Posted by: Contributing columnist, CLARION LEDGER FEATURE, BUSINESS, September 8, 2016: For some reason I have a vivid memory of a conversation I had just before the 2010 Mississippi Innovator’s Hall of Fame. The conversation was memorable because I was being quizzed about the inductees for that night and questioned about why Primos Hunting Calls was being inducted into the technology-focused Mississippi Innovator’s Hall of Fame. My inquisitor understood once I explained that Primos designs and builds more than 600 products and they have more than 40 patents, but the fact that they were a surprising choice for induction into the Hall of Fame was a real eye-opener for me about how narrowly the world had come to view technology.
I suspect, if anything, that the word “technology” evokes even narrower thoughts today for most people — probably just of smartphones, data, and electronics. That is way too narrow of a definition, though, since technology, as defined most simply, is just “the application of science.” While computers are the applications of electrical engineering and the science of electrons, any application of any field of science should rightfully be called technology. That would certainly include all applications of chemistry, biology and physics — a definition that is almost certainly beyond what most people think about when they first think of technology.
When founded in 2008, the Mississippi Innovator’s Hall of Fame chose the term “innovation” precisely because of companies like Primos Hunting Calls. Many people didn’t seem to think of them as a technology company — although they clearly are — yet most people see them fitting squarely into being an innovation-based company. While I wish the term “technology” wasn’t so narrowly construed, it’s fortunate that the Mississippi Innovator’s Hall of Fame was already thinking broadly enough to have used “innovator” from the beginning. As a new class of innovators is preparing to be inducted on Sept. 15, we can celebrate their contributions as great innovators through their Mississippi Businesses.
Of the four inductees into the 2016 Mississippi Innovator’s Hall of Fame, Joe Sanderson stands out as the recipient of this year’s Legends Award. Previous Legends Award inductees also stand out even from their incredibly successful peers and include John Palmer, Jim Barksdale, Dr. Robert Khayat, and Bill Yates. A Legends Award winner may not be inducted with each class, but Joe Sanderson’s induction as a Legend’s Award winner is a fitting recognition to the work that he has done not only at Sanderson Farms, but in his support of other major initiatives in Mississippi — including the Sanderson Farms Championship.
The other inductees into the 2016 Mississippi Innovator’s Hall of Fame are also incredibly accomplished. Billy and Linda Howard founded Howard Industries, whose varied products include computers, ballasts and even a transportation company. They are the nation’s largest electrical transformer producer. Dr. S.L. Sethi fled Punjab and ended up in Mississippi to finish his PhD. He left briefly but returned in 1968 with his wife and only $50 in his pocket and went on to be the largest Pizza Inn Franchisee in the world before starting Bumpers Drive-In and several other businesses. Thalia Mara, who passed away in 2003, didn’t move to Mississippi until she was 65 years old, but single-handedly established Jackson as the host for the USA International Ballet Competition and established the state’s first professional ballet company.
In addition to the inductees into the Mississippi Innovator’s Hall of Fame, there are also several companies being honored as “Innovators to Watch” this year. In addition to growing their business organically, Hawkeye Industries in Tupelo has become one of the go-to companies for entrepreneurs who are looking for stamped medal manufacturing capacity. Next Gear Solutions in Oxford has quietly built the largest software company in the restoration construction industry and recently secured an $11M Silicon Valley venture capital investment. Canton’s TelehealthOne recently announced their partnership with Fred’s Pharmacies to put telehealth centers in Fred’s across the state. Fuse.cloud is a pioneer provider of voice-over-IP phone systems and cloud services. Finally, Jeff Good is being honored as an Innovator to Watch as a result of his Up in Farms Food Hub — which fulfills a market need he identified and developed as a Jackson restaurateur.
Thanks to the foresight in naming the Mississippi Innovator’s Hall of Fame, we don’t have to quibble over whether inductees into the Hall of Fame are all technology companies or not, we can all just agree they are great innovators. Hopefully they will be inspiring to more Mississippi entrepreneurs so that we’ll have future classes of inductees that are as prolific and innovative as this year’s group. For more information about the Innovator’s Hall of Fame, please see www.MSInnovatorsHallofFame.com
Tony Jeff is the president and CEO of Innovate Mississippi. He can be reached at tjeff@innovate.ms.