One of the Southeast's top economic development executives will take the reins of the Tate County Economic Development Foundation.
The Tate County Board of Supervisors and the Tate County Economic Development Foundation have announced the hiring of Joe Max Higgins to fill the vacancy in the community’s community’s economic and industrial development organization.
The announcement was made Monday night following a meeting of the EDF Board and community stakeholders.
The deal has the county partnering with 2EQLAST Consulting through the Tate County EDF team. 2EQLAST (Second Equals Last) is headed by Joe Higgins.
In his more than 20-year tenure with Golden Triangle LINK, Higgins brought more than 10,000 jobs and $10 billion in business investment to the Columbus-Starkville-West Point “Golden Triangle.”
Businesses he helped recruit include Steel Dynamics, Aluminum Dynamics, Boeing, Paccar, Airbus, Peco Foods and Yokohama Tire.
“2EQLAST looks forward to leveraging more than 40 years of economic development experience to help Tate County, Mississippi, position itself for sustained future growth,” Higgins said about the partnership. “I am excited to work alongside a community that is richly endowed with strong infrastructure, committed leadership, strong educational partners—including Northwest Mississippi Community College—and deep human capital.”
The northwest corner of Mississippi is a booming part of the state and Tate County is poised to benefit from that growth with good schools, good transportation, a modest downtown and leadership serving in Jackson and political connections to Washington.
“My role is to help provide a road map that will lead to exponential growth of Tate County,” Higgins said. “We will review the entire economic development program, and to work collaboratively with local, regional, and state partners involved in the recently formed regional economic development effort, with a particular focus on strengthening and advancing Tate County’s role within that broader initiative.”
“His contacts and experience with economic development will only make Tate County more prosperous and a better place to live for years to come” according to District One Supervisor Leigh Ann Darby, who also serves on the Tate County EDF Board. “I’m excited that Tate County has this opportunity to have someone with the experience Joe Max to benefit and help give direction to our community leaders and to our entire community.”
Both boards expressed thanks to Representative Trey Lamar (R-Senatobia) for making the first contact and working hard to make this deal happen.
“Bringing in Joe Max Higgins with his level of experience and proven results positions us to compete more effectively for new industry and investment while also fulfilling our commitment of support for our existing industry to ensure their continued success and growth,” said EDF chairman Chris Fleming, who is also Superintendent of Senatobia Schools. “The EDF Economic Development Foundation is especially excited about the opportunity to partner with the Tate County Board of Supervisors in this joint venture. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to proactive economic development, long-term planning and responsible growth that benefits both current residents and future generations.”
Dr. Michael Heindl, President of Northwest Mississippi Community College said, “He brings ideas, policies and processes so far above anything this county has ever seen.”
Higgins’ contract begins February 1.
How Higgins will structure EDF and what he will ask of the community has yet to be determined.
The Tate County Economic Development Foundation (EDF) released its executive director from employment December 31.
Anna Cardona had served the community as EDF Executive Director since September 2024 and was brought in to work in both retail and industrial development. She previously served at the Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) for Memphis and Shelby County, where she played a role in business expansion and investment.
“This decision was made following careful consideration and with the best interests of the Foundation and Tate County in mind,” EDF President Matthew Raff said in a statement last month. “The EDF remains fully committed to its mission of promoting economic growth, job creation and long-term development across our community.
“The Board has a plan in place to move forward, including initiating the search for a new Executive Director,” the statement added. “In the interim, the Foundation’s work will continue without interruption, and efforts for strategic planning and to recruit new businesses and support existing industries will remain a top priority.”
Cardona had also served as the Economic Development Business Director for the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce, and as the Marketing Director for Simon Property Group. She is a University of Memphis graduate.
Cardona filled the post vacated by Britt Herron and was selected after a multi-state search.
Tate County, Senatobia and Coldwater are poised to benefit from growth coming out of Memphis and Northwest Mississippi. Good schools and Interstate 55 have put the community in an enviable position to attract industry, real estate development and the families and jobs that go with them.
Earlier this month the state announced the Coldwater industrial site will receive $429,286 for access road improvements, utility line relocation and demolition of an existing structure on site from the state. At the same time, Senatobia was awarded $50,000 to do due diligence work on a spec site.
A sign put up on property south of Senatobia and between the interstate and railroad in early December touted an industry seeking to locate in one of only a few sites zoned for industry in Tate County.
That revelation prompted concern from those living nearby as the industry would haul in plastic waste by truck and train and convert it to petroleum products to be shipped out by highway and rail.
How many jobs the industry would create and what kind of taxes it would generate or abatements it would receive have not been made public.
Senatobia’s population grew from roughly 6,600 people to 8,000 between 2000 and 2010 and has leveled off with the 2020 Census giving the community a population of 8,354 and only 8,428 in July 2024.
Tate County 2025 EDF Board Members are: Matthew Raff, President; Chris Fleming, Vice President/Secretary; Jennifer Bouchillon, Treasurer; Bailey Hunt, Past President, Amy Gabbert, Michael Heindl, Cole Massie, Doug McClure; David Slocum and Jamie Sowell. Ex-Officio Board Members are: Coldwater Mayor Glenn Billingsley; Tate County Supervisor, Leigh Ann Darby; and Senatobia Mayor Greg Graves.
