MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2016 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Gollott, Watson, Tindell, Wiggins, Moran, Dawkins, Blackwell, Dearing, Fillingane, Simmons (13th), Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO COMMEND THE CAREER AND LEGACY OF PUBLIC SERVICE OF WILLIAM F. "BILL" HOLMES, AND CONGRATULATING HIM UPON THE SPECIAL OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT AS LONGTIME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MISSISSIPPI COAST COLISEUM COMMISSION.
WHEREAS, William F. Holmes, referred to as "Bill," is retiring after 38 years of employment at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, which includes the last 30 years as the Executive Director of the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center in Biloxi, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, a native of New Jersey, Bill graduated from Ocean City High School in Ocean City, New Jersey, then served in the United States Air Force from 1964 until 1968, then in 1970 received an Associate of Arts degree from Mississippi Coast Community College, then in 1972 earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, Bill and his wife, the former Sandra Toncrey, established their home in D'Iberville, Mississippi, and are the proud parents of four children, the adoring grandparents of eleven grandchildren, and the loving great-grandparents of three; and
WHEREAS, in November 1977, Bill began his career at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center as the Facilities Controller and was promoted to Executive Director in 1985. He began to spearhead successful efforts to bring to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center the nation's most talented and popular entertainment personalities and to provide a world-class venue for organizations representing an exceptionally broad range of American political, business, educational, military, religious, and social life while maintaining expert professional management skills, spirited good humor and an unflagging commitment to making the Coast a welcoming and pleasant site for the thousands of people whose Mississippi experiences are defined by their visits to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center; and
WHEREAS, as Executive Director, Bill was very instrumental in seeing the following events come to fruition: the first facility expansion in 1997; the referendum for the second renovation of the facility and convention center expansion passed in 2004; the Mississippi Coast Fair and Exposition in 1986, which set a record of 120,000 attendees in 1992; the Elks Crawfish Festival 1979-1990; the Blues Festival 1990-1997; the Mississippi Coast Gamblers 1994; the East Coast Hockey League 1996; the National Indoor Football League 1998-2000; Mississippi Beach Kings (EISL) 1998; Gulf Coast Bandits (WBA) 2005; the Coliseum Crawfish Music Festival, which began in 1992 and is recognized as one of the South's Top 20 Events year after year; and the Gulf Coast Boaters' Rendezvous, which was the largest boaters' rendezvous in the Gulf of Mexico; and
WHEREAS, he was instrumental in and vital to the success of nationally telecasted events such as the Miss USA Pageant from 1979-1982, Miss Teen USA from 1990-1994, World Boxing Featherweight Championship (WBF) match in 1992, International Boxing Live Worldwide telecast, as well as 31 other nationally telecast sporting, political and concert-related events; and
WHEREAS, Bill invested time in the charitable organizations of the Gulf Coast Community by donating resources and time and by serving as a founding member of Cheshire Group Home, helping to raise over $1.4 Million as Co-Chair of St. Jude Dream Home, and participating in the Biloxi Elks Special Children's Christmas Program from 1979-1987; and
WHEREAS, during his career, Bill has contributed to the civic, business and social aspects of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community by promoting tourism on the Mississippi Gulf Coast through community participation and by serving on numerous boards; among these are the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau, Destination Marketing Organization, Ohr O'Keefe Museum, Infinity Science Center, Greater Gulf Coast Arts Council, American Red Cross, Boys and Girls Club, Gulf Coast Carnival Association, Les Badineurs, Les Perrots, American Cancer Society, Marine Education Center, Travel and Promotion Association, Gulf Coast Business Council, North Bay and Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, American Legion Commander and Keesler Air Force Base Honorary General for 2012 and 2013; and
WHEREAS, during his remarkable service, he has been honored with numerous well-deserved accolades, including being named Mississippi's Outstanding Community Leader in 2004, selected by Performance Magazine as one of the nation's Top Fifty Facilities Directors in 1998, recognized as Biloxi's Outstanding Citizen in 1992, named Indoor Professional Football League Arena Manager of the Year in 1999, serving as Grand Marshal of the Hibernia St. Patrick's Day Parade in 1998, inducted into the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Alumni Hall of Fame in 1990, and in 2010 being inducted into the Mississippi Tourism Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, during his years as one of the Mississippi Gulf Coast's most prominent and recognizable citizens, Bill has become a familiar face to thousands, an admirable and respected leader in the community and in the state that he loves, and in the industry, as well as a tireless and dedicated leader to his colleagues; and it is with great pride that we join the Mississippi Gulf Coast in honoring a Mississippian with enormous civic energy:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the career and legacy of public service of William F. "Bill" Holmes, and congratulate him upon the special occasion of his retirement as longtime Executive Director of the Mississippi Coast Coliseum Commission.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Bill Holmes and his family, forwarded to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum Commission, the Board of Supervisors of each Mississippi Gulf Coast County, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.