Vicksburg and Warren County’s gain is Grenada’s loss.
That’s the sentiment shared by officials of the Grenada County Economic Development District on Tuesday when it was announced that Pablo Diaz had accepted the role of economic development leader here.
Keith Mitchell, chairman of the Grenada County Economic Development District, said in a press release Diaz’s departure from Grenada would be bittersweet.
“We knew this time was eventually going to come, as we have seen Pablo excel in leading our community to new heights in terms of economic development readiness and success. Under Pablo’s leadership, our community has gained a never before achieved stature with state and national economic development stakeholders and has become one of the fiercest and most reputable economic competitors in the state.
“Our board and Pablo have always maintained the highest level of trust and cooperation, and it is with the same level of trust and support that we wish him success in his new post. We are proud of the accomplishment we have achieved together, and we fully support him as he pursues new opportunities that allow him to grow as a professional and as a person,” Mitchell said.
He said the Grenada Economic Development District board met with Diaz last week and made plans for a seamless transition.
Darrel Robinson, chairman of the Grenada County Board of Supervisors, said Diaz’s departure to accept the Vicksburg-Warren County position is “an emotional occasion for our community, as we have enjoyed working with Pablo over the past seven years and have grown along with him as an economic development team. We are thankful to him for all his hard work and dedication, and we are confident that he leaves our community in a very good place as he departs.
“We are not planning to slow down for one second, and we know the EDD board is already working on finding the right person to take on the reigns and continue this very important work,” Robinson said. “Pablo was able to bring all of us together into a cohesive effort to radically change the way we do economic development in Grenada County, and I can tell our community without fear of contradiction, that Grenada today is, and will continue to be, one of the strongest competitors in the state for economic development projects. We wish Pablo much success in his new job.”
Billy Collins, mayor of the city of Grenada, said he couldn’t say enough good things about Diaz.
“He raised us way up the ladder as far as economic development is concerned and I am most thankful for all his hard work and dedication. Pablo always worked well with the city and was always available to do whatever was needed to get the job done and win jobs for the community. I will miss him and I wish him nothing but success in Vicksburg,” Collins said.
The three credited Diaz with helping Grenada County build “a new identity” in terms of economic development and attracted national and state attention.
In the press release issued by the three, they said during Diaz’s tenure, “unemployment fell from a high of 14.7 percent in 2010 to under five percent in 2016 and the economic development district announced over 1,000 direct jobs.”