Latest News and Insights
VisionFirst Operations Update
Mar 27, 2020
Dear Friends: We hope this email finds you healthy and managing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The events of the last few weeks have marked an inconceivable disruption in all of our business and personal lives. Since our beginning, VisionFirst Advisors has...

VisionFirst Celebrates 5 Years
Mar 2, 2020
Hard to believe if was five years ago today we launched VisionFirst Advisors as part of the Butler Snow LLP family of enterprise companies with offices in Tallahassee, Orlando and Jackson Mississippi. Our firm continues to grow with economic development strategy about...
Natchez Inc. Review Presented
Feb 18, 2020
Natchez Democrat - Natchez and Vidalia both have strengths that could further economic development in the region, one of them being a unique creative economy with filmmakers, artists, novelists and musicians, an economic development consultant told community leaders...
Jackson County Economic Development Committee hires advisors to develop growth plan
Feb 16, 2020
Jackson County Floridian - A local economic development team has hired a former top Florida official to lead the development of a strategy for growth, and a plan to put it into action. Former Florida Secretary of Commerce Gray Swoope and his team at VisionFirst...

Celebrating the Life of Melissa Medley
Jan 28, 2020
A public memorial service will be held on February 24 at 4:00 pm at The Hattiesburg Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Melissa Renee Medley, loving daughter, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, passed away suddenly on Friday,...

Gray Swoope Selected as one of Florida’s 500 Most Influential
Sep 12, 2019
Recently, Gray Swoope, President and CEO of VisionFirst Advisors was named one of Florida Trend's 500 Most Influential Business Leaders in the state. Recognized in the professional services category, it is an honor that represents his commitment, energy and...
Natchez Inc. Selects VisionFirst Advisors to Develop Economic Development Strategic Assessment
Sep 4, 2019
NATCHEZ, MS– Today, Natchez, Inc.’s executive director Chandler Russ announced the selection of VisionFirst Advisors to develop an Economic Development Strategic Assessment to create a community strategy with a corresponding action plan for implementation. ...

VisionFirst Partners with Motus on 15-Month Search that Selects Alabama
Jul 31, 2019
Yesterday, Governor Kay Ivey of Alabama announced that Motus Integrated Technologies, a Tier 1 supplier of automotive interior products to the world’s automakers, has selected the City of Gadsden, in Etowah County, as the location for its new manufacturing...
Monday Motivation: How Can I Make a Change?
Mar 11, 2019
Tired of your current job? Feel passionate about helping others or changing the world? Then be a social entrepreneur! One of the great things we get to do in our work is travel, experiencing new cultures and meeting so many wonderful people. People with ideas and...
Happy Anniversary to Us!
Mar 1, 2019
Four years ago, we took a leap of faith. We stepped outside of our comfort zone of working for an economic development organization and started a new consulting practice. Being a wholly owned subsidiary of Butler Snow LLP enabled us to launch VisionFirst Advisors...