|
|
|
|
CEO: GSDP successful in building relationships |
|
Wednesday, 01 April 2009 |
 Paul Sims/SDN Jon Maynard, president and CEO of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, points out an item in a presentation he made to project managers and other officials in a conference room at the Mississippi Development Authority’s offices in Jackson Monday. By PAUL SIMS
Starkville Daily News
Six months ago today, Jon Maynard officially started work at the helm of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership as its president and CEO.
Maynard says the organization has worked over these past months to develop “lines of communication that had gotten rusty” or were non-existent between local economic development stakeholders.
“Bringing them to the table was really the first step, developing a level of trust and a common understanding of how to move forward,” he said. “... Developing relationships has been Priority One,” Maynard said.
On Monday, Maynard and representatives of the City of Starkville, the Town of Sturgis and Mississippi State University were on hand in Jackson with Maynard as he presented an overview of the community’s assets to project managers and other officials at the Mississippi Development Authority.
GSDP officials have worked to build relationships so representatives from these major stakeholders “could all be present and active in ‘selling’ our community to the project managers at MDA,” Maynard said.
He says he thinks the GSDP has been successful in relationship-building locally, regionally and across the state and the meeting at MDA “was a culmination of that.”
The MDA officials who heard Maynard’s talk are “our first line of lead generation for new prospects and assistance with existing industry, so we have to make them aware that our community is strong and ready for growth,” he said.
Getting the message to MDA is “one of the most important things we can do, period,” Maynard said.
“We are really working hard so you have a great product in Starkville and our area,” he told the MDA project managers.
Whit Hughes, the MDA’s deputy director, said of Monday’s meeting after it had taken place: “I think there’s a lot of value to meetings and discussions like this, whether it’s developing relationships (or) becoming more familiar with our product.”
“As I mentioned, anytime the MDA has an opportunity to gather with the local, utility and university officials, we look to take advantage of that time to have meaningful dialogue, of which everybody will benefit moving forward,” Hughes said.
“To be be able to sell your product, you have to know your product,” he said. “That is the value proposition for meetings like today, whether it’s recruiting a new business or expanding an existing business – familiarity with information and opportunities at the local level is a key to our success.”
Hughes said: “It’s a tough economy and from an MDA perspective, we understand that fundamental economic development is about supporting your existing businesses.”
In answering a question about Starkville’s stance in economic development, Hughes said: “I’m very encouraged by the message and the level of coordinating being demonstrated. What’s going on at the university and the community level – the opportunities are numerous.”
“From a regional perspective, we’re seeing a great deal of activity and interest in the Golden Triangle area and with a continued team approach, we are looking forward to maximizing our success in the moths and years ahead.”
In his talk to the MDA, Maynard pointed out that Starkville was once identified as a community which did the least with the most.
“That’s no more,” he said.
Mayor Dan Camp also provided his insights into what’s happening in Starkville.
“We’ve probably got one of the most dynamic communities today in Mississippi. We’ve got something that is going on up there,” he told the MDA audience.
Maynard also addressed the idea of regional cooperation in the MDA meeting and expounded on it afterward. “I’m here to champion that idea,” he said to those gathered at MDA.
“If a business comes to Oktibbeha County, there’s a direct benefit. If it lands in Lowndes County, there will be a positive economic impact in the surrounding counties,” he said later.
In the course of his presentation to MDA, Maynard outlined the resources available through Mississippi State University as well as those within the community itself, such as the Thad Cochran Research, Technology and Economic Development Park, the Cornerstone Industrial Park and a property economic development officials are exploring as a potential location for large-scale manufacturing on the county’s east side off U.S. Highway 82.
Maynard supplied MDA officials copies of the community overview and other details, such as information about the community’s four targeted industries – aerospace research and development; automotive research and development, biosciences with a focus on veterinary science and homeland defense.
Melvin Ray, the GSDP’s treasurer, was among those in attendance from the community at the MDA presentation.
He said Tuesday he thought Maynard’s presentation was “very impressive” and noted that Maynard used an innovative format.
The presentation — put together with the help of personnel at the North Mississippi Industrial Development Association — worked similarly to that of a Web site, with clickable links.
The presentation will be available for download by prospects and project managers, Maynard said.
“It was thorough in its marketing of both Starkville and the greater Starkville area including Sturgis and Maben. I thought it sent a message that Starkville is the ideal place for high-tech companies,” Ray said.
|
|
Last Updated ( Thursday, 02 April 2009 )
|
 |
|
|
|
