Annette Kirklin, a woman who’s worn many hats throughout her professional career in the River City, was recently named one of the 2022 Distinguished Leading Business Women of Mississippi by Mississippi Business Journal.

Recognized with fellow nominees at a banquet in August, Kirklin said she was thrilled to be honored for her work in advancing Vicksburg.

“Once you’re nominated — which, I was so flattered to have been nominated — you have to fill out paperwork to explain who you are and how you’re involved in the community,” Kirklin said. “… It was an honor to be nominated. There are so many deserving people on the list. To get the notification that I was picked, it just made me feel so special.”

Kirklin, who currently works at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center in the public affairs division, has served in a variety of positions in both the public and private sectors. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of the Vicksburg Convention Center. Prior to that appointment, she served as executive director of the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation.

She is also a two-time Vicksburg Post Woman of the Year recipient, having earned the honor in 2009 and 2020.

In spite of her promotional prowess when it comes to marketing and events — including but not limited to keeping VCC going throughout the COVID-19 pandemic — Kirklin said she hadn’t considered herself worthy of such an honor until she sat down and listed all of her accomplishments for MBJ.

“I love my community, and putting all the information down about how I was involved, everything comes naturally,” she said. “I just have always wanted to do what I needed to do to help make Vicksburg work.

“Everywhere I go, I feel like I’m called to be there to do what I can to help in the best way I can,” Kirklin added. “It was such an honor to be noted for doing things that feel natural.”

Kirklin and the other MBJ Distinguished Leading Business Women nominees will again be honored in February, when the top 10 finalists and the Business Woman of the Year are announced.