Board of Directors

Chairman

Mr. Gerard Gibert

FORMER FOUNDER/CEO
VENTURE TECHNOLOGIES
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

Vice Chairman

Mr. Dave Dennis

PRESIDENT
SPECIALTY CONTRACTORS & ASSOCIATES, INC
GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI

 

Immediate Past Chairman

Dr. William Rayburn

CO-FOUNDER, CHAIRMAN & CEO
MORTGAGE TRADE
OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI

Executive Committee

Dr. Brian Cuevas - Innovate Mississippi Board of DirectorsDr. Brian Cuevas

DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI
HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI

 

Mrs. Jan Farrington

INVESTOR
RIDGELAND, MISSISSIPPI

 

Mr. Mayo Flynt

PRESIDENT
AT&T MISSISSIPPI
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

 

Mr. Ashby Foote

PRESIDENT VECTOR MONEY MANAGEMENT
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

 

Mr. Mike Forster

INVESTOR, RETIRED I.T. EXECUTIVE
LOUISVILLE, MISSISSIPPI

 

Mr. Tony Jeff

PRESIDENT & CEO
INNOVATE MISSISSIPPI
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

 

 

Private Sector Members

Mr. R. Barry Cannada

CHAIRMAN, BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
BUTLER SNOW
RIDGELAND, MISSISSIPPI

 

Mr. Greg Cronin

GULF COAST PRESIDENT
CITIZENS BANK
BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI

 

Mr. Mark Henderson

CO-FOUNDER
LOGLINEAR GROUP, LLC AND LAZY MAGNOLIA
WAVELAND, MISSISSIPPI

 

Colby Lane - Innovate Mississippi Board of Directors

Mr. Colby Lane

CEO
VERIFORCE
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

 

Mr. Brad McMullan

PRESIDENT
BFAC.COM
RIDGELAND, MISSISSIPPI

 

Nashlie Sephus - Innovate Mississippi Board of DirectorsDr. Nashlie Sephus

APPLIED SCIENCE MANAGER
AMAZON WEB SERVICES
ATLANTA, GA

 

Public Sector Members

Allyson Best - Innovate Mississippi BoardMs. Allyson Best

DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION
UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI
OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI

 

Almesha Campbell - Innovate Mississippi Board of DirectorsDr. Almesha Campbell

DIRECTOR, TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, COMMERCIALIZATION AND RESEARCH
JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

 

Jeremy Clay - Innovate Mississippi Board of DirectorsMr. Jeremy Clay

DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY
STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI

 

Rachel DeVaughan - Black/White - Innovate MississippiDr. Rachel DeVaughan

DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PROGRAMS
MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

 

Ms. Kim Gallaspy

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
MISSISSIPPI INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

 

 

In memory of Richard A. Sun, past Chairman

In memory of Rich, Innovate Mississippi’s first entrepreneur-in-residence, past chairman of the board of directors and co-founder of Mississippi Coding Academies. We honor his desire to grow Mississippi’s startup ecosystem and improve access to entrepreneurship for all who dare to try.