The Vicksburg Warren Economic Development Partnership has won the 2018 Community Economic Development Award for its work in attracting Unified Brands to Warren County.

The award was presented at a Mississippi Economic Development Council luncheon Feb. 7 in Jackson.

The CEDA Awards program is a “best practices” program intended to recognize exceptional contributions of communities in the state of Mississippi for the following efforts: business retention and expansion, business recruitment, community development and community involvement.

The award was presented during a ceremony at the MEDC luncheon to Mayor George Flaggs Jr., county attorney and Chamber Board President Blake Teller and Pablo Diaz, chairman and CEO of the Vicksburg Warren Economic Development Partnership.

Unified Brands announced in August that it had selected Warren County to consolidate multiple operations across the country into one.

The project will bring 425 new jobs to Warren County with an associated investment of over $9 million. The relocation represents the largest manufacturing job creation project in Warren County in the last 15 years.

The company and site consultants visited four states and reviewed 47 properties before selecting a building in the Ceres Industrial Park in Vicksburg.

Over the course of seven months, the site consultant and the company thoroughly reviewed and approved of the workforce availability, the workforce training programs, and the community’s ability to put a deal together in a fast pace negotiating environment.

“I was honored to attend the MEDC luncheon and represent our city as we received this award,” Flaggs said.

“This is a testament to the results oriented economic development program our community is running under the leadership of the Economic Development Partnership,” he said.

“It is an honor to be part of a community that is recognized Statewide for its ability to compete, win, create jobs and attract investment,” Teller said.

“Warren County won this award because of the significance of the Unified Brands project to our community and our state, and I believe this to be testament to what we can accomplish when we come together and stick together for the future of our community.”