Leadership at MMI

Mike P. Sturdivant, II

Founder (1927 - 2012)

Considering business diversification and opportunity in an economy that was quickly changing, Mike Sturdivant has been instrumental in the lives of thousands of MMI employees and families.

A native son of Mississippi, Micajah Purnell “Mike” Sturdivant, Sr. understood many years ago that his family-owned, agriculture-focused business, Due West Plantation, would see many changes.  Still a farm with extensive interests in the Mississippi Delta, Due West would see the influence of technology on the labor base and, thereby, regional economy.  In response, Mr. Sturdivant acted on an opportunity to enter into the hotel business – an industry on the cusp of great change with the prospect of boosting employment for many across the South.

Over fifty years later, Mike, Sr. serves as Co-Chairman of MMI with Earle Jones – a friendship born out their days as roommates at Harvard Business School. With Mike, Sr.'s continued involvement in the company, three generations of the Sturdivant family are actively involved in the leadership of MMI Hotel Group.

He is a past president of the International Association of Holiday Inns.  He is a former chairman of the board of managers for Methodist Health Systems of Memphis and was a member of the board of directors and executive committee at Union Planters National Bank (now Regions).  Mike, Sr. served on the Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning for the State of Mississippi and Chaired the Finance Committee.  Additionally, he was a member of the DISCAL Management Board of the State of Mississippi. 

Mr. Sturdivant and his wife, Ygondine, have five children, four sons and a daughter, as well as nine grandchildren.

 

Gaines Sturdivant, CHA

President

Leadership from the trenches. Gaines Sturdivant was named President of MMI Hotel Group in 1988 after having begun his career as a management trainee and ultimately serving as a hotel General Manager. Upon graduating from Vanderbilt University, Mr. Sturdivant committed several years to MMI focusing on operations, technical services, and marketing responsibilities before taking a leave of absence to attend the Harvard Business School, completing its Program for Management Development.

Mr. Sturdivant is a Past President of the IHG Owners Association and currently serves as a member of the Past President Committee. He has served on numerous committees of the American Hotel & Lodging Association including its Political Action and International Council of Hotel Management Companies Committee.

Mr. Sturdivant serves on the board of Belhaven College, located in Jackson, MS. Additionally, he is a board member of the Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau. Mr. Sturdivant was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow in 2006.

 

Michael J. Hart, CPA

Chief Financial Officer

After graduating from Mississippi State University in 1966 with a degree in Accounting, Mike Hart joined the national CPA firm of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co., working in the firm's Jackson, Mississippi, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana offices. While there, Mike was appointed a Computer Audit Specialist in addition to his other audit and tax responsibilities.

In 1975, Mike established his own successful accounting practice in Jackson, Mississippi where he served as principal auditor for three hotel management organizations - including MMI Hotel Group. Recognizing Mike's substantial financial management skills, MMI hired him as its Chief Financial Officer in 1987.

 

Scott Sledge, CHA

Vice President, Operations

After graduation from the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in hospitality management in 1989, Scott Sledge began management training in Nashville, TN for MMI Hotel Group at the Cabot Lodge Nashville.  He has served several MMI hotels in a variety of positions including Sales Manager, Front Office Manager and Assistant General Manager.  In 1994, he was promoted to General Manager at the Cabot Lodge-Jackson North in Ridgeland.  In 1999, Sledge assumed additional responsibilities in a dual role as Regional Director of Operations overseeing MMI operations in Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana.  Most recently, Scott Sledge has been promoted to Vice President of Operations.

Sledge is a graduate of the Executive Development Advanced Management Program at Cornell University in Ithaca NY.  Honored as a veteran hotelier, he holds the designation of a Certified Hotel Administrator from The American Hotel & Lodging Association. Sledge currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association and the MHRA Educational Foundation.  Mr. Sledge has served three terms as President of the Mississippi Hotel & Lodging Association and in the past he has served the Ridgeland Tourism Commission as a two term president, vice president of the Metro Jackson Hotel/ Motel Association, Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce, and has served on various other boards and committees during his hospitality career.  Mr. Sledge resides with his wife, Beth Westerman Sledge, and his two sons, Taylor and Westin, in Madison, Mississippi.

 

James E. Hart PHR, CHA

Vice President, Administration

Jim Hart graduated from Florida State University in 1966 with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management and received his MBA from Mississippi College in 1994.

He was the General Manager at various Holiday Inns in the Midwest and began his career with MMI in 1974 as assistant innkeeper in Hammond, Louisiana. Steady advancement saw Jim named MMI's Vice President-Food and Beverage in 1978, Vice President-Human Resources in 1982, was made responsible for corporate accounting in 1995, and was named Vice President of Administration in 1996, with duties including personnel, compensation, benefits, training and development, guest relations and corporate accounting.

Jim holds the designation of Certified Hotel Administrator and is a certified Professional Human Resources Specialist. He has served as chairman of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, Human Resources Committee, and has been a member of the Dining and Scholarship Committees.

Jim is also a member of the MFHA (Multicultrual Foodservice Hospitality Alliance) and certified by the Society for Human Resources Management as a Diversity Trainer. Jim has also been an Officer of CHART - a national hospitality training organization.

 

Ken O'Keefe, CHA

Vice President, Technical Services

Ken O'Keefe holds a Bachelors degree from Millsaps College, a Master of Business Administration degree from Emory University and is a Certified Hotel Administrator. He began work with hotels on a construction crew working at the Holiday Inn in Meridian, Mississippi. He later worked for MMI in various front desk, maintenance, housekeeping and food & beverage positions.

In 1975, O'Keefe was named Vice President-Technical Services, supervising construction at MMI properties across the southeast. Ken developed MMI's preventive maintenance programs and has organized the company's energy conservation and safety initiatives. His responsibilities include coordinating all construction, remodeling and special projects.

 

Len E. Shannon, MBA

Corporate Controller

Len Shannon joined MMI as Controller in 2004. With a Master of Business Administration degree from Millsaps College, his career in corporate accounting as a senior financial executive spans more than 20 years progressively responsible accounting positions.

Len previously served as Corporate Director of Accounting for ChemFirst Inc., a publicly traded chemical company later acquired by DuPont Chemical. His background includes the supervision of the daily accounting functions at a corporate headquarters, consolidation of financial information, reporting, benefit plans responsibility and internal control review.

He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants.

 

Micajah Sturdivant

Vice President, Hotel Services

As Vice President of Hotel Services, Micajah works with the existing portfolio to optimize the relevancy of and experience in each of MMI’s hotels while also considering how additional properties both owned outright and through third party management contracts fit best into the family of franchised and unique offerings.
Outside of MMI, he serves on the Distribution-Reservation Channels Committee for Intercontinental Hotel Group. Prior banking and real estate experience includes time spent in lending at First Tennessee Bank and as an executive assistant to the CEO of an office REIT. He holds a MBA from Harvard University and a BBA from the Barksdale Honors College at the University of Mississippi.