Columbus, Mississippi – The Golden Triangle Development LINK is pleased to announce Stark Aerospace Inc., a leading Defense and Aerospace provider, has been awarded a significant contract by the Naval Sea Systems Command, of the U.S. Navy. The contract, valued at $61,454,230.00, is for canister production in support of FY24-29 MK 41 Vertical Launch System. This contract marks a substantial milestone for Stark Aerospace, Inc., and includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $312,787,824 and reflects its commitment to delivering exceptional missile canister products and services to its customers. The contract, awarded on 21 October 2024, will see Stark Aerospace Inc., produce and deliver the MK 41 canisters to the U.S. Navy. This project is expected to enhance national security, improve infrastructure, and support advanced research, further solidifying Stark Aerospace Inc’s reputation as a trusted partner in the Defense and Aerospace industry. “We are honored and excited to have been selected for this important project,” said David Alabed, President and CEO of Stark Aerospace, Inc. “This contract not only reflects our team's hard work and dedication but also underscores our capability to deliver high-quality products that meet the rigorous standards of our U.S. Military and the Warfighters. We look forward to working closely with the U.S. Navy and contributing to the success of this vital initiative.” "This contract is a huge win for Stark Aerospace and the Golden Triangle,” said Joe Max Higgins, CEO of the Golden Triangle Development LINK. “It brings quality jobs, strengthens our economy, and highlights the world-class manufacturing happening right here in Mississippi. We’re proud to support Stark as they contribute to our national defense and regional growth." This contract win is a testament to Stark’s ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence in the Defense and Aerospace industry. The Company’s proven track record in Missile Canister production played a crucial role in securing this award. This award significantly benefits the Golden Triangle Region and Northern Mississippi, underscoring our commitment to driving economic growth and supporting our local community. About Stark Aerospace Inc. : Stark is a Defense and Aerospace Product and Parts manufacturer of Missile Systems and Loitering Munitions putting Quality as the top priority. Founded in 2006, Stark has consistently demonstrated excellence in the industry and is dedicated to providing, “Excellence in All We Do.” Read more about Stark Aerospace at www.starkaerospace.com

Columbus, MS– The Golden Triangle Development LINK is proud to announce that Chief Operating Officer Meryl Fisackerly has been named one of the “50 Under 50 Economic Developers to Watch” by Southern Business and Development magazine. This prestigious recognition is featured in the magazine’s Summer 2024 edition. Meryl Fisackerly has been instrumental in driving growth and fostering strong partnerships within the Golden Triangle Region, which includes Columbus, Starkville, and West Point, Mississippi. Under her leadership, the Golden Triangle Development LINK has attracted significant investments, strengthened workforce development initiatives, and supported local businesses through various programs and partnerships. "It’s an honor to be recognized among such talented individuals who are shaping the future of economic development in the South,” said Fisackerly. "This recognition reflects the hard work and collaboration of the entire LINK team, and I’m excited to continue working on behalf of our region.” Joe Max Higgins, CEO of the Golden Triangle Development LINK, praised Fisackerly's dedication, stating, "Meryl's leadership, vision, and commitment to excellence have played a key role in the success of the Golden Triangle. This recognition is well-deserved, and we are proud to have her on our team." Southern Business and Development is a leading publication covering economic development news, trends, and insights across the Southern United States. Their “50 Under 50” list shines a spotlight on young leaders who are making a significant impact in the field of economic development. 

Columbus, MS – The Golden Triangle Development LINK is excited to announce that Rural King, a prominent agriculture and home retailer, plans to expand its operations to Columbus, Mississippi. The proposed project, pending approval from the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors on Monday, October 7, would see Rural King occupy the former Kmart building, which has been vacant since its closure in November 2018. Rural King’s investment of $8 million will transform the 110,000 square-foot building, utilizing 90,000 square feet for its store and renovating the remaining 20,000 square feet for another retailer, yet to be named. This development is expected to create 60 to 70 full and part-time jobs, contributing an annual payroll of $1 million to the local economy. Full-time employees will benefit from competitive pay and benefits, including health, dental, and vision insurance, profit sharing, 401(k) matching, and paid time off. Construction and renovations are set to begin in 2025, with the store opening slated for 2026. "We are pleased about the potential of bringing Rural King to Columbus," said Joe Max Higgins, CEO of the Golden Triangle Development LINK. "This project would not only bring valuable jobs to the area but also repurpose a long-vacant property."  While the Golden Triangle Development LINK is not contracted to recruit retail businesses for any of the three counties it represents, the LINK does provide technical services, demographic information and help structuring incentives. Rural King has requested financial support from the City and County in the form of tax incentives, including: 100% reimbursement of the city’s allotment of sales tax generated by the retailer for years one through five. 50% reimbursement of the city’s allotment of sales tax generated by the retailer for years six through 10. Abatement of 50% of new city and county ad valorem property tax for years one through 10 that would come from an increase in property value. This excludes all school taxes and the current city and county ad valorem taxes. The tax incentives are capped at $2 million or 10 years. This collaborative effort aims to ensure the project’s success and continued economic development in the region.

Aerosystems manufacturing company Aurora Flight Sciences is expanding in Columbus. The project is a $43,794,998 investment and will create 63 new jobs. The company is adding 50,000 square feet of new manufacturing space onto its existing aerosystems production facility. The company also is refurbishing 40,000 square feet, adding new equipment and machining and improving its automated fiber placement technology. The Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance through the Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive, or MFLEX, program. AccelerateMS and Lowndes County also are assisting with the project. A subsidiary of Boeing, Aurora Flight Sciences designs, builds and flies advanced aircraft and enabling technologies for commercial and defense applications. The company opened its Columbus facility in 2005. Aurora Flight Sciences plans to fill the 63 new jobs by the end of 2025. QUOTES “This investment by Aurora Flight Sciences is further proof that Mississippi is an outstanding location for cutting-edge aerospace manufacturing. The Golden Triangle Region is a hotspot for aerospace excellence, and its skilled pipeline of experienced workers ensures companies like Aurora Flight Sciences remain at the forefront of the industry. Congratulations to the Aurora team on this latest expansion and I wish them many more successful years in Lowndes County.” – Gov. Tate Reeves “Mississippi is having a remarkable year in terms of economic growth throughout the state, and this significant expansion by Aurora Flight Sciences continues that upward trend. Some of the most advanced aerospace work performed anywhere in the world takes place in Mississippi. Now, more than five dozen Mississippians will have new opportunities to take on exciting new jobs with this leading aerosystems company. MDA is proud to support Aurora Flight Sciences as it continues to be an integral component of Lowndes County’s economic landscape.” – Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Bill Cork “Aurora is proud to bring this investment to the community. Since coming to Mississippi in 2005, our manufacturing business has grown exponentially. This success would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of Aurora’s team members here in Columbus. We are thankful for our incredible employees and for the continued support of local organizations such as the Mississippi Development Authority and Golden Triangle Development LINK.” – Aurora Flight Sciences Vice President of Manufacturing Luke Colville “This is Aurora’s third expansion since they located in the Golden Triangle. Their commitment to advancing our aerospace sector at GTRA is greatly appreciated. Now that they are part of the Boeing family we expect that this expansion, will likely not be their last.” – Golden Triangle Development LINK Chief Executive Officer Joe Max Higgins For more information on Aurora Flight Sciences, visit their website at www.aurora.aero .

Golden Triangle, Columbus, Mississippi--Over 120 guests participated in the grand opening of Terberg Taylor Americas May 8 at their beautiful new world-class facility in Lowndes County, which was an event that saw two family-owned companies seeing their business ideas come to reality and achievement. At the front of this beautiful new building the event commenced with a ribbon-cutting ceremony conducted by the 4th and 5th generations of the Terberg and Taylor families. Pastor Heath Hillman delivered the building dedication mentioning Taylor’s Watch Words, “Faith • Vision • Work” is not just a slogan, but a lifestyle and a legacy for these families. It is the hard work and dedication of the men and women throughout the history of both companies that brought this event into existence. It was just a little over a year ago that the first shovel of dirt was dug for the groundbreaking of this state-of-the-art Terberg Taylor Americas manufacturing facility. This facility was developed to mirror the exact proven production process of the Benschop Netherlands facility to reach the highest production capacity possible. The ceremony continued inside the production area, where Robert Taylor, President of Terberg Taylor Americas, thanked all the companies involved, from the dirt work to the building contractor, Rozier Construction. “What a great day to celebrate our teammates and the people who constructed this great facility. We thank everyone that was involved in making this a reality”, stated Robert Taylor. The ceremony continued with Godfried Terberg, Chairman of the Board of Royal Terberg group, expressing his pleasure in the opening of this facility as it is the second Terberg manufacturing facility to be in the United States. Godfried Terberg said, “I am proud of the huge effort made by the committed workers to build this plant within one year and we look forward to serving our USA clients together with the Taylor family.” Also, a statue was unveiled as Godfried Terberg shared with the onlooking guest the Terberg custom to gift a bronze statue to each opening facility for the enjoyment of their employees and future guests. Guests then had the opportunity to tour the entire facility where the production team eagerly answered questions and shared the production line process. The meeting was concluded with an informal lunch of traditional Southern barbeque. The Terberg and Taylor families, along with the Terberg Taylor Americas team of employees are excited to be a part of the history in the making with start-up of this new Mississippi-based company and the impact it will have not only on our state but also customers throughout the world.

Meryl Fisackerly, CEcD

On Monday, BETA Technologies flew its all-electric ALIA aircraft into Golden Triangle Regional Airport, conducting the inaugural charge on the newly commissioned airside charger. Golden Triangle Regional Airport (GTR) has partnered with BETA, an electric aerospace company based in Burlington, Vermont, and Avflight, a global fixed-base operator, to install and commission the first-ever electric aviation charging station in the state of Mississippi. 4-County Electric Power Association served as the utility partner in bringing these chargers online for public access at the regional airport. BETA’s charging stations are multimodal and interoperable, capable of powering electric aircraft and ground vehicles alike. The chargers are designed with the combined charging system standard to prioritize vehicle compatibility — offering universal utility to benefit the varied patrons of Avflight and GTR. “The Golden Triangle Regional Airport is excited to announce the opening of Mississippi's first electric aircraft charger,” says Executive Director Matt Dowell. “This new installation is a significant step toward advancing the airport and region's aviation infrastructure and supporting the growth of electric aircraft technology.” Executive Director of the Golden Triangle Development LINK, Joe Max Higgins, adds, “The Golden Triangle region is at the forefront of economic development in the Southeast. BETA’s decision to place the state’s first electric charging station for aircraft at the Golden Triangle Regional Airport is an indication that we are bringing leading technology to our state.” GTR has installed one Level 3 Fast-Charger located inside the fence (air side), which will primarily be used by electric aircraft, and one Level 2 Charger located outside the fence (car side), which will primarily be used by members of the public who drive electric vehicles. With this new infrastructure, the airport is well-positioned to support the electric transportation future. “As electric transportation continues to grow, and electric aviation specifically moves closer to market operations, charging infrastructure will only become more and more important,” states Nate Ward, BETA’s Head of Network Development. “We’re excited to have partners like Golden Triangle Regional and Avflight, whose foresight and innovative approach are leading the entire state of Mississippi forward. As we continue to deploy our chargers in key markets, and as the entire industry continues to grow, these chargers will help accelerate connectivity across the country." “We are proud to have collaborated with airport leadership and BETA Technologies to bring the latest in sustainable energy to GTR,” says Garrett Hain, Avflight’s Vice President of Finance and Treasurer. “By offering a fast commercial charging station on the Avflight ramp, along with a dual port electric vehicle charger for the parking lot, we’re able to host an array of sustainably-powered vehicles, including industry-leading options, like BETA’s ALIA-250 Aircraft. It’s not only an investment in our FBO and airport, but also an investment in our community and environment.” To celebrate this milestone, GTR held a commissioning event on February 9, with representatives from GTR, BETA, and Avflight in attendance. BETA also flew its all-electric ALIA aircraft into GTR to receive the inaugural airside charge. The aircraft — one of two configurations BETA is currently developing and certifying with the FAA — arrived in Mississippi following a demonstration in Houma, Louisiana, with partners at Bristow, and a months-long deployment with the U.S. Air Force at Duke Field in Florida. “This project marks an exciting advancement in aviation, and we're proud Neel-Schaffer contributed to bringing Mississippi its first electric aircraft charging station,” shares Joshua P. Stump, P.E., Senior Project Manager at Neel-Schaffer, Inc. “Our team was honored to conduct plan reviews to optimize for future development and create a safety action plan for the project. We're excited to see the project used by the aviation community, as it truly represents innovation and the future of aviation engineering.” This effort was a collaboration among many entities including Mississippi State University. Rob Premo, Director of MSU’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory, notes, “Raspet shares BETA’s future – a focused approach to redefine the limits of modern aviation. The location of BETA’s new charging facility at GTR promises to create expanded opportunities for us to work together to further advance aviation research as we continue to explore safe integration of our national airspace.” “We are thrilled that BETA Technologies has chosen to lease land to operate an aircraft electrical charging facility near Mississippi State University, home to the Federal Aviation Administration’s Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ASSURE) and the Raspet Flight Research Laboratory,” adds Stephen P. Luxion, Executive Director of ASSURE. “Previous collaboration with BETA in surveying and forecasting the AAM industry for the FAA has laid the groundwork for safely integrating this this emerging technology into the nation’s airspace. With BETA right next door, we eagerly anticipate future opportunities to join forces and propel this new technology to new heights.” This new charge site in Mississippi is part of a growing national network of electric infrastructure that BETA is building out across the U.S. Over the past several months, BETA has commissioned five chargers in five states and has sold chargers to the Department of Defense, Atlantic Aviation and Archer Aviation. Currently, BETA has chargers online at 18 site locations from Vermont to Arkansas, Alabama and Florida — with more than 55 additional sites in development for public and private use by commercial, military and medical entities.

Golden Triangle, Mississippi-The Golden Triangle Development LINK is thrilled to announce the graduation of Leah Upton, Director of Finance, from the 2023 Emerging Leaders Fellows program, organized by the Mississippi Economic Development Council (MEDC). Upton's successful completion of this rigorous year-long course is a testament to her dedication and leadership within our organization. The Emerging Leaders Fellows program, initiated by MEDC in 2019, serves as a platform to nurture the talents of emerging professionals in economic development. Through a series of statewide regional training sessions and immersive experiences, fellows like Upton gain invaluable insights and forge meaningful connections with peers and industry leaders. Upton's achievement was celebrated during the prestigious 2024 MEDC Awards Luncheon held on February 8th at the Westin in Jackson, where she joined fellow graduates from across Mississippi in being recognized for their accomplishments. As an organization committed to fostering talent and driving economic growth in the Golden Triangle region, The LINK congratulates Leah on this significant milestone. We encourage others to follow in her footsteps and explore the opportunities offered by the Emerging Leaders Fellows program. For those interested in joining the next cohort of emerging leaders, MEDC is currently accepting applications for the 2024 program until February 29th at 5 PM. To learn more about this initiative, please visit https://medc.ms/emerging-leaders-fellows .

Meryl Fisackerly, Chief Operating Officer of the Golden Triangle Development LINK recently completed the Advanced Economic Development Leadership executive education program and was awarded the Economic Development Master Practitioner (EcDMP) certificate. She has been in economic development for 6 years. Fisackerly stated, "AEDL proved to be among the most all-encompassing leadership programs I've encountered. The material and speakers, experts in their respective fields, delivered pertinent and relatable content. I'm grateful for the chance to attain this designation and I gained a wealth of knowledge throughout this journey." AEDL is a collaboration of four universities – Valdosta State University, The University of Southern Mississippi, Texas Christian University, and the University of New Mexico. These four universities are committed to excellence in economic development and advancing the knowledge, skills, and application of key job creation strategies in America’s cities, communities, and counties. It is an immersive and challenging program. The experiential curriculum enhances key skills necessary for leading successful community and economic development strategies. Led by experienced world-class faculty, program topics include negotiation; retail and commercial development; personal and professional leadership; navigating the new normal in the world of COVID; communications and media relations; marketing in a social media environment; strategic planning and application; successful teamwork; attracting new industry and entrepreneurship. The Advanced Economic Development Leadership course accepts mid and senior-level practitioners from across the U.S.