Business, industry of the year awarded at Chamber banquet
Published 12:33 pm Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Holley Cochran / The Prentiss Headlight—Chamber speaker Johnny Donaldson was prenseted a plaque of appreciation for being the guest speaker at this year's banquet. Pictured from left are Chamber Event Planner Chellie Payne, Donaldson, Chamber Administrator Barbara Slater and Chamber President Subrina Mason.
Holley Cochran / The Prentiss Headlight—Chamber Partnership President Subrina Mason (right) presents Ramey’s manager Danny Dyess with the Business of the Year award. Also pictured is Chambor Administrator Barbara Slater.
Holley Cochran / The Prentiss Headlight—Accepting the award for Industry of the Year is Jefferson Davis Community Hospital administrator Alaina Cedillo. Pictured from left: Extended Care Facility administrator Nick Davis, Cedillo, Chamber Administrator Barbara Slater and Chamber Partnership President Subrina Mason.
The annual Chamber Partnership Banquet was held March 26 at the
Rosenwald Building on the Prentiss Institute campus in Prentiss.
Awards were presented to the business and industry leadership of the
year. Star Student and Star Teacher awards were also presented to the
seniors and their chosen teacher of each of the two high schools.
The Industry Leadership award was presented to the Jefferson Davis
Community Hospital.
The Jefferson Davis Community Hospital opened in 1950 as Jefferson
Davis County Hospital.
The Jefferson Davis County Extended Care Facility opened adjacent to
the hospital in 1969.
The hospital and ECF employ 175 people including contract employees.
The Business of the Year award was presented to Ramey’s of Prentiss.
Ramey’s is locally owned and operated and has been in Prentiss for 10 years.
Danny Dyess is has been the manager since it opened.
Speaker for the banquet was Johnny Donaldson.
Donaldson currently serves as the president of the Jackson Banking
Center for BankPlus.
Donaldson is a 1987 graduate of Prentiss High School. He received his
bachelor of science degree in banking and finance from the University
of Southern Mississippi and is a graduate of Louisiana State
University- graduate School of Banking.
He is also a Graduate of Leadership Jackson. In addition to his 25
year banking career, Johnny served as a sergeant in the United States
Army.
He served in Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War in Kuwait. He
currently serves on the board of directors for St. Dominic Hospital,
Mission Mississippi, New Stage Theatre, Central Mississippi
Development Company and The Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership.
Donaldson was recently accepted in the 2019 Class of Leadership
Mississippi. He is also a member of the 100 Black Men of Jackson.
He is married to Dr. Stacey Donaldson and they have two children,
Camaryn and Cailyn.
The Donaldson Family attends Greater New Jerusalem M.B. Church in
Jackson where Johnny serves as an associate minister.
He is married to Dr. Stacey Donaldson and they have two children,
Camaryn and Cailyn.
“If I am not from here and I look on my map and my GPS says Hwy 84
will take me where I want to go, why do I pass Prentiss and Jefferson
Davis County and I don’t have to stop for anything,” said Donaldson.
“There should be something to force me to pull in to shop. You have a
major four lane artery already in existence. I encourage you to
develop businesses along it.”
“I am a tax paying citizen in Jerfferson Davis County. I still own
property here and I am also a customer of your local bank. I am still
an active citizen.
“Can you envision your high school on Hwy 84 competing for a state
championship and you have people coming in from all over the state
going against the Jaguars.”
“But before they leave we are going to feed them and fill up their
car. They are going to take the whipping with them, but leave some
money here with us and we are going to put it right back into the
community.”
