John I. Rucker Community Innovation Leadership Award presented to the Mississippi State University Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Program

Optimized-John I. Rucker AwardInnovate Mississippi’s 2014 John I. Rucker Community Innovation Leadership Award was presented to the Mississippi State University (MSU) Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Program.

Innovate Mississippi presents this award to recognize outstanding efforts that have been formed in partnership with academia, government and the private sector with the mission to drive innovation-led economic development that benefits high-growth companies and communities.

“The Mississippi State University Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Program is connecting the dots for rural entrepreneurs and bringing them access to resources from all over the state,” said Tony Jeff, president and CEO of Innovate Mississippi.

The MSU Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Program was selected for their outstanding efforts in strengthening communities, growing companies, developing entrepreneurs and expanding manufacturing clusters. Formed by a coalition of five Mississippi State University entities, the Mississippi Development Authority and Innovate Mississippi, the program was funded by four federal agencies.

“I am honored to receive this prestigious award on behalf of the broader Mississippi State University Rural Jobs Accelerator team and our strategic partners, Mississippi Development Authority and Innovate Mississippi,” said Clay Walden, Ph.D., the MSU Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Program principal investigator. “As we enter into the last year of the program, we are proud to report that we have already exceeded our objectives with over 700 jobs created and facilitating over $31 million in private investment. It has been exciting to see efforts make a difference across the Delta and Appalachian areas of our state.”

Walden, along with Kathy Gelston, MSU associate vice president for corporate engagement and economic development, received the award on behalf of the MSU Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Program during Innovate Mississippi’s 15th Annual Conference on Technology Innovation luncheon held November 5 at the Jackson Convention Complex.

The first Mississippi Community Technology Leadership Award was presented to John 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.

###