The Mississippi State University Foundation is announcing its 2024 leaders and incoming members for the board of directors that guides the fundraising arm of the land-grant institution.
Incoming officers with new one-year terms that began Jan. 1 include three alumni: Anthony L. Wilson of Gulfport as chair; Rodger L. Johnson of Atlanta, Georgia, as vice-chair; and Paul J. Karre of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, as treasurer.
Wilson, who is entering his third term as board chair, previously served as vice chair for three terms. The D’Iberville native earned an electrical engineering degree from MSU in 1987, and also holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi. He serves as chairman, president and CEO of Mississippi Power Co. Prior to assuming his current role, he served as executive vice president of customer service and operations for Georgia Power.
Johnson is a 1971 civil engineering graduate of MSU. He also earned an MBA from Georgia State University in 1982. A native of Greenwood, he serves as president and CEO of JKC Holdings Inc.
Karre is the retired senior vice president of human resources and communications of International Paper. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in management from MSU in 1974. The Natchez native is a member and past president of the executive advisory board for the College of Business.
Rounding out the remaining board officers are MSU personnel. John P. Rush, vice president for development and alumni, is the board’s president and CEO; Janet H. Carraway, executive director of finance, is chief financial officer; and Jack McCarty, executive director of development, serves as board secretary. All are MSU graduates.
New members beginning inaugural terms are:
Jeffrey Clark of Madison, who earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from MSU in 1992 and is president and CEO of Keystone Specialty Pharmacy;
Kenneth B. “Ken” Robinson of Boca Raton, Florida, a 1977 banking and finance major of MSU, who is a retired vice president for global diversity and inclusion at Procter and Gamble;
Terri Russell of Helena, Alabama, who earned1984 bachelor’s and 1986 master’s degrees in industrial engineering from MSU. She is a principal member of technical staff at AT&T Labs Inc. At MSU, she also leads the National Alumni Association board of directors as president.
Eight members who have previously served are returning to the board in new terms. They are:
Frederick V. “Fred” Buie of Slidell, Louisiana, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial engineering from MSU in 1978 and 1991, respectively. He is the retired president and CEO of Keystone Electrical Manufacturing Co.
Randy J. Cleveland of Fort Worth, Texas, is a 1983 petroleum engineering graduate. He is a retired vice president of Americas for ExxonMobil Production Co.
John D. Davis IV of Flowood is a 1988 biological engineering and premed graduate of Mississippi State, who later received a medical degree from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1992. He is a founding partner and neurosurgeon for NewSouth NeuroSpine.
W. G. “Mickey” Holliman Jr. of Belden is a 1960 industrial management graduate. He is retired chairman and CEO of Furniture Brands International. He also holds a 2017 honorary Doctor of Science from MSU.
William A. “Lex” Taylor III of Louisville is a 1977 general business administration graduate. He is chairman and CEO of The Taylor Group Inc. and president of Taylor Machine Works Inc.
ZonaDale L. Taylor of Collierville, Tennessee, completed postgraduate work at Mississippi State before joining the faculty as an assistant professor in the home economics department. She retired from GlaxcoSmith-Kline Healthcare as manager of consumer and public affairs.
Douglas T. “Doug” Terreson of Point Clear, Alabama, is a 1984 petroleum engineering graduate. He retired as head of global energy for Evercore ISI.
Turner Wingo of Starkville is a 1967 business graduate of MSU. He is a retired real estate developer and the former owner of Sherry’s Hallmark.
Chartered in 1962, the MSU Foundation administers most of MSU’s campus-based fundraising activities and endowment funds. More information is available at www.msufoundation.com and @MSU_Foundation.
