JACKSON – The Mississippi Manufacturers Association is pleased to announce the beginning of the third annual Mississippi Makers’ Challenge Sponsored by Hancock Whitney. The purpose of the contest is to find the Coolest Thing Made in Mississippi and is open to all statewide manufacturers.
“Manufacturing drives our state’s economy, and this contest allows us to showcase all of the incredible products made right here in Mississippi,” said MMA President & CEO John McKay. “We are thrilled to begin another competition and look forward to seeing what will be submitted in the coming weeks.”
Here is a timeline of the 2024 challenge:
PRODUCT NOMINATION ROUND
January 29 – February 9
NOMINATED PRODUCTS VOTING ROUND
February 12 – February 23
ROUND OF 16
February 26 – March 1
ROUND OF 8
March 4 – March 8
ROUND OF 4
March 11 – March 15
WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT
Wednesday, March 27 at the Mississippi State Capitol
During the first two years of the Mississippi Makers’ Challenge, nearly 200 products were submitted and over 200,000 votes were cast. The contest also has an international reach. Last year, there were voters from Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines, and Sweden.
“We at Hancock Whitney are honored to help celebrate the outstanding products made here in our home state. The Mississippi Makers’ Challenge helps spotlight the incredible expertise, ingenuity, creativity, and talent of our state’s people and businesses,” said Hancock Whitney Commercial Banking Senior Vice President James Kaigler. “As a Mississippi born and headquartered business, we’re proud to take part in an initiative that brings well-deserved attention to how much Mississippi made products contribute to local, state, national, and global economies.”
To nominate a product and for a list of contest rules, go to msmakerschallenge.com. Nominations must be made by 3 p.m. on Friday, February 9. Voting opens for all nominated products at 8 a.m. on Monday, February 12.
Click here for a link to our contest intro video.
# # #
_______________________________________________________________
For more than 70 years, the Mississippi Manufacturers Association has represented the interests of Mississippi’s manufacturers at both the state and national levels. As the Voice of Industry, MMA represents manufacturers in the Mississippi Legislature and U.S. Congress. MMA promotes a strong manufacturing environment within Mississippi and is a central source of information and assistance in industrial management. To learn more about MMA and manufacturing in Mississippi, please visit www.mma-web.org.
Since the late 1800s, Hancock Whitney has embodied core values of Honor & Integrity, Strength & Stability, and Commitment to Service, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility. Hancock Whitney offices and financial centers in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas offer comprehensive financial products and services, including traditional and online banking; commercial and small business banking; private banking; trust and investment services; healthcare banking; and mortgage services. The company also operates combined loan and deposit production offices in the greater metropolitan areas of Nashville, Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia. More information is available at www.hancockwhitney.com.