In February, 2001, Wade C. Jones was named president of the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation, the chamber/economic development organization for Meridian and Lauderdale County.
Mr. Jones is a native of Greenville, Mississippi, and graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing. He joined the Delta Council in 1979 as Assistant Director of Economic Development. Two years later, he became Assistant Manager of Economic Development at the Metro Jackson Chamber of Commerce and was later advanced to the position of Manager of Public Affairs. In 1983, Mr. Jones became the Executive Director of the Gulfport, Mississippi, Chamber of Commerce.
Joining Mississippi Power Company in 1987, Mr. Jones was assigned as Manager of Legislative Affairs for the Gulfport based company. He has held several managerial assignments for Mississippi Power as Manager of the Biloxi area in 1993, and in 1997, as Division Manger in Meridian with responsibilities for an eight county area.
Mr. Jones is an active volunteer in local area civic and community development organizations. He and his wife, Wanda, have five children and reside in Meridian. The family attends Central United Methodist Church.