Mississippi Economic Council
 Leadership Mississippi


Do you know someone you think would be a great fit for the Class of 2020? Maybe you have a co-worker, employee, neighbor or friend you'd like to see take advantage of this great opportunity?

Share this application and help open the door for an amazing and unforgettable Leadership Mississippi experience! 

Nominations are not required to apply -- Help us spread the word about this outstanding leadership program! 

Application Deadline - September 6th!

You're Invited to the Leadership Mississippi 
Cleveland Reception on August 22nd!

Leadership Mississippi will hold this year's fourth session on August 22-23rd in the Mississippi Delta! During the session, we will hold a reception at Delta State University in the lobby of Wyatt Hall on Thursday, August 22nd from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Delta State University is located at 1003 W. Sunflower Rd., Cleveland, MS 38733.

We would love for all Leadership Mississippi alumni to come and join the Class of 2019 for this wonderful networking opportunity!
______________________________________________
   
Sponsor the Leadership Mississippi 
Cleveland Session Today!

Thank you to those already sponsoring this session!

We would like to recognize Delta State University as a Cleveland Sponsor!

Special Thanks to Our Past Leadership Mississippi Sponsors:
  • American Medical Response
  • Balch & Bingham LLP
  • Chevron Products Company
  • Eley Guild Hardy Architects, PA
  • Gulf Coast Veterinary Emergency/Beach View Veterinary Hospital
  • Hancock Whitney Bank
  • FEB Distributing
  • Ingalls Shipbuilding
  • M&M Bank
  • Machado Patano
  • Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
  • Mississippi Power
  • Batson Children's Hospital
  • Irby Construction Company
  • Raytheon
  • Roy Anderson Corp
  • Samuel L. Jones - Life Changing Presentations
  • Sid Davis, Collaborative Lawyer and Mediator
  • Southern Mississippi Planning & Development District
  • Yates Construction
If you can't attend the Leadership Mississippi Alumni Reception in person but would like to offer additional support, sponsorship opportunities are available to enhance each Leadership Mississippi session!  


We hope to see you in the Delta!
Leadership Mississippi in the 2019 Elections

The 2019 Primary Elections are approaching! Leadership Mississippi has several alumni running to be an elected official in the state.

Disclaimer: MEC and its Leadership Mississippi program are nonpartisan and does not support or oppose any political party or candidate. The listing and inclusion of election candidates in The Leadership Letter are for the sole purpose of recognizing Leadership Mississippi alumni and do not reflect or confirm any political endorsement, affiliation or position made by MEC or its staff. 



 
Sam Britton
Class of 1996
Candidate for: Secretary of State


 
Tammy Cotton
Class of 2013
Candidate for: House of Representatives, District 70


Tasha Dillon
Class of 2013
Candidate for: State Representative, District 98


Lynn Fitch
Class of 1995
Candidate for: Attorney General

Blaine LaFontaine
Class of 2017
Candidate for: Senate, District 46

Jody Owens
Class of 2011 
Candidate for: Hinds County District Attorney

Derrick Simmons
Class of 2009
Candidate for: Senate, District 12

Errick Simmons
Class of 2008
Candidate for: Mayor, City of Greenville


De'Keither Stamps
Class of 2014
Candidate for: Public Service Commissioner, Central District
Andy Taggart
Class of 1986
Candidate for: Attorney General


Candidates Not Pictured:
  • Scott DeLano - Candidate for Senate, District 50
  • Debra Gibbs - Candidate for House of Representatives, District 72
  • Robert Johnson III - Candidate for House of Representatives, District 94
  • Connie Moran - Candidate for Public Service Commissioner, Southern District
  • Willie Simmons -  Candidate for Transportation Commissioner, Central District
  • Greg Snowden - Candidate for House of Representatives, District 83


Our great Leadership Mississippi sessions would not be possible without the fantastic support from our incredible base of alumni.

Through your $100 annual contribution, you can help ensure that Leadership Mississippi can continue to give the best experience possible to our participants.  Your financial support will aid in Leadership Mississippi's ability to continue to offer quality programming and to build new initiatives for future participants. Your tax-deductible contribution will help us turn ideas into reality .    


Leadership Mississippi would like to thank the following alumni for their 2019 contribution:

Special Thanks to Our Alumni Contributors
  • R. Mark Alexander, Jr. (Class of 2008) - Balch & Bingham, LLP 
  • David L. Allen (Class of 1983) - Mississippi Blood Services, Inc.
  • Sidney Allen, Jr. (Class of 2010) - Butler Snow, LLP
  • Robert J. Barnes (Class of 1994) - PriorityOne Bank
  • Leonard Bentz (Class of 2012) - Southern Mississippi Planning & Development District
  • Paul Bertucci (Class of 2008) - F. E. B. Distributing Company, Inc.
  • Christa Bishop (Class of 2017) - Cooperative Energy 
  • Dianne Bolen (Class of 2011)
  • Barry Bouchillon (Class of 1980) - State Farm Insurance Companies
  • Mark S. Bounds (Class of 1983) - NAI/Mark S. Bounds Realty Partners
  • Jerome Brown (Class of 2014) - The First Bank, A National Banking Association
  • Greg Burks (Class of 2017) - Renasant Bank
  • Odean Busby (Class of 1985) - PriorityOne Bank
  • James Covington (Class of 1984) - First Bank
  • Richard Cowart (Class of 1974) - Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz
  • William Daly (Class of 1980) - The Personnel Department
  • John M. Dean, Jr. (Class of 1974) - LANDMART/ Dean Land & Realty Company
  • Dave Dennis (Class of 1993) - Specialty Contractors & Associates, Inc.
  • J. Kane Ditto (Class of 1975) - StateStreet Group, LLC
  • Jan Farve (Class of 2016) - Merchants Foodservice 
  • Keith Ferguson (Class of 2009) - LogoStoreUSA, Inc
  • Robert Gibbs (Class of 1982) - Gibbs Travis, PLLC 
  • Allison L. Graves (Class of 1997)
  • Thomas G. Gresham (Class of 1987) - Double Quick - Gresham Petroleum
  • Walton Gresham, III (Class of 1976) - Gresham Petroleum Company
  • Rodney L. Grogan (Class of 2003) - MMC Materials, Inc. 
  • Rodney Harris (Class of 2014) - Mississippi National Guard
  • Jamie Holder (Class of 2009) - Hol-Mac Corporation
  • Rosalyn Howard (Class of 2016) - Mississippi Nurses Foundation
  • Susan Hunt (Class of 2008)
  • Elizabeth Corso Joachim (Class of 2009) - Corso, Inc.
  • David Johnson, Sr. (Class of 2000) - BankPlus
  • Rex Kelly (Class of 1979) - Strategic Communication
  • Carmen Kyle (Class of 2018) - Southaven Chamber of Commerce
  • Nora Miller (Class of 2008) - Mississippi University for Women
  • Charles L. Morris (Class of 1987) - Morris Petroleum, Inc. 
  • Rebecca Phipps (Class of 1988) - Rebecca Phipps Law Office
  • Dr. Michael Robbins (Class of 1975) - Robbins Research & Planning, Inc. 
  • Jason Siegfried (Class of 2009) - Southern Pine Electrical Power Association
  • Ed Simmons (Class of 2015) - Benefit Administration Services
  • Mark Smith (Class of 2004) - The CPI Group, LLC
  • E. Gregory Snowden (Class of 1984) - Mississippi State Representative
  • Honorable Keith Starrett (Class of 1979) - U. S. District Judge
  • Belinda Stewart (Class of 1993) - Belinda Stewart Architects, PA
  • Dr. Jennifer Sutton (Class of 2018) - Gulf Coast Veterinary Services
  • William A. Taylor, III (Class of 1979) - The Taylor Group of Companies
  • Denny Terrell (Class of 2007) - Ivey Mechanical Company 
  • Pat Thomasson (Class of 2007) - Thomasson Company
  • Amanda Tollison (Class of 2008) - Butler Snow, LLP
  • John Hatmaker, Jr. (Class of 1990) - Tronox
  • Clay Wagner (Class of 2016) - Hancock Whitney Bank
  • Anthony Wilson (Class of 2000) - Mississippi Power


We Have Great News to Share from Our Alumni!
Join us in congratulating these individuals on their outstanding achievements.

Rodney Francis
Class of 2017
Nissan North America, Inc.

Named the new Director of Diversity and Talent Acquisition for Nissan Canton (Mississippi) Vehicle Assembly Plant; Francis brings nearly 20 years of Human Resources experience to the role.



Katy Pacelli
 Class of 2015
Kelly Gene Cook Charitable Foundation

Named Mississippi University for Women's Alumni Association President for the 2018-2019 term. 

Mark Prince
 Class of 2009
AT&T

Promoted to Director of Business Development for AT&T

Chanda Roby
Class of 2017
REAL Christian Foundation

Named President of REAL Christian Foundation. Roby will be honored in an upcoming awards ceremony held by the Mississippi Center for Legal Services (MCLS). Roby will also be receiving the Drum Major for Justice Award which recognizes activists who have devoted their time and energy toward social justice and the community.

Deidre D. Smith
Class of 2018
Mississippi National Guard

Promoted to Director of Public Affairs for the Mississippi National Guard.

Keith Starrett
Class of 1979
U.S. District Judge

Received the 2019 Chief Justice Award presented by the Mississippi Bar Association.

Happy Birthday 
to all alumni celebrating August  Birthdays!


 
Sightings & Selfies
is back!

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

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


Here is a glimpse of what you can expect to see in 
next month's newsletter!

"To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi."
-William Faulkner

The State of Mississippi is rich in culture. Many of the most talented and accomplished Americans attribute much of their inspiration and influence to this state.
To all the Leadership MS Alumni that are no longer living in Mississippi or those that have moved away and are coming back home, tell us your story. 

How did growing up in and developing an understanding of the State of Mississippi influence your success? 

Leadership Mississippi would like to share your story in the September edition of 
The Leadership Letter.



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

We hope to hear from you!
Our Mission

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

MEC's Leadership Mississippi is a program of the 

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

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

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

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

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

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