For Updates Go To: Released January 5, 2012 Prologue
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For updates go to: Released January 5, 2012 www.blueprintmississippi.com Prologue. 3-12 Message From Chairs . 13-17 Goals Recommendations & Core Research Narrative . 18-60 What We Learned Through Research & Outreach . 61-73 Blueprint Leadership . 74-88 Key Performance Metrics. 89-98 State Comparison Data . 99-104 Other Research Data . 105-110 Major Milestones Since 2004 Blueprint . 111-115 Major Economic Developments Since 2004 Blueprint . 116-120 Mississippi Wow Things . 121-141 Epilogue . 142-146 Vision: To enable a more prosperous, vibrant, and resilient Mississippi, built upon a foundation of economic opportunity for all its citizens. Blueprint Mississippi is an independent cooperative of organizations and leaders aimed at conducting an objective review of Mississippi’s economic opportunities and recommended actions for putting Mississippi in the place of greatest opportunity. It is an extension of a similar statewide effort launched in 2004 by the lead organizations listed below. Lead Organizations Mississippi Economic Council, The State Chamber – an organization of over 8,000 members from 1,200 companies from every corner of the state, dedicated to building a more competitive Mississippi. MEC’s MB Swayze Foundation provided the structure for overseeing the project and assem- bling the funding for the research and project efforts. Mississippi Partnership for Economic Development – an organization, working in partnership with MDA to make the state more competitive in recruitment. Momentum Mississippi, a public private partnership created as a resource for his administration by former Governor Haley Barbour based on the recommendation of Blueprint Mississippi, to provide long-range economic development planning resources to MDA and the State of Mississippi. Lead Researchers Mississippi University Research Consortium – the four major research Universities – Jackson State University, Mississippi State University, University of Mississippi and University of Southern Mississippi, which for this project also teamed with Tougaloo College, the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation and private consulting resources to conduct the scholarly research and interface with councils and stakeholders, to create the core of the project – the goals and recommendations, and their accompanying narratives. Mississippi Leaders – Thousands of participants – business and community leaders – who attended road show meetings to offer input and who served as stakeholders, project, advisory and steering council members from across the state who contributed input to this report. 1.13.2012 Welcome to Blueprint Mississippi – a massive, privately funded effort aimed at both looking at Mississippi as it is, and as it can be, and providing a process for engaging business and community leaders across the state in a sustained effort to con- tinuously improve our competitive position to put our state in the place of greatest opportunity. The material presented is a snapshot of what we have learned as we have scanned the broader landscape of the state’s competitive position, compiling literally thousands of pages of research and data points. This report focuses on a few interesting points and opportunities – and eliminates far more than it includes. It likely also misses some important information. It is the best we can deliver with the time, space and resources available at the time this snapshot is delivered. But since this is only a snapshot, it becomes out of date almost immediately, which is why this document is presented on-line, so that it can be continuously improved. We are eager to review new perspectives, expand points of view and update and improve accuracy. This is why we hope you will use the following email to let us know your thoughts, share information about progress and continuously help us improve this report. Blueprint will not implement this study – but will rather keep it as up to date as possible with the resources at hand. Implementation will come from the active engagement of trade and professional associations, political and community leaders, local Chambers of Commerce and Economic Development Organizations, as well as business leaders and individuals across the state who take up the cause and find creative solutions for implementing the goals and recommendations presented here – and developing new ones as well. Through this shared and sustained effort, together we can make certain Mississippi is in the place of greatest opportunity. 1.5.2012 We’ve also seen a new recognition by Mississippians that we can capitalize on our rich cultural heritage and entrepreneur- ial spirit of our people and monetize these strengths into a Dr. Hank Bounds growing creative economy, from film-making to tourism and Commissioner, Institutions of Higher Learning from the development of homegrown hightech firms to the Chair of Blueprint Mississippi 2011 smallest of businesses in communities across our great state. Literally thousands of business and community leaders partic- Blueprint Mississippi 2011 provides a great opportunity for us ipated in the extensive Blueprint Mississippi process—attend- to think about what Mississippi’s future can look like. ing meetings, serving as stakeholders, connecting to Web Throughout the Blueprint process we have discussed how we conferences and participating on committees. They helped can be bold and move from our once low-wage, low-skill shape the goals and recommendations presented in this doc- economy to a middle-skill, higher-wage and creative-based ument, working in cooperation with private consultants and economy. We know that most jobs in the future will require research teams from our state’s four public research universi- some training after high school and 54 percent will be ties—Jackson State University, Mississippi State University, middle-skill jobs. We know that poverty and academic success University of Mississippi and University of Southern Mississippi are intertwined so we must address the issues children from as well as the William Winter Institute for Racial low income households face if we are going to have a Reconciliation and Tougaloo College. workforce with the skills necessary to improve Mississippi. Blueprint Mississippi has truly been a coordinated effort and The foundation already exists and scores of major economic it will take a partnership of public, private and non-profit development projects have come to Mississippi thanks to the organizations to turn the recommendations into reality. hard work of former Governor Haley Barbour, the Mississippi There is much work ahead, but I know by harnessing the Development Authority, local and regional economic devel- power across the state, we can build a better Mississippi for opers—and with strong support from the Legislature. These our children and our grandchildren. projects have positioned our state for progress and the momentum continues to build, even during these times of international economic challenge. 1.13.2012 Atmos Energy • Bank of Brookhaven • Hope Enterprise Corporation/Hope Credit Union Ingalls Shipbuilding • McAlister’s Corporation • Mississippi Center for Education Innovation Mississippi Manufacturers Association • Renasant Bank R.W. Reed Company • Structural Steel Services, Inc. Corinth Coca-Cola Bottling Works • Delta Council • Fidelis Policy Group, LLC • The Honorable Tim Ford LTM Enterprises, DBA McDonalds • Mississippi Association of Educators Mississippi Cable Telecommunications Association (As Selected by over 1,500 voting business and community leaders among the nearly 1,900 attending 15 Roll-Out Sessions in 13 communities: Biloxi, Cleveland, Corinth, Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Indianola, Jackson, McComb, Meridian, Oxford, Southaven, Starkville, Tupelo). 1. Increase the Educational Achievement of Mississippians 2. Cultivate a More Robust Workforce in Mississippi 3. Strengthen and Expand Mississippi’s Economy 4. Promote Health Care as an Economic Driver 5. Support Mississippi’s Creative Economy 6. Continually Develop the Infrastructure for a Competitive Economy 7. Increase Availability of Financial Capital 8. Cultivate Diversity, Community Cooperation and Racial Reconciliation 9. Improve Communication and Coordination Among Public, Private and Non-profit Leaders 1.5.2012 Blueprint Mississippi offers comparative data for what is commonly referred to as the 12 Blueprint States. These are the states that economic development professionals in Mississippi regard as our most closely aligned competitors. While national comparisons are interesting from an intellectual point of view, it is more important to note how our state compares to the market in which we compete. MISSISSIPPI GEORGIA OKLAHOMA ALABAMA KENTUCKY SOUTH CAROLINA ARKANSAS LOUISIANA TENNESSEE FLORIDA NORTH CAROLINA TEXAS 1.5.2012 • 300 business leaders and 300 voters were surveyed in two separate surveys whose results were compared and contrasted in the MEC/Godwin Group Economic State of the State, November, 2010, as a foundation for Blueprint MS Research. • 700 business and community leaders from around the state attended the Blueprint Mississippi Roll-Out Morning Session as a part of MEC Capital Day in January, 2011. • 2,500 business and community leaders participated in 20 community Blueprint Mississippi road shows February-March, 2011, with nearly 2,000 voting during the sessions on issues of importance and another 1,000 weighing in using internet voting. • Nearly 1,000 business and community leaders signed up to participate as stakeholders or committee