The Covington County Chamber of Commerce will host its annual General Membership meeting on Monday, February 5 at the Collins Civic Center. The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. This year’s guest speaker will be Scott Waller, President of the Misissippi Economic Council. Recently named to the position, Waller has had an integral role in the growth of MEC over the last 10 years. Waller is only the fourth CEO in MEC’s 69-year history. He previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at MEC, where he refined and deployed a comprehensive advocacy plan by building strong relationships with members of the Mississippi legislature and bolstering involvement among MEC’s membership. He has worked to build coalitions and strengthen alliances between MEC members and other organizations to make the Chamber a policy leader on key issues of economic development, education, workforce training, taxes, tourism, and business climate. He also pioneered a comprehensive communications plan using innovative approaches to take advantage of ever-changing technology. Prior to joining MEC, he spent more than 20 years as a newspaper journalist, including four years as Business Editor of The Clarion-Ledger. He is also the former owner and editor of the Madison County Journal and was a co-owner of Siwel Homes, a residential construction company. He is a graduate of Mississippi State University and has completed the respected Institute for Organization Management program, an intensive four-year nonprofit leadership training program conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and held at the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga. Waller has continued his dedication to scouting since his days as an Eagle Scout and serves on the executive board of the Andrew Jackson Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He has served on the board of directors of the Mississippi State University Alumni Association’s Central Mississippi Chapter. Professionally, he serves as Chair of Board of the Council of State Chambers Policy Center and serves on the councils board of directors. He is a member the Institute for Organization Management’s National Board of Trustees and the IOMs Southeast Board of Regents. Waller is also a member of the National Transportation Investment Advocacy Council. He and his wife Kim live in Madison and are active at St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church. Their son, Shane, and daughter-in-law, Whitney, are both graduates Mississippi State University and live in Washington, D.C. Also on the program is the annual “Meet Your Legislators” event. Senator Joey Fillingane, Representatives Bob Evans, Noah Sanford and Mark Tullos will be in attendance to discuss legislative matters. Dinner will be catered by Main Street Café. The deadline to RSVP is Thursday, February 1. The cost is $20 per plate. To make reservations, call the chamber office at 601-765-6012.
