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Letter from
The Chair
Dave Dennis 
Friend, The success of the Leadership Mississippi program is dependent on the work of class members and alumni. You are the leaders in our great state and Leadership Mississippi has a long-standing tradition of community service and involvement that is making Mississippi a better place. There are two great examples you can read about in this newsletter. First is Leadership Alum Cathy Grace, who is being honored for her work in early childhood education by receiving the Winter-Reed Partnership Award. Secondly, there is an update on the great work being done by the current Leadership Class to improve education through the Mississippi Building Blocks and Mississippi Scholars programs. The current class will be getting additional insights to education as they meet in Cleveland on Aug. 20-21. This will be Leadership Mississippi's first trip to Cleveland and is another example of how traveling to different parts of the state is broadening the program's reach for participants. You can also help broaden the impact of Leadership Mississippi by recommending the program to people you believe can benefit from this outstanding program. Applications are now being accepted for the 2010-2011 Class. Take a minute to let others know about Leadership Mississippi and encourage them to apply for next year's class. Applying is simple, just go online at www.leadershipmississippi.org to get an application. Thanks for your continued support. Because of your commitment, Leadership Mississippi is "Not Your Ordinary Leadership Program." Dave Dennis
Chair, Leadership Mississippi
SAVE THE DATE! 'A Salute to Mississippi Scholars' honoring students, educators and leaders
set for Dec. 11
The Public Education Forum is sponsoring the first-ever “Salute to Mississippi Scholars” luncheon in Jackson, honoring those who have served their community by getting involved and putting education first. The date of this event has been changed to allow more participation and not conflict with the beginning of the school year. The event will include a panel discussion and lunch and will be held from 11 a.m. -1:30 p.m. at the Jackson Marriott. The goal of the event is two-fold: 1) To celebrate the success of Mississippi Scholars, its volunteers, schools districts, businesses and education leaders; and 2) Energize, inform, connect and inspire educators and business volunteers across the state to get involved in Mississippi Scholars.
 For more information
To register or sponsor
To see who is already sponsoring
Nominate a leader
Know someone who would be a great addition to the 2010-11 Leadership Mississippi class? Nominate them by clicking here. Or send an e-mail to Cathy Northington at cnorthington@msmec.com
Your Leadership Mississippi
2009-10 class
Visit www.leadership
mississippi.org
to see a list
of the current
participants.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Leadership Mississippi class members have lots of good news to share!
Reppeto earns
LEED accreditation as
Watkins Ludlam attorney
Attorney Lisa A. Reppeto of Watkins Ludlam Winter and Stennis, P.A. and current Leadership Mississippi class member has earned LEED Professional Accreditation through the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED Professional Accreditation distinguishes building professionals with the knowledge and skills to successfully steward the LEED certification process. LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs) have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and the LEED Rating System. Lisa is one of two attorneys in Mississippi to earn LEED AP status.
Amy Altese (LM 2007) and her husband, Chris, recently welcomed their second daughter, Karstyn Olivia Altese. She was born on February 16, 2009, weighing 8 pounds 1 oz. They also have 5-year-old Katelynn Jane Altese who will be starting kindergarten in the Fall. Eddie A. Holloway (LM 1986) was named the 2009 IHL Black History Month Educator of the Year. He was also recognized during Black History Month by the University of Southern Mississippi's Residence Hall Association for his contributions to the university to enhance diversity awareness and inclusiveness on campus. The City of Petal honored Dr. Holloway for his civic and community involvement that expands beyond the borders of Hattiesburg, MS. In April, he was named the Association of Office Professionals Administrator of the Year, after being nominated by his administrative assistant. Dr. Holloway continues to teach undergraduate courses in Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Intervention and graduate courses in Student Personnel. He is also the President of Holloway and Associates, a consulting firm that presents workshops on diversity, time management, leadership, and various other topics statewide and nationally. Jimmy Maxwell (LM 2007) on February 2, 2009, was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour to serve as a judge on the Mississippi Court of Appeals. From 2002 to February, 2009, Judge Maxwell served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Oxford for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi. As a federal prosecutor, he successfully represented the United States Department of Justice in numerous prosecutions and jury trials for offenses ranging from public corruption and white collar fraud, to money laundering, drug trafficking, counterfeiting, smuggling, immigration and gang-related crimes. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he practiced with the law firm of Daniel, Coker, Horton & Bell, P.A. Judge Maxwell has been elected to various positions within the legal community. He is currently president of the Lafayette County Bar Association and was recently elected president of the Young Lawyers Division of the Mississippi Bar. He has also formerly served as president of Tri-County Young Lawyers (Lafayette, Yalobusha and Calhoun Counties). In addition, he has served on the Diversity in the Law Committee, the Board of Bar Commissioners and on the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Prosecutors Association. In 2007, he was selected to participate in the Mississippi Economic Council’s Leadership Mississippi program and was named “Top 40 Under 40" by the Mississippi Business Journal. He graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Law and also received his undergraduate degree in business from Ole Miss. Judge Maxwell and his wife Mindy have two children, Trip and Mae Covington. He and his family are active members of First Baptist Church of Oxford.
Leadership
Mississippi
in a town
near you
Would you like to host a Leadership Mississippi session in your city? Please send me an e-mail to tell me why your town is perfect for a future Leadership Mississippi session.
Cathy Northington
Director, Programs & Leadership
Phone: 601-969-4412
or 1-800-748-7626
Fax: 601-353-0247
or 1-888-717-2809
E-mail: cnorthington@msmec.com
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|  | | Grace to be honored for work
on early childhood education
with Winter-Reed award
Dr. Cathy Grace | “Cathy Grace is a bona fide hero in the fight for quality public schools in Mississippi."
- Dick Molpus (LM 1976-77)
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Leadership Mississippi alum Dr. Cathy Grace (LM 1982-83) will be presented the 2009 Winter-Reed Partnership in recognition of her commitment to improving education in Mississippi. The award will be presented Sept. 21 at the Winter-Reed Partnership in Education program to be held at Mississippi State University.
Dr. Grace played a key role in Mississippi’s statewide implementation of kindergarten, which was strongly supported by Leadership Mississippi. When Mississippi became the last state in the country to require school districts to offer kindergarten in 1985, Dr. Grace headed the initiative as early childhood coordinator for the state Department of Education. “Cathy Grace is a bona fide hero in the fight for quality public schools in Mississippi. She was deeply involved in the successful push for public kindergarten ... and has not slowed her advocacy since. She is the expert and advocate for early childhood education in our state. She exemplifies the type of work Leadership Mississippi graduates can do with their life,” said President of The Molpus Woodlands Group Dick Molpus, (LM 1976-1977). At Mississippi State University, Dr. Grace is a professor in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education of the College of Education and director of its Early Childhood Institute. She is currently on sabbatical to serve as director of Early Childhood Development Policy for the Children's Defense Fund. Dr. Grace has taught at the university level, been executive director of a regional professional development association for early childhood educators, and created and directed a comprehensive family support agency for Lee County.
“America is now getting the benefit of one of our state’s great human assets. Cathy has had her strong shoulder to the wheel of early childhood education since we persuaded the Mississippi Legislature to enact statewide kindergartens and she hasn’t stopped since,” said Tupelo Mayor and Leadership Mississippi graduate Jack Reed, Jr (LM 1976-77). The award was partly named after Reed's father.
For more than 40 years, Gov. William Winter and Jack Reed Sr. have been driving forces on behalf of public education in Mississippi. In recent years, they have united in a bi-partisan front to promote the need for quality education and consistent, adequate funding of our public education system.
The Mississippi Association of Partners in Education in 2007 established a perpetual award in their names to be presented annually to promote the ideals and partnership exemplified by their lifelong commitment to education. Since 1984, the Mississippi Association of Partners in Education, a 501 (c)(3), has served as a statewide network of educators and community partners.
Proceeds from the event will be used to enhance the program services of MAPE, including scholarships for member school districts to send representatives to MAPE's annual training events. For information on purchasing tickets, visit www.mapie.org .
Class heads to Cleveland
with Education agenda
Leadership Mississippi class during June's session in Biloxi.
The 2009-10 Leadership Mississippi class traveled to Biloxi in June for a session on Healthcare and is now gearing up for its next session which will take place in Cleveland on August 20-21 and focus on Education. For more photos of the Biloxi session, visit www.leadershipmississippi.org .
If you'd be interested in seeing the next Leadership class have a session in your town, contact Cathy Northington for details on how to help organize it.
Leadership Mississippi class
tackles education projects
 
Leadership Mississippi is continuing its outstanding tradition of making a difference in education in Mississippi.  | | Montgomery |
| As part of the program’s curriculum, the 2009-10 class has adopted a project to create a marketing plan to raise awareness of two programs vital to education in Mississippi – Mississippi Scholars and Mississippi Building Blocks.
Rebecca Montgomery, Chair, Public Education Forum of Mississippi and a graduate of the Leadership Mississippi Class of 1992-93, said both programs are essential to improving education in Mississippi.
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“Research documents the high returns that early childhood programs can pay in terms of educational achievement, and lower rates of social problems, such as teenage pregnancy and welfare dependency. Mississippi tops the nation with the greatest number of children living below the poverty level, the highest number of teen pregnancies and the lowest personal income.” Montgomery said. “Mississippi Building Blocks, Leadership Mississippi graduates, Mississippi Scholars honorees and STAR teachers and students are all working diligently to change these statistics and Mississippi’s future. As a graduate of Leadership Mississippi and current chair of the Public Education Forum, I challenge you to support and volunteer to help make these changes. We are the leaders....if not us...then whom?”
Mississippi Building Blocks was born from the work of the previous Leadership Mississippi classes. A forum with over 700 business leaders from the private, public and childcare sectors was held in conjunction with Momentum Mississippi in December to develop the program. Mississippi Building Blocks, is an exciting early childhood education plan, designed to increase the number of childcare centers in Mississippi that provide meaningful, age-appropriate curriculum to improve school readiness factors for young children.
More than $4 million has been committed to the privately-funded initiative. In July, the program announced that over 50 preschool centers throughout Mississippi will be taking part in a pilot program that takes a creative and effective approach in moving Mississippi forward.
Leadership Mississippi was at the lead in helping bring people together to focus on a shared vision to get results.
| “Leadership Mississippi has been a tremendous support to Mississippi Building Blocks and has truly helped bring early childhood education to the forefront with the business community. Leadership Mississippi continues to help by assisting us in developing advocacy efforts related to promoting the project,” said Dr. Laurie Smith, Executive Director Mississippi Building Blocks (LM 2003-04). | 
Dr. Laurie Smith |
For more information on Mississippi Building Blocks, go to www.msbuildingblocks.ms.
Click here for a list of pilot center locations and communities.
Mississippi Scholars is a part of a national effort to encourage students to take a more challenging course of study while in high school. In 2003, Mississippi was one of 12 states selected to house a Center for State Scholars. Leadership Mississippi played a key role in the selection of Mississippi as a State Scholars site.
The Initiative was funded by the U.S. Department of Education under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998. The 2004-2005 Leadership Mississippi class recognized a gap in financial aid for students graduating as Mississippi Scholars and formed (T-MAD). The group saw a need to help fund scholarships for 3 Mississippi Scholars.
Today, Mississippi Scholars continues to gain momentum across the state with 64 school districts and 114 high schools participating in the program. To play an active role in Mississippi Scholars and to learn more about sponsorship opportunities for the Salute to Mississippi Scholars celebration on December 11, 2009, at the Jackson Marriott log on to www.mississippischolars.ms . The program began in 2003 with two school districts and two high schools. Since then, there have been more than 11,000 high school students in Mississippi graduate with the Mississippi Scholars distinction.
A program of the Public Education Forum of Mississippi, Mississippi Scholars works with local business leaders and organizations, such as the local chamber of commerce, to make presentations to students. During the presentations, students learn how success in school translates to a successful career. Not only do the presentations stress the importance of graduating from high school, they focus on the need for a more rigorous curriculum.
The Public Education Forum of Mississippi is planning a Salute to Mississippi Scholars event scheduled for December 11, 2009. The event will honor the businesses and schools that have participated in the Mississippi Scholars program.
While the program was started through the federally funded State Scholars Initiative, today Mississippi Scholars is a self-funded program that would not exist without the support of leaders throughout Mississippi. Plan to be a part of the Salute to Mississippi Scholars program. For more information and to learn how you can sponsor this exciting event, go to www.mississippischolars.ms .
4 Leadership grads
win mayoral elections
Four alumni of Leadership Mississippi – the nation’s second oldest leadership program -- were elected mayors in Mississippi’s June 2 general election.
Arthur Evans (LM 2007) was re-elected mayor of Crystal Springs. George Schloegel (LM 1975) was elected mayor of Gulfport. Incumbent Connie Moran (LM 1997) was elected mayor of Ocean Springs. In the Ocean Springs mayoral race, Moran faced Scott Walker (LM 2007), also a Leadership Mississippi alum, and won in this tight race. Also, Jack Reed, Jr. (LM 1977) was elected mayor of Tupelo.
Additionally, current Greenville Mayor Heather Hudson (LM 2005) is a graduate of the program.
Dave Dennis, Chair of the Leadership Mississippi program and President of Specialty Contractors, believes the program’s participants are focused on the future of Mississippi.
“The commitment of these Leadership Mississippi alumni to Mississippi is obvious in their choice of public service career paths. They have decided to serve their state and the residents of their cities – what a wonderful testament to their dedication to Mississippi. They truly believe in service above self.”
Special
Thanks
We'd like to thank the following companies for their generous sponsorships to the Leadership Mississippi program for 2009-10.
AT&T
Atmos Energy
Beau Rivage
Cadence Bank
CPI Group, Inc.
Columbus – Lowndes Development LINK
Delta State University
Department of Marine Resources
Double Quick, Inc./ Gresham Petroleum
Entergy
F.E.B. Distributing Company
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi
Hilton Garden Inn/Gulfport
Hollywood Casino
Bay St. Louis
M&F Bank
Merchants & Marine Bank
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Mississippi Power
Mississippi University for Women
Munro Terminal
Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding
Planters Bank & Trust Company
Trustmark National Bank
Yates Construction
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