About the Foundation
Jackson County Economic Development Foundation (JCEDF) is a public-private partnership focused on growing and diversifying the economy through public policy and economic and workforce development.
The Foundation provides a unified and comprehensive approach to economic development in a highly competitive business location environment. The Foundation is committed to preparing and aggressively searching out new business and investment opportunities to help our county thrive.
The Jackson County Economic Development Foundation staff is committed to creating jobs, generating capital investment, increasing the quality of life in this area, and diversifying industry.
George L. Freeland, Jr.
Executive Director
gfreeland@jcedf.org
Mary Martha Henson
Deputy Director
mhenson@jcedf.org
Hope O’Brien
Executive Assistant & Office Manager
hobrien@jcedf.org
Greg Cronin, Chairman
Corporate Sector at Large
Jerry St. Pé, Vice-Chairman
Corporate Sector at Large
Cynthia Baber-Strunk, Treasurer
Corporate Sector at Large
Brian Blanchette
Corporate Sector at Large
Clayton Legear
Corporate Sector at Large
Tim Potter
Corporate Sector at Large
Hank Torjusen
Corporate Sector at Large
Barry Cumbest
President
Jackson County Board of Supervisors
Troy Ross
Jackson County Board of Supervisors
Mayor Casey Vaughan
City of Gautier
Mayor Billy Knight
City of Moss Point
Mayor Bobby Cox
City of Ocean Springs
Mayor Jay Willis
City of Pascagoula
Jimmy Heidelberg
Jackson County Port Authority Commissioner
Benny Lassiter
Jackson County Port Authority Commissioner
Royce Cumbest
Honorary Board Member
As a leading Jackson County change agent, the JCEDF is engaged in several public policy initiatives. These include:
- S.O.S. Pascagoula. This collaborative effort including the JCEDF, city and county officials, and other stakeholders works to remedy the negative effects of a FEMA-imposed “substantial flood improvement rule” that stalls the development of new and improved housing. As the lead entity, the Foundation works closely with federal and state partners on this project to ensure adequate workforce housing for Jackson County.
- P3: Passion. Purpose. Paycheck. This ongoing program provides career coaching in each of Jackson County’s seven high schools along with a dynamic mobile application through Merit which features a resume component and TikTok-style videos that introduce high school students to real-time employees of local employers such as Chevron, Ingalls, the University of Southern Mississippi, Singing River Health Systems, and others. Additionally, the program surveys students through a nationally recognized aptitude program, YouScience, which helps guide students along a pathway to find their “passion,” then their “purpose.”
- Strategic Innovation Plan. Working alongside a nationally-recognized consulting firm, the JCEDF is developing a strategic innovation plan to grow the innovation economy with an emphasis on how best to capitalize on the assets of existing defense and other industry, higher education, and federal agencies while considering Jackson County’s vast natural environment and quality of life features.
Key Advantages
Why Jackson County
JCEDF: Public & Private Partnerships
