Washington County Leaders Graduate from MDA Community Development Program

Oct 19, 2017

Washington County Leaders Graduate from MDA Community Development Program

Greenville, MS – Community leaders in Washington County graduated Tuesday, October 17th, 2017, from the Mississippi Development Authority Ambassadors Program. The Washington County team participants included: Board of Supervisors President Carl McGee, Greenville Mayor Errick Simmons, Leland Vice-Mayor Lisa Bush, Washington County Economic Alliance (WCEA) Board Chairman Stephanie Patton, WCEA Executive Director Cary Karlson, and WCEA Project Manager Will Coppage. Washington County was one of nine counties selected to participate in the year-long program.
"Our inclusion in the Mississippi Development Authority Ambassador program gave us the opportunity to learn some innovative best practices from other successful communities,” said Karlson. “Our group learned of new contacts in the Economic Development and Community Development communities that will be able to help us in the future."

Participants met throughout the year, attending workshops on a variety of topics aimed at increasing community development. Each county selected a project to begin in 2017 and continue through 2018 and has an opportunity to apply for a $5,000 grant to help with the project. Washington County’s project focuses on blight and the beautification of major thoroughfares to increase the attractiveness of the County. The team’s project also is examining County branding and signage to create a cohesive appearance county-wide.

“This was a great opportunity to not only receive training and tools necessary for industry recruitment and attraction but also to network and forge relationships with other economic development professionals, county, and state leaders,” said Simmons.

The goal of the Ambassadors Program is to increase community, economic and industrial development throughout Mississippi and to develop deeper relationships between MDA and state communities. Participants in the program chose a yearlong project to help their areas become more attractive to outside corporations. They also attended forums focused on workforce development, economic development partnerships and community development. Entergy, Mississippi Power and Tennessee Valley Authority serve as program partners.

For more information on the Ambassadors Program, please contact Chance McDavid, MDA Director of Asset Development, at 6o1-359-2659 or cmcdavid@mississippi.org.

From Left to Right: Board of Supervisors President Carl McGee, WCEA Project Manager Will Coppage, WCEA Board Chairman Stephanie Patton Greenville, WCEA Executive Director Cary Karlson, MDA Deputy Director of Asset Development Sonny Thomas, Leland Vice-Mayor Lisa Bush, and Greenville Mayor Errick Simmons,