William F. Winter (49), former Mississippi governor, was one of 10 Mississippians presented with the new Mississippi Medal of Service. The awards were presented for the first time this year to outstanding Mississippians who have “devoted countless hours and enormous amounts of time, talents and energy to making Mississippi a better place to live, work and raise a family,” said Gov. Haley Barbour, who made the presentations at a ceremony in Jackson.

 

Lenore Loving Prather (55), former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi, was one of 10 Mississippians presented with the new Mississippi Medal of Service. The awards were presented for the first time this year to outstanding Mississippians who have “devoted countless hours and enormous amounts of time, talents and energy to making Mississippi a better place to live, work and raise a family,” said Gov. Haley Barbour, who made the presentations at a ceremony in Jackson.

L.T. Senter (59), a senior U.S. district judge of Gulfport, received one of two Professional Awards at the 2009 annual meeting of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

 

H. Wingfield “Wink” Glover Jr. (64) of Meridian and his wife, Lanell Luckett Glover, were recently presented with United Way’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of their dedicated service to the community. This is the first time a couple has been selected to receive this award. Glover is a partner in the Meridian law firm of Glover, Young, Walton & Simmons, PLLC.

Judge Henry L. Lackey (66) was nominated and elected to serve as chairman of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance for the next six years. He has served as circuit court judge in the Third Circuit Court District since 1993. He recently received one of two professional awards presented at the 2009 annual meeting of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

James Kitchens (67) was elected and took office with the Mississippi Supreme Court. He previously served as a district attorney and was in private practice.

Thomas W. Dawson (69), an assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi office in Oxford, retired from his position Jan. 31, 2009, and was honored with a retirement party. During his 36-year career with the U.S. Department of Justice, Dawson served under seven presidents and multiple attorneys general.

Alix H. Sanders (69) was honored for his service to the community by the Leflore County Board of Supervisors, the city of Greenwood and the Rising Sun Subdivision Community Organization on the occasion of his retirement from private practice.

 

Don L. Frugé (70) announces the formation of Oxford Investment Advisors, LLC, an independent registered investment advisory firm.

Edward G. Bryant (72), formerly a partner with the Jackson, Tenn., law firm of Waldrop and Hall, was sworn in as U.S. magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Henry F. Laird Jr. (74), a member of the board of directors of Watkins Ludlam Winter and Stennis in the Gulfport office, was inducted as a fellow at the 2009 annual meeting of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

Thomas A. Cook (75), founding member of the law firm of Copeland Cook Taylor & Bush, PA, who practices in the Ridgeland office, was selected as the annual recipient of the Brance Beamon Award for his leadership and volunteerism toward improving the quality of life in Madison County.

Joseph Leray “Ray” McNamara (75), a shareholder in the Ridgeland office of Copeland Cook Taylor and Bush, PA, was inducted as a fellow at the 2009 annual meeting of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

Judge Frank G. Voller (75), Ninth Circuit Court District, retired from the bench on May 31. He will be joining his nephew Austin Voller (96), a Starkville attorney, in setting up the Voller Law Firm with offices in Vicksburg and Starkville.

William O. Brown Jr. (77) was named shareholder in the Ridgeland office of Copeland Cook Taylor and Bush, PA. He also holds an LL.M. in taxation from the University of Denver.

William “Bill” Waller Jr. (77) was elevated to the position of chief justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi.

Kenneth B. Rector (77), a member of Wheeless, Shappley, Bailess & Rector, LLP, in Vicksburg, was inducted as a fellow at the 2009 annual meeting of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

Deborah Hodges Bell (79), professor at The University of Mississippi School of Law, was inducted as a fellow at the 2009 annual meeting of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

Mark Henry (79) was named chief of staff for Mississippi Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant.

 

 Judge Lisa P. Dodson (81) of the Second Circuit Court District in Gulfport was inducted as a fellow at the 2009 annual meeting of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

John Grisham (81) was inducted into the UM Alumni Hall of Fame, the UM Alumni Association’s highest annual honor.

Collette A. Oldmixon (81), a member of the law firm of Smith & Oldmixon in Poplarville, received the 2009 Law Related Public Education Award at the annual meeting of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

Paul R. Scott (81), a member of the Hernando office of Smith, Phillips, Mitchell, Scott & Nowark, LLP, was inducted as a fellow at the 2009 annual meeting of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

Ann Hannaford Lamar (82) was sworn in following her re-election to the bench of the Supreme Court of Mississippi.

Jacqueline Estes Mask (82), a judge of the First Chancery District Court in Tupelo, was inducted as a fellow at the 2009 annual meeting of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

Kenneth C. Hulshof (83), former U.S. Congressman of Columbus, Mo., joined the law firm of Polsinelli Shughart, PC, and will work in offices in both Missouri and Washington, D.C. He previously represented the ninth district of Missouri.

 

J. Tucker Mitchell (83), a shareholder in Ridgeland office of Copeland Cook Taylor & Bush, PA, was selected for membership in the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. The FDCC is an international legal organization of 1,400 attorneys deemed to be leaders in the legal community and selected by a board of directors from recommendations sub-mitted by an independent ad-missions committee.

Janet G. Arnold (84) was named a shareholder in the Ridgeland office of Copeland Cook Taylor & Bush, PA. She works in the areas of insurance defense and complex litigation.

Reverend Francis King (84) has been called as a priest to serve the parishes of both St. Mary’s and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Churches in Morgantown, N.C. King received his theology degree in 2000 from the University of the South at Sewanee, Tenn., and was ordained to the priesthood of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana in 2006.

Patricia D. Wise (84), judge of the Fifth Circuit Chancery Court District in Jackson, was inducted as a fellow at the 2009 annual meeting of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

Lynn Fitch (85) was named executive director of the State Personnel Board by Gov. Haley Barbour. Fitch was previously deputy executive director of the Mississippi Department of Employment Security and has also chaired the employment agency’s board of review.

Laurie Rosenbaum Williams (85) joined the Ridgeland office of Copeland Cook Taylor & Bush, PA, as a shareholder working the areas of litigation and insurance law.

Charles R. “Chip” Wilbanks Jr. (86), a partner at Wells Moore Simmons and Hubbard, was unanimously appointed to a five-year term on the Clinton School Board. He and his wife, Alicia, are the parents of three daughters: Allyce, a senior at Ole Miss; Annaclaire, a senior at Clinton High; and Abigail, a sixth-grader at Lovett Elementary.

John R. Rittelmeyer (88) is now serving as director of legal services for disability rights North Carolina in Raleigh, N.C.

Stephen B. Simpson (88), commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, served as grand marshal of the Hibernia Society of Mississippi’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Biloxi.

 

Jefferson Davis Gilder (90) was certified a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a national organization limited to attorneys who have won multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements. Less than 1 percent of U.S. attorneys are members.

John David Jones (93) was recently honored with a gala concert and “An Evening with the Stars” celebrating his 10th anniversary season as general director of Opera Birmingham.

Patrick C. Malouf (93), a partner at the law firm of Porter & Malouf, PA, in Jackson, was named a board member of the newly formed Jackson regional advisory board for Bankfirst Financial Services.

David Chandler (94) was elected and took office as a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi. He most recently served as a judge on the Mississippi Court of Appeals.

Judge Bradley Letts (94) was appointed by Gov. Bev Perdue to the Superior Court of North Carolina. A member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation, he will represent Haywood and Jackson counties. Letts currently serves as district court judge of the 30th Judicial District, a position he has held since 2000.

Mary Elizabeth Milek (94) opened Milek Law Firm in Oxford, specializing in family and collaborative law.

T. Michael Cronin (95) was named a partner in the Jackson office of Adams & Reese. He practices in the areas of labor and employment, education and health-care law.

Michael Gautier Jr. (95) is now with Perrier & Lacoste, LLC, in New Orleans, La.

Paul Hurst (95) was appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour to the PERS board of trustees for the state of Mississippi. Hurst serves as chief of staff in the Governor’s Office, a position he has held since December 2007.

Nicole P. Lasiter (95) is managing attorney with Lasiter Law Group, a full-service divorce and family law firm in Phoenix, Ariz.

Thomas J. Rosser (95) returned as of counsel with the Oxford Law firm of Mayo Mallette, PLLC. He continues his specialized practice of immigration and nationality law.

Don L. Frugé Jr. (96) an-nounces the formation of Oxford Investment Advisors, LLC, an independent registered investment advisory firm.

LeRoy D. Percy (96) opened his own law office, Percy Law Firm, in Oxford.

Randy G. “Bubba” Pierce (97) was recently elected and sworn in as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi. Pearce, a former state lawmaker, most recently served as Chancery Court Judge in Pascagoula.

Robert R. Stephenson Jr. (97) became a shareholder in the Jackson office of the law firm of Wilkins, Stephens & Tipton, PA.

Kevin Adams (98) was appointed county judge in Leflore County. He previously served as interim county judge and Youth Court judge in Leflore County.

Brian Sanderson (98) received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award at UM.

M. Craig Robertson (99), a partner in the Jackson office of Robinson, Biggs, Ingram, Solop & Farris, PLLC, was named a 2008 Mid-South Super Lawyers Rising Star.

 

Jeremy Birdsall (00) became a shareholder in the Jackson law firm of Wise Carter Child & Caraway. He practices in the areas of medical malpractice defense, products liability, general litigation, insurance defense and railroad litigation.

Simpson Gray Edmondson (01) is an associate in the Oxford office of the law firm of Barnes, McGee and Associates, PA. Edmondson also holds an LL.M. in tax.

Jess C. Frey (01) was named partner in the corporate section at Gardere Wynne Sewell, LLP, in their Houston, Texas, office. Frey works principally in the areas of corporate finance and securities.

James D. Maxwell II (01) was appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour to fill a vacancy on the Mississippi Court of Appeals beginning March 1, 2009. Maxwell has served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi since 2002.

Jeffrey S. Moffett (01) became a shareholder in the Ocean Springs office of Markow Walker, PA, Attorneys at Law.

M. Garner Berry (02) was named a shareholder in the Jackson office of Daniel Corker Horton & Bell, PA.

David Donnell (02) was named a partner in the Jackson office of Adams & Reese. He is a member of the special business services practice group and regularly works with hospitals, physician groups, and imaging and surgery centers.

Robert L. Holladay (02) was named a shareholder in the Jackson law firm of Young Williams, PA. His practice is focused on all facets of business and corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions and security law.

Brian C. Kimball (02) was named a member of the Jackson office of Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC.

James A. “Jay” Norris (02) was named a shareholder in the Ridgeland office of Copeland Cook Taylor & Bush, PA. He also holds an LL.M. in tax from the University of Florida.

William C. Penick IV (02) was named a member of the Jackson office of Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC.

Michael P. Fecteau (03) joined the Internal Revenue Service as an estate and gift tax attorney with duty in Oakland, Calif.

John T. Moses (03) is a securities broker with the firm CAC Financial Partners, LLC. CAC is an independent Mid-South securities brokerage and full-service insurance firm. Moses opened an office for CAC in Oxford to expand its operations into Mississippi.

Wes Sheumaker (04), an associ-ate in the Atlanta office of the tax group of Troutman Sanders, is serving as an adjunct professor of tax law at Georgia State University College of Law.

Meta Poole Ginn (05) is a broker at Sample & Poole Properties, LLC, with offices in Oxford and Jackson.

William Bradley “Brad” Palmertree (05) joined the Hernando law firm of Walker Brown Brown & Graves. He is practicing in the areas of commercial and general litigation and creditors’ rights.

Mackenzie Leigh Ferguson Henry (06) is an administrative assistant at Methodist LeBonheur in Memphis. The work is part of the requirements for her master’s degree in health administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Mark E. Gardner (06) was named trial counsel for the First Engineer Brigade in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

George S. Haymans IV (06) is an associate in the Oxford law office of Robinson, Biggs, Ingram, Solop & Farris. He and his wife have a son, George S. Haymans V.

Clyde McGee IV (06), former law clerk to U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock, is now an associate with the Oxford law firm of Freeland Shull.

Lynn Parker (06), former law clerk for U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills, joined the Jackson office of Burr & Forman, LLP, as an associate in their general litigation section.

Clifton M. Decker (07) joined the Jackson law firm of Carroll Warren & Parker, PLLC, as an associate.

Lily Kim (07) works for Samaritan’s Purse, an inter-national Christian relief organ-ization that provides aid to victims of war, poverty, natural disasters and disease. Kim serves as the regional program development officer for Asia and is based in Cambodia.

Katie Wetherbee (07) is now an assistant district attorney in Alabama covering three counties just north of Montgomery.

Frank M. Pellegrino (08) is now in corporate and securities practice with Bass, Berry & Sims in Nashville, Tenn.

 

Weddings

Mimi Burke (87) and Paul Speyerer, Sept. 6, 2008.

Mackenzie Leigh Ferguson (06) and David Carroll Henry, May 30, 2009.

Mary Clift Hitt (07) and Gerald Moses Abdalla Jr. (03), Jan. 10, 2009.

Pamela J. Manasco (08) and Thomas “Thom” Bittick (06), Aug. 8, 2008.

Erica S. Mosley and Arnold D. Lee (03), April 25, 2009.

Rachel Terry and Chad Robison (04), Nov. 15, 2008.

Marie Thomas and Brian Sanderson (98), Nov. 8, 2008.

Sarah Lee Wall (09) and David Bradford Nix (08), March 7, 2009.

 

Births

Mary McDaniel Brubaker, daughter of LaUna Brubaker (98) and Chris Brubaker, Nov. 19, 2008.

Connor Michael Bass, son of Kristy Bass and Connor Michael Bass (05), Sept. 18, 2008.

Jett William Gardner, son of Tara Gardner and Mark E. Gardner (06), Dec. 12, 2008.

Christopher Mettro-Dixon “Mett” Garner, son of Rebecca Bond Garner (02) and Todd Garner, Dec. 9, 2008.

Graves Benjamin Hinshaw, son of Joanna Graves Hinshaw and Corey Hinshaw (04), Dec. 15, 2008.

Howard Povall Hyneman, son of Amanda Lewis Hyneman and Brian Hyneman (98), Oct. 18, 2008.

Noah Gray Tims Lail, son of Melony Tims and Brandon W. Lail (97), Nov. 11, 2008.

Wesley Kirby May, daughter of Windy May and Kirby May (01), Jan. 16, 2009.

Robert Middleton Murphee, son of Amelia Smith Murphee (05) and William Harris Murphee, Aug. 21, 2008.

William “Liam” Strong Percy and Phinizy “Phin” Davis Percy, twin sons of Mary Ann Percy (07) and LeRoy Percy (96), Oct. 6, 2008.

Mary Elizabeth Sessums, daughter of Mary Elizabeth Milek (94) and Roy Madison Sessums, July 13, 2007.

Jackson Bienville Skipper, son of Jennifer Jones Skipper (02) and William “Ben” Skipper (00), Feb. 19, 2008.

Brennan Adams Smith, son of Amanda Whaley Smith (02) and Kent E. Smith (91), Dec. 12, 2008.

Evan Harper Urbanek, son of Amanda McMillan Urbanek (01) and Jim Urbanek, Aug. 12, 2008.

 

In Memoriam

Stephen Ellis Allen (47) of Hazelhurst, Oct. 11, 2008.

Wiley T. Alliston (41) of Saginaw, Texas, Feb. 28, 2009.

Stone Deavors Barefield Sr. (54) of Hattiesburg, March 20, 2009.

Peter Joseph Bagley (94) of Oxford, Feb. 26, 2009.

Frank A. Carlton Jr. (61) of Greenville, March 8, 2009.

Charles Willis Connell Jr. (61) of Atlanta, April 2, 2009.

Joe Weems Hobbs (57) of Jackson, Dec. 9, 2008.

Clyde Gray Huggins Jr. (69) of Oxford, Oct. 29, 2008.

Chatwin Mabry Jackson Jr. (48) of Kosciusko, October 2008.

Albert Sidney Johnston III (55) of Moss Point, Nov. 13, 2008.

Robert L. Netterville (43) of Natchez, Feb. 2, 2009.

Gretchen Welsh Pumphrey (82) of Madison, Sept. 22, 2008.

William F. “Bill” Riley (49) of Natchez, Nov. 2, 2008.

Judge William David Stinson (51) of Middleton, Tenn., March 18, 2009.

Robert H. Taylor (69) of Jackson, Nov. 24, 2008.

Robert C. Travis (61) of Jackson, Dec. 5, 2008.

John A. “Jack” Welsch Jr. (56) of Jackson, Nov. 24, 2008.

Douglas Knox White (48) of Gulfport, Aug. 16, 2008.

John Harris “Bubber” White, Jr. (61) of McComb, April 7, 2009.