By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Watch LIVE
Listen LIVE
SuperTalk Mississippi st logo
  • Tune In
    • Listen Live
    • Watch Live
    • Network Schedule
    • On Demand
    • Podcasts
    • Video Center
    • Connect
  • Stations
    • News/Talk
    • Music
  • Shows
    • Mornings with Richard Cross
    • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
    • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
    • SportsTalk Mississippi
    • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
    • SuperTalk Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
    • The Ricky Mathews Show
    • The Garden Mama Show
    • The Handyman Show
    • Thunder & Lightning
    • Eagle Hour
    • The Richard Schwartz Show
    • The Lars Larson Show
    • America at Night with Rich Valde
    • Coast to Coast with George Noory
    • Americas Roundtable
    • Crusader Talk
    • The Guy Benson Show
    • Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla
    • Element Wealth
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Featured News
    • Politics
    • Lifestyle
    • Crime
    • Opinion
    • Agrinews
  • Sports
    • Mississippi State
    • Ole Miss
    • Southern Miss
    • Jackson State
    • High School
    • More Schools
  • Weather
  • Networks
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Staff
    • Public Files
    • Contests
    • Affiliates
    • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Reading: Heart-to-heart with Tommy Duff: Envisioning a bold future for Coastal Mississippi
Watch LIVE
Listen LIVE
SuperTalk Mississippi st logo
  • Tune In
    • Listen Live
    • Watch Live
    • Network Schedule
    • On Demand
    • Podcasts
    • Video Center
    • Connect
  • Stations
    • News/Talk
    • Music
  • Shows
    • Mornings with Richard Cross
    • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
    • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
    • SportsTalk Mississippi
    • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
    • SuperTalk Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
    • The Ricky Mathews Show
    • The Garden Mama Show
    • The Handyman Show
    • Thunder & Lightning
    • Eagle Hour
    • The Richard Schwartz Show
    • The Lars Larson Show
    • America at Night with Rich Valde
    • Coast to Coast with George Noory
    • Americas Roundtable
    • Crusader Talk
    • The Guy Benson Show
    • Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla
    • Element Wealth
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Featured News
    • Politics
    • Lifestyle
    • Crime
    • Opinion
    • Agrinews
  • Sports
    • Mississippi State
    • Ole Miss
    • Southern Miss
    • Jackson State
    • High School
    • More Schools
  • Weather
  • Networks
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Staff
    • Public Files
    • Contests
    • Affiliates
    • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Reading: Heart-to-heart with Tommy Duff: Envisioning a bold future for Coastal Mississippi
Search
  • Tune In
    • Listen Live
    • Watch Live
    • Network Schedule
    • On Demand
    • Podcasts
    • Video Center
    • Connect
  • Stations
    • News/Talk
    • Music
  • Shows
    • Mornings with Richard Cross
    • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
    • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
    • SportsTalk Mississippi
    • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
    • SuperTalk Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
    • The Ricky Mathews Show
    • The Garden Mama Show
    • The Handyman Show
    • Thunder & Lightning
    • Eagle Hour
    • The Richard Schwartz Show
    • The Lars Larson Show
    • America at Night with Rich Valde
    • Coast to Coast with George Noory
    • Americas Roundtable
    • Crusader Talk
    • The Guy Benson Show
    • Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla
    • Element Wealth
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Featured News
    • Politics
    • Lifestyle
    • Crime
    • Opinion
    • Agrinews
  • Sports
    • Mississippi State
    • Ole Miss
    • Southern Miss
    • Jackson State
    • High School
    • More Schools
  • Weather
  • Networks
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Staff
    • Public Files
    • Contests
    • Affiliates
    • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Follow US
Latest NewsOpinion

Heart-to-heart with Tommy Duff: Envisioning a bold future for Coastal Mississippi

Ricky Mathews
By Ricky Mathews April 30, 2025
Share
5 Min Read
Ricky Mathews is the former president and publisher of The Sun Herald, The Times Picayune, and the Press-Register. He’s the host of The Ricky Mathews Show and SuperTalk Outdoors on SuperTalk Mississippi. He wrote the forward to former Gov. Haley Barbour’s book, “America’s Great Storm: Leading Through Hurricane Katrina.”
SHARE

Not long ago, I received a call that created a conversation I won’t soon forget. Tommy Duff, a fellow Southern Miss alumnus and one of Mississippi’s most remarkable sons, wanted to sit down and talk about Coastal Mississippi, its untapped potential, and its power to continue to propel our state forward.

What unfolded was a heart-to-heart that left me hopeful and convinced that Mississippi is very fortunate to have private-sector leaders across this state with track records of dreaming big.

Tommy was in Biloxi to speak to the Businessmen’s Club, and we huddled afterward. Despite his staggering success — building Southern Tire Mart with his brother Jim into the nation’s top truck tire retailer, amassing a $3.3 billion fortune, and employing over 15,000 people — he carries himself with a quiet, unpretentious grace. His story isn’t just one of business triumph; it’s a testament to what’s possible when vision meets Mississippi grit in the heart of our great state. Southern Tire Mart, the state’s largest privately-owned company, is more than a corporate giant; it’s a legacy of lifting communities and creating opportunity.

Our conversation zeroed in on Coastal Mississippi, a region Tommy knows intimately. Raised in the Hattiesburg area and a major investor on the Coast, he sees what I’ve long championed: this region is Mississippi’s economic engine, a vibrant spark that will continue to ignite progress for Mississippi — so goes Coastal Mississippi, so goes our state. He’d read my recent columns on urging bolder regional ambition for the Coast and came armed with questions and ideas rich with possibility. Here was a man of immense success, buzzing with the kind of forward-thinking energy our state needs in the years ahead. The conversation was a breath of fresh air.

Tommy Duff is a billionaire from Hattiesburg. He and his brother, Jim, co-own Duff Capital Investors. Their flagship company is Southern Tire Mart, which is the nation’s largest truck tire dealer and retread manufacturer.

What struck me most was Tommy’s profound connection to this place. He’s not just a titan of industry; he’s a servant leader who embodies the volunteer spirit that defines Mississippi at its best. Alongside Jim, he’s poured roughly $50 million into our universities, including Southern Miss, ensuring the next generation has the tools to soar. His commitment to education isn’t abstract. It’s personal, urgent, and rooted in a fierce belief that our schools must not hold talent back but propel it forward. In a state wrestling with brain drain, where too many of our brightest minds leave for opportunities elsewhere, Tommy’s focus on creating pathways for success here at home is exactly the private-sector leadership we need, whether he decides to run for governor or not.

As whispers swirl about a potential run, Tommy is already laying the groundwork by backing Republican campaigns and launching a political action committee to shape what’s next. His vision is taking form, and it’s one worth watching. But this moment isn’t just about Tommy Duff; it’s about all of us. Mississippians, we must seize this opportunity to engage, ask tough questions, demand clarity, and challenge our leaders to paint a vivid picture of where they’ll take us. Tommy’s exploration of what’s possible should inspire us all to step up and shape the future we want.

Coastal Mississippi’s pulse is strong. We need all our leaders to be driven by heart, grounded in purpose, and relentless in their commitment to progress. There’s no limit to what we can achieve together. I was pleased to hear Tommy’s passion for this place. I’m already eager for the next discussion, with Tommy and others considering throwing their hats in the ring. If he chooses to run, I hope he does so with the same fire I saw that day in Biloxi.

Let’s keep talking, dreaming, and building. Let’s harness the future sparks of Coastal Mississippi and continue to light up our entire state. The future is ours to shape — together.

Copyright 2025 SuperTalk Mississippi Media. All rights reserved.

Latest NewsOpinion

Stay informed.

Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link Print
RickyMatthews
By Ricky Mathews
Ricky Mathews is the former president and publisher of The Sun Herald, The Times Picayune, and the Press-Register. He’s the host of The Ricky Mathews Show and SuperTalk Outdoors on SuperTalk Mississippi. He wrote the forward to former Gov. Haley Barbour’s book, “America’s Great Storm: Leading Through Hurricane Katrina.”

Stay Connected

19kFollowersLike
12.3kFollowersFollow

Latest News

Ole Miss baseball
Ole Miss baseball advances to SEC championship with 2-0 win over LSU
May 24, 2025
Southern Miss baseball lands in Sun Belt championship after beating Troy
May 24, 2025
Gov. Tate Reeves to call special session next week to pass budget
May 23, 2025
NOAA forecasts another busy hurricane season in 2025
May 23, 2025
Ole Miss softball wins first-ever super regional game, needs one more to advance to College World Series
May 23, 2025

Always Stay Up to Date

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

News / Talk Stations

  • Corinth :: 94.3
  • Delta :: 96.9
  • Golden Triangle :: 100.9
  • Hattiesburg :: 97.3
  • Jackson :: 97.3
  • Laurel :: 99.3
  • Meridian :: 103.3
  • MS Gulf Coast :: 103.1
  • North MS :: 93.7
  • Pike County :: 93.5
  • Southwest MS :: 102.1
  • Tupelo :: 101.9
  • Corinth :: 94.3
  • Delta :: 96.9
  • Golden Triangle :: 100.9
  • Hattiesburg :: 97.3
  • Jackson :: 97.3
  • Laurel :: 99.3
  • Meridian :: 103.3
  • MS Gulf Coast :: 103.1
  • North MS :: 93.7
  • Pike County :: 93.5
  • Southwest MS :: 102.1
  • Tupelo :: 101.9

Music Stations

  • 92.9 Corinth’s Best Country
  • Mix 95.9
  • Q105
  • Max 99
  • Lazer 96.1
  • G-92.9
  • G-103.3 The Delta
  • 97.9 CPR Rocks
  • 105.9 The Monkey
  • G-96.7 Gulf Coast
  • 92.9 Corinth’s Best Country
  • Mix 95.9
  • Q105
  • Max 99
  • Lazer 96.1
  • G-92.9
  • G-103.3 The Delta
  • 97.9 CPR Rocks
  • 105.9 The Monkey
  • G-96.7 Gulf Coast

Shows

  • Mornings with Richard Cross
  • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
  • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
  • SportsTalk Mississippi
  • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
  • Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
  • The Ricky Mathews Show
  • The Garden Mama
  • The Handyman Show
  • Thunder & Lightning
  • Eagle Hour
  • Richard Schwartz Legal Power Hour
  • The Lars Larson Show
  • America at Night with Rich Valdez
  • Coast to Coast with George Noory
  • Americas Roundtable
  • Crusader Talk
  • The Guy Benson Show
  • Fox Across America with Jimmy Fallia
  • Element Wealth
  • Mornings with Richard Cross
  • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
  • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
  • SportsTalk Mississippi
  • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
  • Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
  • The Ricky Mathews Show
  • The Garden Mama
  • The Handyman Show
  • Thunder & Lightning
  • Eagle Hour
  • Richard Schwartz Legal Power Hour
  • The Lars Larson Show
  • America at Night with Rich Valdez
  • Coast to Coast with George Noory
  • Americas Roundtable
  • Crusader Talk
  • The Guy Benson Show
  • Fox Across America with Jimmy Fallia
  • Element Wealth

News

  • Latest News
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Agriculture
  • Lifestyle
  • Opinion
  • Latest News
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Agriculture
  • Lifestyle
  • Opinion

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Public Files
  • Advertise
  • Networks
  • Connect
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Public Files
  • Advertise
  • Networks
  • Connect
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
ST logo

SuperTalk Mississippi Media is Mississippi’s leader in news, politics, sports, music, and all things Mississippi. With four statewide radio networks, 12 talk stations, 16 music stations, SuperTalk TV, and over 50 affiliates, SuperTalk Mississippi Media covers every inch of the state.

Contact us: [email protected]
nab
© 2020 - 2025 SuperTalk Mississippi Media. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?