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Mississippi Economic Council
| MEC Snapshot
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Leadership Elected for Boards of M.B. Swayze Foundation, Public Education Forum and Leadership Mississippi
The Mississippi Economic Council has announced officers for the M.B. Swayze Foundation, the Public Education Forum of Mississippi and Leadership Mississippi for 2013-14.
* Rebecca Wiggs, a member at Watkins & Eager law firm, has been elected 2013-14 chair of the MEC's M.B. Swayze Foundation.
* William G. Yates, III, CEO & president of W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company, has been elected to serve as vice chair of MEC's M.B. Swayze Foundation for 2013-14.
* Melanie A. Morgan, senior vice president and director of corporate communication and board relations for Trustmark National Bank, has been re-elected chair of the Public Education Forum of Mississippi for 2013-2014 year.
* Martha Cooke, vice president of special projects at School Book Supply Company, has been re-elected as vice chair of the Public Education Forum of Mississippi for 2013-2014 year.
* Gloria Johnson, director of customer service for Entergy Mississippi, Inc., will continue her role as chair of Leadership Mississippi for the 2013 program year.
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Sanderson Farms Classic
Under Way at Annandale
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Joe Sanderson, (right) CEO of Sanderson Farms, and Jerry Host, CEO of Trustmark at the Trustmark Wealth Management Pro-Am Pairing Party.
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One of only 45 PGA TOUR tournaments held each year, the Sanderson Farms Championship has been part of the PGA TOUR schedule since 1968 and is now in its third year as part of the FedEx Cup.
The event, which got under way today at Annandale Golf Club in Madison, has collectively raised more than $7.3 million for statewide charities over the years. Included in the week's activities were Monday's Friends of Children's Hospital Pro-Am, presented by National Aviation and First Choice Medical Supply, and Wednesday's Trustmark Wealth Management Pro-Am.
Past champions of the tournament include defending champion Scott Stallings, Chris Kirk, past FedExCup Champion Bill Haas and Luke Donald.
Sanderson Farms is an MEC member.
For More on the
Sanderson Farms Championship & for Ticket Information
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Ingalls Shipbuilding Celebrates Apprentice Graduation
MEC member Huntington Ingalls Industries held graduation ceremonies for Ingalls Shipbuilding's Apprentice School on Saturday, June 29. The ceremony, held at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention Center, celebrated the accomplishments of 60 students representing Ingalls' various crafts.
Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann was the keynote speaker and acknowledged the graduates' commitments. "In addition to the commitments you've made to Mississippi, Ingalls and your families, Mississippi has made a commitment to you," he said. "The Haley Reeves Barbour Maritime Training Academy is opening soon. This is a commitment to you and our future graduates and will be used in training our workforce to make things in Mississippi. Whether it's building ships for the U.S. Navy, testing rockets or building cars, we make a lot of things in Mississippi. You are an integral part of that, and the work you do is really important. You should be very proud of what you have accomplished today."
Ingalls' Apprentice Program involves a comprehensive two-to-four-year curriculum for students interested in shipbuilding careers. Since 1952, the Apprentice School has produced more than 4,000 graduates in support of Ingalls' operational needs.
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Ingalls Shipbuilder Recognized
as Hispanic Leader in STEM
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An information technology employee at Huntington Ingalls Industries' Ingalls Shipbuilding division was recently featured as a "Role Model of the Week" on the Great Minds in STEM website. Robert Dominguez, lead database administrator (DBA) and database architect at Ingalls, was recognized for his efforts in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
The Great Minds in STEM Role Model of the Week is an online feature that highlights Hispanic engineers, scientists and technologists in academia, industry, military and the government. Selected from hundreds of nominees submitted for the annual Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Corporation (HENAAC) awards, the role models are recognized for their innovation and advancement of technological capacity in their various STEM fields.
Ingalls Shipbuilding is an MEC member.
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Governor's Health Care Economic
Development Summit Set for Aug. 15
Governor Phil Bryant will host the Governor's Health Care Economic Development Summit Thursday, August 15 at the Jackson Convention Complex.
This event, which will focus on the objectives of the Blueprint Mississippi Health Care: An Economic Driver report, is co-hosted by the Mississippi Economic Council, Mississippi Economic Development Council and Mississippi State Medical Association.
Governor Bryant will open the program at 9 a.m. along with Dr. Clay Hays, Jr., who is serving as chair of the Mississippi Health Care Solutions Institute. Hays - a noted Jackson cardiologist from Jackson Heart Clinic - was named by Bryant to lead the institute, which was formed as a recommendation of the Blueprint Mississippi Health Care report.
"Mississippi's health care industry will drive our state's economic future - particularly if we continue pursuing the strategies outlined in the Blueprint Mississippi health care report," Governor Phil Bryant said. "From increasing the number of physicians in Mississippi to supporting cutting-edge medical developments and helping communities develop health care-focused master plans, cultivating this vital industry will generate numerous benefits for our citizens and our economy."
Featured speakers for the event will be Robert Hess, Richard E. Wainerdi, Ph.D. and Hannah Gay, M.D.
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Business Leaders Explore Jason Project  | Among those attending the lunch wth Jason Learning were: (from left) Joe Sims, Cornerstone Government Affairs, Dr. Stephen M. Coan, the Jason Project, Alan Sudduth of Chevron, Rebecca Wiggs of Watkins & Eager and chair of the MEC's M.B. Swayze Foundation, Donna Ritchey of GodwnGroup, Vickie Powell of MEC, and Bob Davidge of BP.
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Jason Learning recently held a lunch to inform business leaders about the Jason Project, designed to spur students' interest in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.
The project is designed to connect students - in and out of the classroom - to real science and exploration to inspire and motivate them to study and pursue careers in STEM fields. Jason Learning is an independent non profit operated in partnership with National Geographic Society and Sea Research Foundation, Inc. Named for the mythological Greek explorer, Jason is a nationally acclaimed, exploration-based program.
The lunch, which was hosted by Cornerstone Government Affairs, featured Dr. Stephen M. Coan, president and CEO of the Sea Research Foundation and the Jason Project.
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Neel Schaffer Ranks 197 on ENR
Top 500 Design Firms
Neel-Schaffer, Inc., a consulting engineering and planning company, earned the ranking of 197 in the 2013 Top 500 Design Firms in the country by Engineering News-Record (ENR). "As we celebrate our 30th year of operation, our employees' commitment to client service continues to be the driving force of the ranking of Neel-Schaffer," commented Hibbett Neel, President, Neel-Schaffer. "It is our mission to serve our clients as an extension of their staff, and each year we develop new services that will further assist them in meeting their needs and goals."
The Top 500 Design Firms list, which is published in April, ranks the 500 largest firms in the country based on design specific revenue made over the past year. MEC member Neel-Schaffer has continually ranked in the top 300 since 1998. This year Neel-Schaffer ranked 197, up from last year's ranking of 211. It is the only Mississippi based engineering firm in the Top 500.
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Jackson Company Gains MSU Biocrude Commercialization License
Mississippi State has granted a commercialization license to a Jackson-based company to utilize a university developed and owned technology that extracts oil from microorganisms.
Bio Energy Spectrum Solutions, LLC, received the exclusive right to commercialize MSU's patented technology involving extracting biocrude from oleaginous microorganisms, which are found in wastewater treatment facilities. The microorganisms accumulate oil similar to vegetable oil or animal fat.
With plans to build the world's first commercially viable biocrude plant utilizing industrial and municipal wastewaters, the company's mission includes reducing U.S dependence on petroleum, creating quality jobs and protecting the environment.
MSU is an MEC member.
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BP Wants to Pay Real Claims
John C. Ming�, chairman and president of MEC member BP America, Inc., recently released an open letter regarding claim settlements related to the recent Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Ming� reports BP has paid $14 billion in response and cleanup costs and more than $11 billion for more than 300,000 claims for spill-related losses.
"As our actions over the past three years demonstrate, BP remains committed to paying legitimate claims," writes Ming�. "All we ask is that compensation go to people who actually suffered losses, and that the process for paying claims be conducted with integrity."
Restoration Projects in Mississippi Total $69 Million
BP and federal and state Natural Resource Damages (NRD) Trustees have reached agreement in principle on four additional proposed early restoration projects in Mississippi that are expected to cost approximately $69 million. The projects are part of BP's unprecedented commitment to provide up to $1 billion in early restoration funding to expedite recovery of natural resources injured as a result of the Deepwater Horizon accident.
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CalStar Locating Manufacturing Operations in Columbus
Officials from CalStar have announced the company is locating manufacturing operations in Columbus, Miss. The project represents a company investment of $8 million and will initially create 17 jobs, increasing to 58 over three years. The facility is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2014.
CalStar develops and makes environmentally-friendly, sustainable building products. They will locate in a 100,000-square-foot building shell in the Golden Triangle Industrial Park with plans to build out the facility beginning this summer. The plant will produce the full line of CalStar's masonry products, including bricks, pavers, Thru-Wall units and cast stone.
"I am grateful to the CalStar team for selecting Columbus as the home of its new manufacturing operations. I know our skilled workforce and our favorable business climate will help guarantee the company enjoys years of success in Lowndes County," Gov. Phil Bryant said. "CalStar's decision to locate in our state reinforces the fact that 'Mississippi Works!'"
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Green Circle Bio Energy Locating Wood Pellet Operations in George County
Officials from Green Circle Bio Energy have announced the company is locating an energy wood pellet manufacturing facility in the George County Industrial Park. The project represents a company investment of $115 million and will create 126 jobs with the potential of up to 141. The majority of the project's jobs will be at the George County facility with the remainder being at the Port of Pascagoula. Additional temporary jobs will also be created during plant construction.
The facility is expected to be operational by spring 2015 and will produce wood pellets for shipment from the Port of Pascagoula to European markets to be sold to electric generating facilities as a renewable alternative to coal. Initially, the plant will have the capacity to produce 500,000 tons of wood pellets per year.
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A Tale of Two Workforces - Constant Focus Needed
Greetings!
When it comes to boosting our workforce opportunities in Mississippi, as policy leaders we often try to look for the simple solutions.
As with most things in life, the simple solutions don't get us there. It takes constant attention to detail and commitment to the incremental basics day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year to achieve exponential progress over time. There are two stories nested together on this web communique about Ingalls Shipbuilding's commitment to workforce that demonstrate such a sustainable effort...and results. The first focuses on Ingalls' approach to boosting its middle skill workforce by honoring its apprenticeship training graduates with a full-fledged commencement ceremony complete with caps and gowns. The second discusses the success of Ingalls' database administrator and database architect Robert Dominguez in advancing STEM - science, technology, engineering and math - in particular through mentoring of others. Middle skills and STEM skills - each at very different places on the workforce continuum - but each vitally important for the future of Mississippi. My wife, a public school teacher, and I attended the apprenticeship graduation staged by Ingalls last year. It was a gratifying experience. As Ingalls President Irwin F. Edenzon told us, in the past apprentice graduates were given a little time off from work to get a certificate, a cookie and soft drink -- and then would simply return to work. He pointed out this just didn't seem to be an appropriate enough recognition of what really is a big deal that takes years to accomplish. Edenzon decided to take the event to a new level, staging a great ceremony similar to a college graduation, involving parents, children, relatives and friends to honor this significant achievement...and to recognize those who achieve the highest level of training to serve in middle skill positions. What a positive signal this sent to those workers and their families! Younger folks in attendance also benefitted by seeing a bright future ahead if they chose to pursue a middle skill career...and achieve to get there. At the other place on the workforce continuum, Ingalls database administrator Dominguez's national recognition for contributions in the STEM field sets an example for others - and the fact that Ingalls Shipbuilding puts special effort into raising awareness of his achievement helps communicate the importance of STEM in building a competitive workforce. Boosting middle skill and STEM jobs are each recognized as high priorities by the Blueprint Mississippi initiative. Ingalls has helped promote the value of each, as well, and sets a good example for us all.
 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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