The Mississippi Business Journal back issues from May 2003:
Building confidence. (Editorial).(Brief Article)(Editorial)
May 05, 2003 ... Many an economist has observed that the American economy has fundamentals which are sound. Solid. Primed. Indicators are that we have every reason to expect a recovery from this recent slump. The numbers are good, and the relatively quick military victory in Iraq has boosted consumer ...
MMA Workers' Compensation Group sets record with $16-million mark. (Strictly Business).(Mississippi Manufacturers Association Workers' of Compensation Group)(Brief Article)
May 05, 2003; ... JACKSON -- The Mississippi Manufacturers Association Workers' of Compensation Group (MMAWCG) set a new record for annualized billed premiums in excess of $16 million, according co to MMAWCG director Foster Welburn. on The old record -- $15.8 million -- was set in 1994-1995. ...
Counties declared disaster areas. (Strictly Business).(28 counties in Mississippi declared disaster areas due to severe storms)(Brief Article)
May 05, 2003; ... ACROSS MISSISSIPPI -- Workers in 28 counties who were unable to work due to severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in April may apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), according to the Mississippi Employment Security Commission (MESC). President George W. Bush recently declared a ...
Microtek Medical hires KPMG. (Strictly Business).(as its independent auditor)(Brief Article)
May 05, 2003; ... COLUMBUS -- Microtek Medical Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MTMD) has named KPMG, LLP, as its independent auditor for 2003. KPMG replaces Deloitte & Touche, LLP, which had served as the company's independent auditor since 1987. The audit committee of Microtek Medical's board of ...
Unemployment dropped in February. (Strictly Business).(Mississippi)(Brief Article)
May 05, 2003; ... ACROSS MISSISSIPPI -- Mississippi's economy improved in February, according to the Mississippi Employment Security Commission (MESC), as the unemployment rate dropped a percentage point in February from January's rate and better than the year-ago rate. The joblessness rate in Mississippi ...
Arizona Chemical signs agreement. (Strictly Business).(with Air Liquide America L.P.)(Brief Article)
May 05, 2003; ... PICAYUNE -- Air Liquide America, L.P., and Jacksonville, Fla.-based Arizona Chemical Company, a division of International Paper, have reached an agreement under which Air Liquide will supply high-purity nitrogen to Arizona Chemical's plants in Picayune and Dover, Ohio. Financial details of ...
Camera coverage allowed in courtrooms. (Strictly Business).(according to Mississippi Supreme Court ruling)
May 05, 2003; ... ACROSS MISSISSIPPI -- The Mississippi Supreme Court has adopted rules that permit broadcast and still camera coverage of trial and appellate court proceedings. However, there are some restrictions. The Mississippi Rules for Electronic and Photographic Coverage of Judicial ...
Small business myths often entice the unwary.
May 05, 2003; ... "I want to be my own boss. I am tired of making money for other people." "I want to set my own hours and work when I want." "After opening my business, I will hire employees to do all the work." LONG BEACH -- Those optimistic statements by people planning ...
Expert suggests oil and gas prices to drop over spring, summer: having Iraqi, Venezuelan oil on market at full capacity will determine price, expert says. (Focus Auto).
May 05, 2003; ... Watching gas prices rise certainly hasn't been much fun for consumers, but now that prices seem to be falling again people have become a little less fearful of the upcoming summer driving months. But even with the war in Iraq now in the reconstruction phase, wholesale prices ...
Leading automobile dealerships.(Mississippi)(Directory)(Illustration)
May 05, 2003 ... <Pre> Leading Automobile Dealerships Name, Year Founded Top Local Officer Address E-mail Phone/Fax Number No. of MS Makes Sold Web Site Employees Gray Daniels Auto Family, 1991 ...
Slay expanding, making move. (Focus Auto).(Horace Slay Auto Sales)(Company Profile)
May 05, 2003; ... JACKSON -- When you've been in one place doing business for as long a time as Horace Slay Auto Sales has, any kind of move is disconcerting -- even if it's just across the street, according to Horace Scott "Scotty" Slay. "We've been on this corner for 30 years this January," ...
Brantley's business offers big-league protection
May 05, 2003; ... JACKSON - Imagine seeing a ball thrown by former Major League Baseball pitcher Jeff Brantley coming at you - with nothing between you and the ball but a sheet of plate glass. But don't worry. If the glass is covered with one of the varieties of Ace Security Laminate Brantley is marketing ...
Corporate support vital for Mississippi Museum of Art, director says
May 05, 2003; ... JACKSON - Many people across the state are familiar with the Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA) for its permanent collection of almost 4,000 works of art, its 15 to 20 exhibitions a year and its centennial celebration during 2003. Every year, more than 50,000 people visit the museum and ...
Dogwood Festival Market turns one year old
May 05, 2003; ... FLOWOOD - With 33, retailers at the 304,000-square-foot Dogwood Festival Market, the lifestyle shopping center is by no means the largest shopping center in Mississippi. Northpark Mail, with approximately 958,000 square feet has 120 retailers, and the 1.2 million-square-foot Metrocenter has ...
Parkway one of top performing REITs in the country
May 05, 2003; ... JACKSON - The origins of the real estate investment trust, or REIT, date back to the 1880s, and since that time the popularity of REITs among investors has increased tremendously. Today, there are more than 300 publicly traded REITs operating in the U.S., with their assets totaling more ...
Tupelo museum a big draw for auto enthusiasts
May 05, 2003; ... TUPELO - Automobiles are more than just a way to get around. The American love affair with cars has been going on for more than a century now, and the new Tupelo Automobile Museum showcases some of the most popular models that have found a place in the hearts of Americans. The ...
Into the great wide open with a fridge, couch and TV
May 05, 2003; ... There are 1,570 campsites for recreational vehicles throughout Mississippi's 28 state parks, and with the growing number of Mississippians who now own RVs that's a good thing. In fact, according to Hans Billger, public relations manager for the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association ...
Southern Tire Sales among top 25 Goodyear dealers in Southeast
May 05, 2003; ... PEARL - Southern Tire Sales (STS) has come a long way in its fiveyear history. STS is an independent Goodyear commercial tire dealer with locations in Pearl, Meridian, Columbia, Tupelo and a point-of-sale in Monroe, La. The business was incorporated in 1998 as Miller Tire Mart. When ...
Slay expanding, making move
May 05, 2003; ... JACKSON - When you've been in one place doing business for as long a time as Horace Slay Auto Sales has, any kind of move is disconcerting - even if it's just across the street, according to Horace Scott "Scotty" Slay. "We've been on this comer for 30 years this January," said Scotty, ...
Construction Image Printing, LLC going strong
May 12, 2003; ... JACKSON - For a business that's just four and a half weeks old, business at Construction Image Printing, LLC (CIP) in Jackson is good. CIP provides such printing services as digital bond reproduction, AUTOCAD processing, reductions and enlargements, electronic file transfer, electronic ...
BancorpSouth buying La.'s oldest independent insurer
May 12, 2003; ... TUPELO - BancorpSouth Inc. (NYSE: BXS) has reached an agreement in principle to acquire certain assets of Baton Rouge, La.-based WMS, LLC, which operates under the name Wright & Percy Insurance. Terms were not disclosed. According to BancorpSouth, Wright & Percy is Louisiana's ...
Raytheon lands F-15 work
May 12, 2003; ... FOREST - The U.S. Air Force has awarded a contract to McDonnell Douglas Corporation, a Boeing company, for approximately $14.91 million in F-15 fighter aircraft-related materials. And Raytheon Systems Company will carry out a third of that work. This contract provides for F- 15 APG63(V) ...
Dana to supply Nissan
May 12, 2003; ... CANTON - Dana Corporation of Toledo, Ohio, will provide front axle assemblies and driveshafts for Nissan's new 2004 Pathfinder Armada SUV, which debuted recently at the 2003 New York Auto Show. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. As on Nissan's Titan pickup truck, the Pathfinder Armada ...
Isle of Capri acquires Colorado casinos
May 12, 2003; ... BILOXI - Isle of Capri Black Hawk, LLC, a joint venture between Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. (NASDAQ: ISLE) and Nevada Gold & Casinos Inc. (AMEX: UWN), has completed the acquisition of Colorado Central Station Casino and Colorado Grande Casino from International Game Technology Inc ....
Yorozu in operation
May 12, 2003; ... VICKSBURG - Yorozu Automotive Mississippi Inc., a tier one supplier to the Nissan North America Inc. plant under construction in Canton, is officially open for production. A grand opening and dinner was held May 1 to commemorate the plant's opening. Yorozu Automotive Mississippi is the ...
Hillcorp selling Tallahala Creek field
May 12, 2003; ... SMITH COUNTY - Hilcorp Energy Company of Houston, Texas, acting through its partnership entity, Hilcorp Energy I, L.P., plans to sell certain non-core producing properties in Central Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. The Tallahala Creek field in Smith County is included. The properties ...
Credit union opens first high-tech branch
May 12, 2003; ... BRANDON - The Jackson VA Federal Credit Union recently opened a new branch that it says is one-of-a-kind in Mississippi. According to the credit union, its new 2,500-square-foot office in Brandon is the first to offer remote teller stations and a fully computerized self-service ...
May & Company unveils new site
May 12, 2003; ... JACKSON - May & Company Inc., a supplier of appliance parts and repair services, recently unveiled its new Web site at www.mayxco.com. The company's move to market their products and services on the Internet coincides with the celebration of its 50th anniversary. "We decided to step ...
USAg Recycling, Nichols Propeller get facilities
May 12, 2003; ... GREENVILLE - According to commercial real estate broker Mal Kretschmar, USAg Recycling Inc. has leased a 3,750-square-foot warehouse on U.S. 1 North. The Waller, Texas-based firm is expected to begin operations there "shortly." Kretschmar said the Greenville property is one of several USAg ...
Phillips Edison buys shopping complex
May 12, 2003; ... SOUTHAVEN - Phillips Edison & Company of Baltimore has completed its merger with Aegis Realty Inc. and the acquisition of the Aegis portfolio. The portfolio contains 27 grocery-anchored shopping centers totaling 3.1 million square feet. Terms were not disclosed. Included in this ...
Hospitals building with patients' convenience in mind
May 12, 2003; ... If we build it, will they come? For hospitals, that may depend on how patientfriendly the facility is compared to what the competition has to offer. "Now you have to keep the needs of patients in mind when you build," said Jim Ainsworth of Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp (BMHC). "It's ...
Mississippi Health Partners grows fast in first decade
May 12, 2003; ... JACKSON - The past decade has seen dramatic changes in the health care market, particularly in the area of managed care. Mississippi Health Partners (MHP), a managed care organization, has found a niche in the marketplace, growing from initially serving 150 people to now covering more than ...
Forrest General Hospital facing many changes
May 12, 2003; ... HATTIESBURG - It was big news last year when Forrest General Hospital (FGH) became a Level 2 trauma center - the only Level 2 trauma center in that part of the state. But that hasn't been the only big news for FGH in the past couple of years. A year and-a-half ago, same-day ...
Leflore Rehabilitation receives accreditation
May 12, 2003; ... GREENWOOD - Leflore County has one of the highest rates of diabetes, heart disease and hypertension in the State of Mississippi, which results in amputations, strokes and other disabling conditions for many patients. Many of these people can now get help at the Leflore Rehabilitation ...
Time again for honoring Mississippi's Fast 40.(top privately-held companies in Mississippi)
May 12, 2003; ... Every two years the Mississippi Business Journal and our corporate partners seek out 40 successful privately held companies in Mississippi for recognition. Last held in 2001, the Fast 40 program recognizes the achievements of 40 fast growing companies that: * are independent and ...
Construction Image Printing, LLC going strong: company looking for repeat business -- not one-time deals.(printing services firm)
May 12, 2003; ... JACKSON -- For a business that's just four and a half weeks old, business at Construction Image Printing, LLC (CIP) in Jackson is good. CIP provides such printing services as digital bond reproduction, AUTO-CAD processing, reductions and enlargements, electronic file transfer, ...
Isle of Capri acquires Colorado casinos. (Strictly Business).($84 mn casino merger)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2003; ... BILOXI -- Isle of Capri Black Hawk, LLC, a joint venture between Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. (NASDAQ: ISLE) and Nevada Gold & Casinos Inc. (AMEX: UWN), has completed the acquisition of Colorado Central Station Casino and Colorado Grande Casino from International Game Technology Inc. (NYSE: ...
Musgrove asks for more assistance. (Strictly Business).(Gov. Ronnie Musgrove seeks federal disaster assistance)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2003; ... JACKSON -- Gov. Ronnie Musgrove has requested federal assistance for recovery from damages suffered as a result of storms that hit Central Mississippi April 24, 2003. Federal disaster assistance had already been asked for and granted for damage suffered when a series of storms passed ...
Hospitals building with patients' convenience in mind: Earl Swensson behind many hospital designs. (Health Care).(consolidating health care services)
May 12, 2003; ... If we build it, will they come? For hospitals, that may depend on how patient-friendly the facility is compared to what the competition has to offer. "Now you have to keep the needs of patients in mind when you build," said Jim Ainsworth of Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp. ...
Forrest General Hospital facing many changes: new technology, new services, new construction at Hattiesburg facility. (Health Care).(Forrest General Hospital, Level 2 trauma center)
May 12, 2003; ... HATTIESBURG -- It was big news last year when Forrest General Hospital (FGH) became a Level 2 trauma center -- the only Level 2 trauma center in that part of the state. But that hasn't been the only big news for FGH in the past couple of years. A year-and-a-half ago, same-day ...
Leflore Rehabilitation receives accreditation. (Health Care).(Leflore County has high rate of diabetes, heart disease in Mississippi)
May 12, 2003; ... GREENWOOD -- Leflore County has one of the highest rates of diabetes, heart disease and hypertension in the State of Mississippi, which results in amputations, strokes and other disabling conditions for many patients. Many of these people can now get help at the Leflore ...
Micro-Enterprise to help rural development by boosting business.(Mississippi provides assistance to industrial developments)
May 12, 2003; ... Economic development, quite simply, is more difficult in the rural areas of Mississippi. "The State of Mississippi provides assistance to attract large industrial developments like Nissan to urban areas," said Robert L. Jackson, CEO, Quitman County Development Organization, and ...
Celebrating small business success. (Editorial).(Brief Article)(Editorial)
May 19, 2003 ... Small business success deserves special recognition in Mississippi. The backbone of our state's economy rests squarely on the backs of the tens of thousands of small business owners who work hard for their customers, clients and communities. Every year, the U.S. Small ...
Madison County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA). (People to Watch).(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003 ... MCEDA has hired Larry W. Mobley, Jr. as project manager-engineer. Mobley has over 13 years of experience in manufacturing production. A graduate of California State University, Mobley most ...
Nextel Partners sells towers. (Strictly Business).(sold 23 communication towers to Shared Tower Sites LLC)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003; ... Kirkland, Wash.-based Nextel Partners Inc., which has the exclusive right to offer Nextel wireless services in the mid-sized U.S. markets it serves, has sold 23 communication towers, to Shared Tower Sites, LLC. (STS), a McLean, Va.-based developer of communication towers. Valued ...
Hospitals designated Level IV Trauma Centers. (Strictly Business).(Scott Regional Hospital, Lawrence County Hospital and Choctaw Health Center )(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003; ... Three hospitals have become the newest to be designated Level IV Trauma Centers. The hospitals are Scott Regional Hospital in Morton, Lawrence County Hospital in Monticello and Choctaw Health Center in Philadelphia. They join Rankin Medical Center in Brandon and Tippah County Hospital in ...
Business leaders anticipate arts school opening: Lincoln County existing industries completing expansions, upgrades.
May 19, 2003; ... BROOKHAVEN -- Business leaders are anxiously awaiting the opening of the $30-million Mississippi School of Arts, which has already pumped money into the local economy with a flurry of construction activity surrounding the campus being built. "After a very tough legislative ...
Slow-paying customers can create big problems: procedures should be established to deal with collection situations. (Focus: Small Business & Franchising).
May 19, 2003; ... You have a great product, a good sales team and things look very bright for your business -- until you find that some customers are slow to pay, creating a bottleneck in your cash-flow situation. "Bill collecting is something that you have to stay on top of from the beginning, ...
Hawkins named best of the year.(Bryan Hawkins, president of Hawkeye Industries Inc., won the Mississippi Small Business Person of the Year for 2003 award from the U.S. Small Business Administration)(Brief Article)
May 19, 2003 ... TUPELO -- Bryan Hawkins, president of Hawkeye Industries Inc., has won the Mississippi Small Business Person of the Year for 2003 from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The Small Business Person of the Year award, as well as seven other awards, will be presented June 25, 2003, ...
Four new small businesses open in small town of Maben: small town anticipates economic boost. (Focus Small Business & Franchising).
May 19, 2003; ... MABEN -- While plants have closed in and around this small town, town officials, residents and business owners aren't ready to throw in the towel yet. "If we just work together we can get over this mountain," said Maben Mayor Larry Pruitt. And that's exactly what the ...
Small Business Development Center.
May 19, 2003 ... <Pre> Small Business Development Center LocationDirector Copiah-Lincoln Community CollegeBob Russ Delta State University. John A. Conrad, Jr. East Central Community College Ronald Westbrook Hinds Community College...
National Guard deployments affect hospitals around state.
May 19, 2003; ... With 18 Mississippi National Guard units deployed to various locations in support of the war on terrorism and Operation Iraqi Freedom, many employers, including Mississippi's hospitals, were affected by staff reductions due to deployments. Calls around the state to hospitals in ...
UMC's tradition of excellence expected to continue.(University of Mississippi Medical Center)
May 19, 2003; ... JACKSON -- The past six months have signaled the passing of the leadership torch at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMC) in Jackson -- not only as the result of Dr. Wallace Conerly announcing his retirement as vice chancellor and head of the facility, but also the recent ...
Rice outlook shows hope.
May 19, 2003; ... MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Markets in recent years have not given rice growers much to celebrate, but several factors are giving them reason to hope for better days in 2003. Joe Street, rice specialist at Mississippi State University's Delta Research and Extension Center in ...
Smith Barney CEO visits Jackson firm's new office
May 19, 2003; ... JACKSON - At a time when many people are steering clear of becoming CEOs, CFOs and any other executive level position following all the scandals that have erupted over the past few years, Sallie Krawcheck accepted the job of CEO at Smith Barney. "It took me about a minute and a half to ...
Medical arbitration agreements latest volley in tort debate
May 19, 2003; ... GULFPORT - The Gulfport OB-GYN Clinic, with five doctors, three nurse midwives and three nurse practitioners, delivers an average of 1,200 babies per year. The practice lost its medical malpractice insurance carrier when it left the state and has not found other coverage. As of early May, the ...
Strong demand awaits Mississippi's nursing program grads
May 19, 2003; ... The 2003 graduating class of nursing students finishes its education in an enviable position: they pretty much have their pick of jobs available throughout the state in a number of specialties, according to deans of nursing throughout the state's community and senior colleges. And the ...
Air charter biz coming back after two-year lull
May 19, 2003; ... It may be true that in some areas after Sept. 11, 2001, the number of people chartering flights actually went up, but in Mississippi. it's been completely the opposite. "You still have to go back to the economy locally here and ask yourself what companies, organizations or individuals ...
Business Information Center will provide one-stop shopping
May 19, 2003; ... JACKSON - One-stop shopping providing assistance and advice for small businesses in the metro area will take a step forward this summer with the opening of a Small Business Administration (SBA) Business Information Center (BIC) at the Jackson State University (JSU) Mississippi e-Center, formerly ...
Hawkins named best of the year
May 19, 2003; ... TUPELO - Bryan Hawkins, president of Hawkeye Industries Inc., has won the Mississippi Small Business Person of the Year for 2003 from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The Small Business Person of the Year award, as well as seven other awards, will be presented June 25, 2003, during ...
Four new small businesses open in small town in Maben
May 19, 2003; ... MABEN - While plants have closed in and around this small town, town officials, residents and business owners aren't ready to throw in the towel yet. "If we just work together we can get over this mountain," said Maben Mayor Larry Pruitt. And that's exactly what the people of ...
Company started small, but has been building big
May 19, 2003; ... RIDGELAND - When they opened in March 2001, HouseWorks had just a couple of customers, two employees and one truck. Two years later, the Ridgeland company has a customer base of between 160 and 175, nine employees and six trucks, and they've grown from a $100,000 company to a $1.2 ...
State's 'green' industry a homegrown success story
May 19, 2003; ... Mississippi's "green" industry - wholesale and retail nurseries are using homegrown green thumbs to give sales a boost by promoting plants that thrive in Mississippi's climate. Three nurserymen in Mississippi have discovered or developed plants which later have been selected as ...
Gas prices, tough economy taking bite out of biz
May 19, 2003; ... Restaurants are among the most prolific and profitable of small businesses. But a tough economy has taken a bite out of sales for many restaurants in the state, particularly the fine dining establishments. Higher gasoline prices in recent months could be a factor behind some restaurants ...
Accountant turns in calculator for sewing machine to craft designer purse business on the Coast
May 19, 2003; ... GULFPORT - Tanya Weaver received an accounting degree from the University of Southern Mississippi (USM). She worked as a public accountant while married before children came along. Then she traded a calculator for a sewing machine opting for part-time sewing work to have more time for her ...