Mississippi is aspiring to become a place where entrepreneurs, retirees and communities can flourish.

Three representatives for the Mississippi Development Authority spoke at the monthly Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce luncheon Wednesday at the Vicksburg Convention Center.

Deputy director of the asset development team Sonny Thomas described the work MDA does through its 17 divisions and what their objectives are for the state.

He said Glenn McCullough, executive director of the MDA, has a goal to outperform Mississippi’s neighboring states on a smaller budget.

“We get more bang for our buck,” Thomas said. “Their budget is almost double ours, but we are able to get out and do it. We’ve done it with a reduced workforce.”

The asset development team has worked to map Vicksburg’s assets as well as other communities in the state. The team’s newest mission is to develop an ambassador program working with local communities through Entergy, Tennessee Valley Authority and Mississippi Power.

“We’re going to be working with these communities and the leadership in the community to let them know what MDA has to offer to help them be able to secure target industries,” Thomas said. “We do that by first building up the communities because communities are a vital part in securing businesses.”

Thomas said jobs and corporate investment have been up since Gov. Phil Bryant has been in office. Mississippi, he said, was in the top five states for permitting speed, third in labor costs, fourth in incentive programs, fifth in advanced manufacturing and the sixth most tax friendly state for businesses, among other strong marks.

“We’re holding our own, and we’re going to improve on that. That’s what we are working on improving now. Through our new program, the ambassador program, that’s what we’re trying to do,” Thomas said.

For those at the end of their career, Mississippi has become a place that is welcoming retirees. Tine Blue, hometown retirement manager of the MDA asset development team, works for the state’s retiree recruitment program by certifying retirement communities in Mississippi and promoting Mississippi as a retirement destination.

Vicksburg recently went through the certification process and will be a certified retirement community through 2020. Currently, there are 14 total certified retirement communities in Mississippi.

“These cities have gone through the application process to say they have the amenities, the features, the different attractions retirees look for when relocating,” Blue said.

For those looking to start or reinvent their career, Mississippi is offering help to those looking to have a successful business. Nash Nunnery, a development specialist with the entrepreneur center at MDA, likened the entrepreneur center to the television show Shark Tank— without millionaire investors.

“What we do it try to help entrepreneurs whether they’re aspiring or existing, trying to get there dreams going. Whether it’s a getting a business plan written, financing, help them with social marketing, public relations ideas, anything we can do to help them,” Nunnery said.

He said the best thing about the entrepreneur center is that it is completely free. Anyone looking to start any kind of business is qualified to receive help. The center also offers a minority certification program to connect the entrepreneurs to available low interest loans and possible procurement opportunities.

He echoed Gov. Bryant’s statement declaring Mississippi as the “startup state” because he said Mississippi is ranked fifth for entrepreneurial opportunities.

“Last year we had over 1,550 client consultations,” Nunnery said. “That shows you how many people want to start a business in the state of Mississippi. Out of those 1,550 we wound up with 720 new jobs created and $28 million in new investment here in the state of Mississippi.”