MBJ_Dec12_2014

INSIDE — CRAWFORD: How much should manufacturing matter to our future? Page 6

35

MBJ FOCUS

YEARS

Architects & Engineers

1979

www.msbusiness.com

{Section begins P 10}

» PROFILE: Cindy Rich » Curb appeal takes a turn toward commercial » MSU engineers cited for African water project The Lists {P 15} » Oldest Mississippi-based Architecture Firms » Oldest Historic Places

» Ashley Pittman has built successful career by helping others {P 19}

Tay’s Barbecue grows its business in Pascagoula More, P 8

2014

December 12, 2014 • Vol. 36, No. 50 • $1 • 20 pages

AGRICULTURE

McCormick wins Mississippi Farm Bureau presidency By TED CARTER ted.carter@msbusiness.com

Voting by county Farm Bureau delegates to the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation’s annual meeting Monday ended with election of Mike McCormick, a 52year-old cow-calf and timber farmer from Jefferson County, as the 10th president of the MFBF. McCormick, who raises cattle and timber on a 1,200acre farm near Union Church , beat out incumbent Randy Knight for the 2-year term as head of the state’s largest farm organization. Knight, operator of Pelahatchie cattle farm, served two consecutive terms. McCormick’s Union Church farm has been in his family since the 1820s. He primarily runs a cow/calf operation with some stockers and hay. “I have such a passion for Farm Bureau,” said McCormick in accepting the presidency. “Anybody that knows me can tell that I have

this overwhelming passion for this organization. I can’t wait to dedicate my life to it.” McCormick has served for seven years as president of Jefferson County Farm Bureau. He has been a member of the MFBF Board of Directors for four years and has served

Moody’s downgrade of bond cites weak debt coverage » Negative outlook accompanies third blow in three years to $239M water and sewer debt By TED CARTER ted.carter@msbusiness.com

five years on the national Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board. He is a former chair of the MFBF Beef and Forestry advisory committees and a former member See

MCCORMICK, Page 4

Three years, three downgrades – that’s the box score for Jackson’s $239 million water and sewer bond issue. The latest assessment from Moody’s Investors Services attributes the latest downgrade to inadequate debt service coverage in 2013, a huge amount of state property that is untaxed and a dwindling pool of money that the city can use without restrictions. In the latest downgrade, one from A2 to A1 See

MOODY’S, Page 2

http://msbusiness.com/events/50-women-nomination-form/