The Winston Partnership/Chamber of Commerce Annual Celebration set for Thursday
The Winston Partnership/Chamber of Commerce Annual Celebration will be held on Thursday, April 25, 2019 at 6:00 pm at The Louisville Community Safe Room.
A grand opening and ribbon cutting for the new Safe Room facility is tentatively set for 5:30 p.m. to kick off the events of the evening.
“We are also excited about celebrating the traditional aspects of the annual celebration. There are some amazing individuals who will be honored with this year's annual awards, and it'll be a great opportunity to recognize their achievements in making Louisville/Winston County a better place to live, work, and play,” stated Glen Haab.
The Chamber of Commerce/Main Street received several nominations for Man and Woman of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, Forestry Award, Farmer of the Year and Retailer of the Year. The Chamber will also award an Excellence in Public Service Award this year.
Man of the Year
Winston County’s Man of the Year award is given to an individual who is constantly placing others above himself and is a person who works for the betterment of our county and its people. Steve Quinn embodies all those attributes. Quinn was born and raised in Winston County. He is the son of the late Kam Quinn and Margaret Quinn. He graduated from Nanih Waiya High School and attended East Central Community College. Quinn has used his skills working at Billy Baker’s IGA, Grocery, Brunt- Ward Auto Dealer, and Georgia Pacific. In 1979 he served as Winston County’s Tax Assessor for 8 years. Afterwards, he began working in the insurance business. Currently, he is an employee for Porter Funeral Home. Steve and his wife, Mary are members of First Baptist Church where he serves as a Deacon, Sunday School Teacher, Song Leader for the Adult 5 Sunday School Department, and helps with the JOY Senior Citizens group.
“Throughout Steve’s busy life, he still finds time to visit the hospital and nursing homes on a weekly basis. He delivers meals to the shut-ins of First Baptist Church every Wednesday. He truly has a servant’s heart- always smiling and cheerful and always ready to lend a helping hand,” noted the letter nominating Steve.
Steve and Mary have three children- Suzanne, Dana, and Marty. They have six grandchildren Braleigh, Quinn, Ollie, Millie, Cadia, and Myra.
WOMAN OF THE YEAR
The woman of the year is honored based upon accomplishments have been in the past 12 months (2018) rather than over several years.
This year’s winner is Heather Thompson. Thompson was nominated on her work, dedication and enthusiasm as sponsor of the Anchor Club as stated in the nominating letter.
Thompson is deserving of this award because of her dedication and enthusiasm as sponsor of the Anchor Club.
Heather has been Anchor sponsor for the past 3 years and this year the Winston County Club was runner-up to Anchor Club of the year in the Mississippi District. Heather's leadership was recognized when she was asked to be the coordinator for the Mississippi District last year. She now serves as the International Coordinator of Anchor Clubs for the 2018-2019 year.
Heather leads the girls and boys in their service projects, which has an emphasis on brain-related disorders. Heather and her husband, Bo, are the proud parents of Jett and Ava Rose. They are active in their church.
According to the nominating form, Heather wholeheartedly supports her husband's band, Pinnishook. She is an employee at Bancorp South Bank.
Jett attends Grace Christian School and Heather is involved in the school's activities there. Heather has served in numerous leadership capacities in Pilot Club including President.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Several nominations were received for the “Lifetime Achievement Award”, which is not necessarily presented every year, yet will have two recipients this year. This award is presented to a person who, over the course of a lifetime, has helped make Winston County a better place to live.
The two winners this year are:
After almost 50 years of service to the Winston County education community, Gale Gregory has made lasting impacts for numerous generations. He served in the education community as a teacher, principal, administrator, school bard member, and advocate for education in the MS Legislature. He was the driving force along with Giles Ward in the development of academic banquets in the early 1990's for the purpose of recognizing students for their academic achievements.
He has been recognized by his peers as Administrator of the Year in 1999 for the Louisville Municipal School District and Administrator of the Year for the Third Congressional District in 1999. He was a member of the MS State Council of the National Beta Club from 1980-1999. He served as District Four Secretary of the MS High School Athletic Association for 33 years.
Gregory has been an active member of his church serving for 33 yeas as a deacon and 31 years as a Sunday School Teacher.
For the past 11 years Gale Gregory has endeared himself to the Grace Family as a Headmaster, dedicated leader, servant, and friend. His love for Our Lord is presented in the moments of counsel and wisdom, most of the time accompanied by Scripture reference, that he shares with the Board, staff, faculty and students. His passion for our students is evident in their love and respect for him that is displayed in the halls.
Farrell Rigby has served for 33 years at Winston Academy and has influenced thousands upon thousands of students to give their best and be their best. Where ever he goes, there will always be a student from the past that will speak to him and express their appreciation for his leadership and influence in their lives.
Farrell Rigby's reputation as a fair, but firm disciplinarian is known throughout all educational circles and his name is synonymous with Winston Academy. He is a man of true integrity. He is honest, fair, and dedicated to his family, friends, faculty and our school. He has spent a lifetime serving others.
Farmer of the Year
Grady Earl Suttle Jr. better known to most as Rusty or Chief has been raising cattle in Winston County for most of his life. At the age of 16 with the help of his dad, Grady Suttle, he started workingon his family's land by raising and selling beef master heifers adn bulls and later Angus cattle.
Rusty graduated from Noxapater High School in 1976 and 2 years later married his high school sweetheart, Sherry Rodgers. Married almost 41 years, they have 2 daughters, Becky Hamilton and Missy Sherwood and 7 grandchildren. Rusty has a Bachelors degree in Agricultural Education from Mississippi State University and was the Ag and Shop instructor at Neshoba Central High School for 25 years.
For 45 years Rusty has worked hard to build his cattle business which includes 235 acres of land in Liberty. He is well known for his beautiful cows and well-kept fields. He believes in hard work and doing things right.
Forestry Award of the Year
Stevie Herrington, a live-long resident of Winston County, graduated from Louisville High School in 1994. He married his high school sweetheart, April Dempsey in 1998 and together they have 2 children, Jacke (18) a senior and Emmie (15) a freshman, both a Winston Academy.
Stevie completed 2 years of Forestry under Mr. Ed Faurot at the Winston-Louisville Career and Technology Center and went on to East MS Community College and MSU to achieve a degree in Forestry.
Stevie worked in the industry from 1997-2008, and for the majority of the time at Rives and Reynolds Lumber Company, Inc. as a Procurement Forester. While in procurement for Rives and Reynolds, he was in charge of purchasing logs for 2 sawmills: Louisville and Kosciusko.
In addition to procuring logs for sawmills, he also oversaw logging operations and help manage the companies almost 4,500 acres of timberland. In 2008, Stevie accepted the job of Forestry Instructor at Winston Louisville Career and Technology Center following int he footsteps of the great Mr. Faurot who was Stevie's mentor.
Stevie is a Sustainable Forestry Initiative certified member fo the Winston County Forestry Association, a FFA adviser, a member of MS Profession Educators and a small business owner.
Excellence in Public Service Award
The Excellence in Public Service Award will be awarded to Louisville Chief of Police LM Claiborne.
Claiborne began his law enforcement career with the Mississippi Highway Patrol, after four years of active duty in the U.S. Army. He was only 23 years old at the time, having joined the Army when he was 18, just out of high school.
The Army was an eye-opening experience for a young man who grew up on a working cotton plantation, the Pine Grove Plantation, about three-and-a-half miles east of Tchula, Mississippi.
Claiborne said that the night before graduation from trooper school each cadet was given a map showing his duty assignment. His was Winston County, and this has been his home ever since. It was in Louisville that he met his future bride, Delmethric Haynes Claiborne.
Claiborne’s life has been one of service, with 39 years in law enforcement, and 27 years in the military, four on active duty and 22-and-a-half in the National Guard.
Between 1980 and 2000 he served in a number of capacities with the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol, including: Law Enforcement Officer, Training Officer, Crime Scene Investigator, Traffic Accident Reconstructionist, Director of Training, Assistant Troop Commander, and Director of Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP)/Assistant Commissioner of Public Safety. Claiborne was the first African-American to serve in this office.
He served as the Director of Training and Exercises for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety Homeland security from January 2004-August 2006, and was appointed Louisville Chief of Police in September 2006.
Claiborne and his wife have two children: LaQuintis, who is married to Kimberley Triplett Claiborne; they live in Jonesboro, GA: and Dr. Chrysanthia Claiborne Davis, who is married to Willie Davis; she is a graduate of the University of Mississippi Pharmacy School.
Claiborne and his family are members of Still Valley M.B. Church where he serves as a Deacon and a trustee.
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Retailer of the Year is for retail merchants that have gone the extra mile to make their customers shopping experience fun and favorable. This year’s winner is Just Teasin' Boutik & Salon which is Owned and operated by Pam Higgason and Shirley Mitchell with salon portion of the operation owned and operated by Olivia Higgason Grimshel. The store opened in 2011 and offers selection of jewelry, purses, wallets, Tshirts, hair salon and much more.
The Chamber invites everyone in the community to attend the event Thursday, April 25, 2019 at 6:00 pm at The Louisville Community Safe Room.
To purchase $25 ticket for this year's Celebration please contact the Chamber/Partnership Office before ticket sales close.
