Paul Alexander is now at the helm of the Panola Partnership as its chief executive as of January. He replaces interim director, State Representative Leonard Morris, who replaced Scott Luth, who resigned last summer for a similar position in Cleveland. When a person walks into the office of new CEO Alexander, the original impression may be that the man has no life outside of the office. Multiple binders of computer disks are stacked on or around his desk, each one containing hundreds of files from past projects, or ideas for his future endeavors here in the friendly confines of Panola County. Alexander comes to the Panola Partnership with an extensive educational and professional background for building and boosting the economic stance of communities. Having graduated from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering in 1988, Alexander also attended Economic Development Institutes at the University of Portland and the University of Oklahoma. On the professional side of the coin, Alexander served as president of Alexander Development in Columbus, Georgia and a similar position in Phenix City, Alabama. While serving as president of the Development Council in Phenix City, Alexander successfully directed and assisted the town in a regional image enhancement effort, and developed a totally self-sufficient marketing and developing program. So what's the secret to the success that has defined Alexander's past career? "There's no Superman, there's no magic," he says. "It's what we decide to do, and what we do. I think the challenge is to figure out what people want," Alexander says. "Not dealing with boundaries. Don't put obstacles up yet. Sometimes problems are opportunities." So, what to do with such problems? "As communities grow into their own, into what they want to be, citizens don't think about (problems)," Alexander observes. He says it's up to people, in positions such as his, to make solutions out of any perceived obstacles. Alexander is just now completing the process of moving his wife and family to Batesville, and he is very excited about the opportunities ahead. His wife, Lori, who has a Master's Degree in Human Resources, will be joining Alexander's two children, Connor, 14, and Anna Kate, 11, in their new hometown of Batesville. "My kids were one of the reasons I wanted to come here and take this position," Alexander comments. "I like the idea of, and think they deserve the chance to, grow up in a smaller, more homey community," he says. A former rock and roll musician, Alexander has also run several marathons. This type of energy will no doubt aid him in his new position as head of the Panola Partnership. DBJ (Reprinted with permission from The Panolian)