Mississippi Economic Development News – Week of October 25, 2010

Mississippi Economic Development News – Week of October 25, 2010

Officials from Madison House LLC, a start-up upholstered furniture company, announced today that the company is locating manufacturing operations in Amory, Miss. The project will create a total of 85 jobs by the end of the company’s second full year of operation. Twenty of those jobs are already in place.
http://www.tradeandindustrydev.com/region/mississippi/news/ms-madison-house-locating-furniture-manufacturing-operations-amory-creating-

With the infusion of $30 million from a California-based clean technology company, Starkville’s SemiSouth Laboratories plans to expand and bring more than 70 new jobs to the Golden Triangle.
http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=8466

Signal International in Jackson County wants to hire at least 200 people over the next six months to join its team.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20101024/BIZ/101024007/-1/nletter01/Miss.-company-plans-to-hire-200?source=nletter-news

With significant commercial real estate progress in 2010, DeSoto County’s stamina has no end in sight, industry professionals say.
http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=53594

One of the drivers of those efforts has been Jim Flanagan, president and CEO of the council, who has played a major role in making the county a good place for business.
http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=53597

“We are a family, a dysfunctional family, but a family,” said Janet Miller, chief economic development and marketing officer for the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce….Several members of the group openly marveled at what that simple belief could mean for the city of Jackson and its neighboring communities.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20101024/BIZ/10240339/-1/nletter01/The-nudge-from-Nashville?source=nletter-news

The state port and Mississippi Development Authority are willing to loan up to $150 million for qualified housing and economic-development projects that benefit low- to moderate-income residents.
 http://www.sunherald.com/2010/10/21/2575036/150m-for-port-may-be-available.html#ixzz13NM6t4de

The state College Board has approved the lease of Mississippi State University’s Cooley Building to developers of the $64 million Cotton Mill Marketplace.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2010/10/msu-building-to-be-leased-for-cotton-mill-marketplace/

Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann confirms that an eminent domain initiative will appear on the November 2011 ballot… Supporters say the plan would protect property rights, but opponents say it could squelch Mississippi’s chances of winning big projects.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2010/10/eminent-domain-ban-will-be-on-ballot/

National Clean Fuels (PinkSheets: NACF) and the Center for Environment, Commerce & Energy (The Center) announced today that planning has begun on their Port Gibson Biomass-to-Electricity (BTE) Project in Mississippi.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2010/10/nacf-port-gibson-biomass-plans-taking-shape/

Mississippi Delta Strategic Compact forming. … the organization will model itself after the CREATE Foundation, the oldest and largest community foundation in Mississippi.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2010/10/ms-delta-strategic-compact-group-forming/

Martin Willoughby is a weekly columnist for the Mississippi Business Journal where he writes articles highlighting successful businesses and business leaders around the state.   Please contact him if you have anyone in your area that would be a good lead for a story. martin@wlglegal.com.

The Eleventh Annual Conference on High Technology to be held December 7-8 will feature a keynote address from Bill Rancic, noted entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author and winner of the first season of NBC’s “The Apprentice,” as well as informative sessions and valuable networking opportunities, along with the Innovators Hall of Fame Awards Gala that night.
https://www.technologyalliance.ms/registration

MEDC Scholarship Period Open October 1 – November 15, 2010 to MEDC members for professional development courses offered in 2011. 
www.medc.ms

The Economic Development News is a weekly service provided to members of the Mississippi Economic Development Council (MEDC), Mississippi’s state association of economic development and chamber of commerce professionals – www.medc.ms

MEDC calendar:
Member-to-Member Seminar . December 14 . Jackson
2011 MEDC Winter Conference . February 2 – 4 . Jackson
2011 MEDC Summer Conference . July 13 – 15 . Biloxi

Carol Hardwick, CAE, Executive Director
Mississippi Economic Development Council (MEDC)
P. O. Box 3721, Jackson, MS  39207
www.medc.ms