Mississippi Economic Council

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Updated
July 3

Topazi MEC's Chair for 2008-09

Topazi

Reed, Jr.

Flynt

Host

Anthony Topazi, President and CEO of Mississippi Power, was elected the Mississippi Economic Council's Chair for 2008-2009.

Topazi said his goal is to continue the legacy of excellence, fairness and respect MEC has achieved through the leadership of its past chairs and members.

"I don't view MEC as an organization. I view it as an institution. MEC is a respected institution whose advice and support are sought out on virtually every public policy issue that occurs in this state. I am committed to sustaining this level of excellence." Topazi said.

MEC also announced Jack Reed Jr., president of R.W. Reed Company Incorporated in Tupelo, will serve as the 2009-2010 Chair. Mayo Flynt, President of AT&T Mississippi, will serve as 2010-2011 Chair, while Jerry Host, President and COO of Trustmark National Bank, has taken the position of Treasurer. Roy Ward, chairman emeritus of Horne LLP, will become MEC's Treasurer Emeritus.

For More

Shanks moves
to Enexus; succeeded by Fisackerly

Shanks

Fisackerly

Carolyn Shanks, president and CEO of MEC member Entergy Mississippi Inc. and former chair of MEC, has accepted a position with Enexus Energy Corporation, the independent, publicly traded nuclear power company that Entergy plans to spin off later this year.

Haley Fisackerly, vice president of governmental affairs for Entergy Nuclear, will succeed Shanks.

For More

Regulatory Fairness Forum for Small Business July 21

Small business owners will have an opportunity to discuss issues regarding Federal regulatory compliance and enforcement at a Forum on July 21 at the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership. SBA National Ombudsman and Mississippi native Nicholas Owens will meet with members of the small business community.

For More

Toyota News
and Information

MEC will update the latest news on Toyota's $1.3 billion plant under construction in Blue Springs.

For more on PK USA announcement

For more on the Vuteq USA announcement

To read past stories about the Toyota plant

For the Toyota Suppliers Web site

For a List of supplies needed by Toyota

Ole Miss Academic Center
to focus on Manufacturing

From left: Governor Haley Barbour, Dennis Cuneo, head of site selection for Toyota, and Ole Miss Chancellor Robert Khayat announce the Center for Manufacturing Excellence.

Governor calls center 'perfect blend'

A new partnership at the University of Mississippi aims to keep jobs at home by educating the nation’s future manufacturing professionals. Toward the center’s creation, the Mississippi Power Education Foundation has given $500,000.

For More Photos and Information

State Superintendent delivers progress report on dropouts

Number of graduates has increased

State Superintendent of Education Dr. Hank Bounds delivers information on the increase of graduates in Mississippi at a press conference on June 11 in Jackson.

There were 187 more graduates in the Class of 2007 than in the Class of 2006, State Superintendent of Education Dr. Hank M. Bounds announced at a press conference held June 11 in Jackson.

“With an average $286,350 more earning potential over their lifetimes than high school dropouts, these students represent a $53,547,450 return on our investment,” said Dr. Bounds. “That’s almost $54 million more that will be going into Mississippi’s economy.”

For More

Leadership Mississippi
travels to Greenwood

Members of the 2008 Leadership Mississippi class toured the Viking Range Headquarters during their session in Greenwood on June 13-14.

Leadership Mississippi participants met up in Greenwood on June 13 and 14 during a session focusing on Health Care. While there, the class saw a demonstration at the Viking Cooking School, toured the Viking facility, heard speeches on public health issues and medical technology and enjoyed a Delta Fish Fry sponsored by Atmos Energy.

For More

MEC's 59th Annual Meeting

Apollo 13 Hero Fred Haise
delivers keynote

Looking for ways to improve Mississippi's educational and economic opportunities is a must and the state must take the approach of "Failure is Not an Option." In his Keynote address, Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise, talked about the importance being prepared and persevering. Haise, of a native of Biloxi, gained fame as crew member on the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission in 1970.

Scenes from the MEC's 2008 Annual Meeting.

This year's Annual Meeting featured a NASA 50th Anniversary exhibit as well as a special viewing room for NASA/Stennis Space Center films and a special “Made for Space in Mississippi” presentation. Haise called the Stennis Space Center a national asset.

For Video from MEC's Annual Meeting

Welborn Boykin

Horne LLP
Announces
Board Elections

HORNE LLP, the largest accounting and business advisory firm in Mississippi, announced elections to the firm’s Board of Directors.
Larry Welborn, CPA, FHFMA, has been elected to the board and will serve as secretary/treasurer.

Dee Boykin, CPA, a partner with the firm, was re-elected.

For more

George Schloegel

Schloegel delivers commencement address at USM

MEC member George A. Schloegel, chairman of the board of Gulfport-based Hancock Holding Company, was the commencement speaker for University of Southern Mississippi spring graduation ceremonies in Hattiesburg and Biloxi, May 9 and 10.

For more

Parkway Properties on list of best workplaces
Parkway Properties, Inc. announced that for the second time it has been named one of the 50 Best Small & Medium Companies to Work for in America.

For More

Millsaps ranks 29th on national list
The Center for College Affordability & Productively recently ranked Millsaps College No. 29 among all liberal arts colleges and universities in the nation.

For More

Phelps Dunbar named leading law firm
MEC member Phelps Dunbar was again listed as a leading law firm in the nation, as well as in Louisiana and Mississippi.

For More

Peoples Bank gives $10K to scholarship fund
Peoples Bank announced the bank has donated $10,000 to help fund the Spiritus Scholarship Award through the University of Mississippi Foundation.

For More

Stay up-to-date on important business issues being discussed at the Capitol. MEC's Scott Waller provides

daily reports of the key events during the session.

For daily updates

	MEC Annual Meeting Wednesday, May 7, 2008 MEC Legislative Scrambler Wednesdays During Legislative Session Click the logo above to hear past web calls Campaign Tour 2007 22 stops Sept. 12 - Dec. 19 MEC Hobnob October 30, 2008 MEC Capital Day Held January 10, 2008 1,000 attendees

A Special Message from the President

Blake Wilson

To hear
the message

Legislative Report

House, Senate vote
to extend MDES

No deal on Medicaid

An extension has been granted to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. An MEC priority issue, the reauthorization of the department came after a compromise between the House and Senate that extends the department until July 1, 2010.

Legislators return July 2 to hash out the Medicaid issue.

For an update on MEC’s priority issues

Get On the Bus with MDE
and State Farm

The Mississippi Department of Education and State Superintendent Dr. Hank Bounds have launched the On The Bus dropout prevention campaign with a $1.5 million dollar grant from State Farm Insurance.

To go to the On the Bus website

Millsaps offers training for AP instructors

Millsaps College will be hosting the AP Summer Teacher Institute July 13-18. The program will help train teachers of Advanced Placement courses.

For More
To go to the AP Institute website

Millsaps to co-host Welty Workshop

For More

Forum honoring U.S. Senator Cochran Set

U.S. Senator Thad Cochran, will be honored at the Forum on American Enterprise hosted by the Mississippi Council on Economic Education on October 14

For More

Business-Friendly
in Mississippi

Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann is working to study and devise a business court system. For more information, from the Secretary of State, click here.

For more

Blues Trail
to recognize
Noxubee natives

The Noxubee Alliance is proud to announce that the Mississippi Blues Trail will recognize three Noxubee County natives who became Blues music legends on August 19.

For More

Statewide Events Calendar

LOCAL CHAMBERS

For a complete list
of Chambers of Commerce
and Economic Development
organizations in Mississippi

A NUMERICAL LOOK AT MISSISSIPPI

$4 billion
Value of manufactured goods Mississippi exports to the world

1,600
Number of businesses in Mississippi that sell their products overseas

Source: Mississippi Development Authority

Did you know?

In 1902, while on a hunting expedition in Sharkey County, President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt refused to shoot a captured bear. This act resulted in the creation of the world-famous teddy bear.

Source: 50states.com

Archives

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