Page 49 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2022

COASTAL REALTY GROUP
DONNA RATLIFF
9230 Old Lorraine Rd., Gulfport
O: 228.280.8026 | D: 228.669.3535 donna@coastalrealtygroup.com
Donna Ratliff with Coastal Realty Group says it was pure serendipity that inspired her real estate career. Her clients are what she likes best. “They become my family. They know I walk with integrity and honesty, and I’m always just a phone call away,” she says. “I work hard for them and don’t take the responsibility lightly; I take it to heart. I always strive to be excellent in everything I do. I’m not promised tomorrow, so I make every day count.”
She says many people may not know that she and her husband love to cook together. “On one particular occasion, we were in
the kitchen. I was cooking shrimp and grits, and he was cooking gumbo,” she relates. “When we had finished preparing everything, we noticed we were using the same water for grits as for the rice. That was not a concoction that made it to the table, but we still laugh and tease about whose water it was to begin with. And he still thinks I got the water out for him.”
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TRACIE STRAYHAM
LAMEY ELECTRIC, INC.
13015 Shriners Blvd., Biloxi 228.436.3611 | www.lameyelectric.com
Although she describes herself as an introvert, Tracie Marie Strayham is having no problem leading Lamey Electric as president. The business was founded in 1940 and has been in her family 20 years.
“My greatest successes are my faith, my family, and finding my true self,” she says. “I found my true self, which I define as ‘the feeling of being truly present and alive,’ through my faith. Realizing who I was and who I wanted to be was life changing for my family. The most important part of finding my true self was to recognize my faults, forgive myself for my mistakes, and move forward with grace.”
She and her husband Nicolas are the parents of two beautiful girls, Ramsey Kait and Haven Lee. A dog named Zoe completes the family. When not working, Strayham is a fitness instructor, a cheer coach, and a volunteer..
She advises other women to be encouragers. “The world has enough critics. Work hard, and if that doesn’t work out, work harder. Pray, not when you need something, but all the time. Make Him your number ONE go-to person.”