The Mississippi Business Journal articles from February 2008

The Mississippi Business Journal archives from February 2008

Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) executive director Gray Swoope unveiled MyBiz Entrepreneur Network, an initiative aimed at connecting entrepreneurs to local, state and federal resources and programs to help grow their business, January 30.
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) executive director Gray Swoope unveiled MyBiz Entrepreneur Network, an initiative aimed at connecting entrepreneurs to local, state and federal resources and programs...

Shorter season softens impact: Mississippi Mardi Gras still making post-Katrina comeback on the Coast.
February 4, 2008... The weeks leading up to Mardi Gras are more than revelry and fun for many Mississippians. The carnival season has an economic impact along the Coast where the tradition of parades, balls and parties is vital. The season began January 6, and...

Retailers ready to see rebate shopping spree.
February 4, 2008... After Congress and the White House reach a final agreement outlining the terms of an economic stimulus package, it is almost certain taxpayers can expect a check from the federal government to arrive some time late spring or early summer. ...

Tourism development top priority for new Senate committee.
February 4, 2008... The Mississippi Senate now has a committee dedicated to promoting tourism across the state. The Senate Tourism Committee was one of a handful of new committees Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant unveiled just before the opening gavel of the 2008...

Connect Technology, LLC.(People to Watch)(Mike Melohn is appointed as senior software engineer)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Mike Melohn has been named senior software engineer for Connect Technology, LLC. Melohn is a specialist in Web-based enterprise business application systems and managing application development teams with more than 15 years of experience. He is...

Office of the State Auditor.(People to Watch)(Lisa Shoemaker appointed as director of communications)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Lisa Shoemaker of Meridian will join State Auditor Stacey Pickering's office as director of communications February 4. A native of Taylorsville, Shoemaker most recently served as the communications specialist at East Mississippi Electric Power...

JBHM Architects, P.A.(People to Watch)
February 4, 2008... Nikki Thompson has joined JBHM Architects, P.A., in Biloxi as office manager. She attended Hawthorne Business College and holds a certificate in business administration/stenography. Prior to joining the firm, she worked in the fields of...

Neel-Schaffer Inc.(People to Watch)
February 4, 2008... Joe Fiello has joined Neel-Schatfer Inc. as an engineer in the structural department in the Jackson office. A native of Long Beach, Fiello originally came to Neel-Schaffer as an intern during the summer of 2007 and rejoined the structural...

Land Bank South, FLCA.(People to Watch)
February 4, 2008... Patricia E. Moore, CPA, has joined Land Bank South. FLCA. as vice president/chief financial officer. A native of Fulton, she obtained a bachelor of professional accountancy degree in 1996 and a master's degree in taxation in 1998 from...

Education, community cooperation keys to economic success.
February 4, 2008... While economic fluctuations come and go, and some sectors are faring better than others, one message was clear at the 2008 Northeast Mississippi Economic Forecast Conference in Tupelo on January 24: education and community cooperation are core...

Working parents blue with flu cases climbing in state.(Perspective)
February 4, 2008... Last week, the Mississippi State Department of Health announced that there had been 27 laboratory-confirmed flu cases in the state since November. "We are now in the peak season of influenza, which will last for the next couple of months,"...

[Cartoon].(Perspective)(Cartoon)
February 4, 2008... IS THAT A GIANT FROM THE SUPER BOWL? NO! THAT'S THE MEDICAID DEFICIT! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Contact Hattiesburg-based cartoonist Ricky Nobile at nobilericky@aol.com

Whistleblower shares story in 'Extraordinary Circumstances'.(Book Business)(Interview)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] She was one of three whistleblowers selected as Time Person of the Year 2002. Cynthia Cooper, that is, who gained notoriety overnight as the whistleblower in the $11-billion WorldCom corporate fraud case that...

Awards programs honor best, brightest in Mississippi.(EXPO 2008)
February 4, 2008... There were a lot of smiles and laughs, handshakes and hugs January 16-17 in the west bay of the Mississippi Trademart during the 2008 Mississippi Business & Technology EXPO presented by Comcast Business Class. The EXPO's three awards...

BCI, Chamber and WLBT make business after hours best yet.(EXPO 2008)
February 4, 2008... While the 2008 Mississippi Business and Technology EXPO was serious business, exhibitors and attendees still found time to take off the heels, loosen the tie and enjoy some music and fabulous food during Business After Hours. "Who said...

Gulfport deciding post-Katrina design fate of city-owned land.
February 4, 2008... Given an unfortunate opportunity to rebuild by Hurricane Katrina, the City of Gulfport is making the best of the storm's devastation. The design and planning effort is led by internationally-known architect and planner Andres Duany and will...

Business events (and more).(Conference news)(Calendar)
February 4, 2008... Tuesday, February 5 * The annual Dunbar Lecture in Philosophy at Millsaps College in Jackson will be held in the Ford Academic Complex beginning at 7 p.m. It will feature the address "Can Evolution Explain Morality? Or is it Dog Eat Dog...

Conservation work good for the earth--and your soul.(Outdoor Impact)
February 4, 2008... We all woke up January 1st facing a brave new year. What are we doing with it? There are numerous items on 2008 to-do lists: Pick a new president for the country? Quit smoking, again, and stop eating so much, again, are undoubted on the list of...

Market actions demand decisions based on objectivity, understanding.
February 4, 2008... There was a behavioral finance professor who once told me something very interesting about investors. He said that most investors feel that they deserve any good things that happen to their investments and feel unjustly punished when things go...

Layoffs surge, says Bureau of Labor Statistics.
February 4, 2008... In December, employers took 1,433 mass layoff actions, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each action involved at least 50...

Catfish producers fighting cormorants.(Mississippi Agribusiness)
February 4, 2008... Mississippi catfish producers want consumers to eat lots of their product, but when those consumers are predatory birds, it's time to get out and patrol the ponds. Double-crested cormorants are large, black migratory seabirds that somewhat...

Ambulance company shut down causes state of emergency.(Healthcare Mississippi)(Emergystat Ambulance Service )
February 4, 2008... Illustrating just how vital ambulance service is to Mississippi communities, 16 counties declared a state of emergency when Emergystat Ambulance Service unexpectedly announced it would discontinue service January 23. The company announced the...

Aetna writing health policies in state.(Healthcare Mississippi)
February 4, 2008... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal Aetna has begun selling health plans for individuals and their families throughout the state of Mississippi. The new Aetna Advantage Plans for Individuals and Families became effective February 1,...

Medical liability improvements holding steady with tort reform.(Healthcare Mississippi)
February 4, 2008... Anyone wondering about whether or not medical liability coverage has changed since judicial reform was enacted in Mississippi should ask Dr. Dwalia South's opinion. "Put simply, tort reform works!" the Ripley family physician said. "Two...

University of Mississippi Health Care building brand.(Healthcare Mississippi)
February 4, 2008... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal The University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson has developed an image campaign to inform the public about the quality of patient care offered by University of Mississippi Health Care...

State budget tight, but optimism alive for critical needs' funding.(Healthcare Mississippi)
February 4, 2008... The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) has fallen on hard times in recent years with a lack of funding cutting into the department's ability to hire adequate staff to deliver critical public health services throughout the state. ...

Mississippi State Medical Association chooses ScripPlus for tamper-resistant prescriptions.(Healthcare Mississippi)
February 4, 2008... Special the the Mississippi Business Journal The Mississippi State Medical Association (MSMA) has reached an agreement with Standard Register to make available to its members tamper-resistant prescription pads that will meet both federal...

Coast's hospitals moving past Katrina, providing new facilities.(Healthcare Mississippi)
February 4, 2008... Hospitals on the Mississippi Gulf Coast have recovered from Hurricane Katrina and are meeting the needs of the changing area. As the population shifts and the Coastal counties rebuild, hospitals have adapted. Brian Sanderson, president of...

'Slinqing of sledgehammers' jump starts HealthWorks! project.(Healthcare Mississippi)
February 4, 2008... It wasn't a groundbreaking, but rather a "slinging of sledgehammers," as one attendee noted, as Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi officials and area community leaders recently celebrated another step in making the HealthWorks!...

Hospitals, already feeling pinch, concerned about Medicaid.(Healthcare Mississippi)
February 4, 2008... Hospitals were already suffering with reimbursements for the two government programs less than the cost of providing the care. Now the hospitals have an additional cloud on the horizon with concerns about "hit men" auditors from a new Medicare...

Health scene: bones: it's more than just anklebone connected to the shinbone.(Healthcare Mississippi)(Mississippi Museum of Natural Science)(Conference news)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Unless we break one, it's easy to take bones for granted. An interactive exhibit at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, "Bone Up On Bones," illustrates the importance of human bones. Running through May 11,...

Medical mystery? No easy answers for understanding why food allergies seem to be up in numbers, intensity.(Healthcare Mississippi)(Report)
February 4, 2008... Food allergies apparently are becoming increasingly common and more severe. In some cases, these allergies can be life threatening. "The last conference I went to, they told us that 20% of the population is more allergic than they were in...

Study finds that adults aren't that interested in vaccinations.(Healthcare Mississippi)
February 4, 2008... The results of a recent study by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, a division of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), show that far too few adults are getting vaccinations that could prevent diseases like shingles, whooping...

Heart attack and stroke death rate decline good news, but....(Healthcare Mississippi)
February 4, 2008... Deaths from heart disease and stroke have fallen significantly and ahead of schedule, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). This is particularly good news in Mississippi, which has some of the highest rates for heart disease and...

Hospitals eye ailing economy, planning for tougher times.(Healthcare Mississippi)
February 4, 2008... The downturn in the economy and recession concerns are affecting all business and industry, but perhaps none more than healthcare. Already with tight margins, state hospitals are planning for bad times ahead, tightening their belts and...

Cardiovascular care centers.(List)
February 4, 2008... Cardiovascular Care Centers Number of Total Name, Year Founded Staff Hospital Affiliation Address Phone/Fax Web site Baptist Cardiovascular 286 ...

For OCH administrator Sonny Kelly, there's never a dull moment.(Healthcare Mississippi)(Oktibbeha County Hospital)(Occupation overview)
February 4, 2008... Sonny Kelly is never bored with work. That's because the CEO of the Oktibbeha County Hospital in Starkville enjoys the demanding role of being an administrator of a growing hospital in a robust part of the state. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Healthcare costs can be managed.(Healthcare Mississippi)
February 4, 2008... With healthcare costs on the rise, Mississippi businesses can manage these costs down. As Mississippi faces a healthcare crisis and with healthcare costs increasing at a minimum of 10% per year, Mississippi business leaders are concerned about...

Tax on hospitals, tax on sick people.(Healthcare Mississippi)
February 4, 2008... Gov. Haley Barbour presented his 2008 State of the State address to the Mississippi Legislature January 21. A major topic of the governor's address was the financial situation of Mississippi's Medicaid program--predicting an $86 million deficit...

Harrell wins Toyota utility building contract.(Strictly Business)
February 4, 2008... BLUE SPRINGS -- Toyota has awarded a local construction contract for its new Highlander vehicle assembly plant in Northeast Mississippi. This brings the total number of local contracts to six. Harrell Contracting Group, based in Ridgeland,...

Congressman wants new impact study.(Strictly Business)
February 4, 2008... PERRY COUNTY -- According to Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.), the U.S. Department of Energy has agreed to prepare a new environmental impact statement (EIS) to consider the potential environmental consequences of turning the Richton salt dome into a...

CRG buys old Bryan Foods plant.(Strictly Business)
February 4, 2008... WEST POINT -- CRG Acquisition, LLC, has purchased the Sara Lee/Bryan Foods hog processing plant. Terms were not disclosed. This facility was one of the largest of its kind in the nation, with the slaughter and processing of nearly 10,000...

Cellular South boosts coverage.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... JACKSON -- Cellular South has added network infrastructure in Central Mississippi to boost its coverage area and voice and data capacity for customers. Cellular South has invested more than $237 million in its voice and data network...

Cypress, Glaxo reach settlement.(Strictly Business)
February 4, 2008... MADISON -- Cypress Pharmaceutical Inc. has reached a settlement with Glaxo Group Limited, part of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies. The settlement resolves all disputes between the companies related to Cypress' generic ranitidine...

Housing funds released.(Strictly Business)
February 4, 2008... MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST -- An additional $100 million has been allocated to help restore housing for workforce income families on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, boosting the program to a total of $250 million. "Restoration of the affordable...

More rental assistance coming.(Strictly Business)(Small Rental Assistance )(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST -- A second round of funding will pump an additional $112 million into the Small Rental Assistance program and spur development of more affordable rental housing units on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The additional funds...

Record numbers for CredAbility.(Strictly Business)(Consumer Credit Counseling Service)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... JACKSON -- According to Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) of Jackson, consumers across the U.S. received counseling and educational services in record numbers in 2007 from the CredAbility Network, a family of agencies the includes CCCS...

Airline service expands.(Strictly Business)
February 4, 2008... GULFPORT -- US Airways will begin service from the airline's largest hub in Charlotte, N.C., April 6 to the Florida cities of Fort Walton Beach and Panama City as well as to Gulfport/Biloxi May 4. The new service will be operated by...

Winter honored for 51 years of service on Archives & History board.(Strictly Business)(Watkins Ludlam Winter and Stennis )(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Special to the Mississippi Business Journal Colleagues from Watkins Ludlam Winter and Stennis recently joined employees from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History for a retirement luncheon honoring...

Blossman sees financing.(Strictly Business)
February 4, 2008... OCEAN SPRINGS -- According to Pittsburgh, Pa.-based PNC, it has completed a $70-million senior secured financing transaction for The Blossman Companies Inc. The financing package consists of a $60-million revolving credit facility and a...

Bank pays members.(Strictly Business)
February 4, 2008... FLOWOOD -- The board of directors and management of Land Bank South, FLCA, declared and paid a cash patronage distribution of approximately $2.31 million to its members during December. Patronage payments to borrowers are a direct result of the...

Residential development set to start in Starkville.(Strictly Business)
February 4, 2008... STARKVILLE -- An upscale residential development is planned for South Montgomery Street in this East Mississippi city. Construction of Maison de Ville, with 24 Acadian-style garden homes, will begin in the spring, according to real estate...

BancorpSouth earnings up.(Strictly Business)(Financial report)
February 4, 2008... TUPELO -- BancorpSouth Inc. reports net income for the fourth quarter of 2007 increased 14.8% to $32.2 million from $28.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2006. Net income per diluted share rose 11.4% to $0.39 for the fourth quarter of 2007...

I [love] $$$: retailers, florists and restaurants fall in love with February 14th.
February 11, 2008... Valentine's Day is celebrated with lovers expressing their devotion to one another. It is tradition to send Valentine's cards, candy or flowers. But forget about those sweet nothings--February 14th also makes a major economic impact on...

Tough to stay competitive in recovery, repair mode: vibrant State Port vital to Coast's post-Katrina future, supporters say.
February 11, 2008... The Mississippi State Port at Gulfport is involved with ongoing rehabilitation efforts along with implementation of an ambitious master plan. Those recovery efforts and building projects are set to get a huge boost in the way of $600 million...

Consumer-driven healthcare on horizon.
February 11, 2008... Gov. Haley Barbour's Health Insurance Summit February 5 focused on the difficulty employees of small businesses in Mississippi have in acquiring and retaining health insurance. In response to that challenge, Barbour has proposed a health...

Participants hit ground running in Small Business Boot Camp.
February 11, 2008... Tina Baggett has a hard time finding a courier service in her job as a buyer for a large furniture maker. It is not uncommon to need a part for an assembly-line machine, locate it and not be able to get it to the Pontotoc County factory in a...

Mississippi College hosting Bob Bole on Clinton campus.
February 11, 2008... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole will be the keynote speaker at Mississippi College's scholarship banquet Monday, March 31. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the B.C. Rogers Student...

AT&T.(People to Watch)
February 11, 2008... Gunner Goad has been named regional manager for external affairs for northeastern Mississippi. He replaces Marley Aarons, who accepted a position with AT&T in Chicago. A native of Waco, Texas, and a graduate of Baylor University, Goad has seven...

Workplace essentials.(People to Watch)
February 11, 2008... Jim Brasfield has been named business manager for Workplace Essentials in Jackson. The 25-year furniture industry veteran will direct the sales and marketing efforts for the North Mississippi and Tennessee markets. Workplace Essentials is an...

JBHM Architects.(People to Watch)
February 11, 2008... Neil Waggoner of JBHM Architects has completed the professional licensing requirements prescribed by the Board of Architecture to become a registered architect in the state of Mississippi. Waggoner received his bachelor's degree from...

Smith Barney.(People to Watch)(Brian Fenelon)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... Brian Fenelon, financial advisor and senior portfolio management director for Smith Barney in Jackson, is one of three financial professionals recently named in Research magazine's inaugural "ETF Advisor Hall of Fame." The article profiles...

Mississippi Public Broadcasting.(People to Watch)
February 11, 2008... Jay Woods has been promoted to deputy executive director in charge of content for Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB). He is responsible for leading and managing content operations division, which includes television, radio and new media...

BancorpSouth.(People to Watch)
February 11, 2008... Jill MaeInnis has joined BancorpSouth as first vice president in commercial lending in Jackson. She brings 15 years of experience in banking and finance. A native of Lambertville, Mich., she is a graduate of Michigan State University and has...

G. Williams Marketing.(People to Watch)(promotion of Dallas Quinn)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... Dallas Quinn, account executive with G. Williams Marketing, has been named vice president of the farm. A native of Jackson and graduate of Ole Miss, he has been with the firm for four years, supervising the company's work for such local and...

Jones named to Product Liability Advisory Council.(People to Watch)(Christy Jones )(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal Christy Jones has been appointed a sustaining member of the Product Liability Advisory Council. She co-chairs the Pharmaceutical, Medical Device and Healthcare Industry Group at Buffer, Snow,...

Ronald McDonald's replacement.(Perspective)(Cartoon)
February 11, 2008... REP. "TED" MAYHALL BILL TO MAKE IT ILLEGAL FOR RESTAURANTS TO SERVE OBESE PEOPLE CLOWNING AROUND IN JACKSON [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Contact Hattiesburg-based cartoonist Ricky Nobile at nobilericky@aol.com

Race for White House challenges pundits' limited vision.(Perspective)
February 11, 2008... Never has there been so fascinating a political season as the one we are now observing with the Presidential campaign. This rare race for an "open seat" has afforded us the opportunity to debate emerging political philosophies and challenge old...

Quality Education Act centerpiece for number of legislative agendas.(Focus: Education)
February 11, 2008... The Mississippi Department of Education has combined its legislative priorities for the 2008 session into an omnibus package called the Quality Education Act (QEA). The package, whose total cost is $129.2 million, includes nine reforms....

MDE chooses Pearson.(Focus: Education)
February 11, 2008... The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE), after issuing a request for proposals and evaluating the proposals submitted, selected the Educational Measurement group of Pearson to create and manage its new writing assessment program. The...

Dropout prevention initiatives gaining momentum On the Bus.(Focus: Education)
February 11, 2008... Mississippi leads the nation in the rate of students who drop out of high school. Now, however, plans are in place to lead in prevention efforts. New initiatives put in place by the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) are bringing people...

Thus far, fundraising not affected by uncertain economy.(Focus: Education)
February 11, 2008... There may be a slowing of the economy in some parts of the country, but thus far fund raising at schools in Mississippi continues to be brisk. "Despite increasingly problematic economic news, MC's Growing the Vision Campaign continues to...

Campuses pull out all the stops to help graduates find jobs.(Focus: Education)
February 11, 2008... Mississippi's colleges and universities use a variety of ways to help graduates find jobs. Although the economy may be slipping in some parts of the country, state schools say this year's graduates are not encountering employment problems. ...

Cellular South expands Gameplan's reach.(Focus: Education)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Special to the Mississippi Business Journal Cellular South has unveiled the next chapter of the Cellular South Gameplan education program, which aims to help Mississippi high school student-athletes qualify for...

Saunders sees education as major player in business, development.(Focus: Education)(Interview)
February 11, 2008... The University of Southern Mississippi's (USM's) president, Dr. Martha Dunagin Saunders, is busy promoting business and technology interests at the Hattiesburg-based school where she is the first female president. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Metro campuses offer non-traditional students range of options.(Focus: Education)
February 11, 2008... Fresh out of high school, going to college can be an exciting time. A taste of freedom. Exposure to new ideas. But along the way, life happens, and not everyone has the opportunity to go straight through to earn a degree. Marriage, job,...

New school a recruiting tool for Viking Range in Greenwood.(Focus: Education)
February 11, 2008... Viking Range Corp. has found that in recruiting employees to work for the company in Greenwood, a number of potential employees declined to take the job because of the lack of accelerated learning opportunities for their children in K-12. ...

Public universities.(Directory)
February 11, 2008... Public Universities Institution, Year Founded Phone Website Address Fax Number E-mail Financial Aid Alcorn State University, (601) 877-6100 www.alcorn.edu 1871...

Private colleges.(Directory)
February 11, 2008... Private Colleges Institution, Year Founded Phone Website Address Fax Number E-mail Financial Aid Belhaven College, 1894 (601) 960-5940 www.bethaven.edu 1500...

Unemployment up in state.(Strictly Business)
February 11, 2008... ACROSS MISSISSIPPI -- The state's unemployment rate stood at 6.4% in December, up from 5.7% in November, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES). Mississippi's labor force showed a drop as residence-based...

Bomgar's sales surge.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... RIDGELAND -- Bomgar Corporation, the only provider of appliance-based remote support, saw revenue growth in 2007 of 142% over 2006. The company also introduced a new product, upgraded its software to support multi-language environments and...

Keesler reports $1b impact.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... BILOXI -- According to Keesler Air Force Base, its total economic impact for fiscal 2007 has been calculated at more than $1.1 billion. The figure was finalized as base officials completed the annual process of data assimilation and...

Giddyup! Dixie National rides into the Capital City.(Essential Business)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] It is that time of year again, and metro Jackson retailers, restaurateurs, hoteliers and groups that promote the area could not be happier. The 2008 Dixie National Rodeo and Livestock Show is back in town, and with...

BancorpSouth buys agency, building at The Township.(Strictly Business)
February 11, 2008... TUPELO -- BancorpSouth Insurance Services Inc., a subsidiary of BancorpSouth Bank, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Nacogdoches, Texas-based JMG/IC Insurance Agency Inc. The effective date of the transaction is January 1, 2008....