House Resolution 54

A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE OUTSTANDING LEGACY AND CIVIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF LINDA ROSS ALDY, C.A.E., UPON THE OCCASION OF HER RETIREMENT AFTER 16 YEARS OF EFFECTIVE SERVICE AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MISSISSIPPI OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION.

WHEREAS, Linda Ross Aldy began overseeing the operations of the Mississippi Optometric Association (MOA) as its Executive Director in 2005 and was only the third executive director in its history, having served in that role for 16 years, and she officially retired from the association on December 31, 2021; and

WHEREAS, her professional activities and associations are a matter of record:

· She is a recent recipient of the Virgil Deering Optometric Executive Director Award, which is presented annually to an outstanding State Optometric Executive Director, recognizing the dedicated, capable leadership and support that State Optometric Associations receive from their executive directors;

· She served on the faculty of the State of Mississippi's Personnel Board Training Division;

· She is a graduate of and advisor to Mississippi Economic Development's Leadership Mississippi Program, the nation's second oldest state leadership program;

· She has served on the advisory board for the Hayes Center for Practice Excellence at Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee, and on the executive board of the International Association of Optometric Executives, eventually serving as president;

· She earned the Certified Association Executive designation through the American Society of Association Executives;

· She is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Mississippi Society of Association Executives and continues to be actively involved in the organization;

· She has also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Mississippi Nurses' Foundation and is a past-president of the National Alumni Association of the Mississippi University for Women;

· She and her family own and operate three Cups coffee shop franchises in the Jackson, Mississippi, metro area with two more shops scheduled to open soon; and

WHEREAS, she has been named as one of Mississippi's "50 Leading Businesswomen" in recognition of her accomplishments as an author, former newspaper reporter, editor and television host; and

WHEREAS, she is a cum laude graduate of Mississippi University for Women, the Stennis Center Executive Management Institute and has completed coursework through the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business, Executive Development Program; and

WHEREAS, she is a former State Agency Director, having served as Executive Director of what is now the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, and she has worked for two Mississippi Governors; and

WHEREAS, during her tenure as Executive Director of the MOA, Mrs. Aldy was particularly successful in hosting an annual reception for the members of the Legislature, which took place at the old Dennery's Restaurant, in conjunction with the annual meeting of the MOA, which provided members an excellent opportunity to discuss important practice issues with the policy makers; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Aldy is the daughter of the late Mr. Richard Ross, former District 4 Supervisor of Yalobusha County, and Mrs. Margaret Jean Ross, matriarch of Oakland, Mississippi, supporter of the development and progress of the Town of Oakland, and a shining example and role model for her daughter; and

WHEREAS, she was instrumental in establishing the Chamber of Commerce for Yalobusha County, offering great assistance to the place she was born and raised, and she continues to offer such great support; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to commend a most public-spirited citizen of Mississippi whose professional accomplishments and effective leadership have brought honor to the practice of optometry and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby recognize the outstanding legacy and civic contributions of Linda Ross Aldy, C.A.E., upon the occasion of her retirement after 16 years of effective service as Executive Director of the Mississippi Optometric Association (MOA) and extend to Mrs. Aldy and her family our best wishes for future success.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Linda Ross Aldy, the State Board of Optometry, the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Optometric Association and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.