Senate Resolution 10

A RESOLUTION TO COMMEND DISTRICT 5 STATE SENATOR J.P. WILEMON, JR., FOR HIS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE IN THE MISSISSIPPI SENATE.

WHEREAS, Senator J.P. Wilemon, Jr., has announced that he will not be seeking reelection. He has represented Senate District 5, which includes portions of Itawamba, Prentiss and Tishomingo Counties, for 15 years. In J.P. Wilemon, the citizens of District 15 have had effective representation from a dedicated public servant with business experience. Senator Wilemon was elected to the Senate in 2003. Prior to serving in the State Senate, he was an Alderman in the Town of Belmont for 36 years and had a 32-year career in banking; and

WHEREAS, he was born in New Site and his dad was a sharecropper. His family moved around the area, living in Tishomingo, Golden and Dennis. Wilemon and his wife have lived for 59 years in Belmont, where he graduated from high school. He attended Northeast Mississippi Community College and then the Memphis State School of Banking. He worked for First American National Bank in Iuka for 25 years and CB&S Bank in Red Bay, Alabama, for seven years, where he retired when he was elected to the State Senate. He was a CEO for more than 18 years in his banking career; and

WHEREAS, Wilemon has also been Chairman on the Municipalities Committee for the past 12 years. He said he always voted based on what he thought was best for the state instead of adhering to a party line. One of his better bills that passed dealt with school bullying, he said. He has been on the Education Committee for 15 years and said he has always tried to work hard for the schools. Wilemon would like to see the classroom teachers and assistant teachers get pay raises and improvements made to libraries and state parks; and

WHEREAS, he is known for his punctuality, reliability and dedication to his constituents; and

WHEREAS, Senator Wilemon's 2015 committee membership is as follows: Municipalities, Chair; Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency, Vice-Chair; Appropriations; Business and Financial Institutions; Drug Policy; Education; Enrolled Bills; Investigate State Offices; and Universities and Colleges; and

WHEREAS, Senator Wilemon is married to the former Bobbie Johnson and has two children, Mack Wilemon and Gina Smith. He is of the Primitive Baptist faith; and

WHEREAS, Senator Wilemon's service has been marked by his commitment to success and recognized leadership, sound judgment, civility, courtesy and fairness. He has set the highest standard in all of his many roles: husband, father, businessman, statesman, community leader and leader in the Mississippi Senate, and as a true friend. J.P's service honored both the Mississippi Senate and this great State that he loved and served:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and recognize Senator J.P. Wilemon, whose outstanding service enriched everyone with whom he was associated, and we wish J.P. and his family much success in his future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Senator Wilemon and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.