NATE Participates in Gulf Coast Industry Roundtable Hosted by US Secretary of Commerce

June 28, 2021

L to R: Senator Roger Wicker, City of Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes, NATE Member Services Chairwoman Jordyn Ladner, NATE Chairman Jimmy Miller, and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo

NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association was invited to participate in a roundtable event hosted last Friday in Gulfport, Mississippi, by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi. NATE Chairman Jimmy Miller and Member Services Chairwoman Jordyn Ladner from Gulfport-based MILLERCO represented the Association at the roundtable, which was held at the Mississippi Aquarium.

During the event, Secretary Raimondo and Senator Wicker addressed attendees regarding their visit to the Gulf Coast, which included a tour of a local broadband provider. Following their remarks, Secretary Raimondo and Senator Wicker facilitated an industry roundtable discussion featuring NATE, business development leaders, representatives of the Gulf Coast research, fishing, and agricultural community, local elected officials, and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

“It was an honor to join Secretary Raimondo and Senator Wicker by participating in today’s roundtable,” said NATE Chairman Jimmy Miller, president of MILLERCO. “Today’s event provided a valuable forum to shine a spotlight on the essential work that NATE’s members conduct on a daily basis deploying the wireless, broadband and public safety networks that enable connectivity in the United States. I also appreciated the opportunity to discuss the industry’s current workforce development and policy priorities with Secretary Raimondo, Senator Wicker and the other roundtable participants,” added Miller.

The list of participants at the June 25th roundtable included the following:

Gina Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, State of Mississippi

Mrs. Gayle Wicker

Jimmy Miller, NATE chairman, MILLERCO

Jordyn Ladner, NATE member services committee chairwoman, MILLERCO

Mayor Billy Hewes, City of Gulfport

Johnny Marquez, director of coastal policy & programs, Mississippi Wildlife Federation

Jeff Angers, president, Center for Sportfishing Policy

Tish Williams, Hancock County Chamber of Commerce & Partners for Stennis

Ted Kendall IV, vice president – Central, Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation

Justin Ferguson, national affairs coordinator, Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation