Vicksburg Daily News –
RAYMOND, MS. – Raymond native Landon Corkren, now of Jonesboro, Arkansas, will be recognized as Hinds Community College Young Alumnus of the Year at annual Homecoming festivities on October 24.
At age 29, Corkren has fast-tracked his way to success at chain sandwich shop Jersey Mike’s.
He credits his time at Hinds and especially Hinds Connection with giving him the diverse skill set that has led to his tremendous early success in the business.
Corkren is Vice President of Operations for a local franchise operating Jersey Mike’s Subs in Mississippi/Alabama/Tennessee. He has been in upper-level management at Jersey Mike’s for only a few years, recently becoming the owner of his own location that is being constructed in Jonesboro, Arkansas, where he and his wife and children now live. But Hinds is where he started.
“The Lord has blessed me beyond measure, and I give him the credit for my success,” Corkren said. “But I would be remiss if I didn’t express my deepest gratitude to Hinds Community College and the ones involved in shaping me into the man I have become. That’s what makes Hinds special, the people that it cultivates.”
Corkren was a STAR Student at Central Hinds Academy (2013), then attended Hinds on an ACT scholarship and later a Foundation scholarship. He was quickly recruited into Hinds Connection, serving as president.
Vice President Emeritus Jackie Granberry, who was the sponsor and founder of Hinds Connection, remembers a gregarious young man who had a gift with people.
“His outgoing personality, tremendous work ethic and genuine interest in people are some of his many outstanding qualities. He truly loves and values the time he had at Hinds. He was one that we depended on to represent the college because we knew he would make a great impression on anyone he worked with,” she said.
He transferred to Mississippi State after getting his Associate degree at Hinds in 2015 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing in 2017.
After a few false starts – including becoming the “best dishwasher in Mississippi” – he landed at Jersey Mike’s where he has flourished.
“If you would have told me a few years ago that I was going to love making sandwiches for a living, I’d have said ‘I do not think I will be making sandwiches for a living, thank you very much,’” Corkren laughed. “But you know, I found a company that fits my values. It’s all about family. Jersey Mike’s is that for me.
His colleague, Steve Sharp, Director of Training and Area Operations for Jersey Mike’s, said he not only found his best worker, but a best friend, too.
“He has added so much energy. He was knowledgeable, focused and had a mindset that sets him apart from others,” Sharp said. “He was exactly what the company needed.”
Jersey Mike’s also has giving to local charities baked into its DNA. Those charities are listed on its website, including several in Mississippi.
“Our mission is giving and making a difference in people’s lives. It is not to make the most money, nor is it to have the biggest brand in the country,” Corkren said. “It’s to make a difference in peoples’ lives.
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