From Piggly Wiggly to agriculture commissioner
Cindy Hyde-Smith made history as the first woman in the United States to be elected as Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce. She succeeded longtime Commissioner, Dr. Lester Spell, Jr., who did not seek re-election for a fifth term in office. Her election followed a 12-year career as a Mississippi State Senator for District 39 where she served as Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee for 8 years. She has a reputation for being a very hard worker who expects a lot of herself and those around her. Growing up in Monticello, Hyde-Smith’s father was in the trucking business, and her mother was a hairdresser who is still going strong in her business at age 74. Her parents taught her the value of hard work, and Hyde-Smith spent many hours helping in her dad’s business. She laughingly shared, “I have probably changed more oil filters than anyone at the Capitol!”
MS Business Journal
5/20/12
Magnolia Tribune
