Three organizations dedicated to advancing a business-friendly climate in Mississippi will look to join forces as a singular entity.
Coined the Business Alignment 2026 initiative, the Mississippi Economic Council (MEC), Mississippi Manufacturers Association (MMA), and the Business and Industry Political Education Committee (BIPEC) plan to combine their resources to efficiently and adequately promote all sectors of the state’s economy.
Each organization’s respective board of directors approved resolutions to kickstart the process of the merger. According to MEC President and CEO Scott Waller, the idea of consolidating each entity’s efforts stemmed from conversations leaders had during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Waller elaborated, noting that 29 U.S. states have one organization dedicated to what the trio of Mississippi member-based business organizations do collectively, which set the spiral in motion for forces to be joined.
“There are a lot of things that we all do well, but there are a lot of things we don’t do simply because we don’t have the resources,” Waller said. “You combine these organizations. You combine the resources that these businesses have been willing to invest and have them invest into a singular organization, then all of a sudden, you have the ability to do some of these things.”
Throughout 2025, leaders from the three Mississippi groups will examine ways to form a united front under one umbrella with the same goal each has had since their inception — to best serve the interests of the state’s business community.
Each of the organizations brings unique strengths to the table, according to a press release:
- MEC — Through its strategic planning efforts, MEC is focusing on aligning Mississippi’s business community. The organization’s members support initiatives designed to create long-term economic opportunities for all sectors of the economy. This project represents an ability to strengthen this goal, while carefully determining the best path forward.
- MMA —With its deep roots in advocating for manufacturers, MMA sees this project as an opportunity to strengthen the voice of the industry. Recognizing that manufacturing is a major driver of Mississippi’s economy and partnering with the broader business community has the potential to expand the entity’s reach as it strives to positively impact economic growth in the state.
- BIPEC — With its legacy of protecting and advancing free enterprise through elections, research, education, and member action, BIPEC is committed to ensuring that any potential combined effort would lead to an even stronger political voice for job creators in Mississippi.
“[The merger] will strengthen the voice we already have,” BIPEC President and CEO Derek Easley said. “It will be a lot easier for folks who understand the important role that elections have for the business community to understand that this is the one organization in Mississippi that we need to belong to because we understand the successes we need in elections.”
The release added that Business Alignment 2026 will conduct a series of listening sessions across the state in the next several months. A thorough assessment of the individual organizations’ current structures will be conducted to determine whether or not a collaboration would best benefit the business community in Mississippi.