It was a big night for Marion General Hospital Jan. 30 as it received the Business of the Year Award at the Marion County Development Partnership annual banquet.
Presenting the awards were Chairman of the MCDP Board Janette Nolan and Chairman of the Marion County Economic Development District Tim Magee.
Nolan said Marion General's main focus of providing quality health care close to home is accomplished through its 49 beds and its 24-hour emergency care in the level 4 trauma center. The hospital has 56 medical staff members and more than 150 total employees. In 2019 it admitted 670 patients and treated 13,571 patients in the ER and 7,804 at the Rural Health Clinic.
Bryan Maxey, who oversees several hospitals in the region that are operated by Forrest General Hospital, reported to the Board of Supervisors this week that admissions had gone up 9.8% in 2019, which Maxey called one of the best years the hospital has had.
“The presence of Marion General and its provision for quality health care in the community and a proactive roll on community health needs make it a recruiting tool for business and a workforce talent and it helps keep our local workforce on the job and for every employer,” Nolan said at the banquet.
Nolan, who is the Marion County circuit clerk, talked about how businesses, civic leaders and elected officials are working together for the betterment of the community.
“This is the strength of Marion County,” she said.
MCDP President Lori Watts introduced the members of the MCDP board and the Marion County Economic Development District and other special guests. The organizations serve as the public and private arms of the county’s industrial recruitment and chamber of commerce programs.
The event held at the Magnolia Grille was sold out and had been for over a week prior to the party. Guests enjoyed a meal of baked chicken and pork tenderloin, green beans, potatoes and more prior to the beginning of the program. Sounds of Creativity performed jazz music, while guests enjoyed their meal and talked.
The Maurice Dantin Leadership Award, which is given by the MCEDD, was presented to Kristian Agoglia with Looks Great Services and Experience Columbia. The award is given to someone who demonstrate leadership and wisdom and dedication to Marion County. It recognizes the commitment to motivate others to achieve specific goals in order to meet the community’s needs and improve the overall quality of life in the business community.
Magee said about Agoglia, “He is best known for demonstrating to our community great things can be accomplished if we stop lamenting about we can’t and start to dream about what it might be.”
Mona Swayze, branch manager of the Columbia-Marion County Library, received the Ambassador of the Year Award.
New this year were the Celebration Awards, given to those that communicate the many ways businesses, owners and individuals lead and serve in various ways within their sphere of influence.
The first award is the Emerging Leader Award. It will be a bi-annual award and coincide with the completion of each Leadership Marion County Class.
The recipient exhibits leadership qualities conveyed from the program. The inaugural winner was Jacob Harrison of Looks Great Services and Experience Columbia.
Next was the You Make a Difference Award. This award was for someone(s) who went out of the way to do/bring something great to benefit the county.
Tammy Riley with Zellco Federal Credit Union and Carlton Thornhill received the award for the work they did in procuring and organizing the Wall that Heals which came to Columbia in November.
The Rock Star Award recognizes a person or an organization that has made a significant impression or impact on the MCDP or the community.
The Columbia Gearheads received this award for the interest the group has generated in Marion County for its monthly cruise-in in downtown Columbia.
Spirit of Giving Award was presented to Kane’s Catfish, Seafood and Steakhouse.
The restaurant routinely hosts nights where the profits and tips go in support of a charitable cause.
The Heart of Entrepreneurship Award was for businesses that put in extra hours and gave for the events in downtown Columbia.
The winners, Southern Grace Boutique and Barrett’s Garden Center, reached beyond the commu nity to assist the Women’s Center for Non-Violence in Gulfport during the Christmas season.
Nolan discussed work the organization has accomplished.
“2019 was a milestone year for our community. Not only are we closing one decade and looking forward to another, after 200 years our city begins its next century,” she said.
She said the MCDP has played a role in the creation and retention of 1,380 jobs in Marion County.
She said it has helped generate capital investments of $43.4 million, $38.7 million of which has been private investment and $4.7 million coming from grants.
The organization launched the ACT WorkReady Community Certification in 2019, and 17 people graduated from the Leadership Marion County.
In April the application process will open for the 2021 class, she said.
She encouraged everyone to consider sponsoring a participant from the organization.
Not only does the program develop leadership characteristics in the individuals, which benefit employers, but it builds a dynamic group leadership and creates more connections throughout the city and the county and across the members, benefiting the entire business community.
In education the MCDP assisted in the procurement of $104,250 in scholarships for the Mississippi Scholar and Tech Master Program.
Keep Marion County Beautiful held several events in 2019, including the Great American Clean-Up Event, Clean Your Block, a Holiday Clean-up and along with the county, city and Marion General Hospital the household hazard waste day. Through this work, the committee qualified for the Keep American Beautiful President Circle.
The organization assisted in the opening of nine new businesses with ribbon cuttings, with two special anniversary business events. The community saw an increase in sales taxes, increases in per capita income and increase in interest in Columbia as a destination to do business, shop abd visit, according to the MCDP.
“We are Columbia, and we are going to move forward bigger, better and stronger,” Nolan said. n
