Over the past few decades, Allen Flynt cemented his status as a cornerstone of Petal as its most prominent surveyor and one of its longest-tenured and influential businessmen, having a hand in many developments and projects around the Friendly City.
That legacy was honored on August 24,when officials unveiled Flynt’s name on the front of the city’s building department at West 8th Avenue and South Main Street. Henceforth, the building is known as the Allen “Big Al” Flynt Building.
“(Flynt) is a special person to all of us,” Mayor Tony Ducker said at the unveiling ceremony. “So many times he’d call me up and say ‘how you doing, my friend?’ I never had an encounter with Allen that I didn’t feel better afterwards.
“Every time he would deal with a matter, you knew he wanted to do it right. Allen always did what he said he was going to do. We’ve got a huge hole in our heart and we’ve got a huge hole in our city (with his passing). I feel like every city in this country should have an Allen Flynt, and I feel in so many ways that we were special that we did have an Allen Flynt.”
Flynt – who, along with his wife Rhonda, co-owned A&R Flynt Development on Old Richton Road in Petal – died in February after a battle with a long illness. He was 70 years old.
Flynt is survived by Rhonda and their daughter Carrie and son Adam.
“It didn’t matter what time of day it was – if I went to his office, he stopped what he was doing … and I’d say ‘Allen, this is the problem,’ and he’d say, ‘alright, well let’s just solve the problem,’” said Demaris Lee, who serves as the executive director of the Petal Children’s Task Force and is a lifelong friend of Flynt’s. “Every time I had a question or anything, Allen was always there to help me through a problem.
“We tried to watch the city grow; we wanted the best for Petal, and that’s all Allen wanted to do, was make Petal the best place in the world. He did that, and you can see how many people really enjoyed what he does. He will be missed; I miss him every day.”
A resident of the Sunrise community, Flynt lived in the Petal area since the fourth grade. He started Flynt & Associates – which specializes in surveys of all kinds, including roads, buildings and subdivisions – in 1980, and moved the business into the city limits in 1989.
Over the years, his business grew from two employees to 25.
Flynt served twice as the president of the Petal Area Chamber of Commerce and has served on the organization’s board for several years.
“Allen Flynt and myself, over the past two years, have had a wonderful relationship,” local businessman Justin Powell said. “I walked into his office initially to get a survey, and (now) I feel like I’m an honorary grandson. What I’m starting to learn is, no matter where I go, anybody that knows him, that’s how they feel – he made everybody feel special.
“We all know Mr. Flynt to be a brilliant businessman and a pioneer and leader of this community, but what I came to find out about him is that he was a builder. Not for the developments and the surveying that he did; he was a builder of people, and that was so much more important than he could have done with buildings and surveying.”
The decision to name the building department after Flynt was made official at the June 20 meeting of the Petal Board of Aldermen. The building department, which is managed by Amy Heath, is responsible for building inspections and permits, code enforcement, the planning commission, zoning, and electrical and plumbing boards.
Valerie Wilson, executive director of the Petal Area Chamber of Commerce, said anyone who knows Flynt knows he was deserving of the award.
“For years, he has been active in every aspect of Petal – the schools, the chamber, city government, developing our city,” Wilson said after the announcement. “He’s another ambassador for Petal, and I can’t think of anybody else getting our inaugural Spirit of Petal Business of the Year Award.
“To me, he sets the standard for what we hope every winner will be like; he is the epitome of bringing our community together, and he works for the community more so than he works for himself.”
