(Click on the Image above to go to www.thinkpascagoulafirst.com)

Councilman Frank Corder's Opening Remarks at the

Think Pascagoula First Business Expo 2009 Kickoff

Henry Ford once said, "Coming together is a beginning.  Keeping together is progress.  Working together is success."
          A core group of concerned and interested business owners and citizens helped me launch the Think Pascagoula First campaign a few months ago.  We came together with the goal of creating an open dialogue between the business community, the general public and local government officials to discuss the positives, the negatives, and the challenges of doing business in Pascagoula.  We saw the need to better focus on what I believe is the heart and soul of our community - small business.  We created a website - thinkpascagoulafirst.com.  We have held meetings to discuss issues.  We have counseled with businesses.  We have taken our message into the civic clubs and into the community of being conscious before you buy - to make your money count - to Think Pascagoula First.  And now, we are here to start what promises to be a new annual event to showcase the many, many unique business options right here in Pascagoula.  We hope this first year will start small and grow each year, highlighting all of our local businesses along the way.
          As the manager of a local small business I have seen the decline in my revenues and have had to rethink and restructure.  Change is no longer a four letter word - it is a must.  Do or die.  I have looked into the eyes of dedicated, longtime employees as I tell them they are being laid off, knowing full well what their families will be facing.  I feel the stress and know the sleepless nights.  From where I sit not only as a business manager but more so as an elected official here in Pascagoula, I believe that it is time that we light a fire under ourselves and our fellow citizens by uniting together to encourage everyone who truly cares about Pascagoula and its future to make our money count; we must Think Pascagoula First! 
          The truth is that those in Washington D.C. or Jackson or even in city hall cannot do what each and every one of us can do for ourselves and for our great city.  It is time that we as citizens of Pascagoula wake up to the cold hard facts and recognize the reality at hand.  Doing business in Pascagoula can be a challenge.  People have a tendency to drive across the bridge or across the stateline when in reality, what they are looking for is sitting right in their back door.  We must change that mindset.  In addition to that, every dollar that is spent outside of Pascagoula is one more dollar that we as a city must make up somewhere, whether in the form of a loss of services, such as streets not being paved and drainage not being repaired, or in the form of a millage (yes, tax) increase which comes directly from your wallet - which I surely don't want to see happen.  If every citizen of Pascagoula truly thought before they bought we would see an enormous upswing in sales tax revenues, despite the current economic downturn, which would in turn provide the city with greater opportunities to accomplish those things we all want to see.

          And I have to tell you.I hear almost every day how we need more retail shopping options or more restaurants or more this kind of business or that kind of business.  The truth is my friends that unless we first support what we have now we will never have more.  Since we launched this campaign I have talked to many struggling business owners who have caught the vision of what Pascagoula can be but are losing their passion because of the apathy shone by the general public.  By thinking before we buy, we invest in Pascagoula's future.  Our businesses have invested in Pascagoula; the citizens of Pascagoula should be investing in them.  And when the citizens invest in local businesses, we as a city can provide more amenities, lower our tax burden, attract more options, and strengthen our local economy.
          So the public has a stake in how Pascagoula succeeds or fails; so do these businesses.
          Being in business in Pascagoula is challenging right now - I won't deny that.  We as small business managers and owners must take ownership as well for how our line of business fairs.  We must ask ourselves the tough questions - Am I open during hours that best serves the public or best serves me?  Am I selling products or services that are marketable in this area or just selling items that I want?  Am I pricing myself out of the market?  Is my customer service up to a level where people feel welcome and served with a smile?  Am I open to criticism, the good and the bad, or do I shy away from productive ideas?  And on and on I could go.  The small business owner and manager must think about the public, the area, and be open to change if they want to succeed and thrive.  It's not 1959; heck it's not 1999;  it's 2009 and we must meet the challenges head on.  Henry Ford comes to mind again - he said "You can't build a reputation on what you're going to do."

It is encouraging to see the businesses in this first Expo.  Their presence here says a lot about their commitment to their business, the public they serve, and the City of Pascagoula and I commend them all for participating.
          Local government also must come to the table.  We as a City must be business friendly and think customer service above all else just like these businesses.  We must create an environment where businesses want to locate and people want to live.  Pascagoula is not just a blue collar town as some would have you believe.  Pascagoula is so much more.  We are poised for progress and with a little care and handling and continued beautification, planning, and assistance we can capitalize on the many positives on the horizon.
               I hope each of you will wholeheartedly embrace this initiative.  Am I saying never to shop or dine anywhere else? No.what I am saying is be conscious before you buy.  Think about where you can find the item you're looking for.  Can it be found in a Pascagoula business?  Don't know?  Check around.  Use the website or call.  Don't just assume it's not here, because I can tell you, there's not much we don't have right here in Pascagoula.

So if you work for a large industry and live in Pascagoula, encourage your employer to support Pascagoula businesses first.  If you are planning to take the family out to dinner tonight, choose the Pascagoula restaurants first.  If you need a new suit, dress, or children's outfit, take a look along Delmas, Market, and even Highway 90 first.  Whether you are looking for a place to rest your head, invest your money, or all of the above, we all must choose Pascagoula first if we are going to truly succeed and thrive.

          Thank you for your attention and your presence here today.  We've come together, we're committed to keeping together, and I ask you all to work together for a successful future.  I truly hope you enjoy the Expo and find the benefit in such an event.  And  as always, Think Pascagoula First.