DeSoto County Economic Development Council

What DeSoto County Economic Development Council does

The DeSoto County Economic Development Council is a private non-profit organization founded in 1982 and headquartered in Southaven, Mississippi, that promotes business attraction, retention, and quality-of-life initiatives for DeSoto County, located just south of Memphis, Tennessee. It works in close coordination with the five county municipalities (Hernando, Horn Lake, Olive Branch, Southaven, and Town of Walls), four local chambers of commerce, county and city governments, the Mississippi Development Authority, and utility partners including Entergy, Northcentral Electric Cooperative, Atmos Energy, and DCRUA. The Council operates as the county's primary site-selection and business-development intermediary, administering Foreign Trade Zone No. 262 and actively marketing the Northwest Mississippi Mega Site (1,665 available industrial acres of 2,309 total). Its member businesses span banking, utilities, logistics, healthcare, real estate, and construction, with anchor employers including Amazon, Milwaukee Electric Tool, Baptist Memorial Hospital, Williams-Sonoma, and FedEx Ground.

The Council's core service offerings include Foreign Trade Zone administration (delivering duty deferral, inverted tariff relief, and ad valorem tax exemption), the Leadership DeSoto seven-month community leadership program, the Foundation for Excellence in Education (a 501(c)(3) charity that has distributed over $1 million in teacher grants), the Bridging the Gap Career Expo, and the Connect DeSoto Internship Program with embedded career coaches in high schools. Its revenue model is subscription-recurring membership investment from local businesses and organizations, supplemented by program fees (e.g., Leadership DeSoto tuition starting at $1,000). Distribution is direct field sales: site tours, data provisioning, and incentive facilitation for site selectors, corporate executives, and developers evaluating DeSoto County.

Strategically, the Council's competitive positioning rests on logistics infrastructure density (proximity to FedEx World Hub, Memphis International Airport, Port of Memphis, five Class I railroads, three interstates) and a stacked tax and incentive stack (Mississippi's 15% property assessment ratio vs Tennessee's 40%, 10-year partial abatement, TVA/Entergy industrial riders, FTZ 262). It does not produce technology products and has no AI/ML capabilities.

Name

DeSoto County Economic Development Council

Legal name

DeSoto County Economic Development Council

Website

https://desotocounty.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The DeSoto County Economic Development Council is a private non-profit that promotes business attraction, retention, and workforce development in DeSoto County, Mississippi, just south of Memphis, by administering Foreign Trade Zone No. 262, marketing industrial sites, and running leadership and education programs serving local businesses and member companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development (BPAGABAL)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Business attraction
• Site selection assistance
• Foreign trade zone
• Workforce development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Southaven

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The Council operates with membership investment from local businesses and organizations. Annual membership dues fund operations and provide benefits to member companies including access to property tax exemptions and networking opportunities.
2. Membership Investment: The DeSoto Council's fiscal year runs from January 1 to December 31. Members are notified at year-end of automatic renewal. Annual membership dues support the organization and property tax exemption provisions for members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Council is a non-profit economic development organization that promotes business attraction, retention, and expansion in DeSoto County, Mississippi. It administers Foreign Trade Zone No. 262, markets 1,665+ available industrial acres at the Northwest Mississippi Mega Site, coordinates with five municipalities and local chambers of commerce, and delivers workforce development programs including Leadership DeSoto, the Bridging the Gap Career Expo, and the Connect DeSoto Internship Program. Funding comes primarily from membership dues paid by local businesses and organizations.

Product overview

The DeSoto County Economic Development Council operates as a unified economic development organization that promotes business and economic development in DeSoto County, Mississippi. The Council offers a portfolio of programs including the Leadership DeSoto program for developing community leaders, the Foundation for Excellence in Education for teacher grants and scholarships, the Bridging the Gap Career Expo for workforce development across multiple career pathways, the Connect DeSoto Internship Program with career coaches at local high schools, a Business Directory membership platform powered by GrowthZone, and Foreign Trade Zone No. 262 services for international trade. These programs work together to facilitate economic growth, workforce development, and quality of life improvements for the county.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Leadership DeSoto: A program coordinated by the DeSoto County Economic Development Council to inform future leaders of the needs and challenges facing DeSoto County
• Foundation for Excellence in Education

Products and services

• Leadership DeSoto A seven-month leadership development program that informs future leaders of the needs and challenges facing DeSoto County and inspires them to utilize available resources to make a difference; covers sessions on Leadership, Economics, Education, Legislative, Healthcare, Local Government, and Community Service.
• Foundation for Excellence in Education A tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation organized by the DeSoto Council to receive and maintain private funds for educational purposes, providing mini-grants to teachers, business/industry partnerships, college scholarship endowments, and teacher incentive programs at public, private, and parochial schools in the county.
• Bridging the Gap Career Expo An annual career expo held at the Landers Center featuring career pathways including Distribution & Supply Chain Logistics, Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering, Health Science, Automotive, Insurance and Finance, Architecture and Construction, Energy and Telecommunications, Law and Public Safety, and Information Technology, Aviation, and Archeology.
• Connect DeSoto Internship Program A workforce development initiative connecting students with career opportunities through career coaches stationed at high schools across DeSoto County, helping bridge the gap between education and employment.
• Business Directory / Membership Platform An online member directory platform powered by GrowthZone listing local businesses across categories including Architecture, Business Services, Construction, Education, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Technology & Telecommunications, Transportation, Distribution & Logistics, and Utilities.
• Foreign Trade Zone No. 262 An international trade and commerce service offering duty deferral, weekly entry MPF savings, reduced cycle time, inverted tariff relief, duty exemptions, and exemption from state and local ad valorem taxes, targeted at businesses engaged in import/export operations through the Memphis Metropolitan Area.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.9% unemployment rate (vs 3.9% Mississippi average)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• City of HernandocoreOthersOne of five municipalities in DeSoto County that the Council works closely with for economic development and quality of life initiatives. Mayor-Board of Aldermen form of government.
• City of Horn LakecoreOthersOne of five municipalities in DeSoto County that the Council works closely with for economic development and quality of life initiatives. Mayor-Board of Aldermen form of government.
• City of Olive BranchcoreOthersOne of five municipalities in DeSoto County that the Council works closely with for economic development and quality of life initiatives. Olive Branch was ranked #35 in Money Magazine's 2020 Best Places to Live. Mayor-Board of Aldermen form of government.
• City of SouthavencoreOthersOne of five municipalities in DeSoto County that the Council works closely with for economic development and quality of life initiatives. Mayor-Board of Aldermen form of government.
• Town of WallscoreOthersOne of five municipalities in DeSoto County that the Council works closely with for economic development and quality of life initiatives. Mayor-Board of Aldermen form of government.
• Hernando Chamber of CommercecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal chamber working with the Council on business development and community promotion initiatives.
• Horn Lake Chamber of CommercecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal chamber working with the Council on business development and community promotion initiatives.
• Olive Branch Chamber of CommercecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal chamber working with the Council on business development and community promotion initiatives.
• Southaven Chamber of CommercecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal chamber working with the Council on business development and community promotion initiatives.
• Mississippi Development AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState economic development authority providing incentives, grants, and support for businesses locating or expanding in Mississippi including DeSoto County.
• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)coreTechnology or IntegrationTVA provides all electricity for Northcentral Electric Cooperative and offers Performance Grants and Investment Credit Options for industrial clients locating in DeSoto County.
• Northcentral Electric CooperativecoreOthersProvides electrical service to eastern DeSoto County including Olive Branch, offering TVA Performance Grants and Investment Credit Options for industrial clients.
• Entergy CorporationcoreOthersEntergy provides electrical service to Hernando, Horn Lake, and Southaven areas and offers an Economic Development Rider incentive program providing $0.01 per kWh credit for qualifying manufacturing, datacenters, and distribution centers.
• Atmos EnergycoreOthersNatural gas provider for majority of DeSoto County.
• DeSoto County Regional Utility Authority (DCRUA)coreOthersProvides county-wide sewer services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers.
• Three Rivers Planning and Development DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree Rivers PDD manages the Career Coach Program in DeSoto County schools, with Larry Boggs serving as Career Coach Manager, supporting workforce development initiatives.
• AccelerateMScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccelerateMS workforce initiative with Forrest Bryan serving as Workforce Project Manager, supporting career development and workforce training programs in DeSoto County.
• DeSoto County School BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe only organization in DeSoto County sanctioned by the Board of Education for tax exempt solicitation purposes. Foundation for Excellence in Education supports public, private, and parochial schools.
• DeSoto County Foundation for Excellence in EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit 501(c)(3) charity formed by the DeSoto Council to support education through teacher grants, scholarships, and educational programs. Has given over $1 million in teacher grants since founding.
• Federal Express (FedEx)coreOthersFedEx represents roughly 98% of Memphis International Airport's total cargo and handles more than 180,000 packages every hour at its World Hub. Proximity to FedEx is key for e-commerce distribution and draws companies to the region.
• Port of MemphiscoreOthersFourth-largest inland port in the United States and ranks number one in the nation in foreign import tonnage. Second largest inland port on shallow draft portion of Mississippi River and fifth largest inland port in the U.S.
• BNSF RailwaycoreTechnology or IntegrationBNSF Railway serves as one of the county's rail lines. Memphis is the third largest rail center in the United States behind Chicago and St. Louis.
• CN RailcoreTechnology or IntegrationCN (via Grenada Railway) serves as one of the county's rail lines. All six Class I rail systems serve Memphis and have intermodal yards in Memphis or West Memphis, Arkansas.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Greater Memphis Chamber: The Greater Memphis Chamber is a regional business and economic development organization serving the broader Memphis metro area including DeSoto. It pursues business attraction, retention, and workforce priorities across the same labor shed and industry verticals as the DeSoto Council.
• Tupelo/Lee County Economic Development Council: Tupelo-Lee County EDC is a county-level economic development organization in North Mississippi with a similar mix of manufacturing attraction, workforce development, and incentive packaging — competing with DeSoto for Mississippi-sited projects and serving a comparable member-driven structure.
• Madison County Business League & Community Development Foundation: The Madison County Business League is the principal county-level EDC for the Jackson, Mississippi metro. It runs the same business attraction, retention, and workforce playbook as the DeSoto Council and competes for Mississippi-sited projects in a different regional labor market.
• EDGE (Economic Development Growth Engine) for Memphis & Shelby County: EDGE is the primary county-level economic development organization for Memphis-Shelby County, TN — DeSoto's direct neighbor across the state line. It competes for the same mega-project pipeline (logistics, distribution, manufacturing), making it DeSoto's closest head-to-head rival for site-selection deals.
• Northwest Mississippi Planning and Development District: Three Rivers PDD is a regional planning and economic development organization covering the same North Mississippi geography as the DeSoto Council. It partners on workforce initiatives (Career Coach Program) and provides complementary planning, infrastructure, and development services at a multi-county level.
• Hattiesburg Area Development Partnership: HADP is a regional economic development organization serving the Hattiesburg, Mississippi metro. It pursues the same business attraction, retention, and workforce development mandate as DeSoto and competes for Mississippi-targeted projects from a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Tennessee Valley Authority Economic Development: TVA is a federal economic development corporation providing site selection, incentive programs, and performance grants across its seven-state service territory — including DeSoto County via Northcentral Electric. It serves as both a partner and a peer in attracting industrial investment across the Southeast.
• Mississippi Development Authority: MDA is the state-level economic development authority for Mississippi that administers incentives, grants, and site-selection programs. As a core partner of the DeSoto Council, it sets the broader competitive framework within which DeSoto operates and competes with similar agencies in other states.
• Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development: TECD is the state-level economic development agency for Tennessee and DeSoto's cross-border competitor for distribution and manufacturing investment. It administers state incentives, FastTrack grants, and recruitment programs that compete with the DeSoto/Mississippi package.

Regional players

• Harrison County Development Commission: HCDC is the county-level economic development body for coastal Mississippi (Gulfport-Biloxi). It pursues the same business attraction and retention mission as the DeSoto Council but operates in a different Mississippi sub-region focused on port-related and tourism-adjacent industries.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/DeSotoCouncilMS
• Facebookfacebook.com/DeSotoEconomicCouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/desoto-county-economic-development-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DeSoto County Economic Development Council