Lunch and Learn event honored with coveted award
Published 2:48 pm Thursday, May 1, 2025
Holley Cochran / The Prentiss Headlight—Attending the annual Pinnacle Awards ceremony from Jefferson Davis County were from left: District 4 Supervisor Michael Evans, JDC Miss Hospitality Mariah Evans, District 2 Supervisor Ricky Barrett, District 5 Supervisor Jerry Gholar and JDC Economic Development Director Gary Bass.
Holley Cochran / The Prentiss Headlight—Mississippi's Miss Hospitality Chloe Grace Weeks presents the Jan Lacy Small Town Event award to JDC Economic Development Director Gary Bass.
Photo Submitted—JDC Economic Development Director Gary Bass with the Jan Lacy Small Town Event award.
Holley Cochran / The Prentiss Headlight
Photo Submitted—Jefferson Davis County Miss Hospitality Mariah Evans and Mississippi's Miss Hospitality Chloe Grace Weeks.
Holley Cochran / The Prentiss Headlight
The annual Mississippi Pinnacle Awards presented by Sales and Marketing Professionals were held April 8 at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg.
This year’s ceremony honored humanitarians in the community and recognized businesses, events and organizations.
From hundreds of nominations, 38 finalists were selected. Of the finalists, five were presented the coveted Pinnacle Award.
The Jan Lacy Small Town Event award was presented to Jefferson Davis County Economic Development Director Gary Bass for his Lunch and Learn event held in October 2024.
Over 60 community members attended the Lunch and Learn at the historic Rosenwald Building at Prentiss Institute including elected officials, business leaders and engaged citizens.
The Red Beans focus group game gave everyone the chance to vote with their beans on where resources should go, revealing downtown revitalization and workforce development as top priorities.
“Winning the Pinnacle Award for our ‘Everything You Wanted to Know About Economic Development but Were Afraid to Ask’ Lunch and Learn proves that even serious topics can bring people together, especially when you mix in good food and a little fun,” said Bass.
“We’re proud to put Jeff Davis County on the map for creative community engagement,” he said.
Attending ceremony from Jefferson Davis County were District 2 Supervisor Ricky Barrett, District 4 Supervisor MIchael Evans, District 5 Supervisor Jerry Gholar, JDC Miss Hospitality Mariah Evans and Prentiss Mayor-Elect Tony Waits.
The other four Pinnacle Award winners were the Oxford Double Decker Arts Festival, Pascagoula’s Chevron Refinery, Southwest Mississippi
YMCA CEO Matt Rumph and Hattiesburg’s Festival South.
