Within the Classes

Harriett Bachman Rutledge, of Moss Point, celebrated her 95^th birthday on June 25^th. She is one of the oldest living graduates of Delta State Teachers College.

Troy Ricks, of Jackson, has been chosen for induction into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. Ricks was an All-American basketball player at Delta State and coached from 1951-1970.

Cora Peeler Lamond, of Williamsburg, VA, is a member of Global Ambassadors Surf and Turf Navigator, and Continents and Oceans. She's traveled to China six times and recently returned from her second trip to Egypt.

Edith Weatherall Littlefield, of Pontotoc, was given a surprise birthday party with DSU classmates from the 1940s attending from numerous states.

Rev. Jimmy Breland and wife Billie, have been selected to receive the Alumni Legacy Award which will be presented at Homecoming 2007.

Hal Gerrard, of Cleveland, was featured in the “Bolivar Commercial” as Person of the Week.

Joe Floyd, of Kodiak, AK, was inducted into the Alaska’s High School Hall of Fame as a coach who transformed Alaska’s sport’s landscape. Floyd is a native of Tunica. He recently reunited with friends Hugh Ellis Walker and Marion Cole.

Woodson Earle, of Lexington, was presented a key to Delta State and honored by the Attala/Holmes Alumni Chapter for his many years service in coaching and teaching. An endowed scholarship was established in his honor by Hunter Cade, Kirk Povall, and Don Barrett, three of his former football players from the Lexington High School Hornets.

Jack Holmes, a thirty-five year veteran of Holmes Community College, was the recipient of HCC’s “Alumnus of the Year Award.” He holds a master’s degree from Mississippi State University. He and his wife, Margaret, reside in Kosciusko.

Bebe Carter Bingham was recently selected as the recipient of the "Women in History Hall of Fame" award for Grand Prairie, TX. She is serving her ninth year on the Grand Prairie ISD School Board.

Bob M. Dearing, of Natchez, is a member of the Mississippi State Senate representing District 37.

Dr. John Arnold, of Cleveland, has joined the JBH Education Group promoting the company’s Middle School Math Standards instructional materials.

Anice Carpenter Powell, of Sunflower, retired from her post at Mid-Delta Empowerment Zoning Alliance (MDEZA) after a decade of service.

Ned Mitchell, of Cleveland, was named “King” of Junior Auxiliary’s Children’s Charity Benefit Ball.

Charles Ellington, of Corinth, was inducted into the Northeast Mississippi Band Director’s Association Hall of Fame.

John Calcote, of Brookhaven, has been named to the Board of Directors of the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Foundation.

Dr. Darry Hardy, of Cleveland, was named Interim Chair of Accountancy, Computer information Systems and Finance at Delta State.

Paula Caston, of Liberty, who teaches math and computer applications, was named STAR Teacher at Amite School Center.

Curtis Buchanan, of Greenville, was presented a key to Delta State University and honored by the Washington County Alumni Chapter for his many years of service to the community as well as Delta State University.

Carolyn Watson, of Tupelo, is a professional watercolor artist whose work was displayed at Northeast Mississippi Community College.

Ronnie Smith, of Corinth, was inducted into the Northeast Mississippi Band Director’s Association Hall of Fame.

Jerry Boatner, of Collinsville, a member of the DSU Coaches Hall of Fame, won his 11^th State Baseball Championship and was named “Coach of the Year” by the USA Today. He coaches at West Lauderdale High School.

Vicki Fioranelli, of Cleveland, was voted “Outstanding Staff Member of the Year” by the Delta State Pan Hellenic Council.

Chancery Judge John A. Hatcher, of Booneville, was sworn into his newly created position at the Frank Haney Union Building on the campus of Northeast Mississippi Community College.

Charles Jenkins, a Hazlehurst artist, has been awarded a grant by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Beverly Nobile, of Indianola, was named to the board of directors of TaxBreak, LLC. She was also named executive accounts director.

Rick Anderson, of Clinton, received a Mississippi Arts Commission grant to fund children’s workshop at William Carey University.

Frank Sibley, president and CEO of Citizens Bank and Trust in Marks, was chosen grand marshal of the Marks Christmas Parade. Sibley is president of the DSU Foundation Board of Directors.

Nina McCaslin Horn, of Sea Grove, FL, is a realtor with Destin Real Estate Company. She is among the top 15% of volume producing agents on the Emerald Coast.

John Applegate, of Beverly Hills, CA, has been promoted to Vice President of Finance with the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association.

Dr. Myrtis Swindoll Tabb, Senior Administrator, Special Projects at Delta State University recently completed Session II of the Economic Development Institute (QU/EDI) conducted by the University of Oklahoma. She also received a scholarship for further study from the MS Economic Development Council, Inc. Scholarship Committee (MEDC) in Jackson.

John Wayne Mosley is the new manager of Twin County Electric Power Association in Hollandale.

Bill Myers, of Ocean Springs, was commissioned to paint two giant murals which hang at the entrance of the Ocean Springs library.

Luroy F. Hart, former Band Director at Mize High School, from Morton, was named Star Teacher.

Sue L. Patterson, of Alexandria, VA, retired after 34 years from the Federal Government Intelligence Community. She received the “Superior Civilian Service Award” in November 2006 for her service.

Julie B. Brown, of Greenville, a Biology Advanced Placement and Chemistry teacher at Deer Creek School received her fifth "STAR Teacher of the Year" award.

Dr. Amzi Sherling, Fairhope, AL, is a dentist. He has served as vice president and president of the Mississippi Academy of General Dentistry.

Robert “Bob” J. Wilson, of Jackson, was named director of the Mississippi Main Street Association.

Wallace “Butch” Mallette, of Greenville, was chosen as Mississippi Delta Community College’s “Humanities Teacher of the Year” for 2006-2007.

Ann Hannaford Lamar, of Senatobia, was recently appointed to the Mississippi Supreme Court. Previously, she served as an assistant district attorney in DeSoto, Panola, Tallahatchie, Tate and Yalobusha counties. Lamar becomes the third woman to serve on the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Joni Battistelli Tyler, of Merigold, is a Jenny Craig Weight Loss Consultant in Jackson.

Bill Greenleaf, of Brandon, was selected to receive the “Hugh Ellis Walker Alumni Service Award” which will be presented at Homecoming 2007.

Karen Kuhn, of Gulfport, received the “2006 NALS Award of Excellence”, the highest award a member can receive from NALS.

Ronald Ola served as a Knights of Columbus Honor Guard for confirmation at Immaculate Heart Catholic Church in Greenwood.

Hayden Hall, of Marks, is known as the “Mississippi Mud Potter”, and recently had a showing of his work at the Gatewood Studio Gallery in Forest.

David Abney, of Atlanta, GA, is the new Chief Operating Officer and President of UPS International Airlines. He has been named “Outstanding Alumnus of the Year” at Delta State University. The award will be presented at Homecoming 2007.

Rickey Neaves, of Booneville, was appointed to District Superintendent of Booneville School System.

Lucy Ferron recently retired from the State of Mississippi with thirty years of service, the last nineteen at Mississippi Public Broadcasting. She immediately began a new career as Program Coordinator with Jobs for Mississippi Graduates.

Ricky Neaves, of Booneville, was named Superintendent of the Booneville School District.

Judy Collins Gill, of Hattiesburg, was named “Manager of the Year” at Wesley Medical Center. She is the Director of Nutrition and Food Services.

Mike Kinnison, Delta State’s head baseball coach, earned his 500^th win during the past baseball season.

Charles “Chuck” Booth, of Colleyville, TX, is manager of Flight Operations Efficiency and also a pilot with American Airlines in Dallas, TX.

Dr. Lee Childress was elected chairman of the Mississippi Public Employee’s Retirement System Board for 2006.

Jeff A. Russell, of Clinton, was named partner/ executive vice president of the GodwinGroup, one of the South’s largest and oldest advertising agencies.

Carol Avis Oakes, of Greenville, received teaching profession’s top credential by achieving National Board Certification.

Dr. Charles Brock, of Cleveland, is the 58^th president of the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians.

Harry L. Lott, Jr., of Grenada, is the Vice President, Loan Production Office, for Cleveland State Bank in Grenada.

Dr. Billy Moore, of Cleveland, was named Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Delta State University.

Ken Cummins, owner of Kenneth Cummins Interior Design in Memphis, is a member of the board of directors for the Tennessee Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers.

Susan Wilks, of Utica, was promoted to Chief Systems Information Officer for the Mississippi State Tax Commission

Chris Burgess, of Ridgeland, has launched a new company, Performance Delta, LLC. The business offers an array of management tools designed for customer based businesses.

Bob Billingsley, of Laurel, was elected vice chairman of the Mississippi Poultry Association. Billingsley is director of development and engineering for Sanderson Farms.

Dr. Larry Bradford is currently Associate Professor of Percussion and Assistant Band Director at Delta State University.

George Bassi, of Laurel, was featured in a Hattiesburg publication for his outstanding educational programs with the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art. Bassi

Penny Howle, of Anguilla, was selected “Teacher of the Year” for the South Delta School District.

Dr. Dwight Vick, PhD, of Vermillion, SD, was named assistant professor of political science and MPA coordinator on the W. Texas A & M University campus located in Canyon. He authored or co-authored articles that were published in the Journal of American Medical Association, South Dakota Law Review, and PA Times. He received an award in 2006 for the best article published in PA Times from the American Society of Public Administration.

Kelly Heath, of Clinton, was recently named Clinton School District’s “Administrator of the Year.” He is a native of Rolling Fork.

Jesse Burns Strider, of Washington D.C., has joined Senator Hillary Clinton’s Presidential campaign staff.

Timothy R. Balducci, of Booneville, is now practicing in his own law firm Patterson Balducci, PLLC in New Albany.

Balducci

Donald W. Tassin, of Petal, is Bancorp South’s Petal Branch Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager.

Tracy Wright Spencer, of Lumberton, TX, signed a contract with Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company to create a college textbook for an introductory humanities course.

Marshal Kent Savage, of Greenwood, has been promoted to Senior Vice President and Senior Information Systems Officer at State Bank and Trust Co.

Ladonna Worthing, of Grenada, was honored by the Business and Professional Women’s in celebration of National Business Women’s Week.

Sam Lemonis, of Brandon, is the Hinds Community College District Director of Purchasing.

Kevin Baioni, of Collierville, TN, was promoted to Director of NAFTA Lean Manufacturing for CIBA Specialty Chemicals.

Amy Lynn Mallette, of Cleveland, received the “Thad Cochran Distinguished Arts Educator Award” for her outstanding achievement in arts education in Mississippi. She is a music teacher at B.L. Bell Elementary School.

Wayne Ray, of Jackson, is a revenue officer specialist with the Mississippi State Tax Commission.

Barry Bridgers is a Crop Protection Marketing Manager with Agriliance LLC in Memphis, TN.

Carol Cummings, of Tupelo, was selected as “Teacher of Year” at Shannon High School.

Grace Hickman, of Rincon, GA, is serving as the Assistant Director of Admission at the Savannah College of Arts and Design in Savannah, GA.

Kevin Nations, of Barksdale, LA, was promoted to the rank of Major in the United States Air Force.

Dr. Ernest Brothers (MSNS 1994) is the Executive Director of the Peach State Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (PSLSAMP) at University of Georgia.

David Parker Bradley, of Nashville, TN, is currently producer, director, writer in Nashville and owner/manager of Clockwork Pictures Production.

Lance C. Pogue, of Eupora, was named the football coach at South Panola High School in Batesville.

Sam Temple, of Clinton, is in his second full season as Hinds Community College’s head baseball coach.

Land Heflin was recently featured on the Discovery Channel as part of a group exploring and rafting a river in Bhutan. Heflin was described as a world class kayaker and was part of a six man kayak team. For more information visit www.teamtarkio.com.

Brady Stewart and Thomas Fisher, members of the band, "Strawbridge Curtis" released their recent CD with nineteen original songs. The CD is titled "Pictures on the Wall."

Marilyn Tullos, of Crystal Springs, was selected as “Teacher of the Year” at Florence Elementary School.

Dr. Gregory Anthony Hudson, dean of students at Coahoma Community College, has been selected as a member of the prestigious accreditation evaluation team of the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Cindy J. Tackett, of Sunflower, is the Delta Business Journal’s new account executive.

Deborah G. Moore, of Cleveland, received a scholarship for further study from the MS Economic Development Council, Inc. Scholarship Committee (MEDC).

Amanda Garvin, of Booneville, recently republished an article in the Mathematics Journal APS Teaching and Learning System.

Nashid Madyun, of Memphis, TN, is President/General Manager of Gibson Beale Street Showcase and Executive Director of “Discovers of Gibson.”

Randall Gurlen, assistant principal at Margaret Green Junior High School in Cleveland, invented his own seasoning called Gurlen’s #32 Grillin-Spice.

Mia Fioranelli, Director of Therapy at the Village at Germantown, was featured in the Downtown Urban Neighborhood publication. Fioranelli is a board member of the Downtown Neighborhood Association in Memphis, TN.

Jessie Lenard Whitley was promoted to Vice President of Trustmark National Bank in Jackson.

Rodney Martin, of Cleveland, led the Bayou Academy baseball team to a State A Championship.

Jerry Whittington is the Warehouse Manager for Best Buy Electronics in Flower Mound, TX.

Sherby Hale is a 9^th grade counselor and Alternative English teacher and was nominated for “Teacher of the Year” in Indianola.

Dr. Christopher Shelby, of Boiling Springs, SC, is practicing family medicine at North Bay Family Medical Clinic.

Florence Kelly Lucas, of Renova, director of Coahoma Community College’s Gear-Up after school program presented a capacity building workshop in Atlanta.

Missy Pearce (M.Ed. 2007), of Cleveland, has successfully completed the Master of Education in History degree at Delta State University. Pearce is the Director of Annual Giving at the DSU Foundation.

Jim Tindall, of Carrolton, has been named assistant football coach at Mississippi Delta Community College in Moorhead.

Donte' James, an Aberdeen native, recently expanded his business EDJ Mortgage & Wealth Strategies to Mississippi. His business is one of the few African American mortgage companies in the entire state and the first African American mortgage company owner and broker to service the Golden Triangle area.

Paul “Bubba” Mancini, of Cleveland, is now the Chief Nuclear Medicine Technologist at Bolivar Medical Center.

Brian Waldrop, of Greenwood, was named the Morgan B. Coker School of Business “Outstanding Alumnus” for 2007 at Francis Marion University (S.C.). He is CFO of Viking Range and a member of the DSU Foundation Board of Directors.

Justin Nichols, of Calhoun City, is Vice President of Manufactory at Med-Life and Mobility.

Alison Nichols, of Calhoun City, is Vice President of Marketing at Med-Life and Mobility.

Will Simpson, II, of Madison, recently associated with the law firm of Knight & Mozingo, PLLC in Ridgeland.

Lisa Lord was named “Outstanding Adviser of the Year” by the Panhellenic Council and named Director of Institutional Research at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LA.

Sophia Moody, of Cleveland, is a social worker and office manager for Sandanna Hospice in Ruleville.

Rhonda Anderson, a teacher at John F. Kennedy High School in Mound Bayou, is also owner of Inspiration by Design, a screen printing business.

Megan Sewall Ellis, of Cleveland, is a Fisheries Biologist and game Warden with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

Jean Merideth Alridge Fancher was promoted to Assistant VP and Loan Officer at Holmes County Bank & Trust Company in Lexington.

Jana McKellar, of Blaine, has created a variety of handcrafted picture frames, which is on display at several shops throughout the Delta.

Danielle Ginn and husband John, of Lexington, are new owners of Kittrell’s Restaurant on the square in Lexington.

Dr. Dayle Valente Houston, of Durham, NC, successfully defended her dissertation and received her Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of North Carolina. She is formerly of Indianola.

Kimberly Dean Price, of Cleveland, received the “Golden Apple Award” sponsored by WABG TV.

Kathy Walley, of Cleveland, was named 2007 “Teacher of the Year.” Walley teaches at Presbyterian Day School.

Brandy Gregg was named a Duchess for the Krewe of Caduceus in Gautier Mardi Gras parade.

Ryan England was selected to receive the “Kent Wyatt Young Alumnus Service Award”, which will be presented at Homecoming 2007.

Dan Purvis, of Pineville, LA, is the Athletic Director & Head Baseball Coach at Louisiana State University in Alexandria.

Dr. Lakeisha Marie Conley, of Greenville, graduated from the University of South Alabama College Of Medicine. She will begin an internal medicine residency with University of South Alabama Hospitals.

Rob Earnheart, a native of Tunica, has accepted a position as manager with retailer Home James in Dallas, TX.

Dr. Stephen Pannel ’02 and Dr. Katherine Gantz Pannel ‘03 were two of 217 medical students who received the doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) degree from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. Stephen and Katherine will complete postdoctoral residencies in Psychiatry at the University of Arkansas School for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

Josh Manley is a minority senior staff member of the Senate Appropriations Committee in Washington D.C.

Steven C. Little, of Batesville, is currently employed with the Mississippi Crime Laboratory in Batesville as a Forensic Scientist.

Laura Hartness, of Brandon, has been promoted to Corporate Services Officer at Trustmark National Bank in Jackson.

Morgan Lamar Geoghagan, of Ridgeland, received his Certified Public Accountant license by the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy. He is employed by Lefoldt & Co., P.A.

Mark Bellipanni, of Belzoni, was promoted to Loan Officer for Community Bank in Indianola.

Kreslyn Hinton is the Director of Volunteer Services for Odyssey Health Care of Jackson.

John Weaver, of Vicksburg, is the new assistant football coach and teacher at North Sunflower Academy in Drew.

Dr. Lindsey Farris Byrd recently received the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. She was also named Most Outstanding Physical Therapy Student, which is a prestigious award selected by the faculty.

Brian Stephenson, of Birmingham, AL, has been promoted to District Manager with Cutco Company.

Geoffrey Latham, of Cleveland, is a Medicare Advantage Specialist with a new business selling Health Insurance, Medicare Advantage Plus, and Prescription Drug plans.

Jamie Kemp, a native of Natchez, is a new advertising representative for the Yazoo Herald.

Kaysie Shamell Blunt, of Greenville, was named Armstrong Elementary School’s “Teacher of the Year.” She is a third-year kindergarten teacher.

Ann Marie Mayers, of Cleveland, was selected as a 2007 recipient of the “Dean’s Distinguished Service Award” by the Executive Board of the University of Mississippi Law School Student Body. It is the most prestigious award given internally by the Law School.

Brandi Claire Vondenstein, head women’s softball coach at Bayou Academy in Cleveland, was named the Bolivar Commercial’s “Coach of the Year.”

P.J. Waldrop, of Alexandra, VA, is the Legislative Aide for Agriculture, Interior, Budget, and Veterans issues in Senator Thad Cochran’s office.

Jeffrey Harlan Johnson, of Clinton, has joined the marketing staff of JH& H Architects as a graphic designer.

Elois Nicholson was chosen “Teacher of the Month” for January 2007 for Coffeeville High School.

Frank Arlandus Rice, of Mound Bayou, was granted a full scholarship and graduate position with The University of Mississippi School of Chemistry.