A Hattiesburg native with an eye for sculpture, Dr. Erik Graham believes that every smile is a work of art ready to be unveiled. After attending dental school at University Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi, Dr. Graham and his wife Ginny (also a Hattiesburg native) moved back to Hattiesburg and joined Dr. Baker, where they formed Baker & Graham Family Dentistry. Ever since he was a child, Dr. Graham has been fascinated by how things work. He loves working with his hands, taking things apart, and putting them back together again. He has always been fascinated by innovation and captivated by the power of technology to improve people’s lives.
Outside of the office, Dr. Graham loves spending time with his wife Ginny and his three sons, Gregg, Parker, and Bradley. He coaches their baseball teams and helps coordinate their Boy Scout endeavors. Dr. Graham also enjoys wood carving, furniture building, and the art of sculpture, a passion which he carries into his dental practice, as well.
Our thanks to MS Supreme Court Justice Dawn Beam for providing our program on Tuesday.
L-R: Justice Beam; Club President, Lynn Walton, and Justice Beam's host, Shirley Moore.
President Lynn Walton presided over today’s meeting. Ryan Kelly provided the opening prayer. Matt Rumph led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Lynn led us in the Four Way Test. The meeting was held at the Holiday Inn North and on Zoom. Lynn thanked everyone in attendance.
Bill MacLauchlan introduced today’s guests. Mackenzie Parker and Greg Carter are guests of Jerome Brown. Markus Simmons is a guest of Brandon Hodges. Annie Jackson is a guest of Mark Killingsworth.
Lynn is also looking for volunteers to help plan a Christmas event. She also reported on the three quarterly charities selected by the board. They include The Salvation Army, purchasing and distributing Noah Wheeler’s new children’s book, and Wesley Manor. The club will assist Ida survivors and members are asked to bring items they need to club meetings through the October 5 meeting. A list of needed items was distributed. Lynn also reported that Shirley Moore has been added as a new board member.
Carter Burns is the Executive Director of Historic Natchez Foundation. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Millsaps College, a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law, and a Master of Historic Preservation from the University of Georgia. Prior to attending graduate school in historic preservation, Carter clerked for Judge John Roper, the Senior Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of Mississippi, and held the position of Senior Attorney for the Right of Way Division of the Mississippi Department of Transportation. A Natchez native, Carter worked part-time for HNF throughout high school and college. He came to his job as executive director already armed with deep knowledge of and abiding interest in the history and historic resources of the Natchez District. He is responsible for all staffing, operations, and programs of the HNF. A former board member of the Mississippi Heritage Trust, he currently serves on the board of the Mississippi Historical Society and the National Preservation Partners Network.
JUSTICE DAWN BEAM • MS SUPREME COURT, DIST. 2, PLACE 2
Justice Dawn H. Beam joined the Mississippi Supreme Court on February 16, 2016. Gov. Phil Bryant appointed her to fill the unexpired term of former Justice Randy Pierce. She is the fourth woman to serve on the state’s highest court, and the first woman appointed from the Southern District. Justice Beam, the daughter of a minister, was born in Marks in the Mississippi Delta and as a child lived in numerous communities across the state. She graduated from Caldwell High School in Columbus, Mississippi. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business from the University of Mississippi, and a law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law. She was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1989. She has spent most of her legal career in the Pine Belt area. She was elected to and served for three years as county prosecutor for Lamar County, and for five years as a chancellor of the Tenth Chancery District, which includes Forrest, Lamar, Marion, Pearl River and Perry counties. Her work as a chancellor and as a county prosecutor included protection of abused and neglected children. After her appointment to the Supreme Court, she continued work for the protection of children and families as co-chair of the Commission on Children's Justice and co-chair of the Commission on Guardianships and Conservatorships. She makes her home in Sumrall. She is a member of Sumrall United Methodist Church in Lamar County. She is married to Dr. Stephen Beam. They have five children. Justice Beam and her husband are very active in their community.
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