Butler promoted to
branch manager, officer
BankFirst Financial Services promoted Karla Butler to branch manager and officer.
Butler who had previously served as manager will be responsible for managing and overseeing the bank’s Newton offices. She has over 10 years of experience with the bank, two of which Butler served as head teller.
Butler earned an associate’s degree from Meridian Community College. She and her husband, Mike, have three children–Alex, Jayden, and Karmyn Rivers. Butler attends Clarke-Venable Baptist Church in Decatur. She is active in her community through volunteer work and once served as vice president of the Newton Chamber of Commerce.
3 receive degrees at Southern Miss during commencement
The University of Southern Mississippi held spring 2019 commencement exercises May 9-10 at Reed Green Coliseum on its Hattiesburg campus and May 11 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi.
Those receiving degrees included Jenisa Tubby of Conehatta, Bachelor of Fine Arts; Samuel Thompson of Decatur, Bachelor of Science in nursing; and Kia Rogers of Newton, Bachelor of Liberal Studies.
CCC SkillsUSA students take top honors at state
Numerous East Central Community College career and technical students took top honors in the Mississippi SkillsUSA state competition held recently in Jackson. Those receiving first place honors will represent Mississippi and compete at the National Skills and Leadership Conference in Louisville, Ky., in June.
First place honorees and their respective hometowns Karley Andrews of Decatur, promotional bulletin board team; Jeremy Seibel of Lawrence, industrial motor control; Andrew Wofford of Conehatta, carpentry; James Fayette of Little Rock, cabinetmaking; and Dalton Fayette of Little Rock, collision repair.
Grace Myers of Decatur also received a first place award in restaurant service, but did not qualify for nationals.
Those receiving second place honors in state competition included Tot’Tiana Norman of Newton and Skyler Bell of Choctaw, opening and closing team.
Capturing third place honors was Sarah Hollingsworth of Decatur, early childhood.
McGrevey: Lottery president brings wealth of experience
The Mississippi Lottery Corporation has hired Thomas N. Shaheen to serve as the first president of the new corporation.
Shaheen served as executive director of the North Carolina Education Lottery from 2005 until 2010, shepherding the lottery through its start-up phase and through multiple years of steady growth.
“Tom brings a wealth of industry expertise and experience running both established and start-up lotteries,” said Mike McGrevey of Decatur, MLC Chairman.
Before starting up the North Carolina lottery, Shaheen served as chief executive officer of the New Mexico Lottery, where he helped increase sales and lottery profits dramatically. Shaheen served as an executive during the startup of the Georgia Lottery Corporation, and worked for both the Texas and Florida lotteries during their startups. As required by the Alyce G. Clarke Mississippi Lottery Law, the Governor reviewed and approved the selection of Shaheen after a recent meeting.
— from staff reports
