Economic Development News Week of October 12 2009

Jackson County economic development officials must sense that the stars are aligned for a $2 billion energy project in Moss Point.
http://tinyurl.com/yh9x526

Of Mississippians unemployed in July, 16,600 gained jobs in August, putting the state’s jobless rate below the national average of 9.6 percent.
http://tinyurl.com/yb5nzsq

ProVia’s ownership since has sold the operation; Exterior Profiles Corp. is assuming outdoor fence, deck and home products production at the site, creating 34 jobs, said Wilson, who reports company officials hope to employ more than 100 people, “as the market recovers.”
http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=3192

GreenTech Automotive, Inc. unveiled plans Tuesday to develop and manufacture hybrid, fuel-efficient automobiles on 1,500 acres in Tunica County’s Metro-Mega-site, with an option to purchase more land as needed.  The initial phase of the project is estimated to cost $1 billion and provide 1,500 jobs locally, according to company officials.
http://tinyurl.com/yau2fxm and http://tinyurl.com/y9ozwza

Swoope and his team were ready for downturn and have reacted with more business for state.  Mississippi has made significant gains in economic development despite facing the effects of a national recession, Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) officials said.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2009/10/mississippi-making-significant-strides/

Pearl native founded company that designs wireless sensor systems that drive down power consumption.  Following his education, he worked in Washington, D.C., but Butler said he always had a desire to return to Mississippi, and in 2006, he founded Camgian in Starkville.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2009/10/camgian-seizes-on-opportunity/

Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) played a key role in the successful launch of a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket for The Boeing Company today from Space Launch Complex 2W at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., carrying DigitalGlobe’s WorldView-2 commercial satellite…  The 10-foot diameter composite payload fairing, encapsulating the payload, was fabricated by ATK’s Iuka, Mississippi facility.
http://tinyurl.com/yhp3rn8

Entergy Corporation is the only energy company included in BusinessWeek magazine’s 2009 “Best Places to Launch Your Career” ranking.
http://tinyurl.com/yj34cyw

The City of Tupelo and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality will be recognized nationally next month at the National Brownfields Conference for turning an environmentally contaminated area into the popular downtown Fairpark District.  
http://tinyurl.com/ydahdxq

A public hearing is set for Oct. 29 before the Mississippi Public Service Commission to increase the Claiborne County plant’s capacity to 1,443 megawatts, which would make it the nation’s largest single reactor.
http://www.vicksburgpost.com/articles/2009/10/08/news/doc4ace0c6e5708d778634565.txt

Biloxi-Gulfport, Pascagoula and Mobile, Ala. are all attracting new companies and business investment. http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2009/10/economic_outlook_for_new_orlea.html

The Link plans to unveil a master plan for the aerospace megasite Oct. 19 at 10 a.m. at East Mississippi Community College, Higgins said. There, citizens can see just what engineers, the Tennessee Valley Authority and others involved with the project have in mind.
http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=3187

After more than two decades of states racing each other for one economic prize after another, the Tennessee Valley Authority launched a program in 2004 that streamlined the giant industrial site-selection process — for communities looking for new jobs and for companies looking for sites to build on. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/oct/11/mega-impact/

Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney says he should decide soon whether State Farm can boost homeowners’ rates in three coastal counties.
http://tinyurl.com/ycweuj4

John Turner, director of economic development for Entergy Mississippi, said there’s still “hurt and pain” in the state’s economy.  He said businesses that shelved projects are showing interest and beginning to call again.
http://tinyurl.com/ylc8m7y

MDA will be hosting a renewable energy workshop this month in Vicksburg.  A webinar focusing on the energy-related stimulus opportunities available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) will be held on Tuesday, October 13, at 10 a.m.  The full Energy Awareness Calendar is on the website:
http://www.mississippi.org/index.php?id=732

The Mississippi Economic Development Council presents its MEDC Regional Chamber Workshop Series on Tuesday, November 17 in Newton.  Speakers include Shane Moody, CEO of the Destin Area Chamber, Beth Stevens, Executive Director or the Greenwood-Leflore Chamber, Chance McDavid, of the MSU MSCAT team.  Topics include membership retention, membership sales, non-dues revenue, benefits of membership, boosting your membership using social media, and the First Impressions Program.  www.medc.ms

The Mississippi District Export Council presents Export University – Export 101 – An Introduction to Exporting, Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at the Franklin Furniture Institute at MSU.
http://tinyurl.com/yjmbos7

The Mississippi Technology Alliance (MTA) will offer the Venture Coaching Academy in online and in-person classes beginning November 10, 2009.  MTA President and CEO Dr. Randy Goldsmith will lead workshops, webinars and independent study focused on preparing companies for private investment. The one-of-a-kind curriculum addresses the business development needs of high performance entrepreneurs, university-based incubator and tech park directors and experienced managers at general purpose incubators serving innovation-based companies.  Call 601-960-3610 or email sgaines@mta.ms.

MEDC Calendar:
November 17 – MEDC Regional Chamber Workshop, Newton, MS “Connecting With Your Members”- www.medc.ms
December 8 – MEDC Member-to-Member Seminar, Jackson, MS “Existing Industry & Business – A Fresh Approach” with Chandler Russ, Director, EIB Division, MDA

Carol Hardwick, Executive Director
Mississippi Economic Development Council (MEDC)
P. O. Box 3721, Jackson, MS  39207
www.medc.ms
MEDC 2010 Winter Conference . February 3-5 . Hilton . Jackson
MEDC 2010 Summer Conference . July 21-23 . Beau Rivage . Biloxi

MEDC is Mississippi’s professional association of economic development and chamber of commerce professionals.