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Powering progress
Inside Tomeka Durr-Wiley’s drive to build, lead, and inspire
Despite her impressive list of accomplishments and accolades, Tomeka Durr-Wiley always strives to improve.
“For me, success is not just about achieving specific goals, but also about the journey and the growth that comes with it,” says the Biloxi resident. “I consider myself successful because I am continuously learning, growing and making a positive impact in my field.”
As a commercial development project manager in Mississippi Power’s economic development department, Durr-Wiley connects small business owners with the resources and support they need to grow. Whether a business is launching or looking to expand, she helps by providing crucial information about incentives, site selection, market demographics, recruiting and more.
“I also do commercial retail recruitment and work closely with regional, local and state economic development organizations in promoting communities within the Mississippi Power service area,” Durr-Wiley says. “I take pride in helping business owners, local municipalities and communities succeed in their business endeavors.”
Meanwhile, she’s a mom to a college-bound daughter, an active community leader and an avid designer, baker and builder in her downtime. Describing herself as compassionate, honest, creative and driven, Durr- Wiley says adapting to new challenges and continually improving are key aspects of her character.
“I value strong relationships and enjoy collaborating with others to achieve common goals,” she adds. “Additionally, I take pride in my resilience and perseverance, which have helped me overcome obstacles and stay focused on my goals.”
MAKING AN IMPACT
The youngest of seven siblings, Durr-Wiley attributes her strong work ethic to her parents — who set an example of what could be achieved with earnest, consistent effort. Her passion for her work stems from a deep, long-standing interest in business development.
“This field allows me to combine my analytical skills with my creativity, which keeps me engaged and motivated,” Durr-Wiley says. “The importance of my work lies in its impact on both the company and our customers.”
Her extensive marketing background went a long way toward preparing Durr-Wiley for her current role. She’s drawn to the dynamic, strategic nature of commercial development, which lets her create value for both the company and community.
“I have been in commercial development for 14 years,” she says. “During this time, I have had the opportunity to work on various projects, each presenting unique challenges and learning experiences. The continuous learning and adaptability required in this field keeps me engaged and motivated.”
THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING BACK
Outside the office, Durr-Wiley has served on numerous professional, civic and community organizations, including Mississippi Main Street, Habitat for Humanity, the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce – Main Street – Tourism Bureau, the Biloxi Chamber of Commerce Diversity Committee for Minority-Owned Businesses, the D’Iberville Chamber of Commerce, the Hattiesburg Downtown Association Economic Development Vitality Committee, Legacy Business League and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
She deems giving back important for several reasons.
“First, it fosters a sense of community and connection; when we contribute to the well-being of others, we strengthen the bonds within our community and create a supportive environment,” Durr-Wiley explains. “Second, giving back can be incredibly fulfilling on a personal level. It allows us to use our skills and resources to make a positive impact, which can lead to a sense of accomplishment and purpose.”
Finally, she adds, it helps address social inequalities and creates opportunities for those who are less fortunate.
“By supporting others,” Durr-Wiley says, “we contribute to a more equitable and just society.”
STRIKING A BALANCE
Juggling the demands of a career, family and community involvement is difficult, Durr-Wiley concedes, but possible with the right approach.
“The best advice I can give, and this also helps me with work-life balance: prioritize, set boundaries, create a schedule, communicate, be able to pivot, and always make time for your spirituality and self-care,” she says.
At the heart of everything Durr-Wiley does are her two top priorities: her family and her spiritual wellbeing. With her daughter leaving for college soon, the proud mom is bracing for a challenging time mentally and emotionally.
“She and I share a special bond; I am going to miss her tremendously,” Durr-Wiley says. “I am currently approaching this in the most loving and supportive way possible by doing everything I can to put her in the best position to succeed.”
Fortunately, she has her own hobbies and ambitions to keep her occupied, including learning how to play the guitar, advancing into a management role in economic development and completing her Certified Commercial Investment Member certification. An entrepreneur at heart, she aspires to own a construction company one day – perhaps during retirement.
Continuously expanding her knowledge and skills, empowering others, solving problems and contributing to meaningful projects gives Durr- Wiley a sense of fulfillment and purpose.
“Additionally,” she says, “maintaining a balance between my professional and personal life, and finding joy in what I do, are key indicators of my success.”
Rooted in purpose
How Lori Gloyd is shaping young lives through faith, education
Like many businesses, Little People’s Christian Academy was born of necessity.
Having worked in the public school system for eight years, Lori Gloyd found herself in a position to which many moms can relate.
“I was going to have two small children in daycare,” she recalls, “and a teacher’s salary wasn’t going to cover daycare and the bills.”
In 2003, Gloyd created her own solution while also filling a void for other families: Little People’s Christian Academy. LPCA started with 10 enrollees, and for several months, Gloyd couldn’t pay herself. In addition, she had to learn to balance entrepreneurship and raising a newborn and a toddler.
“It took about a year to build the business, and I worked 12- to 14-hour days to make it happen; but it finally paid off!” she says. “Now LPCA has 150 daycare/ preschool children!”
And Gloyd didn’t stop there. Due to demand from LPCA’s parents, Sage Christian Academy launched in 2022 with 22 students in kindergarten through sixth grade. This past year, the school had 90 students enrolled.
“We have added seventh and eighth grades now!” says Gloyd, who serves as Sage Christian Academy’s principal. “My entire life has revolved around education — 30 years of experience!”
EDUCATION AS MINISTRY
Drawn to a career in education from a young age, Gloyd admits to making her sister play school — a game where she was always the teacher and her sibling always the student. As a teenager, she worked as a trusted local babysitter.
“I started in architecture in college,” Gloyd says, “but I quickly realized that although I loved drawing and design, my passion was with children.”
In 1991, she graduated from the University of Arkansas with her Bachelor of Science in education degree, and she went on to complete her master’s degree in school administration in 1999 before moving to Mississippi.
Today, Gloyd’s work impacts almost 250 youth daily, and she has “raised” thousands of children over the past 22 years through her businesses. Due to the founder’s belief that children should be well rounded, both LPCA and SCA offer daily Bible and prayer, music lessons, art, Spanish classes and physical education in addition to a strong academic core.
“The most important job parents and teachers have is to give our children a solid Biblical foundation and the opportunity to learn about God and develop a relationship with Him,” she says. “At LPCA and SCA, children are immersed in prayer and Biblical education and learn how to be good citizens and friends to others.”
Gloyd sees her businesses as a ministry — a means of guiding children to God. Every year, she receives high school or college graduation announcements from former students — a testament to how effective that ministry has been.
“This is the one thing that brings me to tears,” Gloyd says, “that they still remember me and tell me the impact my teachers and I had on them.”
PAYING IT FORWARD
Outside of the school setting, Gloyd is involved in numerous organizations and charitable causes, including United Way of South Mississippi, GivHer Circle, Northwood Church, Mississippi State Early Childhood Advisory Council, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Advisory Council, Gulf Coast Childcare Directors’ Network board and Brandon’s Place board. Over the years, she also fostered several children.
“Since God has blessed me abundantly with my children, my businesses and my health, I feel a strong desire to help others, pay it forward and build a strong community where we uplift and support each other,” she says. “I grew up very, very poor, and God has given me the opportunities and guidance to become successful. Now I can give to others and hopefully provide them with opportunities and guidance to do the same.”
As a single mom, Gloyd has strived to instill the same values in her four children: Luke, who graduated from Mississippi State University and is completing clinicals to become a nurse practitioner; Sage, the namesake of Gloyd ‘s private school, who is completing her master’s degree in business marketing; Samuel, who will be a junior at St. Patrick High School in the fall; and Jude, who will be an eighth-grader at Sage Christian.
For those trying to balance busy personal and professional lives, Gloyd has a simple tip: When you are off work, turn off your phone, or at least put it on silent, and focus on your loved ones. Also, involve your family in your career.
“My older two children worked for me while they were in high school and summer while they were in college,” she says. “They learned about my goals, and it gave us more time together.”
SUCCESS: A CONSTANT JOURNEY
As hard as she works, Gloyd takes time to play, too — whether she’s driving her Jeep with its dashboard full of rubber ducks, reading, practicing yoga, painting watercolors or visiting family in the Ozarks. Meanwhile, she’s set big goals: completing her doctorate in instructional leadership, expanding Sage Christian to reach more students and continuing to raise four godly children.
But no matter how much more impressive her resume becomes, Gloyd remains rooted in her mission: using her gifts to positively impact children’s lives.
“Success means that I am constantly growing and learning, assisting others and developing meaningful relationships within my businesses while still maintaining a healthy personal life,” she says. “Success is not an endpoint; it is a constant journey.”
Undeniably driven
How Shiela Hajjar Perry turned ‘no’ into a cheer empire
The best way to motivate Shiela Hajjar Perry is to tell her no.
Case in point: After graduating from The University of South Alabama with a business degree, the Gulfport native decided to pursue her dream: opening a cheer gym. She approached three banks to secure a $500,000 loan — and all three turned her down.
“Fun fact: Every bank with men loan officers denied us, as I feel they couldn’t see the value and vision from a man’s perspective,” Perry says. “However, it took me meeting with a lovely group of women from a bank — and once I told them my story, my vision and what I could do with such an opportunity, when we finished our meeting, they said, ‘Let’s do this.’ I am grateful for their support.”
Five locations later, Cheer Zone Athletics is thriving — and Perry remains thankful for the rejection that strengthened her resolve.
“I have had two banks since then tell me they wish they hadn’t passed us up for the loan,” she says. “I love being a statistic.”
A PLACE OF COMMUNITY
Extroverted and hardworking, Perry tries to find the good in any situation and steers clear of negativity. Her fondness for cheer, dance and gymnastics developed early in her life, but she’s at a loss to say why.
“I can’t remember what exactly attracted me, but I do feel that it always came naturally to me,” she says. “So possibly, the attraction came from a natural affinity for the sport. I began in my industry at age 6 and never looked back.”
Her dedication today stems from how the sport made her feel as a kid, and she’s eager to instill the same passion into future generations. Above all, Perry wants to change the way cheer is viewed by the masses and make it accessible to everyone — regardless of age, ability or demographic. To that end, Cheer Zone locations offer everything from daytime playtime and beginner tumbling to flyer stretch and cheer 101 classes that introduce children to the sport.
“Cheer should be a place of community, and a place where every child feels accepted and needed,” Perry says. “I want it to be a sport that is recognized for its athleticism, but also for (its participants) being good people.”
‘DOING RIGHT AND GOOD AT ALL TIMES’
Kids are the focus of Perry’s daily life and career, and even outside the gym, she strives to set a positive example. This includes her community involvement, such as serving on the board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast and organizing activities like Easter egg hunts, free open gyms, a low-income summer camp, blessing bags for the homeless and canned food drives. She also provides scholarships, including two awards presented annually in honor of her late grandfather.
“He helped me open this gym,” Perry says, “and I know he would be so proud.”
While she’s not overly concerned how others view her, nothing means more to Perry than a reputation for being fair and ethical, which she defines as “doing right and good at all times, and for the good of all.” Giving back, she adds, helps with staying humble and keeping things in proper perspective.
“When you are in a position to give, you should,” Perry says. “You also should give for the right reasons and not with an expectation in mind.”
PERSISTENT AND CONSISTENT
Far from happening overnight or by chance, what Perry achieved with Cheer Zone resulted from years of effort and a commitment to self-improvement. While she’s passed through many life seasons — young womanhood, being a new wife, becoming a parent, starting a business — one era she’ll never outgrow is working on herself.
“I always strive to be better than I was yesterday, whether that means in business or (my) personal life,” Perry says. “Enjoy each season; each season is important.”
She’s come a long way from starting her business at age 23, with 38 students and a huge overhead, to now having 600 students weekly and a trusted staff. A homebody at heart, Perry says delegation is essential to balancing it all — including being a spouse to her husband, Jeffrey, and a mom to her son, Gage.
“I truly unwind on the weekends,” she adds. “I really keep my work during the day, and once I’m home for the night, I switch gears.”
While success can have many definitions, to Perry, it means freedom — freedom to chase your dreams, freedom to choose and freedom to be present for her family.
“Some can be successful, but are they happy?” she asks. “I can say I have a happy, grateful life, and that makes me feel content and fulfilled.”
As for the secret to her success, Perry insists there is no secret beyond staying persistent and consistent — two things many people stop doing once they get comfortable.
“Never quit striving for more, and more will always come your way,” she says. “It’s hard to beat someone who never gives up. I am living proof of this.”