Businesses announce employee honors

By Staff
April 26, 2002
Ollie McKenzie has been named East Mississippi State Hospital's employee of the quarter. She is a housekeeping supervisor in the Continuing Care Unit and has worked at the hospital since October 1978. McKenzie supervises six employees.
Her co-workers say she is respected by her staff and her peers. She is considered fair and is always willing to help or fill in when needed. She makes a point of seeing that patients' rooms and activity areas are kept clean. The same is true of other areas of Continuing Care. She has a pleasant personality and a positive attitude.
McKenzie received a $100 cash award provided by the East Mississippi State Hospital Friends Organization.
WOODLAND Meridian native David F. Stephens was recently installed as pastor of Pleasant Ridge Missionary Baptist Church.
Stephens attended St. Patrick Catholic Church and is a graduate of Northeast Lauderdale High School. He received a bachelor's degree in biological engineering with a specialty in medicine from Mississippi State University.
Stephens was licensed to preach in 1997 at Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church in Collinsville, where he served as associate minister and was a youth director, a Sunday school teacher and a member of the Battlefield Mass Choir and Battlefield Male Chorus.
In 1998, he was ordained at New Prospect Missionary Baptist Church and was an associate minister. He served as youth director, Sunday school teacher, Internet minister of Internet Ministries, Web master of the church's Web site and radio minister of the church's radio ministry.
In 2000, Stephens united with Missionary Union Baptist Church, serving as associate minister, youth pastor of youth ministries, worship service leader and coordinator of the Sheppard Boyz to Men Rites of Passage.
He was also an instructor for the Jesus and Me Bible Ministry, a Sunday school teacher, a member of the Planning and Development Ministry, an instructor of the noon and evening Bible classes, a member of the transportation ministry and chaplain of the BROTHERS Ministry.
In addition to his church duties, Stephens is president and CEO of Stephens' Computer Solutions, a commercial and residential computer business in Columbus. He is also Internet sales manager and Web site designer for Premier Ford Lincoln and Mercury.
Stephens is married to the former LaShanna S. Morgan of Houston. They have one child, MacKinzey.
Lisa Tate Brinkley of the Mississippi Development Authority has been named the Women in Business Advocate of the Year in Mississippi for 2002 by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Brinkley is the newest member of the Minority Business Enterprise Division's team. She serves as the business development consultant for MBED's new Greenwood office, which opened last month.
As part of National Small Business Week set for May 5-11, state and national winners are recognized in a number of categories, including: Small Business Person of the Year, Financial Services Advocate, Minority Small Business Advocate, Accountant Advocate, Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Small Business Journalist and Veteran Small Business Advocate.
The national theme for this year's Small Business Week is "Small Business: Where America Works."
The Mississippi District of SBA will honor all winners during a special event and reception April 30 at the Jackson Hilton Hotel and Convention Center in Jackson. Activities begin at 5 p.m.
For more information about the event, call Gary Reed at (228) 863-4625, ext. 14.