[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 179 (Tuesday, October 12, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1092-E1093]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING MRS. VELMA BENSON WILSON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 12, 2021

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor 
Mrs. Velma Benson Wilson.
  Velma was born and raised in Marks, Mississippi. She is the fifth of 
seventeen children and spent her early childhood on a small rural farm, 
where her parents taught her the value of hard work, family, and the 
importance of getting a good education.
  Wilson graduated from Quitman County High School as the class 
valedictorian, and was awarded a full academic scholarship to St. 
Norbert College in DePere, Wisconsin, where she received a Bachelor of 
Arts degree in Sociology and Education in 1973.
  Wilson is currently employed by the Quitman County Board of 
Supervisors as the first Quitman County Economic & Tourism Director. 
She has been in this position for one-year and has made significant 
achievements by establishing a 501(3) (c) for the county to help 
generate additional funding resources outside the realms of state and 
national grant funds. A new Quitman County Economic & Tourism website 
has been developed to market to potential businesses and industry, to 
seek economic opportunities. Wilson has successful opened the Quitman 
County Interpretive Welcome Center, which serves as a multi-purpose 
building- offering lounge space and restrooms for waiters and riders 
for the Amtrak trains that stop twice daily in Marks, a tourism gift 
shop and office and public meeting spaces.
  Wilson was instrumental in working with the Mississippi State 
Legislative, the Board of Supervisors, and the City of Marks Board of 
Aldermen to obtain state bond funding of $200,000, to assist with the 
renovation of the county full-service grocery store, which officially 
closed in 2017, making Quitman County a food desert. Additionally, a 
grant was submitted and funded for $200,000, with a USDA American 
Healthy Financial Food Initiative, which allowed the purchase of new 
refrigeration equipment for the grocery store. In April 2021, this 
store was successful re-opening bringing back 30 loss jobs to the 
community.
  In 2016, Wilson was employed as the first African American, and the 
first female County Administrator for the Quitman County Board of 
Supervisors. She served in this position for 5 years prior to 
transiting to the Director of Economic Development and Tourism. Within 
her five year tenure, as County Administrator, she helped secured over 
$4 million in local, regional, state and federal funds for projects 
that benefitted Quitman County.
  One of Wilson's most momentous achievements, as County Administrator 
was coordinating negotiations with federal, state, and local elected 
officials, as well as regional stakeholders in an agreement with 
Canadian National Railroad and Amtrak to allow the construction of an 
Amtrak station in Marks, MS. The Amtrak station opened May 4, 2018.
  Wilson's previous career, prior to returning to her hometown, 
included a co-business owner (15 years) multi-auto franchises (Buick, 
GMC, Dodge, Chrysler and Hyundai) in Jackson, TN. And she spent (12 
years) as a social worker and educator.
  She is also an author. Her book, What's in the Water, was the winner 
of 2013 Daughter of American Revolution Print Media Award. This book 
also gave her the distinction of being named as one of the twenty most 
influential women in West Tennessee for civic, business and community 
contributions. As a writer, Wilson was an Oprah's Magazine Contributor 
for the October and November 2013

[[Page E1093]]

issues; she was honored in 2004 with the Alumni Community Service 
Award; and, her alma mater recognized and honored her through the 
American Legion, by putting a copy of her book, What's in the Water, on 
display in the St. Norbert College's library.
  In 2019, Wilson was appointed to serve as an officer on the Delta 
Council as a presidential appointment. She has also served as a board 
member for numerous organizations: Jackson, Tennessee Area Chamber of 
Commerce; March of Dimes; The Boys and Girls Club; Jackson Arts 
Council; The Jackson Symphony; United Way; Jackson, Tennessee Chapter 
of the Links, Inc. (Past President and Vice President); and NAIA (Vice 
Chair).
  With over 30 years of experience in education, social services, 
corporate business, public relations, marketing, she has received civic 
and leadership awards and recognition for work in areas of: Teen 
Pregnancy Prevention, Black Adoption Awareness, Services to Youth, 
NAACP, and the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. She is married to 
Sidney Wilson, Jr. They have two children: Janice (graduate of Columbia 
Law School), and Sidney, III (graduate of Vermont Law School). She has 
a grandson, Elias, and granddaughter, Tiarra.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. 
Velma Benson Wilson for her dedication in serving her community.

                          ____________________