Gulf Coast Business Council

06/08/2026

📢 GULFPORT CITY COUNCIL WARD 2 SPECIAL ELECTION

Your vote helps shape the future of our businesses, and our community.

Whether you live in Ward 2, own a business in Gulfport, employ local workers, or simply care about the direction of the city, this election matters. The decisions made by Gulfport's City Council impact public safety, economic development, infrastructure, workforce growth, and the overall quality of life for everyone who calls Coastal Mississippi home.

🗳️ Election Day: June 9, 2026

Strong leadership and informed voters help build a stronger Coastal Mississippi.

✅ Get Out the Vote.

06/08/2026

Congratulations to Gulf Blue on being named the recipient of the 2026 Rising Tide Award at the 2026 State of the Coast Symposium 🏆

The Rising Tide Award recognizes organizations making a significant impact on economic growth, innovation, and regional competitiveness along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Through its leadership in advancing the blue economy, supporting entrepreneurs, and connecting innovative companies with industry, university, state, and federal partners, Gulf Blue is helping position Coastal Mississippi as a hub for maritime innovation and technology commercialization.

Since launching, the program has graduated four cohorts and helped create an estimated $17 million in potential economic impact while building a stronger pipeline of companies focused on coastal resilience, maritime technologies, and economic development.

We are proud to recognize the The University of Southern Mississippi Research Foundation and the Gulf Blue team for their continued commitment to innovation and opportunity across our region.

The University of Southern Mississippi Research Foundation's Gulf Blue Navigator received the Gulf Coast Business Council's (GCBC) Rising Tide Award during the 2026 State of the Coast Symposium in May. The award recognizes organizations that advance economic growth and innovation along the Mississip...

06/01/2026

Final Reminder 🚨 Nominations for the 2026 Business & Leadership Awards close TODAY June 1.

Do you know a business owner, executive, entrepreneur, or community leader making a lasting impact on the Mississippi Gulf Coast?

Now is the time to recognize them.

Presented by the Gulf Coast Business Council and William Carey University, these awards celebrate leadership, integrity, innovation, and service across our region.

Awards include:
• Small Business & Community Leadership Award
• Dr. Joseph C. Canizaro Corporate Leadership Award

Awards Luncheon: June 23, 2026
The Great Southern Club | Gulfport, MS

Submit your nomination before the deadline here: https://msgcbc.org/2026-business-leadership-awards/

05/29/2026

Leadership looks different at every level. Sometimes it’s a small business owner creating jobs and pouring back into the community. Sometimes it’s a corporate or organizational leader driving regional impact and innovation.

The 2026 Business & Leadership Awards Luncheon was created to honor both.

The Gulf Coast Business Council and William Carey University invite you to nominate a deserving leader for one of this year’s awards:

🏆 Small Business & Community Leadership Award
🏆 Dr. Joseph C. Canizaro Corporate Leadership Award

If someone’s leadership has made a meaningful impact on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, we want to hear their story.

Learn more and nominate here: https://msgcbc.org/2026-business-leadership-awards/

⏰ Nominations close Monday June 1, 2026.

05/27/2026

The Gulf Coast is filled with leaders making a difference in business, education, nonprofits, entrepreneurship, and community impact. Now’s your chance to help recognize them.

Nominations are officially open for the 2026 Business & Leadership Awards Luncheon, presented by the Gulf Coast Business Council and William Carey University.

Learn more and nominate here: https://msgcbc.org/2026-business-leadership-awards/

We are seeking nominations for two distinguished honors:
🏆 Small Business & Community Leadership Award
🏆 Dr. Joseph C. Canizaro Corporate Leadership Award

These awards celebrate leaders whose work strengthens our economy, communities, and region.

Candidates may self-nominate.

📆 Nomination Deadline: Monday June 1, 2026
🍴 Awards Luncheon: Tuesday June 23, 2026 at The Great Southern Club in Gulfport

Help us celebrate the people leading the Mississippi Gulf Coast forward.

05/27/2026

Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 StartUP Gulf Coast Pitch Competition! 🎉 We were blown away by the creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit showcased throughout the day during Innovation Week in partnership with StartUp Gulf Coast and Gulf Blue at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center.

Main Street Track Winners:
🥇 Light Carriers
🥈 Smokin' Guns Shooting Academy
🥉 Tailor-Made Tours

Tech Track Winners:
🥇 Prosentra
🥈 Codify AI
🥉 BVY

Thank you to every entrepreneur who applied, pitched, and shared their vision with our community. The future of innovation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast is bright.

A special thank you to Kevin Decker, CEO of Ocean Aero, for delivering an inspiring keynote on innovation, leadership, and the future of technology and entrepreneurship.

We’re also incredibly grateful to the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center for hosting this year’s competition and helping us create such an impactful experience for founders, judges, partners, and attendees.

Thank you to our judges, mentors, sponsors, volunteers, and community partners for supporting the next generation of Gulf Coast businesses and innovators.

05/26/2026

What does it take for Coastal Mississippi to remain competitive in a rapidly changing economy?

That was the focus of the 7th Annual State of the Coast Symposium hosted by the Gulf Coast Business Council at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino.

This year’s event brought together business leaders, elected officials, educators, entrepreneurs, and community stakeholders for important conversations around:
• Economic competitiveness
• Innovation and entrepreneurship
• Artificial intelligence
• Workforce development
• Regional alignment
• The future of the Mississippi Gulf Coast

Thank you again to our keynote speaker Jason Feifer, Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine, for an engaging and thought-provoking presentation on adaptability, leadership, and navigating change in today’s business landscape.

GCBC President & CEO Jamie Miller delivered this year’s State of the Coast address and challenged our region to think beyond resilience and toward long-term competitiveness.

Read the full recap blog here: https://msgcbc.org/2026-state-of-the-coast-symposium-highlights-the-competitiveness-of-coastal-mississippi/

Thank you to our sponsors, members, and partners for helping make this event possible.

The Gulf Coast Business Council’s Seventh Annual State of the Coast Symposium brought together regional leaders to discuss innovation, AI, economic competitiveness, entrepreneurship, and the future of Coastal Mississippi.

05/22/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2026 State of the Coast Symposium at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino. As the Gulf Coast Business Council celebrates 20 years of leadership, this year’s symposium focused on an important question for the future of Coastal Mississippi: How do we move beyond resilience and become more competitive in the new economy?

We were honored to welcome keynote speaker Jason Feifer, Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine, who challenged attendees to rethink adaptability, innovation, leadership, and change in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape.

GCBC President & CEO Jamie Miller also shared a data-driven look at the state of our regional economy, highlighting both the strengths that continue to drive growth across the Coast and the opportunities ahead as we work to strengthen regional alignment, innovation, workforce development, and long-term competitiveness.

We were also proud to recognize this year’s Rising Tide Award recipients:
🏆 Gulf Blue
🏆 Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network - MAIN

Thank you to our sponsors for helping make this event possible:
• Title Sponsor: Mississippi Power
• Breakfast Sponsor: Ingalls Shipbuilding, a Division of HII
• Flagship Sponsor: Hancock Whitney

05/22/2026

05/09/2026

Gulf Coast Business Council Director of Strategic Initiatives and Marketing Alexa Cutrer recently joined WXXV 25 to discuss the 2026 StartUp Gulf Coast Pitch Competition and the broader impact of Mississippi Gulf Coast Innovation Week.

The conversation highlighted the importance of supporting entrepreneurship, innovation, workforce development, and regional collaboration as key drivers of long-term economic growth across Coastal Mississippi.

The 2026 Pitch Competition will feature 14 businesses competing across two tracks for a $15,000 prize pool, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, and community stakeholders from across the region.

Watch the full segment here: https://www.wxxv25.com/startup-gulf-coast-hosting-pitch-competition

The event is free to attend, lunch is included, and registration is now open here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-startup-gulf-coast-pitch-competition-tickets-1987618618794?aff=oddtdtcreator

Start Up Gulf Coast is hosting their second Pitch Competition this month. Fourteen people will take the stage, pitching ideas for a chance to earn a share of $15,000. That competition takes place Tuesday, May 19 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lynn Meadows Discovery Center. Here to explain more is Alexa Cu...