Please note that this post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward MageeNews.com a small commission – at no extra cost to you.
Treasurer Lynn Fitch says she relies on her faith for guidance when sharp criticism comes her way.
“You never compromise your integrity,” Fitch told Mississippi College audiences Thursday. “You don’t lash out when you are treated poorly.”
Starting her 2nd term of office as a statewide leader, the Republican was among the speakers at MC’s Faith & Business Ethics Week in early February.
Whenever negative statements and untruths are picked up by the media, “You stay positive and know that God stays in control,” Fitch added during a panel discussion at Anderson Hall.
Sponsored by the MC School of Business, the programs featured other prominent leaders including Alan Barnhart, CEO of Barnhart Crane and Rigging. The Memphis-based company is one of the world’s largest heavy lifting and transport companies. The company has given more than $50 million to Christian ministry work over the past five years, primarily to causes around the world.
“The purpose of our business is to glorify God,” Barnhart said in his keynote address at a February 4 luncheon attracting hundreds of MC students, alumni and faculty.
Working since 1986 for the company Barnhart began with his brother, he said, has “just been a joy.” He’s seen lives of co-workers and many others changed over the years as they accepted the Bible’s teachings.
Other speakers included Shelley Hill, an executive at Neighborhood Christian Centers in Memphis. She switched to the non-profit sector after over 25 years working for Fortune 500 companies. “There is a need for us to be role models in the Christian community.”
MC student Kristian Gautier of Ridgeland believes it’s important to hear from business leaders unafraid to share the role of faith in the workplace. “I’m learning to apply faith into my future.”
The week began February 1 with Mississippi College business professors showcasing faith and ethics in their lectures. It could be a management class at the Christian university focusing on ethical decision making or an accounting class shining the light on fraudulent actions.
MC junior Mary Elizabeth Stringer of Tylertown says the entire week on the Clinton campus offered valuable lessons. “As a student, it is helpful to hear how people run their businesses in an ethical manner.”
A 1951 MC School of Business graduate, retired Tennessee businessman Don Jordan established the special week at his alma mater. In 1994, Papa Jordan and his son, Trey, established Holiday Deli & Ham restaurants in the Memphis area, and a few years ago brought Pimento’s restaurant to Mississippi College.
Photo: MC students William Crutcher of Birmingham, Alabama, Bradley Johnson of Flowood, Matthew Holman of Memphis, Mary Elizabeth Stringer of Tylertown, Hannah DeVries of Dixon, Illinois and Kristian Gautier of Ridgeland. The School of Business sponsored the activities in early February.
