Mike Slaughter, P.E., AICP

Principal

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

EXPERIENCE

Mr. Slaughter, owner and founder of the firm, is responsible for the overall day-to-day operations of the firm that includes the duties of marketing, client contact, project design, management & presentation, quality control, and the direct oversight of all staff/associates. He is directly responsible for the production of urban planning projects such as annexation feasibility analysis, fringe area studies, redistricting of wards and districts, comprehensive planning, zoning, subdivision regulations and ordinances. Mr. Slaughter is a certified planner (AICP) with over twenty (20) years planning experience and a professional engineer (P.E.).

Mr. Slaughter is recognized as an expert witness in urban planning, civil engineering and governmental finance. He has testified as an expert in more than forty (40) annexation cases before the Chancery Courts in the State of Mississippi.

Prior to founding Slaughter & Associates, PLLC, Mr. Slaughter was with the urban planning firm of Bridge & Slaughter for 15 years, 11 of which, he was a partner. His responsibilities with Bridge & Slaughter were very similar to those now with Slaughter & Associates. Prior to that, he was vice-president and chief design engineer with the engineering & planning consulting firm of W.H. Porter & Company located in Memphis, Tennessee. Mr. Slaughter was with W.H. Porter & Company for over six years and was responsible for the design and construction inspection of numerous residential, commercial and industrial subdivisions, streets, roads, bridges, water distribution systems, sanitary sewer collections systems and urban drainage systems in the Memphis metropolitan area.

EDUCATION

The University of Memphis
Master of City and Regional Planning

The University of Mississippi
Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

American Planning Association
American Society of Civil Engineers

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION

American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) nationally recognized certification
Professional Engineer (P.E.)

 

Blake Walley

Planning Manager

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Comprehensive Planning

Zoning Ordinances

Subdivision Regulations

Land Use/Development Regulations

Sign Ordinances

Government Relations

Economic Development 

EXPERIENCE

Blake Walley has most recently served as the Director of Planning and Community Development for the Town of Somerville, Tennessee.  Prior to that, Mr. Walley was the Economic Development Project Manager for the City of Opelika, Alabama, a Planner for the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, and an intern with the Troup County, Georgia, Planning Commission.  Mr. Walley has served as a member of the American Planning Association, the Economic Development Association of Alabama, the Southern Economic Development Council, the Main Street Opelika Community Development Board, the Fayette County Area Chamber of Commerce Board, and the Fayette County Area Inter-Agency Focus Group for Competitive Workforce Development.  Mr. Walley received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Urban Environmental Studies at Birmingham-Southern College in 2010 and graduated from the Master of Community Planning Program, with a concentration in Public Administration and Economic Development, within the College of Architecture, Design, and Construction at Auburn University in 2012.

EDUCATION

Auburn University (Auburn, Alabama)
Master of Community Planning

Birmingham-Southern College (Birmingham, Alabama)
B.A. Urban Environmental Studies

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

American Planning Association
Southern Economic Development Council
WestStar Leadership (c/o 2017)

OTHER POSITIONS

Director of Planning and Community Development
Somerville, Tennessee

Economic Development Project Manager
Opelika, Alabama

Planner
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and Department of Children and Families
Tallahassee, Florida

Planning Intern
Troup County, Georgia

 

Marshall Anderson

Project Manager

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Comprehensive Planning

Zoning Ordinances

Land Use Planning

Economic Development

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
 

EXPERIENCE

Marshall Anderson received his Bachelor of Science in Geography from the University of Alabama and graduated with a Master of Science in Planning from Florida State University.  He served two internships in Alabama.  During the first internship, he worked for the city of Dothan, Alabama and assisted with the update of their current land use map on ArcGIS.  His second internship was with the Southeast Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission where he spent most of the summer working on Community Development Block Grants for rural towns in the region.

EDUCATION

University of Alabama
Bachelor of Science in Geography

Florida State University
Master of Sciencne in Planning

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

American Planning Association

 

Venessar Williams

Office Manager

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Municipal Annexation

Comprehensive Planning

Zoning Ordinances/Maps

EXPERIENCE

Ms. Williams is charged with overseeing the day-to-day operations necessary in running a successful business including, but not limited to, marketing, client contact, project scheduling, and office organization. Ms. Williams is the coordinator between planners and clients.

In addition to office operations and project coordination, she also plays an integral role in all planning projects.

EDUCATION

Northwest Community College
Associate of Art Business Administration

University of Mississippi
Business Administration

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Phi Theta Kappa
National Association of Professional Women

OTHER POSITIONS

IT Systems Coordinator/Office Administration
Gastroenterology Associates of North MS

Office Manager
The Breast Center of Oxford
Oxford Family Vision Clinic

Assistant Sales Manager
Oxford Wire & Cable