McIntosh named MSU Foundation executive director of development
Contact: Kevin Tate
STARKVILLE, Miss.—Alexander W. “Alex” McIntosh has been named executive director of development for the MSU Foundation. He succeeds Jack McCarty, who retired in December 2025 after 15 years in the role.
A Mississippi State alumnus, McIntosh joined the university in 2008 as a student services coordinator and lead student recruiter for the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College. He came to the MSU Foundation in 2011 as director of development for the College of Arts and Sciences. Since 2016, he has led the Foundation’s corporate and foundation relations efforts, working with key philanthropic partners. In his new role, McIntosh will help guide the MSU Foundation’s planning for the decades ahead, identifying opportunities to grow the university’s impact on the state and around the world.
The MSU Foundation’s fundraising efforts secure private support for Mississippi State’s mission of learning, service and research. That support makes key advancements possible through facilities and programs that could not otherwise exist. Growing the impact of what is and anticipating what can be positions MSU to thrive in a world it will help define, according to John Rush, president and CEO of the MSU Foundation and vice president for the Division of Development and Alumni. He said McIntosh will lead the team of development professionals who work with committed alumni and friends whose support makes that happen.
“Alex brings a clear vision of what our university can be, and his experience demonstrates a proven ability to take us there,” Rush said. “He brings an exceptional ability to identify where opportunities will arise, and his experience as a proven leader and member of our team makes him a natural fit.”
A 2007 magna cum laude graduate with degrees in economics and political science from MSU, McIntosh was an Ottilie Schillig Leadership Scholar, a National Merit Scholar and a member of the Bulldog baseball team. He earned his Master of Public Policy and Administration from MSU in 2012.
“Mississippi State has shaped my life in ways I could not have imagined when I first arrived on campus,” McIntosh said. “I have seen firsthand how private giving creates opportunity, unlocks potential and changes lives. We have an unmatched team at the MSU Foundation, and it is a tremendous honor to lead them as they help our alumni and friends make a transformative impact on the people, places and priorities that make Mississippi State so special.”
McIntosh rises to the position following a period of significant fundraising growth for Mississippi State. During McCarty’s tenure as executive director of development, the university’s endowment grew to more than $1 billion, strengthening support for students, faculty and programs across campus.
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