1998

eridge named 'Alumnus of Yea r'

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keting of poultry and poultry– related products. He has also served as an officer or board member of several other corpo– rations involving insurance, laboratories, protein conver– sion, real estate and environ– mental services. He was elected for two terms to serve as chairman of the poultry industry's National Trade Association with head– quarters in Washington , D.C., and continues to serve on that Board. In addition, Etheridge has served as chairman of the Mississippi Poultry Association and the Mississippi Manufacturer s Association and continues to ,serve on these boards. He has also served as president of the Carthage Rotary Club, Carthage/Leake County Chamber of Commerce, Industrial Development Association, Airport Board and a member of the State Chamber of Commerce Board. In addition, he is a former pres– ident of the Reserve Officers Association, Mississippi t Department. In addition to his success in the poultry business, Etheridge experienced a rewarding mili– tary career, having reached the rank of Rear Admiral when he retired from service in 1990. In all. Etheridge's Navy career ~nned 35 •-ears '"ith three ~ ~"Ted Cl .&::au ItS A t;:"Adtlate of Lo\il:5'\~ue Etheridge received a bachelor's degree in accounting from Mississippi State University. Etheridge and his wife, the High School,

Rerogniu n {If outstanding n4rudors along th the mduction of new thl ucH.al of Fame members ~'ill bighlH~hi homecoming actl,, es scheduled Saturday, Oct 10. at East Central Colr.munit;.v College in Decatur. • ,o bt>ing honored are the 1945-46 and 1946-47 women's basketball teams and members of-.all da..;ses ending in "8". Jn aadition, a special cere– mony Is scheduled Saturday jlllorning to officially dedicate ounders· Gymnasium. on'itructed in 1930 and still· ffi for intramural and other ctl\'ities, the old gym is named '9 tribute to Dr. Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Hunter, Utunes "Jim'' McDonald %arne:> and the many others who were instrumental in establishing then East Central Junior College in 1928. Honorees this year include rr.H.

Walnut Grove, a new state-of– the-art feed mill in Union and a new hatchery in Newton. The Walnut Grove facility produces 1.5 million baby chicks per week; the Union feed mill, con– sidered to be the largest poultry feed mill in the country, has the capacity to produce 22,500 tons of feed per week; and the Newton hatchery, regarded as one of the largest in the nation, produces two million baby chicks per week. Recent reno– vations and expansions have also been made at the Carthage facility, which now includes over 300,000 square feet with over 2.000 employees. and the Fore--t vhere major ir::~n:•~emeot.s ha"·e Ol'l cluckt-, .. pet v.-eek. With a total annual payroll of over $39 mil– lion. In addition to offering competitive wages and salaries, the company provides health and dental benefits, 401K plans, profit sharing and tuition assistance for those who want to continue their educa– tion. Etheridge's expertise in the

Inc. m Onder Ethendge's

leadership. Choctaw Maid Farms has grown from its hum– ble beginnings in the 1950's to one of the nation's leading poul– try companies. In addition to the processing plant and head– --~ ~uatters in Carthage, the com- pany operates facilities in Forest, Crystal Springs,

former Nora Reagan, have two ------ grown children. Eric Etheridge ----- lives in New York where he ,________

works for Microsoft and is exec- utive producer of New York Sidewalk, located on the