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n September 27, 2005 before a Special Session of the Mississippi Legislature, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour said, "Out of this terrible disaster, beyond all imagination, comes our opportunity. And I beg you not to let Mississippi miss it. I'm determined we will not fail to seize this opportunity." At that time, only a month after Hurricane Katrina hit the Coast, it was difficult to see the opportunity through the rubble and the devastation. Now that the initial shock has

Larry S. Barnett, Executive Director

subsided and the rebuilding process has begun, the opportunity he spoke of is clear. And, with the help of the Harrison County Development Commission (HCDC), businesses and individuals are recognizing the potential and seizing the opportunity on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
   Created in 1958, HCDC is the lead economic development agency for Harrison County, which includes the South Mississippi cities of Pass Christian, Long Beach, Gulfport, Biloxi and D'Iberville, some of the areas hardest hit by the hurricane. HCDC, through its people and resources, is committed to promoting Harrison County as a positive place to do business, to developing quality jobs, to creating increased wealth for all stakeholders and to "Moving the Mississippi Gulf Coast Forward."
   Like the Gulf Coast, HCDC has experienced many changes since Hurricane Katrina. Due to hurricane damage at their prior location, the commission has a new, but temporary office. It also has new staff members and four new commissioners. To accompany the changes and to better represent its mission, HCDC recently updated its look with a new logo.
   Executive Director Larry Barnett is also a new addition to HCDC. Appointed in October 2005, Barnett is a Coast native who spent twenty years with the Mississippi Power Company. For 10 of those years, he served as the National Recruiter and Community Development Director. Barnett is currently completing education requirements for the CEcD designation through the International Development Council and has been designated an Economic Development Finance Professional through the National Development Council.
   Barnett accepted the position with HCDC because he truly believes the Mississippi Gulf Coast has a lot to offer, even and especially since Hurricane Katrina. He said, "Our amenities have not changed since the hurricane. We still have everything to offer that we did before the storm, but now there are added incentives and the opportunity for businesses and individuals to grow and rebuild with us as we make our Gulf Coast bigger, better and stronger than ever."
   Deep-water access to Gulf of Mexico shipping lanes, a Foreign Trade Zone and fully developed industrial property are among the many amenities that have drawn companies like Northrop Grumman and DuPont to the Gulf Coast. Close proximity to Interstate 10 permits convenience for inbound and outbound freight shipment and provides easy accessibility to building sites. Tax advantages and low operating costs enhance the pro-business environment on the Gulf Coast. Harrison County offers a skilled workforce, and its central location between New Orleans and Mobile opens up the prospect for commuters. And, with the outstanding quality of life and semi tropical climate on the Coast, keeping employees should not be a problem.
   Since Hurricane Katrina, additional benefits have been added for both pre-existing and new companies on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The Gulf Opportunity Zone or GO Zone was created by Congress to help the state rebuild and recover. Through a number of important tax incentives, including tax-exempt bonds, 50 percent bonus depreciation and others, the GO Zone hopes to encourage companies large and small to invest in the Gulf Coast.
   The Mississippi Gulf Coast will continue to attract diversified industries. Barnett said, "For example, we are well established in the marine industry. We have Northrop Grumman specializing in composite construction of ships for the military; Trinity Yachts, specializing in high end mega-yachts for the consumer market; United States Marine, Inc., which builds special material crafts for the U.S. Navy Seals; and now Gulf Ship, LLC, concentrating primarily on commercial shipbuilding." He continued, "Our goal, while maintaining and developing the marine area, is to build other industries, like aerospace."
   The developing Center of Excellence for composite materials will benefit both the aerospace and shipbuilding industries. With the increasing aerospace activity in the Gulf Coast region, the goal is for Interstate 10 to become an aerospace corridor for the industry. The Mississippi Gulf Coast is home of the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, NASA's Stennis Space Center, Keesler Air Force Base, and Northrop Grumman's Unmanned Systems Center, which will also provide testing sites and a highly skilled workforce for the industry.
   Larry Barnett said, "By using the many strengths the Gulf Coast has to offer, we will continue to attract more companies and industries to the area, and we will also help our existing industries grow stronger. Both new and existing companies will in turn create more valuable jobs and further boost our economy."
   Contact Information: Larry S. Barnett, Executive Director, 228-896-5020