Forrest County Board of Supervisors Name Three New Members to Forrest Health Board of Trustees

Members of the Forrest Health Board of Trustees are, from left, Harry “Chip McArthur, III, Eric K. Steele, Marcus L. Hogan, MD, Peggy J. Answorth, Shea McNease, Jana Causey, PhD, chairperson, and Andy Mercier.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – (September 16, 2024) The Forrest County Board of Supervisors has named three new members to the Forrest Health Board of Trustees. They are Andrew “Andy” B. Mercier, Harry “Chip” McArthur, III, and Shea E. McNease. Members are nominated and voted on by the Forrest County Board of Supervisors. They will serve a five-year term. Board members were sworn in prior to the August meeting.

“The Forrest County Board of Supervisors is grateful for the service of these community leaders who serve on the Forrest Health Board of Trustees,” said Terri Bell, president of the Forrest County Board of Supervisors. “They are committed to bring excellence to healthcare in our community.”

The Board of Trustees is made up of seven members who are charged with the oversight of Forrest Health, a completely self-sufficient system. Overseeing all aspects of the health system, its flagship facility, Forrest General, and its six regional facilities, the Board of Trustees makes decisions important to ensuring that patients are a top priority and receive the best possible care.

Other members of the Board of Trustees include, Marcus L. Hogan, MD, Peggy J. Answorth, Eric K. Steele, and Jana Causey, PhD, who serves as chairperson.

Andy Mercier

Andy Mercier is a graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in accounting/data processing and his Masters of Professional Accountancy.

He is past president and CEO of The Merchants Company, which operates Merchants Foodservice, and Sunrise Fresh Produce. He has been working part time with Merchants in a consulting roll and will retire this month.

Andy is a member of the Area Development Partnership Board of Directors (executive committee). A graduate of the ADP Leaders of a New Century program, he is one of the original founders of the Pinebelt Community Foundation, serving as president, and on the board of directors. He also served on the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association Board of Directors. He has been recognized by the Mississippi Business Journal as one of the top CEOs in Mississippi. Andy is the recipient of Hattiesburg’s highest honor, the Hub Award.

A member of The USM Alumni Hall of Fame, he has served USM in several positions ­–USM Alumni Association board of directors, the USM Foundation (treasurer), and officer of the USM Real Estate Foundation. Andy and his wife, Stace, are members of the USM Foundation’s Presidents Circle honor club, and the Aubrey K. Lucas Society.

The Merciers are members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Through a Pinebelt Community Foundation endowment, they provide scholarships to students attending Sacred Heart Catholic School. They are the parents of two daughters, Dr. Ann Marie Mercier, and Betsy Mercier.

Chip McArthur

Chip McArthur is a graduate of Hattiesburg High School. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Accounting, both from The University of Southern Mississippi and a Master of Accountancy degree from The University of Alabama. He has been a member/owner of McArthur, Slay & Dews, PLLC, Certified Public Accountants, since 1997.

With more than 22 years in public practice, Chip is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Chip’s areas of practice include tax preparation, for profit and nonprofit, tax problems, tax planning, and small business.

He has served as a commissioner on the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, where he served as chairman. He also served as a commissioner on the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.

He holds memberships in the Hattiesburg Civic Association where he has served as treasurer and is presently serving on the Board of Governors. He is treasurer for both the Friends of the Saenger Theater and USM Partners for the Arts. He serves on the USM Foundation Board and the USM Foundation Finance & Audit Committee.

He and his wife, Janet, have five children, Harry Garrison McArthur, Margaret Elizabeth McArthur, Mary Lathram McArthur, Oliver Reese Widemire, and Mary Moore Widemire.

Shea McNease

Shea McNease, PE, has resided in the Hattiesburg area for 18 years. A graduate of Mississippi State University, Shea is the current president of Shows, Dearman and Waits, Inc, a consulting engineering firm.

Shea received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from MSU. He is a registered professional engineer with the State of Mississippi. He is a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, Mississippi Engineering Society, and the Mississippi Association of County Engineers (Associate).

At Shows, Dearman, & Waits, he is assigned to the design of local bridges, management of various local utility projects, and private developments. Prior, he was the Assistant State-Aid County Engineer for Jackson County, where he gained experience in the design and construction of local roads and bridges and worked with the Jackson County Board of Supervisors. Other experience includes civil site planning and drainage, subdivision layout and design, and general construction management. Shea is proficient with a variety of state and federal permitting processes, and has relationships with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Dept. of Environmental Quality, Mississippi Dept. of Marine Resources, Mississippi Dept. of Transportation, and other agencies.

He is married to Bethany Boone McNease, and they have two children – Evelyn “Evie” Rebecca and George Morris. Outside of work, he enjoys hunting and fishing, youth rodeo, youth football, and other sports involving his children.