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A More Prosperous, Vibrant, and Resilient Mississippi

Blueprint Mississippi offers a plan for state to improve

By DAVID LUSH
Delta Democrat Times
August 10, 2004

JACKSON - A 10-year strategic plan called Blueprint Mississippi, designed to help improve the state's economic future, was officially unveiled Monday at a luncheon at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Center.

In a packed ballroom, people from around the state gathered to see the results of a process which started in 2002 after many in the state's private sector decided the state needed a new model for future business and economic development. The result is Blueprint Mississippi.

Gov. Haley Barbour was also on hand to officially accept the Blueprint Mississippi program and pledge his and the administration's support for the efforts of the group which included over 1,000 participants in eight sessions held around the state over the past year.

A session was held in February at Delta State University in Cleveland to solicit input from Delta area leaders. Participants broke out into three working groups to further refine the Blueprint Mississippi recommendation list of suggestions and ideas through a series of questions developed by Cambridge Systematics personnel who coordinated the planning process for the Blueprint Mississippi steering committee.

On Monday, Robert Khayat, chancellor for the University of Mississippi and chair of the Mississippi Blueprint steering committee, presented the steering committee members and led the luncheon session.

The Blueprint Mississippi plan is the result of an initiative begun in October 2003 by the state's business community to design and develop a business-driven model for improving Mississippi's competitive standing among the 12 Southern states.

In presenting the plan, Khayat highlighted the importance of innovations, image, people and public/private partnerships which were targeted in the plan as the four main focus areas in Blueprint Mississippi.

As Barbour officially accepted the plan, he said "We are on the front edge of a rising tide in Mississippi. We have the opportunity to seize the moment more than at any time in our history."

"Blueprint Mississippi is going to be successful if we lift our horizons and expectations," said the governor. "We need to seize the moment for a future full of growth, hope and excellence and that's the future our children deserve."

Khayat said that Blueprint Mississippi is a "strategic plan led by business leaders. It is the most comprehensive, state-wide planning effort to date."

Along with business leaders, education and economic development professionals were also included since all three areas are integrated and must work in concert in order for Mississippi to move forward.

The plan "should shape our state for years to come," Khayat said.

A key element of this business-driven model is "the quantifiable" elements and "indicators" for "measuring progress and success in the plan," Khayat said.

Barbour agreed.

The governor was pleased that there" were measurable goals" in the plan and that the results are measurable" and that there will be "accountable results-oriented implementation."

Blake Wilson, president of the Mississippi Economic Council, picked up after Khayat's presentation with some history of the Blueprint Mississippi effort.

"Mississippi didn't need another study," said Wilson who is also a member of the steering committee. "So we started from where we are and what we had done. This could have been a bit overwhelming so we took (Blueprint Mississippi) outside the governance and confines of the Mississippi Economic Council."

"Blueprint Mississippi is the most comprehensive private-sector, statewide strategic planning initiative to date on ways to improve Mississippi's economic standing, enhance our education and workforce preparation systems and implement a truly representative economic development partnership," said Wilson.

Pat Nichols, plant manager for Dupont-DeLisle, said Blueprint Mississippi is to help Mississippi realize a quality of life ... for all of us. We have lots to do to reach our potential in the state."

Nichols, who is also a member of the steering committee, has high hopes the blueprint plan will lift Mississippians up into a new economic future.

One key point that Khayat pointed out is that the Blueprint Mississippi plan is not a creation of the governor's office nor the legislature.

For more information on Blueprint Mississippi, go to www.blueprintmississippi.com.

David Lush can be reached at (662) 378-0719 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Be Current with:

What's Ahead

BLUEPRINT MISSISSIPPI 2011 gives you a role in moving Mississippi forward. Through an extensive grassroots outreach effort, combined with a formal survey process, high priority actionable recommendations have been identified.

The primary goals and recommendations for Blueprint Mississippi 2011 were unveiled on Oct. 13. A fall road show is currently being held in 12 cities across the state to report the goals and recommendations. Also, actions and metrics are being created and responsibilities assigned. The complete report will be released Jan. 5, 2012 at MEC's Capital Day.

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Did You Know?

Approximately 19,700,000 acres of Mississippi are covered with forests and 61% of the total land is dedicated to forest production.
In 2010, forestry in Mississippi had a market value of over $1B.
About 240 foundations are located in Mississippi (as of 2009) with assets totaling nearly $1.1B.
Mississippi exports total $8.2B annually, up from $3.1B in 2004
Approximately 19,700,000 acres of Mississippi are covered with forests and 61% of the total land is dedicated to forest production
Since 2002, Mississippi ranks 5th in the US for growth in exports. (Enterprising States report)
Mississippi ranks 3rd in the US for new business start-ups between 1999 and 2008. (NETSdatabase-youreconomy.org)
Each year, roughly 13,000 Mississippians start a new business venture. (Source: KIEA)
Mississippi ranks in the top 10 nationally for academic research & development
Mississippi’s STEM-related (Science, Tech, Engineering and Math) jobs grew by 8.4% over the last decade—almost four times faster than the US average. (EMSI data)
Mississippi ranks 3rd in the US for high technology payroll growth. (Cyberstates 2010)
Mississippi has 60 electric power plants, including the 5th largest nuclear reactor in the U.S.
Mississippi has 4 oil refineries and 11,000 miles of natural gas pipeline
Mississippi has 685 miles of interstate highway
Mississippi has 20 rail systems with 2,841 miles of track
Mississippi ranks 16th in U.S. in state highway performance
Mississippi has 130,000 people in workforce training at community colleges
By 2018, 54% of all Mississippi jobs will require some training beyond a high school degree. (Georgetown U. jobs projection study)
60% of Mississippi’s physicians practice in urban areas
Mississippi is the 4th most rural state