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Mississippi Economic Council
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Gov. Phil Bryant Unveils Plan to Improve Student Achievement
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Governor Phil Bryant releases a report focusing on performance based compensation at a press conference on July 27.
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Performance based compensation will encourage and reward teaching excellence
 Gov. Phil Bryant presented a new approach to improving Mississippi's educational attainments-encouraging increased teacher effectiveness through a performance based compensation system. At a news conference in Jackson on Friday, July 27, Bryant revealed and reviewed a new report that outlines flexible, accountable tactics local school districts can use to encourage and reward effective teachers in their districts. Performance-based compensation for teachers is a recommendation of Blueprint Mississippi and supported by MEC.
Click Here
for Performance Based Compensation report
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MEC Connect: Focusing on Mississippi's Economic Future
Featuring: Governor Phil Bryant & Brent Christensen, Executive Director of MDA Wednesday, Aug, 15, 2012 - 10 a.m.
Governor Phil Bryant has placed economic development as a top priority and with the creation of Mississippi Works he is focusing on three areas that will strengthen Mississippi's competitiveness:
- To craft a long-range strategy to expand economic opportunities in Mississippi with a focus on workforce development;
- To bring new investments to all regions of our state while continuing to grow existing businesses and expand them into new markets;
- To provide a forum for Mississippi Business Leaders to learn about all the great work going on throughout our state, giving them tools they can use in spreading Mississippi's success stories around our nation and world.
Gov. Bryant will be joined by newly appointed MDA Executive Director Brent Christensen on an MEC Connect web conference call on Aug. 15 at 10 a.m. The MEC Connect will focus on ways to ensure a strong economic future in Mississippi.
CLICK HERE to register for the MEC Connect. There is no cost to participate. If unable to join via Web, teleconference option will be available.
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Ingalls Shipbuilding Awarded $1.5 Billion Contract for Construction of 11th LPD
Ships are Newest Addition to Navy's Amphibious Assault Force
 The U.S. Navy awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries a $1.5 billion fixed-price incentive contract for the detail design and construction of the amphibious transport dock LPD 27. The ship will be built at the company's Ingalls Shipbuilding division. Ingalls is building the entire San Antonio (LPD 17) class of ships, the newest addition to the Navy's 21st century amphibious assault force. The LPD 17-class ships are 684 feet long and 105 feet wide and displace approximately 25,000 tons. Ingalls is a member of MEC.
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Medical Distribution Facility
Locating in Olive Branch
Health Care Industry Zone Incentives used
as Teleflex Incorporated to Create 225 Jobs
Officials from Teleflex Incorporated, a leading global provider of medical devices for critical care and surgery, have announced the company is relocating its distribution operations into an existing 627,000-square-foot facility in Olive Branch. Teleflex is the first company to that is able to take advantage of the Health Care Industry Zone Incentive Program passed this year by the Mississippi Legislature. The Mississippi Health Care Industry Zone Act was part of Gov. Bryant's Mississippi Works agenda, and corresponds with the Blueprint Mississippi goal of promoting health care as an economic driver. |
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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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It's Official! Greenville Proclaimed
'Hot Tamale Capital of the World'
City Planning Festival for Oct. 20
 On July 18, Greenville was officially proclaimed the "Hot Tamale Capital of the World" by Mayor Chuck Jordan during a press conference on the steps of city hall. Greenville is gearing up to host the inaugural Delta Hot Tamale Festival on Oct. 20.
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Greetings!
Did You Know? Mississippi Ranked No. 2 in Least Violent Crime Per 100,000 in 2009
Full Blueprint Mississippi Report Available Online
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Molpus Woodlands Group Acquires New Portfolio
The Hancock Timber Resource Group and MEC-member Molpus Woodlands Group have purchased the 1.88 million-acre timberland portfolio of Forest Capital Partners, the companies announced on July 13. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Hancock Timber is acquiring 376,000 acres in Louisiana, 573,000 acres in Oregon, 138,000 acres in Idaho and 264,000 acres in Washington. Molpus is acquiring 286,000 acres in Minnesota, 110,000 acres in Louisiana and 138,000 acres in Idaho. |
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Southern Crossroads Music and Tamale Festival Aug. 10-11 at Mississippi Coliseum Steve Azar, WAR and Dorothy Moore Scheduled to Perform at Weekend Event in Jackson 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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BorgWarner Announces Water Valley Expansion
On July 23, Governor Phil Bryant joined officials from MEC-member BorgWarner, a global powertrain supplier, in announcing the company is expanding operations at its facility in Water Valley, Miss., to begin manufacturing a new ECO-Launch™ system that enables the stop-start function in automatic transmissions. With the addition of this new product to the company's portfolio, BorgWarner expects to create 50 new jobs at its Water Valley facility. |
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GreenTech Launches Production in Horn Lake
 On July 6, officials from GreenTech Automotive celebrated the official start of production at the company's Horn Lake pilot plant. The event was attended by former President Bill Clinton, company Chairman and former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe, former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, and other company, state and local officials. The company is now producing its MyCar neighborhood electric vehicles in Horn Lake.
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Camgian Microsystems to subcontract with Lockheed Martin at Stennis Space Center
Camgian Microsystems Corporation, provider of advanced microelectronic systems and semiconductor technologies, today announced it is establishing its presence at NASA John C. Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, as a member of the Lockheed Martin team that has been awarded the Center's Test Operation Contract. |
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Genesis Energy to Expand in Natchez
Officials from Genesis Energy L.P. have announced plans to expand operations at the company's existing Port of Natchez terminal to handle bitumen, a product mined from Canadian oil sands. The expansion will create 20 new jobs in the Adams County area. |
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Merit-Based Pay Plan for Teachers,
Distribution Center for Health Care Products,
Highlight Importance of Blueprint Initiative
Greetings!
The importance of having an action strategy for improving Mississippi's competitiveness was underscored this past week with two major announcements by Governor Phil Bryant. The Governor continues to mark important milestones of progress as promised in his State of the State Address in January - and it is important as business leaders for us to note he is aggressively acting on the program he outlined at the beginning of his administration. His leadership and focus are making a difference.
Gov. Bryant unveiled his proposal on Friday, July 27, to create merit-based pay increases for teachers. The initiative provides the dual purpose of rewarding teachers for measured effectiveness in the classroom and providing school principals with a new management tool, according to the report Effective Teachers and Pay Performance: A Recommendation for Mississippi's Performance Compensation System. Gov. Bryant requested a recommendation for a performance based compensation system for Mississippi educators. The Research and Curriculum Unit at Mississippi State University was the lead organization in compiling the report, which was funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission.
In releasing the report Gov. Bryant said, "As we continue to improve the business climate of this state and bring in more and better-paying jobs, our educational attainments must keep pace." As recommended in Blueprint, an appropriately designed merit-based compensation can provide incentives to all teachers if administered effectively. This is a key step in ensuring Mississippi attracts and retains the high quality teachers. It is vital that we are preparing our students for the workforce of the future. Blueprint research shows that 58 percent of all jobs in Mississippi will require some type of post-secondary education by the year 2018.
Gov. Bryant also championed legislation designed to place Mississippi as a leader in bolstering industries that support health care. On Monday, July 30, officials from Teleflex Incorporated, announced plans to relocate its distribution center to Olive Branch, becoming the first company to utilize the Mississippi Health Care Industry Zone Incentive Program, which was passed by the Mississippi Legislature during the 2012 session. Teleflex is a leading global provider of medical devices for critical care and surgery, and will create approximately 225 jobs over four years.
The Mississippi Health Care Industry Zone Incentive Program corresponds with the Blueprint Mississippi goal of promoting health care as an economic driver. The program provides specific incentives to attract a variety of health-care related businesses to health care zones throughout the state. Blueprint recommends the use of a cluster approach to enhance economic development in the health care industry to create jobs and to provide a better quality of life.
Gov. Bryant, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, Speaker of the House Philip Gunn and members of the Mississippi Legislature are to be commended for the foresight needed to create new economic opportunities for our citizens. By implementing the strategic initiatives outlined in Blueprint Mississippi, our state leaders are putting Mississippi in the place of greatest opportunity. 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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Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart addressed a. luncheon of MEC members in Jackson on July 13, Lockhart shared ideas and provided insight into the Federal Reserve to the group of Mississippi leaders.