Cover Story Archives

Malika Polk-Lee
Lifting education, health and prosperity through the B.B. King Museum Malika Polk-Lee was expected to attend college after graduating from Greenville High School. Her maternal

Andy Dulaney
Tunica Mayor Leading With a Steady Hand Born and raised in Tunica, Andrews T. “Andy” Dulaney attended Tunica schools through the tenth grade before completing

Patrick Davis
Success at State Farm and Community Leader State Farm, the largest insurance company in the country, is known for choosing agents who are very highly

Tripp Hayes
New Delta Council President Continuing the Vision Clarksdale native Tripp Hayes, the new president of Delta Council, grew up on a farm. After graduating from

Lorie Till
Leading NWMRMC to a positive future Photography by Austin Britt It was while working at a grocery store in Brandon, Mississippi that Lorie Till decided

Jason White
New Speaker Rises to the Occasion Photography by Greg Campbell To hold one of the most powerful political roles in the state of Mississippi, Jason

Daniel Boggs
CEO of Greater Greenville and a Forward Thinking Visionary Photography by Johnny Jennings Daniel Boggs is a living refutation of Leo Derocher’s famous statement that

John Murry Greenlee
Portrait of a Gentleman Banker By Jack Criss • Photography by Jamie Patterson As President of BankPlus in Yazoo City, John Murry Greenlee exemplifies the

Anne Hall Brashier
Chief of Staff for Governor Tate Reeves By Jack Criss • Photography by Greg Campell Anne Hall Brashier’s path to becoming the Chief of Staff

Heaton Pecans
Clarksdale Family Business Success Spreads Across Region By Becky Gillette • Photography by Aaron Davis There is nothing that says Southern Hospitality with food better

Cindy Tyler
Owner and Founder of The Mississippi Gift Company By Becky Gillette • Photography by Johnny Jennings When Cindy Tyler founded The Mississippi Gift Company in

Danny Whalen
President and CEO of Cleveland State Bank By Becky Gillette • Photography by Holly Tharp Danny Whalen, president and CEO of Cleveland State Bank, is

Iris Stacker
Chief Executive Officer of Delta Health System By Becky Gillette • Photography by Johnny Jennings Delta Health System Chief Executive Officer Iris Yeldell Stacker started

Sarah Ozbun
Heads Largest Privately-Owned Hotel Group in the State By Becky Gillette • Photography by Johnny Jennings Sarah Ozbun moved to Greenville in June 2012 after

Carolyn McAdams
Leading Greenwood to Be the Best Possible By Becky Gillette • Photography by Johnny Jennings Small town politics anywhere in the country can be challenging,

Dr. Daniel Ennis
Takes the Reins as Delta States Ninth President By Jack Criss • Photography by Campbell Saia Dr. Daniel J. Ennis officially stepped into his role

Bubba Simmons
Delta Council President By Becky Gillette • Photography by Johnny Jennings Bubba Simmons is the sixth-generation member of his family to farm in the Mississippi

Laura Hipp
Mississippi Development Authority’s Deputy Executive Director By Mark H. Stowers • Photography by Greg Campbell Keeping the cogs and wheels and internal and external parts

Peter Nimrod
Mississippi Levee Board Chief Engineer Guides With Sure, Steady Leadership By Jack Criss • Photography by Johnny Jennings Leading one of the most important organizations

Archie Tucker
Leading the Way for USDA-ARS in the Southeast Area By Becky Gillette • Photography by Johnny Jennings L eland native Archie Tucker started out as

Teresa Hubbard
Trailblazing Mississippi CEO By Jack Criss • Photography by Timothy Ivy As President and CEO of Cite Armored—a major truck manufacturing company based in Holly

Keith Fulcher
Helping Nonprofits that Serve the People of Northwest Mississippi By Becky Gillette • Photography by Mark Thompson Sometimes people aren’t aware of exactly what Keith

Will Bradham
Delta Business Entrepreneur By Becky Gillette • Photography by Holly Tharp Cleveland-based entrepreneur Will Bradham has a long track record of success with his Right

Senator Derrick Simmons
Dedicated to the Delta—Determined to Make a Difference By Jack Criss • Photography by Johnny Jennings Mississippi State Senator Derrick Simmons, who represents parts of

Quentin Whitwell
Pivoting, Persevering…Producing: One man’s quest for bettering self, community By Jack Criss • Photography by Timothy Ivy Arestless energy drives Quentin Whitwell; but that energy

Dr. Corey Wiggins
New Federal Co-Chairman of Delta Regional Authority By Becky Gillette • Photography by Austin Britt Photography New Federal Co-Chairman of Delta Regional Authority Dr. Corey

Wade Litton
CEO of Wade Inc. and New Delta Council President By becky gillette • Photography by Johnny Jennings Wade Litton is the fourth-generation member of his

A Love of Home And Community
Tim Stanciel Puts His Thoughts Into Action By Jack Criss • Photography by Johnny Jennings Tim Stanciel is certainly dedicated to his hometown of Greenwood.

The Wong Family
Owners of Kim’s Food Processing Plant By Becky Gillette • Photography by Austin Britt Kim Wong, born in China in 1938, is an American immigrant

David Robinson
An Exemplar of Family, Business and Dedication By jack criss • Photography by Holly Tharp Recently retired from the company his father, Howard, founded in

Rep. Robert Sanders
No Cliche’: A Lifetime of Duty, Service and Dedication By Jack Criss • Photography by Holly Tharp The newest member of the Mississippi House of

Senator Briggs Hopson, III
Quiet Leadership, Total Dedication: A Life Of Service By Charles Linden • Photography by Greg Campbell W.Briggs Hopson, III is a true example of Mississippi

Quality Steel Corp.
CEO Sean Wessel and His Father-in-Law, Jim Tims are at the Helm of this Leading Delta-Based Manufacturer By Becky gillette • Photography by Holly Tharp

Mike Kinnison
Delta State University Athletic Director By Becky Gillette • Photography by Holly Tharp Delta State University (DSU) Director of Athletics Mike Kinnison has a long,

Richard and Zach Scruggs
2nd Chance Program Helps Adults Succeed in Education and Workforce Training By Becky Gillette • Photography by Timothy Ivy It could have been tempting after

Alan Hargett
President and CEO of Planters Bank By Becky Gillette • Photography by Johnny Jennings Ruleville native Alan Hargett, president and CEO of Planters Bank, is

Danielle Morgan
New Executive Director of Mississippi Tourism Association By Becky Gillette • Photography by Johnny Jennings New Mississippi Tourism Association (MTA) Executive Director Danielle Morgan, TMP,

Sam Washington
Mid-Delta Regional Airport Director Optimistic About The Future By Becky Gillette • Photography by Johnny Jennings Sam Washington has had a fascination for aviation since

Patrick Johnson
New Delta Council President hitting the ground running By Becky Gillette • Photography by Austin Britt Patrick Johnson, forty-seven, the new president of the Delta

Pete Johnson
A Life Of Service, Faith…And Quiet Resolve By Jack Criss • Photography by Austin Britt Pete Johnson cuts a significant historical figure in Mississippi history.

John Fairman
Leading Delta Health Center into the Future By Jack Criss • Photography By GUNNER SIZEMORE PHOTOGRAPHY Cleveland native John A. Fairman, Sr., has led a

Brad Robison
A Career of Forward Thinking, Service To Community By Jack Criss • Photography By austin Britt As CEO of the Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association

Delta Business Women Thrive
Owners and/or Co-Owners Learned to Adapt in the Midst of the Pandemic By Becky Gillette The Mississippi Delta not only has some of the most

Will Hooker
Putting His Heart and Soul Into Making His County and the Delta a Better Place By Becky Gillette • Photography by Holly Tharp Will Hooker

Karen Matthews
Improving Delta Health and Education By Becky Gillette • Photography by Johnny Jennings The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has taken a devastating toll on the people

Bill Bynum
A Career and Life Centered Around Hope By Jack Criss • Photography by Greg Campbell Bill Bynum has done a lot of good in his

Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith
A Calling and Commitment To Serve By Jack Criss The first woman ever elected as Mississippi’s Agriculture Comm-issioner, the first woman to represent Mississippi in

Hayes Dent
Champion of Delta Politics and Public Administration By Becky Gillette Yazoo City native Hayes Dent, fifty-eight, owner of Hayes Dent Public Strategies, has overseen some

Paul Hollis New Delta Council President to focus on Flood Control
By Becky Gillette Paul Hollis of Rolling Fork, the new president of Delta Council, plans to focus on moving forward with long-delayed flood control projects

Upchurch Plumbing Celebrates Fifty Years of Excellence
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Johnny Jennings Vennis Upchurch founded Upchurch Plumbing, Inc. (UPI) in Greenwood in 1970 with one truck and one helper.

Mississippi Marine’s Steven R. Millwood A Perfect Example of Hometown Boy Making Good
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Johnny Jennings Especially during a worldwide pandemic, it is important that companies like Mississippi Marine Corp. in Greenville are

Dr. Glenn Boyce Chancellor of the University of Mississippi
By Angela Rogalski If somebody had told Dr. Glenn Boyce that one day he would be chancellor of the University of Mississippi he wouldn’t have

Bubba O’Keefe – Promoting Clarksdale Through Tourism and Expansion
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Madge Howell Clarksdale-Coahoma County Tourism Director Bubba O’Keefe is not only responsible for promoting Clarksdale to the world, but

Errick Simmons – Greenville Mayor Optimistic About his Town and the Delta
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Johnny Jennings After a historic win for mayor in 2015, Errick D. Simmons recently won re-election to his second

Gary Gainspoletti – A True Advocate for His Community
By Aimee Robinette • Photography by Bill Powell Born and raised in Shaw, this local CPA never left the Delta and continues to see the

Jen Waller – Finds Vision from the Intersection of Her Heart
By Becky Gillette • Photography Austin Britt There could hardly be more contrast between living and working in Clarksdale and Washington, D.C. Jen Waller has

Dr. Tyrone Jackson – One of the Hardest Working Educators in the Mississippi Delta
The Mississippi Delta has long been a fertile ground providing opportunity for those in and around it. The jobs provided can be an educational ladder

Tate Reeves
Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Pushing Workforce Development, Improved Access to Healthcare By Becky Gillette • Photography Greg Campbell Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, 45, has been a

Senator Willie Simmons – Wants transportation to run better in the Delta and Mississippi
By Becky Gillette • Photos Courtesy of Senator Willie Simmons Willie Simmons of Cleveland has represented the 13th District in the Mississippi Senate for twenty-six

Ed Coleman- Hard work and determination
By Scott Coopwood • Photography by Holly Tharp “I was born and lived the first part of my life on a dirt road,” says Ed

Tom Gresham – Passion for the Region Shines Through with New President of Delta Council
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Johnny Jennings When you meet with Tom Gresham of Indianola, one thing that becomes immediately clear is how much

Delta Women in Business – Making success doing what they love
By Becky Gillette Editor’s note: Prominent Delta women in business have some things in common no matter their profession. They have a passion for what

Scott Christensen, Administrator of DRMC – Moving the Hospital from Just Surviving to Thriving
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Kevin Willis It is no secret that it is a challenging environment today for healthcare. That is particularly true

IHL Commissioner Dr. Al Rankins – Greenville Native Took the Helm in July 2018
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Greg Campbell Greenville native Dr. Alfred Rankins Jr., who began serving as Commissioner of Higher Education for the Mississippi

Roger Stolle – All Things Clarksdale and the Blues
By SCOTT COOPWOOD, Publisher, Delta Business Journal Roger Stolle’s hometown of Dayton, Ohio, is just over 650 miles from Clarksdale, Mississippi; however, growing up in

DRA Chairman Chris Caldwell – Passionate About Helping Communities Prosper
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Timothy Ivy Chris Caldwell developed a passion for public service at an early age. He grew up on his

Tra DuBois – The Mastermind Behind World Class Athletic Surfaces
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Timothy Ivy If you happen to be among the estimated 172 million people who viewed the Super Bowl in

Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter- Steering Ole Miss to Greater Economic and Academic Gains
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Timothy Ivy [themify_button bgcolor=”blue” size=”small” link=”https://deltabusinessjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Vitter.pdf”]Download PDF Version[/themify_button] Alot has happened in the almost three years since Dr. Jeffrey

Shad White New State Auditor, Values Public Service and Accountability
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Timothy Ivy Mississippi’s newest and youngest statewide office holder, Shad White, thirty-two, appointed as State Auditor by Gov. Phil

John Lundy – From the Delta to the U.S. Capitol
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Timothy Ivy John Lundy grew up on a farm in Tribbett, a small community outside of Leland, where his

Enterprising Deltans Juggle Demands of Full-Time Job With Sideline Businesses Meeting the “side-hustle”challenge
By Becky Gillette There is an old saying, “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it. The more things you do,

Beth Williams- Putting Greenwood first
There is always something interesting and fun happening in Greenwood and, in many cases, you will find that Beth Williams is involved. Williams is the

Woods Eastland- The New 2018-2019 Delta Council President
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Timothy Ivy Woods Eastland had an unusual childhood for a boy born in the Delta. For three months each

Ron Nurnberg Teach for America
Education is the key By Becky Gillette • Photography by Timothy Ivy Ron Nurnberg is deputy executive director for Teach For America (Mississippi), a non-profit

David Nutt’s Reunion in Madison
A development dream By Becky Gillette • Photography by Tom Beck Reunion in Madison, arguably the most upscale, multi-faceted, planned community ever developed in Mississippi,

Hugh Balthrop’s Sweet Magnolia Gelato – Adding a Delta twist to a traditional Italian classic
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Timothy Ivy Clarksdale resident Hugh Balthrop got interested in making ice cream and gelato from superior ingredients for his

Dr. Jerryl Briggs
Named Eighth President of Mississippi Valley State University By MARK H. STOWERS • Photography by Timothy Ivy In October, the Board of Trustees of State

Jon Levingston- New Director of the Clarksdale-Coahoma Chamber of Commerce
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Timothy Ivy Jon Levingston brings both the experience of a native son who loves his community combined with knowledge

Michelle Roberts
By Becky Gillette Dr. Michelle Roberts, who was the first female vice president of Delta State University (DSU), always wanted to be in education. In

Steve Azar, the Delta Man
Singer\songwriter Steve Azar promotes stars as Music & Culture Ambassador of Mississippi by Becky Gillette Steve Azar grew up the Mississippi Delta, and some of

Cannon Has Built A Car Empire
By Becky Gillette Michael Joe Cannon started working at the age of eight bagging up peanuts and selling them on Saturdays. Then he ran

George King
Delta Council 2017-18 president By Becky Gillette | Photography by Rory Doyle George W. King Jr., the new president of Delta Council, doesn’t draw a

A Century of the Cotton Business— The Chassaniol Family
Important part of the cotton kingdom By MARK H. STOWERS • Photography by Timothy Ivy Cotton has been king in Mississippi since the early 1800s

Dr. LouAnn Woodward
Leads Mississippi to better health By Becky Gillette Dr. LouAnn Woodward, 53, grew up on a farm in Carroll County south of Grenada. She and

Patrick Johnson- Tunica Farmer
By Becky Gillette • Photography by Austin Britt Patrick Johnson and his father, Pat, have traditionally planted a lot of cotton on their farm in

Talbot Brooks
Takes on Global Challenges at DSU Geospatial Center By Becky Gillette • Photography by Rory Doyle An old saying in real estate is that it

CEO Bryan Thornhill
Oversees major expansion at Bank of Commerce By Becky Gillette Photography by Johnny Jennings Some people work in order to

Sen. Lydia Chassaniol
Cooking up good things for tourism statewide By Becky Gillette Photography by Johnny Jennings Sen. Lydia Graves Chassaniol won the first real political race she

Kirk Graves
State Bank & Trust started in Rosedale in 1898 and is now a $1-billion institution By Becky Gillette Photography by Greg Campbell The Valley

Harry Simmons- Grows not just catfish, but jobs in the Delta
By Becky Gillette Photography by Roy Meeks & Matthew Wood About 40 years ago, Harry Simmons began growing catfish as a way to diversify his

Delta Businessman Alex Malouf
Building a family business with hard work, dedication and values By Angela Rogalski Photography by Johnny Jennings A long history of tradition, family values and

Stephanie Patton
Passion comes full circle finding niche in the Delta By Angela Rogalski • Photography by Roy Meeks When Stephanie Patton moved to Leland six years

Dr. Sam Polles
Protecting Mississippi’s Fish, Wildlife and Habitats through Conservation and Education By Angela Rogalski & Photography by Greg Campbell and courtesy of Sam Polles The Mississippi Department