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RELEASE DATE: January 9, 2025              NEWS/PSA           

 

 

Sales & Marketing Professionals announce Humanitarian Award recipients for 3rd annual Mississippi Pinnacle Awards 

                                     

HATTIESBURG, MISS–The professional organization, Sales & Marketing Professionals of Hattiesburg is celebrating the work of five of Mississippi’s leaders and/or businesses, organizations, and community events with the prestigious, Mississippi Pinnacle Award. On Tuesday, April 8, at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg, the accomplishments and work of Jackson’s WLBT-TV news anchor and reporter, Maggie Wade will be receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Mississippi Tourism Association will be earning the Oseola McCarty Community Impact Award. Oak Grove High School and Harvard University graduate and current Law school freshman, Noah Harris will receive the Rising Star Achievement Award. Past Petal Chamber of Commerce executive director, Valerie Wilson will be honored with the Evelyn Gandy Women’s Leadership Award and earning the Vernon Dahmer Community Engagement Award is William Carey University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine with the Dean of WCU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Italo Subbarao accepting the award. 

 

"The Humanitarian Awards honor those who have already reached the pinnacle of success in their careers. The Mississippi Pinnacle Awards is a competition that honors current practitioners and will be announced in April," explained Michael Marks, Chair of the Mississippi Pinnacle Awards. “As we raise award money for the next generation of marketers, we want to also recognize those practitioners who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to strengthen Mississippi communities.” 

 

Humanitarian Award honorees along with Pinnacle Award nominees will be formally presented at an awards gala to take place at Hattiesburg’s Lake Terrace Convention Center on Tuesday night, April 8. The black-tie event will celebrate the accomplishments of statewide finalists before naming the 2025 Mississippi Pinnacle Awards winners. The Mississippi Pinnacle Awards honor excellence, professionalism, and outstanding achievement in sales, marketing and community engagement, and the event showcases the highest level of public relations talent in the state. 

 

This year, the Mississippi Pinnacle Awards are now a 501©3 event through the Pinebelt Foundation. 

In addition to celebrating the state’s Humanitarians and those at the “Pinnacle” of their careers, this special evening is an opportunity to raise funds for the next generation of sales and marketing professionals through sponsorships and event ticket sales. 

 

“We are excited this year to have the credibility of the Pinebelt Foundation behind us,” said Sales & Marketing Professionals of Hattiesburg’s President, Katie Martin. “Our new 501©3 status makes Pinnacle donations tax deductible to the extent the law allows.”

 

The public is invited to attend the Pinnacle Awards Banquet by purchasing tickets to the event and through sponsorships found on the website, https://www.salesandmarketingprofessionals.org/2025-ms-pinnacle-awards  

 

Lifetime Achievement Award: Maggie Wade

 

WLBT-TV News anchor and reporter, Maggie Wade will receive the highest humanitarian honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Crystal Springs native is a graduate of Utica High School. The Emmy nominated News Anchor attended Jackson State University, becoming the 89th member of her family to attend JSU. She transferred her sophomore year to Mississippi College to pursue a career in Corporate Law, however, she discovered radio. Initially working at the school radio station, WHJT-FM, she later was hired at WJDX-MISS 103 as a radio announcer, marketing researcher and weekend news anchor. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Mississippi College and in May 2017, she received an Honorary Doctorate from Belhaven University in Humanities. In addition to her news responsibilities, Wade has served as an adjunct professor at Belhaven University in Jackson for almost 14 years.

 

Hired at WLBT-TV her senior year of college, Wade has worked as the weekend weather anchor, news reporter, coordinator and producer of children's programming. The long-time news professional now serves as the 5 p.m.  and 10 p.m. news co-anchor and covers stories on education, and children's issues.

 

In 2019, the Junior Auxiliary of Rankin County honored Wade as a result of her work covering news issues related to children. Wade received the 2014 Woman of the Year Award from the Mississippi Commission on the Status of Women, and she has received more than 500 other awards, including being recognized by the United States Congress in October 2011, as an “Angel in Adoption” for her work on “Wednesday's Child.” She also received the award in September 2001, for the segment featuring foster children in the state in need of permanent homes. Congressman Ronnie Shows also recognized her work for children in the state on the floor of Congress.

 

Furthermore, Wade has served as a board member for the Eudora Welty Foundation. She was selected Chairperson of the National Children's Study, Community Advisory Board, at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in January 2008. Wade became one of 11 people in the nation in February 2011, to be selected by the National Institutes of Health to serve on the National Steering Committee for the National Children's Study.

 

Following Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, Wade was invited to appear as the first guest co-host of the Montell Williams Show in New York City. She appeared on the show in September 2005. In addition to being on the “small” screen, Wade has appeared in two movies. She was on the set of “A Time to Kill” for five days, although most of her part was edited out. She also appeared as herself in the Rob Reiner film, “Ghosts of Mississippi.”

 

Additionally, Wade serves on numerous boards, including the Salvation Army, Merit Health River Oaks Hospital, Mississippi Blood Services and the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi. She was also asked to serve as one of the representatives of Mississippi at the 1997 Presidential Summit and served as an Olympic Torchbearer in 1996. She and her husband who is a proud U.S. Navy Vet, have two children and one granddaughter.

 

Oseola McCarty Community Impact Award: Mississippi Tourism Association (MTA)

 

Danielle Morgan, the MTA Executive Director and MTA board president, Dr. Rickey Thigpen will be accepting the Humanitarian Award on behalf of the Mississippi Tourism Association. With tourism as the 4th largest industry in Mississippi, employing almost 105,000 people, the MTA has shown the spotlight on the entire state of Mississippi and all of its people, places of historical importance and entertainment opportunities, as well as other niche highlights. Despite the loss of 17,000 direct and indirect jobs since the pandemic, the Mississippi Tourism Association is working on strategies to train and recruit quality tourism professionals to keep up with the demand in this sector.

 

In fiscal year 2023, visitors to Mississippi generated more than $7.5 billion which is a 10 percent increase. These expenditures contributed $744 million in state and local taxes. Mississippi has outpaced the Southeast and much of the nation and was 11th in the country in year-over-year spending growth in 2023.

Tourism is a consistent multi-billion-dollar producer for Mississippi and the continued investment will help grow the economy and improve the quality of life of the state’s communities for both visitors and residents.

 

The MTA was created to be the voice of tourism for industry partners around the state and works with its members to strengthen and grow the state’s tourism sectors, ensuring all visitors to Mississippi have a positive experience with everyone they encounter within Mississippi’s travel and tourism industry. Also, it is vital that our residents and leaders know that tourism is an essential component to our state’s future vitality.

 

In addition to providing quality educational, professional development and training opportunities, the MTA also provides networking tools for its members and partners. Through collaborative and grassroots advocacy efforts, the MTA strives to strengthen the tourism industry, transforming Mississippi’s economy through increased visitor spending and overall travel industry growth.

 

The MTA is an association comprised of tourism professionals established with a mission to unite all sectors of the tourism industry through advocacy, promotion and education. Membership is open to those in the hospitality industry as well as public service organizations and allied businesses.

 

Rising Star Achievement Award: Noah Harris of Oak Grove

 

Noah Harris is a first-year Law student at Harvard Law School from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The Oak Grove High School graduate played basketball for the Warriors and is also talented on piano and violin. He also found time to write the children’s book, Successville while in high school. He then established the non-profit, Successville University, which empowers young people to value their education as a catalyst for early career exploration. One of his High School honors include receiving a Coca-Cola Achievement Award. When he was fifteen years old, Harris nailed address numbers on homes on Mobile Street in Hattiesburg as part of his Eagle Scout project.

 

Before graduating from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts in Government in 2022, Harris served as president of the Harvard student government, becoming the first Black male student body president in Harvard’s then-386-year history. Harris was elected president of Harvard’s Undergraduate Council on Nov. 12, 2020. 

 

Harris was also chosen as a Truman Scholar for his commitment to public service and delivered the 371st Harvard Commencement Address entitled “The Caged Bird Sings.” While at Harvard, he joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.

 

Since graduation, Harris has served as a confidential assistant in the Office of Management and Budget at the White House and as legislative director in the Office of Congressman, Bennie Thompson. 

 

Evelyn Gandy Women’s Leadership Award: Valerie Wilson, Past Petal Chamber of Commerce Executive Director

 

Valerie Wilson is a dedicated community leader and former director of the Petal Area Chamber of Commerce. With a deep commitment to positively impacting her community, Wilson is actively involved in various local organizations. She serves on the Executive Board of the Pinebelt Community Foundation and holds positions on the board of directors for Homes of Hope for Children and the Petal Children’s Task Force. Furthermore, Valerie has contributed her time and expertise to the Petal Education Foundation and the Petal Excel by 5 Coalition.

 

In addition to her board roles, she passionately volunteers at Worthy Stables Therapeutic Horsemanship Program, where she helps support children and families. Valerie’s extensive experience and unwavering dedication to community service underscore her belief in fostering growth and opportunity for all. Her leadership and commitment to the Petal area exemplify her desire to uplift those around her, making her an invaluable asset to the community. She is married to Vaughn Wilson and is a proud mother to two children.

 

Vernon Dahmer Community Engagement Award: William Carey University, College of Osteopathic Medicine

 

The Dean of the William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine (WCUCOM), Dr. Italo Subbarao will be accepting the award on behalf of the WCUCOM and has been a vital part of its growth and success since joining WCUCOM in 2012. The mission of the William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine is to prepare men and women to become osteopathic physicians through an emphasis on primary care, lifelong learning, research and scholarly activities, service, including osteopathic clinical service, and graduate medical education. 

 

Since its founding in 2010, WCUCOM has graduated over 1000 physicians, many of which serve in primary care specialties and are practicing in Mississippi. For the past three years, WCUCOM has been consistently ranked by US News & World Report as one of the top medical schools in the United States for graduates serving in primary care and those practicing in health professional shortage areas.

 

Using a community-based training model, WCUCOM educates and trains graduates who are committed to serving the healthcare needs of all individuals, with special attention directed to the medically underserved and diverse populations of the state, region, nation and across the globe.

 

To nominate an exceptional Mississippian, business, organization or event for a Pinnacle Award before January 17, 2025, or for information on tickets and sponsorship opportunities, visit https://www.salesandmarketingprofessionals.org/2025-ms-pinnacle-awards Prior to the gala awards dinner, Humanitarian honorees, sponsors and guests will mingle with statewide Pinnacle Finalists at a VIP cocktail reception, hosted by SMP State President Katie Martin and Standard Office Supply and Printing, Powered By OEC. 

 

About Sales and Marketing Professionals (SMP)

SMP is a state-wide organization comprised of owners, managers, and account executives involved in sales and marketing. Membership includes professionals from all fields of business, including banks, media, real estate, medical, retail, tourism, law, academics, and more, including students preparing to enter the workforce.