Contact: Amy Cagle

STARKVILLE, Miss.—As the Mississippi State University Alumni Association marks 132 years of service, new leaders of the national board of directors are beginning two-year terms for fiscal years 2017-2019.

The incoming national officers, who began their terms July 1, include Brad M. Reeves of Jackson as president; Sherri Carr Bevis of Gulfport as vice president; and Jerry L. Toney of Starkville as treasurer. Ronald E. Black of Meridian continues on the board as immediate former national president. The group was elected in February at the association’s annual business meeting.

“These new national leaders will continue a longstanding tradition of tirelessly leading our association, involving even more alumni and friends in our offerings and promoting Mississippi State around the world,” said Jeff Davis, the association’s executive director. “At this juncture, our association continues its growth, particularly in the number of active alumni of Mississippi State, which stands at some 45,400.”  

In his first term as national president, Reeves assumes the office following a two-year term as vice president. He has held a national board seat since 2010. Reeves graduated from MSU in 2002 with a degree in management and construction of land development and later earned a law degree at the University of Mississippi. He is a partner at the law firm of Randall, Segrest, Weeks, Reeves and Sones PLLC. He remains active with the Central Mississippi alumni chapter, where he has served as president, among other roles.

Bevis earned a communication degree from MSU in 1986. She currently serves as the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office as Assistant Secretary of State for External Marketing. With MSU, Bevis most recently served the association’s national board as South 3 Region Director and remains active with the Mississippi Gulf Coast chapter. She has also been president of the Hancock County alumni chapter and treasurer for the Washington, D.C., alumni chapter.

Toney is a 1996 graduate with a degree in real estate, mortgage finance and economics. He is president of Cadence Bank for Mississippi and a senior financial consultant for the bank's wealth services division. A former MSU Alumni Association national president, his service on the national board spans 14 years. He also has served as president of the Oktibbeha County alumni chapter.

Black, a 1980 marketing graduate, is director of human resources for Southern Pipe and Supply Company Inc. For MSU, he has been on the association’s executive committee for seven years. Along with a just-ended two-year stint as national president, Black earlier served two-year stints as first national vice president and national second vice president. For a time, he was South 1 Region director. Black remains active in the association's Lauderdale County chapter.

The alumni association was founded June 17, 1885, by the first three graduating classes of then Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College. A full-service organization, the association now includes 101 chapters and clubs. Mississippi State currently has over 138,000 living alumni.

For more information about the MSU Alumni Association, contact Davis at 662-325-7000 or jdavis@alumni.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.