MDA head to give keynote at EMBDC annual meeting

Published 4:00 am Thursday, October 29, 2015

    Mississippi Development Authority Director Glenn McCullough will be keynote speaker at Friday’s East Mississippi Business Development Corporation’s 19th Annual Meeting.

    The EMBDC program will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Mississippi State University Riley Center in downtown Meridian. A pre-event social is at 8:30 a.m. and the main meeting will be held inside the Exhibit Hall and will last 90 minutes.

    “This year’s EMBDC Annual Meeting is focused on economic development,” EMBDC President/CEO Bill Hannah said.”It will highlight the need for us to work together to define, package, promote and sell our region as a viable option to new prospective companies looking to locate an operation within the Southeast United States. Additionally, we will focus on improving our support of our existing companies and their opportunities to grow locally in the future.”

    McCullough leads Mississippi’s top economic development agency and will discuss the state’s strategies to bring in more industry.

    Also on program will be a panel discussion among Mike Grim from Norfolk Southern Railroad, Bob Kerley, Atmos Energy; and Brian Useforge, Mississippi Power Company. The panel facilitator will be former Mississippi State University President Dr. Malcolm Portera.

    Mississippi Economic Council Director Blake Wilson will conduct a “clicker survey” about the East Mississippi region.

    “We really look forward to a very informative EMBDC Annual Meeting,” Hannah said.