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Mississippi Economic Council
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Gov. Bryant Announces 1,000 New Jobs as General Dynamics IT Expands Hattiesburg Operations
 | | Taking part in the General Dynamics announcement were (from left) Chad Newell, ADP, Tommy Thornton, Hattiesburg Clinic (ADP Chair), Marcus Collier, General Dynamics, Gov. Phil Bryant, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny Dupre, State Senator Billy Hudson. |
Facility is General Dynamics' Second in 2013
Gov. Phil Bryant announced today that General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics, is locating a new Customer Support Center in the Cloverleaf Center in Hattiesburg. The project is expected to create 1,000 jobs.
The new center will support General Dynamics' contracts with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, including the 1-800-MEDICARE program, by providing responses to inquiries from CMS customers and beneficiaries across the nation. General Dynamics delivers operations and maintenance support for several Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services programs including the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, Retiree Drug Subsidy program and the ViPS Medicare System. General Dynamics has worked with CMS since 2005.
The new Hattiesburg project is in addition to the Federal Student Aid Information Center project announced by the company in February 2013, which will create an additional 225 new jobs by this summer, increasing to 250 by spring 2014.
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State Leaders Celebrate American Eurocopter's 10th Anniversary
 | | Among those taking part in the American Eurocopter celebration and rally were: (from left) Joe Max Higgins, the Golden Triangle Development LINK, Congressman Alan Nunnelee, Mark Paganini, President and CEO of American Eurocopter, Gloria Ervin, an employee of American Eurocopter and U.S. Navy veteran, Sean O'Keefe, Chairman and CEO of EADS North America, and Congressman Gregg Harper. |
Rally Supports Lakota Helicopter Program
Gov. Phil Bryant joined state and local leaders and officials from American Eurocopter today to celebrate the company's 10th anniversary of operations in Columbus as well as for a rally in support of the company's UH-72A "Lakota" Light Utility Helicopter program. The Mississippi Congressional delegation is supporting this effort. Click Here for involvement.
"First, I'd like to congratulate American Eurocopter on 10 successful years in Columbus," Gov. Bryant said. "The company has been a valued member of Mississippi's business community providing invaluable services for our country, and I wish the American Eurocopter team many more years of success in our state."
Manufactured at MEC-member American Eurocopter's Columbus facility, the Lakota helicopter is produced for the Army and Army National Guard for use in active duty and homeland security missions. The Lakota program, cited by the U.S. Department of Defense as a model defense acquisition program, is one of the most cost-effective, successful rotary wing aircraft programs in recent history.
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Mississippi No. 10 Nationally
in Overall Economic Outlook
No. 3 Among Blueprint Mississippi States
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1 Utah
2. North Dakota
3. South Dakota
4. Wyoming
5. Virginia
6. Arizona
7. Idaho
8. Georgia
9. Florida
10. Mississippi
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Mississippi ranks 10th nationally in Overall Economic Outlook for 2013, according to the Rich States, Poor States: ALEC-Laffer State Economic State Competitiveness Index just released by the American Legislative Exchange Council's Center for State Fiscal Reform. Mississippi is third among Blueprint Mississippi States, finishing just behind Georgia and Florida, and ahead of Texas and Alabama. The Blueprint States are the 12 states Mississippi is most likely to complete against for economic development. The annual report has Mississippi at No. 10 nationally, up five spots from a year ago. Rich States, Poor States examines the latest trends in state economic growth. The data ranks the 2013 economic outlook of states using 15 equally weighted policy variables, including various tax rates, regulatory burdens and labor policies.
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Mississippi Ranks 5th Nationally in Entrepreneurial ActivityNo. 1 Among Blueprint Mississippi States
Mississippi ranks 5th nationally in entrepreneurial activity rate, according to the annual Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity. The report shows the overall business creation rate declined slightly in 2012, as the number of American adults per month starting businesses was 0.30 percent, compared to 0.32 percent in 2011.
In 2012, Mississippi was well above the national average, with an entrepreneurial index of 0.43 percent. Mississippi also has the highest rate among the Blueprint Mississippi States, ahead of Louisiana (9th) and Kentucky (11th). The Blueprint States are the 12 states Mississippi is most likely to complete against for economic development.
Montana had the highest entrepreneurial activity rate, followed by Vermont, New Mexico and Alaska. The states with the lowest rates of entrepreneurial activity were Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Nebraska and Minnesota.
The Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity is a leading indicator of new business creation in the United States. Capturing new business owners in their first month of significant business activity, this measure provides the earliest documentation of new business development across the country.
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Medgar Evers 50th Anniversary Commemoration Event This Month
 Myrlie Evers, chair of the Board of Directors of the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute, has announced plans for a national commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of her late husband Medgar Evers, Mississippi civil rights pioneer.
Events sponsored by the Institute will begin Wednesday, June 5, 2013, in Washington, D. C., and culminate with a community celebration and tribute gala in Jackson, on Wednesday, June 12. Joining Mrs. Evers in the announcement were representatives of community organizations helping to sponsor the activities and hosting their own events.
Reena Evers-Everette, daughter of Medgar and Myrlie Evers and executive director of the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute, announced that a memorial service will be held at her father's gravesite in Arlington National Cemetery on June 5 at noon.
She added that on the evening of June 5 a symposium entitled "The Legacy of Medgar Evers" will be held at the Newseum in the nation's capital. Myrlie Evers, noted civil rights activist Julian Bond and award-winning investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell will participate in a discussion moderated by National Public Broadcasting's Gwen Ifill, host of "Washington Week" and senior correspondent on "PBS NewsHour."
Other Evers Institute-sponsored events will include guided and self-guided civil rights tours and a showcase of civil rights films on Monday and Tuesday, June 10 and 11 in Jackson.
For more go to: www.eversinstitute.org
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Gov. Bryant Announces Plans for a Minor League Baseball Stadium
Mississippi anticipates providing the City of Biloxi a $15 million grant to construct a minor league baseball stadium downtown, Gov. Phil Bryant has announced.
The state's anticipated financial assistance for the project comes from funds BP granted to Mississippi in 2010 during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
"The oil spill of 2010 had a significant impact in Mississippi, especially to our coastal tourism," Gov. Bryant said. "This stadium will be a major regional asset for South Mississippi and will be an exciting new attraction for our residents and tourists of Mississippi's Gulf Coast."
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Ingalls Shipbuilding Wins U.S Navy Contract to Build Five DDG 51 Destroyers
 Huntington Ingalls Industries' (NYSE:HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has been awarded a fixed-price incentive, multiyear contract for construction of five Arleigh Burke-class destroyers (DDG 51s) for the U.S. Navy. The contract has a total value of $3.33 billion and includes options for engineering change proposals, design budgeting requirements and post-delivery availabilities, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to approximately $3.39 billion.
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Advanced Innovations East Expanding Operations in Baldwyn
Officials from Advanced Innovations East, a subsidiary of Sleep Innovations, and state and local officials broke ground on a 108,000-square-foot expansion at the company's location in the Harry A. Martin North Lee Industrial Complex in Baldwyn, Miss. The project represents a $4 million company investment and will create 50 jobs over the next two years.
In 2003, MEC-member Advanced Innovations East began operations in Lee County with 60 employees. In 2004, the company built its 300,000-square-foot facility and has since grown to more than 440 employees. This expansion, which includes a warehouse and distribution facility, will support the company's focus on the development of new products, such as mattresses, mattress toppers and pillows that utilize the company's memory foam technology.
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AT&T Hiring More Than 250 in Mississippi
AT&T has announced at Governor Phil Bryant's Job Fair Network that it is currently looking to fill more than 250 job openings in Mississippi, including more than 225 new jobs. The majority of new jobs are in the Network and Call Center organizations. The positions will be posted as they become available at http://connect.att.jobs/. AT&T is an MEC member.
"Working together with private industries, we can increase economic development throughout the state," Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant said. "These jobs will provide opportunities to local residents as our economy continues to grow and expand."
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VT Halter Marine's Dry Dock Arrives in Pascagoula
 VT Halter Marine Inc. (VT Halter Marine), a subsidiary of VT Systems Inc. (VT Systems), today announced the arrival of a 12,000 MT Floating Dry Dock transported by a heavy lift vessel from the Philippines. The dock dimensions are LOA- 546 FT x B 128.5 FT x D 46 FT. The dry dock is part of an overall expansion plan to the south yard in Pascagoula where MEC-member VT Halter Marine is adding a repair facility for semi-submersible drilling rigs and Panamax-size ships.
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR
MEC 2013 - 2014 Event Dates Announced
MEC Hobnob Mississippi - October 31, 2013
Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum - Jackson
MEC Capital Day - January 8, 2014
Jackson Marriott & State Capitol Building - Jackson
MEC Annual Meeting - April 10, 2014
Jackson Convention Complex - Jackson |
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Natron Wood Products to Create
200 Jobs at Louisville Facility
Gov. Phil Bryant was on hand Monday with local and company officials to announce Natron Wood Products locating to Louisville. The operations will be located in a 265,000-square-foot existing facility, and represent a company investment of $10 million and will create more than 200 new jobs.
Natron Wood Products' new Mississippi facility will produce specialty plywood products, such as plywood overlay panels, which are commonly referred to as Medium Density Overlay and High Density Overlay.
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Sanderson Farms Championship Hosts Media Day
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Among those taking part in the Sanderson Farms Championship Media Day were: Scott Stallings, 2012 True South Classic Champion, Johnny Lang, President of Century Club Charities, Robert Morgan, former Executive Director of the Championship, and Joe Sanderson, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Sanderson Farms.
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 The Sanderson Farms Championship hosted Media Day on May 28th with Scott Stallings, last year's True South Classic champion on hand. Other speakers included Johnny Lang, president of Century Club Charities, Joe Sanderson, CEO and chairman of the Board of Directors of Sanderson Farms, and Kathryn Satcher, Sanderson Farms Championship Tournament director.
In addition, longtime tournament executive director, Robert Morgan was honored for his commitment to the game of golf and his influential role in bringing the PGA TOUR tournament to Mississippi. Mr. Morgan began the Magnolia Classic in 1968 at the Hattiesburg Country Club.
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CertainTeed Restarting Ceiling Tile Production in Meridian
Gov. Phil Bryant joined company representatives from CertainTeed and local officials to announce the company is restarting its ceiling tile manufacturing operations in Meridian., in the same facility it purchased in 2005. The project represents a $24 million company investment and will create 110 new jobs by 2016. Production is expected to resume during the second quarter of 2014. Once operational, the facility will produce a range of ceiling tiles and acoustical wall panels used in commercial construction applications.
CertainTeed, one of North America's leading building products manufacturers, ceased production at the Meridian location in 2009 in the midst of the construction market downturn. The facility, which has been idle since that time aside from a small customer service center operation, employed 120 workers when the company discontinued operations. Ceiling tiles have been manufactured in the facility since 1941 throughout various stages of ownership.
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Area Development Magazine Awards Mississippi 2013 Silver Shovel Award
Area Development magazine, a leading economic development publication covering site selection and facility planning, has awarded Mississippi a 2013 Silver Shovel Award.
The magazine'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. The 2013 Silver Shovel Award marks Mississippi's third consecutive year to receive the honor in the 3 million-and-under population group from Area Development.
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Quality Steel Corporation Acquires American Welding and Tank
Quality Steel Corporation (QSC) in Cleveland, MS, an ASME propane tank manufacturer and industry leader in value-added services to the customer, announced today the acquisition of American Welding and Tank (AWT) from Taylor-Wharton International.
American Welding and Tank has been recognized as one of the leaders in the propane tank industry since 1917 and has manufacturing facilities in Fremont, OH and West Jordan, UT. The acquisition gives Quality Steel the ability to increase its production capacity while utilizing strategically located facilities to better serve its customer base.
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Economic Development Announcements
Setting Tone for Strong Economic
Outlook in Mississippi
Greetings!
What an amazing May! More than 1,700 new jobs were announced as part of economic development projects throughout Mississippi - including 1,000 at General Dynamics' second call center in Hattiesburg. These announcements, which come on the heels of the Yokohama Tire announcement in late April, are perfect examples of what is being accomplished in our state.
These successes aren't going unnoticed, as Mississippi currently ranks third among Blueprint States in Overall Economic Outlook for 2013. In fact, Mississippi is now in the Top 10 nationally in economic outlook, according to the recently released Rich States, Poor States: ALEC-Laffer State Economic State Competitiveness Index. The report, conducted by the American Legislative Exchange Council's Center for State Fiscal Reform, shows Mississippi has moved up five spots from a year ago.
This is another great vote of confidence in the work of Governor Phil Bryant, Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Brent Christensen and the team at MDA. It also speaks to the commitment to economic development by the Mississippi legislature and the leadership being provided by Lt. Governor Tate Reeves and Speaker of the House Philip Gunn.
We are participating in a great period of growth for our state. A lot of hard work is under way every day to improve Mississippi, and each new accomplishment further serves to put our state in the place of greatest opportunity.
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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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