After missing two years to the pandemic, GCBC held our annual “State of the Coast Economy Symposium” on May 24, 2023, at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino.
The largest annual symposium ever, GCBC hosted nearly 600 regional business leaders. Executive committee chairman, Kari Wilkinson, President, Ingalls Shipbuilding, opened the program, and new GCBC president and CEO Jamie Miller delivered updates on GCBC’s activities and growth.
The keynote speaker, Peter Richiutti, a business professor from Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business and a national economics expert, provided an informative and educational overview of the national and regional economy.
GCBC president & CEO, Jamie Miller, also presented information on key regional data and economic indicators, including trends over the last several years—prior to, during and post-pandemic.
The symposium concluded with the announcement of the winners of the first-ever Rising Tide Awards. Based on a saying that “a rising tide lifts all boats,” the GCBC seeks to recognize a public official and a private sector company or organization each year with these awards. The recognition will go to people who invest their heart, time, and resources into transforming the Coast into a better place to live and work.
The 2023 private sector Rising Tide Award Winner was Ocean Aero, Inc. (pictured at the top of this post). Ocean Aero created the world’s first and only environmentally powered Autonomous Underwater and Surface Vehicle (AUSV), the TRITON. It collects data above and below the ocean’s surface and relays it to individuals from anywhere, at any time. The company relocated its headquarters from San Diego to Gulfport in 2022. Local, state, and federal officials worked collaboratively to invest millions into its operation.
The 2023 public official winner of the Rising Tide Award was state Rep. John Read, who represents District 112 in Jackson County and has served in the Mississippi Legislature since 1993, was awarded the 2023 public official Rising Tide Award. He has chaired the Appropriations Committee for the past seven years and presided over the largest budget in the state’s history. From that budget, the Coast received more than $220 million for various programs and projects.
The 2023 State of the Coast Symposium was a huge success and provided a blueprint for future annual meetings. The GCBC intends to use this event to inform and educate attendees on key economic data, factors, and drivers. We are also excited about the Rising Tide Awards and our ability to recognize companies and individuals playing such a critical role in our region.
