With more than 2 million vehicles produced, nearly $2 billion in payroll generated and a decade after the first vehicle rolled off the line in Mississippi, the Nissan Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant is preparing to celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2013. The company will commemorate the anniversary with a series of events that highlight the accomplishments of its more than 5,000 employees and underscore its commitment to the Metro Jackson community and Central Mississippi.
 
Over the past decade, Nissan's Canton plant has grown from building one model to seven, including the award-winning Altima, the Armada full-size SUV, the Xterra mid-size SUV, the Titan and Frontier pickup trucks and NV commercial and passenger vans. When the plant opened in 2003, Nissan became the largest private-sector employer in the region and has since brought even more high-skilled, well-paying jobs to the community while maintaining a diverse workforce that has drawn employees from 80 of Mississippi's 82 counties.

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Malcom White (right) was named director of MDA's tourism division. Pictured with White are (from left), Brent Christensen, executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority, Kappi Allen, president of the Mississippi Tourism Association, and Governor Phil Bryant.

The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) is pleased to announce Malcolm White has been named director of the agency's Tourism Division. White, who brings to MDA more than 40 years of experience in the economic development and tourism industries, will begin his new position effective Jan. 14, 2013.

"Many people in the Jackson area and around the state are familiar with Malcolm White, his devout entrepreneurial spirit and his love of Mississippi and our unique, creative culture," Governor Phil Bryant said. "The experience he brings to this position and the vast amount of knowledge he has of the tourism industry will be beneficial not only to MDA but to the entire state of Mississippi and its tourism offerings, as well."

The Mississippi Power Kemper County Energy Facility celebrated numerous milestones during 2012. Watch video outlining these major accomplishments.

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Salsarita's, the national 80-unit Fresh Mexican Cantina chain, announced a new development agreement for Mississippi. Under the terms of the new plan, Salsarita's will open 10 locations throughout Mississippi over the next five years. Area developer J.C. Clark, who was a leading franchisee for McAlister's Deli when current Salsarita's CEO Phil Friedman owned the company, will lead the expansion.

Clark, who worked with Friedman at McAlister's for over 12 years before partnering with Salsarita's, said Friedman's business expertise combined with the strong market potential of Salsarita's in the fast-casual sector made the development agreement a winning opportunity.

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The ForWarn forest monitoring and assessment tool developed by NASA's Stennis Space Center's Applied Science & Technology Project Office and other federal and university partners has been selected to receive a prestigious technology transfer award.

The Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) for Technology Transfer announced Nov. 26 that the ForWarn early warning system for forest threats will receive the 2013 FLC Interagency Partnership Award. One of the organization's highest honors, the award recognizes the efforts of laboratory employees from at least two different agencies who have collaboratively accomplished outstanding work in the process of transferring a technology. ForWarn team members will be honored at the 2013 FLC Awards program on April 25, 2013 in Westminster, Colo.

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