Canopy Children’s Solutions is pleased to announce the addition of three new members to its Board of Directors. Canopy welcomes Dave Dennis, Craig Jackson and Will Lampton. Each board member gives their time, talents and resources to guide the organization and improve the lives of the more than 5,000 children Canopy serves each year. Each of the members will serve a three-year term which began in August 2018.
Dave Dennis
Dave Dennis is President of Specialty Contractors & Associates, Inc., based in Gulfport, Mississippi. He and his wife Jane have owned the company since 1985. Over the next three decades, he has participated in the construction and development of over 9,000 projects including commercial office buildings, industrial facilities, hotels, churches, hospitals, schools, casinos, and other projects, which have helped to bring commerce and jobs to local communities.
Dave has an extensive record of participation in community, civic and industry activities. He currently serves as Chairman of the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport Authority Board, Chairman of Charter Bank, and Chairman of the Governor’s Oyster Council for Mississippi, along with active board memberships on Renaissance Community Loan Fund, Garden Park Hospital, Auburn University’s Masters of Architecture and Real Estate Development Board, and other civic activities. He has also served three full terms as Chairman of Federal Reserve Bank in New Orleans, representing four states, was Chairman of Leadership Mississippi, Executive Committee for both the Mississippi Economic Council and the Gulf Coast Business Council, State Chairman of BIPEC (Business and Industry), Chairman of the Walter Anderson Museum of Art, Chairman of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, and Dave and Jane Co-Chaired the accelerated initiative to renovate and rebuild six Catholic High Schools in the post Hurricane Katrina environment.
Dave was named Mississippi’s “Volunteer of the Year” by the MEDC in 2000, and was also recognized as National Volunteer of the Year by the Southern Economic Development Council. In 1995, Specialty Contractors was recognized as “Business of the Year” for the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the Business Expo. Following Hurricane Katrina, Dave served as Chairman of the Historic Preservation and Cultural aspects of Governor’s Council for Rebuilding and restoring the Coast, was recognized as the Boy Scouts of America’s “Distinguished Citizen of the Year”, Coast YMCA’s “Humanitarian of the Year,” and also led many recovery efforts in rebuilding the Coast to its greatest potential. He and Jane have teamed together in many capacities in addition to her own civic service. She has served as a School Board President, President of the Gulfport Junior Auxiliary, and after Hurricane Katrina, Chaired the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Co-Chaired the “Build Back the Coast Fund,” was President of the Center for Child Abuse, and led many other efforts for the Coast and state. She was named the Mississippi Business Journal’s “Business Woman of the Year” in 2007.
Dave is a native of Atmore, Alabama. He and Jane are both graduates of Auburn University and live in Pass Christian, Mississippi. Together they gave two grown children, Kate Dennis Spear and Padrick D. Dennis.
Craig Jackson
Craig Jackson is the Vice President for Customer Operations for C Spire. He is responsible for Care & Support for all lines of businesses including consumer, enterprise, and home services centers of excellence focusing on driving differentiated customer experiences that drives customer advocacy. Craig has been with C Spire for more than a decade.
He and his team have won national awards for innovative technology solutions including a first place award from Service Quality Management (SQM) for best practices and improvements in real-time support processes. Craig has over 20 years of experience developing strategy, identifying creative ideas while yielding desired results.
Craig has also served in the community including serving as a board member for Goodwill Industries of Mississippi.
Craig is a native of Natchez, Mississippi now living in the Madison, Mississippi area. He is a graduate of Jackson State University.
Craig and his wife Michell have two daughters and are members of New Hope Baptist Church. Away from work, Craig loves traveling, meeting people, spending time with family as well as attending sports events.
Will Lampton
Will Lampton is Senior Purchasing Specialist for Mississippi-based oil and gas company, Ergon, Inc. He is responsible for procuring raw materials for Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions’ 47 facilities located across the United States. He has been part of the Ergon company for more than a decade.
As one of the youngest members to serve on Canopy’s board, Will is passionate about being active in the local community and giving back. He has served on several boards, including the Mississippi Asphalt Pavement Association and the Mississippi Road Builders Association. He will fill the spot of Les Lampton, who previously served several years on Canopy’s Board of Directors.
Will earned his business degree with an emphasis in management from the University of Mississippi and completed Northwestern/Kellogg’s executive program in governing family enterprises.
Will was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. He and his wife Janna, a native of Atlanta, together have two children Leighton and Ellie.