Mississippi Entrepreneurs

Polly Dement

• Publisher: University Press of Mississippi/Cat Island Books LLC
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN:
  9780615838328
• eBook ISBN:
  9781626741232
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Entrepreneurship
• Index: Business

The stories in Mississippi Entrepreneurs collectively draw attention to the tenacious and courageous journeys of Mississippi men and women who risk fortune and futures to create successful enterprises. Most tell "how they did it" uniquely and in their own words, bringing to life their entrepreneurial spirits. Family members and former colleagues pick up the storyline for legendary entrepreneurs who have passed on, recalling vividly the characteristics that set them apart from the competition. Usually a passion for creation inspired these go-getters—whether casting red-hot liquid steel into industrial products (Fred Wile, Meridian); constructing buildings (Roy Anderson III, Gulfport; Bill Yates Jr., Philadelphia; and William Yates III, Biloxi); making agricultural products grow (Janice and Allen Eubanks, Lucedale; and Mike Sanders, Cleveland); delivering and installing furniture (Johnnie Terry, Jackson); using technology to improve systems (John Palmer and Joel Bomgar, and Toni and Bill Cooley, Jackson; and Billy and Linda Howard, Laurel); expanding food operations (Dr. S. L. Sethi, Jackson; and Don Newcomb, Oxford); or sharing the sheer love of music (Hartley Peavey, Meridian), food (Robert St. John, Hattiesburg), art (Erin Hayne and Nuno Gonçalves Ferreira, Jackson), or books (John Evans, Jackson; and Richard Howorth, Oxford). Social and cultural entrepreneurs made their marks as well, including those focused on social justice (Martha Bergmark, Jackson); access to health care (Aaron Shirley, Jackson); and public education (Jack Reed, Tupelo). Few if any books have focused exclusively on this aspect of the state's history. Altogether the stories, accompanied by seventy black-and-white photographs, illustrate common traits, including plentiful vision, fierce drive, willingness to take risks and change for a better way, the ability to innovate, solve problems, and turn luck (both good and bad) to advantage. Most of these entrepreneurs generously share the rewards of their hard work and ingenuity with their communities.

CONTENTS

Foreword by Jesse L. White, Jr.

Preface

Introduction

VICTOR MAVAR, SR.

Envisioning Success

Seafood to Cat Food and Beyond

PHIL HARDIN

Capital from Bakery Success

Seeds Educational Philanthropy

GEORGE A. McLEAN

A Man and His Newspaper

Catalyze Community Development

DUMAS MILNER

Eclectic Entrepreneur

Flew High in His Prime

WARREN A. HOOD, SR.
WARREN A. HOOD, JR.

Two Generations

Of Hood Industrial Complexes

BILL HOGG

Pragmatic Vision Thrives

Because People Have to Eat

OWEN COOPER

Creating Multiple Businesses

With an Idea a Minute

JACK REED, SR.

Business as a Platform

For Social Change

RICHARD McRAE

Building Department Stores

Formula for Success

ROY ANDERSON, JR.
ROY ANDERSON, III

Constructing Buildings

Doing It the Right Way

JESSE BRENT

Legendary River Man

Pilots Towboat Industry

FRANK SPAIN

Exploring Frontiers of Communications

Inventing Solutions

JOHN H. BRYAN, JR.

The Greatest Gift

Yields Business and Social Dividends

W.C. FORE

Dr. Dirt

Moves It to Land and Sea

WILLIAM H. SEEMANN

Inventive Composites Manufacturer

Makes Ideas Pay

MARTY DAVIDSON

One Man’s Pipe Dream

Blows No Smoke

LEO SEAL, JR.

Banking on Character

When Disaster Changes the Game

MARY MAHONEY

Mary Mahoney’s

Old French House Restaurant

WILLIAM G. YATES, JR.
WILLIAM G. YATES, III

Yates Construction

Bigger than Us

JOHN PALMER

Anticipating Shifts in Business

Music as Metaphor

HARTLEY PEAVEY
MARY PEAVEY

Building a Company That Rocks

On a Passion for Music

BILLY HOWARD, SR.
LINDA HOWARD

Growing throug...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword
• Preface
• Introduction
• Envisioning Success: Seafood to Cat Food and Beyond
• Capital from Bakery Success: Seeds Educational Philanthropy
• A Man and His Newspaper: Catalyze Community Development
• Eclectic Entrepreneur: Flew High in His Prime
• Two Generations: Of Hood Industrial Complexes
• Pragmatic Vision Thrives: Because People Have to Eat
• Creating Multiple Businesses: With an Idea a Minute
• Business as a Platform: For Social Change
• Building Department Stores: Formula for Success
• Constructing Buildings: Doing It the Right Way
• Legendary River Man: Pilots Towboat Industry
• Exploring Frontiers of Communications: Inventing Solutions
• The Greatest Gift: Yields Business and Social Dividends
• Dr. Dirt: Moves It to Land and Sea
• Inventive Composites Manufacturer: Makes Ideas Pay
• One Man’s Pipe Dream: Blows No Smoke
• Banking on Character: When Disaster Changes the Game
• Mary Mahoney’s: Old French House Restaurant
• Yates Construction: Bigger than Us
• Anticipating Shifts in Business: Music as Metaphor
• Building a Company That Rocks: On a Passion for Music
• Growing through Windows: Of Opportunity
• Appetite for Acquisitions: Feeds Egg Company Growth
• Choctaw Self-Determination: Through Jobs and Education
• Going Against the Grain: Makes Chickens Pay
• Outsmarting Furniture Industry Decline: With Reclining Customers
• Making It: The Best Seat in the House
• Vision Turns Dilapidated Mall: Into Thriving Medical Complex
• Kidney Care: Business by Necessity
• Creating a Conglomerate: Believing There Are No Downsides
• Powering Vision: With Electrical Know-How
• Air Pollution Regulations: Support Structural Steel
• Two Independent Booksellers: Change Hometown Cultures
• The Right Time: For the REIT Business
• Turkey Calls: Give Wing to Thriving Hunting Business
• Getting into the Game: All Systems Go
• Minorities in Action: Taking Support Systems to Scale
• Three Partners: Find Just One Thing
• Two-Cent Raise Galvanizes: Furniture Installation Business
• Casting the Works into a Foundry: All in the Family
• Boat-Builder Braves Storms: Of Weather and Recession
• From Art to Manufacturing: Just the Next Step
• Building Mississippi’s Press: One Distinguished Book at a Time
• Two Brothers: One Good Man
• Entrepreneurial Chemistry: Gives Rise to Hospitality Empire
• Overcoming Serial Bad Luck: To Create Winning Casino Resort
• Networking Helps Build: Oxford Publishing Empire
• Professional-Grade Range-Maker: Ignites Kitchen Revolution
• Agency’s Defense Strategy: Scores Winning Portfolio
• Hal & Mal’s: Cornerstone of a Downtown Comeback
• Being One with Nature: Drives Mossy Oak Brand
• Customer-Inspired Products: Delivered with Speed
• Five Restaurants: and an Extra Table
• Cleaning Power: For Industrial Giants
• Newk’s Express: On the Fast Track to Franchising
• Growing Produce: While Weathering Risks
• Three Generations Diversify: Into Construction Niches
• Good Business Planning: A Recipe for Mangia Bene
• Banking on People: For Economic Justice
• Neighborhood Grocers Thrive: By Listening to Customers
• High-Risk Leverage: Jump-Starts Risk-Averse TIMO
• Ag Supplier Harvests Success: By Helping Farmers Grow
• Venturing Philanthropy: To Teach Kids to Read
• Surge in Sales: Powers Decision to Sell
• Creating Stronger Communities: By Connecting People with Art
• Designing IT Solutions: And Making Them Work
• Leveraging Social Capital: For Gains in Justice
• Driving to a Remote Solution: In an Orange Box
• Scaling Artistic Vision: In Mississippi’s Creative Economy
• Appendix
• Index