When Innovate Mississippi presented Oxford’s Jon Maynard with its 2016 John I. Rucker Community Innovation Leadership award this week it was a proud moment for the community.

We are on the move in entrepreneurial activity in the Oxford community, thanks in part to Maynard, who heads the Oxford-Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation.

Continually collaborating with Ole Miss, local leaders and the area business community, Maynard is helping raise the stakes for greater Oxford and Ole Miss’ emerging role in Innovation-based economic development.

Movements do not happen overnight, but the ingredients are in place here for real combustion in this area.  After all, technology-based startups and entrepreneurial energy can grow from this community better than most because of Ole Miss, and its deep pool of inspiring talent.

And, because Oxford is small enough to easily facilitate collaboration, Maynard is able to bring key partners together to foster ideas and organization between public and private sectors.

The result is the beginning something big: Oxford’s future driven by innovation-led economic development. We appreciate the work of Maynard and others who are making this happen, and we applaud Innovate Mississippi for recognizing where good and valuable work is being done.