BUSINESSMC m i s s i s s i p p i c o l l e g e s c h o o l o f b u s i n e s s / f a l l – w i n t e r 2008

Dynamic LeaDership

ronnie smith receives the 2008

executive exceLLence

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MC School of Business Launches New Websitewww.business.mc.edu

“I thought the website looked amazing. It was very professionally done and offered great updates on what’s

going on with the school.” — Kim Yarbrough Loustalot BSBA ’00 • “The new website looks great! I look

forward to reading through it and learning about the latest happenings at MC and the School of Business.”

— Rebecca McCarty BSBA ’04 • “The new School of Business website looks terrific. It is great to be able to

see the recent headlines from the school on the home page. Great job!” — Jann Puckett BS ’69, MBA ’94

BUSINESSMC m i s s i s s i p p i c o l l e g e s c h o o l o f b u s i n e s s / f a l l – w i n t e r 2008

Message from the Dean 2Faculty News 3Dynamic Leadership 4Business Cycles 8An Award Winning 10Accounting Program

Accounting Leadership 12Teaching Accounting 14& Having Fun

The Final Touches 15on Self Hall

Alumnus of the Year 16Executive Speaker Series 18Continued Excellence 20Campaign Support

MiSSiSSiPPi CoLLEgE SCHooL oF BuSiNESS

PoST oFFiCE Box 4014

CLiNToN, MS 39058

601.925.3214

business@mc.edu

DEANMarcelo Eduardo

DirECTor oF DEvELoPMENT

Katrina Pace

EDiTorLauren Parkin

DESigNErAlecia Porch

PHoTogrAPHYrobby Followell

Barbara gauntt

Jay Thomas

Dear Alumni and Friends, Thank you once again for your continued support and inter-est in the School of Business. In this issue of MCBusiness you will get to know a number of our alumni, faculty, and students who are successful leaders in the boardroom, in the classroom, on campus, and beyond. Of course, so many of our graduates have gone on to positions of great leadership, and in these pages we can only profile a few. Nevertheless, as you read about these members of the MCBusiness family, it is evident that the cor-nerstone of the School of Business’ success lies in its people – our alumni, friends, faculty, and students. Our Executive Excellence Award recipient for 2008 certainly embodies the characteristics of effective leadership. This year’s recipient is Ronnie Smith, Regional President of the southwest region of Regions Bank. Ronnie’s continued commitment to his profession, his family and his community, make us proud to recognize him as one of our outstanding alumni. And as always, we are pleased to feature an interview with Ronnie in this issue of MCBusiness. We are also pleased to announce that Ben Walker has been named our 2008 Alumnus of the Year for the School of Business. Ben is a true entrepreneur with a demonstrated track-record of success, and we are honored to recognize him for his accomplish-ments. Ben’s professional profile and his perspectives on busi-ness and life are included in this issue. As an important complement to our classroom instruction, each semester we continue to host executives and business lead-

ers on campus for our Executive Speaker Series. This semester we were fortunate to have John Brock, Chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. in Atlanta, visit Self Hall and speak to a packed house of business students. In this issue you will see more about his visit and our ongoing speaker series. A hallmark of the School of Business continues to be our award-winning accounting program. From our professors, to our students, to our alumni, the cycle of accounting graduates launching into the workforce from the MC School of Business speaks volumes for our program. We catch up with Jackie Jones, long-time accounting professor in her 37th year of teaching at MC, in this issue and we also profile accounting alumnus and partner with HORNE LLP Tommy Butler, who represents our long-standing tradition of graduating students who go on to assume leadership roles in the accounting community. It is always special to us to have multiple generations pass through our halls and to have our faculty teach the children of former students. We highlight two such families in this issue – the Parkin and Stringer families – who share a unique perspec-tive on the MCBusiness experience. In closing, I would like to thank each of you for your sup-port and ask you to join us as we work together to continually improve the School of Business.

Warm wishes,Marcelo Eduardo, Deaneduardo@mc.edu

“As you read about these members of the MC Business family, it is evident that the cornerstone of the School of Business’ success lies in

its people – our alumni, friends, faculty, and students.”

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MESSagE froM

thE DEaN

faCUlty NEwSWelcome New Faculty

Dr.NancyAnderson, Assistant Professor of Finance, joined the School of Business faculty this past January. Dr. Anderson received her BS and MBA from Mississippi College and her Ph.D. in Business Administration, Major in Finance, from Miss-issippi State University. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and has operated her own independent financial advi-sory firm for 15 years. Dr. Anderson serves on a panel for the Mississippi Public Broadcasting show “Money Talks” with Gene Edwards. This live call-in show offers information on financial issues, and airs every Tuesday at 9 a.m.

Mr.ChrisSmith joins the School of Business faculty full-time as an Instructor of Accounting. Mr. Smith earned both his BSBA and his MBA from the MC School of Business. Chris held positions at WorldCom and Parkway Properties before joining our faculty.

Faculty Spotlight

Dr.MichaelCudd, Associate Professor of Finance, was cho-sen by the School of Business Student Board to receive this year’s Outstanding Faculty Award. Allison Harmon, a member of the Student Board, said, “Dr. Cudd introduced me to Finance and has taught me to love it. I am now pursuing a profession in this industry because of him.” Dr. Cudd also recently earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. This is the most prestigious financial certification in the world, and only 20 per-cent of entering candidates ever earn the designation.

Dr.BryanHayes, Assistant Professor of Marketing, recently won a distinguished research award for a paper entitled: “When it comes to creating a brand personality, focus on user imagery.” Dr. Hayes’ paper will be published in an upcoming issue of the Academy of Marketing Studies Journal.

Dr.FrankHood is a Professor of Economics and Business Administration, and is in his 40th year of teaching in the MC School of Business. Dr. Hood teaches microeconomics, macro-economics, and global dimensions of business. He joined the MC faculty in 1968 and has impacted many lives over the years.

Dr.MarkMcComb, Associate Professor of Management Sci-ence, is an instructor for the American Society for Quality. His seminars prepare technical workers for certification exams, and Dr. McComb has been chosen three times to receive their Out-standing Instructor Award. He also serves as a consulting statis-tician to the Mississippi Division of Medicaid, Program Integrity Group, as well as a consultant in the areas of statistical analysis, quality and reliability engineering for many organizations.

Dr. Kevin Pauli is an Associate Professor of Management Information Systems in the School of Business. This past spring and summer, Dr. Pauli conducted training sessions for Baptist Hospital’s continuing education program. Sessions included “Making Discipline Work or Knowing When and How to Say ‘When’” and “Attracting Quality Person-Organization Fit and Selection.” Dr. Pauli also prepared an ethics session during the American Society of Military Comptrollers regional conference. This session examined both ethics theory and practical profes-sional ethics.

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Dr. Frank Hood Dr. Mark McComb Dr. Kevin Pauli Dr. Bryan Hayes

Dr. Nancy Anderson Mr. Chris Smith Dr. Michael Cudd

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On Business & Leadership

MC: Today, it is more and more uncommon for people to work for the same organization for long periods of time, but you have had a successful career spanning almost three decades with the same organization. Can you tell us your thoughts on what it takes to grow professionally with the same company?

RS: For me, it is about embracing change and making sure I understand that I work in a dynamic environment. I have been with this organization for 27 years, and I learned early on to embrace the changes that are in front of me and to adopt the values of the organization. The key for me though is being for-tunate enough to work for some very strong leaders.

MC: What do you enjoy most about your job?

RS: It is one of the most rewarding careers, because we get to be a small part of our clients’ lives and business – whether indi-viduals, small business owners, or large companies. Everyday we get to help individuals who are putting their children through school or who are leading organizations to better themselves, their employees and their community.

I also have the opportunity to watch our associates succeed every-day. I love seeing people start with us, progress through the orga-nization, and have the opportunity to succeed. My role is to make sure we are giving people the opportunity to succeed everyday – regardless of whether that is our associates or our clients.

Dynamic LeaDershipronnie smith

2008 executive exceLLence awarD

Ronnie Smith is the 2008 School of Business Executive Excellence Award recipient. Ronnie graduated from the School of Business in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and accounting. In 1981, Ronnie started his banking career with Deposit Guaranty National Bank as a manage-ment trainee. Since then, he has held positions of increasing responsibility and is now the President of the Southwest Region of Regions Bank. He leads a four state region that includes 3,000 employees and a business portfolio of approximately $25 billion. Ronnie is a dedicated Christian, a family man, a business leader and a well-known volunteer in the community. We had the chance to speak with him at his office in Jackson regard-ing business and leadership; faith, family and community; and of course, Mississippi College and the School of Business. His responses follow:

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MC:What about your job worries you and keeps you up at night?

RS: The biggest thing that would keep me awake at night would be anything that impairs us from providing those oppor-tunities for an associate or a client. I need to make sure we are taking out obstacles that would keep us from being able to pro-vide the very best services. When I talk to a client I always tell them that they pay my salary. Once that fact is established, we all work hard to continue to earn the right to be their bank.

MC: How do you go about making difficult decisions?

RS: There are difficult decisions and there are calls that I wish I did not have to make. What I generally do is put myself in the position of the person who is going to be impacted by that deci-sion and ask how I would expect for it to be handled. I have to ask the question, “What other issues will this decision cause?” Nothing is in a vacuum – especially in the business world – so you have to think through difficult situations. Then, I have to look at what is left and decide how to move it in the right direction.

MC: Where do you think the banking industry is headed in the future?

RS: The banking industry is certainly a fundamental part of a working economy. Of course, right now we have some of the most significant challenges we have ever faced as an industry. Staying focused on those things that have brought us through the past and making appropriate changes to address the chal-lenges we are facing today, will move us in the right direction. Still, I believe that those institutions that built strong founda-tions will see through these challenges and prosper.

MC: What special characteristics do graduates who are headed into the banking industry need in order to succeed?

RS: They must focus on trying to do the right things everyday. People must be able to trust you and understand that you are going to be stable and that you can weather the challenges a career will bring. So I would say that being loyal and staying focused on what is right for clients, shareholders, and associates will get you through.

MC: What is the key to success?

RS: The key to success is getting the right people in the right place and challenging them appropriately. You must give them the tools to address that challenge and then have enough sense to get out of their way. If you can be disciplined enough to do that, everything falls into place.

MC: What is the most important characteristic a leader of an organization must have in order to be effective?

RS: Integrity. People have to know you are a person with a high level of integrity because you are asking them to invest their lives into your leadership. You must be believable and willing to sacri-fice your ego to help people. As a leader, you realize at some point that you can’t do it all as an individual. That is why you must push others to perform at their highest level. I like to move over and let them succeed, and not worry about who gets the credit.

MC: What do you hope people would say is your strongest leadership skill?

RS: My ability to listen and from there to communicate vision and direction. I want to be vulnerable enough to answer questions, to respond to doubts and to let others help me. Everyone in a company, regardless of their title, adds value to the corporation. That is why leaders must listen instead of doing all the talking.

MC BuSiNESS 6 MC BuSiNESS 7

“The Key to Successis getting the right people in the right place and

challenging them appropriately. You must give them the tools to address that challenge and then have enough sense to get out of their way. If you can be disciplined

enough to do that, everything falls into place.”

On Faith, Family & Community

MC: What has led you to volunteer such significant amounts of your time to community efforts?

RS:Volunteering is important to me because an organization is only as good as the environment it’s in. I try to pick projects that will be impactful, and that will help people who can’t give back.

MC: How significant a role does your faith play in your daily life?

RS: I do not always get my priorities right, but they are in order of God, family, others and then myself. My faith is who I am at the very core, and I hope it invades everything I do. You cannot separate who you are personally from your career. My desire is to be the same committed Christian at home and at work that I am at church. Regardless of what goes on around us, there is a greater call on all of our lives.

MC: Growing up in Natchez, you worked early on in your father’s auto repair shop. Can you tell us about your dad’s busi-ness and about working with him?

RS: One of the first “jobs” I had was working at my dad’s auto repair shop in downtown Natchez. It was a great place to grow up. He had worked for someone else until age 35 when he started his own business. That was a tough thing to do for a man who had a skill but no educational background. The shop grew over time and he built a wonderful reputation. Both my mom and dad worked there, so I got to see first hand the hard work it takes to run a small business. I saw them struggle to make pay-roll some weeks, and I watched that develop into a successful business that helped put me through school and provided for our family. In his business, everyone had to pitch in and help out, and strong work ethics are formed in that environment.

MC: What are some of the things your dad told you that have stuck with you over the years?

RS: My dad always said it’s not a good deal unless it’s a good deal for both people. He knew that in his business he had to make a profit to support his family, but at the same time if he did something wrong or unfair, he knew he would not gain a repeat customer. That philosophy still drives me today.

On MC and the School of Business

MC:What do you remember most about your time at MC?

RS: The quality of the people. What’s so good about Mississippi College and its Christian environment is the fact that it does, through its leaders and professors, invade your life with solid prin-ciples. This is true regardless of whether you are talking about ratios that Sandra Parks is making you run or debating a topic with Frank Hood. The constant theme is that everything we do should have a stamp that says it is done with the end in mind and for a purpose greater than ourselves.

MC: What do you remember most about the faculty?

RS: Dr. Gerald Lee was somewhat of a calm in the middle of a storm for me. He was the dean at the time and was also my advi-sor. He was more confident in me than I was in myself, and he walked me through the process of moving from education to the workplace. He helped me realize that I could set goals and get there with discipline and focus.

MC: What one piece of advice would you leave students with today?

RS: You must understand this world is challenging, fun, and dynamic. Embrace change and don’t get tied up in the past. Remember, life is too short and careers are too long to not enjoy what you do . . . everyday!

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Above: Ronnie Smith receives the 2008 Executive Excellence Award from Dean Marcelo Eduardo; Ronnie with his wife, Candy and daughter, Grace

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businesscycLes

From our professors’ point of view, it continues to be one of the greatest joys of teaching at MC when a son or daughter of a former student enters the door of their classroom. The similari-ties we see in families from generation to generation not only take us back to our earlier years of teaching, but also remind us of the cycle of strong students that continue to pass through the halls of the School of Business. We are fortunate to have these students in our MCBusiness family and look forward to seeing this MCbusiness cycle continue.

Tony & Taylor Stringer Twenty-five years after Tony Stringer graduated from the MC School of Business, his son, Taylor, is starting at MC. Tony says when he thinks about his years at MC, the first name that comes to mind is Dr. Lloyd Roberts. “Dr. Roberts is synony-mous with the School of Business. I remember him walking up the aisle, stopping behind me and putting his hand on my shoul-der, and then calling on me to answer a question.” After graduating from the School of Business in 1983 with a degree in business administration, Tony went to work for his fam-ily’s business. Started in 1964 by Tony’s father, Stringer Industries has greatly expanded but is still a family operation. The company specializes in the manufacturing of equipment and components for saw mills and wood chippers. Tony continues working at Stringer Industries and is now the president of the company.

“I always knew I wanted to graduate and go to work for the family business,” said Tony. “I like that this is not a corporate business; there are responsibilities, but there is no corporate pres-sure or politics.” Tony has been very involved and successful in the manufac-turing industry over the past 25 years. He has received recogni-tions including the Top 40 Under 40 award, the MC School of Business’ Alumnus of the Year award, the MC Young Alumnus of the Year award, and is the Chairman-elect for the Mississippi Manufacturers Association. He has also been very involved in his community, church and Parklane Academy, where his daughter Mary Elizabeth attends. Tony’s son, Taylor, has also held numerous leadership posi-tions and received many awards, and has now followed his dad’s footsteps right to the MC School of Business. “When I toured the school last October I knew I wanted to come to MC,” says Taylor. “At other colleges I considered, I was a number and then a name, but at MC I was ‘Taylor Stringer’.” Tony and his wife Carla – also an MC graduate – are ecstatic that Taylor chose to come to MC. “We would have supported Taylor anywhere he wanted to go, but we feel that MC is a good mix for him,” said Tony. “Taylor has grown up coming to MC for all the homecomings with us, so he knew how much we loved our time at MC.” In high school, Taylor was active in the Parklane Academy Student Body where he served as the Senior Class President and the Student Body Vice President among other positions. He was also very involved in the Parklane Marching Band, the Pioneer Sound show choir, and the Parklane Players theater company. Taylor was also an honor student and served as an Executive Committee Member of the Honor Society. He is an Eagle Scout and a member of the Boy Scouts of America Order of the Arrow. His leadership extended beyond his school activities as he was selected to attend a number of leadership conferences. His favor-ite leadership program was the Youth Leadership Program Award from the Magnolia Electric Power Association where he was a top ten finalist and won third place overall. During this program, Taylor had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. and to meet with Senators Trent Lott and Thad Cochran, and Rep-resentative Chip Pickering. “This was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Taylor. “I am interested in politics so this was a great program.” Being elected Freshman Class President at MC in his first year, Taylor is already getting involved. Although he does not plan to work at Stringer Industries when he graduates, he is still deciding exactly what he wants to do as a career. For now though, Taylor will be the one answering Dr. Roberts’ questions.

“When I toured the school last October I knew I wanted to come to MC. At other colleges I considered, I was a number and then

a name, but at MC I was ‘Taylor Stringer’.” — Taylor Stringer

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Patsy & Lauren Parkin For Patsy and Lauren Parkin, the MC School of Business is a special place. Patsy Brinson Parkin graduated from MC in 1978 with a degree in business administration with a management emphasis, and received her master’s degree from MC in 1983. Her daughter, Lauren, is a senior marketing major who will graduate this May. Patsy remembers her time at MC fondly and says that it is where she gained a lot of confidence. “The school was small enough where I could be involved, but was still well-respected in the business community.” Once out of college, Patsy went to work for Trustmark National Bank and then Deposit Guaranty National Bank. Knowing she wanted to be available to help with her children’s activities, she left Deposit Guaranty to work part-time for Butler, Snow, O’Mara, Stevens, and Cannada, PLLC, where she has been for the past 13 years. At Butler Snow, Patsy works as a banking consultant in consumer banking law. Working with banks in Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Alabama, she is one of the most respected and well-known consultants in the South. “I work with close to 100 different banks, including many community banks,” said Patsy. “I love working with different people, going to their different locations, and truly helping them set up and maintain their bank to manage all of the fed-eral and state compliance regulatory issues.” Patsy, a Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager, performs

compliance reviews and training for banks, and also works with the Mississippi Regulatory Compliance Group and the Mid-South Regulatory Compliance Group. With her knowledge and experience in the field of banking compliance, Patsy has written compliance manuals for the largest bank publishing company, Sheshunoff Information Services, and has won a Bank Marketing Association award for her compliance training program. Outside of work, Patsy is very involved in her church, First Baptist Jackson, and Madison Ridgeland Academy where her son, Robert, attends. Lauren has followed in her mom’s footsteps in many ways while at MC. Not only has she come to the School of Business, she is also a member and t-shirts co-chair of Laguna Social Tribe where her mom served as president while in school. Lauren has been active in the Student Government Association where she served as a Senator, I Love America Day Committee member, and the Secretary of Academic Affairs. She is a member of honor societies including Alpha Lambda Delta where she served as secretary/treasurer, Delta Mu Delta, Alpha Chi where she served as vice president, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Mortar Board. She also received the School of Business’ Amy C. Brand Memorial Scholarship last year. This year, Lauren works as the news editor for the Collegian, as well as the editor for the MCBusiness magazine. “I love being involved in everything,” said Lauren. “It has been a great way for me to meet people and to make a difference on campus.” Outside of school, Lauren is involved in the First Baptist Church of Jackson college ministry and works as an intern at Madison City Hall. For four summers, she has worked with Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler and has had hands-on opportunities to see the government at work. “The four years I have been an intern have taught me so much about how government works,” says Lauren. “I have been to annexation hearings, Public Service Commission hearings, press conferences and more meetings than I can count, and have been in charge of the Voluntarily Smoke-Free Businesses proj-ect for the City of Madison.” Both mother and daughter say they truly enjoyed their time in the School of Business. Although much has changed in the area of technology since Patsy was at MC, some things – such as the small class size and caring teachers – have stayed the same. Lauren has even had three of her mom’s teachers and will have another one of her teachers this spring.

“The four years I have been an intern have taught me so much about how government works,” says Lauren. “I have been to annexation hearings, Public Service Commission hearings, press conferences and more meetings than I can count, and have been in charge of the Voluntarily Smoke-Free

Businesses project for the City of Madison.” — Lauren Parkin

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Best Accounting Student in the StateTaylor Clemmer

MBA student Taylor Clemmer is quickly becoming another MC success story. In 2007, while a senior at MC, Taylor received the Hamp King Award from the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants. Each year, this award is given to the best senior accounting student in the state of Mississippi. Taylor says he feels very fortunate to have received the award. “I had the favor of God and was picked among all the students to receive this award as well as the scholarship money.” A stand-out student while at MC, Taylor managed to main-tain a 4.0 GPA while playing on the MC tennis and golf teams. He has also owned and operated a landscape maintenance com-pany for seven years. For Taylor, winning this award is already opening doors. While visiting a well-known CPA in Pascagoula, MS, Taylor had

the opportunity to meet many of the CPA’s clients and was introduced as the winner of the Hamp King Award and a potential employee for the CPA’s firm. “It is a great feeling to see my hard work pay off, and I hope that my education at MC will lead to a healthy, long-term career in the business world.”

One Outstanding EducatorSandra Parks

An MC accounting professor for over 30 years, Mrs. Sandra Parks was recently chosen by the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants to receive their Outstanding Educator Award. “We love her to death,” said Jack Coppenbarger, executive direc-tor of the 2,600 member organization of Mississippi CPAs. A long-time member of the Jackson-based association, “Sandra is always there for us,” he said. “She’s been very active in our association.”

“It is a great feeling to see my hard work pay off, and I hope that my education at MC will lead to a healthy, long-term career in the business world.” — Taylor Clemmer • “The goal of my life’s work is not for accolades, but for the sheer pleasure of seeing our students excel in the workplace and in life.” — Sandra Parks • “Receiving recognition from superiors in your industry for going beyond what is expected is also very gratifying.” — Josh Edwards

awarDwinning accounting program

an

MC BuSiNESS 10 MC BuSiNESS 11

Sandra Parks Josh EdwardsTaylor Clemmer

MC Accounting Students In DemandEach year more accounting firms join us on campus in the MC School of Business looking for top students to fill positions in their firms. This year more than 90 accounting students participated in the interview process. • As Dean Eduardo remarks, “With so many MCBusiness alumni as senior partners in accounting organizations throughout the area, they know first-hand the quality of the students at MC and the accounting program, and they make it a priority to visit with MC accounting students during their recruiting period.” The Career Services organization lead by Karen Lindsey-Lloyd manages the process each year, working to schedule the firms’ participation and preparing students to meet these prospective employers. She adds, “We try to make the recruitment process convenient and easy for the recruiters. We also remind our students that in today’s competitive job market, experience and expo-sure to the real world is important in this field.” • To schedule campus interviews to recruit accounting students from the MC School of Business, please visit www.mc.edu/career or contact Karen Lindsey-Lloyd, Director of Career Services at 601.925.3901.

Known for her enthusiasm for accounting and her passion for teaching, Mrs. Parks is very deserving of this award. “I have always been impressed with the professional way in which she carries out her duties,” says Sheree Corkern, an MC accounting professor and former student of Mrs. Parks. “She has gained the respect of the faculty members and students by work-ing hard and treating people fairly.” Mrs. Parks worked as a CPA for more than a decade before discovering that her true calling was teaching. Her CPA experi-ence, as well as her experience helping keep the books at her husband’s drugstore, allows her to give real world examples to her students. “I am indeed honored to be this year’s recipient of the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants’ Outstanding Educator Award, but the goal of my life’s work is not for acco-lades, but for the sheer pleasure of seeing our students excel in the workplace and in life.”

Gold Medal Award WinnerJosh Edwards

Josh Edwards is a 2006 School of Business graduate who is already making a name for himself. He recently received the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants’ Fred T. Neely Gold Medal. The Fred T. Neely Gold Medal is given to the person receiving the highest grade average on the CPA Examination in the state and passing all subjects in one sitting. “The completion of the exam and what that takes off your shoulders is the real reward,” says Josh. “However, receiving rec-ognition from superiors in your industry for going beyond what is expected is also very gratifying.” The award was presented to Josh at the 2008 CPA convention in Destin, Florida this past June, right after MC accounting pro-fessor, Sandra Parks, received the Outstanding Educator Award. Josh currently works for HORNE LLP where he is an Assur-ance Associate.

When Tommy Butler began as a student at Mississippi College, he had no idea that he would one day become an accountant. A pre-dental major at the start, he quickly realized that science was not his calling. With the help of Dr. Gerald Lee, Tommy decided to switch to the School of Business as an accounting major. As the managing partner of Mississippi operations for HORNE, LLC, Tommy says he is really not in the debit/credit side of accounting business but is in the people business. HORNE has over 550 team members many of whom are in the Mississippi Economic Unit. “The most challenging part of my work is find-ing the best and brightest to join the firm and keeping them focused on providing the best client service that a firm can offer,” says Tommy. As a leader at HORNE, Tommy uses a team approach to meet his clients’ needs. He works to coordinate different skill sets and skill levels in a way that matches the needs of the client. He says Horne’s team members are its biggest assets, and because of that, he must grow and nurture those team members. Tommy has been a CPA for more than 25 years and has served in various leadership positions within the Mississippi Society of CPAs. Over 15 years ago, he served on the task force that was responsible for establishing the current quality control rules for accounting in Mississippi. He also served on the Society’s Legis-lation Committee as chairman. “That committee recently has been

instrumental in getting a new law passed which helps govern CPAs as they perform services in different states,” says Tommy. “It has helped to standardize the laws between states so that CPAs can practice in other states with a more consistent appli-cation of policies and procedures.” He has also been actively involved in the community – from participation in city government to organizations such as the Madison County Foundation, Junior Achievement and the Juvenile Diabetes Association. In 1990, he was elected to the City of Madison Board of Alderman where he served for eight years. “I am very proud of my service to the city and continue to see the results of what was put into place in the way of good planning and zoning,” Tommy says. “The city has grown in a controlled manner while enforcing the highest architectural and land use zoning, and is now recognized across the nation for its high quality and standards.” Tommy says MC provided him with a great foundation to grow from, not only through the technical skills and people skills required to perform at a high level as a CPA, but also through helping him grow as a Christian. Dean Marcelo Eduardo adds, “Tommy’s leadership at HORNE and in the community sets an excellent example for our current accounting students. We are proud to have Tommy as an alumnus and as a friend of the School of Business.”

accountingLeaDershiptommy butLer

“The most challenging part of my work is finding the best and brightest to join the firm and keeping them focused on providing the best client

service that a firm can offer.” — Tommy Butler

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Mrs. Jackie Jones has long been admired for her love for teaching and her dedication to her students. She came to MC part-time in 1971 and began teaching full-time in 1972. Mrs. Jones says she has always known she wanted to be a teacher. Even as a little girl, she enjoyed playing school and would have her “students” and “teach” them different subjects. “To me, school was always fun and I did not want to leave,” said Mrs. Jones. “Teaching accounting is fun for me and I always learn something new, so it is not like a real job.” In the 37 years Mrs. Jones has been teaching at MC, much has changed. She smiles as she says that about half of what she taught over the years has changed because of advanced technology and a stronger emphasis on management skills. She says that today, it is not enough to just know accounting. You must also be knowledgeable about the other aspects of business. One thing that has not changed over the years is the respect and admiration Mrs. Jones receives from her students. In fact, in 2005, Mrs. Jones received the Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award. “I admire Mrs. Jones because she is supremely knowledgeable in the field of accounting,” says senior accounting student, Davis Watts. “I appreciate her because she knows that being able to do the work in accounting is meaningless unless you understand the theory behind it, and she conveys that understanding to her students.” Mrs. Jones says that the thing she enjoys most about teaching is seeing her students succeed. She understands that accounting is not for everyone, but that students must learn by doing if they

are going to truly understand accounting. “In accounting, you cannot learn by simply reading a chapter or cramming information in your head,” says Mrs. Jones. “You learn by working problems and learning the basic concepts, so that is what we do – we work problems.” Mrs. Jones says she hopes she has taught her students that in life you must work hard and play hard. She says that it is impor-tant to find a balance between your profession and your family life. She believes life is meant to be enjoyed and that is exactly what she does everyday. She spends much of her summer with her husband, two children, four grandchildren and even a few of her cats. She loves to go sailing and to do anything else at the beach. That balance between family and work is a hard one to find sometimes, but Mrs. Jones seems to have it figured out. She says she absolutely loves her job teaching at MC. She is still admired by students and faculty as she continues to make accounting fun for her students. “Of all the faculty members I encountered at Mississippi College during my Junior and Senior years (1973-75), I was most impressed by Mrs. Jones,” says former student Larry Thomas. “She was both a valued instructor and a trusted advisor. Her dedication to her students and her willingness to put our needs ahead of any other priorities in her life was easily recognized by those who took the time to get to know her. She made Cost Accounting fun and believe me when I say...anyone who can do that is an exceptional professor!”

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teachingaccounting& having funjackie jones

“She was both a valued instructor and a trusted advisor. Her dedication to her students and her willingness to put our needs ahead of any other priorities in her life was

easily recognized by those who took the time to get to know her. — Larry Thomas ’75

Due to your support over the past three years, we are almost finished with the renovation of Self Hall. This multi-million dollar renovation is the largest in the history of the School of Business and was made possible through the support of our alumni and friends. With new state-of-the-art technology and equipment, updated classroom design, wireless internet access and office space, the new and improved Self Hall offers a facility for our students that is in sync with our school’s pro-gressive business education.

The final touches yet to be made include expanding faculty office space to accommodate our growing faculty and renovat-ing the bottom floor of Self Hall. Please consider including the School of Business in your year-end giving plans and help us reach our goal of completing the Self Hall renovation. For more information on the Continued Excellence Campaign or the renovation of Self Hall, please contact Katrina Pace, Director of Development for the School of Business at 601.925.3421 or kpace@mc.edu

E-Mail Me!Please help us update our records. We want to keep you informed of all activities in the School of Business and plan

to launch an electronic MCBusiness newsletter soon. Please email us at business@mc.edu with your current email address to make sure you receive the future newsletters. We look forward to hearing from you!

The FinalTouches onSelf Hall

CoNtINUED ExCEllENCE

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A 1969 graduate of MC, Ben Walker is the 2008 Alumnus of the Year for the School of Business. The MCBusiness community is fortunate to have Ben as an alumnus. Like many of our graduates, Ben attended a community col-lege initially, and then he came home and in doing so he came to complete his education at MC. Upon graduation, Ben went to work as an office equipment salesman for IBM beginning a successful 11 year career at the company. As Ben recalls, he thought for a time he would retire from IBM. “My job at IBM was a high energy job full of pres-sure to make sales,” says Ben. During his time there, he was consistently one of the best performers, each year being recog-nized as a part of the “100% Club.” Most remarkably given his success and stability at IBM – but in retrospect not surprisingly given his entrepreneurship – Ben quit his job. With business partner Glen Holmes, in 1981 Ben began a venture, which led to the creation of Unitech, an office equip-ment enterprise. Unitech went from a start-up with zero sales to a company that eleven years later generated revenues in excess of $15 million. “I enjoyed seeing Unitech grow and become successful” says Ben. “A large part of our success was due to our employees. Those employees were great friends and stayed with

us for years.” Having built this successful entity, Ben and his partner sold the company in 1993. And since that time, Ben has led a broad range of initiatives and business enterprises. His love for horses resulted in a business still ongoing of rais-ing quarter horses. He became and is still heavily involved with real estate ventures. Bentwood, Bellewood and ViewPoint resi-dential subdivisions are impressive parts of his residential devel-opment portfolio in the Clinton, MS area. Moreover his ventures in commercial real estate have resulted in significant assets and associations with well-known organizations throughout the Jackson metro area. “I like to see a project come together successfully both in a financial and pride of ownership sense,” says Ben. “I want my projects to be ones that make the community and clients proud.” And yet, it would be a mistake to define Ben only by his busi-ness success. Anytime you talk to someone who knows Ben well, his personal attributes and his character are mentioned as often as his business acumen. As Dean Eduardo notes, “We are grate-ful for Ben’s interest in advancing the School of Business, and we are proud to recognize him as the Alumnus of the Year for 2008. His projects have contributed to the economic develop-ment of Clinton and the metro area, and we are honored to have him be a part of the MCBusiness family.”

mc schooL of business

aLumnus of the year ben waLker

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Executive Speaker Series On October 9th, School of Business students at MC were fortunate to hear from Coca-Cola Enterprises Chairman and CEO John Brock. He participated in the School of Business’ Executive Speaker Series, which brings business leaders to campus each semester to talk with business students. Brock joined the $20-Billion Georgia-based company in 2006. It is the largest marketer, distributor and producer of Coca-Cola products in the world. Coca-Cola Enterprises sells about 80 percent of The Coca- Cola Company’s bottle and can volume in North America. Dean Eduardo remarks, “The speaker series is an important component in our students’ business education. Hearing directly from CEOs and business leaders is invaluable for our students.

And having Mr. Brock, one of the most accomplished execu-tives in the United States, talk about the state of his industry, the economy and his views on management and leadership was an incredible opportunity for our students.” John Brock is a Moss Point native whose parents, John F. and Anise McDaniel Brock, are Mississippi College graduates. He grew up coming to Clinton frequently to visit his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Major McDaniel. His speech in the Ed Trehern Business Lecture Hall was well-received by students, including many who are Coca-Cola customers. “I drink Diet Coke a lot,” said junior Kirby May of Brandon. She said his speech delivered much new information about Coke products, but also about the workings of the business world. “I learned a lot from him.”

Coca-Cola Enterprises Chairman & CEO Visits

School of Business

“Having Mr. Brock, one of the most accomplished executives in the United States, talk about the state of his industry, the economy and his views on management and

leadership, was an incredible opportunity for our students.” — Dr. Marcelo Eduardo

1. John Brock addresses a packed house of MCBusiness students and guests • 2. Dr. Marcelo Eduardo, Dr. Lee Royce, Mr. John Brock • 3. John Brock4. MCBusiness students listen to John Brock • 5. Lt. Governor Phil Bryant and Mr. Bill Sones visit during the event with John Brock

DEAN’S CirCLE $100,000 AND HigHEr

Samuel D. AndersonRandall CrenshawRobert M. Hearin FoundationHenry HedermanZach T. HedermanJ.L. HollowayLois T. KennedyGary ParkerJoe Dent RobisonEd TrehernAileen Williams

ExECuTivES $10,000 To $99,999

Century Construction & Realty, Inc.Bobby L. ChainDon CheekCitigroup FoundationWallace Burnell CollinsHayden S. DentMike and Melanie DowellErgon, Inc.Fox-Everett Insurance, Inc.Thomas Eugene HawkRobert E. HollandHorne CPA GroupHoward Industries IncHuffman & Company, CPAColin MaloneyMerchants and Farmers BankMerrill LynchMorningside FoundationThe Schwab Fund for Charitable GivingState Farm Companies FoundationState Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance CompanyWayne Arthur StevensJoseph Baker StradingerVertex Aerospace, LLCBen N. Walker

DirECTorS $5,000 To $9,999

C. Mark BullockEastgroup/Parkway FoundationDaniel Alan GraftonHaddox Reid Burkes & CalhounRay Eugene HannahHarper, Rains, Knight & Company, P.A.Eddie KinchenC. Neil KingKPMG Peat MarwickRobert Lee McRaeMerchants & Farmers Bank Prudential FoundationLloyd Eugene RobertsTony P. StringerLeigh Van HooseEdward WettachEleanor Hederman Wettach

iNvESTorS $1,000 To $4,999

Tammy Yates ArthurWilliam Gerald BaughnBellSouthSamuel Mansell BrandBryson & CompanyTommy E. ButlerAnn Tyson CampbellDonald CauseyBrandon Louis ComerMichael E. CrandallMarcelo L. EduardoTed B. EdwardsWalter L. EneteEubank & Betts, PLLCArthur Finkelberg J. Kyle Fulcher

Grantham Poole Brian HallCecil W. HarperDamon Kyle HawkDarrell L. JonesSusie Claire JordanMary Fern N. KeenGary Wilson KellerSteven Michael LongoMad Genius IncJackie C. MajorsMaloney Glass & DoorJohn C. McCormickEd McDonald Real EstateMerrill Lynch & Co. Foundation, Inc.Lee Douglas MillerMississippi Baptist Medical CenterJoe C. MorrisPatricia H. MounceDebbie NorrisMark PaceSandra Brocato Parks Kevin PauliJohn H. RoseJohn Rance SapenRyan Anthony SmithSouthern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Kenneth P. TolerTrustmark National BankLeigh Van HooseHarry E. VickeryCharles R. WilbanksWilliam Carey CollegeLisa Stewart WilliamsonMark R. Wilson

SHArEHoLDErS uP To $999

Robyn Douglas AkerLee Ann D. AllisonAmSouth BankNancy Ellen AndersonPaula Annette Graves ArdeleanAvayaJanice Marie Gough BaddleyDavid Andrew BaileyClyde Pinson BallardBarksdale Bonding & InsuranceCharles E. BarrancoJoyce Ann BeachamEddie Paul BeckCraig Anthony BegertTom BillingsleyThomas Edward BlalockJoseph B. BlansetThomas BoboTerry James BoffoneNedra BoggsJames Christopher BooneWilliam Julius BosargeNatalie A. BoxSam M. BrandKelly Rodney BrelandMary Jean A. BrenemanBarbara Marie BrinsonJohn Edward BrodbeckPaula Barkley BrownBarry Leon BrowningJosephine BryanHenry H. BurgeDick BurneySallie LaRue BurtClement Lucas BurwellCabell Publishing CompanyHayes CallicuttVirginia CampbellPeggy B. CannadaStephen Anthony CappelloMichael G. CarkhuffKatherine Patten CarpenterSheena Louise CarrElizabeth C. CarterJewel McNair CarterHerbert L. CarverJ.R. ChapmanLinda W. Chapman

Marjorie S. ClarkCynthia Len ClementsWilliam E. CoatesJames Anthony CogginThomas W. CooperCooper Industries FoundationClyde X. CopelandDorothy D. CopelandSheree McGuffee CorkernJames Oliver CoxTina Rester CraftYork CraigLinda M. CraneRobbie S. CrossConstance C. CroswellKay DanielMarc DanielsMarcus Brian DanielsLois T. DavisTerry G. DavisBarbara A. DayJames Eugene De MedicisDavid George DouglasDan DuboseAlbert Ray DuncanDerek Clifton EasleyEntergyEquipment Financial Services CorporationGeorge EwingAnn M. Donahoe FarrenCharles W. FarriorFrances H. FiorettiB. Talmage FloydJustin Lynn FullerSue Elyn FullerKelly Lynn GambinoGlenda Faye GaskinGeneral Electric CompanyJohn E. GentryRalph R. GermanyDavid Michael GibbsHenry Davis GoldenJane M. GoodsonClark Edward GranthamRobin La’Verne GreenDonna L. GreweDebra S. GrubbsGulf Power Foundation, Inc.Jackie H. GunnJack W. GunnJoel E. HaireDaniel Cannon HallJames Cleveland HallE. Dwight HammackCathy HancockMark Allen HardinPamela Goodson HardyCarolyn C. HargisMary G. HarknessMark Dewayne HarrisJames D. HayesJ. Bryan Hayes Martha Jo S. HayesBernice F. HedermanGlenn Morris HengstStephanie Leigh Neal HigginbothamJ. Herman HinesWinton Dewane HisawVickie Carolyn Ingram HodgesRebekah Kathryn Waterbury HoggattClaude Allen HollandDerek Glen HolmesDeborah Smith HorstmannJohn Michael HowardJeffrey A. HuffTammy Fitzpatrick HuffRobert Blake HugheyHarriet H. HumphreysCarson Christopher HumphriesSue Whittington HuntFrank HurstBuzzy HusseyIBM International FoundationMichael J. IngramJonathan Neil Ishee

Kerry Camille Perkins IvyTrudy Hall JamesFred E. JohnsonJ. Fred JohnsonOtho S. JohnsonOrville W. JohnsonJoe D. JonesMary Nelle Berry Jones Joyce M. JordanHorace Lee KerrFelix M. KillarSusan Lorraine Rogers KintonRichard Maurice LadnerJeanese Byrd LandrumKatherine N. LangstonGerald D. LeeJames Eric LeeAlmon Del Ray LewisHarvey LewisKaye Jordan LewisCorinne Ryder LivesayTed LongPaul Richard LoveLouis Griffin LubyMagnolia Printing & SignsRobert E. ManningRaymond S. MartinRichard Sidney MartinJ. Randall MascagniHarold Aron MatrickBilly John McAlpinW. B. McCartyJames Carroll McCullochJames A. McDillGerald Finleigh McKenzieJerry McKenzieJohn E. McPhersonRichard McRaeBrenda Brock MeyerDanny Lester MillerAudrey Jane MilletteCarl T. MilliceMississippi NetworkWilliam Warner MitchellElizabeth L. MoakCheryl M. MobleyEdmund W. MontgomeryJohn C. Montgomery Deena Stanley MooreJonathan Michael MorganMark Ira MorganWilliam S. MorganMori Luggage & Gifts, Inc.Fred MorrisJoe C. MorrisVan M. MorrisEugene Richard MorseMichael Carl MurphyMichael L. MurrayJean H. NallMartha B. NationJames Cecil NationsRebecca Ann NealNola Kate B. NelsonThomas Alfred NelsonNancy B. NesbitPatricia T. NewtonFred Leland NicholsWayne Elmer NixRichard Morrow NowellJ. Christopher NungesserTarris P. OliphantOliphant Insurance Agency, P.C.Bobby J. PaceKatrina Taylor PaceElizabeth B. PantazisVicki W. ParksJana Burge ParrishLinda Ann PattersonStanley W. PeckhamPfizer FoundationPhi Theta Kappa, Intnl. Honor SocietyDavid L. PittmanLaci E. Gregersen PittmanWilliam H. PolkKathy G. PorterAnn Pritchard

Jann Weaver PuckettRandy Lee PurkeyFred H. PurserCharles Palmer QuartermanKelvin B. RaybonClifford Ray ReddingPatricia M. RedfordCarolyn N. ReeseJerry A. ReeseKrista Celeste RhemannJeffrey RichardsonVeronica M. RichardsonC. Robert RidgwayJuanita Wallace RidgwayAngela Mequel RigbyRiver Oaks Health SystemHilda Rae S. RobertsE. Jack RobertsonEleanor J. RommerdaleWilliam Edward RorieEdward Lee RowellRhoda Russell Royce Michael R. RuckerCharles R. RussellRay RussellPatricia Alison RutledgeRynnie D. SandersBilly Wyatt SanfordElaine S. SaxtonVicki P. ScheiderEdward W. ShacklefordRegenia Faye ShearrillSusan M. SheltonWilliam Dale ShepherdRonald Wood SigmanNancy Marie SimboliCharles G. SmithHerbert L. SmithScott SmithStephan Alan SmithNancy Bowie SmylieSoutheastern Bus Company LLPSuzanne G. StarrAdriane Michelle StephensonDaniel StubbsD.A. SwayzeJennifer Franklin SylvesterAllison Anne Alford TalleyAndy TalleyJimmy Wayne TaylorKirk G. TaylorJerry A. ThomasDion ThorntonJamie W. TiceRussell Kenneth TillmanSandra Kay TillsonChristopher Lashon ToasterGaye S. TownsendJay A. TravisJonathan Scott TuckerLinda Benefield ValentineVerizon FoundationCharles E. VianeyEliott Colby VinesSuzanne Stovall VinsonHarry M. WalkerAlan Lane WallaceHilton WallaceTimothy Leroy WallaceBae B. WallerDelores R. WalskiTodd WatsonSheldon Magruder WebbWalter Bruce WellingtonBecky McMillan WellsMary Ann Franks WestJoyce M. WhiteSusan Lane WilbanksJerry E. WilliamsRobert L. WilliamsonMary Allan S. WillisThomas Lance WilsonMargaret D. WinsteadGary D. WoodRebel Trent WrightLula B. YoungTreena F. Maddox Young

CoNtINUED ExCEllENCE CaMpaIgN SUpportErS 2002 to 2008

MC BuSiNESS 20

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

WWW.BUSINESS.MC.EDU

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Mississippi College has a history of shaping the business world by shaping the people who will one day lead it. Join the program that can help you actually realize your ambition. Your stock is rising with the MBA Program at Mississippi College.

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PAIDJackson, MSPermit #134

MISSISSIppI CollEgE SChool of BUSINESSPOSt OffICe BOx 4014 • CLINtON, MS 39058

A CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

Calendar of eventseddie Kinchen

financial Services Lab Dedication

NovEMBEr 17, 2008

Hawk family Conference Room

DedicationNovEMBEr 24, 2008

School of Business Honors

LuncheonAprIl 21, 2009

GraduationMAy 9, 2009

Jim Coggin CAO Saks Inc (retired)

executive Speaker SeriesSEptEMBEr 18, 2008

John Brock Chairman and CeO

Coca-Cola enterprisesexecutive Speaker Series

oCtoBEr 9, 2008

trehern Management education Center

DedicationKeynote Speaker

Dr. Lee RoyceNovEMBEr 6, 2008