The Mississippi Business Journal articles from July 2007

The Mississippi Business Journal archives from July 2007

Ridgeland joins ranks of smoke-free.
July 2, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] People who are bothered by cigarette smoke will find a safe haven in the city of Ridgeland beginning July 19. The city's Board of Alderman unanimously passed an ordinance June 19 declaring the city a smoke-free...

Saks operations center committed to Jackson.(Company overview)
July 2, 2007... It sits at the busy intersection of a federal highway and interstate, encompasses more than 200,000 square feet and employs hundreds. It supports practically every support function and most internal operations of a corporation that records...

Saints marching back into town.(New Orleans Saints)
July 2, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Capital City's closest NFL team will soon be setting up a pre-season training camp for the second year in Jackson. The New Orleans Saints report for camp at Millsaps College July 25 to prepare for the upcoming...

Township at Colony Park changing as pace accelerates.
July 2, 2007... The Township at Colony Park development on Highland Colony Parkway is rapidly changing as the pace of construction increases. "We have a lot going on now," said Missy LaRose, marketing communications manager for Kerioth. "The Embassy Suites...

Catfish production having a good year in spite of challenges.(Mississippi Crop Report)
July 2, 2007... Catfish production is off to a good start in Mississippi in 2007 after a successful spawning season and warm weather that is promoting regular feeding. "For the year overall, we are up on feed sales and feed to our fish," said Jimmy Avery,...

BancorpSouth.(People to Watch)
July 2, 2007... Jackie Makamson has been promoted to loan operations officer at the Starkville Crossing office of BancorpSouth. She joined BancorpSouth in 1987 and has 22 years of banking experience. Makamson serves also as Central Mississippi region loan...

Bobby King Associates Inc.(People to Watch)
July 2, 2007... Kim Foster Collins, director of public relations for Bobby King Associates Inc. in Tupelo, recently earned her Accreditation in Public Relations, or APR, designation by successfully completing a comprehensive program that included a portfolio...

Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC.(People to Watch)
July 2, 2007... Christy Jones and Lee Davis Thames, attorneys at Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC, in Jackson have been named leading product liability lawyers in "Who's Who Legal--The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers." Jones and Thames...

Clayton O'Donnell Walsh & Davis.(People to Watch)
July 2, 2007... Claude F. Clayton Jr. of Tupelo has joined the National Arbitration Forum's national panel of independent and neutral arbitrators and mediators. Panelists subscribe to the highest standards of professional conduct; they follow explicit rules to...

GranthamPoole, CPAs.(People to Watch)
July 2, 2007... Jackson business advisor and CPA John R. McCallum has collaborated in writing a new book with other experts from the U.S. and Canada. Titled "Minding Your Family Owned & Managed Business," (Enterprise Network Worldwide and Select Press,)...

Heritage Banking Group.(People to Watch)(appointment of Todd Mixon )(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Todd Mixon has joined Heritage Banking Group as president and CEO of the southern division, headquartered in Hattiesburg. Prior to joining Heritage, Mixon served as the area executive for South Alabama for Regions Bank. A graduate of the...

Horizon Casino Vicksburg.(People to Watch)
July 2, 2007... Tim Perkins has been named general manager of Horizon Casino Vicksburg. He will be responsible for overseeing the casino's marketing and sales as well as the day-to-day operations of each department. A native of Rolling Fork, Perkins has worked...

Mississippi Department of Transportation.(People to Watch)
July 2, 2007... Byron Flood has been appointed budget director for the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT). In this role, he will be responsible for compiling MDOT's agency-wide budget and ensuring MDOT uses it's financial resources wisely and...

What are economic developers looking for in a job?(Perspective)
July 2, 2007... Every community wants a good economic developer, one who will market the community to the outside world while creating a can-do spirit in the local folks. But does a good economic developer want every community? Of course not. In this column,...

[Cartoon].(Perspective)(Cartoon)
July 2, 2007... IS THAT 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS ALREADY? NO, THAT'S TALK RADIO BLASTING TRENT LOTT. DON'T MESS UP HIS HAIR! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Contact Hattiesburg-based cartoonist Ricky Nobile at nobilericky@aol.com.

Unemployment rate falls.(Strictly Business)
July 2, 2007... ACROSS MISSISSIPPI -- Mississippi's unemployment rate in May showed mixed signals as a significant drop in the number of unemployed was not matched by a corresponding rise in jobholders, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment...

Rentech, Danbury partner.(Strictly Business)
July 2, 2007... NATCHEZ -- Rentech Inc. has entered into an agreement with Denbury Resources Inc. for the sale, transport and use of all captured carbon dioxide from Rentech's proposed ultra-clean synthetic fuels plant to be built in Natchez for Denbury's oil...

Community opens in Destin.(Strictly Business)
July 2, 2007... BRANDON -- Community Bancshares has opened Community Bank, Destin in Destin, Fla. With the opening, Community now has offices in three states--Mississippi, Tennessee and Florida. Community Bank, Destin was formed by Community Bancshares...

MDA seeking comment on Katrina.(Strictly Business)
July 2, 2007... JACKSON -- The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) is now accepting public comments for a modification to the Mississippi Economic Development Program established to assist communities impacted by Hurricane Katrina. This modification...

Power plant for sale.(Strictly Business)
July 2, 2007... BATESVILLE -- A subsidiary of Complete Energy Holdings, LLC, has signed a definitive agreement with a wholly-owned subsidiary of KGen Power Corporation to sell Batesville Generating Facility, an 837-megawatt gas-fired combined cycle plant in...

Kiplinger's likes Hub City.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... HATTIESBURG -- In the May edition of Kiplinger's Personal Finance, the City of Hattiesburg was rated among the magazine's "Top Ten Towns For Grownups" as part of an article titled "Attractions of a College Town." It focuses on the interests of...

NVision signs int'l pact.(Strictly Business)(NVision Solutions Inc.)(Magellium)(Pole Star)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... HANCOCK COUNTY -- NVision Solutions Inc. has entered into an international partnership to cross-market geospatial technology in the U.S. and Europe with geospatial French companies Magellium and Pole Star. Terms were not disclosed. The...

Irby showcases facilities.(Strictly Business)
July 2, 2007... JACKSON -- Stuart C. Irby Co., a subsidiary of Sonepar USA, began its 20th anniversary celebration with "The Electrified Tour," a tour of Irby's new 100,000-square-foot regional distribution center (RDC) in LaVergne, Tenn., featuring vendor...

D&PL products bought.(Strictly Business)
July 2, 2007... SCOTT -- Americot Inc. of Lubbock, Texas, has acquired the NexGen brand of cotton seed as well as specific Delta and Pine Land Company (D&PL) germplasm. Terms were not disclosed. According to Americot, these acquisitions make it the...

Survey says nearly 10% of Gulf Coast docs won't come back.(Strictly Business)(Survey)
July 2, 2007... Special to the Misissippi Business Journal Approximately one-fourth of the physicians who left the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina were still gone six months later, and some displaced physicians had no plans to return,...

Shelter lowering rates.(Strictly Business)
July 2, 2007... JACKSON -- Shelter Insurance Companies is lowering its rates for automobile insurance for the majority of policyholders. The rate reduction is due in part to improved company performance during the past three years, and will affect more...

Toyota seeking suppliers.(Strictly Business)
July 2, 2007... AROUND MISSISSIPPI -- Toyota Engineering and Manufacturing North America (TEMA) held its first "The Power of Getting Connected--Mississippi" June 22 at the BancorpSouth Center in Tupelo. The event is designed to educate, identify and introduce...

Law firm opening offices.(Strictly Business)
July 2, 2007... JACKSON -- Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C., has been joined by Memphis-based labor and employment law firm Lewis Fisher Henderson & Claxton, LLP, effective July 1. This expansion increased Ogletree Deakins' presence in the...

Parkway expands lease.(Strictly Business)
July 2, 2007... JACKSON -- Parkway Properties Inc. has signed a 61,000-square-foot lease expansion in One Illinois Center in Chicago with Health Care Services Corporation (operating as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois). Terms were not disclosed. Health...

With multiplier, poultry has $8-billion economic impact.(BIG Business)
July 2, 2007... Run the numbers on the economic impact of the poultry industry in Mississippi, and no matter how you look at it, it is enormous. "The farm gate value of poultry in Mississippi in round numbers is $2 billion," said Mississippi Farm Bureau...

Job numbers flat.(Briefly)
July 2, 2007... WASHINGTON -- On the last business day of April, there were 4.1 million job openings in the United States, and the job openings rate was 2.9%, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The job openings and hires rates were unchanged in April,...

Retail sales rise.(Briefly)
July 2, 2007... WASHINGTON -- According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), retail industry sales for May (which exclude automobiles, gas stations and restaurants) rose 4.7% unadjusted over last year and 1.1% seasonally adjusted from April. May...

Long a mainstay, furniture focusing on new strategies.(BIG Business)
July 2, 2007... Under pressure from cheap imports from Asia, manufacturing employment in Mississippi in the furniture industry has been in a decline for several years. But there are some indications that trend will level off in the near future. ...

State-based success stories competing on a global stage.(Focus)
July 2, 2007... Competing globally is becoming the norm for Mississippi businesses of all sizes. The state's biggest companies are no exception, and many of them are succeeding on the world stage. One of those is the Viking Range Company. Based in...

Grants, contributions and time boost communities.(BIG Business)(Interview)
July 2, 2007... Many of Mississippi's largest companies leverage their size to make positive impacts in the state and their communities. Four of them--Taylor Machine Works, Entergy, Nissan and Mississippi Power--spoke to the Mississippi Business Journal about...

Largest employers.
July 2, 2007... Name/Year Founded Address Phone/Fax Top Officer Human Resources Products/Services Director Northrop Grumman P.O. Box 149, (228) 935-1122/935-1126 Ship Systems, 1938 Pascagoula,...

Large industries economic anchors for communities in state.(BIG Business)
July 2, 2007... Despite being largely rural, Mississippi is a big business state. Almost half of the workers in the state are employed by companies that employ 500 people or more. "That fraction of the workforce earns more than 54% of the wages paid to...

Big companies, big stress and the sun never sets.(Focus)
July 2, 2007... It seems unavoidable: business executives and professionals face stress and demands as part of their daily duties. Two of the state's college professors of management have a few suggestions for busy leaders of companies as well as those who are...

15 years into it, gaming has had tremendous impact on state.(Focus)
July 2, 2007... The gaming industry that celebrates its 15th anniversary in Mississippi this year is now collectively one of the larger employers in the state. And the higher wages and benefits--not to mention the taxes--paid by the industry have had a far...

Clinton effort takes home economic development honor.
July 2, 2007... Clinton's planning and economic development efforts have been recognized by the Mississippi Municipal League (MML), which recently awarded it a City of Excellence award. The city won for economic development efforts that include developing...

Tutoring company opens in Madison.
July 2, 2007... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal Playbook Tutoring Services, LLC, aimed at matching professional teachers and tutors with students in all grades and subjects, will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 5 at the Madison City Chamber...

AmSouth Tower deal sign of bustling downtown office market.
July 2, 2007... There has been a steady stream of positive real estate news coming out of downtown Jackson lately, and the recent sale of AmSouth Tower, the Capital City's largest downtown office complex, ranks high among the headlines. CB Richard Ellis...

Angels touching high-tech businesses in the Magnolia State.
July 2, 2007... Assembling all of the ingredients necessary to start a new technology venture in Mississippi is a challenge. To start, there is no short-age of entrepreneurs willing to take the risk of starting new technologies companies in Mississippi....

Traveling music byways: state tourism campaign touts harmonious heritage, encourages folks to try 'some of everything'.(Focus)
July 9, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When someone asked Sandy Bynum why Mississippi considered itself The Birthplace of American Music, she had a ready answer. "Well, Robert Johnson of the Delta is considered the father of the blues, Jimmie Rodgers...

Study finds Gulf fish high in Omega-3 fatty acids.
July 9, 2007... The answer to Mississippi's epidemic rates of heart disease and strokes could be near at hand swimming in the Gulf of Mexico. Researchers from the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory have discovered that Gulf fish are high in levels of Omega-3 oils...

Trucking industry rolling on in spite of a few speed bumps.(Focus)
July 9, 2007... It may not be the best of times in the trucking industry, but trucking companies are not singing the blues. Challenges abound. However, the wheels keep turning, moving the goods and products that consumer touch each day. Fuel costs and...

Jumping on the early-adopter iPhone bandwagon? Not so much.(Viewpoint essay)
July 9, 2007... Early-adopters of all things high-tech have been standing in lines and burning up blogs with praise and criticism for the new Apple iPhone that, after much hype, is now available. But what does that mean to the rest of us? What exactly is an...

Thompson returns to Mississippi Department of Health in interim role.(People to Watch)
July 9, 2007... Dr. Ed Thompson, MD, MPH, was named Interim State Health Officer by the newly appointed Mississippi State Board of Health during its first meeting July 2. Thompson previously served the Mississippi Department of Health (MDH) as state...

Mississippi Manufacturers Association.(People to Watch)
July 9, 2007... Shannon D. Hood of Brandon has been named marketing and membership manager for the Mississippi Manufacturers Association (MMA). In this position, she is responsible for the recruitment of new companies into MMA and to provide information about...

Hollywood Casino Bay St. Louis.(People to Watch)
July 9, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Linda Thorpe has joined Hollywood Casino Bay St. Louis as player development executive. She has 14 years of casino experience on the Gulf Coast having previously worked at the Grand Casino in Gulfport and Casino...

School and Carnival Supplies Inc.(People to Watch)
July 9, 2007... Biloxi native Sharon Savage has been promoted to office manager and chief bookkeeper for School and Carnival Supplies Inc.'s stores. She will supervise daily operations at the Gulfport's corporate offices serving three stores located in...

Shows retiring from Pearl River Valley EPA; Wallace named successor.(People to Watch)
July 9, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The board of directors of Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association (PRVEPA) in Columbia has accepted the retirement notice of long-time general manager W.T. "Tom" Shows, effective at the end of this year. Randy...

State Bank & Trust Company.(People to Watch)
July 9, 2007... Donna McGehee has been named administrative assistant at State Bank & Trust Company's Railroad Avenue location in Brookhaven. During her 21 years in banking, she has worked as a teller, customer service representative, trainer, annuity...

SoilTech Consultants Inc.(People to Watch)
July 9, 2007... Alane Carlson Young has joined SoilTech Consultants Inc. in Bay St. Louis as a senior geologist. She received a bachelor of science degree in geology from Tulane University and a master of science in geology from Mississippi State University....

Wishful thinking.(Perspective)(Cartoon)
July 9, 2007... WE'RE SO SWIFT WE CAN PASS AS VOTER I.D. BILL IN TIME FOR NEXT YEARS ELECTIONS DURING THE REGULAR SESSION IN '08! RIGHT. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Contact Hattiesburg-based cartoonist Ricky Nobile at nobilericky@aol.com.

Back from the beach and straight into news of the day.(Perspective)
July 9, 2007... The family and I came back from several days at the beach to find that all kinds of hell had broken loose. Again. Of course, we had an inkling of what was going on in the world since ESPN included details of the terror plots in Britain...

Nationwide pays more claims.(Strictly Business)(Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co.)(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST -- According to Commissioner of Insurance George Dale, The Nationwide Insurance Companies, which agreed to voluntarily reevaluate Hurricane Katrina slab cases in April 2007, has paid an additional $25 million-plus in...

Shopping center purchased.(Strictly Business)
July 9, 2007... JACKSON -- Sperry Van Ness/Gilmore Auction has sold by auction Meadowbrook Mart Shopping Center, a 112,145-square-foot neighborhood center in the Capital City, to Franklin, Tenn.-based Reddlands Inc. for approximately $3.1 million. David...

Hancock launches new service.(Strictly Business)
July 9, 2007... GULFPORT -- Hancock Bank has introduced remote deposits, allowing business customers to make deposits to their account by transmitting images of checks using specially-designed scanners and software. Hancock said the new business offering...

Residents return to KMC.(Strictly Business)(Keesler Medical Center)(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... BILOXI -- Keesler Medical Center (KMC) achieved a major step in its return to pre-Hurricane Katrina operations July 1 as medical and surgical residents returned. This follows an almost two-year period without physician residency programs. ...

'Problematic' banks increase.(Strictly Business)
July 9, 2007... CORAL GABLES, FLA. -- BauerFinancial Inc. has released its latest star ratings for the nation's 8,651 banks and 8,478 credit unions based on newly released financial data. And it reports a more than 50% rise in "problematic" banks. ...

Workers getting back pay.(Strictly Business)
July 9, 2007... GULFPORT -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recovered nearly $1.5 million in back wages for approximately 2,600 workers who cleaned up and renovated the U.S. naval facilities in Gulfport and Belle Chasse, La.,...

Metro hosting big tourney.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... The U.S. Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) will hold the Black American World Softball Tournament September 14-16 in the greater Jackson area. Between 300-350 teams from around the world, including approximately 60 from Mississippi, are...

DMR publishes guide.(Strictly Business)
July 9, 2007... BILOXI -- The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (DMR) Seafood Technology Bureau has developed a publication titled "How To Start A Seafood Business in South Mississippi." The guide, a contribution to the rebuilding efforts of the...

CONs awarded.(Strictly Business)
July 9, 2007... AROUND MISSISSIPPI -- The Mississippi Department of Health has issued certificates of need for the following projects at five state hospitals. The projects are: * North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo--To replace its computerized...

AnComm adds customers.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... OXFORD -- Nine schools in four states have selected AnComm's "Talk About It" anonymous online messaging service. With the addition of these new customers, AnComrn's "Talk About It" service is now being implemented in more than 93 schools across...

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi has big plans for inaugural marathon.(Strictly Business)
July 9, 2007... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal The inaugural Mississippi Blues Marathon will be run in the Capital City January 5, 2008. Event organizers anticipate at least 1.000 runners from around the country coming to the area to...

Peoples increases dividend.(Strictly Business)
July 9, 2007... BILOXI -- The board of directors of Peoples Financial Corporation, parent of The Peoples Bank, has increased the holding company's regular semiannual cash dividend to $0.25 per common share, payable July 16, 2007, to stockholders of record July...

Time use survey released.(Strictly Business)
July 9, 2007... WASHINGTON -- The Bureau of Labor Statistics has released a report on time use in the workplace in 2006. Some of the reports findings are: * Employed persons worked 7.6 hours on average on the days that they worked. They worked more hours...

eMPOWERx successful.(Strictly Business)
July 9, 2007... JACKSON -- One year after implementing Informed Decisions, LLC's, eMPOWERx, Mississippi Medicaid has realized a savings in prescription drug costs of more than $1.2 million per month, according to the company. There are other successes of...

Samarion turning to tech.(Strictly Business)(http://www.samarion.com/)(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... JACKSON -- Samarion has launched a new Web site at http://www.samarion.com/. The new site is an initial step in the unveiling of innovations called the Samarion Solution, set for market launch in October. "The development of the Samarion...

Candlewood Suites opens.(Strictly Business)
July 9, 2007... HATTIESBURG -- Sun Development and Management Corporation has opened its new 109-room Candlewood Suites Hotel in the Hub City. It is located at 9 Gateway Drive. All of the rooms and suites of the Candlewood Suites extended stay hotel full...

EDA investing in city.(Strictly Business)(Economic Development Administration)(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... WIGGINS -- The Economic Development Administration (EDA) is investing $1.46 million in the City of Wiggins. The investment will help make improvements to the city's water system needed to attract new businesses and jobs to the region. The...

Where's the beef? It may be in Oakland, but maybe not: Windsor Quality Food Company buys Mississippi Beef Processors facility in Yalobusha County.
July 9, 2007... Where's the beef? It may be in Oakland--and it may not--depending on what kind of food items are eventually made there. Details of the recent purchase of the failed Mississippi Beef Processors plant in the small Yalobusha County community...

Fitch rates MHEAC bonds.(Strictly Business)
July 9, 2007... JACKSON -- Fitch Ratings has assigned ratings to Mississippi Higher Education Assistance Corp.'s (MHEAC's) Student Loan Revenue Bonds, series 2007. Ratings for new issuance of bonds are: * $73.8 million student loan revenue bonds,...

Parkway report wins.(Strictly Business)
July 9, 2007... JACKSON -- Parkway Properties has received national recognition for its annual report from the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT) during the association's recent Investor Forum in New York City. The 2006 Parkway...

Casino College cutting ribbon.(Strictly Business)
July 9, 2007... GREENVILLE -- Casino College of Mississippi Inc. held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its new campus in the Port City July 6. Classes will officially begin July 9. The school's goal is to train 175 dealers for employment in the local casinos....

Marker honors Dixon.(Strictly Business)(Mississippi Blues Trail marker)(Willie Dixon)(Brief article)
July 9, 2007... VICKSBURG -- The City of Vicksburg held its first Mississippi Blues Trail marker unveiling June 28, honoring Willie Dixon, often called "the poet laureate of the blues." The marker was erected on Willie Dixon Way, the street Vicksburg renamed...

Compensation survey.(Strictly Business)
July 9, 2007... Employer costs for employee compensation averaged $27.82 per hour worked in March 2007, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Wages and salaries, which averaged $19.47, accounted for 70% of these costs, while benefits, which averaged...

Business owners lament loss of Ben Allen's leadership.
July 9, 2007... The sudden late June departure of Jackson Councilman Ben Allen has left a void in City Hall. The councilman from Ward 1 was serving his third term on the Jackson City Council, having been first elected in 1997. He was elected by his colleagues...

Corn yields in Mississippi cut by drought.
July 9, 2007... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal Strong prices encouraged Mississippi farmers to make corn the state's number one row crop this year, but drought conditions are cutting yields. On June 29, the U.S. Department of Agriculture...

Busy professionals finding time for summer breaks, trips.(Focus: Travel, Tourism & Casino Resorts)
July 9, 2007... Looking for a meaningful summer break but can't get away from the office for a long period of time? The solution could be to explore some of the best your home state has to offer. "There is a lot to do out here in the state," said Steve...

If you think casinos are all about gambling, think again.(Focus: Travel, Tourism & Casino Resorts)
July 9, 2007... Mississippi's casinos are resorting to amenities. That is, they're much more than gaming these days and offer such extras as restaurants, golf courses, spas and entertainment to guests. For that reason, many of the state's casinos now bill...

Hotels.
July 9, 2007... Hotels Name Address Phone Beau Rivage 875 Beach Blvd. (228) 386-7171 Biloxi, MS 39530 Grand Casino 13615 Old Hwy. 61 N. ...