Mississippi Business Journal » Leland Speed

New MDA chief enters arena in competitive fashion

Ted Carter — Sun, 27 May 2012 06:01:16 +0000

The background of Brent Christensen, the new executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority, stacks up well against his rivals around the South, a review of the professional biographies of the chief executives of several nearby states shows. One of those rivals, Florida’s Gray Swoope, is well known in Mississippi, having led the Mississippi Development [...]

The post New MDA chief enters arena in competitive fashion appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

With Brent Christensen, Mississippi Development Authority gets its man

Ted Carter — Sun, 20 May 2012 06:01:53 +0000

In Gray Swoope, Mississippi lost its last top economic development professional to Florida in the spring of 2011. Now Mississippi has reached into Florida to bring Brent Christensen, Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce chief, to the Magnolia State as a replacement. Christensen, a 10-year-year president and CEO of the Gainesville Chamber, will start work sometime [...]

The post With Brent Christensen, Mississippi Development Authority gets its man appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

Barksdale comments on Christensen hire as chief of Miss. Development Authority

Stephen McDill — Sun, 20 May 2012 06:01:13 +0000

Upon announcing the appointment of Brent Christensen to the directorship of the Mississippi Development Authority, Gov. Phil Bryant recalled joking about the salary with current interim chief Jim Barksdale. “I told (Barksdale) I would double what Leland Speed was making,” Bryant said. “Leland was making a dollar a year.” The governor has an eye for [...]

The post Barksdale comments on Christensen hire as chief of Miss. Development Authority appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

MDA salary bill awaits Bryant’s signature

Clay Chandler — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 06:01:26 +0000

Gov. Phil Bryant received a bill late last week that would allow private money to supplement the salary of whoever is the next executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority. Internet technology pioneer Jim Barksdale currently serves in that position on an interim basis, for the price of $1 a year. His predecessor, Leland Speed, [...]

The post MDA salary bill awaits Bryant’s signature appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

Coming home, part 2- “Reshoring” could reenergize U.S. manufacturing

Ted Carter — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 06:01:55 +0000

As director of Mississippi State University’s Franklin Furniture Institute, Bill Martin has an up-close familiarity with the American “reshoring” trend, especially its implications for furniture manufacturing in Mississippi. He’s not convinced the trend of factories leaving China to return to the United States has arrived in Mississippi, but change is under way and the Magnolia [...]

The post Coming home, part 2- “Reshoring” could reenergize U.S. manufacturing appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

EastGroup an entity all its own

Ted Carter — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 06:00:22 +0000

While Parkway Properties is shifting its operations to Orlando and selling off nearly all its Jackson office properties, a company often incorrectly thought of as a cousin to Parkway — EastGroup Properties — is staying put in Mississippi’s capital. EastGroup CEO David H. Hoster II says the only reason his company and Parkway are believed [...]

The post EastGroup an entity all its own appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

Receipts show spending at gay sex shops by Southaven mayor

Associated Press — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:43:56 +0000

Receipts show Southaven Mayor Greg Davis, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2008 on a family-values platform, charged the city $67 for a purchase at a gay sex shop in Canada. The Mississippi auditor on Nov. 2 demanded Davis pay back more than $170,000 for personal expenses billed to taxpayers. There are no [...]

The post Receipts show spending at gay sex shops by Southaven mayor appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

Read the October 3rd issue of the MBJ online

MBJ Staff — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:51:09 +0000

In this week’s MBJ, Clay Chandler examines whether there is a megasite available for a new Hyundai plant. The MDA’s Leland Speed says there are no sites available. However, the East Mississippi Business Development Corp. executive director Wade Jones says the 1,400-acre Kewanee site is still available for Hyundai or anyone else that wants it. [...]

The post Read the October 3rd issue of the MBJ online appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

Speed not conceding in fight against eminent domain

Ted Carter — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 06:00:34 +0000

Things haven’t been going Leland Speed’s way in his court challenges to a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would curb Mississippi’s power to take private property for large economic development projects But don’t look for Speed, a real estate executive and interim Mississippi Development Authority chief, to walk away from the fight. “I’m [...]

The post Speed not conceding in fight against eminent domain appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

Rogers resigns as CEO at Parkway Properties

MBJ Staff — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 22:27:43 +0000

JACKSON — Parkway Properties, Inc. (NYSE: PKY) announced Friday that Steven G. Rogers has resigned as President, Chief Executive Officer and director effective December 31, 2011. Mr. Rogers will continue in his current roles until year end, and during this period will transition his leadership responsibilities to James R. Heistand, current Executive Chairman. Heistand will [...]

The post Rogers resigns as CEO at Parkway Properties appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.