BUSINESS NEWS

SYNERGETICS CELEBRATES ANNIVERSARY

2007 is a landmark year for Synergetics, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary as a company and Jim Raines as founder.

Synergetics began as many start-up companies do: as a second job for Jim Raines, something he did in the evenings and on weekends. Raines saw that organizations needed help designing, installing, and maintaining their computer networks and that most organizations did not have the resources or the skills to do it themselves. Synergetics was created to fill this need, and its services have developed over the years to meet the needs of its customers.

Now, Synergetics is a full-service information technology consulting company offering turn-key solutions for businesses, government agencies, and educational institutions ranging from network design, installation, diagnostics and service, computer and network hardware sales, structured cabling (category 3, 5, 6, fiber optics, and wireless networks), IP Telephony, web development and software applications to training.

Synergetics has come a long way since 1992. Today the company has a team of 43 employees working in three offices and at customer locations throughout the state. Synergetics has been listed among the Mississippi Business Journalís Top 100 Private Companies for the past five years. With all of its success, Synergetics has continued to follow Jim Rainesí philosophy of commitment to customer service.

Synergetics is currently headquartered in Starkville at 501 Hwy 12 West, Suite 100 and has satellite offices in Jackson and Cleveland. For more information, visit www.SynergeticsDCS.com.

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CYPRESS CELEBRATES 20 YEARS IN MISSISSIPPI

On October 5, 2007 Cypress Semiconductor, located in the Thad Cochran Research Park, celebrated the 20th anniversary of opening its Mississippi Design Center.

Cypress delivers high-performance, mixed-signal, programmable solutions that provide customers with rapid time-to-market and exceptional system value. Cypress offerings include the PSoC Programmable System-on-Chip, USB controllers, general-purpose programmable clocks and memories. Cypress also offers wired and wireless connectivity solutions ranging from its WirelessUSB radio system-on-chip, to West Bridge and EZ-USB FX2LP controllers that enhance connectivity and performance in multimedia handsets. Cypress serves numerous markets including consumer, computation, data communications, automotive, industrial, and solar power.

Over the years, Cypress's MSDC has directly generated more than $500 million in revenue for Cypress and has helped the company to develop a new design flow that has been deployed worldwide. The site also developed the company's first dual-port memory. Today MSDC has more than 30 employees and is the company's global center of excellence for computer-aided design, I/O circuit design, and intellectual property design and data management. MSDC's tie to Mississippi State University and to the southeast region remains strong.

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MFJ CELEBRATES 35TH ANNIVERSARY

Congratulations to MFJ Enterprises, which celebrated its 35th Anniversary on September 7-8, 2007.

According to the company's website: "MFJ Enterprises, Inc., was founded in 1972 by Martin F. Jue. The company began marketing its products in October of 1972. The first product was a high selectivity filter that would enable a receiver to separate one Morse code signal from scores of other signals that were being transmitted over the radio airwaves.

"In the summer of 1995, MFJ began an extensive move to its current location at 300 Industrial Park Road. This building now houses the main administrative office for the company as well as shipping, warehouse, and production facilities.

"After the MFJ ham radio market explosion occurred, dealers and distributors were banging on MFJ's doors for a chance to stock their shelves with MFJ products. Today, MFJ is well-represented in the United States by large communications superstores and small 'on the road' type businesses traveling to amateur radio and computer shows, known as "hamfests." MFJ travels to nearly 25 hamfests a year themselves, and are well- known for their lavish displays of products.

"The worldwide business currently has over two hundred dealers in the United States, forty overseas, and ten in Canada. The company sells over ninety-five percent of its products through dealers and the other percentage through direct mail.

"Extensive research and development goes into the Ham Radio Communication hobby business. New products are constantly on the horizon as MFJ realizes that to stay on top, it must continue to create and innovate.

"The constant growth of the amateur radio hobby has produced a continuously growing base of new ham customers. This will enable MFJ to maintain its stature as the World Leader in ham radio accessories, equipment, and service for many years to come."

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HARVEY'S CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF GREAT FOOD AND SERVICE

The popular restaurant Harvey's has focused on great food and excellent customer service for 25 years. What began as a small establishment in Starkville in 1982 has now grown to 10-plus restaurants in three states.

Part of the Eat With Us group of restaurants, Harvey's offers a wide variety of menu items. Broccoli bites, crab cakes, hand-carved steaks, pasta, and fish entrees are enduring favorites.

The restuarant is popular with locals and guests alike, and the parking lot is always full during MSU home games. The Curbside to Go service offers customers an easy way to enjoy favorites.

In May 2007, Gregg Frazer joined the Eat With Us team as corporate chef. Frazer moved to the Golden Triangle from San Diego with more than 14 years of culinary experience, including Four Seasons Hotel in West Palm Beach, Fla., and as a private chef in Hawaii, in Sydney, Australia, and for Royal Caribbean cruise lines.

Recently Chef Bill Mullins, Chef Gregg, and the Eat With Us team won first place in Originality, Taste and Presentation at the Chefs of Mississippi Awards competition.

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STARKVILLE/OKTIBBEHA COUNTY RECOGNIZED AS A TARGETED AND PREPARED COMMUNITY

Boyette Levy, an Atlanta consulting firm that provides strategic advice and communications support in economic and community development, presented findings and recommendations on August 28 and recognized the Greater Starkville Development Partnership for its leadership and participation in the Valley Targeted and Prepared Community Program (TaP). This new program, offered by Tennessee Valley Authority Economic Development in cooperation with local power distributors and administered by Boyette Levy, helps communities enhance their economic development efforts.

Starkville/Oktibbeha County was one of four communities selected from 47 applicants in the Tennessee Valley region. The TaP program features a planning process that includes an in-depth evaluation of a community's resources and strengths to target and recruit specific industry segments, which could result in additional jobs and investments.

"TVA applauds Starkville/Oktibbeha County on their successful completion of this strategic planning process," said TVA Senior Vice President of Economic Development John Bradley. "It will help prepare the community for continued economic success."

"The Partnership, collaboratively with its members and the various sectors of the community, are committed to optimizing all of its resources in pursuing the opportunities which have been identified through this strategic planning process," said GSDP Board Chairman Terry Kemp.

The strategy for Starkville/Oktibbeha County was developed using an in-depth process that included the following steps: a leadership audit and assessments related to the existing economic development structure; identification of the community's economic strengths and weaknesses; community stakeholder interviews; and assessment of certain industry sectors to determine target industries that are appropriate for the community based on local advantages and assets.

"Our findings show that the best industry targets for Starkville/Oktibbeha County in the short-term are aerospace research and development, automotive research and development, biomedical with a focus on veterinary medicine, and defense/homeland security," said Del Boyette, principal of Boyette Levy. "The presence of Mississippi State University (MSU) and a highly educated workforce in the area are major assets that strengthen the community's efforts to attract and grow businesses and jobs," Boyette said.

David Thornell, President and CEO of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, stated: "Our partnership in the Community TaP Program has already been a valuable experience for Starkville/Oktibbeha County as we are already putting together the teams and processes to address each recommendation with the goal of enhancing our future economic development efforts. We view the report as a useful guide that simply outlines the many opportunities before us, based on all that we can offer to support various types of businesses and to recruit visitors and new residents, especially retirees. All of the target industries and the recommendations will be pursued vigorously, with the mission to improve upon the quality growth that our county is already experiencing."

Thornell added, "We offer our special thanks to TVA and Boyette Levy for the opportunity to take advantage of this unique strategic planning opportunity."

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HAINSEY EARNS ACCREDITATION

Congratulations to Mike Hainsey, executive director of the Golden Triangle Regional Airport, who is now an Accredited Airport Executive (A.A.E.).

Hainsey recently completed all three phases of the accreditation process for airport management personnel, which included a 180-item multiple-choice examination, the completion of a writing assignment, and an oral interview with a panel of A.A.E.'s during which he exhibited his knowledge of airport management, business administration, and general transportation economics.

In addition to his many duties and accomplishments, Hainsey also is an active member of the GSDP Board of Directors.

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STARKVILLE SCHOOL BOND ISSUE PASSES

Starkville voters passed the biggest school building project in the school district's history on October 9. More than 66 percent of voters approved $26-plus million in bonds to improve schools in the Starkville School District.

School board officials are ready to begin implementing the plan to relieve overcrowding and other improvements to facilities. Plans include a two-story addition to Sudduth Elementary, renovations at Ward-Stewart Elementary, Henderson Intermediate and Starkville High, expansion at Armstrong Middle, and repairs at Millsaps Career and Technology Center. Details are posted at the school district's website at www.starkville.k12.ms.us.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

For information about other upcoming events, visit our on-line CALENDAR or contact info@starkville.org


OTHER NEWS OF NOTE

STARKVILLE RANKED AMONG TOP 50 SMALL CITIES IN U.S.

The online business magazine Bizjournals.com has ranked Starkville as No. 36 among 557 small cities across the country based on a number of criteria. Local officials and business leaders agree that Starkville has a lot to offer, as evidenced by the continued growth in both residential and commerical properties. One of the area assets is Mississippi State University, which is a highly rated for its efforts in various research and technology fields.

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STARKVILLE NAMED CVB OF THE YEAR

The Mississippi Tourism Association (MTA) presented their annual awards for tourism achievement for the year 2006 during activities at the Governorís Conference on Tourism held at the MSU Riley Center in Meridian, Mississippi on February 25-27, 2007.

The Starkville CVB was selected as Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) of the Year ($200,000 to $500,000 budget category). The Starkville CVB has helped the city promote itself as a tourism destination by attracting new conventions and meetings, attending numerous trade shows and sponsoring area events such as the Sturgis South Motorcycle Rally and the Cotton District Arts Festival. Arma Salazar, Vice President for Tourism and Retirement Development, accepted the award during the conference.

The awards program recognizes outstanding contributions to the advancement of tourism by members of the private sector organization as well as honoring travel media, community volunteers and governmental friends of the industry. Awards were presented in 10 categories, each focusing on a different aspect of the hospitality industry or individual achievement.

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CVB AND COR PROMOTE ACTIVITIES FOR RETIREES IN STARKVILLE AREA

The Starkville Convention and Visitors Bureau, a member agency of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, recently met with a new and informal group of organizations that form the Council of Organizations for Retirees (COR).

COR consists of all of the presidents and chairpersons of civic groups and organizations that are geared toward retirees. The CVB has met or been in contact with AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) president Lorene Overcash; ARF (Association of Retired Faculty) president Charles Sparrow; HEHC (Home Economists in Home and Community) president Mary Stokes; NARFE (National Association of Retired Federal Employees) president Joe Baker and vice president Everlyn Johnson; OCH Auxiliary (Oktibbeha County Hospital) president Nancy Comish; Starkville Partnership Ambassadors representative Peggy Mullins Buckley; and community leaders and retirees Leota Cardwell and Armando de la Cruz.

The purpose of COR is to act as a liaison between the CVB and the retirees in the community through the organizations that focus on retirees. Those retirees that are in these organizations already have a vested interest in the Starkville community. Networking with these retirees and informing them of the CVB retiree activities and asking what the needs are for retirees in Starkville will aid in the quality of life for retirees in this community.

Starkville is one of Mississippi's Certified Retirement Communities. In order to maintain that status, certain guidelines must be followed and an audit conducted by the State Retirement Program headquartered in Jackson under the Mississippi Development Authority. The CVB is active in marketing Starkville to retirees in publications such as the AARP magazine and Where to Retire magazine. The CVB attends various trade shows where qualified leads are generated and then followed up on. For more information, call Arma Salazar at 662-323-3322.

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FOCUS ON EDUCATION: KEY COMMUNICATORS NETWORK

The Partnership is pleased to support a new communications tool developed by the Starkville School District to bring to the community the very latest news briefings on activities and issues relative to our city school system.

The Key Communicators Network allows officials at the school district to provide accurate, timely information to the community. As a member, you will receive first-hand news via email regarding the accomplishments and achievements of teachers, students, and administrators, as well as up-to-the-minute information on educational issues affecting our community.

To join the Key Communicators Network, simply forward your name and e-mail address to Nicole Thomas, Public Information Officer for the Starkville School District, at nthomas@starkville.k12.ms.us and let her know that you would like to be added to the network. You will begin receiving updates and newsletters from the school district via email.

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CHAMBER RECEIVES ACCE AWARD

The Starkville Area Chamber of Commerce recently received a Membership Achievement Award from the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) for excellence in membership. Our Chamber has achieved a Top 10 placement for member retention (dollar value) for the $200,000 to $499,999 dues income category for 2006.

Data is compiled annually by ACCE, and award recipients are identified based on the number of new members, new member dollars, or membership retention (dollar value).

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GSDP RECEIVES HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARD

The Starkville Central Neighborhood Foundation recently recognized the Greater Starkville Development Partnership for excellence in historic preservation during National Historic Preservation Month. GSDP President and CEO David Thornell accepted the award for "Adaptive Reuse" during the ceremony.

The Partnership purchased the historic building at 200 East Main Street in February 2006. Working with Thomas Shelton Jones and Associates, the adaptive reuse of the old bank building was completed to become a showcase for the community. With tenant offices for the Starkville Area Arts Council and a variety of small local businesses, the Partnership is now an active and fully engaged leader in downtown revitalization for the community. As a first stop for visitors, the Welcome Center offers a taste of the exciting things to do in Starkville and the hospitality of its citizens.

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GSDP FORMS STARKVILLE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

The Greater Starkville Development Partnership is pleased to announce the formation of Starkville Young Professionals (SYP), a new group which focuses on young professionals in our community. SYP is sponsored by the Greater Starkville Development Partnership's Chamber of Commerce Division. The Small Business Development Committee provides direction for the organization.

This initiative was launched to give talented and energetic young professionals ages 21-40 the opportunity to build relationships, receive training on topics of interest, and become involved in community service in the Starkville area.

An interest meeting was held at Mugshots in late July 2007 to discuss the concept and gain feedback. Event planners expected 25 people to attend and were excited when more than 50 showed up. Approximately 60 attended the September event at Sushi on Main.

SYP is guided by three basic principles: social networking/relationship building, professional development/training, and civic engagement/community service.

SYP members are invited to join a committee to help guide and grow the SYP organization:
* The sponsorship committee is responsible for soliciting potential sponsors and meeting locations and helps make arrangements for the monthly meetings.
* The community service committee determines the types of community service projects where members can participate and works with the respective organizations to coordinate activities.
* The program committee generates ideas for professional development and helps solicit speakers for these opportunities.
* The membership committee is charged with new member recruitment and surveying the membership to ensure that the organization is fulfilling the needs of the members.

For more information, call Chance McDavid at 662-323-3322.

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FORUM LEADERSHIP PROGRAM ENTERS FOURTH YEAR

The 2007-08 class of The Forum, Oktibbeha County's leadership development program, began its year-long curriculum in August.

The current class of 18 will work to improve public speaking and interpersonal communication skills and will learn the principles of community and economic development and the importance of civic involvement. The 16-session curriculum includes lectures on topics such as problem solving and strategic planning, hands-on community assessment activities, and discussions with state and local officials.

The program is a collaboration between the Greater Starkville Development Partnership and the Community Resource Development Unit of MSU's Extension Service.

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