Global security company celebrates 20 Years in Mississippi

IUKA, MISS. (WCBI) – A leading global security company is celebrating 20 years in Northeast Mississippi.

In 1998, Vonnie Pounders was leaving a longtime career to work for a new manufacturing plant at the Tri State Commerce Park.

“I built telephones for a living, for 27 years, this was a big change for me, I wish I had found it when I was 20,” Pounders said.

Pounders has worked her way up through the ranks and is now a quality inspector at the Iuka facility.

She is part of the team that for the past two decades, has built large composite structures for satellite launch vehicles.

In fact, the solar probe, launched this past weekend, has parts manufactured by workers at Northrop Grumman’s Iuka facility.  For team members like Pounders, their work is a matter of pride.

“When one of these things flies, it’s like having a child graduate.  You’re proud of the contribution you made to your country,” Pounders said.

From the GPS in our cell phones, to national defense, what happens at the Iuka Northrop Grumman facility affects everyone of us.

Company officials say this workforce is poised to continue making a difference in the decades ahead.

“We have new products that have just been brought into Iuka over the last year so, we’re excited about getting those up and running good and we know our company leadership is committed to Tishomingo County and, committed to Iuka to bring even more products here.  It’s a very exciting time for us,” said Director of Operations, John Kain.

Since opening in 1998, the Iuka manufacturing plant has produced more than 500 composite structures supporting 128 launches, with a 100% success record.

Currently, the Northrop Grumman facility in Iuka has 157 employees.