2015 Mississippi Code
Title 57 - PLANNING, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 1 - MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
IN GENERAL
§ 57-1-5 - Executive director

(1) The Governor shall, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint an executive director who:

(a) Shall have at least a bachelor's degree, and

(b) Shall be an experienced administrator and have at least five (5) years' experience in at least one (1) of the following areas:

(i) Industrial development, or

(ii) Economic development.

(2) The executive director shall be the executive officer of the department in the execution of any and all provisions of this chapter, and his salary shall be fixed by the Governor.

(3) The executive director shall have the following powers and duties:

(a) To formulate the policy of the department regarding the economic and tourist development of the state.

(b) To use and expend any funds from state, federal or private sources coming into the department for the purposes herein provided. State funds appropriated for the department shall be expended in accordance with the regulations governing the expenditures of other state funds.

(c) To implement the duties assigned to the department and consistent with specific requirements of law, including but not limited to:

(i) Support services to include legal, finance, data processing, personnel, communications and advertising, purchasing and accounting;

(ii) Research and planning;

(iii) Outreach, agency liaison and community development;

(iv) Tourism, business travel, and film;

(v) Programs and assistance for existing state business and industry;

(vi) Recruiting new business and industry into the state;

(vii) Fostering and promoting of entrepreneurship and the creation of new business in the state;

(viii) Programs aimed at competing effectively in the international economy by increasing exports of state products and services and by promoting, developing and creating the conditions and programs that will bring about significant increases in investment in the state from other countries;

(ix) Programs relating to the development of ports;

(x) Such other areas as are within the jurisdiction and authority of the department and will foster and promote the economic development of this state;

(xi) Salaries of the associate directors, deputy directors and bureau directors may be set by the executive director of the department. The positions of associate directors, deputy directors and bureau directors shall not be state service positions.