- <h2>Burchfield named MMSA Board President</h2>
Burchfield named MMSA Board President
The Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) recently held its annual meeting and awards luncheon in downtown Jackson. Among the agenda was the passing of the gavel to new MMSA Board President Randy Burchfield of Tupelo.
Burchfield will serve a two-year term (2010-2012), following Chuck Ueltschey of Gulfport, 2008-2010 Board President. Burchfield serves as Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing for BancorpSouth in Tupelo. Besides being active on the MMSA Board of Directors, Burchfield is past president of the local program in Tupelo, the Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association.
"Randy and the folks at BancorpSouth have been extremely supportive of our work and vision at Main Street," said Bob Wilson, MMSA Executive Director. "I look forward to working with him and our other distinguished board members as we continue our efforts in downtown revitalization in more than 70 cities and towns in Mississippi."
The 2010 MMSA Board executive officers include: President Randy Burchfield, BancorpSouth; Immediate Past President Chuck Ueltschey, Mississippi Power Company; and President-Elect and Treasurer Barry Plunkett, Entrepreneur.
The 2010 Board of Directors are Billy Wiseman, Board Member Emeritus; Leland Speed, Eastgroup/Parkway Properties; Steve Kelly, Entergy; Bill Andrews, Viking Corporation; Kay Miller, Biloxi Main Street; Hibbett Neel, Neel-Schaffer; Bill Scruggs, St. Dominic Health Services; Suzanne Smith, Renasant Bank; and Lynn Ryals, Tunica Main Street.
Permanent Board Members are H.T. Holmes, Mississippi Department of Archives and History and Jim West, College of Architecture, Art and Design at Mississippi State University. Designated Representatives to the board are Ken P'Pool, Mississippi Department of Archives and History and John Poros, The Carl Small Town Center at Mississippi State University. Ex Officio Members include Gray Swoope, Joy Foy and Alex Thomas of the Mississippi Development Authority.
The MMSA Board of Directors meets bi-monthly and also has an annual retreat. Board members serve two-year terms and are invited to all MMSA trainings, conferences and events.
Jeannie Waller
Q & A with Randy Burchfield
Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal
July 04--Randy Burchfield, the marketing director and senior vice president at BancorpSouth, is the new board president of the Mississippi Main Street Association. Burchfield has a long history of involvement with the Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association. In his new role, he will work with MMSA's executive director and staff to develop a new five-year strategic plan. He answered these questions last week from business reporter Carlie Kollath.
Q: What are the biggest challenges for Mississippi Main Street programs and communities?
A:Finding and maintaining consistent, adequate sources of funding for our programs, along with our managers dealing with limited staff support and related resources, especially in this current economic downturn. Also, I believe we can do a better job of educating the public about our scope of work and what we are accomplishing through our Main Street programs.
Q:What would be in your ideal Main Street community?
A:One with a downtown area that reflects the culture and identity of their respective community; one that helps nurture and support its downtown businesses, providing jobs and business opportunities,
while at the same time offering entertainment, shopping and culture-enriching opportunities to residents and visitors alike; a program that promotes historic rehabilitation of buildings, provides downtown living opportunities and environment-friendly spaces -- all a boom for our environment, economy and quality of life.
Q:More Main Street communities are proposing bike-friendly options. Do you own or ride a bicycle?
A:I own not one but two bikes and have every intention of getting them down from the carport rack and riding them, especially after making this promise public and with our new bike-friendly ordinance.
By Carlie Kollath, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo, Miss.
To see more of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to
http://www.djournal.com.
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Viking Showroom
The establishment of Greenwood as a tourist destination came with the revitalization of Howard Street in historic Downtown Greenwood including the home of The Alluvian Hotel and The Viking Cooking School. |
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