(JACKSON) – Gov. Phil Bryant appointed five members today to the Mississippi Lottery Corporation Board of Directors. The members include Dr. Cass Pennington, Philip A. Chamblee, Dr. Mike McGrevey, Kimberly LaRosa, and Gerard Gibert.

The Mississippi Lottery Corporation was created during the Mississippi Legislature 2018 First Extraordinary Session upon passage of Senate Bill 2001. The affairs of the Corporation shall be administered by the Mississippi Lottery Corporation Board of Directors composed of five members appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Mississippi Senate.
 
“I am grateful these five highly-qualified individuals have agreed to take on the responsibility of the Mississippi Lottery Corporation Board of Directors by accepting these appointments,” Gov. Phil Bryant said. “This group has exceptional experience in diverse sectors of public and private business, and I know they will carry out the affairs of the board effectively.”
 
Gibert is currently the CEO of Venture Technologies, a Technology Solutions Provider headquartered in Ridgeland, Miss.  Founded in 1986, Venture delivers a variety of IT infrastructure solutions to thousands of private and public sector customers across the United States.
​Venture has completed four acquisitions since 2014, increasing annual revenues to $215 million with a staff of 276 across 11 states. Gibert worked as a senior consultant in the Management Information Consulting Division of Arthur Andersen & Co., the division that eventually became Accenture, prior to Venture Technologies. 
He is currently Chairman of the Board of Empower Mississippi and an At-Large Board Member of the Madison County Economic Development Authority.
He holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of Mississippi and is married to the former Julie Gill of Biloxi, Miss.  They have two children, and their family attends St. Francis of Assisi Church in Madison, MS. 
 
Pennington is a retired educator and former superintendent of both the Indianola and West Tallahatchie School Districts. Prior to that he was the Indianola Junior High School principal, teacher, and coach. 
Pennington served as Executive Director of Delta Health Alliance from 2004 to 2008 and currently sits on its board.  He’s a former member of the Mississippi Board of Trustees of the Institutions of Higher Learning, the Mississippi Instructional Management Task Force, and the South Sunflower County Hospital.  He is a former president of the Delta Council. Additionally, Pennington has served on the Mississippi State Health Board and as Administrative Assistant to the President at Delta State University. 
He and his wife, Carolyn, reside in Indianola and have one child.
 
LaRosa currently serves as the President/CEO of Renaissance Community Loan Fund and has been in the role since 2008. She is responsible for providing direction and leadership in the formation of a team and framework. She performs executive, supervisory, and management functions and duties as assigned by the chairman and board of directors and has general charge of the business, affairs and property of the Corporation.
LaRosa’s experience includes the oversight of loan origination, servicing, funding, investing in real estate mortgage loans, commercial lending, overseeing the company’s majority share of a 118-unit independent senior living facility and meeting the demand for the organization’s capital needs.
In her role, she has overseen the management of $62.5 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for various programs and is proficient in Securities and Exchange Commission reports, and mergers and acquisitions.
Prior to becoming President/CEO she was the Chief Financial Officer for Renaissance Community Loan Fund. Additionally, LaRosa was the Senior Director of Property Finance for Isle Of Capri Casinos, Inc. in Biloxi, Miss., for 12 years.
She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants.
LaRosa holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from William Carey College and is also a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Graduate.
She lives in Pass Christian, Miss., with her husband, Carl, and they have two children.
 
McGrevey is currently the Deputy Director of Mississippi Development Authority (MDA). Prior to going to the MDA, he was the City of Meridian’s Chief Administrative Officer. There he was responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the city, including economic development and working to improve the city’s infrastructure.
McGrevey’s financial management background within the military, government and private sector is extensive.  As a career military officer, he served as a financial officer at many stateside and overseas locations. At Mississippi State University he served as the Chief of Staff, Chief Financial Officer, and Vice President of Finance and Administration. 
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Ph.D. in Education from Mississippi State University. McGrevey and his wife, Ada, reside in Decatur, Miss. They have two adult children and two grandchildren.
 
Chamblee is currently the Executive Director/CEO of the Mississippi Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Stores Association and the Mississippi Propane Gas Association.  He manages two large trade associations providing vital business services to the membership, while successfully working with numerous federal and state regulatory agencies and the Mississippi Legislature to improve the overall business environment for the member industries.
Chamblee has 28 years of experience in progressively challenging sales and management positions, expertise in public relations, business development, operations, purchasing, human resources and budgeting.
Prior to his current roles he was the Executive Director of the Mississippi Funeral Directors Association from 2008-2010 and was Vice President of the Heritage Agency Insurance & Investments from 1994-2008.
Chamblee holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mississippi State University and industry certification from University of Mississippi School of Banking. He lives in Madison, Miss.
The Commissioner of Revenue and the State Treasurer shall also serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of the Mississippi Lottery Corporation.

GOVERNOR’S OFFICE CONTACT:
Knox Graham: knox.graham@governor.ms.gov (601-576-2811)

Gulfport, MS - Renaissance Community Loan Fund officials announced the local nonprofit has been awarded $950,000 from the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. The grant is part of the 2018 CDFI Program, which was established to serve low-income communities across the country through financial and technical assistance.

​Renaissance, a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution, provides personalized
lending products, and specializes in assisting low-income and credit-challenged borrowers
achieve homeownership and become business owners. As a CDFI, Renaissance supports its
clients with extensive financial counseling throughout the life of the loan, resulting in a greater client success rate.

Renaissance will use the funds to expand its products and services in the state. Renaissance
began offering affordable lending programs in 2007 in South Mississippi, and in 2017, opened
an office in Tupelo to better serve the residents in North Mississippi. This award now allows
Renaissance to continue its growth with a focus on Central Mississippi. Additionally, the award
provides the resources to expand on its specialized loan products to meet the needs of its
existing and new borrowers throughout Mississippi.

“Renaissance is honored to receive this award of funds and is grateful to the US Treasury and
the CDFI Fund for allowing us to continue our mission and promote economic opportunity
throughout the state,” said Kimberly LaRosa, president and CEO of Renaissance Community
Loan Fund. “It was a record amount of funding announced for CDFI’s in Mississippi, due in large part to the outstanding advocacy by our Mississippi delegation to demonstrate the importance of CDFI Fund programs in the state.”

For information on Renaissance Community Loan Fund and its lending programs that are
available throughout Mississippi, visit http://www.rclfms.com.

​Contact Information
Denise Carver, Director or Administration & Marketing
Renaissance Community Loan Fund
(228) 896-3386, ext. 107
dcarver@rclfms.com
www.rclfms.com

​Marketing Manager, Nicole Rosetti, speaks with DeanO’s Family Kitchen Owner & Chef, Dean Kronauer, and takes a look at some of the most popular food items on the menu.

​Marcus Bell has had a love for trucks and trucking ever since he was a little boy. His father has been driving a truck for over 47 years, and he would take Marcus with him on his out of town trips. This seed of love for the trucking industry was planted at an early age, and it continued to grow. Marcus has now been driving on his own for 20 years.

After driving for various companies over the years and continuing  to build on his knowledge of the industry, Marcus knew that it was time he combined his passion for trucking and his extensive experience into something more substantial and long-term. He founded Bell Trucking in 2013 and purchased the company’s first truck. He was also awarded a Gold Star of Achievement for excellent customer service.

Five years and many more miles later, Bell Trucking, with the help of Renaissance’s flexible underwriting and personal one-one-one financial counseling, purchased a brand new, state-of-the-art truck. The new truck not only allows Marcus and Bell Trucking to continue providing excellent customer service for their clients, but affords them the peace of mind knowing they have dependable equipment to grow the business for years to come.

​Marketing Manager, Nicole Rosetti, sits down with Pinnacle Property Management Owner, Shalon Lopez, to find out more about the services they offer.

​Marketing Manager, Nicole Rosetti, speaks with Joy Herndon, owner of Moments Funeral Home about services they offer and takes a tour of the facility.

​Director of Programs, Camille Schafer, explains new changes to Renaissance’s Programs!