Tag Archive for: Create Foundation

Mike Staten inducted into NEMCC Alumni Hall of Fame

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NEMiss.News Mike Staten in his BNA office

 

 

Mike Staten of New Albany is the 2022 inductee into the Alumni Hall of Fame of the Northeast Mississippi Community College (NEMCC) Foundation.

Staten is noted for his extensive community service work in Union County and throughout northeast Mississippi.

He is president of BNA Bank and a member of the bank’s board of directors.

His record of service runs the full range of community betterment work. His strongest interest over many years has been in improving educational opportunities.

Why has Mike Staten, in addition to a long and successful career as a banker, devoted literally thousands of hours to civic work?

“I simply care about Union County and northeast Mississippi,” he says. “It is my home. My great-grandfather came here from Pontotoc County. I am the fourth generation of my family here and my sons are the fifth.

“As far as our people are concerned, I want to see everyone have the opportunity to better themselves by getting the education that is suitable to their talents and ambitions,” he said. “I want them to be able to be educated here, stay here, earn a good living, and raise their families.

“I have had opportunities to go elsewhere, but I wanted to stay here, raise my family here and do all I possibly can to make it a better place.”

He believes education at all levels is the key to improving the overall quality of life in Mississippi.

Staten serves on the board of trustees of NEMCC. He is also a long serving member of the board of Blue Mountain College. He is the Union County representative to the Toyota Wellspring Education Fund Committee.

Mike Staten graduated from W. P. Daniel High School (now New Albany High School). He attended NEMCC 1972-1974. After two years at NEMCC, he then earned the Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Mississippi. He has completed graduate courses in banking and finance at Vanderbilt University and Louisiana State University.

Staten was the recipient in 2018 of the Jack Reed, Sr. Community Leadership Award presented by the CREATE Foundation.

He is a board member and secretary of the Three Rivers Planning and Development District and a member of the advisory board of North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo.

Staten said his wife Angie has made it possible for him to work and travel the many miles required for his community work. “She kept the home fires burning, making it possible for me to do the little I’ve been able to do,” he said, “Needless to say, the bank has also been very supportive.”

Mike and Angie have two sons, both of whom are Northeast alums. Matt Staten and his wife Ellen live in New Albany. Luke Staten and his wife Amy live in Houston, Texas.

 

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NAMS Students Complete YouScience Snapshot Assessment

New Albany MS NAMS YouScience assessment

The results are in! Eighth graders at New Albany Middle School (NAMS) have completed the YouScience Snapshot assessment this month.

YouScience is a great way for students to learn more about themselves, explore high-demand careers that are a good fit for them, and gain a better understanding of how their unique talents are needed in our economy.

YouScience Snapshot combines five aptitude assessments plus an interest survey. “This amazing assessment gives students the opportunity to be matched to a career that best fits their unique talents and interests,” said Suzy Bowman, Career Coach for the New Albany School District (NASD).

Bowman recently reviewed the results with 8th graders at NAMS and explained to them how these results could help them be more strategic in planning what vendors they will visit with during the “Imagine the Possibilities Career Expo” in October.

This assessment is designed to help students make informed career decisions. Each student in the PUL Alliance had a YouScience code purchased for them with funding for the codes provided by the Toyota Wellspring Education Fund.

“We appreciate CREATE and the Toyota Wellspring Education Fund giving all of our students so many opportunities for career exploration and career readiness,” said Dr. Lance Evans, NASD Superintendent.

Parents and guardians who have students in the 8th grade at NAMS can make sure their child is on a path to success with a solid plan for the future. Snapshot is a great way for students to understand their strengths and learn how those strengths translate to real-world careers.Visit www.youscience.com/parents to learn more.

Plans are being made for students in grades 9-12 at New Albany High School to participate in the YouScience assessment. Most sophomores have completed the assessment and have received results.

Melanie Shannon
Coordinator
New Albany Schools
“Preparing ALL for Success”

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Meek’s millions go from Ole Miss to CREATE

New Albany MS Chicken Shit School of Journalism

We are delighted to learn that Ed Meek’s millions have been moved out of the Ole Miss journalism school and transferred to the CREATE Foundation of Tupelo.

We have said before that we believed Meek was treated shabbily by the Ole Miss Chancellor John Vitter and the J-school’s dean, Wilbert Norton, Jr., in their hasty and gutless reaction to a Facebook post Meek made about a year ago.

No need to review the content of Meek’s Facebook post here.  However, suffice it to say it was not obscene, not illegal, not in bad taste and not untruthful. It was, though, in the minds of a some people, Vitter and Norton included, a bit “politically incorrect.”

New Albany MS Ed Meek School of Journalism

Meek School of Journalism and New Media, University of Mississippi

Meek immediately took the post down and apologized profusely to any who had put themselves through the moral contortions that would have been necessary of take offense. Yet Vitter and Norton moved to take Meek’s name off of the journalism school, to which he and his wife had donated $5.3-million.

We speculated when it happened about a year ago about how long Vitter would last at Ole Miss, at $600-thousand plus perks annually, after such foolishness. The answer is: he’s gone.

As to Wilbert Norton, Jr., he’s still on the payroll of the taxpayers of Mississippi. Norton is about 78-years old and has not actively worked in the news business for 30 years. The news trade has changed so much in 30 years — and especially in the last 10 years — that it’s hard to see how Norton could have any relevant experience to share with students of the news business in 2019. Perhaps that’s partly why so many of the recent graduates of Old Miss’s “Not-Ed-Meek School of Journalism” can’t find jobs in recent years.

In any case, a Mississippi Chancery Court Judge has ruled that Ed Meek can pull his money — now over $6-milllion with accumulated interest — out of Ole Miss and give it instead to CREATE.

Congratulations to CREATE.

Best of all, congratulations and thank you to Ed Meek for his long service to Mississippi, which will continue through the CREATE Foundation long after most of us are gone to dust and ashes.

Here’s what NAnewsweb.com said a year ago about the treatment of Ed Meek

 

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Lesley brings home the bacon from State of Region meeting

Union County MS Bo Collins of BNA Bank at State of the Region meeting

New Albany MS – Thanks to Joann Lesley, New Albany and Union County took honors for having the most representation at the CREATE Foundation’s State of the Region meeting Tuesday morning in Tupelo.

As she has in several previous years, Joanne Lesley of the Union County Development Association (UCDA) worked the phones, sent text messages, and sent emails urging local people to attend the annual event. Twenty-seven people from Union County signed in for the meeting at the Bancorp Conference Center. The next closest had less than half that many.

It was worth a bit of money: UCDA took the $1,000 prize which CREATE awards for the best attendance.

As with most of what happens at UCDA, Joanne Lesley is the person who makes things happen.

It was a doubly-sweet occasion for New Albany and Union County, because BNA Bank President Bo Collins, this year’s CREATE Board Chairman, presided at the event.

Expanding trained workforce is focus of meeting

The main focus of the annual State of the Region meeting is expanding the trained workforce in the 17-county north Mississippi region served by CREATE.

Speakers for this year’s event included: Allegra Brigham, chairman of the Commission on the Future of Northeast Mississippi; Jay Moon, president and CEO of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association; Dr. Kristy Luse, CREATE vice-president in charge of the Toyota Wellspring Education Fund, and Dickie Scruggs, founder of 2nd Chance MS.

Create Commission on the future of Northeast Mississippi

CREATE’S Commission on the future of Northeast Mississippi is the organizer of the annual State of the Region meeting. The Commission comprises 54 volunteer leaders who study data, identify key issues, establish regional goals and objectives, and craft solutions.

The overall goal of the Commission is to increase per capita income.

The primary supporting goal is improving educational attainment.

The secondary supporting goals include: helping build a diversified economy and accelerating development and completion of four-lane highways.

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Union Co. Supervisors hear money report and plea

A report about an education trust fund and  a plea for money for a mental health program were heard at Monday morning’s Union County board meeting.

BNA Bank Vice President Mike Staten introduced Mike Clayborne president of the CREATE Foundation of Tupelo. CREATE is the administrator of the $50-million Toyota Wellspring Education Fund, which was established to benefit the education of K-12 students in Union, Pontotoc and Lee counties. The $50-million gift, payable over a period of ten years, was announced by Toyota executives at the 2007 groundbreaking of the company’s new manufacturing plant near Blue Springs in eastern Union County.

Clayborne said earnings from the fund had been used during the last year to enhance career awareness for students in the eight school districts which are beneficiaries of the fund. He said funds have also been used for professional development opportunities for educators and administrators, including a recent trip to Columbus, Indiana. Staten represents Union County on the advisory board of the Toyota Education Fund.

Ricardo Fraga, chief executive officer of Lifecore Health Group and the Region III Mental Health Center in Tupelo, told the board state funding for Region III had been cut during the recent legislative session. He asked for more funding help from Union County. The Board of Supervisors appropriated $23,500 for Region III during the current fiscal year. According to CBS News, the legislature and governor cut funding for mental health services in Mississippi by more than 10 percent for the coming 2017 fiscal year.

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UNITE awards grants, honors Volunteer of the Year: UPDATED

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UNITE,  the Union County/New Albany Initiative to Excel held its annual dinner Thursday evening, March 31st, at Hillcrest Baptist Church in New Albany. UNITE is a local philanthropic organization, an affiliate of the CREATE Foundation of Tupelo.

Joyce Sumners, this year's UNITE Volunteer of the Year, is shown early in the UNITE event before she knew she was being honored.

Joyce Sumners, this year’s UNITE Volunteer of the Year, is shown early in the UNITE event before she knew she was being honored.

The annual UNITE dinner is the occasion for the presentation of grants to local non-profit organizations and the drive to raise additional donations to fund future grants.  Checks representing grants were presented 18 local organizations.

Joyce Sumners was honored as the UNITE Volunteer of the Year. This was the third year for presentation of that honor.

New Albany attorney Drew Shands and restaurateur Moises Lemus made the presentation of UNITE grant awards.

New Albany attorney Drew Shands and restaurateur Moises Lemus made the presentation of UNITE grant awards.

Travis Wiseman, president of the UNITE Board of Directors, presided at the meeting.

More photos and additional details about the UNITE dinner will be posted this weekend on NAnewsweb.com.

Linda and Bill Everett, shown here at the 2016 meeting on Thursday, were named UNITE Volunteers of the Year in 2015.

Linda and Bill Everett, shown here at the 2016 meeting on Thursday, were named UNITE Volunteers of the Year in 2015.

 

 

 

Collett Cross is the executive director of UNITE

Collett Cross is the executive director of UNITE

 

 

 

 

 

Bill Smallwood, a UNITE director, is shown with Mike Clayborne, who is president of CREATE, the parent organization of UNITE.

Bill Smallwood, a UNITE director, is shown with Mike Clayborne, who is president of CREATE, the parent organization of UNITE.

 

 

 

UNITE Board President Travis Wiseman presided at the Thursday evening event.

UNITE Board President Travis Wiseman presided at the Thursday evening event.

 

 

 

 

 

Joyce Sumners did not know her son Tom was present at the UNITE event until he walked up and kissed her cheek immediately after she was named Volunteer of the Year.

Joyce Sumners did not know her son Tom was present at the UNITE event until he walked up and kissed her cheek immediately after she was named Volunteer of the Year.

 

 

 

 

 

Joyce Sumners is the 2016 UNITE Volunteer of the Year. Her two daughters were visiting New Albany from their homes in Jackson, but she was not expecting them at the UNITE dinner. Her son Tom Sumners, who lives in Dunnelon, Florida, and his daughter, Stacey Sumners Earnest, had arrived in New Albany unknown to Mrs. Sumners. All four were kept hidden from her view during the early part of the program. She enjoyed a double surprise: being named Volunteer of the Year and her family unexpectedly present to enjoy the honor with her. Shown are Stacy Sumners Earnest, Leslie Sumners, Tom Sumners, Joyce Sumners and Dr. Melinda Sumners Ray.

Joyce Sumners is the 2016 UNITE Volunteer of the Year. Her two daughters were visiting New Albany from their homes in Jackson, but she was not expecting them at the UNITE dinner. Her son Tom Sumners, who lives in Dunnelon, Florida, and his daughter, Stacey Sumners Earnest, had arrived in New Albany unknown to Mrs. Sumners. All four were kept hidden from her view during the early part of the program. She enjoyed a double surprise: being named Volunteer of the Year and her family unexpectedly present to enjoy the honor with her. Shown are Stacy Sumners Earnest, Leslie Sumners, Tom Sumners, Joyce Sumners and Dr. Melinda Sumners Ray.

 

 

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