THE CAPITAL AREA 233 C SPIRE C Spire, headquartered in Ridgeland, is a diversified telecommunications and technology services company which provides world- class customer-inspired service and a superior comprehensive suite of wireless communications, high-speed internet access, and a range of other telecommunications products and services to consumers and businesses. C Spire service was officially launched on the Mississippi Gulf Coast on February 4, 1988, with five wireless towers and nine employees, and is now the nation’s largest privately held wireless communications provider and includes a workforce of more than 1,450 employees. C Spire, formerly known as Cellular South, was founded by brothers Wade H. Creekmore, Jr., and James H. (Jimmy) Creekmore, Sr. Victor H. (Hu) Meena is chairman and CEO. The company operates more than sixty retail locations, three call centers, a $23 million Tier III+ Data Center headquartered in Starkville, a Central Triage and Operations Center, Technical Operations Center, and C Spire Business Solutions team for corporate and government sales. As a company focused on and committed to the customer, C Spire is dedicated to investing in the communities it serves by supporting educational initiatives through the C Spire Foundation, scholarship and endowment funding, and corporate contributions. C Spire has donated nearly $30 million since 2003 to various educational programs, scholarships, community services, and other non-profit social, health, and human services programs.