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Mississippi Economic Council
| MEC Snapshot
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Nissan to Add 1,000 Jobs
2013 Sentra Added to Lineup at Canton Automotive Plant  | | Attending the June 28 announcement at Nissan's Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant are Blake Wilson, MEC president, Gov. Phil Bryant, Dan Bednarzyk, vice president of manufacturing for Nissan North America, Inc., and Bill Krueger, vice chairman, Nissan Americas. |
Nissan's Canton workforce to grow to more than 4,500
Nissan Americas has announced it will add production of the all-new 2013 Nissan Sentra compact car to its Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant beginning in the fourth quarter of 2012. The addition of Sentra production, along with the planned November shift of the Frontier pickup truck and Xterra SUV to Canton from Nissan's operations in Smyrna, Tenn., will create 1,000 jobs, growing Canton's workforce to more than 4,500 strong. On June 28, Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant announced Canton's growth plans alongside Nissan's senior leadership, hundreds of plant employees and members of the community.
Nissan's Canton operations have played a central role in the growth of Mississippi's burgeoning automotive industry - the fastest-growing industry in the state. The growth of Nissan over the years has helped attract millions in new investments and jobs throughout the state, both directly and through a growing supplier base.
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Production of Fifth Generation of Altima Underway in Canton
 MEC-member Nissan and its Canton employees celebrated a milestone as the first Canton-produced fifth-generation Altima rolled off the assembly line recently. The Canton Vehicle Assembly Facility began producing the award-winning Altima in 2004 and since has built more than 1.1 million of Nissan's best-selling vehicle. This Altima "Job 1" is the latest production achievement at Canton, which currently builds the Altima on three shifts.
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Ingalls Shipbuilding Receives $2.38B Contract Pascagoula Facility to Build
Amphibious Assault Ship Tripoli  The U.S. Navy on May 31 awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries a $2.38 billion fixed-price-incentive contract for the detail design and construction of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship Tripoli (LHA 7). The ship will be built at MEC-Member Ingalls Shipbuilding facility in Pascagoula . LHA 7 and LHA 6 are the first two ships in the new America class of amphibious assault ships. Tripoli will be 844 feet long and 106 feet wide. "Large-deck amphibious ship construction is an important component of our business plan, and we are pleased to have reached agreement with the Navy on this contract," said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Irwin F. Edenzon. |
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True South Classic
July 16-22
Annandale Golf Club in Madison Sponsorships, Pro-Am
Packages Available
The 2012 True South Classic will be held July 16-22 at Annandale Golf Club in Madison. One of only 45 PGA TOUR tournaments held each year, the True South Classic has been part of the PGA TOUR schedule since 1968 and is now in its second year as part of the season-long FedEx Cup. This event has raised more than $6.8 million for statewide charities. Past champions of the tournament include defending champion Chris Kirk, reigning FedExCup Champion Bill Haas and the current No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Luke Donald. For More go to www.truesouthclassic.com Click Here for Sponsorship Information Cllick Here for Ticket Information Play with the Pros With the True South Classic less than 18 days away, and tournament officials are gearing up for another great year for Mississippi's only PGA TOUR event. The True South Classic has formed partnerships with many new corporate sponsors. This month Under Armour and Itron committed to supporting the tournament.
There is still an opportunity for your business to show its support for this community event. Click Here to view the options for participation in one of most coveted sponsorship - a playing position in the Trustmark Wealth Management Pro- Am on Wednesday, July 18. This provides businesses with a great opportunity to entertain clients alongside some of golf's greatest players. To secure your spot today, contact Kathryn Satcher at 601-898-4653 or [email protected] |
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2012-2013 MEC Leaders Selected
Jerry Host, President & CEO of Trustmark, to Serve as MEC Chair
   
Host Fisackerly Chaney Castilla Jerry Host, President and CEO of Trustmark Corporation and Trustmark National Bank, has been elected as the 2012-2013 Mississippi Economic Council Chair. Haley Fisackerly, President and CEO of Entergy Mississippi, was chosen as the 2013-14 MEC Chair. Carl Chaney, President and CEO of Hancock Holding Company, was elected to serve as the 2014-15 MEC Chair. Alveno Castilla, a partner with the Jones Walker law firm, will serve as Treasurer for 2012-13 |
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Employers Required
to Post Changes in Workers' Compensation Law
During the 2011 Legislative session, amendments were made to Mississippi's Workers' Compensation Law. These changes went into effect on July 1, 2012. Under the amendments, the Workers' Compensation Commission is required to prepare a summary of the changes and provide the summary to all employers covered by the Workers' Compensation Law.
Click Here for a copy of the commission's notice concerning the changes in the law. This notice is to be posted in the workplace, alongside the notice of coverage forms that are already in place.
For more information go to www.mwcc.state.ms.us
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Greetings!
Did You Know? Mississippi Ranked No. 3 Among Blueprint States in Tort Rules in 2010
Full Blueprint Mississippi Report Available Online
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Barksdales to Receive Winter-Reed Partnership Award Duo to be Recognized for Contributions
to Early Childhood Literacy, Public Education Sept. 10  The 2012 Winter-Reed Partnership Award will be presented to Jim and Claiborne Barksdale, Mississippi businessmen whose visionary leadership and philanthropy have strengthened early-childhood literacy and public education. They will be honored during an award dinner Sept. 10 at the Jackson Convention Center. The honorees were responsible for establishing and operating The Barksdale Reading Institute in Oxford, a joint venture with the Mississippi Department of Education and the state's public universities to improve reading skills among Mississippi children from birth to third grade.
Click Here for Sponsorship and Ticket Information |
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Clarion-Ledger Announces
New Model to Serve Community
At a time when the newspaper industry is going through a structural shift nationwide, Mississippi's Clarion-Ledger has developed a new community service model that will enable it to continue to be a full-service resource for readers. Under a new subscription model, The Clarion-Ledger will charge for content, regardless of how it is accessed. Clarion-Ledger publisher Leslie Hurst announced the plan Sunday. "We believe this new model will help provide the resources to sustain our mission of great community journalism and continue to be the state's leading provider of news and information," Hurst wrote. Beginning in August, Clarion-Ledger subscribers will have full access to clarionledger.com as well as smartphone applications and mobile and tablet sites. Current subscribers will be receiving more details on pricing, as well as information on getting additional questions answered. The newspaper, which is an MEC member, is still determining what content will be available to non-subscribers. Click Here for Letter to MEC Members |
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International Small Business Conference for Women & Minorities July 26-27 In Gulfport
The Mississippi World Trade Center, in collaboration with the Mississippi Development Authority's International Trade Office and Minority & Small Business Development Division, the SBA and Huntington-Ingalls Industries, will host the 2012 International Small Business Conference for Women & Minorities on July 26-27 at the Courtyard Marriott Beachfront in Gulfport. This information-packed event targets small companies that want to learn more about international trade. |
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Southern Crossroads Music and Tamale Festival Aug. 10 & 11 in Jackson Steve Azar, WAR and Dorothy Moore Scheduled
to Perform at Weekend Event at Mississippi Coliseum The inaugural Southern Crossroads Music and Tamale Festival is set for Aug. 10 and 11 at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson. The opening day on Friday, Aug. 10, will feature musical performances by Steve Azar, Marc Broussard, Matt Kennon and Eric Lindell. The lineup for Saturday, Aug. 11, includes WAR, Dorothy Moore, The Bluz Boys, Beth McKee and Hope Waits. The event gets underway at 5 p.m. on Friday and at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Cooking demonstrations are planned between musical acts. Tickets are $18 daily for general admission. Sponsorship packages, which are customized for each sponsor, include VIP tickets. The Blair E. Batson Children's Hospital will receive $1 per general admission ticket sold and $5 from each VIP ticket. Click Here for more details on sponsorships or contact Kristina LeBlanc at 769-798-7473 or [email protected] Click Here for general admission tickets. |
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Rolls-Royce Breaks Building Engine Test Facility
MEC-Member Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, broke ground June 18 on a new $50 million jet engine test facility at the company's outdoor testing site on NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis. When fully operational, the facility is expected to create 35 highly skilled jobs. |
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Roxul to Create 150 Jobs with Facility in Byhalia
A leading manufacturer of stone wool insulation has announced plans to open a manufacturing facility in Byhalia. The facility will create 150 jobs. Roxul Inc. selected a site in the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park in Marshall County for its new facility - the company's first manufacturing plant in the United States. The company is investing approximately $130 million in the facility.
Roxul Inc. is part of Denmark-based Rockwool International, the world's leading producer of stone wool. Stone wool is a fiber-based insulation made from natural stone and recycled content. |
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General Atomics' $12M Expansion to add 25 jobs
MEC-Member General Atomics' Electromagnetic Systems (GA EMS) Group broke ground May 30 on an expansion to its existing 127,000-square-foot facility in Shannon, Miss., in Lee County. The expansion project represents a $12 million corporate investment and will create 25 additional direct jobs over the next three years. |
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Sealed Air Plans $3M Expansion in Grenada
Officials from Sealed Air Corporation, manufacturer of protective packaging and performance-based materials, have announced the company is expanding operations at its facility in the Industrial Air Park facility in Grenada. The expansion, which will enable the company to take advantage of new market opportunities, follows the downsizing of company plants in the northeastern U.S. The project represents a company investment of $3 million and will create 10 new jobs at the Grenada facility. .
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Mississippi Receives Silver Shovel Award
Area Development magazine, a leading economic development publication covering site selection and facility planning, has awarded Mississippi a 2012 Silver Shovel Award. Now in their seventh year, Area Development's annual Shovel Awards recognize state economic development agencies that drive significant job creation through innovative policies, infrastructure improvements, processes and promotions that attract new businesses and investments in new and expanded facilities. Mississippi has received a 2012 Silver Shovel award in the 3 million and under population group. The state received a Silver Shovel award in 2011, as well. .
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Nissan's Growth, Ingalls' Success
Examples of Great Things We Can
Accomplish in Mississippi
Greetings!
What's taking place at Nissan's manufacturing facility in Canton is truly a Mississippi success story.
Nissan is adding a new line, the 2013 Sentra, but more importantly the company will create an additional 1,000 new jobs in Canton. The Sentra is one of three models being added to the Canton assembly lineup this year. The company announced earlier it would be moving the production of the Frontier pickup and the Xterra SUV to Canton.
These additions will bring the company's Mississippi workforce to 4,500 and means Canton will soon produce a total of seven different models. The plant is currently assembling the Altima - Nissan's best-selling vehicle - the Armada full-size SUV, the Titan full-size pickup and NV commercial vans. Nissan's confidence in Mississippi speaks volumes about the dedicated employees working in Canton. It also shows what can happen when elected officials and business leaders are willing to look into the future and make the difficult decisions that are necessary for putting Mississippi in the place of greatest opportunity.
Nissan cranked up the state's automotive engine and the industry is growing at a rapid pace. Nissan is an outstanding example of what can be accomplished in Mississippi, and as a result hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested throughout the state - not only in the automotive industry - but in many different high-tech, advanced manufacturing sectors.
Ingalls Guides Steady Course
Ingalls Shipbuilding continues to prove time-after-time what a huge resource it is to Mississippi. The U.S. Navy awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries a $2.38 billion fixed-price-incentive contract for the detail design and construction of a multipurpose amphibious assault ship. The ship will be built in Pascagoula by Mississippi workers.
Ingalls has withstood the test of time and today builds the most sophisticated, high-tech ships that exist. The company is not only an asset to our state, but to our nation.
Congratulations to Nissan's Dan Bednarzyk and his team and to Ingalls' Irwin Edenzon and his team for helping keep Mississippi's economic engine running. These two companies are examples of how Mississippi and its citizens are showing the world the great things we can accomplish. Still, in so many ways, this is only the beginning. As Blueprint Mississippi points out, Mississippi's competitiveness is continuing to grow and the state is truly positioned for progress. Keep the Faith.
Blake
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ABOUT US
The Mississippi Economic Council has been the voice of Mississippi business since 1949. MEC deals with broad issues that relate to businesses through advocacy, research, resources and leadership. MEC has 8,600 members from 1,100 member firms in 2,400 locations throughout Mississippi. |
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Mississippi Economic Council - The State Chamber of Commerce
248 E. Capitol Street, Suite 940 - Jackson, Mississippi 39201
P.O. Box 23276 - Jackson, Mississippi 39225-3276
Phone: 601-969-0022 - 1-800-748-7626
Fax: 601-353-0247 - 1-888-717-2809
www.mec.ms |
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