Humanitarian Award Recipients Announced for 2026 Mississippi Pinnacle Awards
RELEASE DATE: January 16, 2026 NEWS/PSA
Sales & Marketing Professionals announce Humanitarian Award recipients for 4th annual Mississippi Pinnacle Awards
Sales & Marketing Professionals announce Humanitarian Award recipients for 4th annual Mississippi Pinnacle Awards
HATTIESBURG, MISS–The professional organization, Sales & Marketing Professionals, is celebrating the work of five of Mississippi’s leaders and Businesses and/or organizations, and community events with the prestigious, Mississippi Pinnacle Award on Tuesday, April 14, at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg. In addition to the Mississippi Pinnacle Awards, the Hattiesburg-based organization will celebrate the accomplishments and work of five humanitarians and their years of dedicated work and achievements.
Receiving the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award will be University of Mississippi civil rights advocate James Meredith. Meredith was the first African-American student at Ole Miss.
Southern Pine Electric, headquartered in Taylorsville, will be earning the Oseola McCarty Community Impact Award. Its philanthropic foundation has awarded nearly $300,000 to community organizations. Demi Johnson, a Gulfport teen and National Geographic Honoree for her work in saving Mississippi’s Oyster Industry, will receive the Rising Star Student Achievement Award. Executive Director of the Covington County Chamber of Commerce Marie Shoemake will be honored with the Evelyn Gandy Women’s Leadership Award and earning the Vernon Dahmer Community Engagement Award is Tupelo Area Community Organizer and radio anchor Teresa Roberts of Shannon, MS.
James Howard Meredith was born June 25, 1933, and is an American civil rights activist, writer, political adviser, and United States Air Force veteran who became, in 1962, the first African-American student admitted to the racially segregated University of Mississippi after the intervention of the federal government (an event that was a flashpoint in the civil rights movement).
Meredith completed 11th grade at Attala County Training School (which was segregated as "white" and "colored" under the state's Jim Crow laws) and completed 12th grade at Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg, Florida. He graduated from high school in 1951. Then, Meredith enlisted in the United States Air Force. He served from 1951 to 1960. Afterward Meredith attended Jackson State University for two years.
Inspired by President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, Meredith decided to exercise his constitutional rights and apply to the University of Mississippi. His goal was to put pressure on the Kennedy administration to enforce civil rights for African Americans. The admission of Meredith ignited the Ole Miss riot of 1962 where Meredith's life was threatened and 31,000 American servicemen were required to quell the violence – the largest ever invocation of the Insurrection Act of 1807.
In 2002 and again in 2012, the University of Mississippi led year-long series of events to celebrate the 40th and 50th anniversaries of Meredith's integration of the institution. He was among numerous speakers invited to the campus, where a statue of him commemorates his role in Mississippi’s racial progress. He is married to Dr. Judy Meredith.
Southern Pine Electric is a member-owned cooperative committed to powering homes and businesses, strengthening communities, and improving the quality of life across south-central Mississippi. Southern Pine serves more than 70,000 meters with safe, reliable, and affordable electricity across 11 counties. Guided by its mission and the cooperative principle of concern for community, Southern Pine
leads innovative programs that support education, economic development, and family well-being.
One example is the Members Helping Members program, which is funded one hundred percent by Southern Pine members who choose to round up their monthly electric bills to the nearest dollar. These small contributions, just cents each month, are pooled together to create grants that support nonprofits, schools, first responders, and civic organizations making a difference locally. Since its launch in October 2024, the program has awarded nearly $300,000 to 37 organizations that make a measurable difference in the lives of local families and strengthen the social fabric of rural communities.
The Members Helping Members program brings the cooperative spirit to life—neighbors helping neighbors in a meaningful way to meet the many needs in our communities. Southern Pine is grateful for the dedication and service of each grant recipient, and it is our hope that their work inspires others to join in supporting meaningful causes and initiatives across our region for generations to come.
Demi Johnson is a high school student from Gulfport, Mississippi, and a devoted leader in environmental conservation. A Girl Scout since kindergarten, she is a Silver Award recipient and 2024 National Geographic Slingshot Challenge Winner, where she also earned the People’s Choice Award Runner-Up and a $1,000 scholarship. With over three years of experience as an oyster gardener, Demi earned her Certificate in Master Oyster Gardening and created Off-Bottoms Oysters, a short video on biodiversity and sustainability.
Her work has been featured by The New York Times for Kids, TIME for Kids, PBS, National Geographic, and CBS’s The Visioneers. In 2025, she received the Youth Leadership in Marine Conservation Award from the National Marine Educators Association. Demi currently serves as a GSUSA National Delegate representing the state of Mississippi, a Senior Girl Scout set to receive her Gold Award in spring 2026, and a dedicated 4-H member.
Marie Shoemake began her community service at Collins at First Baptist Church in the Children’s Sunday School Department where she continues to teach. Her children were involved in school and community organizations and she took a leadership role in Boy Scouts, Girl’s Scouts and youth sports programs. In 1985 the Chamber of Commerce was re-organized. The Mississippi Economic Council offered the Key Community Program for counties to promote community and economic development. She was asked to help so she volunteered. In 1986 the chamber board asked her to serve as secretary.
That began a 40-year career as director of the Covington County Chamber of Commerce. She is proud of the growth in Covington County and programs that have provided opportunity for future growth. Among them are the State Veteran’s Home for South Mississippi, Mississippi Scholars Education Program, Tourism, Okatoma Festival, Christmas in the Park and Covington County Miss Hospitality. Her most memorable part of this journey has been meeting people throughout the county, learning more about our great State and the friendships made along the way.
Marie was educated in the Jackson public schools, the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of Georgia IOM, Community Development Institute in Conway Arkansas, and New South Economic Course at USM. She and her husband, Billy Dale, have been married for 64 years, have three children, seven grand-children and two great grand-children that keeps them active and enjoying life.
Teresa Fields Roberts, a Shannon native, is an activist, volunteer community nurse, educational ambassador and a believer in Jesus Christ. In 2020, Roberts joined Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. In September 2023, she found Nu Omega Sigma Tupelo Alumnae Chapter. Profoundly impacting youths, Roberts guided 20+ 4-H’ers in earning Congressional Medals, the highest award bestowed on young Americans by the U.S. Congress, and was devoted to the publication of her daughter’s (Alivia) first book, Leaping into Your Destiny: For Rising 7th Graders.
Roberts’ activism began during youthhood while admiringly shadowing an aunt, Mrs. Lillie Bell Johnson, fighting for social justice – reflecting her laurels: Parent of the Year, Southern Poverty Law Center graduate, selection for Mississippi Women in the Lead, Eliza Pillars Nurse of the Year, NAACP Service Award, Life Saver Hero Award, Choose to Grow Mentor of the Year, Mississippi 4-H Outstanding Volunteer Leader of the Year. Roberts has two master’s degrees: Nursing (University of Southern Mississippi) and Public Administration (University of Mississippi). Roberts is married to Kenneth Roberts and they have three daughters. She is a member of Whitehill Missionary Baptist Church where she teaches New Members’ class and serves on the Health Ministry under the leadership of Rev. Jeffery Daniel. She was recently selected as a Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major Award recipient.
Nomination of exceptional business/organizational leaders, outstanding individuals and events for the 2026 Mississippi Pinnacle Awards competition, due January 30, may be tendered online at: https://www.salesandmarketingprofessionals.org/2026mspinnacle.
“Sales and Marketing Professionals is proud to honor truly impressive finalists and winners, who have made a significant impact in every corner of our state,” says Mississippi Pinnacle Awards Chair Michael Marks.
Nominees are tasked with completing an application, to be considered by an out of state panel of judges for finalist status. One winner will be announced in each of four categories: Business/Organizations, Major Events, Small Town Events, and Individual Community Leaders.
“We look forward to celebrating the best of Mississippi at our 2026 black-tie awards gala on Tuesday, April 14, at 6 pm at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg,” says SMP President Katie Martin.
Funds raised through the Mississippi Pinnacle Awards provide financial awards through the Rising Star Program, which supports deserving high school and college students pursuing careers in sales, marketing or community engagement. The Mississippi Pinnacle Awards is an official fund of the Pinebelt Foundation and donations are tax-deductible to the extent that the law allows. For more information SalesAndMarketingProfessionals.org or contact the organization at info@SalesAndMarkeing Professionals.org
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