THE TOWN OF PELAHATCHIE-YOGI BEAR'S JELLYSTONE RESORT
Nominated by Central Mississippi Planning and Development District
-In an effort to generate more revenue for the city of Pelahatchie, the town worked with a team of developers to turn an existing park at Pelahatchie Lake into a family-oriented resort – Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Resort. With what began as a $3 million investment in a park with two employees, one cabin, a boat ramp and 13 RV sites, the developers worked with the city to build an infrastructure for a resort which has now created 25 new full-time jobs with up to 75 expected during peak season, 24 cabins, 146 RV sites and many other improvements.  Since the opening of Yogi Bear’s Resort, Pelahatchie has collected its highest sales, water and sewer tax revenues in the town’s history.

THE NOXUBEE ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE, NOXUBEE COUNTY, MS
Nominated by Brian Wilson, Executive Director, Noxubee Economic and Community Development Alliance
-In a strategic planning effort known as the Noxubee Renaissance, a cross section of Noxubee county came together to identify priorities for its future growth and development.  As a result, the creation of a full-time public-private partnership dedicated to the promotion of economic development, tourism, and community development in Noxubee County was formed, called the Noxubee Alliance.  Since then, the Alliance has created a Small Business Revolving Loan Fund, an Ecotourism Initiative, and recently finalized their first economic development project, the recruitment of Koch Foods, creating an additional 400 jobs.

TEAM LEAKE, LEAKE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI
Nominated by Linda Shepard, Executive Director, Leake County Development Association
-An effort to bring representatives from the City of Carthage, Town of Lena, Town of Walnut Grove, Leake County Board of Supervisors, Leake County Board of Education and board members from the Leake County Chamber of Commerce and Leake County Development Association resulted in a strategic vision for Leake county which yielded a total of 64 focus areas in business development, social infrastructure, physical infrastructure and workforce development. Through the committed efforts of volunteers from each of these townships and organizations, the creation of Carthage Mainstreet;  the Leake County Tourism Council; a Boys and Girls Club, the restoration of Carthage Elementary School, the McMillin Park re-design; an education summit to target the need for additional course offerings, and physical infrastructure improvements that now identify Leake County as a Storm Ready Community by the National Weather Service; Leake County is well on its way to completing all of its goals.

TUPELO/LEE COUNTY RECRUITMENT AND HOSPITALITY PROGRAM
Nominated by the Community Development Foundation
-This community designed a hospitality program to engage the community in community development recruitment activities that would recruit employees to the area, and at the same time, offer the tools to local businesses to enable them to prepare for the arrival of Toyota and other companies locating in the Tupelo area. The Hospitality Program works closely with existing and new companies to evaluate their needs and the needs of business professionals and their families being recruited.  The program then designs an itinerary to orient each individual or family to the area based on their stated needs or desires. It has already helped to successfully place many new employee recruits and their families in the Tupelo area.