2019 Partners in ProgressA & B DistributingAbles Real EstateAerial AdvertisementB & G Equipment of IukaBANCORPSOUTHCity of BelmontBelmont Parts SupplyBelmont PharmacyRobert BelueBestway, Inc.James BethayAlvia & Barbara BlakneyBMSI, Inc.Eddie Bobo GunsmithingBOW-T’s CateringBrooks GroceryJackie & Burnette BryantCity of BurnsvilleBurnsville TireRobert Carnathan HVACKenny CarsonCDI Machining & FabricatingClark Law FirmCommunity Spirit BankCook Coggin EngineersKen & Sheila CooleyCooper Marine & TimberlandsCorinth Coca Cola BottlingCornelison Law OfficeCornerstone Insurance & FinancialCountry Squire RestaurantPeyton CummingsD. L. Cutshall & Sons LoggingCutshall Funeral HomeNeil DavisDead Serious SecurityLeroy DeanDeaton Funeral HomeDennis Country StoreEagle Radio GroupFairless HardwareRalph & Dorothy FarrFellowship Christian RetreatFidelity National LoansFirst American Insurance ServicesFirst American National BankFirst Franklin Financial CorpPaul Fisher Oil CompanyFite Building CompanyG & G Steel Mississippi WorksGatlin’s PharmacyHarold GistGoat Island Campground, Inc.City of GoldenDr. Phillip GrayJames T. GrishamRobert GrishamHAGO AutomotiveHamilton-Ryker GroupHampton Inn of CorinthHarbin Heating & Air ConditioningHigh Maintenance Salon of IukaHighpoint Timber ManagementBoyce Hollingsworth State FarmHometown Pizza BelmontIndustrial Electronics RepairInternational Converter/NOVOLEXIntuition NutritionCity of IukaIuka Discount DrugsIuka HardwareJACOMA ConstructionJekyll & Hyde Market, Bar & GrillJeremy JohnsonJohn’s Garage/J&S Auto SalesJourdan Lumber CompanyLisa A. Koon, AttorneyMalcolm KuykendallDr. Ben Kitchens

Tishomingo County Update 2019 Partners in ProgressKX Technologies LLCLittrell Lumber MillHarold Lomenick State FarmGrace Long Real EstateMax Home LLCSteve McAnallyJena McNattMike & Dennie McReeMill Creek Marina & ResortMilligan Ready Mix, Inc.Mississippi Medical AssociatesToney MobleyMississippi SiliconMike MontgomeryMoore Automotive SupplyMike Nelson ContractorsNix Flying ServiceNorth MS Medical Center--IukaNorth MS Primary Health CareScott NunleyNunley Trucking CompanyJames D. NunnallyMiles D. NunnallyO’Claire’s BoutiqueOffice ProOld Country Store & DeliOn Point Dance StudioCharlotte OrickCity of PadenParson’s Earth WorksPeden’s Prop ShopDr. Jim Perkins, Iuka Animal ClinicPetals & PearlsPickwick Cabin RentalsPickwick Premier PropertiesPiggly Wiggly BelmontPiggly Wiggly IukaPlant Process SupportPray PotteryBilly RaineyRedmont Heating & CoolingRenasant BankRushing Drugs/Ben BurnsJimmie SeagoMartha SegarsScott SegarsTyler SegarsSids Trading CompanySilver Dollar SalesSkyline SteelSouthern Forestry, Inc.Sparks CPA Firm, PCThe Family Resource CenterTempur Sealy/Comfort RevolutionTennessee Valley AuthorityTIMCO, Inc.City of TishomingoTishomingo County Board of SupervisorsTishomingo County Electric Power AssociationTishomingo Health Services-- Iuka HospitalTOLTEC CompanyTri-State Educational FoundationTri-State RecyclingTruck Bodies & Equipment Int.Union Harbor Marina & ResortUniversal Faith Missions & Southwind A&DViva la Casita Mexican RestaurantMack & Jeanette WadkinsBeth Booker WhiteWhitaker’s Cleaning ServiceWiley Discount Tobacco & Beverages, Inc.Quaye YarberDan & Betty Young

TISHOMINGO COUNTY JOB GROWTH AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE. The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently issued the “2018 Percent Change in County Employment” for all USA counties.

In Mississippi, the majority of counties lost jobs. Tishomingo County experienced an increase of 3.3%.

Prior to 2009, Tishomingo County experienced one of the highest unemployment rates in the state, as high as 25.3%.

The numbers document that Tishomingo County is making economic progress, although more needs to be done to increase small business creation, increase job skills, and improve work ethics.

The most productive long-term economic develop-ment efforts include teaching entrepreneurial skills to elementary and middle school students and con-ducting business and industry tours for ALL students and teachers. Apprenticeships, internships, part-time student jobs, and greater cooperation between schools and the private sector are essential for both schools and businesses.

Counties that focus primarily on industrial recruit-ment and expansion of branch manufacturing plants are often the first to feel a recession and the last to recover.

Diversification of the local economy is pivotal to continued economic growth and more money in the pockets of citizens of Tishomingo County.

For a map of job losses and increases in all Mississip-pi counties visit the Tishomingo County web site at www.tishomingo.org/PDFs/Percent%20Change%20in%20Co.%20Empl/MississippiBusinessJuly2019.pdf page 12.

2019 TISHOMINGO COUNTYDEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:Alvia BlakneyJackie Bryant

Ferrin Rainey Burress,Secretary-TreasurerMayor John Castleberry, Iuka

Greg Collier, President,Board of Supervisors

Ken CooleyPeyton Cummings

Dale CurtisNeil Davis

Eric Daniel, Vice ChairRalph Farr

Mayor Davy Ginn, GoldenHarold Gist

Robert GrishamDon Hall, First Vice Chair

Beth HudsonMalcolm Kuykendall

Steve McAnallyJena McNatt

Mike MontgomeryMayor David Nixon, Burnsville

Mayor Pam Oswalt, PadenJimmy Ramsey, Chair,

Economic Development AuthorityMayor James Tennyson, Tishomingo

Fred TruesdaleButler Whitehead, Chair

Sidney Whitehurst, Past ChairMayor Buddy Wiltshire, Belmont

Royal Witcher

2019 TISHOMINGO COUNTYECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS:Charles Emmons, Vice Chair

Harold GistGlen Harrison

Malcolm KuykendallToney Mobley

Charlotte Orick, Secretary-TreasurerJimmy Ramsey, Chair

Jimmie SeagoButler WhiteheadTommy Williams

2019 TISHOMINGO COUNTYTOURISM COUNCIL:

Ellen Ayers, Vice ChairBarbara Blakney, Secretary-Treasurer

Natalie CokerMary Ann Grant, Chair

Sandra Medlin Leigh Ann Robertson

Buddy WiltshireTheresa Cutshall, AdministratorJim Gibson, Part-time Assistant

ONPOINT DANCE STUDIO. A ribbon cutting was held for OnPoint Dance Studio. Owner Keli Daugherty reported “Mallory McNeely and Rheagan Coffman are our dance instructors. Classes begin August 19 and will be held on Monday and Tuesday evenings. On Mondays, from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM classes are held for children from four to five years old and 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM for children six and seven years old. On Tuesdays, from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM classes are held for children from eight to nine years old; 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM for children ten to 11; and 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM for young people 12 and 13 years old.”

OnPoint Dance Studio is located at 123 Front Street in Iuka. The telephone number is 662-424-2221. Find us on Facebook.

BURNSVILLE SUBWAY. A ribbon cutting was held for Burnsville Subway. Owner Lori Lawson reported that “our friends, neighbors, and customers have long expressed a need for variety as well as healthy food choices in Burnsville. It took us seven years but we finally have been able to open and plan to grow with Burnsville. We invite everyone to visit and try the tastiest and most healthful food around.”

Mayor David Nixon said “we thank the Lawson family for opening a new restaurant. We have no doubt the restaurant will be very successful and a great asset for our community.”

Second District Supervisor Nicky McRae reported that “we always like to see locally owned businesses be successful. Locally owned businesses em-ploy local people, treat their employees like family, and care about the com-munity and its citizens.”

Subway is located at 281B Highway 72 in Burnsville (inside Valero). Open hours are 6:30 AM to 10 PM Monday thru Friday, 8 AM to 10 PM Saturday, and 9 AM to 10 PM on Sunday. The phone number is 662-427-9600.

Tishomingo County Development Foun-dation, Tishomingo County’s public/pri-vate economic development team:

2,300 jobs & over $380 million in • private investment over the past 10 years.

Rated TOP TEN industrial sites in the • southern USA in 2012.

Rated TOP TEN rural sites in the • southern USA for reshored industry in 2013.

National Economic Development IN-• NOVATION AWARDS in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2018.

Rated TOP TEN “Comeback Kids” in • the southern USA in 2015.

TCDF rated one of the best economic • development agencies in the south-ern USA in 2015.

Tishomingo County rated among the • top three counties in the USA in cost efficient government in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

In 2017 Tishomingo County rated 1st • in the south for new manufacturing jobs per capita over the last decade.

We still have a lot of work to do, but just about every citizen has family or friends working at one of the companies that have been recruited to, or has expanded in, Tishomingo County. Most businesses have customers that get their paychecks from these companies, or sell products or services to these companies.

Everyone benefits from economic de-velopment, especially the school system that receives significant tax revenue from economic development projects.

Be sure to thank our TCDF Partners in Progress and do business with those businesses that support economic de-velopment. A listing of these partners is on the front page of this update. You can learn more about these commu-nity minded businesses at http://www.tishomingo.org/pdf_docs/Partners%20in%20Progress.pdf.

Remember to thank our TCDF, TCEDA, and TCTC board member volunteers who serve the community without compen-sation.

TISHOMINGO COUNTY COM-MUNITY COALITION. Volun-teers from the community re-cently organized a community coaltion to identify issues in the community and try to tar-get resources to solve those is-sues.

The Objectives/Goals of the coalition are to:

1. Identify available resources in the county;

2. Educate the public about those resources;

3. Determine current needs; and

4. Seek additional funding to meet those needs.

The board of directors includes Denise Timbes, Tonya McAnal-ly, Renee Shulls, Barb Glover-Twaney, Shane Crowe, Wayne Crum, Tommy Daugherty, Jared George, Lori Lawson, Keith Cur-tis, Ferrin Rainey Burress, Dan-iel McKee, Shana Hollon, Mike Wixom, Lance Heavner, Jena McNatt, and Kenny Carson.

Kathy Best is the director of the Tishomingo County Com-munity Coalition. Her contact number is 228-217-4220 and e-mail tc3coalition@gmail.com. Visit the web site at www.tc3-coalition.org.

MAX HOME. Max Home shut down operations and vacated the Tishomingo County building in Au-gust.

The 96,000 SF industrial building is being marketed to manufacturers. The building is air conditioned and heated and has 32 truck docks. The building also has a recently re-placed roof and most of the HVAC units are new. A shrink wrap pack-ing machine and fiber picker come with the building.

The building and equipment are owned by the Tishomingo County Economic Development Authority. TCEDA Board members are listed on the left side of page 2 of this newsletter.

Max Home started upholstered furniture manufacturing in Fulton in 2003 and in Tishomingo County in 2007.

Max Home will continue its op-erations in Fulton, Mississippi, and Sulligent, Alabama.

JOB LISTINGS. Many of the indus-tries, construction contractors, and other businesses in Tishomingo County are seeking skilled and/or trainable workers. Some of these jobs are listed on the Mississippi Department of Employment Secu-rity web site.

Go to http://mdes.ms.gov/, click on “I need a job and Find a job now” and then type in your zip code or city.

INDEED also lists local job open-ings at www.indeed.com.

HIRE MISSISSIPPI PROGRAM. The Mississippi Public Service Commission has set up a meet-ing in Tishomingo County that is intended to assist local busi-nesses sign up to be notified of upcoming opportunities with the state’s largest utilities such as Atmos Energy, CenterPoint Energy, Entergy, Mississippi Power, and Spire Energy.

In 2016, $810 million was spent by utilities on operations and maintenance alone. Of that, 70 percent went to companies outside Mississippi. Introduced by Commissioner Brandon Presley, Hire Missis-sippi requires utilities to give notice to each business on the Hire Mississippi Supplier List when any job is available for bid that a Mississippi company is qualified to perform.

The date of the meeting is Oc-tober 10, 8 AM, at the Burns-ville Chamber of Commerce.

More information can be found at www.psc.ms.gov/psc/jobs/hirems.

VM2. Tishomingo County has leased approximately 100,000 SF of Building 1000 at Tri-State Com-merce Park to a company called VM Squared. The company will initially set up a data center and work toward another project in the building.

VM Squared has its roots in Min-nesota going back to 2003. VM Squared was involved in repair-ing telecommunications systems on the Mississippi Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina. The company has offices in West Point and Iuka, Mississippi, and Dallas, Texas.

VM Squared is a managed informa-tion technology company. Compa-nies contract with VM Squared to manage their IT infrastructure. VM Squared provides them with:

IT Consulting;• Managed IT Services; • Business Continuity; • VoIP Services; • Cloud Integration & Comput-• ing; and Cyber Security Services.•

VM Squared’s business model re-volves around preventative services which keep IT systems operating at optimal levels without downtime. Primary markets are manufactur-ing, finance, and healthcare.

Learn more about VM Squared at www.vmsquaredit.com.

GED CLASSES. Free high school equivalency (GED) classes will begin September 3 at the Northeast Center in Iuka. Registration will begin at 8:00 AM. No one is too old. We can also assist those from other counties and states as well. Contact Dr. Kathy Shook Wallace who is the instructor. Get connect-ed through Facebook or call 662-424-9977.