Jackson State to Host 5th Annual West Tennessee Economic Summit

Oct 3rd, 2008

Jackson, Tenn. -- Jackson State Community College will host its fifth annual West Tennessee economic summit, titled 'Economic Fitness For West Tennessee' on Tuesday, October 14 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. in the Ayers Auditorium of the McWherter Center.

The keynote speaker of the day is Pete Johnson, federal co-chairman of Delta Regional Authority. Johnson was nominated in March 2001 by President Bush as the first federal co-chairman of the Delta Regional Authority. He was unanimously confirmed by the Senate in September 2001.

Johnson, an Alexandria, La. native, comes from a long line of public servants. Both his grandfather and his uncle served as governor of Mississippi. Johnson also served in statewide office as Mississippi's state auditor. In 1992, Johnson was appointed by the president to serve as the Mississippi director of the Farmers Home Administration. In that job, he coordinated one of the largest rural development programs in the country. Prior to his current appointment, Johnson practiced law in Clarksdale.

Johnson received his bachelor's degree from the University of Mississippi at Oxford in 1971 and his law degree from the Jackson School of Law (now the Mississippi College School of Law) in 1974. He joined the Bank of Clarksdale as a senior vice president after receiving his law degree. Johnson was recognized as one of Mississippi's top leaders by the Mississippi Economic Council. He also served as the president of Young Bankers Section of the Mississippi Bankers Association. After leaving the banking profession, Johnson formed a financial planning firm. He was appointed by the governor of Mississippi in 1984 to chair the Mississippi Marketing Council.

Johnson has long been active in Delta civic affairs. He has served as president of the Clarksdale-Coahoma County Chamber of Commerce and as director of the Delta Council's Community and Industrial Development Board. In 1987, Johnson was awarded the Goodman, Chaney, Schwerner Award by the NAACP for his commitment to equal rights for all Americans.

Other summit features are a panel of financial experts including: Gary Grisham, president of Jackson region of BancorpSouth; Jim England, president of Decatur County Bank; and Jim Ayers, chairman of the board of FirstBank. Joe Barker, executive director, Southwest Tennessee Development District and Franklin Smith, mayor of Haywood County, will be speaking on mega sites. Also featured are representatives from various agencies and entities to discuss their services for economic development in communities.

The summit is held each year for community, civic, industry and educational leaders in West Tennessee to promote economic growth in the region.

This year's summit is being sponsored in part by Jackson State Community College's Center of Emphasis, the UT Institution for Public Service, Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce, USDA, AT&T, Tennessee Small Business Development Center and Workforce Investment Act.

The summit is free and open to the public. Make reservations by calling Heather Freeman at 425-2602 or e-mail economicsummit@jscc.edu.



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