CURRENT ISSUE - July, 2009
FEATURE STORY
Travis Satterfield Delta Council's 74th President
By Charlie Capps III
DBJ Contributing Writer
Travis Satterfield has been chosen by Delta Council to become the seventy fourth president in its salutary history. He leaves the Chairmanship of the Rice and Small grain committee to turn his talents toward the goals of his leadership as president. He has been a team player with Delta Council since the 1980s beginning with his service on the Rice and Small Grain committee, which mainly focuses on Congressional and Mississippi legislative issues affecting rice amongst many other important matters. Travis has also served on Farm Policy committee that is dear to his heart and many other farmers in the Delta. Over the years, this committee has been instrumental in guiding our nation’s hand in crafting farm issues close to home with all Deltans.
Another important committee that he has assisted is the Aquaculture committee. To complete Travis’s credentials for presidency, he has held the position of Vice President as well as being on the Board of Directors of Delta Council. Travis is a paragon for his new position and was very humbled and honored when he was selected. He considers it a great opportunity.
Travis looks forward to promoting Delta Council and working on the issues that are important to the Delta and its citizens. Travis says, “First of all, I personally know of no other organization in the United States that takes a geographic location like the Mississippi Delta and is able form a regional organization that represents the Delta so well.” Travis touts the fact that since its inception, Delta Council has been able to work in a non partisan manner with all the presidential administrations as well as the Congress. He notes that this acclimation is an important strength of Delta Council that allows them to work with many different groups locally or nationally. Travis says, “The Delta Council aim is that we want to make the Mississippi Delta a better place to live and do business for all citizens, not just agriculture.” Farming and related businesses are the base of the economy in the Delta but Travis emphasizes that we have very good industry here that needs the support of Delta Council as well. There are special need problems that he accentuates such as the illiteracy problem in the Delta as well as important programs such as work force training. He understands that when people think about Delta Council that they first think about the farming industry but he wants the community to know it is about much more than just farming. Travis said, “We promote agriculture which is a big part of our business but it is not all we do and I think that is what some people do not realize about Delta Council.” Delta Council’s broad reach into the Delta extends to other programs such as wildlife, health and research.
Travis realizes that there are many issues to deal with during his term. One possible problem is the draw down in our aquifers where the Delta pumps its irrigation water from. Travis says, “YMD is working really hard on this issue. We are seeing a draw down in the central Delta. I think there are some decisions that are going have to be made in the near future. We have the opportunity to start early and avoid some the drastic consequences that we see in the Grand Prairie of Arkansas.” This area in Arkansas has depleted its water source and will have to drill deeper for their water. Travis wants the public to be informed that this is not the drinking water that comes from a much deeper aquifer but shallow wells that supply the irrigation needs. Travis has been ahead of the game in water conservation. He and others formed the Delta Farmers Advocating Resource Management (Delta F.A.R.M.) about ten years ago. This group’s main purpose is to address conservation by setting a pattern of good use habits that could become a standard if the problem exacerbates and government’s heavy hand comes in. Presently, the group is working with 1,000,000 acres in the Delta. These are the types of ancillary groups that Travis likes to see the Delta Council working with. Travis says, “This is a situation that is going to have to be addressed. The work that has been done so far has been educational conservation. Particularly in the area of rice, we have reduced the use of water per acre mainly because of good practices like land forming. It will also help the economics.” Another big issue is the farm bill. Travis says,
“On Delta Council Day this year, Senator Blanche Lincoln told the crowd that the farm bill was considered to be a contract and when you start changing the terms of the contract it will make things more difficult. The old saying goes, “Anything Congress gives you they can take away.” Delta Council is going to have to defend the farm bill. We are just going to have to state our case.” Travis sees this in a national perspective in the sense that if we are going to continue to be a viable country with a safe, plentiful and inexpensive food source as compared to other parts of the world. We will have to have a viable agriculture bill.
Other issues such as healthcare and workforce training are very important to the Delta Council and Travis. The Delta Council works closely with The Delta Heath Alliance which is major organization in the Delta concerned with targeting obesity, diabetes and critical health and wellness in the Delta. Travis has his hands full as president of Delta Council but he has a background of hard work to carry him through.
Travis has many more accomplishments in his work life. Most of these are related to the rice industry and is upbringing on his family’s farm. Being a community man, he has involved himself in these organizations related to rice since he began growing rice on his farm in 1978. He has been a director on the board of Producers Rice Mill for about the last ten years. This group has tried to squeeze out extra profit for its 2,000 members by milling the members rice and selling it as a finished product. The Mississippi Rice Council is a collection of all rice growers in Mississippi. Travis has been a board member for around eleven years and he has promoted the Rice Council’s goal of research, promotion and education. Travis has also been on the State board of director of farm Bureau and a past Bolivar County Chairman. Travis said, “Similar to Delta Council, participation in these organizations allows a person to develop personal relationships with all these people you meet and widen your perspective from their points of view. It helps you keep your finger on the pulse and in tune with what is happening whether good or bad.”
When it comes to Delta Council Travis encourages participation since a person can get as involved as they want to be. A person can sign up for one committee or four committees and attend any committee meeting they may choose. Travis said, “The amazing thing about Delta Council is the people. They are willing to devote their time to a good general cause. There are many people that have unselfishly devoted themselves to the Delta in the past and today. To be able to have volunteers and with their expertise is a real asset. The people who are willing to continue to do this is what make the Mississippi Delta what it is today.”
Travis Satterfield’s grandfather arrived in the Delta from South Carolina in the 1920s. He was an ace blacksmith which was an integral part of the farm in that day, much like a farm mechanic is today. His father worked as a farmer and in the many fundamental aspects of the farm in his day.
Like many men before him and today, Travis carries on the integral tasks of building the farms and building the Delta. DBJ
From the Publisher
Return to the coast
By Scott Coopwood
DBJ Publisher
Last week, I attended the annual Mississippi Press Association convention in Biloxi. As I have mentioned in previous columns, my family had a summer home on the coast in Pass Christian for over 50 years. As a child and young teen, I spent many wonderful summers down there and have great memories of this special time in my life. In the last eighties, I stopped visiting the coast and turned my attention to other things. In 2005, I took my family to Biloxi and spent a long weekend showing them all of the old places where I had spent time as a child. Two weeks later after our family vacation there, Hurricane Katrina hit and the rest is history.
On the way to Gulf Shoes in 2006, almost a year to the day after Katrina hit the coast, my family and I made a detour on our way to Alabama and decided to see what remained of the place I loved so dearly as a child. We were shocked to see the devastation Katrina delivered to the coast and even though one year had passed, it looked as though Katrina had made landfall there a few days before.
Fast forward three years later.
During an afternoon break last week, one of my longtime friends, Keith Wood and I left the Beau Rivage Casino where we were staying and where the Mississippi Press Association was holding their convention in Biloxi and headed west to Pass Christian. Along the way we saw concrete slab after concrete slab where homes and businesses once stood. Dead trees lined the highway and there was a great feeling of loss. The beautiful antebellum homes that also once lined the highway are mostly gone now and there were very few businesses along the highway. We did see some construction projects in progress, some new homes and condos that had been rebuilt, and we did see much activity on the beach.
As we arrived in my old neighborhood on Poindexter Drive in Pass Christian, we saw many vacant lots, a great number of “For Sale” signs and a handful of new homes being built.
After spending three days on the coast, I left with this feeling: although many new homes have and are being built and many businesses are trying to get back on their feet, the coast will never be the same as when it was when I was spending my summers there as a child. And, from the coast leaders that I met with last week there, it is going to take 20 years before the coast is fully back on-line in a variety of ways.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast is one of this state’s assets. We all don’t need to forget about these people down there. While the media has left the coast story and moved on to others, the coast is still in bad shape and we all need to know this. Let’s keep this region and the coast people in our prayers because they still need it. DBJ
Guest Commentary
New position offers great opportunities, challenges
By Dr. Hank Hounds
Last week, the College Board appointed me to serve as the next Commissioner of the Institutions of Higher Learning. I am very excited to take on this new role and the challenges and opportunities it brings. I believe each step I have taken thus far in my professional life has led me to and prepared me for this position.
I have been asked why I wanted to assume this role. The answer is quite simple. I am a native Mississippian and have lived in the state my entire life. I have gained my education, from first grade through my doctoral degree, through public schools and public universities in Mississippi. My wife and I are rearing our two children in Mississippi. I love this state and want to see the state reach its fullest potential for economic prosperity and a high quality of life. I am convinced that the state’s greatest need to reach that goal is a better educated citizenry.
My professional career began as a teacher in Moss Point. Since that time, I have served as a principal, a district superintendent in Pascagoula and as State Superintendent. I believe these experiences provide me with the best opportunity to help build a seamless connection among all levels of education, from pre-Kindergarten to elementary to secondary to community college and university level.
While I have a lot to learn about the nuances of higher education, I believe my experience as State Superintendent has required many of the same skills that leading the universities system will demand. I have a proven track record of leadership, which includes the ability to utilize the talents, strengths and knowledge of those around you. No one can succeed in a vacuum, certainly not in leading a complex organization like the Institutions of Higher Learning. I am always willing and open to listening and learning from those around me.
I have also worked closely with the Legislature, state elected officials and the business community in our state and look forward to continuing to work with them on behalf of all levels of education in our state. I have also been successful in bringing $50 million to the state from external sources over the past four years. I will continue to seek the assistance of foundations, both within the state and beyond, to help move our university system forward.
There is no doubt that there are challenging days ahead for me personally and for our universities. I have great concerns over the economic forecast for 2012 and beyond. Our universities, just like our K-12 schools, depend on the ability to recruit and retain the most talented faculty members and leaders. Our universities create knowledge through research and we cannot allow an economic downturn to hamper their efforts. Engaging alumni is more important that ever for our institutions.
I look forward to working with the talented staff at the Institutions of Higher Learning and the outstanding university presidents to build a stellar system of universities that share a collaborative spirit in serving the students of Mississippi. Growing up in rural Mississippi, I never thought I would have the opportunity to go to college. The ability to pursue higher education has given me a very different life than I would have had otherwise. I hope to utilize my new role to ensure that every child or adult who has the dream of a college education has the opportunity to fulfill it. DBJ
(Dr. Hank Bounds is the new commissioner of the Institutions of Higher Learning)
Air Evac Lifeteam ready for rural rescue missions
By Amile Wilson
DBJ Contributing Writer
The miles that separate rural areas from the closest hospital can sometimes be deadly. The Air Evac Lifeteam based out of Batesville may not be able to shorten the miles to the hospital, but they can shorten the trip.
By providing rural areas with air ambulance service, the Air Evac helicopters help save numerous lives by rushing people to the hospital. The local affiliate of a company based in West Plains, Mo., the Batesville location was started in 2005 in cooperation with Tri-Lakes Medical Center. In its short time operating, the Mississippi location has flown over 1,000 hours of life-saving missions.
The Mississippi team of 17 is led by Program Director Bubba Bell and includes nurses, pilots, paramedics, mechanics and other support staff.
The subscription-based service began in 1985 as an effort by rural businessman to bring access to medical care to their local community. Basing their service on the Swiss air ambulance company Rega, these Missouri businessmen set out to provide a service that would be both accessible to the public and economically viable.
The solution was a membership-based model in which individuals and households subscribe to the services. Emergency air evacuation is available to the general public but certain perks come with membership. Members are not only covered by 80 air-bases spread across 14 states, but do not have to pay for the evacuation flights. Whatever costs the insurance company does not cover are waived entirely for members.
This means that for members, air evac service is free.
Single memberships can be bought for $50 for one year or $225 for five years. At such low pricing, memberships have grown since the first Air-Evac office opened from 5,000 to more than 750,000.
Members provide a good base of cash flow, but these prices are hardly enough to maintain equipment and crew. According to the Air-Evac website, the majority of revenue is generated from the transport of non-members. The result is a considerable savings for those who elect to join the service.
Even for those with good insurance, HMO’s and other insurance companies often cap the amount paid for ambulance service, leaving the patient stuck with major amounts of uncovered expenses. For Air Evac members, that cost is eliminated.
The Batesville location is well positioned to serve the greater part of north Mississippi. With a thirty minute service are that stretches as far south as Winona up to north of Memphis and as far west as Arkansas eastward nearly to Tupelo, north Mississippians who would otherwise be unable to reach a trauma center now have quick access to important healthcare.
Additional bases exist throughout the south and up north into Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.
“The big difference between what I do now and what I used to do is that every time I go out I’m saving people’s lives,” says Roy Harness a Base Line Pilot and Florida native assigned to the Batesville office.
In his two months since joining the team, Harkness has flown 13 rescue missions.
More information on becoming a member of the Air Evac service can be found on their website www.air-evac.com. DBJ
New Energy Policy Institute will look at energy issues, challenges facing state
By Lynn Lofton
DBJ Contributing Writer
Access to abundant, affordable energy has never been more important. State leaders recognize that issue as a key factor to ensuring Mississippi’s economic development and quality lifestyles for residents.
With problems to be solved and questions to be answered, Gov. Haley Barbour announced the creation of the Mississippi Energy Policy Institute to promote policies supporting long-term economic growth for the state through reliable, affordable energy.
The institute is an initiative of Momentum Mississippi, a public-private partnership started by the governor in 2004 under the umbrella of the Mississippi Economic Council, to foster economic development in the state.
“We want companies to see Mississippi not only as a place with an outstanding workforce but as a location with affordable and reliable energy to grow a business,” Barbour says. “The Energy Policy Institute also will provide a platform for our research universities to excel in this area of study.”
Jason Dean, an MEC employee who’s helping organize the new institute, says all energy interests will be represented in the group.
“The institute will be made up of industry organizations, companies and research universities,” he says. “Research universities are an incredibly important part of this process. They are economic development gold mines, and we will try to give them a foundation so their efforts can be connected with private interests.”
Those universities include Jackson State, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Southern Mississippi and Alcorn. Alcorn was asked because of its agriculture expertise and nuclear power connection.
“People are talking about the state’s top challenges. One of the top three on all lists is energy. It’s an important issue to the extent we can create a strategic coherent program that will encourage companies to come here,” Dean says. “All of that contributes to the quality of life here.”
Momentum Mississippi’s chairman is Anthony Topazi, president and chief executive officer of Gulfport-based Mississippi Power Company. He affirms that energy is a critical issue for the state.
“Our task at Momentum Mississippi is to make sure we’re working on critical issues that face our state,” he says. “We think it’s time to more formally deal with energy and environmental-related issues and to develop public policy proposals to consider.”
Topazi, whose company proposes to build a lignite gasification plant in Kemper County that represents the largest addition of capital investment to a utility’s rate base in the state’s history, stresses the importance of monitoring the current energy debate in the U.S. Congress.
“Part of what we do will be defensive. The various issues being discussed in Washington will affect our state,” he says. “There may be some disproportionate outcome to our state more than other states. So, part of the institute’s function will be defensive. We will make sure our congressional delegation understands the impact on Mississippi.”
He says the institute will look at energy issues in a broad sense, bringing all interests together to understand the issues.
“We will prioritize what the state should consider,” he notes. “If we do it right, it should pay huge dividends in economic development and quality of life. We will make sure we’re taking advantage of what the state has. Mississippi has a set of assets that make it imperative to make the best use of them.”
The institute is still in the organizing stage and will meet this summer and fall. Topazi expects 100 people to participate. Specific segments will organize from that group to go to work as quickly as possible.
“Time is of the essence,” he says. “Everyone we contact is positive and supportive. We hope to show progress by the end of the year and be ready for the legislature when they convene next January.”
The institute is strictly for research and policy development which will be presented to state elected leaders. It will have no authority to enforce its policies, but Topazi says other groups can weigh in and lobby for various issues.
“The key is to start with independent research,” he says.
Steve Renfroe, manager of public and government affairs for Chevron in Mississippi, agreed to serve on the institute’s board of directors.
“It’s an opportunity to be more formal about energy policies in the state, and it’s extremely important,” he says. “I think the initial thoughts will become crystallized after the organizational meetings. Mississippi needs an abundant source of energy and a variety of it for the economy to prosper.”
Pointing out that experts expect the worldwide demand for energy to increase 30 percent over the next few years, Renfroe says Mississippi must be prepared to fit into that picture.
“We must look at all types of alternative energy but traditional energy will continue to be part of the equation too,” he says. “It’s an issue of enormous scale.”
He’s optimistic about the institute because of the diversity of its members. “It’s about leadership. If we promote good energy policies, then people will listen,” he says. “We want to help people understand the nature and scale of the issues.”
Dean says the list of members will be made public after the July meeting when the group will see who’s on board. “We’re looking for strong, early commitment now,” he says. “We’re still working out the final list of members.” DBJ
Port of Greenville's new bond expands capacity Improved steel and grain handling on horizon
By Amile Wilson
DBJ Contributing Writer
What started as a casual conversation in Ed Johnson’s office has now ballooned into a $3 million bond issue to renovate and update the Port of Greenville. Thanks to the combined efforts of several agencies and the legislative leadership of Representative Willie Bailey, the legislature passed the bond issues as the first step in a long-term $9 million renovation plan.
“I was talking with Representatives Bailey and Hines about improving the port,” says Johnson, CEO of the Delta Economic Development Center. “They said, ‘We can help, but no one’s ever asked.’ I said, ‘Well I’m asking!’”
While the Port of Greenville currently handles shipments of obvious Delta products such as corn, rice, and grain, shipments of urea, steel and other products also make their way through the Arkansas and Mississippi river ways via Greenville. The traffic at the port makes it the thirteenth largest inland river port in the country and the second largest port in the nation. The renovations will expand the capacity of the port with an eye toward steel and grain shipments as well as new biomass cargo.
“We think we’ve got the ability to grow as a scrap steel port to get goods to manufacturing in Columbus,” says Tommy Hart, Port Director for the port of Greenville.
“There’s a clean coal project coming around that we’ll be perfect for after that expansion,” says Johnson. Johnson is noticeably excited about both the current expansion and the long-term vision for the port.
Once the bond is sold, the money will be issued to the port authority and used initially for a $1.42 million automated grain facility. This new system will expand the port’s capacity from two barges per day to six. An additional $400,000 will be used to update the steel and grain handling equipment and $556,000 to rebuild the whole area of one dock.
The foundation of the dock was compromised by a flood last march and has fallen two feet down the wall.
“The flood compromised three things: the dock, the railroad and the roadway,” Hart explains. “When we build it back, we’re going to do it with the knowledge that it could flood. I don’t know that they did that the first time around.”
The process of getting the bond issue before the legislature was not an easy one. The Speaker of the House had to reschedule visits to the location several times due to such unusual events as this winter’s Jackson snowstorm. When the Speaker and other state officials finally made it up to visit the port, they saw the possibility to grow business and employment for the entire region and quickly acted to pass the bond.
The port currently employees 12 people and will employ an additional six during the expansion.
This latest bond issue is only one of the many improvements in the port Hart has overseen since he arrived a year ago. “We’ve been trying spruce it up a bit, clean it up,” he says. Hart has approved a new logo for the port and implemented new rules for the care and maintenance of the equipment as well as introducing uniforms for the staff. “We want to build some pride in the job,” Hart explains.
Hart, who has made several careers out of economic development now lines his office wall with plans for an expansion that will build both business and pride for the region. DBJ
Special Report: EDUCATING THE DELTA
It's back to campus for many in the Delta. Education opportunities abound for Delta residents.
By Charlotte Buchanan
DBJ Contributing Writer
While it’s only July, it’s never too early to think about going back to school. Many students are continuing on to college to earn a degree, but many adults are headed back to the classroom to upgrade skills, train for a new job after experiencing a job loss or complete a program that will make them eligible for a promotion within their current job.
Colleges and universities throughout the Delta are experiencing increases in enrollment. “There is not a great deal of certainty during difficult economic times, and this present difficult economic downturn is no exception,” says Dr. Mary Jean Lush, vice president of operations and director of the Greenville Higher Education Center. “However, one thing a bad economy always causes is an increase in enrollment of the community and junior colleges. This past year was no exception.”
According to Lush, the Mississippi community and junior college system experienced a 10.7 percent increase in enrollment during the 2009 fiscal year. GHEC is a collaborative effort involving Mississippi Delta Community College, Mississippi Valley State University and Delta State University. Fall 2008 enrollment at GHEC showed a 10 percent increase over the previous year. Lush says current projections show the increases are expected to continue into the 2010 fiscal year, anticipating five to eight percent growth of the entire community and junior college system.
Coahoma Community College’s Spring 2009 enrollment saw a six to seven percent increase over the Fall 2008 enrollment, with 2,200 students enrolled during the spring semester. While the Fall 2009 numbers are still unknown, President Vivian M. Presley is hoping for another increase. “With the economy like it is and the rising cost of tuition, people are looking for more affordable opportunities to go to school, or needing some type of training, and I believe we are going to see that intent in our enrollment,” she says.
Mississippi Delta Community College’s enrollment increased by more than 10 percent in the Fall 2008 semester and by 12 percent in the Spring 2009 semester. “We are expecting another increase in enrollment this fall,” says President Larry G. Bailey.
The Delta’s four-year colleges are experiencing growth as well. Enrollment in Delta State University’s summer school classes is up by approximately four percent, though fall results are still preliminary. While President John M. Hilpert notes that the economy will be a strong factor in enrollment decisions, both positively and negatively, he calls the school’s application pool strong. Mississippi Valley State University is anticipating a total enrollment of 3,100 students for Fall 2009, with 2,350 of those as returning students, says President Donna H. Oliver.
Mississippi State University is hoping for another year of record enrollment this fall, and early enrollment projections look promising, says President Mark E. Keenum. He points to aggressive recruiting with not only high schools, but community colleges.
For the 2008-2009 academic year, the University of Mississippi experienced its 13 consecutive year of rising enrollment. Approximately 17,601 students took classes at five campuses. Nearly 70 percent were from Mississippi and close to 20 percent were minorities. In June, the university announced the selection of Dr. Daniel W. Jones as its 16th chief executive officer, replacing Chancellor Robert C. Khayat.
The colleges and universities in the Delta grant a variety of degrees and regularly introduce new programs of study to keep graduates competitive. For workforce development, many schools are working with area companies to develop training programs. In preparation for jobs in the hotel and hospitality industry, Mississippi Delta Community College is offering a two-year Hotel, Restaurant Management Program in conjunction with its culinary arts program. This fall, Mississippi Delta Community College will also offer a second-year option in its welding certificate program, providing specialized training.
Coahoma Community College is introducing a new program this fall: polysomnography, an area of study that deals with sleep disorders. Presley explains that the school offered a short term course on this topic in the past, and then developed it into a credit program. “We are most excited about it,” she says.
Last year the University of Mississippi announced its new national center focused on intelligence studies: The Center for Intelligence and Security Studies. The center opened in Fall 2008 in the School of Applied Sciences. Students can earn a minor in intelligence and security studies with courses that cover modern security issues, analysis and intelligence communications.
This past year, UM ranked among the nation’s top 25 public universities on Forbes.com, hosted a presidential debate, announced its 25th Rhodes Scholar, inaugurated the first black president of its alumni association and wound down its successful $200 million MomentUM campaign.
Delta State recently renovated the buildings that housed the Delta Music Institute and Hilpert expects enrollment to increase in the program during the next few years. This fall Delta State debuts its Foundations in Excellence program. It is intended to enhance the first year experience for Delta State students, both in the classroom and on campus.
Mississippi Valley State University has implemented the Renaissance Learning program, with a concentration in organizational management. Dr. Glenell Pruitt directs this accelerated adult learning program with classes at the Greenville Higher Education Center.
Oliver recently celebrated 150 days at Mississippi Valley State University. Her primary goal for the 2009-2010 academic year is to increase retention rates. Currently the school has 29 undergraduate programs and nine graduate programs.
“We have reviewed these academic offerings and we are working to provide professional development and training in action research for faculty to enhance classroom instruction strategies, which we hope will effectuate student retention in a positive manner,” she explains.
Many of the Delta colleges and universities are known for excellence in certain programs, reflected in student enrollment. At Mississippi Delta Community College, the two most popular programs are the allied health programs and registered nursing, says Bailey. At Delta State, Hilpert says the hot programs are business and education, as well as nursing and the sciences.
Dr. Leslie Griffin, dean of Delta State University’s college of education, said that most of the students in the 124-hour program are transfers. “We have got a very comprehensive program,” she says, explaining that she hears from superintendents and principals that Delta State graduates are well prepared for competitive jobs in education.
This fall, Delta State’s program will include more field experience to expose students to the real world teaching experience, as well as working closely with a broader base of constituents to respond to the community’s needs, in addition to teaching classroom management skills, providing real world applications.
Relative to other positions, Griffin says jobs in education are more resistant to the recession than others. However, with budget cuts, even schools have to carefully monitor resources. Griffin says she doesn’t think it’s more difficult for graduates to find jobs, but in these unprecedented times, they have to look more closely at the jobs available and understand that the process may be a little different than it was previously.
At the Greenville Higher Education Center, the greatest increase in enrollment and the program with the greatest enrollment is Mississippi Delta Community College’s associate degree program, said Lush. The most popular Mississippi Valley State University program at the center is education. For Delta State students taking classes at the Greenville Higher Education Center, Lush says program popularity is shared between the fast-track nursing and business programs.
Mississippi State offers 180 degrees from bachelors to masters to doctoral degrees. When Keenum meets with high school students, he shares the broadness of the university’s offerings. “I talk about how they can be anything they want to be by going to Mississippi State,” he says.
Some of the better-known programs include architecture, veterinary medicine, a engineering school in the top 10 in the nation, an agricultural sciences program ranked fifth in the nation, a strong business college and a college of education that produces more teachers than any other program in the state. Keenum also notes that the college of arts and sciences is the fastest growing on campus.
As times change, so do students and how students learn. Mississippi Valley State University is developing ways to reach out to students who began, but did not complete, their degrees.
Coahoma Community College is also seeing increased interest in its online programs. With basically all its courses online in a ‘virtual community college,’ users are tied into the state system for community colleges. So, if Coahoma doesn’t offer a needed course, the student can take it through another community college. Presley says the program has grown with the increase of non-traditional students. “It works out very, very well,” she says. Almost half of Coahoma’s enrollment is non-traditional and the average student age is 26.
While the declining economy might be bringing more students to campus, the schools themselves are learning to work with shrinking budgets and develop creative problem-solving skills. According to Lush, the Greenville Higher Education Center operates on the initial level of state appropriation is has received since the facility opened eight years ago. It also must generate, at a minimum, 30 percent of its overall operating budget. Lush explains that the facility does so through services, non-credit classes, facilities rentals and event catering.
“GHEC strives to work harder, smarter, and more economically each year to continue to provide our students, customers, and the general public with the services and venues they need and deserve,” Lush says. “The difficult economic times make it more critical for the Mississippi legislature to find a way to reach mid-level funding for the community and junior colleges, which has been a central focus of the legislature’s commitment to education in Mississippi for the past two sessions.
“As the economic problems deepen, the community and junior colleges and other higher education institutions are being called on to prepare an increasing proportion of the future workforce for the Delta region and the state. GHEC is willing to take on its share of this task, but this will be difficult without the required additional funding necessary to offset the increase in costs associated with the growing enrollment.”
Mississippi Delta Community College experienced a five percent cut in its current year appropriations, amounting to more than $600,000. “Some of the cuts were off-set by enrollment growth and the remainder were covered in the budget from college reserves,” Bailey says. Mississippi Delta Community College, like many schools, is unsure as to what the new year holds with state funding still undecided. Its approved budget for 2009-2010 continues the school’s programs and services, as well as rehires all employees, but is contingent on adequate state funding.
Hilpert says Delta State is no exception to budget cuts. The University Budget Committee reviewed the university’s budget and made recommendations for cuts and more efficient spending. “We are also working to cut spending for utilities, and we are filling only the most essential positions when they are open,” he explains. “Departments across the campus have worked together to address the challenges we’ve faced in this economic downturn.” Delta State is also thankful to its donors for generous contributions that have assisted with scholarships and other critical university needs.
“There are eight institutions of higher learning in the state and we’re all experiencing budget challenges,” says Keenum. Earlier this year the governor asked the universities to cut their 2009 budget by five percent. To comply with his request, Mississippi State delayed a number of projects on the drawing board, including some repair and maintenance, and delayed hiring, but in spite of that, has moved ahead. Instead of hiring the planned 30 new faculty members, the university hired 21. “We’re in good fiscal shape,” Keenum says. “That’s helped us weather this downturn in the economy.”
Some of the AARA stimulus funds will benefit institutions of higher learning, Keenum explains. So while he anticipates further reductions for the 2010 budget, he doesn’t think they will be quite as severe thanks to government funding. DBJ
Special Report: DELTA BANKS
Healthy, growing and dedicated to the Delta
In the heart of the Bible Belt rests a small company dedicated to preserving old Bibles
By Greta Sharp
DBJ Contributing Writer
Anyone reading the news knows that the national banking industry is in crisis. From sub-prime mortgages to billion dollar bailouts, banks are having a hard time. But a good deal of that bad business seems to have passed over the Delta. While they aren’t completely out of the woods, area banks are strong and healthy. However, they face their own unique challenges.
Joe Ricotta, president and COO of Southern Bancorp, has seen an increase in some loan problems, but hasn’t experienced the greater loan problems seen in other banks in other parts of the state. He attributes this to the fact that the Delta’s economy is fairly stable, even with the closure of a few area plants.
At Guaranty Bank & Trust, Bobby Steinriede, executive vice president, and Pratt Lewis, chief information officer, notes that any customers with retirement investments or any other investments are concerned.
And Covenant Bank is looking at a challenging year. The bank is still in the process of absorbing the startup costs of its newest bank in Desoto County, which opened in the fall of 2007. However, Chairman and CEO Willis Frazer says Covenant Bank plans to come out of these challenging times as a stronger institution, thanks to ‘prudent banking decisions and inspired banking.’
Damage control often comes in the form of information. Many Delta banks participated in the FDIC program that increased the amount of insured deposits to $250,000 per depositor through the end of the year. “This program just adds extra stability to everything else we offer,” says Steinriede.
Phil Williams at Bank of Yazoo notes that his bank pays additional premiums for this insurance, but it reinforces the confidence of the bank’s depositors. In fact, early on in the financial crisis, Bank of Yazoo’s employees received extensive training to answer FDIC-related questions from bank clients. Williams explains that this helped bank employees to be proactive in explaining the protection to customers.
Regions Bank designed a Customer Assistance Program to assist customers at risk of defaulting on their loans. “It’s a proactive approach during these economic times, explains Area President Jimmy Brown. “It’s helped 185,000 customers in the 16-state footprint.”
As a matter of course, bank health has been an increasingly popular topic. Bryan Jones, northern region president for BankPlus, says that while he does have customers concerned about the financial crisis and its effect on the bank, he reminds them, and customers of other small banks, that comparisons between BankPlus and large national banks are really not “apples to apples.” “Our financial institution is growing stronger everyday,” he says. “Our safety and soundness has not been affected.”
For the northern part of the state, Regions was making $10 million of mortgage loans each month. Now with the popularity of refinancing, that amount has doubled. In total lending, Regions makes $25 million worth of loans each month, half of which Brown says are agriculture related.
Many banks in the Delta have weathered the financial crisis simply by sticking to the basics. “We adopted a philosophy many years ago to ‘keep doing what we know how to do best and to strive to do it well’,” explains Randy Randall, president and CEO of Planters Bank. In doing so, Planters Bank has been able to maintain a strong capital and reserves position.
Thanks to those conservative efforts, many Delta banks are looking to grow this year. Southern Bancorp has 14 branches, 13 of which are in the Delta. In 2009, Ricotta is looking to expand with new offices in Mississippi.
Covenant Bank opened its newest office on Highway 61 in Clarksdale on June 1. It also made changes to the staff in Southaven, adding three experienced bankers. “We hope to have additional locations in Desoto County in due time,” says Frazer.
BankPlus just opened three new branches in the Jackson metro area. Jones reports that BankPlus also marked its ninth consecutive year of record earnings. In fact, the bank has shown 20 record years out of the past 21. If that’s not enough to celebrate, 2009 marks BankPlus’ 100th anniversary. “We’ve done it by maintaining a strong commitment to our community and retaining good employees that treat customers right,” says Jones.
Planters Bank also has a long history in the Delta—90 years—and plans to continue its active involvement in its local communities. In 2009, Randall says plans are to keep to this path of customer service and serving its shareholders by running a ‘sound and profitable financial institution.’
However, just like many of their customers, Delta banks are looking at their budgets and making necessary cuts. “Although we still spend dollars to fix the roof and parking lot, as well as honor our commitments to local schools organizations and charities, we have drastically reduced expenses to travel, conferences, entertainment,” explains Williams. The Bank of Yazoo has set aside income from earnings into a loan loss reserve to cushion potential losses related to unemployment and the recession.
Agriculture drives the Delta’s economy. In Northern Mississippi, Regions has $2 billion in deposits and $1 billion in loans. Just in North Mississippi, the bank has $300 million in loans to farm customers. One reason for this, says Brown, is that the bank can do a 20 year fixed rate loan on the purchase of farmland with annual payments. “The number one industry in the Mississippi Delta from a bank’s point of vie is agriculture,” says Brown.
But, while crop yields and prices have been strong in the past few years, so have production costs. “So goes crop prices, so goes the Delta’s economy,” says Clay McWilliams, president of M&F Bank, Cleveland.
The face of banking has changed in the last decade. From evolving technology to new regulations, bankers are in a constant state of motion to keep pace and serve their clients. Some have even dedicated entire departments to internet technology to meet that growing need.
“Internet banking has become one of the most important venues when it comes to serving our Planters Bank customers,” says Randall. “From a personal banking standpoint and especially with our younger generation, there is a strong desire for 24/7 access to one’s banking data…Rest assured, online banking will only get stronger in the years to come.”
For commercial and business clients, internet banking enhances they way they access their banking services. Steinriede and Lewis point to Check 21, a regulation which allows banks to accept an electronic image of a check, rather than the original paper check, a move which cuts down on transportation and time. As part of the same regulation, commercial customers can also scan and electronically deposit checks. “These days the customer can do more than ever without coming to the bank and there is more to come in the future,” Steinriede says.
To capitalize on this trend of internet banking, Trustmark’s Product Development Division keeps pace with the ever-changing technology, as well as develops products that help customers utilize technology efficiently.
Additional services can be found at the bank as well. Morgan Keegan investments is part of Regions Bank. Regions also handles international banking, and can facilitate the sale of a business or take it public. It also has its own insurance company and can sell all insurance products. Regions also has a full-time economist on staff to provide relevant data to the bank and its customers. “When it comes to money, we can do just about anything,” says Brown.
Additionally, banks are still looking to make loans: sound loans based on sound underwriting principals, according to McWilliams. “Knowing your customer and the ability to repay are the strongest ingredients for success,” he says.
Many of the Delta’s community and hometown banks make solid investments in their own towns. That way the local deposits stay local to develop small businesses, purchase and repair homes and finance college educations, says Williams. Like McWilliams, he says that knowing the customer—including his character, family history and discretionary spending—is considered when making a loan.
“Our goal is to build relationships rather than simply process transactions,” Williams says. “Now as well-capitalized, common-sense lenders, we stand ready and able to lead the economic recovery process by continuing to help small businesses and hard-working neighbors borrow for what they need and invest in the future.”
With loans come interest. Another hurdle facing banks today is managing interest rate risk, as well as predicting the future rate direction and movement, says Danny Whalen, senior vice president of Cleveland State Bank.
Another hoop bankers have to jump through are the additional regulatory compliance issues for the banking industry related to the new administration’s impact on the Federal Reserve and FDIC, says Ricotta. “It’s an additional burden on us with more regulatory constraints,” he explains. “It’s just something you have to deal with.” Bill Callaway, president of Trustmark Greenville, says many of the new regulations and changes in processes in the last decade grew out of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
But by far, says Williams, the greatest challenge to the industry is perception. “The main challenge is to get people to realize the community banks like the Bank of Yazoo are rooted in the communities we serve, and we represent Main Street—not Wall Street,” he says.
Competition among banks thrives in the Delta, with each bank offering its own set of incentives. BankPlus hopped on this bandwagon more than a decade ago with its free basic checking for individual clients. M&F’s Summit Checking Account not only yields a high interest rate, but also rewards the customer for using a debit card and internet banking.
“Our competition no longer lives right across the street,” says Steinriede. “We’re competing with financial institutions that don’t even have an office.” Guaranty Bank & Trust, like many Delta banks, points to its ability to know the customer and respond to his needs. By nature of its size, a community bank like M&F can provide timely decisions and financial services, said McWilliams. Additionally, being locally owned and operated gives a community bank a firm understanding of the clients’ needs, explains Whalen.
But with 19 branches in the Delta alone, Regions offers the convenience of location. One asset for the Delta is Region’s special financing program for doctors and professionals to bring those skilled people to small Delta towns, explains Brown.
“In summary, we offer a huge inventory of products, allowing us to have one-stop banking, but with a community bank feel,” he says.
Experienced employees are also a strong asset. McWilliams says the lending staff at the M&F Cleveland branch has a combined total of 105 years of experience. For Brown, the strength of Regions’ north Mississippi team is the tenure of its associates: mortgage originators average 15 years of experience, while most officers have more than 20 years.
Whalen points confidently to the experienced staff at Cleveland State Bank and their ability and desire to serve bank clients. “There is an old adage that people bank with bankers, not banks,” says Whalen.
With changing technology, regulations and markets, banks are keeping an eye to the future. The desire to bank locally with a financial institution that understands the customer and the community is powerful draw and many Delta banks are flourishing under these conditions.
Bank of Yazoo has grown deposits, acquired new customers and maintained stable financial statements. Williams says this summer the bank is implementing electronic statement delivery and mobile telephone banking. It’s a move designed to not only serve the customers needs, but decrease the bank’s delivery costs. DBJ
Special Report: GREENWOOD/LEFLORE COUNTY
Creating opportunities in Greenwood and Leflore County. Companies countywide
adapting to current economy
By Greta Sharp
DBJ Contributing Writer
Sometimes opportunity knocks. Other times, opportunities have to be created. Both are the case for Greenwood and Leflore County. Companies are changing the way they do business, or in some cases, where they do business. It’s a trend seen across the Delta as the region grapples with the struggling economy.
While Jamie Kornegay of Turnrow Books has always relied on visitors drawn into town by the Alluvian Hotel, trendy restaurants and the blues clubs, he’s also taken matters into his own hands.
“We put in a café upstairs and serve lunch,” he says. “It’s increased traffic. A broader representation of local people pass through here now.” Additionally, he feels the locals have stepped up to fill any void that a lack of visitors has created.
“Books are a great way to escape,” he says and Turnrow hosts a number of well-known writers for signing events, a draw for locals and visitors.
Bill Litton, president of Wade, Inc., sees his company as a solution provider, helping the Delta farmers with their everyday needs and challenges, including the weather and fluctuating commodity prices. The company has grown to seven locations.
“We’re fortunate to have good, dedicated employees. We’ve got a good customer base with Mississippi Delta farmers who are very much on the cutting edge and good business people, and a fine line of farm equipment in John Deere,” Litton explains.
Founded in 1909 by G.A. Wade, Litton’s wife’s grandfather, then run by her father G.K. Wade, Litton now runs the company. His sons are deeply involved in the family business: Powell is the general manager in Clarksdale and Wade is the general manager in Greenwood.
Some companies, such as Upchurch Plumbing, are venturing out of the Delta. “We go where the work is instead of sitting and waiting for the work to come to us,” says Vice President Mike Upchurch. “We’re still pursuing work in the Delta, there’s just not much here.” Over the last year the company has done work in Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Tennessee.
According to Upchurch, 10 years ago, 90 percent of Upchurch Plumbing’s work was in the Delta; five years ago, that decreased to 70 percent. Today, only 10 percent of Upchurch Plumbing’s work is in the Delta. Upchurch attributes this to the lack of private, new construction and the slowdown in government work. He says most of the company’s work is in hospitals, federal prisons and casinos. Locally it counts Viking Range, Mississippi Valley State University and Delta State University among its clients.
Other companies are experiencing a downturn in business. Don Bowen at Malouf Construction reports that business is down by about 40 percent from last year. Malouf does have several projects ongoing in the Delta: site work for a project at the Parchman prison and two corps of engineers flood control projects, one in Tallahatchie County on the Upper Yazoo River and the other in Holmes County. The company also has some projects around Jackson and the Gulf Coast. “The Delta is off this year,” Bowen says.
Still other companies make their home in the Delta, but reach out to the world. The Mississippi Gift Company, with its retail location in downtown Greenwood, offers more than 750 Mississippi made food and gift items. Owner Cindy Tyler says that cheese straws are a popular food item and pottery tops the gift selections.
The company is also known for its gift baskets that have been shipped internationally, as well as to Oprah Winfrey, former president George H.W. Bush and the writers for the television show “Crossing Jordan.”
Tyler is a member of the local Main Street organization, as well as the chamber of commerce and Junior Auxiliary. “If you help, you’re going to get it back in return,” says Tyler, describing her philosophy. “By affecting Greenwood, it does affect my business.”
And some businesses are hiring. Greenwood Leflore Hospital currently employs 62 physicians, but plans on adding more throughout the summer. It has a staff of 1,035 employees. In 2008, the hospital treated 38,340 emergency room patients and delivered 869 babies. “All of our service lines are top notch,” stresses Executive Director Jerry W. Adams. “Our medical staff is over 90 percent board certified, which involves additional certification after receiving a medical license. They have been trained at some of the most prestigious medical schools. With our staff’s expertise and our state-of-the-art technology, we offer our patients the best care available.”
Greenwood has also seen recent ribbon-cuttings. Terry Grantham of the Greenwood-Leflore County Chamber of Commerce reported two new businesses on Claiborne Street: Déjà vu, an upscale resale shop, and B.E. Shaw, with garden, home and gift items.
The Greenwood-Leflore-Carroll Economic Development Foundation is using this down time to focus its efforts on strategic planning, existing industries and membership recruitment. To guide its growth and development, the strategic plan includes community involvement, common goals, research what resources will be needed to meet those goals, and seeking support from federal, state, private and non-profit partners.
At the first existing industry lunch in April, Chandler Russ, existing industry manager with the Mississippi Development Authority, shared information to help local businesses operate successfully. At the same event, Mitzi Woods of the Delta Workforce Investment Area gave an update on the agency’s latest programs.“We’re not just sitting around waiting for things to change,” says Angela Curry, executive director of the Greenwood-Leflore-Carroll Economic Development Foundation. “We’re looking at this as an opportunity to strengthen our community foundation. While things are not going so well, we’re working to better our community, focus on things that need attention.”
Greenwood and Leflore County has a Mississippi Development Authority regional office and that agency is also focusing on the support of existing industries. Curry and local manager Frank Short will visit local businesses to discuss areas of concern including expansions and workforce training.“We’re holding on,” says Curry. “We haven’t had any job losses and we can hopefully see a little light at the end of the tunnel, that things are slowly turning around.”
That positive, forward motion was echoed by outgoing Greenwood Mayor Sheriel F. Perkins. With an open door policy, she encouraged citizens to share their views in an effort to help Greenwood move forward together. She also reorganized and reenergized the summer parks program, now held at the city’s youth center. From June 1 to mid-July, more than 200 young people participate in the program. In addition, she established the Mayor’s Youth Council for students in grades nine through 12. “Young people are interested in government,” Perkins says.
State Senator David Jordan, who is also the City of Greenwood’s council president, feels that interest and participation in government is a responsibility of all citizens. “It’s enlightenment to how the process of government works,” he says. “The limits it has, what you can and cannot do within the law. It’s essential that the citizens should know this. The bottom line is education, education, education.”
In the day-to-day efforts of running the city, Perkins worked to overlay streets and improve the city’s parks, as well as purchase new equipment for public works such as garbage and trash trucks. She also cut the budget without reducing services or personnel. “We’ve still been able to attract jobs,” she says, pointing to a new Waffle House and Dunkin Donuts. “Small retail shops and eateries. Every little bit helps.”
Another agency preparing itself for growth is the Greenwood-Leflore Airport, which currently employs 150 people. Manager Bardin Redditt explains that the facility is busy these days. The airport is in process of building a new control tower. It’s also in the negotiation phase with General Electric. The company purchased the aircraft recycling business at the airport and plans to expand upon confirmation of its lease agreement. Redditt says GE is looking at a recently vacated building at the airport.
The airport has developed a strategic business plan to aid in its growth. Part of that plan is marketing the Greenwood-Leflore Airport and its resources to approximately 80 businesses. “It’s a comprehensive evaluation of the airport and its attributes and what we have to offer,” Redditt says.
That includes an air traffic control tower, a long runway, available land, level terrain and an excellent location. Other attributes include an ILS landing system and a vertical balance system on the airport’s major runway.
Redditt notes that air traffic has slowed somewhat due to the economy. Additionally, it also decreased several years ago due to high fuel costs.
Tourism is a pillar of the local community. The Greenwood Convention and Visitors Bureau has already hosted several groups of international travel writers and film crews this year. The visitors, who hailed from places like Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, were mainly interested in the blues and the blues heritage that can be found in the area. “That’s always fun and great coverage for us,” says Executive Director Paige Hunt. Greenwood was also featured twice on “Mississippi Roads” on Mississippi Public Broadcasting in May.
Kornegay explains that people are enchanted with the wildness of the Mississippi Delta, with its history, landscape and mythology. But at the end of the day, those weary travelers want to relax in comfort. “Greenwood is an oasis in the midst of that wildness,” he says.
As a testament to the staff’s hard work, at the Mississippi Governor’s Conference on Tourism the CVB was honored with two statewide awards. The first was for tourism promotion for Greenwood’s ad campaign, website, video and newsletter. But Greenwood also walked away with “CVB of the Year” in its budget category. “It’s always nice to be recognized by your peers,” says Hunt.
While the economy is shaky, Hunt says she and her staff are working harder than ever. “We’d like to see our numbers better,” she explains. “We’re slightly down from last year, but everybody’s down from last year. We’re working twice as hard to get people to come to Greenwood. We’re strong believers that tourism is economic development. We’re working hard to bring those dollars to Greenwood.”
And there’s plenty to do in Greenwood. Charlotte Michael of WYMX-FM pointed to the Stars and Stripes in the Park Festival on June 26. The event featured musical entertainment, food vendors, children’s activities and a huge fireworks display at the end of the evening.
There’s also the 300 Oaks Road Race and the River to Rails Festival weekend in September, followed by the Mississippi Blues Fest in October at the Leflore County Civic Center But it’s the people that make Greenwood special. “Hospitality,” says Michael. “I’ve been here all of my life. When you walk down the street, people are going to speak to you. Other cities, they just don’t have that hospitality.” DBJ
Special Report: GRENADA/GRENADA COUNTY
Grenada capitalizing on location, industries, workforce and recreational opportunities
By Lynn Lofton
DBJ Contributing Writer
Things are on the move in Grenada—the city and the county. Approximately 15,000 of the county’s 23,000 residents live within the municipality which is the county’s only incorporated town. “Overall, the business climate is good here. The sales tax collections bear that by remaining fairly close to last year’s collections,” says Phillip Heard, executive director of the Grenada County Chamber of Commerce. “There have been no industry closings but there have been some layoffs. Two existing industries are working on small expansions that will employ additional people.”
Some 32 percent of the county’s workforce is employed in manufacturing, compared to the national average of 12 percent. Metal fabrication and the timber and wood products sector employ large portions of the workforce too.
The area capitalizes on Grenada Lake where the U.S. Corps of Engineers estimates more than two million visitors come each year.
“Tourism and the lake are terribly important to our economy,” Heard says. “There are unlimited opportunities for fishing, boating and camping. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks operates two camps there.”
Local retailer Dolly Marascalco is very familiar with the lake and its improvements. Five years ago she was named Grenada Lake’s first project champion by the Mississippi River Commission. That was the first time the commission, in existence 100 years, had represented the state’s lakes.
Testifying before the commission twice each year, Marascalco has garnered $15 million in congressional aid funds for improvements at the lake. Those improvements include paving, boat ramps, a place for fishing tournament weigh-ins, bathroom facilities and an antebellum-style pavilion with seating for 200 people.“I go before the commission and try to sell our lake to get funding,” she says. “The lake generates several million each year. We have one of the best Corps of Engineers’ units in the country. They do a good job and keep it clean.”
This Grenada activist also serves on the chamber’s Grenada Lake Development Task Force which is spearheading an effort to build a small resort at the lake.
“With money short for a lot of people and gasoline prices rising, we think more people will want to visit our lake for vacations,” she says.
Marascalco and her husband, Frank, own a downtown ladies apparel shop and two pharmacies. They’ve been in business in Grenada for 33 years.
“Grenada has a great location. It’s a beautiful, clean town with a lot of caring people who help when needed,” she says. “The biggest problem is communication between city officials and residents. The officials need to listen more.”
Grenada Mayor Billy Collins, a retired school administrator, feels the city has a lot of good things even though it’s feeling some impacts from the recession.“It’s a progressive town,” he says. “Our retail business is better than what the surrounding counties have. We’re a retail hub for six counties around us. That’s something we don’t need to forget.”
Still, sales tax collections are down this year while revenue from the three percent tourism tax is up. Collins is also concerned that the city had to lay off 11 employees in January but thinks it’s just a matter of time before revenue increases.“I want to see our unemployment rate decrease because it’s higher than we’ve ever seen,” he says. “For retail, I’d like to twitch my nose and see more family restaurants even though we have some good ones now. Some more recognizable chain names would attract people off the interstate.”
The mayor would also like to see a Lowe’s or Home Depot and another grocery store locate in Grenada. He appreciates the town’s four automobile dealerships and is pleased that none are closing. Plans call for a new fire station to be built on the north end of town to join the station recently completed in the southern portion. The city hopes to get some of the federal stimulus money to build a senior citizens center.
City Manager Charles Weathers feels things are going about as well as can be expected with the city’s tight budget.
“The city owns an industrial park that is a good tool for recruiting industry,” he says. “We have a prospect now to put in a speculative building we have there. We want to see more industries bring jobs, and we’d also like to see more retail.”
The Downtown Revitalization Committee, which was formed three years ago, is leading the charge for improvements downtown. “Downtown is really getting better and revitalization is one of our goals,” Collins says. “The courthouse, city hall and the school district office are located there and that brings people downtown.”
Jeffry Armstrong, owner of Whitaker Furniture, chairs the Revitalization Committee. The group recently voted to join the state’s Main Street Program.
“We have a lot going for us and think our momentum is good,” she says. “We have some vital businesses and some that are struggling. We are identifying vacant buildings and want the board of realtors to get involved with us.”
A swamp on the edge of town is getting attention with plans to turn it into a scenic area complete with trails marked to identify the abundant vegetation and birds living there. “It’s quite beautiful and is our hidden asset,” Armstrong says. “We want to connect it with the lake via a walking/biking trail. We will have it marked in the next few weeks.”
She feels the town is fortunate to have a town square with green space and a large town clock. The clock hasn’t kept time for many years but a move is underway to restore it to working order. Businesses and the local garden club are planting flowers and plan to create a memory garden. Events, such as the lighted Dickens Christmas Village display, are organized on the square to bring people downtown.
Robert Rose has owned Rose Business Equipment specializing in copiers and fax machines and equipment service for 29 years. It’s located on Highway 8 West at the top of a hill. He says edge-of-town location is best for his business because his market reaches out 100 miles.
“This type of business needs to have a population of 50,000 or more, so I must stretch out and cover an area from Memphis to Jackson and from Columbus to Greenville,” he says. “We have a good business environment in Grenada. I’ve had very little impact from the slow economy and feel fortunate to be in this business.”
A real estate appraiser who formerly sold real estate and was mayor in the 1980s, Chuck Thomas sees the Grenada real estate market as steady and insulated from housing woes in other parts of the country.
“We’ve had less home foreclosures, and as an appraiser I do not see as much loss of value here,” he says. “There are not as many new homes being built as in past years, but existing homes are keeping their value. It’s a stable market.”
Judy M. Lundy, a realtor/broker with Coldwell Banker Landmark Realty, agrees that Grenada’s market has held up fairly well with no appreciable decline in real estate values.“We went through a real slump the first of the year and a couple of our industries had layoffs, which certainly didn’t help the real estate market, but Grenada seems to have fared better than most surrounding areas,” she says. “The average sale price of a home for 2008 was $115,259. For 2009 to date, the average sale price is $124,837, which indicates that values are holding up.”
Lundy and others in the community list the public school system as a huge asset for the area. Unlike many areas of the state with multiple school districts to support, the city and county have one system.
“We have a consolidated school system which allows all the resources to be pooled to benefit the entire system rather than having to spread the money out over several systems,” she says. “It also means families don’t have to base where they live to make sure their children get in a good school. We actually sell a lot of houses to people who work in surrounding counties but choose to live here and commute to send their children to school here.”
Additionally, Heard lists Grenada’s private school as an asset.
Grenada Lake Medical Center is frequently cited as a strong point too. It’s one of the county’s largest employers with approximately 500 employees. There are 32 physicians on the active staff and some specialists from out of town. The facility completed a $22 million expansion and renovation project in April.
According to administrator Chip Denton, the project provided 60 new replacement patient rooms and nine intensive care rooms and other state-of-the-art treatment areas in 50,000 square feet of new space and 20,000 square feet of renovated space.“We can provide very well for the needs of residents,” he says. “The hospital is one of the key cogs that’s important to maintaining the quality of life we have here. We must have it for new business and industry to want to come here and to attract people to live here.”
Deborah Bailey is one of Grenada’s biggest cheerleaders. She and her husband, Coley, are charged with laying the groundwork for the county’s first economic development organization. The chamber of commerce has had that role but the functions are being separated. An assessment of the county’s key assets has been done and a strategic plan developed. The Baileys are interviewing candidates to implement the plan, hoping to have someone in place by September 1st.
The county has a proven record of recruiting and retaining industries and was in the forefront of the state’s Balance Agriculture with Industry program in the 1950s.
“Our workforce has interesting skills and receives training from the branch of Holmes Community College located here,” Bailey says. “It would be wonderful to find other manufacturers to help people keep working. Food processing seems to make sense to develop. We have the right skills for that.”
The new economic development organization will also work with existing industries to help them grow.
“We’ve absolutely had support from the community with what we’re doing,” Bailey says. “The community is like a sponge and they get excited with what they absorb.”
Among Grenada’s outstanding attributes, the prime location on Interstate 55 is often listed along with the 1,600 acres set aside for industrial development purposes, the 30,000-square-feet industrial training center and the airport. With its 7,000-foot runway, Heard says the Grenada Municipal Airport can land anything except a space shuttle.“There is open land available at good prices too,” Bailey says. “The 95,000-acre lake offers a wealth of recreational opportunities along with Dogwoods Golf Course, a public course recognized by Golf Digest Magazine as the best golf bargain in the country.”
Last but certainly not least, students can earn four-year degrees in Grenada through Holmes Community College and a branch of the University of Mississippi.“There are five other universities within easy striking distance,” Bailey says. DBJ
Special Report: AGRICULTURE
Mississippi State University’s new Veterinary
Services chief ‘coaches’ students to success
By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications
Dr. Joey Burt wants veterinary medicine students who plan to open or join a clinic to develop medical, communication and business skills needed to be successful private practitioners well before they graduate.
Burt left a thriving private practice he established in Oxford, Ohio, last November to become chief of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Community Veterinary Services section.
“We are excited to have Dr. Burt on our faculty to help enhance our educational program for students and to broaden their exposure to quality patient management and exceptional client service,” says Dr. Ron McLaughin, head of the CVM Department of Clinical Sciences. “His successful private practice in Ohio is a model of what we want our graduates to emulate as they enter the profession.”
Burt says he plans to use this position to help students understand how competency and compassion can determine clients’ perceptions of the practitioner, the clinic and the service provided.
“Customer service and perception are the ‘wow’ factors in veterinary practice,” says Burt, who was the 2008 CVM Alumnus of the Year. “The Information Age has created an informed and educated clientele who seek a high level of health care for their pets because they have been exposed to information concerning health-care developments for animals and they can easily access it.”
The wealth of experience accumulated in private practice since graduation has given Burt insight into the learning process of establishing oneself as a veterinarian. He discerns that clients and patients respond favorably to a clinic that is clean, open and comfortable.
After incorporating these characteristics into his practice, Burt earned the admiration of his clients and attracted the attention of the veterinary community. The clinic won a prestigious award for its physical design, traffic flow patterns and client amenities, such as a quiet room and refreshment bar.
“The key to a successful veterinary practice is the relationship you build with the client,” Burt says. “You can be a great diagnostician, but if you can’t communicate with the client, your skill means nothing.
“Likewise, you may be a great communicator, but if you don’t have the medical training to back up what you say, you lose the client’s trust,” he says. “These are qualities our Community Veterinary Services team strives to instill in our students.”
Many veterinary colleges are taking steps to provide students with coursework and training that emphasize wellness and preventive care for patients.
“Today’s veterinarians must be efficient in the examination room, know how to interact well with clients, communicate effectively and understand that pets are valued members of the family deserving of exceptional care,” McLaughlin says. “Students must learn how to do this whether they open their own practices or join an existing one.”
To help students excel as private practitioners, the Community Veterinary Services rotation teaches students the basics of providing quality health care and client service. All third-year veterinary students participate in the Community Veterinary Services rotation, and many are returning as seniors to take advantage of the advanced, elective rotation in their fourth year.
“I think of myself as a coach, and I want students to think about the impact of physical surroundings on the patients and clients, and the impact that their attitude will have on their ability to practice veterinary medicine successfully,” Burt says. DBJ
Rains and crop plans delay soybean planting
By Bonnie Coblentz
MSU Ag Communications
Rain delays and changes in planting decisions are forcing a later than ideal start for Mississippi’s soybeans.
As planting window dates have been closing for other crops, growers are switching some fields to soybeans before time runs out for them as well.
Trey Koger, soybean specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, says the crop’s ideal planting window closed around the first of May, but fields planted now can still succeed. Other row crops such as cotton, corn and rice aren’t as flexible when it comes to planting date and optimal yields, so when rain kept fields from being planted in these crops, many farmers turned to late-planted soybeans. Soybeans also are not as expensive to grow as other crops.
“Long-term data shows that the later we get, the more our yields start falling off,” Koger says. “Last year was an exception, and we ended up having a phenomenal crop on our late-planted acreage.”
About 75 percent of the state’s soybean crop was planted by the first week of June. Historically, only about 2 percent to 5 percent of the crop remains at this late date. Rains in early May kept farmers out of the fields for most of the first half of the month. When it dried out, planting resumed in earnest.
“They’re planting hard right now and trying to finish before the next rain,” Koger says.
Modern farm machinery makes it possible for farmers to plant a lot of acres quickly. Producers are working now to beat the clock.
“The later you plant, the more dependent you are on Mother Nature to really make the crop,” Koger says. “If weather cooperates and we get some summer rains, we can make a good crop. Otherwise, farmers with irrigation will have to water more, and that costs more.”
About 65 percent of the state’s soybean acreage is irrigated.
Insects also pose a problem in late-planted soybeans.
“The later we plant and the later in the year the crop is out there, the more insects we encounter,” Koger says. “You can manage those insects, but you usually have to spend a lot more than if we had April-planted beans.”
Mississippi farmers are planting more than 2.5 million acres of soybeans in 2009, the highest acreage since the early 1990s, Koger says. The increased acreage can be attributed to good soybean prices and input costs that are lower than those for the other major row crops.
John Coccaro, Warren County Extension director, says about half the soybean acres in his county are flooded, while the crop on the high and dry acres is doing well.
“We have flooding from the Mississippi River, the Yazoo River and backwater,” Coccaro says. “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District, said a total of 404,000 acres of agricultural and forest acres are flooded in Warren, Issaquena and Sharkey counties.”
The backwater flooding occurs in the south Delta north of the Yazoo River where it curves to meet the Mississippi River. A flood gate closes when the river rises to prevent river water from flooding nearby land. This year, excessive rains could not drain out of the area because the closed gate that was holding back Mississippi River flooding held in the rainwater.
“When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opens the gate, it will probably take two weeks without rain to drain the area and another week for the soil to dry out enough to support a tractor and planter,” Coccaro says. “Farmers are faced with the dilemma of deciding whether or not to replant a crop the first week of July. Should you borrow again and try to risk a crop that has a high chance of not making?”
Information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Mississippi River flooding and forecasts can be found online at www.mvk.usace.army.mil. DBJ
Grassy habitats improve fisheries
By Billy Davis
DBJ Contributing Writer
By Jonathan Paul Fleming & Karen Brasher
MSU College of Forest Resources
Many anglers have long lived by the motto “grass equals bass,” and for a bass fisherman, there is nothing more thrilling than pulling a spinner-bait along a weed edge and getting a strike.
This simple motto is being investigated by researchers who say that the right type of vegetation in lakes and reservoirs can improve fishing opportunities.
“As long as the grass is a native form of aquatic plant that does not choke out the water in large areas of the lake, it does improve the fishery,” said Eric Dibble, wildlife and fisheries professor and fish ecologist at Mississippi State University.
Many reservoirs have grass, but they do not have the native aquatic plants needed, as was the case with the Little Bear Creek Reservoir in northwest Alabama.
To improve the reservoir and fisheries, scientists in MSU’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center and Geosystems Research Institute began working with a local conservation group, the Bear Creek Millennium Project, to re-establish aquatic vegetation. Additional funding was provided by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
“In natural lakes, aquatic plants establish a seed bank so that sudden environmental changes do not disrupt the natural cycle of plant growth,” Dibble said. “However, in man-made reservoirs like Little Bear, often the seed bank is not present or is not well established. Sometimes important aquatic plants need some help in becoming established to keep the lake productive.”
Aquatic plants form the basis of the food chain and are self-renewing, unlike man-made structures such as stake-beds or sunken dead trees, which rot after only a few years. Not only do these plants improve recreational fishing opportunities, they also improve water quality and habitat.
“Submerged vegetation is home to a large variety of aquatic insects and animals, which form a good food base for sportfish such as bluegill and largemouth bass,” Dibble said. “The fish also use these areas to hide when threats of larger predators are lurking in deeper, less protected areas.”
The plants improve water quality by stabilizing the bottom of a lake and preventing silt and mud from staining the water when boat traffic or wind causes a disturbance. But establishing this grassy fish habitat can be challenging. Plants that were growing in the Little Bear Creek Reservoir did not survive over a long period of time.
Phillip Cooper, leader of the Bear Creek Millennium Program, contacted the university about assisting with the project.
“Our group largely consists of fishermen looking to improve habitat in the Bear Creek Lakes,” Cooper said. “We knew from the beginning, to improve habitat and fishing, you must get plants back into the lake. That is why we contacted MSU, to make sure we were doing the right things to make our lakes better.”
Wildlife and fisheries graduate student Jonathan Paul Fleming began by planting several different plants in the lake. His objective was to identify the species that would grow the best.
“We want to make sure we are as efficient as possible so that we are not wasting time with species that just won’t make it,” said John Madsen, principal investigator and assistant professor in MSU’s Geosystems Research Institute. “Once we establish the right plants for the reservoir, we will increase the rate of planting.”
Some anglers and recreationists do not always appreciate aquatic plants because they form thick mats that can block boat channels and docks, but this usually occurs only with exotic invasive plants, Madsen said.
“Although some anglers like to fish in any type of vegetation, it is important to realize there are some plants and invasive species that can actually hurt fishing,” Madsen said. “That is why we are working with several native species to determine what works best in the reservoir.”
Once established, the aquatic vegetation will provide great fishing opportunities and habitat at Little Bear Creek Reservoir. DBJ
View Points
The Simple Fixes
The Obama administration has found a solution to Social Security’s fiscal crisis, but is keeping it quiet. The solution? Why, Universal Healthcare! Britain and Canada among other nations have had great success in shortening the lifespans of their citizens thanks to their socialist healthcare systems. If the Obama administration can push this through before anyone wises up, then the rationing of care, not to mention the lengthy waits and piles of bureaucratic tape, will mean more people dying sooner, and the government doesn’t have to pay out Social Security! One snag has occurred with the anti-smoking legislation, which would increase life spans, but California is leading the way to get around this by legalizing marijuana – unfiltered marijuana! If only the administration can get life expectancy down to 65 or less, then they won’t have to pay out anything! And on a side note, we’ve also heard that the FBI, CIA and some military branches will be handing over their counter-terrorism efforts to the U.S. Fish and Game department, since that organization is much better at “catch and release.” Just think what they can learn about terrorist activities with their new “jihad-cam.” Well, that’s what we were told, anyway. DBJ
Delta Council
On the cover of this edition of the Delta Business Journal, we feature Bolivar County resident, Travis Satterfield. Satterfield has been tapped this year to be the new president of Delta Council. Delta Council, the region’s top economic development powerhouse, selects a prominent Deltan to serve as it’s president for one year. As you will read in our cover story, Satterfield will bring much to Delta Council. Engaged in the farming business for many years, Satterfield knows the ins and outs of the ag industry which is the leading industry in the Mississippi Delta region. His in-depth knowledge of this industry as well as his contacts will be an asset to Delta Council during his one year term. We salute Delta Council for selecting Satterfield as it’s new president. And we at the Delta Business Journal appreciate the great work Delta Council provides for our region. DBJ
After Haley
At the Delta Council annual meeting, political analysis Sid Salter and Jere Nash delivered a talk on the future of the governor’s seat after Haley Barbour leaves office. Their comments were interesting and very notable, especially their remarks concerning two people with Delta roots and ties who are considering running for this office: attorney Bill Luckett of Clarksdale, and Lt. Governor, Phil Bryant who lived in Moorehead as a child. Regardless of their party affiliation, we at the DBJ are proud that two people with Delta ties are considering vying for this important position. As this election unfolds, we at the DBJ will keep you informed by providing you with behind-the-scenes coverage on this important race for the governor’s mansion. DBJ
Letter to the Editor
DBJ reaches 10 years
Congratulations to the Delta Business Journal for 10 years of successfully bringing informative business and industry news to Mississippians. Since its founding you have propelled this outstanding publication in the right direction, and I am confident that you have many more successful years ahead.
Thank you for being an invaluable asset to your community. I know that the partnerships you have forged with towns across the Delta region are important to your success.
I look forward to working with you, both in my capacity as Governor and as a resident of the Mississippi Delta. Again, thank you for your leadership of the Delta Business Journal, which is committed to providing informative, relevant news about the growth and challenges of Delta businesses and communities.
Haley Barbour
Governor of Mississippi
Jackson, Miss.
Congratulations
Congratulations on the 10th anniversary of the Delta Business Journal. It’s hard for me to believe that ten years have passed since you invited a few people to lunch and told us about your plans for creating a publication for Delta businesses. At that time, we felt that it would be a successful endeavor but had no idea of the magnitude of success. Our Delta area is much better served because of your publication. I look forward with enthusiasm to the next ten years with you and the Delta Business Journal.
Best wishes for continued success.
Kent Wyatt
DSU President Emeritus
Cleveland, Miss.
Keep up the good work
In recognition of the 10-year Anniversary of the Delta Business Journal, Delta Council would like to congratulate the staff and all of those associated with the success of the Delta Business Journal for the contribution which your publication has made to the Delta. The Delta Business Journal has presented Delta leaders, Delta projects, Delta Institutions of Higher Learning, Delta workforce training, education in the Delta and job development in a most positive manner.
At a time when national newsprint journalism and electronic media have captured the imagination of pessimism about the future and skepticism about government at all levels, it has been refreshing to receive the Delta Business Journal each month over the past 10 years and a knowledge that there are civic leaders, public officials, public institutions such as our universities and community colleges, and our healthcare delivery systems which are committed to a work in progress, toward making the quality of life in the Mississippi Delta better for everyone.
The Delta Business Journal has a prominent position in the future of the Delta, and we look forward to a continued working relationship with your publication in its efforts to promote a positive Delta.
John Phillips
President of Delta Council
Stoneville, Miss.
Bill Kennedy
Chairman Executive Committee
Stoneville, Miss
.
A job well done
Congratulations to the Delta Business Journal on your 10th Anniversary. During the past decade, I’ve been pleased to watch your progress, and I’ve enjoyed working directly with you on several occasions.
This publication goes beyond providing pertinent and timely local business news. With each issue, the DBJ helps encapsulate and highlight many attractive aspects of this unique region, helping people in the Delta and well beyond understand what makes this part of Mississippi so special.
The Delta is certainly a prized place that needs and deserves this home-grown, home-owned business publication. Consistently the DBJ gladly tells good stories, heralds hard-won success and candidly reports the challenges we face. I’ve always appreciated your publication’s professional execution and informative pages, and I hope to continue reading the Delta Business Journal for many years to come. Keep up the great work! With very best wishes, I remain
Trent Lott
Washington, D.C.
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