2021 VOL. 6 MISSISSIP P I DE V EL OP MENT GUIDE2 M I S S I S S I P P I DE V E L OP M E NT G U I DE 7 | Business Climate Overview Business in Mississippi is booming after a year of unique challenges revealed the state’s pro-business climate and aff ordability. 10 | Interview with the Governor Governor Tate Reeves discusses his fi rst year in the state’s highest offi ce, from navigating the pandemic to attracting new business. 14 | Interview with MDA Leadership Recently appointed MDA Director John Rounsaville shares his perspective on Mississippi’s famously pro-business climate. 16 | Statistical Profi le A look at Mississippi in facts and fi gures. 20 | Higher Education Local employers partner with universities and community colleges to engineer a better workforce. 27 | Workforce Building up the state’s workforce is a full-time job, and the Offi ce of Workforce Development’s new leader has hit the ground running. MISSISSIPPI si t e s e l e c t i on . c om / c c / m i s si s si p p i D E V E L O P M E N T G U I D E 2 0 2 1 • V O L . 6 30 | Research & Development From launching rockets into space to developing plant medicine, Mississippi’s innovative spirit is reaching new heights. 32 | Region Profi les A look at Mississippi’s four largest cities/regions and the diverse people and industries that call them home. 40 | Utilities Mississippi’s three large utility companies cater to the needs of growing businesses. 44 | Ports & Waterways From Gulf Coast ports to the Mississippi River, the state off ers easy access to markets throughout the Americas. 46 | Clean Energy A series of investments in solar energy are charging the state’s clean energy sector. 48 | Aerospace Multiple aerospace operations are blasting off in Mississippi thanks to key ties to NASA and favorable policies.4 M I S S I S S I P P I DE V E L OP M E NT G U I DE 51 | Shipbuilding More than 33 shipbuilding-related manufacturers employ more than 23,450 skilled workers in Mississippi. 54 | Automotive From manufacturing tires to engines and armored vehicles, Mississippi is squarely in the Southeast’s automotive sweet spot. 56 | Distribution & Warehousing Proximity to the FedEx air cargo facility in nearby Memphis and easy access to major interstates, highways and waterways make northern Mississippi a key location for warehousing and distribution operations. 60 | Advanced Manufacturing Advanced manufacturing operations benefi t from Mississippi’s transportation infrastructure, central location, local education and training resources. 62 | Plastics Mississippi’s composites industry is grounded in unmatched innovation and research. 66 | Agribusiness Agribusiness in Mississippi goes way beyond the state’s famously fertile Black Belt, with new investments helping to build infrastructure. 68 | Timber & Sawmills With more than 19.6 million forested acres across the state, lumber companies are investing in expanding their operations and increasing the size of their workforce. 70 | Food Production With more than four decades in the Mississippi Delta, Mars Food’s brand commits to the local community with new measures. 73 | Health Care From lab space to medical device manufacturing, health care and life science fi rms are securing their foothold in Northwest Mississippi. 75 | Tourism Mississippi’s Gulf Coast is one of the state’s most popular destinations and is growing more by the day. 77 | Quality of Life Seven great reasons to live in Mississippi. 80 | Index to Advertisers6 M I S S I S S I P P I DE V E L OP M E NT G U I DE ON L I N E E D IT ION TAKE THIS GUIDE WITH YOU ENJOY Read the digital edition on your tablet and phone. Click on links for even more information. SHARE Share the magazine on social media with your friends and community. LINK Feature the magazine on your blog, website or newsletters with a link or one of our easy-to-use tools. siteselection.com/cc/mississippi The publishers believe that the information contained in this publication is accurate. However, the in formation is not war ranted, and neither Conway Data Inc., nor Mississippi Development Authority, assumes any liability or responsibility for actual, consequential or incidental damages re sulting from inaccurate or erroneous information. PHONE: (770) 446-6996 • FAX: (770) 263-8825 TOLL FREE: (800) 554-5686 email: editor@conway.com web: siteselection.com/cc/mississippi This publication is published annually by Conway Data Inc. 6625 The Corners Parkway, Suite 200, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 USA. PRINTED IN USA. ©2021 Conway Data Inc. Cover design by MDA Publisher/Director LAURA LYNE Executive Vice President RONALD J. STARNER VP of Publications & Editor in Chief MARK AREND Managing Editor of Custom Content SAVANNAH KING Managing Editor ADAM BRUNS Senior Editor GARY DAUGHTERS Art Director SCOTT LARSEN Production Manager BOB GRAVLEE Lead Designers SEAN SCANTLAND RICHARD NENOFF NEGIN MOMTAZ Vice President of Sales CHARLES FITZGIBBON Regional Director Custom Content MICHELE RABALAIS Circulation Manager JULIE CLARKE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY TE AM Webmaster BEN YAWN Director of Programming & Analytics DANIEL BOYER IT Coordinator MARK BERTRAMM I S S I S S I P P I DE V E L OP M E N T G U I DE 7 avid Rumbarger has been in economic development long enough to see just about everything, but he never witnessed anything like what 2020 delivered. As President and CEO of the Community Development Foundation in Tupelo, Mississippi, Rumbarger was called upon to serve on the front lines in the battle against COVID-19 and the enormous economic toll it took on his community. “It was defi nitely a strange and diff erent year,” he says. “Initially, when COVID-19 fi rst began to spread, many thought the precautions and measures would be temporary. But almost weekly, there was a new wrinkle thrown in. Suddenly, we were contending with questions like, how do you handle PPE and quarantining? How do you reopen your plant in segments? How will they come back online? Then came the PPP loan program for small businesses, and a lot of our banks stayed open 12 hours a day to help people get the PPP funding they needed to save their businesses.” For a community that has 21% of its adult workforce employed in manufacturing jobs, these assistance programs were vital for survival. But Tupelo, much like the rest BUSINESS GROWTH IN MISSISSIPPI ACCELERATES POST PANDEMIC. by RON S TA R N E R D B U S IN E S S C L IM A T E O V E R V IE W Outdoor dining on Main Street, Tupelo PHOTO BY ROB HAIRSTON, CDFMS.ORG Boom Times Are BackNext >