Mississippi Economic Council
 Leadership Mississippi

The Leadership Letter is a monthly newsletter dedicated to announcing current events related to MEC's Leadership Mississippi Program. It is a special publication that highlights alumni and their outstanding work and achievements in the business economy across the state of Mississippi.
Quote of the Month

"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way." 
- John C. Maxwell
MEC'S LEADERSHIP MS TO GRADUATE THIS FRIDAY AT THE WESTIN JACKSON!

The Class of 2019 Leadership MS Graduation will be held December 6, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at the Westin Jackson Hotel! 

We are extending an invitation to all of you as alumni to attend this momentous occasion! Tickets are $40 per person and all guests must register to attend. 
To Register, Click Here!

We proudly introduce the Leadership Mississippi Class of 2019 and newest alumni.

Michelle Accardi
  Director of Policy and Partnerships
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
Joey Beattie
Vice President
BXS Insurance

Sandra Bitten
Human Resources Supervisor
Calsonic Kansei

Sondia Christian
Manager of Earned Value Management/Compliance
Ingalls Shipbuilding


Amanda Cobb
 Operations Manager
Irby Construction Company
Jessica Crosby
Consultant
Martin O'Neal & Associates

Elise Deano
Law Office of Elise Deano

Johnny Donaldson
President
Jackson BankPlus

Brandon Dunn
Chief Financial Officer
Yates Construction Company
Kabah Ealy
General Counsel
MINACT, Inc.

Felicity Edwards
CPA & Senior Project Manager
Covington Civil and Environmental_ LLC

Bailey Fair
Attorney
Watkins & Eager

Jay Fisher
Business Development Officer
Renasant Bank

Gary Hodum
Factory Manager  
Caterpillar, Inc.
Christee Holbrook
President
Graham Roofing Incorporated

Brandon Hubbard
Community Bank President- Magee
Trustmark

Cedrick Hurd
Area Manager
Mississippi Power

Ed Johnson
Safety Manager
Atmos Energy

Adre' Jordan
Owner
Intricate Healthcare Consulting, LLC

Angie Juzang
 Director of Marketing and Communications
Memorial Hospital

James Kaigler, Jr.
Senior Vice President
Hancock Whitney Bank

Micca Knox
Assistant Executive Director - Early Childhood Academy
Mississippi Community College Board

Jessica Lane
Senior Vice President
Community Bank of MS

Mary LaRosa
Chief Financial Officer
Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District

John Lassiter
Partner
Burr & Foreman LLP

Kirk Lewis
President & Chairman
Blue Springs Metals

Leo Manuel
Partner
Balch & Bingham LLP

Torie Marion
Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs
Ole Miss Alumni Association

Brad Mayhew
Plant Manager
Drax Biomass, Inc.

Debra Mays-Jackson
Vice President/Chief of Staff
Jackson State University

Tina McDyess
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Belhaven University

Pam Moeller
Director of External Relations
University of Southern Mississippi

Chris Monsour
 Project Executive - General Manager
 Roy Anderson Corp

Grant Montgomery
Senior Vice President
BancorpSouth

Luke Montgomery
President
Montgomery Enterprises, Inc.

Heath Morgigno
Joint Forces Headquarters Detachment Commander
MS Army National Guard

Russell Morrison
 Financial Advisor
 Merrill Lynch
Cherisha Moss
 Founder
Haven House Charities

Joi Owens
Attorney & Senior Advisor for Mississippi
Oxfam America

Derek Polk
Director of Engineering
Nissan North America, Inc.

Allilia Price
IT Program Manager
 U.S. Department of the Treasury
Ungalia Ratcliff
 Account Executive
 Magnolia Health, Inc. (wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation)

Amanda Shook
 Coordinator- Public Affairs and Economic Development
Entergy Mississippi

Temika Simmons
Director
Delta State University Local Government Leadership Institute

Erin Smith
Founder & CEO
Therizo Foundation
Austin Stewart
Special Counsel
Adams and Reese LLP

Taylor Stringer
Business Development Manager
Stringer Industries, Inc.

Katie Townsend
Director of Marketing & Communications
SVN | Southgate Realty, LLC

Carla Underwood
  EHSS Manager
 Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Inc.

Shelley Walker
CEO
Delta Lodging Group, LLC

Tonia Ware
Treasury Analyst
 Cooperative Energy

Andrew Warmath
Chief Financial Officer
Barnes Crossing Auto Group

Matt Wilson
Mortgage Loan Officer
BancorpSouth

   
Your $100 Annual Alumni Contribution plays an important part in sustaining the life and legacy of Leadership Mississippi!

Don't miss your chance to make the list of contributors for the 
2020 Program Year!

Special Thanks to All of Our 2019 Alumni Contributors
  • Linda R. Aldy (Class of 1982) - Aldy & Company
  • R. Mark Alexander, Jr. (Class of 2008) - Balch & Bingham, LLP  
  • David L. Allen (Class of 1983) - Mississippi Blood Services, Inc.
  • Sidney Allen, Jr. (Class of 2010) - Butler Snow, LLP
  • Robert J. Barnes (Class of 1994) - PriorityOne Bank
  • Carlos Bell (Class of 2010) - Mississippi State Port Authority At Gulfport
  • Michael Bellipanni (Class of 2015) - Northcentral Electric Power Association
  • Heather Farris Bennett (Class of 2017) - W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company
  • Russell Bennett (Class of 2014) - Entergy Mississippi, Inc.
  • Leonard Bentz (Class of 2012) - Southern Mississippi Planning & Development District
  • Paul Bertucci (Class of 2008) - F. E. B. Distributing Company, Inc.
  • Christa Bishop (Class of 2017) - Cooperative Energy 
  • Steven Blaylock II (Class of 2017) - North Mississippi Health Services
  • Dianne Bolen (Class of 2011) - Retired
  • Barry Bouchillon (Class of 1980) - State Farm Insurance Companies
  • Mark S. Bounds (Class of 1983) - NAI/Mark S. Bounds Realty Partners
  • Jerome Brown (Class of 2014) - The First Bank, A National Banking Association
  • Greg Burks (Class of 2017) - Renasant Bank
  • William L. Burle, Jr. (Class of 1990) - W. L. Burle Engineers, P.A.
  • Odean Busby (Class of 1985) - PriorityOne Bank
  • Augustus L. Collins (Class of 2012) - MINACT, Inc.
  • Martha C. Cooke (Class of 2016) - MISSCO
  • Goerge P. Cossar III (Class of 2007) - Entergy Mississippi, Inc.
  • James Covington (Class of 1984) - First Bank
  • Richard Cowart (Class of 1974) - Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz
  • Angela Curry (Class of 2007) - Greenwood-Leflore Industrial Board
  • William Daly (Class of 1980) - The Personnel Department
  • John M. Dean, Jr. (Class of 1974) - LANDMART/ Dean Land & Realty Company
  • Dave Dennis (Class of 1993) - Specialty Contractors & Associates, Inc.
  • J. Kane Ditto (Class of 1975) - StateStreet Group, LLC
  • Portia B. Espy (Class of 2010) - The William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation
  • Jan Farve (Class of 2016) - Merchants Foodservice 
  • Keith Ferguson (Class of 2009) - LogoStoreUSA, Inc
  • Robert Gibbs (Class of 1982) - Gibbs Travis, PLLC 
  • Allison L. Graves (Class of 1997)
  • Thomas G. Gresham (Class of 1987) - Double Quick - Gresham Petroleum
  • Walton Gresham, III (Class of 1976) - Gresham Petroleum Company
  • Rodney L. Grogan (Class of 2003) - MMC Materials, Inc. 
  • Rodney Harris (Class of 2014) - Mississippi National Guard
  • John Hatmaker, Jr. (Class of 1990) - Tronox
  • Jamie Higdon (Class of 2013) - TempStaff, Inc.
  • William Hodges (Class of 2017) - Hancock Whitney Bank
  • Jamie Holder (Class of 2009) - Hol-Mac Corporation
  • Ryan Holmes (Class of 2015) - Dungan Engineering, P.A.
  • Rosalyn Howard (Class of 2016) - Mississippi Nurses Foundation
  • Chuck Howell (Class of 1985) - Pontotoc Electric Power Association
  • Edmond Hughes (Class of 2012) - Ingalls Shipbuilding
  • Susan Hunt (Class of 2008) - Retired
  • Elizabeth Corso Joachim (Class of 2009) - Corso, Inc.
  • David Johnson, Sr. (Class of 2000) - BankPlus
  • Samuel Jones (Class of 2010) - Jones County Junior College
  • Rex Kelly (Class of 1979) - Strategic Communication
  • Carmen Kyle (Class of 2018) - Southaven Chamber of Commerce
  • Amanda Lott (Class of 2018) - Irby Construction Company
  • Robert Luke (Class of 1988) - LPK Architects
  • Nora Miller (Class of 2008) - Mississippi University for Women
  • Melanie Morgan (Class of 2002) - Trustmark
  • Charles L. Morris (Class of 1987) - Morris Petroleum, Inc. 
  • Deanne Mosley (Class of 2016) - The Mississippi Bar
  • Barbara Ousby (Class of 2007) - C&B Enterprise, Inc.
  • Rebecca Phipps (Class of 1988) - Rebecca Phipps Law Office
  • Jack Reed, Jr. (Class of 1976) - R. W. Reed Co.
  • Dr. Michael Robbins (Class of 1975) - Robbins Research & Planning, Inc.
  • Paige Roberts (Class of 2010) - EPIC Enterprises, LLC
  • Ginger Robey (Class of 2012) - Daniel Coker Horton & Bell, P.A.
  • Robin Robinson (Class of 1988) - Retired
  • Jason Siegfried (Class of 2009) - Southern Pine Electrical Power Association
  • Ed Simmons (Class of 2015) - Benefit Administration Services
  • C. D. Smith (Class of 2010) - AT&T
  • Deidre D. Smith (Class of 2018) - Mississippi National Guard
  • Mark Smith (Class of 2004) - The CPI Group, LLC
  • E. Gregory Snowden (Class of 1984) - Mississippi State Representative
  • Honorable Keith Starrett (Class of 1979) - U. S. District Judge
  • Belinda Stewart (Class of 1993) - Belinda Stewart Architects, PA
  • Dr. Jennifer Sutton (Class of 2018) - Gulf Coast Veterinary Services
  • William A. Taylor, III (Class of 1979) - The Taylor Group of Companies
  • Denny Terrell (Class of 2007) - Ivey Mechanical Company 
  • Pat Thomasson (Class of 2007) - Thomasson Company
  • Amanda Tollison (Class of 2008) - Butler Snow, LLP
  • Clay Wagner (Class of 2016) - Hancock Whitney Bank
  • Amy Walker (Class of 2017) - Ergon, Inc.
  • Anthony Webb (Class of 2011) - Community Bancshares of Mississippi, Inc.
  • Lewis Whitfield (Class of 1974-1975) - CREATE Foundation
  • Rebecca Lee Wiggs (Class of 1994) - Butler Snow, LLP
  • Kenneth W. Williams, Sr. (Class of 1974-1975) - Butler Snow, LLP 
  • Anthony Wilson (Class of 2000) - Mississippi Power
Special Thanks to All of Our 2019 Corporate Sponsors

American Medical Response
Atmos Energy
Balch & Bingham LLP
Chevron Products Company
Corso, Inc.
Delta State University
Eley Guild Hardy Architects, PA
Gulf Coast Veterinary Emergency/Beach View Veterinary Hospital
Hancock Whitney Bank
FEB Distributing
Ingalls Shipbuilding
M&M Bank
Machado Patano
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
Mississippi Power
Batson Children's Hospital
Irby Construction Company
Port of Rosedale
Raytheon
Roy Anderson Corp
Samuel L. Jones - Life Changing Presentations
Sid Davis, Collaborative Lawyer and Mediator
Southern Mississippi Planning & Development District
The Leland Progress
Yates Construction

Happy Birthday 

Frankie Adair - December 1
Elisha Bailey - December 31
Ann Barnes - December 8
Michael Bellipanni  - December 12
Arnel Bolden - December 24
Kirby Boteler - December 7
Barbara Bowman - December 26
Scott Brown - December 19
Kevin Burgess - December 21
Ken Bush - December 23
Melissa Cook - December 24
George Cossar, III - December 8
Brandon Dardeau - December 3
Rev. Tasha Dillon - December 9
Christen Duhe - December 8
Lee Ann Foreman - December 19
Jeff Franklin - December 14
Lynn Frisby  - December 10
Dr. Mary Graham - December 15
Kristyn Gunter - December 30
Phillip Hampton - December 30
Aaron Hill - December 20
Chris Hinton - December 14
Kourtney Hollingsworth  - December 11
Susan Hunt - December 7
Julie Jordan - December 15
Deborah Lea - December 10
John McCarty, III - December 15
Donald Meeler  - December 24
Matthew Miller - December 26
Patrice Mims - December 16
Nathan Moore - December 4
Stephanie Patton  - December 15
Rachel Pierce  - December 6
Paige Roberts  - December 12
Jamie Rogers - December 12
William Scaggs - December 6
Derrick Simmons - December 12
Errick Simmons - December 12
Joseph Swaykos - December 22
Verlanda Tate - December 8
Todd Terrell - December 9
Amanda Villeret - December 23
Anthony Warren - December 29
Cindy Webb - December 17
Kenny Williamson - December 16
Eric Wolfman  - December 25
Dr. Judy Woods - December 9
Dr. Jonathan Woodward - December 28

and all other alumni celebrating  December  birthdays!

 
Sightings & Selfies

Whenever you're out and about and see an old friend from Leadership Mississippi, be sure to post it and tag us on Facebook @LeadershipMS! 

There's no reunion like a Leadership Mississippi reunion, so share your reconnections!


If you have any news you would like to share or see featured in next month's newsletter, let us know!

We hope to hear from you!
Our Mission

To build a strong diverse network of leaders from every corner of the state balanced with a broad variety of leadership abilities and career accomplishments creating a core of individuals committed to Mississippi's future.

MEC's Leadership Mississippi is a program of the 

M.B. Swayze Foundation 
Mississippi Economic Council - The State Chamber of Commerce

248 E. Capitol Street, Suite 940 - Jackson, Mississippi 39201

P.O. Box 23276 - Jackson, Mississippi 39225-3276

Phone: 601-969-0022 - 1-800-748-7626

Fax: 601-353-0247 - 1-888-717-2809

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