Viking Range Corporation has become much more than just an appliance company — It is a way of life, embracing the pursuit and experience of fine food, wine, and travel. And the Greenwood, Mississippi, company was born from this very passion. After searching fruitlessly for a suitable high-performance range for his new home, Fred Carl, Jr. set about designing it himself. Countless late nights later, he finally arrived at a hybrid that corralled the cooking power and features of a professional range into a design feasible for home use.

As it turns out, Carl wasn't the only homeowner dreaming of a high performance kitchen. The first Viking range introduced professional cooking to the home in 1987, and gourmets the world over rejoiced. So the rangetop was added. Then a dishwasher. A refrigerator. Even an outdoor kitchen, complete with ventilation. Each new product was built to the Viking standard of culinary perfection, furthering its reputation as the pinnacle of gourmet cooking. And along the way Viking created its own culture of innovation. Now Viking is applying perfection to new categories like cookware, cutlery, and small appliances. And they won't stop innovating until the complete Viking kitchen offers professional performance in every corner.

In addition to professional performance, Viking Cooking Schools provide professional know-how — not to mention a good night out. A lively curriculum of day, night and weekend classes offer home chefs insight into everything from the basics of baking to exciting ethnic cuisines.

And now The Viking Life takes the culinary experience well beyond the Viking kitchen, offering a world of authentic culture and flavors. From the floating markets of Thailand to the vineyards of Tuscany, exclusive trips explore the world's most exciting cuisines. While cooking classes, online videos and recipes, and events like the Viking Classic bring the Viking experience closer to home.

Since 1923, we have worked hard to provide the mid-South with safe, reliable electric service at the lowest price possible. At the same time, we have made significant investments in education, economic development, and our environment. Over the years, we have helped our 45-county service area grow and prosper.

But we've only just begun. Today, we are a modern electric utility that has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in service reliability for the people of Mississippi. Reliability and customer satisfaction are at all-time highs. Tomorrow, we will take our service reliability and customer focus "Beyond the Basics." That means technology improvements that will identify situations before they become problems. It means new products and services that will address customer needs before the customer asks for them. And it also means giving you access to us, whether in person, over the phone, or online.

In the end, Entergy and the Viking Classic are a lot alike. Both bring good things to Mississippi. And both have exciting futures ahead in our state. Entergy Mississippi welcomes everyone associated with the Viking Classic to our home. We're sure you will enjoy it here, and we look forward to seeing you again in the future.

We are a more efficient railroad — CN has one of the best operating ratios in this industry and is committed to moving more freight, more quickly and with fewer assets.

We are a more connected railroad — CN is the only railroad which crosses the continent east-west and north-south, serving ports on the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts while linking customers to all three NAFTA nations.

We are a more diverse railroad — CN revenues derive from the movement of a diversified and balanced portfolio of goods including petroleum and chemicals, grain and fertilizer, coal, metals and minerals, forest products, intermodal and automotive.

As the state's lead economic and community development agency, the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) also recognizes that Mississippi is all about business, too. In addition to our tourism and community development programs, MDA recruits new industry and helps existing companies remain profitable. We nurture public and private partnerships to create an environment of collaboration. With a strong incentive package, business friendly climate and unbeatable quality of life, Mississippi is the right choice for any business venture.

In 1994, our name changed to BankPlus. This was more than a simple name change. It was a rededication to offering superior products and service. To go with our new name, we created the slogan, “It’s more than a name. It’s a promise.” which reflects our desire to offer enhanced services and emphasizes our commitment to giving our customers and our communities more for their money. 

Today, as a result of that commitment, BankPlus has grown to include over 60 offices in 34 Mississippi communities.  We owe our success to the dedication, high performance, and optimism of our employees.  And we promise to keep leading the way with innovative products like ValuePlus Free Checking, convenient services like our 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. drive-thrus, and a continuing commitment to communities we serve. 

To that end we are pleased to join Viking Range and the other fine sponsors in presenting this PGA TOUR golf tournament event, the Viking Classic.