Mississippi Business Journal » Blake Wilson

MEC steps back from Medicaid expansion argument

Ted Carter — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 19:51:56 +0000

The Mississippi Economic Council, the statewide business organization that produced a “blueprint” for Mississippi health care last year, is staying out of the intense legislative debate over whether to expand Medicaid to around 300,000 of the state’s working poor. With the issue unlikely to be resolved without a special session, the MEC will have more [...]

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Blake Wilson makes MEC truly statewide with roadshows, technology

Becky Gillette — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 23:03:04 +0000

The Mississippi Economic Council (MEC) is the face of business, acting as a statewide chamber of commerce. And the face of MEC is president and CEO Blake Wilson, who will celebrate 15 years with MEC in January. “Blake is like the Eveready bunny on speed when it comes to the amount of energy he expends [...]

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Road commissioner open to options other than increasing pump prices

Ted Carter — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 06:01:37 +0000

Mississippi’s tax on a gallon of gasoline went from 15 cents to 18 cents in 1987 and has stayed that way ever since. Of that 15 cents charged pre-1987, 6 cents was a sales tax that was dropped and replaced by an additional 9 cents on the gallon gasoline tax, said Dick Hall, a member [...]

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MEC continues to support education in a big way

Lynn Lofton — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 06:01:07 +0000

The Mississippi Economic Council (MEC) has a long history of support and advocacy for education. All levels of education in Mississippi continue to be a top issue with the membership of this business and professional organization. “Without a strong educational foundation, we cannot provide the quality workforce needed to attract the middle-skill and higher-skill jobs [...]

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State set to meet about Aberdeen school system

Associated Press — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:19:05 +0000

JACKSON — State officials have signaled they could be seeking to take over an eighth school district even as they consider fundamental changes to the process of state control, called conservatorship. Mississippi’s Commission on School Accreditation is scheduled to meet Wednesday in Jackson and appears poised to declare a state of emergency in the 1,400-student [...]

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All grown up

Wally Northway — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 06:00:56 +0000

Late last month, it was announced that two companies were leaving a large facility in Jackson. But the facility’s leadership is thrilled that these tenants are vacating the premises, so much so that they held a celebration to commemorate the event. On February 25, approximately 50 people gathered for the “graduation” of Navagis, LLC, and [...]

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MEC hopes new ‘Blueprint’ as successful as first

Clay Chandler — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:40:17 +0000

Latest Blueprint Mississippi unveiled at the annual A Capital Day event last week In 2004, the Mississippi Economic Council rolled out Blueprint Mississippi and pointed toward two major initiatives: improving education and the tort climate in the State of Mississippi. There were tangible successes. Education funding increased in the years after, and tort reform, after [...]

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MEC polling finds growing support for education, training for workers

Ted Carter — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 06:00:53 +0000

Business leaders more likely to be optimistic on state economy than voters, survey finds. Mississippians don’t want the state to let up on efforts to create an educated and well-prepared workforce, a Mississippi Economic Council survey of 600 business people and voters shows They’ve witnessed the state roll up successes such as automakers Nissan and Toyota [...]

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MEC ‘voice’ a positive force for Mississippi

MBJ Staff — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 06:00:48 +0000

A look back in the archives of the Mississippi Business Journal, it’s easy to find example after example of what the Mississippi Economic Council means to the business fortunes of this state. As one Mississippi businessperson put it, the MEC is, “A respected institution whose ideas and input and help and support are sought out [...]

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Q&A: Blake Wilson, President-CEO, Mississippi Economic Council

Nash Nunnery — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 06:01:44 +0000

‘The voice of business’ When Wilson talks, the state’s top business ears listen Blake Wilson is president of the Mississippi Economic Council, serving as only the third executive of the state chamber of commerce in 50 years. The Delaware native served previously as executive vice president for the Florida Chamber of Commerce before coming to [...]

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