Page 30 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2020

JACKSON COUNTY
s I sit here in my solitude, I contemplate the Industrial Park, which also includes good news for craziness of our world. I am struck by the fearless two of our shipbuilders. It illustrates my counsel not care our health workers are providing our to mistake isolation for inertia. We may be working
neighbors and loved ones. I participate in leadership calls with many of the same people I worked alongside following Hurricane Katrina in my role with American
Red Cross... and I am reminded of
in di erent surroundings using di erent tools in di erent ways than we are accustomed, but we remain productive. We are prevailing.
Paige Roberts,
Paige Roberts
our communal resilience! More than anything, Jackson County and our
sister coastal counties to the west have resiliency muscle memory that will serve us well in the coming months. We are #jaxcomsunited, and we #jaxcomsthrive!
The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, and Jackson County jointly created those hashtags as
President & CEO of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce
To support this special section dedicated to Jackson County, contact
Shirley LeRoy
228.238.1235 shirley@m2mediacorp.com
a rally cry. We encourage you to use them every time you post on social media about Jackson County life with all its grit and growth.
Take special note of the story on our Sunplex Light
COVID-19 CAN’T KILL
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT E story by Paige Roberts photos courtesy of Jackson County Chamber of Commerce
ven during this pandemic, economic development endures in Jackson County. Both Ingalls Shipbuilding and VT Halter Marine recently announced contract
awards, $1.5 billion and $40 million, respectively. And to the west, on Highway 57, red clay is turning and concrete pouring as American Baitworks Co. builds its national headquarters, state-of-the-art manufacturing plant, and distribution center in the Sunplex Light Industrial Park.
“This premier geographic location, Foreign Trade Zone status, and a full array of amenities made this park the only logical choice,” said Justin Sward, Senior Vice-President of Operations for the shing lure, tackle, and rod manufacturer. The 100-acre fully permitted, master-planned, shovel-ready Sunplex Park
sees more than 450 employees report to work at two dozen companies.
Jackson County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director George Freeland says Sunplex has 35 acres open
for development
where other
corporations could
join the diverse
mix of operations,
including
pharmaceuticals,
optics, defense,
commercial training,
warehouse, and
distribution, most of them focused on technology.
30 | May 2020
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
advertise