An upcoming symposium for local businesses will narrow worldwide, nationwide and statewide economic perspectives to focus on Madison County.
Sponsored by the Madison County Economic Development Authority and the Madison County Business League, the forum on May 4, 8-10:45 a.m., at the Nissan Training Center at Canton offers local insight into the bigger economic picture, said Jan Collins, the league’s executive director.
“Business leaders can take away an idea of what they as individual businesses can do to help their economic outlook,” Collins said.
Speakers will be David Altig, senior vice president and director of research for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; Marty Wiseman, director of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State University; and Phil Pepper, assistant commissioner for the Center of Policy Research & Planning for the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning.
“We want people to get informed and get them educated,” said Tim Coursey, executive director of the economic development authority. “This is specific information for Madison County. Everybody should get something out of it.
“We will put a magnifying glass on Mississippi and Madison County. This is not about the metro area, but a look at information on our tax receipts and what we can expect,” he said.
“While it is important to know what’s happening in the world economy, it’s also important to bring it home,” he said.
With a variety of speakers, there should be a wealth of information for every type of business in the county, from mom-and-pop shops to larger industries, Coursey said. “It never huts to have several points of view.”
Collins said she expects a packed house at the training center, just north of the manufacturing plant.
The economic symposium is the fourth event offered by the Business League, which began operations about a year ago.
“These events are great for recruitment. We’re building momentum,” Collins said.
The league’s purpose is to work with MCEDA to bring about cooperation between the public and private sectors and to encourage planning for future growth and development.”Our commitment is to keep businesses and the community connected,” she said.
The next forum sponsored by the Business League will focus on education, but a date for that session has not yet been set.
Plan to attend
Tickets for the general public are available for $45.
To attend or buy tickets, contact Collins at (601) 832-5592.
*Business League members can attend for free but most have a ticket by April 30.
Article by Lucy Webber from the MC Herald · April 29, 2010
