Governor Tate Reeves, August 2025 (Photo from Governor Reeves on Facebook)
- In addition to advancing ARC investments, Governor Reeves as the States’ Co-Chair also hosts ARC’s annual conference, which will take place on June 2-4, 2026, in Starkville.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves (R) has been elected by his fellow Appalachian governors to serve as the 2026 Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) States’ Co-Chair.
ARC announced the news on Monday morning, noting that Reeves will serve as ARC’s 73rd States’ Co-Chair and the sixth Mississippi Governor to hold the position since 1965.
“Honored to have been chosen by my fellow governors to serve as ARC’s 2026 States’ Co-Chair,” Reeves wrote on Facebook. “Our state worked hard to strengthen our economy and expand opportunities for our people. Looking forward to bringing the same commitment to our shared work across the Appalachian Region.”
ARC said that as part of its federal-state partnership structure, the States’ Co-Chair works collaboratively with the ARC Federal Co-Chair and fellow Appalachian state governors to invest in economic and community growth across the region’s 13 states and 423 counties.
According to ARC, the commission invested $304.4 million in 640 economic development projects throughout the region in fiscal year 2025, which attracted an additional $1.3 billion in private investments. ARC’s FY 2025 investments are projected to create or retain over 13,500 jobs and educate or train an estimated 37,096 students and workers for new opportunities in emerging sectors across Appalachia.
In addition to advancing ARC investments, the States’ Co-Chair also hosts ARC’s annual conference, which will take place on June 2-4, 2026, in Starkville.
“This year’s conference theme, Appalachia Builds: Breaking New Ground for Economic Growth, reflects exactly what our region and its people are doing – pushing forward, creating jobs, and opening doors for families and business,” Reeves stated. “Together with Co-Chair Manchin and my colleagues, we will continue investing in communities to drive growth and deliver real results for all 423 Appalachian counties.”
Gayle Manchin is the other ARC Co-Chair. She was sworn in as the Appalachian Regional Commission’s thirteenth federal Co-Chair in May 2021 after being nominated by then President Joe Biden (D), becoming the first ARC Federal Co-Chair from West Virginia. She is married to former West Virginia Governor and U.S. Senator Joe Manchin.
