DeSoto County Economic Development Council

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

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The DeSoto County Economic Development Council promotes business and economic development and quality of life issues for this booming Mississippi county just south of Memphis.  The Council works closely with business and industry, civic organizations, city and county governments and chambers of commerce in Hernando, Horn Lake, Olive Branch, Southaven and Town of Walls.


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Staff



Jim Flanagan
President/CEO
Industrial Recruitment
and Retention
jflanagan@desotocounty.com


Cynthia Ramsey-Short
Manager, Business Services
Property Tax Exemptions,
Buildings and Sites
Database Management
crshort@desotocounty.com


Susan Rutherford
Manager, Member Services
Leadership DeSoto,
Education Foundation,
Member Services
srutherford@desotocounty.com


2026 Executive Committee

Rhodes Thompson, Chairman

Bobbie Espitia, Vice-Chairman

Dane Chamberlin, Treasurer

Ford Moore, Secretary

Davy Hunt, Past Chairman

2026 Board Members

David Baker, Fisher Arnold

Kevin Doddridge, Northcentral Electric Cooperative

Reggie Durham, Walmart Distribution Center

Stephen Nevue, Hyve Solutions

Johnny McBride, Sky Lake Construction

Allison Spencer, Burch Realty

Brad Grissom, Associated Wholesale Grocers

Jeff King, True Medical Testing

Shad Sims, Atmos Energy

Paul Reinke, Hillwood

Kyle McCoy, BankFirst

Davy Hunt, SouthGroup Insurance

Shawn Clayton, Renasant Bank

Mickey Perez-Cooper, Alliant Construction

Dane Chamberlin, Entergy

Shane Crain, CN Rail

Thomas Givens, LPL Financial

Ford Moore, Community Bank

Bobbie Espitia, Ground Support Specialist

Rhodes Thompson, K W Commercial

Matt Kelso, Edward Jones

Trish Spalding, Medline

Kristie Davis, DMC Power

Christie Weaver, PriorityOne Bank

Todd Quinton, Trustmark

Ricardo Callender, PFM

Ritchie Hampton, Cadence Bank

Diego Lejwa, Express Employment Professionals

Chandler Davis, RCL Components

Martin Shannon, Nabholz

The DeSoto County Economic Development Council's mission is to facilitate, promote and provide effective, unified leadership for economic development and improved quality of life.

The DeSoto Council was incorporated in 1978 by a group of forward-thinking citizens of DeSoto County who saw a need for a unified effort toward economic development in DeSoto County.  Since its beginning, the DeSoto Council has seen the opening and expansion of hundreds of industries, the creation of millions of jobs, and capital investment reaching into the billions.

The Council works closely with business and industry, civic organizations, city and county governments and chambers of commerce in Hernando, Horn Lake, Olive Branch, Southaven, and the Town of Walls.