“Accelerating Jobs and Innovation Through Community and Economic Development in Rural Mississippi”
White House Forum on Regional Innovation in Rural America
Clay Walden, Ph.D. and Roberto Gallardo, Ph.D. Mississippi State University
September 18, 2013 Washington, D.C.
Accelerating Jobs and Innovation Through Community and Economic Development in Rural Mississippi
Accelerating Jobs & Innovation
Strengthening Communities
Growing Companies
Developing Entrepreneurs
Expanding Clusters
Projected Impact • $30 million in private investment • Create / Retain 500 jobs
Federal Award: $1,065,000 (3 years)
Project Team : MSU: CAVS-E, nSPARC,
SRDC, OETT, FFI, SRDC, Agricultural
Economics , Mississippi Development
Authority (MDA); Innovate Mississippi
RJA Advisory Board Planning & Development Districts
(Three Rivers, South Delta, Central
Miss., South Miss., North Central),
State Agencies (MDA, MDES), Regional
Economic Development (CREATE,
Community Development Foundation,
Delta Council, Bolivar, Part Gibson,
Natchez, Itawamba County) Private
Sector (Nissan, Southern Motion,
Jimmy Sanders, Inc., Butler Snow,
Stone Adams), Community Colleges
(State Community & Jr. College Board,
ICC, EMCC, MDCC, Holmes CC), Utility
Companies (Miss. Power, Entergy, EPA
of Mississippi), Institutes of Higher
Learning (MSU Extension Service, IHL,
Delta State University, Alcorn State
University); State-wide Associations
(MAMA, MMA, Miss. Minority
Business Alliance.
61 County Region
Accelerating Jobs & Innovation
Strengthening
Communities
Growing Companies
Developing Entrepreneurs
Expanding Clusters
Strengthening Communities … Major Events
• Baseline Regional Cluster Profile (yr. 1 - completed)
• Launching SET Program – “Montgomery-Webster Counties” (November 2013) and “Noxubee-Winston Counties” (December 2013).
• Claiborne County – Job Fair (Completed - August 2013).
• “Online Employment Services System” training completed Calhoun County (August 2013) … Greenville & Starkville Regions (December 2013).
Strengthening Communities … Linking Job Seekers with Opportunities
Accelerating Jobs & Innovation
Strengthening Communities
Growing Companies
Developing Entrepreneurs
Expanding Clusters
Developing Entrepreneurs … Major Events
• Mississippi Minority Business Alliance’s meetings in Lorman, MS (April 2013) and Starkville, MS (June 2013).
• Participation in Alcorn State University’s Entrepreneur Explosion Summit in Natchez, Ms (April 2013)
• MSU’s I3 Day (April 2013)
• Start-up Weekend in Tupelo (Sept. 27-29, 2013),
• Start-Up Weekend Natchez (Nov. 8-10, 2013);
• Kaufman FasTrac in Indianola, MS (September – November 2013)
Developing Entrepreneurs … Networking and Training
Outstanding turnout & conference … Over 200 people … organized by Dr. Ruth Nichols (Alcorn State) and Chris Hinton (Natchez Inc.)
Timely topics and great turn-out at the … RJA Panel Discussion … over 125 people attended the meeting.
Accelerating Jobs & Innovation
Strengthening Communities
Growing Companies
Developing Entrepreneurs
Expanding Clusters
Growing Companies … Major Events
• Plant Master Planning … Aurora (Lowndes County) … (December 2013)
• Launch of new military vehicle … Griffin Armor (Marshall County… (June 2013)
• Six Sigma Green Belt coaching … Elevance in Natchez, MS) , Milwaukee Tool (Greenwood, MS) , Baxter (Cleveland, MS)
• Training projects with, Pontotoc Springs (Ponotoc, MS) , ABB (Crystal Springs, MS) , Faurecia, Plymouth Tube (Eupora, MS).
• Supervisory & Mgm’t Training … Bauhaus (Saltillo, MS) , Polo (Louisville, MS), (June 2013; September 2013).
• Expansion of new companies listed on “Mississippi-Made Electronic Catalogue.”
Growing Companies … Reshoring Opportunity
• RJA Technical Assistance Projects resulted in … – increased capacity ($200K in Capital investment,
and 66 new jobs) within a upholstered furniture company.
– looking to “reverse the trend” and bring back sewing from Overseas and needing local supply.
• RJA Networking activities resulted in … – identifying a military apparel company in need of
identifying new markets
– Previous reduction in military spending resulted in many experienced sewers out of work.
• Business to Business connections have resulted in … – New orders resulting in the initial rehiring of 12
experienced sewers.
– Connections made to another growing furniture company that has made the decision to “on-shore.”
– Strong prospects for additional volume and jobs
with the app.
78 jobs created with the potential for more … Companies
involved are in Columbus, MS, Ecru MS, and Newton, MS
Growing Companies … through assisting in technology transfer and best practices
RJA Technical Assistance team has assisted an expanding aerospace company in Lowndes county with leveraging $17 million in private investment and creating 20 new jobs.
Growing Companies … through assisting in technology transfer and best practices
Overview
• Griffin Armor (Byhalia, MS) part of Navistar Defense (West Point, MS) supply chain; Griffin responsible for the armored cab for GTT vehicle
• Added several new employees – (77 jobs) … AWS certified welders, painters, …
• CAVS-E provided Product Launch Technical Assistance including Facility Master Planning, Simulation, and Process Engineering. Completed May 2013.
Partial List .. Local Suppliers
• Hawkeye Industries (Tupelo, MS); Precision Machine & Fabrication (Tupelo); Orman’s Welding (West Point, MS)
Building 1 Parts
Fabrication Cab Welding
Building 2 Material Storage
Building 3 Rhino, Bondo,
Building 6 Paint
Final Trim
Building 7 Armored
Glass
Office
Building 4 Blast
Building 5 Door Weld
Griffin Armor - Byhalia
Manufacturing Site
Growing Companies … efforts to assist in finding new markets
RJA recent additions … 8 companies with 82 product profiles.
Expanding Clusters … Major Events
• Automotive …. Innovation Conference … (Completed (February 2013)
• Furniture … Manufacturing Summit … (Completed – Mach 2013)
• Agri-business … ‘Ag Expo’ Event in Cleveland, MS (January 2014)
Accelerating Jobs & Innovation
Strengthening Communities
Growing Companies
Developing Entrepreneurs
Expanding Clusters
Expanding Clusters … Automotive Technologies, Innovation, and Networking
Automotive Innovation Conference … Latest in technologies for improving quality and productivity …. 58 Exhibitors and 1,100 attendees.
The 2013 Furniture Manufacturing Summit attracted 134 attendees representing 60
companies