The Mississippi Business Journal articles from January 2008

The Mississippi Business Journal archives from January 2008

Business around Jackson picks up when pols in town.
January 7, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mississippi legislators are coming back to the metro area and getting settled in as they look forward to a new session. The 2008 Regular Session of the Mississippi Legislature convenes at noon Tuesday, January 8. At...

Bryant outlines legislative agenda.
January 7, 2008... Soon after Mississippi voters gave the green light to State Auditor Phil Bryant to take over the top leadership spot in the Senate, the lieutenant governor-elect started lining up his 2008 agenda. The Mississippi Business Journal caught up with...

Wicker pledges to open Coast office, continue recovery effort.(Roger Wicker)
January 7, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In naming Rep. Roger Wicker to fill the unexpired U.S. Senate seat of Trent Lott, Gov. Haley Barbour said he wanted someone with a flat learning curve. Wicker has represented the state's first congressional district...

JBHM Architects, P.A.(People to Watch)(appoinment of Joseph Echols and Chris Faulkner)(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... Joseph Echols and Chris Faulkner have joined JBHM Architects, P.A., in the firm's Biloxi office. Echols, a designer, earned a bachelor of architecture degree from Mississippi State University, and since graduation he has gained experience in...

Shelby Mortgage Corp.(People to Watch)(appoinment of Eddie Reed)(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Eddie Reed, a loan originator at Shelby Mortgage in Southaven, has been elected vice president of the Mississippi Association of Mortgage Brokers (MAMB). He holds the national designation of Certified Residential...

Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis.(People to Watch)(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... W. Alex Brady II, Douglas T. Miracle and Lisa A. Reppeto have been named shareholders of Watkins Ludlam Winter and Stennis, P.A. Brady works from the firm's Gulfport office and is a graduate of Mississippi State University and Michigan State...

Bancorp South names Gordon Lewis vice chairman.(People to Watch)
January 7, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gordon Lewis has been named executive vice president, BancorpSouth Inc., and vice chairman of BancorpSouth Bank. Lewis has assumed the responsibilities left vacant upon the retirement of Mike Sappington and has...

People lease plays Santa for Sunnybrook.(People to Watch)
January 7, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] People Lease of Ridgeland recently gave the children of Sunnybrook Children's Home a present from a wish list and also a Simon gift card from Northpark Mall. Pictured are: Paul Bowers (left to right), senior sales...

Hmmm ... coaches' salaries, eternal rest--touchdown!(Perspective)
January 7, 2008... The biggest college football story of 2007 might not be about which team was the national champion, but how many NCAA Division I-A coaches received contracts worth over a million dollars a year, and where the money will come from to pay those...

DEA selects L-3 Vertex.(Strictly Business)(Drug Enforcement Administration)(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... MADISON -- L-3 Vertex Aerospace has been awarded a contract to provide total aviation support to the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The program includes a first-year, base-period and four, one-year option...

Hospital site unveiled.(Strictly Business)
January 7, 2008... PICAYUNE -- In May 2006, Forrest General Hospital purchased the former Crosby Memorial Hospital in this South Mississippi city with plans to build a new hospital facility. That new hospital, to be called Highland Community Hospital, is now...

Eutaw wins contract.(Strictly Business)(Eutaw Construction Company Inc.)(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... ABERDEEN -- Eutaw Construction Company Inc. has been awarded the contract to expand the existing two-lanes of Highway 425 to four-lanes from Log Cabin, La., to the Arkansas state line. The project contract totals $24.2 million. "We...

Plant to serve as model.(Strictly Business)
January 7, 2008... BLUE SPRINGS -- Toyota Motor Corp.'s designation of its Mississippi plant as a worldwide model of environmentally-friendly operations is a dramatic statement of confidence in the Mississippi project, according to Gov. Haley Barbour. ...

Shares to be repurchased.(Strictly Business)
January 7, 2008... KOSCIUSKO -- The board of directors of First M&F Corporation, at its meeting December 12, 2007, has approved a stock buyback program. The board approved a stock repurchase program targeted at repurchasing up to 500,000 shares (approximately...

Cochran wants Delta National Heritage Area.(Strictly Business)(Thad Cochran)(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) has introduced legislation to establish the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area. The legislation designates an 18-county area in Mississippi as the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area. ...

Cal-Maine's numbers up.(Strictly Business)(Financial report)(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... JACKSON -- Cal-Maine Foods Inc. saw net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2008 of $223.7 million, compared with net sales of $137.7 million for the same quarter of fiscal 2007. The company reported net income of $40.2 million, or $1.70 per...

Fulton Crossing acquired.(Strictly Business)
January 7, 2008... CORINTH -- DLC Management Corporation, a national owner and operator of open-air shopping centers based in Tarrytown, N.J., has acquired a new portfolio consisting of 16 shopping centers located throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Terms...

HMC CDS forms.(Strictly Business)
January 7, 2008... NEW ALBANY -- HMC Technologies has recently created a new department called HMC Custom Data Solutions (HMC CDS). HMC CDS was created to address the increasing need to bring plant floor information into the office. HMC CDS incorporates...

JBHM, MHSAA partner.(Strictly Business)(JBHM Education Group)(Mississippi High School Activities Association )(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... JACKSON -- JBHM Education Group, LLC, and the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) recently partnered in an effort to increase the ACT scores of students participating in MHSAA activities. "The two priorities for MHSAA for...

RTN enters agreement.(Strictly Business)
January 7, 2008... JACKSON -- Retro Television Network (RTN), which is nationally owned and distributed by Equity Media Holdings Corporation, has entered into agreements with Media General to bring RTN programming to Jackson and Augusta, Ga. The new affiliates...

Reef enhanced.(Strictly Business)
January 7, 2008... BILOXI -- The Shellfish and the Artificial Reef bureaus of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (DMR) teamed up with Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in November 2007 to enhance a low-profile fishing reef using recycled oyster shells. ...

Nursing home CON issued.(Strictly Business)(certificate of need)(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... YAZOO CITY -- The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) has approved a certificate of need (CON) for Martha Coker Convalescent Home. The funding is for additional capital expenditure for site change and cost overrun of 41-bed...

Sportsmen spend $363m.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Mississippi's 537,000 hunters and anglers are among the most prominent and influential of all demographic groups, spending more than $683 million annually on hunting and fishing. This is according to a new report, "Hunting and...

Awards top $199m.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... BILOXI -- South Mississippi Contract Procurement Center Inc. (SMCPC) has released a report on its clients' awards during fiscal year 2007. Prime contract awards totaled approximately $181.56 million (approximately $132.24 million was state...

New magazine published.(Strictly Business)
January 7, 2008... JACKSON -- Mississippi One-Call, the state's "call before you dig" center, has added another communication tool for promoting excavation safety. The new quarterly magazine, Mississippi One-Call ACTS, will be distributed free to all members and...

Funding approved for metro projects.(Strictly Business)
January 7, 2008... WASHINGTON -- More than $70 million in federal funding has been earmarked for projects in Mississippi's Third Congressional District, $10.4 million of which goes to metro Jackson-area projects. The funding breakdown is: $2.94...

Urban adds stations.(Strictly Business)
January 7, 2008... MERIDIAN AND TUPELO -- URBan Radio Communications, LLC, has closed on the purchase of WMSR-FM, from Malkan Broadcasting, L.P., in Florence-Muscle Shoals, Ala. Terms were not disclosed. The WMSR-FM transaction brings URBan's Florence-Muscle...

Workplace Essentials opens.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... RIDGELAND -- Memphis-based Workplace Essentials has opened a new, full-service showroom for the Jackson market. The new Ridgeland facility features more than 2,100 square feet of office furniture and accessories at its Highland Colony Parkway...

McMullan pledges support.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
January 7, 2008... HATTIESBURG -- Forrest General Healthcare Foundation recently received a gift from Paul McMullan. McMullan, who also serves as chairman of the board of directors for the foundation, pledged $50,000 to be given to the Spiritual Grounds at Pine...

Among Hosemann's SoS priorities, business court system.(Interview)
January 7, 2008... After running for U.S. Congress in 1998, serving the U.S. Electoral College in 2000 and chairing the Capital Foundation of the Mississippi Republican Party, Phelps Dunbar attorney Delbert Hosemann won the vote to take over for retiring...

On the horizon: firms anticipate growth, investment, GO Zone interest.(Focus)
January 7, 2008... Like other business and professional groups, law firms greeted 2008 with plans for an active year. The Mississippi Business Journal caught up with a couple of them over the recent holiday season and asked about expectations for the coming...

Ole Miss professor named to International Space Law Society's board of directors.(Focus)
January 7, 2008... As more and more countries venture into outer space, the study and development of space law is expanding. A University of Mississippi professor is playing an important role in that process as an internationally recognized expert on space law...

CPAs ring in the new year, tax time with advice for clients.(Focus)
January 7, 2008... The holidays are over, but there's no lull for the state's CPA firms as they dive into the tax season and changes in tax laws going into effect in 2008. Angela G. Fisher with GranthamPoole in Jackson says December and early January are a...

Firm's 30-year growth parallels successful South Miss. economy.(Law & Accounting Quarterly)(Company overview)
January 7, 2008... In the 30 years since Hattiesburg-based Nicholson & Company, PLLC, started in the accounting business, the firm has gone from manual tax returns and ledger entries to tax accounting software that operates with lightening speed. And the firm...

CPA firms.
January 7, 2008... CPA Firms Number of Name, Telephone Total Staff Number of CPAs Number, Address Fax Year Founded HORNE LLP, (601) 948-0940 475 101 AmSouth Building...

Litigation support: CPAs providing value to litigators in state.(Low Accounting Quarterly)
January 7, 2008... There is probably nothing that is more at odds with the perception of a typical CPA than the work connected with providing litigation support to attorneys. As the stereotype goes, a CPA likes to make sure reports are correct, financial...

Mississippi business wins unprecedented award from IRS.(Focus)
January 7, 2008... If you can't fight city hall, what chance do you have fighting the IRS when you feel the agency has made a wrong decision? And what if that wrong decision is requiring you to pay more than $250 million in excise taxes for your family-owned...

Physician supply, malpractice litigation not going away any time soon.(Focus)
January 7, 2008... Most readers are aware of the well publicized health care crisis such as the looming Medicare funding shortfall and the debate over how to deal with those 40 million Americans without health insurance. However, another health crisis that has...

Businesses can learn a lot from U.S. Economic Census process.
January 7, 2008... As if business owners didn't have enough to do, an estimated 40,000 in Mississippi also have some important papers to fill out and return to the U.S. Census Bureau by February 12. All businesses with 10 or more employees received the 2007...

High fertilizer prices affecting producers' crop decisions.(Mississippi Agribusiness)
January 7, 2008... World demand for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium has driven the price of these fertilizers past record levels, and Mississippi producers are trying to make 2008 crop decisions in light of steadily rising costs. Improved market prices...

Ag wealth management seminar set for Jan. 11.(Mississippi Agribusiness)
January 7, 2008... A January 11 conference will help farmers, landowners, accountants and other consultants learn about current policy issues that can impact revenue and wealth management for today's farmers and future generations. The Richard C. Adkerson...

Watching those cycles spin.
January 7, 2008... The economy moves in cycles. In prosperous times, rapid economic growth tends to help most of us earn and keep more money, and it generally helps companies prosper, as well. During a downturn or recession, common in the fourth quarter, more...

Business events (and more).(Conference news)(Calendar)
January 7, 2008... Thursday, January 10 * The Mississippi Economic Council will hold A Capital Day, designed to allow business leaders from across the state to visit with newly elected legislators, legislative leaders and other newly elected officials during...

Lobbyists anticipate major issues, growing intensity through session.
January 14, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Local lobbyists recently interviewed by the Mississippi Business Journal see a busy 2008 legislative session that may begin slowly but will increase in intensity as committee assignments are made and statewide...

Flood insurance costs key factor in Coast recovery: public comment period open on flood insurance rates.(Interview)
January 14, 2008... Problems with insurance cost and availability have been identified as the number one barrier to the rebuilding of the Mississippi Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina. But while most private carriers are no longer writing wind coverage,...

Turnaround success story for North Sunflower Med Center.(North Sunflower Medical Center )
January 14, 2008... Closure was imminent. Only a matter of days remained before the doors to North Sunflower Medical Center (NSMC) would shut tightly. And the last one out would turn out the lights. Ruleville would have been without a hospital and yet another...

Nissan's Bednarzyk thankful for 'great mentors' throughout career: Canton plant's new leader joined company in 1985.
January 14, 2008... When Dan Bednarzyk was a child, he and his three brothers and sister spent countless afternoons and weekends outdoors, helping their dad rake leaves, cut grass and weed flowerbeds while his morn kept house. Usually, his dad had a vehicle in the...

What happens next in the wild, wild First District?(Perspective)
January 14, 2008... The political pot in Mississippi is boiling over. Announcements of retirements and resignations have set in motion a predictable chain reaction as candidates scramble to fill the now or soon to be open seats in the First and Third Congressional...

[Cartoon].(Perspective)(Cartoon)
January 14, 2008... TWO OF THE U.S. SENATE CANDIDATES ARE FORMER ROOMMATES. THIS COULD MEAN SECRETS WILL COME OUT DURING THE CAMPAIGN! ROGER WICKER SNORES WHEN HE SLEEPS [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] RONNIE MUSGROVE LEAVES DIRTY DISHES IN THE SINK... ...

That middle ground looks pretty good when it comes to politics.(Viewpoint essay)
January 14, 2008... I've always been interested in politics. As soon as I turned 18, I registered to vote. I shook Gerald Ford' s hand at a rally in Gulfport as he came through on a campaign stop. My friend got the chance to meet an unknown candidate, Jimmy...

Measure every great idea's market potential before launch.
January 14, 2008... The old cliche is true. Ideas are a dime a dozen. To investment bankers, venture capitalists and veteran research and development teams, unmeasured ideas without serious market validation lack merit. An endless proliferation of ideas...

Mississippi Public Broadcasting.(People to Watch)
January 14, 2008... Jason Klein has joined Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) as director of radio. His previous work experience across the Southeast includes Clear Channel Communications in Virginia, program director and on-air personality at Y101 in Jackson...

Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence.(People to Watch)
January 14, 2008... Keisha S. Varnell has joined the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence (MCADV) as project assistant. Along with providing general support for office operations and agency projects, she will specialize in coordinating youth programming...

Canizaro Cawthon Davis.(People to Watch)(appointment of John Murray)(Brief article)
January 14, 2008... John Murray joins Canizaro Cawthon Davis as a design professional with more than 15 years of experience as a project manager. He received his bachelor of architecture degree from Mississippi State University in 1983. He worked abroad with the...

Neel-Schaffer Inc.(People to Watch)
January 14, 2008... Chuck Lott, civil/site engineering department manager for Neel-Schaffer Inc.'s office in Jackson, has been honored by the Alabama-Mississippi Section of the American Water Works Association with the George Warren Fuller Award. The honor is...

BancorpSouth.(People to Watch)
January 14, 2008... Dennis "Dink" Hutchinson has joined BancorpSouth as president and branch manager of the Bay Springs office. The Taylorsville native brings more than eight years of banking experience to BancorpSouth. Hutchinson graduated from the University of...

Crye-Leike, Realtors.(People to Watch)
January 14, 2008... Nashville journalist Mike Machak has joined Crye-Leike, Realtors as director of public relations based out of the Middle Tennessee headquarters office Brentwood. The company's primary markets include: Jackson; Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga in...

National League of Cities.(People to Watch)
January 14, 2008... Marshand Crisler, a Jackson City Council member, has been elected to the National League of Cities (NLC) board of directors. NLC is governed by its board, which includes the president and first and second vice presidents, all past-presidents...

Ridgeland Tourism Commission.(People to Watch)
January 14, 2008... Melanie H. Archer has joined the Ridgeland Tourism Commission (RTC) as director of sales. She will oversee the management and leadership functions of the RTC's sales and service department identifying marketing opportunities and developing...

New partners at Phelps Dunbar LLP.(People to Watch)(appointments of Bridgforth R. Rutledge, Dennis S. Blunt, Susie Morgan and Christopher K. Ralston)(Brief article)
January 14, 2008... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal Phelps Dunbar LLP has elected four attorneys to the partnership. Two of the partners reside in the firm's New Orleans office and one each in the Baton Rouge and Jackson offices. [ILLUSTRATION...

Downtown org wants more shops, restaurants--and people.(Alliance for Downtown Meridian Inc.)
January 14, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Meridian has seen a number of significant, successful projects lead an ongoing revitalization of the East Mississippi city's downtown over the past few years. Impressive on their own, city leaders are now looking to...

New president takes over at BIPEC just as busy 2008 gets going.
January 14, 2008... There's been a leadership change at the Business and Industry Political Education Committee (BIPEC), but the services of this organization will continue in the same dependable way members expect and need. Vice president Van White is replacing...

Survey: manufacturing CFOs expect uptick.
January 14, 2008... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal Seven out of 10 manufacturing CFOs expect their company's revenues to increase in the coming year, and nearly half (45%) predict increased profit margins. That is according to an annual survey of...

Four Seasons a family-owned car wash business like no other.
January 14, 2008... When Lee Wheatley wanted to put a carwash in Madison, he knew it would have to be like no other carwash in the area. Madison's strict building codes and high expectations meant that the business would have to blend in, yet stand out as superior...

Pampered pooches right at home at Madison's Chateau le Pooch.
January 14, 2008... Pooches who are used to being pampered will feel fight at home in Madison's new Chateau le Pooch. "It's the Ritz Carlton for dogs," said Joni South, owner of the new facility that boards dogs and cats while their owners are away. ...

Bay St. Louis chef's cooking has gone to the dogs ... literally.
January 14, 2008... Prima Luke was a chef at the popular Bay St. Louis eatery Dock of the Bay for 21 years before her sister sold the restaurant five months before Hurricane Katrina swept it away. Now Luke's cooking has gone to the dogs--literally. Luke is now the...

Business events (and more).(Calendar)
January 14, 2008... Monday, January 14 * The Mississippi State Department of Health Office of Health Disparity Elimination will offer the Communities in Action Grant-Writing Workshop January 14-15 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Country Inn & Suites in...

Delta research changed cotton farming, revolutionizing Southern ag.(Agribusiness)
January 14, 2008... CLARKSDALE -- Covered only with a coat of rust and adorned with a string of lights from a Christmas past, the vintage machine sitting on the edge of Highway 49 near Clarksdale is a reminder of a revolution that took place in Southern...

Comcast Business Class back as EXPO title sponsor: Mississippi's largest business-to-business special event celebrating 25-year milestone January 16-17.(EXPO 2008)
January 14, 2008... If it's January, it's EXPO time at the Mississippi Trade Mart. The state's largest business-to-business networking event celebrates its 25th anniversary January 16 and 17. This year marks the fourth year Comcast Business Class is the title...

Bright and early start to EXPO with best places to work breakfast.(BEST PLACES TO WORK IN MISSISSIPPI)
January 14, 2008... Awards programs have long been an integral part of the Comcast Mississippi Business & Technology EXPO. The Top 40 Under 40 and Business Woman of the Year luncheons play to packed rooms each year. The programs make the EXPO much more than just a...

Sponsors, recipients proud to be part of Top 40 Under 40.(Top 40 Under 40)(Adams and Reese)
January 14, 2008... Everyone loves a winner. That may be why the Top 40 Under 40 luncheon is always a sellout at EXPO. This year's recognition luncheon will be Wednesday, January 16 and is sponsored by Adams and Reese law firm, BancorpSouth Bank and Cellular...

Networking, great food and music on tap at Business After Hours.(EXPO 2008)
January 14, 2008... Business After Hours is a popular event each year at the EXPO. A packed house is expected again when the super networking party begins at 5 p.m. Wednesday. This year's sponsors are the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, Business...

Don't waste opportunities for valuable EXPOsure to new clients.(EXPO 2008)
January 14, 2008... The Comcast Mississippi Business and Technology EXPO 2008 is a great way to kick off the New Year putting the best foot forward for your business while also finding out what's new and exciting in the business world. "These types of events...

Excitement building for Business Woman of the Year luncheon.(Missippi's 50 Leading Business Women[TN])
January 14, 2008... The Business Woman of the Year Luncheon is always a favorite event at the EXPO as it honors outstanding women from across the state. This year's luncheon will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday with sponsors AT&T, Regions Bank, St. Dominic Health...

Independent judges the foundation for Top 40, 50 women credibility.(EXPO 2008)
January 14, 2008... It is no easy task for judges to sort through hundreds of detailed applications to pick the winners of the Mississippi Business Journal's annual award programs Top 40 Under 40 and Mississippi's 50 Leading Business Women. In addition to...

Best booths? Simple yet intriguing, tied to overall marketing.(EXPO 2008)
January 14, 2008... Designs for trade show booths are changing with people favoring colorful printed graphics and lightweight displays including aluminum truss systems. "Most people want graphics that grab people's attention," says Terese Collins, president...

Take in the Magnolia state's sites, sounds, history at EXPO.(EXPO 2008)
January 14, 2008... Tourism, one of the state's leading industries, is alive and well and will be represented at the 25th-anniversary EXPO. Attendees should look for the Mississippi Development Authority Division of Tourism's display to find information on places...

Little 'extras' add up to extra special for exhibitors, attendees.(EXPO 2008)
January 14, 2008... With a big EXPO to cover and lots of information to absorb, taking a break might be a good idea. There are a couple of spots to help attendees, exhibitors and sponsors unwind a bit while still completing the total experience. The Comcast...

Unwind with a massage or check your e-mail on Activity Aisle.(EXPO 2008)
January 14, 2008... There'll be lots going on in the Activity Aisle at this week's Comcast Business Class Mississippi Business & Technology EXPO. The list of activities includes something for most everyone, including tips from a golf pro, craft demonstrations,...

Seminars by Eagle Ridge presenters provide a chance to learn, explore.(EXPO 2008)
January 14, 2008... While the Comcast Mississippi Business and Technology EXPO offers a great venue to meet new people and forge or solidify relationships, it also provides the opportunity to explore new concepts and strategies, to share experiences--good and...

2008 Business & Technology EXPO training seminars.(EXPO 2008)(Calendar)
January 14, 2008... EXPO 2008 features a full lineup of informative seminars presented by professional trainers from Eagle Ridge Conference Center at Hinds Community College. Wednesday, January 16 * 10 a.m.--"Life Is Good... And Work Can Be Too!"...

Latest in technology, telecommunications takes center stage.(EXPO 2008)
January 14, 2008... Since the Comcast Mississippi Business & Technology EXPO's launch 25 years ago. technology has revolutionized the workplace. The typewriter was still common in most offices when that first EXPO was held. This year's show will spotlight...

ABC Construction Zone building industry awareness during EXPO.(EXPO 2008)
January 14, 2008... Mississippi is home to many topflight construction and construction-related companies, and some of these firms will be found in the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Construction Zone at the 2008 Comcast Mississippi Business &...

Sponsors, partners and volunteers keys to success at EXPO.(EXPO 2008)
January 14, 2008... An event as large as the 2008 Comcast Mississippi Business & Technology EXPO, the state's largest business-to-business tradeshow, takes a tremendous amount of support. Obviously, EXPO would not be possible without the event's sponsors. Without...