MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Smith, Dearing, Gordon, Burton, Robertson, Simmons, Chaney, Farris, Frazier, Scoper, Kirby, Dawkins, Michel, Little

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING J. KELLY ALLGOOD UPON HIS RETIREMENT AS PRESIDENT OF BELLSOUTH'S MISSISSIPPI OPERATIONS.

WHEREAS, J. Kelly Allgood, President of BellSouth's Mississippi operations, will retire April 30, 2000, bringing to a close a distinguished 35-year career with the company; and

WHEREAS, Allgood began his telecommunications career in 1965 as unit manager with Southern Bell in Gulfport; and

WHEREAS, prior to assuming his current position in 1988, Allgood held a variety of positions of increasing responsibility throughout the company, including district marketing manager both on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and in Birmingham, Alabama, operations manager for the business service center in Jackson, and assistant vice president for public affairs in Jackson from 1984 to 1988; and

WHEREAS, under his leadership, the Mississippi operations obtained approval from the state Public Service Commission to apply to the FCC for entry into the long distance market in Mississippi, successfully implemented price regulation, and most recently, obtained legislative relief to give BellSouth equitable tax treatment; and

WHEREAS, a native of Benton, Mississippi, Allgood is a graduate of Mississippi College and has also completed the Indiana Executive Program at the Indiana University Graduate School of Business; and

WHEREAS, Allgood is heavily involved in education in Mississippi, serving on the Board of Directors of the Public Education Forum of Mississippi (previously served as chairman of the board the first two years of its existence); serving as a member of the Board of Trustees of Mississippi College; previously served on the boards for the Center of Telecommunications at the University of Mississippi and at Piney Woods Country Life School; and served on the President's Advisory Council at Jackson State University; and

WHEREAS, Allgood also serves on the boards of Trustmark Corporation, Trustmark National Bank, the Metro Jackson Chamber of Commerce, the Retail Association of Mississippi, the Institute for Technology Development (ITD), Capital Center, Inc., the Mississippi Resource Center, and the Metropolitan YMCA; and

WHEREAS, Allgood also served as Area 9 president for the Southern Region of the Boy Scouts of America and on the board of the Southern Region; and

WHEREAS, Allgood and his wife, Nancy, have two daughters, Tracey Miller and Wendy Cole; a son, Kevin Allgood, and four grandsons; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the Mississippi Legislature to recognize and commend outstanding businessmen such as J. Kelly Allgood, whose leadership and community involvement exemplifies the characteristics of an excellent businessman:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend J. Kelly Allgood upon his retirement as President of BellSouth's Mississippi operations, and wish him well in his future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to J. Kelly Allgood and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.