Ed Gardner serves as vice president of business and economic development, a position he earned in 2023 after serving as director of business and economic development since joining Entergy Mississippi in August 2015. He is responsible for fostering economic growth in Entergy Mississippi’s service territory through collaborative business development efforts with state and local allies.

Gardner came from PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, where he worked for five years as the economic development representative for Northwest Florida. He served as PowerSouth's liaison to the four Florida members, where he worked with local, regional and state economic development organizations in support of business attraction, expansion, retention and overall economic growth for the region.  While in this position Gardner served as chairman of Florida's Great Northwest and as vice chair for Enterprise Florida’s Stakeholder's Council.

Prior to joining PowerSouth, Gardner worked as vice president of economic development and workforce at the Birmingham Business Alliance in Birmingham, Alabama. In this position, he was responsible for recruitment, workforce development and leading a strategic planning process for the seven-county Birmingham metro area.

Gardner also has more than 13 years of local economic development experience, first with the City of Auburn, Alabama and subsequently as the Executive Director of the St. Clair County Economic Development Council in Pell City, Alabama.

Gardner holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Central Oklahoma and a master’s degree in public administration from Auburn University. He is a Certified Economic Developer as well as a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional.

He is chair of the Greater Jackson Chamber Partners and serves on the Madison County Economic Development Authority.

Updated September 2023