In 1962, Michael Hale was a student at Northeast Mississippi Junior College. That same year, the Myrtle native, enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, trading a quiet, rural life for a communications role in the Middle East. Airman Hale is proud of his military service. "It was adventuresome," Michael said. "It prepared me for a lot of different situations and opened my eyes in different ways to see the world." Looking back on his years of service, Michael said that a close encounter with death changed his life. "I had boarded a plane for Turkey but changed my mind at the last minute and got off the plane. It crashed in the mountains. I knew that day that I had been blessed and spared to do good deeds," Michael said.
After completing his military service, Michael moved to California where he established a variety of businesses. Success in the world of business was important to him as was philanthropy. In addition to the establishment of the Vicki M. Smith Foundation in memory of his wife, Michael organized efforts to mentor entrepreneurs and worked with his high school classmates to award anonymous grants to those in need. Recently, Michael held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a completely renovated and refurbished circa 1850 building which is the new home to two businesses. The Big White House, located in Myrtle, also serves as a business incubator for entrepreneurs who want to open a small business. I am thankful for Michael's service to America and for devoting time and energy to help others.
