Vicksburg Main Street Program Executive Director, Kim Hopkins, Awarded Charles Beasley Outstanding Main Street Director of Year

On Thursday, June 20th, 2024, Executive Director Kim Hopkins smiled in surprise as her name was called as the recipient of this year's 2024 Charles Beasley Outstanding Main Street Director of the Year.

This award recognizes an outstanding community leader who has displayed an involved commitment to downtown and his or her Main Street program. Charlie Beasley was one of the founding members of MMSA (Mississippi Main Street Association) and served on the Board and in various officer positions, including President. He was Board Member Emeritus at the time of his passing in 2007 and had served Main Street since 1989.

 The MMSA Staff and Board select the award recipient and award to a Mississippi Main Street Director who has shown outstanding service to his or her community and the Main Street Program. Along with a beautiful plaque in the shape of our great state, Kim will also receive a $1,500 scholarship donated by Paula Beasley to attend the National Main Street Conference.

Kim Hopkins started as a volunteer with Vicksburg’s Fall Festival, joined the staff of Vicksburg Main Street in 2007, and is now the seasoned Executive Director of the Vicksburg Main Street Program for the past 16 years. She is among the few local directors who have made it past the 10 and now 15-year mark in their Main Street careers. As any Main Street director can tell you, this is no regular 8-5 job. It’s nights and weekends and well, you are never really off the clock when you represent the entire downtown district’s interests.

Kim has navigated the demanding schedule, and numerous moves of the Main Street office, and stayed the course with a smile on her face, all to the benefit of the city she loves so deeply. 

Kim has said her role with Main Street is an exciting and entertaining one because no two days are ever the same. She is a team player who wears several hats that she must change at a moment’s notice, and, of course, she multi-tasks. This introverted leader has iron grit and determination and does every task through to completion. Her peaceful nature allows her to partner well with other organizations, and she guides the Vicksburg Main Street program seemingly effortlessly, bringing public and private partners to the table. Whether it’s planning a parade, hosting a large conference, or working on tourism or advocacy initiatives, Kim is there and committed fully to the work at hand. She works with a Main Street Board that is proud of her and a supportive City Administration that understands the importance of a healthy, vibrant, and dynamic downtown.

Kim currently serves on the Vicksburg Independence Day Fireworks Celebration Committee, Vicksburg Bicentennial Committee, and Keep Vicksburg Beautiful Committee. She is an active member of Mississippi Main Street and Mississippi Tourism Association. She organizes the Vicksburg Mardi Gras Parade, Miss Mississippi Parade, Bricks & Spokes, Hit the Bricks, and Christmas Parade of Lights.

Kim has led Vicksburg Main Street to win numerous state Main Street awards and received a personal Excellence in Main Street scholarship award in 2014. She has also led Vicksburg to be named a Semifinalist as a Great American Main Street Award Winner in 2015. Vicksburg has seen tremendous growth with investment in commercial and residential properties, not because it magically happened, but because Kim helped make that progress a reality. Her passion for the Vicksburg community and downtown drives her every day, and we are so grateful for her longtime service to her city and state.

 Kim is married to Rodger Hopkins, and they have two children and four grandchildren, who are her greatest joys. Some of Kim’s family were notified about this special achievement in her career and joined us at the awards ceremony to surprise her.

Kim also accepted a medal for  "Circle of Excellence" on behalf of the Vicksburg Main Street Program. The Main Street Circle of Excellence is an honor of distinction for programs that fulfill the requirements of the MOA on time with demonstrated measures of success. The programs that achieved this honor were announced and awarded medals at the Annual Awards Meeting. In order to be eligible for this honorable distinction are as follows and includes:

• Obtain National Accreditation for the previous calendar year
• Both semiannual reports must be submitted on time with measurements of success
• Training requirements met for the previous year
• Directors’ Survey completed by November 3 of the previous year
• Annual dues paid by January 31
• MOA signed by January 31
• No director vacancies longer than 4 months
• Apply for Annual Awards

While downtown may be the heart and soul of our city, we believe that it is safe to say that Kim Hopkins is the heart and soul of the Vicksburg Main Street Program. Congratulations, Kim!