*Click photos to view board member bios*
 Larry Otis Chair of:
Larry Otis is chair of SWIB and a "Research Fellow" at the National Strategic Planning & Analysis Research Center. Otis also serves as Vice-Chair of The National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services. He has served as an administrator of Itawamba Community College, the Mayor of Tupelo, Mississippi, a teacher at South Panola High School, and the head of two state agencies. In the private sector, he served as president of Cargo Handlers and Vice President of Parker Towing Company. He received a Bachelor's Degree in industrial education from MSU and a Master's Degree in education from the University of Mississippi.
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 Clarke Holmes Chair of:
F. Clarke Holmes is the executive director of the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District. He directed the construction of 17 industrial parks within the district's seven-county region, an investment of more than $30 million. He coauthored legislation that ordered the development of a statewide economic development planning process. He is a founding member of the Mississippi Association of Planning and Development Districts and has represented the organization in numerous capacities for more than 20 years.
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 Jay Moon Chair of:
Jay C. Moon is a member of the SWIB's executive committee and president and CEO of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association. He has more than 20 years of experience in site development, business retention, strategic plan development, financial incentive creation, and marketing. He led Mississippi's successful effort to locate the Nissan Automotive Assembly facility. He received a bachelor's degree in international relations and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Georgia.
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 Paul Watson Chair of: |
 Ronald Aldridge
Ronald Aldridge is state treasurer and state director of the National Federation of Independent Business. He was a Mississippi legislator. He is on the executive board of Mississippians For Economic Progress, a tort reform coalition of business and medical communities. He has more than 15 years of experience in lobbying.
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 Tom Burnham Dr. Tom Burnham is the superintendent of education of Mississippi. He has served as the superintendent of Henderson County Public Schools and Biloxi School District and was executive director of the Gulf Coast Initiative Consortium. He was the recipient of the Golden Lamp Award for leadership. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Mississippi College and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Delta State University. |
 George "Bunky" Butler George W. "Bunky" Butler owns a consulting company. He has 41 years of experience in commercial banking. He is chairman of the Delta Workforce Development Council. He received a bachelor's degree in accounting from Mississippi State University.
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 Videt Carmichael Videt Carmichael is a senator of the Mississippi State Legislature. He serves on various committees in the Legislature, including those for education (on which he serves as chairman), appropriations, and business and financial institutions. He is self-employed. He received a bachelor's degree and master's degree in education at Mississippi State University.
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 Eric Clark Dr. Eric Clark is a member of the SWIB's executive committee and the executive director of the Mississippi State Board for Community and Junior Colleges. He served 12 years as the Mississippi Secretary of State and 16 years as a member of the Mississippi State Legislature. He also taught history and government at Jones County Junior College and Mississippi College. He received a bachelor's degree from Millsaps College, a master's degree from the University of Mississippi, and a doctorate in history from Mississippi State University.
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 Robert G. Clark Robert G. Clark Jr. is a former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives. When he retired, he was the longest-serving member in the House. A Mississippi state building is named after Clark. He received a bachelor's degree from Jackson State University and a master's degree in administration and educational services from Michigan State University.
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 Larry Crane Dr. Larry E. Crane is the sector director of workforce education and development at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. He has about 40 years of experience in vocational training, having served as a welding instructor, dean of continuing education, and district director of vocational instruction at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. He has also worked with economic development and port authority staff in attracting industry to Jackson County. He received bachelor's and master's degrees in vocational education and specialist and doctoral degrees in education administration from the University of Southern Mississippi.
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 Jason Dean Dr. Jason Dean is the vice president for economic policy at the Mississippi Economic Council. He serves as chief operating officer for the state's long-range economic and education development plan, Momentum Mississippi, and as COO for the Mississippi Partnership for Economic Development. He was also a policy advisor to Governor Haley Barbour.
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 Jennifer Dumal Jennifer H. Dumal is vice president of patient care services and chief nursing executive at Memorial Hospital. She has more than 30 years of health care experience and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives. She received a bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of South Alabama and a master's degree in Public Health from the University of Southern Mississippi.
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 Chris Epps Christopher B. Epps is the commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. His extensive career with MDOC includes serving as chief of staff, deputy commissioner of institutions, and deputy commissioner of community corrections, among several other positions. He also serves on the board of Mississippi Prison Industries, a nonprofit corporation that provides work opportunities to inmates. He received a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Mississippi Valley State University and a master's degree in guidance and counseling from Liberty University (Lynchburg, Virginia).
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 Charles Evers |
 Linda Gates Linda Gates is district director of job placement and work-based learning at East Mississippi Community College. She implemented the work-based learning program at EMCC, which allows students to earn college credits for on-the-job training. She also chairs EMCC's annual job fair and serves on the executive committee of another regional job fair, both part of the Governor's Job Fair Network. She received bachelor's, master's, and education specialist degrees from Mississippi College.
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 Steve A. Gray Steve A. Gray is director of governmental affairs for the Mississippi Association of Supervisors. He serves as an advocate on legislative and regulatory issues affecting all of Mississippi's 82 counties. He also directs correspondence and provides legislative updates for all Mississippi counties, serving 410 county supervisors. He received a bachelor's degree from Delta State University and a master's degree in public policy and administration from Mississippi State University.
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 Michael Hall Michael Hall is director of human resources for the Mississippi, California, and Pennsylvania operations of Ashley Furniture.
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 Charles Holder Charles Holder is the CEO of Hol-Mac Corporation. He is chair of the steering committee for establishing Centers for Excellence as part of the Momentum WIRED grant. He was chair of the Mississippi Commission on Workforce Excellence. He received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Mississippi State University.
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 Joe Jones |
 Roland Kell
Roland Kell is general manager of Chevron Pascagoula. He was vice president of Chevron's Europe and West Africa manufacturing, supply, and trade business. He serves on the board of directors of the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation. He is also a member of the Gulf Coast Business Council and the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College District Workforce Council.
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 Perry Lee
Perry Lee is a senator of the Mississippi State Legislature. He serves on various committees in the Legislature, including those for forestry and agriculture (on which he serves as chairman and vice chairman, respectively). He retired from the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service. He received a bachelor's degree from Louisiana State University and a master's degree from Mississippi State University.
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 Edward Lehner
Eddie Lehner is the senior managing director of Greenseed Holdings. He was the chief financial officer of SeverCorr. He has more than 20 years of experience in economic and workforce development. He received a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Cincinnati and is a certified public accountant.
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 George Lewis
George E. Lewis is the executive director of the Mississippi Municipal League. He became a certified community developer while working for the Mississippi Development Authority. He also served as mayor of Kosciusko after working 23 years in retail management. He received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Delta State University.
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 Willis Lott
Dr. Willis Lott is president of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. He served as director of admissions and records and dean of academic affairs at Pearl River Community College. He also served as chair of the Mississippi Humanities Council. He received a doctorate in education from the University of Southern Mississippi.
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 H.S. "Butch" McMillan
H.S. "Butch" McMillan is executive director of the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services. He served in the Mississippi House of Representatives for 12 years. He was also the president of the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation. He received a bachelor's degree in accounting from Mississippi State University and is a certified public accountant.
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 David McMillen |
 Jackie Mullins
Jackie Mullins is a district manager for Southern Pine Electric Power Association. He has served as a board member on workforce programs since the Job Training and Partnership Act. He is chairman of the local workforce investment board of Southcentral Mississippi Works. He received a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Southern Mississippi.
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 Robert Mullins
Bob Mullins is senior manager of training, organization development, and communications for Nissan North America. He was vice president of the Resource and Coordinating Unit of Economic Development at Hinds Community College. He has experience in developing, implementing, and utilizing workforce training. He received a bachelor's degree and master's degree from the University of Southern Mississippi.
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 Trent A. Mulloy
Trent A. Mulloy is president of Laurel Machine & Foundry Company. He currently serves on the Momentum WIRED Steering Committee. He is also a board member of the Mississippi Automotive Manufacturers Association. He received a bachelor's degree from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee.
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 Les Range
Les Range is executive director of the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. He was deputy executive director/chief operating officer for MDES, responsible for leading the Workforce Investment Act, Employment Service, and Unemployment Insurance programs. He has experience as a manager with state government agencies, economic and community development organizations, and universities, and as a business owner. He received a bachelor's degree in English/journalism from Northeastern University (Boston) and a master's degree in business administration from Delta State University.
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 George Schloegel
George Schloegel is mayor of Gulfport and chairman of Hancock Holding Company's board of directors. He joined Hancock Bank more than 50 years ago and eventually became president of the organization. He is in the Mississippi Business Hall of Fame. He received a bachelor's degree from the University of New Orleans and attended Harvard Business School.
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 David Stephens
David Stephens is human resources manager of Van Zyverden Inc. He is chairman of the Twin Districts Workforce Area board and has served on workforce boards for more than 20 years. He has more than 30 years of experience in manufacturing and human resources management. He received PHR certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute and a bachelor's degree in accounting/business administration from Jackson State University.
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 Gray Swoope
Gray Swoope is the executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority. He has more than 20 years of economic development experience, including work on the local, regional, and state levels in both Mississippi and Arkansas. He has been instrumental in securing major projects for Mississippi, such as the Toyota plant. He received a bachelor's degree and master's degree in business administration from Mississippi State University.
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 Michael Thomas
Michael B. Thomas is manager of land, public, and government affairs at the North American Coal Corporation in Mississippi. He has about 30 years of experience in vocational education and training in Mississippi and Arkansas. He is a member of several workforce and economic development boards, including the boards of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association and Golden Triangle Planning and Development District. He received a bachelor's degree in industrial education from Mississippi State University and a master's degree in vocational administration from the University of Arkansas.
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 Don Thompson
Don Thompson is the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services. He also served as the deputy administrator of the Division of Medicaid and the state personnel director of Mississippi after retiring from the U.S. Navy. He received a bachelor's degree and master's degree in business administration from Mississippi State University.
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 Sherrye C.Thompson
Sherrye C. Thompson is director of community education services for Rankin County School District. She also serves as chair of the youth council for Southcentral Mississippi Works. Her work with Mississippi youth spans 25 years, including two terms on the board of directors of the National Association for Gifted Children and one term as president of the Mississippi Association for Gifted Children. She was also secretary for the Rankin County Republican Executive Committee.
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 George Walker
George Walker is a member of the SWIB's executive committee and chairman of the Mississippi State Board for Community and Junior Colleges. He founded Delta Wire Corporation in Clarksdale, Miss. He has been involved in economic development throughout Mississippi for more than 25 years. He received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Clark University (Worcester, Massachusetts) and a master's degree in industrial management from Worchester Polytechnic.
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