Personnel of the Mississippi County Economic Development Foundation are working with several prospective employers to bring jobs to the county, said Clif Chitwood, president of the foundation.
The group's board met Wednesday morning in regular session and heard that one prospective industry has narrowed down its choices to Mississippi County and a community in Indiana.
If the company locates here, it will bring about 300 new jobs to the area, Chitwood said.
He also reported that another group is coming into the county next week to look at the former location of Fruit of the Loom in Osceola.
Work is also continuing with existing industries, Chitwood reported. "Working with existing industries is the best way to create new jobs," he told the board.
The economy is beginning to turn back around, Chitwood told the board.
"Nucor has picked back up some and Denso is picking up," he said. "ART is already up to 300 people (jobs) as promised, ahead of schedule."
Chitwood and board member Jerry Sims told the board about a new aviation technology program at Arkansas Northeastern College, which helps train persons for employment in the aviation industry.
The program has received equipment from an aviation school in California. Employees of ART have been helping ANC reconfigure some of the pieces of machinery for use in the program.
Chitwood also told board members about a cooperative effort between Mississippi County and the state Workforce Development Group to provide funding for job training.
The board approved a request from Chitwood to obtain a credit card for his business use. He has previously used a personal credit card and received reimbursement, but that practice could cause problems because of credit limits.
The board agreed to get a card with a limit of $10,000 to $12,000 to make sure expenses such as airfare and booth rental at trade shows can be charged.
Chitwood also told the board that he and Osceola Mayor Dickie Kennemore are traveling to Chicago next month for the North American Steel Trade Show.
dhilton@blythevillecourier.com