John E. Hardy; commend on his outstanding leadership and service to his community.

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To: Rules
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Bell (65th)

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 108

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING JOHN E. HARDY ON HIS EXCEPTIONAL 1
LEADERSHIP, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY OF 2
JACKSON AND THE ENTIRE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI. 3
WHEREAS, from his business ventures to his personal 4
endeavors, John E. Hardy embodies excellence in every facet of his 5
life, driven by his personal motto: "If you think you can, you 6
can! If you think you can't, you can't! Either way, you're 7
right!"; and 8
WHEREAS, John received his bachelor's degree in business 9
administration from Jackson State University (JSU) in 1978, and he 10
later fostered his skills as a natural leader by earning his 11
general manager certification in private club management in 1985 12
from ClubCorp in Dallas, Texas; and 13
WHEREAS, after fulfilling his academic pursuits, John gained 14
invaluable experience in his role as a consultant and project 15
manager for MAC & Associates and excelled as a project manager on 16
the newly renovated JSU Capital Centre on Capitol Street; and 17
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WHEREAS, John was also co-owner of The Penguin Restaurant & 18
Bar, a premier establishment once located in the One University 19
Place building, and he further served for 36 years as the General 20
Manager of The University Club, a staple in downtown Jackson where 21
major business deals were birthed, nurtured and implemented; and 22
WHEREAS, using his business acumen and managerial skills to 23
uplift those around him, John is the Executive Director of the 100 24
Black Men of Jackson, Inc., which seeks to empower the next 25
generation of Black leaders through mentorship programs, support 26
African-American youth through educational empowerment 27
initiatives, equip individuals with the necessary knowledge and 28
skills to thrive in their careers through economic empowerment 29
programs, and inspire positive change locally through specialized 30
community programs and initiatives; and 31
WHEREAS, in recognition of the impact he has had on the 32
growth and strength of the organization, John received the 100 33
Black Men Chairman's Award and the 2024 Executive Director of the 34
Year Award; and 35
WHEREAS, John has used his certification as a Dining 36
Etiquette Instructor to deliver motivational, exciting and 37
interactive training to mentees, partner organizations, and more 38
than 200 students and parents through collaborative mentoring 39
initiatives, and outside of the organization, he also teaches 40
dining etiquette and customer service courses all over the City of 41
Jackson, including at public schools, colleges and universities, 42
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the Jackson Police Training Academy, the Mississippi Highway 43
Patrol Training Academy and many Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops; 44
and 45
WHEREAS, a testament to his impeccable leadership, John has 46
served on multiple boards and commissions in key positions, 47
including as a commissioner on the Jackson Convention Center 48
Commission, as a member and chairman of the Leadership Jackson 49
Board, as a founding board member and chairman of the North 50
Mid-Town Community Development Board, as a board member of the 51
Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau, as a member on the Chamber 52
of Commerce Board, and as a member on The Mississippi Food Network 53
Board; and 54
WHEREAS, steadfastly committed to community service and 55
engagement, John is a member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, 56
Inc., T.C. Almore Lodge #242 and the Capital City Corvette Club; 57
and 58
WHEREAS, John has been recognized for his extraordinary 59
achievement and exemplary character throughout the years and 60
received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the JSU College of 61
Business in 2009, an Image Award in Business from Phi Beta Sigma 62
Fraternity, Inc. in 2011, an Above & Beyond Award from the 63
Division of Athletics at JSU in 2013, and an A Team Award from the 64
Evers Academy for African-American Males in 2016 for his dining 65
etiquette training; and 66
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ST: John E. Hardy; commend on his outstanding
leadership and service to his community.
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to 67
recognize and commend outstanding Mississippians making an impact 68
in their communities, especially those such as John E. Hardy, 69
whose diligence and dedication to his work brings great pride and 70
honor to the City of Jackson and to the entire State of 71
Mississippi: 72
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF 73
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby 74
commend John E. Hardy on his exceptional leadership, community 75
service and contributions to the City of Jackson and the entire 76
State of Mississippi, and wish him continued success in all his 77
future endeavors. 78
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be 79
furnished to John E. Hardy and to the members of the Capitol Press 80
Corps. 81