10/7/2011 - Jackson, Miss.
Three Briefings Planned for Jackson, Tupelo, Biloxi
The primary goals and recommendations for Blueprint Mississippi 2011 will be unveiled at three briefings on Thursday, Oct. 13. Blueprint Mississippi is a major statewide initiative to create an action strategy for putting Mississippi in the place of greatest opportunity.
The meetings will discuss some of the key findings from the Blueprint Mississippi research process that began in January. The briefings, which will be held the northern, central and southern parts of the state, will outline goals and recommendations to keep Mississippi's economy moving forward. The full report and documentation will be released on Jan.5, 2011 at MEC Capital Day.
All meetings are open to the public and there is no cost to attend, but pre-registration is required at blueprintmississippi.com. Locations and times for the meetings are:
"Building on the foundation provided by Blueprint 2004, Blueprint 2011 represents the collective thoughts of thousands of Mississippians who have participated in the development of this plan, which gives us a very clear roadmap with specific, actionable recommendations for putting Mississippi in the position of greatest opportunity," said Dr. Hank M. Bounds, Commissioner of Higher Education and Chair of Blueprint 2011. "Blueprint 2011 is a public-private partnership that serves as a model for how the resulting recommendations can be achieved. Working together, we can advance the state and create a brighter, more prosperous future for our children and grandchildren."
The Blueprint Mississippi 2011 process focused on four broad foundational areas: Educational Achievement; Resource Management; Economic Competitiveness; and Technology Commercialization. It also looked at issues that cut across all four foundation areas, focusing on Community Life, Racial Reconciliation, Health Care and Infrastructure. The $1.25 million research project is totally funded by the private sector in cooperation with the Mississippi Economic Council, Mississippi Partnership for Economic Development and Momentum Mississippi.
"The Blueprint process has highlighted the amazing progress taking place in Mississippi in economic development, education, and workforce training. There also is a renewed pride in Mississippians from all regions," said Blake Wilson, president and CEO of the Mississippi Economic Council. "It has been a very comprehensive process, which has included input from thousands of leaders throughout the state. By having such a broad range of ideas, it has allowed for the development of goals and recommendations that can truly move Mississippi forward."
Research for Blueprint Mississippi 2011 was conducted by Mississippi's research universities. Citizen-led advisory committees met this summer to determine key priorities, and the goals and recommendations were finalized by the Blueprint Steering Committee. For more information or to register for the Oct. 13 briefings go to: blueprintmississippi.com.
John Sewell
Director of Communications
Telephone: 601.432.6333
