Alumni Fellows 2007
Alumni Fellows 2007
Alumni Fellows - 2007
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Mr. Hollis Cheek
Hollis Cheek, a Marshall, Texas, native and 1970 MSU graduate, is the 2007 Alumni Fellow for the university's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Cheek currently serves as president of J.C. Cheek Contractors, Inc., which has offices in Mississippi and Alabama and performs contracts for state and federal agencies and general contractors throughout the South.
A graduate of Kosciusko High School, Cheek earned a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture and horticulture from Mississippi State. In addition to his work with J.C. Cheek Contractors, Inc., he also directs the operations of Techno-Catch, LLC, and Old Trace Coffee Co. His public service includes stints as a city alderman, state senator and president of the Mississippi Roadbuilders' Association.
Kosciusko, Miss.
'70, Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, Horticulture, Mississippi State University
President of J.C. Cheek Contractors, Inc.
Cheek currently serves on the U.S. Department of Energy's Small Business Advisory Board and the board of Momentum Mississippi. He is president of the Kosciusko Attala Development Corp.
"My years at State influenced me to realize we are our successes, failures, hopes and visions," Cheek says. "My greatest professional accomplishment is to have started something with one single thought and, with the help of dedicated co-workers, built it into a marketable product or service."
"In the corner of my memory is a special place for my time at MSU," he says.
Cheek and his wife, Sarah, reside in Kosciusko.
College of Education
Mr. Joe Dean Jr.
Joe Dean Jr., athletic director at Birmingham-Southern College, is being recognized as the 2007 Alumni Fellow for Mississippi State University's College of Education. While at Mississippi State in the late 70s, Dean embarked on a successful athletic career that persists to this day.
A Baton Rouge, La., native, Dean is currently in his ninth year as athletic director at Birmingham-Southern College in Birmingham, Ala. During his tenure, Dean has led BSC's move to NCAA Division I athletics competition, assisted the college in developing and upgrading its athletic facilities and raised over $2 million for the renovation of Bill Battle Coliseum and the building of BSC's softball park, the T.B. Pearson Sports Hall of Fame and a new athletic weight room.
Birmingham, Ala.
'76, B.S. Physical Education, Mississippi State University
'77, M.Ed., Physical Education, Mississippi State University
Athletic Director at Birmingham-Southern College
As a three-year basketball letterman at Mississippi State, Dean received several honors including 1976 Academic All-SEC and was the first recipient of the James H. "Babe" McCarthy Award for leadership, scholarship and citizenship. Dean earned a bachelor's degree in 1976 and a master's degree in 1977, both in physical education.
Dean began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Mississippi State in 1976. He then served as an assistant basketball coach at the University of Kentucky from 1977-1983, which included an NCAA championship in 1978. Dean was named head basketball coach at Birmingham-Southern in 1983. Dean was named conference and district coach of the year three times, and finished his tenure at BSC with a 137-45 overall record. He coached Division I basketball at the University of Central Florida from 1989-1993.
From 1993-1999, Dean worked as vice president for sales and marketing for the Colonnade Group, Inc., in Birmingham, Ala., before returning to Birmingham-Southern as athletics director.
The five years he spent at Mississippi State were instrumental in his success, he says.
"Five years as a student-athlete and being around great coaches like Kermit Davis, Ron Polk and others, inspired me to a career in intercollegiate athletics," he says.
He and his wife, the former Ellen Anger (a 1975 MSU graduate), reside in Birmingham.
College of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Susan Erdman
Dr. Susan Erdman, of Hopkinton, Mass., is being recognized as the 2007 Alumni Fellow for Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.
A native of Allentown, Pa., Erdman traveled from the Northeast to the Deep South in the 1980s to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine from Mississippi State. She graduated from the MSU-CVM in 1988.
After graduation, Erdman completed a master's degree in public health at Harvard University and has completed a postdoctoral training program in comparative medicine at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Hopkinton, Mass.
'88, D.V.M., Mississippi State University
Veterinarian
She currently serves as assistant director and chief of clinical resources within the division of comparative medicine at MIT. In this role, she fills a combination of research, administrative and clinical roles. She has conducted extensive research on the impact of inflammatory disease in cancer patients and has published her findings extensively in scientific journals.
She says her time spent at Mississippi State taught her to appreciate different approaches and perspectives and provided a solid base as well as inspiration to aim high. She credits her accomplishments to MSU faculty members and her family.
She says, "CVM faculty had an enormous positive impact on my professional development."
Erdman says that her greatest professional accomplishment has been using her perseverance, insight and creativity to achieve constructive outcomes. It's likely that those same traits helped her achieve her personal and professional goals.
"I grew a lot personally and professionally at MSU," she says. "Those were some really fun and happy years."
Erdman has been recognized as a Diplomate by the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine. She resides in Hopkinton, Mass.
College of Business and Industry
Mr. John Ferguson
John Ferguson, president and CEO of Corrections Corp. of America in Nashville, Tenn., is being recognized as the 2007 Alumni Fellow for Mississippi State University's College of Business and Industry.
Ferguson has served as president and CEO of CCA since August 2000. He joined the company following a 33-year business career that includes extensive experience in finance, entrepreneurial ventures, corporate turnarounds and government experience. Prior to joining CCA, he served as the commissioner of finance and administration for the state of Tennessee for four years.
An active member of Nashville's business and civic community, Ferguson presently serves on the boards of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Middle Tennessee Council, Boy Scouts of America, Nashville Symphony and Nashville Alliance for Public Education. Ferguson served as the 2005 campaign chair for United Way of Metropolitan Nashville and as the 2005 and 2006 co-chair of the Boy Scouts of Middle Tennessee Annual Patron Luncheon. Ferguson participated in the 2003/04 class of Leadership Nashville.
Nashville, Tenn.
'67, Bachelor of Accountancy, Mississippi State University
President and CEO of Corrections Corp. of America
After graduating from Mississippi State University with a bachelor's degree in accounting in 1967, Ferguson began working with IBM. In 1971, he founded Econocom, a computer sales and leasing company, which he operated for 10 years. In 1973, Ferguson helped found a bank, assisted in the organization of the board of directors and served as a director of the bank. In 1982, he founded a merger and acquisitions firm and served as CEO until 1993. He continued to serve on the board of the bank, serving as chairman and CEO from 1990 to 1995.
Ferguson still recalls fondly the personal relationships he developed at Mississippi State and says his academic experiences at MSU prepared him for the start of his career.
"I believe starting my career with IBM was a choice that led me to some of my successes and being a student at MSU prepared me to be recruited by them," he says.
Ferguson and his wife, the former Carole Smalley of Bay Springs, Miss., reside in Nashville. They have three children: Amy Pipes of Mobile, Ala.; Ashley Waltemath of San Francisco; and Julie Trapp of Chicago.
College of Forest Resources
Dr. John Hodges
Dr. John D. Hodges, a nationally-known hardwood specialist, is being recognized as the 2007 Alumni Fellow for Mississippi State University's College of Forest Resources - a fitting tribute for a man who devoted basically his entire career to the university.
A 1959 MSU graduate, Hodges was one of the first students to earn a bachelor's degree from the then-young School of Forestry. He went on to earn a master's degree and Ph.D. from the University of Washington and began his professional career with the Forest Service in Pineville, La.
He returned to join the faculty of Mississippi State in 1975 and taught silviculture and conducted research in the areas of hardwood silviculture, physiology, ecology and wetland restoration until 1996. He has written more than 150 published articles, including chapters in six books. But, more importantly, he has impacted a large number of students pursuing careers in forestry.
Ashland, Miss.
'59, B.S., Forestry
'62, M.S., Silviculture, University of Washington
'65, Ph.D., Ecology/Plant Physiology, University of Washington
Hardwood Specialist
However, his greatest professional accomplishment, he says, is having associated with and trained some 40 graduate students at the master's and doctoral level.
"Dr. Hodges educated thousands of undergraduate students in silviculture and scores of graduate students," says Dr. James P. Shepard, head of the university's forestry department, on nominating Hodges for this award. "Many of his students have gone on to become successful forestry faculty. He has trained an entire generation of students who have made substantial contributions of their own."
Hodges retired from MSU in 1996 before embarking on another professional adventure – he was selected to by Anderson-Tully Co., a renowned landowner and hardwood lumber manufacturer, to lead the company's land management program, including the supervision of 20 professional foresters and wildlife biologists and 360,000 acres of land.
Hodges left Anderson-Tully Co. in 2000 and again agreed to come out of retirement for three years to run MSU's hardwood forestry extension program, conducting about 15 hardwood workshops each year throughout the region to benefit countless foresters and landowners.
Hodges has been recognized as a Fellow by the Society of American Foresters and has received numerous Outstanding Teaching Awards and an Outstanding Research Award presented by Mississippi State. He and his wife, Polly, reside in Ashland, Miss.
Bagley College of Engineering
Mr. Everette Ramage
Everette Ramage, a retired vice president from ADTRAN, is being recognized as the 2007 Alumni Fellow for Mississippi State University's Bagley College of Engineering.
At the end of June 2007, Ramage retired from ADTRAN, a Huntsville, Ala.,-based company in which he has been a key player for almost 18 years. During his career, Ramage played a vital role in helping the company become a leading supplier of data communications products, serving as vice president of engineering for the Enterprise Networks Division since 1999.
A 1969 MSU electrical engineering graduate, Ramage credits much of his professional success to the people who encouraged him during his college years at Mississippi State.
Madison, Ala.
'69 B.S., Electrical Engineering, Mississippi State University
Retired Vice President of ADTRAN
He says, "There were numerous professors and graduate student lab instructors who took a personal interest in me and continually encouraged me to strive for excellence."
The engineering curriculum at MSU also taught him to handle a tight schedule efficiently and to embrace difficult assignments.
"Handling the engineering course load taught me to be a problem solver," he says. "It taught me to multiplex my efforts, schedule my time appropriately and apply extra effort when difficult tasks were encountered."
He is a member of the university's Electrical and Computer Engineering Advisory Board, which allows him to work with peers from various industries to assist the department in strategic planning and advancement efforts.
He says, "Assisting the department in continuing to produce the traditionally high-quality MSU engineers has been rewarding in that it allows me to give back to the organization that gave so much to me."
Ramage and his wife, Melba, reside in Madison, Ala.
College of Arts and Sciences
Mr. Kevin D. Robinson
Kevin Robinson, an on-air meteorologist with The Weather Channel, is being recognized as the 2007 Alumni Fellow for Mississippi State University's College of Arts and Sciences. A 2001 MSU geosciences graduate, Robinson is able to share his passion for the weather daily with a national audience - a passion he nurtured while a student at Mississippi State University.
While a student, Robinson was a member of MSU's North Mississippi Severe Storms Intercept Team, fondly known as "Storm Chasers." This experience enabled him to "chase" his passion for severe weather throughout the Southeast, rather than waiting for storms to come to him.
"My most memorable experience was chasing tornadic storms in the Mississippi Delta in January 1999 where I saw three simultaneous tornadoes on the ground," Robinson says. "The opportunity to be out watching the weather elements at work is an awe-inspiring experience."
Acworth, Ga.
'01 B.S., Geosciences, Mississippi State University
On-air meteorologist with The Weather Channel
Robinson joined The Weather Channel in June 2005 after serving four years as morning meteorologist for WAPT-TV 16 in Jackson, Miss. While at WAPT, Robinson earned the American Meteorological Society's coveted Seal of Approval and created a child-oriented segment of the morning weathercast called "Kevin's Classroom" to help create a passion for science and weather in children.
"It is fulfilling to know that you can take something abstract and create an interest there in someone else's mind," Robinsons says.
Robinson has also been chosen to be a speaker and station representative for the Southwest Airlines Capital City Classic, a major economic and community-oriented event involving historically black colleges across the South.
A native of Memphis, Tenn., Robinson credits his mother and father with much of his success, but acknowledges the impact of his college education on his professional accomplishments.
"Being and living on your own teaches you responsibility," he says. "The time helps you to prepare for the real world."
The forecast for this MSU graduate with a passion for severe weather? Sunny skies, of course.
Editor's Note: Robinson's parents, Kenneth and Wendy Robinson, reside in Eupora, Miss.
College of Architecture, Art and Design
Mr. Stan Wagnon
Stan Wagnon, president of Burris/Wagnon Architects, P.A., in Jackson, Miss., is being recognized as the 2007 Alumni Fellow for Mississippi State University's College of Architecture, Art and Design.
Since graduating with a bachelor's degree in architecture from Mississippi State in 1991, Wagnon has been a very busy architect.
After graduation, Wagnon joined Eley Associates Architects in Jackson, Miss., where he co-developed the design of the Jackson State University Liberal Arts Building, a design for which he later received an honor award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Jackson, Miss.
'91, Bachelor of Architecture, Mississippi State University
President of Burris/Wagnon Architects, P.A.
From 1994 to 1997, Wagnon worked first with Easom Architects in Clinton, Miss., and then Singleton Hollomon Architects in Jackson, before opening Stan Wagnon Architect, P.A., in Jackson in 1997. In 2000, his organization evolved into Burris/Wagnon Architects, P.A., of which Wagnon currently serves as president.
Wagnon has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout his career. In 1991, he received AIA's coveted Henry Adams Medal, an award presented to the top-ranking graduating student in each architecture program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board, an achievement he still credits as his greatest accomplishment while at Mississippi State.
In addition to several state design awards, Wagnon was recently recognized by the Chicago Athenaeum as the recipient of the 2007 American Architecture Award for his firm's contribution to the design of the Mississippi Library Commission. That same design also earned him the 2006 Sambo Mockbee AIA Membership Award.
Wagnon says his academic experiences at MSU helped prepare him for the sometimes exhausting professional world of architecture.
"The rigorous, 24/7 School of Architecture curriculum was key to developing the real-world work ethic and method that would later lead to the design quality that our firm has been fortunate to instill in its work," he says.
Despite the time-consuming workload, Wagnon did manage to create fond memories at Mississippi State.
He says he remembers "Saturday project due dates, watching MSU football from the roof of the architecture building, and stumbling in an exhausted trance through the architecture backyard to the Bulldogs' home baseball games."
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