Jackson, Miss. – Gov. Phil Bryant has proclaimed November 2014 as Innovation Month in Mississippi.
“Mississippi’s economy continues to grow, and last year it topped $105 billion,” Gov. Bryant said. “In today’s climate, it’s essential to have innovative ideas and approaches to drive job growth, to fuel expansion and to adapt to market changes and industry trends.”
The proclamation highlights Mississippi’s innovations in agriculture, economic development, disaster preparedness and recovery, education, energy, entrepreneurship, fine arts, government, health care, information and communications technology, national security, manufacturing, space exploration and tourism.
Gov. Bryant also noted that 2014 has been declared the “Year of the Creative Economy in Mississippi, celebrating the contribution of an “array of creative and innovative citizens, businesses and places that greatly contribute to the Mississippi economy.”
Innovations across a broad swath of industries in 2014 have contributed to the creation of more than 7,000 new jobs in Mississippi.
Area Development magazine has rated Mississippi in its 2014 list of best states for doing business, ranking the state No. 5 in speed of permitting and labor climate among right-to-work states, No. 6 in most favorable regulatory environment and No. 3 in competitive labor costs. The Fraser Institute also ranked Mississippi No. 2 in the world for oil and gas investment.
The proclamation highlights Innovation Month events in the state, including TEDx Jackson and Innovate Mississippi’s 15th Annual Conference on Technology Innovation.
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