FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 19, 2015
For more information, contact Sandra Buckley, 601-960-3629 or sbuckley@innovate.ms
From left to right: Bubba Weir, vice president of Innovate Mississippi; Tim Coursey, executive director of the Madison County Economic Development Authority; Tony Jeff, president and CEO of Innovate Mississippi
Jackson, Miss. (November 19, 2015) –The 2015 John I. Rucker Community Innovation Leadership Award was presented to the Madison County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA) for their development of the Mississippi Bio-Medical Business Collaboratory.
The Collaboratory is the first healthcare focused entrepreneurial-based facility of its kind in Mississippi, housing a variety of healthcare technology companies and a state-of-the-art advanced surgical simulation laboratory. The overall goals of the facility are to foster the development of the bio-medical business sector in Mississippi as well as to help improve and advance the practice of healthcare through technology and training. The project will create significant job opportunities in Madison County and beyond as a result of both the ongoing operations at the Collaboratory and from companies that spin off from the Collaboratory.
“The reason the Collaboratory is so impressive is inclusion of all of the critical elements from the beginning – synergistic companies, facilities, support organizations and the right vision,” said Tony Jeff, president and CEO of Innovate Mississippi. “Innovate Mississippi is proud to be a partner and to have already seen the success MCEDA and the Mississippi Bio-Medical Business Collaboratory have had in job creation and creating new companies.”
Tim Coursey, executive director of the Madison County Economic Development Authority, accepted the award during Innovate Mississippi’s 16th Annual Conference on Technology Innovation luncheon held November 11 at the Jackson Marriott.
“MCEDA is thrilled and humbled to have received the John I. Rucker Community Innovation Leadership Award for the Mississippi Bio-Medical Business Collaboratory,” said Coursey. “Innovate Mississippi has been involved as a consulting partner for the development of the Collaboratory since we began the construction and renovation phase of it well over a year ago. Innovate Mississippi is therefore very familiar with our mission and goals for the facility and understands the possibilities we have to accelerate the growth of the bio-medical sector in Mississippi. We very much appreciate them as a partner in this unique project.”
The first Mississippi Community Technology Leadership Award was presented to John I. Rucker in 2002. In 2008, the award was renamed the John I. Rucker Community Innovation Leadership Award in honor of Rucker for his outstanding role as a visionary and economic developer.
Innovate Mississippi is a nonprofit organization with the mission to drive innovation and technology-based economic development for the State of Mississippi. Visit www.innovate.ms for more information.
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