House Resolution 71

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING MS. PAT THOMASSON OF PHILADELPHIA, MISSISSIPPI, ON BEING NAMED 2014 BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR BY THE MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL.

WHEREAS, Ms. Pat Thomasson, CEO of the Thomasson Company of Philadelphia, Mississippi, has been named 2014 Businesswoman of the Year by the Mississippi Business Journal; and

WHEREAS, established by the Journal to honor the achievements and contributions of women in business from across the state, the award was presented to Pat Thomasson in a ceremony held in Jackson, Mississippi, on February 27, 2014; and

WHEREAS, under CEO Pat Thomasson's wise and capable leadership, the Thomasson Company, a business that provides utility poles of varying lengths and specifications which are pressure treated to varying degrees in order to delay the decaying process and ensure pole longevity in the specific climate in which particular poles are to be used, has enjoyed an increase in sales by more than fifty percent to over $60 million without any acquisitions; and

WHEREAS, humbled to become the leader of a company built from the ground up by her parents, Pat Thomasson, elected the first female president of the Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association in 2010, was commended by the Mississippi Business Journal for being "a strong advocate for other women in business and passionate about issues surrounding the business community"; and

WHEREAS, an active member of the Women's Business Enterprise Council South, Pat Thomasson is a breast cancer survivor who is particularly eager to promote and support opportunities for women in business and industry; and

WHEREAS, when not running the day-to-day affairs of the Thomasson Company, Pat Thomasson, a loyal alumnus of the University of Mississippi who founded and serves as Director of the Neshoba County Rebel Club, often volunteers her time and leadership skills to improve her local community, including her service as the Secretary of the Rotary Club of Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, appreciating the vital role that local businesses such as the Thomasson Company play in the local economy and shaping the overall quality of life in their communities and the entire state, it is most fitting that special recognition be given to its outstanding leader, Ms. Pat Thomasson, for her recent selection as 2014 Businesswoman of the Year:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend Ms. Pat Thomasson of Philadelphia, Mississippi, on being named the 2014 Businesswoman of the Year by the Mississippi Business Journal and extend to her best wishes for continued success in all of her professional and personal endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Ms. Pat Thomasson, the Thomasson Company and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.