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Mississippi Economic Council
| MEC Snapshot
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MEC Insight Tour To Make
Final Stop in Hattiesburg
March 1 Meeting Will Cap Off 14-City Tour
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Attending the Capital Region tour stop were April May, Mike Petro, Martha Cooke, Rep. Rita Martinson, Blake Wilson, Shelia Jackson, and Cathy Norhtington.
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The MEC Insight Tour, which began in Gulfport on Thursday, Jan. 24, will conclude on Friday, March 1, in Hattiesburg. In all, the MEC Insight Tour will have stopped in 14 cities in all regions of Mississippi. The tour is sponsored by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi. The meetings explore ways Mississippi can continue to improve its economic competitiveness.
MEC has sought input from business and community leaders to help our state's business climate become even stronger. This tour is a great opportunity to network with fellow business leaders from across the state.
Click Here to Register
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MEC Legislative Scrambler
on Economic Development Set for
Wednesday, March 6
The third MEC Legislative Scrambler of the 2013 legislative session will be held on March 6 at the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson. The session will focus on economic development and feature Senator John Horhn, Chair of the Senate Economic Development Committee, and Representative Donnie Bell, Chair of the House Workforce Development Committee.
The Scrambler will be sponsored by the TVA.
Second Scrambler Focused on Transportation
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Pictured are Senator Willie Simmons, Representative Robert Johnson and Mike Pepper, executive director of the Mississippi Road Builders' Association.
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The second MEC Legislative Scrambler of the 2013 legislative session was held on Feb. 20 at the Mississippi Museum of Art. The session focused on transportation and featured Senator Willie Simmons, Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, and Representative Robert Johnson, Chair of the House Transportation Committee.
Click Here to listen to recording of MEC Scrambler on transportation
The Scrambler was sponsored by the Mississippi Road Builders' Association.
Final Scrambler of Year on Education
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
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Pictured are Chad Newell, ADP, Tommy Horton, Hattiesburg Clinic and chair of ADP, David Hogan, president of the Forrest County Board of Supervisors, Marcus Collier, General Dynamics, Gov. Phil Bryant, Sen. Roger Wicker, Congressman Steve Palazzo, and Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny Dupree.
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Gov. Phil Bryant and officials from General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics, have announced the company is opening new operations in the Cloverleaf Center on Hwy. 49 South in Hattiesburg, Miss. The project is expected to be create 225 new jobs by summer 2013, increasing to 250 by spring 2014.
The Hattiesburg facility, a Federal Student Aid Information Center, will process applications and eligibility for more than $100 billion in federal student assistance for higher education. Workers will also aid the public in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. In 2012, more than 251,000 Mississippians completed a FAFSA. The company expects the new facility to be operational by April. "I am proud to welcome General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of Fortune 100 company General Dynamics, to Mississippi," Gov. Bryant said. "The decision by General Dynamics to locate these operations here and create so many jobs for the area's residents is great news not only for the Hattiesburg region but for the entire state, and it will certainly have a positive impact on the local community. I thank General Dynamics for placing its confidence in our business climate and in our workforce."
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 | | Gov. William Winter and wife, Elise Winter |
In recognition of former Governor William F. Winter's 90th birthday and many years of public service, the law firm of Jones Walker hosted a symposium and celebration on Feb. 19, 2013, at the Old Capitol Museum.
The symposium consisted of a panel discussion on The Future of Mississippi and the South in the House of Representative Chambers of the Old Capitol Museum, where William Winter was inaugurated Governor in 1980.
"Governor William Winter is a true statesman in every sense of the word and has given tirelessly of himself throughout his career. His unwavering passion for education reform and racial reconciliation is still evident today as he continues to be a champion of these issues. He has undoubtedly shaped the history of the state of Mississippi through his leadership and foresight. Jones Walker is proud to be hosting this event in honor of such a distinguished Mississippian," remarked William H. Hines, Jones Walker's Managing Partner. Jones Walker is a member of MEC.
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Governor Phil Bryant, officials from Hol-Mac and local officials cut the ribbon Feb. 26 on the recently completed expansion of a manufacturing facility at the company's location in Bay Springs, Miss. The project represents a company investment of $3.8 million and is creating 150 jobs, 100 of which are already in place.
MEC-member Hol-Mac is a manufacturer and supplier of steel fabrications, cylinders and tanks. This latest expansion involves the addition of approximately 40,000 square feet to one of the company's facilities in order to accommodate an increase in production.
"I am grateful to Charles, Jamie and Jeffrey Holder for continuing to invest in Hol-Mac and the state of Mississippi and for their ongoing commitment to creating jobs for Mississippi's workers," Governor Bryant said. "Hol-Mac has been a valued member of the Bay Springs community and valued business partner to the state of Mississippi for fifty years, and I appreciate the company for its continued trust in our business climate and confidence in our workforce."
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Sempra Donates $100,000 to
Hattiesburg Tornado Victims
Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, a unit of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE) and the parent company of Willmut Gas Co., announced today that it is donating $100,000 to the South Mississippi Chapter of the American Red Cross and local schools to assist victims of last week's tornado.
The contribution also will include a donation-matching program of up to $50,000 by the Sempra Energy Foundation to support the Sempra Energy companies' employee-giving efforts.
Based in Hattiesburg, MEC-member Willmut Gas Co. is a natural gas utility that serves more than 21,000 Mississippi customers.
"Greater Hattiesburg is a special place and home to our customers and many of our employees," said Michael P. Gallagher, regional president of Sempra U.S. Gas & Power." As Mississippi recovers from these severe storms, we hope these funds can help families, and our local public schools, which were hit the hardest, begin the rebuilding process. I am proud of the men and women of Willmut Gas who worked around the clock to ensure that we are able to serve our customers safely in the aftermath of these storms."
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Growth Coach of Jackson Ranked
Top Franchise for 2013
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The Growth Coach of Metro-Jackson is excited to announce that the company has been named Entrepreneur Magazine's top Business Coaching and Consulting franchise for 2013. Jim Finley launched MEC-member The Growth Coach in 2008. As a business coach, he works with business owners, management teams, sales teams, self-employed professionals, students, and executives in all types of industries to help them not only drive greater success, but also find better balance in their business and personal life using The Growth Coach Strategic Mindset Process. "As a certified Growth Coach, I help my many small business clients take an honest look at where their business is now and where they want it to be," Finley said. "Growing a business and enjoying the journey is challenging, but business owners don't have to do it alone. Affordable group and individual coaching can make a big difference. In fact, our coaching process is so effective that it comes with a unique money-back guarantee." Read More |
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Don't Miss MEC's 64th Annual Meeting
April 11 - Jackson Convention Complex
Greetings!
Mark your calendar for the 64th MEC Annual Meeting on Thursday, April 11 at the Jackson Convention Complex. This is the Mississippi Economic Council's largest event of the year.
MEC will be honoring all Mississippians who have served in the military with MEC's Mississippi Military Salute. Details of the day's events will be released soon.
The MEC Annual Meeting provides great opportunities for networking. There also will be morning sessions focusing on Mississippi's economic competitiveness. Mississippi's top high school students will be honored at the Education Celebration that morning. The Student Teacher Recognition Award program will be presented to students and teachers from more than 260 high schools throughout Mississippi, with the top STAR students receiving scholarships from the Kelly Gene Cook Sr. Charitable Foundation.
The day will be capped off with the Annual Meeting luncheon, which will include a great program featuring Gov. Phil Bryant, the keynote by Maj. Gen. Augustus L. Collins, Adjutant General, and some very special entertainment.
We encourage our members to bring those from their communities who have been deployed in the last 10 years. I look forward to seeing you on April 11.
Keep the faith. 
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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. |
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
Click Here for MEC Web Site
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