The Mississippi Business Journal articles from June 2009

The Mississippi Business Journal archives from June 2009

Six and counting: Nissan helps Mississippi become major player.
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Six years ago, the first vehicle at Canton's Nissan plant rolled off the assembly line and started a drive toward Mississippi becoming a major player in the southeastern automotive manufacturing industry. May...

Lawmakers at impasse on state's '09 budget: Medicaid and hospital tax are sticking points for Democrats and GOP.
June 1, 2009... Budget negotiators signaled last week that progress had been made toward an agreement on the state's roughly $5-billion budget for fiscal year 2010, which begins in one month. As of late Thursday afternoon, though, no accord had been...

Lost time worries farmers.
June 1, 2009... Mississippi farmers have watched vital planting time washed away by persistent rains, and they are having trouble getting into the fields to salvage their crops or to decide if they need to replant, experts say. Ernie Flint, an agronomist...

Sanderson Farms 2Q profit soars on low feed costs.(Financial report)
June 1, 2009... LAUREL -- Chicken producer Sanderson Farms Inc. said last week its fiscal second quarter profit soared due to far lower feed costs and strong demand for chicken at grocery stores. For the quarter ended April 30, net income jumped to $26.2...

Alcorn St. cuts 60 positions.
June 1, 2009... LORMAN -- Alcorn State University has eliminated 60 position, including faculty whose contracts were not renewed for the 2009-10 school year. Alcorn State spokesman Stephen McDaniel says faculty and staff were cut from the Lorman, Natchez...

Numbers down, but up: state unemployment down to 8.6 percent from 9.4 percent; closer look reveals sobering picture.
June 1, 2009... Certainly the news that Mississippi's unemployment rate actually fell in April compared to the prior month was good news. Many expected to see the state's jobless rate hit or pass the 1% percent mark. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] However, a...

Six years of good times at Nissan.(Opinion)
June 1, 2009... Considering the economic climate and the unemployment rate in Mississippi and across the country, it's easy to overlook one of the best business coups in the history of our great state. The Nissan Canton plant celebrated its sixth...

Legislators are wasting our time.(Letters to Editor)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2009... Editor: When are our legislators going to understand that they are wasting our time and money in Jackson. Every time they go down there and argue about nothing in the name of preparing a budget, they waste time and money that could have...

[Cartoon].(Opinion)(Cartoon)
June 1, 2009... BALL FOUR THAT'S HIS BEST PITCH! RAINY DAY FUND [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Daniel receives leadership certification.(NewsMakers)
June 1, 2009... Edwin Daniel of Dale and Associates Architects, P.A., has received his certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for New Construction. Edwin has 29 years of experience and received his bachelor's degree from Mississippi...

New elections to state junior and community college board.(NewsMakers)
June 1, 2009... George Walker of Clarksdale was recently re-elected chairman of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges. Also, Henry "Bubba" Hudspeth of Louisville was re-elected vice-chairman. The Board, composed of 10 representatives from across...

Peavey gives commencement at MUW.(NewsMakers)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] COLUMBUS -- During her two keynote commencement addresses to the Mississippi University for Women's class of 2009, business leader and education advocate Mary Peavey encouraged the graduates to recognize their unique...

Forrest General to host Doctors Hall of Fame 2009.(NewsMakers)
June 1, 2009... Ralph E. Abraham, M.D., Joe H. Campbell, M.D., Lewis E. Hatten, M.D., Charles J. Parkman, M.D., Thad F. Waites, M.D. Mary Clark, M.D., Richard H. Clark, Jr., M.D., Dawson B. Conerly, M.D., Philip W. Rogers, M.D. and Ralph Wicker. M.D. will all...

Gulf Coast nonviolence center receives grant.(NewsMakers)
June 1, 2009... The Gulf Coast Women's Center for Nonviolence was awarded funding from the Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women Legal Assistance for Victims Grant in October 2008 to enhance the services provided by the Center's Northcutt...

MSU to begin search for university provost.(NewsMakers)
June 1, 2009... President Mark Keenum announced Mississippi State soon will begin a national search to identify a new provost. "Dr. Peter Rabideau has announced his intention to return full-time to the faculty as a professor of chemistry, and I respect his...

Maloney opens new real estate office.(NewsMakers)
June 1, 2009... Traci Maloney, a Jackson real estate broker, is pleased to announce the opening of Tract Maloney Real Estate Inc. Maloney first received a real estate license in Mississippi in 1996, was licensed as a real estate broker in 2000 and obtained the...

Crye-Leike honors multi-million dollar staff.(NewsMakers)
June 1, 2009... Pam Barr, Shari Lakey, Sheri Bryan, Laurie McClintock, Dan Grimmett, Vicki Freeze and Julie Bishop of Crye-Leike, REALTORS in Jackson have received the company's Multi-Million Dollar Club Award. The recipients were honored for achieving...

Martin named director of ERDC CHL laboratory.(NewsMakers)
June 1, 2009... Dr. William Martin has been named director of the Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, (CHL) at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg. The ERDC is the premier research and development facility for the...

A winning hand: state winning during tough times as reacting to market is paying dividends.(Focus: Economic Development)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The recent announcement that the American Contract Bridge League was moving its headquarters from Memphis to Horn Lake gives a good example of how far-reaching, and how successful, the state's efforts of late in...

The game has changed: industry recruitment is totally different than it was 30 years ago.(Focus: Economic Development)
June 1, 2009... Notable job creation announcements since the start of the new year include the private prison in Adams County landing a federal contract that will bring 400 jobs with it, a call center in Meridian producing 273 jobs since October and Alliant...

There are many areas of opportunity for state.(Focus: Economic Development)
June 1, 2009... Landing a large manufacturing plant like Toyota or Nissan, which provide thousands of direct jobs and thousands more indirect jobs, is the ultimate goal for most economic developers. Many of them spend their entire careers chasing a project...

Aero-defense, aerospace soaring in state: Mississippi's research universities the key to growing industries.(Focus: Economic Development)
June 1, 2009... From Iuka in Northeast Mississippi to the John C. Stennis Space Center on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and points between, Mississippi's aerospace and defense industries are readily apparent. And, many see this sector as merely in its infancy....

State's first quarter exports up 16 percent: Mississippi leads the nation in category, followed by Nevada, Oklahoma and Puerto Rico.(Focus: Economic Development)
June 1, 2009... There is good news on the export front. Numbers released May 13 by the Mississippi Development Authority reveal that the Magnolia State exported more than $7 billion worth of manufactured goods to international customers in 2008, everything...

CIC provides roadmap for development.(Focus: Economic Development)
June 1, 2009... From the perspective of economic development efforts, globalization has provoked a strengthening awareness that at least one priority strategy must shift away from commodities and attraction to focus on value-added innovation and...

State making its mark with film industry: some big budget classics like 'A Time to Kill' and 'Ghosts of Mississippi' helped lay the groundwork.(Focus: Economic Development)
June 1, 2009... Mississippi and the arts are synonymous. From Delta blues to paintings of the Gulf Coast, Mississippi holds its fair share of an artistic side. But where most people don't relate art to Mississippi is in film. Of course, famous films that have...

Redoubling their efforts: workforce development identified as a top priority.(Focus: Economic Development)
June 1, 2009... Workforce development advocates in the Magnolia State are doubling their efforts in the current economy with hopes that more and more Mississippians will continue to realize its vital importance to the state's ongoing economic diversification...

More than a village: teamwork among communities in Mississippi is critical for economic development success.(Focus: Economic Development)
June 1, 2009... In the realm of economic development, teamwork is everything. It can take more than a village--sometimes an entire county or region--to land a new prospect or effect an expansion of an existing business or industry. While that has long...

Economic development organizations.
June 1, 2009... Economic Development Organizations Name Phone Address Fax Director Amite County Economic Development Organization P.O. Box (601)...

Katrina recovery funds reallocated.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST -- The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) Disaster Recovery Division, which oversees Mississippi's $5.4-billion federally-appropriated Hurricane Katrina Recovery Package, increased budget allocations for three of its...

PSC, AGO going after telemarketers.(Strictly Business)
June 1, 2009... JACKSON -- Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley has executed a joint investigative agreement with the Mississippi Attorney General's Office (AGO) that will result in the agencies requesting a restraining order against a...

SBA loan deadline nears.(Strictly Business)
June 1, 2009... ACROSS MISSISSIPPI -- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) reminds eligible private non-profit organizations (PNPs) that do not provide critical services of a governmental nature of the deadline to submit disaster loan applications for...

Greenville Port to see improvements.(Strictly Business)
June 1, 2009... GREENVILLE -- A $3-million bond bill approved by state lawmakers will soon provide the Port of Greenville with some much-needed improvements. The project includes renovation of the dock, addition of an automated grain-handing facility and...

Governor's Cup winners unveiled.(Strictly Business)
June 1, 2009... AROUND MISSISSIPPI -- Gov. Haley Barbour has named six Mississippi businesses as the district winners of the Governor's Cup, which recognizes businesses in the private sector that have made a significant impact within their communities. ...

BancorpSouth Insurance adds service.(Strictly Business)
June 1, 2009... GULFPORT -- BancorpSouth Insurance will offer a new line of pharmacy auditing services as an additional pharmacy consulting service designed to help employers control their pharmacy benefit costs and overall bottom line. The services will...

DHS awards funds to USM.(Strictly Business)
June 1, 2009... HATTIESBURG -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released over $1.4 million to the University of Southern Mississippi's (USM's) Homeland Open Security Technology (HOST) program, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) announced. A...

Alleged voting problems probed.(Strictly Business)
June 1, 2009... JACKSON -- Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann has issued a statement concerning alleged voting irregularities in an election in Canton and other communities across the state. Hosemann said: "We have received calls into the Secretary of...

HM Williams Construction donates trailer to help goodwill.(Strictly Business)
June 1, 2009... TUPELO -- H.M. Williams Construction, Inc., officials made the donation of a construction trailer to Goodwill Industries to assist in the organizations' economic and community expansion efforts. Mike Williams, chief executive officer of HM...

Land Improvement Services important to hunters.(OUTDOOR BUSINESS)
June 1, 2009... Every hunter I have ever met talks endlessly about two things. One is hoping to one day acquire a piece of hunting land to call their own, and the other is about all the things they do to improve the hunting lands they do have or have access...

Leadership Greater Jackson graduates.
June 1, 2009... The 2008-2009 Class of Leadership Greater Jackson's graduation was held May 14 at the University Club. Leadership Greater Jackson is a community-wide leadership program that develops existing and emerging leaders in the metro area. The program...

44.5%: Mississippi companies follow national trend that has many believing end of recession is near.
June 8, 2009... There is a not-so-complimentary saying about the Magnolia State that goes something to the effect of, "If a movie comes out in California, you see it in Mississippi four months later." When it comes to the state's economy trailing the U.S....

Part of who he is: Moore's Eyevox Film and Production a byproduct of the work he has always done.(SBA SMALL BUSINESSPERSON OF THE YEAR)
June 8, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rick Moore has been involved in the television business most of his life. His father built from the ground up, starting in the 1970s, what is now Channel 16 in Jackson, the capital city's ABC affiliate. After a...

[Cartoon].(Opinion)(Cartoon)
June 8, 2009... HAVING HIS CAKE AND EATING IT, TOO! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Conveying Jackson and state's image cannot be taken lightly.(Viewpoint essay)
June 8, 2009... My wife and I were sitting in bed one night last week unwinding with the television on after a long day of work, kids, paying bills, washing dishes and walking dogs. She had her laptop open, looking on the web for a swing set we can put in...

It's time to dust off the language of judicial philosophy.(FROM THE STENNIS INSTITUTE)
June 8, 2009... Many have been spending lime in the last few days polishing up on their means of expressing support or disdain for the recent nomination by President Obama of Sonia Sotomayor to the nation's highest court. At the outset, I offer the disclaimer...

Answering those energy questions.(Letters to Editor)(Letter to the editor)
June 8, 2009... Editor: Recently, Chip Estes ("State shaping energy policy for South") asked some good questions. He asked, "how much more [electricity] generation do we actually need, who should own the plants to be built, how can we use electricity more...

Corrections.(Correction notice)
June 8, 2009... Steven Pickett and Tonya Moore were mis-identified as Mike Naylor and Shirley Tucker in the June 1 photo page.

Small businesses have stake in healthcare reform.(Op-Ed)
June 8, 2009... Small businesses are the engine of our economy. Mississippi's 216,700 small businesses employ more than half of our non-farm workforce. Nationwide, they create 60 to 80 percent of new jobs. Healthcare reform has large implications for the...

Transparency is the best medicine: Health Insurer Code of Conduct may improve the quality of care.(Perspective: Op-Ed Page)
June 8, 2009... Many of us entered med school for the age-old reasons generations before have gone into the profession--out of an interest in helping people and curing what ails them As a young physician in my first months of practice, I remember...

Candlewood Suites hires general manager.(NewsMakers)(InterContinental Hotels Group PLC. Candlewood Suites appointed David Christopher )(Brief article)
June 8, 2009... David Christopher has been named general manager for the Candlewood Suites in Flowood, a property owned by Stone Creek Lodging and managed by MMI Hotel Group. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Christopher's primary responsibilities will be to...

Cheng named dean of school of engineering.(NewsMakers)(Alexander H. D. Cheng)(Brief article)
June 8, 2009... Alexander H. D. "Alex" Cheng has been named dean of the School of Engineering at the University of Mississippi in Oxford. Cheng, current chair and professor of civil engineering, joined the university's faculty in 2001 after having...

Allen named VP with MBS.(NewsMakers)
June 8, 2009... Shelia Allen of Flowood has been named vice president of manufacturing and distribution for Mississippi Blood Services (MBS), announced Janet Herman, MBS' chief operations officer. Allen, a native of Crystal Springs, earned her A.A. in...

Gillis named new Supreme Court Clerk.(NewsMakers)
June 8, 2009... Kathy Gillis of Jackson has been appointed as the new clerk of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals by the Mississippi Supreme Court. Gillis has worked for the office of the Supreme Court Clerk for 28 years. She served as chief deputy...

Young hired with BankPlus.(NewsMakers)
June 8, 2009... Dwight Young was recently hired as an assistant vice president in BankPlus' Renaissance at Colony Park office. Young has over four years of experience in the banking industry and was previously employed by Trustmark Bank as an assistant branch...

Miller graduates from DMH program.(NewsMakers)(Department of Mental Health)(Shirley Miller)(Brief article)
June 8, 2009... Shirley Miller of Hinds County recently graduated from the Mississippi Department of Mental Health's (DMH's) Focus Program. DMH's Pilot Group Focus Graduation was held May 15 at Tara Wildlife in Vicksburg. DMH's accelerated leadership...

IHL names state superintendent candidate for commissioner.(NewsMakers)(Institutions of Higher Learning appointed Hank Bounds)
June 8, 2009... The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) announced in a press conference June 2 that Dr. Hank Bounds, Mississippi Superintendent of Education, is the preferred candidate for the position of Commissioner of Higher...

Former TVA chairman leads Advance Mississippi.(NewsMakers)(Glenn McCullough Jr.,)(Brief article)
June 8, 2009... JACKSON -- A group of Mississippi energy, business, community and academic leaders have announced the formation of Advance Mississippi, a coalition dedicated to identifying and promoting energy policy that will benefit and advance Mississippi's...

Windham joins UMMC staff.(NewsMakers)(University of Mississippi Medical Center appointed Gwen Windham )(Brief article)
June 8, 2009... Dr. Gwen Windham has joined University of Mississippi Medical Center as an associate professor of medicine. She will see patients through University Physicians, part of University of Mississippi Health Care. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A...

Kendricks appointed with Hancock Holdings.(NewsMakers)
June 8, 2009... Sam B. Kendricks will serve as chief credit policy officer for the 110-year-old financial services leader, Hancock Holdings Company. With this appointment, Kendricks begins his new executive responsibilities as former chief credit officer...

MCHS' Cherney awarded for 30 years.(NewsMakers)(Mississippi Children Home Services's Chris Cherney)(Brief article)
June 8, 2009... Chris Cherney, chief executive office of Mississippi Children's Home Services, received an award from the agency for 30 years of service and dedication to improving the lives of Mississippi children, youth and families. He has 40-plus years...

Hinchman comes on board with Callon Petroleum.(NewsMakers)
June 8, 2009... Steven B. Hinchman has been confirmed as executive vice president and chief operating officer, and begins his service with Callon Petroleum Company. Prior to joining the company, Hinchman, 50, was executive vice president of technology and...

IHL names UMMC's Jones as preferred candidate for Ole Miss.(NewsMakers)
June 8, 2009... The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) announced June 2 that Dr. Dan Jones, current vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, is the...

Statewide banking association elects officers, board members.(NewsMakers)
June 8, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] JACKSON Banker E....

Robinett featured in medical journal.(NewsMakers)(Stephanie Robinett)(Brief article)
June 8, 2009... Stephanie Robinett, M.D., a pediatric neurologist at Wesley Medical Center. recently co-authored an article in the international scientific journal Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. The article. "Neuromuscular Hip Dysplasia in...

Local chef places in regional competition.(NewsMakers)
June 8, 2009... Chef Joshua Simpson recently placed first runner-up in the in the Chaine des Rotisseurs Jeunes Commis Rotisseur Competition held in Ashville. N.C. Simpson is the executive chef for the Hilton Garden Inn and the BancorpSouth Conference Center....

MDPS hires new public affairs director.(NewsMakers)(Mississippi. Department of Public Safety appointed Jon Kalahar)(Brief article)
June 8, 2009... Jon Kalahar has been hired by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety as public affairs director. Kalahar has worked in television for 14 years as a photographer, producer and reporter. He comes to MDPS from WLBT in Jackson where he...

Snyder joins local firm as assurance administrator.(NewsMakers)(Canizaro Cawthon Davis appointed Rob Snyder)(Brief article)
June 8, 2009... Rob Snyder has joined Canizaro Cawthon Davis as a construction phase quality assurance administrator. Snyder has over 15 years experience in construction management and architectural construction phase administration. He is a graduate of the...

Russo relieves certificate of appreciation.(NewsMakers)(Edmond Russo Jr.,)(Brief article)
June 8, 2009... Edmond Russo Jr., chief of the Coastal Engineering Branch in the Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL) at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, was recently presented with a certificate of appreciation...

Nathan Wells: profiles of growing young professionals in Mississippi.(Keeping Our Eye ON)(Brief article)
June 8, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Age: 27 Hometown: Crystal Springs Education: A.A. from Copiah-Lincoln Community College, B.S. in political science from Mississippi College Current Position: Partner in Winning Edge Communications ...

New and expanded facilities near $5b: expansion, aerospace and defense help boost state's numbers.(Focus: Mississippi Market Facts)
June 8, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Last year clearly was not the best of times for building new facilities or expanding existing ones. Tight credit markets, the high cost of building materials and the recession delayed many projects. The Toyota plant...

Education is the answer: new standards expected to boost economic development.(Focus)
June 8, 2009... Hold a list of the areas in the state that have the strongest schools next to the lists of the communities in Mississippi with the highest per capita income and the most economic development activity, and the correlation between superior...

Largest cities act as magnet for development.(MS Market Facts)
June 8, 2009... Bigger begets bigger, that's how State Economist Dr. Phil Pepper puts it. While many small rural communities are losing population and hard pressed to maintain necessary infrastructure and services, the state's largest cities continue to be...

Hot markets defying slow economy: there are some places that are going to do well no matter what.(Focus)
June 8, 2009... Commercial real estate has a number of hot markets around the state that include large and small cities such as Jackson, Hattiesburg, Meridian, Oxford, Tupelo, Southaven, McComb and Brookhaven. Regarding the types of property doing best,...

Investing for future should focus on human capital.(MS Market Facts)
June 8, 2009... Is Mississippi doing all that needs to be done to invest for a bright economic future and a good quality of life for citizens in the next 10, 20 or 30 years? "In the academic parlance, necessary but insufficient describes a situation where...

Coming together: market research and validation move ideas to businesses.(Focus)
June 8, 2009... Technology and marketing are coming together for clients of Southern Growth Studio, an Oxford-based group that launched in 2007. Managing partner Michael Graber, who is also a contributing columnist to the Mississippi Business Journal, says the...

Challenging conditions amplify research impact.(MS Market Facts)
June 8, 2009... It is no secret that the current economy is challenging businesses across the board. That makes it even more important that businesses make the best use of their advertising and marketing dollars, and that starts with good research. "With...

Top 20 new facilities.
June 8, 2009... Top 20 New Facilities Company Name Location Description Gulf Liquefied Pascagoula Manufacturing Natural Gas Stone Bridge Brandon Mixed-use development...

Top 20 expanded facilities.
June 8, 2009... Top 20 Expanded Facilities Company Name Location Description Mississippi State Gulfport Cargo handling Port at Gulfport The Villages of Robinsonville Residential...

BAE gets additional order.(Strictly Business)
June 8, 2009... HATTIESBURG -- BAE Systems has received orders worth approximately $118 million for 63 more M777 howitzers, taking the order total to exactly 800 guns. The U.S. Marines and U.S. Army are getting 38 of the guns while Canada is acquiring 25...

Housing grant program on track.(Strictly Business)
June 8, 2009... MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST -- With the opening of 262 new units May 28, the Mississippi Development Authority's (MDA's) Public Housing Grant Program, funded through Mississippi's $5.4-billion federally provided Hurricane Katrina recovery package,...

EastGroup enters Las Vegas.(Strictly Business)(EastGroup Properties Inc. acquired Arville Distribution Center )(Brief article)
June 8, 2009... JACKSON -- EastGroup Properties has acquired the Arville Distribution Center in Las Vegas, Nev., for a purchase price of $11.05 million. The purchase represents EastGroup's entry in the Las Vegas market. Arville, which was constructed in...

Lott, Jagodinski join Phosphate board.(Strictly Business)
June 8, 2009... MADISON -- Former Sen. Trent Lott and W. Thomas Jagodinski, former leader of Delta and Pine Land, have been elected as members of Phosphate Holdings Inc. board of directors. Both are elected for one-year terms. Lott, 67, has served as a...

Parkway sells Texas facility.(Strictly Business)
June 8, 2009... JACKSON -- Parkway Properties Inc. has closed the fee simple sale of the 1717 St. James Place office property located in Houston, Texas. The gross sales price was $8.7 million; Parkway received net cash proceeds from the sale of approximately...

U.S. files suit against three importers.(Strictly Business)
June 8, 2009... GOLDEN -- The United States has filed a civil complaint against PowerTrain Inc., Wood Sales Co. Inc., and Tool Mart Inc., all based in Golden, alleging that they imported and sold more than 78,000 Chinese-made engines that do not meet federal...

Grand Gulf rated 'green'.(Strictly Business)(Grand Gulf Nuclear Station)(Brief article)
June 8, 2009... PORT GIBSON -- Officials with Jackson-based Entergy Nuclear say that a top safety rating from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission reflects Grand Gulf Nuclear Station's 24-year history of safe operation. In an annual assessment, the nuclear...