The Mississippi Business Journal articles from June 2008

The Mississippi Business Journal archives from June 2008

Autofest sales follow national trend.
June 2, 2008... Gasoline got Stanley and Melodee Smith from their Saltillo home to the Tupelo Autofest. That's the gasoline in the 2005 Dodge Magnum they drove to the semiannual event and the gasoline they want to stop having to buy when they purchase a more...

Efficiency, creativity helping ADs balance budgets.
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It would be a safe assumption to make that Greg Byrne's prodigious fundraising abilities played a large role in his landing the position of athletic director at Mississippi State University (MSU). The...

Service to another level: Comcast Cares Day.(People to Watch)
June 2, 2008... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Last month, more than 200 local Comcast employees and their families and friends volunteered with The Good Samaritan Center and the Madison Countians Alliance Against...

JBHM Architects, P.A.(People to Watch)
June 2, 2008... Kiley Ham has joined JBHM Architects, P.A., and will serve as marketing director for each of the firm's offices Biloxi, Columbus, Jackson, Tupelo and Memphis. A graduate of Mississippi College with a bachelor of science degree in mass...

HORNE LLP.(People to Watch)(appointment of Hans C. Pettit)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Hans C. Pettit, CPA, has joined HORNE LLP as a partner in the Jackson office. With more than 10 years of comprehensive accounting experience, he serves in the firm's financial institutions service line. His career involves financial executive...

Banking association elects officers, board.(People to Watch)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Special to the Mississippi Business Journal William D. Sones of Brookhaven has been elected chairman of the Mississippi Bankers Association for 2008-2009. He will lead the association's 20-member board of...

M&F Bank.(People to Watch)
June 2, 2008... Larry Veasey has joined M&F Bank as vice president of the Grenada office. His main concentration will be commercial lending. He comes to M&F Bank with more than 30 years of banking experience. A native of Grenada, Veasey is a graduate of the...

Guild Hardy Architects PA.(People to Watch)
June 2, 2008... Brooke Waaga has joined Guild Hardy Architects, P.A., in Biloxi as one of the firm's four full-time interior designers. She will help prepare drawings, samples and design instructions based on the client's needs, preferences and purpose of...

Wachovia.(People to Watch)
June 2, 2008... John Shappley has been named Wachovia market president for Hattiesburg. He joins Wachovia from The First Bank in Hattiesburg where he served in various roles for the past six years--most recently as senior commercial lender. In his new role, he...

American Advertising Federation of Jackson.(People to Watch)
June 2, 2008... Tammy Charley Smith has been honored by the American Advertising Federation of Jackson with the 2008 Silver Medal Award, the national club's most prestigious recognition. Since 2001, Smith has served as vice president/production at Marls, West...

Cadence Bank.(People to Watch)
June 2, 2008... Lon Shelton has joined Cadence Bank in the Columbus Banking Center as vice president of commercial lending. Prior to joining Cadence, he served as sales manager and business banker for Regions Bank in Auburn, Ala. He also served as CEO and...

ESF-MHEAC.(People to Watch)(Education Services Foundation and Mississippi Higher Education Assistance Corporation)(appointment of Sid J. Sims )(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Sid J. Sims has been named executive director of Education Services Foundation (ESF) and Mississippi Higher Education Assistance Corporation (MHEAC). ESF is a Federal Program Student Loan Lender, and MHEAC is a student loan secondary market....

Gulf Park--what to do?(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... LONG BEACH -- Although no definite plans have been made concerning the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Gulf Park campus, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) says it and USM are trying to visualize the possibilities...

Two-year colleges rank high.(Strictly Business)
June 2, 2008... ACROSS MISSISSIPPI -- Mississippi's 15 community colleges are named among the four strongest community college systems in the nation in a newly published national report. The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government has issued a report...

Law firm makes top 10.(Strictly Business)
June 2, 2008... JACKSON -- Martindale-Hubbell[ has ranked Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell Berkowitz, PC, among the top l0 labor and employment litigation firms in the country. The list highlights the top 10 law firms according to the total number of...

Celebrating small business success in Mississippi.(Perspective)
June 2, 2008... Friend and colleague Becky Gillette was back in Mississippi a couple of weeks ago. Regular readers will remember that Becky left Ocean Springs last year and headed north to Eureka Springs, Ark. She's settled in to the mountain life, but hasn't...

Business events (and more).(Calendar)
June 2, 2008... Thursday, June 5 * The 2008 Mississippi Market, a business-to-business wholesale event, will be held June 5-6 at the Mississippi Trade Mart in Jackson. The show's hours are 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. June 5 and 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. June 6. It is...

Harrah's Casino Tunica, Paula Deen Buffet open.
June 2, 2008... TUNICA -- Harrah's Entertainmen Inc. has opened Harrah's Casino Tunica along with the first-ever Paula Deen Buffet. Harrah's Casino Tunica was formerly Grand Casino Resort Tunica and recently finished a $45-million renovation. "Today is a...

IP will restart plant.(International Paper Co.)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... VICKSBURG -- International Paper (IP) plans to repair the recovery boiler at its Vicksburg containerboard mill and to restart the mill once repairs are complete. The repairs are estimated to take about six months. The boiler has not been...

GO Zone bill passes.
June 2, 2008... WASHINGTON -- On May 21, a measure to eliminate a legal technicality that affected hurricane recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 260 to 160. H.R. 6049, the Renewable Energy and Job Creation...

West Tupelo Medical Clinic moves to new, expanded location: urgent care component set to open in August.
June 2, 2008... When the West Tupelo Medical Clinic opened on Tupelo's South Thomas Street l0 years ago, it had three examining rooms and one physician. Last year, the clinic's three physicians served more than 8,500 patients from six examining rooms within...

SmartSynch lands investors.(Strictly Business)
June 2, 2008... JACKSON -- According to SmartSynch, it has raised $20 million in expansion financing. New investor Credit Suisse invested in the financing through its Customized Fund Investment Group. This round also provided an opportunity for a new...

Storm evacuation guides available.(Strictly Business)
June 2, 2008... SOUTH MISSISSIPPI -- With the 2008 hurricane season approaching, the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has released the "2008 Hurricane Evacuation Guide." Along with a detailed map of alternate routes and contact information...

Feed costs hurt Sanderson earnings.(Strictly Business)
June 2, 2008... LAUREL -- Sanderson Farms Inc., for its second fiscal quarter ended April 31), 2008, saw net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2008 were $433.9 million, compared with $360.5 million for the same period a year ago. However, net income...

Train bill passes committee.(Strictly Business)
June 2, 2008... MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST -- According to Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.), a bill instructing Amtrak to report its plan to restore passenger rail service between New Orleans and Sanford, Fla., was approved and reported out by the Committee on...

Wicker petitions FEMA.(Strictly Business)(United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency)(Roger Wicker)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... LEE COUNTY -- U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) has sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) asking that the agency provide additional assistance for residents in Lee County who may be affected by the ongoing flood map...

Baptist offering cost estimator.(Strictly Business)(Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp.)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... NORTH MISSISSIPPI -- Baptist Memorial Health Care has launched Expense Navigator, a new, online tool that offers cost estimates for outpatient and inpatient procedures and tests at Baptist's 14 hospitals in Tennessee and North Mississippi. NEA...

Cochran supporting JA.(Strictly Business)(Thad Cochran joins Junior Achievement)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... JACKSON -- On May 19, Junior Achievement of Mississippi Inc. president and CEO Scherry Gilliland and chairman of the board of directors Sister Mary Dorthea Sondergroth of St. Dominic Health Services met with U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) to...

RFID to be studied.(Strictly Business)
June 2, 2008... BILOXI -- The U.S. Air Force Surgeon General's Office has selected Shipcom Wireless Inc. of Houston, Texas, to review the current uses of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology across the Air Force Medical Service and then pilot RFID...

Mass layoffs decrease.(Strictly Business)
June 2, 2008... WASHINGTON -- In April, employers took 1,308 mass layoff actions, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number of workers...

TEPPCO to build terminals.(Strictly Business)
June 2, 2008... WEST TENNESSEE -- TEPPCO Partners, L.P., of Houston, Texas, will construct three new refined product terminals along the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers that will supply markets in western Tennessee. Clarksville and Clifton, Tenn., will be...

Hotel opens on Coast.(Strictly Business)
June 2, 2008... GULFPORT -- The Courtyard by Marriott Gulfport has opened at 1600 East Beach Boulevard, welcome news for the area as it continues to recover from Hurricane Katrina. The property was to have begun its transformation August 29, 2005, the day...

Job losses exceed gains.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... WASHINGTON -- From June 2007 to September 2007, the number of job gains from opening and expanding private sector establishments was 7.2 million, and the number of job losses from closing and contracting establishments was 7.5 million,...

NRF applauds bill's passage.(Strictly Business)(National Retail Federation to protect retailers from frivolous lawsuits over credit card expiration dates )
June 2, 2008... WASHINGTON -- The National Retail Federation (NRF) and NRF's National Council of Chain Restaurants division have welcomed the Senate passage of legislation they say would protect retailers and restaurants from frivolous lawsuits over credit...

Fishing line to be recycled.(Strictly Business)
June 2, 2008... MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST -- The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (DMR), along with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coastal Conservation Association and Mississippi Wildlife Federation, are launching the state's...

Metro branch banking in the fast lane.(Strictly Business)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Metropolitan Bank is initiating mobile branch service in both the Memphis and Jackson markets through the use of two Metropolitan-branded vehicles. The vehicles are licensed branches in each state and will make...

Secrets of success? Ongoing commitment to cooperation.(Focus)
June 2, 2008... While Northeast Mississippi and the state have made great strides in advancing key economic and quality-of-life goals, speakers at CREATE Foundation's annual State of the Region meeting in Tupelo stressed that an ongoing commitment to...

Real work just getting started for Pontotoc-Union-Lee Alliance.(Economic Development)
June 2, 2008... Much like a political candidate barnstorming around asking for votes, an economic development group spends a lot of time putting together a package designed to entice a major industry to a particular site. There are public meetings to attend,...

Ackerman ranks high on Business Week best places list.(Focus)
June 2, 2008... Residents of Ackerman have long known their Choctaw County town is a good place to raise children. Now, thanks to a national magazine, they have recognition that affirms that belief. BusinessWeek lists Ackerman as number 20 on its list of...

Amended incentives, rebates along with training boost film options.(Focus)
June 2, 2008... With new incentives and more workforce training in place, film production may take its place as the star of economic development in Mississippi. A new state law creates a rebate program that applies to feature, television, documentary and...

Thornell bidding adieu to GSDP, but plans to stay active in state.(Economic Development)(David Thornell of Greater Starkville Development Partnership resigns from the company)
June 2, 2008... In April, David Thornell resigned as president and CEO of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership (GSDP). He is the only leader the GSDP has had since its inception in April 2001. An Alabama native, Thornell is returning to his home...

Economic development organizations.
June 2, 2008... Economic Development Organizations Organization Name Address Web site/E-mail/Contact Person Alliance, The P.O. Box 1089, Corinth, www.corinth.ms/ MS 38835-1089...

Moon makes rounds around state during Manufacturing Week.(Focus)
June 2, 2008... As most folks were preparing for the Memorial Day weekend, Jay Moon was traversing the state, touting the state's manufacturing sector. Moon, president and CEO of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association (MMA), is a constant cheerleader for...

Law firms increasing involvement in economic development.(Economic Development)
June 2, 2008... Some Mississippi law firms are becoming more and more involved with economic development, forming practice teams with that specialty. That's part of a growing trend, especially with the state's use of Gulf Opportunity Zone Act incentives that...

Mississippi, Believe It! Campaign back with new stories.
June 2, 2008... One might not believe it, but acknowledging the 800-pound gorilla in the room-outdated, false stereotypes of Mississippi elsewhere in the country and world--instead of ignoring them led to the successful pro bono campaign by The Cirlot Agency...

Nearing resolution as legislative special session grinds on.
June 2, 2008... By last Wednesday morning, the issue of the Mississippi Department of Employment Security's (MDES') status seemed on its way to being resolved, at least until next year. In the first day of the special session May 21, the House of...

Rainfall in state getting back on track, but water issues remain.
June 2, 2008... Nothing about rain has been normal in Mississippi in the last three to four years, and the state went from a serious deficit in 2007 to continually soggy ground this spring. 2007 was a hot, dry year, and row crop farmers had to irrigate...

Congressman Childers: First District rep hits ground running in Washington.
June 9, 2008... You can travel a long way from here and still find someone from Mississippi. New First District Congressman Travis Childers learned that lesson recently when he was searching for an apartment in Washington Childers. who emerged the winner...

Technology changing the political landscape in Mississippi.
June 9, 2008... Much like Internet-based technology has revolutionized social interaction, so has it changed the landscape of politics. Audio and video can be shot. uploaded and available for all the world to see within a matter of minutes. There is no such...

Mississippi Children's Home Services.(People to Watch)(Michael McAlpin appointed director of development)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Michael McAlpin of Jackson has joined Mississippi Children's Home Services as director of development. His job responsibilities include overseeing development endeavors, fundraising and marketing for the statewide nonprofit. He was previously...

BankPlus.(People to Watch)
June 9, 2008... Roy Hal Parker Jr. has joined the board of directors of BancPlus Corporation and BankPlus. Parker is currently a partner in several real estate ventures in Mississippi, Florida, Colorado and Oklahoma. A seasoned entrepreneur, former positions...

Horne LLP.(People to Watch)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Larry Welborn, CPA, FHFMA, has been elected to HORNE LLP's board of directors and will serve as secretary/treasurer. Dee Boykin, CPA, a partner with the firm, was recently reelected to the board. Both will serve a three-year term. Executive...

Mississippi Public Broadcasting.(People to Watch)
June 9, 2008... Perry Sansing's reappointment to the Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) board of directors was recently confirmed by the Mississippi Senate. The Columbus resident serves as assistant to the president and university counsel for Mississippi...

J.D. Power survey cites positive BancorpSouth retail experience.
June 9, 2008... While retail banks experienced an overall decline in customer satisfaction according to J.D. Power and Associates' recent 2008 Retail Banking Satisfaction Study, Tupelo-based BancorpSouth made a competitive exclamation point. The...

Shanks shifting to nuclear spinoff.
June 9, 2008... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal Carolyn Shanks, president and CEO of Entergy Mississippi Inc., has accepted a position with Enexus Energy Corporation, the independent, publicly traded nuclear power company that Entergy plans to...

M&F Bank.(People to Watch)
June 9, 2008... Kiane Hunt has joined Kosciusko-based M&F Bank as a personal banking officer in the Starkville market. She will assist in the day to day operations of the bank as well as consumer lending. A native of Louisville, Hunt is a graduate of...

Waste Management.(People to Watch)
June 9, 2008... Buford Clark, Waste Management's community and municipal relations market area manager in Gulfport, has been honored with the Keep Mississippi Beautiful 2008 Louise Godwin Award for Excellence. Clark and Waste Management were honored for their...

Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi.(People to Watch)
June 9, 2008... Erin Glenn-Everett has joined the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi (DFM) as regional coordinator for Central Mississippi. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) in Belton, Texas. Currently, she is...

MadGENIUS Inc.(People to Watch)(Sarah Link appointed as traffic manager)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Sarah Link has joined MadGENIUS Inc. in Jackson as traffic manager. She previously was an administrative assistant to the i Visual Art and Dance Department at Belhaven College. Link holds a bachelor's degree in art from Belhaven College. Robert...

Hudson Capital Partners.(People to Watch)(Jeffrey Lerner appointed executive vice president )(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Jeffrey Lerner has been named executive vice president for Ridgeland-based Hudson Capital Partners, LLC, in the Boston office. In this role, he will be responsible for business development and other client services for the firm that specializes...

Hinds snares FEMA aid.(Strictly Business)
June 9, 2008... The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has notified Gov. Haley Barbour that Hinds County will receive a major disaster declaration from President George W. Bush due to the April 4 severe storms and tornadoes. Barbour said, "I am...

GWI buys CAGY.(Strictly Business)
June 9, 2008... COLUMBUS -- Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) of Greenwich, Conn., has completed its acquisition of CAGY Industries Inc. (CAGY) for approximately $78.4 million in cash, to be adjusted for final working capital. In addition, GWI has agreed to...

Proliance pays over-advance.(Strictly Business)(Proliance Insurance Co.)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... SOUTHAVEN -- Proliance International Inc. reports that it has eliminated the over-advance on its credit facility as required by amendments to its credit agreement. The company also said that it has received a third preliminary advance of...

Talon's talent joins Brunini law firm.(Strictly Business)
June 9, 2008... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal The Talon Group has merged with the law firm of Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC, in Jackson. Terms of the merger were not disclosed. Talon's principals, Chip Reno, Quentin Whitwell,...

CRDE issues statement.(Strictly Business)
June 9, 2008... CHOCTAW -- The Choctaw Resort Development Enterprise (CRDE), a business enterprise of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, has issued the following statement by Lawrence Kovach, newly appointed CFO of Pearl River Resort, on the ratings...

Yates wins Keesler contract.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... BILOXI -- Keesler Air Force Base is getting four new facilities after Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast awarded an $18.5-million contract May 23. Design and construction of the new training aids facility, post office, refueler...

DRMC expanding.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... GREENVILLE -- Throughout the next few months, Delta Regional Medical Center (DRMC) will be expanding its service lines with a new and improved ER, as well the opening of the Heart & Vascular Center and a level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit....

Amedisys makes purchase.(Strictly Business)
June 9, 2008... BATON ROUGE, LA. -- The home health nursing company Amedisys Inc. has acquired five home health locations from Health Management Associates Inc. Terms were not disclosed. Three of the five are located in Mississippi and South Carolina. The...

KPMG ups contribution.(Strictly Business)
June 9, 2008... OXFORD -- KPMG LLP has established the KPMG Professorship in Accountancy at the University of Mississippi (UM). In 2002, several KPMG partners established a lectureship in accountancy, a position that requires a $250,000 commitment. Now,...

CB&S expanding.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... GREENVILLE -- CB&S will open another branch in this Mississippi Delta city, according to commercial Realtor Mal Kretschmar, GRI, CRB, RIM, CIC. This would be CB&S' third location in Greenville. Russellville, Ala.-based CB&S has purchased a...

College building center.(Strictly Business)
June 9, 2008... MACON -- East Mississippi Community College (EMCC), acting through the East Mississippi-West Alabama WIRED Initiative, has unveiled plans for the construction of a new entrepreneur center in Macon. The cost of the project was not disclosed. ...

Fannie Mae using GAAR.(Strictly Business)(Federal National Mortgage Association)(generally accepted appraisal rules)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... OXFORD -- Fannie Mae is using FNC Inc. systems to mitigate risk and streamline its appraisal-related processes, according to company officials. Fannie Mae is using FNC's Collateral Management System (CMS) to streamline its foreclosure...

KGen may sell.(Strictly Business)(KGen Power Corp.)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI -- KGen Power Corporation of Houston, Texas, is undertaking a review of strategic alternatives that may culminate in a sale of the company. KGen owns a modern portfolio of natural gas-fired power generation facilities with...

SoS opens office.(Strictly Business)(Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... TUPELO -- Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann held a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 2 to open the agency's North Mississippi Office, located at 330 West Jefferson Street in Tupelo. "It just made sense to open a North Mississippi office,"...

'New' Ameristar opens.(Strictly Business)
June 9, 2008... VICKSBURG -- The newly expanded Ameristar Casino Vicksburg, a $100-million construction project that includes a new parking garage, has opened to the public. With the new garage and the casino expansion complete, additional amenities will...

[Cartoon].(Perspective)(Cartoon)
June 9, 2008... MORE COCKFIGHTING REPORTED IN HINDS COUNTY... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Contact Hattiesburg-based cartoonist Ricky Nobile at nobilericky@aol.com

Discovering a timely goodbye from William F. Buckley Jr.(Perspective)(In memoriam)
June 9, 2008... During this past winter the intellectual giant of American conservatism, William F. Buckley Jr., passed away leaving many with a profound sense of loss. In my late teens I began subscribing to the National Review, the journal of conservative...

Market research and validation move ideas to businesses.
June 9, 2008... Technology and marketing are coming together for clients of Southern Growth Studio, an Oxford-based group that launched last November. Managing partner Michael Graber, who is also a contributing columnist to the Mississippi Business Journal,...

Long, hot summer session in Jackson.
June 9, 2008... Of the two major economic issues before legislators in the special session, one was still causing trouble as this issue of the Mississippi Business Journal went to press last week. The reauthorization of the Mississippi Department of...

Business events (and more).(Calendar)
June 9, 2008... Tuesday, June 10 * The Mississippi Housing and Community Development Conference will be held June 10-11 at the Mississippi Telcom Center in Jackson. A host of topics will be covered, from multi-use downtown developments to financing. For...

The Pass Christian Soap Company growing and determined to get back home to Coast.
June 9, 2008... The story of The Pass Christian Soap Company is one of inspiration and creativity, followed by disaster and resiliency. Paula Lindsey started the company in her Pass Christian home in 2001 after observing that local retail shops did not...

Small businesses going strong in great Mississippi outdoors.(Outdoor Impact)
June 9, 2008... It's a well-known fact that small businesses in America are the backbone of our business economy, job creation and wealth generation. It's the natural evolution of the creative minds out there toiling away in garages and basements perfecting...

Viking Classic, Century Club Charities Inc. supporting Friends of Children's Hospital.
June 9, 2008... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal The Viking Classic and Century Club Charities Inc. have named new charitable beneficiary, the Friends of Children's Hospital (FOCH). FOCH is a non-profit organization created to benefit the Blair...

Production costs prevent dairy price celebrations for farmers.(Mississippi Agribusiness)
June 9, 2008... Dairy farmers would like to celebrate June as dairy month by toasting near-record prices with a glass of cold milk, but they can't afford it. Bill Herndon, agricultural economist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said...