1970s
Rob Hunter (B.S. mechanical engineering, ’73) was elected chair of the 21-person board of trustees of the National Judicial College. A member of the board since 2016, he is a former senior vice president, general counsel and secretary for the Alabama-based Altec Inc. He retired in 2022 after 21 years with the company. Prior to that, he practiced law for 23 years with the firm of Lange, Simpson, Robinson and Somerville, where he combined his mechanical engineering knowledge with his law degree to defend manufacturers in product liability litigation around the country. During that time, he also provided representation to five Alabama governors: Guy Hunt, Fob James, Bob Riley, Jim Folsom and Don Siegelman. His leadership positions have included president of the International Association of Defense Counsel and Lawyers for Civil Justice; chair of the board of directors of the Product Liability Advisory Council; and dean of the Corporate Counsel College. He has also served on the boards of those organizations, as well as several others including the Duke Law Center for Judicial Studies.
1980s
Anne Rushing (B.S. electronic engineering technology, ’83) was recognized as a 2024 Women MAKE Awards honoree. The national award honors women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers. She is president and plant manager of Monogram Refrigerator LLC, a subsidiary of GE Appliances. Her 30-year career also includes work in the aerospace and automotive industries. She has been a consistent advocate for women in manufacturing, having helped establish the plant’s Empower Women Employee Resource Group, and her guidance has helped several women rise to leadership positions.
Dr. Eric Zacharias (B.S. biological sciences, ’89) was promoted to chief medical officer at COPIC, a professional medical liability insurance company in Colorado. He has led patient safety and risk management efforts for over 20 years for various organizations including large, multi-specialty groups, a statewide consortium of medical groups, and community health systems. He previously served as director of medical education. A board-certified physician, he earned his medical degree from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.
1990s
Lance Porter (B.S. banking and finance, ’91) was named the inaugural Karen W. and Daniel J. King Distinguished Professor in Advertising in the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, from which he earned master’s and doctoral degrees. He previously taught at Louisiana State where he also served as interim associate dean of undergraduate studies and administration, founding director of the Social Media Analysis and Creation Lab and held a joint appointment with the university’s interdisciplinary Center for Computation and Technology. Outside of academics, he served a president of New Media Mind, a digital marketing consulting group, and worked at Walk Disney Motion Picture Group as executive director of digital marketing and director of internet strategy.
Sandy “S.E.” Day (B.A. political science, ’92) is now chief of public affairs for the Bureau of Reclamation, a division of the federal government that focuses on managing water- and power-related resources in 17 western states. He previously served as press secretary for the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, developing integrated communication strategies. His extensive experience also includes overseeing teams of communication professionals as chief of external affairs for the U.S. Geological Survey and serving as a senior communications professional with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the U.S. Army’s Office of the Chief of Public Affairs and various private sector organizations. In addition to his MSU degree, he holds a master’s in cybersecurity law from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
Brian Ratliff (B.S. civil engineering, ’96) has joined Garver, as construction services team leader in Mississippi. He previously spent nearly 30 years with the Mississippi Department of Transportation, including serving as deputy executive director.
Scott Tanksley (B.S. economics; B.A. political science, ’93) was appointed to the board of directors of Restore NYC. An associate partner at CarterBaldwin Executive Search, he developed a relationship with the nonprofit while leading successful executive searches to fill its president and chief operations officer positions. He previously founded two social enterprise startups and holds a master’s degree in regional planning from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
2000s
Allison Matthews (B.A. communication, ’00) has earned the Accredited in Public Relations, or APR, credential. A news editor with MSU’s Office of Public Affairs for 13 years, she successfully completed the two-part process, which measures advanced knowledge and skills in the field. Prior to coming to MSU, she worked with the Greater Starkville Development Partnership and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. In addition to her MSU degree, she holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Mississippi.
Morgan Abraham (B.S. elementary education, ‘08) was named Mississippi’s National Distinguished Principal program honoree. She was surprised with the announcement by a special assembly at Sudduth Elementary in Starkville, which she has served as principal since 2019. In that time, she has helped the school implement a successful PreK program and fostered a 21st century approach to early learning through the use of multisensory instruction. Prior to joining the Starkville Oktibbeha School District, she worked as a kindergarten teacher, instructional coach and assistant principal in Tupelo—her hometown. In addition to her bachelor’s from MSU, she holds a master’s from Alcorn State, an education specialist degree from Delta State and a doctoral degree from the University of Southern Mississippi.
2010s
Anna Barker (B.B.A international business; B.A. Spanish, ’17) was named one of 2024’s Most Intriguing Women Entrepreneurs by Inc. She was the only woman from Mississippi to make this year’s list. She is cofounder and chief creative officer of Glo, a Starkville-based company known for its namesake product, Glo, a liquid-activated reuseable ice cube and Glo Pals, a children’s toy that uses the same technology. She is credited with leading the company’s transition into 100% recycled materials for its Glo Pal product line and doubling the size of the brand in a year.
Morgan Mills (B.S. psychology, ’18) is now an associate at the Houston, Texas, law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz and Stogner. A member of MSU’s women’s soccer team, she earned All-American honors her first two years, before leaving the team to focus on her studies which included minors in pre-law and political science. She returned to her native Texas to study at the South Texas College of Law, Houston. While there, she served as a member of the Journal of International Economic Law and competed in the school’s nationally ranked advocacy program. The joined her current firm in 2019 as a law clerk. After earning her law degree, she worked for the firm as a contract attorney until becoming a junior associate. She is active as a member of the Houston Bar, Houston Young Lawyers, Texas Trial Lawyers and the Texas Young Lawyers associations.
Class Notes
