Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Miller leaving DMR

Governor Phil Bryant issued the following press release.


Jamie Miller to Join MDA, Gov. Phil Bryant Appoints Joe Spraggins Executive Director of DMR

JACKSON – Gov. Phil Bryant announced today that he has appointed Brig. Gen. Joe Spraggins executive director of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.

Spraggins will replace Jamie Miller, who has served as DMR’s executive director since 2013. Miller is joining the Mississippi Development Authority as deputy director for governmental affairs and chief innovation officer. Spraggins has served as DMR’s chief operations officer since 2013.

“Jamie has served the people of Mississippi well at DMR,” Gov. Phil Bryant said. “I know he will continue to improve our state at MDA. DMR is in good hands with Gen. Spraggins assuming leadership, and I am pleased he has accepted this appointment.”

Miller has 20 years of public- and private-sector experience working in South Mississippi and Washington, D.C. His professional career has focused on legislative affairs, natural resource management and community and economic development.

At DMR, Miller worked with the Mississippi Legislature to pass the DMR Reorganization and Accountability Act, which required annual agency audits, authorized an Office of Restoration and Resiliency and three key agency positions — chief scientific officer, chief financial officer and marine patrol chief.

Miller worked to enhance the Coast’s natural resources, including a focus on Mississippi’s oyster reefs. He played a key role in the Governor’s Oyster Council on Restoration and Resiliency to expand public oyster growing areas and initiating oyster aquaculture to restore natural reefs and increase commercial production.

Miller served as chief of staff for Cong. Steven Palazzo in Washington D.C., and as policy advisor to Gov. Haley Barbour’s Office of Recovery and Renewal following Hurricane Katrina. In that role, Miller helped develop Community Development Block Grant programs, including the expansion of the Port of Gulfport.

In his new role at MDA, Miller will focus primarily on local, state, federal and international governmental relations. With prior experience in the Governor’s Office of Disaster Recovery, he will serve as disaster recovery administrator and oversee state-owned ports. Miller will coordinate with all Mississippi military installations on behalf of MDA, monitor all Base Realignment and Closure activity and work with the Mississippi Military Communities Council. He will also coordinate all university and federal research center relations on behalf of MDA, serve as liaison to the Delta Regional Authority and Appalachian Regional Commission, oversee statewide benchmarks and project performance initiatives, in addition to other administrative and strategic initiatives as assigned.

He graduated from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and received his B.S. in environmental biology with a minor in chemistry from the University of Southern Mississippi.

“I look forward to joining Director Glenn McCullough and his team at the Mississippi Development Authority,” Miller said. “I share the passion Glenn and Governor Bryant have for Mississippi and hope to build on the agency’s success. It has been an absolute privilege to lead the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and its employees for nearly 5 years. I leave knowing the positive initiatives we implemented will continue to benefit the agency in the future. My role at MDA gives me an even greater opportunity to promote the entire state as a premier business and tourism destination.”

Spraggins grew up in Alexander City, Ala., and graduated from Troy University with a bachelor's degree in resource management. He served 34 years in the military and attained the rank of brigadier general. He retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2006.

Prior to joining DMR, he served as commander of the Combat Readiness Training Center in Gulfport and chief of staff of the Joint Force Headquarters in the Tennessee National Guard. Spraggins was appointed director of emergency management, homeland security and the E-911 Commission for Harrison County. He began work days before Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Aug. 29, 2005.

“I am honored that Governor Bryant chose me to be the executive director for the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. I have worked alongside Jamie Miller for the past four years, and his leadership has been outstanding. I look forward to continuing the work that he has done to make this agency one of the best in the state.”

Miller will officially join MDA on Dec. 20. Spraggins will assume leadership of DMR the same day.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Waiting on the Apple Dumpling gang to begin commenting.

Anonymous said...

He's in training to be McCullough's replacement. Otherwise, it would be a demotion. McCullough is damaged goods. I guess we're about 90 days out from that announcement.

Anonymous said...

Jamie is a solid guy. We are lucky to keep him on as a public servant.

Anonymous said...

Not sure if Joe Spraggins is the right man for the job. Was hoping Gov Bryant would make a more aggressive pick for this agency but oh well.

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear that possibility about McCullough. He is surprisingly weak in that position. Backed down on promises under pressure and got rid of some valuable employees.

I'm not a robot said...

Wow, 3:01 PM, you must be a senior citizen with that reference to "Apple Dumpling Gang". I had to google it to find out what you were talking about. An old Don Knotts film. Bet you like the Andy Griffith Show too.

Anonymous said...

I have a question for Philbilly: how much did Joe Spraggins contribute to your election campaigns?

Anonymous said...

the department of marine resources ......... another BS , taxpayer funded administrative agency created by the legislature to administer the "marine resources" of our 35 mile coastline. these administrative agencies exist solely to allow the governor and legislators to had out high paying, goldbrick , do nothing jobs to their cronies. how many thousands of dollars did the first director manage to steal before he got sent to federal prison? administrative agencies like this and the pathetic PRVWSD SHOULD BE FLUSHED RIGHT Down the toilet. agencies like these prove that the only growth industry in mississippi is government. all brought to you by the republican party. the party of "limited government".

Anonymous said...

I would agree with 4:55. While the DMR is brought to you by the Republicans, the Democrats have their fair share of BS too. Both sides need to be run the hell out of dodge. If the Apple Dumpling Gang can get that job done, I am all for it.

Anonymous said...

How long before McCullough leaves office due to an illness? His illness of course is his lack of economic development experience

Anonymous said...

"Not sure if Joe Spraggins is the right man for the job. Was hoping Gov Bryant would make a more aggressive pick for this agency but oh well."

You must work there. Before the story about illicit use of the yacht owned by this do-nothing agency, who the hell had ever heard of it in the first place? Why do we need an 'aggressive pick' to be in charge of a group of people that ought not exist while serving no useful purpose? Get back in your cubicle and work on your comp-time log.

Anonymous said...

The Apple Dumplimg Gang is alive and well in Ocean Springs. Just ask VRA. Tick tock, tick tock...

Anonymous said...

@ 4:55

What kind of Mississippi math is this?

the department of marine resources ......... another BS , taxpayer funded administrative agency created by the legislature to administer the "marine resources" of our 35 mile coastline.

Guess you really don't know what is considered coastline, and haven't bothered to look at a map of Mississippi lately. Yes, indeed. The coast trash would prefer to have some dumb redneck Bubba from another state entity that has never stepped foot on a boat along coastal waters enforce the state marine laws around here. And telling us what to do with our oyster reefs and shrimp season. Brilliant idea! All things impacting the coast should be managed from a state agency run from Jackson. Just like the BP money. Why didn't we think of that on our own?

Sure there is lots of waste at the DMR. Political cronies appointed. Curruption run amok. No doubt. But could you please point me in the direction of a state agency that doesn't suffer with such hubris? Seems there is a short list, if any, of those around the state. Just ask Chris Epps how things have worked out for him. Or the nice ladies that had to sue the department of public safety for flagrant bias and discrimination. MDA seems to have a few problems of their own. Department of Medicaid anyone? DHS? PERS? I digress.

We have a culture of corruption in this state that goes beyond political party. Unfortunately, both the citizens and their elected officials are resigned to accepting it as a way of life.

Thank you, Kingfish, for continuing to shine the light.

Anonymous said...

7;27 makes reference to "our oyster reefs and shrimp"..........those oyster reefs and shrimp are public resources, and part of the public domaine, that can be harvested by any resident of this state , not just a bunch of coast trash like yourself. correct me if im wrong, but you did refer to yourself as coast trash on your post, didn't you? thats the one thing you got right, it sure was not your geography skills.

Anonymous said...

If MDA really is a train wreck why do they keep hiring inexperienced people? While this man many be a nice fella, he has virtually no experience as an economic developer. How is he going to explain to the legislature what is needed if he has no clue himself? What is a Chief Innovation Officer? t makes no sense at all.

Anonymous said...

Dear 8:40, No, not just anyone can harvest oysters or quantities of shrimp beyond what you catch in your own fast net (which is not enough for a Coast Trash specialty, the poboy. The "not just anyone" public policy protects these public resources by regulating how many people can run roughshod over the fisheries and by collecting a fee for the maintenance of said fisheries. Aquaculture isn't free, you know. Neither The people who fish the fisheries for a living pay the bulk of the fees. Recreational fishers make up the balance of the licensing fees with out of state anglers being charged more to access Mississippi's resources than are Mississippi residents. I'm sure you already knew all of this. Looking forward to collecting my quart of oysters this weekend that I ordered from a fee-paying oysterman. P.S. He's a tonger not a dredger.

Signed,

Coast Trash who does miss some aspects of Jackson and central Mississippi but is delighted to be back where the air smells like salt and low tide.

Anonymous said...

Who's your oyster guy? Decent prices? Good product? Have you bought from him before and any issues?
Thanks

Signed:
Hungry for chargrilled oysters

Anonymous said...

10:13, George Storrs. He is wonderful and the only oysterman we have ever used. Mostly goes out of Pass Harbor. Best Mississippi oysters I've ever had. $25 a quart. I think he just takes orders and goes out when he can as opposed to selling dockside anymore. Can't have Christmas without oyster dressing. Topped with saltine crackers broken in four by pressing the center of each cracker just so with your thumb. My grandmother would have been horrified if I had ever done otherwise. I'm also a big fat sinner and stir in a little fresh grated real Parmesan.

Anonymous said...

Deck chair, deck chairs. Glenn has to move the deck chairs again!
Hey buddy If you and your side kick MC' DOPEY ain't figured it out yet....WE ARE SINKING,

Plain ol' Catfish said...

@ December 7, 2017 at 7:27 AM

Well said. Most of the people up here bitching do not have a clue on what the agency does; but they simply rips its purpose because of the actions of one idiot. DMR definitely serves a purpose and benefits our state.

Anonymous said...

to plain ole catfish ....... you must be the recipient of one of those high paying , do nothing ,government jobs with the DMR

Anonymous said...

Jamie Miller is a pawn. Will he do some of the same things at the MDA that he did when appointed to the DMR top job? Google Jamie Miller Frontier Strategies and read as a reminder.


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