Senator Thad Cochran had the honor of delivering remarks and performing the ribbon-cutting at the Aurora Flight Sciences ceremony last Thursday.  The ceremony marked the celebration of a major expansion of the facility in Columbus, MS.  Several of the event’s speakers praised the community support and the hard work of the AFS staff members.  Many elected officials attended the event to show their support for Aurora Flight Sciences and its contributions to the state and nation.

During his remarks, Senator Cochran said, “This is just the kind of capability our military has been asking for in order to provide cost-effective airborne surveillance twenty-four hours a day to our soldiers on the battlefield, and I look forward to the day full production Orion aircraft roll out of this hangar for delivery to the Department of Defense. I am proud to say that Aurora Flight Sciences is a fine example of the type of industry we want in Mississippi.”

 

Rose Flenorl, FedEx Manager of Social Responsibility and Ethnic Outreach, introduced Senator Thad Cochran at the Bridging the Gap event in Columbus, MS.  The event brought residents and leaders from across the Golden Triangle area together to speak with Sen. Thad Cochran, Sen. Roger Wicker, and Gov. Haley Barbour on important state and national issues. 

Rose is a recipient of the Memphis Women Magazine’s “50 Women Who Make A Difference Award,” the National Society of Fund Raising Executives’ Crystal Award for Philanthropy, the Black Business Association Benny Award for Outstanding Community Involvement, the Urban League J.A. McDaniel Award, and the Girl Scout Council of the Mid-South Character Award.  A graduate of the University of Mississippi, Rose was the first black female named to the student Hall of Fame and was chosen by Glamour Magazine as one of the top 10 college women in the United States. 

Senator Thad Cochran, Governor Haley Barbour, and Senator Roger Wicker attended the “Leadership Bridging the Gap” breakfast in Columbus, MS, on August 20.  The event was a forum for local political officials and business leaders of North Mississippi to gather and discuss significant issues facing Mississippi.  Cochran, Wicker, and Barbour delivered remarks at the event.  View Senator Cochran’s remarks from the event which focused on ”Bridging the Gap.”

 

Please take time to read the Commercial Dispatch article covering the “Bridging the Gap” event in Columbus, Mississippi, on Wednesday.  Senator Thad Cochran, Senator Roger Wicker, and Gov. Haley Barbour all spoke at the event recognizing the great success and growth of our great state.  They also recognized the challenges that we as Mississippians continue to face.  The overall theme of the event was “teamwork” and how working together as Mississippians is what truly matters.

Also check back for pictures and possible video footage from the event.

GOP leaders tout leadership, growth

By Kristin Mamrack
kmamrack@cdispatch.com
Wednesday, August 20, 2008 12:04 PM CDT
 
Local and state community and business leaders this morning were treated to breakfast with two United States senators and the governor at the Trotter Convention Center.

Sen. Thad Cochran and Sen. Roger Wicker, both R-Miss., joined Gov. Haley Barbour and special guests for a “Leadership Bridging the Gap” breakfast.

“Columbus is a viable and growing city,” Mayor Robert Smith said in introducing special guests. “There is something inherently good about rallying together for the community good.”

“We’re proving we’re close together,” Cochran said. “I don’t think that gap is as big as some people think. By our example, we can be an influence to the rest of the country. I am convinced we have a record of achievement and accomplishment in reaching out and working together that should be the envy of every state in the nation.”

“I really feel at home here,” Wicker said of visiting Columbus. “We’ve got a long way to go, but maybe we could pat ourselves on the back for a community (able to assemble) a diverse group of leaders.”

Click here to continue reading in our “In the News” section.