providers, a number of banking organizations have focused their energies on the development of wealth management initiatives that include private banking, trust,...

MBA eyeing state budget issues as session continues: association urges lawmakers to stop 'bad practice' of swiping special fund money.(Banking & Finance)(Mississippi Bankers Association)
February 7, 2005... Bank-specific issues are not top priority on the Mississippi Bankers Association's (MBA) 2005 legislative agenda. "We have 130 bills on our watch list, including some duplicates and four or five bank-related items that we're interested in...

Dividends come roaring back with a vengeance.(In Focus)(tax law)
February 7, 2005... An investment concept that fell out of favor 20 years ago has returned with a vengeance: stocks that pay you to own them. During the past two decades, growth-oriented investors shunned companies that paid dividends, preferring instead to...

Estate planning, or the lack thereof, and the consequences.(Portfolio)
February 7, 2005... Litigation. Trial lawyers. Depositions. Frivolous lawsuits. Excessive damages. Punitive damages. And on it goes. All of these are the buzzwords of the last three years. The trial lawyers have been vilified; lawsuits are supposedly out of...

Work of hotel housekeeping keeps guests coming back: attendants at Grand Casino happy with pay-per-room system.
February 7, 2005... For overnight casino guests, hotel housekeeping departments may be the unsung heroes of guest satisfaction. Keeping hundreds of rooms clean and providing everything for guests' comfort takes an army of workers on the job every day. Joe...

MAC grants deadline nears.(Special to the Mississippi Business Journal)(Mississippi Arts Commission )
February 7, 2005... JACKSON -- The fiscal year 2006 Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) application deadline for grants and opportunities to organizations and individual artists is March 1, 2005. Organization grants with a March 1 deadline are one-and two-year...

Building on success: MAR finds real estate in the Legislature.(Mississippi Association of Realtors)
February 14, 2005... Members of the state's largest business trade organization rallied at the Mississippi Capitol February 2 to build on the success of legislative and regulatory victories in 2004 with a renewed focus. On Capital Day 2005, representatives of...

Stein Jewelry closing store in Greenwood: Madison location nearing one-year anniversary mark.( )(Stein Jewelry Company)
February 14, 2005... MADISON -- Stein Jewelry Company, a longtime Greenwood merchant, enters a new era with an expansion store in Main Street Crossing of Madison and the upcoming closing of its Greenwood location. Jim Russell, president of the company, said the...

Tunica CVB takes top prize for fifth year: MTA Governor's Conference on Tourism honors outstanding industry contributors.(Convention & Visitors Bureau)(Mississippi Tourism Association)
February 14, 2005... At the Mississippi Tourism Association's (MTA) annual Governor's Conference on Tourism February 1-4, featuring the theme "Rhythms of the Delta... Where Tourism Meets the Soul," the Tunica Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) took home for the...

SoS takes issue with company, on state licensing requirement.
February 14, 2005... There has been controversy recently over the issue of state regulation of State Farm agents selling jumbo CDs, which are more than the $100,000 limit insured by the FDIC. In mid-December a USA Today story headlined, "State Farm plans to...

State Farm Bank's rapid growth linked to relationships: agents, customers built bonds with insurance, now move into banking.
February 14, 2005... For a bank that has only been open nationwide since the end of 2002, State Farm Bank has seen considerable growth. "We have a pretty good track record in the years we have been open," said Fraser Engerman, media relations manager for State...

Enduring airport security rigmarole leads to questions.
February 14, 2005... Ah, it's Monday night, January 31st, 40 degrees and raining as our Continental flight taxis to a stop in Jackson. Just a few hours earlier when I left sunny Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the temperature was in the 70's, the sun was shining and the...

Looking for value? Try Ellsworth County.
February 14, 2005... In Ellsworth County, we understand the values of community, family and quality education for your children. In fact, we're committed to them. For those considering relocating to Ellsworth County, you are eligible to apply for a free lot for...

Denton Law Firm, PLLC.(People to Watch)(appointed William C. "Bill" Walker Jr)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Retired law professor and attorney William C. "Bill" Walker Jr. has joined Denton Law Firm, PLLC, of Biloxi. Walker received his J.D. in 1975 from Vanderbilt University. He was associate professor of the University of Mississippi Law Center...

Belhaven College.(People to Watch)(appointed Mandy P. Ferrington)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Mandy P. Ferrington has been name director of annual giving for Belhaven College. Ferrington joins Belhaven from the University of Mississippi where she served as advancement associate for liberal arts and executive secretary to the Ventress...

Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau.(People to Watch)(Samantha Hosemann)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Samantha Hosemann has been promoted to public relations and special events manager for the Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). Hosemann has been with the CVB since 2003 as marketing and special projects manager. She earned a public...

Stennis Space Center.(People to Watch)(John A. Lever)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... John A. Lever, director of information architecture governance at Stennis Space Center, has been recognized by Computerworld magazine as one of the business world's Premier 100 IT Leaders. Lever, a native of Macon, has worked for the Navy at...

SmartSynch.(appointed Tom Hawkins )(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Jackson-based SmartSynch has named Tom Hawkins to its board of directors. Hawkins is a partner with Siemens Venture Capital and is based in Boston. Hawkins brings more than 15 years of entrepreneurial, operational and venture capital experience...

State Board for Community and Junior Colleges.(People to Watch)(appointed Audra Love Kimble)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... The State Board for Community and Junior Colleges (SBCJC) has recently appointed Audra Love Kimble, a native of Kosciusko, as its new director of distance education. Kimble previously served as the distance learning coordinator for Holmes...

The Merchants Company.(appointed Andrew B. Mercier and Donald B. Suber )(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Andrew B. Mercier has been promoted to president of The Merchants Company in Hattiesburg. Mercier, previously the executive vice president and treasurer, joined the company in 1992. Donald B. Suber has been elevated to vice chairman and CEO....

Mississippi State University (MSU).(appointed Blake W. Hudson)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Blake W. Hudson is being promoted to director of development for MSU's Bagley College of Engineering. The college's assistant development director since 2002, the Tupelo native and 1989 MSU industrial engineering graduate succeeds John P. Rush,...

University of Mississippi Medical Center.(People to Watch)(appointed Mary Cross )(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Mary Cross has joined the staff of the University of Mississippi Medical Center as project administrator of the Hypertension Education and Treatment (HEAT) Partnership. HEAT is Cross a partnership between UMC and the Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive...

Mississippi Home Corporation (MHC).(People to Watch)(appointed Bradley Joyner and Charlotte Baker)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Charlotte Baker has been promoted to assistant housing development lending officer. Baker joined MHC in 2000 and has received several promotions. She previously was an office manager with the Hinds County Economic Development District. Bradley...