< Previous8 MI S S I S S I P P I D E V E L O P M E N T G UI D ETOP PROJECTS BY INVESTMENT, 2018TOP PROJECT SECTORTOP PROJECT TYPEMississippi by the NumbersS TAT I S T I C A L P R O F I L ECompanies County Sector Jobs (Million USD)Steel Dynamics Lowndes metals 45 $200Toyota Union automotive 400 $170Raytheon Scout defense NA $100Auto Parts Manufacturing Mississippi Lee automotive 50 $100Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Marshall chemicals and plastics 98 $50.5Peco Foods Clay food and beverage 300 $40Biewer Lumber Newton wood 45 $40Sector ProjectMachinery, Equip. & Const. 19Consumer Products 18Food & Beverage 18Chemicals & Plastics 17Metals 12Life Sciences 7Wood Products 7Aerospace 6Transport & Logistics 6Automotive 5Paper, Printing & Packaging 4IT & Comm. 4Other 11Type ProjectsManufacturing 111Distribution Warehouse 18Headquarters 8Office 5Call Center 2Research & Development 1M I S S I S S I P P I D E V E L O P M E N T G U I D E 9The 234-mile Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway that traverses the northeast corner of Mississippi averages 6M TONS PER YEAR, supports more than 24,000 jobs and helps shippers save $100 million a year in transportation costs.SOURCE: TENNESSEE-TOMBIGBEE WATERWAY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (WWW.TENNTOM.ORG)2,988,726Population21%College Educated$22,171Median income$108.495 BGDPNO. 9Most Tax Friendly StateNO. 1In purchasing power based on real value of $100Mississippi — one of the few states with large underground salt caverns capable of storing natural gas — holds almost 4% OF TOTAL U.S. NATURAL GAS STORAGE CAPACITY.10 MI S S I S S I P P I D E V E L O P M E N T G UI D E35$13M19$11.9M32$8.8M31$6.9M26$5.7M10$3.7MAs of early 2017, Mississippi's Pascagoula oil refinery was THE NATION’S 9TH-LARGEST REFINERY, with a capacity of about 340,000 barrels of oil per day.NEW AWARDS IN FY2018 BY SPONSOR TYPEUNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI FUNDINGMississippi State AgenciesBusiness & IndustryFederal AgenciesNonprofits41%35%15%9%50403020100US Dept of DefenseNational Institutes of HealthHealth Resources & Services AdministrationUS Dept of Health & Human ServicesUS Dept of AgricultureNationalScienceFoundationNASA175$42.8M387AWARDSTotaling$42.8MM I S S I S S I P P I D E V E L O P M E N T G U I D E 11hen Toyota announced a $170-million expansion of its giant automotive manufacturing campus in 2018 in Blue Springs in Union County, Mississippi, the least surprised people were the leaders of the state.Under the direction of Gov. Phil Bryant, they’ve been working hard since 2012 to turn Mississippi into one of the most competitive business environments in America.The largest automaker in the world simply confirmed what many business executives in the state already knew: Mississippi and its 3 million people offer a welcoming NOT CONTENT TO REST ON LAURELS, THE MAGNOLIA STATE PLOWS HEAD AND BOLSTERS ITS APPEAL.by RO N S TA R N E RWB US I N ES S C L I M A T E O V E R V I E WPHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT MISSISSIPPI12 MI S S I S S I P P I D E V E L O P M E N T G UI D Elocation for global companies that want to reach expanding markets.That fact was demonstrated repeatedly in 2018. One firm after the other joined Toyota in the drive to the Magnolia State. Cooper Tire & Rubber Company announced it would build a $50-million warehouse in Byhalia in Marshall County, and Nufarm Americas unveiled plans to invest $20 million into a manufacturing plant in Greenville in Washington County.Why are so many domestic and international employers setting up shop or expanding existing operations in Mississippi? The answer can be found in the formula that Gov. Bryant and his team of economic development specialists have implemented for growth.It starts with having the right policies in place. Bryant has worked exceptionally hard to improve Mississippi’s business climate over the past seven years, and that hard work is paying off. His longstanding commitment to keeping taxes low, strengthening the state’s robust infrastructure, supporting workforce development, and empowering local and regional economic developers has created the perfect storm for progress.The proof is in the numbers. According to Area Development magazine, Mississippi ranks No. 8 in the country for best Shovel-Ready Site Program; No. 7 in Favorable General Regulatory Environment; No. 8 among the Top States for Doing Business; No. 4 in Most Improved Economic Development Policies; and No. 10 in Leading Workforce Development Programs.But it doesn’t stop there. Consider these other performance measures: • The Cato Institute ranks Gov. Bryant as the No. 6 Governor in the U.S. for Fiscal Management. • Kiplinger’s ranks Mississippi as the No. 9 Most Tax-Friendly State. • The U.S. Chamber A right-to-work state, Mississippi boasts one of the lowest union membership rates in the country.12.3 percentof Mississippi jobs are in manufacturing, ranking the Magnolia State among the most manufacturing-intensive locations in the union.Foundation says Mississippi is the No. 3State for Export Growth.• CNBC says Mississippi is No. 1 in Lowest Overall Cost of Living and No. 2 in Lowest Overall Cost of Doing Business. • The USDOT says Mississippi is No. 3 in shipbuilding.• Area Development ranks Mississippi No. 6 for Cooperative & Responsive State Government.These numbers are music to business executives’ ears, but the crescendo is the state’s workforce. A right-to-work state, Mississippi boasts one of the lowest union membership rates in the country, and its community college system regularly ranks among the nation’s best.And, to put it simply, Mississippi workers know how to make things well. Some 12.3percent of the state’s jobs are in manufacturing, ranking the Magnolia State among the most manufacturing-intensive states in the union.How do you top that? It’s not easy, but don’t bet against Gov. Bryant finding a way. 14 MI S S I S S I P P I D E V E L O P M E N T G UI D Ef there’s one thing that Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant is no stranger to, it’s hard work.Whether it’s laboring overtime to get critical legislation passed or traveling thousands of miles to call on CEOs in other countries, Bryant is a tireless advocate for the people of Mississippi and a relentless crusader for its business environment.The results speak for themselves: a state that’s considered best in class when it comes to technical and trade education, university R&D, chemicals and plastics production, agriculture, automotive assembly and advanced manufacturing.How did he accomplish all that in less than eight years? Listen to him explain it in his own words.GOV. BRYANT ROLLS UP HIS SLEEVES TO TRANSFORM MISSISSIPPI INTO AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POWERHOUSE.by RO N S TA R N E RI‘We Won’t Be Outworked’IN T E R V IE W : G O V . P H IL B R Y A N TM I S S I S S I P P I D E V E L O P M E N T G U I D E 15How do you feel that the recent expansion projects of Toyota, Steel Dynamics, SYNNEX Corp., Raytheon and other companies position Mississippi to attract even more investment in 2019 and beyond?GOV. BRYANT: Whether it’s a company locating in Mississippi for the first time or an existing company expanding operations, it shows others that Mississippi is a great place to work and raise a family. Our low cost of doing business, skilled work force, and convenient access to domestic and international markets are just some of the reasons companies decide to call Mississippi home.How will the Infrastructure Modernization Act, passed in special session in 2018, help Mississippi compete for more jobs and industry moving forward?GOV. BRYANT: The legislation passed during the special session, including the Mississippi Infrastructure Modernization Act (MIMA), is estimated to provide more than $1.1 billion for Mississippi’s roads and bridges over the next five years. A strong transportation network is vital for many companies that ship their products all across the nation and world. MIMA provides additional spending flexibility and reliance on locals to ensure these dollars are best spent. Our Mississippi businesses spoke and the Mississippi Legislature listened by passing this historic piece of legislation that guarantees our infrastructure needs are taken care of for years to come.Why did Mississippi decide to adopt a state lottery? How will that revenue impact your state?GOV. BRYANT: The lottery is one source of many for the Mississippi Infrastructure Modernization Act. Revenue from the recently created lottery will go to the State Highway Fund to provide funds to repair, renovate, and maintain highway and bridges of the state — as well as fund K-12 educational programs depending on how much revenue is collected. The lottery will create a conservatively estimated $80 million per year. How will phasing out the franchise tax over a 10-year period help companies grow in Mississippi?GOV. BRYANT: I am proud that Mississippi is one of the most tax-friendly states in America to operate a business. Phasing out the franchise tax is a classic example of government getting out of the way and letting the private sector invest capital and create jobs for hard working Mississippians. The 2016 tax cut I signed into law was the largest in history for our state. We have seen more jobs in Mississippi now than ever before, coupled with the lowest unemployment in the history of the state. You decided to make third-graders earn their way into fourth grade by demonstrating proficient reading skills. Why did you do that, and what does that mean for your state’s future?GOV. BRYANT: Not allowing our third-graders to be socially 16 MI S S I S S I P P I D E V E L O P M E N T G UI D Epromoted to fourth-grade before they can properly read will have a lasting, positive impact for Mississippi. Prior to the 2013 passage of the Literacy Based Promotion Act, third-grade reading proficiency was 48 percent. For the 2017-2018 school year, 93percent of our third-graders achieved a passing score on the Third Grade Reading Assessment. Thanks to additional reading coaches in our schools and the hard work of our Mississippi teachers, we have seen huge strides. After the third grade, students read to learn, instead of learning to read. This improves every aspect of a child’s life, from putting them on a better path to graduate to ultimately finding a good job.You frequently travel abroad to meet with corporate decision-makers in their homeland. Why? GOV. BRYANT: I think it shows how serious Mississippi is about economic development and building corporate relationships when we meet with decision-makers in their home countries. Anyone can pick up the telephone, but traveling to shake someone’s hand and looking them in the eye shows a higher level of respect. We don’t take our Mississippi business partners for granted, and we won’t be outworked when it comes to providing a quality business climate.What drives you to be so personally engaged in economic development?GOV. BRYANT: Economic development is the lifeblood of the American dream. A good job can change the trajectory of an entire family’s life. When we make an announcement for 200 jobs coming to a certain part of the state, that’s 200 families that are about to be positively impacted for years to come. I take economic development personally because it’s my wish for every person in Mississippi that wants a job to have one. I stated that when I took office seven years ago and that won’t ever change.Talk about your approach to getting more unemployed people working. How were you able to move 100,000 people off of federal assistance?GOV. BRYANT: We gave people a choice, and many of them chose employment over federal assistance. Obtaining a job usually comes down to having the proper skills to do a job successfully. Sometimes that means having a certain degree and sometimes that means being trained to do a specific task. We have invested heavily in job training for our citizens and corporate partners in Mississippi in recent years. Whether it’s our Institutions of Higher Learning bringing adults back into the fold to finish a degree or our community college partners offering training certificates for specific occupations, everyone in Mississippi is pulling the rope in the same direction to make sure our workforce has the skills necessary to be employed. We like to say, “Made in America” and “Perfected in Mississippi.” “I take economic development personally because it’s my wish for every person in Mississippi that wants a job to have one. I stated that when I took office seven years ago and that won’t ever change.” — Gov. Phil Bryantlenn McCullough Jr. is no stranger to competition. To become mayor of Tupelo, he had to convince enough voters to elect him to public office. Now, as executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority in Jackson, he is doing everything in his power to make Mississippi one of the most competitive states in the nation for business.The returns suggest that he is succeeding, as MDA celebrated the close of 2018 by registering one of its most successful years in history. In the following interview, McCullough shares his thoughts on Mississippi’s recent run of success, and he outlines measures that are designed to position the state to garner even more wins in the future.MISSISSIPPI IN POSITION TO BE PREFERRED BUSINESS LOCATION OF FIRMS TARGETING GLOBAL MARKETS.by RO N S TA R N E RGI N T E R V I E W W I T H G L EN N M C C U L L O U G H J R .M I S S I S S I P P I D E V E L O P M E N T G U I D E 17Next >