EMBDC’s annual meeting draws raves for positive economic message

Published 4:05 am Saturday, October 31, 2015

    Members of the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation got a rousing pep talk Friday to highlight the organization’s 19th annual meeting at the Mississippi State University Riley Center’s Historic Theatre.

    Mississippi Development Authority Director Glenn McCullough gave the keynote address and it was followed by a panel discussion led by former Mississippi State University President and current Riley Foundation member Dr. Malcolm Portera.

    This was the first annual meeting for EMBDC President and CEO Bill Hannah, who’s been on the job for six months. Many of the attendees Friday expressed praise for Hannah’s program, which focused on the importance of regionism and positive attitude.

    “This was the most informative EMBDC annual meeting I’ve attended,” Mississippi House Pro Tempore Greg Snowden (R-Meridian) said.

    That was the objective, Hannah said.

    “(We wanted to focus) on working regionally, and we have ton of very vested people, and it’s not to say we haven’t before, but there seems to be a want to get all of our leadership together,” Hannah said. “I don’t know if it is a different direction, but we’re marching in the same direction and be successful. Glenn (McCullough) nailed it, we just have to believe we can be successful.”

    Believing it was possible was McCullough’s simple message. Before joining the MDA, McCullough was the former mayor of Tupelo.

    “Meridian, Lauderdale County and East Mississippi is well-positioned for continued success,” McCullough said. “You have had some success with some expansions and restarts. You’ve got capacity. You’ve got a site or one or more sites that can developed. So what you heard today, is we believe the future of East Mississippi is bullish.”

    McCullough joined Portera on the panel discussion, along with Mike Grim from Norfolk Southern Railroad, Bob Kerley from Atmos Energy, Brian Useforge from Mississippi Power Company.

    “Growth is good and this is the topic of the day for us,” Portera told the EMBDC members.

    Some of the highlights McCullough discussed was the expansion of Tower Automotive and the re-opening after nearly six years of CertainTeed, a ceramic tile manufacturer.

    “Tower Automotive added 83 jobs and CertainTeed, after a bad 2009, invested $24 million and 110 good jobs back in Meridian this May,” McCullough said. “East Mississippi is focused on the right things. You are creating more capacity and that enable more people reinvest wealth. You are in the middle of the automotive corridor between Mercedes Benz in Tuscaloosa and Nissan in Canton. And now, on Oct. 3, you broke ground on the $45 million Mississippi Arts & Entertainment Experience. You are poised for future growth.”

    Retiring Rush Health Systems administrator Herman Stegall was named the EMBDC’s Ambassador of the Year.