Bill Text: MS SC712 | 2010 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commend Gary Matthews, Executive Director of the Tishomingo County Development Foundation.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-1)
Status: (Passed) 2010-04-28 - Enrolled Bill Signed [SC712 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2010-SC712-Enrolled.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2010 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Wilemon, Burton, Butler, Montgomery, Simmons, Stone
Senate Concurrent Resolution 712
(As Adopted by Senate and House)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING GARY MATTHEWS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TISHOMINGO COUNTY DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, FOR HIS RECOGNITION AS ONE OF THE "TEN PERSONS WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE SOUTH."
WHEREAS, Gary Matthews is the Executive Director of the Tishomingo County Development Foundation. He is the hands-on, day-to-day face of the Foundation that works to attract business, industry and jobs to Tishomingo County; and
WHEREAS, a list recently published by Southern Business & Development featured the most influential people in the South, and Tishomingo County's own Gary Matthews was among those on the "Ten Persons Who Made a Difference in the South" list, recognized for having made an impressive impact in the South in 2009; and
WHEREAS, Southern Business & Development magazine, published in Birmingham, Alabama, is an economic development journal that tracks projects in the Southern United States. It is the recognized authority on economic development projects in the South. Matthews was nominated for the honor by Gray Swoope, Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority; and
WHEREAS, the magazine editors wrote: "With a population of about 20,000, the Northeast Mississippi County of Tishomingo is tiny, by anyone's standards. But you wouldn't know it with all of the projects that Tishomingo County has started. In 2009, Tishomingo added about 1,000 new jobs in the county, a startling number when you consider the county's population. That being the case, Tishomingo's performance last year may be the best per capita of any rural county in the South. The person behind those deals, more than anyone, is Gary Matthews, the Executive Director of the local economic development group in Tishomingo County. Gary's big catch in 2009 was ATK, which announced an expansion of its plant in Tishomingo County that represents 650 new jobs and a minimum investment of $175 Million"; and
WHEREAS, a native of Neshoba County, Mississippi, Gary has worked in Washington, D.C.; Harrison County; Jackson County; a nine-county region in East Central Mississippi; Kemper County; Attala County; and since the end of 2003, Tishomingo County. Tishomingo County has rated in the top ten counties in new and expanded industrial projects for four of the last six years, and, in 2009, was rated number one in the South for new and expanded projects for communities under 22,000 population. Tishomingo County also received a national honor recently from the Trade & Industry Development journal which selected the county from over 1,000 communities in North America. "This is a great honor for Gary, and for the county," said Tishomingo County Development Foundation Chairman Dan Young; and
WHEREAS, Gary Matthews has over three decades of experience in economic and community development. Gary earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees and has done further work at several universities. Gary served his internship in Economic Impact Analysis under renowned writer and lecturer Dr. Reginald Isaacs of Harvard University; and
WHEREAS, over the past 35 years, Gary has earned many certifications in economic and community development and has been involved in the creation of over 11,000 new jobs in Mississippi. Gary has received numerous awards and was named national "Dealmaker of the Year" in 2000 for putting together $470,000,000.00 in deals in one year; and
WHEREAS, Matthews is the first to admit that it takes years of work with potential industrial prospects to actually land a project, especially in today's economic climate. We agree with Gary's conclusion, "The people of Tishomingo County can create a prosperous future with the help of our partners. Our ancestors worked hard to create a county we could be proud of, and we must continue that tradition of investment and hard work to create a vital county that our children and grandchildren will inherit. No one will do it for us":
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend Gary Matthews, Executive Director of the Tishomingo County Development Foundation, for his recognition as one of the "Ten Persons Who Made a Difference in the South" by Southern Business & Development journal, and extend our best wishes to Gary and his family on this honor.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Gary Matthews, forwarded to the Board of Directors of the Tishomingo County Development Foundation, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.
