Salute

to Industry

Sunday, May 2, 2010

2 SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2010 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO INDUSTRY

INDUSTRY APPRECIATION

Kelly Tippett/Dispatch Staff

East Mississippi Community College hosted its Industry Appreciation Day Wednesday at EMCC’s Mayhew campus. The luncheon was EMCC’s way to thank participating
industries and reaffirm its commitment to remain on the cutting edge of training. Left: Pictured, from left, are John Holliman, Lowndes County District 3 supervisor; Frank
Ferguson, Lowndes County District 2 supervisor; and Milton Sundbeck of Southern Ionics in West Point. Right: Noxubee County District 3 Supervisor Sherman Patterson
poses for a photo with EMCC nursing instructor Rosie Wilbon at Wednesday’s luncheon.

Local industry dedicated to education

BY JASON BROWNE
jbrowne@cdispatch.com
product/consumer metaphor,
drawn by EMCC’s Vice
President of Instruction Dr.
“We can provide “We can provide the skills “(Students) come in with
and training if you just tell us more knowledge about work-
the skills and training what you need,” said Dr. Raj ing in a manufacturing envi-

I
f students are East
Mississippi Community
College’s product, one
could say the Mayhew cam-
pus held its Customer
Appreciation Day Wednesday.
Actually, the people behind
EMCC’s workforce training
program hosted an auditorium
full of industr y professionals
for its annual Industry
Appreciation Day. But the
Steve Vacik, holds true.
The goal of workforce train-
ing is to teach local citizens
the necessary skills to fill jobs
at local industries. Those indi-
viduals may be fresh out of
high school or leaving a job
they’ve held for 30 years, but
after completing the workforce
program at EMCC, they’re
ready to be snapped up by
local businesses.
if you just tell us
what you need.”
Dr. Raj Shaunak, EMCC’s vice
president of workforce and
community services
Wednesday’s luncheon was
EMCC’s way to thank partici-
pating industries and reaffirm
its commitment to remain on
the cutting edge of training.
Shaunak, EMCC’s vice presi-
dent of workforce and com-
munity ser vices.
JoNell Foster represents
one of the recipients of
EMCC’s workforce efforts.
The human resources manag-
er for Weyerhaeuser says her
company has hired a number
of workforce training com-
pleters and likely will take on
more in the near future.
ronment than the average per-
son would,” said Foster.
“(EMCC is) working on a pulp
program that will train people
to come to work for
Weyerhaeuser. They will be
learning about the chemical
process so they come in with
base knowledge and a good
foundation of what they’ll
actually be doing to make the
See EMCC, Page 5
SALUTE TO INDUSTRY THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com
INDUSTRY APPRECIATION AWARDS
Courtesy Photo
Severstal Columbus LLC, received the Director’s Award, the highest level of recogni-
tion through workforce training, demonstrating management excellence with superi-
or outcomes, continuing to improve and build upon outstanding results and excel-
lent systems and deploying “world-class” processes Wednesday at Industry
Appreciation Day on East Mississippi Community College’s Mayhew campus.
Pictured, from left, are Dr. Raj Shaunak, EMCC vice president of Workforce and
Community Services, Atiba Prater, Ray Hamer and Danyell Gingell, all of Severstal
Columbus, and EMCC President Dr. Rick Young.
Courtesy Photo
Dexter Holloway and the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges was recog-
nized for outstanding leadership in workforce training and demonstrated financial
management excellence with superior results. From left, are Dr. Raj Shaunak, Dr.
Eric Clark, executive director of the Mississippi State Board for Community and
Junior Colleges, accepting for Dexter Holloway, the SBCJC’s director of workforce
education, and Dr. Rick Young.
Courtesy Photo
Weyerhaeuser received recognition for best practices for providing outstanding
examples of workforce training, quality management and business practices that
serve as models for others. From left, are Dr. Raj Shaunak, Bernadette Mestas, Jo
Nell Foster and Cary Butler, all of Weyerhaeuser Columbus, and Dr. Rick Young.
SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2010 3
Index of
Advertisers
4-County Electric Power Association ................................ 6
American Eurocopter..................................................... 11
Atmos Energy ................................................................. 4
Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle ...................... 9
Brunini Law Firm ............................................................ 3
C&P Printing ................................................................... 5
Cash & Carry Building Supply .......................................... 5
CFC Transportation ......................................................... 8
CPI Group ....................................................................... 6
Columbus Brick Company .............................................. 10
Columbus-Lowndes Development LINK ........................... 7
Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority....................... 11
EKA Chemicals .............................................................. 12
Galloway-Chandler-McKinney Insurance .......................... 3
Golden Triangle Regional Airport .................................... 9
Lowndes County Board of Supervisors ............................. 7
Microtek Medical/Ecolab................................................ 11
Mississipppi Industrial Waste Disposal .......................... 12
Neel-Schaffer................................................................. 10
Newell Paper Company ................................................... 7
OMNOVA Solutions ......................................................... 4
Phillips Contracting Company, Inc. .................................. 6
Priscilla King/Shelter Insurance...................................... 11
Puckett-McGee Electric Supply ......................................... 5
Swoope Insurance Agency .............................................. 6
Tennessee Williams Tribute & Tour of Homes ................... 2
Tom Soya Grain Company ............................................. 12
United Deli ..................................................................... 7
About the Cover
Severstal was chosen as Industry of the Year earlier this week. For more
information on this, see page 2 of this section. Shown on the cover is
Severstal employee Jennifer Porter.
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4 SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2010 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com
Rosy earnings show that
corporate America is back
BY DAVE CARPENTER
AP Business Writer
CHICAGO —
C
orporate America is
back. Companies
that do everything
from making appliances
to selling cruises are
reporting strong first-
quarter profits — not
because of the layoffs
many of them used to
dress up last year’s earn-
ings reports but because
people are spending
more.
The turnaround has yet
to produce a dramatic
increase in hiring, which
isn’t expected until 2011 or
later. But it provides
emphatic new evidence
that the economy has
moved past the crisis and
should continue to
strengthen.
“We’re out of the woods
for good,” says Joseph
LaVorgna, chief U.S. econ-
omist at Deutsche Bank.
“This is not just an arith-
metic story. It’s a story of
legitimate growth.”
Companies in the
Standard & Poor’s 500
index have reported 76
percent higher operating
earnings than a year ago
— on pace to be the
biggest year-over-year
increase ever, according
to S&P analyst Howard
Silverblatt. Nearly half the
companies in the index
have reported earnings so
far.
One reason for the
gains is simply that the
economy in early 2009 was
at the depth of the worst
recession in generations,
but consumer spending is
clearly making a come-
back.
After a year and a half
of hunkering down, peo-
ple are buying expensive
items such as electronics
and furniture and dining
out more, even though an
unemployment rate of 9.7
percent clouds the recov-
ery and the housing mar-
ket is still hurting.
“They’ve saved some
money, they’ve paid down
debt, and at a certain point
you just get bored of eat-
ing frozen pizza and
watching cable TV on a
Saturday night,” says
Barry Ritholtz, head of the
financial research firm
FusionIQ.
Consumer spending
has risen for five straight
months, retail sales for
four, and restaurant sales
surged this spring after
being stagnant since 2008.
Profits from those sales
reflect a healthier econo-
my, as opposed to the
drastic cost-cutting that
helped companies
improve their bottom lines
in recent quarters.
Among the latest win-
ners, Ford Motor Co. did
an about-face from a year
ago in reporting a $2.1 bil-
lion profit on 15 percent
higher revenue; it plans to
boost production.
Caterpillar Inc. also
SALUTE TO INDUSTRY
reversed a loss from a
year ago and said demand
for its construction and
mining equipment is surg-
ing.
Royal Caribbean
Cruises Ltd. returned to a
first-quarter profit as more
travelers vacationed on its
ships and spent additional
money on board. UPS Inc.
posted a 33 percent profit
increase; it said tech firms
are shipping more prod-
ucts and other industries
are restocking invento-
ries.
A parade of other
Fortune 500 corporations
also have boosted their
full-year profit forecasts
this month. This week
alone, the list includes
DuPont Co., Estee Lauder
Cos. and Whirlpool Corp.
Exports have played a
key role. Caterpillar
enjoyed especially strong
orders for its heavy equip-
ment in developing coun-
tries, and Deere Inc. also
is selling more interna-
tionally. But domestic
demand also has been
strong.
SALUTE TO INDUSTRY
Left: Debby Gard, vice president of finance at East Mississippi Community College, left, and Dr. Steve Vacik, vice president of instruction at EMCC pose for a picture dur-
ing Industry Appreciation Day Wednesday at EMCC’s Mayhew campus. RIght: From left, Bobby Harper of Cadence Bank, Ward 6 Columbus City Councilman Bill Gavin and
Larr y Branch are shown at Industry Appreciation Day Wednesday.
EMCC
Continued from Page 2
product from start to finish.”
Rob Smith, director of the West
Point Career and Technology
Center, deals with students on the
other side of workforce training,
before they enter the program. He
says providing students an alterna-
tive to traditional academic college
programs will usher more stu-
dents to post-secondary schooling.
“It’s good to start seeing a
more seamless transition of stu-
dents from K-12 into community
colleges and workforce develop-
ment programs. In K-12, through
the redesign effort we’ve really
started pushing down in the
eighth and ninth grade to select-
ing career pathways. Giving stu-
dents more wise pathways earlier
in life so they can transition into
one of these programs,” said
Smith.
Other collaborations between
high schools and community col-
leges, such as dual enrollment,
further the likelihood of students
attending post-secondary school-
ing by giving them a taste of
what’s in store at the next level
before they graduate.
The keynote speaker at
Wednesday’s Industry
Appreciation Day, State College
Board Commissioner Dr. Hank
Bounds, also spoke of adjusting to
meet new needs, for both students
INDUSTRY APPRECIATION AWARDS
Baptist Memorial
Hospital–Golden Triangle
also received the Best
Practices Award. Pictured,
from left, are Dr. Raj
Shaunak, Laurie Sansing,
director of education for
BMH–GT and
Dr. Rick Young.
We’re Proud to be a part of the growing economy of
Lowndes County for the past 45 years, and we welcome
new industry and salute the already successful!!
1-866-508-3537 • 328-5776 • 1120 Gardner Blvd. • Columbus
THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com
and their eventual employers.
“Most of the jobs that will be
available 10 years from now, we
haven’t even thought of. We’re
educating students to be nimble
enough to slide into those jobs,”
he said. “There are states that are
not doing this and they’ll pay for it
for decades.”
Bounds pointed to an anticipat-
ed 25 percent cut in funds for
state funded universities in the
next three years as both a necessi-
ty and an opportunity for reinvent-
ing the college system. He says
universities will have to learn to
do more with less, and that forced
ingenuity will cause them to
emerge from the economic down-
turn leaner and more focused.
Part of that focus, he says,
includes greater synergy between
universities and community col-
leges and more attention to meet-
ing the needs of industry, just as
EMCC has.
“You are envied across the state
for attracting so many businesses
and industries,” Bounds said of
the Golden Triangle. “And you’re
preparing your citizens to go to
work.”
EMCC President Dr. Rick
Young wasn’t shy about touting
EMCC’s workforce development
program, even in front of repre-
sentatives from Itawamba
Stark Aerospace
received the Best
Practices Award.
From left, are Dr.
Rick Young, Chuck
Bigelow of Stark
Aerospace and Dr.
Raj Shaunak.
Courtesy Photo
Courtesy Photo
“Everything For Your
Building Needs”
Residential • Commercial
© Commercial Dispatch
SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2010 5
Kelly Tippett/Dispatch Staff
Community College and
Northeast Community College.
“Our workforce training is the
best in the state. That’s measura-
ble by the number of hours spent,
the number of people trained and
the number of millions of dollars
spent,” said Young. “When indus-
tries come to the area, they tell us
we’re doing a good job.”
Young says EMCC plans to
build an allied health center just
off the Highway 82 exit leading to
the Lowndes County Global
Industrial Aerospace Park and the
road leading to the Mayhew
Campus which will include an
employee wellness center, child-
care, a post office and a cyber
library available to employees of
all the Aerospace Park industries.
As extra thanks to industry
partners, EMCC handed out some
hardware. Best Practices awards
went to Weyerhaeuser, Stark
Aerospace and Baptist Memorial
Hospital–Golden Triangle. The
Director’s Award for “the highest
level of recognition through work-
force training, demonstrating man-
agement excellence with superior
outcomes, continuing to improve Kelly Tippett/Dispatch Staff
Dr. Paul Miller, vice president of the Golden Triangle
and build upon outstanding results
EMCC campus and Dr. Sandra Harpole, director of cor-
and excellent systems and deploy- porate and foundation giving at Mississippi State
ing world class processes” went to University are seen Wednesday at EMCC’s Industry
Severstal Columbus LLC. Appreciation Day.
Puckett-McGee
Electric Supply
A LOCALLY-OWNED ELECTRICAL SUPPLY COMPANY
for over 70 years
We salute local industries
for their hard work
and dedication.
For your patronage,
we say thank you.
James Gibson, Owner
715 6th Street South, Columbus, MS 39701 SQUARE D
662-328-5151 • Fax 662-329-1842 D PREMIER
DISTRIBUTOR
Thank You
for your business!
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104 Gardner Blvd. • Columbus • 327-9742
6 SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2010 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO INDUSTRY

Exceeding Expectations in Human Resources Management

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SALUTE TO INDUSTRY THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2010 7

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8 SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2010 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO INDUSTRY

A rewarding workplace benefits businesses and employees

SPECIAL TO THE DISPATCH

Y
ou recruit top talent to join
your team. But, how do you
keep them there?
A high turnover rate within
your company or organization
causes lost profits, lowered pro-
ductivity and the inability to grow
your business. Headquartered in
Columbus, The CPI Group pro-
vides staffing solutions, human
resources consulting and staff
development training across
northeast Mississippi. In addition
to providing HR solutions, CPI
shares useful staff development
advice for today’s workplace.
According to a recent survey
conducted by the Society for
Human Resource Management,
employees rate several staff
development needs as important
or very important. As a top priori-
ty, employees ranked the impor-
tance of job-specific training at 85
percent. Following close behind,
83 percent of employees consid-
ered the organization’s commit-
ment to professional development
significant to their job satisfaction. Courtesy Photo
Almost 79 percent of employees Tony Lenoir, of West Point, worked at Friction Holding LLC building brakes and clutches for Chrysler until they closed their doors
rated the importance of career because of the slow economy. He is now seeking employment utilizing The CPI Group’s services. Lenoir is handing his resume to Kristi
development opportunities as Stubbs, assistant to the CPI Group President Mark Smith.
important or very important. The professional development oppor- training and staff development
need for career advancement tunities to learn about new consultant for The CPI Group,
opportunities rated 76 percent advances in their field, to acquire training and development is the
among employees. new skills, maintain and improve part of human resources that
“It is evident, based on data as their professional competence, ensures valuable employees are
well as feedback that we receive, learn new technology and prac- challenged not only with their job,
that an organization’s team wants tice their skills, enhance their but with their skills and abilities.
and appreciates their employer’s career track, to comply with pro- “Training and development
investment in their further devel- fessional organizations’ standards, also play an important part in
opment; this is a crucial element and to curb their learning human resources whenever an
of a fully functioning internal HR appetite. Considering how impor- employee needs further training
function,” explained CPI CEO tant an employer’s commitment on skills that make them a more
Mark Smith. to professional development productive employee,” Spengler
ranks among employees’ job sat- said.
Job-specific training isfaction levels, employers should “It is much wiser to improve
As an employer, it is important include professional development the skills of an employee that a
to provide new employees job- opportunities into the overall company has already invested
specific training as part of the retention and staff development time and money in, than to find
overall retention and staff devel- program. Courtesy Photo someone else to replace them,”
opment program. Job-specific CPI employees Kristi Stubbs, left, and Meagan Coughlin review she added.
training includes workplace resumes on the computer. The CPI Group provides sen-
health and safety programs; train-
Career development ior level, certified HR consultants
Career development should op career plans. career. Building upon the career and professionally certified train-
ing employees to understand
be taken just as seriously by the development opportunities, be ers to private sector organiza-
their job responsibilities and how
employer as it is by the employ- sure to have a plan for employee
to perform their tasks; and, addi-
ee. Career development is how
Advancement opportunities advancement. After time, employ-
tions, federal and state agencies
tional training that is required to Employees want to know that and has extensive experience in
the organization structures the ees will seek new challenges and the aerospace, steel and manufac-
perform the expected job duties. career advancement opportuni-
potential career paths for their recognition within their organiza- turing industries.
employees. Career development ties are available within their tion, but will seek outside employ-
Commitment to professional should involve the employer organization or else they may ment if those needs remain ON THE WEB
development working with the employee in look for outside job opportunities unmet. n THE CPI GROUP:
Employees want to engage in planning career goals and devel- in order to advance in their According to Sandra Spengler, www.cpi-group.com

BULLDOG SAND
AND
GRAVEL, INC.

662-329-0019
P.O. BOX 8057 COLUMBUS MS 39705
SCALEHOUSE (LIMESTONE INQUIRIES)
STEVE YARBOROUGH 662-574-8752
© The Dispatch
SALUTE TO INDUSTRY THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2010 9

Courtesy Photo Courtesy Photo

Butch Reed, left, and Pat Hopper are recognized for 20 years of service by Lucy Al Puckett III, left, congratulates George Mallard for being awarded 2009 Employee
Anne Puckett Walker, center, at the annual Columbus Brick Co. Recognition of the Year at the recognition picnic for Columbus Brick Co.
Luncheon.

Columbus Brick dedicated to service and making a difference

SPECIAL TO THE DISPATCH devotes a majority of its bly the best thing the Albert Bush has 32 Columbus Brick Co. the fact that nearly 1 bil-
product line to “Papercut company does is produce years of service; Vernon employees. They are lion adults can not read a

C
olumbus Brick Co. Brick,” which differenti- a highly sustainable prod- Morgan has been with active donors to Global book or sign their name.
first opened its ates itself from other uct. Brick is made from the brickyard 29 years, Connections, initially This is tragic and unac-
doors in North brick by its soft textured an abundant natural and Tommy Harrison has formed by several family ceptable and every dime
Mississippi more than 100 edges. In addition to the resource and has a life worked there 32 years. members of the Brick Co. and every minute makes a
years ago. It was a time modular and queen size expectancy that yet to be Lucy Anne Puckett and it’s employees, a difference. With that phi-
when bricks were made of brick offered, Columbus determined. Walker has worked with world wide ministry that losophy, they have been
clay, formed in wooden Brick also can create cus- The company has been the company for 26 years. connects people, organiza- extremely successful part-
molds, and hardened by tom brick shapes that can family-owned and operat- George Mallard was tions, and resources inter- nering with the Limuru
the blazing of red-hot help capture the individu- ed since its beginning in recognized as Employee nationally and domestical- Children’s Centre in
coals. Mule, rail car and alism of many contrac- 1890. With 120 years of of the Year for exception- ly. They promote aware- Kenya, Africa, to clothe,
steamboat were the meth- tors, homeowners and ness of the fact that of the feed and educate aban-
ods of transport and thou- architects. (Columbus Brick Co.) has been family- 2.2 billion children in the doned orphans. With
sands of brick were world, more than 1 billion more than 50 boarders liv-
unloaded by hand every-
Environmental owned and operated since it’s beginning of them live in poverty. ing on site, and more than
day. Their motto of “rethinking 200 children there each
It was hard work and concerns in 1890. With 120 years of service to involvement, rethinking day, it’s a full-time job.
Columbus Brick Co. was In a time when envi- the Golden Triangle and the surrounding travel and rethinking But their work is close
dedicated to doing their ronmental responsibility humanitarian aid” will not to home as well. In addi-
best, offering commercial is becoming a greater pri- states, they are a great environment to be completed until every tion to all they do overseas
and residential customers ority for all of us, child is out of poverty.
distinctive products, Columbus Brick is proud work for and a positive force in the com- A.B. Puckett, son of Al
with Global Connections,
several employees of the
whose impressive quality to go above and beyond munity Puckett, current CEO of brickyard work with the
was only topped by the the regulatory require- the Brick Co., is a full-time underprivileged children
company’s outstanding ments for its manufactur- service to the Golden employee of Global in sports. Billy White and
level of customer service. ing facility along with its Triangle and the sur- al service throughout Connections, dedicating David Edmonds coach
A lot has changed mining operations. The rounding states, they are 2009 at an annual recogni-
his life to serving the less baseball while White
since then and Columbus company has recently a great company to work tion picnic April 28.
fortunate. While working teams with Anthony Davis
Brick Co. has successful- been recognized by the for and a positive force in at the brickyard may to coach football. This is
ly moved into the modern Mississippi Department the community with long- Humanitarian occur in A.B.’s future, he just one small way they
age. Today, the small of Environmental Quality standing employees that involvement is giving all of his time and can give back, but it
brick company, which as a Steward Level mem- have served this area Community involve- energy to working with makes a big impact on the
only served the surround- ber of its newly intro- making bricks for ment locally and abroad the needy. He is passion- young men’s lives that
ing areas of Columbus, duced EnHance program. decades. Eugene are crucial to the ate about making known they touch.
now ships more than 140 This program awards Chapman, with 55 years
million bricks a year companies for environ- of service, and Sam
throughout the Southeast mental practices that Lawrence, with 56 years
and Mid-west. In addition, exceed those required by of service, say they
Columbus Brick is a dis- law and for an ongoing “wouldn’t trade their job
tributor for many other commitment to the envi- for the world.”
brick companies based in ronment. Tillman Baker is cele-
Mississippi, Alabama, While manufacturing brating 46 years of
Georgia, North Carolina, practices such as recy- employment; Al Puckett
South Carolina and cling virtually all of its III has been with the com-
Virginia. manufacturing waste pany full time for 40
Columbus Brick Co. along with the use of years; Emmitt Lucas has
offers customers a variety highly efficient electric 41 years of service;
of brick in a broad range motors certainly help Thomas Lowe and
of colors, textures and decrease their impact on Charles Chapman each
styles. The company the environment, proba- have 26 years.

How an advanced degree may

not help in today’s job market
METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS advanced degree. Most people are
aware that the country is in the throes

O
nce upon a time an advanced
degree guaranteed job seekers
an edge over other prospective
applicants. Today, however, the benefits
are not so black and white. In fact, on-
the-job experience might be more
attractive to potential employers than an
of one of the most challenging job mar-
kets seen in history. Unemployment
rates crept over the 10 percent mark to
reach all-time highs. Those currently
looking for a job may think it’s better to
See DEGREE, 10
10 SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2010
More than
just sand
and gravel
SPECIAL TO THE DISPATCH
B
ulldog Sand and
Gravel Inc. offers
much to the Golden
Triangle and the sur-
rounding area. The compa-
ny has various operations.
The first division is the
barge company, which is
responsible for transporta-
tion, hauling products
north and south in addi-
tion to hauling gravel.
Secondly, the
Bulldog/Twiner Jackson
Yard, which handles loads
of limestone that have
Bubba Comer,
owner of Bulldog
Sand and Gravel,
says Lowndes
County is a
“heaven of gravel.”
been emptied into rail cars
at the Lowndes County
Port is shipped to Jackson
where the partnership
takes place.
Bulldog/Twiner Jackson
Yard provides the same
service to Central
Mississippi that Bulldog
Sand and Gravel offers to
North Mississippi.
Thirdly,
Bulldog/Cumberland
Resources sells gray rock
from the port to various
companies.
Bulldog Sand and
Gravel carries all products
of all sizes from screening
material all the way up to
rip rap (the large gray
rock one sees on the side
of the road to eliminate
hillside erosion.)
The company, estab-
Columbus Brick Company
MANUFACTURERS
N OF QUALITY
Q BRICK SINCE
Columbus Brick
our employees and community.
Thank you for letting us serve you!
114 Brickyard Road • Columbus, MS 39705
662-328-4931 • www.columbusbrick.com
lished in 2001, works in
conjunction with
Cumberland Resources
(out of Paducah, Ky.) to
supply limestone to
Mississippi and Alabama.
They ship by barge. The
barges are maintained by
Bulldog Sand and Gravel’s
own workers; Lavaris
“Punchie” Williams and
James Tice actually clean
and weld the barges.
They also export
washed river gravel to the
Gulf Coast and New Iberia,
La. After mining areas
along the Tennessee-
Tombigbee River, they use
screeners to wash and
clean the river gravel (it is
illegal to ship contaminat-
ed product) and then haul
the Lowndes County prod-
uct to lower Mississippi
and Louisiana. Tony Baze
is the manager of the grav-
el operation on the river.
Because the barges are
clean and not contaminat-
ed, they also are used to
haul product, such as
scrap metals, cranes and
more for companies after
dropping off their delivery.
Any thing capable of being
shipped in an open barge
can utilize Bulldog Sand
and Gravel for their ship-
ping needs. On return
trips up the river, they
back haul various products
to utilize the boat and fuel
as effectively as possible.
Bubba Comer, owner of
Bulldog Sand and Gravel,
says Lowndes County is a
“heaven of gravel.” This
county has more river
gravel than any other
county in the state. Comer
is usually two or three
days ahead of the boat,
making sure they have a
load north bound after a
NC 1890
890
• GENUINE
PAPERCUT BRICK
• FACE BRICK
• WOOD MOULDS
• BRICKTILE
• FIREBRICK
• ACCESSORIES
• MORTAR
• PAVERS
is committed to
THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO INDUSTRY
Courtesy Photo
Steve Yarborough operates a bulldozer to move No. 67 limestone preparing to be loaded. No. 67 limestone is a
combination of a No. 6 rock (1 inch) and a No. 7 rock (3/4 inch).
Kansas City
South Railway
cars are
loaded with
No. 89 lime-
stone, com-
prised of a mix-
ture of No. 8
rock (1/2
inch) and No.
9 rock (1/4
inch).
Courtesy Photo
delivery to the south. He More than 100,000 tons of Because limestone is barges to the railroad lines
oversees the offloading, limestone has been less expensive and more on Kansas City Southern
calls on new customers shipped into this area that economical than asphalt or Railway.
and finds freight to go has been sold or re- cement, it’s becoming a Bulldog Sand and
north. shipped on to Jackson. popular alternative to the Gravel, Inc. serves the
Instead of going a long While Bulldog Inc. prima- other paving options. Golden Triangle by provid-
way to purchase product, rily supplies other busi- Bulldog/Cumberland ing not only jobs but also a
limestone is brought in by nesses such as local dirt Resources manager, Steve
valuable service to the
barge for companies and contractors and other Yarborough, oversees the
community that very few
individuals who need it. retail yards, they also sup- location on Port Access
ply five local counties lime- Road at Lowndes County people are available to
stone for their road main- Port. He receives ship- offer. For more informa-
tenance product. Choctaw ments, loads the trucks, tion on the limestone
and Oktibbeha get gray weighs them to make sure inquiries, contact manager
rock for building roads they are within federal lim- Steve Yarborough at 662-
and road maintenance. its and transfers from 574-8752.
Degree
Continued from Page 9
set those goals aside and go back to position in a company? Again, the plan
school until the employment prospects may backfire. Many companies are turn-
are better. But is this a wise idea? ing from an education-based advance-
Perhaps not. ment program to a performance-based
It all comes down to spending money. one. That means workers could have all
Individuals with an advanced degree are of the degrees in the world and not
generally paid anywhere from 20 to 50 make more money.
percent more than peers who have less- The cost of continued schooling is
er degrees. As companies look for any also something to consider. Many gradu-
way to cut costs, job applicants who are ates are already facing mounting debt
not so educated may seem the better from educational expenses. Adding
buy. In fact, those with bachelor’s or more debt onto that number can leave
master’s degrees may find they’re many individuals in a deep financial
repeatedly passed over for individuals hole, one that is not easily scaled.
with associate’s degrees or simple life Employers are cutting back on tuition
experience. Companies actually may be reimbursement, and higher degrees do
turned off by a higher degree. not guarantee a job once school is out.
What about individuals contemplating Before advanced schooling is consid-
more schooling to get a more lucrative ered, weigh all of the options.
Tell your child a bedtime story.
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www.neel-schaffer.com
© Commercial Dispatch
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SALUTE TO INDUSTRY THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2010 11

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12 SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2010 THE DISPATCH • www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO INDUSTRY

With five locations along the waterway,

Tom Soya Grain Company, a pioneer on the
Tenn-Tom, has utilized the Tennessee-Tombigbee
Waterway for its operations since 1979 in serving

eka
its farmer customers and local industries.

Producer of Hydrogen Peroxide

and
of Sodium Chlorate

Celebrating 12 years and

more than 3 million hours
without a lost time incident. © The Dispatch

Highway 50 West Point, MS 494-3754