Haley Fisackerly, CEO of Entergy Mississippi, Ed Day, CEO of Mississippi Power, Gov. Phil Bryant, Jerry Host, CEO of Trustmark and MEC Chair, and David Shaw, Vice President of Research at Mississippi State University at the Biloxi release of Blueprint Mississippi Health Care: 'An Economic Driver'.

Expanding the University of Mississippi School of Medicine and adding 1,000 physicians to the state's workforce are part of Gov. Phil Bryant's vision for strengthening Mississippi's economy by investing in health care.

During three meetings today, Friday, Oct. 26, Gov. Bryant is outlining his vision for growing the state's health care economy and unveiling the findings of a new Blueprint Mississippi health care study. Bryant announced a funding award toward the expansion of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. The first meeting was held in Biloxi at 7:30 a.m. Meetings are planned for Tupelo at 11:30 a.m. and Jackson at 3:30 p.m. today.  

"I am pleased to announce that the Mississippi Development Authority will award $10 million in Community Development Block Grant funds to UMMC to aid in the expansion of its School of Medicine," Bryant said. "Mississippi needs more physicians, and we cannot wait any longer."

Bryant is encouraging new development in the state's larger medical regions through the Mississippi Health Care Industry Zone Act. The legislation, part of Bryant's 'Mississippi Works' agenda, became law this year and provides incentives to certain health care-related businesses that locate in a certified health care zone. 

Click Here for Message from David Gates
and Haley Fisackerly     

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Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Brent Christensen will discuss his future of economic development in Mississippi.  

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Judiciary Chairs Sen. Briggs Hopson
and Rep. Mark Baker Also Honored

Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves has received the 2012 State Legislative Achievement Award from the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform for passage of the Attorney General "Sunshine Act." The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform also honored Speaker Philip Gunn, Rep. Mark Baker and Sen. Briggs Hopson with the legislative award at the 13th Annual Legal Reform Summit in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 24.

"The Attorney General Sunshine Act sheds light on the process used by the Attorney General's office to hire contract attorneys," Lt. Gov. Reeves said. "I appreciate the recognition from the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform of the hard work and collaboration by Sen. Hopson, Rep. Baker, Speaker Gunn and the entire Mississippi Legislature."

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Join Governor Phil Bryant and Mississippi Broadband Connect Coalition Chairman Jim Barksdale for a statewide summit designed to provide business and elected leadership the latest ideas for increasing high speed Internet usage and availability in Mississippi.

The Summit will be held Tuesday, November 13, 2012 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Jackson Convention Complex

Speakers will cover topics that include telemedicine,educational applications, and uses for public safety. A separate track will be designed specifically for local leadership and business people interested in getting greater access to public wifi. A full agenda is listed on the registration site. Lunch will be provided.   

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The night of Sunday, Oct. 28, Burkhalter Rigging, Inc., will begin moving two hydrogen sulfide (H2S) absorbers from their current staging location in Bigbee Valley, Miss., to their final destination at Mississippi Power's Kemper County IGCC Plant. The H2S absorbers are each 238 feet long, 21 feet wide, 21 feet high and weigh 1,425,730 pounds. Both Mississippi Power and Burkhalter Rigging Inc. are members of MEC.

Each absorber will be hauled over the 76-mile route utilizing 160 axles of Goldhofer modular transporters, with center dollies and wing dollies used at bridge crossings. Including the prime mover trucks at the front and rear of the transporters, the total 732-wheel configuration for each absorber will be 28 feet tall, 22 feet wide, 346 feet long and weigh just under 2,500,000 pounds.. 

Mike Petters, President & CEO of Huntington Ingalls Industries, and Irwin F. Edenzon President, Ingalls Shipbuilding, at the christening of America.

Ingalls Shipbuilding division christened the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship America (LHA 6) on Oct. 20. The ship, the first in a new class, is the fourth U.S. Navy vessel to be named America, extending a legacy dating back to 1861. Lynne Pace, wife of retired U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, served as the ship's sponsor. "Thank you for building such a magnificent ship," said Pace, who had the honor of smashing a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow of the ship. "You have put love, care and incredible craftsmanship into it. You are Americans working on an American ship that will carry Americans defending the American lifestyle." Ingalls Shipbuilding is an MEC member. 

Haley Barbour was praised for his leadership and service Thursday, Oct. 18, as the Center for Manufacturing Excellence at the University of Mississippi was officially dedicated in the former governor's honor. The mid-afternoon ceremony was held on the Lyceum Circle, which the building faces. In addition to Ole Miss faculty and students, the event drew many state and local government, education and industry officials.

Mississippi Building Blocks reports significant improvement in the school readiness of young children who have participated in the privately funded project, now in its fourth year of work in licensed child care centers statewide. Disadvantaged children from high poverty homes reaped the greatest benefits from classroom changes wrought by the pilot project. Having proven a successful method of preparing children for school, Mississippi Building Blocks (MBB) will be requesting state funds to expand its services. "Mississippi Building Blocks is not a program that has to be built from scratch, but one that works within our current child care structure and gives Mississippi a cost effective way to prepare children for kindergarten," said April J. May, interim executive director of MBB.

The John C. Stennis Space Center's 2nd Annual Gala was held on Oct. 20. The event highlighted the center's accomplishment during 2012 with the theme of "Our Year to Shine: Beyond Earth to Infinity. The evening featured milestones at Stennis Space Center, including the opening of INFINITY Science Center. Pictured are, from left, Robert D. Cabana, Director of the Kennedy Space Center and a former Astronaut, Gulfport Mayor George Schloegel, Dr. Richard Gilbrech, Stennis Space Center Director, Tish Williams Executive Director of the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Congressman Steven Palazzo. 

Varney

Veteran business journalist Stuart Varney of FOX News will deliver the keynote address at the U.S. Senator Thad Cochran Forum on American Enterprise, a fundraising luncheon for the Mississippi Council on Economic Education. The event will be held Tuesday, Oct. 30 at the Jackson Convention Complex. Enterprise education - good old-fashioned basic economics - is back in Mississippi classrooms, thanks to the enterprise initiative of the Mississippi Council on Economic Education. One semester of economics is now required for high school graduation.

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Gov. Phil Bryant and officials from Dennen Steel Corp. cut the ribbon on Oct. 16 to officially open the company's new 50,000 square foot manufacturing facility at Yellow Creek Port in Iuka. The project represents a $7.4 million company investment and is creating 50 new jobs.

MEC-member Dennen Steel, a contract stamping manufacturer of steel products, will purchase large master coils from steel mill producers and process steel slit coil into precision stampings, fabricated metal parts and assemblies at the Tishomingo County location.

Event to Focus on Critical Community Issues 

To highlight and raise funds for its work with children and families in Central Jackson, Operation Shoestring will host approximately 400 guests at its 2012 Conversation About Community luncheon on Monday, Nov. 12 from Noon to 1:30 p.m., at the Jackson Convention Complex. This year's Conversation About Community will feature nationally recognized leaders with experience engaging with critical community issues in innovative and effective ways. The topic of the discussion will be converting big ideas and models of success from other communities into real change in Jackson. Featured at the event will be Alma Powell, chair of America's Promise, Walter Isaacson, author of the hugely successful recent biography of Apple Computer founder Steve Jobs, and CEO of the Aspen Institute, and Jackson native Jim Barksdale, renowned entrepreneur and ardent supporter of education and economic development.   

Gov. Phil Bryant and officials from Contract Fabricators recently announced that the company has expanded into Iuka in Tishomingo County, locating manufacturing operations at the Yellow Creek Port. The company is located in the 97,280 square foot facility formerly occupied by Dynasteel, where Gov. Bryant and company officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 16.

The project represents a $1,050,000 company investment and will create 50 new jobs within its first year of operation at the port.