The Mississippi Economic Council’s annual Hobnob will be returning to the capital city this week, allowing the public to engage with elected officials and local business leaders.
On Thursday, folks will gather at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson for a friendly exchange of handshakes and conversations with leading figures in the state. With no statewide elections taking place this year, the audience won’t hear from candidates stumping for a gig in office. However, they will hear from current elected leaders.
“It’s always a fun event. It’s where we kind of relax a little bit with a major meeting,” Mississippi Economic Council President and CEO Scott Waller said of the event. “We have it aptly named, in my opinion, because we get to hear from statewide leaders and they’re going to talk about what’s going on in their area.”
The 2025 Hobnob lineup includes:
- Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson
- Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney
- State Treasurer David McRae
- Attorney General Lynn Fitch
- Secretary of State Michael Watson
- House Speaker Jason White
- Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann
- Gov. Tate Reeves
State Auditor Shad White will not be speaking at the event, as he will be fulfilling military obligations.
Between McRae and Fitch’s time at the podium will be a panel centered around equipping Mississippi’s workforce for growth and innovation. The discussion will be led by Blaise King, the director of workforce innovation at AccelerateMS; Jacqueline Jones, the chief human resources officer for Amplify Cell Technologies; and Lauren Lawhorn, the chief human resources officer for C Spire.
Also on deck this year will be the unveiling of the Mississippi Business Alliance, a merger between the Mississippi Economic Council, the Mississippi Manufacturers Association, and the Business and Industry Political Education Committee. Before Reeves speaks, Waller, MMA’s John McKay, and BIPEC’s John Hairston will talk about the new business-minded entity.
More information on this year’s Hobnob event can be found here.
